Video summary
The Mountain Parkway expansion has reached a significant milestone with the completion of the eleven-mile Wolf County section, marking progress on a nearly one-hundred-million-dollar project aimed at modernizing infrastructure in Eastern Kentucky. This achievement connects the road network from near Cton to just west of Helichiwa, creating thirty-two continuous miles of four-lane parkway and improving two interchanges along the way. The initiative is driven by Governor Bert T. Combles, who views this development as fulfilling a decades-old dream for the region's residents, emphasizing that such infrastructure represents more than just asphalt; it is a catalyst for opportunity, safety, and economic growth that will secure a bright future for local families. While five of the six planned segments are now complete, construction on the final thirteen-mile stretch connecting Salersville with Kentucky 114 near Prestonburg has begun and is expected to continue over the coming years.
In other legal news, three inmates at the US Penitentiary Big Sandy in Martin County have been formally indicted for attempted murder following a violent incident earlier this year. The defendants, identified as Gilbert Salana, Edward Rodriguez, and Albert Farro, are charged with attacking another inmate using a shank or handmade knife on July 6. If convicted of these serious offenses, each individual faces a potential prison sentence of up to ten years. This development underscores the ongoing efforts by officials to maintain safety and order within the federal prison system, bringing charges against those involved in what authorities describe as an attempted murder plot involving improvised weapons.
Beyond local infrastructure and legal updates, the broadcast highlights upcoming community events and political engagement opportunities for the region. Mountaintop Media is organizing a unique "Politician in the Park" event at Archer Park in Prestonburg on September 26, inviting candidates from statewide, regional, and countywide races in Pike, Floyd, Johnson, Martin, McGoff, and other counties to deliver stump speeches. The event aims to educate voters about candidate platforms while fostering direct interaction, with plans to include food trucks and nonprofit booths to create a family-friendly atmosphere. Although some humor was shared regarding the possibility of mud wrestling or physical altercations among candidates, organizers emphasize that the gathering will remain civil and focused on encouraging voter participation through better-informed decision-making at the polls.
The program also featured segments on local sports and technology accessibility, rounding out a comprehensive update for the community. The sports recap covered highlights from the Pike County Bow Games and promoted upcoming Friday night high school football games, including matchups between the Belfry Pirates and Johnson Central Golden Eagles, as well as the Mark County Cardinals versus Betsy Lane, with live coverage available across various radio stations and digital platforms. Additionally, a commercial message highlighted Appalachin Wireless's back-to-school deals, encouraging students and teachers to upgrade their devices for better connectivity in classrooms and daily life. These diverse topics collectively illustrate the station's commitment to covering everything from major infrastructure projects and serious criminal justice issues to local athletics and civic engagement.
Read the full video transcript
Officials celebrate as the original
Mountain Parkway has been expanded to
four lanes and three inmates at the
Martin County Federal Prison are charged
with attempted murder. I'm Jerry Scott
and this is the Mountaintop Daily.
The Mountain Parkway expansion has
reached another milestone with the
completion of the 11mi Wolf County
section. The project completes 32
continuous miles of four-lane parkway
stretching from near Cton to just west
of Helichiwa. The nearly 100 million
project included improvements to two
interchanges and was partially funded by
a 55 million federal grant. The Wolf
County section is the fifth of six
segments to be completed.
>> What a wonderful milestone
that we have reached today here in
Eastern Kentucky. You know, Bert T.
Combmes is up there right now smiling.
He is really smiling because he is
seeing a dream that he started to
implement in 1959
coming true today. Governor Bert T.
Combmes first called the Mountain
Parkway an age-old dream of Kucky's
mountain people. That dream is now
becoming a reality. A road like this is
so much more than asphalt or concrete.
It's about opportunity, safety, and
ensuring the people of Eastern Kentucky
have modern infrastructure to bring
jobs, opportunity, and a bright future
for these kids.
The final 13-mi McGoff and Floyd section
will connect Salersville with Kentucky
114 near Prestonburg. Construction began
last year and is expected to continue
for several more years.
Three inmates at the US Penitentiary Big
Sandy in Martin County have been
indicted in connection with a knife
attack earlier this year. Gilbert
Salana, Edward Rodriguez, and Albert
Farro are each charged with attempted
murder. According to the indictment,
back on July 6, the three attacked
another inmate with a shank or a
handmade knife. The charge carries a
potential sentence of up to 10 years in
prison if they are convicted. Coming up
after the break, Mountaintop Media is
inviting candidates and voters around
the region to an event next month. We'll
tell you about it when the Mountaintop
Daily continues. But first, sports and
weather.
