Corbin Public Library’s annual book sale slated for June 22

Attention book lovers who want to save an extra buck… we have good news for you. The Corbin Public Library is having its annual book sale, so now you can get books for prices that suit your bank account better.

Summer is the time to read all you can and find the book that suits you best. Looking for an enemies-to-lovers trope? Or an excellent dystopian book that isn’t featured in the most popular section? Want to live out another identity because it’s summer, and you can? This is the time to fill that empty bookshelf with actual books instead of the cute décor you found at Walmart.

Be friendlier to your bank account this June 22, and treat yourself. Be there or be square.

 

Students from Whitley County graduate from Univ. of the Cumberlands

More than 2,100 graduates celebrated the completion of their undergraduate or graduate degrees from the University of the Cumberlands this spring during recent commencement ceremonies.

“Graduates, today marks a significant milestone in your lives,” said Dr. Larry L. Cockrum, University President, during the ceremonies. “You have persevered through years of hard work and dedication and now stand here, ready to take on the world. I am honored to congratulate each and every one of you on your outstanding achievements.”

Cockrum offered heartfelt advice to the newest graduates; in short, to dream big, work hard, make mistakes, and always be kind. He said those were the lessons that have gotten him through his life and made all the difference and encouraged graduates to try it for themselves.

The Class of 2023 from University of the Cumberlands hailed from all 50 states and territories–as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam–and from 21 countries around the world. Many diverse cultures, languages, and backgrounds were represented in the graduating class, all sharing a universal commitment to education and determination to succeed.

The following Whitley County students completed an undergraduate or graduate degree at Cumberlands this spring:

Corbin

Brittany Weinheimer, Tori Cope, Rachel Humfleet, Jacob Coppock, Carissa Fitchpatrick, Charles Parrett, Armando Cima, Britnee Barnett, Emily Foster, Jasmine Miracle, Linda Chen, Morgan Hopper, Morgan Woods, Rebekah Nelson, Sadie Wilson, Breanna Bennett, Freedom Mills, Mariah Anders, Devin Bowling, Curtis Summars, Makayla Claxton, Lauren Hubbs, Yansong Wu, Shelby Engle, Sarah Logan, Nathanael Smith, Dalton Jones, Chloe Gibbs, Denisha Patel, Nidhi Patel, Brayli Warren, Rachel Wilson

Janie Keith, Kenzie Lacefield, Bobby Sinclair, Elisabeth Teague, Brandon Meadors, Clarissa Helton, Angel Mason, Bryan Juarez, Brittany Baker, Amanda Smith, Grant Jorjani, Lauren Blackburn, Christian Carpenter, Casie McBurney, David Fitchpatrick, Chandler Powell, Sarah Elliott, Jessica Bray, Amber Bingham, Maci Morris, Shaunnah Sizemore, Amanda Walden, Lauren Fazenbaker, Bethany Pastore, Ericka Noe, Autum Ford, Carla Miniet, Catelin Ball, Serenity Barton, Holly Fleenor, Jessica Keith, and Mable Monhollen

Rockholds

Tammy Hopkins, Bethany Hayes, Alan Floyd, and Joshue Vanover

Williamsburg

Cathy Hays, Brandon Lawson, Christopher O’Dell, Brandi Rhoades, Amanda Baker, Jonathan Wren, Ashley Partin, Jared Kilgore, Bradley Faulkner, Chasity Cortez, Lane Sears, Meleah Rains, Molly Malone, Sydney Prakash, Kathryn Hunter, Aaron Jones, Kiara Abanto, Kevin Nerger, Erin Baker, Brooklyn Smith, Laura Navajas Marin, Seleem Mohamad Salleh, Savanna Sizemore, Hannah Conway, Emilee Prewitt, Hannah Rains, Cassie Partin, Vanessa Black, Rusty Faulkner, Mattis Le Montagner, Slaht Hunter, Connie Patterson, Nathan de Souza, Rebekah Hutton

Hrannar Magnusson, Natalie Rector, Daniel Ruiz Ramis, Madalyn Sutton, Laura Vogt, Amanda Walker, Cailee Owens, Hannah Tan, Kendra Shupe, Jeffrey Carr, Ashley Knapp, Satsuki Mitani, Charlie Friedenreich, Ricardo Lopes De Matos, Alexander Miller, Shelly Hinkle, Morgan Moses, Kendall Imhoff, Matthew Brown, Victoria Murray, Donovan Fields Taylor Hale, Joseph Thomas,

Mikaela Fros, Gilbert Green, Jamie Barnes, Rebecca Saylor, Jordan Marie Nicholson, Benjamin Hale, Jullia Morris, Kirsten Skidmore, Luis Fernando Ruiz Recuero, Devin Jones, Christian De La Fuente Nodado, Alba Lorca Chaves, Rafael Cristiano Moraes De Carvalho Machado Reis, Brenna Grove, Ainhoa Camara Vicente, Kevin Perez, Alia El Ebiary, Cassidy Patrick, and Andre Silva.

 

U.S. 25W Roundabout Project Corrective Work in Whitley County Begins Monday, June 19

A press release sent out by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, District 11, Friday afternoon is warning drivers to be aware of corrective work on the US 25W roundabouts in Whitley County that is slated to begin on Monday, June 19. (more…)

 

Ronnie Lynn Bargo

Ronnie Lynn Bargo, age 62, of Corbin, Kentucky, departed this life on Thursday, June 15, 2023 in the Baptist Health Hospital in Corbin.
He was born on December 23, 1960 the son of Elzo Bargo and Martha (Smith) Bargo. His parents precede him in death.
Ronnie was a member of the Keck Baptist Church. He loved being outside and spending time with family.
Left behind to mourn his passing, his step-mother and caregiver, Sue Bargo of Corbin; two brothers, James Bargo and wife Teresa and Duane Bargo all of Dearborne Heights, Michigan; one uncle, Daniel Boone Smith and wife Kay of Barbourville; a special niece, Elizabeth; along with many special cousins and other relatives and friends.
Funeral services for Ronnie Lynn Bargo will be conducted in the Hampton Funeral Home Chapel on Wednesday, June 21, at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. Jimmy Siler officiating.
Pallbearers will be family and friends. He will be laid to rest in the Bargo Family Cemetery on Walker Park Rd.
Friends will be received at the funeral home on Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. until the hour of service at 2:00 p.m.
Hampton Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

 

New song written by Josh Brock and performed by Rye Davis released in time for Father’s Day

Most folks in the local area know Josh Brock as the owner and operator of Austin City Saloon in downtown Corbin. Many also know him from his days dominating the competition on the basketball court as a Corbin Redhound in the late nineties. (more…)

 

Cumberland Valley Cruise-In brings out large crowd

The second Cumberland Valley Cruise-In of the season happened Saturday in downtown Corbin as numerous cars and spectators turned out to enjoy the antique cars, trucks and motorcycles that were on display.

 

Colonels’ state championship victory is a first for our area

Winning a state championship… It’s something dreams are made of!

The Whitley County Colonels baseball team made history Saturday evening in Lexington by winning the State Baseball Championship.

The accomplishment is huge! This is a feat that no other team from the 13th Region, and most of southeastern Kentucky, had ever done. A big congratulations to all who made it possible.

The Colonels are a group of young men who would not be denied. They made clutch hits, had great pitching, excellent fielding and won in a storybook fashion.

Give credit to great coaching that sent the runner on third base home with what turned out was the winning run. Only in your dream would you win a game by stealing home. The Colonels did it!

I have followed local sports all my life and I have seen some great accomplishments. I was there in 1985 broadcasting when the Lady Colonels of Whitley County won the state championship. This was one of the most unique situations I was ever in while doing play-by-play broadcasting.

Back then the Williamsburg radio station, owned by Paul Estes, had to sign off the air at sundown because of FCC rules. But that didn’t stop Paul from broadcasting the girl’s games to back to his hometown. He also owned the cable company and you can guess about everybody in the Williamsburg area got it.

