Patsy “Pat” Parrott

Patsy “Pat” Parrott, age 71, of Jellico, Tennessee passed away on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, at Baptist Health Corbin.
She was born May 11, 1952, in Talladega, Alabama.
Pat is preceded in death by her father, Burtis Price; mother and father, Lucille and Art Alexander; sisters, Linda Price, Brenda Jane Hinkle, Vicky Ann Singleton, and Reba Mae Price.
She is survived by her husband, Ben Parrott; children, Edward Parrott and wife Helen, Misty Parrott, Horace Alan Parrott and wife Juanita, Georgetta Parrott Gurule and husband Robert, Michaella McDaniel and husband Andrew; grandchildren, Tyler Wright, Christian Wright, Alyssa Parrott, Carmen Parrott, Sydney lay, Aileah Ensley, Grayson McDaniel, Keegan McDaniel, Benjamin Gurule, Faith Gurule, Paul Gurule, Dezerea Gurule, Kali Wright, Saphira Wright, and Miles Tedder; brother, Jimmy Price and wife June; sister, Barbara Price; and a host of nieces, nephews, friends and family to mourn her passing.
Funeral service was Sunday, June 11, at the Harp Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Lester Cox officiating.
Burial followed in the Bowlin Cemetery in Jellico, Tennessee.
Harp Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

 

Five Whitley County students selected for Governor’s School for the Arts

The Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts (GSA) has announced its 2023 class list, which includes five students from Whitley County.

This year’s class represents a milestone for the program as it has now accepted students from every single Kentucky county since its inception in 1987. More than half of the state’s 120 counties are represented in this year’s class alone.

Participating from Whitley County are:

• Maddox Doan of Whitley County High School – drama
• Ryan Fields of Williamsburg High School – visual art
• Alexander Gilliam of Corbin High School – instrumental music – guitar
• Zada Henderson of Corbin High School – instrumental music – woodwinds
• Grayson Maggard of Corbin High School – instrumental music – percussion

Since 1987, more than 7,500 rising high school juniors and seniors have descended on a college campus setting to immerse themselves in an arts intensive environment, with cross-discipline learning, special guest artist performances and the opportunity to access critical life-changing college scholarships.

The 2023 class will include 512 students from 73 different counties and will be held at The University of Kentucky over two consecutive sessions throughout the summer. Each of the two sessions will be three weeks, with session one taking place June 11 – July 1 and session two taking place July 9 – 29.

During the program, student-artists will be immersed in a rigorous schedule of daily seminars, creative projects, master classes and lectures. Instruction will be offered in nine disciplines: architecture and design, creative writing, dance, drama, film and photography, instrumental music, musical theatre, visual art and vocal music.

“GSA is a life-changing experience and we are excited to have shared it with students from all 120 counties in Kentucky since the program first started,” said Nick Covault, executive director of GSA and GSA alumnus (Class of 2002, Vocal Music). “We celebrate the resilience, passion and energy these young students from all over Kentucky have exhibited to get to this point. Acceptance into GSA is a high honor and accomplishment that we hope brings great pride to these students’ parents, teachers and communities.”

 

Local church, hospital donate to flood victims

Letcher County residents continue to recover from the devastating floods that hit the area last summer.

Thousands were left homeless and without medical supplies, but volunteers from Main Street Baptist Church in Williamsburg and Baptist Health in Corbin are making a difference.

J.B. Donahue, Deacon at Main Street Baptist Church and Mission Trip Coordinator, said that 33 church members went on a recent mission trip. There were teams among the members. Some of these teams were the medical team, the bible school team, the basketball camp team, the construction team, and the food pantry team.

“Our church was very open to being involved. We had sign-ups in our church, and our church responded,” Donahue said.

Dr. Tiffani Nichols was part of the medical team that visited Blackey. They did blood pressure checks, and glucose screenings, listened and counseled, and gave out small gifts, such as bracelets, inspirational bookmarks and key chains.

Dr. Nichols spoke about the people she encountered and the impact the mission trip had on her.

“It was devastating for the area. I was told there are still people living in tents. The community of Blackey in Letcher County was hit hard,” Nichols said.

