12-24 Page 1 12/23/11 10:18 PM Page 1 Weekend Edition December 24, 2011 Harlan Daily Enterprise www.harlandaily.com OUR 108th YEAR — NO. 263 (606) 573-4510 1 SECTION — 14 PAGES 50¢ Board chairman submits resignation ANDERS ELD had to vote on it, before anybody by sabotage and the matter is Staff Writer else could take it over. He wants being investigated by the Harlan us to give Green Hills up to County Sheriff’s Office. The dis- Ralph Turner, chairman of the BMUD. We can’t pay our bills trict has also been struggling Green Hills Water Board, and next month, but he has said that with financial problems, which board member Ronnie Cook he can’t do anything to help has prompted them to turn to turned in their letters of resigna- unless we turn it over.” county government for assis- tion to Harlan County Judge- Turner is expected to meet tance. The resignation letters Executive Joe Grieshop on with county government officials were, however, prompted by a Tuesday. Two days later, they next week. Grieshop has not been personnel matter. were informed that Grieshop had available for comment regarding “We’re having problems with not accepted their resignations. the alleged rejection of the resig- the plant manager not wanting to “He told me that before he nations. work for the board. He is the only accepts them, we have to vote on The Green Hills Water District one that knows the system. I something having to do with recently suffered an episode of don’t want to, but I have to resign ANDERS ELD/Harlan Daily Enterprise Black Mountain Utility District,” water shortage leaving all cus- to protect our customers. Because Green Hills Water Board member Ronnie Cook and said Turner. “He had contacted tomers without water for days if you don’t have anybody to run chairman Ralph Turner appeared at a public meeting, the Public Service Commission around Thanksgiving. Officials the district, then we are going to during the first part of December, to discuss recent and been informed that the board believe the shortage was caused Please see BOARD, Page 2 problems in the water district. Just in time for Christmas Developer wants to start cabin business at park ANDERS ELD board. Staff Writer “I like to have a Harlan County property Outdoor Recreation on the Board Authority has right, to been presented with put cabins plans from property in on the developer John Haskell. CRIDER flat. It is a He has proposed building real nice and operating a cabin area, and I want to get business on the Black different kinds of people Mountain Off-Road in these cabins. This Adventure Area proper- would be the place to ty. Board members have start, and it’s completely in recent weeks been in private. I’d like to give discussions with Haskell $2,000 per cabin up front about the details of the and then pay 12 percent project, and they gave a DEBBIE CALDWELL/Harlan Daily Enterprise of sales for the lease of report at an outdoor the property,” said Sixteen more men from 1-149th Infantry Company A arrived at the Harlan National Guard Armory on board meeting earlier Haskell. Friday evening. They were greeted by family and friends. First Sgt. Chris Jackson, below, was hugged this week. Board chairman Kim by his daughter Madilynn. Lt. Col. John Luttrell, below at right, gave an encouraging speech to the “We have looked at Collier stated that the men. A total of 128 men in this group have been making their way home following the war in Iraq. some pieces of property,” area that Haskell pre- said board member Ken ferred was initially Crider. “We made a pro- intended for camping, posal to him, since then but that board needed to it has kind of fell apart a look at what option little bit. The proposal would bring the biggest was for a spot on the left return. that needs some dozer “If we start moving work. We are looking at camp spots, we are going five to six cabins, for that to have to clean up we would charge $3,000 another area, and we per cabin up front and have already spent more then $100 monthly for than $10,000 cleaning leasing the property. this area up,” said But he kind of wants a Crider. different spot.” “I need this spot. It Haskell presented his does not have room for counterproposal to the Please see PARK, Page 2 Ages woman finds collecting cookie jars enjoyable Inside NOLA SIZEMORE Staff Writer Darlene “Granny” Local Today’s Rigney, of Ages, began High/Low: collecting cookie jars 48º/25º ✹ approximately 20 years ago. Her collection is Folks now at 310 and growing. Index “My first