As is always the case when we look back at our most recent year of events, there were highs and lows, happy moments and sadness in the articles and photographs that made up the pages of the Clinton County News during the 52 issues we published in 2023.
While there were a few memories in the articles from 2023 most of us would like to put behind us and forget, there were plenty of events that are worth cherishing and hanging on to.
As we head into reporting about another year of news in Albany and Clinton County, the Clinton County News is giving its readers an abbreviated review of the 12 months of the most noteworthy articles from 2023, in our annual Year in Review feature.
We wish all of our readers, contributors and advertisers a prosperous and Happy New Year for 2024.

in the articles from 2023 most of us would like to put behind us and forget, there were plenty of events that are worth cherishing and hanging on to.
As we head into reporting about another year of news in Albany and Clinton County, the Clinton County News is giving its readers an abbreviated review of the 12 months of the most noteworthy articles from 2023, in our annual Year in Review feature.
We wish all of our readers, contributors and advertisers a prosperous and Happy New Year for 2024.

January

Clinton County’s Lady Bulldogs finished their own holiday invitational tournament with a 3-1 mark and in doing so, laid claim to the championship title in the Best of the Lakes Holiday Classic. The Lady Dawgs earned wins over Adair County, Butler County and McCreary Central, losing only to Glasgow.
Law enforcement officers from the area continue to battle the local war on drugs and criminal activity in general, which resulted in several arrests during the month of January. Tony Albertson, 38, and Angela Albertson were charged in relation to possession of a forged instrument. Berry R. Rose, 43, and Charlie M. Kennedy, 35, were charged with drug related offenses. Also arrested and charged were Stephen R. Bridgeman, 63; William E. Stearns, 46; Wesley L. McGaw, 52; Jamison D. Milam, 19; and Cody J. Daley, 20. All those arrested and charged were from Albany.
An elderly Albany woman has died as a result of injuries she sustained in an accident at one of the most dangerous intersections in Clinton County. Lena Mae Dickerson Copeland, 89, was killed in the accident that occurred January 5 at the intersection of US 127 and KY 90. KSP reports said Copeland’s vehicle was stopped at the 127 intersection when she then pulled into the path of a 1999 Mack log truck that was traveling west on KY 90.
Robinson E. “Bookout” Angel, 89, of Albany, was walking on the sidewalk on North Hwy. 127 near Dollar General Market when ,according to witnesses and Police Chief Mark Bell, Angel stepped off the sidewalk in an attempt to cross the street towards Advance Auto and was struck by  a vehicle that was unable to avoid the collision with the pedestrian. Angel was seriously injured and transported to UK Medical Center in Lexington.
Anyone who has recently made a trip toward Somerset, or on the interstate near Cookeville, Tennessee, has undoubtedly noticed giant metal crosses on the side of the roadways. Clinton County is now in the process of getting its own cross on KY 90 just east of Junction Station at the intersection of US 127. Jaime McCutchen, Pastor of Beech Bottom Baptist Church, has worked closely with the Crusaders for the Cross, a group responsible for having erected several crosses in the area.
Two people were killed and a third was seriously injured as the result of an automobile accident Saturday afternoon, January 14. KSP reported the collision occurred on US 127 north of the intersection with US 127 Business. A passenger in one of the vehicles involved, Jacob Dick, 31, of Science Hill, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver, Jonathan Farmer, 32, of Eubank, died a short time later at the local hospital.

January Deaths…Hershel C. Marcum, 96, New Castle, IN; Timothy Mark Wallace, 47, Knoxville, TN; Lucille “Peggy” Armstrong, 89, Albany; William “Louie” Staton, 70, Shelbyville, Ky.; Lena Mae Dickerson Copeland, 89, Albany; Bernice Brown Shelton, 86, Albany; Chester “Chet” Johnson, 98, Albany; Clarence Steve Melton, 73, Tucson, AZ; Gayron E.E. Wright, 74, Albany; Mary Faye Stockton, 67, Albany; Donna Taylor Asberry, 75, Albany; Carolyn Faye Jones, 73, Albany; Michael K. Asberry, 64, Albany; Anna Maxine Conner, 90, Albany; Mary Frances Cook, 67, Albany; Pat Grider, 79, Albany; Randell Everett Neal, 75, Albany; Elvin “Bookout” Angel, 89, Albany.

February News…Summer will be here before we know it, and with that in mind, Clinton County Tourism Commission’s latest effort to bring travelers to south-central Kentucky for the tourism attractions here recently went in place. The new billboard, promoting both Dale Hollow Lake and Lake Cumberland, was recently installed in Pulaski County (Somerset), situated at Ky. 80, near the intersection of Ky. 461, by Tallent Outdoor Advertising of Albany.
Donnie Wright was officially hired as the new Clinton County Middle School Principal on February 6. Wright has been in administration for the past 20 plus years, working in McCreary County in addition to being interim principal in the Jefferson/Bullitt County school system after retiring.
A long time insurance agency owner in Albany and a former Albany-Clinton County Chamber of Commerce President has died. Lisa Beard, 56, passed away at her home Sunday, February 5, following a lengthy illness.
The gavel being used this year by the new President of the Kentucky Fair and Horse Shows Association is “homemade” so to speak, having been made by a local business. The gavel replacement came about when the old one was misplaced after a meeting in Louisville, when Clinton County’s own fair board member, Hershell Key, was serving as President. Key contacted Single Tree Leather & Wood, owned and operated by Jeff and Brandon Pharis, who made a new gavel that was in place in time to be used at the first association meeting in January of 2023.
Law enforcement officers from the area continue to battle the local war on drugs, and criminal activity in general, which resulted in the following arrests reported this month: Coty L. Key, 38, of Burkesville, Ky.; Cathy Phillips, 43; Thomas R. Moreland, 39; Daniel Boston, 40; Jonathan G. Orton, 37, all of Albany.
One of the longest running social events in Clinton County will return this Friday night when the Clinton County High School cafeteria is transformed into the headquarters for the CCHS Basketball Boosters/WANY Radio Auction. With the exception of a break in 2021 when the COVID-19 pandemic had this nation locked down, the radio auction has been running as a means of fundraising for the Clinton County High School varsity basketball teams since the mid-1980s.
Friday’s annual Clinton County High School Basketball Booster Club Radio Auction was another tremendous success, when all was said and done, according to Club President Lezlee Brown Young. Preliminary totals were that the varsity basketball programs at CCHS benefitted to the tune of about $9,500 from the joint Club/Community effort.
Clinton County Fiscal Court, at its regular meeting February 16, voted to purchase four new Outdoor Warning Sirens using ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds.
There has been a delay in the demolition process of the old McWhorter Implement and Ferguson Brothers buildings, where the new Justice Center will be constructed. The Judicial PDB voted to have an environmental study done and any hazardous materials removed from the buildings prior to bidding for demolition, which had been slated to begin in early January. The process is now not expected to start until early Spring.

