In a surprise statement on Tuesday morning, long-time County Clerk Lisha Popplewell announced that she was stepping down as county clerk effective immediately. Her official resignation came quite suddenly.

Judge-Executive Gary Robertson received her resignation dated September 30, also noted as her last day in office.

Robertson has appointed Ruth Hill as interim clerk until the official seating of the County Clerk-elect, Sue Popplewell Brockman, on January 1, 2015.

Popplewell first became county clerk in a 2004 off election year appointment and would win two elections in 2006 and 2010.

Her resignation read, “After much prayerful consideration, I am retiring from county government, effective September 30, 2014.

“Sue and I have discussed this and have asked our County Judge/Executive, Gary Robertson, to appoint long-time Deputy Clerk Ruth Anne Hill, as your county clerk, effective October 1, 2014.

Ruth has served as deputy clerk since 1995 and has proven to be a valuable part of the clerk’s office. She has the experience and knowledge to perform the duties and responsibilities of county clerk.

“Ruth has graciously accepted and will serve as your Russell County Clerk through December 21, 2014. At that time, Sue Popplewell Brockman will assume the duties for which she was elected in the May 2014 primary.

“The Lord has been so kind to me and my family and no words can express my gratitude for the opportunity He presented me. I truly believe, To everything there is a season and it has been my honor to serve the people of Russell County for this season in my life.”

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The fishing derbies at Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery have ended for this year following last week’s successful Catch A Smile Senior Fishing Derby and Special Needs Fishing Derby, according to Wolf Creek NFH Project Leader James Gray.

Last Tuesday, 135 seniors participated in the derby with great weather overhead and trout biting in the water.

The huge turnout was pleasing to Gray and it was one of the hatchery’s most successful events of the year.

“Of course, we cooked lunch for them and had several door prizes that we had gotten from local businesses that we gave away,” he said. “Plus, they caught a lot of fish.”

The special needs derby was also a hit as students from both Russell County and Clinton County took part in the event.

“We work through the school systems of each and they identify kids they think fit that category,” Gray said. “I thing almost every kid caught a fish that day.”

He said the participating students also received a t-shirt, WCNFH medallion and a pressed fish hatchery penny.

“We also cooked for them,” he said. “We had hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and all that good stuff.”

Russell County Schools Superintendent Michael Ford said the derby is such a special day for the district’s most deserving students.

“The students start talking about this event as soon as school starts in August,” Ford said. “We sincerely appreciate Mr. Gray, the staff, donors and many volunteers at the Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery that make this event possible. I know I speak for everyone when I say we are already looking forward to next year’s event.”

Gray said the one other event coming up in October is the Outdoor Eco Day for all Russell County fourth graders.

“There will be nine different stations that they will go through for 20 minutes each,” he said. “It is all environmental education based and covers a variety of topics.”

With the end of the fishing derby season at the hatchery means much of the Hatchery Creek stream restoration project will get going.

Approximately 200 feet of Hatchery Creek closed to fishing last week as part of the ongoing stream restoration project. The upper 150-foot section of the creek remains open for fishing.

“The whole entire project won’t be complete until early spring,” Gray said. “They can’t let the water flow through that until it gets built.”

The overall project involves construction of a 6,000-foot channel to divert the creek’s flow away from the heavily eroded ravine which introduced large amounts of sediment into the Cumberland River. Construction on the new channel will feature a naturalized course with pools and riffles designed to reduce sediment.

The creek is fed by the hatchery, which draws its waters from the dam at Lake Cumberland. Because the hatchery’s outflow is so cold, the creek is stocked with trout and is a popular trout fishing area.

Currently, Hatchery Creek forms a T-intersecction with the eroded reservoir.

Contractors are building a temporary shortcut to allow the creek to flow into the ravine just downstream of its current influence. This shortcut, once completed, will be open for fishing while contractors rebuild the T-intersection as part of the new creek channel.

The upper ravine will be closed to access during the project. The lower section of the ravine will otherwise remain open to angling.

Hatchery Creek is currently open, with access on the east bank.

Once the diversion channel is built and stabilized the 200 foot lower section of the creek will be closed until the project is complete, approximately 100 feet of hatchery creek will remain open.