Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to indicate the dog is still alive.

JENKINS, Ky. — A Jenkins man has been arrested after his neighbor complained about him shooting a dog in their yard.

Johnny Tinnel, 41, of Jenkins, was arrested during a traffic stop Tuesday night. He is now charged with felony counts of attempted torture of a dog and first-degree wanton endangerment.

Both charges are felonies, with the torture charge punishable by up to five years in prison and the endangerment charge punishable by 5-to-10 years.

The incident quickly garnered public attention after the neighbor posted video on Facebook of the dog crying and running away afterwards. In the post, the neighbor claimed that Tinnel had fired a gun across the fence Monday evening, into the yard where her children play.

The Letcher County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that Jenkins Police Sgt. Josh Richardson investigated the case and presented video evidence and witness statements to the county attorney’s office, which filed the charges.

Around 7:10 p.m. Tuesday, Sgt. Richardson and sheriff’s deputies pulled Tinnel over on Main Street in Jenkins and arrested him.

Tinnel had also been arrested immediately after the shooting Monday night, on a warrant for failing to appear in court to answer a 2024 misdemeanor charge of harboring a vicious animal. He was later released after posting a $1,000 bond.

He is currently being held in the Letcher County Jail.

Despite earlier reports that the dog had been euthanized, city officials say they have spoken to the dog’s owner and have learned that the dog is still alive, and the owners are hopeful it will recover.

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Jones asks ACLU lawyer to defend her First Amendment rights against school board.

The post ACLU gets involved in Jones vs. Jenkins School District case appeared first on Mountain Top Media.

LONDON, Ky. — A Letcher County podcaster who is suing the Jenkins school board is now without a lawyer in her case, after hers was suspended from practicing in federal courts in the Eastern District of Kentucky.

Elizabeth Jones sued the school district back in January, after she received a letter from the board’s attorney telling her she was not allowed to visit any of the district’s schools or attend any district-sponsored events. The letter said the reason for the ban was that she had made unspecified social media posts that were considered harassment.

Jones filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the district was retaliating against her for exercising her First Amendment rights and violated her rights to due process. The school district has denied it did anything wrong and has asked for the case to be tossed out.

On Friday, U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove entered an order removing Jones’ attorney, Jennifer L. Taylor, of Belfry, from the case, after Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning suspended her from practicing in federal courts in the Eastern District. The order does not provide a reason for the suspension.

The order gives Jones 30 days to find another attorney or decide if she wants to represent herself.

The post Attorney in podcaster’s lawsuit against Jenkins school district dismissed from case appeared first on Mountain Top Media.

LONDON, Ky. — The Jenkins school board and other defendants have responded to a podcaster’s lawsuit by denying any wrongdoing and asking a judge to toss the case out.

Elizabeth Jones is suing district and several individuals affiliated with it, after she received a letter from the board’s attorney banning her from the district’s schools and district-sponsored events. The letter said the reason for the ban was that she had made unspecified social media posts that were considered harassment.

Jones filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the district was retaliating against her for exercising her First Amendment rights and violated her rights to due process.

In the answer, the defendants say the complaint fails to state a valid legal claim and raise multiple defenses, including immunity protections for government officials, lack of jurisdiction for some claims, and failure by the plaintiff to exhaust administrative remedies.

And in a motion to dismiss the case, the board says courts in similar cases have found that “citizens, including parents, do not have a liberty or property interest in accessing school property.”

Jones will have the opportunity to respond before the judge determines whether or not the case proceeds against any or all defendants.

The post Defendants respond to podcaster’s lawsuit against Jenkins school district, ask for dismissal appeared first on Mountain Top Media.

The Phelps Lady Hornets were in control from start to finish on Monday night, rolling past Jenkins with a 75-40 win at home.

Phelps finished the night with three players recording double doubles, setting the tone on both ends of the floor. Caleigh McCoy led the way with 24 points and 10 rebounds. McCoy shot 44.4 percent from the field, 20 percent from three-point range, and was 7 for 8 at the free throw line. She now has 386 points on the season, averaging an impressive 21.4 points per game.

Kaylyn Slone followed closely with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Slone shot 50 percent from the field, 25 percent from beyond the arc, and went 4 for 5 from the line. Kadie Yates added another strong performance with 14 points and 12 rebounds, shooting 66.7 percent from the field and converting every free throw attempt.

As a team, the Lady Hornets shot 41.2 percent from the field, 17.6 percent from three-point range, and 84.2 percent from the free throw line. Phelps also controlled the glass, finishing with 51 total rebounds. Individual stats for Jenkins were not available at press time.

The win moves Phelps to 9-9 on the season. The Lady Hornets will be back on the court Wednesday, Jan. 21, when they host Prestonsburg for a 7 p.m. tip. Jenkins drops to 5-11 and will be in action Tuesday, Jan. 20, on the road at Council, Virginia, with a 6 p.m. start.

The post GIRLS BASKETBALL: Phelps Cruises Past Jenkins Behind Triple Double-Double Effort appeared first on Mountain Top Media.

LONDON, Ky. — A Letcher County woman has lost the first round of her lawsuit against the Jenkins Independent School District for banning her from schools, but the case is continuing.

Elizabeth Jones is suing district and several individuals affiliated with it, after she received a letter from the board’s attorney telling her she was not allowed to visit any of the district’s schools or attend any district-sponsored events. The letter said the reason for the ban was that she had made unspecified social media posts that were considered harassment.

Along with the lawsuit, Jones’ attorney filed a motion for a temporary restraining order that would allow her to return to the schools.

But on Monday, the court denied the request for a restraining order because it did not satisfy legal requirements. The judge’s ruling also noted that restraining orders are typically only effective for 14 days and would thus offer little value to her case.

However, the ruling was not a complete loss. In his ruling, the judge indicated he will expedite the process of determining whether Jones should be granted a preliminary injunction that would allow her to return to the schools on a more lasting basis.

No timeline for that process has yet been announced.

A copy of the judge’s order follows:

The post Judge denies restraining order in Jenkins lawsuit, but fast-tracks injunction hearing appeared first on Mountain Top Media.

A Jenkins woman was banned from school property over social media posts they deemed as “harassment”.

The post Jenkins Woman suing Jenkins School District over ban appeared first on Mountain Top Media.

Federal, state, local leaders were on hand to see 5.2 million in federal funding for water system improvements in Jenkins.

The post Jenkins gets millions for water system upgrades appeared first on Mountain Top Media.

JENKINS, Ky. — The City of Jenkins is inviting residents to take part in shaping its upcoming stormwater and flood-mitigation plan.

City officials will hold a community meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 28, from 6 to 8 p.m., at Jenkins City Hall. The event will include a short presentation at 6:15, followed by open-house stations where residents can view maps, learn about proposed drainage improvements, and share feedback directly with engineers and city staff.
The $5.2 million project aims to reduce flooding risks, improve storm drainage, and protect city infrastructure during severe weather. It builds on Jenkins’ ongoing efforts to monitor stream levels and strengthen resilience after repeated flooding in recent years.

Residents are encouraged to attend, share information about flooding trouble spots, and suggest areas needing maintenance or upgrades.

Those unable to attend can submit written comments by email to cityofjenkins@gmail.com by Oct. 31, or watch a recording later on the city’s website at cityofjenkins.org.

The post Jenkins to hold meeting on stormwater and flood-mitigation plan appeared first on Mountain Top Media.

SmileFaith in Jenkins is adding a day care, space for small businesses, and renovating their event space.

The post SmileFaith in Jenkins to Add More Services appeared first on Mountain Top Media.