Thursday 28th March 2024

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 2021

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freeze-warning

NWS ISSUES FREEZE WARNING
The National Weather Service has issued a Freeze Warning for our area from 1 am until 9 am Thursday. Vegetation sensitive to freezing temperatures may be damaged or killed so you should take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. A Freeze Warning means sub-freezing temperatures are imminent or highly likely. These conditions will kill crops and other sensitive vegetation.

CLEAN AUDIT FOR FORMER SHERIFF SAM STEGER
Kentucky Auditor Mike Harmon yesterday released the state mandated routine audit of former Calloway County Sheriff Sam Steger. No issues were noted in the audit of Steger’s Calloway County Sheriff’s Settlement of 2019 Taxes for the period April 16, 2019 through May 15, 2020. The audit disclosed no instances of noncompliance or other matters that are required to be reported under Government Auditing Standards.

BRANNON REAPPOINTED TO HEMP ADVISORY BOARD
Commissioner of Agriculture Dr. Ryan Quarles has appointed several Kentuckians to the Industrial Hemp Advisory Board. Among those is Dr. Tony Brannon of Murray who is the Dean of the Hutson School of Agriculture at Murray State University. Dr. Brannon was reappointed to a term expiring October 31, 2024.

CALLOWAY ROAD IMPROVEMENT FUND INCREASED OVER 62%
The Murray Ledger and Times reports that Calloway County Judge-Executive Kenny Imes and the magistrates were informed that they would be getting more money for road improvements than they were originally told, giving them the ability to resurface about 13 miles instead of the roughly 8.7 miles reported two weeks ago. Calloway County was expected to have a 1.1 million dollar balance for road improvements, but last Friday that was amended to over $1.8 million dollars. That’s an increased projection of over 62%.

SUMMER CLASS REGISTRATION AT MSU BEGINS NEXT WEEK
Class registration for the fall semester and summer term begins next week via myGate for Murray State University students. For summer term, a variety of both in-person courses as well as online courses will be available. Murray State accommodates undergraduate and graduate students of all disciplines and schedules by offering short-term two-week, five-week, six-week, and 10-week summer sessions. Additional information, including details on each summer session, is available at murraystate.edu/summer.

CCHD REPORTS 2 NEW COVID-19 CASES
The Calloway County Health Department reported 2 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday, bringing the total number of cases in the county to 3,409 during the pandemic. Of that total, 3,353 cases have recovered, 7 are isolated at home, none are hospitalized, and there have been 49 deaths reported. Calloway County’s COVID-19 Incidence Rate per 100,000 on Tuesday was 2.2%, which was down from Monday’s rate of 2.6%. Ballard County, Carlisle County, and Hickman County continue to have COVID-19 incidence rates of 0. There are only eight red zone counties for COVID-19 cases in the state.

OVER 700 NEW COVID-19 CASES REPORTED IN KENTUCKY
At Tuesday’s COVID-19 update for Kentucky, 751 new cases and 13 new deaths were reported, raising the total to 6,065 Kentuckians who are listed as covid deaths. As of Tuesday, there have been over 4.91 million coronavirus tests performed in Kentucky with a positivity rate of 2.9%, which is lower than last Tuesday’s rate of 2.93%. There are 378 Kentuckians hospitalized which is 58 less than last Tuesday, including 91 in ICU, which is 2 less than one week ago. At least 49,627 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus.

LYON COUNTY MAN CHARGED AFTER POLICE CHASE
Just after midnight Monday, a Benton Police officer noticed a man attempting to hook up a trailer to a vehicle at a construction site across from South Marshall Middle School. The driver fled as Benton Police officers and Marshall County deputies pursued the vehicle to I-69 and then to I-24. The vehicle was eventually stopped after officers utilized a PIT maneuver. 44-year-old Christopher Teeters of Eddyville was arrested on charges of DUI, fleeing or evading police, wanton endangerment, criminal mischief, resisting arrest, and multiple traffic offenses. Officers learned the vehicle Teeters was using had been stolen earlier in the night. The Benton Police Department will be filing additional charges. Teeters was lodged in the Marshall County Jail.

