2023: Year in Review (Part 1 of 2)
Dec. 28—The Times-Tribune is taking a look back at the headlines that dominated local news this year. In this edition, we look at the first half of the year, January through June. The remainder of 2023 will be reviewed next Tuesday.
JANUARY
—With 2022 being an election year for local offices, the first week of January saw new and veteran officials across the Tri-County take their oaths of office and start their new terms.
—Baptist Health Corbin welcomed John Robert, son of Victoria and Austin Henson, as the first baby born there in the New Year.
—Local churches banded together to offer a free meal to local first responders in honor of National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day.
—NaloxBoxes, containing Narcan which can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, are first approved by the Williamsburg City Council for placement at Kentucky Splash and the Williamsburg Convention Center. Whitley County Health Department also successfully presented the boxes to the Corbin City Commission.
—Corbin High School teacher Cheryl Steele Tinsley made waves with the publication of a book detailing her survival story following a boating accident as a young woman.
—David M. Reed, 54, of St. Petersburg, Florida is charged with murder after leading Kentucky authorities in a multi-county pursuit on I-75 — ending in Laurel County. A search of Reed's vehicle led to the discovery of a dead woman in the back. She is later identified as Rachel Louise Carder, 53, from Huntington, WV.
—Corbin Church of the Nazarene teamed with Hope's Place for a fundraiser to benefit a sober living house.
—Betty Gibson Comer retires after 54 years of running Gibson's Music Store in downtown Corbin. The location has since become the new home for the Pinball Museum.
—A Whitley County jury convicted John P. Meadows, 60, Williamsburg, of murder in connection to the 2021 fatal shooting of Donna G. Lay. He is serving a life sentence at Southeast State Correctional Complex.
FEBRUARY
—TCO LLC begins the process of notifying its 212 employees that the distribution plant will close down by year's end.
—Alum Paula Grubb is sworn in to fill the unexpired term of Malorie Cooper — serving as the 3rd District Representative for the Whitley County Board of Education. Grubb serves as Title IX/Student Employment Coordinator for Union College, and was appointed after retired teacher Kelly Bryant was forced to turn down the position due to a business conflict.
—Jerry Lee Smith, 42, and Brittaney L. Hollin, 24, were arrested on three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Minor due to the discovery of suspected methamphetamine at their Callebs Creek home in Knox County.
—Corbin Independent Board of Education discussed the possibility of creating their own police department in light of Corbin City Police's difficulty in finding officers.
—Nicholas Myleke Rucker, 42, of Corbin, pleaded guilty to Murder, Tampering with Physical Evidence, Convicted Felon in Possession of a Handgun and Attempted Escape from a Penitentiary in connection to the May 2019 shooting of 57-year-old girlfriend Vicki S. Conner. The agreement called for Rucker to serve 65 years in prison, which he is serving the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex.
—Jordan Blake Taylor, 22, of Woodbine, was charged with Murder in connection to a three-year-old found unresponsive while in his care. The child was pronounced dead at Baptist Health Corbin.
—Corbin City Commission splits on a vote to make a portion of Roy Kidd Avenue one way. The change was proposed by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet due to a high number of accidents at the avenue's intersection with US 25W.
—Harvey Hood, 42, of Woolum, was arrested on charges of Murder, first-degree Arson, Theft of an Automobile and two counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon in connection to the discovery of dead man in a burning home in the Knox County community. An autopsy determined that the victim, 64-year-old Ricky Campbell, died from a gunshot wound.
MARCH
—A body found in Elk Creek near the Kentucky-Tennessee line was identified as Anna M. Whitehead, 37, of Williamsburg.
—Moonbow Mercantile uses its special "Moonbow" flavor ice cream to raise awareness for Green Dot, a violence prevention project focusing on educating the community and providing resources to those who speak up.
—Corbin Tourism and Convention Commission announces the lineup for Restaurant Week, March 20-25. Old Town Grill would win the 2023 event with its Sinful Tilapia, earning owners Mike and Matt Caffrey a ticket to the World Food Championships in November.
—Corbin City Commission sells a portion of the Corbin Center property to Hotel Ventures LLC for $1 million for a flagship hotel. The 100-room hotel will be ready for guests in a couple of years to complement future expansion of the Corbin Center and events hosted at the Corbin Arena.
—University of the Cumberlands settles a lawsuit with the family of wrestling student who died in 2020 for $14 million. Grant Brace was 20 when he passed away on Aug. 31, 2020 — a few hours after on-campus workouts. The University's agreement includes a heat-illness training project to be conducted by a nationally recognized expert in the field, and promotion of the Brace family's ongoing work to help raise awareness of heat-related injuries.
—Daniel Scott Nantz, 33, of Woodbine, pleaded guilty to the intentional murder of a federal witness. According to the investigation and plea agreement, Nantz was engaged in methamphetamine trafficking throughout Whitley County from March of 2017 through March of 2019. In the Spring of 2019, some of Nantz's methamphetamine sources of supply and co-conspirators were indicted by a federal grand jury. One of these co-conspirators was Geri D. (Bays) Johnson, his girlfriend. Nantz was sentenced to life in prison in July.
—The Corbin community comes together to celebrate the life of eight-year-old Eli Hill, who was killed in an accident. A huge baseball fan, city commissioners vote in July to dedicate a field in his honor at Miller Park.
