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Olive Hill Masonic Lodge #629 welcomed dignitaries

Olive Hill Masonic Lodge #629 welcomed dignitaries from lodges across Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, and Indiana for their annual Cave Degree inside Cascade Cave at Carter Caves State Resort Park. Food for the event, which began with a meal and ceremonies at the lodge before proceeding to the cave, was provided by the El Hasa Shrine Club’s Kool Kookers – one of the many groups within the Shrine Club helping raise funds for the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Three brothers from the Olive Hill Lodge were raised to the degree of Master Mason. (Photos by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)

Olive Hill Masonic Lodge #629 welcomed dignitaries from lodges across Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, and Indiana for their annual Cave Degree inside Cascade Cave at Carter Caves State Resort Park. Food for the event, which began with a meal and ceremonies at the lodge before proceeding to the cave, was provided by the El Hasa Shrine Club’s Kool Kookers – one of the many groups within the Shrine Club helping raise funds for the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Three brothers from the Olive Hill Lodge were raised to the degree of Master Mason. (Photos by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)

  • Olive Hill Masonic Lodge #629 welcomed dignitaries from lodges across Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, and Indiana for their annual Cave Degree inside Cascade Cave at Carter Caves State Resort Park. Food for the event, which began with a meal and ceremonies at the lodge before proceeding to the cave, was provided by the El Hasa Shrine Club’s Kool Kookers – one of the many groups within the Shrine Club helping raise funds for the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Three brothers from the Olive Hill Lodge were raised to the degree of Master Mason. (Photos by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)
  • Olive Hill Masonic Lodge #629 welcomed dignitaries from lodges across Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, and Indiana for their annual Cave Degree inside Cascade Cave at Carter Caves State Resort Park. Food for the event, which began with a meal and ceremonies at the lodge before proceeding to the cave, was provided by the El Hasa Shrine Club’s Kool Kookers – one of the many groups within the Shrine Club helping raise funds for the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Three brothers from the Olive Hill Lodge were raised to the degree of Master Mason. (Photos by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)
  • Olive Hill Masonic Lodge #629 welcomed dignitaries from lodges across Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, and Indiana for their annual Cave Degree inside Cascade Cave at Carter Caves State Resort Park. Food for the event, which began with a meal and ceremonies at the lodge before proceeding to the cave, was provided by the El Hasa Shrine Club’s Kool Kookers – one of the many groups within the Shrine Club helping raise funds for the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Three brothers from the Olive Hill Lodge were raised to the degree of Master Mason. (Photos by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)
  • Olive Hill Masonic Lodge #629 welcomed dignitaries from lodges across Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, and Indiana for their annual Cave Degree inside Cascade Cave at Carter Caves State Resort Park. Food for the event, which began with a meal and ceremonies at the lodge before proceeding to the cave, was provided by the El Hasa Shrine Club’s Kool Kookers – one of the many groups within the Shrine Club helping raise funds for the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Three brothers from the Olive Hill Lodge were raised to the degree of Master Mason. (Photos by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)

Letter to the Editor: Olive Hill Historical Society changes name

light man coffee cup
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Dear Times:

I’m excited to announce that the Olive Hill Historical Society has officially changed its name – we are now the Olive Hill Center for Arts & Heritage (OHCAH). Why the change? Well, our mission has been, from the very beginning, to bring arts and heritage experiences to our community, and while history & heritage programming has been a part of our activities, well over half of our programming has been in the area of the arts. So, first and foremost, we wanted our organization’s name to reflect that. 

Additionally, the name “Olive Hill Historical Society” has unfortunately been confused with the Olive Hill Board of Architectural Review, a city government entity which was tasked with overseeing the changes to and/or design of exteriors of buildings within the city’s “historic overlay.” We have never been a part of that group – the only property under our purview is the property we actually own at Comet Drive! (We’ve been the subject of other absurd “urban myths” as well – but that’s another story!)

As ever, it is our privilege to continue bringing good things to our community in the areas of arts and heritage events, activities, and programming. This past year has been a time of expansion for us, and we hope everyone will be tuned in to see developments. Visitors have remarked that it is a great (and unique) blessing for a town our size to have an arts and heritage center – we feel the same way and are grateful for the support we have received and the participation of folks in our community and beyond! Find us on Facebook and at www.ohcah.org. 

Sincerely

Debbie Baker Harman, OHCAH Vice-President

AS WE SEE IT: Recognition where it’s due

person writing on brown printer paper
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One of the things I’ve toyed with doing since we started the paper is some sort of reoccurring series to recognize contributions to our communities and the people who call them home. It’s something that the old newspaper used to do, and I saw the value in it even then. 

One thing I didn’t want to do, though, was to make it a regular weekly – or even a monthly – feature. 

There were a couple of reasons for that. Firstly, I feel it reduces the act from a sincere and heartfelt celebration of community service to a chore; something you’ve got to do because it’s a Monday. It would cheapen, in my mind, any recognition I might give someone. 

The second reason is less idealistic and more practical. We’ve already got a lot on our plates. Giving myself another reoccurring assignment, and making my wife set aside another chunk of space she doesn’t have the flexibility to pull, is the last thing I want to do.

All that said, there are times I hear things that aren’t necessarily news stories, but are definitely worth mentioning to the community. Often I hear them in relation to news stories, and though they aren’t something I plan to use, I file them away in the mental file cabinet. (It’s a writer thing.)

One of those ancillary stories to arise during research for a recent piece was related to a deputy with the Carter County Sheriff’s Office. Though the person I interviewed couldn’t recall the name of the deputy they dealt with, their physical description left little doubt in my mind they were speaking of Jeff McMonigal. 

When I suggested the name their eyes lit up with recognition, and continuing their story they began to break down in tears as they described the sympathy, support, and professionalism that Deputy McMonigal exhibited during what was among the most traumatic experiences of their life. 

This wasn’t the first time I’d heard good things about Deputy McMonigal and – oddly enough – it wouldn’t be long after having that story shared with me before I’d hear another story, from another family, who echoed the sentiment. 

All of them said that McMonigal did his job. He asked the questions he needed to ask. He secured what he needed to secure. He did the job he needed to do. But in every instance he reportedly did his utmost to respect the heartbreak of the families or victims involved. He gave them space to grieve if necessary. 

He listened, these families told me, to what they needed to say, not just what he needed to hear from them. 

It might seem like a small thing. And really, it is. But small things can have an outsized impact. And we’d like to salute Deputy Jeff McMonigal for recognizing that. 

