Home Care In New Castle, KY

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Two small towns in Kentucky are rolling out the red carpet.

New Castle and Campbellsburg are home to an upcoming film called "Red Right Hand."

One of the film's stars, Orlando Bloom, shared photos on his Instagram.

New Castle Tavern Owner Jim Hubbs says the production crew chose the perfect spot to film.

"You know you got the courthouse, which is the appeal to everybody who comes to New Castle,” Hubbs said. "I know it's exciting because a lot of these people directly, or indirectly, have kinda gotten touched by it.”

His daughter is one of those people; Hubbs said after weeks of crew members coming to the tavern to get a bite to eat they asked her to be a part of the team.

"They started on her several weeks ago about coming to work for them and she kept kidding unless she's in front of the camera, she wants nothing to do with it. But as the time got closer they really pressed,” Hubbs said.

Now, Hubbs said she's having a great time - working hard and learning a lot.

The crew was filming at a church in Campbellsburg Tuesday. Lights surrounded the building.

The church's bulletin was changed to reflect the name of the movie's fictional county, Odim.

As a staple in the community, and with not many food options in town, Hubbs said he doesn't know how customers will feel if the tavern is chosen as a shooting location.

RELATED: Feature film shooting in Louisville this spring is looking to hire Kentucky locals; Here's how to apply

“There's nowhere else to go,” Hubbs laughingly said.

General Manager and Head Chef Cameron Gandee agreed.

"I think a lot of people would be a little upset because they want their food and there's not a lot of places to go out here, so they'd be kinda bummed but I think they'd understand if that did happen,” Gandee said.

Kentucky woman shares photo of actor Orlando Bloom.

He’s been feeding the crew well before filming started and is glad to see the support for local businesses.

"They've been super, super friendly and every time that they come in, we pick up right where we left off and joke around and have good conversation,” Gandee said.

Great conversation and appreciation for the small town that both men said will surely reflect in the film.

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New Castle Fire and Rescue headed by Chief Greg Smith held their inaugural Fall Fling event on Saturday with a variety of vendors including the All Porked Out barbecue food truck, family fun activities like pumpkin painting and a Halloween bounce house, live music from Frankfort musician Andy Palmer and crew demonstration of a car crash extrication.

The events raised funds for the department in addition to awareness about the demand for firefighting volunteers and the work they do.

New Castle department volunteers Sabrina Doll, Logan Judy, Daniel Jones and Tray Curry performed the extrication of two dummies from a Jeep Grand Cherokee donated by Mosby’s Towing & Transport while New Castle Assistant Chief Michael Ellis explained the process to those gathered to watch.

The demonstration featured the battery-powered extrication tools that the department purchased last year through grant funding for $40,000. The tools included a metal cutter, a hydraulic spreader to clear metal away from entrapped victims to free them and a telescopic ram to push collapsed dashboards from the legs and feet of victims in wrecked vehicles.

Prior to the demonstration, Ellis related how the battery-powered extrication tools have worked in replacement of the gas-powered ones previously used by the department.

“It takes less time to get them ready,” Ellis said of the new extrication tools. “All you have to do is take them out, and they’re ready to go.”

Ellis said the tools are quieter than the previous type used, which allows crews to communicate better at the scene.

The crew also demonstrated how the wrecked vehicle is stabilized prior to extrication and the car battery connection cut.

“You’ve got to make sure everything’s good to go before you ever start cutting on the car,” said Daniel Jones, who also commented about the importance of precision in using the tools and the critical purpose of extrication to free victims for emergency transport.

“They can get medical treatment in the car while we’re extricating at the same time, but you’ve got to extricate them to get them advanced medical care.”

During the demonstration, Logan Judy used the cutter and spreader to remove the driver’s side doors. As a Junior Firefighter Program volunteer, Judy has met the certification required for teen firefighters to respond with their department when the tones call them to action.

“The first time I ever went on a run, we were responding to a car wreck on a fire engine,” he said, adding that the adrenalin of the experience and the purpose behind it fueled his drive to become a first responder.

