CALLOWAY COUNTY PLANS BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
At a press conference, local officials yesterday announced plans for a celebration of Calloway County’s bicentennial in 2022. The Calloway Fiscal Court will be working in conjunction with Murray Independent Schools and Murray State University, who are also celebrating anniversaries that year. Murray Independent Schools is celebrating 150 years, and Murray State will celebrate its centennial. Judge-Executive Kenny Imes said next year’s celebration will look back on the county’s 200 year history.
DAMAGE TO COUNTY ROADS COULD EXCEED 3 MILLION DOLLARS
Damage to roads from flooding two weeks ago will cost Calloway County a lot of money to repair. Judge Executive Kenny Imes told WPSD TV that he believes the root cause of the flooding must be addressed. There are 86 roads that need repairs at an estimated cost of three to five million dollars. The county is applying for FEMA funding and local leaders are asking community members to send pictures of the damage they’ve experienced to info@callowaycountyky.gov.
OPPORTUNITY DRIVE CLOSED FOR REPAIRS
According to Murray Public Works, Opportunity Drive is Closed to traffic between Poor Farm Road and North Elementary School Road for Culvert Replacement. The expected length of closure for repairs is three days. The culvert was damaged by the February 28th flooding that occurred in Murray due to multiple thunderstorms that rolled though the area that day.
CCHD REPORTS 3 NEW CASES; MCCH POSITIVITY RATE UNDER 2%
The Calloway County Health Department yesterday reported 3 new cases of COVID-19 . The total number of county cases during the pandemic is 3,376. Of that total, 3,294 have recovered, 38 are isolated at home, 1 is hospitalized, and there have been 48 deaths. The latest COVID-19 test positivity rate from Murray-Calloway County Hospital is 1.31% as of Thursday. The tests may include those from other counties who tested at the hospital.
CALLOWAY INCIDENCE RATE DOWN SHARPLY
Calloway County’s Incidence Rate per 100,000 on Tuesday was 4%, which was lower than Monday’s rate of 10.6%. Though down 7% from Monday, Lyon County’s rate remains a state leading 351.5%, which is almost nine times higher than second place Rowan County’s rate of 40.3. Neither local school district has reported any cases or quarantines this week.
STATE POSITIVITY RATE UNDER 4%
At Tuesday’s COVID-19 update for Kentucky, 880 new cases and 21 deaths were reported, raising the total to 4,850 Kentuckians who are listed as COVID deaths. As of Tuesday, there have been over 4.61 million coronavirus tests performed in Kentucky with a positivity rate of 3.94%, which is lower than last Tuesday’s rate of 4.76%. There are 551 Kentuckians hospitalized which is 133 less than last Tuesday, including 147 in ICU, which is 31 less than one week ago. At least 48,272 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus.
WINCHESTER APPOINTED TO LEADERSHIP KENTUCKY BOARD
Leadership Kentucky announced the new 2021 board chair and the appointment of new members to the 2021 Executive Committee and Board of Directors. Daniel Bork was named board chair. He previously retired as commissioner of Revenue for the Kentucky Department of Revenue, and as Vice President of Tax for Lexmark International. Calloway County Deputy Judge Executive Gina Winchester was appointed to the Board of Directors.
MPD WARNS OF SCAMS
The Murray Police Department has recently had an increase in the number of scams reported. Typically, scammers attempt to scare you into providing information or make you believe you’ve won a prize and need to provide information to obtain the prize. If you feel like someone may be trying to scam you, stop communicating with them. A number of these scams have been unemployment insurance fraud where the perpetrator gathers an individual’s personal information, and uses it to file for unemployment insurance. More information about these scams can be found at the Kentucky Attorney General’s website. Another common type of scam around this time of year is a tax scam where the perpetrator uses an individual’s personal information to file a false tax return and obtain a refund in that person’s name. The IRS provides information about these scams at irs.gov/newsroom.
MEHR RECEIVES STAR AWARD
In a special ceremony inside the Murray High School Library, Murray Independent Future Farmers of America vice-president Autumn Mehr received the All-Region Star Award from Dr. Brian Parr, Assistant Dean at the MSU Hutson School of Agriculture. Mehr plans to pursue an Agricultural Education degree at MSU and become a middle or high school agriculture teacher. This is a first-time award in the history of Murray High School. The Murray Independent FFA charter was established in 2020.
KENTUCKY SETS WEEKLY VACCINE RECORD
A record 127,110 Kentuckians were vaccinated during the past week, breaking the previous record of 112,428 vaccinations set the week before. The state’s positivity rate is at its lowest rate since September 21. First Lady Britainy Beshear yesterday announced Ford Motor Company has donated 1 million masks to Kentucky schools, with a commitment to donate an additional 500,000 masks in the coming weeks. Kentucky’s Department for Public Health and Department of Education will distribute the masks to school districts.
