By Charles Romans
Carter County Times
The Carter County Fiscal Court began its regularly scheduled April meeting with a moment of silence for the county’s emergency management director Adam Stapleton, who passed away recently. Judge executive Brandon Burton said he wanted to express his gratitude and appreciation for the show of support from all those who honored Stapleton’s passing.
The first order of business was for the court to vote to accept Mockingbird Lane into the county road system. A public hearing had been held previously, and the court voted unanimously in favor. The court also voted to set a hearing on May 19, for the removal of Gimlet Creek Road from the county system. The last 1.3 miles of the road ends at the Elliot County line, and has not been maintained for over twenty years due to lack of residency on the road.
Brandon Howe from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet gave a yearly report and spoke to the court about rural and secondary roads. Howe was there to offer recommendations for the rural secondary program for the fiscal year.
“The allocation for this upcoming year is over 1.7 million dollars,” Howe told the court. “And there is $191,000 left from last year, which brings us to a total of 1.9 million to use for this upcoming year.”
Howe broke down the numbers for the court, listing $947,000 for maintenance and traffic operations, leaving a total of $344,000 for county flex funds to resurface county roads. Howe said the Transportation Cabinet would be using $621,000 for resurfacing state roads.
Part of the Cabinet’s resurfacing projects include Ky 1704 (Mills Branch) in its entirety, and patching on KY 486. Ky 486 goes from Elliot County to Route 1, Howe said.
Projects begun last year by the Cabinet are slated to be finished this year, Howe said, adding that the completion date on certain projects had been listed as June of 2025.
“Leftover projects include 1959 and half of Three Pine,” Howe told the court. “And those will be coming up within the next month.”
The Court voted to accept the rural secondary recommendation.
The CEO of Olive Hill Trail Town, Jessie Oney, spoke to the court about the Firebrick Lake Project.
“We’re doing great things over at Firebrick Lake,” Oney told the court. “We’ve got some money coming in now. We just received $30,000 from the State Tourism Commission, and we’ve been approved for the RTV Grant.”
Oney said the RTV Grant was for $159,000 to be spent on the Firebrick Project.
“We also received $15,000 from the County Land Commissioner that could either be used in the city or on the lake.”
The project, Oney explained, includes a world class mountain bike trail, as well as numerous other trails such as bicycle, walking, and horseback.
“We’ve incorporated all of these trails so the families can come up and enjoy the city lake or the Firebrick City Park,” Oney said. “And we are going to have fishing piers that are handicap accessible.”
Oney said the connection for the county was the Ranch Road access and the Prairie Branch access, as well as the Garvin Ridge access.
“It’s a loyalty community project we are all working on,” Oney told the court. “And we hope to get people into Olive Hill through that.”
Oney told the court that he was not there to request funds, but rather to let the court know what work Trail Town was doing.
“But if you want to donate a grader every once in a while to dress a trail, we’ll take that.”
In other action the court voted to set the next regularly scheduled meeting on May 19, at 6 pm. The court also voted to hire Scott Preston as a part-time emergency dispatcher at a rate of $15.50 per hour. Jason Gillum was appointed as Interim Emergency Management Director with commensurate salary change, and Joe Lambert was appointed as Deputy Emergency Management Director, also at commensurate salary.
Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com
At this point, I’m confused by how folks can defend any broad tariffs, because if anything has become clear to me (and, let’s just admit it, clarity is a rarity these days) it’s that the impacts of any tariff is complex, our trade imbalances are nuanced, and that this is the furthest thing from a black and white issue that I could imagine.
And this isn’t a conservative or liberal thing. Even the GOP is split on the impact of the tariffs. Senator Rand Paul, for instance, recently told radio host John Catsimatdis that he is in opposition of the Trump tariffs, “because trade has made us so rich, and really has made the world a better place.”
Paul also pointed out the negative impact on Kentucky distilleries who produce bourbon and the state’s auto manufacturers, the latter of which could see the costs of their raw materials rise while the former will see their overseas markets shrink.
“But,” the Commonwealth Policy Center’s Richard Nelson recently wrote in an op-ed, “not all Kentucky industries benefit from free trade.”
