“Trying to Love Two Women” is the title of a great country song released by the Oak Ridge Boys in 1980. It was a big hit then and remains popular today on radio stations that play country oldies.
The song tells the sad story of how one guy tries to keep two women as his girlfriends at the same time but the physical and mental strain get the best of him.
I think of that song each week when I watch professional football on television. As a kid in the very early days of the National Football League on television, I cheered for the Cleveland Browns because that was the team my dad supported.
The Browns were the nearest pro football team to East Kentucky, just like the Cincinnati Reds were in major league baseball. My loyalty to the Reds made it easy to adopt the Cincinnati Bengals when they became part of the American Football League in 1968. The AFL and NFL merged in 1970.
In recent years, I’ve found myself rooting for both of the Ohio teams – Bengals and Browns – but not sure how I became a diehard who always pulls for those big losers in the NFL.
The Browns had a record of 1-15 a couple of years ago, not to mention four coaches and quarterbacks in four years. The Bengals went to the playoffs five years in a row but could never win a game. They are 0-2 in the Super Bowl.
The Browns were so bad they had the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft a few years back and picked Baker Mayfield as their quarterback, the Heisman Trophy winner at Oklahoma. They pay him $8 million a year and they are winning, now 8-3 after Sunday’s win over Jacksonville.
The Bengals were bad enough last year to get the No. 1 pick this year and they chose Joe Burrow, another Heisman winner and the quarterback who took LSU to the national championship. He earns $9 million a year.
Alas, Burrow got hurt two weeks ago and is out for the season. His team is 2-8-1 and has no chance for any glory this year.
My dilemma is that both of my teams are in the same division in the NFL and only one could advance to the Super Bowl. At this point, I would settle for successful surgery for Joe and a playoff spot for the Browns.
For those with children, the holidays mean something different. We all know the saying about it being better to give than to receive, but that saying really comes into focus when kids become part of your Christmas season.
More than friends. More than partners. It’s the look of joy on a child’s face when they open their Christmas presents that make all the hassle, all the trips to the store, and the late nights putting together complicated toys and wrapping ungainly boxes worthwhile.
Getting to play Santa Claus is fun, there is no denying it.
But when you play Santa to the kids in your life this year, we’d like to ask you to do something – keep the big presents from you and make the gift from Santa something smaller.
This wasn’t even something we’d thought of until we saw it mentioned in some social media posts. The thing is, kids talk to each other. They tell their friends and neighbors what they received. That includes what Santa left under the tree.
While that kind of thing might seem harmless, for the kids from families with fewer resources it can make it seem like Santa doesn’t like them as well. If both kids asked Santa for a new PlayStation 5 or Xbox series X, and only one of the kids gets one “from Santa,” the kid who didn’t get the expensive and hard to find new gaming console might begin to wonder what they did wrong.
It puts their parents in a hard spot too. None of them want to ruin the wonder of Christmas and the fantasy of Santa for their kids, but they also don’t want their kids feeling like they’ve somehow failed at being a “good” little boy or girl.
It’s hard enough for parents to explain the inequities of wealth to kids in a way they can understand. So why do something that adds that burden to them at the holidays? A time when, ostensibly, our focus is on peace on earth, goodwill toward our fellow man, and a sense of community and selflessness.
It isn’t our place to tell you how to raise your children, how much to spend, or what to buy them for Christmas.
Some of you may choose to tell your kids the truth about Santa at age five. Some of you may maintain the fantasy until age ten, or later. Some of you may feel that you want the focus in your family to be on the Nativity story instead of Santa, and tell your children there is no such thing as Santa from the time of their first Christmas on. Some of you may also choose to eschew Santa for other ideological reasons.
Whatever works best for you and your family is what you should do, as far as the Santa story goes, and it isn’t our place to tell you what to do here either.
But if you DO choose to keep the Santa story alive in your family, we do ask that you make sure the gift Santa brings is a thoughtful – but humble – offering.
We know none of you would intentionally choose to make Christmas a more stressful time for your friends, neighbors, or family and their children. So, whatever you choose to do with Santa this holiday season, please keep our humble request in mind.
Another family, and child, is sure to be thankful for it, even if they don’t realize what you’ve chosen to do and why. After all, putting others first is a fundamental part of the holiday.
So when you finish up your Christmas shopping, and start wrapping gifts for your children and grandchildren, we hope you keep our request in mind.
We also hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving with your families and have a Very Merry Christmas this year.
Happy holidays and God bless. – The Editorial Board of the Carter County Times
It’s no secret that Olive Hill holds her railroad legacy near and dear. Though no trains have run through the city in many years, the name of Railroad Street, the beloved Depot, and the caboose setting on Tom T. Hall Boulevard all bear witness to the city’s once flourishing love affair with the rails.
Back in 1919, though, the thoughts about the trains weren’t always so warm. Sure, folks appreciated the access to other areas the train line afforded them, and the goods that the trains brought into town. But they also worried about reckless train operators.
