Fletcher to speak to OC Chamber of Commerce

The Ohio County Chamber of Commerce is appreciative of what Gov. Ernie Fletcher has done for Ohio County and the organization has invited him to the county to tell him in person. “Like him or not, Gov. Fletcher has been good to Ohio County in several areas and we think we owe him a big thank you from the Chamber and the Ohio County Industrial Foundation,” said David Moore, president of the chamber. The governor, who is seeking a second term, will speak at the noon chamber meeting on Tuesday, April 17. “This will be one of the most important meetings we’ve had,” Moore said. “This is the first time in several years that a Kentucky governor has visited a chamber meeting.”

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Cities consider hiking trash rates

The cities of Hartford and Beaver Dam will be looking at hiking their garbage pickup rates after the Ohio County Landfill’s price per ton increased on April 1. Hartford Mayor Charlotte Hendricks said the city council will be voting on the issue at its next meeting on April 26. “We absorbed the landfill’s last increase,” Hendricks said. “It will be up to the council if it wants to do it again.” The landfill went from $14.75 per ton to $16 per ton. Hartford charges its customers $8 per month for weekly trash collection. It gathers 21 tons per week, which is hauled to the landfill.

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Rough River Dam work creates flood concerns for farmers

When Sept. 10 arrives, Ohio County farmers who are at the mercy of Rough River will be watching the water levels with their fingers crossed. That’s when the Corps of Engineers will start lowering Rough River Lake a month early to allow for construction work just downstream of the dam. “There will be large releases from the dam for about a 35-day period,” said Mark Philips, a Corps engineer in charge of water management. “It’s during that time that the farmers will be worried about their crops, especially if it has been a wet year. That’s when they would see some crop damage.” Philips attracted about 20 local farmers to a meeting at the Ohio County Extension office last Thursday evening because of the downstream flooding concerns that could occur during the month-long period. Farmers like Mike Newman and Darren Luttrell who have the majority of their crops planted along the flood plains of Rough River have much to lose if the early “drawing down” of the lake increases the river levels above 15 feet at Dundee.

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Pleasant Ridge woman wants harsher animal abuse penalties

Stephanie Howard is mad and she’s not going to take it anymore.

The young Pleasant Ridge mother is upset because a Hobbs Road man was not charged with more than a misdemeanor after allegedly killing a pit bull by dragging it behind his car. Since that incident in March, Howard has launched a personal crusade that has resulted in petitions containing more than 3,000 names. She has taken her case to anybody who will listen, with the ultimate goal of getting the attention of the Kentucky General Assembly. “I want something like this to be more than just a misdemeanor,” she said. “I want it to be a felony punishable by more than just a slap on the wrist.”

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Officials exploring costs of new EMS station

Since 1996, the former county maintenance garage has been home to Ohio County EMS. Plans are now being explored to move the EMS out of the aging building that sits just north of the Fort Hartford Bridge. “From a functional standpoint, it has served us very well,” said Jimmy Duke, who heads up the county’s EMS. “The location isn’t bad but if we moved it would need to be between Moore Ford and the bowling alley.” Duke pointed out the annual operating costs are costing the county nearly $20,000, which doesn’t include other needed repairs. The county pays between $11,000 to $14,000 per year to pump out the waste from three holding tanks that rest behind the building.

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