Jody Smith (Photo via Calloway County Sheriff's Department)
MURRAY MAN FACING MULTIPLE CHARGES AFTER 9-1-1 CALL
At approximately 9:30 Wednesday morning, Calloway County Sheriff’s Office Deputies responded to a residence on Marigold Lane after receiving a 911 call for assistance. Preliminary investigation has indicated 58-year old Jody Smith of Murray was in violation of a Kentucky Emergency Protection Order involving the female victim who was located with Smith outside of the residence when deputies arrived. The female also reported beinging threatened and held against her will for approximately two days. Smith was arrested and charged with Violation of a Kentucky EPO, Possession of Methamphetamine, Marijuana, and Drug Paraphernalia, Unlawful Imprisonment, Wanton Endangerment, Intimidating a Participant in the Legal Process, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. He was lodged in the Calloway County Jail.
COVID-19 BILLS MOVE FORWARD IN SPECIAL SESSION
The Kentucky General Assembly is advancing several COVID-19 related bills. The Senate altered an education bill yesterday, while a separate bill failed in the House. The House version was revised and reintroduced later in the day. Each version of the bill would give local districts more control regarding masks and non-traditional instruction. An amendment to the Senate bill removes a requirement that all Kentucky students and school staff wear masks.The Special Session continues today.
CCHD REPORTS 64 NEW COVID-19 CASES
The Calloway County Health Department reported 64 new cases of COVID-19 for Tuesday and Wednesday with 60 of those cases under 60 years of age and the majority of the new cases unvaccinated. The county currently has 344 cases isolated at home and 9 are hospitalized. Calloway County’s latest reported positivity rate is 10.66% which is lower than the state rate of 14.16%.
CITY COUNCIL MEETS TONIGHT
The Murray City Council will meet tonight in regular session. On the agenda is a Report from Public Works Committee Chair Danny Hudspeth and Public Safety Committee Chair, Wesley Bolin. The Council will also consider Ordinance 1814 on first reading which seeks to amend chapter 96 on taxation for the purpose of adopting the Annual County Assessment for property situated within the city as a basis for AD Valorem Tax Levies. Tonight’s meeting begins at 6:30 in the Council Chambers of City Hall.
CALLOWAY SCHOOL BOARD MEETS TONIGHT
The Calloway County School Board will also meet tonight, but before the meeting will conduct an open meeting for public comments regarding a proposed General Fund Tas Levy of 47.5 on both Real Property and Personal Property for the 2021-22 School Year. The Regularly scheduled board meeting will begin at 6 pm at the board office on College Farm Road.
TWO INJURED IN 12TH STREET ACCIDENT
At 10:48 Wednesday morning, the Murray Police Department responded to a two-vehicle injury collision at the intersection of 12th Street and Main Street. According to the police report, 46-year old Taekwonda Blanton of Murray was northbound on 12th Street when she entered the intersection and struck a vehicle turning onto 12th Street from Main being driven by 81-year old Donald Ramage of Murray. Ramage and his passenger, 77-year old Ollie Ramage of Murray were both transported to the emergency room by EMS for treatment of possible injuries.
TEN PARTICIPATE IN CHAMBER’S LIFT PROGRAM
Ten Murray Independent School District and Calloway County School District administrators and teachers attended the Murray-Calloway County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Initiative for Teachers kick off program. The inaugural class visited the MSU College of Science, Engineering and Technology, The Murray Bank, Pella Corporation, and TPG Plastics. The group also met with Bridges Family Center and the Murray Calloway County Economic Development Corporation. LIFT is designed to spark innovative thinking and discussions between our community educators and business leaders. The class will spend nearly a week this fall learning about career opportunities available in the community and what skillsets local employers are seeking.
IN AND AROUND KENTUCKY
FRANKFORT—Over 44-hundred new COVID-19 cases are being reported in Kentucky. Governor Andy Beshear announced the new cases yesterday, along with 30 additional deaths. More than 24-hundred people in the commonwealth are hospitalized for COVID-19 related illnesses, with over 430 on ventilators. Over 609-thousand Kentuckians have tested positive for the virus and more than 79-hundred have died since the pandemic began.
FRANKFORT—The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources is taking action to protect and monitor the state’s deer and elk herds after a deer in northwest Tennessee recently tested positive for chronic wasting disease. The always-fatal neurological disease that affects deer, elk, moose and caribou has not been detected in Kentucky. However, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s response plan calls for implementation of specific measures following a positive detection within 30 miles of Kentucky’s border.
LEXINGTON—A new study shows that Kentucky adults are among the most food insecure in the country. A study conducted by Feeding America indicates that adults in the commonwealth who are in their 50s have the highest rate of food insecurity in the country, a rate 80-percent higher than the national average. About ten-and-a-half-percent of Kentucky’s seniors are food insecure, which is 40-percent higher than the national average. The study shows food insecure adults take in fewer nutrients and are nearly three times as likely to experience depression.
WASHINGTON DC—Senator Rand Paul claims newly-released documents show that Dr. Anthony Fauci lied to Congress about the U.S. funding genetic research in China. The Kentucky Republican tweeted a link Tuesday to a report in The Intercept, which claimed it had documents detailing the use of federal money to fund bat coronavirus research at a Wuhan laboratory. The documents purportedly include two grant proposals by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Dr. Fauci, the institute’s director, told Congress in July that the U.S.-funded research was not the research that Rand Paul claimed it to be.
HENDERSON COUNTY—Police are investigating after reports of gunfire near South Middle School forced the cancelation of a soccer game. While police were responding to the first report in the area of Pringle and Kleyemeyer Tuesday evening, gunfire came from the area near Fernwood Cemetery. A third report came in shortly afterward from the 900 block of Clay Street. Police and administrators put all students and parents at the school on lockdown until the situation ended. One person believed to have been involved was detained.
BARDSTOWN—The FBI is focused on making an arrest in the disappearance of Crystal Rogers. Crystal’s mother Sherry Ballard says the FBI is putting a rush on testing multiple items of interest found during the excavation of a yard and driveway of a home in a Bardstown neighborhood. Crystal’s former boyfriend Brooks Houck was building homes in the neighborhood around the time of her 2015 disappearance. Houck is the only person ever suspected of Crystal’s disappearance.
TENNESSEE—There are over 54-hundred new coronavirus cases in Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Health reported the new cases yesterday, bringing the total since the outbreak began to nearly one-million-115-thousand-350. Over 80 additional COVID-19-related deaths were also reported, with the total number standing at over 13-thousand-800. There are nearly 38-hundred COVID-19 hospitalizations in Tennessee.
TENNESSEE—National guard soldiers are providing emergency staffing at Tennessee hospitals. About 200 members of the National Guard are providing support at 20 hospitals across the state. The staffing shortages have been brought on by a surge in COVID-19 cases. Only five percent of intensive care beds are open in Tennessee.
TENNESSEE—A Memphis city councilman is seeking a showdown with Governor Bill Lee. JB Smiley, Jr., announced yesterday he’ll run for governor next year. Smiley said he’s the candidate needed to turn Tennessee blue. He also pledged to campaign in all 95 counties.