Thanks, Mongo. Your community appreciates you. 

Buck Road neighbors continue feud

Carter County fiscal court hears prepared statements from Corey and Jamie Rodkey. (Photo by Charles Romans, Carter County Times)

By Charles Romans

Carter County Times

The Carter County fiscal court convened a hearing to discuss the removal of Buck Road (CR 1617H, length 0.11 miles) from county maintenance last Wednesday (October 30, 2024). During the hearing landowners of property along the road in question were allowed three to five minutes to express their opinions on whether or not the road should be removed. The first resident to address the court was Jamie Lou Rodkey, who began by reading a statement from her husband who she said was not allowed to be at the meeting.

“My name is Corey Rodkey, and my wife and I adamantly oppose the removal of Buck Road from the county road maintenance schedule,” Rodkey read from her husband’s statement. 

The statement addressed the fact that the Rodkeys paid taxes and that they deserved to have good road conditions when they called emergency services. 

“Our neighbor, however, is of the opinion that Buck Road should be dissolved because she does not like the shape or path of the road, including its turnaround, which she herself has blocked with green fence stakes, tree limbs, and yard waste,” Rodkey noted.

“Those reasons are not enough to risk our health, safety, and welfare for ourselves, extended family, and loved ones,” the statement continued. “We have health issues and deserve to have snow cleared and potholes fixed so that we can get to a hospital if necessary.”

The statement went on to say that Corey Rodkey had been present at the August fiscal court meeting and voiced the opinion of himself and his wife. 

“But in the October meeting our neighbor gave a ten-minute rant which was full of lies, full of slander, and was not on topic at all about the removing of Buck Road from the county maintenance schedule,” Rodkey’s statement read.

In the statement, Rodkey also quoted comments on ordinances from the September fiscal court meeting listing the requirements per ordinance that any county road that dead ends must have a turnaround. Rodkey’s statement proposed ‘in the spirit of cooperation’ an alternative solution of having the turnaround be set at the end of the Rodkey’s lower driveway. The Rodkeys stated that it was already being used as such, with half on their property and half on the neighbor’s property. The statement asked the court to clearly mark and maintain that turnaround for the good of all neighbors.

“I don’t like bullies either,” the statement continued. “We’re not the bullies. We are the ones being bullied. We have reviewed both the September and October videos of these meetings and can’t go ten words at a time without our neighbor identifying another lie. Whoever lies best should not be allowed to win any argument. We however have come armed with truth on every one of the lies stated, if we be given the same platform and red carpet or audience that she enjoyed.”

In that vein, the statement accused Cynthia Anderson, after her return from Florida in late July of 2024, of habitually calling law enforcement at least ten times, blaming the Rodkey’s for, “all her problems.” 

According to the statement, all law enforcement reports were deemed unsubstantiated. The same statement included the Rodkey’s belief that they were being bullied by law enforcement on the neighbor’s behalf. 

“She has spread her lies to so many law enforcement entities that when we call for legitimate complaints, with which we try to show evidence, we get denied service,” the statement said. “We don’t get to file reports on harassment, stalking, and voyeurism, as evidenced by the October 14 meeting video.”

In his read statement, Rodkey accused the fiscal court of giving Anderson a platform to dispense lies and slander that had nothing to do with the removal of the road issue. The statement also accused the Carter County Times of abuse and slander on behalf of the Andersons. 

“Yes, she has taken me to court on trumped up charges,” the statement read, accusing Anderson of attempting to win her case in the court of public opinion. The statement then reiterated the position that the Rodkeys were not the bullies, but rather those being bullied. 

“Ms. Anderson saw that she had an audience October 14 that included community leaders, the county sheriff, county prosecutor, and local newspaper reporter and took opportunity to spew her venom. But that does not make anything she said during the October meeting true,” Rodkey’s statement explained. 

The statement directly accused both Anderson and the reporter from the Carter County Times of slander, libel, and defamation of character. The statement continued, denying accusations of assault or harassment on the part of either Rodkey. It also demanded an apology from both the Andersons and the Carter County Times.

Following this reading, Jamie Lou Rodkey read from her own prepared statement. In that statement Rodkey offered pictures and videos she said disproved the accusations from her neighbor. Her statement also included accusations of slander by the fiscal court and the Carter County Times, and calling the court hypocritical for opening the meeting with prayer and allowing “slander.”

The reading of statements from both of the Rodkeys exceeded the three to five minutes allowed by the court, coming in at more than 20 minutes in total length, and Rodkey was reminded multiple times that she was exceeding her allotted time. After continuing to speak over multiple admonitions that she had exceeded her limit of speaking time, Rodkey became insulting to the court and the newspaper reporter, began using profanities, and was ejected from the meeting.

(Editor’s note: Our original story on the Buck Road dispute did not identify either Corey Rodkey or Jamie Rodkey by name, and only reported on the statements made by Cynthia Anderson during an open public meeting. Our reporter has further stated that his efforts to offer the Rodkeys a chance to respond were also rejected.)
Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com

Joyful Noise

pink pencil on open bible page and pink
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By Pastor Naomi Mitchell

Carter County Times

There are a whole lot of untruths flooding the airways today. They are pouring out from every outlet in social media to an extent that it is frightening. Many people are gullible and will believe anything they hear. If you are confused and you don’t know who and what to believe, then I have good news for you! 

In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Truth means that which is true, pure from all error or falsehood. I want to know the truth like that. A word or promise you can depend on. 

Deuteronomy 32:4 states that, “He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are judgment; a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He.” This is powerful. Proverbs 12:19 says, “The lips of truth shall be established for ever; but a lying tongue is but for a moment.” In Jeremiah 4:2 it says, “And thou shalt swear, the Lord liveth, in truth, in judgment and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in Him, and in Him shall they glory.” 

The United States of America needs to experience this revelation and start glorifying the Lord. John 1:14 reads, “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth.” Romans 1:18 says, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.” 

This truth from God’s Word is telling us plainly that GOD CAN NOT LIE as stated in Numbers 23:19 that, “God is not man, that He should lie, nor the son of man, that He should change his mind. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not fulfill it?” Titus 1:2 tells us that, “In hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began.” 

No matter what you are facing and can’t seem to get it together the scriptures tell us that even when we are faithless, he remains faithful for he cannot deny himself (2 Timothy 2:13). Why? Because He is TRUTH and cannot lie. 

