News from May 27, 2003 issue


Parties select judge-exec candidates
Republicans met Tuesday and chose interim judge Fred Brown to run for the unexpired term left vacant when Pippi Hardin resigned last month to take a job with the state parks department.

Democratic leaders met last Thursday and chose Robbie Kirk to run on the ticket over Donnetta Travis, who lost by fewer than 100 votes to Hardin two years ago. Foregoing Travis' name recognition, the Democrats chose a political newcomer in Kirk. Sam Brown of Sheridan also asked to be considered for the Democratic nomination. Brown is a contractor who works out of the county much of the time. Kirk is a detective with the Kentucky State Police and operates a local restaurant.

Brown is a retired businessman and long-time Siemens employee. Gov. Ernie Fletcher appointed Brown to fill in when Hardin resigned in April.

Due to the timing of Hardin's resignation, there was no primary election. According to Kentucky law, in such cases, executive committees from the two local parties choose their candidates to run in the general election. Candidates have until Aug.10 to officially file, at which time independent candidates could also join the race. Kirk filed Monday.

Clement Museum collection in jeopardy
Officials with the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum say the eleventh hour is approaching for securing adequate funding to keep the doors open and the rare mineral collection in Marion.
Bill Frazer, chairman of the museum board of directors, said Monday that hours have changed and the museum will only be open Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m., until 3 p.m. It had been open five days week, closed on Sundays and Mondays.

"We're just out of money," said Frazer. "If something doesn't happen soon, we're going to be closed down."

By cutting back operating hours, museum officials hope to be more frugal with what little money the museum has in the bank. Other than donations, it operates from receipts generated by a $3 admission.

"We've had several large school groups recently or we'd have already been closed down," said Becky Fornear, who has been serving as the museum director, but resigned recently to devote more time to personal matters.

Fornear, who started out as a paid director, had been donating her time since December, Frazer said, because there was no money to pay her. She now sits on the volunteer board of directors.

"Crittenden County is built on fluorite," Fornear said, pointing to the area's history of fluorspar mining. "And we have a world class collection in our hands. We have to save it some how."
Frazer said the Clement family heirs, which donated the collection to Crittenden County, require that the museum stay open to the public or the extensive and rare rocks and minerals will be taken back.

"That's part of our agreement," Frazer said, "but without some help I don't know how we can keep the doors open."

Frazer said the board of directors has approached the Marion Tourism Commission and the Crittenden County Public Library about taking over the museum, but so far no luck.

The museum needs about $42,000 annually to operate, said Frazer. It generates less than $4,000 a year on admission and makes a nominal amount off a gift shop.

Death prompts Project Grad to change
In light of the death of a Caldwell County High School senior returning home after Project Graduation last weekend, Crittenden County's Project Graduation committee made a new rule ­ no driving after the all-night party designed to keep seniors safe on graduation night.
Eighteen-year-old Preston Massey died as a result of injuries sustained in a car wreck last Saturday morning a mile from his Princeton home. No cause of the crash had been determined early this week; however, some speculate he may have fallen asleep just before his car crossed the center line on South Jefferson Street and hit a tree head on.

Almost immediately after learning of the accident, Crittenden County Project Graduation President Phyllis O'Neal developed a plan.

When Project Graduation ends at 6 a.m., Saturday, no Crittenden County High School graduate will be behind the wheel. If they aren't picked up by their parents, they will be bused home.
Project Graduation member Patty Guess said all but 20 parents have signed waivers acknowledging the rule. Those whose parents are unable to pick them up will be transported by a van donated by a Marion church.

"We didn't want Crittenden County to be in the pain Caldwell County is in," Guess said. "It happened in Livingston County (a few years ago), so it's been in our back door two times.
"We thought we needed to do something before it happened in Crittenden County."

Project Graduation was developed more than a decade ago as a way to keep graduates in a safe environment while they celebrate their high school send-off. It was a better alternative, organizers, said to allowing young adults to be out partying all night unsupervised, perhaps drinking and driving. Now, graduates earn cash and other prizes attending the all-night event.

Marion native authors 'coaching' book
Marion native Dr. Barry Winders is not your typical kind of coach.

Winders, 50, is a "leadership coach" for baptist, evangelical, and non-denominational churches, offering guidance for church leaders through personal coaching, seminars, and conferences. He is also associate pastor and minister of education at First Baptist Church in St. Genevieve, Mo.

Winders has documented his approach to coaching church leaders in his new book, "Leading with Ministry Intelligence: The Convergence of the Leader's Practice, Perception and Passion. "Winders uses the concept of "ministry intelligence" to guide leaders, which he describes as the "convergence of the leader's practice of the classic spiritual disciplines, perception of the shifts in leadership occurring in a changed culture created by 9/11, and a passion to do ministry."

Winders' book has received endorsements from other Christian leaders such as Dr. Craig Loscalzo, senior pastor of Lexington's Immanuel Baptist Church, and Stan Toler, senior pastor of Trinity Church of the Nazarene in Oklahoma City, Okla.

In addition to his doctorate of ministry with an emphasis in leadership, Winders has the experience to back his leadership approach, with a 34 year career as a Baptist minister and pastorates in four states under his belt.

A 1971 graduate of Crittenden County High School, Winders' chosen career follows the footsteps of his father, Rev. David Winders of Marion, pastor at Barnett's Chapel. The ministry is something of a family affair, as his brother Nicky Winders of Marion is pastor at Sturgis General Baptist Church.

Winders has many friends and family in Marion and the surrounding area, and is still an "avid Kentucky Wildcat fan," he said.

Winders had plans to come home to Marion for a book signing at the local library, but the event was canceled due to the library's "no selling" policy. Winders said he will not be able to hold a book signing in Marion unless another venue can be found.

For more information on Winders' new book and leadership coaching, go to his website at www.ministryindicators.com.