Meetings to discuss history help us to not forget where we come from

Those of us with a little age tend to remember events of the past and relish in talking about them. Thus, a meeting like the one I attended last week at the Corbin Public Library to talk about the history of Corbin was fun.

Don Estep is publisher of the News Journal.

Diane Mitchell has been a leader in preserving Corbin’s history and she invited a group of us with advanced age to meet and talk about what yesteryear was like. We even got to see an old film of the dedication of the underpass in 1935. I could only identify three people in the film out of a crowd of thousands. They were John L. Crawford, the former publisher of the Corbin Times-Tribune, and Mr. and Mrs. S. G. Hembree, both teachers in the Corbin Independent school system.

Both my wife Judy and I attended there. My wife has a better memory than me. Her recall of downtown store locations is good. I sat beside the amazing Paul Jones who at 101 years of age has a memory like an elephant. I love to hear him talk about how things were in the 30s and 40s. As for myself, I pick up on the happenings of the 50s.

While we mostly rambled about the past, I suggested to Diane that in our future meetings we select a decade and concentrate on it. She liked the idea so when she announces the next get together, she said we would talk about the 50s. Of course, that is right up my alley. It is my opinion that it was the best decade in history.

I have been putting together a list of clothing stores, restaurants, service stations and all varieties of businesses of that decade. Without a doubt there are many I can’t remember so this is where some of you may want to get involved. When Diane announces another get together, I will list it in my column. The public is invited to attend and contribute.

The group Diane works with has developed a Corbin history room at the library. And speaking of the library, it is one of the star attractions in the City of Corbin. So many good people have had a hand in making it that way. One of those was my late neighbor, Anne Hoskins. She was a great contributor, not only at the library, but also to many other worthwhile projects.

The same people that contribute to the present library are also involved in restoring the old Carnegie Library building on Roy Kidd Avenue.

This Thursday the Corbin Police and Fire Departments will compete in a chili cookoff to benefit the fund raising for the building. Tickets are $10 each.

The cookoff will be held at the Depot restaurant on Main Street from 5:30 to 7:30. Proceeds will go toward a match for a special $10,000 grant that has been awarded by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Dave Moody, Hairball ready to rock Corbin 80’s style this weekend

“We’re going to push you up against the wall, grab you by your shirt, smack you around, and you are going to have the greatest time that you’ve ever had in your life!” That is how Dave Moody described the experience in store for music fans attending the Hairball ROCKS concert this Saturday, Feb. 24, at the Corbin Arena. (more…)

WPD, ATF investigation leads to man’s 114-month federal prison sentence

A Lexington man, who was recently sentenced to more than nine years in federal prison on a firearm possession charge, has a history of multiple felony assault convictions or pleas in Whitley County going back to 2008.

Matthew Thomas recently received a 114-month federal prison sentence for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm at Williamsburg park.

Beavers honored for saving life of Walter Dale

When Williamsburg resident Walter Dale, who nearly everyone in town has seen walking around at some point or another, went missing near Cumberland Falls last month, Jason Ryan Beavers set out to find him.

Members of the Whitley County Fiscal Court and others recently helped recognize Jason Beavers, who is credited with saving the life of Williamsburg resident Walter Dale, who went missing near Cumberland Falls last month.

News Journal 2-21-24

Keavy man accused of shooting in the direction officers on Feb. 4 before they returned fire

A Keavy man, who allegedly shot in the direction of police officers during a Feb. 4 police pursuit in Laurel County before officers returned fire and shot him near Lily, is now out of the hospital and in jail.

Dylan Southerland is now out of the hospital and lodged in the Laurel County Correctional Center on four counts of attempted murder of a police officer.

Dylan S. Southerland, 31, was released from the University of Kentucky Medical Center Saturday, and transported to the Laurel County Correctional Center where he was booked at 8:52 p.m. on four counts of attempted murder of a police officer, according to a Kentucky State Police press release and Laurel County Correctional Center records.

Southerland has pleaded not guilty to the charges and a Feb. 27 preliminary hearing has been scheduled in Laurel District Court.

The Laurel County Correctional Center has his bond listed at $100,000 cash.

Additional charges are expected, according to the release.

The officer-involved shooting occurred on Sunday, Feb. 4, about 4:30 p.m. on Brannon Mill Road.

The preliminary investigation revealed that the London Police Department attempted to stop a vehicle for suspicion of impaired driving, according to a KSP release Tuesday afternoon.

KSP previously stated that the DUI complaint was on Tom Jensen Highway in London. The vehicle failed to stop, which resulted in a vehicle pursuit that lasted for about 13-14 minutes.

During the chase, deputies with the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office also joined the pursuit to assist London police.

“During the pursuit, while traveling south on KY229, the driver brandished a handgun out of the driver’s window and discharged the firearm multiple times in the direction of the officers. The vehicle turned onto Brannon Mill Road where it left the roadway into a residential area and became stationary,” according to Tuesday’s release.

The driver, identified as Southerland, exited the vehicle still brandishing the firearm and allegedly discharged it in the direction of the officers, the release stated.

London and Laurel County officers then discharged their agency-issued weapons striking Southerland.

“Officers were then able to place Mr. Southerland under arrest and administer first-aid until EMS arrived,” the according to Tuesday’s release.

No officers were injured during the incident.

The London Police Department and Laurel County Sheriff’s Department requested that KSP Post 11 troopers and detectives respond to the scene and investigate the case, a previous KSP release stated.

KSP has statewide jurisdiction and investigates officer-involved shootings throughout the Commonwealth as requested by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.

“KSP is committed to being transparent while ensuring the integrity of the investigation. To protect the integrity of an ongoing investigation, it is KSP’s standard operating procedure not to release specific details until vital witnesses have been interviewed and pertinent facts gathered. Timelines to complete investigations vary based on the complexity of the case,” the release noted.

District Court Records

Editor’s note: The News Journal publishes only the final disposition of district court criminal cases except for those which are waived to a grand jury or dismissed without condition.

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