December 30, 1819, Kentucky created Todd County from Christian County and Logan County and named it in honor of John Todd, a military colonel killed at the Battle of Blue Licks. Elkton is the county seat. Other cities and towns include Guthrie, Trenton, Fairview, Allensville, Allegre, Claymour, Daysville, Clifty, Hadensville, Kirkmansville, Pea Ridge, Penicktown, Pinchem, Sharon Grove, Tabernacle, Tiny Town, Tress Shop, and Tyewhoppety. The 64th county created, Todd County, covers 376 square miles.
By David Benbennick
December 30, 1826, the “Old Court” party won a majority in the upper House of Legislatures and, in turn, repealed the “Relief Acts.” The “New Court” died, thus ending the old court/new court struggle. Kentucky in Retrospect 1792- 1967 by Lila Jones Kington, pg: 59
December 30, 1862, LaRue County hosted the Civil War Battle of New Haven .
December 30, 1891, the Kentucky General Assembly began what ultimately became the longest session of the legislature in Kentucky history . Legislators adjourned on August 16, 1892 but Governor John Y. Brown questioned the constitutionality of numerous bills passed, so he called the legislators back to Frankfort on August 25 to revise their work. From December 3, 1892 to January 2, 1893 for the holidays, the session continued until a sine die adjournment on July 3, 1893. The session amounted to 18 months and four days, depleting the state treasury.
December 30, 1901, the Carnegie Corporation of New York awarded Shelbyville $10,000 for a new library.
By Nyttend
Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Dry Ridge native Mary Penick, known as Skeeter Davis , born in 1931. In 1973, the Grand Ole Opry banned her for making a “political speech” complaining about the recent arrests of members of a conservative Christian group. Only the week before, Roy Acuff made an onstage plea to reinstate the death penalty after the murder of Kentuckian Stringbean, which was just as much a political statement as Skeeter’s yet received no fallout. Skeeter returned to the Opry in 1975, but her career and the hits had stopped.
December 30, 1938, Hollywood released the major motion picture Kentucky , a Romeo and Juliet story set amidst the Kentucky horseracing community, in which a family feud continued from the Civil War days.
December 30, 1945, Town Marshal Grover George Owens, Brodhead Police Department , died after being retaliated against for arresting a subject for drunkenness the night before. The prisoner had threatened to kill Marshal Owens after his arrest. Released from jail the following morning, he and three of his brothers shot him at a service station in Brodhead.
December 30, 1952, Army SGT James A. Carroll from Henderson and 1st LT Air Force David T. Heer from Louisville , died in the Korean War.
December 30, 1959, the U.S. Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp honoring Ephraim McDowell on the 150th anniversary of the 1st successful operation to remove an ovarian tumor and to celebrate the founding father of abdominal surgery.
By U.S. Post Office Designed by Charles R. Chickering
December 30, 1964, Paducah’s 1st public library, the Carnegie Library , caught fire due to faulty Christmas lighting.
December 30, 1967, Army SP4 Terry W. Holmes from Baxter in Harlan County died in the Vietnam War.
December 30, 1969, Army PFC Robert L. Rose from Vanceburg in Harlan County died in the Vietnam War.
December 30, 1969, Detective James Riley Ratliff and Patrolman Donald W. Gaskin, Louisville Police Department , died from gunshots when they responded to a robbery call at a local grocery store at 2328 Osage Avenue.
December 30, 1970, at 12:20 p.m. the Hurricane Creek Coal Mines 15 & 16 of Hyden, in Leslie County, exploded, killing 38 of the 39 men underground . The massive coal dust explosion is the deadliest coal mine disaster in Eastern Kentucky history.
December 30, 1975, Louisville antibusing sympathizers met to discuss potential strategies . These included boycotting schools when they reopened after the Christmas holidays, a Frankfort march when the General Assembly convened, and picketing the Kentucky Derby.
December 30, 1982, Valley of the Drums received the green light to clean their 23-acre toxic waste site in northern Bullitt County. The site’s name comes from the waste-containing drums strewn across the property since the 1960s. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) analyzed the property and creek in 1979, finding high heavy metal levels and over 140 other chemical substances. The site motivated Congress to pass the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act or Superfund Act of 1980.
December 30, 1989, #8 Denny’s Cardinals played Rick’s Cats in Lexington and easily won 86-79 . LaBradford Smith (UofL-22) and Reggie Hanson (UK-24) took high-scoring honors for their respective teams. Sean Woods and LaBradford each received technical fouls for pushing each other.
December 30, 1992, the Mistletoe post office in Owsley County closed . For 11 months a year, the Post Master would see about 240 letters a month. However, they received at least 10,000 cards and letters in December. People from all over the U.S. wanted their Christmas cards stamped with the silhouette of two youngsters kissing under a sprig of mistletoe, designed by the Post Master’s son, Wendell Couch.
Localtonians wish a Happy Anniversary to Frankfort native Miss Elizabeth, and Macho Man Randy Savage , who wed in 1984 in Frankfort. The couple split in 1992 and Miss Elizabeth died in 2003.
Localtonians wish a Happy Anniversary to Sara Walter and Governor B. Combs , who wed in 1998. It was the 3rd marriage for 40-year-old Sara and 77-year-old Bert.
December 30, 2006, Jared Lorenzen made his 1st appearance on the field as a NY Giant. He took one snap, a quarterback sneak, to make a 1st down on a third-and-one.
December 30, 2008, Paintsville native John Pelphrey earned his biggest upset as coach of the Razorbacks by beating #4 Oklahoma in Bud Walton Arena, 96-88.
December 30, 2009, using ground penetrating radar and metal detectors , researchers found the 225-year-old site of General George Rogers Clark’s Indiana mill, built in 1784.
December 30, 2014, Georgia rolled over Louisville in the Belk Bowl . DeVante Parker lived up to his billing with eight catches for 120 yards for Louisville.
December 30, 2015, MVP Lamar Jackson carried the Cardinals to a 27-21 win over the Texas Aggies in the 18th edition of the Music City Bowl in Nashville in front of 50,478 fans. The victory made Bobby Petrino happy. The “W” lifted Louisville’s bowl record to 10-9-1.
December 30, 2017, a Kentucky bred won Santa Anita’s GI $300,000 American Oaks for three-year-old fillies.
December 30, 2020, Governor A. Beshear, in a written statement , “The progress we have made is fragile; we need everyone to be safe this New Year’s Eve. Do not gather in large groups. ” Kentucky reported its 7th largest day of positive cases, 3,784 and 29 deaths. Meanwhile, doctors sounded another alarm about a new variant in California, claiming it was more contagious.
Positives: 3,784 / 265,262Deaths : 29 / 2,623 – 1st Death 3/16/2050&over 49-30 29&under
