Recent News

By Eugenia Jones {Editor} [email protected] A group of approximately 100 people gathered at the McCreary County Courthouse on Saturday (March 1, 2025) to mourn the death of 14-year-old Austin Lee Carpenter and to demand changes to the child welfare system. Many attending the vigil carried signs proclaiming that the system failed Austin and demanding better…

By Eugenia Jones {Editor} [email protected] During the February 13, 2025, regular meeting of the McCreary County Fiscal Court, representatives from the McCreary County Clean Air Coalition/Clearing the Air McCreary County appeared before the Court to present information regarding the impact of clean air on the health of McCreary Countians and others. The group shared some…

By Eugenia Jones {Editor} [email protected] The McCreary County Fiscal Court met on February 13, 2025, in regular session, to act on routine business matters. The Court approved replacing EMS’s oldest ambulance by requesting bids to refurbish the existing box.  The oldest ambulance has 400,000 miles.  The refurbishing process is anticipated to cost approximately $148,000. The Court also…

By Eugenia Jones {Editor} [email protected] The McCreary County Sheriff’s office recently retired a 2014 Tahoe and donated it to the McCreary County’s Constable District 2 office. Pictured are (left to right): McCreary Deputy Sheriffs Alex Jones, Chris Carter, Chief Deputy Dustin Ridner, Sheriff David Sampson, Deputy Ryan Jones, and current District 2 Constable Freddy Clark.…

Two Stearns residents, 38-year-old Billie Bolin (female) and 45-year-old Jeremy J. Ridner, were arrested by McCreary County Chief Deputy Dustin Ridner and transported to Knox County Detention Center at approximately 6:00 p.m. on Monday, February 24, 2025, in connection with the death of a 14-year-old male. According to Chief Deputy Ridner, deputies from the McCreary…

By Eugenia Jones {Editor} [email protected] Denying allegations made against them, McCreary County Deputy Sheriffs James R. Flannery and Larry Lewis, by counsel, submitted their response on February 11, 2025, to a complaint filed on January 13, 2025, in United States District Court by Shirlene Terry-Phillips of Winfield, TN.  In their response, the deputies ask for the…

By Eugenia Jones {Editor} [email protected] Two plaintiffs, through their parents, filed a complaint on October 17, 2024, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Southern Division of London, against the Board of Education of McCreary County, Brian Crawford, Superintendent McCreary County Schools in his individual capacity, and Samuel Marple, Principal…

Eight McCreary Wrestlers land in State Tournament. By:  Staff Report CAMPBELLSVILLE – McCreary Central placed second out of 28 teams in the KHSAA Region 4 Girls’ Wrestling Tournament at Taylor County on Saturday, Feb. 15. The Lady Raiders finished behind reigning state champion and host Taylor County in the KHSAA Region 4 Girls’ Wrestling Tournament.  The…

By Eugenia Jones {Editor} [email protected] The clouds opened up, and it rained and rained. Over the weekend, communities across the Commonwealth experienced boisterous thunderstorms, strong winds, and flooding downpours. Despite McCreary County sitting primarily on “higher ground,” some parts of the County watched nearby creeks, streams, and rivers rise and swell, overflowing onto normally dry…

By Eugenia Jones {Editor} [email protected] Whitley City’s Clara Jones’ name was drawn as the McCreary Journal’s Valentine’s Day giveaway winner.  Clara is 86 years old (pictured right) and loves chocolate, so we are confident she is enjoying the box of goodies presented to her by McCreary Journal Editor Eugenia Jones! Clara’s goodies included a dinner…