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Delmaine Walker

1948-2021

Mr. Delmaine Walker, age 73 of Highland, Michigan, passed away Saturday afternoon, August 7, 2021 at his residence.

He was born Friday, January 30, 1948 in Elliott County, Kentucky to the late Arlie and Irene Thornsberry Walker.

Delmaine worked at Ford Motor Company for 36 years. He was of the Baptist faith and enjoyed watching TV, working in his garage, working on his tractor, working in his yard and spending time with his family and friends.

In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by two sons, Randy Johnson and Jeffrey Johnson. One daughter, Tina Friend. Three sisters, Dixie Walker, Helen Butler and Jewell Callahan.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Rose Smith Walker. Two sons, Rowdy Johnson of Olive Hill, Kentucky and Charles Johnson of Virginia Beach, Virginia. One brother, Allen Walker of Elliott County, Kentucky. One sister, Garnetta Workman of Grahn, Kentucky. 10 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren, along with a host of family and friends who will sadly mourn his passing.

Funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Friday, August 13, 2021 at Globe Funeral Chapel in Olive Hill, Kentucky with Brother Bobby Day officiating. Burial will follow in the Whitt Cemetery in Elliott County, Kentucky.

Friends may visit from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, August 12, 2021 at Globe Funeral Chapel in Olive Hill, Kentucky and after 9 a.m. until the service hour on Friday.

Family and friends will serve as pallbearers.

Due to COVID-19 regulations, we ask that everyone wear a mask and practice social distancing.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.globefc.com.

Hubert Earl Stapleton

1931-2021

Hubert Earl Stapleton, 90, of Peru, passed away on Sunday, August 8, 2021 at Blair Ridge Health Campus in Peru.

He was born May 23, 1931, in Grayson, Kentucky.  He was the son of the late Oscar and Bethal (Adkins) Stapleton.  In 1973, he married Susie, and she survives.

Hubert served his country and was a proud veteran of the United States Army, serving in the Korean War from 1951 to 1953.  He enjoyed racing and drove in one of the first figure 8 races in Kokomo, and built and drove his own race car. He was the Bunker Hill Town Marshal and Miami County Special Deputy Sheriff for several years, and was also a lifetime member of the VFW. Hubert also drove the ambulance for the Bunker Hill EMS and served as a member of the Pipe Creek Volunteer Fire Department. He owned and operated Hugh’s Towing & Wrecker Service and moved mobile homes until he retired.

Survivors include his wife, Susie, of Peru, daughter, Karen (Thomas) Berglan, of Amboy, step-children, Eric (Terri) Dean, Bunker Hill and Brenda (Mitchell) Eldridge, Grayson, Kentucky. Grandchildren, Kelley (David) Simmons, Amboy, Laura Berglan (Ben Davis) Tucson, Arizona, step-grandchildren, Jim (Vicky) Dean, Russiaville, and Erynn (Chris) O’Neill, Russiaville, and Brian (Kenzie) Hullett, Grayson, Kentucky. Great-grandchildren, Alaina and Aubrey Simmons, and Cullin Davis. Step-great-grandchildren, Henry Dean, and Maggie and Emma O’Neill and Zeke and Zaiden Hullett.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers Watt and Paul Stapleton, and two sisters, Mary Ousley, and Evelyn Bailey and two infant brothers.

Visitation for family and friends will be held from 11am – 1pm on Friday, August 13, 2021 at Allen Funeral Home, 136 South Elm Street, Bunker Hill, Indiana.  Funeral service will follow at 1pm, with Pastor Bill Sheets officiating.  Burial will take place at Galveston Cemetery in Galveston, Indiana.  Military service will be provided by the Miami County Military Rites Team.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Hubert’s memory to the Pipe Creek Township Volunteer Fire Department, 339 West Pearl Street, P.O. Box 297, Bunker Hill, IN 46914.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Flowers-Leedy Funeral Home. Family and friends may sign the online guestbook at www.FlowersLeedyAllen.com.

Pet of the week: 8/11/21

Bailey is a one-year-old female shepherd mix. She’s an awesome girl, who gets along great with everyone and is good with other dogs. Her $25 adoption fee to an approved home includes rabies vaccination and being spayed. Stop by the Carter County Animal Shelter and meet her or call 475-9771 for more information. 

Shelter hours are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Saturday by appointment.

Eleven hospital systems in Kentucky to require vaccination for health care workforce

FRANKFORT – During his weekly Team Kentucky update last week, Gov. Andy Beshear said hospital executives from 11 health care systems in the commonwealth are announcing the following pledge:

“The health care facilities below are committed to the health and safety of our patients and employees. In support of this commitment, we will all require our health care workforce to initiate a complete COVID-19 vaccination series no later than Sept. 15, 2021.”

The new policy will help health systems respond to a surge in COVID-19 cases driven by the delta variant. Yesterday, the Governor announced 2,583 new cases (the highest since Feb. 3, 2021) and a 10.08% test positivity rate (the highest since Jan. 24, 2021).

