{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"The News Journal","provider_url":"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net","title":"Setting the record straight on annexation ... again &ndash; The News Journal","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"ugsLU4Jlat\"><a href=\"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/setting-the-record-straight-on-annexation-again\/\">Setting the record straight on annexation &#8230; again<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/setting-the-record-straight-on-annexation-again\/embed\/#?secret=ugsLU4Jlat\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Setting the record straight on annexation &#8230; again&#8221; &#8212; The News Journal\" data-secret=\"ugsLU4Jlat\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Trent-Knuckles.jpg","thumbnail_width":502,"thumbnail_height":610,"description":"Ever hear this one? The city of Corbin is forbidden from annexing into southern Laurel County. The reason \u2014 some sneaky state senator got a law passed in the 1980s that won\u2019t allow a city to annex into a third county. Corbin lies in two counties so, as the story goes, this underhanded legislative misdeed was unfairly directed at our very fair city. It\u2019s got all the trappings of a classic good vs. evil battle. You have the oppressor and the oppressed. You have the good city of Corbin that could annex property and spur economic growth on Exit 29, and get wheelbarrows full of tax money for its coffers. You have the evil, bad politician carrying out a nefarious scheme to throw a wrench in these plans for progress and stick it to Corbin. It\u2019s a great tale! People love it. I know they love it because they\u2019ve told it to me many times over the years. Over and over and over again. It\u2019s a good yarn \u2026 except for the fact that it isn\u2019t true. I only write this because interest in annexation has peaked again. And so, the story has resurfaced. After each telling of the good city, bad politician story I take a moment to contemplate. Should I correct the record? Is it worth the price to be paid? You see, typically, when you tell someone this story isn\u2019t true, they are incredulous. It\u2019s been repeated so many times, it\u2019s just accepted as fact. It\u2019s almost offensive to suggest it\u2019s a fabrication. To suggest it isn\u2019t true is offensive. Important folks have told them, so it is true. It just is! I think for a lot of people, the fact that it\u2019s not true is sort of a bummer. Corbin can\u2019t annex its way into southern Laurel County because of a 1930s legal decision that didn\u2019t even involve the city. The city of Elsmere, in northern Kentucky, was the city at issue in that case. Another case, in 1949, tested that decision, but it stood. \u201cCommon law\u201d in Kentucky is that no city can annex beyond a county in which it was originally chartered. For most Kentucky cities, that\u2019s just one county. For Corbin and some others, it\u2019s two. The law, as written, actually doesn\u2019t even address how many counties a city can annex into. There\u2019s always the possibility of a legislative fix to this \u201cproblem.\u201d One was even proposed just over a year ago, but it never saw the light of day. You\u2019d be shocked to know that there are 417 cities in Kentucky. Some of those other cities are close to county lines. Changing the rules could have a dramatic effect in more places than just our little corner of the state. I think the first step toward addressing any issue is to first ascertain the underlying truth behind it. Get some real knowledge of the history. Everyone would like to see a legislative fix to this problem. But I think we have to get the story straight first."}