Mike Kidwell stands in the far corner of his barn that was destroyed by the violent storm that swept through Pendleton County on August 16, 2007.

Clyde and Nadine Brown stand by the side of their house where a huge tree in their front yard was uprooted and tossed on top of their front porch and their bedroom. The tree torn the side out of their bedroom and did extensive damage to the home. No one was injured. Photos by D. Dennie.

Strong wind wreaks destruction

By Debbie Dennie, Editor

Many homes, barns, trees and outbuildings in Pendleton County sustained damage ranging from totally destroyed to just damaged. The National Weather Bureau in Wilmington, Ohio reports that it was not a tornado that tore through the county on Thursday, August 16, but that it "was a 'straight line wind' with microburst mixed in wind up to 90-100 miles per hour that caused all the destruction," says Pendleton County Emergency Management Director Mike Moore. There were no injuries reported.

Moore estimates there were approximately 100-150 structures with some kind of damage from the storm. Trees were uprooted all over the county. Back roads that were in the path of destruction looked like they were covered with piles of leaves and small-to-large branches. Many roads were blocked, some with more than one tree down.

The storm hit the county around 6 p.m. taking out electricity to a huge portion of the residents in the county and all electric was off in the city of Falmouth until 1:45 p.m. on Friday afternoon.

Many county roads were impassable last Thursday evening. Pendleton County Judge/Executive Henry Bertram and the men at the Pendleton Road Department worked for many hours late into the night making sure roads were clear enough for the ambulance to get through. Other departments out helping clear roadways were Pendleton County Sheriff Craig Peoples and several of his deputies, Falmouth Fire Chief David Marquardt and other Falmouth fire personnel, members of the Pendleton Search and Rescue, Jailer Ken Kells, Butler Fire Department members, along with neighbors and a host of other volunteers.

"I have never seen the county hit this hard in so many different areas at one time," said Judge Bertram.

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

ADAM C. YAZELL

Pendleton County woman abducted and raped

The Kentucky State Police arrested and charged Adam Christopher Yazell, 28, of Carlisle, Ky. for rape, first degree; sodomy, first degree; and kidnapping, on August 13. He was indicted by the Pendleton County Grand Jury this past week. Yazell is accused of the above charges. He was arrested by Kentucky State Police Detective Kevin Flick at Paris, Ky. and lodged in the Bourbon County Detention Center. He was later transferred to the Boone County Detention Center.

The rape and sexual charges occurred in Pendleton County on August 12, 2007 at approximately 11:24 p.m.

The complaint involved the victim, a 22-years-old woman, who was traveling north bound on U.S. 27 when a following vehicle flashed their lights signaling for the victim to pull over.

Thinking there was a problem with her vehicle she pulled over. When she exited her vehicle, under the ruse her license plate was defective, she was forcibly grabbed and placed into the perperpetrator's vehicle and driven to a remote location south of Falmouth. She was subsequently sexually assaulted.

TransCare vehicle collides with Red Cross van on U.S. 27

Kentucky State Trooper Scott Lengle investigated a two-vehicle, non-injury accident at 12:35 p.m. on Friday, August 17, 2007. The Pendleton County Red Cross Van, operated by Mary McDowell, 59, of Falmouth, with passenger, Susan McDowell, was en route to the emergency cooling center which was set up at Turner Ridge Baptist Church due to the power outage caused by the storm the night before. They were stopped in the northbound lane of U.S. 27, preparing to make a left turn onto Highway 22 West, when a TransCare emergency medical vehicle, operated by Carissa Smith, 28, of Erlanger, collided with the rear end of the van. According to police reports, Smith stated that she failed to see that the van was stopped. Pendleton County Ambulance Service and Northern Pendleton Ambulance Service responded to the scene. Nobody was seriously injured in the accident but all three were taken to area hospitals to be checked out for precautionary reasons. Chief Deputy Sheriff Paul Vater and Deputy Sheriff Todd Dennie assisted Trooper Lengle at the scene. The Falmouth Fire Department was dispatched to help clean up the roadway while Midwest Towing removed the wrecked TransCare vehicle. Article and photo by Jackie Vaughn.

Pendleton Fiscal Court holds public hearing for tax rate
Tax rate increased approved

By Roger McKinney, Reporter

The Pendleton County Fiscal Court held a public hearing on August 14 regarding its proposed property tax increase for 2007. Judge/Executive Henry Bertram explained that the tax rate levied last year was 14.5 and produced revenues of $729,677. "This year's compensating rate" he said, "is 14.5 and will produce revenues in the amount of $761,836. The court is proposing a tax rate of 15.0, which will produce a total of $787,836 in revenues. The new tax rate will produce an additional $26,261 in revenues." Judge Bertram said that the increase would barely off-set the raise in retirement benefits to county employees, which is approximately $24,000, in the general fund alone, this does not take in to account all other retirement funds. Judge Bertram also supplied the following information: Revenue expected from new property is $6,228. Revenue expected from personal property is $139, 256.01. Revenue expected from motor vehicles is $134,460.00 and revenue expected from watercraft is $3, 370.00.

After the court returned to open forum from the public hearing a motion was made to approve the tax rate increase. The motion received a second. Then the magistrates voted unanimously to ratify the proposed property tax increase, which amounts to 1/2 cent on $100 valuation or $5 on $100,000 valuation.

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

Buffalo Trace Balloon Race draws large crowd

The Buffalo Trace Balloon Race held at Maysville Community and Technical College this past weekend drew a large crow. Pictured above is one of the colorful hot air balloons taking rides. More photos inside on Page 15 of this week's Falmouth Outlook. Photo by D. Dennie.

Blanket Creek Baptist Church celebrates 160 years

The Blanket Creek Baptist Church was organized in 1845. The first services were held in a log building on the present site. This building was replaced by a framed building in 1849. The present building was built in 1916.

The first illumination was kerosene, followed by carbide. Electricity followed in 1940.

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

Additional items this week:

The Amish Cook shares Honey Bars recipe

Jones designated by ChiSox to Arizona Instructional League

Wildcats Cross Country Team poised and positioned for success

Pendleton County Fiscal Court Financial Statement

Storm Damage photos

Buffalo Trace Balloon Race

and more!!