Springtime Comes to the Cumberlands

Let's rewind some... First off, with all the WorkFest tidbits in the March update a crucial piece of information was overlooked. Mt. Vernon's new stoplight was finally activated on March 8th! We now have five stoplights (that I know of). It's been such a help. Traffic gets "crazy" (a relative term) at the intersection of Richmond Road and School Street since the hospital, elementary school, and post office are all in that area.

Now more recent news: Two weekends ago I drove to the Sandy Valley region, better known in CAP world as "the east side," to see my friend Jessica. She lives at the Johnson House in Hagerhill. She's leaving for home (New Jersey) at the end of the month, so I wanted to visit her now because I was afraid I wouldn't have any other chances to see her between now and May. It's so weird to me that she's leaving because I remember when she got here! We met at Carter Caves (location of the annual volunteer gathering in late August), but I didn't really get to know her until our week-long orientation at Camp Shawnee in late September. She's totally awesome and I love her so much. Originally she and Jennifer (another Johnson House member) were going to take me to some parks in the area but it stormed all weekend. Still, it was great to see her, and that was the real reason for the visit. I left after going to St. Clare's fish fry in Berea with my housemates, so I didn't get to Johnson 'til about 9pm. The first part of the trip was lovely, with the late sun warming everything up and the Hal Roger's Parkway literally lined with redbuds. I got to see my friend Maggie as well as Jane and Amy (all Floyd House members) when I got there. They'd made a special trip to see me. Aww! The whole weekend just consisted of low-key hanging out: sitting on the porch swing and listening to the rain barrels filling up, learning to play Dutch Blitz, and going to Pig in a Poke (bar and BBQ place).

Last weekend I went to Keeneland with some friends. It was my first time and I actually won three times! I messed up my very first bet - I said the wrong number at the window, so I went back and bet on the horse I originally wanted to bet on, but also had that other bet. They both ended up showing and I won a profit of $1.20! Might not sound impressive but it was my first time betting and it was the highest profit of the day amongst my friends. Of course I didn't come out ahead at the end of the day but it was very fun.

And something else I found out that weekend: One of my participants (well, technically the husband of one of my participants, because I deal much more with her than him) was arrested.

From the Mount Vernon Signal:

Father Charged with Abuse of Son
          A Livingston man has been charged with 2nd degree criminal abuse after striking his son in the head with a baseball bat.
          Jesse Vanwinkle, 34, is in the Rockcastle County Detention Center under a $25,000 cash bond after being arrested at his home.
          Kentucky State Police and the Rockcastle Sheriff's Department responded to a call Sunday afternoon at a residence on Sand Hill Road. Upon arrival, the officers learned that a nine-year-old male juvenile had been struck in the head with a baseball bat.
         Vanwinkle's nine-year-old son Larry was flown from the scene to the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington in critical condition. According to Larry's mother, Susan Vanwinkle, her son underwent brain surgery on Monday and had a metal plate attached to his skull, where it had been fractured.
          Larry came through surgery and is recovering at the medical center.
         According to Susan Vanwinkle, the couple's children were in one room of the house, and started misbehaving. Before she could get to them to see what was going on, the couple's father told her that he had hit the child with a baseball bat.
          After police investigated the circumstances surrounding the assault, they arrested Vanwinkle.
         The couple's three other children are currently staying with their grandparents. KSP Detective Donald Wilson is in charge of the investigation and was assisted by Trooper Jason Vanhook, the Rockcastle Sheriff's Department and the Kentucky Department for Community Based Services / Child Protective Services.
          Larry was reportedly released Wednesday from the University of Kentucky Children's Hospital.

And just thinking of all the things I've done this year that I never got a chance to write about... Things I'm sorry I never blogged about:
- Chainsaw Training / my week as a vagabound out east
- the huge, creepy, furry dreamcatcher I found in my room
- the "Is this the place where you give out free money?" guy
- Floyd House Olympics
- Ben Sollee Concert
- Christmas Basket distribution crazy-ness
and probably tons more...