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JACKSOTHURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2012 N COUNTY EasterSU Egg NHunt OLUME UMBER V 85, N 14 - USPS 271940 This Saturday PUBLISHED WEEKLY SINCE 1926 11 am MCKEE, KY - 50 CENTS Bond Memorial Park Sponsored by JC Fair Board County Officials Answer Questions at Sand Gap McKee Looks to Become a “Trail Town” Jerry Sparks Town Hall Meeting Senior Reporter Jerry Sparks In 2011, the Kentucky Office of Tourism began to look at Senior Reporter the towns along the Sheltowee Trace and the Daniel Boone National Forest (DBNF) as potential locations as “Trail Jackson County officials (County Judge Executive Wil- Towns” where they could potentially gain some economic liam O Smith, Sheriff Denny Peyman, and Tourism Com- benefits from visits by users of the DBNF. mittee Chairman Gene Gatts) met with citizens of Sand Gap The Sheltowee Trace Association (STA) worked with KY last week (Thursday, March 30th, 2012) to discuss concerns Tourism to encourage the town of McKee along with More- of the residents in the area. head, Frenchburg, Livingston, London-Corbin, and Stearns- Judge Smith was asked about the status of the magis- Whitley City, to look at the potential by participating in the trate position responsible for representing the citizens in state developed Trail Town Assessment”. magistrate district #3. On February 29th, 2012 District #3 The STA has made visits to these communities with the The Turtle marks the Sheltowee Trace Trail. Magistrate Doug Rose, 46, pled guilty in the Eastern Dis- leadership of the Office of Tourism to share experiences and trict London US Court to charges of assaulting / resisting/ encourage local and county leadership to see if there is some to get out and enjoy the trails. Taking a hike, riding a bike, impeding/ officer/employees. A representative in the court opportunity for their participation. In January 2012 State going on a trail ride are all activities that will help us all get clerk’s office stated that the charge against Rose is consid- Tourism director Elaine Wilson briefed Jackson County healthy as individuals and as a community. ered a felony. Felonies are considered a more serious type government officials, and Jackson County Tourism officials Another major reason is economic. It is a common com- of charge compared to misdemeanors, which are considered on the certification process and the benefits of becoming a plaint that the presence of the large tract of the DBNF re- relatively minor charges. Misdemeanors do not automati- Trail Town. “We are in stage three of the process now,” said duces the property tax base for the county. Becoming a Trail cally disqualify one from holding a public office. However, Gene Gatts (Jackson County Tourism Committee). Town would take advantage of that amazing resource in our since Rose pled guilty to a felony offense he could possibly The benefits of becoming a “Trail Town” are numerous. community and make it work for us. Towns that can capture be removed from his office as Magistrate. County Judge Ex- One is the health and happiness of the local community. The the economic benefits of the leisure-adventure tourism mar- ecutive William O. Smith indicated that the county would certification process will help make the local population and ket and according to KY Tourism could potentially earn $51 wait for official documentation from the Eastern District leadership more aware of the resources they have right in to $240 per person per night spent in the community. See MEETING, page A3 their front yard and hopefully encourage more local families See TRAIL TOWN, page A3 Local students tour power plant to learn how garbage makes electricity Jackson County students got a first hand look at how trash can be converted to electric power during a recent tour of a landfill gas power plant at the Waste Connections Landfill in Lily. Coordinated by Jackson Energy Cooperative, PRIDE (Personal Responsibility In a Desirable Environment) and Waste Connections, more than 200 fourth and fifth grade students from McKee Elementary, Tyner Elementary, Sand Gap Elementary and Annville Christian Academy toured the landfill and the on-site power plant. Jackson County PRIDE education coordinator Wonda Hammons worked with the students during the school year on educational programs dealing with the importance of not littering and recycling. PRIDE’s Mark Davis and Waste Connections manager Bruce Crouch toured the students through the landfill, as they saw first-hand the mounds of garbage dumped in the landfill every day. Jackson Energy President & CEO Don Schaefer met the students at the power plant and helped ex- plain how methane gas produced by the decaying garbage is used by diesel engines to produce electricity. Jackson Energy President & CEO Don