Sunday, May 27, 2012 at 2:50PM 
The annual Memorial Day service was held on Sunday at the Lancaster Cemetery, sponsored by Chapter 25 of the Disabled American Veterans and the Governor James Garrard Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 2:53PM 
Jonathan & Brooke ShellJonathan Shell, a local farmer and businessman, defeated Garrard County Economic Development Director Nathan Mick in the for Republican nomination for 36th District State Representative by a margin of 590 votes in Tuesday's Primary election.
"I feel good about the race. I feel good about how everything was run. You know, I don't think you could've had a tougher competitor than Nathan and his campaign but we worked hard and took the message to the people and and we got the win today," Shell said Tuesday night. "We give all the praise and glory to God for this win because without His hand being on this race there's no way we could've won."
Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 2:52PM The Garrard County Fiscal Court rejected Judge Executive John Wilson's proposed 2012-13 budget last week due to issues with the salary projections for the position of county economic development director.
The court voted 3-2 against the first reading of the budget, based mainly on a concern of some magistrates over Garrard County Economic Development Director Nathan Mick’s proposed $69,630 over the fiscal year, as covered by the Central Record last week. However concerns from Magistrates Joe Leavell and Fred Simpson didn’t stop there.
Though the issue was mainly with what they called an “excessive” salary budgeted for economic development, they also brought into question other pay increases.
“A lot of the salaries have gone up more than we would've expected,” Simpson said during last week’s meeting. “Just in your office, some of those have gone up considerably.”
(Find the full story in the print edition of the Garard Central Record)
Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 2:49PM 
The graduating class of 2012 from Garrard County High School was the second class of students to attend the new high-school facility on Industry Road and the largest graduating class on record. Last Friday evening, like nearly 50 graduating classes before them, 186 students hosted their family and friends on Maple Avenue as they donned their cap and gowns.
With a large graduating class comes a large crowd, and that became evident as the parking lot and gymnasium began to overflow nearly an hour before the ceremony began. Many onlookers were forced to stand in whatever room they could find in the gymnasium or wait in the hallway taking peeks inside whenever an opportunity arose.
(Find the full story in the print edition of the Garrard Central Record)
Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 2:48PM Six men convicted in an oil and gas drilling scheme will have to pay a total of $13 million in restitution to victims in a case in which a Lancaster man defrauded investors of millions of dollars.
Michael D. Smith, 486 Delbar Lane, president of Target Oil and Gas in Albany and controlling-interest holder of Kentucky Indiana Oil and Gas in Danville, was found guilty last year of conspiring to commit mail fraud and 11 counts of mail fraud. He was sentenced to serve 10 years in prison.
Last week, Senior U.S. District Judge Joseph M. Hood found that the men deliberately misled investors about the risks and possible rewards of investing in Target Oil & Gas and divided up the restitution proportionally between those convicted in the case.
Prosecutors have found the company raised $15 million from investors between 2003 and 2008, and in return only paid out around $1.2 million in the form of royalties.
Hood ordered Smith, 56, to pay about 30 percent of the loss to investors, $5.4 million.
(Read more in the print edition of the Garrard Central Record)
Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 2:47PM One resident isn’t too happy about the city’s policy regarding service-reconnect fees in light of the fact that the cutoff date this month fell on a Sunday and the next day city hall was closed in respect of Lancaster’s long-time former mayor, Billy Moss, for which the city’s facility is named.
Rick Simpson, who lives with water customer Kara Howard in Maple Hill Estates, called the Garrard Central Record to complain about the policy that requires them to pay a disconnect fee even though the water has not been cut off yet.
Simpson said he went to pay the bill on both days, Sunday and Monday, but the office was closed. On Tuesday, May 22, he found the office open but the disconnect notice had already gone out. City Clerk Shari Lane told Simpson that once the list goes out to water department employees to disconnect the service, the reconnect fee of $30 is charged. With about 40 customers in the same boat, calling the employee disconnecting the service would consume the day, she said.
(Read the full story in the print edition of the Garrard Central Record)
Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 2:41PM Garrard County Relay for Life June 29, Public Square
Jerry & Patty BrowningCancer survivorship is generally considered to be five years cancer free but those going through the stages of the disease from surgery to treatment, dealing with the after effects and what life dishes out in the years that follow are survivors as well.
Jerry and Patty Browning, a husband and wife team that has dealt with the “C” word for several years now, are both part of that group, survivors not by acceptable standards, but none-the-less survivors in their own right.
Jerry Browning, the pastor of Forks of Dix River Baptist Church in northern Garrard County, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2002. Jerry and Patty opted to go for the cure with the full prostatectomy especially since all 11 biopsies showed cancer. But just six weeks prior to that five-year mark, the cancer was back and this time, Jerry took 42 radiation treatments. Still his PSA (prostate-specific antigen) have not retreated to the desired zero level.
If that isn’t enough for a couple to deal with, always wondering if the cancer might show up somewhere else in his body, Patty was diagnosed with stage-3 esophageal cancer in May 2010. Although Patty had dealt with acid reflux for several years, it was January 2010 when the pain associated with swallowing became intense and she knew something was not right. Sometimes the pain would cause her to grab her chest. It showed in her facial expressions alarming Jerry. He encouraged his wife to go to the doctor.
Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 2:40PM Two Others Shot To Death
Police are saying a shooting spree in Danville on Monday is drug related but that is as much as they will release at this time, Chief of Police Tony Gray said on Tuesday. Two men were killed, Mark Snyder, 21, Waynesburg, and Ted Sparks, 54, Danville. A third victim was injured, Philip White, 37, 117 Ridgefield Drive, Lancaster.
White did get away from the residence where the crimes occurred, 477 High Street, reportedly through a window, but not before being seriously injured.
Thomas Wayne Hager Jr., 39, 100 Balasa Drive, Apt. 28, Danville, has been charged with the murders, both first-degree offenses, attempted murder and with tampering with physical evidence. The gun police believe was used to kill the two men was later found in a dumpster located near Hager’s residence. Hager has admitted to committing the crimes, Gray said.
(More information in the print edition of the Garrard Central Record)
Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 2:38PM The annual benefit held each year by the Central Kentucky Regional Humane Society will be finding a new home this June, much like the furry friends they help find new homes, for the Bark at the Park event. This year Bark at the Park will be held at the Garrard County fairgrounds on June 9 beginning at noon.
Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 2:35PM 
Garrard County Adult Day recently took some time to write messages to their mothers and send those messages toward the skies via balloon.
The Garrard County Adult Day Program is a non-profit program under the Blue Grass Community Action Partnership and a United Way agency designed to provide part-time relief for caregivers.
It serves adults 21 years of age and older that require supportive supervision, including the specially designed social program for seniors age 60 and above and adults with Alzheimer's and related conditions.
The Adult Day Program is a Medicaid provider. Social model client fees are determined by a sliding fee scale. Care is available to people of all income levels.
"Our program doesn't replace the love and care you give," Sherry Brown, LPN, Director, said. "It only supports you as the caregiver."