James Yokley (photo via CCSO)
MAYFIELD MAN CHARGED AFTER TRAFFIC STOP
At approximately 7 pm Tuesday, Calloway County Sheriff’s Deputy Jon Hayden stopped a vehicle on Highway 641 North for a traffic violation. The vehicle was being driven by 35-year old James Yokley of Mayfield and there was also a small child in the vehicle. During the stop, Deputy Hayden located suspected drugs in the vehicle as well as in the possession of the driver. Yokley was arrested and charged with Operating a Motor Vehicle Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Marijuana, Wanton Endangerment, Driving on a Suspended License, and various other traffic related charges. Yokley was lodged in the Calloway County Jail.
LIBRARY EXPANSION COSTS COULD INCREASE
The Murray Ledger and Times reports that the nationwide high prices and shortages of building materials could have a negative impact on the Calloway County Public Library’s expansion plans. The Library’s Board of Trustees voted in February to approve a revised expansion plan that was estimated to cost roughly $7.3 million. The library expansion would add an additional 19,828 feet which is more than double the current size. The Board learned that cost of the expansion project could change significantly depending on fluctuations in the cost of building materials.
PORTIONS OF MAIN STREET CLOSED FOR WATER MAIN REPAIR
The Murray Water Department will be closing Main Street this morning for a Water Main repair. Main Street will be closed to all traffic between 7th and 8th Streets and will be closed to Through Traffic from 12th Street to Industrial Road. All Main Street through traffic should detour via North 12th Street to Chestnut to Industrial Rd. The Duration of closure is unknown.
CITY COUNCIL MEETS TONIGHT
The Murray City Council will meet in regular session tonight and will consider two Municipal Orders, three Ordinances, and enter into executive session. Municipal Order 13 will Reappoint Ruth Daughaday to the Housing Authority Board, Municipal Order 14 will appoint a member to the Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Municipal Order 15 will appoint a member to the Human Rights Commission. The Council will consider the second reading of Ordinance 1811 which will amend the City of Murray Code of Ordinances concerning Alcohol Beverage Control’s Regulatory License Fee. The Council will also vote after the second reading of Ordinance 1812 which will adopt the city’s annual budget. The Council will consider Ordinance 1813 on First Reading amending the current budget by restating certain revenues and expenditures. The Council will then go into Executive Session for the purpose of deliberations on the future acquisition or sale of real property. Tonight’s meeting begins at 6:30 in Council Chambers. Also from the City, the Human Rights Commission meeting scheduled for Monday has been canceled.
CCHS GYM ANNEX PROJECT EXPECTED TO MOVE TO BID PHASE
The Calloway County School Board will also meet tonight in regular session. Among items on the agenda, the Board is expected to approve contract documents for bidding for the high school gym annex. The board will accept bids for district wide paving and restoration of driveways and parking areas. The board will also discuss the district’s supplemental school year plan for the upcoming school year. Tonight’s meeting begins at 6 at Calloway County Middle School.
CALLOWAY COVID UPDATE
The Calloway County Health Department reported 4 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday, bringing the county’s total during the pandemic to 3,536. Of that total, 3,471 have recovered, 14 are isolated at home, 2 are hospitalized, and there have been 49 deaths, but none since April 15. As of Tuesday, 34.6% of Calloway County residents have been fully vaccinated including 69.3% of those 65 and older. Calloway County’s COVID-19 positivity rate as of Wednesday was 1.31%, which is up from Tuesday’s rate of 1.2%.
KENTUCKY COVID UPDATE
At Wednesday’s COVID-19 update for Kentucky, 361 new cases and 12 new deaths were reported, raising the total to 7,121 Kentuckians who are listed as Covid deaths. As of Wednesday, there have been over 6.7 million coronavirus tests performed in Kentucky with a positivity rate of 2.06%, which is lower than last Wednesday’s rate of 2.77%. There are 279 Kentuckians hospitalized which is 28 less than last Wednesday, including 88 in ICU, which is 18 less than one week ago. At least 53,151 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus. As of Wednesday, 2,094,236 Kentuckians have been vaccinated for a 47% total, including 82% of those 65 and older.
COMER AND JORDAN WANT ANSWERS FROM FAUCI
Yesterday, First District Congressman James Comer and Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio pressed Dr. Anthony Fauci to explain the discrepancy in his sworn congressional testimony about taxpayer-funded gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. In a 2012 video, Dr. Fauci stated at a medical conference that gain-of-function research includes reverse genetics. In 2014, the National Institutes of Health awarded EcoHealth Alliance a grant to study bat coronaviruses, allowing the nonprofit to test coronavirus transmission by using reverse genetics. In May, Dr. Fauci testified under oath that the “NIH has not ever and does not now fund gain-of-function research” at the WIV, appearing to contradict his earlier comments. In their letter to Dr. Fauci, Comer and Jordan call on him to confirm the authenticity of his comments made in the 2012 video, verify the accuracy of the EcoHealth Alliance grant description, and explain the apparent discrepancy in his recent congressional testimony.
PACRO GETS OIL FROM PADUCAH DOE SITE
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Paducah Site recently transferred approximately 210,000 gallons of electrical insulating oil to the Paducah Area Community Reuse Organization from the site’s C-531 Switchyard. PACRO will use the oil to provide a revenue stream for economic development in the Kentucky counties of McCracken, Ballard, Marshall, and Graves, and Massac County in Illinois. Since the Paducah Site began deactivation of the switchyards, over 500,000 gallons of transformer oil has been transferred to PACRO.
IN AND AROUND KENTUCKY
FRANKFORT—Kentucky’s tourism industry is facing challenges as hotels and restaurants operate short staffed. Hank Phillips with the Kentucky Tourism Industry Association says there aren’t enough housekeepers to turn rooms around in time for a new set of visitors, causing check-in delays and limiting bookings. Short-staffed restaurants are leading to delays when seating people and serving food. Phillips says no tourist attractions have changed operating routines because of staffing shortages.
KNOX COUNTY—A death in Knox County is under investigation. First responders answered a call yesterday about a man who was trapped under a car in the Flat Lick community. Authorities say 37-year-old David Howard was pronounced dead at the scene. Deputies say foul play isn’t suspected.
FLOYD COUNTY—A family is continuing their search for a missing Floyd County woman. Kandi Green Gonzalez went missing June 1st and was last seen in the backyard of a home on Abbott Creek Road. Gonzalez reportedly asked a person there to call her mother to say that her boyfriend threw her out. The caller left a voicemail with Gonzalez’s message, and she is heard calling out to her mother on the recording. Her shoes were found two days later in a nearby creek. A ten-thousand-dollar reward is being offered for information leading directly to Gonzalez.
OWENSBORO—Owensboro Health’s new President and CEO Mark Marsh is setting up shop. Marsh is beginning his new position this week. He previously headed hospitals in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Florida. Owensboro Health announced Marsh’s hiring in April. He takes over for Greg Strahan, who retired.
HENDERSON—A new event is being added at this year’s W.C. Handy Blues and Barbecue Festival in Henderson. The Downtown Henderson Partnership is hosting the Street Strut 5K next Wednesday. Runners will begin at Red Banks Park and continue along the Ohio River before crossing the finish line near the festival. A one- hundred-dollar prize each will go to the man and woman who cross the finish line first.
LOUISVILLE—A Louisville police officer is being federally indicted. The officer is accused of hitting a kneeling protester in the head during civil unrest over the Breonna Taylor case. Officer Cory Evans is accused of violating the protester’s civil rights, hitting them in the back of the head with a riot stick as they knelt with their hands up waiting to be arrested. The alleged crime happened on May 31st of last year.
LEXINGTON—The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government will discuss banning non-knock warrants later this month. Earlier this week, officials agreed to talk about a possible ban during a meeting on Thursday, June 24th. Not everyone is in favor of banning no-knock warrants. Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers says no-knock warrants are a vital tool for protecting the community.
FORT KNOX—Military officials at Fort Knox say they’re prepared for any future fuel shortages. Officials say gas stations on the post weren’t impacted by last month’s cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline. However, they say the impact on neighboring states caused them to do a review of their fuel supplies. They say if such an event does impact the post they’ll monitor deliveries, their usage and ration supplies.
TENNESSEE—Hamilton County authorities say they’ve solved a cold case murder that former Governor Ray Blanton’s administration may have funded. They announced yesterday that bank robber Ed Alley was paid to shoot and kill Chattanooga businessman Samuel Pettyjohn in February of 1979. Pettyjohn was tied to the Teamsters Union and was a friend of Jimmy Hoffa. Investigators say Pettyjohn was involved in the “clemency for cash” scandal in which Governor Blanton’s office pardoned or issued early parole to prisoners for payment.
TENNESSEE—There are nearly 200 new coronavirus cases in Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Health reported the new cases yesterday, bringing the total since the outbreak began to over 864-thousand-580. An additional two COVID-19-related deaths were also reported, with the total number of coronavirus-attributed deaths standing at nearly 12-thousand-500. There are 350 people with COVID-19 hospitalized in Tennessee.
TENNESSEE—Changes are being made to help drivers cross the I-55 bridge over the Mississippi River in Memphis. The Arkansas Department of Transportation shut down several on and off ramps, closed the middle lane, and made other minor changes to traffic patterns near the I-40/I-55 interchange last evening. ARDOT says the changes are meant to create a continuous flow of traffic and relieve congestion. There have been delays on the I-55 bridge due to increased traffic following the closure of the I-40 bridge.
TENNESSEE—Several large billboards are now appearing around Nashville with messages of support for embattled Country Music star Morgan Wallen. One billboard seen yesterday near Music Row features a cartoon of Wallen’s mullet-style haircut, a bible verse calling for forgiveness, and a plea for the music industry to listen to the fans. Wallen caused controversy last year when he violated COVID-19 guidelines at the height of the pandemic and then later was filmed using a racial slur outside his home and was dropped by his record label.
ILLINOIS—A death investigation is underway in Marion after a body was found at a demolition site for the Motel Marion. Investigators say the remains were found yesterday evening. The condition of the remains is preventing investigators from identifying the sex, race, or approximate age of the person who died.
