MOST COVID RESTRICTIONS END TODAY IN KENTUCKY
Most Kentucky COVID-19 restrictions are being lifted today. Masks will no longer be required in almost all places, and capacity limits will come to an end. Senior Centers will also be allowed to reopen at full capacity, although the Murray center will not reopen until Monday. Masks will still be required on public transportation, long-term care facilities, and places that serve Kentucky’s most vulnerable people. Governor Andy Beshear credits the life-saving effects of mass COVID-19 vaccination for his decision to lift state restrictions.
CALLOWAY COVID UPDATE
The Calloway County Health Department did not release a COVID-19 update yesterday. As of Thursday, 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 Thursday was 1.31%, which was the same as Wednesday’s rate.
KENTUCKY COVID UPDATE
At Thursday’s COVID-19 update for Kentucky, 289 new cases and 17 new deaths were reported, raising the total to 7,138 Kentuckians who are listed as Covid deaths. As of Thursday, there have been over 6.72 million coronavirus tests performed in Kentucky with a positivity rate of 2.08%, which is lower than last Thursday’s rate of 2.52%. There are 275 Kentuckians hospitalized which is 32 less than last Thursday, including 78 in ICU, which is 13 less than one week ago. At least 53,168 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus. As of Thursday, 2,097,555 Kentuckians have been vaccinated for a 47% total, including 82% of those 65 and older.
COMER HAMMERS EPA’S REVIVAL OF WOTUS
First District Congressman James Comer issued a statement yesterday on President Biden’s Environmental Protection Agency moving toward a reinstatement of the former Obama Administration’s ‘Waters of the United States’ regulation. Comer said that it invites the federal government to regulate farm ponds and small streams just like they do large, navigable waterways. Comer said, quote “President Obama and his EPA bureaucrats never set foot on a farm before seeking to impose destructive federal regulations that threatened the livelihood of the family farm. Unfortunately, President Biden is bringing back an unworkable and radical environmental agenda that directly targets rural America.” Comer called it the latest example of President Biden thumbing his nose at rural America.
CCSO CHECKS MOVE OVER LAW COMPLIANCE
On Tuesday, the Calloway County Sheriff’s Office observed traffic on Highways 80 and 641 for compliance with Kentucky’s Move Over law regarding right of way of stopped emergency vehicles which requires motorists on a four lane highway to move into the other lane when approaching a stopped emergency vehicle. When changing lanes, motorists should use caution and, when appropriate, slow down. Failure to comply with this law can result in a fine of up to $500 as well as jail time up to 30 days. Deputies observed approximately 500 vehicles and the overwhelming majority complied with the law. The Calloway County Sheriff’s Office extends its appreciation to the public for their compliance which is aimed to help protect emergency workers. Deputies will continue to observe for compliance with this law and ask the motoring public to continue helping keep emergency workers safe by continuing to “Move Over”.
STUBBLEFIELD NAMED NEW MMS ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
Shelley Stubblefield has been named the new Murray Middle School fourth and fifth grade assistant principal. A 2010 Murray High School graduate, Stubblefield received her bachelors, Master of Arts in Education, and Master of Arts in Education Administration from Murray State University. She began her teaching career as a fifth grade teacher in Puryear. From there she taught at Murray Elementary School as a kindergarten teacher, and then moved to Murray Middle School as a fifth grade teacher.
PACRO GETS OIL FROM US DOE PADUCAH 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.
FALLEN STATE POLICE HONORED
Yesterday, Kentucky State Police, along with Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman, and Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Secretary Mary Noble, held the annual memorial ceremony honoring 37 fallen troopers, officers and highway patrolmen who have died in the line of duty since the agency’s inception. This ceremony has previously been held in May during National Police Week, but was rescheduled to ensure family members of the fallen officers could safely gather together. During the service at the KSP Training Academy, the Lt. Governor and KSP Commissioner, with the help of the KSP Honor Guard, laid a wreath honoring the 37 troopers, officers, and highway patrolmen. In addition to the wreath laying, the 202nd Army National Guard Band of Kentucky provided the playing of taps immediately following the roll call reading of the fallen officers.