February Deaths…Dale Buster, 63, Albany; Johnny Russell Moreland, 74, Albany; Steven Ray Sloan, 66, Albany; Charles Jason Pierce, 79, Wilmington, NC; Willie Ray Thrasher, 75, Harrodsburg, Ky.; Lisa Thrasher Beard, 56, Albany; Joann Young Morgan, 74, Edmonton, Ky.; Cora Marie Walls, 86, Albany; Janie Parrish, 75, Albany; Eugene Parrigin, 87, Albany; Jimmie Lynn Thrasher, 76, Albany; Jessie Thomas “J.T.” Hadley, 85, Albany; Tracey Jean Key, 60, Albany; Roger Alvin Logan, 67, Albany.

March News……….The 2022-23 Clinton County High School basketball season came to an end last week, after the Lady Bulldogs fell to defeat at the hands of the Trojanettes on the Diddle Arena floor in opening round play of the 4th Region Girls’ Tournament. The Lady Bulldogs did bring home the 16th District runners-up trophy, picking up an opening round win over Monroe County before falling to host Metcalfe County in the championship game. The Bulldogs lost to Monroe County in the opening round of the boys’ 16th District held at Metcalfe County High School.
Spring storms rolled through Albany this past weekend and left nearly the entire county without power at some point. Many people were without power longer than others, and as of Monday morning, 9,135 South Kentucky RECC customers were still without power following the Friday wind storm. However, damage to structures was minimal and no injuries were reported.
It is time to “Spring Forward” this Sunday morning, March 12, at 2 a.m. as Central Daylight Savings Time (CDST) returns.
A minor accident early Tuesday morning involving a Clinton County School bus and a private passenger car resulted in no injuries, according to Clinton County Sheriff Ricky Marcum. The accident occurred at the intersection of U.S. 127 and Ky. 90 near Junction Station.
The Clinton County Lady Dawgs’ softball team and Bulldogs’ baseball team hosted its first annual Meet the Bulldogs Friday night and despite colder weather, the event was deemed a success.
“Transform downtown Albany and selected landmarks in Albany into a vibrant place where people want to visit, socialize, live, and work!” That is the mission statement of the still somewhat new “Hometown Revitalization” organization, a group which is trying to make more citizens, both in Albany and Clinton County, aware of that mission and goals to help clean up and beautify the area, starting primarily with downtown Albany.
Clinton County Fiscal Court will be without the services of a full six member body following the recent resignation of 3rd District Magistrate Gary Tallent. At the onset of the regular March 16 meeting of fiscal court, Clinton County Judge/Executive Ricky Craig announced that Tallent had resigned for “insurance reasons.”
Spring officially arrived on Monday of this week, but weather conditions were more like winter than spring. Certainly warmer temperatures are on the way, and with a new season, a new lineup of sports from the athletes at Clinton County High School. Included in this week’s Clinton County News is our annual Spring Sports Preview.
Law enforcement officers from the area continue to battle the local war on drugs, and other illegal activity in general, which resulted in the following arrests: Curtis Tuck, 57; Sidney Foster, 51; Jamison Wallace, 19; Jennifer Wilson, 57; Cindy Brummett, 45; Bobby Hicks, 56; Christopher Young, 28; Jesse W. Phillips, 36; Marie (Nancy) Rains, 22, all of Albany.
According to Wayne County Sheriff Tim Catron, an investigation by Deputy Joe Horne has resulted in a 28-year-old Albany man being arrested after sending obscene matter to a female juvenile in Wayne County by the use of a cell phone. James E. Brewington, III was arrested on March 24.

March Deaths…James E. Stonecipher, 76, Albany; Charles “C.E.” McKinley, 92, Albany; Tex Wesley Rains, 65, Albany; Donald Kenneth Gibson, 77, Albany; Sherman Gayle York, 71, Monticello, Ky.; Sammy Dean Hensley, 64, Albany; Jim A. Dean, 78, Byrdstown, TN; Paul David Goodman, 68, Albany; Tammy Lee Pierce, 55, Alpha, Ky.; Cecil E. Shreeves, 90, Union City, IN; Joe “Kenny” Gray, 77, Albany; Deborah Elaine Baker Craft, 69, Albany; Clayton G. Hardwick, 69, Albany; Rev. Leo Audrey Boykin, 73, Burkesville, Ky.; Joe Richard Monroe, 67, Burkesville, Ky.; Ruby Helen Marcum Stockton, 87, Albany; Bobby “J.J.” Fulton, 67, Monticello, Ky.; Flonnie Ferrill, 86, Albany; Janice Dean Bertram Faith, 76, Louisville, Ky.; Etta Bruce, 100, Albany.