>> How's it going everyone? I'm Braxton
Stanley and this is your Mountaintop
sports recap.
First up, if you missed the 41st annual
Pike County Bow Games this past weekend,
don't worry. We have highlights and
photos up on our Mountaintop Sports
Facebook page. Mountain Top Sports is
back live streaming high school sports.
[music] I will give you our Friday night
live scheduled with three big games. We
bring you Friday, August 21st. It's
Pipel at Racing with the Mountain Top
Sports pregame starting at 6:30 and
kickoff at 7:30. Listen in live on 93.1
[music]
WDHR to keep you updated on the game.
The Belfry Pirates travel to Johnson
Central to take on the Golden Eagles.
[music] Kickoff is set at 7:30 live on
WXCC 96.5 The Mullet. The Mark [music]
County Cardinals travel to Betsy Lane
with the game starting at 7:30. We will
be live on Facebook and the Mountaintop
TV mobile app. If you can't watch,
listen in on the go 104.5.
I'm Braxton [music] Stanley. That's your
local sports update from your
Mountaintop Sports Center. Get more
sports anytime on the Mountaintop Sports
Facebook page and catch the live action
on Mountaintop TV mobile app.
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>> Politicians and voters are invited to an
event unlike any other in the mountains
next month. Mountaintop Media is
inviting statewide, regional,
countywide, and mayoral candidates and
contested races in Pike, Floyd, Johnson,
Martin, McGgoan, and not counties to
come to Archer Park in Prestonburg
September 26 for a day of stump speeches
and networking. Robin tells us all about
it.
Politics season is upon us and
Mountaintop Media wants a piece of the
action.
>> Well, I mean, if if people are familiar
with Fancy Farm, that's kind of like
what we're doing here. We're inviting
the uh candidates to come out and speak.
They'll each depending on the race and
everything, they'll be given like three
to five minutes to say whatever they
want. The audience can react to that.
They can cheer for the ones they like.
They can jeer the ones they don't or
heckle them or or anything like that.
Uh, it gets pretty rowdy at Fancy Farms
sometimes, but I I don't expect that to
necessarily be the case here. I think
we're we're a little more
sedate here.
>> MC Shawn Allen is hoping for quite the
opposite.
>> Personally, I suggested that the
candidates get in a big mud bath and
kind of do some mud wrestling to kind of
instead of debating, but the higherups,
they don't really listen to any of my
ideas. So, I'm kind of out on that.
Well, I really hope that I have to get
in and referee some of these candidates
and their politicking because, you know,
as we've seen on social media here
lately, uh, some not so much candidates,
but some advocates of politicians have
gotten into it on social media. They've
gotten into some physical altercations
and things of that nature. I don't
foresee that happening. We've got some
really upstanding individuals that are
running for office this year, but I
really hope so. I hope for the best, to
be honest with you. All joking aside,
this will be a family-friendly event.
>> It It should still be a fun day. Plus,
we're inviting food trucks out. Uh they
can get in contact with us here at the
station uh to set that up. We're also
inviting any nonprofits out there to
come and set up a table. They have to
bring their own table, chairs, or
whatever.
>> If you're interested in participating,
there's still time to sign up. We're
looking at the statewide, the regional,
and the uh countywide contested races in
Floyd, Pike, Johnson, Martin, McGoffen,
and not counties. U a lot of people have
a mistaken belief that because this is
at Archer Park in Prestonburg, it's just
Floyd County. That's not the case
because we will be broadcasting this
live. Uh we're already getting some uh
commitments from candidates. uh Charles
Booker who said he'll be there. Some of
the other Senate candidates, uh
candidates in the governor's race,
congressional candidates, uh quite a few
of them are already letting us know that
they will be there.
>> So, why should you attend Politician in
the park?
>> It's really important for people to know
and to people be informed about what
these candidates stand for or don't
stand for when they get to the polls.
So, just for them to be more well
informed about the candidates and for
them to be able to get out and most
importantly get out and cast your vote
because none of this makes any sense if
you're not going to get out and vote.
So, just for them to be more informed
and to be more wellversed on what the
candidates have to say and what they
stand for.
>> Reporting from Mountaintop News, I'm
Robin Tilman.
>> That will do it for this edition of the
Mountaintop Daily. Be sure to check us
out at 6 pm every weekday on Mountaintop
TV, the Mountaintop TV app, and the
Mountaintop News Facebook page. With
your Mountaintop Daily, I'm Jerry Scott
for Mountaintop News.