Banners honoring veterans in the community were hung this week in Columbia. A banner dedication service will be held Thursday, May 23, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. at City Hall on Campbellsville Street and the public is invited to attend. Ronnie Holt with the local VFW will be speaking and the DeMolay youth will be leading the pledge.

The banners include Veterans of the Vietnam War, Korean War, World War I, World War II, and active duty:

• Phillip Gaskins   
• Derek Cundiff    
• Randall Jones    
• Joe Payne          
• Leland Grant     
• Wallace Alexander 
• Bobby Kimbler   
• Bernard Dunn   
• Sammy Hughes  
• Charlie Morrison 
• James Abell         
• John Burr            
• Paul Smith          
• Michael Callison      
• Orvis Grider          
• Travis Giles            
• Vince Giles            
• Ronald Burton       
• Brad Scholl             
• Joe Spires               
• Tommy Corbin       
• C.W. Grant             
• Bernard Janes        
• William Coy Turner  
• Joe Hare                       
• Ronnie Holt                 
• Russell Arnold               
• Walter Gene Hoots   
• Shane Lee Pollard           
• Harvey Dean Nash          
• William E. (Tootie) Corbin 
• William J. Burton               
• Ray G. Willis                      
• Charles Caldwell               
• Ronald Edwards                
• Eldridge Bragg                  
• James King                         
• Pamela King                      
• Leon Huff                          
• Benjamin Hadley             
• Sammy King                      
• Edwin Downey                
• Billy Fletcher                    
• Noel Hayes                      
• Hindman Loy                    
• John William Guillion       
• William O. Pendleton       
• Billy Sullivan                       
• Edward Grider                   
• Vernon Williams                
• William F. Keys                  
• Caleb Arnold                      
• Ronald Goetz                     
• Arlin Wheet                       
• George Claywell               
• Jordan Baker                      
• James Smallwood               
• John D. Lowe III                   
• William Phelps                      
• Herman Chelf                      
• William Feese                      
• Lucian Edwards                   
• Raymond Curry
• Francis McGowan
• Stanley Jones
• Clay Thomas Moore
• Wilburn Cheatham
• Ronald Cheatham
• Garold Russell
• James Gaskins
• Tom Andrew
• Willie Ray Foster
• Stevie Foster Graves Sr.
• Larry D. Huckaby
• Walter Ray Graves
• Ples T. Grimsley
• Ray Partin
• Larry T. Antle
• Danny D. Kearney
• Kenneth Bryant
• Robert Gossett
• Clifton Hadley
• Phillip Keltner
• Jimmie Dale Cox
• John W. Arnold
• William Billy Spoon
• Leonard Price Cheatham
• Felton Fudge
• James Wolford Grant
• Tommy Lee Scott
• Radius Brown
• Charles L. Cole
• Clay Jones
• Thomas A. Turner
• Leslie Land

Adair County Middle School welcomes John Walker as the new assistant principal. Mr. Walker will work alongside principal, Keri Willis and assistant principal, Ellen Holley to drive students toward success. Mr. Walker holds an M.A. in Special Education and Instructional Leadership. He has over 19 years of teaching experience gained from his service at Adair County Youth Development Center and ACMS. Mr. Walker states, "I am very pleased and excited to help lead ACMS as assistant principal. I look forward to working with students, families, faculty, and staff to make the 2024-25 school year positive, engaging, and successful."

Congratulations, Mr. Walker! 

Barbara Parrish, 35, of Columbia, KY was arrested by KSP on Thursday night. Parrish was charged with Burglary 2nd Degree and Criminal Trespassing 1st Degree. Parrish was lodged in the Adair County Regional Jail.

Jason Wise, 39, of Lebanon, KY was arrested by Kentucky State Police on Thursday night, May 16, 2024. Wise was charged with Burglary 2nd Degree, Criminal Trespassing 1st Degree, Theft by Unlawful Taking (greater than $10,000) and Fraudulent Use of Credit Card (greater than $1,000). He was lodged in the Adair County Regional Jail.