April News…One of the nine U.S. Army soldiers who were tragically killed last week in a Black Hawk helicopter training crash had deep ties to Albany and Clinton County. Staff Sgt. Taylor Mitchell, 30, was the husband of Albany native Hayli Jo Pillar Mitchell, a 2016 graduate of Clinton County High School. Hayli, an employee of Advanced Therapy Solutions in Fort Campbell and lives in Clarksville, Tennessee, and is the daughter of Misty Hickman and Todd and Kristy Pillar of Albany.
Albany Fire Department was called to the scene of a house fire Sunday night on Cleve Huddleston Road, just off Wolf River Dock Road. According to Albany Fire Chief Robert Roeper, the home was a complete loss. He said, “No one was supposed to be there. They had all the electric and water cut off.” The investigation into the cause of the fire is continuing by the Albany Fire Department.
Quick response time by officials from the apartment complex, neighbors and the Albany Fire Department resulted in a late afternoon fire at Golden Harvest Village being contained to a single apartment complex and only one victim being treated for minor injuries.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 1096 held its annual Easter Egg Hunt Saturday. Post Commander Jason Warinner said there were around 385 people who showed up for the egg hunt.
Two arrests have been made in the case of a stolen OZR off road vehicle last week, one being a juvenile age 17, from Albany and an accomplice, John T. Richardson, Jr., 20, also of Albany. Albany Police Officer Jim Guffey charged each with theft by unlawful taking more than $10,000, criminal trespass, and criminal mischief first degree.
A former Clinton County Sheriff’s Department deputy has entered guilty pleas to various misdemeanor counts of sexually related misconduct charges in Clinton District Court. Jose Lagos, who was dismissed from his duties after an investigation and charges being levied against him in 2021, entered the pleas before District Judge Mike Lawson. Counts included distributing obscene materials to a minor-1st degree, official misconduct-2nd degree, and sexual abuse-3rd degree. He received a total sentence of two years probation, was ordered not to have contact with the victim(s) and was placed with an IPO (Inter-Personal Protection Order) for a period of 10 years.
A well-known Clinton County man was seriously injured in a farm related accident Friday morning and was undergoing treatment for those injuries. Johnny R. DeRossett sustained injuries, including injuries to his head and nervous system. The accident occurred while he was spreading lime near his home in the Pikeview Community.
The Judicial Center Project Development Board (PDB) got a look at the design of the new proposed Clinton County Justice Center at its regular meeting Friday, April 21.
The Clinton County Board of Education, meeting in regular session Monday, April 24, voted to approve salary schedules for both certified and classified personnel for the 2023-24 school year. Certified personnel were granted a three percent pay raise, while classified employees were given a 50 cents per hour raise each.
The weather on Saturday, April 22, seemed a bit more like late winter than early spring, but that didn’t stop several local residents from taking pride in their community and picking up trash along roadways. The annual Clinton County Spring Clean-Up saw seven organizations collect 383 bags of trash along 35 miles of state and county roads.
The Early Childhood Center preschool classes held its annual St. Jude Trike-A-Thon event Thursday and with all classes combined, raised $5,172.05 for the children’s research hospitals.
Law enforcement officers from the area continue to battle the local war on drugs, and criminal activity in general, which resulted in the following arrests in April: Lucas Pettenger, 36; Ethan Thompson, 22; Christopher Young, 28; William Sheckles, 43; and, Craig Russell, 29, all of Albany.

April Deaths…Elaine Sells Ford, 67, Albany; Bobby H. Sawyers, 87, Albany; Kenneth Lee Guffey, 89, Albany; Martha Frances Bowlin, 73, Albany; Barbara Copeland, 79, Albany; Norman Dale Asberry, 86, Albany; Willie Moreland, 88, Albany; Sammy Gene Smith, 55, Burkesville, Ky.; Gorden Gerald Marcum, 77, Albany; Zetta Bottom, 67, Beech Grove, Ky.; Robert “Dee” Shelton, 70, Albany; Billy Brumley, 79, FL; Ida Thurman, 68, Albany; Diane Catron, 76, Albany; Cecil “Bird” Pitman, 79, Hustonville, Ky.; Barry Thomas Tuggle, 59, TX; Tommy Clarence Brown, 58, Albany; Otis Edward Murray, 87, Albany.

May News…A Clinton County Grand Jury returned a 16 count indictment against Sidney Foster, 51, of Albany during its monthly session April 13. Two of the charges were for alleged criminal intent to commit murder.
For the second consecutive year, the Clinton County Fiscal Court received a “perfect” audit for fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, according to State Auditor Mike Harmon’s office.
The Clinton County Early Childhood Center (ECC) will be hosting its 15th annual Kindergarten Graduation Commencement Program on Thursday, May 11, 2023.
It may not seem like “Spring has Sprung” yet, but activity at the Albany VFW Farmer’s Market says otherwise, with vendors and buyers making it out to the Hopkins Street location last Saturday. A varied group of products were offered and more and more produce will be available in the weeks ahead as weather conditions warm up.
Clinton County Board of Education, meeting in special session Thursday, May 4, accepted the retirement of Superintendent Dr. Paula Little. Little’s retirement, only one year into a four year contract, becomes effective June 30, 2023.
Albany City Council approved final reading of the long-awaited “nuisance ordinance,” voted to increase water meter tap on fees, and discussed several other items of business at its monthly meeting held May 2.
Clinton County residents will have the opportunity to rid their property of unwanted trash and other debris, including white metal items during free Dumpster Days. Dumpster Days, for Clinton residents only, has been set aside for Tuesday and Wednesday, May 16 and 17 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day at the Clinton County Road Department building on Ivan Sloan Street.
The search process for a new permanent Clinton County Schools Superintendent, as well as a possible Interim Superintendent to fill in during the process, was started by the Clinton County Board of Education during back-to-back meetings last week.
Clinton County Republican Party election officials have nominated former Magistrate Terry Buster to fill his old seat, left vacant recently by the resignation of former Magistrate Gary Tallent. As of mid-May, the Governor had not appointed anyone to temporarily fill the vacancy, nor had the Clinton County Democrat Party met to chose a nominee to run in November.
The May Primary election was held in Kentucky Tuesday, May 16. Although Glasgow native Kelly Craft carried Clinton County in the Republican race for Governor, current Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron won handily statewide over some 11 GOP opponents. Cameron will face incumbent Democrat Governor Andy Beshear in the November General Election. Beshear had only token opposition against two opponents in the primary.
The long-awaited demolition process of the existing buildings that will eventually be the site of the new Clinton County Justice Center will have to wait even longer due to continued environmental assessments. That information was learned May 19 at the regular meeting of the Judicial Center’s PDB (Project Development Board).
Johnny DeRossett has been volunteering with the Southern Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief Team for many years. Now, with DeRossett recovering from an accident that occurred in mid-April, the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Team decided to come to Albany and help DeRossett clear down trees and debris from his farm.

