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Monday, September 30, 2013

New Fredericks Creek Bridge bridge open near Lisman

Fredericks Creek Bridge Photos
by KHTC

A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has completed construction of a new bridge on KY 874 near the Lisman community south of Dixon in Webster County.
The new bridge over Fredericks Ditch opened Thursday, September 19, restoring normal traffic flow on KY 874 between KY 279 and KY 1340.  The contractor has some minor guardrail adjustments and other finish work to complete for the project to be finalized.
Check back for more on this story on Wednesday.

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, Division of Forestry acquire 4,200 acres for conservation, hunting, fishing and public use



More than 4,200 acres of environmentally significant property in western Kentucky will be preserved and conserved for future generations under a deal finalized Sept. 25.
    The Nature Conservancy of Kentucky has sold 4,241 acres of property along the Tradewater and Ohio rivers in Crittenden County to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and the Kentucky Division of Forestry.
    Coupled with 2,488 acres acquired across the Tradewater River in Union County in 2011, the Big Rivers Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and State Forest will now encompass more than 6,700 acres along the only free-flowing tributary to the Ohio River in Kentucky.

Friday, September 27, 2013

FLASHBACK FRIDAY!!!! 1963

Drawing from The Journal-Enterprise
From The Journal-Enterprise September 26, 1963
Work is progressing rapidly on the new Providence Municipal Center, facing Willow Street near intersection with Marlin Street. A drawing by Engineer Associates, Inc., Evansville, Ind., engineers and architects, gives an idea of the beauty and modern design of the 60’X170’ building.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Photos from Onton Hay Days


JE photos by Matt Hughes.

School Board approves $22,693,965.98 working budget


by Matt Hughes
J-E News Editor
Webster County School Board zipped through their agenda on Monday night, only getting held up by a closed session for a student disciplinary hearing that took over an hour.
One of the biggest items of the night was the introduction of the 2013-2014 working budget for the district, which board members approved with a 4-0 vote.

Providence reports cheap water rates despite increase


by Matt Hughes
J-E News Editor
At their last meeting, the Providence City Council voted to approve the second reading of an ordinance dealing with water rates. The ordinance will increase the standard water bill in the city by approximately $4, and generate an estimated $144,332 in revenue for the city.
“We’ve needed to do this for a least six years. And even though we’re making these adjustments (increase), we’re still below 14 of the 16 water districts in the surrounding area,” Gooch said. “This is the first water rate increase since 2000.”

Fiscal Court votes to down debated tree near Slaughters


by Matt Hughes
J-E News Editor
A tree that Magistrate Chad Townsend estimates to be several hundred years old has been a hot spot of debate in the Slaughters area and in Fiscal Court for the last several months. The Webster County Fiscal Court voted on Monday that it was time for the tree to come down.
Issues with the tree first came to light during a June court meeting when the magistrates were discussing summer paving projects. Several magistrates reported at that time that there were also quite a few dead limbs that hung out over the road.
In July, Judge Executive Jim Townsend had Jailer Terry Elder dispatch a road crew to trim the tree back, but they were not able to remove all of the dead limbs.
“There was one limb that was so high we couldn’t reach it from the truck,” said Townsend. “It’s way up there. That limb definitely has to come down.”
“You’d have to take out part of the tree to get that limb out,” added Elder.
The county has discussed removal of the tree with the property owner on numerous occasions, but they have held firm that they didn’t want it cut down. Other area residents, however, feel differently.

Plans set for Providence “Uptown Fall Festival”


by Matt Hughes
J-E News Editor
The Providence Tourism Committee has presented plans for the 2013 “Uptown Fall Festival”, which will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on October 12, 2013.

Fiscal Court seeks land to build new dog pound


by Matt Hughes
J-E News Editor
The Webster County Fiscal Court continues to move forward with plans to build a new dog pound in Webster County. The decision to rebuild, however, was not one of the county’s choosing.
“Basically, the state is requiring counties to build new, up-to-date facilities,” said Judge Executive Jim Townsend. “We do a good job with our current facility, but they want the counties represented by nice new facilities.”
The new pound will come with a price tag somewhere around $200,000. Luckily that won’t have to come directly out Webster County’s pocket. Judge

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

WCHS graduate Kari Alsbrooks named Senator Jeff Green Scholars


Kari Alsbrooks, a 2013 graduate of Webster County High School, has been named Senator Jeff Green Scholars by the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA) for outstanding academic performance in high school. earned this designation by achieving a 4.0 grade point average each year of high school and scoring at least a 28 composite on the ACT.

Regional Job Fair to be held next week


GRADD is partnering with several area educational institutions and workforce/economic development agencies to present the 2013 Regional Career & Job Fair on Tuesday, October 1st, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Owensboro Sportscenter (1215 Hickman Avenue, Owensboro).