“We have an opportunity for more prosperity, more potential than ever before in my lifetime. We can have the Kentucky that we have always dreamed of. We have that potential at our fingertips,” said Gov. Beshear. “But if we are truly going to realize that opportunity, we must win our war against COVID. If we are going to defeat and not just delay COVID-19, there is one and only one answer. That answer is vaccinations. So each decision that we make has to gauge the impact on getting the unvaccinated to take that shot.”

The health care systems adding this vaccine requirement for staff include: Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH), Baptist Health, CHI Saint Joseph Health, King’s Daughters Health System, Med Center Health, Norton Healthcare, Pikeville Medical Center, St. Claire Healthcare, St. Elizabeth Healthcare, UK Healthcare and UofL Health.

In a joint statement, the Kentucky Hospital Association, Kentucky Medical Association and the Kentucky Nurses Association said: “KHA, KMA and KNA support hospitals and health systems amending their existing vaccine policies to require COVID-19 vaccines for their health care employees. Vaccination against COVID-19 is our best tool to prevent spread of the disease, protect our patients and ensure the health and well-being of our hospital workforce and all Kentuckians. We recognize that each hospital and health system is unique and encourage each hospital and health system to determine the appropriate timeline to implement a requirement.”

Executives from each of the 11 health care systems explained why the pledge was necessary in this stage of the fight against COVID-19.

“Despite COVID-19 vaccination education and outreach efforts, the communities we serve, including our ARH health care staff, have not yet reached a critical mass of vaccination to provide sufficient protection for the unvaccinated. We are seeing an alarming rapid increase in COVID-19 delta variant cases in our service area. For these reasons, and in support of our mission to provide a safe work environment for our staff and a safe place of care for our patients, ARH will now require all employees, providers, students, volunteers, vendors and contractors who work within ARH locations in Kentucky and West Virginia to receive full COVID-19 vaccination,” said Hollie Harris Phillips, president and chief executive officer, Appalachian Regional Healthcare.

“We must lead by example by requiring that all Baptist Health employees are fully vaccinated. It is the ethical and responsible thing to do to live our mission of improving the health care of the communities that we serve,” said Gerard Colman, chief executive officer, Baptist Health.

“During times of a public health crisis, there is no greater priority than to ensure the safety of each other, and for those who rely on us for safe care, often when they are most vulnerable. We stand united with Gov. Beshear and other health systems across Kentucky to set an example for the citizens of the commonwealth, so that we may all move past this pandemic together,” said Anthony A. Houston, Ed.D., FACHE, market chief executive officer, CHI Saint Joseph Health.

“As a health care provider, it is very important we take every possible step to safely care for our patients and families. We firmly believe being fully vaccinated from COVID is essential to protect our patients, team members and people in the community that cannot be vaccinated, in particular children under 12 years old,” said Kristie Whitlatch, president and chief executive officer of King’s Daughters Health System (KDHS), who was unable to attend the press conference in person, but signed the pledge on behalf of KDHS. 

“I’m encouraged by the increasing number of health care systems and other employers outside of health care now requiring COVID-19 vaccines. The vaccination rate must go up as we fight together to end this pandemic – lives literally depend on it,” said Connie Smith, president and chief executive officer, Med Center Health. 

“This delta variant has created a dire circumstance for us, and we need to be proactive for our community. We all chose a career in health care because we’re willing to serve others. This is a time when we can serve our patients, our families, our coworkers and our entire community by protecting ourselves as much as possible, which in turn protects others. This vaccine is the way we can do exactly that,” said Russ Cox, president and chief executive officer of Norton Healthcare (via video). 

“Thank you, Gov. Beshear and Dr. Stack, for your leadership in this unprecedented time. I am honored today to be here with my colleagues in this monumental step forward in defeating this virus. Just a month ago I had three COVID patients and only one in the ICU. As of this morning, I had 43 patients in the hospital. Over a third of them are in the ICU fighting for their life. Vaccines are necessary if we are going to win the fight,” said Donovan Blackburn, president and chief executive officer, Pikeville Medical Center. 

“This opportunity to collaborate with health systems across the commonwealth is not only a good outcome for our staff and patients it is, in my view, a demonstration of our collective commitment to safety, accountability, and in keeping with our moral and ethical obligation to do no harm,” Donald H. Lloyd II, president and chief executive officer, St. Claire Healthcare. 

“With the onset of the new, highly contagious delta variant and recent surges in COVID cases in our facilities and in our communities, we must ensure that all of our associates are protected. We must do our part to keep our patients and communities safe. As health care providers, we must lead by example in creating the safest environment possible for all those we serve, and vaccines provide the strongest protection against the virus by reducing and preventing the spread among patients and peers,” Gary Blank, executive vice president and chief operating officer, St. Elizabeth Healthcare. 

“For many of us in medicine, we remember the day that the vaccine became available. It was a huge relief, even amongst the surge that we were having at that time. I think I even described it as the beginning of the end of COVID. Then and now, our best weapon is the vaccine if we want to see an end to this pandemic. However, for us to see that end, we have to work together. Hopefully that reinforces to everyone that the vaccine is safe and effective, and we hope encourages everyone in the commonwealth to think about how they can move forward,” said Mark Newman, MD, executive vice president of health affairs, UK HealthCare. 