Jeremy Ping, 47, of Dunnville, KY was arrested by Officer Adamson of the Russell Springs Police Department on Thursday night. Ping was charged with Operating a Motor Vehicle Under the Influence of Alcohol  (Aggravated Circumstance), Criminal Mischief 2nd Degree and Leaving the Scene of an Accident. He was lodged in the Russell County Detention Center.

Mauritius Ford, 35, of Glasgow, KY was taken into custody by Officer Adamson with the Russell Springs Police Department early Friday morning. Ford was charged with Violation of a Kentucky EPO/DVO order and lodged in the Russell County Detention Center.

Russell Springs Mayor Eddie Thomas discussed what took place at the regular monthly meeting of the R.S. City Council on Thursday, April 16, 2024.

Chief Jeff Kerns 25 Years

Jeremy England 15 Years

Jamie Rogers 5 Years

Lee Smith 5 Years 

Heath Tarter 5 Years (not present at meeting)

WAVE NEWS wants to congratulate and thank the officers for their years of service to the city of Jamestown.

Mayor Regena Hinton and the City Council recognized a retirement from the city personnel and handed out plaques for years of service to the city Police Officers...

A special presentation was given last night before the council and Lakefest and other upcoming events were discussed...

Kayleigh Patrick, 32, of Russell Springs, KY was arrested on Thursday morning, May 16, 2024 by the RCSO on a Fugitive from another State Warrant. She was lodged in the Russell County Detention Center.

The Russell County Sheriff’s Office has released its monthly activity report for the month of April.

Last month, the Russell County Sheriff’s Office responded to nearly 400 calls for service, made 37 arrests, performed 30 traffic stops, and responded to 20 vehicle accidents, including 3 with injuries. The sheriff’s office also responded to 11 domestic calls, 8 alarm calls, 11 animal complaints, 7 shots fired complaints, and more than 200 other calls. The RCSO provided 4 mental health transports, served 42 court papers, provided 54 vehicle inspections, and issued 15 concealed carry permits.

The sheriff’s office also collected more than $242,000 in real estate taxes in April.

Gov. Andy Beshear highlighted Kentucky's continued investment in workforce training initiatives as he announced over $1.6 million in state support has been approved through the Bluegrass State Skills Corp. (BSSC) to assist with the training and development of nearly 5,000 Kentucky workers.

This month's approvals included workforce training support in the WAVE listening area for 227 workers Sumitomo Electric Wiring Systems in Edmonton, 200 trainees at Goose Creek Candles in Liberty.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 13, 2024) – Kentuckians are reminded to buckle up and properly secure children in car seats or boosters during the annual “Click It or Ticket” campaign, which coincides with the Memorial Day holiday, running May 20 to June 2. 

“Seat belts save lives,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “I urge all Kentuckians to take every possible safety measure to safeguard our families and loved ones while on the road, including buckling up and ensuring that children in the backseat are properly secured too.” 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s (KYTC) Office of Highway Safety (KOHS) is joining law enforcement around the commonwealth and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the annual federally funded high-visibility seat belt enforcement effort.

According to the KOHS, of the 813 roadway deaths last year in Kentucky, 550 were occupants of motor vehicles. Of those killed in motor vehicle crashes, 50.9% (280) were either not wearing a seat belt or were not properly restrained in a car seat or booster seat. Eight of the 550 deaths were children ages 9 and younger. One of the eight was improperly restrained. 

“Buckling your seat belt should be a reflex anytime drivers or passengers enter a vehicle,” said KYTC Secretary Jim Gray. “Regardless of the vehicle type, the time of day or the journey's length, consistently wearing your seat belt is the most effective measure for ensuring safety – every trip, every time.” 

According to NHTSA, despite the low traffic volume, fatal crashes are three times higher nationwide at nighttime versus daytime. Of the 550 occupants killed in motor vehicle crashes, 211 occurred at night. Of those, 124 were unrestrained. 