For instance, Nelson noted, the U.S. imports more wool and sheep products than it exports, and he claims that a ten percent tariff on sheep imports from New Zealand and Australia could help U.S. producers – a cry echoed by the Kentucky Sheep and Wool Producers Association, which Nelson is also a member of. But while he decries the trade imbalance, Nelson also notes that U.S. sheep production has declined by 90 percent since the mid-20th century. Surely that decline in production can’t all be blamed on imports from the Aussies and the Kiwis.
“Shouldn’t American sheep farmers be able to sell abroad at the same rate (as foreign producers)?” Nelson asks in his op-ed, after pointing out that the U.S. imports twice as many sheep and lambs as they produce domestically.
And, sure, they should. But that’s rather difficult if we aren’t producing as many sheep as we did seven decades ago.
Nelson also points out that Argentina and the U.K. restrict beef imports, and quotes a National Cattlemen’s Beef Association VP who “applauded the across the board tariffs.”
But the tariffs won’t necessarily benefit all of our agriculture producers – specifically those who grow soybeans and enjoyed good trade with China before these recent trade wars.
Because while the U.S. may import more lamb chops and mutton than domestic producers can currently provide, it exports massive amounts of soybeans.
“We export right about 50% of all soybeans produced in the U.S.,” Caleb Ragland told NPR’s Leila Fadel, “and China purchased 52% of U.S. (soybean) exports last year. So, if you see a soybean field, every fourth row of soybeans went to China last year.”
Ragland, a farmer from Magnolia, Kentucky and president of the American Soybean Association, said it used to be even higher. At one time, one out of every three rows were slated for the Chinese market. But, after President Trump’s trade war with China in his first term, Ragland said, American farmers, “lost about 9% of all U.S. production and exports to China.”
China replaced those imports with soybeans from South America, he said, and they’ve invested heavily in infrastructure to get those soybeans to their markets now. It’s lost market share, Ragland said, “and we’re likely not to get that back.”
“Our grave concern is we could permanently lose another big chunk of our export market that we are dependent on for our production.”
Ragland is very concerned. But, despite that, he still supports President Trump. He said his organization is “actively in discussions with the administration, and we need trade, and we need trade deals.”
He said if those trade deals require short term tariffs, it’s a risk they’re willing to take.
“But we can’t be in a tariff war for years on end,” Ragland said, “because we’ll die before then.”
If we don’t settle this, and sooner rather than later, small American businesses will suffer – if not from loss of trade from loss of access to raw materials. And American consumers will suffer. Not much may be clear about how to handle trade deficits, or even how to figure them. (How many soybean exports, for example, make up for imports of cheap plastic toys?)
But the suffering some folks are going to feel, and that some have felt already, are clear as crystal.
By Pastor Naomi Mitchell
For Carter County Times
Faithfulness is key, especially when life gets tough. Be faithful in every storm of life, in every decision. Trust God in every moment and soon you’ll realize what He’s doing behind the scenes.
Have you ever been in a serious thunderstorm, or maybe even a hurricane or tornado? I’ve never been in a tornado or a hurricane, but I have been through many serious thunderstorms. When serious storms come up, we’re looking for a safe place.
How would you react if you were in the middle of the sea when a violent storm arose? Mark 4:37 says: “And a furious storm of wind [of hurricane proportions] arose, and the waves kept beating into the boat, so that it was already becoming filled.” The disciples and Jesus were crossing the Sea of Galilee when a violent storm began to rage. The disciples were frightened, fearful and faithless in the midst of what they perceived to be a potentially deadly situation.
When trouble is headed your way always do what Jesus did. When the storms of life revolt against you seek to be at peace. When troubles come your way do you find yourself having sleepless nights? Maybe tossing and turning worrying about what may or may not happen. Don’t you think Jesus knew there was a weather pattern forming about to churn into a dangerous storm?
We should follow His direction as found in Mark 4:38 which says: “But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’” The disciples had done exactly as Jesus told them to do. They shoved off from the shore to cross over to the other side. The storm came about so quickly that the disciples were swamped.
How do we handle storms, the adversities, when one comes upon us suddenly? Matthew 6:34 offers some great advice: “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”
I love reading about the faith and spiritual exploits of Smith Wigglesworth. How do we handle the storms of life and attacks of the enemy? Listen to how Brother Wigglesworth handled one encounter with the devil.