“Vaccinations are an essential tool in protecting our health care heroes so they will be healthy and ready to help when you need them. While UofL Health was first to announce vaccine requirements in Kentucky, it is now the collective commitment that truly reflects the strength of health care in our commonwealth,” said Tom Miller, chief executive officer, UofL Health. 

Wheeling, dealing, and making a killing at RT. 60 Yard Sale

The Route 60 Yard Sale drew a more modest, but enthusiastic crowd over the weekend.

A vendor who identified himself only as “Top Hat” (top right) sold a variety of antique and collectible items, from fencing masks to old pop bottles and furniture. 

The Barker family (bottom right) load a large screen floor model television into the back of their truck. Larry Joe Barker said he had purchased a number of different items, including game systems, live catch animal traps, clothing, toiletries, and office supplies during his family’s day out. 

(Photos by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)

Uncle Jack Fultz’s Memories of Carter County: Competition for Old King Coal

By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times

It wasn’t just limestone and firebrick to come out of these hills. While Carter County wasn’t blessed with abundant seams of coal like some of their neighbors to the south, there was some speculation about gas and oil pockets in the early days of the 20th century. Oil deposits were being found at Lawton and other areas in 1921 and 1922, enough to convince the editor of the Carter County Herald to predict a boom of future growth for the community, which they predicted would become “a city of wealth.” 

They were still predicting big things for the community two months later, when they reported on a new well. While it “may not be a great oil producing field” they noted, they were still confident of the future of oil in the area, predicting now that it would be “a field producing oil in large paying quantities soon.”

While oil never did become a major industry in Carter County or the surrounding areas, you can still see a few oil wells here and there dotting the hills, as you drive around the backroads, a testament to the other fossil fuels of our region, and another reminder of just how old these hills we call home are. 

Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com

Don’t you know…

By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times

I saw something the other day that said the Perseid meteor shower is ramping up in the coming days, but there is some good viewing now too. So, on Monday night, I stepped out for a little bit and almost immediately saw a shooting star. Then, nothing. But, while I was looking for more meteors, I started trying to pick out constellations. 

I always wanted to know the constellations, but I never really bothered to learn them. I know Ursa Major, and Orion, but other than those two, none of them ever stuck. I’d see them in an illustration, but it never really looked like what it was supposed to represent. Then, when I looked at the sky, I couldn’t find the stars that made those shapes. 

Maybe it was that I never knew exactly where to look, either, when I did go looking for them. I was a kid, and no one ever really bothered to point them out to me. It wasn’t the kind of thing my parents were into, I suppose. We didn’t go camping, really. We spent nights out on the river, and on my grandparent’s boat. But we were involved in night time activities. Fishing. Roasting marshmallows over a fire. Shooting off fireworks. 

I also have fond memories of sitting on the front porch swing with my mom, enjoying the cooler summer nights – especially on the rainy ones. 

My mom, I’m sure, pointed out the Big Dipper to me at some point, and once I learned in school that this was also Ursa Major – the Big Bear – that nugget wasn’t going anywhere. I only know Ursa Major because of the Big Dipper. It still doesn’t look anything like a bear to me, but it absolutely looks like a dipper, and I can almost always find it in the night sky. 

Likewise Orion, with his three star belt and the superbright Betelguese at his shoulder, is always easy to find. 

You’d think with these two touchstones, I could locate the others. But it was never really a priority, until now. I wanted to learn them, but not enough to actually do it. 

I’ve been thinking about the stars sporadically since I moved home. I didn’t realize how much I had missed the bright stars, and being able to pick out the Milky Way, until I came home and could do it again. 

Now, I want to take the time to learn. 

The other day I downloaded a star map app for my phone, and I played with it a little during the day, but I haven’t taken it outside at night yet. I will in the coming weeks and months. 

Our toddler has become enamored of the moon in recent months. I took him out to see the full moon last month, and he waved, and yelled, and blew kisses to it, and generally had a fabulous time. 

He’s also had a long time fascination with stars, which he calls “tinkles” (because of “Twinkle, twinkle, little star,” naturally) and he’s drawn to anything that has a picture of a “tinkle” on it. The smile when he recognizes and points out a new “tinkle” on something is fantastic. 

I don’t want him to ever lose the joy he gets from things like that. 

So I’m finally learning the constellations, and I will point them out to him, and teach them to him if he wants to learn. We have such beautiful skies out here. It would be a shame not to enjoy them, and the smiles they bring. 

Jeremy D. Wells can be reached at editor@cartercountytimes.com

Civilian workers of other nations endangered in Afghanistan pullout

By: Keith Kappes
Columnist
Carter County Times

For at least the third time in the last 50 years, the United States is ending its participation in a war without a clear victory…and leaving behind countless numbers of its civilian allies to face the consequences.

We’ve been hearing and reading about the Afghans who served as scouts, interpreters and employees of American soldiers who were promised they would not be left behind to die at the hands of the Taliban.

A few hundred among thousands have been evacuated but the U. S. pullout by the end of August apparently will leave many to literally run for their lives if they cannot leave the country.

Various groups, religious factions primarily, have been fighting for centuries in that part of the world and many seem to take pride in the terror impact of beheading their enemies in public.