In the April 17, 1919 edition of the Carter County Herald, the editor wrote about a “murder trap” for the citizens of the city at the railroad crossing in town, noting how he watched a girl of “about seven years of age,” Jessie Marie Jarvis, nearly get hit by one train while trying to avoid another that was ignoring the city’s speed limit on trains, moving through the town at the dizzying speed of “about 25 miles per hour” more than double the city’s 12 mph limit for trains. The article goes on to champion an even tougher ordinance, which would have halved the speed limit in town to six mile per hour.
This was, of course, several months after the paper advocated for a crossing and, perhaps, even a gate and crossing guard for the railroad in the September 12, 1918 edition.
The incident with young Ms. Jarvis was also just a month after the Chamber of Commerce issued their complaint about how a proposed change to the train schedules could negatively impact Olive Hill business if it made it more difficult for people in outlying areas to catch the train into and back out of town.
So, while Olive Hill may love the legacy of her railroad history today, that relationship was a bit more complicated when they were a part of everyday life, even if a necessary part for the success of the city.
Editor’s Note: This is the 21st in a series of articles drawn from the historical newspaper clippings and documents in the scrapbooks of Jack Fultz. We thank Sally James of Sally’s Flowers in Olive Hill for sharing her uncle’s collected clippings with us and the community. – Jeremy D. Wells, editor, Carter County Times
On Saturday, October 24 the Olive Hill Area Chamber of Commerce held our 4th Annual “It’s Fall Y’all!” Vendor & Craft Festival. I want to take a moment to thank everyone who was involved in making it a huge success!
First, I would like to thank all our volunteers who worked so hard! This festival is not an easy one to put on and could not be done without the hard work and dedication of this small group of people! Von Perry, Chelsa Hamilton, Lincoln Stamper, Christy Stamper, JD Rayburn, Debbie Rayburn, Samantha Walker, Tammy Moore, Carter County Tourism, Dalton Conley, Blade Conley, Donny Owens Jr, and Kyle Owens…thank you for working the festival! We could not do this without you!!
Also, thank you to Angela Fultz, Dave Adams, Debbie Harman, Jeremy Wells, Ritchie Williams, and Danny Brewer for your help with sound, organizing bands, our commemorative program for the 10-yr flood anniversary, and more!
Thank you to all musicians who blessed us with a day of amazing music (Sasha Colette, Shelby Lore Trio, New Highway Traditional Gospel Bluegrass, TLC Worship) and to the Treasured Flag Worship Team for coming from Richmond, Ky to perform beautifully for us.
Thanks to all vendors who came (we had over 50) and followed set guidelines. We appreciate you and hope you will come again!
Thank you to everyone who came to shop, eat, participate in games, and enjoy the day! We are so happy you came to Olive Hill!!
Thank you to the Carter County Post and the Carter County Times who came and covered our festival and to Go Radio for promoting us on the best radio station ever!
Thank you to the City of Olive Hill and to City Maintenance Department for everything!!! Our city looks so good and the Depot looks amazing! We appreciate everything you did and everything you continue to do for our amazing little town!
Thank you to all businesses who donated to our raffle basket which ended up valued at over $800! Donations were received by: Retro Hair & Nail Salon (Shannon Shutte & Stevie Tackett), Upper Tygart Mini Mart, Louie’s Barber Shop, Unique Boutique, Tyler’s Pizza, Olive Hill Dollar General, Flowers By Jeannie, Carter Caves State Resort Park, Sally’s Flowers, Cosmic Athletic Center, Giovanni’s of Olive Hill, Horton Brothers & Brown, Lucid Vapor Vape Shop, Olive Hill Subway, Jean Marie’s Boutique, Gifts, & Home Décor, H & R Block, Smoker Friendly; Liquor, Wine, & Beer, Olive Hill Auto Parts, Empower Athletics, Tre Fratelli, Von Perry/Young Living, Gypsy Queens (Brenda Reynolds & Kimber Rayburn), Ed Cook/Cooks Scroll Saw Crafts, Betty’s All Things Unique/Betty Henderson, Henri’s, and The Drive In.
A huge THANK YOU to our sponsors!! We cannot put on this amazing festival without your support!!
Platinum Sponsors: A Center 4 Change, Jenkie’s Journey Road to Recovery House, McDonald’s, Owens Insurance Agency, Scenic Hills Realty
Gold Sponsors: City of Olive Hill, Commercial Bank of Grayson, Dixie Lanes/ZZ’s Bar & Grill, First National Bank, Giovanni’s of Olive Hill, Go Radio (WGOH/WUGO), James Do-It-Best Hardware, Jill York, Sally’s Flowers, Tackett’s Furniture, Trinity Sisters Design
Event Sponsors: Ducky’s Excavating, Hazel Messer, Foothills Exploration of Appalachian Tourism, Smoker Friendly; Beer, Wine, & Liquor (2 events), The Carter County Post/CC Post Magazine, The Carter County Times, The Galaxy Project, Walker’s Restaurant
Bronze Sponsors: American Legion Auxiliary Unit #138, Beach Buns Tanning, Stylish Stitches, The Red Door
Event Winners:
Costume Contest: Adult: Sharon & Megan Henderson; Child: Aiden White
Dahlias, with their lush, vivid blossoms, are a garden favorite and often take front and center at county and state fair competitions. Unfortunately, they are semi-tropical plants and will not overwinter in Kentucky’s climate. Don’t worry, though. With a little effort in storing their tuberous roots properly, you can enjoy your dahlias year after year—and maybe bring home a blue ribbon or two in the process.
