Latest news with #EasternKentuckyUniversity
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Farmville Central's Williams signs to play basketball at Eastern Kentucky
FARMVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — A Farmville Central High School basketball player signed his National Letter of Intent Thursday, May 29, 2025, to play at the collegiate level. M.J. Williams will be going to Eastern Kentucky University to play for the Colonels after averaging 25 points per game in his senior year with the Jaguars. 'It's amazing. You know, it's a lot of hard work and time and everybody put into it,' Williams said. 'Not just me, my loved ones, my friends, family, everybody, coaches, teammates. We all just came together to help. This moment is really special.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
London family recounts terrifying tornado moments: ‘There's nothing left to protect you'
LONDON, Ky. (FOX 56) — What was meant to be a day of joy quickly turned into a night of horror for Nicholas and Tyneal Mays. Just hours after Tyneal walked across the stage at graduation at Eastern Kentucky University, the weekend's deadly tornado tore through their home, ripping away the roof only seconds after Tyneal and their daughter left the bedroom for the bathroom. London couple recounts huddling in basement as tornado destroyed home NWS confirms a nearly mile-wide EF-4 tornado hit southeastern Kentucky Larry Demeritte, trainer who realized his dream of running a horse in the Kentucky Derby, dies at 75 'The wind was pulling and yanking, and I don't know how long that lasted, probably just a couple of seconds, but it was terrifying,' said Nicholas. 'I thought they were going to die. I've got three kids.' The storm struck Friday night into Saturday morning. Nicholas said he heard the transformer blow. 'I felt the air suck and pull me forward. The hair on my arms stood up; it got super eerily quiet,' Mays recalled. 'I can't describe the sound; it's piercingly loud.' He said he heard his dad's voice while sitting on the porch waiting for the storm to roll through. 'My dad's told me my whole life, from baby until I can remember, 'Hey bub, you know when you hear the freight train, you have to go; it's too late. When I saw the trees bent, I heard his voice clear as day, and I busted through the door.' Two of their children were asleep in the living room when he grabbed them and put them in the bathroom. Latest central Kentucky weather forecast Once the storm was over, they stepped outside. But just minutes later, a second storm came, and deciding where to go and what to do didn't come easily. 'A thought dawns on me: 'There's nothing here left to protect you,' Nicholas said. 'What are you going to do?' And the shoe closet right behind the door—I can't fit in the shoe closet, so my wife and my three kids get shoved in and I close the door.' Tyneal said it was one of the scariest moments of her life, worrying about her children and husband and her mom and stepdad right next door in their RV. 'I was finally able to get to the camper, and she was, I could hear her, like, screaming, and my stepdad was just so panicked,' added Tyneal. 'I had no idea my niece was with them, my little five-year-old niece; I had no idea. And somehow she's okay.' Drug overdoses see major decline: How Kentucky measures up UFO sightings in Kentucky: A look back on past 30 years List: 5 Big Lots stores in Kentucky reopening this week It's only day four of recovery in London, but the Mays family said it's felt like a year. 'I guess you just got to pick up and go somewhere else and sit down and just continue; that's all I know to do,' said Nicholas. A GoFundMe has been set up for the Mays family. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Burnside honors four late town marshals in memorial ceremony
Despite adverse conditions — a lack of electricity and water in the city following Friday's tornado — Burnside officials came together on Saturday to honor four of the community's officers of the law who made the greatest possible sacrifice in the line of duty. The Burnside Fallen Officer Memorial Ceremony went on as planned this past weekend, with families of those being honored coming in from all over the country — not just Kentucky, but Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, and even California and Florida. An estimated 200 people were present at Cole Park for the ceremony. Four town marshals — a position that eventually evolved into Burnside Chief of Police — who were killed as a result of their service to the community were honored, with their names being placed on the monument at the Burnside Memorial Garden at Cole Park. Burnside Police Chief Mike Hill told the Commonwealth Journal that his department had a recruit in the police academy that was doing a history project, and asked Hill questions about when Burnside's Police Department was established and other details. This led Hill to do his own research to find those