Photo Gallery: 2023 NIBROC carnival rides

As always, carnival rides were a big hit at NIBROC this year.

 

Corbin plans Sept. 14 open house for renovated football stadium

If you have been wondering what the more than $9 million renovation of Corbin’s Campbell Field/Nick Denes Stadium will look like when it is largely finished but you don’t want to wait until the opening game on Sept. 15, then you are in luck.

The community will be able to walk through the facility on Thursday, Sept. 14, which is the day before the opening game.

“We will have a little pep rally, open house type of get together, and will let the community come and walk through and let the community see what is going on,” Corbin Superintendent Dave Cox said during a recent Corbin Board of Education meeting.

A committee composed of about a dozen people is currently at work planning a ceremony for the opening game that will also commemorate 100 years of football at Corbin High School in addition to the stadium opening.

Cox noted that all of the amenities won’t be done in time for the first game on Friday, Sept. 15, against Frederick Douglas High School, but the field and stadium will be ready to open.

For instance, the children’s area won’t be complete by then because construction crews are having to use that as a staging area for equipment and so forth.

Officials are hoping to have the children’s area of the stadium completed by playoff time.

Turf installation is currently underway.

“We appreciate the community’s patience with all of the traffic over there,” Cox said noting that the road between the stadium and the city pool had to be shut down recently to accommodate stadium construction work.

Cox noted that the Sept. 14 event will also serve as a dry run for the new video scoreboard.

There is a class at the high school, which will focus in part on doing some graphics for the scoreboard.

“We will give some kids, who want to make a little extra money working at night, a chance to work with our score board, to work our cameras and to utilize all the bells and whistles this scoreboard has,” Cox added.

After the playoffs, construction on phase two of the project will begin, which includes a new and expanded press box and renovation of the visitor locker room. After phase two of the project is complete, the video scoreboard at the stadium will be able to show live replays.

Because of the stadium renovations, this year’s Cumberland Falls Pigskin Classic will be held at the University of the Cumberlands football stadium.

Corbin officials emphasized that the money being used for athletic program renovations is funding that can only be used for building projects.

Also, substantial work was done to academic facilities in the years prior to the district starting athletic facility renovations, Cox added.

 

Drift Indy Street League event coming to Corbin Friday

If you are a racing fan and you would like to check a different form of racing than what you are probably used to, then you might want to turn out at The Corbin Arena Friday afternoon or go to downtown Corbin Friday evening for a Drift Indy Street League event.

“Drifting, from what I can gather, is steering an automobile so that it makes a controlled skid sideways through a turn so that the front wheels are pointed in a direction opposite to the turn,” explained Corbin Tourism Director Maggy Monhollen.

“Street league drifting is a way for motorsport enthusiasts to be able to do what they love without having to go into the pro-am series. They put a lot of investment into the cars. They would be like almost traditional hotrods, but are souped up. Drifting is really about the steering wheel and using aerodynamics to make their way around the course.”

The Drift Indy Street League isn’t holding a race in Corbin, but they will be having a practice at The Corbin Arena during the day Friday followed by the City of Corbin Drift Cruise-In in downtown Corbin Friday evening.

There is an entry fee for the activities at The Corbin Arena during the day, but the cruise-in Friday evening is free of charge, and Monhollen is encouraging the public to come down, welcome the racers, and check out their vehicles.

“We encourage people, who are curious, to come check out the cars and give these folks a warm Corbin welcome,” Monhollen said.

On Friday, there will be driver’s meeting at 10:30 a.m. at The Corbin Arena, and practice will start at 11 a.m.

Spectator gates will open at noon and practice will continue until 6 p.m. when pits will be cleaned up.

There will be a $20 entry fee at the gate for spectators at The Corbin Arena. Children ages 10 and under will be admitted for free. Military members will receive 50 percent off the cost of admission, but must present their military identification to receive the discount.

Friday evening event

Starting at 7 p.m. Friday, Main Street will be closed to traffic and the Corbin Police Department and Corbin Public Works will begin clearing cars from Main Street.