Dig only your healthiest plants. Roots from any plant that may have shown signs of a virus should end up in the trash. Virus symptoms may include streaked or mottled foliage, distorted leaves or flowers, or stunted growth. You do not want disease to spread among your healthy dahlias next year. While some people dig their dahlias before the first frost, it is often best to allow them more time in the ground to mature as much as possible. Though a frost may damage top foliage and blooms, roots will continue to mature and toughen up through a light frost and often through the first hard freeze, depending on how deep into the soil that freeze went.
Cutting the tops off a few days before digging the tuberous roots will allow the eyes to come out, which makes it easier to accurately divide the clumps. Water is a tuberous root’s enemy, so many people will cover the freshly cut tops with aluminum foil to prevent water from getting into the crown until they can dig them.
Be careful when digging and handling the tuberous roots. Dig into the soil on all four sides of a clump, about 12 inches from the stalk. Using either a shovel or fork, gently lift the clump, then turn it upside down to drain any water from the stalk. If you lift them in the morning and leave them out to air dry for a couple of hours, they will not be as fragile. Then, using a hose, you can wash off the dirt without damaging the tubers.
The clump of roots could be stored as is, but it is usually easier to divide the clumps in the fall when they are softer. If left to spring, some clumps can become so hard they can be almost impossible to cut. Remove all the small feeder roots and stems, which can promote root rot during storage. When you cut the clumps, look for the eyes. Each division should have a crown with an eye. If the inside of the crown shows brown or rusty spots, cut those away. Those spots probably indicate crown rot, and the tuberous root will not make it through the winter. To avoid spreading virus between plants, dip your cutting tools into a solution of one-part bleach and 10-parts water or spray them with a disinfectant after dividing each clump.
After making each division, dip the cut ends into a fungicide and let dry. Drying time will depend on temperature and humidity but could take between 24 and 36 hours depending on the size of the cut.
Store your tuberous roots in a medium that maintains a decent, but not excessive moisture level. Storing tubers in coarse vermiculite in a plastic bag is one of the preferred methods. Check occasionally to ensure rotting is not occurring and mice or other rodents have not compromised your dahlia stash.
For more information, contact 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 or age.
Amazon Prime is a popular service. Between the included television shows and movies, access to e-books, and – of course – free shipping on Amazon orders it’s something a lot of folks will sign up for at the holidays. Even if you don’t keep it all year, signing up for the free trial around Christmas can be a good way to save extra cash on your Amazon orders. If you’re a student, you can even continue your Prime subscription for half price.
One of the things Prime offers that you may not be familiar with, though, are free games and free in-game content.
This first started after Amazon acquired Twitch, a streaming platform that catered mostly to game streamers in its early days. As part of its Prime service, Amazon offered access to Twitch Prime. Not only did this allow gamers to use Twitch to broadcast their gameplay, it gave them monthly discounts, free games, and free in-game content.
Recently Amazon has changed the name of this service from Twitch Prime to Prime Gaming, but it still offers the same things – free games and free, often exclusive, in-game content. This in-game content runs the gamut from mobile game items and cosmetic gear for free-to-play games to in-game cash (GTA Online), exotic weapons and gear (Destiny 2), horses (Red Dead Online), and armor items (Assassin’s Creed Valhalla), among others.
They also offer a number of games, new and old, for free. The current offerings include a variety of classic SNK arcade and NeoGeo console games. Multiple incarnations of King of Fighters (’97, ’98, 2000, 2002), as well as King of Monsters, and Metal Slug 2 and Metal Slug 3 are among the standouts from SNK that you can grab now. The SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is another, and includes 24 of the developer’s classic arcade games from the 1980s.
If you’re looking for something a bit more modern, the lighthearted action-adventure A Knight’s Quest and the RPG Smoke and Sacrifice, both from developer Curve Digital are also on offer.
In all there are 32 games (if you count The SNK 40th Anniversary Collection as a single game, 55 if you count the 24 titles in that collection individually) that you can claim if you sign up for Prime today.
And these aren’t all you can expect. The titles will cycle out and be replaced by new ones every month, and so will the in-game items. So, if you have Prime already, or plan on signing up for the free trial through the holidays, don’t neglect the games. They’re yours to keep and access forever, through the Amazon game app or the Twitch account linked to your Amazon account, even if you don’t keep Prime.
You can find and claim your games at gaming.amazon.com. If you’re a gamer, it’s definitely worth your time.
Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com
Tim Wilson and daughter Holly Houck work in the children's department at Rupert's Department Store in downtown Grayson. Wilson said he's thankful for the shoppers who are choosing to purchase Christmas gifts from local vendors this year. (Photo by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)
By Jeremy D. Wells Carter County Times
Stores in Grayson and Olive Hill did brisk business this past Saturday, as local shoppers turned out to support their towns’ small business owners on Small Business Saturday. Small Business Saturday, the local answer to the large retailers’ post-Thanksgiving Black Friday sales, has grown in popularity over the last ten years, and shop owners in Carter County were thankful for the turnout this year.
