Union County Sheriff curtails operations over budget

The Union County Sheriff has shut down the jail and laid off most of hisstaff after being denied more funding. Sheriff John Coulter closed the jail and laid off all county deputies andjail employees Tuesday. The move came after the county supervisors refusedto approve an additional 17-thousand dollars for this fiscal year’S budget. Coulter sent the five jail inmates to other counties. Coulter says he willanswer emergency calls, but that is the only service his department willprovide. Sheriff Coulter says the shut down will last until June 30th, theend of this fiscal year.