Kentucky Counties

The Danville-Boyle County Convention & Visitors Bureau has received the latest figures on the economic impact of tourism for 2003, released by the Kentucky Department of Travel. While many other Kentucky counties showed significant declines in tourism, Boyle County realized a 12.2 percent increase in tourism expenditures, which has an economic impact on this community of over $35.8 million. The Department of Travel noted that not only does tourism provide 792 full-time equivalent jobs for Boyle County residents, but each household in Kentucky would pay $905 more per year in taxes without the impact that tourism dollars generate in our state.

SOMERSET - A man being sought by police in over six Kentucky counties has turned himself into Somerset Police before being turned over to the Casey County Sheriff's Department. James Lopez Jr., of Somerset, is accused of burglaries in Anderson, Boyle, Casey, Garrard, Lincoln and Mercer counties. Casey County is the only one that had a warrant out for Lopez's arrest, according to Lt. Shannon Smith of the Somerset Police, which is why he was turned over to that force. According to Smith, Lopez is familiar with a member of their police force, who has a brother who is a detective.

Social skills are important. One social skill that most people over the age of four have mastered is keeping their clothes on in public. Unfortunately, state lawmakers seem to be struggling with this idea. It's not that legislators have been convening in Frankfort in the buff, but they've got nothing to hide behind when it comes to passing a statewide public decency law. Sen. Julie Denton (R-Louisville), a perennial voice against the exploitation of women, sponsored SB 63, the Public Decency Act, which would prohibit total nudity in strip clubs and ban table and lap dancing by creating a buffer zone between strippers and patrons.

Jessamine County is mulling over signing onto a possible class-action lawsuit against the organization known as Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (MERS), which could possible recoup thousands of dollars of fees owed. The county was approached by attorney Sandra Spurgeon of Spurgeon & Tinker, PSC, which, along with The Bolog firm, currently represents 14 counties in Kentucky that are suing MERS, including Boyd, Franklin, Pike and several other counties. The basis of the litigation is an effort to seek compensation for lost mortgage assignment fees allegedly withheld because of the actions of MERS over the past several years.

The Advocate-Messenger is proud to announce the creation of a new Web site designed to capture the beauty, the personality, and the personalities of the area. It's called www.yourkyphotos.com . It is a joint venture between this paper and our sister papers in Nicholasville, Stanford and Winchester. We created an alliance of dozens of photographers who all have one simple goal: to take a lot of pictures in the bluegrass. "We want a site that visually captures what Kentucky is all about," says John Preston, digital media manager for Schurz Communications Inc. "It's an entertaining site that's full of pictures that just make you feel good.

HARRODSBURG - The administrative functions of Mercer County Senior Citizens Center are being performed by the Blue Grass Community Action Partnership as of the first of this month. While that may sound like a major change, people who frequent the center and the occasional visitor will see no difference in its operation. Steven Stivers, who met with Mercer County Fiscal Court Tuesday morning, explained that his agency had been asked to manage the administrative functions of the center by the center's board.

The Jessamine Journal has released an army of photographers on Central Kentucky. The Jessamine Journal is proud to announce the creation of a new Web site designed to capture the beauty, the personality, and the personalities of the area. It's called YourKyPhotos.com. It is a joint venture between this paper and our sister papers in Danville, Stanford and Winchester. We created an alliance of dozens of photographers who all have one simple goal: to take a whole of pictures in the bluegrass.

Calvary Heirs from Lincoln County won second place in the Gospel Quartet Contest at the Kentucky State Fair. The group includes Bill Eckler, Sr., Bill Eckler, II, Randy Smith and Bill Sowder. The contest was held in conjunction with Kentucky Farm Bureau Day on Thursday, Aug. 23 and has been sponsored by Farm Bureau for over 50 years. It is open to participants from all Kentucky counties. His Praise, a foursome from Christian County, was named state champion of the contest.

As Kentucky is hammered today with a heatwave, the National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for this afternoon. That means outdoor burning is particularly dangerous this afternoon because of the combination of temperatures flirting with 100 degrees, very low humidity and westerly winds of 10-15 mph. Thirty-three Kentucky counties have banned outdoor burning, as well as a number of cities across the state. And the Daniel Boone National Forest has banned most fires and all fireworks in the forest.