About 7:30 p.m. Friday, there will be a drift car cruise in that will take place from The Corbin Arena to downtown Corbin.

Monhollen said that there are 60-75 drift cars, which are expected to take part in the car show on Main Street.

The cars are expected to arrive via a police escort about 8 p.m. for the car show, which is free and open to the public.

While the public is enjoying the car show, a few hundred drivers and crew members will be enjoying Corbin restaurants and entertainment venues in downtown, Monhollen said.

Monhollen noted that the cruise-in serves two purposes.

The first is that it enables the city to do a proper welcome for drivers from all over the United States to our community, and it allows them to experience downtown Corbin.

The second is that it allows the public to come out and check out the cars and speak to the drivers and find out more about what a drift car is.

“Any motorhead is going to enjoy checking them out,” Monhollen added.

Monhollen said that the tour making a stop in Corbin is a result of the town’s connection to the Back Roads of Appalachia, which is a tourism group that promotes eastern Kentucky as a motorsports destination.

After the vehicles leave Corbin, they will travel to Jackson County for a competition Saturday in McKee.

Monhollen noted this is the first ever Drift Indy Street League event held in eastern Kentucky.

“We are super excited that Drift Indy chose us as the first kind of venue off I-75 in Kentucky. We are really looking forward to having that experience,” she added.

 

Quick cleanup job always impresses after NIBROC

Splendid! The most impressive thing I’ve seen lately is how quickly every sign, booth, stage, everything, was gone Sunday morning at church time after the Nibroc Festival was over in Corbin. Hats off to all those responsible for the cleanup.

Those corporate signs were everywhere, and they had disappeared. There had to be volumes of trash and it was gone. The people with booths had packed up and left. All I can say is, Bruce Carpenter, you had some mighty good helpers. Of course, I should mention that it has been this way ever year. Great job!

Almost as impressive was Corbin’s Mayor Suzie Razmus playing the cow bell to the music while one group performed. Add to that she and her husband Greg’s dance moves and Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison you have some competition on the dance floor. I’ve seen the moves from both of you and it would be a close call. The good thing is that everybody was having fun.

I’ve graduated from the carnival rides so I can’t comment about it, but I thought the number and kind of vendors were very good this year at Nibroc. Although we didn’t have the big-name stars of long ago, the concert artists were all good. And give a hand to the weatherman, very good.

• Now on to politics, or I would rather get away from politics because the television advertisements for the governor’s race are irritating. When I started in radio eons ago, we were told by FCC Chairman Newton Minnow that there must be “truth in advertising.” Apparently, it isn’t required anymore. I heard one candidate ad that said “allegedly” his opponent did so and so. No, stick to the facts and be truthful.

My vote for governor is for sale. The first one that says he would tell the transportation director to pave Kentucky Street in Corbin gets my vote. Recently, I contacted a city official to see if any action had been taken by the state to fix one of the worst sections of U.S. 25, which is right in the heart of Corbin, and he told me “NO.”

Why in the world can the transportation department do round-abouts, pave all the way from Corbin to London on U.S. 25 and do many other projects, but turn a blind eye to a problem that gives Corbin a black eye and is long overdue? I hope it doesn’t take as long to fix as it did the pothole at the corner of Kentucky and Gordon Streets. I wrote about that problem for over 10 years.

While complaining, one more. Self-service check out lanes! Too many stores are going in this direction. This story came my way. An elderly person had a big heavy box item at the checkout. To pay he had to lift the box to reach the barcode. With nobody there to help and not being familiar with the self-check another customer helped him. Amazon must be smiling!

Another, and this is a good one. A lady trying to scan bananas and the computer asking questions a computer tech couldn’t answer while having a basket full of groceries to do on her own. Is this the direction we are going?  Stores with cashiers, they are going to find you!

 

2023 High School Football Season Preview

The following is a collection of preview stories featured in the August 16, 2023 print edition of the News Journal…

 

Another NIBROC has come and gone

Here we are, once again in the wake of another NIBROC Festival. For 71 years, the annual event has taken over downtown Corbin for a weekend full of fun, excitement and memories. (more…)

 

Photo Gallery: 2023 NIBROC Parade

NIBROC took over Corbin once again last week with a variety of activities, including the annual parade.

