TDI's Top 10 Stories of 2022: Mixed bag of good, bad

Dec. 31—Three hundred sixty-four days have elapsed in 2022 ... some were of the riveting, red-letter variety. Others were rather dark and depressing. and then there were those that fall under the "huh, interesting" category.

That's exactly what you'll see as you navigate The Daily Independent's Top 10 Stories of the Year.

While this list is always a challenge to whittle down and rank, we as a staff try to measure community impact — and use it as a main factor in deciphering.

Before kissing your significant other or sipping on some champagne to ring in 2023, take a journey with us as we review 2022.

1. Revolutionary Racing to Boyd

When a chopper descended upon a vast field just about 200 yards away from a table full of bourbon glasses containing fine cigars adjacent to a spacious covered area with a stage in front of shiny shovels eager to mark a new territory, all eyes were on a couple of the state's most prominent figures. Gov. Andy Beshear and Senior Adviser Rocky Adkins stepped out of the helicopter, fist-bumped one another and strolled to the Revolutionary Racing "red carpet."

Now, hold your horses, northeastern Kentucky, because seemingly monumental groundbreakings have occurred before.

This one feels a bit more concrete, though, as Revolutionary Racing Kentucky LLC made its impending arrival to Boyd County official on Oct. 28.

The Boyd County Fiscal Court publicly announced Revolutionary Racing secured the final horse racing license in Kentucky in July. Back in the spring, the fiscal court announced it would negotiate leasing out the Sears building at Camp Landing to Revolutionary Racing.

The $55 million deal includes a gaming facility and a quarter horse race track.

Oct. 28's event on a 200-acre piece of land near Paul Coffey Industrial Park was deemed a "Team Kentucky Day" by Adkins.

2. Goodbye to bygone era

A controlled demolition brought the Amanda Blast Furnace down on Feb. 8, 2022, stamping finality on a steel mill that helped raise so many families in northeastern Kentucky and beyond.

Amanda stood tall for nearly 60 years as the centerpiece of Ashland Works (of Armco and then AK Steel). The blue flame blazed from 1963 until December 2015, when the furnace went idle.

It's hard to predict what will come next on that valuable piece of land along the Ohio.

The demolition of the old Ashland Oil building on Winchester Avenue in downtown was more of a slow burn this year. Floor by floor, the building came down over a course of months. It will be the site of a new convention center.

"The plans for this have been on the shelf since 2013," said Ashland Mayor Matt Perkins. "Now we are in a position to actually do it."

3. Cpl. Jacob Moore dies

Cpl. Jacob Moore, of Catlettsburg, died in an MV-22 Osprey crash during a NATO exercise in Norway on March 18 at age 24. The Boyd County graduate won't be forgotten, and this area will ensure his memory lives on forever.

Moore joined the Marines at age 20. In the service, he received the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

"He's our hero and it's the type of men and women like him that eastern Kentucky produces," said Boyd County Judge-Executive Eric Chaney after Moore's death.

A monument honors him in Catlettsburg. A section of highway — picked my Jacob's mother, Michelle, is designated as "Corporal Jacob M. Moore USMC Memorial Highway." It's on Ky. 180 and Route 3 to Bear Creek Road (south of exit 185 from I-64).

"This is a special recognition for someone who made the uptime sacrifice for this great nation," said Senior Adviser Rocky Adkins.

4. #RobinsonStrong

A routine police call became a horrific nightmare in the early-morning, still-dark hours of May 2.

Jonathan Smithers, who has been called "pure evil" in federal court, fired a gunshot into the neck of Flatwoods police officer Tommy Robinson at around 2:40 that morning.

Smithers, who kidnapped a woman earlier that night, aimed to kill Robinson, but that's now how fate would have it. Robinson survived after emergency surgery, and he's still recovering to this day. Smithers will spend life in prison.

Nearly five hours after the shooting at a townhome complex in Flatwoods, Kentucky State Police apprehended Smithers in the parking lot of Dollar General — less than a mile from where the shooting occurred.