John 8:44 is very plain about who is not telling the “truth.” It says, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Lies have a father. That father’s name is ‘devil’.” 

Romans 3:4 boldly tells us, “By no means! Let God be true though everyone were a liar, as it is written, that you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.” Which is summed up in Psalm 119:160, “The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.” Praise God! You can depend on His WORD and His PROMISES. They do not fail for Jesus is the Truth. 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: 10 a.m. Sunday and 6:30p.m. Thursdays. Radio Broadcast: WJSN 97.3 FM & WEKG 81.0 AM Sundays 1-2pm. 

Weekly Arrests: 11/6/24

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. 

  • Kalo Price, 41, of Grayson, arrested by Kentucky State Police, on charges of theft of identity of another without consent, third degree fleeing or evading police, possession of drug paraphernalia, first degree possession of a controlled substance (heroin) second offense, contempt of court – libel/slander – resistance to order, non-payment of court costs, fees, or fines, and failure to appear, arrested and booked October 29.
  • Nathan Boatman, 44, of Morehead, arrested by Kentucky State Police, for failure to appear, arrested and booked October 30. 
  • Victoria Willis, 56, of Grayson, arrested by Kentucky State Police, on charges of first degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), arrested and booked October 30.
  • Jeffery Willis, 55, of Granville, OH, arrested by Kentucky State Police, on a charge of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of a controlled substance, arrested and booked October 31. 
  • Chadwick Hall, 40, of Bellefonte, arrested by Kentucky State Police, on a charge of first degree criminal abuse of a child 12 or under, first degree criminal abuse, and two counts of failure to appear, arrested and booked November 2. 

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.

Knights break records against St. Andrews

Submitted photo

rayson, KY – The Knights picked up their second win of the season in spectacular fashion. KCU scored 85 points on St. Andrews breaking a school record of most points scored in a single game. Jett Engle decided to get in on the action and break another school record of most passing touchdowns in a single game with 7.

The Knights had 414 yards of total offense, 320 passing yards, and 94 yards of rushing. KCU led at the half 59-26, breaking the school record for most points scored in a game already which was set at 50. 

 Inside the Stats

  • Jett Engle was 22-31 with 307 yards and 7 touchdown passes.
  • Dejon Winburn had 4 receptions for 58 yards and 2 touchdowns. 
  • Josiah Price had 5 total tackles with 1.5 tackles for a loss of 5 yards, and 1 interception returned for a 35 yard touchdown, and 1 breakup. 
  • Hunter Pendleton had 4 total tackles with 2.5 tackles for a loss of 8 yards, and 1 fumble returned for a 40 yard touchdown.

 Next Time Out

  • The Knights will be on the road next Saturdayagainst Reinhardt. 

Trump takes Carter County

Carter County Clerk Mike Johnston greets poll workers returning ballots on election night. (Photo by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)
Carter County Clerk Mike Johnston greets poll workers returning ballots on election night. (Photo by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)

By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times

Based on available results at press time Carter County voters overwhelmingly cast their ballots for Donald Trump in this year’s federal election. Trump received 8,981 votes to Harris 2,305. Following behind the major party candidates, Jill Stein on the Kentucky Party ticket (Stein runs as a Green Party candidate in other states) received 22 votes, Libertarian candidate Chase Oliver received 24, while Independent candidates Robert Kennedy Jr. took 81 vote and Shiva Ayyadurai 4.

In non-partisan races Michael Sammons was elected to the Carter County School Board in the first district with 43 percent of the vote and 744 votes. Rachel Fankell received 692 votes and Melissa Carter 302 votes. In the third district the new board member will be Brooke Holley with 992 votes to opponent Michael Burnett’s 792. In the fourth district Patrick Ferry ran unopposed, receiving 1,129 votes.

In the race for Grayson City Council, new council members Tersa Griffith and Willis Johnson will join incumbents Jennifer McGlone, Bradley Cotten, Sudy Walker, and Dustin Burchett. Former interim council member Johnson received 434 votes. Incumbent council member Terry Stamper took 419 votes, McGlone 509, Cotten 590, Walker 450, Michael Harper 420 and Burchett 560. Newcomer Jason Davis took 366, and Griffith took 430.

Over in the Olive Hill Council race Chris Bledsoe took 361 votes, Shannon Leadingham 310, Kirk Wilburn 342, Eric Rayburn 326, and Shane Tackett 319. Write-in candidate Tony Williams received 131 votes, and will be joining the incumbents on council, while Harry Justice received 25 write-in votes.

On constitutional amendment one, which would prohibit non-citizens from voting in any election in the Commonwealth (non-citizens are already prohibited from voting in federal elections), Carter County voted yes, 6,628 for to 3,637 against.

On constitutional amendment two, which would allow the general assembly to funnel public school funds to private schools, Carter County voters chose no, with 7,220 against and 3,570 for.

On the local question of whether Carter County would allow the sale of medical cannabis at licensed dispensaries, as well as the operation of other cannabis businesses in the county, voters said yes, voting 6,856 to 3,850 in favor of the measure.

In unopposed races Republican Thomas Massie received 1,271 votes in the fourth congressional district. Republican Hal Rogers took 7,929 votes in the fifth congressional district. Republican Patrick Flannery received 9,258 votes in the 96th representative district. Democrat Brandon Ison took 6,348 votes for Commonwealth’s Attorney in the 37th judicial circuit. Larry Thompson received 7,618 votes for circuit clerk.

Herbie Suttles, with 3,736 votes, John Buck with 4,569 votes, and Will Davis with 4,054 votes were elected as soil and water conservation district supervisors. They’ll be joined by write-in candidate Brandon LaVoie, with 9 votes.  

Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com

Shoring up the banks

Brandon Burton (Photo by Jeremy Wells, Carter County Times)

By Charles Romans

Carter County Times

The Carter County fiscal court held a special session last Wednesday to conduct regular business and discuss pressing issues with erosion along Wright’s Branch. Other items on the agenda included the clerk’s quarterly report, claims, transfers, and discussion of Wright’s Branch.

The meeting opened with the clerk presenting the quarterly report to the court, and the court voting unanimously to accept the report as presented. The court also voted unanimously to accept the claims as presented. There were no transfers that needed to be approved during the special session. The court then opened discussion on Wright’s Branch.

“We had put a bridge in on Pennington Road,” Judge Executive Brandon Burton told the court. But, he continued, “the water that is coming through Wright’s Branch Creek is eroding into Gary Jackson’s property.”.