Friday, September 20, 2013

Rain dampens the mood in Onton

Hay Days Cruise-In rescheduled for Sat. at 4:00 p.m.


by Matt Hughes
JE News Editor
            Rain brought festivities at the 20th annual Onton Hay Days celebration to a halt on Friday night, with everything but the Hay Days dinner being canceled. But the show must go on.
          "We’ve had around 80 cars agree to come back tomorrow," said Lisa Preston, one of the event’s organizers. "The Cruise-In will start around 4:00 p.m. tomorrow. We’re

Clay Days officially underway



The 2013 Clay Days officially kicked off on Thursday September 19 with the annual Clay Days parade.
The Journal-Enterprise’s editor Charlie Hust was on hand for all the action.

EPA Rules Another Blow to Coal, Small Business


Tom Underwood, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, released the following statement today in response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s new emission standards for coal and natural-gas plants:
“This is the last thing Kentucky needs. Coal companies are laying off workers left and right, and this is only going to make things worse. On top of that, these new rules are only going to drive up the cost of energy, and that’s going to hurt Kentucky’s job creators, its small businesses. Our members say energy costs is one of their toughest challenges, and this absolutely is not going to help. We’re disappointed, but we’re not surprised, by the

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Providence Council passes ordinance that will increase water rates


By CHARLIE HUST
Providence City Council breezed through a busy regular session Monday night, hearing second reading of one ordinance and the first reading of two more ordinances.
Council members approved the second reading of an ordinance dealing with water rates as well as tap fees for all electrical, gas and sewer lines for both residential and commercial use. The ordinance will increase the standard water bill in the city by approximately $4, a move that was long overdue according to Mayor Gooch.
“We’ve needed to do this for a least six years. And even though we’re making these adjustments (increase), we’re still below 14 of the 16 water districts in the surrounding area,” Gooch explained.“ This the first water rate increase since 2000.”
He provided a comparison chart of rates in western Kentucky, showing that even with the increase, Providence’s water rate would still remain less expensive than all area water district with the exception of Madisonville and Henderson.
“We have financial obligations in the water and sewer departments and we certainly need to think about repairing and replacing some of the infrastructure and other things that need to done in our system. Some of those water lines were

Providence Color Bomb


JE photos by Charlie Hust.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Water Production still down at WC Water District


by Matt Hughes
J-E News Editor
The Webster County Water District met Thursday morning in Dixon. Assistant Superintendant Robert  Schindley filled in for Superintendant Paul Lashbrook who was off.

College/Career Readiness:A Path to Success at WCHS


The following is the first in a series of monthly articles from Webster County High School regarding efforts to help students earn the distinction of College and/or Career Ready, which is a key component of the Kentucky Department of Education’s “Unbridled Learning” accountability initiative aimed at producing graduates that are better prepared for the rigor of college-level coursework and the increasing demands of the world of work and a global economy. 

by Tim Roy
WCHS principal 

Clay to examine future of gas pipe line


by Matt Hughes
This gas line on Caney Creek outside of
Wheatcroft is right in the path of any
debris that floats down stream.
J-E News Editor
The Clay city council was in session on Tuesday night. On the agenda was the future of a gas line between the city of Clay and Wheatcroft. 
Last month city employee Paul Stone identified the line as a problem spot for Clay’s gas service. The line crosses a creek about four foot from the creek bed and is at risk of being struck by debris during flooding.
Stone estimated it would cost around $50,000 to do a directional bore and run the line beneath the creek. Cheaper options included elevating the pipe out of flood danger, or simply adding a shutoff valve to the existing line.
“My problem with going up and over is that you’re still in a hazardous location,” Stone told the council. “You’d still have to patrol it. If it’s underground, it’s in there and you don’t have to worry about it.”
Clay shares the line with Sturgis, in Union County. The cities would be responsible for sharing the cost of repairs 50/50. Sturgis public works employees Jeff Wilson and Chase Robertson were on hand to offer some opinions from the Sturgis council.
“We just want to do right with it,” Mayor Rick Householder told the representatives of Sturgis.
“We really didn’t get a clear response at the Sturgis meeting,” said Jeff Wilson. “We wanted to see what you guys thought and work with you to get this solved.”
Stone told the council that he had attempted to get specific estimates on their options, but that all of the contractors he spoke with wanted to see engineered drawings before they would make a quote.
“I guess the first thing we need to do is find an engineer and find out how much it will cost to get drawings,” Householder said.
Pete Brown, an independent contractor who does most of Clay’s welding work, told the council that an elevated structure would probably need to be 10 to 12 feet tall to be above flood level.

