The News Journal Blog – Page 174 of 3019

Local tourism back to pre-pandemic levels and then some

Tourism in Whitley County is back to pre-pandemic levels and then some, and few people are happier about that than Corbin Tourism Director Maggy Monhollen.

“We’re blowing it out of the water,” Monhollen said. “I am very pleased. I couldn’t be happier.”

In 2022, tourism supported 783 jobs in Whitley County compared to 741 tourism jobs supported in 2019, which was the last full year before the pandemic. Also, in 2022, tourism in Whitley County generated $19.05 million in labor income and $9.5 million in state and local taxes compared to just $16.35 million in labor income and $7.75 million in state and local taxes in 2019, according to figures that Monhollen supplied to the Corbin Tourism and Convention Commission during its Friday meeting.

In addition, tourism had a total economic impact in Whitley County of $113.47 million in 2022 compared to $97 million in 2019.

It isn’t just pre-pandemic vs. post-pandemic numbers that are up.

Monhollen noted that tourists spent $86.41 million in 2022 in Whitley County, which was a 10.2 percent growth rate in visitor spending over the prior year.

Last year, tourism in Whitley County accounted for 1 percent of the state’s share of total tourism spending. By comparison, Pulaski County, which features Lake Cumberland, accounted for 1.2 percent of Kentucky’s visitor spending while Fayette County accounted for 12 percent of the state’s visitor spending.

“Tourism makes a difference. Tourism works,” Monhollen added.

Also, during Friday’s meeting, the tourism commission discussed the status of the Corbin Farmer’s Market Pavilion construction and approved a $5,125 change order for installation of a trenched drain there.

Monhollen said that all of the major construction on the project is complete and only a few little things remain before it is officially finished, which she hopes will be in two to three weeks.

In addition, the tourism commission discussed 2023 Christmas décor options, which will include $40,000 in Christmas decorations.

There will be 80 brand new snow flake decoration designs for poles, which will be placed along Master’s Street, Kentucky Avenue and Cumberland Falls Highway. The new snow flake decorations will be three times larger than last year’s snow flake pole decorations.

The tourism commission will also pay for decorations at the Depot building, Sanders Park, the welcome to Corbin sign, and on both sides of where Kentucky Avenue and Main Street split. There will be a tree shaped decoration made of lights placed in Nibroc Park as part of the Christmas decorations this year.

The Corbin Tourism and Convention Commission is expected to make its final decisions on Christmas decorations during its September meeting.

The Downtown Corbin program is responsible for decorations along Main Street between Eighth Street and Gordon Hill, Monhollen added.

Williamsburg City Council approves second threshold increase for federal funds

The City of Williamsburg will now be able to use even more federal funding to more easily and effectively make purchases following a decision by the Williamsburg City Council.

The council met Monday evening for their regular monthly meeting, where a resolution was approved to increase the city’s micro-purchase threshold for federal fund usage. Currently, any and all funds the city uses that was provided by the federal government, including American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) money, must not exceed $30,000 or it has to be put through a bidding process.

The increase is possible due to somewhat recent changes to federal regulations.

The previous threshold was just increased by the city council back in May via resolution, which saw the threshold increase by $20,000.

With the latest resolution, the city will be able to raise their federal bidding limit to $40,000, matching the state threshold that was implemented in July. The city will be able to now make purchases using local, state or federal funds for purchases up to that threshold without having to go through the bidding process.

As of May, the city still had approximately $500,000 in ARPA funds that it can still utilize. The current deadline to have the money spent is next year.

With the approval of the threshold increase, the council was presented with a subsequent resolution to purchase a 2020 Caterpillar Excavator for the city’s maintenance department. The cost for the piece of equipment was listed at $37,177.68.

Mayor Roddy Harrison described the equipment as a “mini excavator,” noting that it would be more appropriate for the type of work it’s needed for that the equipment the city currently has.

“It fits our needs perfectly with the small lot sizes and residential homes,” said Harrison. “You take that big backhoe around some of the houses to do some of the jobs we have to do, you’re tearing up their yard and we have to come back and fix it. This is a lighter piece of equipment and gets us in a tighter space.

The excavator is used, according to Harrison, who said that a new one would likely cost the city “probably three times more.”