More than 110 law enforcement agencies throughout Kentucky have participated in the KOHS Click It or Ticket “Local Heroes” initiative to reinforce this message. Localized public service announcements (PSAs) feature officers, deputies and Troopers in counties with low seat belt usage rates and/or a high number of unrestrained motorist-involved crashes. The PSAs will air during the Click It or Ticket campaign beginning Memorial Day weekend. In areas without a county-specific PSA, statewide versions will air featuring various law enforcement agencies throughout the state.

“We encourage motorists to make safe choices on the road because it’s the right thing to do, not just because it is the law,” said Secretary Gray. “However, if a life may be saved by writing a ticket, they will do it.”  

According to NHTSA, when worn correctly, seat belts reduce the risk of death by 45% for front-seat vehicle occupants and by 60% for pickup truck, SUV and minivan occupants. Properly fastened seat belts contact the body's strongest parts, such as the chest, hips and shoulders. A seat belt spreads the force of a crash over a wide area of the body, putting less stress on any one part, and allows the body to slow down with the crash, extending the time when the occupant feels the crash forces. 
 

Visit kyhighwaysafety.com for more information.
 

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department announced today that it has opened a statewide investigation into the conditions at eight youth detention centers and one youth development center run by the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice.  

The investigation will examine whether Kentucky protects children confined in these facilities from harm caused by excessive force by staff, prolonged and punitive isolation and inadequate protection from violence and sexual abuse. The investigation will also examine whether Kentucky provides adequate mental health services and required special education and related services to children with disabilities.

“Confinement in the juvenile justice system should help children avoid future contact with law enforcement and mature into law-abiding, productive members of society. Too often, juvenile justice facilities break our children, exposing them to dangerous and traumatic conditions,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are launching this investigation to ensure that children in Kentucky youth detention facilities are safe from harm, receive adequate mental health care and get appropriate special education services. All children held in the custody of the state deserve safe and humane conditions that can bring about true rehabilitation and reform.”

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky stands ready to protect the rights of all children in Kentucky, including those who end up in juvenile detention,” said U.S. Attorney Mike Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky. “We look forward to partnering with the Civil Rights Division and our colleagues in the Eastern District to conduct a fair and thorough investigation of these allegations.”

This investigation focuses on detention centers, which primarily hold children awaiting a court hearing. Nationally, detention centers admit nearly 200,000 children every year, holding approximately 16,000 youth on any given night. The average length of stay for a child in detention is 27 days. Research shows that even far shorter stays can have profound and potentially lifelong negative consequences for children.

The department has not reached any conclusions regarding the allegations in this matter. The investigation will be conducted under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act and the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. Both statutes give the department the authority to investigate systemic violations of the rights of young people in juvenile justice facilities.

The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section is conducting this investigation jointly with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Western and Eastern Districts of Kentucky. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the department via phone at (888) 392-8241 or by email at Kentucky.Kids@usdoj.gov.

The division recently secured a settlement agreement involving the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice’s Broad River Road Complex, the state’s only long-term post-adjudication facility for children, and is currently investigating conditions at five post-adjudication facilities for children in Texas. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s work protecting children’s rights in the juvenile justice system is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt/rights-juveniles.

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Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division Announces Civil Rights Investigation into Conditions at Kentucky Youth Detention Centers

The regular monthly Adair County School Board Meeting will be held on Thursday, May 16, 2024 at 6:00 PM at the Adair County Board of Education Conference Room.

AGENDA
1. Call to Order
2. Pledge of Allegiance/Prayer
3. Approval of Agenda

4. Consent Agenda
4.A. Approval of Minutes
4.B. Approval of Treasurer's Report
4.C. Approval of Payment of Bills
4.D. Approval of emergency certification for substitute teachers for the 2024-2025 school year per the Kentucky Educator Credentialing System Guideline (KECS)
4.E. Approval of audit contract with Shad Allen, CPA for the 2024-2025 fiscal year
4.F. Approval/Second reading of revision jto Policy 03.225 - Expense Reimbursement for Classified Personnel
4.G. Approval of Memorandum of Understanding between Lake Cumberland District Health Department and Adair County School District for the 2024/2025 school year 
4.H. Approval to extend the contract with Strawbridge Studios for Senior/Secondary/Elementary photography services for the 2024/2025 school year
4.I. Acknowledgement of Personnel Action