Local law enforcement officers from the area continue to battle the war on drugs, and other criminal activity in general, which led to the following arrests in May: Michael R. Neal, 30, Christopher Young, 28, Sidney H. Foster, 52, Samuel D. Conner, 38, Janet C. Owensby, 60, Jonathan Orton, 37, Ernest D. Birdwell, Jamie W. Herald, 45, all of Albany; Lucien E. Stevens, 36, Corbin, Ky.; Anthony A. Robbins, 24, Byrdstown, TN; Jesse W. Phillips, 35, Ricky W. Perdue, 42, all of Albany.

May Deaths…Vickie Abney Carden, 68, Albany;  John L. Dyer, 83, Burkesville, Ky.; Eddie Rolan Flowers, 79, Albany; Norma Jean Hunter, 88, Albany; Kaye Wade Cross, 89, Cincinnati, OH; Carl Pryor, 83, Albany; Mattie Lou Dickerson, 91, Albany;  Kenneth James Delk, 60, Albany; Bro. Shawn Shelley, 47, Seymour, TN; Rebecca Lou Waid, 63, Albany.

June News…The City of Albany, in conjunction with the city street department, will be offering city residents a chance to not only clean up their properties, but also take pride in their town by offering a free of charge “Dumpster Day.” “The Great Clean Up” day will be held on Saturday, June 17 from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Water Department building (old pig barn) on Allen Street.
The 2023 version of the Clinton County Fair, a premier summer event for local and surrounding residents alike, is set to kick off this weekend (June 17) and continue all through the following weekend (June 24) at the Clinton County Fairgrounds. And, the fairgrounds will have a new safety feature that is unseen to most, but has the capability of possibly saving a life, that being a recently obtained AED (Automated External Defibrillator).
A favorite eating establishment, including for Clinton County residents, the Farmhouse Restaurant, was destroyed by flames late Sunday evening, June 11. The restaurant was located just two miles across the Kentucky-Tennessee border, in Pickett County, Tennessee. The fire began at the same time that a system of strong thunderstorms were moving through the area, although no cause of the fire was announced by authorities as of press time.
A familiar face will return to the Clinton County Fiscal Court later this year, with the only question being “when” that will be. Clinton County Clerk Nathan Collins said the Democrat Party had opted not to nominate a candidate to run in the November election to fill the unexpired term of Republican Gary Tallent, who resigned in March. If the Governor does not appoint a replacement, former GOP Magistrate Terry Buster will retake the seat immediately following the November General Election, where he will be unopposed.
A Clinton County woman was killed Sunday, June 4, as the result of a vehicle accident in Michigan. Sarah Jo Mercer, 52, of Albany, was killed when the vehicle she was driving collided with another vehicle at an intersection in Ingham County, Michigan.
Lindle Castle Gymnasium is undergoing a major face lift this summer. Conrad Floors, out of Smith’s Grove, Kentucky, is in charge of giving The Castle a new maple playing surface. The new floor will cover the entire gym, which is 12,740 square feet.
The Clinton County Board of Education, at a special meeting held June 15, voted to appoint Boyd Randolph of Somerset as Interim Superintendent of the Clinton County School District. Randolph has much experience in education from the classroom to superintendent, including serving as Superintendent of the Somerset Independent Schools. He will begin his duties July 1, taking over for Dr. Paula Little, who retired effective June 30 after having been in education for 35 years.
The old saying “no news is good news” is not necessarily the case when it comes to the hazardous waste removal from old buildings which will eventually be torn down to make room for the new Clinton County Justice Center. The bad news came in the form of no bids being received on waste removal in the old McWhorter and Ferguson Brothers buildings, despite several contractors requesting bid packets on the project. The project will likely have to be re-bid, extending the already delayed process by at least another month. Demolition, early on in the project, had been slated to begin in early January of this year.
Law enforcement officers from the area continue to battle the war on drugs, and other criminal activity in general, which resulted in the following arrests: Christopher Young, 28; Lucas T. Pettenger, 36, John T. Richardson, 20; Jeremy L. Kempton, 42; Christopher M. Pierce, 43; Laura Garrett; Ashley McCusker Duvall, 36; Tyler Hollan, 27; Jeremy L. Kempton, 42; Lucien E. Stevens, 26; Robert W. Harris, 54, and, Kelvin J. Rodriguez-Rivera, 33, all of Albany.

June Deaths…Danny Pierson Groce, 78, Albany; Gwin Douglas Abney, Burkesville, Ky.; Marvin Cooksey, 89, Albany; Douglas Ray Melton, 68, Albany; Emma Choate, 58, Albany; Kelly Gene Stearns, 76, Albany; Mary “Ann” Tefteller, 89, Franklin, IN; Inaleen Beaty Logan, 90, Albany; Sarah Jo Mercer, 52, Albany; Ola Eugene Vitatoe, 93, Bluffton, IN; Rickey David Arms, 55, Burkesville, Ky.; Peter Gaylan Houck, 71, Albany; Melvin Riddle, 62, Russell Springs, Ky.; Roxie Davis Stearns, 89, Albany.

