Advisory Board

LEXINGTON — Herbert A. Miller, Jr., formerly of Danville, president of Columbia Gas of Kentucky, has been named to the advisory board of the Financial Research Institute (FRI) at the University of Missouri. Established in 1988 within the College of Business at the University of Missouri-Columbia, FRI is an academic research institute designed to promote education, research and services across various areas of finance. Today, the FRI, through its public utility division, provides a neutral environment for stakeholders in the regulated public utility industry to come together to examine, understand, and debate current issues relating to public utility policy.

A local renewable energy business has appointed three members to its advisory board, entered into a new partnership and opened a new office location in downtown Winchester. Renewable Energy Corporation, located at 22 Court St., has filled three of its seven advisory board seats. Board members so far include Dr. Vijay P. Singh, from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Kentucky College of Engineering, Harvey Mitchell, director of agriculture outreach at the Center for Rural Development, and the Rev H.E. Baker, 2000 Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame inductee and founder of Winchester-Clark County Christians United Against Drugs.

HOSPICE TRAINING A training for Hospice East volunteers will be held from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. March 17 at the Hospice East office, 407 Shoppers Drive. To register or to obtain more information, contact Debbie Jones at 744-9866. The training is open to all persons interested in becoming Hospice volunteers. ASAP MEETS MARCH 15 The Clark County Substance Abuse Policy Board will meet at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, March 15, in City Hall. Amy LaCount of the Clark County Health Department will give a presentation on secondhand smoke, and will release survey results regarding Clark Countians' attitudes toward tobacco use in public places.

Dear Editor: Heart of Kentucky United Way is asking all of us to help meet the 2003 campaign goal of $990,000. To ensure that the money United Way distributes to local agencies is used for quality programs, a broad range of dedicated volunteers evaluate each agency request. While people who need and deserve a boost live in every community in America, very few regions have put together such an outstanding volunteer-based process to provide cost-effective services. Those who contribute to the annual campaign can be confident their dollars are truly making a difference.

About 30 people sat in on Tuesday afternoon’s Jessamine County Fiscal Court meeting, anxiously awaiting the public-comment portion of the agenda. And about a third of those in attendance were ready to offer their input on the hot topic for the evening — how the county’s animal shelter should be operated. Several of those who spoke advocated for the county to continue to contract out the shelter services to one of the animal-activist groups in the area, but others sided with a proposal prepared by magistrate George Dean.

Ronnie Dobson resigned Tuesday morning from his post as chief of the Bluegrass 911 Communication Center, the joint emergency hotline and dispatch center run cooperatively by Garrard and Lincoln counties. The two counties combined 911 operations in July 2008 to save money and increase efficiency. Stanford Mayor Bill Miracle, who chairs the center's advisory board, said Deputy Chief Russ Clark will fill in until a new chief can be hired. Dobson tendered his resignation to the center's board of directors and no reason was given, but when asked about budget problems at the center, Miracle said there were some issues but they were manageable.

By Michael Broihier Ronnie Dobson resigned Tuesday morning from his post as Chief of the Bluegrass 911 Communication Center, the joint emergency hotline and dispatch center run cooperatively by Garrard and Lincoln County. The two counties combined their 911 operations in July 2008 to save money and increase efficiency. Stanford Mayor Bill Miracle, who chairs the center's advisory board, said that Deputy Chief Russ Clark will fill in until a new chief can be hired. Dobson tendered his resignation to the center's Board of Directors and no reason was given, but when asked about budget problems at the center, Miracle said that there were some issues but they were manageable.

The Danville-Boyle County Chamber of Commerce has elected Ennis Tillman and Charlotte Wise as its newest board directors. Tillman is the Manager of Product Cost Development with Panasonic Home Appliances of America where he has worked for the past 30 years. He graduated from Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering technology. He is a member of the American Society for Quality, Quality Engineering, and Six Sigma. He is also active with First Baptist Church serving as a Sunday school teacher, assistant secretary and singer in the Male Chorus.

HARRODSBURG - At their first meeting since the resignation of veteran Chairman Bill Wickliffe, members of the Anderson-Dean Community Park board began to consider bylaws for that body. Vice Chairman Bob Davis presided over the meeting and members were given a draft of a set of bylaws. While calling it a draft, Davis said he did not think many changes would be necessary. Two key changes to the board proposed in the bylaws are the downsizing of the board and the annual election of officers.

