Industrial Park

LANCASTER - Leftover items from Progressive Machine and Tool in the Garrard County industrial park on Danville Road were auctioned off Tuesday to buyers from Kentucky and Ohio. The tool and die business closed its doors in October because of attrition and slow times, most likely due to the economic downturn, owner Steve Southerland told The Central Record. Also owned by Ronnie Sullivan, the business originally was a garage on Stanford Street before moving into the industrial park.

LIBERTY - A 35-acre tract of land on Ky. 70 East will become an industrial park. The Economic Development Authority of Liberty/Casey County paid $300,000 for the land sold by Marvin and Wanda Vaught of Liberty. South Indiana Lumber Co. previously was located on the property. Mark Wolford, president of the authority, said the deal was made in an ongoing effort to attract more industry to Liberty and Casey County. "It's hard to get industry if you don't have an industrial park," said Wolford.

If Jessamine County is going to compete with surrounding towns for new industry, it's going to have to purchase land for a new industrial park soon. That was the message delivered by Jessamine County Economic Development Director Wayne Foster to Wilmore, Nicholasville and Jessamine County leaders at last week's joint government meeting. Only about 20 acres remain in the current 114-acre industrial park on John C. Watts Drive which opened in 1999. Through grants and help from the local financial community, no tax money was used to retire the more than $2 million debt on the property, Foster said.

HARRODSBURG - The sale of almost 120 acres of land will double the amount of money the local industrial authority has in the bank, even after the organization pays its debt to the city. The Harrodsburg/Mercer County Industrial Development Authority accepted a bid from Steve Caton of $2,913 per acre. The property is across the railroad tracks from the majority of the industrial park and is made up of about 80 acres purchased from John Tuggle in 1998 and two tracts totaling 40 acres already owned by the authority when it bought the Tuggle property.

HARRODSBURG - Mercer County is taking the first step toward a possible collaboration with Anderson County on a future industrial park. Fiscal Court approved a resolution Tuesday that encourages cooperation between both counties, Harrodsburg, Lawrenceburg and each county's industrial and economic development authorities to "investigate and develop ways and means for the establishment of a regional industrial park. " The resolution does not create any financially binding agreements between any of the government entities.

John Napier of Tile Setters Inc. of Winchester positions a large piece of slate flooring near the entrance of the new Bluegrass Community and Technology College campus building being constructed in the Industrial Park. The new college campus is expected to be completed for the first day of summer classes on May 6.

Winchester Public Works employees Ricky Richardson, bottom of photo, and Doug Hopper place a direction sign for the new Bluegrass Community & Technical College at the entrance to the Industrial Park at Fortune Drive and Paris Road. Richardson and Hopper were installing 10 direction signs to the campus throughout Winchester. The new campus is expected to open Tuesday with the beginning of summer classes.

Chris Holland of James R. Leake & Son Construction of Richmond lifts a flag pole in place near the entrance of the new Bluegrass Community and Technical College building, currently under construction in the industrial park. Guiding the pole in place are Josh Aurand, left, and Robert Bragg. The building should be open for summer classes on May 6. The 24,000-square-foot building cost $5.9 million to construct.

Dec. 31, 1985 The Clark County Hospital and hospitals in four other Central Kentucky counties are trying to secure mobile CAT scanning services and a Tennessee firm has applied for a certificate of need to provide the $900,000 unit. Winchester Farms Dairy has donated eight acres of land adjacent to the Industrial Park for the development of a $60,000 park for the Winchester Youth Soccer League.

The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority board approved tax incentives today for companies across the state, including one in Clark County. J&T Munitions of Winchester was approved for $200,000 to expand its manufacturing of firearm parts and accessories. This will add 15 to 20 jobs that will pay, on average, $15 per hour with benefits, according to published reports. The expansion for the company is estimated to cost $3.62 million. Todd Denham, executive director of the Winchester-Clark County Industrial Development Authority, said that by working together with the community and the state, the tax incentive was approved for their need to expand, create jobs, and to further their success.

