Harrodsburg

HARRODSBURG (AP) - Police are searching for a man who escaped from the back of a Harrodsburg officer's car early today. WKYT-TV in Lexington reported that 26-year-old Austin Howell broke the window in the back seat of a police cruiser and got away from police in Harrodsburg. Police had arrested Howell on an emergency protective order for domestic violence. Officers said he was last seen wearing pajama pants and cowboy boots. He is white, 6-foot-2 and about 190 pounds. Police said they didn't handcuff Howell because he had wrist wounds, the station reported.

HARRODSBURG - The Kentucky Historic Preservation Review Board met Tuesday in Harrodsburg to consider over a dozen nominations to the National Register of Historic Places. Among the nominations from across the commonwealth were two districts in Harrodsburg: the North Main Street Historic District and the Lexington and Cane Run Historic District. Following a tour of the districts, the board recommended the North Main Street and Lexington and Cane Run Historic Districts for inclusion in the National Registers.

HARRODSBURG - A boy was hit by a passing car as he ran to fetch a ball in the street Wednesday. According to a news release from Harrodsburg police, Alex McCrystal was westbound on West Factory Street in a Nissan Sentra about 5 p.m. when a 6-year-old boy ran into the street in front of the vehicle to retrieve a basketball. Witnesses told police the collision could not have been avoided. No charges are pending. Police did not identify the victim or release information about his condition.

HARRODSBURG -  A Mercer County grand jury has indicted a 33-year-old Harrodsburg man on one count of possession of material portraying a sexual performance by a minor, officials announced today. Robert David Spaulding, 33, was indicted on the class D felony on July 18, Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway said in a press release. Harrodsburg police officers arrested Spaulding Thursday night; he is jailed in lieu of a $5,000 cash bond.  Conway's Cybercrimes Unit began investigating Spaulding following a citizen complaint on March 28. Prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office of Richie Bottoms, Commonwealth's Attorney for the 50th Judicial Circuit representing Boyle and Mercer counties.

HARRODSBURG (AP) - City Commissioners in Harrodsburg are planning a special meeting to discuss what to do about trash recently found buried in a cemetery. Commissioner Marvin Isham told WLEX-TV that the Environmental Protection Agency was called in after oil bubbled up during flooding at Spring Hill Cemetery.  He says he was with an EPA representative when digging at the site began and they found dozens of old tires, scrap metal, fencing and car parts while searching for the source of the oil. Isham says some of the items are from as far back as 2007.

HARRODSBURG — Jordan Leigh Young of Salvisa will not soon forget her 19th birthday party. It began Thursday night by welcoming guests to the opening of her new business, “Jordan’s,” on Main Street. Then came a ribbon-cutting ceremony and finally live music for an audience of about 125 people. But Young didn’t get to sit back and watch the entertainment —  she was the entertainment. “I am so blessed to have this much support in my hometown and play before so many people I know, and even quite a few I never met before,” said Young, who has appeared on the CBS “Early Show” with Dolly Parton and played at the Grand Ole Opry.

I just loved reading one statement in the story about the city of Harrodsburg settling a lawsuit out of court.  The statement was according to the agreement, the case was settled to “reduce the cost of expensive litigation,” and “should not be construed as an admission of liability in any way whatsoever.” Something similar is written on the back of citations but worded just a little differently. It goes something like, “By paying this now, you are admitting that you are guilty.” My question is this: Why is it one way of guilt for the taxpayers of this great country and it does not mean guilty when the city pays for one of its employees?

SALVISA - A Harrodsburg man died early Sunday morning in a single-vehicle crash on U.S. 127, according to the Mercer County Sheriff's Department. Calvin Lee Wiley III, 54,  lost control of his vehicle near the Family Affair Restaurant in Salvisa near Anderson County, Mercer County Chief Deputy Scott Elder said this morning.  Wiley's vehicle ran off Louisville Road and into a concrete culvert. Elder did not know what type of vehicle Wiley was driving. Anderson and Mercer county officials responded to a passerby's 911 call about 3:20 a.m. Sunday.

HARRODSBURG — Firefighter Michael L. Griffieth was presented a distinguished service award from the City of Harrodsburg Monday night at the city commissioners meeting for his 20 years as a professional firefighter; 15 of which were with the city of Harrodsburg. Griffieth served his last day as a full-time firefighter on Feb. 25. “That was my 42nd birthday,” said Griffieth. “I made it.” Since his father, Gary Griffieth, was the assistant chief with the city, Michael, had to begin his professional career with the Frankfort Fire Department.