Leonardo Giovanni “John” Cima

Leonardo Giovanni “John” Cima, 65, passed to eternal life January 6, 2024, at Christian Health Center with his family present.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Armando O. Cima and Marie Johnson Cima; a brother, Mario F. Cima; an infant sister, Bernadette Cima; a nephew, Aaron “Hank” Cima; and a brother-in-law, Larry Jones.
John is survived by his brothers and sisters: Julia Jones, Giulio J. (Tracy) Cima, sister-in-law, Janie Cima, Michael A. (Robbie) Cima, Maria A. (Ray) Disney, Gino G. (Laura) Cima, Gina M. (Dan) Valentine, Edmondo O. (Lisa) Cima, Carmen L. (Steve) Bohnlein, Armando O. (Karen) Cima II, and Jerome F. (Staci) Cima, as well as a host of nieces, nephews and others who will mourn his passing.
John was a lifelong and devoted member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. He was a very active member, committed to his faith and the work of the Church, especially through the Sacred Heart Fall Festival and fundraising activities.
John’s life was one of charitable work. He was a giving and loving person to the youth of Corbin, regularly attending their sporting events and activities. He supported the Corbin Sports and Backpack Programs by helping with their fundraisers for many years.
John loved his family beyond all earthly things, except, maybe, Sugar Daddy’s. His parents were constantly in his thoughts and prayers. After their passing, John organized a memorial golf scramble in his parents’ honor. He raised $10,000 for the children of St. Jude. John was very proud to honor his parents and family in this way.
The family would like to express our love and gratitude to the staff at Christian Health Center for their loving care of our brother. You are, and will remain, in our prayers.
A funeral mass will be held at 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, January 9, 2023, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Fr. Damian Anumba officiating.
Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be John’s brothers and nephews. Honorary pallbearers will be Pete and Rodger Booth, Ivan Siler, Chet Sherman, Mike Corey, Creston Waddle, Doris Moore, Johnny Woods, and Eric Hart.
The family will receive friends from 5 – 8 P.M. Monday at Hart Funeral Home. The Rosary will begin at 8:00 P.M.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Sacred Heart Church or the St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
Hart Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

 

James Lee Price

With heavy hearts and fond memories, we celebrate the life of James Lee Price, or simply James, as he was affectionately known.
Born on January 29, 1955, in Shelby, Alabama, James lived a life filled with love, laughter, and a deep dedication to his family. James was a loving husband, a loyal friend, and a dedicated father and grandfather.
His undeniable strength and unwavering love for his family have left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him.
James spent his early years serving his country in the United States Army. His bravery, dedication, and service of over 16 years earned him commendable recognition. After his military service, James transitioned into a successful 16-year career as a truck driver. His work was not just an occupation, but a testament to his dedication and commitment. When remembering James, this quote comes to mind, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
James is survived by his loving wife, June; his children, Devin (Jamie) Schultz, Robert (Rosetta) Weaver, Tiffany (Robert) Weaver; his grandchildren, Jacoby Weaver, Cayleen Morgan, Haygen Weaver, Rebecca Snyder, Cody Nix, Zachary Nix; his siblings-in-law, Ed Petrey, Phyllis (Danny) Whitehead, Wanda (JR) Miracle, Barbara Cox, Linda Cox, Tresa (Chuck) Grey; and his special niece, Kim Anderson; special nephew, Addison Anderson; along with nieces Makayla McKiney, and Nevaeh McKiney.
James was preceded in death by his parents, Burtis and Bertha Price; his sisters, Pat Parrot and Mae Wolf; and his sister-in-law, Lisa Petrey.
Funeral service will be Monday, January 8, at 3:00 pm at Croley Funeral Home.
Internment will take place at 4:30 pm at Wolf Creek Baptist Church, 2151 Wolf Creek Road, Williamsburg, Kentucky.
In honor of James’s remarkable life, we invite you to share your memories and upload photos to his memorial page. Your stories and photos will serve as a beacon of remembrance for this incredible man who touched so many lives.
Croley Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

 

Corbin BOE purchases property near high school

The Corbin Board of Education has purchased a piece of property adjacent to its high school campus.

On Dec. 26, Ledford Perry and Judy Perry sold property near Early Avenue to the Corbin Board of Education for $70,000, according to a deed filed with the Whitley County Clerk’s Office.

Corbin Board of Education Chairperson Todd Childers signed the deed on behalf of the school board.

Superintendent Dave Cox said there is an old house on the property, and it is right across the street from the career center in the back adjacent to the parking lot.

