Tom Armstead News Today

At the March 15 Ripley City Council meeting, members approved the $2,561.269 budget for fiscal year 2022-2023. The coal severance is budgeted at $6,500.

Jackson County has received $3.9 million in American Rescue Plan funds, more on the way.

The mayor spoke of another incident with the city police that impressed her. “I can honestly say our police chief and his sergeant saved a young lady’s life,” Rader said.

Suzette Lowe Special to Jackson Newspapers The area commonly known as Parsons Corner, located at the intersection of Routes 21 and 33 in Ripley, will hopefully be receiving a makeover. Linda Dickirson, member of the City of Ripley Beautification Committee, presented a preliminary plan to the city council at its May 18 meeting. Additions proposed were a wrought iron fence with gate opening, benches, landscaping and brick walkways. Currently, the lot is empty with no landscaping. In the past it�...

Haskins and Staats receive Key to the City Suzette Lowe Reporter The Ripley City Council was opened in an unusual way, with a story read by Mayor Carolyn Raider. The moral of that story lead into a presentation. The mayor shared the speech by college baseball coach, John Scolinos, in which he asked a room full of baseball coaches if every home plate measured the same 17 inches. He went on to stress that even if a player has trouble with the size of the plate, the standard never changes, the exp...

Plans moving forward for Fourth of July and Chocolate Festival Suzette Lowe Reporter The Events Committee for the City of Ripley is doing just what the name implies. The group is already making plans for the Fourth of July and the annual Chocolate Festival. Mayor Carolyn Rader shared with City Council the basic plan that the committee, which consists of Rader, Bobbi Ferrell, Matt Anderson, and Mike Ruben, has been discussing. “This year the Fourth of July falls on a Sunday,” she said. “Ou...

Refinancing sewer bonds will save city thousands of dollars Suzette Lowe Reporter Many agenda items at the Dec. 1 Ripley City Council meeting required the input and expertise of city treasurer, Tom Armstead. Council members Carolyn Waybright, Rick Buckley, Danny Martin, and Recorder David Casto, with John McGinley unable to attend, approved Armstead’s proposal to refinance the sewer bonds through the United States Department of Agriculture. The option will allow the 18 years left on the loan ...