http://www.richmondregister.com en-us Copyright CNHI All Rights Reserved. 5 Sat, 05 Apr 2008 20:46:00 +0000 http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_096204657.html http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_096204657.html After searching for months, you have finally found your dream home. Everything is perfect right down to the landscaping, but there is just one problem. Your credit score is a little less than perfect — less than 620 to be exact.Home buyers should have a credit score of at least this amount before they even think about buying a home, said Becky Chenault, loan officer with Eagle Mortgage of Kentucky in Richmond. Tue, 26 Feb 2008 08:34:00 +0000 http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_057083520.html http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_057083520.html When parents decide to homeschool their children, it means decreased enrollment and less funding for local school districts. Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:44:00 +0000 http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_044084504.html http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_044084504.html Foreclosed properties referred to Madison County’s master commissioner jumped 45.6 percent in 2007.Last year, 217 properties were referred to Master Commissioner David Baird to be sold at auction. That was up from 149 in 2006 and 136 in 2005.The foreclosure rate is one housing market statistic for Madison County compares far less favorably with the rest of Kentucky. Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:44:00 +0000 http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_043084534.html http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_043084534.html Permits for new home construction across Madison County fell 14.4 percent in 2007, when 504 were issued compared with 589 in 2006.The year 2005, when 802 construction permits were issued, was probably the best year ever for local home builders, said Ron Weaver, executive officer for the Madison County Home Builders’ Association.The numbers may be skewed somewhat because home renovations, as well as new construction, also require a building permit. Also, after a permit is issued, a project may be canceled, local officials said. Mon, 11 Feb 2008 08:41:00 +0000 http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_042084358.html http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_042084358.html Home sales in Madison County for 2007 were down 5.9 percent from 2006, according to statistics released by the local board of Realtors.Single-family home sales last year totaled 860. In 2006, the total was 914.Currently, some 869 homes are listed for sale in Madison County, said Wayne Beazley, executive officer of the local Realtors’ association. Wed, 23 Jan 2008 08:36:00 +0000 http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_023083653.html http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_023083653.html With county jails across the state bursting at the seams, alternatives to incarceration are getting some attention. Drug court, an intensive rehabilitative program, is one such alternative.“There is certainly a place for jails and prisons. But there is also a middle ground defendant who may not need prison. We fill in that continuum,” says Connie Payne, general manager of Kentucky Drug Court. Wed, 23 Jan 2008 08:31:00 +0000 http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_023083539.html http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_023083539.html In the grip of the drugs she was abusing, Shannon Byrd said she hit rock bottom when she lost custody of her 15-month-old son, Mason.“Looking back at it today, I wasn’t a very good mother,” said the petite 29-year-old blonde. She lost temporary custody to her parents while strung out on methamphetamine.Faced with losing her son permanently and serving a possible prison sentence on felony drug charges, Byrd says she clung to the only life preserver available — drug court, an intense treatment-oriented program for nonviolent offenders designed to help addicts kick the habit while undergoing mandatory drug testing, substance abuse counseling and vocational training. Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:09:00 +0000 http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_022081009.html http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_022081009.html The population at the Madison County Detention Center was 190 on Monday, which is not too bad considering that the facility can hold up to 195 inmates, said Madison Jailer Ron Devere.“That’s because of the holiday season,” he said. “The judges reduce some sentences and probate some people they normally wouldn’t have. They get in the holiday spirit.” Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:06:00 +0000 http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_022080730.html http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_022080730.html Everyone agrees county jails are a major and growing problem, depleting county budgets and straining to house the exploding number of inmates.“We need help now,” Boyd County Judge-Executive William “Bud” Stevens said with desperation in his voice. “There are a lot of counties that will be bankrupt before long if something isn’t done.” Wed, 02 Jan 2008 08:28:00 +0000 http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_002082926.html http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_002082926.html Commercial and residential growth, coupled with one of the worst droughts in more than 100 years, put a strain on utility districts in Madison County during 2007.However, cooperation from customers who reduced water usage helped Richmond, Berea and Madison County utilities avoid a crisis.As the drought that began in May persisted into August, Richmond was pumping water at near capacity, said Richmond Utilities Supt. Scott Althauser. After the city called for voluntary reductions in consumption on Sept. 5, demand dropped enough for the city to forego mandatory restrictions. The call for conservation was ended as autumn rains brought relief to the area. Tue, 14 Aug 2007 08:32:00 +0000 http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_233144716.html http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_233144716.html Various studies have proposed that state funding for Kentucky school districts should be increased by hundreds of millions of dollars, according to Lisa Gross, press secretary for the Kentucky Department of Education’s Division of Communications. “School funding in Kentucky, overall, is not where it should be” she said. “Although the funding system does provide equity, the pool of money is just not big enough. So, districts may struggle over time or have difficulty during a given year, depending on factors such as enrollment, facilities and other expenditure-related items.” Mon, 13 Aug 2007 13:01:00 +0000 http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_233144808.html http://www.richmondregister.com/seriesnew/local_story_233144808.html Ed Musgrove did a lot of “soul searching” during his first year as superintendent of the Clark County School District.“When I got here around the first part of August, we found out that our ending balance had placed us back on the (Kentucky Department of Education’s) Financial Watch List, which was the second time in four years,” he said. “We have been working vigorously this year to try to get off that list.”Clark County was one of only two districts statewide placed on the list because their budgets were close to not having the 2 percent contingency fund required by state law.