Russell County, KY

The Rocket Docket program that aims to help expedite court proceedings for non-violent, low-level offenders and lower the cost to the county jail was nearly nixed by the Russell County Fiscal Court Monday night. The Rocket Docket program has existed in Russell County for more than a decade, and has...

The Kentucky Department for Public Health reported 53 new COVID-19 cases in Russell County last week. That number is down from the last two weeks, in which 57 cases were reported the week prior and 82 were reported the last week of July. Neighboring Pulaski County reported 91 new cases,...

A contraband and drug trafficking investigation by the Columbia Police Department in neighboring Adair County came to an end on Monday. The investigation began back on May 4th of this year when officers were notified by Adair County Regional Jail after suspected narcotics were found by deputy jailers there. After...

Russell County Judge Executive Gary Robertson announced appointments to two local boards Monday night. Robertson appointed Brittany Meece-Stephens to the Library Board to replace outgoing member Stephanie McGowan. Stephens’ term will end June 30, 2023. On the tourism board, Robertson appointed Jared Popplewell to replace Anissa Hammond, who stepped...

The Laker Golf team came away with a victory over Wayne County in a match held at Lakewood Country Club on Tuesday. The Lakers finished with a team score of 166, coming away with a four-stroke victory over the Cardinals. Daylon Blevins led the way for Russell County with a...

A new report by the Kentucky State Data Center projects Russell County’s population to continue to grow by 2025, eventually crossing 18,000 population before declining again. The data center released a report last week detailing population projections for each of Kentucky’s 120 counties from present to the year 2050....

There will be a special-called meeting of the Lake Cumberland Tourist Commission tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. in the board room at the Russell County Tourist Office. The meeting takes the place of this month’s regular meeting as Tourist Director Danielle Wilson will be out of town, working at the Kentucky State Fair during that time.

The Russell County Fiscal Court voted to approve a measure Monday night that would lower the county’s tax rate on real property for the first time since 1994. The county took the compensating rate, which lowered the rate from 6.7 cents per $100 of assessed value to 6.5 cents.

The Russell County High School soccer teams opened the season with losses against Casey County Monday night. Hosting the home openers, the Lady Laker soccer team fell 7-3 to the Lady Rebels. Adriana Thomas scored each of the three goals for Russell County. In the boys game, the Lakers fell...

The Russell County Sheriff’s Office has released its monthly report for the month of July. Last month, the sheriff’s office received 387 calls for service, performed 13 arrests, nine mental health transports, and had 48 court papers received. Court security officers drove more than 5,000 court security miles,...

Commissioner of Agriculture Dr. Ryan Quarles is inviting Kentuckians to celebrate Kentucky Farmers’ Markets Week this week by supporting the Kentucky farm families who bring fresh farm products to the consumers. This year’s Farmers’ Markets Week salutes the 170 farmers’ markets in 112 Kentucky counties. In those 170 markets,...

Russell County remains yellow on the latest COVID spread map released by the Kentucky Department for Public Health. Meanwhile, neighboring Adair and Pulaski County have moved to green, indicating a low level of community spread of the virus. Yellow indicates a medium spread, while red indicates a high spread. Neighboring...

The Russell County Fiscal Court will hold its regular monthly meeting on Monday. The meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the old Russell County Courthouse. The court is expected to discuss the 911 building project and the Rocket Docket program, along with county tax rates and other business items.

The date for next month’s Lake Cumberland Cleanup has been announced by PRIDE and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The date of this year’s cleanup will be Saturday, September 24th, from 8 a.m. until noon, local time. Locations in Russell County include the Lake Cumberland State Park and Halcomb’s Landing above Wolf Creek Dam. Other locations will be Burnside Island State Park, the Waistboro Recreation Area, Conley Bottom Marina, and Grider Hill Marina.

Open House events at each of the local elementary schools will be today. Open House events at Jamestown, Russell Springs, and Salem Elementary schools will be from 5-7 p.m. this evening. Russell County Schools will be collecting gift card donations and cash during these open house events. Suggested gift cards...

Russell County Schools will be collecting gift card donations and cash during each school’s open house this week. Businesses, community members, staff, students, organizations and individuals can bring donated gift cards to one of the school open houses this week, according to Superintendent Michael Ford. Russell County Schools Family...

Russell County native Steve Wariner was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Tuesday morning. Wariner was part of a group inducted yesterday that included Shania Twain, Hillary Lindsey, Gary Nicholson, and David Malloy. Wariner was inducted in the veteran songwriter-artist category.

Kentucky State Police Post 15 will be conducting periodic traffic safety checkpoints in the Post 15 area, which includes Green, Taylor, Marion, Washington, Russell, Casey, Adair, Metcalfe, Monroe, Clinton, and Cumberland counties. These checkpoints will be conducted as part of Post 15’s highway safety efforts. Troopers will be checking...

The annual 127 Yard Sale begins this week, making its way from Michigan to Alabama with Russell County serving as a mid-way point for the world’s longest yard sale. While the annual yard sale doesn’t officially get underway until Thursday, many people have already begun selling along the highway.

The Lake Cumberland Tourist Commission met in special session on Tuesday with one lone item on the agenda, but the item has the potential for substantial results for the local tourism industry. Tourism Director Danielle Wilson detailed the meeting with WJRS NEWS…. The amended ordinance will be presented before the...