Council members unanimously approved the resolution to make the purchase. The excavator will be paid for using funds from the city’s ARPA money.

The city has used ARPA funds to pay for a variety of infrastructure projects, as well as provide city workers with premium pay.

In other city council business:

– Old Fashioned Trading Days kick off next week on Thursday. In preparation for getting the various stalls, vendors and stages set up, Williamsburg Tourism Director Alvin Sharpe informed the council that Main Street would be closed to traffic beginning at midnight Tuesday. The one-block portions of Third Street that intersect with Main Street will also be closed at that time.

Cumberland Avenue will be closed from Fourth Street to Second Street. That closing will begin Thursday evening once the school bus routes have finished.

Additionally, Sharpe noted that Sycamore Street would be closed this year from Second Street to Third Street due to the festival’s growth.

“This is the biggest one we’ve ever had,” said Sharpe. “We got more vendors than we’ve ever had, we got more food trucks than we’ve ever had.”

International Overdose Awareness Day event held Friday in Williamsburg

Photos by TIMOTHY WYATT

The Whitley County Health Department hosted an event last Friday at Briar Creek Park honoring International Overdose Awareness Day. Ashley Lawson (left), health educator at the health department, said the event was to help those in recovery connect with one another, share stories and learn about the many resources in the community that can help them succeed on their journey. “We want them to know that they can thrive and we’re here to support them. That’s what community is all about,” said Lawson.

Display honoring war hero unveiled inside old Whitley County courthouse

A display honoring a Williamsburg native and war hero has officially been unveiled at the old Whitley County Courthouse.

Members of the JC Paul Detachment Marine Corps League in Williamsburg, Whitley County Motorcycle Group and Backroads of Appalachia came together Saturday for the dedication of the display, which memorializes Joe Calvin Paul and his bravery during the Vietnam War.

Paul was born April 23, 1946, in Williamsburg, where he was raised until the age of 14, when his family moved to Dayton, Ohio. Just a few years later, Paul enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1963. Over the next two years, Paul rose through the ranks, eventually being promoted to lance corporal.

In May 1965, Paul and his unit were shipped out to the Republic of Vietnam. Paul’s unit participated in Operation Starlite, which Wikipedia describes as “the first major offensive action conducted by a purely U.S. military unit during the Vietnam War.”

During that operation, on Aug. 18, 1965, Paul and his unit were pinned down as were several Marines who had been wounded. To help ensure that his fellow Marines were evacuated, Paul entrenched himself between the enemy and his comrades, providing suppressive fire to divert the enemy. Paul’s attempts were a success, though he was severely wounded during the firefight and died as a result of his injuries the following day.

In 1967, Paul was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the most prestigious military decoration one can receive.

The memorial display includes a ‘60s-era Marine dress blues uniform adorned with a legitimate copy of Paul’s Medal of Honor, which Greg Sims, commandant of the JC Paul Detachment Marine Corps League, was able to obtain from a member of Paul’s family. The uniform also sports the ribbon versions of the various medals that Paul was awarded during his time in the service, with the ribbons themselves exhibited in a separate display at its side.

There is another case that has a variety of information about Paul, including newspaper clippings, recognitions and a photo of his family receiving the Medal of Honor in 1967.

The uniform was on display during the unveiling Saturday, though Sims said it will not be put up permanently until he is able to get an encased display for it to be placed in.

Sims has been championing for the continued preservation of Paul’s achievements for many years now. Sims’ work started in early 2020, attempting to get a Kentucky Historical Society Marker placed in town commemorating Paul, but that was delayed due to the COVID pandemic.

The marker was eventually erected outside the old Whitley County Courthouse during a special ceremony last August.

Sims later partnered with the Whitley County Motorcycle Group, who, through their association with Backroads of Appalachia, established a new scenic trail honoring Paul. That trail begins on KY-904 where it meets KY-92 and continues 13.3 miles, passing through the Nevisdale community of Whitley County where Paul was born and continues along that highway until eventually ending where it runs back into KY-92.

Following Saturday’s unveiling, Backroad of Appalachia held a motorcycle ride, which took place along the Joe C. Paul Trail.

Sims said that he has more plans for the future to continue carrying on Paul’s name. He is currently working on getting a monument placed in the area where Paul was born.