Chesla Winkleman, at Unique Boutique in Olive Hill, said they had been “very busy” on Saturday. Her mother, Viola Waddell – working the cash register – said they had seen more than 100 customers come through the store since opening that morning.
Brooke Nolen, working the counter with her mother as well at Trinity Sisters Design, said they had been “very, very busy” in their shop too. While she didn’t have an exact count available, she said the store had seen a constant flow of folks all day, most shopping in small groups of two or three.
Down the road at Jean Marie’s shop-owner Bonnie Barker was having a good day too.
“We had a great day,” Barker said as they were closing shop for the day. “It was steady all day and we sold a lot.”
At Walking on Sunshine Wellness Spa & Shoppe in Grayson, co-owner Pam Howard said, between services and shop customers, she had seen around 50 customers which she said was “a big deal here.”
Part of that was probably because of a “big half-off sale” they were advertising for the day, she said. But in addition to folks coming in to buy the jewelry, scented candles, face masks, jellies and other locally produced goods they offer, she said they were selling a lot of gift certificates for massages, aesthetician services, foot detoxes, reflexology, and other services they offer at the day spa. She said one of their most popular items, oddly enough, was the local honey.
“Everyone wants honey,” Howard said, explaining that there is currently a shortage of local honey.
Across the street at Rupert’s, owner Tim Wilson said they had been fairly busy. While he said he wouldn’t know until the end of the day, when they totaled out the cash registers, he felt like they had done better this year than they did on Small Business Saturday last year.
He agreed with Unique Boutique’s Winkleman, who said she felt like more people were shopping local because of the COVID-19 pandemic – partly to support their local economies who were hurting from the earlier business shutdowns and partly to avoid the large crowds at the mall.
“I think so,” Wilson said. “Some are staying closer to home. I think folks are shopping earlier too, and I hope it continues.”
He said he was glad to see people taking the virus seriously, respect distancing when other shoppers were in the store, and wearing their masks, all important steps to avoid another mandated shutdown of businesses by the governor. He said he also thought people knew, when they were shopping locally with people they knew, they could trust that the stores were handling things and sanitizing properly.
“I think people will be safe shopping with us,” he said of the steps the store was taking to keep things clean and make sure staff wore masks. “This year has been so different, (but) I believe people feel more comfortable coming in and shopping local.”
He said they were ordering more Carhartt items to meet an uptick in demand, and that they were happy to be able to meet that need locally.
While he said he hoped to see local shoppers continue to come in, noting they traditionally do more sales in the week leading up to Christmas than they do during special events and sales like Small Business Saturday, he said he appreciated all of his customers no matter when they came in.
“I thank the Good Lord for the business I have,” he said.
Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com
Unique Boutique owner Chesla Winkleman said business was strong on Small Business Saturday. (Photo by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)
Viola Waddell runs the cash register at Unique Boutique on Small Business Saturday. (Photo by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)
Peggy (left) and Brooke Nolen (right) at Trinity Sisters Design said they were doing brisk business on Small Business Saturday. (Photo by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)
Pamela Howard, at Walking on Sunshine, displays a scented candle. It’s one of the many locally produced items offered in the Grayson shop. (Photo by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)
Tim Wilson and daughter Holly Houck work in the children’s department at Rupert’s Department Store in downtown Grayson. Wilson said he’s thankful for the shoppers who are choosing to purchase Christmas gifts from local vendors this year. (Photo by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)
Members of the West Carter Middle School choir sing Christmas Carols at last year’s Christmas on the Hill event. (Photo by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)
By Jeremy D. Wells Carter County Times
The Olive Hill Center for Arts & Education’s annual Christmas on the Hill show is a beloved event in the community. It’s a chance to visit with neighbors, share a meal, and enjoy the sounds of the holiday season. But with current restrictions on large indoor gatherings, there was really no responsible way for the event to go on as normal. The historical society went ahead with their On With the Show event this spring, limiting the number of tickets sold and making sure tables were adequately spaced to maintain responsible social distancing.
But, to musical director Debbie Baker Harman, that didn’t seem like the right thing to do with the Christmas event. Instead of selling a limited number of tickets, she explained, she wanted to do something else that the whole community could enjoy. So, this year, instead of the big production, the arts organization is downsizing and doing something more traditional – they’re taking a group Christmas caroling around the city.
Though she hasn’t yet decided on a setlist for the night, Baker Harman said she wants the evening to focus on “traditional carols, that everyone is familiar with.”
“I’ve invited a lot of folks, regulars at Christmas on the Hill,” she said, explaining she wants it to be fun for the singers and for those listening.
She also said she enjoys the idea of reviving an old tradition.
“It’s just something we can do to bring a little joy to the season,” she continued. “It (Christmas caroling) used to be a really big thing. But it’s just a fun and joyous thing to do.”
The carolers will gather this Friday, around 6 p.m., outside the Dollar General store, to do their first set of carols.
