Save A Life Tour

Many of the seniors at Pendleton High School had the opportunity to try out the state-of-the-art simulator as part of The Save A Life Tour. The simulator starts out driving as if the driver is sober. After each minute that goes by the simulator shows the students how their driving becomes impaired after as little as one drink, until they are considered drunk. Above Bryan Moffatt explains to the student on how to operate the simulator. Photo by D. Dennie.

Students at Pendleton High School experience driving under the influence of alcohol and never leave the building

By D. Dennie, Editor

Students at Pendleton High School last week got a chance to see what it's like to drive drunk and they never got on the road. The nationwide program, Make A Difference, Save A Life Tour, is a high impact Alcohol Awareness Program.

It featured the most realistic, sophisticated drunk driving simulator in the country.

Before students tried their hand at driving they listened to Bryan Moffatt tell them about his life and how he lost his best friend, who was drunk and got behind the wheel of Bryan's car, drove to get them something to eat. "I handed over my keys for him to drive because he told me he was okay," said Moffatt. "Drinking and driving kills."

"No matter how much it hurts to know I have lost my best friend forever, there is nothing I can do about it now. I can't bring him back. But I can travel the country and help educate high school and college students, like you guys, about the consequences if you chose to drink and drive."

"We all think that it won't happen to us," he said. "But it can and it does, then the party's over."

For more of this story, see this week's Falmouth Outlook

Front row: (l-r) Whitney Davidson, Brittany Bishop, Lauren Jones. Middle row: (l-r) Gaby Peyton, Kayla Wolfe, Bradie Griffin, Kendall Wolfe, Kelsey Yelton. Back row: (l-r) Noel Combs, Peyton Barnes, Alex Logan.

Cheerleaders win third at Americheer Internationals!

For the first time in the school's history, the Pendleton County High School Cheerleaders received a trophy at Americheer International Competition on Sunday, March 16. This was the first time the school has competed on the national level. The girls brought home third place after two days of competiting. It was an amazing experience for the girls to compete at the Milk House in Disney's Wide World of Sports, where all of their favorite college teams compete and also in the same competition as so many talented and international squads. The girls ended their season with something to be very proud of for many years to come.

The PCHS Varsity Cheerleaders began their travels to Orlando, Florida to compete at Disney World in the Americheer International Competition on Thursday, March 13. That afternoon the girls took an educational trip to Epcot to experience 11 different countries and their cultures, their people, and their foods. They also got to eat at the ESPN Club restaurant that night. On Friday, the girls had two practice sessions to prepare, but spent time in between these sessions at Magic Kingdom theme park. That night, the girls ate together at the Rainforest Cafe. The girls spent the entire day preparing or resting for their first big shot at winning on Saturday. Later that afternoon the girls competed and were told of their 3rd place standing. However they had a second chance to improve that score for the final results. On Sunday morning, the girls performed better as a team, having experienced the bright lights the prior day, but the other teams also had the same advantage. By noon on Sunday, the girls attended the awards ceremony to accept their third place trophy. That evening, the Animal Kingdom theme park was open to Americheer participants and spectators only, and the girls had plenty of space to enjoy the rides. The girls took their final trip to theme park Hollywood Studios on Saturday, before heading back home to Kentucky Monday evening. It was a tiring and eventful trip, and with many memories to bring home.

Congratulations cheerleaders on an amazing season!

5 arraigned on 14-count indictment
Multiple fireams violations and meth trafficking

Brian Daniel Akins, 35, Anthony Houze, 25, Matthew Sheets, 22, Patricia Nicole Vickers, 21, and Trista Leigh Mudd, 33, all of Falmouth, were arrested March 17, 2008, by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on a 14-count federal indictment charging them as members of an armed criminal organization with violating numerous federal firearms laws and conspiring together to distribute methamphetamine, announced ATF Special Agent in Charge Paul Vido of the Louisville Field Division, Acting U.S. Attorney James A. Zerhusen for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Captain Keith Craycraft of the Kentucky State Police, Post 6, Dry Ridge.

The indictment alleges that Akins, Houze, Sheets, Vickers, and Mudd beginning on a date unknown and continuing through on or about February 7, 2008, conspired together to manufacture and distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. In addition, Akins, Houze, Sheets, and Mudd possessed firearms (handguns) in furtherance of a federal drug trafficking crime and for possessing a firearm while being an unlawful user/addict of a controlled substance. Moreover, Sheets was indicted for illegally possessing a firearm (handgun) after being a previous convicted felon.

Trista Leigh Mudd was arrested pursuant to a Federal indictment/arrest warrant on 03/14/08 at her residence located at 783 Fishing Creek Road in Falmouth.

Mathew Sheets was arrested pursuant to a Federal indictment/arrest warrant on 03/14/08 at the Grant County Detention Center in Williamstown.

Patricia Vickers was arrested on 02/19/08 pursuant to a Federal criminal complaint/arrest warrant. She was in Federal custody and indicted with the others.

Brian Daniel Akins was arrested on 02/19/08 pursuant to a Federal criminal complaint/arrest warrant. He was in Federal custody and indicted with the others.

