LEADER-NEWS TUESDAY • AUGUST 24, 2021 • WWW.KY-LEADERNEWS.COM VOLUME 105 NUMBER 34 Serving Muhlenberg County, Kentucky 16 PAGES + INSERTS • 50 CENTS Who is Marching Jared 95 responsible band Topmiller HIGH for public uniforms wins CC health? on display Invite A-4 A-2 B-1 70 LOW Former State Representative Brent Yonts Don Everly of Everly dies from covid, he was fully vaccinated Brothers dies at 84 Brent Yonts, 72, of of Murray State Univer- wealth for many years By KRISTIN M. HALL Greenville, died on sity, and obtained his law to come. He also did a Associated Press Aug. 20 after contract- degree from University phenomenal job chair- ing covid-19. Although of Kentucky. He served ing the House State NASHVILLE, Tenn. fully vaccinated, Yonts in the U.S. Army from Government Commit- (AP) — Don Everly, one- was among three people 1971 to 1973, stationed tee, where he helped half of the pioneering Ev- reported by the Muhlen- in Fort Hood, Texas. guide several critical erly Brothers whose har- berg County Health De- Yonts returned to the laws strengthening our monizing country rock partment to have died of county and married Jan public retirement sys- hits impacted a genera- the virus that day. Yonts Covington Yonts, cur- tems. tion of rock ‘n’ roll mu- served for 20 years rep- rent mayor of the city “On a more personal sic, has died. He was 84. Don Everly resenting Muhlenberg of Greenville. He began level, those of us who Everly died at his home his appreciation for the and parts of Hopkins a private law practice, Brent Yonts knew him will never in Nashville, Tennessee, ability to live his dreams County, District 15 in the specializing in helping friend and former caucus forget his warmth and on Aug. 21, according to ... living in love with his Kentucky House of Rep- people with disabilities, colleague, and pray for kindness, his commit- his attorney and family soul mate and wife Ade- resentatives. specifically black lung his family and those close ment to making Ken- spokesperson Linda Edell la, and sharing the music Yonts grew up in the disease. After running to him. Brent served his tucky an even better Howard. His brother, Phil that made him an Everly Rosewood community for office several times, House district and all of place to live, and of Everly, died in January Brother. Don always ex- in the southern part of he became a state rep- Kentucky with distinc- course his colorful 2014 at age 74. pressed how grateful he the county. He gradu- resentative in 1997, and tion for two decades, es- jackets and a legislative “Don lived by what was for his fans.” ated from Muhlenberg served until 2016. tablishing a long record he felt in his heart,” a Central High School in “We mourn the passing of accomplishments that BRENT YONTS: statement from the fam- DON EVERLY: 1967. He was a graduate of Brent Yonts, our great will benefit the common- Continued on A-3 ily said. “Don expressed Continued on A-2 Thistle Cottage prepares for reopening with Central City cancels history and genealogy under one roof scheduled events amidst covid resurgance Central City Tourism ticket holders for the Commission announced Sept. 17 event. on Aug. 20 the cancel- As disappointing as ation of the remaining it is to make this an- events planned for 2021 nouncement, the tourism due to the ongoing surge commission along with of covid-19 and hospital- Central City Mayor Tony izations in the county and Armour have decided to beyond. This includes cancel these events in the the Car Show, Cruise-In interest of public safety. and concerts previously “The health and safety scheduled for Sept. 3 and of our patrons and our 4 in downtown Central community are our top The historic 1912 building gets new addition, home to the Genealogy and Local History Annex. A re- City, and the ‘90s Night priorities,” said Dr. Fred- opening date for the art gallery and museum is to be determined. (Leader-news photo/Stacie Barton) Concert with C+C Music die Mayes, executive Factory, Tag Team, and director of the tourism By STACIE BARTON Local History Annex, and easy access from the county and beyond. The DJ Shay, scheduled for commission. “While we [email protected] located in the new addi- ground level. While the extensive collection in- Sept. 17 at Lu-Ray Am- certainly hoped for the tion to the historic Dun- Thistle Cottage is still cludes newspapers dat- phitheater. current pandemic out- After being closed can family home, built closed due to another ing back to 1926, fam- The Car Show and look to be more positive, for more than a year, in 1912. wave of covid-19 cases ily genealogy