ARRESTS MADE IN GRAVES COUNTY MURDER
Two Arrests have been made related to an August 24th shooting which occurred in the Hickory community of Graves County which resulted in the death of 28-year-old Darian Williams of Mayfield. Last Friday, following a State Police investigation, a Graves County Grand Jury returned an indictment for Facilitation to Murder against 32-year-old Alexander James of Nashville. He was arrested at his residence and is awaiting extradition to Kentucky. On Tuesday, Kentucky State Police detectives obtained a warrant for 32-year-old Enrique “Dane” Decoursey of Smyrna, Tennessee. Decoursey is an over-the-road truck driver who was arrested near Upper Marlboro, Maryland and charged with Murder. He is also awaiting extradition back to Kentucky. Detectives continue their investigation and other arrests may be possible.
RENICK NAMED A MERIT SEMIFINALIST
Murray High’s Chase Renick has been named as a Semifinalist in the 67th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Renick joins the approximate 16,000 Semifinalists named by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Renick earned the highest possible ACT composite score of 36, and is a member of the Boys soccer Team, Academic Team, FBLA, and Chess Team, Renick is undecided on college choice, but wants to pursue a Mathematics degree. Renick is the son of Dan and Angel Renick of Murray.
BURDITT RECEIVES YARMUTH BOOK AWARD
Murray High School’s Emily Burditt is the 2021 University of Louisville Yarmuth Book Award recipient. Burditt is the daughter of Mary and Keith Burditt of Murray. Each award recipient demonstrates this desire to learn through their various academic and extra-curricular activities, while excelling in the top twenty percent of his or her class. The book selected to be awarded for 2021 is “Hurry Please I Want to Know” by Paul Griner who teaches Creative Writing and Literature courses at the University of Louisville. This book was the 2016 Kentucky Literary Award Winner.
KIDNAPPING SUSPECT NABBED IN MARSHALL COUNTY
The suspect in a Quincy, Illinois kidnapping was captured in West Kentucky on Tuesday. Authorities had been searching for 40-year old Mario Mason after the kidnapping victim escaped in Marked Tree, Arkansas. Detectives found out Tuesday night that a stolen vehicle used in the kidnapping was in Marshall County. Mason was taken into custody approximately five hours after he was first spotted. He is facing numerous charges in Kentucky but will eventually be brought back to Illinois on the outstanding Kidnapping warrant. Mason is also wanted out of Arkansas.
KSP POST 1 9-1-1 CENTER NAMED PSAP OF THE YEAR
The Kentucky State Police Post 1 communications center was recognized last week as the 2021 “PSAP of the Year”. The Christmas Day bombings in Nashville last year knocked out telecommunication services to a large portion of the southeast, making the Post 1 communication center the redundancy for countless other dispatch centers and emergency services. Much of the staff left their families at Christmas to ensure that the communications center was adequately staffed to take on the extra call volume. The 911 center at Post 1 in Hickory serves as the PSAP for agencies in Ballard, Graves, Hickman, and Lyon Counties.
ROAD WORK ON US 68
A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans intermittent work zone lane restrictions along U.S. 68 West of Cadiz starting today. Work zone lane restrictions at various locations along the 4-lane section of U.S. 68 between Cadiz and Canton are to facilitate a final round of shouldering, grading in the median, slope erosion repairs, seeding, ditching and other finish work. Motorists should be prepared to encounter intermittent work zone lane restrictions between mile points 9 and 16.
CONSTITUTION DAY AT MSU ON FRIDAY
The Department of Political Science and Sociology at Murray State University will host its annual Constitution Day celebration tomorrow with a number of lectures, debates, and games about topics related to the Constitution of the United States. The sessions will be held in-person on Murray State’s campus inside the Curris Center theater, as well as via Zoom. This year’s Constitution Day will include presentations from faculty in both the Department of Political Science and Sociology and the Department of History. Sessions will be offered for elementary, middle, high school, and Murray State students.
AREA TEACHER ON WHEEL OF FORTUNE
A UT Martin graduate will show off her skills calling vowels and consonants. Emily Keeton, who teaches English at Decatur County Middle School will appear on Wheel Of Fortune tonight. Her appearance is part of the show’s Teacher Week. Keeton holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education and a master’s in agriculture.
IN AND AROUND KENTUCKY
FRANKFORT—Nearly 54-hundred new COVID-19 cases are being reported in Kentucky. Governor Andy Beshear announced the new cases yesterday, along with almost 50 additional deaths. Close to 25-hundred people in the commonwealth are hospitalized for COVID-19-related illnesses, with more than 430 on ventilators. Over 639-thousand Kentuckians have tested positive for the virus and more than 81-hundred have died since the pandemic began.
FRANKFORT—Kentucky lawmakers are discussing the impact of solar power on the commonwealth. Office of Energy Policy executive director Kenya Stump says costs are decreasing, making prices competitive with coal and gas power. Industry leaders say a switch to solar facilities could bring jobs. Solar providers have almost 30 projects underway in Kentucky.
MOREHEAD—A hospital in Morehead is using a converted tent to provide COVID-19 therapy. St. Claire HealthCare is offering monoclonal antibody therapy in a field tent outside the main entrance in order to meet demand for the treatment. The treatment is geared toward those who have tested positive for COVID-19 or had close contact with someone who has, and are at high risk for complications. The treatment tasks about two hours and requires an appointment.
MADISONVILLE—A man is facing life in prison after pleading guilty to a double murder in Madisonville. Police say 36-year-old Jeremy Wicks killed Elvis and Joseph Gipson in a home on Hodge Street in April 2020. Wicks entered a guilty plea yesterday. He must serve 85-percent of his life sentence before being eligible for parole.
LEXINGTON—Rupp Arena is sold out for tomorrow’s Eric Church concert. Thousands of people are expected to attend the show, filling the arena to its 15-thousand seat capacity for the first time in over a year-and-a-half. Masks are being strongly encouraged, but there are no restrictions related to COVID-19 vaccinations or proof of a negative test. The show is the kick-off to Church’s Gather Again Tour.
FORT CAMPBELL—Fort Campbell is hosting a candlelight vigil tonight. The Light up the Night walk will be held in the parking lot of Blanchfield Army Community Hospital. It’s part of the Army’s events marking National Suicide Prevention Month. The vigil starts at 7:30 Central Time.
NELSON COUNTY—Folks in Nelson County are cleaning up following heavy rainfall. Some areas received up to six inches of rain yesterday. The rain caused water to spill over the banks of a creek near Plum Run Road. Flooding was also reported elsewhere in Bardstown.
TENNESSEE—There are over 72-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-167-thousand-300. Nearly 90 additional COVID-19-related deaths were also reported, with the total number standing at over 14-thousand-220. There are over 35-hundred COVID-19 hospitalizations in Tennessee.
TENNESSEE—A survey says Tennessee is tops in the nation for adults with anxiety or depression symptoms. A survey from the National Center for Health Statistics ending on August 30th found nearly 42 percent of Tennessee adults are dealing with symptoms of anxiety or depression. Mental health experts in Tennessee say prior to the coronavirus outbreak about one-in-five people needed mental healthcare. However, since the start of the outbreak they say the number has doubled.
TENNESSEE—An employee of a West Tennessee hospital is on an out of this world trip. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Physician’s Assistant Hayley Arceneaux [[ Are-suh-no ]] is orbiting the Earth as part of SpaceX’s Inspiration4 mission. The ship with four non-astronauts aboard lifted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida last evening. The mission hopes to raise over 200-million dollars in donations for St. Jude to eliminate childhood disease.