“We have put rock in there, which is what state inspectors wanted us to do,” Burton said, explaining the issue. “But Gary says that is still trying to slip out. He’s wanting us to go probably a hundred feet, strengthen that rock and wall, and probably add some more rock.” 

Burton said that he and road department head Jason Carroll have looked at the area, and the approximate cost for the project would be around $3,000.

“It is off county right of way,” Burton told the court. “Our bridge is turning (the water), water is flowing into that, and flooding could cause some damage, so I see his concerns.”

“If its doing damage, we need to fix it,” Magistrate Harley Rayburn told the court. 

His sentiments were echoed by Magistrate Millard Cordle.

“The way the bridge is turned and the way the creek flows, it is causing some slippage there,” Burton confirmed. “But I want the court’s approval to be able to fix that. Contractors will be $130 per hour, at about eight hours.” 

He said that the county would have to hire contractors to do the job, because it’s beyond the limits of the county’s equipment to address. 

“We could do it,” Burton explained, noting the county crew has the expertise. “But we can’t lace the rock because we can’t get out on it.” 

The limit, Burton said, is due to the county excavator not having the necessary reach to do the repairs properly.

After confirming contractor costs and the fact that the county would be furnishing the rock for the repair project, magistrate Cordle said that he believed the price was fair if the rest of the court agreed. Cordle made the motion to approve the repairs, seconded by Rayburn, and unanimously approved by the court. 

There was no executive session required at the special meeting. Minutes of the meeting were read and approved unanimously.
Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com

Tolliver attorney moves to suppress evidence

Johnny Tolliver (submitted photo)

By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times

Attorney for Johnny Tolliver, Robert Miller contends that an interview with his client conducted by detectives with the Kentucky State Police (KSP) should be inadmissible as evidence because the detectives ignored Tolliver’s clear request for an attorney. The detectives, however, state that they gave Tolliver several opportunities to unequivocally invoke his right to an attorney – including reading him his Miranda Rights – after explaining to him that they were there to discuss a new set of allegations. 

In recordings played in court last Friday, Tolliver, who was already incarcerated on a charge of second degree assault, can be heard entering an administrative room where KSP detectives David Foreman and Josh Lawson are waiting for him, before stating he should probably have his attorney present. Foreman can then be heard telling him that he has the right to have his attorney present, but that before that he wanted Tolliver to be aware that he was not present to discuss the assault case he was incarcerated for, but a new case. 

Foreman testified that he felt Tolliver’s initial invocation was a reflexive action because he, “knew he (Tolliver) was familiar with the criminal justice system.” He said he also felt Tolliver might be invoking an attorney he had retained or been assigned to in that case, rather than any attorney that might be retained or assigned for the new case. 

Foreman also said that Tolliver acknowledged and waived his Miranda Rights – a statement which drew visible protestation, in the form of an aggressive head shake of “no” from Tolliver. 

When questioned by Miller, Foreman didn’t deny that one of the first things Tolliver did was ask for an attorney. However, he said that the tape needed to be listened to in its entirety and in context to recognize that Tolliver was given further opportunities to invoke his rights before discussing the new allegations against him. This was a point Judge Rebecca Phillips seemed to agree with, indicating that she would need to listen to the full tape before rendering judgement on the suppression of the interview. Commonwealth attorney Brandon Ison made a motion, enjoined by Miller, to introduce the entire recording into evidence. 

Foreman also acknowledged that at one point in the interview he told Tolliver that the evidence they had against him was, “so overwhelming, it won’t matter if you decide to speak to us or not.” But he said he didn’t think he asked Tolliver any questions relating to the allegations until after reading him his rights, “because I wanted this to be totally legal,” noting that his intent was not “to be coercive” but to inform Tolliver of the charges against him. 

Those charges – which include 16 counts of use of a minor under 16 in a sexual performance, 16 counts of possessing or viewing matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor, 13 counts of first degree sexual abuse of a victim under 12 years of age, and one count of first degree sexual abuse – were based on evidence found on a cell phone belonging to Tolliver. 

Miller next questioned Sgt. Lawson regarding evidence from the search of the phone, which he was also seeking to suppress. Miller asked Lawson if he had looked at any of the photos or video evidence on the phone prior to obtaining a search warrant, and the former detective testified that he had not. As Lawson explained it, at some point after Tolliver was jailed on assault charges two other uniformed KSP officers were called to a residence where Tolliver’s then girlfriend lived. She showed at least one of the reporting officers some of the disturbing images she’d found on Tolliver’s phone before surrendering it to the officers. Lawson said they placed the phone in evidence, filed the required reports, and that he did not view it until after they had obtained a search warrant. 

Those two officers, Hartsell and Sparks, had not been subpoenaed for the suppression hearing and so were not able to testify directly, and Lawson said he was not aware if they had viewed the images beyond what Tolliver’s girlfriend showed Officer Sparks before he asked if she would be willing to surrender the phone. Lawson’s testimony indicated that the phone did contain images of children being exploited. Miller also asked if Lawson believed those were actual images of exploitation, and not “dramatic” or staged images, and Lawson said the photos appeared to depict actual acts. 

Miller had also subpoenaed the mother of one of the victims in this case, but failed to call her to testify after hearing Lawson’s testimony about custody of the phone. This action drew a brief admonition from Judge Phillips, who warned Miller that excluding the mother from the proceedings, on grounds that she might testify as a witness, and then failing to call her put the court at risk of violating the victim’s rights under Marsy’s Law. Kentucky’s victims’ rights legislation guarantees victims certain constitutional rights, including timely notice of any proceedings, and the opportunity to be present at and heard in all such proceedings, amongst other rights. 

The judge didn’t make any rulings on the requests for suppression at the time of the hearing. 

In other action in Phillips’ courtroom on Friday, Kimberly Blevins was sentenced on charges of third degree sodomy and first degree sexual abuse. Blevins had previously entered an Alford plea of guilty to a single count of each charge, with the Commonwealth dismissing a second sodomy charge and three other counts of sexual abuse. She was sentenced to five years of conditional discharge, under the supervision of a probation officer, and ordered to undergo sex offender treatment. In addition, she will be required to have her name recorded on the sexual offender registry for the rest of her lifetime. She was ordered to surrender herself at the detention center by November 18, and advised not to try to remove her ankle monitor device herself, but to wait for law enforcement to do so. If she reoffends or violates any terms of her agreement within the five year period of her probation she will have to serve the full remainder of her sentence. She was also ordered to have no contact with the victim or his family. 

