Darren Doyle, story: Edmonson County Emergency Management has been approved by the Department of Homeland Security for a $22,800 grant for the purpose of upgrading the county's emergency JAWS of Life equipment. According to Emergency Management Director Pat Prunty, the current equipment setup is a complicated one, consisting of a generator, tools, and a host of hydraulic hoses and cables. Prunty said while the system has worked, it usually takes a minimum of two operators to safely use the JAWS and that there are several aspects of the system that can cause problems, and those are problems certainly unwelcomed when someone's life is on the line. "The grant will allow the county to purchase a whole new setup that's much easier to use," said Prunty. "It will all be battery-powered that one person can grab and easily use." The current system has to be stored in the county JAWS of Life truck, which is housed at the Kyrock FD. Prunty says the new system will contain a cutter, a spreader, and a ram. There will be no need for generators, cables, and hoses that are sometimes inefficient. "Car accidents don't always happen on smooth, level ground," he said. "Emergency workers sometime have to lug our current equipment over hills, ditches, and through the woods. The new setup will allow someone to grab it from a truck and take off." Prunty said he hopes everything will be finalized by December but that he's already reaching out to vendors and suppliers to seek the best options for the county. The current set of JAWS actually belongs to the Lincoln Fire Department. They have loaned the current setup to Emergency Management for the past year. Before that, Kyrock Fire Department owned the setup that was used. The new equipment will belong to the Fiscal Court under the operation of Emergency Management. "This is going to give us a huge advantage in emergency situations where someone has to be extracted from a vehicle," said Prunty. It's going to be much easier on our emergency crews, but the main thing is, it's going to help more people."
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Road Department Announces Road Closure For Wednesday, October 11: Noah Bledsoe, Denham RD10/10/2017 Darren Doyle, story and photo: County Road Foreman Ray Page has announced that Noah Bledsoe Road at HWY 101 near the Edmonson/Warren County line will be closed, extending to Denham Road as county road crews will be resurfacing the road beginning first thing in the morning. Local traffic will have limited access to and from the area. Page said alternate routes are strongly recommended while the new asphalt is being laid. The road is expected to closed all day. Mammoth Cave National Park has announced that media outlets will no longer receive notifications regarding ferry operations. This information will be available to the public via: --telephone at 270-758-2166 --Twitter at https://twitter.com/MammothCaveNP --as an alert on the park website at www.nps.gov/maca Please contact one of the listed outlets above to receive ferry operation information. Darren Doyle, story and photos: Local firefighters responded to a structure fire today at the site of a mobile home in Wingfield. Neighbors nearby the mobile home, located at 5121 Wingfield Church Road, said the trailer was owned by Billy Buchanan of Wingfield. **The Edmonson Voice was later contacted by Jared Conley who said he was the resident who was renting the home to own. While reports from witnesses at the scene said the tenants were moving out, Conley said that he was not in the process of moving.** A live electric line popped along the ground in the front yard as WRECC workers hurried to disconnect power to the structure. The trailer was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived and much of the structure was on the ground as they began battling the blaze. No cause of fire was given and no injuries were reported. Responding to the scene were the Brownsville, Chalybeate, and Wingfield fire departments along with WRECC and local law enforcement.
**update made 10/5/17 at 4:40pm** Edmonson Voice Staff Report: A Brownsville teen has been arrested and faces a serious felony assault charge after a stabbing incident last night, according to the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office. Local law enforcement said they responded to the 5000 block of Segal Road around midnight, Wednesday night, early Thursday morning to a report of domestic violence involving several individuals. Upon arrival, officers said witnesses and victims on scene told them the suspect was hiding in a nearby location. According to officers, one woman at the scene had what appeared to be multiple stab wounds and she reported the suspect had indeed assaulted her with a knife. Deputies said they quickly located Brett Higgs, (19) of Brownsville, hiding in a nearby house and they reported he was holding a knife with blood on it. Deputies said that Higgs told them he had taken the synthetic drug "Flakka," also known as the "zombie drug," due to it's unpredictable effects of delirium, violent behavior, and paranoia. Authorities also reported other family members on scene showed bite marks and other wounds allegedly caused by the suspect. Deputies said the unnamed stabbing victim refused medical treatment at the scene. Higgs was arrested and charged with Assault first degree (domestic violence) and