Sheriff Bobby Jones reports that Deputies apprehended James Meece on September 23, 2026, after receiving information that he was at a residence on Sulphur Springs Road. Meece had been wanted on a state parole board violation since June 2025. At approximately 9:43 p.m., Deputy Noah Dishman received the information, which also raised concern that the residence may have been prepared for a barricade situation.

Deputy Dishman notified supervisors and coordinated with the U.S. Marshals Service. After a search warrant was obtained for the property, Deputies arrived at the residence. Meece fled into a wooded area, and Deputies pursued him but lost sight of him.

Following the initial search, the Pulaski County Special Response Team deployed a drone, which detected a heat signature and helped Deputies locate Meece. Lieutenant Richard Smith coordinated radio communications while Deputies tracked Meece’s movements. Sergeant Marcus Harrison and Deputies Zach Huff and Grant Bryant took Meece into custody without further incident.

Deputies subsequently executed the search warrant at the residence and seized a small amount of suspected methamphetamine.

The U.S. Marshals Service and Pulaski County EMS assisted the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office during the response. Sheriff’s Office personnel included Lieutenant Richard Smith; Sergeants Dylan West and Marcus Harrison; and Deputies Grant Bryant, Zach Huff, Ethan Hargis, Brandon Parks, Matthew Walker, and Daniel Drury. The Pulaski County Special Response Team also participated in the search.

Sheriff Bobby Jones asks anyone with information about this crime, any other crime, or suspected drug activity to contact the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office at 606-678-5145 or the tip line at 606-679-8477. You may remain anonymous.  

DOWNTOWN DAYS FALL FESTIVAL – TRAFFIC NOTICE 

The Columbia, Kentucky Public Square will be closed to traffic for the annual Downtown Days Fall Festival beginning Friday, October 9th at 10:00 a.m. The Public Square will remain closed through Sunday, October 11th until 1:00 a.m. (CST).

DETOUR INFORMATION

Detour routes are shown on the attached map. Temporary signage will be posted one block from the Columbia Public Square roundabout to help guide motorists during the closure.

 TRAFFIC CONTROL

The Columbia Police Department will be on site to assist with traffic management and help ensure the safety of festival attendees, motorists, and pedestrians.

 SAFETY REMINDER

Please use caution, slow down, and watch for pedestrians as visitors enjoy the festival events.

We appreciate your cooperation and look forward to celebrating with you at the Downtown Days Fall Festival! 

The Adair County Fiscal Court will meet in special called session on Friday, September 25, 2026 at 11:00amCT in the basement of the Adair County Annex building, 424 Public Square, Columbia, KY. The meeting is open to the public.

AGENDA

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

PRAYER

CALL TO ORDER

ROLL CALL
 

1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
2. DISBURSEMENTS
3. ADJOURN

A Boil Water Advisory has been issued for Oaks Subdivision in Jamestown off of Boat Dock Road. Until further notice, boil all water used for drinking and cooking purposes, bringing the water to a rolling boil for 3 minutes.

The annual property tax collection in Russell County is managed by Sheriff Derek Polston and the Russell County Sheriff’s Office. Here are key details and the typical structure regarding property tax collection in Russell County.

Key Collection Dates & Discount Schedule
Property tax bills (typically mailed around late September or early October) follow Kentucky's statutory discount and penalty timeline.

• 2% Discount Period: Payments made between October 1st and November 1st receive a 2% discount on the total bill.
• Face Value Period: Payments made from November 2nd through December 31st are paid at the face amount (no discount, no penalty).
• 5% Penalty: Payments made between January 1st and January 31st incur a 5% penalty.
• 10% Penalty + 10% Sheriff's Add-On: Starting February 1st, a total 20% penalty/fee addition applies to delinquent bills.

Transfer to County Clerk: After April 15th, all remaining unpaid tax bills are turned over from the Sheriff’s Office to the Russell County Clerk's Office as Certificates of Delinquency.

Payment Options
Taxpayers in Russell County can pay their property taxes through several methods:

• In Person: At the Russell County Sheriff’s Office, located in the Russell County Courthouse (410 Monument Square, Suite 109, Jamestown, KY).
• By Mail: Checks or money orders mailed to Russell County Sheriff’s Office, 410 Monument Square, Suite 109, Jamestown, KY 42629
• By Phone/Online: Over-the-phone payments are accepted via card (note that card processor/bank convenience fees apply).