“I do what I do because I like helping people. I’ve always liked helping our community. Helping others is our number one thing.”

For Judy, his interest in volunteer firefighting began with his father Steve Judy, formerly of the Lake Jericho fire department, and his grandfather, who he said worked as an EMT in Goshen, Ohio. But his commitment to the New Castle department came through the contact he initiated to begin his first responder way of life in earnest.

“I actually texted New Castle Fire on Facebook,” he said. “I just wanted to do it.”

The family tradition and firehouse visits during youth are shared by many of the firefighters, including former New Castle chief and current department safety officer Wesley Benham, whose father Dennis “Sugar Bear” Benham formerly served as New Castle deputy chief.

“Pretty much growing up with it,” Benham said of the firefighting tradition. “Every training night you’d come down here for it. It just becomes natural. It’s in your blood.”

The firefighting family tradition and the call to action early on also motivated Tray Curry, who started at the age of 15 and now at the age of 21 remains committed to the first responder mission. Curry is a fifth-generation firefighter, who visited the Lake Jericho firehouse early on with his father Shane Curry, who was a firefighter there, plus his mother’s side of the family is the Lucas firefighting family of Eminence, whose members have answered the first responder call for several decades.

Curry also praised the Junior Firefighter Program for its appeal for youth who want to join the ranks of volunteer fire departments throughout the county, not only New Castle.

“All you have to do is have parental consent to join the fire department,” he said, adding that program volunteers must meet academic and behavior standards comparable to high school student athletes.

“It gives them experience, and we also allow them to do community service if they have that for school.”

While the inaugural Fall Fling provided a recruitment outreach for the department, the fundraising aim of the event remained at the forefront.

“All the proceeds are going to the New Castle fire department, so we can purchase gear and equipment,” said Secretary Christina Ellis.

The extrication demonstration showcased how some of that necessary equipment is put to work, but the event also provided more opportunities to see much of the gear and the apparatus that the department has available for use, including a gear dryer that enables firefighters to dry what they wear after their response is finished.

“We use to have to go to another department to wash and dry our own gear,” said Michael Ellis. “Then we started getting our own equipment so we could do it all in-house.”

Ellis added that state aid helped pay for the gear dryer. He also commented that the full set of firefighter gear costs between $3,500 and $4,000 per volunteer, but the gear is considered outdated after 10 years.

“Something we’re very proud of is that all of our firefighters have in-date gear,” he said.

As Deputy Chief, Sabrina Doll also addressed many of the costs and expenses that the fire department faces.

“It’s very expensive to run a firehouse,” she said.

Chief among those expenses are the costs required for apparatus. Doll said replacement of apparatus remains a priority, like that of their current 1995 brush truck.

“We’re actually getting ready to purchase a 2007 we found,” she said.

Doll said their tanker was the last apparatus purchased by the department. New Castle also has two fire engines and two vehicles to secure on-scene command.

Doll added that the department recently received a grant through the state forestry department that will help outfit the brush truck purchase with “different equipment that we have to use for brush fires, field fires, because a lot of equipment we have is outdated.”

Doll hopes the inaugural Fall Fling is the start of the New Castle Fire and Rescue annual fundraising event tradition to “upgrade the firehouse and get our firefighters some equipment.” While the annual New Castle fish fry is renowned in the county, it is not a significant department fundraiser because, as Doll said, almost all of the proceeds benefit the WHAS Crusade For Children charity based in Louisville.

“So, we’re not really making any money on the fish fry,” she said.

To find out more about volunteer opportunities with New Castle Fire and Rescue or how to donate to their cause, contact the department through their Facebook page or email the department at [email protected].

New Castle councilman Charlie Sevier took the publicity for the city’s annual Spring Fling citywide celebration to the WAVE Country studio in Louisville last week for an interview with TV personality Dawne Gees.

