Jailer, city officials share holiday spirit with local inmates

December 25, 2018 | 3:08 am

Updated December 24, 2018 | 6:48 pm

Photo courtesy of Art Maglinger

Spending Christmas in jail is not anyone’s ideal holiday plan. Inmates at the Daviess County Jail received a special visit from elected officials and community members who brought some Christmas cheer their way.

The jail, on Kentucky 144, currently houses approximately 700 inmates, the majority of which will remain there through the holiday season.

Last week, Mayor Tom Watson, Daviess County Clerk David “Oz” Osbourne, Circuit Court Judge Jay Wethington and Justice of the Peace Anthony Cobb visited the jail to sing Christmas carols for the inmates.

Jailer Art Maglinger said it was a meaningful service that a lot of people seemed to enjoy.

About 50 inmates participated in the caroling, including a group who helped hold signs for the 12 Days of Christmas song, which was a big hit among inmates. After the caroling, everyone in attendance received peppermint candy.

Another way the inmates are able to enjoy the holiday season is through The Salvation Army.

Every year they provide gift bags for the inmates which include socks, bottled water, candy and a few other small gifts.

“Afterward, you would see some of the inmates wear the colorful socks with their Crocs which adds some brightness to their outfits,” Maglinger said. “The inmates like that.”

The Daviess-McLean Baptist Association helps inmates celebrate Christmas by gift giving too. Donations collected by the DMBA help purchase Christmas gifts for all of the children of the inmates, which ends up being well over 500, including federal, state and county inmates.

The jailer said he was able to personally deliver some of the gifts this year which was a positive experience for him. Every child gets a toy and a Bible in their gift bag with the intended goal being that the child is receiving the gift from the parent who is incarcerated.

“The gifts are mailed to their children no matter where they are,” Maglinger said. “We’ve had gifts reach as far west as Arizona some years.”

While Maglinger said Christmas day is pretty much business as usual, the inmates do get a holiday meal. He also said they can still call home and use their new email system to contact their friends and families.

The inmates can get 150 email messages sent to them each month.

“This is something new that the inmates didn’t have last year,” Maglinger said. “I’ve gotten a lot of positive response from it. Some are getting sent pictures of their family Christmas tree, so that’s nice. It’s probably a hard day for them to get through so the more contact with their families, the better.”

Operations go back to normal at the jail on Dec. 26.

December 25, 2018 | 3:08 am

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