Where the Tax Money Goes
The Sheriff’s Office serves as the primary collection agency for local tax districts. Collected revenues are distributed across state, county, and local public entities including:

• State of Kentucky
• Russell County School District
• Russell County Government & Fiscal Court
• Local Services: Russell County Ambulance Service, Public Library, Health Department, Hospital Board, Conservation District, Extension Office, and Volunteer Fire Departments.

COLUMBIA, KY. (09/23/2026) Lindsey Wilson University has received a grant of more than $370,000 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to expand mental health care services to its students.

The grant will help fund a special initiative that will allow the university to offer additional mental health care services to all of the university's students, no matter which campus they attend or in which mode they are enrolled.

"This grant will help us create more opportunities to better identify and support Lindsey Wilson students who are experiencing mental health challenges, no matter if they are students on the A.P. White Campus in Columbia, attend one of our community campuses, are enrolled in online classes or are part of our hybrid program," said Assistant Dean of Students Abe Cross. "Wherever our students are located, we want to be equipped to help meet their mental health needs so that they can remain focused on earning their Lindsey Wilson degree."

The federal grant -- which is for $372,997 -- will help fund and support the Blue Raider CONNECT initiative. Blue Raider CONNECT is an acronym for Coordinated Outreach, Navigation, Network, Early identification, Crisis response and Treatment.

"Blue Raider CONNECT will give us a more solid framework to help students matriculate through the university's mental health network and support system," said Cross. "Blue Raider CONNECT will provide every Lindsey Wilson student access to a comprehensive mental health system."

Lindsey Wilson Director of Health Services Tamara Coots '13 said the federal grant is "exciting news for our students because it means four things to them."

"The university will be able to improve the mental health resources offered to students, we will increase access to mental health resources available to students, we will expand treatment options offered to students, and we will be able to provide our students with more education about mental health," said Coots.

Lindsey Wilson's enrollment increased this school year by nearly 8% to almost 3,300 students. And a larger student body often brings an increase in mental health care needs.

"It's exciting that as the university continues to grow and expand, Blue Raider CONNECT will help support students' mental health needs," said Cross. "All students who call themselves a Blue Raider will be able to seek and receive support from Blue Raider CONNECT."

The Russell County Grand Jury indicted eleven individuals on Tuesday, according to records from the Russell County Circuit Clerk’s office.

1. Lisa Mann (Old Columbia Road, Russell Springs): Two counts of assault and one count of criminal mischief.
2. James Magness (Somerset): Possession of a controlled substance and 3 traffic violations.
3. Willie Rodgers (Russell Springs): Failure to comply with the Sex Offender Registry (second offense).
4. Joseph Sizemore (Jamestown): Flagrant non-support of a child.
5. Jeremy L. Owens (Liberty): Possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
6. Linda Mahone (Bowling Green): Possession of a controlled substance, tampering with physical evidence, and a traffic violation.
7. Alyssa Fields (Russell Springs): Possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and hindering prosecution or apprehension.
8. Christina Gossage (Russell Springs): Possession of a controlled substance.
9. Arnet Irvin (Russell Springs): Possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
10. Brian T. Stephens (Stephens Ridge Road): Flagrant non-support of a child and persistent felony offender.
11. Rosalino Santos (Russell Springs): Third-degree sexual abuse.

Wave News Reminds Listeners that Indictments Do Not Express Guilt or Innocence in these cases, only that further Court Action is Necessary.

WAVE News received the following press release from the Russell Co. Industrial Development Authority earlier today (Wednesday)...

The Adair County Fiscal Court met in regular session today, at the Adair County Annex Building basement in Columbia.

Procurement Code Amendment: Second reading to update the Procurement section of the Administrative Code Book, raising the threshold from $40,000 to $50,000.

Bids & Contracts: Opening and awardment of rock bids, along with discussions on renewing a CD at Bank of Columbia and amending the Jim Blair rental agreement.

Departmental Discussions: Sheriff's budget discussion, FLEX approval and LARP approval discussions, and status updates on Fiscal Court minutes.

Facilities & Property: Permission to rent office space for an ABC Assistant, request for a water easement on Ted Turner Rd. for Joseph Meyer, authorization for the Judge Executive to sign off on removing a printer in the Clerk's Office, and an executive session to discuss property acquisition. No action taken.

