Construction

Navy  Petty Officer 2nd Class Adam J. Hartman, son of Susan E. Lyons of Harrodsburg and James R. Hartman, of Springfield has received orders to deploy. Hartman along with fellow sailors currently in Afghanistan, are manning defenses and constructing a compound in the Lashkar Gah District to support U.S. Marines who will advise Afghan Uniformed Police (AUP) and prepare them for a smooth transition upon the eventual draw-down of U.S. and allied forces. Sailors from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion-11 departed the battalion's main body in March with equipment, materials and supplies to set and maintain defensive positions while constructing a sustainable compound for U.S. Marines.

Winchester will receive a $9,789 grant for a four-acre wetland construction project along Town Branch from the 2012 American Water Environmental Grant Program. “The project will help remove pathogens, metals, sediment and nutrients from storm water as it overflows into the wetlands during storm events,” according to a Kentucky American Water news release. “The restored wetland area will be used for environmental education and research by neighboring universities and area schools.” Cheryl Norton, president of Kentucky American Water, said the protection and preservation of healthy watersheds and water supplies requires collaboration.

It was hard to tell whether more candy was being eaten or being used to build the gingerbread houses Friday at the Gingerbread House Making Party at the Winchester-Clark County Parks and Recreation Health and Wellness Center. Seven-year-old Justin Jordan was dressed for the occasion in his Santa hat while he decorated his gingerbread house. Bob Flynn/bflynn@winchestersun.com

Despite dealing with some rainy weather, work for the new Jessamine County Animal Shelter is on pace for a February completion, Animal Shelter advisory-council chairman Mike Cassidy said. “(The rain) has given us some trouble, but as far as construction, there hasn't been any problems,” he said. Project manager John Dalton of Dalton Construction Management Consultants said now that the roof is on, it's only a matter of time before the shelter is ready to house animals.

The Clark County Board of Education unanimously voted Tuesday to use part of a surplus on the new George Rogers Clark High School construction project to build the outer shell of a new Area Technology Center, as Phase II of the project at the school site. Construction of the shell will cost a little more than $3 million and come from the $4 million contingency left over on the original BG1 for the new high school project.  When board chairwoman Judy Hicks announced the vote with, “That's a resounding yes from everybody,” ATC Principal Karen Bothun and several staff members in attendance broke out in applause.

Construction updates on three ongoing projects took up a big part of Tuesday's Clark County school board meeting. Architect Ron Murrell of RossTarrant Architects presented the board with photographs showing the progress of the new George Rogers Clark High School being built on Boonesboro Road, which is now about 26 percent complete. Despite the unusually wet weather in May and June, Murrell said, contractors have been able to make remarkable progress on a large part of the building.

After several delays caused by bad weather that slowed down another construction project, the Clark County Health Department is finally ready to begin construction of a new parking lot on the upper side of its facility on Professional Avenue. At a special called meeting Tuesday, the Board of Health approved a bid of $117,852.32 by Woodall Construction of Lexington to build the long-awaited parking lot, which will alleviate some of the building's current parking woes and provide easier access to the main entrance.

A much needed interchange on Mountain Parkway at Kiddville Road could be closer to becoming reality. County Judge-Executive Henry Branham told commissioners at Wednesday’s Fiscal Court meeting that Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 7 representative Robert Nunley would be at the court’s May 11 meeting to give an update on the interchange. The Mountain Parkway/Kiddville Road interchange was one of 10 projects for Clark County which were included in last year’s state two-year road plan, with nearly $12 million earmarked for the interchange.

The Jessamine County Board of Education looked toward future building projects Monday night, but first, members had to elect new leadership. Former Chairman Karl Smith and Vice Chairperson Pam Seales each stepped down from the board last year, declining to run for re-election. Eugene Peel, who has served on the board for 26 years and was chairman from 1985 to 2000, was a unanimous choice for chairman after he was nominated by board member Amy Day. Peel then nominated Day, a board member since 2009, for vice chairperson, and she was also approved by a 5-0 vote.

Jan. 17, 1986 The George Rogers Clark Cardinals will have their hands full this weekend in a pair of games with two of the state’s top teams. The Cardinals host Paintsville tonight at Letcher Norton Gym and a freshman game between Clark and Bourbon will precede the varsity contest. Residents of Clark County may help local Special Olympics athletes by collecting the tops of 16 ounce can of Citrus Hill Select Orange Juice. Each can top verified by Proctor and Gamble is worth 25 cents to Kentucky Special Olympics.