News

The 2022-2023 school year will bring with it more than just a fresh start for students and teachers, as all employees of the Williamsburg Independent School District can also expect to see a slight increase in their wages following a decision Tuesday evening during the Williamsburg Board of Education’s regular monthly meeting. With the approved raises, certified personnel—or faculty/staff positions—will receive a 3 percent bump in pay, while all classified positions—or non-teaching personnel—will be receiving a $1 hourly raise. As with other local school districts who have recently provided pay increases, Superintendent Tim Melton said that the raises were made possible due to new state legislation that allowed for...

A Louisville woman involved in a November 2020 two-vehicle fatality crash was indicted Friday by a Laurel County grand jury. Jessica E. Chambers, 32, was named in a single count indictment for charges that allegedly occurred November, 10, 2020. The lone count of the indictment charges Chambers with second-degree manslaughter. On the date listed in the indictment, Chambers was driving along the northbound lane of KY-30 before attempting to turn onto KY-1394, which is when she allegedly pulled into the path of oncoming vehicle traveling southbound on KY-30, striking it. The impact sent Chambers’ vehicle off the roadway, with the other vehicle coming to rest partially blocking the two roadways. Chambers reportedly declined...

The Whitley County Fiscal Court received a little more money this fiscal year than anticipated. During its regularly called monthly meeting on May 17, the fiscal court held readings of two budget amendment ordinances. One budget amendment relates to $1,065,640 in unbudgeted receipts from the occupational tax ordinance. $563,513 comes from the occupation license fee and $500,127 from the occupation net profits tax. The occupational tax sharing agreement between the fiscal court, Corbin and Williamsburg allows the county to keep 100 percent of the occupational tax revenue generated in the county outside of either city limits. Occupational tax revenue inside the two cities is split with each city keeping 75 percent of...

  The Whitley County Farmer’s Market held its first event of the season in Williamsburg last Thursday at River Fog Park. Local farmers, craft people and so forth brought out their products and wares. The Farmer's Market will be open from 5 - 7 p.m. on Thursdays in Williamsburg through the remainder of the season.  

A Corbin businessman has been selected as Leadership Tri-County’s “Leader of the Year,” and will be honored during Leader of the Year Banquet Thursday night at Barbourville’s First Baptist Church. John Bill Keck, who has been involved in assorted businesses throughout his career and currently runs a real estate development business, will receive the award. “Every year, someone from a different county is selected, and we thought he needed to be recognized for all that he gives to Knox County,” said Claudia Greenwood, a member of the Leadership Tri-County Board of Directors when asked why Keck was chosen. Greenwood explained that in selecting the Leader of the Year, the board searching for...

When your town is over 200 years old, you are going to have some really old waterlines and with that often comes cracks in those lines, which increases the water loss rate. Williamsburg, which has a current water loss rate of about 15 percent, is hoping to do something about that with a little help from U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers (KY-05). Rogers has requested nearly $54 million for 15 community projects in southern and eastern Kentucky in fiscal year 2023, including a request for $5.5 million for water improvements in Williamsburg. If approved, Williamsburg will use the funding to replace approximately 18,000 feet of deteriorating water lines, providing much needed system upgrades...

Two Michigan men face numerous charges after being arrested twice for leading police on two different pursuits within a 24-hour period. The first incident occurred late during the night on May 22, when an officer with the Corbin Police Department attempted to perform a traffic stop on a vehicle around Exit 15 in Whitley County, which allegedly failed to yield and attempted to flee, turning down Prewitt Bend Road. The two men, identified as Mathew Rajon, 38, and Nathaniel Nix, Jr., 33, both of Detroit, Michigan, allegedly exited the vehicle and fled on foot. According to Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird, the pair was found a short time later while...

The ongoing nation-wide formula shortage continues to leave both federal and state organizations grappling with possible solutions as parents scramble to find what little formula may be left on store shelves. Though there still doesn’t seem to be a clear end to the shortage in sight, the Whitley County Health Department is trying to help ease some of the woes parents are currently facing by helping link up organizations that may have formula with those who need it. WCHD announced the Whitley County Formula Locator on Monday via their Facebook page, which included links to two different surveys. The first link directs to a survey for organizations that have a...

A family’s home was saved thanks to the efforts of several local fire departments over the weekend, though not without extensive damages. West Knox Volunteer Fire Department responded to a structure fire on Oak Ridge Church Road at 11:57 a.m. Saturday after a caller reported the blaze. Firefighters with Corbin Fire Department were also dispatched to provide manpower, with Lily Volunteer Fire Department paged to assist with tankers. According to CFD Assistant Chief Chad Jackson, the fire began with a vehicle parked near entrance to the home’s garage before jumping to the structure itself. “The garage and living room was a total loss,” said Jackson. “The bedroom portion of the home was...

A Williamsburg woman had to be airlifted early Sunday morning after allegedly being attacked during a domestic dispute with a machete and is facing a long road to recovery, according to a Williamsburg Police Department release. On Monday, the police department learned that the woman had spent several hours in surgery at the University of Kentucky Medical Center where she is listed in stable condition, according to the release. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim and the victim’s family as well as the first responders involved in this horrific incident,” Williamsburg police wrote. Williamsburg Police Officer Greg Rhoades arrested the victim’s alleged attacker, Darryl Alan Earls, 30, of Williamsburg, charging...