July News … The Albany/Clinton County Chamber of Commerce is planning on lighting up the sky once again this year to celebrate the Independence Day holiday. This year, the Fourth of July was on a Tuesday, but due to circumstances with the previous pyrotechnics company, the show this year will be held on Saturday, July 8, at the fairgrounds, and put on by LT’s Fireworks of Albany.
Albany City Council voted unanimously to adopt the 2023-24 Fiscal Year budget, which included minor changes and a wage increase for city employees. Second and final reading of the $4,730,172 budget was held at a special meeting on June 27 and included a $1 per hour increase across the board for all city workers.
Albany City Council held a special meeting July 5 with one item of business. The matter of water meter installation was discussed for about 50 minutes, with the council revising earlier set rates. They approved new rates of $1,300 per meter installation plus an additional $400 per road bore. This is a savings of between $500 and $600 from new rates that were set earlier in June.
Clinton County will be home of the Traveling Vietnam Wall this weekend as VFW Post 1096 will house the project. It will be set up Thursday afternoon and will be on display at the VFW Post on Friday and Saturday, July 14 and 15. According to VFW Post Commander Jason Warinner, more than 300 people came by to view the Wall.
A suspect was shot and killed Tuesday afternoon, July 11, after a high speed pursuit through Wayne County and Clinton County came to an end. The yet unidentified victim was pronounced dead at the scene by Clinton County Coroner Lonnie Scott. The Clinton County Sheriff’s Department requested the Kentucky State Police Post 15 troopers and detectives respond to the scene near KY 90 and Willow Grove Road. KSP has statewide jurisdiction and investigates officer involved shootings throughout the Commonwealth as requested by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.
The Clinton County Reapportionment Committee Plan was presented to Clinton Fiscal Court on July 20. The reapportionment, or redrawing of districts, will affect only two of the six magisterial districts in the county, by moving some voters from District 3 into District 2. An estimated 30 to 50 actual voters will be affected by the new plan.
For the third time in the nearly 74 year history of the Clinton County News, a new Editor has been named. Brett Gibson has assumed the title of Editor of the Clinton County News, effective with this July 27, 2023 issue. Brett Gibson has taken over the role from his father, Alan “Al” Bertram Gibson, who was named as the Editor by his father, the late A. B. Gibson, in 1978.
If you are looking for a bargain buy or to get rid of items you want to sell, that time of year is here, as the “World’s Longest Yard Sale” is ready to roll through Clinton County once again. The 127 Yard Sale takes place for the most part along the route  on the first weekend of August each year, with this year’s official dates for the sale being Thursday through Sunday, August 3-6. However, most vendors set up days in advance.
Law enforcement from the area continue to battle the local war on drugs, and criminal activity in general, which resulted in the following individuals being charged in July: Donnie E. Owens, 47; Kenneth L. Gunter, 51;  Kathryn Claborn, 62; Jeff Roach, 21; Jesse W. Pittman, 36; Ian Kelley, 29; Jeremy E. Thrasher, 43; Eric M. Stamey, 32; all of Albany.

July Deaths…Willie Arthur Cooper, 76, Albany; James David Guffey, 78, Albany; Kay Melton, 72, Albany;  Jimmy Guffey, 69, Albany; Barbara Sue Sherrard, 80, Underwood, IN; Patricia Evans, 56, Burkesville, Ky.; Jo Ann Starnes, 72, Albany.

August News … The Clinton County School District is once again excited to welcome students back to the classrooms with the first instructional day falling on Wednesday, August 9. Students got a first look at their schedules and classrooms at the back to school orientations that began July 25.
A Clinton County High School graduate, Thomas Holsapple, who has been working with a Lexington, Kentucky television station for the past year, was part of a team that earned one of the most coveted awards in the broadcast industry, the Emmy.
Disaster struck one of the best known marinas on Dale Hollow Lake Thursday afternoon, August 10, when a fire broke out at the gas pumps following an incident involving a rental houseboat. The marina store and a portion of an adjacent breezeway at Sunset Marina were completely destroyed by the flames, which erupted about 5 p.m. Two people were reported to have been injured during the fire, Brad Richardson, the General Manager, received second degree burns and was flown to a Nashville hospital for treatment. Tom Allen, one of the co-owners, was treated for smoke inhalation.
Albany City Council and Mayor Steve Lawson honored the late Kenneth Delk by presenting his wife and family with a plaque in his memory at their regular meeting on August 1. Delk had served 38 years with the Albany Water Department, including as Water Department Supervisor.
Although it was learned early this month that the long awaited improvements to the water system in Duvall Valley and other areas of eastern Clinton County was a lock, the city put some finishing touches on the $6.8 million project last week. Construction is scheduled to begin in early September of this year.
A meeting was held August 9 involving several community organizations and their leaders in order to discuss the revitalization of downtown Albany. Kitty Dougoud, Coordinator of the Kentucky Main Street Program, was on hand to explain what the Main Street Program is and how it can help make Albany more appealing to out-of-towners, as well as its own citizenry. Kentucky Main Street is part of the Kentucky Heritage Council State Historic Preservation Office.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the first football team to ever play a varsity schedule at Clinton County High School. The program lasted until 1981. For 25 years, Clinton County did without the sport, until George Hatcher became the first head coach for CCHS football since it had been reestablished. To commemorate the 50th anniversary, several players from the teams during the first football run have decided to get together and contact players and family members and invite them to recognition night at Bulldog Field on September 15.
Clinton County Board of Education met August 21 and heard from a couple of concerned parents about bus schedules and safety. They also approved the school district tax rates, setting real and personal taxes at 46.1 cents per $100 assessed value, 53 cents on motor vehicle and watercraft and three percent on utilities.
A Clinton County jury has found a local man, Christopher Thrasher, guilty on 22 separate counts of Possession of Matter Portraying a Sexual Performance by a Minor less than 12 Years of Age. A total 22 year sentence was recommended by the local jurors. The two-day trial was held Monday and Tuesday, August 21 and 22.
One Clinton County resident was killed and another seriously injured Tuesday, August 22, in a vehicle accident that occurred in Overton County (Livingston), Tennessee. Margie A. Scott Melton, 85, of Albany, was pronounced dead at Livingston Regional Hospital as a result of injuries sustained in the accident. Melton was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Pauline Reeves, 93, also of Albany. Reeves was airlifted from the scene of the accident and transported to a Nashville hospital for treatment of serious injuries. The wreck involved Reeves’ 2020 Ford Escape and a 2016 Freight liner semi-trailer, driven by Ronald Thomas Durrer, 47, of Byrdstown, Tennessee, who was not injured.
The members of Lee’s Chapel Church have taken on a project that seems to have a lot of people in Clinton County talking. The project is a mural painted by Jordan Justice of Somerset, Kentucky, on the retaining wall in front of the church parking lot. The mural is 170 feet long and nine feet tall at the tallest point.
Law enforcement officers from the area continue to battle the local war on drugs, and other criminal activity in general, which resulted in the following arrests in August: Savannah Wariner, 25, Crestwood, Ky.; Bret R. Carver, 47, Burkesville, Ky.;  Jonathan Ayers, 31; John H. Brown, 43; Brian K. Marcum, 40; Justin Muse, 41; Cody Daley, 21; Grant R. Hurt, 45; Thurman R. Amonett, 38; Nagel G. Norris, 38; Felicia Daley, 27; Jeremy M. Bermel, 28; Jacob Morgan, 26; Jalie D. Poore, 19; Timothy R. Parrigin, 52; Tyler L. Hollan, 27; Ferdinand Gerger, 64; Jesse W. Pitman, 36; William A. Sheckles, 43; Angela D. Wallace, 51; and Charles David Chrisley, 48, all of Albany.

