Dollar Store employee arrested for theft of $14,154.16

 CORRECTION: In the print edition the suspected theft, which was reported to have occurred in Sebree, should have been reported at the Dixon Dollar Store.

An employee of the Dollar General Store in Dixon was arrested last week after Dollar General Corporation Loss Prevention discovered that $14,154.16 in cash had gone missing from the store between May 1, 2015 and July 4, 2015.

Dixon unveils ‘Sensory Park’ model

by STEVE SHOOTS
Dixon City Commissioners met Monday night for the regular scheduled meeting.  Mayor Carolyn Townsend opened the meeting by offering a presentation on behalf of the Parks Board.  Townsend introduced the model for the planned Sensory Park, being hailed as a “Park for All Children”. 

Dixon discusses splash park grant

by MATT HUGHES
J-E Editor

On Friday, the Dixon Commission held a public hearing to discuss a Land & Water Conservation Fund  (LCWF) grant members recently decided to pursue.
If awarded, the city intends to use the funds to build a ‘splash park’ and to replace old bleachers at existing city sporting facilities.

Dixon considers ‘splash park’, music festival

by STEVE SHOOTS
J-E Reporter

City of Dixon Commissioners met in a regularly scheduled meeting Monday night.  Mayor Carolyn Townsend opened by leading the Pledge of Allegiance.  Commissioner Terry Webb offered the invocation.
  
Recreational quality of life proposals dominated the meeting, beginning with Mayor Townsend outlining a grant request being drafted by Public Works Director Jamie Harkins for a “splash park” to be located at Baker Park.
 

State DCBS offices consolidated

by MATT HUGHES

J-E Editor

The Kentucky Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) spent last week consolodating their two branches in Webster County into one centralized location in a move to cut state spending. According to DCBS, the move also creates efficiencies for staff and enhances convenience for clients. 

The Webster County protection and permanency office, which was at the corner of Broadway and Cedar in Providence, has moved to the same building as the county’s family support office in Dixon, across the street from the courthouse.

DCBS, part of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, has social services offices in every county in the commonwealth. The staff provides both protection and permanency services, like child and adult safety casework, and assistance for families in areas such as food benefits and Medicaid eligibility screenings.

“With the lease to the Providence office expiring, we were fortunate to have the opportunity to renovate a space next to our existing Dixon family support office for our protection and permanency staff,” said DCBS Commissioner Teresa James. “This is a positive change for our staff and customers.”

James said the office in Dixon is closer to the Webster County courthouses and many offices of DCBS’ community partners.

Six staff members were moved to the Dixon location, bringing the total number of DCBS employees in that location 15.

DCBS customers and partner agencies have been notified of the office move.

Family Support contact information will remain the same, and protection and permanency contact numbers will change. Here are the current phone and fax numbers:

Division of Protection and Permanency

•Phone: 270-639-9337

•Fax: 270-639-5792 

Division of Family Support 

• Phone: 855-306-8959

• Fax: 270-639-9125

The address for both offices is 26 US Hwy 41A South, Dixon KY 42409.

Reach MATT HUGHES

 at 270-667-2068 or 

matt@journalenterprise.com

First meeting for new Mayor of Dixon

by STEVE SHOOTS

J-E Reporter

As the first regular meeting of the year was called to order, new Mayor Carolyn Townsend opened the session by welcoming new commission members Terry Webb and John Ramsey, and acknowledged the returning commissioners Junior Little and Jennifer Stone.  While not suggesting any big plans for the new term, Mayor Townsend expressed her excitement of working with the commissioners in achieving worthwhile small steps that will turn into big steps to benefit the residents of Dixon.   

Dixon continues to struggle with feral cat issue

by MATT HUGHES

J-E News Editor

Two months after Dixon Commission members first brought the subject up, complaints continue to come into the city office about feral cats.

Dixon to begin repairs to Baker Park walking trail

by MATT HUGHES

J-E News Editor

Dixon Commission agreed on Monday night to begin repairs to the walking trail at Baker Park. 

Cats becoming a hairy problem for Dixon residents

by MATT HUGHES

J-E News Editor

Mayor Linda Frederick told members of the Dixon Commission on Monday that cat’s were becoming a growing problem in their city, stating that at least four families had lodged complaints with the city.

City of Dixon creates Public Works positions, Harkins appointed

Jamie Harkins

by MATT HUGHES

J-E News Editor

Dixon Commission met last week in their regular scheduled meeting. During the meeting, commission members voted to approve the second reading of an ordinance that would create the position of Public Works Director.

Family pet slain while children play

by MATT HUGHES

J-E News Editor

The Webster County Sheriff’s Department is currently looking for leads in the shooting death of a family’s German Shepherd last Thursday afternoon.

According to Dr. Whitney Wright, owner of Molly’s Mutts Animal Rescue, she and her husband arrived home on Thursday at around 5:15 p.m. to find their family pet, a black German Shepherd named Drake, dying from a gunshot wound to the lungs.

“Our children should not be 

afraid to play in their back yard.” - Whitney Wright

Dixon Commission to apply for grant to refurbish parks

by MATT HUGHES

J-E News Editor

On Monday night the Dixon Commission voted to pursue a $55,000 Land and Water Grant that would allow the city to refurbish much of the playground equipment at both of their city parks.