 

Corbin Superintendent gets perfect score on yearly evaluation

Once again Corbin Superintendent Dave Cox got the equivalent of all A’s on his yearly evaluation.

 

Legal Notices for 8-16-2023

CITY OF WILLIAMSBURG, KENTUCKY

PLANNING AND ZONING COMMITTEE

NOTICE OF MEETING

You are hereby notified that the Planning and Zoning Committee of the City of Williamsburg, Kentucky, will hold a meeting on August 22, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. at Williamsburg City Hall Council Chambers located at 423 Main Street, Williamsburg, Kentucky, to consider the following:

1)  an application filed by Mark Akins for a Planned Residential Development to be located on a vacant area off Highway 25W North behind the State Farm Insurance Agency (Mike Howard, Agent);

2)  amending the Zoning Ordinance concerning R-2 (Duplex & Multi-Family Residential) Districts to consider the following:

1. a) reduce the area of the minimum lot size required for a single family home from 6000 square feet to 5000 square feet;
2. b) reduce the width of the minimum lot size required for a single family home from 60 feet to 50 feet;
3. c) reduce the area of the minimum lot size required for a duplex from 10,000 square feet to 5000 square feet; and
4. d) reduce the width of the minimum lot size required for a duplex from 100 feet to 50 feet.

DAVID WILLIAMS, CHAIRPERSON

 

LEGAL NOTICE 

The Corbin Public Library, established under KRS 173.310, provides library services to citizens in Corbin, Kentucky. In accordance with Chapter 65A and 424 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes, the financial records of the Corbin Public Library for the Period of July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023 may be inspected at the Corbin Public Library, 215 Roy Kidd Ave., Corbin, Kentucky during administrative office hours; Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.  Inquiries should be made to the library director.

 

NOTICE OF ONLINE POSTING

WHITLEY COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION

2022-2023 UNAUDITED ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT

The Whitley County School District Annual Financial Report for the year ended June 30, 2023 is available to view on the Whitley County School District website at www.whitley.kyschools.us

 

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

Southeast Kentucky Industrial Development Authority Speculative (Shell) Building #5 Construction

Southeast Kentucky Business Park

Sealed bid proposals for the construction of Speculative Building #5, 101,050 s.f. nominal, with associated mechanical/electrical and site work will be received by Bruce Carpenter, Executive Director, Southeast Kentucky Industrial Development Authority, 222 Corbin Center Dr., Corbin, Kentucky 40701, 606/528-6390, until 2:00 p.m., local time, September 5, 2023, and then at said office will be publicly opened and read aloud.

The CONTRACT DOCUMENTS may be examined at the following locations: •Southeast KY IDA, 222 Corbin Center Dr., Corbin, KY 40701

• ABC, 2020 Liberty Road, Bldg A, Suite 110, Lexington KY
• Builders Exchange, 2300 Meadow Drive, Louisville KY
• F W Dodge/AGC of Kentucky, 950 Contract St., Suite 100A, Lexington KY
• mselex.com – under Bid Opportunities

Copies of the Contract Documents may be obtained at the office of Lynn Imaging, 328 E. Vine St., Lexington, KY 40507, (859) 226-5850 upon receipt of a check made payable to Lynn Imaging in the amount of $250.00 (non-refundable).  All orders must be prepaid.  There will be a 24-hour turn-around on all orders.

A certified check or bank draft, payable to Southeast Kentucky Industrial Development Authority, government bonds, or a satisfactory bid bond executed by the bidder and acceptable sureties in an amount equal to five percent of the bid shall be submitted with bid.  The successful bidder will be required to furnish and pay for the following: 1) 5% Bid Bond; and 2) A performance and payment bond for 100% of the contract price.

Each bidder must deposit with his bid, security in the amount, form, and subject to the conditions provided in the Information for Bidders.

