Times Journal

Posted September 26, 2012 at 2:37 pm

A Russell Springs man apparently fell more than 70 feet to his death over the weekend just outside Jamestown, according to the Kentucky State Police.

Waylon G. Atchley, also known as Waylon Polston, 32, died from multiple injuries sustained in the accidental fall, according to preliminary autopsy results which were released last Monday afternoon.

Atchley’s body was found at the bottom of Indian Cave Hill Road, just east of Jamestown late last Sunday morning, September 16.

Russell County Deputy Coroner Troy Harris pronounced Atchley dead shortly after noon Sunday.

Detective Jamie Richard of the Kentucky State Police and Harris investigated the incident.

Dispatch contacted KSP at approximately 11:35 a.m. on Sunday in reference to a body being found at the bottom of Indian Cave Hill Road.

An autopsy was performed on Monday at the State Medical Examiner’s office in Frankfort.

Toxicology results and a final autopsy report are pending but the death appears to be accidental in nature and no foul play is suspected.

Local and state law enforcement and fire officials worked the scene on Sunday.

************************

Donning gloves and replete with all the trash bags they could use, volunteers gathered this past Saturday to take part in the annual effort to clean up the shores of Lake Cumberland in the 23rd annual Lake Cumberland Cleanup.

In all, 466 volunteers were able to gather a total of 1,818 bags of garbage and an amazing 447 tires, said event coordinator for the lake’s west side, Debbie Schumann.

Overall the numbers are down a bit, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Last year 570 volunteers were able to collect 2,118 bags of garbage.

“I guess it’s a good thing, that there’s just less trash out there, that we’re getting more and more trash every year,” Schumann said, meaning that as they pick up every year they’re getting more of the older debris and more of the trash picked up truly from being deposited there last year.

“Just about all the groups did mention to me that it was harder to find the trash and the tires,” said Schumann, “so that’s a good thing.”

The coordination of groups for the annual lake cleanup is led by The Friends of Lake Cumberland, formed in 1990 as a group of concerned citizens with a goal of maintaining the beauty of Lake Cumberland through removal of debris and litter along the shoreline.

Over that period of time, the group has collected, with the new numbers added, 91,372 bags of trash, 18,217 tires, and 11,483 volunteers.

That amount of tires alone, placed end to end, would reach almost nine miles, or reach from the Jamestown square to the intersection of Hwy. 127 and Hwy. 80 and halfway back to the Jamestown square.

After their day of hard work trolling the shorelines looking for trash from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., volunteers gathered at 3 p.m. for a reward of a cookout, prizes and appreciation at the State Park.

All volunteers and groups received a lot of appreciation for keeping the lake so clean, but noted that the first place small group winner actually collected the most trash.

The Danny Brown family has taken up the responsibility of cleaning up the lake for years, but their group fell just under the 16 members that would have made them a large group, and therefore the large group winner. Not that they do it for the $250 prize, because every year they donate the money right back to the Friends of Lake Cumberland.

Schumann, who has headed up the cleanup coordination since 2007, will be turning over the reins to someone else.

“I will continue to volunteer, but lucky for me Bernadette Leveridge sounds like she’s very excited and willing and able to take over my major duties as coordinator, so I’m excited,” said Schumann, who said she’d be there every step of the way to help Leveridge get comfortable with the highly coordinated event.

The Friends of Lake Cumberland could not put on such an event, vital to keeping the lake in pristine conditions which in turn keeps it as an inviting opportunity for tourists and locals alike, without the dedicated efforts not only of volunteers but also of the generous donations of money and equipment from a wide range of local businesses.

Schumann expressed that she and the Friends of Lake Cumberland want to thank everyone who made the 2012, 23rd annual Lake Cumberland Cleanup a success. Anyone interested in becoming a member or learning more about the organization, or want to make sure they get to help next year, please contact President Steve Syphas at 606-451-1402.