cookie jar proudly who gave her Editorial.............Page 4 was a Cinderella jar each and every one of You & Yours.....Page 5 from my mother,” said her unique cookie jars. Sports................Page 6 Rigney. “Now my chil- Her favorites include Courthouse.......Page 8 dren and grandchildren jars modeled on cartoon get them for me when characters such as Fred Obituaries they vacation or travel Flintstone and Barney. Rodney Thacker....Tennessee to all parts of the coun- “There’s not a single Complete obituaries on Page 2 try.” cookie in any of the jars,” Ranging from said daughter Gail Christmas cookie jars, to Phillips, of Ohio. “She’s cats and teddy bears to planning to expand a houses and cartoon room and make more characters, Rigney’s shelves for her growing NOLA SIZEMORE/Harlan Daily Enterprise home is filled with mem- collection. We love hunting Standing near her Christmas cookie jar collection, Ages resident Darlene “Granny” ories as she recalls Please see JARS, Page 2 Rigney has now amassed 310 cookie jars. She continues to add to her collection. Page 2 — Harlan Daily Enterprise Weekend Edition, December 24, 2011 Biden, Romney spar like it's fall 2012 Park TILTON, N.H. (AP) — It's Paul for wanting to shut over- that the middle class was at a Continued from Page 1 an opening salvo of the presi- seas military bases, a stark make-or-break moment. In both cabins and tents, and we don’t dential campaign, minus actu- departure from the Republican taking on Romney, Biden want to mix cabins and tents. The al presidential nominees. mainstream and one not defined "opportunity" in his area around the cabins needs to be Vice President Joe Biden bound to sit well in pro-mili- own terms. secluded,” said Haskell. unleashed a biting critique of tary South Carolina. "The only "We believe deeply in oppor- He stated that the cabins he Mitt Romney's policies Friday person I know who is for a tunity — that if you work hard intends build would be put on con- and the Republican came weaker military than Barack and play by the rules, no crete slabs and blocks. Haskell’s ini- swiftly back at him — a full- BIDEN ROMNEY Obama is Ron Paul," Gingrich opportunity should be out of tial plan is for five to six cabins to be contact preview of what the told 300 people outside a reach," he wrote. "This is a built. House Republicans to the GOP general election might look Columbia restaurant. "If we fundamentally different vision “We need more rooms in this presidential field just 12 days like should Romney win the become isolationist, the world than what the other side has county,” said board member Mike before the Iowa caucuses. GOP nomination to challenge would become a more danger- proposed." King. “Our number of rooms are not "Romney appears satisfied President Barack Obama. ous place overnight." Romney, speaking at the adequate and that limits us. Our to settle for an economy in All this, before a vote is cast Rep. Michele Bachmann's Tilt'n Diner, quickly countered number one need is guys like you. in the Republican race, The which fewer people succeed, campaign said Friday she that it was Obama who is while the majority of We want to see this turn into jobs. Iowa caucuses, looming Jan. 3, would start radio and TV com- hurting the country and Your idea tickles me to death. The are the first step in the voting Americans are left to tread mercials in Iowa, her first expressed astonishment that only way we are going to grow is by to pick a Republican nominee. water or fall behind," Biden since her straw poll victory in Biden would have the "chutz- projects like this. We need to make In an opinion piece pub- wrote. the state in August. In them, pah ... the delusion" to write this work.” lished in The Des Moines The Obama team may be she stresses her Christian val- such a piece. “Everybody wants to do it,” said Register, Biden portrayed the betting on Romney, but his ues and that she's "an Iowa "This president and his Crider. “It just boils down to where Republican frontrunner as the Republican rivals were conced- girl from Waterloo." policies have made it harder purveyor of failed, retreaded ing no such ground. Biden's words, meanwhile, on the American people and on he is going to do it. If we give that economic ideas. Romney shot Campaigning in South summed up a running story the middle class," he said. place up, we have no place for back that Biden and Obama Carolina, former House line about Romney that "And I don't think they get it. I campers on special weekends.