Area News

Jail overcrowding, escalating costs and changing economic fortunes are straining the partnership between Mercer and Boyle Counties. The fiscal courts of both counties met in Mercer County last week to discuss how the costs of operating Boyle County Detention Center (BCDC) are being divided. It was the first joint meeting of the two courts since…

Over the summer break, the administration at Burgin Independent School has been making ambitious changes that go beyond the new sign in the main hallway welcoming students to “Bulldog Country.” The Burgin Board of Education has approved the district’s very first athletic sponsorship, hired a public relations firm and moved toward charging tuition to students…

  Mercer County Schools has named Spencer Tatum as the new principal of the Mercer County Senior High School. Tatum has a long history with the area and the district. He taught social studies at the high school from 2004–2013. Tatum was introduced to the community on Monday night at a meet-and-greet event at Mercer…

When thinking about problems in the class room, what comes to mind? Talking too much, discipline issues or even the now popular fidget spinners may be at the top of the list. However one classroom disruption that is often overlooked is hunger. Chronic hunger can prevent students from making the most of a formal education,…

A local man sits in jail after being caught in a stolen truck loaded down with stolen property. On Thursday, July 6,Joseph Tyler Goodlett, 27, of Harrodsburg, was stopped on Jim Forsythe Lane in a stolen truck loaded down with purloined silverware as well as a crystalline substance suspected to be methamphetamine. According to court…

A Burgin family is asking for help bringing a loved one home. Quinn, a six-month-old German Shepherd mix, ran away last week. Not only is she a beloved member of the family, she’s also the eyes and ears of her owner. Quinn is being trained as a service dog to assist Emma Riley, who is…

The Harrodsburg Board of Commissioners is considering closing the East Broadway Street railroad crossing. A Norfolk Southern representative went before the commissioners Monday to night to discuss permanently closing the crossing, which has been out of commission since February. It’s estimated the crossing was used around 500 times a month before being shut down. Norfolk…

Mercer County Schools is preparing for the upcoming school year as they announce this year’s ReadiFest event on Thursday, July 27, from 2:30-5:30 p.m. at the Mercer County Senior High School. ReadiFest is a district wide event held annually prior to the beginning of the school year. The goal is to prepare students for the…

The Mercer County Fiscal Court is looking at leasing three new cruisers for the sheriff’s office. “I would not be in here asking if we didn’t have to,” said Sheriff Ernie Kelty. Kelty said his office had been trying to make it another year with their current fleet, however, they have recently had three that…

It’s summer and that means orange barrels are blossoming all over Mercer County. Construction season will be a busy one this year, with work starting on the Brooklyn Bridge over the Kentucky River, the Kennedy Mill Bridge over Herrington Lake and the bridge on Dixville Road as well as construction continuing on the Burgin sewer…