Sevier discussed the event schedule, which features a Main Street parade at 1 p.m. led by grand marshals Garry and Lula Polston and including an entry from Norton’s Kosair Children’s Hospital in Louisville.

Among other event activities discussed during the interview was the Dessert Bake-Off for amateur bakers who can enter their baked goods into the three categories of the contest: pies, cakes and miscellaneous goods such as cookies and brownies. Participants must bring their baked items to the New Castle Locker building at 24 South Main Street from 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Bakers can participate in more than one category for bragging rights and a $40 cash prize for the winner in each category and a $20 prize for second place. The top overall baker recognized at the event will receive a $75 prize. Judging for the baked goods contest will be held in the Locker at 2 p.m.

The Spring Fling also includes several performances, including music in the afternoon from Rachael Oldham (3 p.m.) Joe Clark (4 p.m.) Craig Cole (5:30 p.m.) and the Killin’ Time Band who will perform from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. for the New Castle street dance.

Other performers include the Country Kickers at 11 a.m., the Cowboy Posse reenactment group at noon and 2:30 p.m., Proverbs 31 ministry at 1:30 p.m. and the Balloon Lady from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Sevier also mentioned the Kids Zone for the event that will offer games and an inflatable bounce house throughout the day. Also, arts and crafts vendors, food trucks and flea market booths will be available throughout the day.

“I love seeing the smile on everybody’s faces that day and everything,” said Sevier. “And seeing people you haven’t seen in years come out.”

Sevier also credited the many sponsors for Spring Fling for their contributions to the event.

“We’ve had an exceptional year for the sponsors this year, so we’re giving it back to the community,” he added.

Prior to the start of the festivities, the City of New Castle will hold a street name dedication at 10:30 a.m. at the intersection of Carter and South Main Streets in tribute to former city attorney Joe Yates.

“We thought this would be a way to honor him,” Sevier said.

Owners of the 102-acre Choi Farm property near New Castle, Joungho Choi and Soon Nyoung Min, installed two banks of 42 solar panels each to generate electricity for their home and farm through a 30 kilowatt DC (direct current) photovoltaic system.

“I generate about three times more than I need,” Choi said. “My excess power turns into KU (Kentucky Utilities), so I can get credit from them.”

The Choi residence has a bi-directional meter that shows the solar-generated electricity used for their household and farm, but it also tracks the flow of excess electricity that switches from the house system to the utility grid for KU to make available to other customers, which provides credit for the Choi Farm account with the utility.

Choi installed the solar-power panel banks in addition to microinverters on each panel.He also can install the solar panel systems for others through Generation Solar, LLC.

“The solar panels reflect the sun and generates the DC (direct current) power,” said Choi. “Individual panel has a microinverter switching from DC power to AC (alternating current).”

While the solar power usage at the Choi Farm is primarily residential, which includes powering an electric heat pump for household heating and cooling, the electricity surplus it generates enables more potential applications for the farm.

“It’s residential style, so it’s not a solar farm — it’s in between,” said Min. “We wanted to see how efficient it is, so we can know more.”

One usage for the surplus electricity planned for the Choi Farm is greenhouse operation for “growing flowers throughout the year.” The solar electric alternative may provide a less expensive option for the farm than traditional energy sources for greenhouse operation.

“Natural gas and electric heaters are the two most popular ways of heating a greenhouse,” said Choi.

The Choi Farm barn also has solar-powered electricity but does not currently support a high-usage application.

“We don’t have any farm operations (in the barn), so it’s just light,” Choi said.

Another potential usage for surplus electricity from solar is powering a commercial kitchen.

“If I wanted to build a good amount of baked goods in a commercial kitchen, I would spend about $500 a month on electricity,” said Min, who does bake goods like macarons, French financiers and bread varieties for sale at farmers markets. “With this (the solar power energy source), I don’t have to worry about electricity at all.”

Choi installed the solar-powered electrical system on the farm this fall and awaited his first billing statement from KU at the beginning of December.