answers, and in the process, learned about the four men who will be honored Saturday. When Burnside created its Memorial Garden in 2023, Hill decided that he'd like to utilize it to honor the four marshals he learned about who died as a result of their service to the city. In particular, that's because they're already permanently honored in the police academy at Eastern Kentucky University and the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington D.C., but hadn't yet been recognized in Burnside itself. A number of speakers participated in the event, including Hill and Burnside Mayor Robert Lawson, who read a proclamation declaring that week — May 11-17 — as National Police Week in the City of Burnside, and Saturday, May 17 as Police Day. He also recognized a moment of silence for those whose lives were lost as a result of Friday's tornado in the area. Speaking to those in attendance about the recognition of the four marshals, Lawson said, "I want to say thank you to the families. That is the ultimate sacrifice, is giving your life." Also speaking were retired police chief Eddie Glover, who talked about the kind of dangers law officers face every day, noting that almost 100 officers per year are lost to violence, and that doesn't include those who take their own lives due to the stresses of the job; former mayor Jim Brooks, who spoke abut the stories he heard from his family over the years about one of those marshals, John Coomer; Brandon Becker, city councilor and chair of the Burnside Historical Society, who talked about how safe he feels in a community like Burnside and how its the police that provide that safety; and tourism commissioner Jerrica Flynn, who spoke about the role law officers play assisting her in her job. "There's a type of authenticity that you can't market, that I can't create on a campaign," she said. "... (T)hese fallen officers ... are a prime example of what you can do for your community when you are so ingrained in what you do and what you love. It's almost magical to see that type of love for others and their place of being. So for me as a tourism director, these guys make my job easy. ... That authenticity of true love for their community and that warm hospitality, it's just so easy to convey to other people and have them come back and visit again and again." JOHN COOMER On August 18, 1913, an alleged moonshiner shot and killed a Burnside Councilman, John Fitzgerald, and wounded the town marshal, John Coomer, in a pistol duel. The shooter had been to Somerset with a friend earlier that day and appeared to be drunk when he stepped off the train at Burnside. Marshal Coomer arrested Tarter and was about to take him to jail when the prisoner drew his pistol and shot Coomer in the neck, causing a severe flesh wound. He also shot a town councilman after running off toward the Burnside Ferry. On October 1, 1913, Marshal Coomer died as a result of the gunshot to his neck. However, his death certificate says his cause of death is "unknown." It was reported that Marshal Coomer made a deathbed request that the shooter, identified as a Josh Tarter, not be charged with his murder. Eventually, Tarter was apprehended and convicted of killing the councilman and sentenced to five years in prison; however, he was not charged with murdering Marshal Coomer due to the reported request the marshal made before he died. HIRAM GREGORY Burnside City Marshal Hiram Gregory was shot on April 23, 1926 while attempting to arrest a Burnside barber identified as Ed Gibson for public drunkenness. The August 23, 2002, edition of the Commonwealth Journal said that two shots entered Gregory's left arm, just below the arm pit and another in the left side below his heart. He was also shot in the forehead. Gregory died at a local hospital about six hours after he was shot. It was reported that Marshal Gregory told officers on his deathbed that Gibson was the one responsible for his wounds. He said that he received a complaint at around seven in the morning in front of the Burnside Post Office. He said he didn't see Gibson walk up near where he was standing until he was there shooting him. Marshal Gregory went on to tell officers that Gibson had threatened to kill him more than once. Gibson was arrested and charged with the Marshal's murder. During his trial Gibson denied shooting the marshal, but he was found guilty of murder by a Lincoln County jury and sentenced to life in prison. CHARLIE WRIGHT Marshal Charlie Wright was appointed to office after Hiram Gregory was shot and killed six months prior. According to historical records and news articles, on November 15, 1926, Marshal Charlie Wright was shot while attempting to arrest a bootlegger identified as Ike Guffey. At the time of the shooting, Marshal Wright was on patrol when he encountered Guffey, who was wanted for a previous offense. Wright attempted to arrest Guffey, but Guffey pulled out a gun and shot Wright in the chest. Wright was rushed to a hospital in