Friday 29th March 2024

September 20, 2021

covid-update
covid-update

CCHD REPORTS 23 NEW COVID-19 CASES
The Calloway County Health Department reported 23 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday with only 3 of those cases over 60 years of age and 20 of the 23 cases unvaccinated. The county currently has 193 cases isolated at home and 8 are hospitalized. Calloway County’s latest reported positivity rate is 10.05% which is lower than the state rate of 12.88%. Sunday, the state reported 3,368 confirmed new cases and 43 confirmed new deaths. There were 2,426 hospitalized as of Sunday, which is 27 less than last Sunday, including 647 in ICU, which is 11 less than a week ago.

PADUCAH MAN CHARGED AFTER MULTI COUNTY BIKE CHASE
Just after 5 pm Saturday, a Kentucky State Police Trooper observed a motorcycle traveling 120 mph on I-24 in Marshall County. The trooper attempted to conduct a traffic stop but the operator accelerated and continued westbound. A pursuit continued into McCracken County where the motorcycle took exit 16 and continued on US 68, US 62, and Husbands Road. The motorcycle ran into a wooden fence were driver became entangled. Troopers were able to dislodge the operator who was identified as 44-year-old Jackie Reynolds of Paducah. He was charged with multiple counts of Wanton Endangerment and Fleeing and Evading Police along with over a dozen other traffic offenses. He was lodged in the McCracken County Jail.

REST AREA CLOSED
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 2 Office has closed the Interstate 24 westbound rest area near the Christian County Kentucky-Tennessee State Line. Located at mile marker 92.5, the facility has been closed due to a broken water main in Oak Grove. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will provide timely notice when the facility reopens.

FARM SAFETY AND HEALTH WEEK
Commissioner of Agriculture Dr. Ryan Quarles has proclaimed this week as Farm Safety and Health Week in Kentucky to encourage farmers and farm workers to put their health and safety first at all times. The theme for this year’s safety week is “Farm Safety Yields Real Results.” The Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center reported that 15 Kentuckians engaged in agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting died on the job in 2020, compared with 12 in 2019 and 50 in 1995.

JOBLESS RATE DOWN SLIGHTLY
Kentucky’s seasonally adjusted preliminary August unemployment rate was 4.3%, according to the Kentucky Center for Statistics. The rate was down by one-tenth of a percentage point from July and down 1.2 percentage points from the 5.5% recorded for the state one year ago. The U.S. seasonally adjusted jobless rate for August was 5.2%, down from the 5.4% reported in July, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The survey is designed to measure trends in the number of people working, and includes jobs in agriculture and individuals who are self-employed.

MONOCLONAL TREATMENT SUPPLY DWINDLING
Kentucky’s monoclonal antibody treatments could run low. Governor Andy Beshear says demand is rising statewide and within a week, people may not be able to get any. The federal government is currently rationing the treatment as COVID cases soar nationwide. The treatment is currently available at nearly 140-locations statewide.

IN AND AROUND KENTUCKY
LEXINGTON—The dozen Kentucky hospitals mandating that workers get vaccinated against COVID-19 are taking various approaches to enforcing it. According to a Herald-Leader survey, hospitals such as St. Claire Regional in Morehead and Baptist Health have made it a condition of employment. Kings Daughter Medical Center in Ashland will be testing employees who aren’t vaccinated weekly. UK Healthcare says staff not complying with the mandate will face disciplinary action, up to termination.

OWENSBORO—Police are investigating after a man showed up at an Owensboro hospital with a gunshot wound. Authorities believe the shooting happened in the two-thousand-block of West 10th Street. The victim is believed to have non-life-threatening injuries. No suspect information has been released.

LEXINGTON—Firefighters from across the commonwealth are helping the Lexington Fire Department celebrate its 150th anniversary. The week of events began yesterday with a Fire Truck Muster, where fire trucks from various eras were shown off in a downtown parade. The department will hold an open house Tuesday at Station Two with tours and food. Station Two is the department’s oldest house.

UNION COUNTY—Union County Public Schools says they are experiencing a driver shortage today. School officials posted on Facebook that bus 101 will not be running morning or afternoon. Officials say the transportation cabinet is contacting the families of the affected students. The cancellation is only expected to affect today’s route.

JEFFERSON COUNTY—The state’s largest school district says reinforcements are on the way to help with its bus driver shortage. Jefferson County Public Schools says more than a dozen bus drivers will be added next week. Over two dozen district employees have also begun the process of getting their commercial driver’s licenses. The union representing JCPS bus drivers says the district is short at least 150 drivers.

LAUREL COUNTY—A Laurel County church is open again. The Freedom Christian Fellowship Church in London held a grand reopening yesterday. The church’s sanctuary hosted a large congregation yesterday afternoon, nearly seven months after the church was badly damaged by flooding. The congregation heard a message of perseverance.

TENNESSEE—A flash flood watch is in effect for all of Middle Tennessee. The National Weather Service says the watch will remain in effect through this evening. Forecasters say as much as eight inches has fallen in some parts of southern and southeastern Middle Tennessee over the last couple of days. The Duck River in Bedford and Marshall counties is expected to reach moderate flood stage.

TENNESSEE—The state’s largest county is reporting 430 new coronavirus cases. The Shelby County Health Department reported the new cases yesterday, bringing the number of active cases in the county to over six-thousand-280. SCHD reported two additional COVID-19-related deaths in Shelby County. There have been over one-thousand-960 COVID-19-related deaths in the county since the outbreak began.

TENNESSEE—A pair of Middle Tennessee families are filing a lawsuit against Governor Bill Lee over his executive order allowing parents to opt kids out of wearing masks in schools. The suit also names the Williamson County School Board of Education and Franklin Special School District and claims the opt-out is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. It says the executive order puts students with disabilities at an increased health risk. The lawsuit says the rights of students with disabilities for safe, fundamental, non-discriminatory access to public schools are being violated.

TENNESSEE—Governor Bill Lee says over 400 Afghan refugees could be resettled in Tennessee. Governor Lee said on Friday that the Biden administration notified him last week that hundreds of refugees may be placed with Tennessee resettlement agencies. The Tennessean reports over 300 Afghans are expected to be resettled in Nashville, 25 in Memphis and 20 each in Knoxville and Chattanooga. The timing of their resettlements isn’t known.

 

Loading...