IN AND AROUND KENTUCKY
FRANKFORT—Kentucky’s annual unemployment rate for 2020 was 6.6%, up from 4.1% in 2019, according to the Kentucky Center for Statistics. The U.S. annual unemployment rate jumped to 8.1% in 2020 from 3.7% in 2019. All 50 states experienced a statistically significant increase in their annual unemployment rates from 2019 to 2020. Kentucky’s unemployment rate for 2020 was higher than 20 states and lower than 29 states.
LEXINGTON—The organization Appalachians for Appalachia is hosting a virtual fundraising concert for flood relief in southeast Kentucky. The Love Thy Neighbor-themed event will feature more than 35 regional artists, including The Local Honeys, Senora May, SG Goodman, and The Wooks. The performances will stream live on the Appalachians for Appalachia Facebook and Instagram pages tomorrow evening starting at 7 p.m.
FRANKFORT—Some are criticizing a bill that would add a second permanent family court judge in Daviess County. Officials in Hancock County say the measure would result in moving Hancock County out of the 38th Judicial Circuit and District and into the Sixth Judicial Circuit and District with Daviess County. It would also eliminate a family court judgeship in the 38th Circuit and District. The bill has been approved by the full House and is set to be heard in the Senate’s judiciary committee.
INDIANA—Indiana authorities say the body of a missing Kentucky teen has been recovered from the Ohio River. Officials say a tugboat operator at the Newburgh Lock and Dam spotted the body of 16-year-old Jacob Stover Monday afternoon and notified authorities. Stover was reported missing January 10th while kayak fishing on the Ohio River.
HENDERSON—Police are investigating after a pedestrian was hit by a vehicle in Henderson. Authorities say the man was hit on Highway 41 in front of an Arby’s. The victim was conscious and responding when rescue personnel arrived to take him to the hospital., where he underwent surgery and is in unknown condition. The driver of the late model white Chevy Equinox involved left the scene, but later contacted the Henderson Police Department.
LEXINGTON—Traffic is back open on North Broadway in Lexington after a semi hauling chickens hit a bridge. The crash happened early yesterday morning near New Circle Road, shutting down traffic on the busy street for around three hours. The semi was headed from Liberty, Kentucky to Pennsylvania when it hit a Lexington railroad overpass. A number of chickens escaped and had to be rounded up. Police say the driver wasn’t injured. No charges are being filed.
FRANKFORT—There are eight new Kentucky State Police telecommunicators. The KSP telecommunicators from throughout the commonwealth were recognized yesterday at a graduation ceremony. They make up the 17th class of the agency’s in-house Telecommunications Academy in Frankfort. KSP says the telecommunicators are a lifeline to both Kentuckians in need and responders in the field.
BOWLING GREEN—A former Kentucky State Police trooper is facing charges. State police arrested former Trooper Ben Hubbard earlier this week in Barren County. Hubbard is charged with official misconduct, possession of a defaced firearm, tampering with evidence and receiving stolen property. Hubbard resigned during an investigation over a stolen and illegal gun.
TENNESSEE—Nissan Stadium will be the site of Nashville’s biggest ever one-day vaccination event. Metro Nashville announced yesterday it will vaccinate ten-thousand people against COVID-19 on Saturday, March 20th. The drive-thru event will be held in Lots A-through-D of Nissan Stadium. Anyone in Phase 1A, 1B, 1C and those 65-and-older are eligible with appointments available by visiting covid19.Nashville.gov.
TENNESSEE—Metro Nashville Public Schools wants to give teachers and staff a bonus. The district is proposing using three-million dollars in state education funding and nearly eight-million of federal stimulus grant funds to give them a bonus. MNPS Director of Schools Dr. Adrienne Battle says employees have gone above and beyond over the last year to meet the needs of students and they deserve a bonus. The Tennessee Department of Education would have to approve the grant.
TENNESSEE—Vanderbilt is putting more restrictions on students for the rest of the semester. The school announced yesterday that students are required to remain in Nashville and Davidson County for the rest of the semester. Students will only be allowed to leave for a special circumstance that must be approved by the university 72 hours prior to the trip. However, proof of a negative COVID-19 test is needed to return to classes and other activities.
TENNESSEE—The list of performers for this year’s Great Tennessee Air Show is out. The lineup is headlined by the United States Air Force Thunderbirds. The U.S. Special Operations Command Parachute Team will also perform. Organizers say this year’s event will include social distancing. The show is set for June 5th and 6th at the Smyrna Airport.
ILLINOIS—The Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting that half of all Illinoisans 65 and over have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The IDPH said yesterday that more than three-point-four million total doses have been administered in the state. The total includes over 348-thousand doses administered at long-term care facilities.