GAS PRICES FALL
Gas prices in West Central Kentucky are 10 cents cheaper this week at $2.65 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report. At $2.86 per gallon, the national average has decreased week-over-week for the first time since November of last year. The current average is two cents cheaper on the week. Since last Monday, 45 states also saw their averages decrease or no change at the pump. Growing gasoline inventory levels and cheaper crude oil prices are putting downward pressure on pump prices for most motorists. Looking ahead, growing demand and the switchover to summer blend gasoline could be factors for a rise in gas prices, barring any unforeseen circumstances

IN AND AROUND KENTUCKY
FRANKFORT—A no-knock warrant ban is headed to Governor Andy Beshear’s desk. An amended version of Breonna’s Law passed the Senate yesterday. The amendments would loosen restrictions for smaller cities and would require an EMT nearby. Agencies without body cameras would have to record the issuance of a warrant in some other way.

FRANKFORT—A new teachers union is being formed in Kentucky after lawmakers overrode Governor Andy Beshear’s veto of the controversial school choice bill. Members of Kentucky 120 announced yesterday that they are partnering with the American Federation of Teachers to create an educators union in the commonwealth. The Kentucky association joins groups from Ohio and West Virginia that have allied with the AFT. Officials plan to play a part in the next legislative session beginning in January.

COLUMBIA—The cause of an Adair County fire that killed a toddler and injured two people is under investigation. The blaze broke out early Monday morning at a home on Slick Rock West Road. Crews say a 61-year-old woman was able to escape. She and an eleven-year-old girl were airlifted to the hospital for treatment of severe burns. Rescuers found a 20-month-old boy inside who was pronounced dead. Foul play is not suspected.

OWENSBORO—Authorities are investigating after a body was found in the Ohio River in Owensboro. Officials say the body was found yesterday evening behind Fern Terrace. No other details have been released.

WINCHESTER—Police are investigating a Winchester shooting that left one woman dead and the man who shot her injured. Investigators say the shooting happened last night on Spruce Court. The relationship between the man and woman hasn’t been disclosed, and it’s not clear if anyone will face charges.

LOUISVILLE—Kentucky’s Catholic bishops are cheering the move to override Governor Andy Beshear’s veto of school choice legislation. Both the state’s House and Senate voted to override Governor Beshear’s veto of a bill that would use tax credits to fund vouchers for students in some of the state’s largest counties to attend private schools. The Catholic Conference of Kentucky supported the legislation, saying the bill would bring educational choice to Kentucky for the first time. Yesterday, the Bishops said the state will go from having no programs to one of the most expansive programs in the country.

ADAIR COUNTY—The discovery of hundreds animals at an alleged puppy mill in Adair County has a woman facing animal cruelty charges. Animals both dead and alive were found on the property last week by the Adair County Sheriff’s Office. The non-profit group Guardians of Rescue says it was tipped off by a groomer who noticed a dog in deplorable condition. Debra Remmer is facing over 140 animal cruelty charges.

TENNESSEE—There are over 830 new coronavirus cases in Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Health reported 837 new COVID-19 cases yesterday, bringing the total since the outbreak began to nearly 810-thousand-530. Nearly 30 additional COVID-19-related deaths were reported, with the total number of coronavirus-attributed deaths statewide standing at nearly eleven-thousand-900. There are over 800 COVID-19 patients hospitalized statewide.

TENNESSEE—State health officials are warning Tennesseans against letting their guard down against the coronavirus. Over 20 percent of Tennesseans have started the process of getting vaccinated against COVID-19. However, Tennessee remains one of the most infectious states when it comes to new cases of the virus. Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey said yesterday she’s “fairly certain it’s going to get worse.”

TENNESSEE—A bill being debated at the state Capitol would require aborted fetuses either be cremated or buried. The bill passed through a state house subcommittee yesterday with a positive recommendation to the full health committee. It would require a woman having an abortion or healthcare facility to pay for the handling of the process. Murfreesboro Republican Representative Tim Rudd, who sponsored the bill says he’s trying to create a process to treat aborted human beings with dignity.

TENNESSEE—A Gatlinburg mountain coaster is being cleared after a rider was injured. The unidentified person was taken to the hospital after being thrown about ten feet, suffering head, wrist and ankle injuries on Monday. A compliance review officer from the state’s Amusement Device Unit did a post-accident inspection and determined the ride met industry standards. Several businesses in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg operate mountain coasters.

ILLINOIS—Increased COVID-19 hospitalizations are preventing Illinois from moving into the Bridge Phase of the reopening plan. The Illinois Department of Public Health announced over 24-hundred new COVID-19 cases yesterday, along with 17 additional deaths. Nearly 14-hundred people in the state are hospitalized for virus-related illnesses, with 121 on ventilators. IDPH says the state can’t move to the Bridge Phase until hospitalization numbers consistently drop.

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