“There’s plenty of space to spread out,” Baker Harman explained, adding that they had gotten permission from the business to put the carolers in the grass berm at the edge of the parking lot.
After they finish at the Dollar General they will move down to Hydreco Village apartments, where they may split into a couple of smaller groups to cover the ground. While she said they may have some instruments, depending on the weather that may not be an option, as extreme cold can make it hard to keep stringed instruments in tune. But the singers will be out no matter the temperature.
It was really important to Baker Harman that this be a free event everyone can enjoy, with no pressure to tip or make contributions, so there will be no tip bucket or passing of the hat.
“It’s just something we want to do for the community,” she said. “We want to do something for free. Most of the (Center for Arts & Education’s) events have an admission fee, because we do have expenses. But we want this to be an opportunity to give back.”
“We’d like this to be a gift to the community,” she continued. She said people are missing out on their regular holiday get togethers and traditions – and that includes the performers as well – and, “this is something we can do and want to do.”
Though they “always accept donations,” she said their regular contributors have been generous this year, “and it’s so appreciated.” They also received some money from CARES through the NEA, and their regular contribution from the Kentucky Arts Council’s Kentucky Arts Partnership.
“Those were all great blessing this year,” she said.
If you are interested in donating to the Olive Hill Historical Society and their Center for Arts & Education, you can send those donations care of the organization to: Olive Hill Historical Society, P.O. Box 143, Olive Hill, KY, 41164.
The Christmas caroling will begin this Friday, December 4, at 6 p.m. at the Dollar General in Olive Hill.
Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com
Leetavious Cline (21) goes out for a pass from quarterback Orry Perry (19) during Friday night’s district championship game against Shelby Valley. (Photo by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)
By Jeremy D. Wells Carter County Times
The Comets had to fight for every inch of ground they gained against Shelby Valley last Friday, but fight they did – right on through to a District 8 championship, their second in as many years, and an advancement to the Regionals.
Jackson Bond scored the first touchdown of the evening early in the first quarter, on a nine yard pass from quarterback Orry Perry, putting Perry one step closer to the career touchdown passes record and adding to his total for career yards passed.
West Carter’s next touchdown came courtesy of Leetavious Cline. It was one of those long, fast, break away runs that Cline has become known for this season, 56 yards, but it would be the last easy run the Wildcats would let Cline make that evening. The running back, and the team, would have to work hard for every yard gained the rest of the game. Though they’d make it close to the end zone again in the second quarter, they had their play called back for holding and turned over the ball to the Wildcats on downs.
It was a hard slog, and West gave as good as they got, holding Shelby Valley scoreless until late in the second quarter when Ethan Bentley scored a TD, bringing the score to 14-6 when the Wildcats failed to connect on an attempted conversion.
The Comets didn’t waste any time snapping back though, making it to first and goal with 44 seconds on the clock on a pass to Bond. Cline would then take it to the goal line before Perry scored touchdown number three for West, with the kick from Garrett Wolfe taking them to 21-6 with 15 seconds left in the half.
In the third quarter Perry would tie the touchdown pass record on a 25 yard connection to Gage Leadingham, who scored touchdown number four, taking the score to 27-6. The two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful though, keeping the score where it was.
Perry would break that record on his next touchdown throw, a 30 yard pass to Cole Crampton, taking the score to 34-6 with Wolfe’s successful kick.
In the fourth quarter the Wildcats pushed back a little more, with a touchdown early in the quarter on a 17 yard pass from Russ Osborne to Lincoln Billiter taking the score to 34-12 after another unsuccessful conversion run. But on the next kickoff return to the Comets, Bond caught the kick and made a spectacular 66 yard run to score touchdown number six for West Carter. That took the score to 40-12, and 41-12 on another successful kick from Wolfe.
The Comets next touchdown, courtesy of a 55 yard pass from Perry to Leadingham, would take the score to 47-12, 48-12 with the extra point kick, and break the career passing yardage record for Perry.
Shelby Valley scored once more before the game ended, on a 69 yard pass from Osborne to Anthony Pallota, taking the score to 48-18 with six minutes left on the clock, but that would be the final score.
With a first down, just shy of the goal line, and just over a minute left on the clock, Coach Daniel Barker directed his team to take a knee on the next three downs and run out the clock.
“We took a knee because I think when you can run out the clock to end the game it’s the right thing to do,” Barker explained. “I didn’t feel like scoring another touchdown at that moment would have really benefited us in any way. When you can end the game with a knee, I think you should. Victory formation is my favorite formation in football.”
Barker said even with that ending, it was a tough game that Shelby Valley made them fight for.
“I thought our kids executed well. Shelby Valley had a really nice game plan versus what we do, and they made us execute. The game wasn’t easy, but I thought our kids consistently made plays that allowed us to move the chains and score points,” he said.
“They definitely made us work defensively,” Barker continued. “I think our kids responded and made some timely stops. Valley has a really nice offense, and they have a bunch of kids that can score, so we were happy with our defense for much of the night.”
With Perry breaking two records on Friday, and Cline, Wolfe, and Gavin Gibson adding to records they set the previous week, Barker was justifiably proud of his boys.