books, Cruise-In will return in the Thistle Cottage in The renovation began in the county, there are high school year books, 2022. Refunds will be CENTRAL CITY: Greenville is slowly in 2016, and has trans- still people available to family records, research automatically issued to Continued on A-3 coming back to life. Part formed the rear of the help with research in the notes, church histories, of Muhlenberg Coun- building from a dark genealogy annex. cemetery records and ty Public Libraries, basement and stairwell The annex includes a more. The process of the building on Cher- to a bright, inviting space huge selection of materi- Mask mandate rescinded ry Street is now home with floor to ceiling win- als to help with research THISTLE COTTAGE: to the Genealogy and dows, an open floor plan into family lines in the Continued on A-2 as cases continue to rise Muhelnberg County scinded a mask mandate continues to see a sig- for K-12 schools Mon- School starts amidst covid spike, hopeful voluntary nifcant rise in covid-19, day, after a state supreme with 59 cases reported on court ruling upheld moves testing and masks help keep kids in the classroom Aug. 23 alone. With one to weaken the governor’s By STACIE BARTON members the plan is to a parent or guardian, tion, children who are week left in the month of emergency powers. [email protected] have students at school Davis said. The board masked and seated at August, the county is on Beshear said exponen- five days a week, for the approved a partnership least three feet apart will track to have the most tial growth in cases is Muhlenberg County first time since the pan- with Wild Health to pro- not be required to quar- cases in a single month. happening in schools, at school superintendent demic closed schools vide this service. There antine if they come in Muhelnberg County a Monday press breifing. Robby Davis expressed in March of 2020. “It’s is no cost to the district contact with someone Health Department report- He implored school dis- his excitement over been a long time, so for this service. who has covid-19, un- ed 562 cases in August. tricts to continue requir- having all high school we’re happy about all Changes to the quar- less they are displaying January held the previous ing masks in schools. students on one campus that,” he said. antine protocols will symptoms. record with 575 cases, Masks are still required at a Aug. 19 meeting of Davis said the dis- help keep kids in the Davis pointed to War- likely to be surpassed in under a mandate from the the Board of Education. trict will be providing classroom, Davis said. ren County schools, the coming week. Kentucky Dept. of Edu- “It’s so exciting that our free, voluntary testing Because of the mask where after only a few Gov. Andy Beshear re- cation. 9-12 graders are going for covid-19 to all staff mandate made by Gov. days back in class, the to be together,” Davis and students. Students Andy Beshear, and sup- said. will not be tested with- ported by the Kentucky SCHOOL BOARD: Davis told the board out permission from Department of Educa- Continued on A-3 “Nearly all of our unvaccinated patients who have COVID ask us if they can get the vaccine before going on a ventilator. I have to look them in the eye and tell them I’m sorry, but it’s too WHAT late right now. That’s heartbreaking because we have to watch them suffer, and we even lose patients. Let’s get past this pandemic by getting the vaccine.” - D R . H E A T H E R G A R R E T T CAN I SAY OWENSBORO HEALTH MUHLENBERG COMMUNITY HOSPITAL TO CONVINCE Hear from local doctors about the YOU TO GET VACCINATED? vaccine at OwensboroHealth.org A-2 Tuesday, August 24, 2021 • Leader-News THISTLE COTTAGE: Continued from FRONT unpacking is ongoing, in one place,” said li- said library archivist brary director Janet Har- Amie Waltrip. ris. “Hopefully people “There are old re- will come in to see one cords, censuses, mar- and check out the other riage records, and birth while they are here.” and death records. There The library is current- are deeds, lien claims, ly offering to do some court cases, dating back research for the public, to 1799,” Waltrip said. with a two-week turn The annex has books around on most inqui- compiled by local fam- ries. ilies, and files on many The permanent col- different family names. lection of W.G. Duncan “If someone is here do- Coal Company memora- ing research, they will bilia is now located in a give us a copy of what front room of the Thistle they have found, and Cottage, along with the that goes into the files art gallery which hosts too,” Waltrip said.