One little girl, in particular, left a lasting impression on Dr. Nichols. The 10-year-old had vivid memories of the flood and was scared to sleep afterward because she feared what could happen. Her family could not return to their home and have moved since then.

“It was eye-opening. The people we met there were so thankful and appreciative of everything. It was a pretty neat experience,” Nichols added when reflecting on the night.

Dr. Nichols’s kids, 10 and 12, went and helped with the basketball camp.

Volunteers also gave out clothes for different age groups.

Donahue was also impacted by someone he encountered.

“We [the construction team] built a concrete ramp for a retired teacher, maybe in his 70s, on a walker who couldn’t get down his steps off the porch. He was a very insightful man and was very appreciative of what we did,” Donahue said.

Despite the challenges, the residents of Letcher County are making progress and working hard to rebuild their community. The support and encouragement provided by volunteers are making a real difference.

“I think the help impacted the residents and missionaries there. We already have plans to maintain the grounds, and we plan on returning at the end of summer. They have recovered well. They still have work to do, but they are resourceful people and are proud of their home place, and rightfully so,” Donahue added.

Dr. Nichols finalized her reflection, saying, “I was part of the medical team there, but I felt like my role was much deeper than that. I went to show Christ-like love and bring hope and encouragement to the community, and I believe we did that very well.”

 

Williamsburg native Morgan Moses to compete for title of Miss Kentucky 2023

Williamsburg native and current Louisville resident Morgan Moses will compete in the 2023 Miss Kentucky competition, which will be held June 28 – July 1 at SKyPAC in Bowling Green.

Moses is a 2016 Williamsburg High School graduate. She is also a University of Kentucky alumni and recent graduate of the University of the Cumberlands Physician Assistant Program.

She is the daughter of Christey Moses.

For the talent portion of the competition, she will be singing and yodeling Patsy Montana’s “I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart” and accompanying herself on guitar. She is a self-taught musician and guitar player of over 16 years. Morgan is heavily involved in her communities and is proud of her southeastern Kentucky roots.

She is a food insecurity advocate with her community service initiative of “Feeding Our Future.” She works with local charitable organizations and with children directly in schools to make sure they have the food they need, along with skills that can empower them to be successful and emotionally healthy regardless of the circumstances they’ve had to overcome.

Moses is a veteran of the Miss Kentucky Pageant, having finished in the top 11 in 2018 and the top 12 in 2021.

Moses will be one of 26 young women competing to replace Miss Kentucky 2022 Hannah Edelen.

The Miss Kentucky competition is the official state preliminary to the Miss America competition.

The only prior Miss Kentucky to win the Miss America pageant was Heather Renee French, who was Miss America 2000.

A total of 21 teens are vying for the Miss Kentucky Teen title this year.

You can follow her journey to Miss Kentucky on her Instagram and TikTok platforms @morganemoses.

Visit www.misskentucky.org if you would like to watch Moses compete for the job of Miss Kentucky 2023 this summer.

 

Southern KY Chamber of Commerce announces guest speaker for June 13 luncheon

The Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce has announced the special guest speaker for its June membership luncheon at the Corbin Center on Tuesday, June 13.

Jennifer Hancock, President and CEO of Volunteers of America Mid-States, will speak at the Chamber’s June luncheon, which will be sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association and catered by La Donna’s Catering.

According to the Volunteers of America Mid-States website (www.voamid.org), the organization “creates positive change in the lives of individuals and communities through a ministry of service.”

“At Volunteers of America, our mission is to change lives,” the website also states. “Established in 1896, Volunteers of America Mid-States is one of the region’s oldest, largest and most diverse not-for-profit organizations. When we were founded, the common understanding of ‘volunteer’ was someone who dedicated their life to helping others. That’s what we did in 1896, and that’s what we do today.”

To find out more, attend the Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce’s membership luncheon at 11:45 a.m. on June 13. The Corbin Center is located at 222 Corbin Center Dr. near I-75 Exit 25 in south Corbin.

Please RSVP by calling the Chamber office at (606) 528-6390 or by e-mailing stephanie@wearesouthernkentucky.com.

