Jailer Bobby Dunbar told the fiscal court at their monthly meeting on Monday night, September 10, that he had pursued the possibility of building a Class D inmate facility near the current detention center but was told by department of corrections officials that a county could not build a facility as such for the purpose of generating revenue.

“Naturally, that’s what we wanted to do,” he said. “We’re overcrowded but a lot of that is due to the state inmates that we’ve brought in.”

He said currently the percentage is 70-30 in favor of state inmates over county in the detention center population.

Dunbar said he would still submit an application to the state in order to try and get the go-ahead to build the new facility but said they would have to approach the situation in another way rather than just a revenue generator.

Dunbar did not disclose how he prepared to approach the situation the second time around at the meeting.

He said the state corrections officials did complement him and his staff for the work they’ve done at the jail since its opening.

“Up to today, we’ve had 2,674 bookings in 19 months,” Dunbar said. “We’ve exceeded all our expectations but the bottom line is we’ve gone about as far as we can go (on the proposed Class D felon facility.)”

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Lake Cumberland had its biggest event of the year this past Saturday as the State Dock, along with a long list of marinas and other sponsors, brought Lake Cumberland Poker Run 2012 to the waters.

Hailed as one of the top 10 poker runs in the U.S.A. by Extreme Boats Magazine, the event brings performance boats from across the country to party on the lake and compete to gather the best poker hand for cash and prizes.

State Dock President Bill Jasper said enthusiasts from as far away as California and Canada made it to the run this year.

“We had 98 boats this year,” said Jasper. “We were trending even higher until the rain scared a lot of the last minute guys away.”

The 98 is still a much higher showing than the 81 who came last year and Jasper said spectators and fellow revelers were in abundance.

“Parts of it were as crowded as we’ve ever seen, especially considering the forecast we had.”

The week’s forecast had called for showers on Saturday at the time of the event, and indeed Saturday morning didn’t look promising.

“We had to delay the Poke Run until one o’clock where it normally goes off at 10 (a.m.). But it turned out to be a real pretty day and everybody was somewhere because the lake was absolutely covered up. I’ve never seen so many boats,” Jasper said.

The event is a big boost to the lake economy, as normally hotels, motels, houseboats, cabins; nearly every occupied space around the lake gets rented.

The Army Corps of Engineers has estimated that upwards to 30,000 watch or partake in the event every year, according to Jasper.

The run, Jasper is careful to not characterize it as a race, as there’s no incentive in getting the cards first, starts out at the State Dock where participants leave and head to Conley Bottom Marina to get their first card.

After traveling to Burnside Marina they then travel back to the State Dock before ending the run part of the event at Wolf Creek Marina.

Due to the delay in the start for weather the run had to bypass Grider Hill Marina this year, Jasper said.

After the run many headed a raft-up, “or just go out and play on the lake,” Jasper said.

This year’s winners of the Poker Run were:

1st Place ($10,000 coupon towards a brand new Sea-Doo wave runner) – Gary West of Nother Bend, OH (32’ Fountain) – King High Flush.

2nd Place ($1,500) – Tony Bates of Owensboro, KY (42’ Fountain) – Ace High Straight.

3rd Place ($750) – Roger Sendelweck/Jennifer Farmer of New Albany, IN (38’ Mares) – 9 High Straight.

4th Place ($500) – Jeff Houston of Moores Hill, IN (27’ Crownline) – 5 High Straight.

5th Place ($350) – Michael Price of Dover, OH (27’ Fountain) – Three of a kind (Aces).

In addition to the cards picked up at the marinas, participants are encouraged to purchase a sixth card to better their hand with the proceeds going toward the Lake Cumberland cleanup effort.

“We raised close to $2,000 for the cleanup effort,” said Jasper.

Friday evening entertainment was provided by Annabelle Road, an up and coming rocking country band that’s recently signed to a label and moved to Nashville.

On Saturday, Caught Red Handed kept all that could fit at the State Park’s venue entertained, with a DJ keeping the over-flow entertained on a party barge.

“It was a really big success,” said Jasper. “Anytime we can come through and everybody’s safe and it’s a great run, and on top of that this one was a great turnout.”

“I’m glad to see a great weekend for everybody and I hope it had positive impact, not just on the lake, but in town too,” Jasper said. “Everybody works hard to get these tourists down here and I hope they spend money everywhere.”