August Deaths…Marina Bridgeman, 53, Albany; Joan Lois Poynter, 75, Byrdstown, TN; Shirley A. Brown Davis, 67, Albany; Betty Nation, 90, Middletown, IN; Dorothy McClellan Smith, 82, Greens Fork, Ky.; Mary Harris Smith, 70, Burkesville, Ky.; L.C. Pittman Dishman, 89, Albany; Emma Florence Jones, 87, Albany; Edward Wood Barnes, 62, Byrdstown, TN; Regina Gale “Gina” Sheppard, 71, Albany; Ryley McWhorter, stillborn, Edmonton, Ky.; Wilder Hayes Clunie, nine months, Albany; Miguel Perez Garcia, 51, Albany; Margie A. Scott Melton, 85, Albany; Lillie Cook, 73, Burkesville, Ky.; Jimmy Asberry, 71, Albany; Virginia Lynn Kennedy, 55, Byrdstown, TN; Sharon Lynn Ayers, 66, Albany.

September News … The Clinton County School District has released early preliminary enrollment and school attendance averages through the initial three weeks of the 2023-24 school year. Enrollment as of the end of August totaled 1,517 students in the district in the four primary schools. Foothills Academy, which is mixed grades 7-12, had 24 enrollees, for an overall count of 1,541 students.
Law enforcement officers from the area continue to battle the local war on drugs, and criminal activity in general, which resulted in the following arrests in September: John Harlan Brown, 43; Jamie W. Herald, 45; James Cody Smith, 31; Chris M. Pierce; 42; Whitney Claborn, 36; DeWayne Duvall, 55; Colton J. Abston, 25; Renee T. Thrasher, 39; Dylan K. Murphy, 36; Rikki Ferrell, 18, all of Albany.
The Clinton County Bulldogs football team broke into the win column for the first time this season on Friday night, September 1, defeating McCreary Central on the road, 20-18 in overtime.
A former Clinton County business owner and former Clinton County Magistrate Gary Tallent, passed away Friday, September 8, at 76 years of age. He had served three consecutive terms of magistrate of the 3rd District, was also a former Road Foreman and co-owner of Somerset Oil service station for several years.
Water related issues, including an announced crackdown on water related theft, questions pertaining to the Duvall Valley water line project and updates on water plant improvements took up much of the discussion at last week’s regular meeting of the Albany City Council.
Players, coaches, cheerleaders, support staff and their families, who were involved in some way with the beginnings of the Clinton County High School football program, converged to an area adjacent to Bulldog Field Friday night, September 15, to reminisce, honor, fellowship and remake old acquaintances during the first ever football reunion. The Bulldogs also shut out Jenkins High School that night 47-0 to even their season mark at 2-2.
Police and EMS were called to 76 Falls around 7:58 a.m. Sunday after a call was made describing a man in his car unresponsive with blood on his face. Scott Anthony Mitchell, 44, of Gurnee, Illinois, was found in his 2023 BMW i400 with a gun shot wound to the head shortly after the call came through. The shooting was the result of an apparent suicide.
The demolition of the existing buildings which will make room for a new Clinton County Justice Center will see about an overall year’s delay. That is the negative news. The positive news, however, came over the past couple of weeks and during last week’s Judicial PDB (Project Development Board) meeting, where it was learned the hazardous waste materials will soon be removed, paving the way for the building(s) demolition process to begin.
One of Albany’s most recognizable figures, Kenny Bilbrey, passed away last week at the age of 52. A staple on the streets of Albany for decades, and especially at the Foothills Festival Lip Sync contest, Bilbrey had been ill for several months.
Advertised as the oldest and most authentic yard sale in the region, the Rollercoaster Yard Sale will roll through Albany and Clinton County next weekend. Now in its 38th year, the sale will run Thursday through Saturday, October 5-7.
The Clinton County Bulldogs made it three wins in a row last Friday night as the Dawgs defeated the Wildcats of Edmonson County, 26-6. It was also Homecoming night and the 50th year reunion for the football program being recognized.

September Deaths…Benny Wayne Bowman, 49, Albany; Billy M. Cummings, 74, Byrdstown, TN; Bro. James “Ronnie” Gray, 61, Albany; Gary Wayne Tallent, 76, Albany; Judy Ann Thrasher, 75, Albany; Jeffery Lynn Guinn, 63, Albany; Oradean Crabtree Evans, 89, Albany; Frankie H. Smith, Jr., 82, Albany; Charlie Edgar Cyphers, 77, Burkesville, Ky.; Kenny Bilbrey, 52, Albany; Howard Tallent, 82, Albany; Sarah Moran Halcomb, 71, Albany; Vicky Lyn Boils, 60, Albany.

