It was a history making vote in Wayne County last week, when voters at Mill Springs approved the sale of wine in that precinct. In what is apparently the first special local option winery election, voters approved the issue by a vote of 254 to 180.

The only precinct involved in the special election on Tuesday, June 21 was Bob’s Auto Supply, which is located on East KY 90. Precinct workers there had a fairly steady stream of voters throughout the day, and about 40 percent of the 1,091 registered voters cast ballots in the special election.

It’s a better turnout than many expected, since the pre-election atmosphere remained pretty quiet. Several advertisements aired on local radio stations in the days leading up to the special election, which seemed to generate more voter interest.

Among those airing ads was Norris Wake, who petitioned for the special election. Wake plans to operate Lake Cumberland Winery on his Cedar Lane Farm in the Cumberland Ridge Road area of Wayne County. Wake has been growing grapes there for a number of years, as an alternative crop to tobacco.

He filed the petition for the election in March.

A small farm winery can produce up to 50,000 gallons of wine and that product can be bottled and sold on the farm where it is produced, according to state statute. The statute also allows for a wine tasting room, where visitors can taste specific wines, which is limited to a maximum of six ounces.

“I am very pleased,” said Wake, when asked about his reaction to the election. “I appreciate the people who took the time to go to the polls and vote on Tuesday…I think it was remarkable at the number of people who went and voted.”

Wake now faces a process that will take several months as he completes paperwork and acquires the proper licenses in order to operate a winery. There are state and federal regulations involved and he noted that there is also some necessary construction at the facility that must be completed.

While Wake is unsure when the winery will be open, he expects that the process could take about five or six months.

“I want to be sure that everything is done properly,” he said. “We’ll take it one step at a time and we’ll do it right.”

In the meantime, Wake has a lot of work to do in the vineyard. He said this year’s grapes are coming along very well.

“It is beautiful,” he said. “We have had a lot of rain…I think it will be a good year from a crop standpoint.”

And Wake will continue to learn more about small farm wineries and vineyards that are in operation in Kentucky. He has plans to attend an upcoming agriculture field day at another winery in the state.

Currently, there are 64 small farm wineries located in Kentucky, but the majority are located in the northern region of the state. Neighboring Pulaski County has two small farm wineries in operation.

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The Wayne County Stockyard was destroyed by fire early on Wednesday, June 22 and officials are investigating the cause of the suspicious blaze.

According to Monticello Fire Chief Steve Ferrell, the fire was reported at 12:32 a.m. Wednesday, when someone passed by the building on West Columbia Avenue and reported the blaze. When firefighters arrived, Ferrell said the building was fully engulfed in flames.

Ferrell described it as a “very hot fire.” The department was assisted by the Susie Fire Department at the scene and remained there battling the blaze until about 5 a.m.

Ferrell said there were several red flags that caused officials to consider the fire suspicious. An arson investigator with Kentucky State Police was called in to continue the investigation.

Early reports were that several head of cattle were inside the building at the time of the fire, but Ferrell said there were actually no animals in the building at the time.

The 17,000 square foot building has been home to the Wayne County Stockyards since early 1952 and it was a popular spot for the farm community to gather. Sales were held every Thursday and traffic around that area was usually heavy on sales day.

There has been a stockyard on Columbia Avenue since about 1928, according to early articles published in the Wayne County Outlook. Koger Ramsey, who has worked for several decades at the stockyard, said the building that burnt last week was built in 1952 to replace an earlier facility that was destroyed by fire that same year.

Ramsey grew up in the area of the stockyards and spent many years working there as a youngster. “I have been associated with it all my life,” said Ramsey.

For the past 22 years he has had many different jobs at the stockyards, including managing the stockyard. Last week was a difficult week for Ramsey and many other farmers who are coping with the loss.

On Thursday–what would have been a sale day if not for the fire–many farmers stopped by the site to express their thoughts.

“We appreciate the farmers and the people who came by and talked with us and asked us about plans to rebuild,” said Ramsey.

At this point, Ramsey said the plan is to rebuild and reopen the stockyard. The Wayne County Stockyards is owned by Bill Arnett.

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The man charged with murder in connection with his toddler son’s death is back in jail, after court records indicate he failed a drug test. Bryan Daniels was lodged in the Wayne County Detention Center on Tuesday, June 21 on a bench warrant.

Daniels is charged with murder, controlled substance endangerment to a child, manufacturing methamphetamine and engaging in organized crime. The charges stem from the May 2009 death of his 20-month old son, Kayden, who ingested drain cleaner that officials said had been used to make meth.

Daniels had been released from the Wayne County Detention Center in December 2010 on a surety bond, which included several conditions. Daniels was on home incarceration with his parents and he was required to submit to random drug testing.

According to documents filed in Wayne Circuit Court, the issue with the drug test occurred last month. No bond has been set for Daniels. His trial is scheduled for September 14.

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A Wayne County woman died on Tuesday, June 21 from injuries she sustained in a single-vehicle crash on Highway 167.

Ida Warner, 63, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident by the Wayne County Coroner’s Office.

Warner was a passenger in a 1996 Jeep driven by her husband, John H. Warner, 82. According to the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department, the Warner vehicle was southbound on Highway 167 when it left the roadway and struck a tree. The crash occurred at approximately 8:20 p.m.

John Warner was transported to Wayne County Hospital by EMS and later airlifted to the University of Kentucky Medical Center.

Assisting at the scene was Wayne County EMS, Monticello Fire Department and the Coroner’s Office.

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A meth lab was discovered in the Coopersville Ridge Road area on Saturday, June 25, according to Wayne County Sheriff Charles Boston.

The meth lab was in an outbuilding. Deputies discovered items consistent with the manufacturing of methamphetamine.

An agent from Operation UNITE was called and confirmed it was an active meth lab.

Three people were arrested and charged with manufacturing methamphetamine first offense. Arrested were: Rhonda Foster, 32, Joe Anderson, 33, and Jeffrey Gragg, 32, all of Monticello.

The investigation is continuing.

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According to Wayne County Jailer Ray Upchurch, an attempt to smuggle drugs into the Detention Center on June 26 was unsuccessful.

During a normal outside check of the perimeter, a deputy jailer discovered a tennis ball lying about four feet from the Detention Center garden. The tennis ball contained cigarette tobacco, rolling papers, four marijuana joints, and one pill which was identified as Tylox.

It is unknown at this time who left the tennis ball or who it was intended for, but all items were turned over to the Monticello Police Department. The investigation is continuing.

RUSSELL NEWS REGISTER

A wreck involving an alleged stolen vehicle occurred a week ago Tuesday evening at the U.S. 127 Bypass and sent a Huntington, West Virginia woman to the hospital with critical injuries, according to Jamestown Police Department Sgt. Jeff Kerns.

Belinda W. Coleman, 39, was traveling north on the bypass at a high rate of speed in a 2002 Pontiac Sunfire around 7:30 p.m., according to the testimony of several witnesses, Kerns said.

Coleman lost control of the vehicle where the bypass meets U.S. 127 and struck a culvert near Half Acre Road, which caused the vehicle to go airborne. The vehicle continued on crossing Half Acre Road and Green Acres Drive, traveling through a yard before coming to a stop nearly 500 feet from the highway.

Coleman was taken to Russell County Hospital by EMS and then transported by helicopter to UK Medical Center in Lexington for treatment of several serious injuries. She has since been released, Kerns said.

Kerns said he is continuing the investigation but it appears the vehicle was stolen out of neighboring Clinton County shortly before the wreck and involves a West Virginia family that vacations in Albany each summer.