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.