 

Delphia Marie Meadors

Delphia Marie Meadors, age 64, of Corbin, Kentucky departed this life on June 6, 2023 at her home.
She was born on August 25, 1958 in Corbin, Kentucky to Joe Mason and Effie (Sammons) Mason.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Joe and Effie (Sammons) Mason; son, Jamie Meadors; and sister, Faye McGary.
Delphia is survived by her husband, William “Bill” Meadors of Corbin, Kentucky; children, Timothy Mason (Amy Jones) of Corbin, Kentucky and Tyler Meadors (Becky) of Lexington, Kentucky; grandchildren, Ayden Mason (Brittany), Elizabeth Lawson (Dylan), Ryker Mason, Jaydra Woodward (Calvin), and Liam Meadors; great-grandchildren, Journey and Rynn; sisters, Ruth Wagers of Corbin, Kentucky, Georgia Bell of Indiana, Lucille Taylor of Rockholds, Kentucky, Emma Mason of Corbin, Kentucky, and Joann Alsip of Corbin, Kentucky; special nephew, Chris Wagers; several nieces and nephews and a host of other family and friends to mourn her passing.
Visitation will be from 5:00 PM until 9 PM on Thursday, June 8, at the Croley Funeral Home Chapel.
Funeral service will be at 2:00 PM on Friday, June 9, at the Croley Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Chris Reynolds officiating.
She will be laid to rest in the Smith Cemetery at Faber.
Croley Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

 

Starting my 36th year as publisher of this newspaper

Slow down! I’m talking to Father Time as this week I start my 36th year at this newspaper. It has gone so fast.

It seems like yesterday that I was talking to Terry Forcht about taking the job as publisher of the Whitley Republican.

In order to take the position I suggested that we start a sister paper in Corbin. He offered full support of the idea and even gave me a book to read written by Al Neuhart who started USA Today, which at that time was just two years old. That is how we came up with the name of our new product, Corbin! This Week.

It was 1987 and I had just started the most stressful time of my life. Terry had provided us with the latest equipment to publish our two newspapers. The Mac Plus computers were brand new to the industry and we started with them. There were a few problems due to the fact that nobody had ever been trained to operate them.

It was 2 a.m. on our first production night. After observing our situation I looked out the window of our office on South Second Street in Williamsburg and asked myself the question, “What have I done,” referring to accepting the offer to become publisher.

We couldn’t even get the computers to print, but after calling the salesman in another city we finally got the job done.

I was 48 years old with three daughters and a wife to take care of and I was well aware of the task of competing with a daily newspaper in Corbin. Nobody had ever succeeded, but several had tried.

But when we did get going there was no stopping us. In August of 1987 we published the first full-color newspaper in the area with the introduction of Corbin! This Week.

Our circulation started to climb immediately. We went from being the newspaper with the smallest circulation in the tri-county area to the largest. We kept climbing until we were the largest weekly in the state.

In 1992 we merged the Whitley Republican and Corbin! This Week into one newspaper, the News Journal. We have won many awards in newspaper contests sponsored by the Kentucky Press Association. In the last six years, for example, we have won first place five of those six years.

I have done a lot of self congratulations and that is because of the excellent staff I have had and the support from Terry Forcht. I hope all of you who read our newspaper are aware that these people have produced a product that Whitley County can be proud of. I thank you for the support you have given us and encourage you to keep reading the News Journal!

 

Corbin’s Main Street will be partially closed Saturday

Corbin’s Main Street will be partially closed on Saturday, June 10, due to the second Cumberland Valley Cruise-In of the season.

The Cruise-In will take place from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., and Main Street will be closed from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. for the event.

The closure will be from Fourth Street to Gordon Hill. Traffic will be rerouted to Depot Street.

 

Corbin’s summer events schedule offers something for everyone

Summer is upon us and whether it’s a car show, an outdoor concert or movies in the park, there will be no shortage of things to do in Corbin during the coming weeks.

“Vacation season is in full swing and between Downtown Corbin and Corbin Tourism, we are always thrilled to bring quality family-friendly events to the community that are free and can be enjoyed by everyone,” said Corbin Tourism Director and Downtown Manager Maggy Monhollen.

On Saturday, June 10, the second Cumberland Valley Cruise-In of the year will take place on Main Street from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

This is a free family event that includes music, prizes, activities for kids, and specials offered by Main Street businesses.