“We’ve had a number of boys set career marks the last two weeks,” he said. “Orry (Perry) setting the career passing yardage and touchdown marks is a huge accomplishment. I think to set it in the district championship, and to play as well as he did tonight, is phenomenal. I’m very proud of him. Last week Gavin Gibson set our career TFL (tackle for loss) record and Garrett Wolfe set our career extra point record. Leetavious Cline continues to add to his record single season rushing mark, and we’d love to see him break the career rushing yardage record. We’re proud of all of our boys. They’ve all been part of a record breaking team, just total team effort all year. They root for each other.”
Perry, for his part, expressed a sense of humility beyond his years, a testament to his character and Barker’s coaching.
“My name will be in the record books, but I owe it all to my teammates. Without them, none of those yards or touchdowns happen,” Perry said. “I’ve got the best pass blocking offensive line around and I’ve got the best perimeter playmakers around. I’m really fortunate to play with this group of guys.”
He said he tried not to think of breaking the record while on the field, but to just focus on the game.
“The main focus for every game is to come out with a win. Statistics are just a bonus for me. I’m thankful that once I was in the position to break both those records tonight my coaches let me continue to throw and my teammates made great plays.”
Though their season isn’t over yet – now that they’ve won their district they’ll move on to regional competition – Perry said this season is going to leave him with a lot of good memories and a sense of accomplishment.
“Looking back on this season, we’ve done a lot of the things we have wanted to do, but we want to continue building on that. Bringing the barrel back was a goal of ours, and it being the 50th game of the series made it even more special. Beating Russell for the first time ever was as big of a win as any we have ever had as a program, and that was another thing we wanted to accomplish. Winning the district again was something really high on our list of goals as well, and we were fortunate enough to do that tonight. We will get to host the regional championship for the first time in school history next week against Walton-Verona, and are looking for our first trip to the state semifinals. Personally, I’m really proud of everything this team has been able to accomplish and we hope to continue our playoff run.”
Coach Barker told the boys to take the night, West Carter’s Homecoming, to enjoy themselves and they would talk about next steps later, but told the Times he was looking forward to their next game as well.
“Going forward we want to take the next step and win a regional championship. It’s been on our minds all season to see how far we can go this year. Whoever we play will be a big test for us, but we will focus all our efforts on being as ready to play as we can be.”
The Comets win on Friday gave West Carter their third district championship, and first back to back district titles, in school history. They’ll host Walton-Verona for the regional championship game, their first time hosting a regional championship round of playoffs in school history.
West Carter had 20 first downs on Friday, to Shelby Valley’s 15, three penalties for 30 yards to Shelby Valley’s seven for 60 yards, and no turnovers for either team. West Carter rushed for 208 years on 29 plays, while Shelby Valley rushed 120 yards on 35. Perry was 16/24 on passing, for a total of 212 yards to Shelby Valley’s 7/16 and 166 yards. West Carter had a total of 420 yards gained and Shelby Valley had 286 yards.
Cline had 22 carries, for 176 yards, and one touchdown, putting him 144 yards from breaking the school career rushing yardage, and 256 yards from becoming the school’s first 2,000 yard rusher in a season.
Perry broke the school record for career passing yards with 3,175 yards, and the career passing touchdowns with 46. He had a total of 212 passing yards and four passing touchdowns on the evening, and scored a fifth touchdown with a rushing TD.
Bond had seven catches for 69 yards gained and one pass reception touchdown, and a second touchdown on a 66 yard rush from the kickoff return.
Leadingham had two catches for 80 yards and two touchdowns. He has four catches on the year, all for touchdowns.
Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com
Leetavious Cline (21) goes out for a pass from quarterback Orry Perry (19) during Friday night’s district championship game against Shelby Valley. (Photo by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)
The West Carter Comets won their district championship on Friday, taking them to the regional championships and the next round of the playoffs. (Photo by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)
Mrs. Geneva Robinson Parsons, age 94, of Grayson, Kentucky, passed away Saturday morning, November 28, 2020, at Trinity Station in Flatwoods, Kentucky.
She was born April 1, 1926, in Carter County, Kentucky, a daughter of the late William and Mary Boggess Robinson.
Geneva was of the Wesleyn faith and she retired from the Carter County Board of Education.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Thomas “Tom” Parsons Jr.; two brothers, Bruce Robinson and Russell Robinson; one sister, Ruby Robinson; and one infant sister, Grace Wells.
Geneva is survived by one son, Stanley Parsons of Hitchins, Kentucky; three grandchildren, Thomas Ray Parsons, Hunter Lee Parsons, and Mary Eliza “Beth” Parsons; one great grandchild, Emma Grayce Parsons; two step grandchildren, Becky Keaton and Gary Meadows; and one brother, William “Billy” Robinson. She also leaves many other family members and friends who will sadly miss her.
A private funeral service will be held Wednesday, December 2, 2020, at Grayson Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Grayson, Kentucky, with Brother Joe Mullins officiating. Entombment will follow in the East Carter Memory Gardens in Grayson, Kentucky.
A private visitation will be held Tuesday, December 1, 2020, at the Grayson Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Grayson, Kentucky.
