 The long-awaited Samsung Galaxy S8 has arrived at Appalachian Wireless. Get yours for the introductory price of just $149.99 with a two-year service agreement. Better service, bigger savings. That's today's Appalachian Wireless, an East Kentucky network company. The Letcher Fiscal Court approved a first reading of its budget for the 2017-2018 fiscal year. And with a $7.2 million draft budget, judge executive Jim Ward says he hopes the county can continue to serve its citizens. Despite being much more lean than the current budget. It's about a little over $700,000 shorter than it was last year since 2012 with about $3 million down. This budget is probably as realistic as we can get without any new revenue sources. And, you know, we went in 2012, we had a $10.2 million budget. Now we're down to a $7 million or a $7.2 million budget. So, you know, since 2012, our budget has dropped down $3 million. The draft budget numbers reflect the layoffs and furloughs of county employees the fiscal court approved just weeks ago to balance the budget. Ward said the draft budget includes the callback of the fee laid off employees, hopefully in December, but that depends on the county's cold severance receipts over the next year. With as predicted cold severance numbers, employees may be called back. Bad cold severance? No callbacks. Hopefully if some of our service money picks back up, then we can start calling some of those people back. It also reflects several positions that will either be eliminated or consolidated through retirements over the next year. Ward acknowledged the draft budget as a work in progress and said he hopes county services can continue, but predicted some reductions in those services. It's not going to be an easy budget to live with, you know, and we're not going to be able to provide the services that we have in the past, but, you know, we will still be in operation. The county has until June 30th to have and approve a second reading of the budget and submit it to Frankfurt. In Weizberg, Chris Anderson, EKB News.