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.