Assault 4th degree (domestic violence-minor injury). If found guilty, Higgs faces 10-20 years in prison on the first degree assault charge alone. Higgs was currently out of jail on bond from a previous felony robbery charge stemming from an incident at the Minit Mart on September 8, 2017. Higgs was transported and lodged in the Hart County Jail. No bond information was available at press time. *Comments without a first and last name and an email address are not published. All comments are subject for review and must adhere to the Edmonson Voice commenting policy which is posted on this site. Edmonson Voice Staff Report: A two-vehicle accident in Warren County has claimed the life of a Brownsville man, according to the Warren County Sheriff's Office. Authorities said that today around 11:45am, Warren Co. Deputies responded to a report of an injury collision near the intersection of Veteran’s Memorial Ln and New Bond Way. Through investigation, it was determined that a 2017 Honda driven by 53 year old James Madison of Brownsville was traveling west on Veteran’s Memorial, when he struck the rear of a 2006 Mercury Mountaineer driven by 42 year old William Burton of Franklin, KY. Officials said that upon striking the Mercury, the Honda traveled up an embankment, and came to final rest on its side. Warren County deputies said that Burton had two passengers in his vehicle; 71 year old Leslie Carder of Bowling Green, and a 5 year old Sabrina Burton of Franklin, KY. Madison was transported to the Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased, according to the sheriff's office. The passengers in the Mercury refused medical treatment at the scene. Neither alcohol nor drugs are suspected to be a factor in the collision. All parties were wearing seatbelts, and the child was in a proper restraint at the time of the accident. The Warren County Sheriff's Office said that the investigation is ongoing. Edmonson District Court was held on Tuesday, September 26, 2017. The Honorable Judge John M. McCarty presiding. Yekaterina R Meredith, Speeding 16mph over limit. Will attend County Attorney Traffic School. No/expired registration plates. Proof shown, dismissed. No/expired KY registration receipt. Proof shown, dismissed. John Steven Napier, Fleeing or evading police, first degree. Abandonment of minor. Operating ATV on roadway. Failure to illuminate head lamps. Operating vehicle under influence of alcohol/drugs. Continued 10-17-17. Randall Lee Ferguson, Entry on land to shoot/hunt/fish/trap without consent, first offense. Pleaded guilty. $150 fine plus $154 court cost. Jerry Wayne Bruce, Violation of KY EPO/DVO. Pleaded guilty. Sentenced to 180 days in jail, 30 days ordered, credit for three days served. Will serve on weekends beginning 10-6-17. Courtney Dawn Arnold, Speeding 26mph over limit. Continue in two weeks. Lucas Allen Sanders, Speeding 18mph over limit. Continue in two weeks. Aimee Nichole Moore, Illegal possession of legend drug. Controlled substance prescription not in original container. Drug paraphernalia-buy/possess. Continue in one week. Aimee Nichole Moore, Operating vehicle under influence of alcohol/drugs. Careless driving. Drug paraphernalia-buy/possess. Continue in one week. Toinesha D. Whiteside, Theft by unlawful taking or disposition shoplifting under $500. Defer 16hrs of community service. Wesley Dwayne Jaggers, Drug paraphernalia-buy/possess. Pleaded guilty, fined $30. Illegal possession of legend drug. Pleaded guilty, fined $30. Controlled substance prescription not in original container. Pleaded guilty, fined $30. Probated. Costs of $184. Chelsea Kay Slaughter, Possession of controlled substance-third degree-drug unspecified. Drug paraphernalia-buy/possess. Pleaded not guilty. Pretrial conference 10/10/17. Daniel Barnard, Entry on land to shoot/hunt/fish/trap without consent, first offense. Pleaded guilty, fined $150. Non-resident fishing without a license/permit. Continue in two weeks for proof of license. $154 court costs. Cody Lee Willoughby, Operating motor vehicle under influence of alcohol/drugs. Pleaded not guilty. Pretrial conference 10-10-17. Joseph Dale Cox, Assault 4th degree domestic-third or more within 5 yrs. Violation of KY EPO/DVO. Pleaded not guilty to all. Pretrial hearing 10/3/17. William A Graven, No/expired registration plates. Pleaded guilty. Fined $150. Failure to produce insurance card. Dismissed. Total fines and costs $293. Edmonson District was held on Tuesday, October 3, 2017. The Honorable Judge Joseph B. Hines presiding. Jessica M. Womack, Hindering prosecution or apprehension second degree. Continued 10-17-17. Tess Justice, Possession controlled substance-first degree-second offense, drug unspecified. Possession controlled substance-third degree-drug unspecified. Controlled substance prescription not in original container. Pleaded not guilty. Preliminary hearing 10-17-17. Barry Todd Wilkerson, Assault 4th degree domestic violence minor injury. Pleaded not guilty. Pretrial conference 11/28/17. Aimee Nichole Moore, Illegal possession of legend drug. Controlled substance prescription not in original container. Drug paraphernalia-buy/possess. Pleaded not guilty. Pretrial conference 10-17-17. Aimee Nichole Moore, Operating vehicle under influence of alcohol/drugs. Careless driving. Drug paraphernalia-buy/possess. Pleaded not guilty. Pretrial conference, 12-12-17.
