News from May 1, 2003 issue

CONSTABLE CHARGED WITH BOOTLEGGING
A Crittenden County constable, who was arrested for DUI in March, was jailed this week on new charge of bootlegging after police found a cache of beer and whiskey, and a moonshining operation at his home.

Officers from the Kentucky State Police, Marion Police Department and Crittenden County Sheriff's Department acted on a tip received Tuesday morning to obtain a search warrant for James Binkley's home on Weldon Road. The investigation unfolded during the afternoon hours, and police arrested and jailed the Crittenden constable at 3 p.m.
Officers discovered what they say were two moonshine stills, sour mash soaking in five-gallon buckets, 30 cases of beer, 60 half-pint bottles of whisky and other components used in the manufacture of moonshine.

Binkley, who was elected in November to serve a four-year term as constable in the county's Fifth District, will appear in District Court May 28 for the charges filed Tuesday. He was released from the Crittenden County Jail just after 8 a.m., Wednesday on a $5,000 cash bond.

Officer Ray O'Neal suspected Binkley may have been making moonshine when he discovered a jar of the clear liquid during Binkley's March 7 DUI arrest.

O'Neal said Binkley was very cooperative during the arrest.

"He had two moonshine stills and was getting ready to use one," O'Neal said. "He wanted to do one more "cooking" to show us how and then donate the stuff to the museum."

Kentucky State Police Trooper Brent White said Binkley had not been carrying out his powers as constable since his March arrest.

"He hadn't been doing anything as constable, but he had retained the position," White said.

Binkley received 263 votes in the 2002 election, beating write-in opponent Mike Stone, who got 82 votes. Binkley also ran an unsuccessful campaign for sheriff several years ago.

ONE DIES IN TWO-VEHICLE ACCIDENT
A Marion man was killed Thursday morning when his small car collided with a pickup truck.

Richard A. Little, 40, was westbound on U.S. 60 just after 10:30 a.m. in a 1998 Dodge Neon near Rosebud Hill, according to state police reports.

Little apparently crossed the center line, was unable to get his vehicle back into the westbound lane, and hit an eastbound 1993 Dodge Ram driven by Joseph Robinson.

The county coroner pronounced Little dead at the scene.

Both Robinson, 28, of Hampton, and his passenger, Byron R. Powell Sr., 50, of Marion, were transported to Crittenden Hospital for multiple injuries.

Each of the three men was wearing a seat belt.

CHURCH CELEBRATES 150th ANNIVERSARY
There will be higher pitch to this year's traditional springtime gathering at Pleasant Hill Regular Baptist Church commonly referred to as the May Meeting.

Significant for the church, the oldest and only remaining Regular Baptist church in Crittenden County, is its 150th anniversary this spring.

A presentation of the church's history, a traditional shaped-note singing and daily messages by descendants of founders of the church will highlight the May 2-4 meeting. The May 2-3 services begin at 7 p.m. Sunday's service begins at 10 a.m., with Sunday school and will conclude with lunch on the church grounds at 12:15 p.m.

Of the 25 members, nearly all are related to the 12 church founders.

William Ralph Paris, whose great-great-grandparents were two of those founders, said the celebration will involve many current members.

Paris will recite a history of the Pleasant Hill Church on Friday. On Saturday night, Paris and his wife Nancy and their daughter Martha will sing a selection from the Southern Harmony book. The trio is dedicated to the preservation of four-note music also known as shape-note singing.

Elder Wade Paris, a descendant of at least four founders, will present the message each night.
Paris said the "old Baptist's" philosophy on revival is different than the ideals of modern churches.

"The focus isn't just evangelizing but edification of saints and receiving members," Paris said. "Old Baptists used the idea that you don't have revivals, you have meetings and pray that God sends revival and that revival has to come from somewhere else."

Paris said similar three-day meetings were held bi-annually by the Regular Baptists whose origin is among the Baptists of England and Wales.

"If revival comes we'll be tickled to death," Paris adds.

The church was organized in 1853 in a log home near the present church building by 13 people who migrated to this area from Tennessee. The congregation met in the log structure until 1867.

The year before, Obadiah Paris, William Ralph Paris' great-great-grandfather, deeded two acres to the Pleasant Hill Church. The building was used for several years before it was given to the school district and moved to become Pleasant Hill School. The present meeting place was built in 1906 for just over $1,500.

One hundred and fifty years after its origination, the church has 25 members. The church's pastor for the past 43 years, William Eldred Hunt, is the longest-serving minister in the church's history. Only the first pastor, Paul Lee Herralson Walker, came close to Hunt's tenure with 32 years.