Similar acts of vengeance happened in South Vietnam when America left the battlefield and, in effect, turned the country over to the Communists. Ironically, that nation today is a major source of goods sold in the U. S.

As for the situation in Afghanistan, the Associated Press reported recently on hundreds of civilian workers from the Philippines and other nations who worked for American and other contractors in that “forever war” now are stranded in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.

Many are housed in a once-luxurious hotel where meals are provided by the Texas contractor who recruited them but says it is unable to send them home because of the Covid-19 impact on travel to other nations.

These people worked for private security contractors from mainly the poorest nations. The AP says they were not the “hired guns” but the “hired hands” who supported the American war effort. 

For most of the last 20 years, these individuals served as housecleaners, cooks, construction workers, servers, and technicians on the large American bases in that war-weary nation.

The contractors who brought them to Afghanistan – and made millions of dollars in profits from their labors – should be held responsible for bringing them home to wherever home happens to be.

Otherwise, the U. S. should never spend another cent with their companies or their executives.

Keith Kappes can be reached at keithkappes@gmail.com

AS WE SEE IT: Facts shouldn’t be political

Not everything needs to be politicized. Some things are a matter of fact, and opinions don’t matter. 

The sky is blue, no matter your opinion on that particular color. Water is wet. Flames are hot. We have to breate oxygen to stay alive. 

And some people get sick enough from the COVID-19 virus to die. This is not up for debate. It’s a fact. 

It doesn’t matter if other people die from other viruses besides the coronavirus every year as well. It doesn’t matter if some of those people had other medical problems in addition to COVID. If COVID weakened them, or overtaxed an immune system already ravaged by another disease, COVID contributed to their death. 

This is a fact. It should not be muddied for political gain, by folks on either end of the political spectrum. While we shouldn’t pretend that it was COVID alone that killed them if they had other issues, likewise we can’t pretend it was the underlying condition alone. 

Comorbidity, or the presence of two or more diseases in a patient at the same time, has been noted as one of the contributing factors in COVID deaths from the outset of the pandemic. It’s one reason why folks are encouraged to wear any kind of mask that can help slow the spread of their germs – especially if they are otherwise healthy and carrying the virus – so they don’t contribute to comorbidities that can lead to hospitalization or even death.

And slowing the spread of droplets, by wearing any sort of mask, as well as reducing the number of droplets you might breathe, means masks help. They aren’t 100 percent effective. The science shows that too, as well as that some masks work better than others. But the science also shows that any barrier is preferable to no barrier. 

Science, and history, also shows that vaccinations have helped eradicate disease. You can be skeptical of the current COVID-19 vaccines because they are new. You may want to wait for full FDA approval, or more anecdotal evidence from people you know who have been vaccinated. Those are decisions that can be understood and debated, but you can’t deny that vaccines save lives. You also can’t deny that millions of people have now taken one of the several types of COVID vaccines and only a very small percentage have shown any side effects. 

Sure, it’s still early, but so far results look promising. And, if it turns out there are long term side effects, science will show us that too. 

That’s the thing about science. It doesn’t stay static for political ideologies, it changes its prediction when new evidence is presented to support an alternative. 

You don’t have to like it, but right now the science seems to indicate that the COVID vaccines are largely safe, that they prevent or lessen illness in those exposed to the COVID virus, and that they have saved lives. 

Still, you don’t need to get a vaccine if you don’t want one. But that doesn’t mean you should get to just put others at risk because of your political beliefs. 

If you won’t take the vaccine, you should at least wear a mask. Maybe not everywhere, but where you might run into someone else at risk. It could be that a pair of masks, one on each of you, is all that is keeping them from an infection. 

Even if you have had the vaccine, there are some instances where you might still want to mask up – again for others more than yourself. Especially now that they’ve revealed that vaccinated individuals with no symptoms can spread the virus – more of those things that we don’t necessarily want to hear but that science is going to tell us anyway, with no concerns about our feelings. 

Because it’s a fact. 

It’s not political. It’s truth. And we would like to thank at least one of our Senators for keeping that in mind. 

Recently Senator Mitch McConnell has been helping spread awareness about the coronavirus, masking, and vaccination. Senator McConnell, unlike his colleague Senator Rand Paul, is taking the virus seriously. He is refusing to politicize the facts, at least as they relate to this pandemic, and he is asking his constituents to make fact based decisions about their response to the pandemic.

We commend Senator McConnell for what is an undeniably brave stance. When it might be easier to make no comment, while others in his party try to gain political traction from denying the pandemic and opposing any measure aimed at containing it, McConnell has taken a stand, based on the verified facts and the best science we have. That’s the kind of leadership we need more of, from all our elected officials. 

Grayson Gallery issues call for artwork

So, you haven’t been to the Grayson Gallery in a while? Now is your chance to share your original artwork with others across the region! We have two upcoming dates and times to submit work in any medium or any subject. Please make plans to pick up any work still on hand in the gallery and bring us some pieces for the next monthly F!nal Fr!day show, which opens on August 27 from 6 to 9 p.m. 