Providence man donates cancer ribbons for Police Cruisers


by Matt Hughes
J-E News Editor
Providence Police cruisers are now carrying a little extra onboard as they patrol the streets. Thanks to Providence resident Jerry Rudd, each of the department’s vehicles now displays an emblem reminding residents that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month.
Rudd said that after childhood cancer had touch the lives of several families that he knows, he asked what he could do to help. The answer was to help raise awareness.
“So I went online and ordered these ribbons,” Rudd said. He then brought them to Police Chief Brent McDowell, who agreed to allow Rudd to place the ribbons on each of the cruisers.

Monday, September 16, 2013


Madisonville Community College (MCC) will host the Madisonville Regional College Fair on Friday, September 20, from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. at the Glema Mahr Center for the Arts located on MCC’s North Campus at 2000 College Drive in Madisonville.  Interested persons may visit with college representatives from over 40 colleges and universities for answers to questions concerning attending a college or university, including admissions, housing, financial aid, and academic programs.  Representatives from two and four-year colleges and universities as well as technical schools and military recruiters from across the  region will be in attendance. 

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet eager to ‘Adopt’ your student’s ideas


The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has announced the beginning of the annual Adopt-a-Highway Poster Contest, which emphasizes and promotes the importance of removing litter from Kentucky roadways.
Students from across the Commonwealth are invited to submit creative works for use in the Adopt-a-Highway calendar for 2014. The contest is open to all Kentucky students of elementary, middle and high school age.
Exposure to the contest and to the Adopt-a-Highway program provides young people with an opportunity to express a sense of ownership in Kentucky’s highways and stress the importance of keeping them clean and free of litter. The contest is aimed at educating and encouraging children not to litter and to spread the message to others.

Traffic ADVISORY US 41-A

         This morning the state road crew is clearing a roadside ditch near mile marker four, roughly two miles north of Providence on US 41-A between Providence and Dixon. There is a flagman in place while one lane of the road is closed. Please expect minor delays and adjust your schedule accordingly.

Saturday, September 14, 2013

GRADD to present 14th annual "Seniors Day Out"

          
Hundreds of area seniors are expected to fill Owensboro’s Towne Square Mall next Thursday, September 19th, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., for the 14th annual "Senior Day Out" event.
           GRADD is partnering with Towne Square Mall, Kentucky State Police, AARP Kentucky, Green River Regional Council of Citizen Corps, and Green River TRIAD to present an exciting day of free education and entertainment.

Friday, September 13, 2013

Road work planned for Webster County on Saturday


A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans a work zone traffic shift along the Breathitt-Pennyrile Parkway in WEBSTER County on Saturday, September 14, 2013. 
Starting Saturday morning, all traffic will move to the left-hand or passing lane along the Pennyrile Parkway from mile point 53.11 to mile point 59.3 in Webster County. 
This traffic shift for both northbound and southbound lanes is to facilitate continued milling and paving work along this 6-mile section. Caution is required where equipment, flaggers, and construction personnel are along the roadway in close proximity to traffic flow. 
Road Builders is the prime contractor on this almost $2.6 million highway improvement project. The project has a November 1st completion date

Five years after Hurricane Ike


by Matt Hughes

J-E News Editor

Saturday will mark the fifth anniversary of the 2008 windstorm that blew through Webster County, causing widespread damage.

Five years later we take a look back at the damge left in the wake of Hurricane Ike with the stories and photos that appeared in The Journal-Enterprise at the time.



Thursday, September 12, 2013

Clay Council


by Matt Hughes

J-E News Editor

The Clay city council was in session on Tuesday night. On the agenda was the future of a gas line between the city of Clay and Wheatcroft.

Poole Harvest Daze


Wednesday, September 11, 2013

The Journal-Enterprise launches website

The Journal-Enterprise officially launched it’s own website on the morning of Wednesday September 11, 2013.
“We’ve enjoyed working with Surfky the last several years, but we felt it was time to go out on our own,” said Editor Charlie Hust. “Webster County and it’s people have always been and will remain our main focus.”
In the past “journalenterprise.com” has linked readers to a section of the Surfky news site. That is no longer the case. Now it will take visitors to a site created and maintained by The Journal-Enterprise staff.
“I think this will give us greater flexibility to serve both our readers and our advertisers,” said Matt Hughes, News Editor of The Journal-Enterprise. “We can update stories on a day-to-day basis, and we can link ads right to our customer’s own websites. It also gives readers the chance to read and discuss the article right on our site, or to share it with friends through social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter."
Anyone wishing to advertise with The Journal-Enterprise online can contact us at 270-667-2068 or email matt@journalenterprise.com.