“It provides a new way of living,” Choi said of system. “Solar will be my main (source of electric), and the utility will be my backup.”

Choi added that his system has a 20 kilowatt-hour, battery powered backup generator that can supply the farm residence with electrical power for up to two days.

“With the solar and the battery, we can live without utility power, said Choi.

The solar panel electrical system meets the household needs for Choi, Min and their six children living at home. It also provides something else.

“More peace of mind because we’re more energy efficient,” said daughter Dayou Choi.

Another use currently applied at the Choi Farm provides electric power away from the farm through charging an electric vehicle used by eldest daughter Dayoung Choi to commute to Bellarmine University.

“The first benefit we saw was the savings from the gas for my daughter driving back and forth to Bellarmine,” said Min.

Besides savings for gasoline expense and billing for electric that credits electrical production rather than charges for consumption, the solar panel electrical system provided a tax benefit.

“They give us 30% tax deduction for entire installation,” Choi said, adding that retail prices for solar panels are $200 each and $160 each for the microinverters.

While the solar panel electrical system may prove impractical for individual residences without space for installation or building code clearance, the system could be suited for farmers, which Choi said he supports and provides consultation for those who are interested in the alternate energy source.

“Based on what they have and what they’re planning to use, we can determine what size of solar panel system they need,” said Choi.

Choi offers information about the solar power system by email at [email protected].

“My goal is more — not to install — but to educate farmers what is available out there,” he said.

The Choi family raises grain-finished Black Angus steer on their pastures for the beef that The Choi Farm offers for sale in addition to their farm grown produce sold during the summer at the New Castle Farmers Market.

Sydney and Kerrick Lawson both grew up in the Eastern Kentucky environs of Carter County, only to leave their home place to attend different colleges — Morehead State and Northern Kentucky University for her and the University of Louisville for him.

However, the two would reunite in Northern Kentucky for Kerrick’s 24th birthday, which set the couple on the course that would eventually lead them to their current home at Lawson Family Farm in Sulphur.

“We moved out of Jefferson County into the country,” Kerrick Lawson said. “Got some land and did our personal garden the first year and have been expanding ever since.”

Exactly how to expand was a topic of discussion, Sydney Lawson said, that involved finding a happy medium about what to raise for harvest.

“So, bees was the compromise,” she said.

“We tried for a year to get hives, then finally got hooked up with the HoneyBear Farms (in Jeffersontown).”

Her husband confirmed the value of the HoneyBear Farms experience.

“That was a crash course on a Saturday of everything you need to get started,” he said.

And with that extra education, Sydney Leigh’s Bees Raw Kentucky Honey blossomed.

“We currently have six hives — four that are our main honey producing and two we’re kind of holding back, nursing a little bit,” said the namesake for the Lawson Family Farm honey brand.

She also said that they’ve harvested 65 pounds of honey so far this year. Her husband added that they’ve bottled 60 bottles full of the golden liquid so far.

“The early spring honey seems to be lighter but sweeter,” he said, adding that the bees worked the honeysuckle, black locust and blackberry flowers heavily this spring. “The fall honey is a bit more rich.”

While the Lawsons are selling their stock of honey regularly now at Henry County markets, they have more coming.

“Yesterday, we pulled another 13 frames of honey,” Sydney Lawson said on Friday.

That honey, she said, will sit for a few days before it’s processed.

The Lawsons received Kentucky Proud certification for their market products this year after participation in several Henry County markets last year.

Besides honey, their farm also produces onions, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, carrots, and, later in the summer, tomatoes, corn, bell peppers and other peppers like scorpion peppers.

Kerrick Lawson said the high-tunnel greenhouse the couple built from a kit helps them keep the produce coming.

“We seed everything in the house then start to plant in the greenhouse and the garden,” he said.

The Lawson Family Farm participates in the New Castle farmers market that is held every Wednesday and Saturday at the Courthouse Square from 8 a.m. to noon and the Henry County Chamber of Commerce Love Local Market that is held on the Henry County Public Library grounds every third Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.