TWO DEAD IN APPARENT BOATING MISHAP
Conservation officers with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources are investigating the deaths of two brothers whose bodies were recovered Saturday morning from the Ohio River in Ballard County following an apparent boating incident. An angler reported finding a body near Ohio River mile marker 977. The victim was identified as 60-year old Raymond Sheffer of Sweetwater, Texas. A short time later, a towboat located a second body later identified as 63-year old Wendell Sheffer of Metropolis. The men reportedly launched the boat Friday evening and had not been reported missing. Neither man was wearing a life jacket when found. An autopsy will be performed in Louisville and the incident remains under investigation.
MPD WORKS INJURY ACCIDENT
The Murray Police Department responded Friday to a two-vehicle injury collision at the intersection of South 12th Street and Glendale Road. According to police, 34-year old William Fridy of Puryear was northbound and proceeded into the intersection of Glendale Road, colliding with a westbound vehicle driven by 74-year old Michael Robertson of Murray. Robertson and his passenger, 74-year old Lynda Shouse of Murray were both transported by EMS with possible injuries. The investigation into the collision is ongoing.
CALLOWAY COVID REPORT
The Calloway County Health Department reported no new cases of COVID-19 on Friday. Currently, 13 cases are isolated at home, and none are hospitalized. The county positivity rate as of Sunday was 3.43%, which was down from Thursday’s 5.31% rate. As of Thursday, 35.4% of Calloway County residents have been fully vaccinated including 69.3% of those 65 and older. At yesterday’s COVID-19 update for Kentucky, 211 new cases and 2 new deaths were reported. The state’s current positivity rate is 2.09%, which is slightly higher than last Thursday’s rate of 2.02%. There are 209 Kentuckians hospitalized which is 12 less than last Thursday, including 56 in ICU, which is 8 less than one week ago. As of Sunday, 48% of Kentucky residents have been vaccinated including 82% of those 65 and older.
KENTUCKY COVID REPORT
It was announced Friday that the Kentucky Governor’s Office of Early Childhood will receive nearly $6 million in additional funds from the annual Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement to support high-quality, early experiences for children and families throughout the state. Governor Andy Beshear said the funds will be infused into local communities so more Kentucky children have the strong start in school and life that all children deserve.
IN AND AROUND KENTUCKY
FRANKFORT—A Kentucky judge has temporarily blocked a new parole board policy that would give dozens of convicted murderers another chance at potentially cutting short their life-in-prison sentences. The temporary restraining order was issued last week by a circuit judge and was requested by Attorney General Daniel Cameron and Commonwealth’s Attorney Jackie Steele. Cameron says the order blocks the Kentucky Parole Board from giving a new parole hearing to more than 40 prisoners previously ordered to serve out life sentences for such crimes as murder, rape and kidnapping. The Parole Board says it will comply with the court order.
FORT CAMPBELL—Fort Campbell is among the top of the list for Army installations where women are the most at risk for sexual assault and harassment. Fort Campbell is in the top five on a Rand Corp. study released on Friday. Researchers say that large numbers of young and inexperienced soldiers could account for those risks, but toxic command climates and proximity to combat arms units may also be factors. The other bases in the top five are Fort Hood and Fort Bliss in Texas; Fort Riley, Kansas; and Fort Carson, Colorado. The study says those five bases accounted for over a third of all active-duty Army women sexually assaulted in 2018.
ELIZABETHTOWN—An Elizabethtown teen is claiming a 20-thousand-dollar scholarship as the Midwest Military Youth of the Year. Fredre’Oni Terrado is a junior at the Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics on the Morehead State University campus. The 16-year-old was given the award by the Boys and Girls Clubs of America last week. She’s now eligible to be the National Military Youth of the Year, which comes with another 20-thousand-dollar scholarship.
JESSAMINE COUNTY—A Jessamine County teacher is facing charges after being arrested in Lexington Friday, accused of having sex with a juvenile. 32-year old Jason Sharp is listed in an online staff directory as a math teacher at East Jessamine High School in Nicolasville. Investigators say Sharp was “a person in a position of special trust” in relationship the victim, who they say was under 16-years old. Jessamine County Schools Superintendent confirmed Sharp was a teacher during the 2020 to 2021 school year, and that district officials will fully cooperate in the investigation.
HENDERSON—Henderson City Commissioners are set to hear a presentation this week on a possible deal to buy a local utility company. The presentation has been included on this week’s meeting agenda, but it is unclear when commissioners will take a vote on Big Rivers Electric’s proposal to buy Henderson Municipal Power and Light. Talks on the potential purchase have been happening for months.
OWENSBORO—A man who died following an Owensboro collision is being identified. Police say 34-year-old Roger Best was riding a motorcycle in the 22-hundred- block of Triplett Street Friday afternoon and hit the side of a truck crossing toward Old Hartford Road. He was taken to the hospital, where he later died. The condition of the driver of the truck hasn’t been released.
FRANKFORT—Honor Flights Bluegrass is back in business sponsoring special experiences for veterans. The group arranged for five World War Two veterans to take a special Father’s Day flight in Frankfort in a B-25 twin-engine bomber. The flight was part of a tour the plane has made around Kentucky, where veterans were honored at each stop. The organization is planning an honor flight to Washington, DC on October 20th for World War Two, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans.
TENNESSEE—The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation continues to ask for the public’s help in finding a missing Hawkins County girl. Summer Wells was reported missing last Tuesday before an AMBER Alert was issued the next day. The TBI says since then, it’s received nearly 140 tips. The five-year-old disappeared from her family’s Rogersville home.
TENNESSEE—Traffic deaths are on the rise in Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security says there have been 584 traffic deaths statewide so far this year. That’s a 21-percent increase over the same time last year. Officials call the increasing accidents a pandemic of deadly crashes that need to be taken just as seriously as coronavirus.
TENNESSEE—Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene will speak at a “Trump Day Dinner.” The Rep from Georgia is expected to speak at the Republican fundraiser in Wilson County on October 7th. The event will be held at the Wilson County Expo Center. Greene is expected to host a private reception with tickets running from 75-to-one-thousand dollars.
TENNESSEE—This year’s Memphis Juneteenth festival is extra special for some. Some who attended the event at Health Sciences Park over the weekend said it was an answered prayer. The end of slavery was celebrated at the park that was formerly named for Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest. The remains of the early Ku Klux Klan leader and his wife were removed from the park earlier this month.
