Two men facing charges of murder entered pleas in their cases recently during the November 2013 Circuit Court session.

In the courtroom of Judge David L. Williams, Jessie Park entered guilty pleas on charges of the murder of Max Martin, who was killed in late August 2010. Earlier last year, Jonathan Young was found guilty in the case, and in the November session, Park pled guilty on a charge of murder, robbery in the first degree and arson in the first degree. Park’s pleas included a 30-year sentence on the murder charge and 20 years each on the other two charges.

The three sentences will run concurrently for a total of 30 years to serve. Park’s final sentencing was set for January 16.

James T. Elmore, who faced charges of murder, driving on a suspended/revoked driver’s license, manslaughter in the second degree, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol/drugs entered an Alford plea on the charges of manslaughter and DUI. An Alford plea, while not admitting guilt and asserting his innocence. However, with this plea, Elmore admits that enough evidence exists that a judge or jury could find him guilty without a reasonable doubt.

Elmore, who was charged in the death of Angela Ervin, who was killed in a vehicle accident in which Elmore was driving on June 11, 2011, will be sentenced to 10 years with 10 months to serve. The balance of his sentence will be probated for five years with credit for 150 days served. He was ordered to pay court costs of $130, facility fee of $10, bond filing fee of $25, DUI service fee of $375 and a fine in the amount of $200 for a total of $740 and meet with the social service clinician to be assessed for long term rehabilitation. Final sentencing was set for December 18. Additional charges of driving on a suspended/revoked license and murder were dismissed.

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Many have noted a different name at the Monroe County Family Wellness Center located between Monroe County High and Middle School. The facility has been officially renamed the Monroe County George and Isabel Bushong Foundation Family Wellness Center.

Bushong, who was born in Tompkinsville and attended school here until sixth grade, has set aside through his Foundation $1.8 million for different Monroe County organizations, with the bulk of his commitments going to the Wellness Center and scholarships for Monroe County students for the next 20 years.

The gift to the Wellness Center will be a 10-year commitment of $50,000 each year and will go toward projects such as an indoor golf digital machine and a swimming meet scoreboard, as well as other improvements and operating costs. Also, each year for the next twenty years, Monroe County High School graduates will be chosen to receive scholarships in seven different areas, including Sports Engineering, Law, Medicine and English.

Although George Eagle Bushong has lived in Florida for 40 years, where he co-founded and operated Administrative Concepts Corporation, a professional employer service, he has many fond memories of his childhood in this area.

His parents were Joe Edd and Helen (Crabtree) Bushong, and he is the grandson of Dr. George W. and Pearl (Eagle) Bushong of Tompkinsville and Dr. Samuel Emmons and Virginia (Eagle) Crabtree of Gamaliel.

Recently retired from a long and successful business career, he now enjoys living on the Manatee River in Bradenton, Fla. with his nine-year-old daughter, Isabel.

While calling Florida his home for the past four decades, Bushong spent the first 12 years of his life in Tompkinsville, and his childhood home still holds a special place in his heart.

Because of this strong connection to his home place, Bushong felt led to ensure that other children growing up in the county have opportunities that they might not have without his donations.

Other local organizations have also received gift commitments in support of their work within the county.

Among Bushong’s many memories of growing up here, one thing that stands out is sitting on the porch and listening to the adults tell stories. “The greatest storytellers in the world are Kentuckians,” said Bushong, adding with a laugh that the stories would often get changed to keep them from becoming boring.

Growing up on Lake Street in a house full of adults, most of whom were doctors, Bushong felt pressure to enter the medical field. “First there was aunt Corinne, the first woman doctor in Southcentral Kentucky. I still remember the hotel building across from the present day Justice Center where his uncle Eagle, who was also a doctor, had an office,” Bushong added.

As a seven-year-old, he would go along with his uncle on house calls and even help deliver babies. He recalls how much more maturity was expected of young children in those days.

When World War II soldiers arrived home, Tompkinsville was full to capacity, and he remembers “there was something going on all the time.” Things even got a little rough now and then. Bushong also has vivid memories of the closeness that existed within the community. Everyone was like family, he said, and it was not uncommon for people to discipline each other’s kids. He shares, “I always felt connected and safe in Tompkinsville.”