Coroners in the 25 western-most Kentucky counties are glad to know they won’t have to make frequent trips to Louisville any more, come January.

Todd County Coroner Bob Whittlesey says former Northern Kentucky Medical Examiner Doctor Gregory Wanger will be taking over those duties in Madisonville in January.

Whittlesey says the re-opening of the Madisonville office will take a big financial burden off counties that were having to pay for trips to the office in Jefferson County.

There was a movement to close the Madisonville office after the former examiner resigned last year, but state lawmakers and county governments petitioned the state to find a replacement to keep the building open.

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11/30/2012/am