News

This weekend, you will have the opportunity to play cornhole in an event to help a program designed to help get kids off drugs, and to donate to help less fortunate families with food during the upcoming holiday season. The 13th Annual Reclaiming Futures Adolescent Treatment Program Cornhole Tournament and Food Drive will take place at Whitley County Fairgrounds on Saturday (Oct. 25). Registration will be at 1:30 p.m. with the tournament starting at 2 p.m. All proceeds will go to fund holiday food boxes and angel tree for youth and families. Reclaiming Futures Adolescent Treatment Program, formerly known as juvenile drug court, helps teenagers in the court system get off drugs...

An apparent act of vandalism at Vanbeber Court in Corbin has resulted in repair work that will cost an estimated $15,000, and a cash reward is now being offered for information that leads to a conviction of the person, or persons, responsible. “This does nothing but hurt the residents,” Corbin Housing Authority Executive Director Robert Hayes said of the incident. “Our funds are limited right now, and to have an intentional act of vandalism like this is disgraceful.” According to Hayes, someone broke up several bricks and stuffed them into a cleanout pipe that is located behind one of the housing units at Vanbeber Court. This resulted in a plumbing system...

One of the main items of business that was addressed at Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Whitley County Fiscal Court was to award bids for the upcoming expansion project at the Whitley County Detention Center. County Judge Executive Pat White, Jr. explained that a construction manager is overseeing the process and that bids have been awarded to a long list of individual contractors, each dealing with a different aspect of the overall project – electrical, HVAC, plumbing, etc. He said doing things in this way increases the likelihood that local contractors will be able to benefit from the opportunity. When finished, the expansion will add 100 more beds to the detention...

The Corbin Board of Education met at Corbin High School (CHS) on Oct. 16 to give updates on the high school’s new Yondr pouch initiative to eliminate phone usage, as well as give student and staff recognition. The meeting began with the presentation of colors by the JROTC and a performance of the national anthem by the Corbin High School Choir, directed by Nick Hibbard. Melanie Howard was recognized for recently becoming the Kentucky Elementary Teacher of the Year. “I can tell you she is well deserving of this award,” said Corbin Superintendent Travis Wilder. “I have been in her classroom many times, and she goes above and beyond to meet the...

A planned refinancing of the revenue bonds issued in 2014 to build Pleasant View Elementary School is expected to save the Whitley County School District about $260,000 in interest, and Whitley Central Primary School will be getting new flooring over the summer, which should come at no cost to the school district. These were two bits of good financial news that the Whitley County Board of Education received during its monthly meeting Thursday. Revenue bonds, which are used to pay for government building and improvement projects, are the equivalent of an individual getting a mortgage to build a house. Dwight Salsbury, managing director with RSA advisors, explained to the board that reissuing...

A routine traffic stop Sunday on the Cumberland Gap Parkway in North Corbin resulted in the seizure of heroin, fentanyl, a large quantity of suspected methamphetamine, and the arrest of two people, according to a Corbin Police Department release. Corbin Patrolman First Class Chris Brown arrested Samuel McFaland, 33, of Williamsburg, and Rikki Neely, 35, of Corbin, charging each of them with three counts of trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine, heroin and carfentanil or fentanyl), possession of a controlled substance (heroin), and possession of drug paraphernalia. McFarland was also charged with not having his license in possession and for his windows not being safety glass, according to the Laurel County...

The Corbin Fire Department has been recognized for the work it has done over the past year helping with disasters, accidents, rescues, searches and so forth both in Corbin and in the surrounding areas. During the Corbin City Commission’s monthly meeting Monday, Laurel-Whitey Emergency Management Director Jerry Rains presented the Corbin Fire Department with a certificate of appreciation. “2025 has been a busy year for the Corbin Fire Department and they have been a tremendous asset to the citizens of Corbin and southeast Kentucky. Emergency management receives a variety of calls throughout a year, and some are unique and require specialized skills and equipment,” Rains said. “We are blessed to have responders...

The Whitley County Grand Jury indicted a Corbin man Monday for multiple counts of possessing matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor and, in a separate case, indicted a Williamsburg man for distribution of obscene matter to minors and procuring or promoting use of a minor by electronic means. Both cases resulted from Kentucky State Police (KSP) Electronic Crimes Branch investigations. The grand jury indicted Randy Pace, 55, of Riva Ridge Trail, on 10 counts of possession of matter portraying sexual performance by a minor over the age of 12 years old but under the age of 18 years old. Between March 5 and March 7, 2025, Pace allegedly had...

The City of Corbin is seeking about $180,000 in state grant funding to help provide local matching funds for three projects. The city is pursuing a $125,000 grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) for the Engineer Street playground project, a $15,000 grant for the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Ready Grant for the Corbin comprehensive planning project, and a $40,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for the Corbin Senior Citizens’ Center kitchen renovation project. During its regular monthly meeting Monday, the Corbin City Commission approved three resolutions authorizing Mayor Suzie Razmus to sign documents related to different grants that the city is pursuing. Razmus inquired about whether the commission had...

The Whitley County Grand Jury indicted a Corbin woman Monday for theft and other charges in connection to allegations that she used a credit card or debit card connected to a resident’s group at the Williamsburg Housing Authority to allegedly make thousands of dollars in fraudulent purchases. The grand jury indicted Betsy Sergent, 45, charging her with theft by unlawful taking or disposition all others value at least $10,000 but less than $1 million, fraudulent use of a credit card/gift card over $10,000 and abuse of the public trust value at least $10,000 but less than $100,000. Between May 27 and Sept 3, 2025, Sergent allegedly knowingly and unlawfully took grant...