“Bourland Park doesn’t have any playground equipment,” said City Water Operator Jamie Harkins, who, along with City Clerk Peggy Poole, has been digging into the grant program. “We have a lot of ball games out there, so we thought we could use something for the smaller kids.”

Dixon’s Bourland Park to get new ball field

by MATT HUGHES

J-E News Editor

Dixon Little League Commissioner Steve Sowder was at last week’s Dixon Commission meeting to request approval from the city to construct a new ball field.

Sowder told the commission the second field would be used for younger players, and asked the Commissioner to consider purchasing a backstop and a power pole for lighting. The total cost for the City was estimated at about $2,100 for the backstop, plus the cost of the power pole.

The commission voted unanimously to approve the project, and then followed up by agreeing to purchase the requested equipment.

Both Bourland and Baker Parks officially reopen in March as soccer, baseball and softball programs get underway. These leagues will last through July.

Mayor Linda Frederick presented the Commission with a copy of the recently completed audit on behalf of City Auditor Mike Overby, who was unable to attend the meeting due to a family illness.  Frederick said Overby reported to her that the audit was a good report, and suggested the Commission review the report at their convenience. 

Frederick added that Overby offered to come to a future meeting to discuss his findings, or to meet with the commissioners individually.

Water Operator Jamie Harkins told the commission that a driveway recently torn up during a waterline repair would also have to be repaired. It was noted that a sidewalk grant the city has recently received cannot be used in this instance. 

Commissioners also reviewed a letter sent to a resident concerning a dangerous situation. Apparently there is an open pit located on the property on Highway 132 West. Commissioner Royster suggested giving the resident time to come up with a solution for fixing the problem before the city take sany action.

Dixon Commission discusses possible purchases

by Matt Hughes

J-E News Editor

The Dixon Commission was in session last week. Among other items discussed was the need to purchase a zero turn mower and a weed eater for the city of Dixon.

Until late last summer the city of Dixon, like all of the other communities in the county, had taken advantage of the mowing services offered by the Webster County jail.

In late August the city of Dixon stopped using the jail’s mowing services. At this time it is unclear whether the commission plans to ask the jail to start mowing again or not.

Mayor Linda Frederick said in a phone interview that they had not ruled that out.

“We gave (water operator) Jamie Harkins the option to use the prisoners when we hired him,” she said. “We just have no had anything for them to do.”

After discussion of purchasing the equipment, the commission decided to table the topic until spring.

Mayor Frederick told the commission that the city was the recipient of a Safety Grant in the amount of approximately $2,800. During the discussion of some of the city’s sidewalks that where in need of repair, she mentioned a bid from Tim Fraiser for repair work that would encompass four areas along highway 132 West.

Commissioner Donna Keller presented a list containing the names of 13 churches that would be willing to hold invocation before the commission meetings. Plans were made to start the invocation service in March.

In October the commission unanimously approved an ordinance that governed prayer held during their meetings. The ordinance outlines who can pray, when they can pray and requires prior approval of those people.

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.”

The practice was most recently brought to the forefront in Coleman and Jones vs. Hamilton County Commission (TN), a case the KLC paid close attention to. In the end the county’s practice of opening meetings with a prayer was allowed, but KLC started urging cities to adopt ordinances outlining their own practice.

So far the city of Dixon is the only one in the county that has addressed the issue.

In other business, the commission discussed updating the city’s Christmas lights, some of which were damaged during the Christmas season. In the end the commission decided to leave that project up to water operator Jamie Harkins.

This is an issue that the Providence Chamber of Commerce also addressed at their most recent meeting. The Chamber hosts the annual Christmas lights display at the Providence city park.

Chamber President Elizabeth Holloman said that there was a company near Benton, KY that manufactures and repairs Christmas light displays.

Dixon looks at joining KYWARN

by Matt Hughes

J-E News Editor

The Dixon Commission was in session on Monday, with Commissioner Arthur Junior Little acting as mayor in place of Mayor Linda Frederick who was absent from the meeting.

“The mayor is not going to be here,” Little told the other commissioners. “I don’t know too much about what’s going on, but I’ll try to do the best I can.”

Weather Forecast causes delay of Holiday Festivities

by Matt Hughes

J-E News Editor

Due to severe winter weather forecasts for the next three days, the cities of Clay and Dixon have officially delayed their annual Christmas Parades until next week.

The Clay Christmas Parade will be held Friday, December 13, 2013 at 6pm.

Dixon will hold their Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 14, 2013 at 2pm.

Clay Elementary School has also announced that it will be canceling the annual Breakfast with Santa program which was scheduled to be held this Saturday morning.

Dixon Commission hold brief meeting

by Matt Hughes

J-E News Editor

The Dixon Commission met in a brief meeting on Monday night with only two items on the agenda.

First, the commission heard from Rod Martin with Hunter Martin Associates, the engineering firm that has been handling the city’s water line rehabilitation project.

Dixon Commission looks at more water Projects

by Matt Hughes

J-E News Editor

The Dixon Commission met in a brief session on Monday night.

Rod Martin, president of Hunter Martin & Associates, Inc was present to update the commission on the status of the Dixon Water project which is nearing completion.

“We really have things to talk about,” Martin said. “One of those is about the project that we just finished up. The second part is what are we going to do with the money that’s left over?”

The original estimated cost of Brown Construction’s part of the project was $451,207, but the final adjusted change over amount for the job was $477,991.

“As we got into the project, the cost of some items went up and some went down,” he explained.

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.”

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.