Paul called me and asked if I would do the play-by-play. What an honor. I, along with Jerry Hodges, broadcast the games on the cable system. I not only had the pleasure of doing the games, but Paul picked me up every night of the game and drove us to Bowling Green. What a thrill it was as the Lady Colonels beat Louisville Atherton 38-37 in the final game for the championship.

In Whitley County we have had a boys state champion in basketball. Corbin won it in 1936. No, I’m not that old to have broadcast that game, but I did broadcast the 1982 Laurel County championship and the Clay County 1987 championship basketball games. And I have broadcast the state championship football games by the Corbin Redhounds.

All of these were huge thrills. But to win the state in baseball is something nobody else can lay claim to. Like in basketball, in baseball you must beat every qualifying team in the state. This victory ranks as one of the biggest wins ever in this area.

Again, congratulations to the Whitley County Colonels baseball team. You have a made all of us proud!

 

Corbin Public Library hosts VR event for fun learning

The Corbin Public Library hosted a Virtual Reality (VR) event on June 10 to provide a fun yet educational experience for children.

The kids were enrolled in the Summer Reading program, but parents and adults also joined in on the fun.

With VR technology, one can explore different cultures, historical figures, space, as well as entertainment. VR has the advantage of making education fun, increasing participation and engagement in learning.

The library plans to organize more events like this to inspire a passion for learning and reading among the youth, all while having fun.

To see what the library has planned next, visit their Facebook at Corbin Public Library or visit their website at https://www.corbinkylibrary.org/.

 

Master Gardener graduation recognizes dedicated volunteers

In a heartwarming ceremony held on June 9, 12 members of the Master Gardener program were recognized for their exceptional skills and dedication after a year of training and volunteering.

Andrew Modica, ANR/Hort Program Assistant, began the ceremony by giving thanks and appreciation for the graduates, as well as explaining the requirements of a Master Gardener.

Horticulture Agent Ben Prewitt spoke at the ceremony, expressing his appreciation for the graduates.

“All I wanted to say is how proud I am of you all (the graduates). You all were my first class of Mater Gardeners… I really appreciate you all putting the time in… I thank you for being a Master Gardener,” Prewitt said.

Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison attended the ceremony as a speaker and exclaimed his overall surprise, revealing he didn’t know what the members of the Master Gardener did, but after researching, was thoroughly impressed.

“I sat through some webinars and found some videos, and I am impressed about what you all have done and have taken on. The responsibility, the efforts, the requirements… I just didn’t know. Gardening is not in my wheel-house,” Harrison expressed. “I cannot express how important it is to give back to the community you grew up in. It is a privilege to serve it, and you guys are doing that.”

Master Gardeners are trained volunteers who assist the County Extension Agents (CEA) with educational programming. They have been making a difference since the program’s start in 1973 in Washington State. Today, it spans across all 50 states and the District of Columbia with over 100,000 active volunteers.

Master Gardeners complete 40 hours of volunteer service and receive training in various areas, including botany, entomology, pesticide use and safety, plant pathology, soils and fertilizers, volunteerism, flower gardening, fruit and vegetable gardening, landscape design, lawn care, organic gardening, and tree and shrub care.

When the training begins, they can start their volunteer activities and must complete it in one year.

The commitment to learning and giving back does not end with graduation. Certified Master Gardeners must complete 20 hours of volunteer service annually, ensuring ongoing education and public outreach.

“After all of this, you have to take a test… I thought to myself, you have to take a test? And you all volunteered to take the test! And you all passed! That was really cool,” Harrison said, humorously speaking about the requirements for the graduates. “Congratulations to Ben’s first class… you all are doing fantastic things. And I look forward to working with you on a project I can’t talk about right now.”

If you or anyone you know is interested in joining the Master Gardener program and making a difference in the community, call the extension number at (606) 549-1430.

