The News Journal Blog – Page 47 of 3019

When Rep. Charlie Siler spoke, people listened

When it comes to former 82^nd Rep. Charlie Siler, ex-News Journal Publisher Trent Knuckles may have summed it up best one time.

Mark White is Editor of The News Journal.

Trent had gone to a Williamsburg-Whitley County Airport Board meeting and Charlie was on the board. I don’t remember what was happening that prompted Trent to go to the meeting, which we usually don’t cover.

At one point during the meeting, Charlie spoke up on whatever topic it was. Everyone at the meeting intently listened to everything Charlie had to say.

When telling the story, Trent paraphrased the old E.F. Hutton commercial and said simply, “When Charlie Siler talks, people listen.”

For those that didn’t know him, Charlie Siler was a retired Lt. Col. in the United States Army where he served over 26 years serving in both the Korean War and Vietnam War. While his military service took him to different places, Whitley County was always home to Charlie.

Charlie moved back to Williamsburg after he retired from the military to garden and raise cattle, but his career in public service wasn’t over.

Charlie was smart being someone with both book sense and common sense, which is an ever increasing rare commodity.

I remember him telling me one time that one or two years before he first ran for 82^nd Representative, he started going around to all of these little country stores throughout Whitley County. He would buy a pack of gum or something, and strike up conversations with the owners and managers getting to know them and building relationships in preparation for his political run.

This is something that most people and politicians wouldn’t think to do, but Charlie wasn’t most people.

It worked.

Charlie would go on to serve more than 20 years in the Kentucky General Assembly during two stints there.

Charlie joked that he left office after the first stint because of illness as in people got sick and tired of him.

The reality is Charlie’s first loss was the result of a vote he cast in favor of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA), which transformed the ways schools are funded in Kentucky. KERA evened the playing field a bit particularly for smaller, more rural districts, but the bill brought with it a significant tax increase.

Charlie knew that voting for KERA would likely cost him his job as 82^nd Representative as it did many of the legislators, who voted in favor of KERA.

He voted for it anyway because it was the right thing to do.

Charlie’s vote for KERA did more than just help better educate the children in Whitley County. He also used the political leverage that he got with that vote to get funding for the Williamsburg Tourism and Convention Center.

A few years when by and Charlie ran for 82^nd Representative again. He won and served for several more years in the state legislature.

Those of us in the general public often complain that we wish our politicians would actually read the bills they are considering before voting on those bills. Most don’t.

Charlie did.

Before he retired from the military, Charlie took a speed reading course. He got pretty good at it, and could read quite a bit of information over a relatively short period of time and retain most of the high points.

When Charlie served in the Kentucky General Assembly, he was a Republican in a political body where he was largely outnumbered by Democrats. This made it hard to get many things done for his district, but not impossible.

Charlie was good at political horse trading. If a group of Democratic legislators was needing some more votes to get a bill passed, Charlie would often help them out if the proposed bill didn’t impact his district. In exchange, Charlie would get help in getting things for his district.

When you are in the minority party, that is how you get things done and Charlie was skilled at it.

Charlie passed away on April 23 at Baptist Health Corbin at the age of 94. His funeral service was held Saturday at Calvary Missionary Baptist Church.

Charlie left a legacy of public service, and he was always fun to talk to.

My condolences go out to his family and loved ones.

He was a good man, who will be missed.

Free networking event for local employers coming to Corbin Center May 9

“We need more reliable employees.” This is an observation that has been made by employers with increasing frequency in recent years. Since the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, many businesses have struggled to stay consistently fully staffed. (more…)

Corbin Public Works employees renovate Engineer Street bridge

Aerial photography by TIMOTHY WYATT

Corbin Public Works employees worked Monday to put the finishing touches on a project to replace the decking on the Engineer Street Bridge. While the bridge has been closed to vehicle traffic for several years, it was still open as a pedestrian walkway until it closed recently due largely to issues with the old decking. Below, employees are seen also working on installing a new railing for the bridge.

May Day 2024 to be presented Friday at the Arena

Whitley Ella Hurst, the 2024 May Queen, and Lainey Page Williams, this year’s Tiny Queen, will be crowned Friday night, May 3, at 7 p.m. during the 81^st presentation of the May Day Festival at the Arena in Corbin.

Hurst is the daughter of Jason and Crystal Hurst. She will be escorted by Gavin Cole Hinkle, son of Kenneth and Carla Hinkle.

Williams is the daughter of Dr. Curtis and Mrs. Lynda-Lindsey Williams. Her escort will be Wyatt Reeves, son of Seth and Sarah Reeves.

First runner up to the May Queen is Macey Suzanne Disney, daughter of Gary and Angela (Hampton) Disney. Joshua Edwards, son of Rodney and Becky Edwards, is her escort.

Second runner up is Alexandra Herren, daughter of Rebecca Herren and Michael Herren. Her escort is Landon Farmer, son of Lindsey Farmer and Jeremy Farmer.

Third runner up is Audrey Grace Mahan, daughter of Barry and Sara Mahan. Blake Allen Butler, son of Dr. Christina Butler and Mr. Patrick McHugh will be her escort.

Fourth runner up Jayden Hope Fox, daughter of Cassie Fox and Randell Fox, will be escorted by John Ball, son of Collin Ball and Catherine Ball.

