2023 Year in Review, Part 2

Jan. 2—In this edition, The Times-Tribune wraps up our look back at what made the news in the second half of 2023.

JULY

—Regional tourism officials were center stage in Harlan as they accepted $350,000 in state funding to help market the Appalachian Triangle of Kentucky, a joint initiative between eight commissions and seven counties (Clay, Bell, Laurel, Whitley, Harlan, Knox and Rockcastle).

—Jordan Lee Miracle, who led two other individuals in the murder of Billy Lawson in 2019, is sentenced to a total of 70 years. According to the Commonwealth Attorney's Ronnie Bowling, Miracle was sentenced to 70 years in prison on charges of murder, first-degree robbery, tampering with evidence and (in a separate case) conspiracy to escape.

—The London-Laurel Rescue Squad leads a daylong search for a swimmer last seen near Sulphur Spring Branch of Laurel River Lake. Jason McVey, 51, of Mt. Sterling, was recovered July 14 in some 104 feet of water off Craigs Creek in a cove in the Sulphur Springs Branch Area.

—Corbin Police investigates a double shooting with married couple Steward Allen Peace, 42, and Misty Renee Peace, 41, both of Corbin found in a wooded area off 5th Street Road around 5:35 p.m. on July 11. Both were airlifted to the University of Kentucky Medical Center in critical condition. The Whitley County Grand Jury would ultimately indict Mr. Peace on one count of attempted murder in connection to his estranged wife's wounds. Mrs. Peace has also filed for divorce as well as a civil suit against him, alleging permanent disability. Last month, the Commonwealth filed a motion to have Mr. Peace evaluated. A status hearing has been set for next April.

—Corbin Housing Authority, Corbin Public Library, Corbin Family Resource Center and Save the Children partner for Housing Authority at Vanbeber. The center includes a pretend play section to help with imagination development, problem solving and fine motor skills that help with thinking skills and writing later on. Additionally, a sensory area is available.

—Some 20 Kentucky Brotherhood cyclists travel through Corbin and London as part of a four-day, 300-mile trip through the commonwealth honoring fallen officers.

—Williamsburg Independent Board of Education hires Tabetha Housekeeper as the district's new superintendent — replacing Tim Melton, who accepted a position in Knox County. Housekeeper begins Administration Superintendent Certification in the fall from Eastern Kentucky University.

—Cumberland Run opens to the public on July 26. The Mint facility, located at 777 Winners Lane in Corbin, has a 200-person indoor capacity along with a 5/8-mile standard breed trotters race track.

AUGUST

—Tri-County Mystery Meets, a mobile dinner theatre troupe, sells out is first production at The Pennington in downtown Corbin.

—Several Tri-County residents report seeing and/or hearing a sonic boom and fireball August 2. Hundreds of people from all over Kentucky and Virginia shared their view of the fireball from footage taken with their phones and some on security cameras.

—A two-vehicle crash that killed a Corbin woman at the intersection of US 25W and Falls Creek Road in Whitley County. The initial investigation indicated that a 2012 White Jeep Patriot driven by Charles L. Robinson, 68, of Corbin, pulled out of Falls Creek Road onto US 25W — entering the path of a 2013 Nissan Altima that was traveling south, driven by Sandy M. Harp, 52, of Williamsburg. As a result of the collision, according to KSP, Florence J. Neal, 59, of Corbin, suffered life-threatening injuries and was pronounced deceased by the Whitley County Coroner's office.

—Ronald Tracy Sisk, 55, of Williamsburg, is facing three counts of attempted murder of a police officer, one count of possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, one count of resisting arrest, and one count of first-degree persistent felony offender in connection to a two-hour standoff back in 2021 with Williamsburg Police. At a status hearing in Whitley Circuit Court, Sisk opted to stand trial rather than accept a plea agreement to serve five years. However, by November, it appeared that Sisk changed his mind. He is scheduled to enter a plea on January 9.

—On the final night of NIBROC, Corbin Mayor Suzie Razmus surprised local songwriter Debra Young by officially proclaiming her song, "Corbin, Kentucky Sweetest Spot in the South," the official song of the city.

—Williamsburg native Sydnee Floyd, with the help of her partners at Jumbled Dreams Changing Lives, recently donated over 2,000 pairs of socks to her former elementary school.

—Corbin welcomed Drift Indy Street League to The Arena for Eastern Kentucky's first-ever drifting contest, the Volume 10 presented by Coilover Depot. The main event was August 19, with the community getting up close and personal with more than 70 cars on Main Street during the Cruise-In the day before. The Corbin Tourism and Convention Commission partnered with the Corbin Arena and Backroads Appalachia to host the weekend.