Schaefer, foreground, met with Jackson County students at a power plant The plant is owned by East Kentucky Power and produces at the Waste Connections landfill in Lily last week. The plant uses methane gas produced by decaying garbage to about 2.5 megawatts of electricity. Charlie Jones, the East make electricity. See TOUR, page A3 Penrod makes boy’s birthday special VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE APPROACHING Time for MUSHROOMS! County Clerk Donald “Duck” Moore wants to remind ev- eryone that he deadline to register to vote in the upcoming May 22 Primary is Monday, April 23. County clerks’ offices throughout Kentucky will accept voter registration cards un- til the close of business on that date. Mail-in voter registra- tion applications must be postmarked by April 23. “Voter turnout tends to be higher during presidential elec- tion years,” Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes noted. In anticipation of heightened interest, Grimes reminds Kentuckians of several important voting laws: See VOTER, page A3 King Arrested for DUI Jerry Sparks Senior Reporter According to information provided by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Jeff King, 33, of McKee was found unconscious in a 1996 Neon Dodge by Deputy Nathaniel Flener wanted to go to the Guy Penrod con- Sizemore on Monday, April cert for his 7th birthday. Guess what? He got more than 02nd, 2012. The uniform ci- he could have ever wished for. He got to sing on stage tation states that the car was Darrell Sparks of McKee went out mushroom hunting with him and meet Mr. Penrod backstage. Nathaniel is Jeff King in a ditch on Hwy 421 near Monday evening and found this 10 1/2 inch mushroom. the son of Byron and Misti Flener of Tyner. See DUI, page A3 Call PRTC GOOD FRIDAY $10 Off Starz/Encore Go green and get Sign up for Straz/ PRTC TV IS THE BETTER DEAL! today to learn how PRTC offices will close $10 off of your Encore and get one TV NEWS! you can save more by at noon on Friday, next PRTC billing month FREE plus April 6th in observance statement! Sign up one month FREE WITH PRTC, THE PRICE IS THE PRICE for online bill pay, of your set top box switching to PRTC TV! of the Good Friday bank draft or rental! The PRTC 287-7101 287-7101 holiday. recurring credit/ TV Starz/Encore 593-5000 debit payments and Package includes www.prtcnet.org STARZ/ENCORE ONE MONTH FREE! save $10! 14 Channels with 593-5000 favorites like Encore Westerns! Good Friday Closing FREE $10.00 One Month FREE! A -2 THE JACKSON COUNTY SUN Thursday, April 5, 2012 BOTTOM LINE PRI,CESEVERYDAY!' Thursday, April 5, 2012 THE JACKSON COUNTY SUN A-3 TOUR From the front Kentucky Power employee who operates the plant, gave the students a tour of the building and explained how the en- gines produce the electricity. “This was an opportunity for the students to see how gar- bage can be used as a renewable source of energy,” Schaefer said of the trip. “Jackson Energy members use the electric- ity produced at the plant at their homes and businesses, and with the amount of garbage dumped at this landfill, the plant will be able to operate for many years to come.” Trial Town From the front In summary, Jackson County is pursuing the status of Trail Town hoping that this designation will bring the following benefits to our community: •Planning document for economic growth from local natural assets • Tourism based development • Visitors start and end their experience in your town PRIDE’S MARK DAVIS, right, talks with students during a tour of the power plant. The trip was coordinated by • They spend money before they go and after they PRIDE, Waste Connections and Jackson Energy Cooperative. return in your businesses • People who come spread the word VOTER • You become the destination to visit in the DBNF. From the front Hospice Care Plus to host •Opportunity for young entrepreneurs to enter the volunteer training in McKee business world •Changes in party affiliation for the 2012 Primary Elec- tion were due by December 31, 2011. Voters who changed Hospice Care Plus will host a special volunteer training DUI their party affiliation after that date are not eligible to vote for Jackson Countians on Saturday, April 28, from 9 a.m. to From the front in partisan races in the Primary, although they may vote on 4 p.m. at Opal’s Restaurant. nonpartisan races on the May Primary ballot. Since Janu- Pre-registration is required. To register, contact Julie Hat- Gray Hawk. Deputy Sizemore reported a strong odor of al- ary 1, 2012, more than 7,000 voters have switched party field, volunteer coordinator, at 800-806-5492 or hospice@ cohol but was unable to administer a field sobriety test. A affiliation, forfeiting their ability to vote in partisan prima- hospicecp.org by April 18. bottle of vodka was discovered in the passenger seat of the ries in May.