Somerset, but he died from his injuries the following day. After the shooting, a manhunt was launched to capture Guffey, who was eventually arrested and charged with murder. During his trial, Guffey claimed that he had acted in self-defense because Wright had been abusive and had tried to shoot him first. However, this claim was disputed by eyewitnesses, and Guffey was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. GEORGE PRENTICE SOUTHWOOD Marshal Southwood was shot and killed in the line of duty shortly before noon on September 30, 1948, by a man in a black pickup truck at the construction site of the new U.S. 27 bridge which was being built at the time. The man had been arrested previously by Southwood for public intoxication and there was no doubt a history between the men. A work stoppage was occurring at the site due to a pay dispute. There were reports of gambling at the site and Prentice was called in to investigate those reports. The killer was a local constable who was drunk at the time and onsite as well. Southwood engaged in a verbal altercation with the constable after observing alcohol in his vehicle. He ordered the constable who was the driver and his passenger out of the vehicle. The passenger was the driver's son-in-law. The son-in-law was a worker at the site. The passenger followed orders but the driver did not. During the altercation that followed, Southwood was shot twice with a .38 caliber pistol, once in the head and once in the heart, by the intoxicated man. Construction workers rushed to the scene to try to aid Southwood. The shooter fled south on U.S. 27, and after an exhaustive search across three counties that lasted 19 hours, an arrest was made. A long and large trial would follow, and the shooter would receive a life sentence. Years later, however, against the family's wishes, he would be released while ill. The stories of the four men were read by Hill at the ceremony, and all current and former officers of the law or their family representatives present were given tokens of appreciation. In addition, a member of the family of each fallen marshal was presented with an American flag hand-folded there on site by Burnside police officers. Following the ceremony, the family members spoke to the Commonwealth Journal about the opportunity afforded to them for remembrance and recognition on Saturday. Gregory accepts flag Lewis Gregory, great-grandson of late Burnside Town Marshal Hiram Gregory, accepts an American flag as a gift at Saturday's Memorial Ceremony in Burnside's Cole Park. Lewis Gregory, from Greenwood, Indiana, great-grandson of Hiram Gregory, said, "It was really a remarkable honor. ... It is very intensely meaningful for me that all of these good people came together to honor him. I never met him, I wish I had. ... The sacrifice that people in law enforcement (were) giving back then, and even now, is astounding. I served as a judge for 28 years, (and) other legal positions through the years, and I have a lot of respect for police officers." "It was a proud moment, for my whole family really," said Joe Canada of Cincinnati, great-great-grandson of Coomer. "(They shared) a lot of history I didn't know about." Eddie Wright, great-grandson of Charlie Wright, said, "I'm glad that his service is recognized. It was a long time ago; he died before he knew any of his grandkids. I think the first one was born in 1928. He served in the Spanish-American War; my great-grandmother was the last ... beneficiary of the war benefits from that. She was the last Spanish-American War widow, so to speak. It's good to see that they still recognize him after all this time. It happened almost 100 years ago. It's just a legacy." "This means the world to me and my family, honoring our ancestor and honoring the thee other gentlemen (to serve as town marshal)," said Cincinnati's Wade Southwood, great-great-grandson of Prentice Southwood. "It means the world that they're being remembered and memorialized, and also just a general celebration (of) law enforcement ... and what they do for their communities and for this nation." Southwood police car Wade Southwood brought the car that his great-great-grandfather, former Burnside Town Marshal Prentice Southwood, was driving the day he was killed in 1948. Wade Southwood also spoke briefly during the event to the crowd, and brought with him a unique vehicle — Marshal Southwood's own police car, the car he was driving the day he was shot. The car has gone down through several families and is now in Wade Southwood's possession, said Hill. The chief was appreciative that the long-planned event was able to go forward, even considering the difficulties caused by Friday's tornado in southern Pulaski County. "There (are) a lot of people who gave up their time to come here (and) travel," said Hill. "... I think it was awesome that we got to hold this event due to all the extra circumstances going on, that people still would come and share this experience with us."
