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With 2024 now in the rear-view mirror and a new year already underway, here’s a look at some of the top stories of the last year in and around Harlan County.
Possibly the most shocking event occurring in Harlan County was the untimely death of Kentucky State Senator Johnnie Turner due to an unfortunate accident.
According to the report in the Enterprise, Turner passed away in October. Statements from state and county officials poured in following the announcement.
“Senator Johnnie Turner was one of the toughest people I’ve ever met,” Harlan County Judge-Executive Mosley said. “He was a proud Harlan Countian who loved mountain people and our Appalachian way of life. Serving the people of southeastern Kentucky as State Senator was one of his greatest passions.”
Kentucky State Senate President Robert Stivers issued a statement on behalf of the Senate Majority Caucus regarding Turner’s passing.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Sen. Johnnie Turner’s passing Tuesday evening, following a hard-fought battle with injuries sustained in his recent accident,” Stivers stated. “Over the past weeks, his remarkable resolve and strength filled the Turner family—and all of us—with optimism, making this loss all the more difficult to bear. This loss is deeply personal to me, as I have known Johnnie long before our paths crossed in public office. I will miss my friend; my heart breaks for his wife, Maritza, and his children. The love and admiration I, along with so many others, feel for Johnnie is immense, but I know it pales compared to the depth of love held by those closest to him.”
Scott Madon, who was Mayor of Pineville at the time of Turner’s death, has since been elected to the Kentucky Senate position Turner held.
Turner represented the 29th Senate District which includes Harlan, Bell, Floyd, Knott, and Letcher Counties.
One of the more heartwarming stories of 2024 was the retirement of long-time and well-loved local Pharmacist John McNiel, who provided pharmacy services in Harlan for nearly 60 years. After having already worked in Harlan as a pharmacist for decades, McNiel became the first ever pharmacist at Food City, where he worked for 27 years.
“I worked at CVS for around 10 years, and I had Howard Drug for 17 years,” McNiel remembered during his retirement party at Food City.
Howard Drug was a downtown Harlan drug store which featured a popular lunch counter frequented by folks who worked in downtown Harlan as well as school children on lunch break from the Harlan Independent school district. Nearly everyone who lived in Harlan during that period likely remembers being in the establishment at one time or another.
Another story that piqued the interest of Harlan Countians was the county taking over operations of the Benham Schoolhouse Inn in Benham after the agreement with previous management came to an end. The Harlan County Fiscal Court considered multiple options before ultimately deciding to appoint a board to run the facility.
“With a board, we still have the investment that we’re going to have to do,” Magistrate Paul Browning said. “The difference in the two proposals and having a board is with a board we have 100 percent of any return on the investment… and we have more direction with the dollars that are being spent.”
Following a lengthy discussion, the Fiscal Court decided to table all proposals and approved a motion to create the Benham Schoolhouse Inn Board to oversee the operations and management of the facility.
Other high-profile happenings across Harlan County in 2024 included broadband projects to bring high speed internet to more rural sections of Harlan County, a wastewater agreement between Benham and Lynch to address sewer issues (Cumberland opted out), and an approximately $2.4 million grant to upgrade water service for the city of Evarts.
Looking forward, there are sure to be many additional interesting and exciting events impacting Harlan County during 2025 and beyond.