People

Toddler helps police find wanted Whitley County woman. That was a headline that appeared in the March 1, 2023 edition of the News Journal.  Now, nearly nine months later, that same Whitley County woman is thanking her nephew for his honesty and bravery. She says that without it, she might still be struggling with addiction, or worse. “I was on meth, and smoking weed,” said Tina Hicks of Williamsburg when asked to describe her situation back in January and February of this year. “I had a trailer, but it didn’t have electric or anything. Needless to say, it was pretty bad.” “I had been running for two-and-a-half years on two of...

“I was in tears. I didn’t believe it at first.” That is how Williamsburg’s Chelsea Taylor described the moment when she found out that she will soon have a chance at winning $10,000 and a Q&A with one of her childhood idols, celebrity Chef Buddy Valastro. “I came across an ad on Facebook,” Taylor explained. “I clicked on it, filled out the application, and submitted some photos. I didn’t think that I was going to be chosen, but then I got the e-mail.” The ad that Taylor came across was for the upcoming The Greatest Baker competition, which is sponsored by Bake From Scratch Magazine. Presented by Chef Valastro, star of...

Back in 2014, Spencer Diamond was a senior at Corbin High School. He was a member of the inaugural Redhound swim team, and in an interview former Head Coach Kyle Yeager was quoted in the News Journal, saying, “...Diamond is my distance swimmer, when he isn’t busy flirting with girls and trying to sing during practices.” Now, nearly ten years later, the old adage of “some things never change” is certainly holding true as Diamond is still out there flirting and singing as a Lexington-based R&B performer. It’s a life that he didn’t know he would be leading back during his days as a Redhound, but now he has big...

Many in the local community are likely aware that the Corbin Senior Citizen Center operates near the meeting point of Knox, Whitley and Laurel counties, but how much do you know about the many opportunities currently being offered there? The facility, located at 409 Barbourville Street, just across the street from Campbell Field and on the other side of the creek from Rotary Park, is affiliated with the Cumberland Valley Area Development District’s Area Agency on Aging and Independent Living. According to CVADD’s website, www.cvadd.org, the agency is “part of a Network on Aging under the direction of the US Administration on Aging.” Thanks to federal funding that is accessed through...

The Whitley County Area Retired Teachers Association (WARTA) is a group who meets regularly to make sure their pensions and health insurance benefits remain secure. That is their main objective, but it is far from their only concern. “We are non-political, and we work every single day to make sure that our pensions are guaranteed and that we have health insurance,” current WARTA president, Meg Judd, said recently. “That is our priority, but there are many opportunities for service projects as well. We keep in touch with our schools and local family resource centers, and we provide donations to many different charitable organizations.” Judd said that WARTA is one of 118...

On September 15, 2023, the Corbin Redhounds football team celebrated its 100th year of existence with an evening full of festivities at the newly remodeled Campbell Field/Denes Stadium. Prior to kickoff of that night’s historic game between the Hounds and the visiting Frederick Douglass Broncos, Paul Jones was escorted to the 50-yard-line to serve as an honorary captain for the ceremonial coin toss. This was fitting for a number of reasons, chief among them being the fact that, of the estimated 7,500 fans that were in attendance, he was the only one to actually be on the earth when the football Hounds first took the field back in 1923. “It...

“We are here to help the community, especially the children who are in need of food.” That is what Doris Moore said of the effort that she and her fellow volunteers with the Corbin Community Backpack Program put forth every week in order to get food into the hands of school aged children in Whitley and Knox counties. “We are a 501(c)(3) organization,” said Moore, who has served as chairperson for the local Backpack Program since its inception 19 years ago. “We work through the school systems to provide a bag of weekend food for children who are dealing with food insecurity in the home.” Moore said that the Corbin Community Backpack...

When it comes to getting older, there are a lot of considerations. Mental health, physical well-being, financial stability and companionship are just some of the things that an aging person and their family members might need to think about. Luckily, the Tri-County Abuse Council for Elders, or T.R.A.C.E., are committed to engaging with seniors and their caregivers in all of the above-mentioned areas. A collection of professionals from varied backgrounds, the organization was formed in order to offer those in need the care and support that they need when it matters the most. “For a lot of our older adults, as they age, their peer groups tend to shrink a little,”...

History. Without it, how can we know who we truly are? Without first knowing where it is that we come from, is it even possible to know where we’re going? Luckily for folks in Whitley County, the Whitley County Historical and Genealogical Society has remained dedicated to preserving local history over the years, ensuring that the people, places and events that have shaped our local communities will not be lost to time. “The Historical Society formed when a group of individuals in the county, probably 10-12, decided that it was time to do something about preserving our history,” explained Pat Jones, President of the Whitley Genealogical Society. “The group was formed...

Longtime readers of Senior Living know all about the importance of continuing to stay active as we age. Hobbies can be a great way to accomplish this, so in this month’s issue, we will look at two local groups who are offering fun and exciting ways to remain physically and mentally engaged. The Appalachian Photographic Society (APS) is dedicated to celebrating the photographic arts, and informing people about the joys of photography. For longtime members like James and Maxine Cass, they have witnessed firsthand how the hobby has had a positive effect on both people and places. The Casses were integral in establishing Camp Wildcat in Laurel County as an incorporated...