—Former Times-Tribune reporter Jeff Noble passes away in his hometown of Jackson at the age of 69. A University of Kentucky graduate, Noble first made a name for himself as a weathercaster for WYMT in Hazard starting in the late 1980s before moving on to WLEX in Lexington as a weekend weather anchor from September 1993 to March 1994 in addition to WBKO in Bowling Green. Noble later transitioned to print journalism — covering the Tri-County area for The Times-Tribune from 2011 to 2015. He then became editor of Jackson Times/Voice newspaper until his retirement two years ago.

—J.C. Paul Detachment of the Whitley County Marine Corps League, Whitley County Motorcycle Group and Backroads of Appalachia partnered together for a memorial to Medal of Honor recipient Joe C. Paul inside the Whitley County Courthouse halls.

—Williamsburg City Council met in a special-called session to approve a new ordinance reducing the minimal lot size needed to build in R2 (residential) zones.

SEPTEMBER

—Labor Day weekend is marked by a fatal crash early Sunday morning near Corbin Primary School that has left one Laurel County man dead and another hospitalized. According to Corbin Police Department, officers responded to a single-vehicle collision on 5th Street near the school on the Whitley County side of the city. Upon their arrival, officers detected that the driver of the sedan (which had struck a tree) — James Barnes, 26, of London — had a strong smell of alcohol in addition to his apparent injuries. Barnes' passenger — 21-year-old Zachary Mathis of London — was pronounced dead at the scene by Whitley County Coroner Andy Croley. Barnes was charged with vehicular homicide and will be indicted on that charge in November.

—Legal sports wagering makes its debut across the commonwealth on September 7, including The Mint Gaming Hall in Williamsburg and newly-opened Cumberland Run in Corbin.

—Whitley County Sheriff's Office investigates the fatal shooting of a two-year-old by another toddler in a Martin Road residence.

—Eastern Kentucky football legend Roy Kidd passes away on September 12. The 91-year-old Corbin native led EKU to two NCAA Division I-AA football championships in a Hall of Fame career.

—The Corbin Redhounds celebrate 100 years of football as well as the newly turfed Campbell Field with a win against Frederick Douglass.

—Whitley County Fiscal Court votes to move forward with a grant to allow for the installation of an updated computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system for the county's 911 center. The project is expected to cost $110,471 with the county's match at only $20,000.

—The Knox County Grand Jury indicts an Oregon woman in connection to a November 2022 at the KY 1304/US 25E intersection in Bimble. Stacey Ash, 43, of Silverton, Oregon, has been indicted for two counts of second- degree manslaughter as well as two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment. Ash is scheduled to appear for a pretrial conference on February 4.

—Corbin High School's Marching Redhounds earn acclaim with their "Into the Dragon's Den" show.

OCTOBER

—Officials investigate the death of 40-year old Kyle Barton, Corbin, who was found unconscious in his Whitley County Detention Center cell with blunt force trauma to the head. Barton was later pronounced dead at UK Hospital in Lexington. WCDC officials claimed that the camera system was not operating at the time of the incident.

—Richard C. Johnson, 38, of London, was located by police after a manhunt following the stabbing of a 73-year-old woman in Keavy. Johnson was charged with attempted murder and lodged in the Laurel County Correctional Center. An investigation was launched in December when Johnson committed suicide while in custody.

—A fire at the Corbin Applebees resulted in extensive damage, ultimately closing the restaurant down for a couple of months. The community favorite restaurant later re-opened in December following extensive repairs.

—Media were invited tour the brand new Grace Health Medical Campus prior to its official opening November 6. Located at 14662 N. US 25E in Corbin, the 90,000 square-foot facility represents a $35 million project some five years in the making. It combines the Gray Clinic, Bishop Street Clinic and Pharmacy, Falls Highway Clinic and both pediatric clinics under one roof.

—A devastating head-on collision on KY 92 resulted in the death of one and injuries to several others. Marlainna D. Terry, 41, of Stearns, was pronounced dead on the scene by the Whitley County Coroner's Office following the crash. She was a passenger in a westbound 2012 Kia Sorento that was struck when a 2011 Ford Fusion crossed the center line.

—London Mayor Randall Weddle was the deciding vote on an ordinance cancelling the annexation from Interstate 75's London Exit 38 to Exit 29 in southern Laurel County. Withdrawing from the annexation — which resulted in a lawsuit between Corbin and London — brought "no" votes from Donnie Philpot, Justin Young and Stacy Benge. Kip Jervis, Kelly Greene and Holly Little voted in favor of ending the annexation process with Mayor Weddle also voting 'yes' to break the tie.