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
In wake of new law, EKU swaps ‘diversity,' ‘inclusion' for ‘viewpoint neutrality'
Students walk on Eastern Kentucky University's campus in Richmond, May 14, 2025. (Kentucky Lantern photo by McKenna Horsley) RICHMOND — With approval of its governing board, Eastern Kentucky University became the first in the state to formally adopt policies that bring it into compliance with a Republican-backed state law banning diversity, equity and inclusion practices at Kentucky public universities. In its Wednesday meeting, the EKU Board of Regents passed a policy to uphold viewpoint neutrality and a resolution showing EKU plans to comply with the recently passed House Bill 4. The board also approved removing words such as 'diverse' from its strategic goals. No board members voted against the measures in a voice vote. Kentucky public universities have been reviewing HB 4 since its passage by the Republican-controlled General Assembly earlier this year. GOP caucuses in the House and Senate easily had the votes to override Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear's veto of the law, which he said 'is about hate.' In his veto message, the governor wrote, 'Acting like racism and discrimination no longer exist or that hundreds of years of inequality have been somehow overcome and there is a level playing field is disingenuous.' He also said the law would prevent universities and colleges from investigating allegations of bias except in limited circumstances. EKU's board members had little discussion on the new policies before they cast votes. Regent Laura Babbage asked questions about how the university will still support students from a variety of backgrounds. She added that she hoped as an institution, EKU 'believes that we have responsibility to our brothers and sisters, regardless of their race, creed, beliefs or whatever the case might be.' 'I'm not speaking for the board. I'm speaking for Laura Babbage, but I am just saying that that is an essential part of who I am,' she said. 'And so as we have issues that come before us that perhaps need a voice, I will, in fact, be that voice.' EKU President David McFaddin said in response to Babbage that supporting all students would remain a focus of the administration. 'Student success will continue to be our focus. Supporting students — every student — in every way that we can will continue to be a part of the institution,' he said. The newly adopted university policy — titled 'Institutional Viewpoint Neutrality' — says that EKU 'does not discriminate against individuals or groups based on their social or political viewpoints and values the contributions of all community members to robust dialogue and the free exchange of viewpoints to contribute to an intellectually diverse campus community.' The university may not require anyone to 'endorse or condemn a specific ideology, political viewpoint, or social viewpoint to be eligible for hiring, contract renewal, tenure, promotion, admission or graduation.' Directing the state's public universities to adopt such viewpoint neutrality policies was a tenet of HB 4. The university policy says that the EKU president has the only authority to issue official statements on behalf of the university, and may designate someone else to issue statements as needed. The board chair has a similar authority to issue official statements of the board. The president and board chair are prohibited from issuing official statements 'on political, social or cultural matters that are not directly related to the operations, mission or legal obligations of the University.' The policy says that any violation 'will be handled through the normal University processes.' The board also approved changes to the university's strategic goals, removing a reference to supporting 'EKU's diverse learners' and replacing the word 'inclusivity' with 'respect.' The changes also remove 'Inclusion' as a guiding value of the university, which was defined as 'Community engagement, Diversity of people and perspectives, Professional growth, Hospitality, Celebration' and replaces it with 'Opportunity,' defined as 'Community Engagement, Multiple Perspectives and Lived Experiences, Professional Growth, Hospitality, Celebration.' The resolution approved by the board says EKU will follow the state law. An EKU spokesperson previously told the Kentucky Lantern the university planned to comply with the law. The bill's primary sponsor, Rep. Jennifer Decker, R-Waddy, said in a statement after filing the legislation that it sought 'to prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion, race, sex, color, or national origin, and ensure that our university campuses are free from the failed and misguided DEI policies that have proven only to make higher education less attainable for Kentuckians.' In a statement ahead of Wednesday's board meeting, Decker said the law ended 'discriminatory and wasteful practices on our public postsecondary campuses.' Decker added that the law ensures Kentucky public colleges 'provide equal treatment to all of their students and judge students on their individual merits, not on their race, color, or creed.' 