KENTUCKY RANKS HIGH ON PROSPERITY CUP LIST
Kentucky recently tied for fifth nationally on Site Selection magazine’s 2021 Prosperity Cup list, an annual ranking of the top U.S. states for business climate. Kentucky’s top-5 placement in the 2021 rankings reflects recent growth in the commonwealth, as the state ranked ninth overall the previous year. In 2020, Kentucky announced 233 new location and expansion projects, according to data from the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development. Those projects are expected to create nearly 8,000 jobs.
IN AND AROUND KENTUCKY
FRANKFORT—Most Kentucky COVID-19 restrictions are being lifted today. Masks will no longer be required in almost all places, and capacity limits will come to an end. Senior Centers will also be allowed to reopen at full capacity. Masks will still be required on public transportation and in schools, long-term care facilities, and places that serve Kentucky’s most vulnerable people. Governor Andy Beshear credits the life-saving effects of mass COVID-19 vaccination for his decision to lift state restrictions.
FRANKFORT—A GOP bill is proposing a ban on transgender athletes from women’s sports in Kentucky’s public schools and universities. Republican Representative Ryan Dotson prefiled the Save Women’s Sports bill yesterday. Dotson says the measure would protect the integrity of women’s sports. Kentucky Fairness Campaign Executive Director Chris Hartman is calling the bill discriminatory and questions the message sent by prefiling the bill during Pride Month.
OWEN COUNTY—The Owen County community continues to grieve as a mother and four children killed in a crash were laid to rest. Services were held for Catherine Greene and her four children yesterday, who died in a head-on collision on I-75 last weekend. Several first responders who were at Saturday’s crash paid their respects. The community is drawing together to support the family, especially the husband and father left behind. The driver of the other car involved, Jamaica Caudill, was also laid to rest in Rowan County yesterday. She leaves behind a fiancé, two children, and two stepchildren.
EARLINGTON— The City of Earlington is getting a grant to improve its water system. Governor Andy Beshear congratulated the city yesterday on receiving a 610-thousand-dollar Economic Development Administration grant. City officials say having a reliable infrastructure will attract more businesses and jobs to the area. The grant is being matched with 390-thousand in local funds.
LOUISVILLE—A Louisville police officer is expected to plead guilty to a federal charge and be fired from the department. Officer Cory Evans is accused of hitting a protester in the head during civil unrest over the Breonna Taylor case. Officer 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 in May of last year. A change of plea hearing is scheduled for July 14th.
TENNESSEE—There are over 360 new coronavirus cases in Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Health reported the new cases yesterday, bringing the total since the outbreak began to nearly 864-thousand-950. 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 over 330 people with COVID-19 hospitalized in Tennessee.
TENNESSEE—Governor Bill Lee is calling for federal oversight of what he calls a crisis at the southern border. Governor Lee joined Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds in sending a letter to Iowa Republican U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley yesterday. The governors told Senator Grassley they support his request for an oversight hearing by the Senate Judiciary Committee over the situation at the nation’s border with Mexico. The letter said the hearing should address what it called the “Biden Administration’s failure” to provide notice and transparency of the movement of unaccompanied illegal immigrant children into states.
TENNESSEE—Closing arguments start this morning in the trial of a Dickson County man accused of murdering his young son. The state rested its case yesterday afternoon in the prosecution of Joseph Daniels and the defense decided not to call any witnesses. Daniels is accused of killing his five-year-old autistic son in April of 2018. Joe Clyde’s body has never been found.
ILLINOIS—Illinois is considered fully reopened after a lengthy period of COVID-19 restrictions. The state entered Phase Five of its Restore Illinois plan today, ending state mask mandates and allowing businesses, restaurants and bars, and entertainment venues to operate at full capacity. State health officials are still recommending masks for those who are unvaccinated, and for everyone on public transportation, or in group facilities such as correctional facilities, veterans’ homes, long-term care facilities, group and residential facilities, and healthcare settings. Businesses and venues are encouraged to continuing social distancing practices, and can still impose health restrictions they determine are appropriate.
