Nicholasville

A Nicholasville man was arrested by Kentucky State Police last week and charged with four counts of possession of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor. Jeffrey M. Wooley, 52, appeared this past Monday for his initial arraignment and was appointed a public defender. Judge Bill Oliver entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf at that time. A joint task force of the Kentucky State Police electronic-crime branch and the FBI is investigating the case, Sgt. Bill Collins with the KSP said last Thursday.

Attorney General Jack Conway and his Office of Special Prosecutions announced the sentencing in Jessamine Circuit Court of two Nicholasville residents in connection with a string of home invasions between July and September 2012. Twenty-eight-year-old Erick Reynolds received a 10-year sentence after pleading guilty Feb. 8 to nine counts of second-degree burglary and one count of theft by unlawful taking. Reynolds also pleaded guilty to being a persistent felony offender and admitted he broke into eight different homes, one of them twice, as well as a vehicle.

Hazel Jean Shields Centers, 75, died Wednesday, April 10. She was born in Versailles to Raymond and Crystal D. Wise Shields Sr. Hazel and Venard celebrated 58 years of marriage together. Their lives touched many people through their caring nature and a front door that was always welcoming to friends and family. She is survived by her sons, Michael and wife Patti Centers, and Gregg Davis and wife Tammie Centers, both of Nicholasville; brothers John Wayne and wife Brenda Shields, Ray and wife Georgia Shields, and Bob and wife Susie Shields; and grandchildren Jordan Davis Centers and Noah Poor.

• Angela M. McCoy, 29, 51 Reid St., Flatwoods, was arrested April 8 on East Brannon Road and charged with theft by unlawful taking -  shoplifting. • Rebecca L. Cruz, 34, 1620 Phillips Road, was arrested April 8 and charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs. • Amanda L. McDaniel, 24, 104 Strawberry Court, was arrested April 10 at 268 Williamsburg Drive and charged with first-degree trafficking of a controlled substance. • Leah N. Weston, 19, 7245 Hwy. 1247, Waynesburg, was arrested April 11 at Kohl's and charged with theft by unlawful taking -  shoplifting.

The room was packed Tuesday as Nicholasville police representatives, Jessamine County Schools superintendent Lu Young and Nicholasville Mayor Russ Meyer asked the Jessamine County Fiscal Court to increase its funding of the school system's resource officer (SRO) program. The program, which began in 2007, stations Nicholasville police officers full-time in the county's middle and high schools. The first three years of the program, the court, the city of Nicholasville and the Jessamine County Board of Education took nearly equal parts in its funding, each contributing about $88,500.

Most days, Carol Norton puts on her black pants, lavender button-down and black Taco Bell hat. “I think (I'm) just like most people,” she said. “For the most part, I want to go to work every day; that's just our human nature.” For Norton, working at Taco Bell is a way of life. After all, she has been working at the Nicholasville fast-food establishment for 14 years, and has worked in the fast-food industry for 38 years. “My husband was a gypsy; he thought he had to move all the time,” she said.

The Nicholasville chief of police will be seeking the city commission's approval on an ordinance that would require hotels and motels operating inside the city limits to release customer information to officers upon request. “I've got it written up, and (city attorney Bill Arvin) is checking it out (to make sure everything is legal),” chief Barry Waldrop said toward the end of Monday's meeting. “It should be coming up by the next meeting for a first-reading vote.” Waldrop didn't give much information on why he is requesting the ordinance but said other cities have similar ordinances in place.

Dale Monty Burgess, 49, died Friday, April 5, at his residence. Born June 12, 1963, in Lexington, he was the son of Billie Braden Burgess of Willisburg and the late Bill Burgess Sr. Mr. Burgess was a self-employed handyman. Survivors other than his mother include a brother, Bill Burgess of Lancaster; a sister, Kimberly Speigle of Georgetown; several nieces and nephews; and his beloved pit bull, Rocky. Funeral services will be at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Kerr Brothers Funeral Home, Harrodsburg Road, with visitation beginning noon Saturday until the service time.

Thomas “Tim” Cleveland Smith, 53, passed away Sunday, April 7, at his residence. He was born Sept. 5, 1959, in Nicholasville to William and Gladys Baker Smith. Thomas is survived by two children, son Jordan Smith and daughter Jayla Smith; one brother, James and wife Sherry Smith; and sisters  Patsy and husband John Bennett, Wanda and husband Tony Blevins, Mary and husband Kenneth Decker, and Ruby and husband Jeff Smith. Thomas was married July 17, 1986, in Somerset to Gidgit Elaine Sewell Smith of Somerset.