5. Superintendent's Report

6. Approval for out-of-state travel and travel expenses for Superintendent Jason Faulkner to attend the National Superintendent Forum in Orlando, FL on July 14-16, 2024

7. Approval for out-of-state travel for the Adair County Middle School Band to travel for their Annual Middle School Band Trip to Dollywood, TN on June 3, 2024

8. Approval for Adair County band students/staff to travel out-of-state on July 26, 2024, to Murfreesboro, TN to watch the Drum Corps International competition

9. Approval for out-of-state travel and travel expenses in the amount of $1,869.75 for the FBLA to travel to Orlando, FL to compete in the National Competition on June 29 - July 2, 2024

10. Approval to auction off surplus high school basketball uniforms

11. Approval/First Reading of revision to Policy 03.1233 - Certified Personnel - Maternity Leave

12. Approval/First Reading of revision to Policy 03.2233 - Classified Personnel - Maternity Leave

13. Approval of employee salary schedules for the 2024-2025 school year

14. Approval of the Tentative Budget for the 2024-2025 school year

15. Approval of Monthly Financial Statements

16. Discussion/Approval of school bus tire bids for the 2024-2025 school year

17. Discussion/Approval of school bus/maintenance fuel bids for the 2024-2025 school year

18. Buildings and Grounds Update

19. Public Comments

20. Adjournment
 

An accident on the Cumberland Parkway closed down the Cumberland Parkway for commuters on Tuesday.

According to the Columbia Police Dept., an accident with injuries occurred near the 43 mile marker in the westbound lane of the Parkway. Traffic was back open on Tuesday afternoon and no further details have been released at this time.

On the evening of Wednesday, May 13, 2024 at approximately 8:46pmCT, the Russell Springs Volunteer Fire Department (RSVFD) was dispatched to a report of a kitchen fire at an apartment complex in Russell Springs. A response team of 10 firefighters arrived on the scene to address the emergency.

The fire, which originated from an unattended cooking appliance, was successfully contained to the object on fire. Thanks to the quick and efficient action of our volunteer firefighters, there was no spread of the fire, and the apartment sustained no damage. There were no injuries as a result of this incident.

Assistance was provided on scene by the Russell Springs Police Department, ensuring a safe and controlled environment for the firefighting operations. 

The RSVFD takes this opportunity to remind all citizens of the critical importance of kitchen safety. Never leave your cooking unattended and regularly test your smoke alarms to ensure they are functioning correctly. These simple actions can significantly reduce the risk of fire in your home.

We commend all responding units who played a role in containing the fire and ensuring the safety of our community.

In person, no excuse, early voting begins May 16th in the Adair Annex basement...

An Adair County man was arrested after a search of a residence in a joint investigation between the Adair County Sheriffs Office and the Kentucky Department of Probation and Parole.

On Monday, May 13, 2024 around 10:45 a.m. Sheriffs Deputies and Probation Officers went to a residence on Sulpher Springs Road in northern Adair County. Officers were investigating complaints of possible drug activity in the area. After conducting a search of the residence, the homeowner, Joseph Smith, 62, of Columbia, KY was arrested and lodged in the Adair County Regional Jail for possession of a controlled substance 1st degree (cocaine), possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Deputy Gary Roy is leading the investigation and was assisted by Deputy Tweedy and Officers Harvey and Garner from KY Probation and Parole.

The Jane Lampton Chapter and the George W. Kendall Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution invite you to attend the Grave Marking Dedication Ceremony honoring Corporal Augustine Lawless, 1st Continental Artillery Regiment, Virginia.

The ceremony will begin at 1pmCT on Saturday, May 18, 2024 at the Augustine Lawless Cemetery, 272 Blankenship Road, Carnes Loop, Jamestown, KY. Please bring a lawn chair.

From our friends at columbiamagazine.com.

Russell County Judge Executive Randy Marcum tells WAVE listeners about a couple of Library Apointments and discusses the renovations that continue at the Russell County Courthouse.