Vol. 104, No. 12 Liberty, Kentucky, Wednesday, March 21, 2012 14 Pages–75¢

CASEYASEY COUNTYOUNTY NEWSEWSCCASEYASEY CCOUNTYOUNTY NNEWSEWSTHETHETHE www.caseynews.net

Charlotte Cochran, 61Arnold L. Gooch, 65

Stephen R. Gosser, 60Tanya McWhorter, 53

Jesse Parton, 81Walter Pittman, 90

Obituaries on page 4

Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Around the Area. . . . . . . . . . . .5Public Record . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Farm and Home . . . . . . . . . . . .6Sudoku . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Out of the Past . . . . . . . . . . . . .8School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-11Police News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

INDEXINDEX

OBITUARIESOBITUARIES

■ See PROPOSED/12

■ See INDICTED/12

■ See HOTEL/3

INSIDEINSIDE

■ See DURHAM/12

Richards retiringLocal hairdresser shares highlights of 37 years of

hair creations— page 3

Proposed water rate increase declinedBy Larry Rowell

Staff Writer

For the fourth time in re-cent months, the Liberty City Council has declined to act on the advice of Mayor Steve Sweeney concerning raising utility rates in the city.

Also, the East Casey County Water District also decided not to act on Sweeney’s proposed water increase.

Sweeney attended the East Casey County Water District Board meeting on March 13 and asked for a 9 percent in-

crease in the price ECCWD pays for water.

The ECCWD currently pays the city a wholesale rate of $2.38 per 1,000 gal-lons and Sweeney wants that raised to $2.65.

The district is under a 40-year contract with the city to purchase an average of 17 million gallons of water a month.

Last year, the district bought 209,932,000 gallons from the city for a monthly average of 17.5 million gal-lons, said ECCWD Manager Andy Greynolds.

Sweeney said that an in-

crease is justifi ed in order for the city to break even on water and sewer department costs which he said would face a defi cit of $157,847.

Sweeney cited rising costs in chemicals and other sup-plies, increases in the cost of

fuel, electricity and retire-ment contributions for city workers.

“We’re not trying to make a profi t, we’re trying to break even with our wa-ter company,” Sweeney told ECCWD board members.

ECCWD Board Chair-man Ricky Carman told Sweeney that the board would take his suggestion for a rate increase under ad-visement.

The following day at the city council meeting, Sweeney fi rst asked for a motion increasing residential

Signs of SpringSigns of Spring

photos/CHRIS ZOLLNER

The relatively mild winter weather and warmer tempera-tures the past two weeks might have caused residents to miss the fi rst day of spring, which arrived on Tuesday. A perfect example of the late-spring like warmth is the row of trees shown above, which are budding green at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Liberty.

At LEFT, Liberty’s welcome sign on U.S. 127 South is looking better because of blooming fl owers planted in the stone wall around the perimeter.

Old Brown Motel scheduled to reopen after renovationsBy Larry Rowell

Staff Writer

After being closed for the better part of a year, Liberty’s only motel has new owners.

Doug and Nicki Johnson, owners of Liberty Electronics, plan to reopen the former Brown Motel, (later known as Royal Inn Express) as the Bedford Inn in late spring or early summer.

The motel, on Wallace Wilkinson Boulevard, had fallen into disrepair in recent years under various out-of-town owners.

Built in the 1960s by the late Charles and Lil-lian Brown, they would operate the motel for more than 40 years before retiring.

The Johnsons considered the idea of buying the property for several years.

“We looked at the motel in 2008 and actually made an offer that was rejected. As the years passed, it made me sadder and sadder to see the decline that was becoming so evident,” Nicki said.

They looked at the motel again last year and decided then was the time to buy it.

“We want to do what we can to count — we want to be of service to those folks traveling to or through Casey County. This is our home and we love it,” Nicki said.

Local couple working to provide lodging in Liberty

photo/LARRY ROWELLDoug and Nicki Johnson speak with contractor Dennis Johnson aboutthe renovation work of the former Royal Inn Express.

Casey man indicted on

multiple sex charges

By Larry RowellStaff Writer

A local man has been in-dicted by a Casey Countygrand jury on 33 counts of sexcrimes against females whowere under the age of 14 at thetime the acts were allegedlycommitted.

Jason Alexander Reusser,37, of 2450 Sloans Fork Road,Windsor, faces seven countsof fi rst-degree rape, court doc-uments indicate.

The indictment states thatReusser, from Dec. 6, 2008through Dec. 16, 2009, com-mitted rape on a girl not yet12 years old on six separateoccasions.

Also, the indictment allegesthat Reusser, from Sept. 18,2007 to Sept. 18, 2009, rapeda second girl who was alsoless than 12 years old.

In addition, Reusser ischarged with one count offi rst-degree sodomy with achild less than 12 years old

Durham indicted for

murderBy Calen McKinneyLandmark News Service

A former Casey County manhas been indicted by a TaylorCounty grand jury on chargesthat the killed his grandmother.

The prosecution has said theman likely won’t face the deathpenalty, but is facing as much aslife in prison.

Jesse J. Durham, 20, of 102Eads St., Campbellsville, wascharged with fi rst-degree mur-der on Tuesday, March 6. Theindictments weren’t releasedfrom the Taylor Circuit Clerk’sOffi ce until March 12.

According to court records,Durham allegedly argued withhis great-grandmother on Feb.10, and then struck her with ahammer until she died. A Camp-bellsville Police report statesthat the department received aphone call from Matt Blaineof Cincinnati, Ohio, reportingthat he hadn’t had contact withhis mother, Elizabeth Arins-mier, 77, of 105 Daisy Drive inCampbellsville, for a few days.Blaine asked offi cers to check

A special called meet-ing of the Liberty City Council will be held today (Wednesday), at noon at City Hall. On the agenda: Utilities, budget and per-sonnel.

Special called meeting

Casey County drama program to present‘Footloose’

— page 3

Project Graduation Meeting

The first Project Graduation meeting for parents and guardians of seniors will be held Thursday, March 22 at 6 p.m. at the Casey County High School cafeteria.

Adult Spelling BeeThe second annual Casey County Adult Spelling Bee will be held tomorrow (Thursday) at 6:30 p.m. at the Casey County Middle School. The entry fee is $10. Register at the door or preregister by contacting Barb Pelley at 787-7985.

BRIEFSBRIEFS