“Remember,” Phillips advised her before dismissing Blevins, “the registration obligation is forever.”

Phillips also accepted a change of plea from Anthony Garvin, who was sentenced to a total of eight years on numerous trafficking charges. Garvin was sentenced to six months on a charge of trafficking in less than eight ounces of marijuana, and eight years each on three other cases of trafficking in heroin. The eight years sentenced in the other cases will all run concurrently, as will the six months, for a total sentence of eight years. Garvin must serve at least four years of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole. 

James Wolfe also entered a change of plea on his trafficking and organized crime charges, with his charge of trafficking in methamphetamine reduced to possession – which carries a penalty of one to three years – and charges of engaging in an organized criminal syndicate dismissed. Wolfe will remain in custody until a bed is available in a treatment program. 
Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com

School board discusses attendance

Kindergarten Teacher Nicole Flaugher with Abel Simmons and John Flaugher. (Photo by Charles Romans, Carter County Times)

By Charles Romans

Carter County Times

Attendance is important to student success. That’s the message the Carter County Board of Education heard when they met for their regularly scheduled meeting on October 21. The meeting was held at Heritage Elementary School in Hitchins, where fourth grade teacher Cailyn Albright addressed the board on the subject of attendance. Albright discussed both the challenges and methods to improve such.

“Our main goal for attendance has always been not to punish students for not coming to school,” Albright told the board. “Especially in elementary school, it’s not always the student’s fault and we realize that. But we also realize that it is important to give incentives to students to come to school and to reward those who do. Because school is supposed to be fun.”

Albright told the board that Heritage was extremely proud of the fact that last month their attendance had raised to 95.57 percent average attendance. 

“We actually led the district last month in attendance,” Albright told the Board. “And we also had 148 kids that had perfect attendance.” 

Albright said those students were entered into a drawing to receive gift cards from Poppa John’s Pizza.

She said that in order to reach the 95.57 attendance rate there were school wide incentives. One such incentive was a friendly competition with Prichard Elementary for best attendance, with the principal of the losing school agreeing to serve lunch at the other school. Albright said Heritage won the competition, and the principal of Prichard graciously ‘paid off’ the friendly wager. Also included in the incentives was a competition between the grades at Heritage, with the winner earning extra recess.

Fourth grade teacher Holly Jones also addressed the board and gave further information on what the school was doing to engage their students and improve attendance. 

“Some of the things we did during the month of September to encourage attendance were Hat Day, Pajama Day, and other fun days,” Jones said. 

“As a classroom,” Jones continued, “every day there is perfect attendance we earn stickers. All those charts are hanging in the cafeteria, so every day they can check them and see how close they are to earning rewards. And we give rewards for every fifteen days there is perfect attendance.”

Both Albright and Jones emphasized the importance of attendance and engagement, and that every single day a student is in class is another opportunity for that student to learn. Engagement is also a crucial component of a child’s education because the more engaged a child is, the more they are able to learn. 

As part of that engagement, Heritage encourages the students themselves to share what they believe motivates them. Jones shared a video with the board of various students telling what motivated them. Among the reasons shared were personal satisfaction, extra recess and other prizes, and lunch.

Another motivation for the students, from the students themselves, was family nights at the school. Three Heritage students, John Flaugher, Abel Simmons, and Sophia Villasenor, addressed the board themselves during the meeting and spoke about playing games, crafts, and other benefits of the family nights.

Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com 

Kindergarten Teacher Nicole Flaugher with Abel Simmons and John Flaugher. (Photo by Charles Romans, Carter County Times)

AS WE SEE IT: Happy Halloween

a girl wearing broken doll costume
Photo by Skyler Ewing on Pexels.com

When I was a kid growing up in the 1980s, one of the things we always looked forward to each fall was crossing the river to Portsmouth and visiting the Jaycee’s Haunted House. As a kid I didn’t understand the role of the Jaycees or the Chamber of Commerce. I didn’t appreciate that, by crossing that river, coming from out of state, visiting the attraction, and stopping to pick up footers and ice cream from the little dairy bar on Second Street, we were helping them achieve their mission of promoting local businesses. I might have vaguely known there was some kind of charitable fundraising involved with the haunted house itself – hosted inside an empty warehouse near the railroad tracks on Portsmouth’s east end. But I didn’t care about any of that. 

What I cared about was being scared, but not looking like too much of a chicken in front of my older cousin and his much cooler friends. 

What I cared about was having fun. And the Jaycees provided it. 

Now, as far as I know, Portsmouth doesn’t even have a Jaycees associated with their Chamber anymore. And unless they’ve brought it back recently (and I’m just out of the loop) they definitely don’t host a haunted house. 

But for those of us of a certain age, from those communities adjacent to the Ohio River, the group will forever be associated with the Halloween holiday. 

Halloween is no less popular today than it was when I was a kid. Probably more so, to be honest.

Fans of the holiday, and spooky things in general, keep the Halloween spirit alive all year long. 

Events like FearFest draw fans of the macabre from not just across the river, but from across the country and beyond to visit, eat, shop, and enjoy their stay in Kentucky.

It’s something that Carter Caves used to do as well, with their Haunted Trail – an institution that will probably someday evoke the same nostalgia in certain segments of Gen Z that the Jaycees Haunted House does in my Gen X cohorts today. 

The closure of the Haunted Trail, coinciding as it did with the covid-19 pandemic and tightening requirements on social distancing, was understandable. Combine the pandemic restrictions with the work that goes into organizing such an event, even in a good year, and keeping the whole thing fresh and compelling season after season, and I could see how it might even have been a relief to organizers to finally let it go and take a break. 

But the community lost more than just a fun activity with the suspension of the haunted attraction 

Carter Caves lost an important opportunity to market the park, bringing folks out for the fun and frights, for sure. But then bringing them back again to enjoy the fall foliage during the day time. Or the wildflowers and greenery come the following spring. 

The community also lost a great source of fundraising and food donations to combat childhood hunger. 

Then there are the restaurants and gas stations and convenience stores across the county who lost resources from visitors who used to stop and purchase fuel or food or caffeinated beverages for the drive back home.

I’m not sure of the exact numbers (though I am sure that Carter County Tourism has the figures available somewhere), but if I recollect properly the number of visitors the Haunted Trail drew from communities outside Carter County wasn’t insignificant.

