County Judge

Clark County Judge-Executive Henry Branham was the guest speaker at the Sept. 18 meeting of the Winchester Lioness Club held at Alliance Bank. Branham gave an informative history and update on county government followed by a question-and-answer session. Lorraine Hudson, president, conducted the meeting and Nannie Garrett, chairwoman of the annual eye-testing program, announced that the program will begin Oct. 1, and asked that club members sign up for the dates she has already set up with the schools.

The race for Clark County judge-executive drew tough words and accusations Tuesday night as candidates sparred over management and spending in the county's highest office.Before a full house at the first 2006 Candidates Forum, Democratic nominee and former county treasurer Henry Branham alleged that his Republican rival, John Myers, had mishandled checks and shirked legal procedures all while failing to develop a long-range financial strategy for the county. Meanwhile, the incumbent Myers touted his three-year record on public safety, financial management and economic development, referring to vague proposals for a military training facility in Clark County.

After retiring as superintendent of the Lincoln County School District several years ago, Danny Godbey has decided to re-enter public life - in the political arena as a Republican candidate for county judge-executive. Godbey said the decision to file was a tough one, and was made in part at the urging of various community leaders - from both political parties. He added that prior to that, he had no desire to run for elected office and was content to take care of his own interests.

U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell endorsed Republican Scott Scutchfield for Boyle County judge-executive Thursday. "You bet I'm here to endorse him for county judge," McConnell said. "I think he would make a great county judge. He is smart and capable. " McConnell, a Republican who represents Kentucky in Congress, came to McDowell House for a reception to celebrate the completion of work done with federal and state grants. McConnell was instrumental in securing a $150,000 federal grant from the National Park Service's Save America's Treasures program.

STANFORD - After 8 years as director of Lincoln County's emergency dispatchers, Jeff Crowe handed his resignation to the 911 Board and it was officially accepted during their regular board meeting on Thursday. "I think it was just the pressure of the county judge," board chairman Bill Denham said after reading the resignation letter. "I think it was just pressure in general. " Only if pressures from the county and county judge were mitigated would Crow agree to stay on, Denham said.

LANCASTER - L.G. "Russ" Hammons, a former Garrard County judge-executive, died Monday at 86. Hammons was well known for his 20-year political career, serving two terms as sheriff and three terms as county judge-executive, that was highlighted by the numerous government grants he obtained for the betterment of the county. While Hammons was in office, Garrard County began a county-owned and -operated ambulance service, completed a courthouse renovation, purchased and renovated the county building that now houses the ambulance service, developed an industrial site, and improved housing for the county's low-income elderly and handicapped.

Sherman Dean, Jesamine County's first judge-executive, died Saturday at the age of 83. Dean was elected county judge executive in 1977, after legislation eliminated the office of county judge, who had both judicial and executive powers. Dean served in that capacity until 1989, when he did not seek re-election. His successor was current Judge-Executive Wm. Neal Cassity, who said that although he didn't work with Dean, he remembers him well. "His administration was before my time, but he was a good man, and was well thought of in the community," Cassity said.

My first service was 4 1/2 years in the US Air Force, 1962 to 1967 where I was in 497 recon squadron with headquarters stationed in Germany. My service for Lincoln County began in 1986 when I was elected as Magistrate of District #1 serving Precincts 1, 2 and 3. I served two terms or eight years under John Sims as County Judge and was on a totally Democratic Fiscal Court. During my third term beginning in 1994-1998, I served under Jim Reed as County Judge where I was the only Democratic member of the Fiscal Court.

Over a period of four hours Monday evening, almost a hundred people from in and outside of the county came by the Lincoln County Courthouse to say farewell, thank, and roast and toast retiring Judge Executive Buckwheat Gilbert. Some quietly signed the guest book, squeezed the judge's hand, and moved toward the buffet, others grabbed the microphone and regaled the crowd with funny stories about Gilbert. Though the anecdotes all had the ring of truth to them, it was all in good fun, and all of the speakers ended with kind words about Gilbert's tenure as county judge.

Dear Editor, Did I read this right? The Clark County judge-executive said deputy jailers at the Clark County Detention Center should be forced to file paperwork and call doctors instead of calling Emergency Medical Services during emergency health situations. Seriously?! This has been the trouble over the past few years. We have a county judge who feels he has to run the jail. The last time I checked, the citizens of Clark County elected a jailer, and like him or not, he has full authority and experience to run the jail.