Jim Kennedy, Mike Johnston, Perry Kouns, Hon. Robert “Bob” Miller, Phillip Lemaster, and Thomas Parsons will serve as pallbearers.
Due to COVID-19 regulations, we ask that everyone wear a mask and practice social distancing.
Mrs. Marguerite Durland Pouliot, age 81, of Olive Hill, Kentucky, passed away Friday, November 27, 2020, at St. Claire Healthcare in Morehead, Kentucky.
She was born August 23, 1939, in Maine, a daughter of the late Scott and Vera Holt Durland.
Marguerite was of the Baptist faith and she was a homemaker. She loved her animals and spending time with her family.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by one son, William “Billy” Pouliot.
Marguerite is survived by her husband of 59 years, William Alexander Pouliot; two sons, Gary Pouliot (Lisa) of Beavercreek, Ohio, and Brian Pouliot of Dayton, Ohio; one daughter, Suzanne Pouliot of Olive Hill, Kentucky; seven grandchildren, Brandi Pouliot of Beavercreek, Ohio, Heather Pouliot (Billy) of Troy, Ohio, Krissy Pouliot of Forest, Virginia, Kimberly Carroll (Jimmy) of Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, Courtney Pelfrey (Wesley) of Morehead, Kentucky, Julie Underwood (Corey) and Brooklyn Carroll (Desi), all of Olive Hill, Kentucky; nine great grandchildren; and Robert Livernois, who was like a son to her of Olive Hill, Kentucky. She also leaves many other family members and friends who will sadly miss her.
At the family’s request there will be no funeral service or visitation.
Globe Funeral Chapel in Olive Hill, Kentucky, is caring for all arrangements for Mrs. Marguerite Durland Pouliot.
Mrs. Deborah Lowe James, age 60, of Olive Hill, Kentucky, passed away Saturday, November 28, 2020, at the University of Kentucky Bluegrass Hospice Care Center in Lexington, Kentucky.
She was born January 22, 1960, in Boyd County, Kentucky, a daughter of the late Carl and Emogene Adkins Lowe.
Deborah was of the Christian faith and she enjoyed spending time with her family, especially with her grandchildren.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by one brother, Jeffery Lowe, and one sister, Roxanne Leadingham.
Deborah is survived by two sons, Matthew Dale James and Jay Brian James (Rebecca), all of Olive Hill, Kentucky; one daughter, Kasey Lynn Wolfe (Justin) of Grayson, Kentucky; five grandchildren; three brothers, John Lowe of Olive Hill, Kentucky, Carl Logan Lowe Jr. of Louisville, Kentucky, and Mike David Lowe (Trish) of Grayson, Kentucky; and two sisters, Cynthia Leadingham (Keith) and Pamela Lowe, all of Olive Hill, Kentucky. She also leaves many other family members and friends who will sadly miss her.
A private graveside service will be held Thursday, December 3, 2020, at the Lowe Cemetery in Carter County, Kentucky, with Brother Jimmy Barker officiating.
Due to COVID-19 regulations, we ask that everyone wear a mask and practice social distancing.
Jessie Christopher Dailey, age 37, of Olive Hill, Kentucky, passed away Monday evening, November 23, 2020, at St. Claire Healthcare in Morehead, Kentucky.
He was born July 29, 1983, in Boyd County, Kentucky, a son of Naimon and Nancy McCleese Dailey.
Jessie enjoyed hunting fishing, playing softball and spending time with his family.
In addition to his parents, he is survived by three sisters, Angela Dawn Dailey (Joshua Bowling) of Morehead, Kentucky, Glenna Kaye Dailey (Christoper Hamilton) and Brandi Rose Dailey, both of Olive Hill, Kentucky, and his nieces and nephews, Shayna Rose Gilbert, Ethan Channing Kale Dailey, Colton Hamilton and Madilyn Bowling. He also leaves many other family members and friends who will sadly miss him.
A private graveside service will be held Monday, November 30, 2020, at the Dailey Cemetery in Olive Hill, Kentucky.
Family and friends will serve as pallbearers.
Due to COVID-19 regulations, we ask that everyone wear a mask and practice social distancing.
Globe Funeral Chapel in Olive Hill, Kentucky, is caring for all arrangements for Jessie Dailey.
Mr. Harold Eugene Carroll, age 77, of Trenton, Florida, formerly of Olive Hill, Kentucky, passed away, Sunday morning, November 22, 2020, at his residence
He was born July 16, 1943, in Carter County, Kentucky, a son of the late Rolland and Ruth Branham Carroll.
Harold enjoyed fishing, working and spending time with his family.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one sister, Rosie Carroll.
Harold is survived by one son, William Carroll of Trenton, Florida; two daughters, Brenda Howe and Laurie Bowman, both of Galion, Ohio; six grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren; four brothers, Woody Carroll of Webster, Florida, Kenny Carroll, Charles Carroll, and Carl Carroll, both of Crestline, Ohio; and two sisters, Eula Carroll of Tampa, Florida, and Jenny Goble of Trenton, Florida. He also leaves many other family members and friends who will sadly miss him.
