PIKEVILLE, Ky. — Sheldon Lee Compton, a distinguished Sports Director for Mountain Top Media and former faculty member at Piarist School, passed away peacefully on April 13, 2026, at Pikeville Medical Center. Born on April 23, 1976, Sheldon’s life was marked by dedication, talent, and a profound commitment to his family, community, and craft. A proud native of Pikeville, Sheldon earned a Master’s degree, which laid the foundation for his remarkable career. His professional journey was multifaceted and inspiring. As an accomplished journalist, novelist, and poet with five published books, Sheldon was proudly known as the Appalachian Writer. Beyond his […]

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Pike County Central’s Jonah Hicks delivered a historic performance Saturday, striking out 18 batters to set a new school record and lead the Hawks to a 1-0 walk-off victory over Jackson City. In a game dominated by pitching, Hicks was nearly untouchable. The sophomore Hawk allowed just four hits across eight shutout innings while issuing only one walk, consistently controlling the pace and keeping Jackson City off balance. His 18 strikeouts accounted for the vast majority of outs recorded, which led to one of the most dominant outings in program history. Despite Hicks’ command on the mound, the game remained […]

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WILLIAMSPORT, Ky. — A Johnson County woman is facing multiple felony charges after police say she opened fire on two teenagers who were trying to report a forest fire. The teens were traveling along Route 40 near Williamsport just before midnight on Friday, when they spotted the fire and stopped to call 911 to report it. While on the phone, one of the teens told the dispatcher he thought he heard gunshots. A neighbor later told police that Misty Dawn Barker, 42, of Van Lear, stood in the road shooting toward the teens, allegedly saying she would “kill the f-ing […]

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CLINCHCO, Va. — On April 30, Appalachian Voices is hosting a community tree planting event at Quarry Drive, a former mine site near Clinchco in Dickenson County, Va. Appalachian Voices purchased the site earlier this year as part of its Mineland ReLeaf program, which seeks to restore native trees and wildlife to poorly reclaimed mineland. Quarry Drive was overgrown with invasive autumn olive trees, which have been removed. The soil — heavily compacted by mining and reclamation activity — has been prepared for native tree plantings. On April 30 at 5:15 p.m., residents interested in helping with the reforestation effort […]

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by RODERICK MULLINS DICKENSON COUNTY, Va. – Health officials have issued a fish consumption advisory for the John W. Flannagan Reservoir in Southwest Virginia following the discovery of elevated chemical levels in several species. The Virginia Department of Health announced the advisory after tests revealed high concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, in walleye, channel catfish and largemouth bass. The advisory covers specific sections of the reservoir, including: The Cranesnest River arm: Extending upstream to the Highway 83 Bridge. The Pound River arm: Extending upstream to the Lower Georges Fork Hollow (Route 621) Bridge. Under the new guidelines, officials recommend that […]

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