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Approximately 40 athletes participated in the Whitley County High School baseball and softball fundamental camp on July 27-28. The two-day camp introduced players to the fundamentals of the game, including throwing, footwork, flexibility, stretching and more. The camp was designed to build confidence and develop their skills.

After completing his first year as superintendent at Corbin Independent School District (CISD), the Corbin Board of Education met in executive session on July 21 to complete Travis Wilder’s summative evaluation. The evaluation included the 2025-2026 Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) for new superintendents, which measures performance in five leadership standards: strategic, instructional, cultural, human resource and operational leadership. The scoring evaluation is based on four indicators: exemplary, accomplished, developing and threshold. Of the five standards, Wilder focused on cultural leadership for his first year. He believed the most important emphasis should be understanding and influencing CISD’s environment. According to the evaluation, Wilder received exemplary ratings in two areas and accomplished ratings in...

Corbin Tourism expects record restaurant tax revenue in the current fiscal year following a positive annual financial report. Financial Advisor Bryan Gay presented members of the Corbin Tourism and Convention Commission with the 2025-2026 fiscal year report on July 21. He said the final report reflected continuous growth and outperformance of the prior fiscal year in all but one month. “I believe that was November, and it was by $9,000. Almost every month this fiscal year, we did better than the prior fiscal year,” Gay said. Corbin Tourism ended the fiscal year on June 30 with $1,526,374 in its bank accounts and $1,323,561 in fixed assets. Restaurant tax revenue for the year totaled...

For the second time this year, a Knox County grand jury has indicted a Corbin man on a rape charge. The Knox County Grand Jury indicted Preston Allen Messer, 45, of Corbin, on charges of third-degree rape and first-degree persistent felony offender. Between July 1, 2024, and Sept. 1, 2024, Messer allegedly engaged in sexual intercourse with a child under 16 years of age, according to his indictment. He has three prior felony convictions, including a 2023 Knox County case, a 2016 Knox County case and a 1999 Laurel County case, his indictment stated. His bond was set at $50,000 cash. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Sept. 14 before Knox Circuit...

Whitley Circuit Judge Dan Ballou recently sentenced a Williamsburg man to 15 years in prison for secretly recording juveniles in his residence in late 2024. Pierce Hamblin, 48, of Liford Drive, pleaded guilty May 5 to three counts of promoting a sex performance by a minor under 16 years of age, two counts of promoting a sexual performance by a minor under 18 years of age, three counts of possession or viewing of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor over age 12 but under 18 years of age and two counts of possession or viewing of matter portraying a sexual performance of a minor under 12 years of...

The Knox County Grand Jury indicted an East Bernstadt man Friday for allegedly assaulting four police officers during a May 24 incident. The grand jury indicted Michael Allen Mills III, 21, on four counts of third-degree assault of a police officer, alcohol intoxication, third-degree fleeing or evading police (on foot), second-degree disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and second-degree criminal mischief. Mills allegedly kicked and fought with officers during the incident, was intoxicated and disobeyed a directive to stop running, according to his indictment. Officers also had equipment and uniforms damaged during the altercation, according to the arrest citation and indictment. The incident happened at approximately 9:46 p.m. on May 24 when Corbin Police Patrolwoman...

The largest Whitley County road paving project in 20 years is coming soon. The Whitley County Fiscal Court recently approved an agreement with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for $2,668,000 in funding through Local Area Road Program (LARP). “Overall, it is going to be over a $3 million paving project that counts our match. We have to match 17.5 percent,” said Whitley County Judge-Executive Pat White Jr. “It is the largest blacktopping project that I have ever gotten to be part in 20 years. We are tickled to death. We are really going to get to help some people who need it.” White said the county will begin work soon after getting the...

The Knox County Grand Jury indicted a London man Friday for allegedly breaking into a woman’s home, unlawfully restraining her, assaulting her and violating a protective order. The grand jury indicted Shawn Bennette Asher II, 37, on charges of first-degree unlawful imprisonment, first-degree burglary, violation of an Emergency Protective Order/Domestic Violence order and fourth-degree assault. The incident happened on April 23 starting about 2:21 p.m., according to an arrest citation. The Knox County Sheriff’s Office began investigating after getting a complaint from the victim’s daughter about a possible kidnapping of her mother by her mother’s ex-boyfriend, who was later identified as Asher, according to an arrest citation. “Asher is alleged to have broken...

Dayspring Health partnered with a Texas university to give future medical providers firsthand experience serving rural communities in Kentucky and Tennessee last week. Baylor University in Waco, Texas, sent seven faculty members and 15 undergraduate and graduate students on a weeklong “Rural Health Immersion” trip throughout Knoxville, Clairfield, Jellico and Williamsburg. The program members visited Dayspring facilities, engaged with locals and assisted with community programming including a senior bingo and brunch event hosted at the Dayspring Regional Health Center in Williamsburg. Dayspring CEO and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Geogy Thomas said the program equipped students for their future careers by showing them what rural health in America looks like in impoverished...

The Knox County Grand Jury indicted a Corbin woman Friday for allegedly abusing and assaulting two children by tasering them. The grand jury indicted Holly Ann Mills, also known as Holly Ann Mills Pennington and Holy Lone, 42, on two counts of first-degree criminal abuse and two counts of fourth-degree assault. On June 21, she allegedly tased a child less than 12 years of age and another slightly older child, according to her indictment. According to her arrest citation, the Taser was a flashlight with a built-in stun gun feature. Mills spoke to police and denied doing anything to the children. She pleaded not guilty to the charges during her arraignment Friday in...