By every possible measure, the Haunted Trail was a positive event for the county’s people and its business community – the kind of thing people looked forward to all year long. 

If it truly is gone, never to return to Carter Caves, we understand. It’s a lot of work, and a lot to ask anyone to take on.  

But we also can’t help but cross our fingers and hope that, if Carter Caves is out of the haunted attraction business, perhaps some other organization can step into the void, organize an amazing fundraiser, and bring visitors back to Carter County; to build the kind of Fall holiday memories that will last today’s children for a lifetime too. 

Inside and Outside

woman silhouette in darkness
Photo by Oskar Smethurst on Pexels.com

By Charles Romans

Carter County Times

I have been going to different pop culture conventions for over a decade, and I have never been disappointed. This is honestly surprising to me because I never even went to many concerts growing up. Maybe the appeal is because you can see celebrities from your favorite movies and television shows, or maybe it’s because there are so many vendors selling both the new and latest things while also offering ‘throwbacks’ to a different time in your life. Or maybe it’s the people who, just like you, are trying to have a good time.

Then again, maybe it’s all of those things. And more. Yeah, that’s it. There are too many moving parts to those things to pick out any one aspect as the defining ‘what I like’ about pop culture conventions after all. And I have been incredibly fortunate to have seen, at least to a degree, most of those parts.

When I first started going to these conventions it was simply so my daughter could get a picture with Matt Smith from the BBC Television series Doctor Who. But from the beginning I enjoyed the ambience of it all, or the ‘vibe’ so to speak. It was a complete and pleasant shock to me, for instance, to see thousands of people shoved into a limited space with everyone wanting something and no one being rude.

I actually had a Dalek (one of the metallic shelled bad guys from Doctor Who) roll up behind me and in a robotic voice apologize for bumping into me. If you’ve ever seen the show, you can appreciate the irony – Daleks are short on manners and long on ‘exterminating.’ Of course, this particular Dalek had been constructed by a very creative and talented fan of the show because he really wanted to take part in all of the wonderful chaos these things generate. And he wasn’t the only one.

Conventions are definitely a place where people can go ‘all in.’ And it doesn’t matter what type of convention it is. People dress up as movie and television characters, dress their kids up, and even family pets. I once saw a family of ‘Deadpools’ (from Marvel Comics and the movies) with momma and papa Deadpool pushing a baby Deadpool in a stroller, all with a chihuahua Deadpool in tow. And from all indications – including people stopping them to take pictures – everyone was having a good time. Which is what it’s all about after all.

Like I said, I have been doing this for a long time from all different angles. I have been an attendee, just buying my ticket like everyone else and enjoying it from the floor. I have been media, interviewing celebrities and attendees alike. I even went to a couple and set up a booth as a vendor. And there have been several times that I have spoken in the seminars conventions are known for. But this year I truly went behind the scenes, in the belly of the beast, so to speak.

This year I volunteered at ScareFest in Lexington.

The ScareFest Weekend is one of the largest Horror Conventions in the United States. It celebrates everything in the horror genre of entertainment from movies and television to video games and other media. They do a great job bringing in celebrities and celebrity reunions, where they will bring in most if not all of the main cast of those shows and offer Q&A panels and photo ops, so fans get to meet their favorite celebrities. They also bring in popular paranormal celebrities from television and other media.

And I got to be a (mostly invisible) part of all that.

It was exhausting, exasperating, and incredibly fun. There was a lot of checking the big screen televisions set up all over Central Bank Center that ran a looped feed of panel and photo times to make sure they were working. The escalator became my constant companion as I went up and down the different levels to check other audio and video equipment. And I never would have thought in a million years when I first saw the movies that I would be escorting the monsters from the Hellraiser movie franchise up and down that same escalator. Ironically, we passed someone dressed as Pin Head going up the escalator as we were going down. Really, you can’t make this up.

It was a lot of work, because it takes a lot of work behind the scenes to make sure that attendees never see how much work it takes, so they can just focus on having a great time. But it was also a lot of fun because seeing how the trick is done doesn’t really spoil the trick. Honestly, it just makes the trick more impressive if for no other reason than you see just how much can go wrong and doesn’t. Or gets fixed before most people even notice. I definitely recommend the experience.

But you know, I guess I am as big a fan as anyone else. This year when my wife and I found out that David Naughton (the lead from American Werewolf in London) was going to be at ScareFest, I thought it would be a great idea to dress up as a werewolf and give him a Dr. Pepper. In case you don’t remember or didn’t know, Naughton was also the guy singing ‘I’m a Pepper’ in one of the first Dr. Pepper commercials. (Don’t ask why I already owned a werewolf costume.)

Well, it worked out great. Naughton was a good sport about it and even took pictures with me. I got his autograph, and we talked a lot about werewolves and soft drinks. I also got to discuss why the original Fright Night movie was terrifying with the director and some of the cast and got to hear the experiences of multiple people who have played Leatherface in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Good times; and surprisingly not terrifying at all.

Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com 

Weekly Arrests: 10/30/24

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. 