A private graveside service will be held Saturday, November 28, 2020, at the Sammons Cemetery in Olive Hill, Kentucky, with Brother Bobby Day officiating.
Harolds family will serve as pallbearers.
Due to COVID-19 regulations, we ask that everyone wear a mask and practice social distancing.
Globe Funeral Chapel in Olive Hill, Kentucky is caring for all arrangements for Mr. Harold Eugene Carroll.
West Carter senior Trevor Callahan signed his intent to play baseball for Morehead State last Wednesday.
“I’m super excited about going to Morehead,” the pitcher said. “I get to kind of stay close to home, close to family. It’s always been my goal and dream to play for Morehead State and I finally get to do it.”
He said he would miss playing for West Carter, but appreciated his time there.
“Matt Clark was my coach for four years, and I couldn’t ask for a better coach,” he said. “He really did good with our program, working with me and other kids to make our team better. We kind of started from nothing and built our way up until we had a pretty good team, and he did a great job.”
West Carter High School's Madison Adkins singed to play volleyball at Tusculum University last week.(2)
(Submitted photo)
West Carter High School’s Madison Adkins signed to play volleyball at Tusculum University last week.
“I’ve loved being a part of West Carter’s athletics,” Adkins said. “The support from the parents, school administration and students has been unimaginable.”
“Looking toward the future,” she continued, “I can’t wait to be a Pioneer at Tusculum University. I’m looking forward to building new relationships with players and coaches and playing against high level competition. It feels great finally signing my NLI, and knowing that everything I’ve worked for so far has paid off.”
“I’m sad my journey with the Comets is over,” Adkins said. “But I can’t wait for my new journey through college.”
There was some good news for football fans during the Carter County Board of Education’s regular meeting last week, but it was bittersweet. Superintendent of schools Dr. Ronnie Dotson announced that all winter sports were being cancelled, along with all in person instruction, as the state struggles to get a grip on rising COVID-19 numbers. This doesn’t include football though, which is currently in the midst of state championship playoffs.
Dotson said the district would continue to allow the East and West Carter teams, both of which made the playoffs this year, to continue playing as long as possible because “if they drop out, they lose their opportunity.”
There are no make-up games for them if they choose not to continue now, he explained. But for sports that have not started yet, he said, seasons will not begin until the state gets COVID-19 numbers under control, and may not be played at all. While acknowledging the disappointment student athletes may feel at this decision, Dotson said Carter County and other school districts must comply with these recommendations.
Dotson said the district will also shift back to non-traditional instruction for all students and that staff will have the flexibility to work from home if they choose to do so. While staff may still choose to come into school buildings to conduct their online classes and plan their lessons, if they come in they will be required to practice social distancing and follow all Center for Disease Control (CDC) protocols.
“The most prudent thing, right now, is to have as few people as possible in one place,” Dotson told the school board.
He said he does regret that they have to make this move, especially for children who have been benefitting from small group instruction. But, he said, the district and its students have continued to excel during the pandemic. He noted that both East Carter High School and Carter City Elementary have been recognized recently in various media for their academic success. He also said he needed to give a “shout out” to Olive Hill Elementary for their recent Veterans Day program.
“They did a tremendous job,” he said, noting that it was all the more impressive considering the entire event was organized completely online.
He said the district is also looking at getting flags and banners for Carter City for their recognition this year as a Blue Ribbon school. He said the district would also get flags and banners for Star Elementary, which was recognized as a Blue Ribbon school previously but never received any sort of banner or flag to signify the distinction on the outside of the school building.
The district also heard a report on the audit, which showed that the school’s finances were all in order.
“It’s been a very clean year for y’all,” said auditor Les Harbour.
In other action the board moved to award bids for surplus items. These included three ovens from West Carter High School, and school buses which have already been stripped of parts.
Because of the low scrap prices the district has found it to be more economical to hold onto old buses in recent years and to salvage usable parts from them for repairs to other buses. The buses that were sold as surplus were already “parted out,” and were now “just shells of buses” Director of Maintenance and Transportation Ronnie Cooley explained.
The board also moved to award the contract for repairing storm damage to the roof of East Carter Middle School. The board moved to award that contract to Grayson based M&M Construction, who had the lowest bid.
In other board action they moved forward with a contract with Labtronics on the use of radio towers that serve the radio systems for the buses. The board has been operating on the same towers since 1990 without a contract, but wants to cement that agreement because, Cooley said, they “really can’t do without the towers.”
He noted that there are still large areas of the county where cell phone service is unreliable. In those areas, he said, the district really needs the use of radios in case of any sort of bus break down or emergency. The board voted to move forward with that contract.
The board also approved the purchase of four new school buses. They purchased four last year as well, Cooley said, acting on state recommendations for keeping the bus fleet up to date. Pricing on the buses is up by $2,850 each this year over last year, for buses with all the same amenities, Cooley said, noting that the pricing is controlled by the state. These options include the tinted windows, which help with controlling the temperature during hotter months, as well as security cameras.
Cooley told the board that “for the last several years we’ve had cameras,” on all new bus purchases.
The board will continue to meet via teleconference, and will broadcast those meetings via YouTube to the board website, for the foreseeable future.
Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com