'These are institutions of learning and must focus on improving the quality of education on their campuses and increasing enrollment among all Kentuckians,' Decker said. HB 4 directs the governing boards of Kentucky's public universities to enact a policy by June 30 to meet requirements under the law such as not restricting scholarship eligibility criteria on the basis of religion, race, sex, color or national origin and not requiring or encouraging students to complete courses 'of which the primary purpose is to indoctrinate participants with a discriminatory concept.' Next year on July 1, each institution must begin submitting annual certification to the Council on Postsecondary Education to verify the institution has not spent money to support DEI programs. The law largely had support from Republicans in both the state House and Senate throughout the legislative session earlier this year. It comes on the heels of Republicans nationwide aiming to rollback DEI programs. President Donald Trump has taken actions against such programs, including issuing an executive order early in his second term aimed at curbing DEI in private sector businesses. More recently, Trump signed an executive order directing the U.S. Department of Education to overhaul university and college accreditation programs to root out DEI standards. Before the General Assembly passed the law, Kentucky college students held protests against the legislation on their campuses, including EKU. Students also voiced opposition in committee hearings and protests at the Capitol. 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USA Today
30-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Whistling Straits will host a unique college golf event. Let this aviation major explain
Whistling Straits will host a unique college golf event. Let this aviation major explain Show Caption Hide Caption Preparations for Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits golf course in Haven Preparations are underway for next week's Ryder Cup golf tournament at Whistling Straits in Haven near Sheboygan. Mike De Sisti, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel EKU golfer Dili Sitanonth will compete in the PGA Works Collegiate Championship at Whistling Straits. The PGA Works Collegiate Championship provides opportunities for minority golfers from various colleges. Sitanonth aims to pursue both a professional golf career and a career in aviation. Eastern Kentucky University golfer Dili Sitanonth isn't afraid to chase new horizons. She has lived around the world while going after her dream of becoming a pro. Sitanonth is also an aviation major who is just starting to take off on solo flights. The senior golfer will set her sights on Whistling Straits in Kohler from May 5-7 as she competes in the PGA Works Collegiate Championship. The world-renowned links course has hosted many big tournaments, notably the 2021 Ryder Cup, three PGA Championships and the 2007 U.S. Senior Open. Several other tournaments are on the way: the 2028 U.S. Amateur, the 2033 U.S. Junior Amateur and the 2037 U.S. Girls' Junior. But the PGA Works has a different kind of impact. It was created in 1986 for athletes from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving schools and other institutions that provide opportunities for minorities. Last year at TPC Sawgrass in Florida, 184 golfers and student-athletes from 65 schools competed across five divisions in the 54-hole, stroke-play event. It is open to all minority men and women golfers at any collegiate level. Sitanonth first played in the event when she was on the team at Texas Southern, an HBCU. Then last year, after transferring to Eastern Kentucky because of their top-notch aviation program, she finished second as an individual. The event gave her confidence that she could compete at a high level. 'First of all, with the course setting, it's very professional,' Sitanonth said. 'The camera crews and everything kind of give me a little taste of what it is going to be like when I move on to like a bigger tour. 'The field is very competitive. So I would say it's prepared me for everything.' Sitanonth has shown that she will go after her goals when given the opportunity. She was born in Thailand and doesn't have a typical golf background. 'I started to play golf when I was like 3 ½,' Sitanonth said. 'But it was just an extracurricular for me. Like an activity after school during that time. 'Didn't play competitively until 12, 13, which is a little late, I would say. And then two, three years later it was time for me to make a decision about my high school.' Sitanonth's parents let her research schools, and she found the Loretto School in Scotland, which gave her a golf scholarship. She came to the United States to become a pro. 'She's one of the harder workers we've had here at EKU,' Colonels coach Mandy Moore said. 'She's just really passionate and devoted about what she does. 'She has a goal and a dream of what she wants and she really works hard with her coaches back home and the way she goes about things here to just keep working toward that.' Sitanonth's fearlessness extends to getting behind the controls of a plane. 'My plan is to do both golf and aviation,' she said. 'I'm not graduating this semester, because I have to fly still. So hopefully I can still fly while I try to get my Tour card.' Give her an opportunity and the sky is the limit.