Project Updates: An update from TC Energy/Columbia Gulf Transmission regarding the dig area at Green River Lake.

Community members and local officials gathered Tuesday, September 22, 2026 at the Greasy Creek Bridge on Old U.S. 127 to celebrate the official reopening of the revitalized Greasy Creek Roadside Park.  

Hosted by the Russell County NexGen Civics Club, the morning ceremony marked the completion of extensive efforts to restore the historic park—famed as the spot "where the road meets the water." Improvements include upgraded picnic areas, refreshed landscaping, and improved facilities to serve both local residents and travelers.  

The revitalization was made possible through a collaboration between the Russell County NexGen Civics Club and Lake Cumberland Tourism. Organizers hope the refreshed site will once again become a favorite stop for outdoor recreation.  

Jamestown firefighters responded to two separate fire and smoke calls Tuesday afternoon within a 15-minute window.

The first call came in around 3:30 p.m. at the Russell County Courthouse, where smoke was reported inside the county clerk’s office. Upon arrival, crews discovered light smoke originating from a storage room. Fire Chief Jeff Landers reported that an overheated HVAC system caused the smoke, and firefighters used high-powered fans to clear the building.

Just as teams were wrapping up at the courthouse around 3:45 p.m., a second alarm sounded for a structure fire at a home on 510 East Cumberland Avenue. Firefighters arrived to find a small fire behind a clothes dryer that had spread into the basement, triggered by a clogged exhaust vent. The crew quickly extinguished the flames and ventilated the residence.

Fourteen Jamestown firefighters responded to the consecutive calls, remaining on scene for just over an hour and a half to ensure both locations were secure.

COLUMBIA, KY (9/22/26) Bolstered by one of the largest classes of new students in school history, Lindsey Wilson University's 2026 fall enrollment is 3,548.

That's a nearly 8% increase over last fall's enrollment of 3,298 students, and it's the third largest overall enrollment in university history.

"This is such wonderful news for Lindsey Wilson University because it's an affirmation that the Lindsey Wilson mission is strong and valued by the current generation of college students," said Lindsey Wilson President William T. Luckey Jr. "It's also good news for Columbia-Adair County because Lindsey Wilson has an annual economic impact of more than $90 million on our local economy."

Although many colleges and universities are experiencing declines in either overall or new student enrollment, Lindsey Wilson enrolled a total of 532 new students -- freshmen and transfer students -- this fall, which is an increase over last fall's new student enrollment.

This year's new students come to Lindsey Wilson from 27 Kentucky counties, 29 U.S. states and 35 countries. Overall, Lindsey Wilson's student body has students enrolled from 96 Kentucky counties, 45 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, and 63 foreign countries.

"The broad geographical diversity of our student body is a reflection of our university's talented and hard-working admissions team members," said Lindsey Wilson Executive Vice President Dean Adams. "The staff members in our offices of Admissions and Educational Outreach do an excellent job building relationships with students and their family members to help them find a place in our learning community."

Lindsey Wilson also saw a nearly 18% increase in the number of graduate students enrolled, as its enrollment swelled from 1,547 to 1,819. Lindsey Wilson now offers master's degrees in business administration, counseling, cybersecurity management, data science, machine learning and artificial intelligence, and technology management, and a doctor of philosophy in counselor education and supervision.

"Our graduate programs continue to meet the needs of working adults, and they are offered in a format that is convenient to their schedules," said Adams.

The university also has more students living this year in residence halls than it did last year on its A.P. White Campus, an increase from 980 to 999 students.

"We were able to comfortably house all of our students this year, but our residence halls are nearly full," said Dean of Students Chris Schmidt. "A full campus might mean that the lines are sometimes a little longer for meals in the Roberta D. Cranmer Dining & Conference Center and there are fewer parking spaces next to classroom buildings, but more students living in residence halls makes for a dynamic, living-learning environment on campus."

SCAM ALERT:  Multiple members have reported receiving fraudulent phone calls threatening immediate service disconnection unless a payment is made right away.

Please keep in mind: South Kentucky RECC will never call you demanding immediate payment or asking for personal or financial information over the phone.

If you receive a suspicious call or want to verify your account status, hang up and contact SKRECC directly at (800) 264-5112. 