“We were sleeping one night, when the manifestation of evil filled the room, and the spirit of fear gripped both of us. Polly was so frightened she could not open her eyes. I suddenly sat up, in the bed, and saw the devil. I rubbed my eyes to be sure, it was him. I said, ‘Oh! It’s only you.’ I then turned to Polly and told her to go back to sleep, it was nothing of consequence, and I laid my head back down. Suddenly an overwhelming sense of peace and love filled the room, and we had the most blessed sleep ever.”
In the middle of the storms of life learn to let Jesus be your peace factor. If He did it for Smith Wigglesworth, He will do it for you.
Since Jesus knew the storm was coming do you really think He would have put the disciples, those closest to Him, in a position to drown and die? Of course, not! In everything you face in life no matter how great the temptation or seemingly insurmountable the problem may be God always provides a way of escape. When you’re facing the storms of life God is not in Heaven wringing His hands wondering what is going to happen to you next.
God is not weak! He never has been, and He never will be. It is not only His will, but He wants to show Himself mighty on our behalf. However, we must trust Him for it to be so. Romans 4:20 in the Amplified Bible says: “No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God.” Not only is God not weak He will show Himself strong on your behalf. God is not moved by the adversities we face and neither should we be.
Let me give you an absolute fact if you’re doing what God has called you to do – fulfilling His vision for your life, being obedient to His divine direction – stuff is going to happen. Isaiah 41:10 “Don’t panic. I’m with you. There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.” Even during your personal storms God has a firm grip on you. When facing the storms of life, tell your circumstances and those in your boat to be still. Psalm 86:7 says: “In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.” God’s got this! Amen! So be it!
JOYFUL House of Prayer, 2519 Quicksand Road, (P.O. Box 856), Jackson, Kentucky 41339. Send Comments/Prayer Requests: Pastornaomi4god@gmail.com. FB: JoyfulHoprayer. Services: 10am Sunday and Joyful Kids Class at 10:30am, 6:30pm Thursdays. Radio Broadcast: WJSN 97.3 FM & WEKG 81.0 AM Sundays 1-2pm.
Morehead, Ky. 
–Kentucky State Police (KSP) Post 8 telecommunicators will be recognized alongside more than 200,000 emergency communication professionals in the country during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, observed this year from April 13-19.
These dedicated professionals are the first point of contact in emergencies, providing critical assistance to those in need. Their work ensures the safety of both the public and law enforcement officers, often under high-pressure situations.
“KSP telecommunicators are truly the unseen lifeline in public safety,” said Captain John Dowdy, Commander of KSP Post 8. “They handle life-and-death situations with unwavering professionalism, compassion and resilience. Their ability to remain calm under pressure while helping those in crisis is remarkable.”
KSP telecommunicators are responsible for dispatching state police troopers, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement officers, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation officers and other emergency responders. Their duties include coordinating emergency responses, notifying administrative channels, running vehicle and criminal background checks and providing crucial information to first responders while managing multiple calls and radio traffic. Most importantly, they are the reassuring voice on the other end of the line when someone calls for help.
Across Kentucky, KSP employs approximately 217 telecommunicators at 16 posts. Last year alone, they answered over 1.2 million calls, leading to more than 406,000 requests for assistance. Post 8 Morehead, KY employs 9 telecommunicators who answered 62,979 calls for service , which covers Bath, Elliott, Fleming, Lewis, Mason, Menifee, Montgomery, Morgan, Powell, Rowan, and Wolfe counties.
The Kentucky State Police Foundation is honoring the dedication of KSP’s telecommunicators by providing funding that each post can use to show appreciation through meals, treats or small gifts. This initiative ensures that every post has the opportunity to recognize the vital role their radio room staff play in public safety. To learn more about the foundation, click here.
The public is encouraged to celebrate National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week alongside KSP telecommunicators. The agency is hosting a door-decorating contest for radio rooms at each post from April 14-18. Participating posts will submit photos of their decorated doors, which will be shared on KSP’s Facebook page. The public can show their support by liking their favorite designs. The winner will be announced on April 18 and the radio room receiving the most likes will win a prize.