Anthony Houze was indicted with the others and a Federal detainer has been filed against him with the Boone County (KY) Detention Center.

The looks of the 1991 Chevrolet S-10 that was given to Greg Johnson by his great uncle and aunt looks very different today.

Local residents S-10 truck story published in Mini Truckin' magazine

Greg Johnson's S-10 truck almost never made it to be published.

His great uncle and aunt bought him a 1991 Chevrolet S-10 in 1994. The truck was a gift, so he could work and save money for college.

No it did not look like it does today. There is a long story as to how this truck endured and arrived at how it looks today.

The first mishap for the durable truck was in 1995, the truck rolled over on the way to visit his girlfriend, who now is his wife. He says the truck was nearly demolished then.

Johnson, of Butler, had insurance and the truck was put back together and painted Hawaiian orchid metallic.

In 1995, the truck was still factory made with the exception of a set of 1980's Firebird wheels.

Once again the truck proved to have several lives when he had an accident and it rolled over again on the way home from his girlfriend's house in 1996.

Once again the truck was severely damaged.

Greg says he wasn't sure if the wrecks were because of the curvy roads in Pendleton County or if his driving was awful.

Greg and his father, Tom Johnson, of Butler, put the truck back together using parts from two junk trucks and it took a good while but finally the little S-10 was back ready to roll again.

For more of this story, see this week's Falmouth Outlook

Falmouth Lions Club hosts over 200 kids for Dr. Peter Fullwood Memorial Easter Egg Hunt

It was a chilly afternoon at the Pendleton County Fairgrounds but it didn't stop over 200 children and their parents from showing up for the Dr. Peter Fullwood Memorial Easter Egg Hunt, sponsored by the Falmouth Lions Club, Saturday, March 22. The kids made a mad dash for the nearly 2,000 colorful eggs, filled with money and chocolate goodies, that were hidden throughout the grounds. Shad Harrison, Lincoln Gallagher, and Michael Pittman were the lucky winners of the special $5 eggs in their age groups. "This is a great memorial to a great man and a great friend," said Peter Ramsey, the grandson of the late Dr. Peter Fullwood, who was involved with organizing the Lions Club Easter Egg Hunt for many years. "All of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren are here today to carry on his tradition." A special thank you goes out to the members of the Lions Club, Julie Hart, PHS Student Council, Griffin Wright, Tyler Craig, Haley Hart, Holley Hart and everybody who made this year's event a success. Michael Pittman, Micheala Pittman, Riley Sears and Austin Miller donated used eyeglasses and received a special treat for their efforts. Pictured above: (l-r) The $5 egg winners, Michael Pittman (7-10 year old division), Shad Harrison (0-3 year old division), Lincoln Gallagher (4-6 year old division) are shown with the Easter Bunny, Haley Hart.

2008 Pendleton County Guides are here!

The 2008 Pendleton County Guides are finished and are inside local newspapers today. If you live in the county and did not receive your Guide, call and we will mail one out to you or stop by the office and pick up one. This year's Guide is packed full of information and a page of phone numbers for the county and cities that you call often. We put the telephone numbers on one page in the front of the book.

The front of the Guide has a colorful photo of some red bud trees blooming on Highway 17 last spring.

Pendleton County's first soldier - Captain John Waller

Pendleton County's first and outstanding soldier, John Waller, died in February of 1823 in a two-story log house which he erected at Bunker Hill. He was buried in the garden graveyard, which was the custom at that early period. The exact date of his death isn't known, but his will was recorded on February 20 by Mason Williams, deputy clerk of the Pendleton County Court.

In the Revolutionary War, John enlisted in the service of the United States in Stafford County, Virginia on the seventh day of January 1777 under Captain John Mountjoy of the 10th Virginia Regiment of the Continental line for the term of three years. He was discharged in Philadelphia by Colonel Webb. On or about the second day of January 1780, he was in the Battles of Brandywine and Germantown and several other battles of less importance. He served as a "private and noncommissioned officer."

John then returned to Virginia and enlisted again under Colonel Thomas Mountjoy and was appointed a recruiting sergeant. He continued in that service until peace in 1783. His pay, rations, and clothing were miserably deficient and nothing but the cause he was engaged in kept him in the service.

On May 17, 1786, John had been recommended by the justices of the peace of Bourbon County to the governor of Virginia to be appointed a captain of the militia for the county. His commission was issued on August 10, 1786 and he produced the commission to the Bourbon County Court and took the oaths required by law on October 22, 1788. He resigned by March 17, 1789.

Captain John Waller's grave is located on U.S. highway 27 at Bunker Hill in Pendleton County. It is marked by a stone secured through the Washington, Indiana, Chapter D.A.R. of which a descendent, Mrs. Stella Waller Bogner, was regent. This was erected by the family of Warren J. Shonert in 1930.

(This information was reprinted from the March 11, 1983 edition of the Falmouth Outlook which recalled the early history of Pendleton County.)

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Story Hour enjoys Easter Egg Hunt in courtyard

Mitchell visits with State Representative Tom McKee

and more!!