  • Billy Jordan, 42, of Grayson, arrested by Carter County Sheriff, on charges of first degree possession of a controlled substance (fentanyl), first degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), prescription not held in proper container, possession of drug paraphernalia, and two counts of failure to appear, arrested and booked October 21.
  • Luis Tavera, 25, of Gallipolis, OH, arrested by Kentucky State Police, on charges of speeding 5 MPH over limit, reckless driving, following another vehicle too closely, operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, failure to produce an insurance card, no registration receipt, and possession of an open alcoholic beverage container in a motor vehicle, arrested and booked October 21
  • William Caudill, 53, of Flatwoods, arrested by Boyd County Jail, on two counts of failure to appear, arrested and booked October 21.
  • Garrick Pennington, 35, of Grayson, arrested by Carter County Sheriff, on charges of alcohol intoxication in a public place, first degree wanton endangerment – discharge of a firearm, second degree disorderly conduct, and third degree terroristic threatening, arrested and booked October 21.
  • Charles Gilbert, 34, of Grayson, arrested by Grayson PD, on charges of third degree criminal trespassing, and two counts of failure to appear, arrested and booked October 22. 
  • Damon Barido, 22, of Grayson, arrested by Carter County Sheriff, on charges of driving on a DUI suspended license (aggravating circumstances), and operating on a suspended or revoked operator’s license, arrested and booked October 22.
  • Larry Burton, 65, of Hitchins, arrested by Kentucky State Police, on a charge of first degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), arrested and booked October 22.
  • Christopher Huntsman, 40, of Grayson, arrested by Kentucky State Police, on charges of first degree trafficking in a controlled substance (two or more grams of methamphetamine), and engaging in organized crime, arrested and booked October 22. 
  • Timothy Imes, 60, of Grayson, arrested by Kentucky State Police, on charges of failure to wear seat belts, operating a motor vehicle under the influence of a substance, failure to produce an insurance card, no registration receipt, possession of marijuana, possession of an open alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of synthetic drugs, arrested and booked October 22. 
  • Nathan Metcalf, 31, of Ashland, arrested by Grayson PD, on a charge of third degree rape, arrested and booked October 23.
  • Dianna Martin, 24, of Olive Hill, arrested by Kentucky State Police, on charges of third degree possession of a controlled substance – drug unspecified, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia, arrested and booked October 23.
  • Billy Lunsford, 67, of Olive Hill, arrested by Kentucky State Police, on charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of a substance, failure to wear seat belts, careless driving, no registration receipt, failure to produce an insurance card, and third degree possession of a controlled substance – drug unspecified, arrested and booked October 23. 
  • Douglas Roberts, 46, of Ashland, arrested by Kentucky State Police, for failure to appear, arrested and booked October 24. 
  • Bobby Harris, 19, of Catlettsburg, arrested by Carter County Detention Center, on a probation violation (for a felony offense), arrested and booked October 24. 
  • Jacquline McClurg, 41, of Olive Hill, arrested by Kentucky State Police, on three counts of failure to appear, arrested and booked October 24. 
  • Joseph Carter, 36, of Sandy Hook, arrested by Kentucky State Police, for failure to appear, arrested and booked October 24. 
  • Lonnie Henderson, 66, of Olive Hill, arrested by Kentucky State Police, on charges of possession of marijuana, and non-payment of court costs, fees, or fines, arrested and booked October 24. 
  • Kayla Carver, 31, of Olive Hill, arrested by Rowan County Detention Center, on a charge of flagrant non-support, and failure to appear, arrested and booked October 25. 
  • Craig Fryer, 36, of Rush, arrested by Kentucky State Police, serving a warrant for a parole violation, and on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia, two counts of first degree trafficking in a controlled substance (two or more grams of methamphetamine), and two counts of cultivating marijuana (five or more plants), arrested and booked October 25.
  • David Hill, 39, of Olive Hill, arrested by Carter County Sheriff, on a charge of contempt of court – libel/slander – resistance to order, arrested and booked October 25. 
  • Tyler Meeks, 29, of Rush, arrested by Grayson PD, on charges of speeding 10 MPH over limit, and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, arrested and booked October 27.
  • Danielle Perry, 30, of Grayson, arrested by Carter County Sheriff, on two counts of failure to appear, arrested and booked October 27.
  • Johnny Lee, 38, of Grayson, arrested by Carter County Sheriff, for failure to appear, arrested and booked October 27.
  • Jessica Young, 40, of South Point, OH, arrested by Bath County Sheriff, on charges of first degree wanton endangerment, and theft by unlawful taking or disposition of items valued at more than $500 but less than $1,000, arrested and booked October 27.

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.

Ambulance board discusses transport issue

An ambulance in the Carter County EAS fleet. (File photo by Jeremy D. Wells, Carter County Times)

By Charles Romans

Carter County Times

The Carter County Emergency Ambulance Service Board met for its regularly scheduled meeting on October 21, to discuss regular business. The board heard from director Tim Woods who discussed ongoing grant applications, especially those concerning funds from the Opioid Abatement Fund. The challenges with those funds, specifically, Woods said, was that they were geared more toward abatement rather than treatment.

Grants awarded through the Opioid Abatement Fund (OAF) have regulations that prevent the funds being used for anything other than abatement. Even if an agency to a large degree involves drug related services, such as responding to overdoses, those funds are not available to them unless they are providing an abatement service. 

“There are so many restrictions,” Woods told the board. “After talking to them I found out that I would have to create a drug related program to prevent people from getting on drugs. And not to recoup the money we have spent out because of drugs.” 

Woods said that in order for him to establish such a program it would require the hiring of additional personnel and other costs associated with such a program on the speculation that he would be able to recoup that investment from the OAF.

The Emergency Ambulance Board’s inability to qualify for those funds is a source of frustration, Woods said. Each month there are expenditures related to drug use such as emergency calls and treatment, some of which includes the use of Narcan, a medicine used to reverse opioid overdoses. There are groups that donate Narcan for emergency use. However, due to government regulations on the strength of dosage they are allowed to use, the ambulance service is unable to accept any donation of the life saving drug from other organizations such as drug treatment facilities.

Narcan isn’t unique in this type of regulation. Other medicines such as insulin are also strictly regulated. In the case of an individual’s death who had been on insulin, any remaining medication whether opened or not was not allowed to be used if donated or even purchased. The medicine in question cannot even be reinspected and reissued, Woods said, but according to current law must be destroyed.

Another issue Woods brought before the board was the growing number of calls he has received for transport of patients who use wheelchairs. Most transportation of individuals in wheelchairs requires a special vehicle which the ambulance service does not currently operate. 

“I have had people call the office for wheelchair transport, and I have had to turn them down,” Woods said.

Resolving the issue, Woods said, would necessitate the purchase of a wheelchair van. He said he was currently looking into the cost and availability of such a vehicle due to the growing need in Carter County. Medical transportation is a part of the services the board offers. But in order to legally transport individuals who require the use of a wheelchair – and for those individual’s insurance to cover the cost – the vehicle must qualify for such transportation under current regulations.

Woods said that he has not completed the necessary research on the wheelchair van, but when he does he will present an analysis of cost to the board.

Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com 

Joyful Noise

steel door handle on door
Photo by lalesh aldarwish on Pexels.com

By Naomi Mitchell

For Carter County Times

In John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” 

Jesus is the WAY. Do you feel like you have lost your way? Or maybe you feel like you have been climbing up the rough side of the mountain for a long season. Sometimes it may feel like the boat is getting ready to sink out there on the stormy sea. Many are standing at the crossroads right now and don’t know which direction to go.

Jesus said, “I am the way.” The word “way” can mean the course of human conduct, the manner of life which one lives, or a traveled road, a path, or direction. Jesus is simply saying, “follow me.” 

Ezra 8: 21 – Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. Jesus is the way for you and your children, your home and your career. The Bible says to ask for wisdom in all things, in every area of our lives. 

