On Friday, April 23, 2021, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and ordered Federal assistance to supplement commonwealth and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides from February 27 to March 14, 2021. The President’s action makes federal […]

By Jerry Eltzroth CV&TContributor I wrote a story on this same subject two years ago. Very little has changed. I thoroughly agree with Lisa Bicknell’s editorial in the Citizen’s Voice & Times April 1st edition—”Estill County is evolving into an eyesore.” Just drive the length of Sand Hill Road and you will receive many ‘eyesore’ […]

Photo at left by Lisa Bicknell, above by Susan Lynch The  Mountain Mushroom Festival has been cancelled for the second year in a row because of the coronavirus, but the hunt for mushrooms still goes on. Recent cold temperatures might have slowed them down, but morels are up–if you know where to look.  Looks like […]

Photo by Lisa Bicknell This tulip magnolia tree has caught the glance of many travelers on River Drive during the past few days.  Spring flowers seem particularly bright this year.

By: Lisa Bicknell   Volunteers unloaded a tractor trailer load of about 150 mattresses on Friday at Body of Christ Ministries’ church on River Drive on Friday.  The mattresses were donated by companies from Michigan to local flood victims. A second load was expected on Monday. The mattresses are of high quality memory foam and […]

By: Lisa Bicknell Volunteers assisted with the clean-up at the Estill County Fairgrounds on Saturday, March 13. The fairgrounds were heavily damaged and the mud left behind on the grounds was a hindrance to clean-up. The fair barn had to be gutted, as well as the concession stand and the ticket booth.  Those buildings were […]

Drone photo by Ronnie Harbison This photo was taken of the strip mall beside Noland’s car lot at the intersection of Wisemantown Rd. and Richmond Rd.  Flood waters were shallow here, but deep enough to flood the floors of most of the buildings in the strip mall. The river was unofficially estimated to have crested […]

By: Lisa Bicknell Record breaking flood drowns areas typically untouched by high water Floodwaters continued to rise on Tuesday, after 5 to 6 inches of rain fell over the weekend.  Estill Countians saw areas flooded that most don’t remember seeing flooded before.  Water levels had surpassed the flooding of 1978 and 1984 and seemed comparable […]

By: Lisa Bicknell Five years after the public became aware of the illegal dumping of 92 loads of technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material (TENORM) in Advanced Disposal’s Blue Ridge Landfill, a local citizens group, the Concerned Citizens of Estill County (CCEC), has won a significant legal victory. The illegal dumping was first discovered in […]

By Jerry Eltzroth CV&T Contributor I witnessed a flock of what appeared to be sea gulls frolicking in a parking lot in West Irvine a few days ago. Last week while in the Richmond Walmart parking lot, I observed sea gulls flying around that area and landing on the light poles. Folks reported seeing them […]