Those interested in joining KSP as a telecommunicator should visit the Kentucky State Personnel Website for more information and current job openings.
The Kentucky State Police is committed to recruiting the best individuals for public service and provides equal employment opportunities regardless of race, creed, color, religion, gender, or age.
ASHLAND, Ky. – Ashland Community and Technical College (ACTC) is excited to celebrate Dual Credit Week from April 14-18, highlighting the significant impact of its dual credit program across the region.
The week-long observance emphasizes the growing importance of dual credit opportunities, which allow local high school students to earn college credits while still in high school.
Last fall, ACTC’s dual credit program served 767 students from 13 partner high schools across 8 local school districts. These students are enrolled in 116 college courses, accumulating an impressive 3,600 credit hours.
This educational initiative has not only helped students prepare for future careers but has also saved families a total of $340,200 in tuition costs.
“We are incredibly proud of the continued growth and success of our dual credit program,” said Dr. Larry Ferguson, ACTC President/CEO. “Dual Credit Week is a great opportunity to showcase the incredible opportunities available to high school students across the region. By partnering with local high schools, we’re able to give students access to a high-quality education, helping them reduce the cost of college while gaining valuable skills and experiences.”
In celebration of Dual Credit Week, ACTC is spotlighting the diverse range of programs offered through its dual credit partnerships, including courses in welding, electrical technology, industrial maintenance, and more. These courses provide students with hands-on experience in high-demand career fields, ensuring they are well-prepared to either enter the workforce immediately after high school or continue their education.
“Our partnership with ACTC is invaluable,” said Scott Johnson, guidance counselor at Lawrence County High School. “The opportunities they offer Lawrence County High School students to obtain college credits across a range of pathways are extremely helpful in making high school meaningful to students. We have well over 50 students each term learning welding, electrical, industrial maintenance, nursing, and a host of other dual credit college courses. Those experiences would not be available without our relationship with ACTC.”
Lawrence County Superintendent, Katie Webb, agreed with Johnson.
“Ashland Community and Technical College has been a fantastic partner to Lawrence County Schools. They’ve opened up so many doors for our students through things like dual credit courses, certification programs, and scholarships,” she said. “ACTC has helped so many LC students get a real head start on their futures. We truly appreciate the relationship and look forward to growing it even more.”
ACTC also offers general education courses, allowing students to complete required courses at a fraction of the cost, and then continue their education at ACTC or a four-year university.
“For high school students who are not certain about attending college, dual credit is a wonderful opportunity to try college level work and gain confidence in meeting the challenge of it, said Vicki McGinnis, ACTC Dual Credit Coordinator. “Students should reach out to their guidance counselors to confirm the opportunities offered through ACTC at their high schools.”
For more information about dual credit opportunities at ACTC, visithttps://ashland.kctcs.edu/admissions/information-for/dual-credit.aspx
Written by: Megan Smedley, ACTC Assistant Director of Public Relations & Alumni Engagement
By Robert Dean
For Carter County Times
Before you read this, let’s take our political opinions and set them aside. Go put them in that kitchen drawer—you know the one. The one with the scissors, rubber bands, a couple of AA batteries, and your kid’s baseball cards from three years ago when he played third base for one season and was absolutely awful. (We won’t tell anyone.) I’ll wait.
Now that we’re all friends again, let’s talk about Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
Garcia is a Salvadoran national who’s lived in Maryland since 2019. He came through the front door with paperwork, followed the rules, and earned a court-issued “withholding of removal” status—basically a legal shield from deportation—because gangs back home threatened his life. He has never been charged or convicted of any crime in the U.S. or El Salvador. Cops in Maryland once stopped him because he was wearing a Chicago Bulls hoodie and a hat—someone said he looked like a gang member. But there was nothing to charge him with, and no court ever found him guilty of anything.
And yet in March 2025, ICE mistakenly deported him anyway. They called it an “administrative error.”
Let’s pause on that: a man who followed every rule is now locked up in a foreign country, because of a paperwork glitch.
Garcia now sits in El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), a prison described by former U.N. anti-torture official Miguel Sarre as a “concrete and steel pit” used to “dispose of people without formally applying the death penalty.” He’s not being held for a crime. He’s being held because we sent him there and won’t go get him.