Psalm 1:6 – For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. Choosing the right way is the guaranteed formula for success and prosperity. 

Ecclesiastes 11:5 – As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest now the works of God who maketh all. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. God say, “I know the plans I have for you, not of evil, but plans to proser you and give you an expected end.”  

Isaiah 26:7 – The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just. Follow Jesus always in all things. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. 

Jeremiah 6:16 – Thus, saith the Lord, “stand ye in the way and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.” But they said, “we will not walk therein.” You will find true rest for your soul when you get back on the old paths, which is the good way. The old paths are tried and true and they have weathered the storms of life. 

Matt 7:13-14 – Enter ye in at the straight gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat; because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. There is only one way to get to heaven and that is through Jesus. He is the door to the sheepfold. There is no back entrance into heaven.  

 2 Peter 2:2 – And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. (Pernicious means: corrupt, damaging, dangerous, deadly, destructive, evil, hurtful, etc.)  

Maybe someone has told you to “get out of the way” for whatever reason. Today, I am telling you to “get in the way” with Jesus. You will win every time! 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 6:30pm Thursdays. Radio Broadcast: WJSN 97.3 FM & WEKG 81.0 AM Sundays 1-2pm.

Livestock and grain market report: 10/26/24

Winter Cover Crop Can Improve Garden Soil

green grass
Photo by Mike Fallarme on Pexels.com
By: Rebecca Konopka
Carter County Extension Agent

No matter how small your garden is, it can play an important role in absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and temporarily locking it in the soil. There are a number of ways you can improve on this natural cycle, but at this time of year, the best way is through a cover crop.

Soil left bare over the winter months is susceptible to weed growth, erosion that can wash away valuable nutrients and a loss of carbon into the atmosphere. Soil nitrogen left over from this year’s crop is subject to leaching due to fall and winter precipitation. Planting a fast-growing cover crop can help prevent these problems. The term crop in this context may be misleading. These plants are not meant to be harvested. Instead, they add important nutrients, promote beneficial bacterial growth and stabilize the soil.

Easy and effective cover crops that can be planted at this time of year include annual ryegrass, hairy vetch, red clover and winter rye.

Annual ryegrass and winter rye are particularly effective as late-season cover crops. They germinate quickly and are an effective barrier against weeds. Grasses, however, do not capture nitrogen in their root system, so consider pairing rye with a legume, such as red clover or hairy vetch.

Hairy vetch and red clover work well as a cover plant, whether paired with rye or by themselves. Being legumes, they are excellent at fixing nitrogen in the soil. They are also prolific enough to reduce weeds and prevent erosion. In the spring, their blossoms will attract bees to your garden. If you worry about hairy vetch or clover reseeding in your lawn – though they’re pretty plants and would add biodiversity and important nutrients – just cut them back before they bloom.

Come spring, you have two options. You can turn over your cover crop into the soil, allowing your vegetables or flowers to benefit from the nutrients it will slowly release. Or you can cut it back and let it die naturally, planting directly into the crop and using it as a mulch to continue to suppress weed growth and supply nutrients to your garden. Depending on which cover you plant, this may be easier said than done, because some, particularly grasses, are difficult to directly sow or plant into.

Grasses have a densely packed root system, which make them difficult to till or turn over. If your garden is particularly small or you’re gardening in raised beds, rye might not be your best option. However, vetch and clover both have root clumps which are easily dug up and turned over or planted between. Be sure to terminate the cover crop before allowing the plants to go to seed.

For more information, contact the Carter County office of the UK Cooperative Extension Service.  Educational programs of the 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 expressions, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.     

Upcoming Events: 

  • The Grayson Farmer’s Market is open on Saturdays from 9:00 AM until noon.  The market is in the shed behind the Extension Office.   The Olive Hill Farmer’s Market is in the Save-a-Lot parking lot and is open on Saturdays and Wednesdays at 8:00 AM and Mondays at 3:00 PM until sell out each day. 
  • Beginning & Small Farmer School – Friday, November 1st from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM @ Morehead State University Farm Arena Classroom – Call 474-6686 to register. 

Little Sandy Beekeepers Association – Tuesday, November 5th @ 6:30 PM; Topic – Baking with Honey & Using a Refractometer  

Why are Trump’s dedicated voters ignoring Kentucky’s historic values?

i voted sticker spool on white surface
Photo by Element5 Digital on Pexels.com
By: Keith Kappes
Columnist
Carter County Times

Election day is next Tuesday and it’s time to ask and answer some tough questions about why so many Kentuckians are hardcore supporters of former president Donald Trump.

For example, Kentucky has long been considered a pro-miliary state with two large military installations – Fort Knox and Fort Campbell – and a proud tradition of voluntary service in uniform. 

Yet, Donald Trump says our soldiers, airmen and sailors are “suckers and losers” and that applies especially to those who have been held by our enemies as prisoners of war, including the late U.S. Sen. John McCain.

That’s something for think about for families who visit the graves of loved ones killed on active duty in the service of our nation or those like my brother-in-law whose life was shortened because of wartime injuries.

If you respect and appreciate law enforcement officers and other first responders, how could you give your vote to a man who defends his thousands of supporters who overpowered Capitol police on Jan. 6, 2021, injuring 140 of the officers?

Don’t be surprised if the Ku Klux Klan makes a comeback under a new Trump Administration because of his white supremist statements and his hate campaign against immigrants, legal and otherwise.

I don’t know about you, but my ancestors came to this country long ago as immigrants from England and Germany. For someone who lived in New York City for so many years, the MAGA candidate apparently never read that inscription on the Statue of Liberty, especially this part:

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”

As a proud Kentuckian who wants to believe that most folks are basically honest and truthful, how could I vote for someone who continues to lie about the results of the 2000 election? At least 54 legal challenges were made over alleged irregularities, yet all were dismissed, some by Trump-appointed judges.

But, as a student of history, the scariest thing about Donald Trump for me is how much he and his loyalists sound and act like the thugs who took over Germany in the 1930’s and tried to conquer the world. They accused political opponents of being “the enemy within” and used the military against their citizens. 

I want my grandchildren to grow up in this free country, not in a dictatorship. Contact Keith at keithkappes@gmail.com.

Pet of the Week: Meet Trixie

Trixie is a female mixed breed, believed to be around seven months old. She’s very playful, and loves attention. Trixie has a $100 adoption fee, which 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.

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