By Dennis Brown

Lewis County voters tried some new voting machines, some new voting locations and chose the candidates who will appear on the ballot for the November General Election.

County Clerk Shirley Hinton said that 45 percent of those eligible to vote turned out to cast their ballots.

Two voting machines were available at each location including new electronic machines. Because two sets of numbers were tallied for each location, that resulted in taking slightly longer to tabulate the votes after they were returned to the courthouse by election officials.

Voters in Vanceburg precincts one through four voted this year in the gymnasium at Lewis County Central elementary. Some said it was easier because of more adequate parking and if they mistakenly went to the wrong precinct they only had to talk across the gym floor to get to the correct one.

Voters at Burtonville also had a new polling location.

While about 3,800 people voted in each of the county-wide races, the sheriff's race drew the most voters for last week's primary.

Sheriff Bill Lewis won re-nomination with 66 percent of the vote over challenger Jeffrey Himes and will be unopposed in November.

Judge Executive Steve Applegate received 51 percent of the vote to stave off challenges from former judge executive George Plummer (38 percent) and Danny Kyle Prater (10 percent). Applegate will face off against Democrat Eugene Kinney in the fall.

PVA Betty Ripato also held off challengers Anthony Silvey and Todd Ruckel. Roger Jahn had withdrawn from the race and any votes cast for him were not counted on Tuesday. Ripato had 41 percent of the vote.

Jailer Tim Underwood fended off a challenge by Etta Faye Carroll with 64 percent of the vote and will face Democrat Robert G. Owens II in November.

Dennis Brown/Lewis County Herald

Election officials tabulated ballots on the third floor of the Lewis County Courthouse following last week's primary election. Several spectators and candidates were also on hand to observe the count.

Incumbent District One Magistrate Milt Stanfield easily won the nomination for that race with 54 percent of the vote against challengers Bryon Walker, Brent "Cheebee" Nolen and Paula Franke. Stanfield goes up against Democrat Jerry Wilburn in the fall election.

Paul Bruce Swearingen won the nomination for District Two Magistrate with 35 percent of the vote over candidates Steven Thomas, E. Harvey Denham, Carey Highfield and Kasey Nolen. Current District Two Magistrate Todd Ruckel opted to run for the office of PVA. Swearingen faces Danny McCane in the general election.

Joe Bentley won the nomination for Third District Magistrate with 64 percent of the voters choosing him over Chad Clark. Bentley will be unopposed in the fall. Current Magistrate Keith Chapman opted not to run for re-election.

Mike Ginn, who narrowly won the nomination for Second District Constable over Matt Dyer and Wilbur Calder, will also be unopposed in the fall. Unofficially, Ginn had only one more vote than Dyer.

To see precinct totals for each of the races, see page eight in this week's print edition of The Lewis County Herald. Overall vote totals are available online at Primary 2006.

By Al Owens

Meeting in regular session last week the Trustee Board of the Helen H. Rayburn Public Library of Lewis County was told that the money for construction of new libraries is in this year's state budget and has been allotted to the Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives (KDLA).

Michael Jones from the KDLA said that if the local library gets the funds this Fall construction on the new library building can begin in the Spring. He warned, however, that competition for those funds will be tough, but since the local library already possesses the property and has architect drawings on hand that puts the board a step ahead of other libraries vying for the money.

Jones also recommended that some of the trustees drive over to Robertson County to see their library. Peterson & Peters Architects, Lexington, who have been hired by the local library board, designed that library. He said that the trustees might get some ideas about what they want in their new library.

He told the board that at the library directors' meeting in June, Carol Mitchell from Fleming County can give some advice on the problems they are having. The bids for their new library all came in too high, and their board is having to rebid the project. In doing so they are cutting out some amenities they had planned for that building.

Jones also suggested that the trustees might start considering names for a construction committee. He said that the committee members do not have to be members of the trustee board.

The library board moved to send two names to the KDLA as a replacement for board member Helen H. Rayburn who passed away last month. The board recommended Lena Wamsley Fugate and Sandra Bivens. One will be selected by the KDLA and their name forwarded to the Lewis County Fiscal Court. The court is required to approve the appointment. The appointee will fill Mrs. Rayburn's unexpired term that ends on July 31, 2007.

Library Director Marilyn Conway informed the board that the two houses on the new building site now have new locks installed. Bookmobile Librarian Margie Valentine installed the locks.

She also told the board that the inmates from the detention center are mowing the yards at no cost to the library.

In reference to the grant of $7,800 from the Gates Foundation for six new computers and software she said that the board couldn't spend the money on printers. Therefore, the library itself will have to purchase a new printer that will cost about $1,000.

Conway announced that Mrs. Rayburn gave a check to the library for $30,000 and word is that more is forthcoming.

She also said that the library would receive $419.88 per month from the Telecommunications Tax. The money will be forwarded from the Commonwealth of Kentucky Department of Revenue. And the library made $288.30 from the recent book sale.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is working to improve the highway network in Lewis County. A $1,461,992 contract has been approved by the cabinet to resurface a section of the AA Highway.

"Kentuckians deserve to travel on safe, smooth highways," said Governor Ernie Fletcher. "These projects reflect my administration's commitment to ensuring that drivers in Kentucky are able to get to work, school and other destinations with the confidence that our state's roads are in the best condition possible. Our vision is to provide a safe and reliable transportation network that leads to new economic opportunities. These projects show how this administration is fulfilling this vision."

The contract includes asphalt resurfacing on the AA Highway from approximately a mile west of KY 3311, extending to the Greenup County line.

Secretary Bill Nighbert said, "Through the leadership of Governor Fletcher, these new projects will help to repair and upgrade our aging highway infrastructure and provide safer roads that will further economic development and enhance safe travel for all Kentuckians."

Lewis County is one of 10 counties in Highway District 9, which also includes Bath, Boyd, Carter, Elliott, Fleming, Greenup, Mason, Nicholas, and Rowan Counties. Approximately $4.9 million has been awarded for projects across the district during the latest round of contract approvals. Statewide, more than $104 million worth of projects have recently been authorized.

Work is expected to begin in the near future, with completion expected this summer. Construction activities are scheduled on a tentative basis and are subject to change depending on weather conditions. The low-bid contract was awarded to Mountain Enterprises Inc., of Lexington.