Fifth runner up is Karlee Jaye Dickerson, who is the daughter of Larry and Rachel Dickerson. Her escort will be Kyler James Witt, son of James Witt and Joy Howard.

Sixth runner up, Sophia Luke, is the daughter of Matthew Luke and Johnna Fuson. She will be escorted by Jonathon Miller, son of Jamey and Lisa Miller.

Completing the Queen’s court, in alphabetical order, are:

Macie Leigh Bailey is the daughter of Tommy Bailey and Jamie Trett. Parker Blankenship, son of Curtis Blankenship and Stephanie Cameron, is her escort.

Whitley Elizabeth Calico is the daughter of Dr. Jefferson and Cari Calico. Her brother, Lincoln Calico, is her escort.

Sophia Marie Cima is the daughter of Karen Cima and Armando Cima. Braxton Cima, son of Anthony and Viki Cima, is her escort.

Layla Grace Cloud is the daughter of Jerry and Rebekah Cloud. Max Farmer, son of Shannon and Missy Farmer, will be her escort.

Chase Danielle Dixon is the daughter of Tara and Jason Dixon. Her escort for the evening is Justice McKague, son of Mary and Jedediah McKague.

Sharae Danielle Felts is the daughter of Brittany Boswell and Henry Boswell. Chase Matthew Massey, son of Matthew and Karen Massey, will be her escort.

Abigail Brooklynn Fortney is the daughter of Rhonda Fortney and the late Wesley Fortney. She will be escorted by Jackson Peace, son of Jesse and Jennifer Peace.

Alexiandria “Lexi” Hollingsworth is the daughter of Jillian Hibbs and Joshua Hollingsworth. Caleb Hammons, son of Travis and Amanda Hammons, is her escort.

Korbyn Augusta Kelsch is the daughter of Erin Rains Kelsch and Patrick Kelsch. John Thomas Hamm, son of Tony and Rachel Ruf, will be her escort.

Kylie Marie Kilgore is the daughter of Brian and Kara Kilgore. Quinn Maguet, son of Eric and Dana Maguet, will be her escort.

Ayliana Marie McKay is the daughter of Joshua McKay and Anna Wilson. Her escort will be Hayden Phipps, son of Chris and Mia Phipps.

Brooke Lindsey Mills is the daughter of Cathy and Wayne Mills. Zander Curry, son of Angel and Toby Curry is her escort.

Miah Brynleigh Morgan is the daughter of Jeremiah and Brittany Morgan. Hunter Newberry, son of Melissa Foley and Roger Newberry, is her escort.

Anslee Rose Mouser is the daughter of Jody and Natoshia Mouser. Her escort for the evening is Myles Marlow, son of April Mahan.

Emma Lynn Robinson is the daughter of Craig and April Robinson and Anita and Walt Pennington. Christopher Broughton, son of Chris Broughton and Janie Forbes, is her escort.

Mary Elizabeth Simons is the daughter of Michael Simons and Laura Simons. Her escort is Matthew Perez, son of Tiffany Grega.

Addy Mae Wilson is the daughter of Travis and Beth Wilson. Hayden Webb, son of Jason and Candace Webb, is her escort.

Alexa NaShae Wright is the daughter of Jessica Wilson. Her escort will be Tyson Blalock, son of Ashley Hart Bryson and Tyrone Blalock.

The May Queen’s trumpeters will be Leo Davis Colson Brown and John Reedy Harris. Brown is the five-year-old son of Wade and Kaibry Ball. Harris is the five-year-old son of Tyler and Hannah Harris.

The Queen’s flower girls will be Loren Gayle Damron, the three-year-old daughter of Amber and Jay Damron, and Haigen Reese Farmer, the four-year-old daughter of Hailee Farmer. The trainbearers for the Queen will be Hudson Fraisur Prewitt and Roman Roberson. Prewitt is the three-year-old son of Travis and Kayla Prewitt. Roberson is the three-year-old son of Jeffrey and Dalice Roberson.

The 2024 Tiny Queen’s court includes: First runner up, Sadie Elizabeth Strickland, daughter of Matt and Mackenzie Strickland; Second runner up, August Blake Taylor, daughter of Travis and Danni Taylor; Third runner up, Maria Elizabeth Moore DiFebo, daughter of James DiFebo and Allison Moore; and Fourth runner up, Nora Campbell Coleman, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Travis Coleman.

Completing the court, in alphabetical order, are: Sophia Jane Allen, daughter of Austin Allen and Rachael Allen; Quinn Harper Baker, daughter of Kody and Whitney Baker; Lorelei Parker Grace Foley, daughter of Kennedy Foley; Alonah Cheryl Grantlin, daughter of Kahla Grantlin; Ramsey James Harris, daughter of Tyler and Hannah Harris;

Avery Noelle Martin, daughter of Brianna and Kaleb Martin; and, Charlotte Annalee Preston, daughter of Jonathan and Morgan Preston.

The Ossoli Club of Corbin would like to thank all the host businesses, the candidates and their families, our newspapers, the program participants, and everyone who “voted” to make this year’s May Day a special event in many young people’s lives. The Ossoli Club of Corbin is a member of GFWC Kentucky.

New USDA draft environmental assessment does little to change the scope of Jellico Mtn. logging project

Community members are concerned about the lack of changes to the proposed Jellico Mountain logging project outlined in a new draft environmental assessment that was released by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Forest Service last week, which still calls for the clearcutting of nearly 1,000 acres of forest. (more…)