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Annual Cumberland Falls Invitational Tournament at Corbin HS this week

On Wednesday, the Annual Cumberland Falls Invitational Tournament kicks off at Corbin High School. As usual, a talented field of teams promises to deliver some first-rate roundball action. (more…)

KSP still searching for man wanted in connection to Gray double shooting

A double shooting incident in the Gray community of Knox County over the holiday weekend resulted in two people being flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, and as of press time Tuesday, Kentucky State Police are still asking for the public’s help in their search for a suspect.

Pilot admits to being under the influence during emergency flight

A former air ambulance pilot has admitted to being under the influence during an emergency flight earlier this year in which a patient was transported from Baptist Health Corbin.

Woman, who spit on bus driver, gets 90-day jail sentence

A Williamsburg woman, who was facing a felony assault charge for allegedly spitting on a school bus driver during an incident in late August, has entered a plea agreement to lesser charges, and received a jail sentence to be served on weekends.

Felicia Schultz

So far, few have filed to run for office in Whitley County

Those wanting to run for Williamsburg City Council, Corbin City Commission and Whitley Circuit Court Clerk have until Jan. 5, 2024, at 4 p.m. to file election papers with the Whitley County Clerk’s Office.

Corbin man gets two-year prison sentence for police chase, assault

A Corbin man has agreed to accept a two-year prison sentence for hitting a police officer’s vehicle with his motorcycle and leading police on a vehicle and foot pursuit last month.

Christmas miracle David Etter goes home for the holidays

Retired University of the Cumberlands music teacher Dr. David Etter is no stranger to playing Christmas carols on the piano. However, last Wednesday’s performance on the piano in the lobby of Baptist Health Corbin was a little different.

David Etter played the piano in the lobby of Baptist Health Corbin last Wednesday before being discharged following a 100-plus day stay. His caregiver turned out to see him off.

Etter’s playing of “Joy to the World” and “O Come All Ye Faithful” was before a crowd of friends, family, and the caretakers, who had overseen his recovery from near death.

“I am a little embarrassed doing this, but there are a lot of you that had so much to do with my being here,” Etter told the crowd, particularly his caregivers some of whom came in on their day off to see Etter discharged.

“All of it is God’s doing,” Etter said. “The people that really know their stuff on the medical aspect, they are telling me it is a miracle. Who am I to argue. Thank you so much. Merry Christmas. I get to go home for Christmas.”

Dr. Karl Heinss, one of the physicians over the rehabilitation unit at Baptist Health Corbin who treated Etter, agreed.

“It is Christmas. It is a Christmas miracle,” Heinss told Etter. “You are a living testament that prayers are still answered.”

How it started

Etter, 74, said that he had been experiencing some discomfort and went to Baptist Health Corbin on Sept 4 not knowing what was wrong.

Etter is pictured with his two grandchildren during his going home party.

Doctors discovered there was a cyst or tumor attached to his bowels, which obstructed the bowels. They determined that it was probably benign, but still needed to be removed.

Early in the day on Sept. 7, hospital staff performed surgery and removed the cyst. At first, everything seemed fine.

Then about 4 p.m., doctors determined that he was septic.

He aspirated, vomited, and then his kidneys stopped.

“He basically went into shock and that is why the kidneys shutdown,” Heinss explained.

Etter was then placed on a ventilator.

Etter said there were a few times where hospital staff didn’t think he was going to make it.

“I was basically out of it for the better part of two months. There were moments where I was awake sort of, but that was few and far between,” Etter said. “The one time that I was aware of what was going on, a friend of mine was praying for me. He had come from Louisville just to see me here. His face was close to mine. I sensed that. He was praying for me. I don’t know the specifics that he said, but I know he was praying for me, and I felt God’s spirit warm and precious. At that moment – this is the way I remember it – I decided I was going to live.”

Eventually, doctors were able to ween him off the respirator, and his kidney function returned, which Heinss noted is rare and can be a miracle in and of itself.

Everything took its toll on Etter.

When he finally got to rehabilitation, he wasn’t even able to stand.

David Etter is seen with his wife, Terresa Etter.

“We actually worked through the process of really relearning to stand, to work with his hands, to work with his arms. Now he is able to walk about 300 feet with some assistance. He is doing very well with that. His hands are back to working. He is playing the piano,” Heinss said.

Heinss noted that it is “very rare” to see someone come so far back from the condition Etter was in. “This is certainly answered prayers. He worked very hard. Rehab can be somewhat frustrating because you don’t progress as well as you want to. He worked very hard. All the therapists really worked to push him very hard. Through all that and through Jesus…” Heinss said overcome with emotion and breaking down in tears unable to complete the sentence.

Heinss, who has been working in medicine for 30 years, said that seeing a patient come back from something like this is really good to see.