There are two dates to bring art, Saturday, August 14 and Monday, August 16, from 10am to 2pm each day. Art pieces must have the artist’s name, title, and medium on the back (or on the piece if 3D) and be ready to hang or display. There is no entry fee. A 20% commission will be deducted on sold works only, so price accordingly. Our new revised form. available by contacting the gallery via email or Facebook, includes a new sales commission amount and may be completed prior to coming by or filled out in-house.

Awards for People’s Choice (popular vote), the GGAC Board Choice and the Brandon Click Memorial – each at $50.00 – will be given that evening during announcements, at approximately 7:30pm. Live Music by “Blue Sky” will be the entertainment and there’ll be refreshments available. Best of all, it’s all free!

Please note: While you’re here, we’ll be sharing details about how you may participate in our first venture co-sponsoring the “Diamond Teeth Mary Festival Art Show and Sale” with the Huntington Blues Society, on August 21 at Heritage Station in Huntington, WV! You may also email at graysongallery@gmail.com, or FB message me for info.

School Board accepting parent nominations for superintendent search

With the acceptance of Dr. Dotson’s retirement effective September 1, the Carter County Board of Education has started the process of selecting a new superintendent. One of the first steps in this process is the establishment of a Superintendent Search Committee. By law (KRS 160.352) the committee shall be comprised of: two teachers, elected by the teachers; one board member, appointed by the board chairperson; one principal, elected by the principals; one parent, elected by the presidents of the parent-teacher organizations in the district; and one classified employee, elected by the classified employees. 

The presidents of the parent-teacher organizations have met with the Kentucky School Boards Association Superintendent Search consultant and are accepting self-nominations for the parent seat on the committee. A link to the self-nomination form, which includes more specific information, is located on the district website at http://www.cartercountyschools.org. Parent self-nominations will be accepted August 9 – August 16.

On August 17 the board will hold a special meeting and public forum at West Carter Middle School, at 6 p.m. to hear comments related to the search criteria 

Public Notice: EMS public hearing

Livestock and grain market report: 8/7/21

Extension notes: Using wheat for grazing

By: Rebecca Konopka
Carter County Extension Agent

It may surprise you that producers use as much as 25% of Kentucky’s wheat crop for forage or cover crops rather than harvesting it for grain. Wheat is a very attractive option to forage and livestock producers because it is winter hardy, planted later in the fall and adapted to most soils in Kentucky.

Livestock can graze wheat as forage in the fall and spring. The crop performs best as a forage on ground that is limed to a pH of at least 6.4 or higher and fertilized according to soil test recommendations. If you plan to graze the wheat, splitting the nitrogen application between fall and spring will increase total forage production. Make the fall application before seeding and a late winter/early spring application to stimulate early spring growth. 

If you plan to harvest wheat for a stored forage such as hay, baleage or silage, soil test each year and fertilize based on test results. Wheat harvest will remove nutrients from the soil. 

If you plan to have livestock graze wheat in the fall, plant it in September or as early as your crop rotation and soil moisture allow. Be aware that this early planted wheat is at a greater risk for aphids, which can transmit barley yellow dwarf virus. Since the wheat is grazed by livestock when it is in a vegetative state, it should be protected from Hessian fly damage if only used for grazing. 

Plant wheat used for stored forages after the Hessian fly free date in October. This date varies each year but most often occurs by Oct. 15. Plant wheat two to 2.5 bushels per acre and 1 to 2 inches deep using a no-till drill into crop stubble or by broadcasting seed and lightly discing the ground to get the seeds at the proper soil depth. 

Wait to turn livestock into wheat pastures until the plants are well established and at least 6 to 8 inches tall. Monitor fields for wetness and trampling of plants by the livestock. This is especially a concern during spring grazing. Only allow livestock to graze plants to 3 to 4 inches and allow the forage to recover to 6 to 8 inches long before grazing again. 

Small grains fit well into rotational grazing systems as they recover and increase production similar to pasture grasses.

If you still want to get a grain crop from the wheat, only allow livestock to graze it lightly in the early spring. Do not graze wheat after plants reach the Feekes 6 growth stage, which is when the first node is visible above the soil surface and at the beginning of stem elongation. Grazing after this stage removes the growing point and prevents the seed heads from developing. 

For the best quality stored forages, harvest the crop at the boot to early head stage. Early cut wheat will ensile easier because it contains higher amounts of fermentable carbohydrates and forms denser bales. Feed early cut wheat to livestock with high nutrient needs like calves or lactating cows. 

Nitrate poisoning is very unlikely under normal plant growth and weather conditions. However, periods of cool, cloudy weather, hail damage, frost and drought can cause nitrates to accumulate in wheat. The ensiling process removes about 50% of nitrates and reduces toxicity risk.

More information on using wheat for forage is available in the University of Kentucky publication AGR 263: Growing Wheat for Forage. It is available online at https://bit.ly/3eK5Z9x or by contacting the Carter County Office of the UK Cooperative Extension Service.

Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.