The Russell County Industrial Development Authority met this morning (Tuesday) for their regular monthly meeting, where they discussed donating three acres of land within the industrial park for a new Russell Springs Volunteer Fire Department substation.

Fire department representatives presented a proposal highlighting how the new facility would serve the broader community while directly accommodating ongoing and future growth in the industrial sector. Long-term plans for the site may also feature an on-premises training facility.

The project is slated to move forward pending state approval and completed land surveys.

This story from our friends at the Times Journal. Further details will be published in next week’s Times Journal.

A boil water advisory is in effect for Aaron Drive, Grider Lane, Voils Circle, Kerr Brown Road, North Epperson, and a section of Creelsboro Street until further notice.

The advisory is due to waterline work on Creelsboro Street as part of the City’s ongoing Water Line Improvement Project. We will provide an update when the advisory has been lifted.

The Columbia Cruise-In and Car Show wrapped up its fourth regular season on September 12 at the Adair County Judicial Center.

Organizer Robert Knight thanked sponsors, vendors, local officials, and visitors for another successful summer of monthly gatherings, which featured classic cars, hot rods, and a new judged trophy competition.

While the regular season has ended, organizers are planning a special holiday toy drive event on Saturday, November 21, 2026. Details will be announced closer to the event date.

The City of Columbia will be recognizing Friday, September 25 (9/25), as "9-to-5 Day" in our community.

You are requested to wear pink in recognition of Dolly Parton and her contributions to helping others including the Imagination Library. The Imagination Library was started in 1995 as a promotion for childhood literacy. According to online statistics over 300 million books have been distributed by the foundation worldwide. The Dollywood Foundation previously declared it as "Give Like Dolly Day."

"This is a day to share kindness and give to others," said Mayor Hoots. If you plan on an activity at your business or organization, please call City Hall at 270-384-2501 and let the city know and they will add to the list of activities for recognition.

The next regular session of the Adair County Fiscal Court is scheduled for Tuesday, September 22, 2026 at 4:30 PM CT in the basement of the Adair County Annex Building (424 Public Square, Columbia). The meeting is open to the public.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

PRAYER

CALL TO ORDER

ROLL CALL 

 1.  APPROVAL OF AGENDA

 2.  APPROVAL OF MINUTES

• Regular Called Meeting - August 25, 2026

 3.  DISBURSEMENTS

 4.  REPORTS

A.)  SHERIFF’S REPORT

B.)  ROAD DEPARTMENT REPORT

C.)  G.R.A.S. REPORT

            D.)  COMMITTEE REPORTS

            E.)   JAIL REPORTS

 5.  TREASURER

• TREASURER’S REPORTS
• TREASURER’S MONTHLY REPORT

 6.  BUDGET TRANFERS

         A.)   LINE-TO-LINE TRANSFER

         B.)   FUND-TO-FUND TRANSFERS

 7.  BUDGET AMENDMENT

 8.  COURT ORDERS

 9.  READING OF ROAD

10. ACTION ITEMS:                                   

1. LIBRARY BOARD APPOINTMENTS
2. STATUS OF FISCAL COURT MINUTES
3. OPEN ROCK BIDS AND POSSIBLE AWARDMENT 
4. 2^ND  READING TO CHANGE THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE BOOK FOR PROCUREMENT FROM $40,000.00 TO $50,000.00
5. FLEX APPROVAL AND LARP APPROVAL DISCUSSION
6. PERMISSION TO RENT ABC ASSISTANT OFFICE SPACE
7. PERMISSION FOR JUDGE TO SIGN REMOVAL OF PRINTER IN CLERK’S OFFICE
8. SHERIFF’S BUDGET DISCUSSION
9. DISCUSSION TO RENEW CD AT BANK OF COLUMBIA
10. AMEND JIM BLAIR RENTAL AGREEMENT
11. PERMISSION FOR A WATER EASEMENT ON TED TURNER RD.  FOR JOESEPH MEYER
12. TC ENERGY/COLUMBIA GULF TRANSMISSION DIG GREEN RIVER LAKE UPDATE OF DIG AREA
13. EXECUTIVE SESSION-DISCUSSION TO PURCHASE PROPERTY

11.  OTHER BUSINESS

12.  PUBLIC COMMENTS

13.  ADJOURN

Superintedent Michael Ford tells Wave News what took place at today's meeting...