October News … On Thursday, September 28, an accident occurred at the intersection of KY Hwy. 558 and the 127 Bypass, claiming the life of Gaylon Nicholas of Byrdstown, Tennessee. Nicholas was crossing the bypass coming off of Hwy. 558 in order to turn south, when he pulled in front of Robert Dale Garrett, also of Byrdstown. Garrett and his wife, Shirley, were both treated and released from the local hospital for minor injuries.
On Saturday, September 30 at 8:41 a.m., the Sheriff’s Department was notified of a body floating at Grider Hill Marina on Lake Cumberland. The yet unidentified body, which was badly decomposed, was sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort for identification and exact cause of death.
The Clinton County Community Foundation hosted its first “Albany Nights” on Saturday, September 30, and with the streets around the courthouse full of people, there was a little something for everyone.
At the beginning of 2023, a bit of history was made in Clinton County for an elected position that is sometimes overlooked and a bit underrated, yet an extremely important and necessary job, that being the office of Coroner. When Clinton County Coroner Lonnie Scott began his duties, he was the first coroner in the county to have his “own coroner’s office.”
Corvette owners, from New York to Wyoming to the Dakotas and everywhere in between began the second leg of the Kentucky One Lap Tour with some 25 American made sports cars traveling in parade formation across Kentucky. A joint fundraiser between the Kentucky State Police operated Trooper Island Youth Camp and the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, the annual event allows Corvette owners to tour Kentucky while being escorted by a Kentucky State Police cruiser marked Corvette, driven by KSP Master Trooper Jonathan Biven. In appreciation to the Clinton County Tourism Commission, Trooper Biven detoured the group from Ky. 90 into Albany, around the Clinton County Courthouse Square.
Information has been released on an incident that occurred on July 11, 2023, involving a sheriff’s deputy, which saw one man shot and killed during a high speed pursuit. The deceased has been identified as Mark Buchanan, 56, of Somerset, Kentucky.
Albany and Clinton County’s favorite fall celebration and homecoming gets underway with a handful of pre-events this week, leading up to the 43rd edition of the Foothills Festival. Early events the prior week will be the Baby Show and Miracles pageants. The Miss Foothills pageants will be held Thursday, October 19, with the primary days of the Festival being Friday and Saturday, October 20 and 21.
Governor Andy Beshear made a stop in Clinton County last week to break ground on the Duvall Valley Water Improvement Project that will provide more flowing water to Duvall Valley. While Gov. Beshear was in Clinton County, he also presented funding to local non-profit organizations and the Clinton County Tourism Commission.
Albany City Council held its regular meeting on Tuesday, October 3, with all members present and several topics considered during the 50 minute session. The meeting was also the first to be streamed live via social media on Facebook.
Some additional safety for local residents, especially those caught outdoors during severe weather, will soon be active in more areas of Clinton County. Clinton County EMS Director Lucas Abner said the four new, state-of-the-art outdoor sirens have now arrived and have been put up. They should be ready for full activation by early November.
It just seems to get better with each year, and this 2023 Foothills Festival was certainly everything that fans could hope for. Perfect weather and a burst of fall colors in the surrounding “foothills” of the Appalachian Mountains provided a background that kept Foothills fans on the move, taking in all of the sights and sounds throughout the weekend.
Albany City Council, during a special meeting October 19, finally took action on the city’s 2024 tax rates, actually setting the rates lower than the previous year’s rates, although taking the four percent compensating rate. The council set the property tax rate at .178 cents per $100 assessed value and motor vehicle and watercraft at 0.1979.
The Clinton County School District’s search for a permanent schools chief is now underway, with the announcement that the superintendent’s vacancy has been posted.
Clinton County Fiscal Court approved second reading and passage of a “Solar Energy Systems,” aka, solar panel ordinance at a short regular meeting October 19.
Law enforcement officers from the area continue to battle the local war on drugs, and criminal activity in general, which resulted in the following arrests in October: Michael S. Hicks, 41; Angela R. Frazho, 46; Kelvin J. Rodriguez, 34; Dylan Thomas, 20; Michael W. Craig, 37; Jeremy M. Bermel, 28; Thomas Moreland, 41; Radhika Moreland; Virginia Catron, 37; Charlie York; Charles D. Dicken, 62, all of Albany.

October Deaths…Russell Delmer Gibson, 77, Albany; Willard Wayne Jones, 84, Albany; Bonnie Mae Wright, 70, Albany; Gaylon Rose Prior Nicholas, 72, Pall Mall, TN; Edwin Snow Anderson, 88, Crossville, TN; Lonnie “Tommy” Stearns, 74, Albany; Ina Marie Denney, Monticello, Ky.; Helen Snow Brown Weaver, Albany; Willie Joe Russell, Sr., 87, Pall Mall, TN; Billy Kay Norris, 79, Albany; Pamela Lynette Stearns, 67, Albany; Betty Lucille Davis, 71, Monticello, Ky.; Ronnie Joe Beaty, 51, Grimsley, TN; Rebecca Rigney, 80, Albany; Bryan Wade Byrd, 51, Lebanon, TN; Lonnie Davis, 72, Albany.

November News…Remember the adage, Spring Forward-Fall Back, as this coming Sunday, November 5 (officially at 2 a.m. Central Time), local residents and many other across the nation will “fall back in time” as Central Daylight Time ends.
The annual Fall County-wide Clean-Up was another huge success, thanks to a tremendous amount of community support. A total of nine organizations, including many school groups, as well as individuals, collected a total of 460 bags of trash–outdistancing the 433 bags collected this time a year ago.
Results of the Kentucky Summative Assessment (KSA) and Alternate Kentucky Summative Assessment (AKSA) were released by the Kentucky Department of Education for the assessments completed in the spring of 2023. Clinton County’s three school student bodies landed on three different classified levels, with Clinton County High School hitting the highest of the three, and being ranked among the top 100 high schools in the state.
With high school football coming to an end last Thursday following Clinton County’s berth and loss to top rated Lexington Christian Academy, 63-6 in the opening round of the KHSAA State Football Finals, local sports fans’ thoughts are turning to the next direction of play, the start of the 2023-24 basketball season. On Friday night, the annual Meet the Bulldogs and Wall of Fame induction will be held at Clinton County High School. This year’s Wall of Fame inductees include Lee DeForest and Breonia Thurman.
Clinton County Property Tax Bills began becoming due and payable on November 1. And for the first time in Clinton County history, the sheriff’s department is offering taxpayers the option to pay their tax bills online by either credit or debit card or check.
Clinton County Fiscal Court voted to fill a “temporary interim” position at a special meeting November 8. Magistrate Jerry Lowhorn made a motion to fill a “temporary interim position and hire Myra Stevens at $16 per hour, part-time, as needed, as Clinton County Occupational Tax Administrator (OTA) until further notice.”
Clinton County voters pretty much followed the norm of votes cast November 7 by voters across the state, with the lone exception of giving a heavy nod locally to Republican Governor nominee Daniel Cameron. When the statewide vote totals were tallied, incumber Democrat Governor Andy Beshear had won another four-year term in the Commonwealth’s top elected office. However, all other state offices in Kentucky were won handily by Republicans.
The deadline to get Santa Letters in the annual Christmas edition prior to Christmas Eve is Thursday, December 7, at 12 noon CST. (Any letters received after that date will be published in the week following the Christmas section.)
The Clinton County High School Bulldog Battalion JROTC and the Clinton County High School Band presented their annual Veterans Day Ceremony Friday, November 10, at Lindle Castle Gymnasium.
An incident occurred Monday night on Pleasant Ridge Road in Alpha, leaving one man shot and airlifted to a hospital. Michael Lykens, 60, of Albany, allegedly shot Derrick Owens of Alpha, with a .22 caliber handgun during an altercation.
A hostage situation that apparently began in Cumberland County ended in an armed suspect who was holding his wife against her will at gunpoint, allegedly taking his own life following a police chase. The incident began on Burkesville Road in Albany and following a stand-off with police, officers discovered Quentin Branham of Burkesville deceased in his vehicle on Willis Creek Road in Clinton County.
The Kentucky Transportation Department is weeks away from making a major change in the way records are maintained in regards to the vehicle registration and titling process.  Because of the amount of time necessary to transfer the data from the current system, vehicle owners should be prepared for anticipated delays in the process beginning in 2024.
The Med Center Albany recently hired an individual for a somewhat new to the area specialty and that specialty will be available right here in Albany. Chelsea Brown Strehl, MSCCC-SLP, was born and raised in Albany, the daughter of Joey Brown and Dr. Tammy Brown. Strehl’s main focus is treating patients who are having trouble with swallowing, especially after a stroke or other illness like cancer.
The “No Kid Hungry” project in conjunction with the Hark Foundation provided nearly 2,000 meals this Thanksgiving, working out of the gymnasium at Clear Fork Baptist Church. According to Kiley Hoppe, founder of the Hark Foundation, more than 1,963 meals were served on Thanksgiving Day.
Law enforcement officers from the area continue to battle the local war on drugs and criminal activity in general, which resulted in the following arrests in November: Megan G. Kennedy, 32;  Terry L. Britt, 48; Joseph C. Wallace, 47; Candice Tweedy, 26, Thurman Amonett, 33; John H. Brown, 43; William A. Sheckles, 44; Patricia Shelton, 47; Ashley McCusker, 46; Brian Gross, 38; Anthony Shaw, 33; Frankie D. Davidson, 43, all of Albany.