STANFORD - Lincoln County Fiscal Court heard concerns Tuesday about turnover at the Lincoln County Public Library from former library advisory board member Keith Lemons. Lemons quit the board angrily in November 2010 after longtime library director Kay Peppard was forced to retire by the library's executive board. At the time, Lemons told the board, “I am handing in my resignation because of the treatment and humiliation you subjected Kay to. No one should have to go through that,” he said, “I can't condone it any longer, therefore I am resigning.” Now the library has lost another head librarian and its accounts payable clerk, and it's clear Lemons holds the executive board responsible.

CASA at Woodlawn announces new director CASA at Woodlawn, a non-profit organization serving Boyle and Mercer Counties in Central Kentucky, announces Laura Guerrant has been selected as its new director.   Guerrant will advance CASA at Woodlawn’s mission to support and promote court-appointed volunteer advocacy for abused and neglected children so they can thrive in safe, permanent homes. She assumed her duties June 1. The director is the chief staff officer of CASA at Woodlawn.

About 30 people sat in on Tuesday afternoon’s Jessamine County Fiscal Court meeting, anxiously awaiting the public-comment portion of the agenda. And about a third of those in attendance were ready to offer their input on the hot topic for the evening — how the county’s animal shelter should be operated. Several of those who spoke advocated for the county to continue to contract out the shelter services to one of the animal-activist groups in the area, but others sided with a proposal prepared by magistrate George Dean.

LEXINGTON — Herbert A. Miller, Jr., formerly of Danville, president of Columbia Gas of Kentucky, has been named to the advisory board of the Financial Research Institute (FRI) at the University of Missouri. Established in 1988 within the College of Business at the University of Missouri-Columbia, FRI is an academic research institute designed to promote education, research and services across various areas of finance. Today, the FRI, through its public utility division, provides a neutral environment for stakeholders in the regulated public utility industry to come together to examine, understand, and debate current issues relating to public utility policy.

Organizers of the gala Luminosity, raising money for the fight against cancer, will host the 14th annual event Aug. 14 — “Luminosity 2010, Join in the Journey.” Harry Nickens, president of Ephraim McDowell Health Care Foundation, says the public will be amazed at the extravagant gifts donated to the auction this year. Commonwealth Cancer Center’s director of communications and resources, Amy Wise, is equally excited about many people having their first experience inside of the center’s new offices.

Ronnie Dobson resigned Tuesday morning from his post as chief of the Bluegrass 911 Communication Center, the joint emergency hotline and dispatch center run cooperatively by Garrard and Lincoln counties. The two counties combined 911 operations in July 2008 to save money and increase efficiency. Stanford Mayor Bill Miracle, who chairs the center's advisory board, said Deputy Chief Russ Clark will fill in until a new chief can be hired. Dobson tendered his resignation to the center's board of directors and no reason was given, but when asked about budget problems at the center, Miracle said there were some issues but they were manageable.

By Michael Broihier Ronnie Dobson resigned Tuesday morning from his post as Chief of the Bluegrass 911 Communication Center, the joint emergency hotline and dispatch center run cooperatively by Garrard and Lincoln County. The two counties combined their 911 operations in July 2008 to save money and increase efficiency. Stanford Mayor Bill Miracle, who chairs the center's advisory board, said that Deputy Chief Russ Clark will fill in until a new chief can be hired. Dobson tendered his resignation to the center's Board of Directors and no reason was given, but when asked about budget problems at the center, Miracle said that there were some issues but they were manageable.

Nine candidates are vying for the four seats on the Danville City Commission in Tuesday's primary. The non-partisan race will eliminate only one of the candidates, and the remaining eight will go forward to battle it out in the November general election. Commissioners' terms last two years. The eight candidates were asked some basic questions, including their stance on topics such as the recently passed Smoke-Free Danville ordinance, whether or not they favor Sunday alcohol sales, and their support or opposition of the city hall expansion and renovation plan.

When Capts. Zachary and Shelley Bell arrived in Danville four and a half years ago to take over as commander and co-commander of the local Salvation Army, the young couple were new parents starting a new joint career in a new town. Today, the Bells and their daughter, Emma, are leaving town feeling not only like veteran army officers and experienced parents but also like they have lived here all of their lives. "From the bottom of our hearts, we are so thankful to the people of Danville," Bell said in a farewell interview earlier this week.

Editor's note: We asked for your suggestions and you responded, telling us about local hometown heroes - the people whose lives inspire us. We hope you enjoy reading the stories. Jo Ann Rice doesn't wear its uniform or shake its tambourine, but she is an important member of the Danville Salvation Army family just the same. When asked recently to name a volunteer who has been important in furthering the mission of the local Army here in Danville, Capt. Zachary Bell spent a total of one second thinking of a name.