—Williamsburg hosts Jeep Jamboree: Gateway to the Cumberlands for their 30th year with over 200 Jeeps participating.

—Christian A. Shrader, 23, of London, was sentenced to a total of 30 years in prison following a plea agreement for two separate indictments. Shrader was charged with two counts of murder stemming from a fatal DUI crash in 2021 and multiple charges related to child pornography. The terms of Shrader's plea agreement granted him concurrent sentences for the two murder charges, and an additional five years for the child pornography charges.

—Tri-County and Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce officials broke ground on an expansion to the Corbin Center. The expansion will include a new hotel and renovations to the existing structure.

NOVEMBER

—The Kentucky Department of Education released school report card data, and several Tri-County districts did well. Corbin Independent School District received a district wide rating of Blue, which is the highest ranking given by the state, and ranked second in the state. Additionally, Laurel County's Sublimity Elementary School was the highest rated elementary school in the state.

—Couple Tom and Peggy Retherford opened The Swan House in Knox County. The Swan House is a wedding venue that the Retherfords hope to offer without a debilitating price tag.

—Despite the efforts of Republican-heavy Tri-County communities, Gov. Andy Beshear (Democrat) is elected to a second term as Kentucky's governor over Republican challenger Attorney General Daniel Cameron. Beshear's Dec. 12 swearing in ceremony includes a reading from Kentucky Poet Laureate (and Lily native) Silas House.

—The Corbin Garden Club installed a Gold Star Memorial Marker at Nibroc Park in downtown Corbin. The marker honors those who have fallen in service of the United States Military and their families who they left behind.

—Goodwill Opportunity Center of Corbin hosted an opportunity expo to demonstrate their capacity to help those in need with a variety of services. The center's primary goal is to help remove barriers for those looking to rejoin the workforce after incarceration or rehabilitation.

—Brittany P. Slaughter, 24, and Adam Hayes, 34, both of Williamsburg, were arraigned following an investigation where police discovered the corpse of 4-year-old Chloe Darnell, who was in the custody of Slaughter. The couple would later be indicted by the Whitley County Grand Jury on charges of Murder, Abuse of a Corpse, and Tampering with Physical Evidence. They are scheduled to be arraigned in Whitley Circuit Court on January 16.

—Corbin Utility Commission General Manager Ron Herd advises city commissioners about a potential rate increase. Herd stated that the fixed monthly cost could potentially be going from $10 to $20 — comparable to other new rates in other cities. He also noted CUC has not increased rates in five years.

—The City of Williamsburg held its 16th Annual Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving day. The 5K walk/run boasted record participation with 348 people signing up. The proceeds of the race — $23,000 — were donated to Williamsburg's Shop with a Cop program.

—A car crash on KY 92 East resulted in the death of Bell County woman Linda Bedford, 52, of Pineville. Bedford crossed the center line in a 2004 Ford pickup truck and collided with a tractor trailer. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

DECEMBER

—The Corbin Tourism Commission hosts a ribbon-cutting for the Hometown Bank Farmers Market Pavilion in downtown Corbin. The long-awaited project will officially open next spring.

—Wesley Neil Allen, 39, of London was charged with Murder following a DUI-related crash that resulted in the death of 64-year-old Fred Johnson. Police stated that Allen's BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) was .197 at the time of the crash.

—The Williamsburg and Corbin Police Departments teamed up to seize 600 grams (1.3 pounds) of methamphetamine from a hotel in northern Whitley County and storage facility in southern Laurel County. Timothy Rainwater, 56, of Corbin was arrested and charged in connection with the seizure.

—Williamsburg Independent Board of Education hears a presentation to implement a wrestling program from teacher and football coach Tim Hendrix.

—The Williamsburg Police Department held their annual Shop with a Cop program at Williamsburg Walmart. According to Williamsburg Police Chief Jason Caddell, approximately 180 Children benefitted this year.

—Retired University of the Cumberlands Music Professor David Etter was released from Baptist Health Corbin following a lengthy medical battle that doctors called "a miracle."

—A waterline break in Williamsburg resulted in over 1,000 residents being without water for several days. The waterline was ultimately replaced and fully fixed on the Friday before Christmas. Many volunteers and public agencies donated their time and money to supply those in need with water.

—Donald G. Napier, 39, of Gray, was charged with two counts of first-degree assault after a shooting that occurred in Knox County on Dec. 23. Kentucky State Police eventually located Napier in Floyd County and extradited to the Knox County Detention Center in lieu of a $50,000 bond.