By Ray King
Lincoln County is in the process of building a new jail and County Judge Buddy Earnest said Tuesday that the sheriff is hiring.
Earnest told Deltaplex News that the new jail will have space for 21 men and 21 women and said the county is having trouble finding female jailers.
He said the current jail, which is located in the Lincoln County Courthouse houses a much smaller number of prisoners and when the new facility is completed, he expects the jail will look for extra revenue by housing state prisoners and prisoners from the surrounding area.
Earnest also said the county is in line to receive $2.5 million in COVID money and some of that will go to replace equipment, particularly for the road department and some will go into the bank to build up a reserve.
