FLOODS LEAD TO STATE OF EMERGENCY IN MURRAY
Almost 5 inches of rain on top of several inches of melted snow from last week, led to multiple flash flood warnings yesterday for Calloway County and the surrounding area and prompted Calloway County Judge Executive Kenny Imes to declare a State of Emergency. Several Murray streets flooded, and water entered cars, businesses and homes from along North 16th Street to Diuguid Drive. There were power outages, a traffic light signal box was damaged, a few roads in the county were damaged, some cell phone services were disrupted, but no injuries were reported. 4.99 inches were recorded Sunday at the WNBS Weather Center. At least one west Kentucky county reported 6 or more inches of rain.
NEXT VACCINATION CLINIC IS WEDNESDAY
The Calloway County Health Department’s next Regional Vaccination Clinic will be from 8 am to 5 pm Wednesday at the CFSB Center on the Murray State campus. Appointments will be scheduled from the Calloway County Health Department’s sign up list of individuals over 70 and others in Phase 1B, as well as some in Phase 1C, per the state vaccination guidelines. You must have a previously confirmed, scheduled appointment in order to be vaccinated at the Regional Vaccination Site. There will be vaccination clinic dates and appointments in the future, so continue to sign up at callowayhealth.org.
NEW VACCINATION SITES ANNOUNCED
Gov. Andy Beshear announced last week 119 new vaccination sites, bringing the state’s total number of vaccine providers to 410. Six of the new locations are regional sites; three are federally qualified health centers; 10 are Walmart stores; 10 are Kroger stores; and 90 are Walgreens stores. New locations will be added to the ‘Where Can I Get Vaccinated?’ map on the vaccine.ky.gov website. Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman also announced public transit agencies across the commonwealth are offering free or reduced-cost transportation to and from vaccine appointments. These services are already operating in over 90 counties, covering 75% of all counties across Kentucky.
CCHD UPDATES COVID CASES AS POSITIVITY RATE FALLS
The Calloway County Health Department reported 14 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday, bringing the total number of cases during the pandemic to 3,350. Of that total, 3,261 have recovered, 40 are isolated at home, 1 is hospitalized, and there have been 48 deaths. As of Thursday, Murray Calloway County Hospital reports the COVID-19 test positivity rate for Calloway County is 3.74%. Calloway County’s Incidence Rate per 100,000 on Sunday was 9.9% which was up from Saturday’s rate of 8.1. While most of the counties in west Kentucky are outside the red zone, Caldwell County’s rate of 239 is the highest in the state, with almost four times the rate of second place Taylor County at 61.
STATE POSITIVITY RATE DROPS TO 5%
At Sunday’s COVID-19 update for Kentucky, 675 new cases and 12 deaths were reported, raising the total to 4,637 Kentuckians who are listed as covid deaths. As of Sunday, there have been over 4.49 million coronavirus tests performed in Kentucky with a positivity rate of 5.02%, which is lower than last Sunday’s rate of 6.72%. There are 818 Kentuckians hospitalized which is 84 less than last Sunday, including 218 in ICU, which is 30 less than one week ago. At least 47,544 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus.
IN AND AROUND KENTUCKY
FRANKFORT—Many of Kentucky’s roadways are underwater as the commonwealth faces widespread flooding. Roadways are covered in at least 12 counties, with the town of Salyersville in Magoffin County completely impassible. Counties across the commonwealth were under flood warnings last night, with some not expiring until this morning.
MAGOFFIN COUNTY—Salyersville Nursing and Rehabilitation is evacuated after flood waters began rising in the city. The city of Salyersville is shut down, with all roads impassible due to flooding. Nursing home officials say they made the decision to evacuate while the center was still accessible to protect the residents and staff. National Guard members, local ambulance providers, and staff coordinated the relocation of the residents. Families were contacted about their loved ones’ new location.
ELLIOTT COUNTY—A rescue team is responsible for saving mares and foals trapped by flooding in Elliot County. Rough Terrain Rescue was called in last night to rescue the horses, which were relocated to nearby barns. They will be kept warm and dry in their new location. Elliot County Emergency Management officials commended the team, who they said is “one of the best around.”
PHASE 1C VACCINATIONS BEGIN—COVID-19 vaccinations for people in Phase One-C are getting underway. The group includes people ages 60 and old, residents over 16-years-old with high risk conditions, and all essential workers. More than one-point-three million Kentuckians are covered in the latest group. Over 687-thousand people in Kentucky have received at least one dose of the vaccine since vaccinations began.
OWENSBORO—Authorities are investigating after an Owensboro pedestrian was struck by a vehicle and killed. The crash happened Saturday night at the intersection of Fairview Drive and Mallard Landing Loop. Deputies say a 74-year-old man walked into the path of an oncoming vehicle while trying to cross Fairview Drive. He was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor for the driver of the vehicle. Toxicology reports for the pedestrian are pending.
LEXINGTON—A former president and CEO of Churchill Downs is being remembered. Albert Lynn Stone died at age 95 last week in Lexington. He was in charge from 1970-1984. Stone started at Churchill Downs in 1961 as a resident manager before being named the ninth president of the track in 1970, replacing Wathen Knebelkamp.
TENNESSEE—There are over eleven-hundred new coronavirus cases in Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Health reported one-thousand-117 new COVID-19 cases yesterday, bringing the total since the outbreak began to over 775-thousand. Nearly 20 additional COVID-19-related deaths were reported, bringing the total number of coronavirus-attributed deaths statewide to over eleven-thousand-400. Fewer than 900 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized statewide.
TENNESSEE—The state’s largest school district is welcoming back students for in-person learning. Students who chose the in-person learning option will return to Shelby County Schools’ classrooms today for the first time since closing a year ago due to the coronavirus. Students in pre-K through fifth grade will be the first to return. Students in grades sixth through 12th will return to in-person learning on Monday, March 8th.
TENNESSEE—The Shelby County Health Department could be hearing from federal authorities. The director of the Shelby County Health Department resigned last week during an investigation of wasting COVID-19 vaccines and stockpiling an excess of vaccines. Tennessee Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey says the FBI has been notified of the potential theft. Dr. Piercey also says the Tennessee Department of Health wants to know how two children were able to get appointments despite the vaccine having yet to be approved for anyone under 16-years-old.
TENNESSEE—It’s Severe Weather Awareness Week in Tennessee. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency sys it’s meant to encourage Tennesseans to prioritize planning and preparation during severe weather. Along with the National Weather Service, TEMA will offer a series of virtual training throughout the week to help supply Tennesseans with the tools to handle inclement weather. This week marks a year since deadly tornado outbreaks in Middle and East Tennessee last spring.