November Deaths…Barry Sloan Smith, 58, Albany; Nina Johnson Stearns, 84, Albany; Joyce Ann Graham, 81, Albany; Angela Powell Dicken, 53; Barry Lowhorn, 59, Byrdstown, TN; Clara Russell Pyles, 90, Mackville, Ky.; Virginia Wade Booker, 100, Lexington, Ky.; Wanda Koger Sloan, 98, New Castle, IN; Nikki Hicks Melton, 38, Albany; Lyera Cash, 104, Burkesville, Ky.; Thelma Burchett McMillon, 75, Albany; Pamela Catron Guffey, 46, Albany; Howard Melton, 84, Albany.

December News…The long-delayed, but much anticipated start of demolishing existing buildings to make room for Clinton County’s first ever Justice Center is now here, as the Clinton Judicial Center’s PDB (Project Development Board) accepted a bid to have the buildings taken down. The PDB, meeting in special session December 1, accepted the low bid of $362,000 from Sunesis Environmental, LLC of Fairfield, Ohio.
Christmas in Clinton County is well underway as several events took place last week to kick off the holiday season. On Wednesday night, the Community Worship Service was held around the courthouse, with the lighting of the Community Christmas Tree to close out the night. Events ended Friday with the second annual Christmas Parade and two new events, Albany Lights, sponsored by the Clinton County Community Foundation and the PTA sponsored Christmas Tree Court, with more than 35 trees decorated by businesses, organizations and individuals.
Two-time University of Kentucky NCAA Basketball Champion Jeff Sheppard made a pit stop in Albany on Sunday, December 10, to speak at Albany First Baptist Church.
The number of applicants in the running to be the next Clinton County Schools Superintendent is now officially down to three individuals, following action taken Monday, December 18, by the Screening Committee which was charged with receiving, reviewing and interviewing applicants for the position.  However, due to the timing of the holiday season and scheduling conflicts, the Clinton County Board of Education will apparently not select a new permanent schools chief until January.
The Clinton County Lady Bulldogs received the first runners up trophy Thursday afternoon, December 21, after the final game of the Best of the Lakes Classic. Clinton County lost the first game of the tournament against Berea, 54-49, but defeated Marion County, 53-41, and Butler County, 48-45.
Law enforcement officers from the area continue to battle the local war on drugs, and criminal activity in general, which resulted in the following individuals being arrested in December: William Willis, 26; Walter Brown, 50; Kaleigh B. Swift, 22; Hannah Murphy, 22; Amanda Jean Glidewell, 40; Kevin Groce, 28; Jordan L. Garrett, 24; Robert D. Smith, 39, all of Albany; John W. Tucker, 39, Lawrenceburg, Ky.; Luis Y. Rosario-Olmeda, 24; Tiffany C. Bell, 37, all of Albany; Shannon W. Blevins, 33, Corbin, Ky.; Thomas Moreland, 41; Tim Parrigin, 52; Candice Tweedy, 26; John H. Brown, 44; Cody J. Smith, 31; Marco A. Anaya, 18; Charles David Chrisley, 49; Brandon S. Stinson, 39; Lloyd Owens, 64, all of Albany.

December Deaths…Glenda Shelton, 68, Albany; Kelly Bilbrey, 49, Albany; Effie Hoots Johnson, 93, Burkesville, Ky.; Justin Lee Starns, 34, Albany; LeeAnn Smith, 45, Albany; Bonnie McFall, 69, Albany; Kenneth “Duck” Foster, 57, Albany; Billie K. Smith, 86, Albany; Norene Braswell Smith, 81, Albany; Ronnie Gene Bowlin, 67, Albany; Newell “Fred” Lowhorn, 88, Albany; Steve Stearns, 76, Albany; Jerry Harrison, 82, Albany; Ora Key McGill, 63, Albany; Everett Ray Upchurch, 99, New Castle, IN; Archie Allen Conner, 71, Albany; April Michelle Smith, 37, Albany; Judy Means Byler, 67, Albany; James “Jim” L. Sampson, 88, Albany; Glenn L. Goodrich, 93, Albany; Arthur Brown, 95, Albany; James Wayne Brown, 88, Albany; Ronnie Hurst, 73, Albany.