Late to the Game(s): Streaming with Stadia

Google’s Stadia lets you play games as a subscription service, or allows you to purchase games directly from their storefront. (Screen capture by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)

By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times

Stadia isn’t new. The streaming service has been around for a while, but I hadn’t found any compelling reason to check it out. I have games on PC through retail and publisher services from Steam, EA’s Origin, Epic’s game store, GOG, Humble Bundle, Blizzard-Activision, Ubisoft, and Microsoft’s Xbox, among others. If I wanted to play on the television I had consoles, or I could connect a laptop with an HDMI cable. Stadia can stream to a Chromecast, and going wireless is nice, but it isn’t a deal-breaker.

Mainly, I’d been less than impressed at other attempts at streaming. The PlayStation Now service had been intriguing, but when I tried it out in its early days I experienced a lot of latency issues. Latency, also known as lag, is when a computer’s or other device’s download speed is slowed down so significantly that the download can’t keep up with the pace of the game or program. The device basically can’t receive content as fast as it needs to. This can occur for a number of reasons. It could be the device, or it could be the internet service. In rural areas, it’s more likely to be the internet service. So, the fact I didn’t live in a city made a difference in my eagerness to jump on the streaming game bandwagon; especially since my lackluster experience with PS Now happened when I lived in Denver, with really good broadband. 

I have a friend, though, who has been a Stadia user from the beginning of the service. Josh has had nothing but good things to say about his Stadia experience. I understand early adopter enthusiasm though. I’ve had it myself (*cough*OUYA*cough*) and we have the ability to overlook legitimate issues – especially if they don’t impact our gameplay experience. If we don’t experience it ourselves, it’s just anecdotal. 

And he lives in town. 

But – and this is a big but – he still doesn’t have the greatest of internet services. He lives in town, true, but it’s a town in Appalachia where options and competition are limited. He gets good speed, but it isn’t Google Fiber speed. 

Since I wasn’t completely disillusioned with the streaming when I tried out Amazon’s Luna service, I decided to give Stadia a try recently. I made the choice after reading an article about just how much attention Google is paying to the streaming architecture. Even if they abandon the Stadia service in the future – and for the sake of those who purchased games from the service I hope it never happens – they are positioning themselves to host or provide the infrastructure for others who want to have their own streaming service. 

Remember all those other services I can download games from? Google would LOVE to host their streaming for them. They already have the ability to subscribe or link to your paid Ubisoft+ account through Stadia. (Amazon’s Luna does as well.)

My initial thoughts? Josh’s enthusiasm is justified. 

Now, granted, I wasn’t streaming during peak hours, when demand on broadband is high, but I had no significant streaming problems with Stadia on my modest laptop. Even when Stadia gave me the warning that I might want to save because of connectivity issues, I noticed no significant changes in my gameplay, and I never lost connection, which isn’t somethng I could say about the Luna service. The biggest change I noticed was a slight loss in resolution, but that’s a fair price to pay for connection stability. 

I’ve spent most of my time in Stadia playing Journey to the Savage Planet, one of the titles you have access to for “free” with your Stadia Pro subscription. Like with Xbox Gold and PlayStation Plus, Stadia’s subscription service gives you access to a number of titles each month that stay in your library as long as you are a subscriber. 

There’s a decent mix of small studio content and established franchises, but if you want to play a title that hasn’t been released yet, or that released before you subscribed, you can directly purchase titles too. Like with the other services, these purchased titles are yours to access forever – or at least as long as the host maintains the service. There are sales just for Pro members too, with significant discounts, just like with Plus and Gold.

Overall, it was an enjoyable experience, and proof that game streaming is viable. It isn’t just for urban dwellers and early adopters anymore, or at least it doesn’t have to be. 

There are still the same issues that you have with any streaming service. In the event of an internet outage, you won’t have access the way you will with physical game discs or even downloaded games. Your connectivity and access while traveling may vary too. 

There are still reasons to purchase and download content, and if that is your preference there is still Steam, or – better yet – GOG for even more flexibility. If it hangs around, I may consider subscribing. I’m even more intrigued by the idea of Stadia’s guts powering the branded store fronts of publishers I’ve already purchased games from, though. 

One thing’s for sure, though, streaming games are here to stay, and Stadia is a good introduction, with an intuitive interface, if you’re ready to dip your toes in the pool.

Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com

Weekly arrests report

 The following individuals were arrested and booked into the Carter County Detention Center over the past week. This list includes local arrests only. It does not include federal inmates being housed at or transported through the detention center. 

