2011: A year of news in review

January
- Anna Pettus, Washington County’s 2011 Junior Miss, competed at the Kentucky Junior Miss competition.
- Manton Store closed after 61 years of serving the Manton area. The contents of the store were auctioned off.
- The school district put an extra set of eyes on 21 school buses by installing new cameras. The total cost to equip all the buses was $27,000.
- The school district looked for possible sites for a new high school. Seven people contacted the school board to discuss their property as possible options.
- The Washington County High School girls’ basketball team won the Fifth Region All A Classic at Caverna. They beat Bardstown 48-45 in overtime.

February
- Two people were arrested near Mackville in connection with a meth lab being operated in a mobile home.
According to the Kentucky State Police Drug Task Force, the meth lab was found after several anonymous tips from people in the Mackville area.
- General fund revenues for the city dropped in the fiscal year that ended on June 30,  2010.
The revenue dropped to $42,000 from $180,000 the previous year.
- A construction worker fell four stories while working on a new dormitory at St. Catharine College. The man suffered a broken arm, a collapsed lung and other injuries.
- The school district received a $100,000 grant to help improve college and career readiness in local schools. The district was just one of six in the state to receive the grant.

March
- Erin Taylor won the district-wide spelling bee. Taylor spelled ‘solitaire’ correctly to claim the crown. Taylor competed in the Kentucky Derby Festival Spelling Bee in March.
- Lisa Carrico, Amanda Mattingly, Debbie Collard and Teresa Mattingly met actor George Clooney while touring Rosemary Clooney’s home in Augusta, Ky.
- The Washington County Fire Protection Association members voted to remove a self-imposed deadline that would eliminate fire protection from the county’s citizens.
- Steven W. Sizemore, 55, of East Bernstadt, Ky., pleaded guilty to second-degree man slaughter after a fatal crash. Sizemore forged documents relating to his Department of Transportation physical examination.
- Family members of the Japanese community in Springfield were reported as doing fine after the tsunami, earthquake and nuclear scare in Japan.
- Washington County High School football coach Mark Perry stepped down after seven seasons. Perry took a head coaching position at Central Hardin High School.
He accumulated a 36-40 while at the helm for the Commanders.
- The property that once was the Fast Food convenience store was sold. A deed in the Washington County Clerk’s office indicated that the sell was completed on March 23, and that the old store location was bought by Newcomb Oil Company in Bardstown for a total of $425,000 from Haydon Coal and Oil.
In addition, Newcomb Oil also purchased an adjacent parking lot between the old Fast Food site and El Mariachi Mexican restaurant for $60,000 from Earl William Hood and Theresa Hood.
- Project Lifesaver was rolled out by Washington County Emergency Management in time for Autism Awareness Month.
The program helps caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients and autistic children.

April
- Willisburg made history by electing Pat Kirsch as mayor. She is the first female mayor in Willisburg and Washington County history.
- Eric Sagrecy was named as the new football head coach at Washington County High School.
Sagrecy served under former head coach Mark Perry for six seasons. He also played at WCHS under former head coach Lee Glasscock.
- St. Catharine officials made the announcement that the campus was going smoke-free by July 1.
Tobacco use was not to be permitted on the grounds of Sansbury Care Center, St. Catharine Motherhouse, St. Catharine Farm and St. Catharine College, or any of the vehicles owned by any of those entities.
- It was announced that the new Washington County High School would be built along KY 555 and the new Springfield Northwest Bypass.
The property was purchased from Tommy Ward and PCS Partners for $701,500.
The school district bought 61 acres, while Ward and PCS Partners donated five additional acres at no charge.
- The Washington County fiscal court voted 4-2 to allow Sunday wine sales at wineries.
Morris Sweazy and Terry Tingle voted against the ordinance, while Hal Goode, Billy Riney, Greg Simms and Benjamin Settles voted in favor.
The ordinance directly effected Horseshoe Bend Vineyards and Winery, which sought the ability to sell wine on location on Sundays.
Springfield City Police Chief Fred Armstrong retired after 40 years in criminal justice.
Armstrong said he would be teaching part-time at St. Catharine College in the criminal justice program.
- The Washington County High School baseball team repeated as Fifth Region All-A champions by beating Bethlehem 8-0.
- Norris Wayne Bartley, 43, of Springfield, and Billy Joe Mattingly, 42, of Mackville, each entered a guilty plea to one count of a three-count federal indictment.
Both admitted to stealing 30 pounds of marijuana on Nov. 12, 2009.

May
- Washington County employees received a pay raise after the 2011-12 county budget was presented at a May fiscal court meeting.
The budget included a four-percent raise for employees, as well as a 1.498-percent cost-of-living raise for elected officials.
- Jim Smith, who had served locally as a police officer for four years, was named the new Springfield City Police chief.
Smith took over on June 1.
- Norris Wayne Bartley, 43, and Billy Joe Mattingly, 42, each entered a guilty plea in federal court on charges that they were in possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
- The Washington County School District approved the first reading of the 2011-12 budget, which included a one-percent pay increase for employees.
- Almost two years to the day after the new Springfield Northwest Bypass was officially let for bidding and examination by potential contractors, the road was opened on May 16.
- The road took 210 working days to complete, and came at a cost of $12.3 million.
- Less than 24 hours after the opening of the new US 150 Bypass, an accident at the intersection of the new road claimed the life of Mallie E. Freeman, 85, of Leitchfield.