Danny Vance, No motorcycle operator's license. Failure to register transfer of motor vehicle. Failure of owner to maintain required insurance/security. No/expired registration plates. Pleaded not guilty. Pretrial conference 10-31-17. Ashley Nicole Kinser, No/expired registration plates. No/expired KY registration receipt. Failure to produce insurance card. Failed to appear. Danny L McGrew, Operating on suspended/revoked operator's license. Possession of controlled substance, first degree, 2nd offense, drug unspecified. Possession of controlled substance third degree, drug unspecified. No tail lamps. Hindering prosecution or apprehension, 2nd degree. Controlled substance prescription not in original container first. Pleaded not guilty to all charges. Preliminary hearing 10-10-17. Rachel Davis, Disorderly conduct, second degree. Pleaded not guilty. Pretrial conference 10-17-17. Jerry M. Napier, Possession of controlled substance first degree, first offense, meth. Fleeing or evading police 2nd degree (on foot). Carrying concealed deadly weapon. Pleaded not guilty to all charges. Preliminary hearing 10-10-17. Matt Napier, First degree possession of controlled substance, first offense. Possession of controlled substance, third degree-drug unspecified. Controlled substance prescription not in original container. New Accountability System Will Shift Focus Away From State Rankings and Labels Edmonson Voice Staff Report: The Kentucky Department of Education recently released 2017 KPREP Assessment scores. However, this year’s release looks very different than in year’s past. Supervisor of Instruction, Carol Stice, explained, “With the state transitioning to a new accountability system, we will no longer receive data that gives each school, or the district as a whole, a single overall score.” The new accountability system, which will take effect over the next couple of years, will shift the focus away from state rankings and school labels. This year, KDE released scores for Achievement, Gap, and Growth at the elementary and middle school levels. Achievement, Gap, Growth, College & Career Readiness, and Graduation Rate scores were released for the high school level. The scores for each school can be seen in the table below: District data was released as well. Overall, reading and language mechanics at the elementary and middle school levels were above the state average. Math at all levels (elementary, middle, and high) was above the state average. Writing at the middle school level was higher than the state average, as well as high school end-of-course exams in Algebra II and Biology.
“After looking at this new data, we are very proud of our schools. We know there has been a focus on math at all grade levels and on reducing the number of novice students across the board. We are glad to say that we have seen improvements in those areas. We have wonderful teachers, staff, and students who go above and beyond every day and it’s very encouraging to see that in our data,” said Stice. With a new accountability system in the near future, Stice said one thing for certain is that change is coming to all schools in Kentucky. Superintendent Patrick Waddell said, “As educators, we know that education is constantly changing. Kentucky is moving in a new direction, one that I think will ultimately be better for our students, and we are excited about that. We have tried to keep our teachers and staff as educated on the new system as we can; but at the end of the day, what’s always going to be most important is doing what is right for our students, building those relationships, and teaching them the content that they need to know. I’m confident that we are doing that in all of our schools here in Edmonson County.” Individual student reports that show student performance on each content area tested will be sent home to parents after Fall Break. For more information on the released test data as well as a sneak peek at Kentucky’s future School Report Card Dashboard, please visit: applications.education.ky.gov/SRC/ Single Vehicle Collision Results in Fatality Edmonson Voice Staff Report: The Kentucky State Police, Post 3 Bowling Green was requested to respond to assist the Allen County Sheriff’s Department with a vehicle pursuit, which had originated in Tennessee and was initiated by Westmoreland Police Department, according to information in a press release. KSP said law enforcement officials with Westmoreland P.D. had observed the suspect vehicle speeding and driving reckless and attempted to conduct a traffic stop when the pursuit began. Upon entering Kentucky, the pursuit led Allen County Deputies through Allen County, crossing into Warren County on KY 101, reaching speeds of over 100 mph. KSP also said that once the pursuit neared the Smiths Grove city limits in Warren County, Allen County Sheriff’s Department terminated the pursuit, deactivating all emergency equipment. Minutes later, the vehicle was involved in a single vehicle collision on KY 101 near the intersection of US 68-80, where three occupants were ejected from the vehicle. The vehicle sustained severe damage as a result of exiting the roadway at high speed and impacting a tree. Preliminary investigation revealed that a total of five occupants of the vehicle were involved in the collision. Two of the occupants sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced deceased by the Warren County Coroner’s Office. Two occupants were flown via helicopter to Tennessee hospitals for treatment of injuries. They are both currently listed in critical condition. The remaining occupant has also been admitted in a Tennessee hospital where they are currently listed in stable condition. The names of the involved parties, including deceased occupants, have not been released, and are pending death notification to family members at this time. The investigation is still ongoing and being led by Trooper Kevin Mayfield. He was assisted on scene by Medical Center EMS, Warren County Coroner’s Office, Allen County Sheriff’s Department, Smiths Grove Fire Department, and other KSP personnel. |
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