“It is possible we are going to do some parking there. The board has yet to decide that,” Cox said. “We are just out of parking back there. If we put our auxiliary gym on the side where the career center is, then we lose that parking lot.”

 

In the name of love: How the Eli Hill Foundation has turned tragedy into triumph

In March of 2023, the world suddenly seemed like a darker place after news began to spread around the Corbin community of the tragic death of 8-year-old Eli Hill, who suffered fatal injuries when a basketball goal located outside his home fell on top of him. (more…)

 

I-75 asphalt pavement project continues Monday (Jan. 8) in Whitley County

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) advises motorists that a lane closure will take place on I-75 northbound at mile point 24 in Whitley County beginning Monday, Jan. 8, until Friday, Jan. 26.

The lane closure will be in place from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and is needed to accommodate guardrail upgrade to the overhead message board sign in the median at mile point 24.

KYTC asks motorists to be aware of the work zone, expect significant delays, and to utilize safe driving habits when traveling through the area.

The date, time, and duration of work may be adjusted if inclement weather or other unforeseen delays occur. Motorists can access travel and traffic conditions at http://goky.ky.gov or contribute their reports at www.waze.com or via the Waze mobile application. You can also get traffic information for District 11 counties at www.facebook.com/KYTCDistrict11 or by following us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/KYTCDistrict11.

 

Razmus will be guest speaker Tuesday (Jan. 9) at chamber of commerce luncheon

Corbin Mayor Suzie Razmus will be the featured guest speaker during the Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce monthly membership luncheon Tuesday (Jan. 9), which will be held at The Corbin Center, which is located at 222 Corbin Center Drive.

Razmus will give a review of 2023 and discuss what Corbin can look forward to in 2024. The luncheon will begin at 11:45 a.m.

The cost to attend the luncheon is $15.

You can register for the event by going to http://www.southernkychamber.com/events/details/january-2024-membership-luncheon-corbin-417.

You can also register by calling (606) 528-6390, or by e-mailing stephanie@sky-eda.com.

Old Town Grill will cater the luncheon.

 

Patsy Jane White

Patsy Jane White, age 78, of Corbin, Kentucky, passed away on Friday, January 5, 2024, at Hillcrest Health and Rehabilitation in Corbin, KY.
Born in Detroit, Michigan, she was a daughter of the late Luther Carl White and Nancy Helton White.
Patsy was a retired bookkeeper and secretary having worked at Chaney Lumber in Lily, and for Owens Auto in Corbin. She was also a long time and active member at Keck Baptist Church in Gray, KY.
Patsy is survived by her brother, Mike White (Betty); niece, Christie Thaler (Jeff); nephew, Mark White (Cecelia); great niece, Sydney Thaler; cousins, John Bill Keck, Frances Chadwell, and Jan Huddleston; and by many friends, including special friend, Leona McCreary.
Visitation for Patsy will be held from 11am until 1pm on Monday January 8, at the Vankirk-Grisell Funeral Home, where her funeral service will be held at 1pm with Rev. Darrell Warren officiating.
Burial will follow in the Cox Cemetery in Gray, Kentucky.
Messages may be written to the family at vankirkgrisellfuneralhome.com.

 

Michele Lynn Brock

Michele Lynn Brock, 40, of London Kentucky departed this life surrounded by her loving family on January 4th, 2024 at her home in London, Kentucky.
She was born February 6, 1983.
She was proceeded in death by her husband, Adam Joseph Brock, and her grandparents, Gladys Morris, Carol Roeder and Herman Chaffin.
Survived by her parents, Veronica Lynn (Chaffin) Jewell and husband James of Williamsburg, Kentucky; her father, Michael Allen Morris of Williamsburg, Kentucky; daughter, Gracie Lynn Brock of Williamsburg, Kentucky, her fiancé Joe Bennett of London, Kentucky, her brothers, Herman Edward Canada Jr. and wife Jody of Williamsburg, Kentucky, and Michael Jean Hale of Corbin, Kentucky; her sisters, Linda Allen Luntsford and husband Jimmy of Williamsburg, Kentucky, Tammy Burton and husband Darrin of Williamsburg, Kentucky and Rebecca Morris of Williamsburg, Kentucky. She is also survived by her grandfather, Hershel Morris of Corbin, Kentucky; stepchildren, Brooke Bennett Sluss and Elizabeth Bennett of Williamsburg, Kentucky; along with several step-grandchildren, nieces and nephews and a host of family and friends to mourn her passing.
Funeral service will be Monday, January 8, at the Croley Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Bryan West officiating.
Burial will be in the Wolf Pit Cemetery on Devils Creek Corbin, Kentucky.
Visitation will be Monday from 11:00 until funeral hour.
Croley Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

 

Benefit events set for Saturday (Jan. 6), Sunday (Jan. 7) for Whitley County EMS director

Local first responders are planning a benefit concert and another fundraiser this coming weekend in Corbin for Whitley County EMS Director Amanda Jackson, who is battling incurable breast cancer. This is her second round of battling breast cancer. She had been cancer free for two years.