The star of the show will be numerous antique cars, motorcycles, and trucks of all models and types. Proceeds will benefit the Corbin Shop with a Cop program.

Shop with a Cop is a program that takes less fortunate children on shopping sprees at Christmas time.

Between June 12-17, the annual Burger Week competition will take place with Austin City Saloon, Bubby’s BBQ, The Depot, Icehouse, M&M Rooftop Garden, Old Town Grill, Scully’s, Si Senor and The Wrigley Taproom & Eatery all participating.

These nine restaurants will offer specialty burgers on sale throughout the week. You can vote for your favorite burger at corbinkytourism.com.

On Friday, June 16, Corbin will host the second “Pickin’ in the Park” concert series of the season.

It will feature Parkway Worship providing a contemporary worship service from 6 – 8 p.m. at Sanders Park on Main Street. The event is free and open to the public, but you will need to bring a lawn chair or blanket.

On Saturday, June 17, the second “Movies in the Park” event of the summer will take place at Sanders Park on Main Street.

Anthem Medicaid and Corbin Tourism will be having a free showing of the movie Luca. starting at dark. Treats will be provided.

While the event is free and open to the public, you will need to bring a lawn chair or blanket.

Other events that are further out include the Independence Day celebration that will take place on July 3 outside the Corbin Arena. There will be food vendors, booths and music that will culminate with a spectacular fireworks show that will start at 9:45 p.m.

The third Cumberland Valley Cruise-In of the year will take place on Saturday, July 8, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

The third “Pickin’ in the Park” concert series is slated for Friday, July 21, from 6 – 8 p.m. The artist is still to be determined.

From Aug. 9-12, the 71^st Annual NIBROC Festival will take place in downtown Corbin.

The “Grillin’ and Chillin’ Steak Competition” is planned for Saturday, Sept. 16, and it will serve as a World Food Championship qualifying event. It will take place at Sanders Park.

“Whether your love is classic cars or bringing the kids out to a movie in the park, we have something we can offer everybody,” Monhollen concluded.

 

Joyce Faye (Moses) Curd

Joyce Faye (Moses) Curd, age 88, of Acworth, Georgia, formerly of Jellico, Tennessee, and Louisville, Kentucky, passed away on Tuesday evening, June 6, 2023, at Legacy Ridge at Brookstone in Kennesaw, GA.
She was born on October 20, 1934, to the late Paul C. Moses and Era (Anderson) Moses in Jellico.
Her paternal grandparents were the late Mart Moses and Sarah (Davenport) Moses. Her maternal grandparents were the late Cam Anderson and Barbara (Siler) Anderson.
Joyce was a long time employee of Standard Oil of Kentucky and then Chevron USA, retiring from the Southeast office in Atlanta in 1991. In her spare time, Joyce was well known as an avid quilter and crafter, hand stitching and quilting at least one quilt every winter. But her pride and joy were her three grandchildren. She was immensely proud of them and would brag about them every chance she had.
In addition to her parents and grandparents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Rodney Brent Curd; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Jennings “Babe” Curd and Ethel (Rose) Curd; sisters-in-law, Joyce (Curd) Lovett, Barbara Curd, and June Curd; brothers-in-law, Floyd T. Curd and Arnold Lee Lovett.
She is survived by her son, Brent Curd, and his wife, Stephanie, and three grandchildren, Jennings Curd, Katie Curd, and Patrick Curd, all of Acworth, GA.
Joyce is also survived by her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Jennings Bryan “J. B.” Curd, Jr., and wife, Barbara, of Crittenden, KY, James Edward “Jimmy” Curd, and wife, Shirley, of Williamsburg, KY, and Thelma Kathryn (Curd) Bailey, and husband, Carl Edward Bailey, of Williamsburg, KY; several nieces and nephews; and a host of friends, neighbors, and other relatives to mourn her passing.
The family will receive friends for visitation on Sunday afternoon, June 11, beginning at 2:00 p.m. at the Cox & Son Funeral Home Chapel.
The funeral will immediately follow on Sunday afternoon, June 11, at 3:00 p.m. at the Cox & Son Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Trey Brock officiating.
Interment will follow in the Jellico Cemetery.
Cox & Son Funeral Home in charge arrangements.