Ohio County Times

Sheriff’s Deputy Faye Hoover sits behind her desk at the entrance of the Ohio County Sheriff’s Department. Hoover has been with the sheriff’s department for over 19 years and served under five different sheriffs. The nameplate in the foreground was purchased by former sheriff Gene Gaither.

Calling It Quits:Faye Hoover retiring after serving under five sheriffs

Faye Hoover has been a fixture in the Ohio County Courthouse during all or parts of the administrations of five sheriffs. But not much longer. Hoover’s long run with law enforcement will come to a close at the end of this month. It’s not a retirement she is looking forward to but one, she says, needs to be. “I’ve known for a long time that I am the oldest person in this office so I guess it’s time to retire,” she said during a break from her duties Monday morning. Hoover’s first courthouse boss was Dale Stewart who completed the term of former Sheriff Lawrence Westerfield. She then worked for Sheriffs Gene Gaither, Hayward Minton, Bobby Martin and current Sheriff Elvis Doolin. She did not work for Sheriff Jim Wheeler. “I really hate to lose Faye,” Doolin said. “She’s been a very faithful employee and one who was great at handling the public.”

Barnes Street residents upset with neighbors’ refusal to clean home:Lyndal Shocklee charged with animal cruelty

Tonia Shocklee

Lyndal Shocklee

Travis Camp can look outside his Barnes Street front door at his yard that has received the Lawn of the Week award from the City of Hartford. But next door to Camp is the residence of Lyndal and Tonia Shocklee that could be confused as a salvage yard with old freezers, riding lawn mowers, a Jon boat filled with garbage and numerous vehicles that spill over to an adjacent property. “I’ve found rats, I’m talking large rats, around my house and I know they’re coming from next door,” Camp said. “The (Ohio County) Health Department has even helped me with the rat poison.”

Hartford expands recycling center

The City of Hartford is trying to place an emphasis on recycling by making it convenient for county residents to drop off their unwanted cardboard, newspapers, glass and plastic. Hartford Mayor Charlotte Hendricks said the city moved out of its makeshift recycling center — a semi-truck trailer — to the old city garage and expanded hours, going from two and a half days to five and a half days. “It helps the environment and it reduces what the city has to pay at the landfill,” Hendricks said. Hartford’s recycling service was implemented about six years ago by the late Mayor Earl Russell. It operated out of a semi-truck trailer in front of the city garage until the new city garage was opened last year, making it possible for the recycling program to grow as well. City employees Greg Vance and Gary Moore oversee the recycling center that operates from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

Hartford city employee Gary Moore uses a forklift to get under a stack of bailed cardboard that will eventually be trucked out and recycled.

School system waiting for go ahead from state on new facilities plan

While no nails have been driven and no mortar set, the Ohio County school system’s facilities construction plan is inching forward. That plan, focusing heavily on Beaver Dam Elementary, now is in the hands of the Kentucky Board of Education and is scheduled for a hearing in February. “There is no set target date for the start of construction,” said Superintendent Soretta Ralph. “It’s now in the hands of the state school board and if everything proceeds at a perfect pace, construction could start sometime this fall.” However, Ralph indicated she is not hanging her hopes on a perfect approach to the project’s startup point. “We would be extremely fortunate to have a perfect approach,” she said. “That doesn’t happen very often.”

KSP charges teenager with arson

Roger Embry

The Kentucky State Police has made one arrest and looking at a second suspect from recent arson fires in Horse Branch. Roger D. Embry, 19, of Caneyville is accused of setting two separate fires to a vacant rental home on School Lane belonging to Ohio County Sheriff Elvis Doolin. Doolin had recently put the house up for sale after his last renters moved out three weeks prior. “He knew the house belonged to me,” Doolin said. “I don’t think it was in retaliation for anything. I think it was more of a pyromaniac thing.”