  • Charles Blackburn, 48, of Grayson, arrested by Kentucky State Police, on charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence, careless driving, no rear view mirror on motorcycle, no motorcycle operator’s license, motorcycle registration plate, failure to produce insurance card, failure to comply with helmet law, improper registration plate, operating vehicle with an expired operator’s license, arrested and booked August 2.
  • Kayla Elliott, 38, of Grayson, arrested by Grayson PD, on charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence, and failure to maintain required insurance, arrested and booked August 3. 
  • Brenda Prichard, 39, of Grayson, arrested by Grayson PD, on charges of first degree possession of a controlled substance – methamphetamine, arrested and booked August 3.
  • Eric Hannah, 30, of Hitchins, arrested by Grayson PD, on charges of public intoxication, and second degree disorderly conduct, arrested and booked August 3. 
  • Wendell McDaniel, 44, of Olive Hill, arrested by Kentucky State Police, on charges of speeding 5 mph over speed limit, failure to wear seat belts, careless driving, operating a motor vehicle under the influence, first degree possession of a controlled substance – methamphetamine, giving an officer false identifying information, license not in possession, failure to produce insurance card, no registration receipt, and two counts of failure to appear, arrested and booked August 3. 
  • Kevin Galloway, 44, of Grayson, arrested by Grayson PD, on charges of public intoxication, and prescriptions not held in proper container, arrested and booked August 3. 
  • Devon Kimmel, 31, of Grayson, arrested by Kentucky State Police, on charges of failure to appear, arrested and booked August 3. 
  • Danny Criswell, 42, of Grayson, arrested by Grayson PD, on charges of fourth degree assault – domestic violence with no visible injury, arrested and booked August 4. 
  • Brent Bush, 37, of Olive Hill, arrested by Kentucky State Police, on charges of first degree possession of a controlled substance – methamphetamine, second degree possession of a controlled substance – drug unspecified, possession of drug paraphernalia, arrested and booked August 4.
  • Brandie Whisman, 31, of Grayson, arrested by Kentucky State Police, on a charge of failure to appear, arrested and booked August 4. 
  • Barren Barker, 27, of Olive Hill, arrested by Kentucky State Police, on charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence, and first degree possession of a controlled substance – heroin, arrested and booked August 4.
  • Ricky Prichard, 54, of Olive Hill, arrested by Kentucky State Police, on charges of non-payment of court costs, and failure to appear, arrested and booked August 4.
  • Randell Nichols, 63, of Olive Hill, arrested by Carter County Sheriff, on charges of alcohol intoxication in a public place, arrested and booked August 4. 
  • James Liles, 35, of Olive Hill, arrested by Kentucky State Police, on a warrant for parole violation, arrested August 4, booked August 5. 
  • Carla Elliott, 40, of Grayson, arrested by Grayson PD, on a charge of theft by unlawful taking – under $500, arrested and booked August 5. 
  • Tori Young, 28, of Grayson, arrested by Kentucky State Police, on charges of public intoxication, and failure to appear, arrested and booked August 5. 
  • Cody Morgan, 29, of Grayson, arrested by Grayson PD, on charges of public intoxication, arrested and booked August 5. 
  • Katie Fraley, 27, of Willard, arrested by Kentucky State Police, on charges of failure to appear, arrested and booked August 5. 
  • William Gray, 22, of Grayson, arrested by Boyd County Jail, on charges of failure to appear, arrested and booked August 5.
  • Terry Sublett, 55, of Olive Hill, arrested by Kentucky State Police, on charges of first degree possession of a controlled substance – methamphetamine, violation of a Kentucky emergency protection order/domestic violence order, operating a motor vehicle under the influence, arrested and booked August 6. 
  • Kevin Gose, 57, of Grayson, arrested by Grayson PD, on charges of failure to appear, arrested and booked August 8. 

All of the charges listed are arrest charges only, and do not indicate an indictment or a conviction for the charges in question. All subjects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 

Information is compiled from publicly available sources, but may not be comprehensive. Individuals who are released or post bail shortly after arrest may not be listed. 

The check is in the mail?: County waits on FEMA funding

By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times

Burning down the house: Olive Hill Fire Department holds training session

By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times

 Firefighters don’t get too many opportunities to test their skills in a burning building where they know they don’t need to worry about finding occupants, or getting the fire out before it spreads to neighboring structures. It’s just not every day you get someone willing to give you a house to burn. Even rarer, though, is the number of permits to purposely burn a home granted by the EPA each year. 

Olive Hill was lucky, fire chief Jeremy Rodgers explained, to get one of those permits for a recent training exercise. 

It gave his crew, and crews from other local departments, time to practice, hone their skills, and if necessary to obtain certain certifications. In fact, the opportunity for state fire instructors to receive their certifications drew folks from as far away as Lexington and beyond.

“The house was a recent purchase by an individual here in town, and they were going to tear it down to put up some newer housing,” Rodgers explained. 

Instead, though, they approached the fire department about using it for training and Rodgers began the process. To get the permit there are several things that must be done. The home has to be inspected to make sure it doesn’t contain asbestos or other hazardous materials. All the shingles have to be removed from the roof and other materials that might add noxious fumes to the mix must be removed from the home as well. 

But before any of that, the Kentucky Fire Commission has to grant approval. Rodgers said he started there. 

“It actually worked out two-fold for us,” Rodgers said. “The Kentucky Fire Commission was in the process of starting a new, internationally accredited certification for live fire instructors. They needed to be able to test instructors, and we wanted to have the same type of training for live fire, so we were able to combine both into a couple of evenings.”

Rodgers said the instructors came from Lexington, Georgetown, Ashland, Carter County, Rowan County, and Scott County. Students came from Grayson, Olive Hill, and other surrounding communities. The students received their training while the instructors were graded on their ability to properly present their training. On the night before the burn instructors were tested on building prep, to make sure they had properly prepared the home for the training the next day. 

“Before we can do anything, we have to have asbestos testing,” Rodgers explained. “So that was completed for us, and no asbestos was found. Then you have to remove products like carpet, linoleum, the shingles had to come off, stuff like that. That’s set by the state environmental protection and air quality folks. So that was part of their testing; Do you know how to prep a house?”