School Board reduces transportation fees for teams/organizations


by Matt Hughes
J-E News Editor
Webster County sports teams and organizations received a boost on Monday night when the Webster County School Board addressed the issue of transportation.
Until that meeting the districts policy was to charge $1.06 per mile (the board paid an additional 30 cents per mile) plus the regular hourly rate of the bus driver for any extra curricular activities. The pay range for Webster County bus drivers runs from $9.35 and hour to $11.56.
The new policy, adopted by a unanimous vote will now charge organizations only 50 cents per mile , but the cost of the driver will be raised to $13.00 across the board.
One of the reasons stated for the raise in the driver’s rates were that many of the sports teams had started providing only one-way transportation to games so they didn’t have to pay a driver to sit and wait until the end. Some drivers who had been pulled off of their normal routes to drive to the game were actually losing money.
So how do the numbers actually break down? Under the old system if a sports team took a trip to Hopkins County Central High School, they would pay approximately $72.02 in fuel for the round trip (67 miles). If they used a bus driver for four hours the cost would run between $37.40 and $46.24 for a total ranging between $109.42 to $118.26.

Webster native to perform as former radio star


by Matt Hughes
J-E News Editor
For the first time the Kentucky Humanities Council is bringing it’s Chautauqua program to Webster County. Since its inception in 1992, Kentucky Chautauqua has brought to life nearly 70 people from Kentucky’s past - both famous and unknown. 
The Webster County Historical Society will welcome the Chautauqua performance to the Dixon Community Center at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday September 19, 2013.

Local Tractor to be focal point of cross-country charity ride


by Matt Hughes
J-E News Editor
When Darren Hayes set out to ride his John Deere model  60 tractor from Chiefland, Florida to New Buffalo, Michigan, his route did not take him through Providence, Kentucky. But that was exactly where he was on Thursday morning, when he came to buy one of the antique John Deeres owned by Webster County Jailer Terry Elder.
The story does not start in Providence, however. It didn’t even start in Florida. It started earlier this year when Darren’s friend Matt Tassillo was diagnosed with with two inoperable brain tumors. This is the second blow for a family that lost a daughter a year ago to the same issue.

Motorcycle club to host event at Sebree Springs

Sebree sets tax rates
by Matt Hughes

J-E News Editor

The Sebree City Council met in a brief session Tuesday September 3, 2013.
First the council approved the second reading of the ordinance setting the 2013 property tax rates. The new rates will be .338 cents per $100 on real property and .494 cents on personal property.

Dixon hold first reading of Prayer Ordinance


by Matt Hughes
J-E News Editor
The Dixon Commission took the first steps on Monday night to passing an ordinance that will outline the specifics of how, when and who may pray at future commission meetings. This move comes at the urging of the Kentucky League of Cities (KLC).
On it’s website, KLC says that “Many cities in Kentucky open their public meetings with a short prayer or invocation.  This practice was upheld as constitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court decades ago, but recently legislative prayer policies have taken center stage in a flurry of court cases across the nation.  Both the U.S. Supreme Court and the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals will soon be revisiting the issue and hopefully offering updated legal guidance for cities in Kentucky.”

Fiscal Court accepts Blackford Bridge material bid


by Matt Hughes
J-E News Editor
On Monday the Webster County Fiscal Court reviewed bids for work on the Blackford Bridge, hoping to bring to an end an ongoing problem that dates back to October of 2003.
That was when the county initially signed agreements with Intech Contracting, LLC of Lexington, Tetra Tech, Inc of Louisville. In 2009 the county filed a law suit against these companies after the bridge began to deteriorate. That suit was finally settled for $160,000 in December.

Senator Ridley awarded for work to prevent child abuse


by Matt Hughes
J-E News Editor
Senator Dorsey Ridley, a Providence native who now represents Caldwell, Crittenden, Henderson, Livingston, Union, and Webster Counties in Kentucky’s General Assembly, was presented with an award for his outstanding work during the 17th annual Kids Are Worth It! Conference on September 10th.
Ridley was recipient of the inaugural Legislative Champions award presented by Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky (PCAK).  Ridley was instrumental in the passage of House Bill 290 during the 2013 Kentucky General Assembly.  The legislation, which was signed into law by Governor Beshear earlier this year, established the Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Panel.  
The achievement of Senator Ridley was recognized on Tuesday, September 10th at the Lexington Convention Center, with over 600 child advocates in attendance.

Friday, September 6, 2013

Dixon’s Camp Clark to Host 20th Annual Bereavement Camp


For twenty years St. Anthony’s Hospice’s “A Special Kind of Camping” program has been quietly working to help the children of this area. Most people know St. Anthony’s for the hospice care they provide to terminally ill patients in Henderson, Webster and Union, but they provide a lot more services than that. Their care for the survivors is another important aspect.

Webster County Clerk Receives Grant to Preserve Local Records


Governor Steve Beshear announced last Thursday that Webster County Clerk Valerie Newell has received a grant totaling $19,500 from the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA) to preserve and manage local government records. KDLA is an agency of the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet.