PEEL AND HOLLAND WINS MAKE MORE HAPPEN AWARD
Liberty Mutual and Safeco Insurance have announced that Peel & Holland Insurance has earned a 2021 Make More Happen Award, recognizing exceptional volunteerism with Soup for the Soul. The award includes a $5,000 donation with a chance to double the amount to $10,000. Soup for the Soul is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the hungry in the Calloway County community. Members of the Peel & Holland team volunteer monthly to staff the Soup for the Soul kitchen. The agency also supports the organization’s Summer Lunch & Literacy Program by prepping and delivering meals to more than 300 local children in Calloway County. Beginning tomorrow, the story will be featured on the Make More Happen microsite at AgentGiving.com/peel-holland-insurance allowing the nonprofit a chance to earn the additional $5,000. If the featured story receives at least 500 votes, the donation will be doubled to $10,000.
STEWART RECEIVES IMPAIRED DRIVING ENFORCEMENT AWARD
Trooper Landon Stewart with Kentucky State Police Post 1 is the recipient of the 2020 Governor’s Impaired Driving Enforcement Award for his efforts to improve highway safety by removing alcohol and drug-impaired drivers from Kentucky roadways. Awards were presented by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Office of Highway Safety to more than 200 officers for their enforcement efforts from October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020. Trooper Stewart arrested 49 impaired drivers on Kentucky roadways. The Governor’s Impaired Driving Enforcement Awards ceremony, typically held in-person each December, was cancelled due to COVID-19. This year, awards were mailed to each winner.
KSP HONORS MEADE
The Kentucky State Police also honored the hard work of fourteen civilian employees from across the Commonwealth with a recent ceremony. Kentucky State Police Post 1 Administrative Specialist III Cathy Meade was awarded the 2020 Post Operations Support Award. Meade resides in Graves County and has served with the Kentucky State Police for 23 years.
VACCINATION APPOINTMENTS STILL AVAILABLE
The Murray Regional Vaccination Collaboration is accepting appointments for COVID-19 vaccine first doses this week at the Murray Regional Vaccination Site from 8 am to 2 pm tomorrow and Thursday. Priority is being given to Phases 1A-1C and those age 50 and older but those 18 years of age and older will be allowed to schedule as well. Go to MurrayKYvaccine.org to schedule an appointment. Select April 7th or 8th to see available appointments. Those who are homebound or without internet access may call the Calloway County Health Department at 270-753-3381.
CCHD REPORTS 2 NEW COVID CASES
The Calloway County Health Department reported 2 new cases of COVID-19 for Sunday and Monday, bringing the county case total during the pandemic to 3,421. Of that total, 3,360 have recovered, 12 are isolated at home, and none are hospitalized. There have been 49 covid-related deaths in the county. Calloway County’s COVID-19 Incidence Rate per 100,000 on Monday was 4%, which is the same as Saturday’s rate. Hickman County continues to have a COVID-19 incidence rate of 0. There are only six red zone counties for COVID-19 cases in the state. Murray State University has reported 4 new student cases from March 29th through Sunday. Both local school systems are on Spring Break this week.
STATE POSITIVITY RATE UP SLIGHTLY
At Monday’s COVID-19 update for Kentucky, 110 new cases and 4 new deaths were reported, raising the total to 6,171 Kentuckians who are listed as covid deaths. As of Monday, there have been over 5 million coronavirus tests performed in Kentucky with a positivity rate of 2.9%, which is slightly higher than last Monday’s rate of 2.89%. There are 353 Kentuckians hospitalized which is 11 less than last Monday, including 97 in ICU, which is 10 more than one week ago. At least 49,915 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus.
SPARKS LECTURE TO HONOR COVID-19 HEROS
Murray State University’s College of Education and Human Services will host its annual Sparks Lecture as a free to the public online event on April 29. The college will also be recognizing various individuals with COVID-19 Hero awards. This year, the college is choosing to honor any individual who stepped up and made a difference in their community during the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of their profession. Furthermore, due to the scope of this award and for the first time ever, nominations will not be limited to Murray State alumni. The deadline to submit nominations for a COVID-19 Hero award is April 15. More information can be found online at bit.ly/SparksLecture Chosen award recipients will be recognized at the 2021 Sparks Lecture. The evening will also include a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Casey Allen, superintendent of Ballard County Schools.
IN AND AROUND KENTUCKY
FRANKFORT–-A new task force will be dealing with the surge of fraudulent unemployment claims in Kentucky. Governor Andy Beshear announced the new task force yesterday that was created by executive order. Beshear says the Office of Unemployment Insurance is also working to strengthen security measures. Those filing new claims will have to create more complex PIN numbers and will only be paid by paper check.
FRANKFORT—Fully vaccinated Kentuckians are now exempt from state travel restrictions. Governor Andy Beshear announced yesterday that he is lifting domestic travel restrictions for those who have completed COVID-19 vaccinations. The governor says those who aren’t vaccinated need to get tested one to three days before a trip and three to five days after traveling. Unvaccinated travelers are also asked to quarantine for seven days on return from out-of-state.
LEXINGTON—Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is applauding Kentucky’s vaccination efforts. McConnell said yesterday morning from the clinic at the University of Kentucky’s Kroger Field that it is the commonwealth’s biggest and most complex vaccination site. The site has administered more than 200-thousand doses and can serve more than four-thousand people a day. The commonwealth began offering COVID-19 vaccinations to those 16 and older a month before President Biden’s vaccine timeline called for.
NEWPORT—A driver involved in a deadly police chase is pleading guilty to two gun charges. Prosecutors say 28-year-old Mason Meyer pleaded guilty yesterday to possession of a handgun by a convicted felon and being a persistent felony offender. Police say Meyer led authorities on a chase August 10th from Cincinnati into Newport before he crashed into the patio of a Newport restaurant. Gayle and Raymond Laible were killed, and two others were seriously injured in the crash. Meyer still faces two counts of murder, four counts of wanton endangerment, and one count each of possession of meth and fleeing and evading.
FRANKFORT—Kentucky is launching a new campaign to prevent child sexual abuse. Attorney General Daniel Cameron was joined in Frankfort yesterday by advocates from Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky and Lextran. Cameron said ads on buses and social media direct Kentuckians to the Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky website. Cameron says that’s where tips, toolkits, and training to prevent child sexual abuse can be found.
LEXINGTON—A man who escaped from the Roederer Correctional Complex in Oldham County is back in custody. The Kentucky Department of Corrections announced yesterday morning that Paul Isaacs had been found. Isaacs was caught by Lexington police at a Wendy’s on Sunday. He walked away from a minimum security unit on Friday where he was serving a 12-year sentence on charges out of Madison County.
TENNESSEE—There are over 500 new coronavirus cases in Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Health reported 523 new COVID-19 cases yesterday, bringing the total since the outbreak began to over 817-thousand. More than half-a-dozen additional COVID-19-related deaths were reported, with the total number of coronavirus-attributed deaths statewide standing at nearly eleven-thousand-930. There are over 800 COVID-19 patients hospitalized statewide.
TENNESSEE—An East Tennessee man is accused of trying to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State. Benjamin Alan Carpenter also goes by the name Abu Hamza [[ Ah-boo Hom-zah ]]. He was arrested in Knoxville in March and is under federal indictment. Carpenter communicated with an FBI agent he allegedly believed was associated with ISIS, providing translations of ISIS media content for the jihadist organization.
TENNESSEE—The Tennessee House is passing a bill to make the hymn Amazing Grace as sung by Dolly Parton an official state song. The bill passed by a 91-to-1 vote yesterday. The bill says the hymn written by slave trader turned abolitionist John Newton is one of the “songs of historic significance that have influenced this state,” and cites it as “one of the most celebrated songs in modern history. The bill was introduced after Parton rejected the idea of putting up a statue of her in front of the state Capitol.
TENNESSEE—The state Senate is advancing legislation that would require school districts to alert parents of any sexual orientation or gender identity instruction. The bill also allows parents to opt their students out of such curriculum. The bill passed yesterday by a vote of 24-to-6 and is headed to the state House. Governor Bill Lee hasn’t indicated if he supports the measure.
ILLINOIS—The head of the state Board of Elections says he was the victim of an online extortion attempt. Steve Sandvoss is on administrative leave while State Police investigate. Board officials say the attempt was similar to typical online scams, and that they are conducting an internal assessment of their system’s devices and security. Officials say the investigation will not impact today’s elections.
