10 Years Ago
November 10, 2016
Woodford County and Kentucky saw Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump rack up big margin, 62.5 percent, as he edged out Democratic nominee Hilary Clinton, 32.7 percent, to become the country’s next President succeeding President Barack Obama. Locally, there were few surprises. Incumbent Sherry Springate edged out Piper White by a scant 25 votes to capture the only contested seat on the Woodford County School Board. In Midway, the new city council returns incumbents Libby Warfield, Bruce Southworth, Sara Hicks, and Kaye Nita Gallagher, with newcomers John McDaniel and Steve Simoff winning. In Versailles, all incumbents won led by top vote-getter Ann Miller followed by Mary Bradley, Owen Roberts, Ken Kerkhoff, who will be joined by newcomers Laura Dake and Mike Coleman. Turnout in Woodford County was 67.22 percent.
Ronald Exantus,, who was charged with the murder of 6 year-old Logan Tipton in perhaps the worst crime in Woodford County history, and who faces the death penalty, has been deemed competent to stand trial by Circuit Judge Robert Johnson. The case has been set to begin trial in Woodford Circuit Court on August 11, 2017.
The prohibition against other restaurants in the Versailles Center besides McDonald’s, was resolved. The Versailles Land Group gave up a few feet of its property abutting McDonald’s to allow it to put in a two-lane drive-thru.
Midway Mayor Grayson Vandegrift told city council that Dennis Anderson, the developer of Midway Station, has abandoned the original plan to include houses at the development across I-64 from Midway proper. As a result of the success of the industrial zone development, Anderson intends to have the entire property rezoned industrial.
The WCHS football team finished its season with a loss at South Oldham, 61-33. Though the final record was 3-8, first year head coach Dennis Johnson said “We are still in the building stages of a program that has some work to do. If we continue to get buy in from everyone, the vision for the program will come to pass.”
25 Years Ago
November 15, 2001
The P&Z Commission voted 5-2 last Thursday to recommend that a zone change for a residential development on the Backer property on Lexington Road be denied.
Cleanup of an accidental mercury spill at a Sycamore Estates residence is continuing. It was determined that a coffee can containing forty-plus pounds of mercury was accidentally knocked over on Oct. 24.
Seventy-one charter passes have been sold for the new Falling Springs Arts and Recreation Center, generating over $25,000 in income. The facility should be completed by the end of December.
Derek and Danielle Drayer of Versailles are performing in a musical production of “The Secret Garden” at the Ragged Edge Community Theater in Harrodsburg.
John O. McKinstry, 82, of Versailles, who received his law degree from the University of Kentucky, died Nov. 12.
40 Years Ago
November 13, 1986
A raid last Thursday by local and state law enforcement officers resulted in the arrest of 10 men and confiscation of two tons of marijuana at a McCracken Pike farm.
Woodford Fiscal Court has approved the signing of a deed transferring nine acres of county property on Tyrone Pike to the Bluegrass Railroad Museum, moving the organization a step closer to launching its facility there.
Local students attending Centre College are Kathryn Gentry, Susan Mills, and Mike Moraja.
Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Rouse and Mr. and Mrs. Rex Lyons of Midway have returned from a trip to Naples, Fla.
The Woodford County Yellow Jackets finished the football season with a 4-7 record, losing 29-0 to Montgomery County in the final game.
Chris and Trina Schimmoeller of WCHS have signed letters of intent to play intercollegiate volleyball for Georgetown College.
Senior class officers at WCHS are Evan Bledsoe, president; Tim Leigh, vice president; Leah Carl, secretary, and Tony Green, treasurer.