The Supreme Court—unanimously—ruled that the U.S. must facilitate his return. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote, “The Government’s argument… implies that it could deport and incarcerate any person, including U.S. citizens, without legal consequence, so long as it does so before a court can intervene. That view refutes itself.”
And yet, Garcia is still there. Why?
Trump, whose administration deported him, says, “If the Supreme Court said bring somebody back, I would do that. I respect the Supreme Court.” But nothing’s happening. His team claims their hands are tied—that they can’t force El Salvador to release him. That it’s a foreign policy issue. That they’ve done what they can.
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele is playing the same game. He said, “How can I return him to the United States? I smuggle him into the United States? Of course, I’m not going to do it.” Then he doubled down: “I don’t have the power to return him to the United States.”
Really? Two presidents. Two allied nations. One man wrongly imprisoned. And no one can pick up the phone and make this right?
This is more than incompetence, it’s a cover-up. There are two possible reasons Kilmar Abrego Garcia hasn’t been brought home:
For my dollar, it’s probably the latter.
If they can do this to someone who followed every rule, what’s stopping them from doing it to you? What if you’re a natural-born citizen and someone in power decides you’re a problem? The government has already argued—out loud—that it can disappear people if it moves fast enough. That’s not how democracy works. That’s how authoritarian regimes function.
We have three branches of government. The president is not a king. The law is the law. The Supreme Court said bring him home. So, bring Kilmar Abrego Garcia home. If he tells the truth about that prison, so be it. That truth might be uncomfortable. It might be shameful. But covering it up is worse.
This isn’t even mafia tactics. This is corruption in plain sight.
Contact us at news@cartercountytimes.com
By Charles Romans
Carter County Times
Sports park manager Grant Harper gave what would be his final official report to the Grayson tourism commission during their meeting last week.
“Things are going great at the park,” Harper told the commission. “We’ve had four tournaments already, which is about a month ahead of schedule for what we have traditionally done. And because of all the rain, we have hosted some random high school sports.”
“We had Boyd County and Rowan County Softball,” Harper said. “And we have East Carter and Elliot Baseball and Lewis and Bath Softball next week.”
Harper said due to the situation, and as a show of support for local teams, the sports park did not charge those teams to use the park.
“It’s good exposure with people coming from out of town, many of them seeing the park for the first time,” he said.
“The tournaments have had a great turnout up to this point,” Harper continued. “Our first two softball tournaments for the year were packed, and I get messages constantly about when are we having the next one. And there was a good turnout for baseball even with the rain issues. Some of the teams came a good distance from around Louisville and Lexington.”
He also told the commission that he would be stepping down from the position he’s held since before the sports park opened.
“I have received and accepted a job offer,” Harper told the commission. “The first thing I want to do is to thank the commission for being so easy to work for and with. The second thing I’ll say is that this is a career and a family decision. It’s what’s best for me and my family, but I don’t want to just walk off and never look back. I still want to be involved and help with the transition.”
Harper will be starting his new position at Grayson Rural Electric on April 28.
“But I’m still here, and you know where to find me,” Harper said. “And I’ll help out any way I can.”
Grayson Tourism Director Lana Axtell reminded the tourism commission that the annual Easter Egg Hunt would be going on Saturday, April 19 at Prichard Elementary in Grayson and reported on the Spring Market which had been held the week previous. The inflatables were cancelled due to inclement weather, Axtell said, and that money was not spent on the event.
“It went pretty well,” Axtell said. “We had 53 kids show up for pictures with the Easter Bunny.” The event generated a lot of interest in the community, and local businesses donated over $150 toward the purchase of Easter eggs for the upcoming hunt. Axtell said that she is still taking donations for eggs if any individual or business would like to contact her and contribute to the popular event.
Axtell also told the commission that she had been in communication with local hotels who had indicated that they would like to be more involved with the community.
“They are interested in doing things like open houses, and taking all of us (the tourism commission) on a tour of their facilities to show their updates and that they are making things better,” she said.
Some of the things the hotels Axtell spoke with are interested in doing are things like offering discounts or free hotdogs to members of the traveling sports teams that frequent the Grayson Sports Park.
Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com
Luna is a female mixed-breed, around six-months-old. She’s very friendly, walks on a leash, and is good with other dogs. Luna’s $100 adoption fee 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 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Saturday by appointment.
By Charles Romans
Carter County Times
Jackson Walker and Connor Ward, representatives from Enterprise Rental, addressed the Grayson City Council at the regularly scheduled April meeting concerning the continuance of the city’s rental agreement as well as the possibility of expanding said agreement. Currently Grayson has an agreement with Enterprise for their police department vehicles, and is considering going to a lease versus purchase program for other city vehicles.
The value of a lease versus purchase of a vehicle, as presented by Enterprise, is that a schedule of maintenance is covered under the lease agreement, as well as a trade in agreement where the company will assist in the resell of each vehicle at the end of the lease term, ideally yielding more money for the city to apply against the new lease. Under a standard purchase of the vehicle, the city would only have factory warranties and any individual dealership warranties, and no assistance to resell the vehicle when needed.
Conventional wisdom might consider that by leasing, the city would always be making payments as opposed to an outright purchase agreement terminating at the end of each loan; and this rationale is accurate to a point. However, Grayson Police Chief Tony Cantrell agreed that most police cruisers need to be replaced by the end of a standard loan anyway and are out of warranty with increased maintenance issues.
The council also continued their discussion on the proposed changes to the ordinance which governs mobile homes in the city limits. The proposed change concerns the roof pitch of any new mobile homes being brought into the city, with the existing ordinance stating that the roof pitch must be 4/12. Newer single wide mobile homes are manufactured with a 3/12 pitch, and in order to accommodate the 4/12 pitch ordinance must be redesigned at a significant cost to the consumer.
Single wide mobile homes are zoned for city Zone R3, and existing homes there will not be affected. The change accommodating the new roof pitch (3/12) would only apply to that zone. There was also discussion about changing other points of the zoning ordinance that covered how an existing mobile home could be replaced.
Currently, if a mobile home is removed and the owner wishes to replace it, the replacement home was required to be the exact dimensions as the one removed. This could prove challenging in instances where a mobile home was built at a certain dimension decades previously, and those specific build dimensions are no longer offered by a manufacturer. The council decided that further research was needed on the subject of the mobile home ordinance, and no vote was taken at the meeting.
Another zoning discussion involved the need to address a building in severe disrepair that had become a hazard. Currently there is no clear deed of ownership, but there are heirs to the property, and city attorney Jason Greer told council he would look into the matter to determine if there was an attorney representing the estate. The city is not legally permitted to clean up the property, without first condemning the property, unless the owner of the property gives permission.
Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers (KY-05) invites middle and high school artists in Southern and Eastern Kentucky to compete in the 2025 Congressional Art Competition to represent Kentucky’s Fifth Congressional District on Capitol Hill. The winning artist from every congressional district is invited to Washington, DC for a Winner’s Celebration in June 2025 to see their artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building, representing their home region.
The winning artist from Kentucky’s Fifth Congressional District will receive two free airline tickets from Southwest Airlines to attend the national winner’s reception on Capitol Hill the summer. Congressman Rogers’ district offices will accept artwork entries from local high school students until Wednesday, April 30, 2025.
“The Congressional Art Competition gives our talented student artists the opportunity to be featured on a national platform,” said Congressman Rogers, Dean of the House. “The artwork is displayed for an entire year along one of the busiest routes to the Capitol Building for hundreds of thousands of visitors to see. It gives me great pride to see a piece of Eastern Kentucky here on Capitol Hill, especially when the artwork reflects our region.”
To participate in the competition, students must submit a photo of their original artwork, along with the required student release form, by emailing them to rogers.press@mail.house.gov.
Acceptable mediums include paintings, drawings, collages, prints, mixed media, computer-generated art and photographs. The artwork must be two-dimensional, cannot exceed 26″ x 26″ x 4″ and cannot weigh more than 15 pounds. The winning artwork must be framed by the artist within the required dimensions before being displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building.