Jackson has worked for the ambulance service for the past 15 years, and she was named director last year after Kelly Harrison retired.

In addition, Amanda and her husband, Corbin Firefighter Chad Jackson, are also members of West Knox Volunteer Fire Department.

“Amanda was diagnosed with stage four cancer, and we wanted to do something to help her and her family out, so we came together with Corbin Fire Department, the City of Corbin and West Knox Volunteer Fire Department,” said Whitley County Projects Director Amber Owens.

Whitley County EMS is hosting a “Benefit Night for Amanda Jackson,” on Saturday at The Corbin Arena where the County Wide band will be performing.

There will be a $10 entry fee for the event, and those 10 and under will get in for free.

County Wide is performing for free, and the City of Corbin is donating use of The Corbin Arena for free for the event, Owens said.

There will be concession stand food served during the event. Several groups that Whitley County EMS work with, such as Air Evac and PHI are donating food items. Brandon Prewitt with LLL Barbeque is donating pulled pork for the event.

West Knox Volunteer Fire Department will also be hosting a benefit auction during the event. So far over $3,000 worth of items have been donated for the auction.

“All of the proceeds from this will go back to Amanda,” Owens noted.

Doors will open at 5 p.m. and the event starts at 6 p.m.

“You can come early at 5 p.m. and look at the silent auction items and make your bid. If anybody has auction items that they would like to donate, we will take those as well,” Owens added. “We will have music, concession food and a silent auction just trying to help Amanda and Chad out.”

Anyone wanting to donate should contact the Corbin Fire Department at (606) 528-1122 or Whitley County EMS at (606) 539-0867 for more information.

On Sunday, there will be an “Art and Appetizers Benefit for Amanda Jackson,” which will take place from 3 – 7 p.m. at The Corbin Arena.

Felicia Fore, one of the Art and Appetizers organizers, said the event will be like other paint while you eat or paint while you socialize events that people attend.

There will be a ribbon cutout that participants will paint during the event, which can be decorated in various ways.

The $50 fee per person will cover everything, including the cost of painting materials and appetizers.

Fore noted that various finger foods are being donated for the event.

Anyone needing more information about the Art & Appetizers event can call Fore at (606) 515-3470.

Organizers don’t have a goal for how much money that they hope to raise through the two events.

 

We are optimistic about the future of the News Journal

The News Journal is one of 6,000 newspapers remaining in the U.S. Since 2005, the U.S. has lost nearly 2,900 newspapers.

What does this say about the News Journal? It says that you have been good to us and we are good for this community.

Our newspaper increased in circulation last year. For the fifth time in the last six years we won the Kentucky Press Association’s “General Excellence Award” in the large weekly newspaper division. In other words we were judged the “Best” in the state.

I am proud of our accomplishments, but we can’t do this without your support. You have done this both by advertising with us and subscribing to our newspaper.

The newspapers that provide excellence in local news coverage will not be among those that close their doors. Many studies have shown how important it is to have reliable local news and information coverage to the well being of a community.

Most everybody likes having the number one whatever it may be in their hometown. I realize that we are tooting our own horn, but with little fanfare our staff has brought this honor to this community for years with this newspaper.

As well as the community, I have had a staff that has made this happen for me personally. It is my 36th year as publisher of this newspaper and from day one I have been blessed with talented people who report the news, do the best layouts and graphic work, the best sales staff, excellence in every department.

I cannot overstate the importance of having a local newspaper in a community. I have read about those places that are now “news deserts.” They are experiencing the negative effect of the loss of their local newspaper. As for this newspaper, I am very optimistic about its future.

• Looking back at 2023, we have had many good things to report. I love baseball and when the Whitley County Colonels won the state championship not much could top that.

But having the long dispute regarding the legal battle between Corbin and London over Exit 29 finally resolved was one of the highlights of the year.

I had given up on getting a race track in Corbin, but it happened when Cumberland Run opened this past year.

I was thrilled to broadcast a football game after being away from the microphone for 32 years when Corbin celebrated its 100th year of football. Also, the renovation to the field is fantastic.

Those are just a few of the good things that happened last year. I’m sure we can look forward to many more in 2024.

And once again, thank you for reading our newspaper. Happy New Year!