“It makes what we do worth doing,” he said. “This is one of the rare cases where we are just blessed.”

Christmas homecoming

One of the things that Etter did as part of his therapy to get ready to come home was go out to the lobby and practice playing the piano to get his hands working again properly.

While Etter felt like playing last Wednesday, he wasn’t quite up to singing too, but the crowd of more than 60 people gathered there for the occasion took care of the lyrics for him.

Etter finally gets wheeled out of the hospital so he can go home.

“The big thing I can say to everybody, it is because of God and all of your prayers. You had a hand in this. I am here in front of you because you prayed for me. You shared it with hundreds of other people that became thousands of people, who were praying for me. It was people, who don’t know me, but they cared about the people, who shared it with them,” Etter said fighting back tears.

“They obviously thought that if my friend cares for this guy then I need to pray for him. That was just amazing. I am just floored. Astounded. Thank you for your prayers and coming today.”

Etter said that when the doctors initially told him he could go home for Christmas, he wasn’t sure that was possible.

“Even a couple of weeks ago, I wasn’t really sure that was doable. I thought OK maybe we are making enough progress, but I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to handle going home and going up just the two steps. It just felt like maybe but maybe not,” Etter said.

“It is lovely to be able to gift my dear wife, as some have said to us, my best Christmas gift to her. I guess you could say that I worked so hard so she could have me back home for Christmas.”

His wife, Terresa Etter, loved the present, which was a good thing since David hadn’t done any shopping yet and didn’t plan to either this year.

“I think everybody has a crisis in their life sometime that rocks them to the core. This was ours. All of the people prayed and God heard that. All of the people in the hospital used their skills and God saw that and he gave us a blessing and a gift. I am so thankful,” added Terresa Etter. “God gets all the glory today.”

Etter experienced an emotional moment with his family before leaving the hospital.

Rockholds man killed in fatal crash will be laid to rest today (Wednesday)

A Thursday afternoon crash claimed the life of a Rockholds man.

Doug Smith

Shortly after 3 p.m., Whitley County Coroner Andy Croley pronounced Jasper Douglas “Doug” Smith, 60, dead at the scene.

The single vehicle crash happened sometime after 2:30 p.m. on KY92E near the Bell County line.

Smith’s white pick-up truck was heading towards Williamsburg when it left the roadway, hit a tree and then overturned. He died instantly, Croley said.

Members of the Patterson Creek Volunteer Fire Department and Bell County Rescue Squad extricated Smith’s body from the vehicle.

Smith, who was wearing his seatbelt, was the only occupant in the vehicle.

There were no witnesses to the accident, and authorities aren’t sure what caused Smith to leave the roadway, Croley said.

No drug or alcohol involvement is suspected.

Croley and Whitley County Sheriff’s Major Tony Dingess are investigating the case.

Visitation will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday until the funeral hour at Croley Funeral Home in Williamsburg. The funeral will be held at 1 p.m. in the Croley Funeral Home Chapel with Dale Ditto officiating.

He will be laid to rest in the Croley Addition of Highland Park Cemetery following military graveside honors by American Legion Post 88.

Smith was the brother of 86^th District State Representative Tom O’Dell Smith.

“I lost my Brother Doug in a car wreck today,” Smith wrote on Facebook Thursday. “Please pray for Lisa his wife and kids and grandkids. Pray for my family as tragedy is hard to understand. Doug was a true Patriot. He loved his Country, God and Family. I wanted to post so I could say thank you for all your messages and keep my family in your prayers.”

Legal Notices for 12-27-2023

PUBLIC NOTICE:

Notice is hereby given that Immanuel Baptist Church, 720 Browning Acres Rd., Corbin, KY 40701, has filed an application with the Energy and Environment Cabinet to build a 14,200 square foot church building and parking lot. The property is located adjacent to the Hope Primary and Urgent Care Center, 896 S Hwy 25w, Williamsburg, KY 40769 and approximately 500’ south of the Hwy 92 and S Hwy 25w junction and along the banks of the Cumberland River. Any comments or objections can be submitted via email to: DOWFloodplain@ky.gov Kentucky Division of Water, Floodplain Management Section, 3300 Sower Blvd., Frankfort, KY 40601. Call 502-564-3401 with questions.

NOTICE TO THE UNKNOWN OCCUPANT(S) OF THE PREMISES 497 HENSON HOLLOW ROAD, BARBOURVILLE, KY 40906

To the above individual(s), I have been appointed Warning Order Attorney to notify you of Civil Action No. 22-CI-00423, Commercial Bank vs. Estate of Laura Smith, Knox Circuit Court.

You have fifty (50) days from December 19, 2023 to file an answer or other pleadings in this case, or judgment may be taken against you.

DAVID O. SMITH, ATTORNEY AT LAW

PO BOX 699, CORBIN KY 40702

606-528-5001