MURRAY WOMAN CHARGED AFTER TRAFFIC STOP
At approximately 5 pm Monday, Calloway County Sheriff’s Deputy Jon Hayden stopped a vehicle on Chestnut Street in Murray for a traffic violation. During the stop, numerous items of drug paraphernalia, methamphetamine, marijuana, and various prescription controlled substances were located. 45-year old Kimberly St. Pierre of Murray, Kentucky was arrested and charged with Trafficking in Methamphetamine, two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of a Legend Drug, Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. She was lodged in the Calloway County Jail.
FISCAL COURT MEETS TODAY
The Calloway County Fiscal Court will meet today in regular session. Among items on the agenda are Special District Tax presentations, a Public Hearing on County Tax Rates for Fiscal Year 21-22, and the first reading of a Budget Amendment Ordinance. Today’s meeting begins at 9 am at the Calloway County Courthouse Annex.
MURRAY MAN CHARGED AFTER TRUCK ACCIDENT
At approximately 9:30 Monday night, Calloway County Sheriff’s Office Deputies responded to a report of a single vehicle injury collision on Liberty Road. Preliminary investigation has indicated that 58-year old Robert Strode of Murray was operating a westbound truck at a high rate of speed when the vehicle exited the roadway, struck a tree, and then struck a mailbox. Strode was taken to Murray-Calloway County Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. Methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia were located in Strode’s vehicle. He was charged Possession of Methamphetamine and Drug Paraphernalia. Strode was cited in lieu of arrest due to his need for medical treatment.
MSU ATHLETICS HOSTS WEE
Murray State Athletics held its fifth Women’s Empowerment and Education on Monday in the Murray Room of the CFSB Center. The WEE program is part of the larger vision that Murray State Athletics calls the Racer Road. Led by Coach Velvet Milkman, head coach of the MSU women’s golf team and assistant women’s track & field coach Kelsey Riggins, the goal is to prepare Racer women student-athletes to learn how to have successful lives and careers long after they’ve played their final game at Murray State. The gathering centered around developing career goals including networking, interview skills, resumes, attire, self-care, Title IX, and Murray State women’s athletics history.
MASKS REQUIRED AT MCCRACKEN COUNTY COURTHOUSE
New COVID-19 protocols are going into effect at the McCracken County Courthouse this week. An order introduced yesterday calls for masks to be worn at all times in the courthouse regardless of vaccination status beginning tomorrow. Social distancing must also be practiced. A spike in cases in the county and in the courthouse prompted the move.
GAS PRICES LOWER
Gas prices in West Central Kentucky are five cents lower this week at $2.85 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report. With the height of summer in the rearview mirror, motorists are seeing some relief at the pump, as the national gas price average dropped by a penny on the week to $3.17. However, the recovery from Hurricane Ida remains slow, with the latest U.S. data showing just under half of the U.S. offshore oil production in the Gulf still idle after companies shuttered production ahead of the storm. In the week ahead, pump prices may be impacted by Tropical Storm Nicholas, which is expected to bring heavy rains and a storm surge to the Texas coast this week. If the tropical storm puts additional refineries offline, we are likely to see prices increase.
COURT SCHEDULES PUBLIC ZOOM SESSIONS ON VIOLENCE
The public is invited to discuss how the state court system handles cases of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking and sexual violence at four virtual community forums this month. The regional forums will take place September 27-30 on Zoom. Participants are required to register. The forums are part of an in-depth, statewide assessment being conducted by the Administrative Office of the Courts, the operations arm of the Kentucky Judicial Branch. The assessment is to identify gaps in the way the court system addresses domestic violence issues. The event for our area will be held from 3 until 4 pm on September 30. Information on signing up is available at kycourts.gov.
IN AND AROUND KENTUCKY
UNDATED—Numbers gathered by the New York Times put three Kentucky counties among highest in the nation for average daily new COVID-19 cases. Perry County led the nation, with the highest numbers across the last seven days. Clay and Rockcastle counties were also in the top ten, which was rounded out by counties in Tennessee. Experts say fear of the vaccine is partially to blame for the high case rates in those areas.
LEXINGTON—A Fayette County Public Schools elementary school is going back to virtual learning for three days after a surge in COVID-19 cases. Dixie Magnet Elementary students will participate in remote instruction for the remainder of this week. Superintendent Dr. Demetrius Liggins says the situation isn’t ideal, but the decision was made after thorough discussion. Current law only allows districts 20 remote learning days each year.
WEBSTER COUNTY—A former Webster County deputy is facing a civil rights lawsuit filed by two women. The lawsuit claims Arthur Collins abused the women while they were inmates at the county jail. Court records say Collins was arrested in January and is charged with official misconduct, video voyeurism, assault, and sexual abuse. Other deputies and former jailer Morgan McKinley have not been criminally charged but are named in the lawsuit.
TENNESSEE—There are nearly 51-hundred new coronavirus cases in Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Health reported the new cases yesterday, bringing the total since the outbreak began to over one-million-160-thousand. Nearly 130 additional COVID-19-related deaths were also reported, with the total number standing at over 14-thousand-130. There are over 36-hundred COVID-19 hospitalizations in Tennessee.
TENNESSEE—Parents with kids in the state’s largest school district are expressing their frustration with the lack of a virtual learning option. They blamed Governor Bill Lee and state lawmakers during yesterday’s Shelby County Schools Board of Education meeting. Protesters were eventually escorted out of the meeting after sitting on the floor and refusing to get up. SCS students can move to remote learning if they’re quarantined due to COVID-19.
TENNESSEE—Tennessee’s junior U.S. senator is calling out Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. During a Foreign Relations Committee hearing yesterday, Senator Bill Hagerty told Secretary Blinken that allies are questioning if the U.S. is still reliable after the way it pulled out of Afghanistan. Senator Hagerty said “there must be accountability.” The Republican then asked Blinken if he had submitted his resignation.