Boyle County Judge-Executive Harold McKinney walked out of a Danville-Boyle County Economic Development Partnership board meeting this morning, stating that he felt the board may be violating open meetings laws by not conducting more of its business in the public's eye. A closed session for “voting directors only” was listed on the agenda for this morning's EDP board of directors meeting. The agenda states the EDP is not a “public agency” to which the Kentucky Open Meetings Act applies.

The arson charge against the second suspect in a fatal fire was dismissed Wednesday after detectives testified that there was no evidence linking Brandon Guy with setting the fire. Guy, 25, surrendered to police Nov. 10 after detectives swore out a warrant charging him with first-degree arson in connection with the Oct. 21 fire that killed 50-year-old Kenneth Payton in his home. During Guy's preliminary hearing Wednesday afternoon in Clark District Court, Kentucky State Police Detective Jeremy Hamm testified that there was no direct evidence at this time to implicate Guy in setting the fire.

LIBERTY - Shortly after announcing his retirement, 29th Judicial Circuit Judge James G. Weddle died Wednesday at his home after battling cancer for several years. Weddle recently announced he would retire May 1 on the advice of his doctors, according to a press release. First elected in 1999, he presided over cases in Casey and Adair counties, judging everything from serious crimes against people to civil lawsuits and adoptions. Before state officials split the district due to high case volume, Weddle also presided over cases in Cumberland and Monroe counties.

Dear Editor, Did I read this right? The Clark County judge-executive said deputy jailers at the Clark County Detention Center should be forced to file paperwork and call doctors instead of calling Emergency Medical Services during emergency health situations. Seriously?! This has been the trouble over the past few years. We have a county judge who feels he has to run the jail. The last time I checked, the citizens of Clark County elected a jailer, and like him or not, he has full authority and experience to run the jail.

Over a period of four hours Monday evening, almost a hundred people from in and outside of the county came by the Lincoln County Courthouse to say farewell, thank, and roast and toast retiring Judge Executive Buckwheat Gilbert. Some quietly signed the guest book, squeezed the judge's hand, and moved toward the buffet, others grabbed the microphone and regaled the crowd with funny stories about Gilbert. Though the anecdotes all had the ring of truth to them, it was all in good fun, and all of the speakers ended with kind words about Gilbert's tenure as county judge.

With a new calendar year, an upcoming community forum in the works and dire economic problems plaguing the nation, government in Clark County already has a lot to juggle in 2009. This morning, reporter Mike Wynn spoke with County Judge-Executive Henry Branham about the county's outlook and his goals for the next 11 months. Q: Are there any particular projects or objectives that you are looking forward to accomplishing this year? A: Projects that would rank high would be continuing some of the things that I started when I took office.

Both candidates for Boyle County judge-executive agree on a lot of issues, including which one has the most experience for the job. Democrat Harold McKinney and Republican Pete Kendrick engaged in friendly discourse Tuesday night at a candidates' forum at Inter-County Energy sponsored by the Danville-Boyle County Chamber of Commerce. Both are running for the unexpired term of former judge-executive Tony Wilder, who resigned to take a job in Frankfort. McKinney was appointed to the post by Gov. Steve Beshear after Wilder resigned.

Dear Editor, I've had to appear in the Boyle County courts to fight over child support, and each time the judge has ruled in favor of the father. I'd like to know why the judges in Boyle County are taking away from the children and giving more and more to the fathers. Every single mother out there who has gone before the judges in Boyle County over child support knows this to be true. I'd like for the single mothers out there to call their congressman and let them know how they are being treated unfairly, and ask when will the single mothers - and more important, the children - get fair treatment in Boyle County.

The Kentucky County Judge-Executives Association voted unanimously last week to sue the state after it announced moves that would save the state $10.4 million on prison costs. Those savings would come at the expense of county budgets as the state would cut payments to counties for housing state prisoners. At issue is the credit inmates receive for time served in county jails before they are sentenced. The inmates don't become classified as state inmates until after conviction, but they are usually credited for the time they served while awaiting trial, but the counties are not being reimbursed for the expenses incurred during that time.

Jessamine County will join thousands of communities across the nation by holding a Flag Day Celebration for the first time this year. A 5K run had been held at Camp Nelson for the past seven years, but John Howard of Jessamine County Parks and Recreation said he felt like the community should do more to celebrate. After months of work, Howard and other members of the Jessamine County Interagency Council came up with the Flag Day Celebration. "We contacted the mayors of Nicholasville and Wilmore and the county judge about having a county-wide celebration and they all thought it was a good idea and was doable," Howard said.