The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority board approved tax incentives today for companies across the state, including one in Clark County. J&T Munitions of Winchester was approved for $200,000 to expand its manufacturing of firearm parts and accessories. This will add 15 to 20 jobs that will pay, on average, $15 per hour with benefits, according to published reports. The expansion for the company is estimated to cost $3.62 million. Todd Denham, executive director of the Winchester-Clark County Industrial Development Authority, said that by working together with the community and the state, the tax incentive was approved for their need to expand, create jobs, and to further their success.

Amazon announced today that it will open a 70,000-square-foot customer service facility in Winchester, which will create about 550 full-time jobs and 600 seasonal jobs by 2017. The customer service center is expected to open in late summer at the Winchester Plaza while construction of the permanent facility at the industrial park is under way. The permanent facility is expected to open in 2013. The average hourly wage for full-time employees will be $15.64, or about $20 with benefits, said Todd Denham, executive director of the Winchester-Clark County Industrial Authority.

Dec. 20, 1986 The Winchester-Clark County Industrial Development Authority voted Friday to purchase 50 acres of land for industrial development, with an option on a second 50 acres. The land, which fronts on Rolling Hills Lane, adjoins a section of the present Industrial Park. Miss Shanda Pulliam was guest of honor at a luncheon Friday at Bud's Beef 'n More. The event, organized by Billy Edwards, was in recognition of her Pulliam's contributions to the community while employed by The Winchester Sun. Miss Pulliam has resigned her position at the Sun effective Dec. 19.

Oct. 3, 1986 A vegetable processing and marketing plant likely to locate in Winchester will create approximately 50 seasonal jobs on site, as well as provide a marketing outlet for area farmers who grow vegetables. The city has applied for $615,000 from the state under its Community Development Block Grant program for economic development so the Kentucky Agricultural Marketing Cooperative can move into either the former Brad Ragan plant building on the Mount Sterling Road or build on a 16-acre site in the industrial park.

Gov. Steve Beshear joined a group of Clark County officials and business leaders to welcome Senko Logistics Co. to the Winchester Industrial Park at a special grand opening ceremony Monday. The company has already hired three employees and plans to employ a dozen people by the end of the year. “Whether you create one job or 100, it’s a plus,” said Todd Denham, director of the Winchester-Clark County Industrial Authority. Denham has been working with Senko officials for four years to bring a facility to the industrial park.

Reports — At 1:14 p.m. Wednesday, a trailer was reported stolen from the industrial park on Tuesday. — At 2:33 p.m. Wednesday, a woman reported that a woman stole her wallet from near the intersection of Pioneer Drive and Martin Luther King Blvd. — At 7:03 p.m. Wednesday, a woman reported that a known male sold a television she was renting. — At 7:53 a.m. Thursday, officers were called to 206 Breeze Hill Drive concerning four stolen car batteries and a broken car window.

LANCASTER — The ink only recently dried on the Garrard County Industrial Development Authority’s deal to sell the long-vacant spec building, but the IDA has already moved on to literally greener pastures. On Monday, the IDA approved the purchase of 90 acres of largely undeveloped land in north Lancaster, near the east side of U.S. 27, across from McDonald’s. The land, which will cost the IDA $173,340, doesn’t have any frontage directly on U.S. 27, but there is an access road, currently paved with gravel.

Dear Editor, Thanks to all the people of Danville who participated in the election. I want to especially thank the many supporters who helped to make my campaign for mayor of Danville a success. There were many hours spent walking neighborhoods, on the phone, writing letters and in the placement of campaign signs. The people spoke, and the candidates for office have been selected. But the work is not done. It is only the beginning. It is time to put aside the election rhetoric and to join in the process of governing our city.

STANFORD — When outgoing Judge-Executive Bill Demrow made a motion Tuesday to move Lincoln County’s commitment to build a new jail forward, no one stepped up with a second. But all four magistrates got behind Magistrate David Faulkner’s motion to try to secure property in the county’s industrial park to build a jail if that decision is finally made. Demrow later called that vote a “stall tactic,” but Jailer David Gooch said he considered it at least a small step forward in a jail debate that remains stymied after years of discussion and study.