 

Paul Estes

Paul Estes, age 91, of Williamsburg, KY., passed away Tuesday, June 13, 2023 at Williamsburg Health and Rehabilitation Center.
Paul was born in Pleasant View, KY on October 8, 1931 to Oscar and Goldia (Lambdin) Estes, the second of seven children.
Paul served his country in the Air Force from 1950 to 1954, spending most of this time in Alaska as a member of the Strategic Air Command during the Korean Conflict.
Afterward Paul attended Cumberland College and the University of Kentucky. He then spent 15 years working for United Airlines in Detroit, Buffalo and New York City from 1957 to 1972.
Paul moved his family to Williamsburg in 1972 and he and his wife Theresa owned and operated a Montgomery Ward catalog store and Estes Furniture Sales. In 1977 Paul was appointed mayor of Williamsburg and was elected mayor twice after his initial appointment. He subsequently served six terms as a Williamsburg city council person. In 2004 he was again asked to serve as interim mayor. In total he served the city of Williamsburg for over 21 years.
In 1980, Paul and his wife Theresa purchased radio station WEZJ-AM. In 1990 they started WEZJ-FM and in 1997 they purchased WEKX-FM. Paul, along with his wife Theresa also owned and operated local television station cable Channel 3 for nine years. Paul and Theresa hosted the popular morning Livewire Show on WEZJ-AM for over 20 years. Paul also broadcast election returns with his son David Paul for over 30 years.
Paul served as deacon and trustee of First Baptist Church Williamsburg for over 40 years. He has served on the Board of Trustees of University of the Cumberlands (Cumberland College) since 1975. Paul served as a member and chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Williamsburg for 20 Years, and as a member of the Advisory Board of Directors for Community Trust Bank for over 20 years.
Paul served for four years as a member of the 34th Judicial District Nominating Committee. He is past president of the Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce, past president of the Williamsburg Rotary Club, past chairman of the Williamsburg Whitley Industrial Foundation, a founding member of Williamsburg Old Fashion Trading Days, a past member of the Cumberland Valley Area Development Board and past member of the Bell-Whitley Community Action Agency. In 2006, Paul was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Laws from University of the Cumberlands.
More than anything though, Paul enjoyed spending time with his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
In addition to his parents, Oscar Estes and Goldia Estes Capps, Paul was preceded in death by his brother, Robert Estes; sisters, Doris Centers, Ruth Capps and Shirley Lancaster; and his stepfather Whyte Capps.
Paul is survived by his faithful and loving wife of 62 years, Theresa (Banich) Estes of Williamsburg, KY; daughter, Paula Jean Trickett (Dennis) of Williamsburg, KY; son, David Paul Estes (Stacey) of Williamsburg, KY; four grandchildren, Allison Marie Adair (David Skylan Chester) of Richmond, VA, Abigale Estes Logan (Keaton), Jackson Paul Estes, Grayson Taylor Estes, all of Williamsburg, KY; step-granddaughter, Sara Trickett Cruz (Manuel) of Alvin, TX; step-grandson Christopher Matthew Trickett (Lisa) of Colorado Springs, CO; two great-grandchildren, Henry Paul Chester and Maxwell Skylan Chester, both of Richmond, VA; step-great-granddaughter, OliviaTesoro Cruz and step-great-grandson Tobias Emmanuel Cruz both of Alvin, TX; step-great-granddaughter Calliope Joy Trickett of Colorado Springs, CO; two sisters, Wanda Faye Ramby of Dayton, OH., and Barbara Jean Cox of Coppers Cove, TX; two special brothers-in-law, Charles D. Banich (Lori) of Oxford, FL, and James Capps of Belton, TX; and numerous nieces and nephews as well as a host of family and friends who mourn his passing.
Visitation will be from 3:00-5:00 pm, Friday, June 16, at First Baptist Church Williamsburg and funeral service will be at 5:00 pm at First Baptist Church Williamsburg.
Paul will be laid to rest in the Pleasant View Cemetery during a private burial service.
Pallbearers are Jackson Estes, Grayson Estes, Christopher Trickett, David Chester, Keaton Logan, Jason Johnston, Reg Johnston and Josh Prewitt. The Men’s Bible Class of First Baptist Church Williamsburg will serve as honorary pallbearers.
If you choose, in lieu of flowers, gifts to First Baptist Church Williamsburg, or University of the Cumberlands would be welcomed.
Croley Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.