Debord, Ky – A loose horse was killed early Sunday when it ran into a pickup on New Route 3 near Debord, reigniting safety concerns from Martin County Sheriff John Kirk about free-roaming horses along county roads. No one in the truck was injured. Kirk said around a dozen horses were on the shoulder when one bolted into traffic, causing thousands of dollars in damage. Calling the scene “graphic” and “heartbreaking,” he warned in a social media post that it is “too late to correct the problem after someone is killed” and urged county officials and citizens to act before tragedy strikes again.

 

Coal Run, Ky – A $10.2 million Kentucky Transportation Cabinet project will replace the Stone Coal Bridge on U.S. 23 in Pike County with a new four-lane span designed to improve safety and ease congestion. Construction on the new bridge over the Levisa Fork at Stone Coal and Thompson Road is expected to start the week of January 5, with no major traffic impacts for several weeks as crews clear vegetation, excavate the foundation, and relocate utilities. The wider bridge will add dedicated turn lanes, improve drainage on Thompson Road, and combine two existing signals into one four-way intersection.

 

Perry County, Ky – A new Appalachian Horse Center at the county-owned Miniard Farm in Cornettsville will give Eastern Kentucky’s free‑roaming horses a safe place to go while also drawing tourists to Perry County. The Fiscal Court is leasing more than 80 acres to the nonprofit Appalachian Horse Project, which plans to open the center in spring 2026 as a haven for at-risk horses and a site for education, therapy, and job training programs. Seven rescued horses are already on the farm awaiting adoption, and officials hope tours, hands-on activities, and eventually an Airbnb in the historic Miniard House will create a new draw alongside the nearby Leatherwood off-road park.

 

Paintsville, Ky – Paintsville Fire Department officials are urging extra caution with home heating as temperatures drop, saying many winter fires are preventable. Fire Chief Ed Pack advises keeping anything that can burn at least three feet from heaters and checking smoke and carbon monoxide detectors monthly to ensure they work. Capt. Ben Cook warns that space heaters should be plugged directly into the wall, not into extension cords or surge protectors, because they can overheat and cause fires, and he cautions against using open flames under homes to thaw pipes due to combustible materials.