He said it also helps his firefighters because they learn a lot of building construction information they may not get in intact homes, but that can help firefighters understand how a fire moves through a structure. 

This knowledge and experience can prove crucial in other situations, Rodgers said. 

“Building construction, knowing how the building is, number one how it’s laid out, how it’s built… as firefighters, helps you understand flow path, air movement, fire dynamics, how the fire is going to effect the structure, and how the structure is going to effect the fire,” he said. 

But while they learn all of that by being in a burning home and seeing how it moves through an emptied building, it wasn’t what they were technically being trained on. Rodgers said his crew was, “learning how to properly move a hose line… and how a fire grows… so they were learning several different things there.” 

They also learned how to properly fit and wear their gear, which while important, can easily lead to overheating. It’s why, between groups, firefighters stripped gear, cooled off, hydrated, and had their vitals checked Rodgers said. It’s also one of the reasons that EMS were on site, which Rodgers said he appreciated.

“Director Loperfido has always been good to support the fire departments and send ambulances,” he said. “If we have a structure fire on an average day, they send an ambulance, and they’re there until we release them.” 

“It’s a major undertaking,” he said, but it was “absolutely” a success. 

“It was 100 percent successful,” he said. “As far as the certification piece went for state instructors, they were very happy with the results they got and how it went. And the students were all extremely happy with (the training), because it’s something you don’t get to do a whole lot of. You can’t just go around and burn houses at will. There is a lot of work to get to where you can, and then a lot of work to do it… so it’s not something you can turn around and do every other day.”

Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com

  • Students and instructors from local and regional fire departments burn a vacant house on Chili Street, in Olive Hill, as part of a training exercise last month. (Photo by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)
  • Firefighters in full gear prepare to enter a burning building for training exercises. (Photo by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)

Critters, kids and contests: Fair returns with social distancing and safety plans

Blake Chaney, of Grayson, pets a calf at the Carter County Fair on Monday afternoon. Chaney was showing a pig at the fair. (Photo by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)

By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times

 After a hiatus for COVID last year, the Carter County Fair is back, with rides, exhibits, performances, and the popular Fair-i-o-ke karaoke – and additional precautions. 

“We’ve spread things out,” fair board member Jill York explained as fair board members worked on the grounds last week. 

They’re keeping rides farther apart for easier social distancing. They’re also moving the motocross further down, to a new track, and using the old motocross track for other races so they can keep those fans spread out between events. While masking won’t be required, they are asking folks to respect social distancing, and all fair staff will be wearing masks. 

They’re also avoiding the entrance congestion by collecting admission while people are still in their vehicles, as they enter. 

York thinks they should be able to put on a safe event without impacting it too much. Many of the changes that have been made actually improve the fair experience. Foot operated hand washing stations and hand sanitation stations, for instance, will be situated around the fair and at all porta-potty locations. 

The Fair-i-o-ke event was one area where they had some serious concerns as well, with everyone sharing a microphone. But, York explained, the work around there was fairly simple. In addition to sanitizing the microphones between performers, she said, “Everyone gets their own foam cover.”

After the event they can keep it or trash it, whatever they like, she explained. During the event it adds another layer of protection on top of the sanitation wipes between uses. 

On top of the perennial events, the fair is bringing two new shows to the fair this year. On Thursday, FTC Wrestling will present “Carter County Collision” at the fairground, with the show kicking off at 7 p.m. 

The other new event is the Dino-Roar show. Today (Wednesday) is the last day to catch that, with shows featuring large dinosaurs at 6, 7:30, and 9 

p.m. In addition to the Dino-Roar show, performers will be walking around the fair with “baby dinosaurs” throughout the day. 

Fair-i-o-ke is on Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 7 p.m. Demolition derby on Saturday at 8 p.m. and other motor events and contests throughout the day. 

For a full list of events and times see the Carter County Fair schedule below. 

Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com

Alex Andrew “Andy” Mosier

1978-2021

Mr. Alex Andrew “Andy” Mosier, age 43, of Olive Hill, Kentucky, passed away August 3, 2021 at his residence in Olive Hill, Kentucky.

Mr. Mosier was born on Friday, May 19, 1978 in Rowan County, Kentucky to Velma Londene Mosier and the late Allen Ray Mosier.

Alex enjoyed playing video games, board games, reading comic books and spending time with family and friends.

In addition to his mother, he is survived by three brothers, Mark Mosier (Anita), Bryan Mosier and Joel Mosier all of Olive Hill, Kentucky. One sister, Kathy Hall (Mark) of Olive Hill, Kentucky. Three nephews Brandon Mosier, Gunner Mosier and Jared Mosier. Two nieces, Tiffany Baier and
Tiara Mosier. Along with a host of family and friends who will sadly mourn his passing.

Graveside service will be held 1 p.m. Friday, August 6, 2021 at the Mosier-Bledsoe Cemetery on Rattlesnake Ridge in Olive Hill, Kentucky with Brother David Barker officiating.

Family and friends will serve as pallbearers.

Due to COVID-19 regulations, we ask that everyone wear a mask and practice social distancing.

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