The Owner may consider informal any bid not prepared and submitted in accordance with the provisions of this advertisement and/or the specifications and may waive any informalities or reject any and all Bids.  Any proposal received after the time and date specified shall not be considered and will be returned unopened to the proposer.  The sealed bid should be labeled “Southern Kentucky Business Park Speculative Building #5”.

Federal and State Wage Rates do not apply to this project.

No Bidder may withdraw his Bid for a period of sixty (60) days after the actual date of the opening thereof.

Award will be made to the lowest, responsive, responsible bidder.  Bidding is for the sole benefit of the Southeast Kentucky Industrial Development Authority.  Southeast Kentucky Industrial Development Authority is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

 

NOTICE:

The Whitley County Cooperative Extension Service’s most recent audit and adopted budget can be viewed anytime on the Department for Local Government’s Public Portal website. If you would like to view our most recent financial statement, please visit us at our home office located at 4275 N. Hwy 25W, Williamsburg, KY during our normal office hours of 8am – 4:30pm.  This ad was paid for by Whitley County Extension Office dollars. http://kydlgweb.ky.gov/ Per KRS 65A.080(2)

 

NOTICE OF INTENTION TO MINE

Pursuant to Application Number 861-0543 Amendment 01

In accordance with the provisions of KRS 350.070, notice is hereby given that Mountainside Coal Co., LLC, 7692 S. Hwy 25‐W, Williamsburg, KY, has applied for an Amendment to an existing surface coal mining and reclamation operation located 2.5 miles northwest of Permon in Knox and Whitley Counties. The amendment will add 79.5 acres of surface disturbance making a total area of 416.5 acres within the revised permit boundary.

The Amendment area is approximately 1.2 miles north of the intersection of Hwy 779 and Hwy 1418 and located 0.02 miles west of Flat Creek and 1.6 miles north of Cotton Creek.

The proposed amendment is located on the Barbourville & Rockholds U.S.G.S. 7‐1/2 minute quadrangle maps. The surface area to be disturbed by the amendment is owned by William Wayne Hubbs, Calvin Jones, Carolyn A Moses, Vicki Partin, Gino Cima, Debbie Lawson, Joyce Lawson, Robin DeBry, and Venda Hill. The operation will use the contour and auger methods of mining.

This is the final advertisement of this application; all comments, objections or requests for a permit conference must be received within 30 days of this date. The amendment application has been filed for public inspection at the Department for Natural Resources, Division of Mine Reclamation and Enforcement’s Middlesboro Regional Office, 1804 East Cumberland Avenue, Middlesboro, KY 40965‐1229. Written comments, objections, or requests for a permit conference must be filed with the Director, Division of Permits, 300 Sower Blvd. Frankfort, Kentucky 40601.

 

NOTICE OF INTENTION TO MINE

Pursuant to Application No. 918-0513 NW

In accordance with the provisions of KRS 350.055, notice is hereby given that Torchlight Energy, Inc., P.O. Box 1245, 1658 Torchlight Road, Louisa, KY 41230, has applied for a permit for an auger coal mining and reclamation operation located approximately 2.5 miles north of Louden, Kentucky in Whitley County. The proposed operation will disturb 27.79 surface acres within the permit boundary.

The proposed operation is approximately 0.5 mile south Bear Hollow Ln’s junction with KY Route 779 and 0.2 mile south of Caney Branch.

The proposed operation is located on the Rockholds USGS 7 ½ minute quadrangle map. The surface area to be disturbed is owned by C.J. Clark and Randy Johnson.

This is the final advertisement of this permit application. All comments, objections or requests for a permit conference must be received within thirty (30) days of today’s date. The application has been filed for public inspection at the Division of Mine Reclamation and Enforcement’s Middlesboro Regional Office, 1804 E. Cumberland Ave., Middlesboro, Kentucky 40965. Written comments, objections, or requests for a permit conference must be filed with the Director of the Division of Mine Permits, 300 Sower Boulevard, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601.

 

 

W’Burg Ind. superintendent’s growth plan approved by BOE

Williamsburg Independent Superintendent Tabetha Housekeeper is ready to learn as she heads into her first school year in her new role.