5. KDMC part of UK

King's Daughters, as of Dec. 1, officially became part of the University of Kentucky.

UK and northeastern Kentucky's largest employer had been partners for about two years prior to UK taking over. The hospital and other facilities will retain the name King's Daughters.

In 2020, King's Daughters became northeastern Kentucky's only hospital with the closure of Our Lady of Bellefonte. It currently has more than 5,000 employees.

Just two weeks later, Kristie Whitlatch announced her retirement as King's Daughters CEO/President, effective today.

COO Sara Marks was named interim CEO. Senior Vice President Autumn McFann is also taking on additional responsibilities.

6. SEKY summer of tragedy

In late July, relentless rain hammered eastern Kentucky, causing lethal flooding throughout several counties. The death toll climbed into the 40s across six counties.

As is usually the case in eastern Kentucky, it was an all-hands-on-deck approach to provide relief. Several local first-response agencies sent crews to the affected areas to supply help to a community in desperation mode.

Earlier in July, Lance Storz shot down Floyd County Deputy William Petry, Prestonsburg Police Captain Ralph Frasure, Prestonsburg Police Officer Jake Chaffins and a police dog named Drago in a scene that was described as "pure hell" in Floyd County.

In early September, a 21-year-old went on a shooting spree in Paintsville, Ronnie Pack killed three people, including his wife. According to witnesses, Pack said, "please kill me, I can't believe I killed three people."

7. Double homicide in Ashland

Eighteen-year-old Summer Algarakhuly and 20-year-old Selina Easter died in a double homicide inside an East Ashland apartment on June 17.

John Tooson is the accused shooter. Tooson, 32, of Rossford, Ohio, was indicted on July 5 on two counts of murder, one count of auto theft, a count of first-degree wanton endangerment and one count of possession of a handgun by a convicted felon.

After killing the two young women and leaving a 2-month-old child unharmed at the scene, police say Tooson fled in Easter's car and rushed to Toledo — where he engaged in a six-hour-long standoff with police before shooting himself on the front porch of a home.

Still alive, Tooson is now involved in a case that has a pretrial set for Feb. 23, 2023.

8. GOP-heavy election

The metaphorical red wave engulfed the region on Election Day as Republicans largely reigned supreme in local races.

It was a Republican sweep across Boyd, Carter and Greenup County Fiscal Courts — Judge-Executives, commissioners and magistrates are all of the GOP.

Straight-ticket voting was a popular choice among voters with "R" next to their names.

Although the area has favored Republicans in national races in recent years, Democrats have historically held serve in local positions ... but if the 2022 election is any indication, that trend is firmly in the past.

9. $15M return from Unity

Gov. Andy Beshear announced on Sept. 29 that the Commonwealth secured $15 million back from Unity Aluminum. Back in 2017, under the leadership of former Gov. Matt Bevin, Kentucky had invested $15 million into then-Brady Industries — an announced $1.3 billion aluminum mill that never came to fruition.

Just two months prior, Beshear called it a scam and criticized Bevin for his all-in advocacy for the pipe-dream project.

"Braidy's going to go down as the worst and shadiest economic development deal in Kentucky's history," Beshear said.

Beshear got a jab in on Braidy founder Craig Bouchard, too, who "now claims he's building a space bridge," said the governor in July.

10. Dummitt saga continues

Kelly Dummitt just keeps popping up in headlines, and in jails, and in court.

Dummitt, who was convicted of reckless homicide in 2015 in the death of Mattie Conley, was booked into the Mason County Jail on Sept. 3 on charges of DUI, second-degree criminal mischief, second-degree criminal trespassing, reckless driving, fourth-degree assault and first-degree wanton endangerment.

Currently serving a maximum sentence for a DUI and other charges in Greenup County, the 24-year-old Portsmouth woman will face a trial on the above charges in Boyd County in 2023.

(606) 326-2664 — asnyder@dailyindependent.com