June
- Roman Lopez Jr., 14 of Springfield, died following an accidental shooting. Lopez was a freshman at Washington County High School.
- Maple Hill Manor, owned by Todd Allen and Tyler Horton, was named one of America’s Top 10 Farmstays for a “haycation” by USA Today.
- 143 students graduated from Washington County High School. Bob Grider was named valedictorian, while Naz Taylor was named salutatorian.
Five students received the Commonwealth Diploma, while two were named National Merit Scholars.
- Washington County’s annual Relay for Life fundraiser to help fight cancer raised nearly $35,000 in 2011.
- The city presented a budget for the 2011-12 fiscal year that was nearly $88,000 less than the previous budget.
“Fiscal responsibility is our job, and making some dramatic cuts were necessary for this year,” Mayor Dr. John Cecconi said.
- Lizzy Graves was named the 2012 Distinguished Young Woman of Washington County.
“I have been waiting for this since I was four years old,” Graves said. “I’ve missed coming to Junior Miss one time since I was four. I can’t believe it. It’s a dream come true.”
- North American Pipe Corporation, a Houston, Texas-based company, announced it would close. As a result, 47 people lost jobs.
NAPC had been in Springfield since 1969.
- Air Methods, a Colorado-based company, came to town and located at the Lebanon-Springfield Airport.
The company provides the ability to transport medical patients in need of immediate care to surrounding hospitals faster than ambulance services.

July
- Seven months after closing, Manton Store reopened.
Becky and Joe Kelty took over the store, with plans to install running water.
- Josette Taylor traveled with International Student Voluneers to South Africa for one month to help students in need there.
Taylor helped build a school and taught students while in South Africa.
- Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear watched a brief performance by students of the Central Kentucky Community Theatre at the Springfield Opera House.
Beshear presented a check for over $3,000 to the theatre group. The funds were part of a Kentucky Arts Partnership grant, awarded through the Kentucky Arts Council.
- Washington County had a carryover of over $287,000 from the 2011-12 fiscal year budget. The county brought in nearly $10,000 more than anticipated in property taxes and approximately $42,000 more than anticipated in occupational tax fees.
- Summer programs faced heat safety challenges, as heat indices were in the 100’s.
Athletics teams and the marching band had to take precautions, changing schedules due to the heat.

August
- The Mackville post office was placed on a list of 3,700 properties owned by the United States Postal Service to be reviewed.
Mackville residents spoke out about the possibility of the post office closing.
- The final agreement was signed by Washington County School Board chairperson Patsy Lester to finalize the purchase of property for the new Washington County High School. The school board also approved a schematic design for the new school.
- Mayor Dr. John Cecconi announced that the city executed a deed accepting the historic Robertson building in downtown Springfield.
The property, appraised at $180,000, was donated by Wright Way, Inc.
- A motion to approve an increase that would move the property tax rate from 54.8 cents per $100 to 57 cents died from the lack of a second during a school board meeting.
A motion to accept the increase would have generated an additional $191,075.80 next year for the school district.

September
- Ground was broken for a new Dollar General store in Willisburg.
- Memories from the drought of 1983 haunted tobacco and corn farmers, as a mixture of extreme wet and extreme heat proved problematic.
- The Washington County Fiscal Court voted to slightly increase real estate and personal property taxes from 7.5 percent per $100 assessed value on all taxable property to 7.6. The increase compensated for a decrease in real estate and personal property valuation in the county.
- The reading of an ordinance passed that would change the magisterial lines in the county for the first time in at least 20 years.
Due to a population imbalance, the lines legally had to change.
- Nearly 45 hours after disappearing, Randall Chesser was found alive, lying on the ground next to a creek off of Coulter Lane, roughly three miles from his home.
The seven-year-old boy from Willisburg endured rain, wind and storms.

October
- Chesser received a bracelet from Project Lifesaver. The bracelet was donated by Spring View Hospital.
- Springfield City Administrator Laurie Smith was named the Kentucky League of Cities runner-up city employee of the year.
Smith has served the city for 32 years.
- The Springfield Business and Professional Women’s Club (BPW) honored Jan Fattizzi with the 2011 Woman of Achievement award, and Pat Kirsch with the Boss of the Year award.

November
- Approximately 75 people came out to speak in support of the Mackville Post Office during a hearing held by the United States Postal Service.
No final decision was made, but all comments were recorded and put on file by the USPS.
- After much debate, exterior drawings of the new Washington County High School were approved by the school board.
- Jessica Glasscock, a 2000 graduate of Washington County High School, won the Mrs. Kentucky International competition in Bardstown.
- Springfield City Council approved a new roof for the Robertson building. The roof was bid at $44,000, which was to be paid by the tourism commission.
- Billy Riney, Jr. unveiled a new, technologically-advanced dairy facility to the public during an open house.
- The new Dollar General in Willisburg held a ribbon cutting to announce the grand opening of the new store.
- The Washington County High School marching band placed third at the State KMEA Marching Band Class AA finals in Bowling Green.
- Steven W. Sizemore, 55, of East Bernstadt, Ky., was sentenced to 12 months in Laurel County jail on the amended charge of manslaugther second degree, a class C felony, after a fatal crash.
- Springfield native Katherine Fields won the Miss UK Thoroughbred pageant at the University of Kentucky.

December
- Members of the Central Kentucky Community Theatre marched in the governor’s inauguration parade in Frankfort.
- Progress on repairing the Tick Creek Road bridge was put on hold after the Washington Fiscal Court learned that the county would not likely receive $200,000 toward replacing the bridge from the state emergency fund.
- Lincoln Homestead State Park and a local horse farm were included in some scenes of an upcoming Civil War-era film.
- Several Washington County natives were on campus at Virginia Tech University when a shooting occurred.
- New trials were ordered in a Knoxville double-homicide case that involved Springfield native Vanessa Coleman.
The judge in the case was disbarred after due to misconduct, including abuse of prescription painkillers.