Eligible students must attend middle or high school in Kentucky’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes the following 33 counties: Bath, Bell, Boyd, Breathitt, Carter, Clay, Elliott, Floyd, Harlan, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lincoln, Magoffin, Martin, McCreary, Menifee, Morgan, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Rowan, Wayne, Whitley and Wolfe counties.
For more information, contact the Somerset office at 606-679-8346 or email rogers.press@mail.house.gov.
Last year, Lydia Engle, a student from Corbin High School won the competition for Kentucky’s Fifth Congressional District with a creative portrait of her favorite teacher.
The Congressional Art Competition, sponsored by the Congressional Institute, was initiated by Congress in 1982 to provide an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of young people living in their districts. More than 10,000 works of student art have been displayed in the U.S. Capitol over the last four decades.
For more information about the Congressional Art Competition in Kentucky’s Fifth Congressional District, visit halrogers.house.gov/congressional-art-competition.
Click here to download the student release form.
Click here to download competition rules.
by Daryl Ashley
Confusion Solution
Hello everyone!
This week’s question is pretty specific, but the process can be applied to most storage related needs.
“I need to organize my small art studio. It measures 10’ x 10’ and I have an art desk and easel. What kind of storage and containers should I use to organize my art supplies, like brushes, paint tubes, pencils and pens, canvases and paper?”
This is a common problem when it comes to finding the most suitable containers even for home office supplies, school supplies, or even tools.
The first thing you want to do is determine the size of containers you will need. For instance, if you are looking for storage for brushes or pens, you will have to decide how you want them situated. Do you want them standing in an upright container or will they be more useful laying side by side? Consider the quantity of materials you have because you may need more than one container per item and whether your supplies need to be in containers with lids or will they be better open and more accessible. Next, think about where you want your supplies situated in your room. Will they be placed on a shelf or is there space for you to keep them at hand on a desk or in a drawer?
When shopping for items that have a specific need, do some research to find out how others in your particular situation have addressed similar issues. Look at stores, online or in your town, that sell art supplies. This will give you a good idea of the variety that’s available before you spend money on something that may not give you the most efficient use of space and accessibility.
Specialty shopping requires some thought and you may be looking at spending a little more. But once you decide on a type of container, shop around for alternatives that may save you money and provide the same result.
It’s as simple as that!
Send your questions and comments to me at info@confusionsolution.com
ASHLAND, Ky. – Ashland Community and Technical College (ACTC) is proud to announce this year’s ACTC Pathfinder Award winner is Bill Billman, counselor at East Carter High School.
The Pathfinder Award celebrates local high school teachers or counselors who support ACTC, assists students with identifying post-secondary pathways, and provides mentorship to their students.
“My partnership with ACTC is so wonderful,” Billman said. “We have built a program that has gone far beyond what I could have imagined for East Carter students. It’s a true partnership that’s immeasurable. That’s truly my legacy…connecting students with ACTC and for them to connect students to their future.”
Billman was a community and technical college student himself, and says he knows the benefits it can have for students and how it can launch their futures.
“Mr. Billman has been a promoter of ACTC for many years, and we appreciate the collaboration,” said Steve Woodburn, ACTC chief student affairs officer. “He has welcomed us to campus to assist students with each step of the enrollment funnel so they can feel confident in their choice to attend ACTC. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with Mr. Billman and feel he is extremely deserving of this award.”
Billman was one of many nominees for the award, but his recommendation from Olive Hill Elementary School counselor, Jussie Minor, showed just how valuable he is to his students and the impact he has made.
“The greatest asset that Mr. Billman has is his willingness to find the best answers for students,” said Minor. “He believes in the importance of career and technical education. When students are not sure what they want to do, he will begin to question the student to learn more about what they are interested in to help narrow their focus to their interests.”
ACTC is grateful to have so many supportive educational partners and individuals who truly believe in the value of education.
Dr. Corey Gee, East Carter High School principal, says that Billman is an East Carter legend for everything he has done for the school and students.
“It’s awesome anytime that someone from East Carter gets recognition for something, and it’s especially special that it’s Mr. Billman because of how much he does for our students.”
Each of the 16 KCTCS college’s local winners will be considered for a statewide Pathfinder of the Year award.
, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, passed away 
The Carter County Times is a weekly newspaper serving Carter County, Kentucky, since June 2020.
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