—Corbin couple Christie Elizabeth McFadden, 32, and Joseph Craig McFadden, 36, plead guilty to the June 2018 murder of Christie's mother, Sherry Rose. They are serving 27 years on the murder charge, 5 years on the tampering charge and 5 years for abuse of a corpse. Those sentences will run concurrently, or at the same time, for a total of 27 years.
—Twin brothers James and Jamie Muse, both 31 and of Williamsburg, plead guilty for their roles in the February 2019 murder of Billy Lawson. Jamie Muse pleaded guilty as charged to murder, first-degree robbery and tampering with physical evidence. He was sentenced to 60 years in state prison. James Muse, whose charges had been amended down to facilitation of each of those crimes as the "getaway driver" in the homicide, was sentenced to 15 years. A third defendant — Jordan Lee Miracle, 26, of Williamsburg — would plead guilty in May in exchange for a recommended sentence of 65 years.
APRIL
—28 candidates vied for Queen of the 80th May Day Celebration.
—University of the Cumberlands honors Dr. Connie Hauser by naming physical therapy school in her honor. Dr. Hauser launched PT Pros in 1980 with one location in Barbourville. Today, the company has 14 locations in two states and employs 100 people.
—Corbin Arena will host the Kentucky All 'A' Classic in 2024 due to renovations underway at Eastern Kentucky University's Alumni Coliseum.
—As part of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, Commonwealth's Attorney Ronnie Bowling spoke to the Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce about the passage of Kimber's Law, which adds child homicide to the group of murder offenses that are subject to the death penalty in the commonwealth of Kentucky.
—Brian Scott Smith, 40, of Gray was arrested on a murder warrant following a 10-hour manhunt launched by Kentucky State Police Post 10 and the Knox County Sheriff's Department. Smith was wanted in connection to the fatal shooting of Shelby Mcintyre, 42, April 13 at a Dr. Parker Lane residence in the Gray community. At press time, the case is still pending.
—The Corbin Independent Board of Education approves the job description for the new Student Well-Being Coordinator position to "[s]upport schools in the implementation of MTSS procedures by targeting non-academic barriers that prevent students from reaching their fullest potential."
—Cumberland Falls State Resort Park hosts the American Indian Heritage Weekend.
—Renowned author, and Lily native, Silas House is named Kentucky Poet Laureate.
MAY
—Ralph Lyttle, 86, is killed in a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Cumberland Falls Highway and Angel Road. The Williamsburg man is well known to the Tri-County community, having retired from Lyttle's Telephone.
—The Knox-Whitley Humane Association issues an appeal for help after stepping in to assist the Laurel County Animal Shelter, which shut down temporarily for four weeks due to distemper exposure.
—The Whitley County Sheriff's Office investigates after Whitley North Elementary School student brought a kitchen knife to school — injuring another student in the shoulder.
—The Kentucky Court of Appeals sends the lawsuit between the cities of Corbin and London over Exit 29 annexation back to Laurel Circuit Court — ruling that Judge Gregory Lay prematurely dismissed the case in favor of London. London City Council would later vote to discontinue the litigation, though the lawsuit is technically still pending at press time.
—Corbin Independent Board of Education votes to name the district's soccer field in honor of Redhounds Soccer Coach Armando Cima, who had recently retired after 30 years heading the program.
—Tri-County voters fall in line with the rest of the commonwealth in the May Primary, sending incumbent Governor Andy Beshear (Democrat) and Attorney General Daniel Cameron (Republican) to face off in November's gubernatorial race. Beshear would ultimately win a second term.
—The Pinball Museum of Corbin announces their intention to relocate into the former Gibson's Music store location.
—Corbin Mayor Suzie Razmus is honored as Leadership Tri-County's Leader of the Year.
—The arrest of Williamsburg defense attorney James H. Wren II, 67, on charges of reckless driving and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol .08 (first offense) prompts a mistrial for his client Carl Amos Moses Jr. on a 19-count indictment that includes an attempted murder charge. Moses would later take a plea agreement. Wren is scheduled to stand trial in Whitley District Court next February 15.
JUNE
—Knox County officials break ground on sports complex on 100 acres located on Minton Hickory Farm Road. Phase I includes baseball and softball fields.
—Dakota Brewster, 24, of Corbin, publishes a book of poetry called "Dear You."
—Benefits are planned to help 2-year-old Liam Brown, who has been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer affecting his kidney, liver and bones.
—Whitley County High School makes history with the first state baseball championship of any 13th Region school.
—State and local officials host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Pepsi Corbin Distribution Center at the Southern Kentucky Business Park.
—Former Williamsburg Mayor Paul Estes dies at the age of 91. Estes led the city for more than two terms starting in the last 1970s and later served on the Williamsburg City Council for a political career that totaled over 21 years.
—The Whitley County Board of Health votes to permanently close the Corbin branch of the Whitley County Health Department. The health department plans on using their new mobile unit to supplement services at their Williamsburg headquarters.
—Over 30 individuals participate in a human rights demonstration in downtown Corbin as part of Pride Month.
—Whitley County Fiscal Court and Sheriff Bill Elliotte debate over whether extra county funds would be provided in the Fiscal Court budget to the Sheriff's Department to pay court security officers (CSOs) the extra $2 an hour that the department began receiving from Fiscal Court during Covid-19 pandemic through ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds.
