Leader McConnell Welcomes Honor Flight Bluegrass to Washington, D.C.
U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) welcomed a distinguished group of Kentucky veterans yesterday from all across the Commonwealth to our Nation’s Capital. Representing every branch of the military, more than sixty Kentuckians who served in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam traveled to Washington, D.C. with Honor Flight Bluegrass to visit the memorials built in their honor. Today Senator McConnell plans to deliver Senate floor remarks regarding his visit today with these Kentucky heroes
New technology for breast cancer patients at Baptist Health Paducah
Baptist Health Paducah is the first in the region to use an FDA-approved system that guides surgeons in locating and removing breast tumors, known as the Sentimag® Magnetic Localization System. This systems uses magnetic sensing to detect its magnetic markers, , for precise localization and breast cancer staging with one system. Sentimag® is a simpler, more effective alternative to traditional methods of guide wires for tissue localization and radioactive traces for sentinel node biopsy procedures, creating a less invasive experience for the patient.
Kentucky Gas Provider Expecting Higher Winter Heating Bills
A Kentucky gas provider is expecting higher heating bills this winter. Columbia Gas of Kentucky officials say typical seasonal price increases will likely be significantly higher than in previous years. Officials say the increase is due to a national and global natural gas shortage driving up costs. Company officials say assistance is available for those who are struggling with utility bills.
Nearly 19-Hundred New COVID-19 Cases Being Reported In Kentucky
Over 19-hundred new COVID-19 cases are being reported in Kentucky. Governor Andy Beshear announced the new cases yesterday, along with 52 additional deaths. Just over eleven-hundred people in the commonwealth are hospitalized for COVID-19 related illnesses, with 207 on ventilators. Over 730-thousand Kentuckians have tested positive for the virus and more than 94-hundred have died since the pandemic began.
Calloway County Covid Update
As of 10/20/21, the Calloway County Health Department has received notification of 5 new cases of COVID19. The case count is now at 5,455 with 5,342 recovered, 46 isolated at home, 6 hospitalized, and 61 deaths. Here is a breakdown of the total cases by age category: 1 case under age 18, 1 case age 18 to 39, 3 cases age 40-60, and 0 cases over 60.
Kentucky State News Brief
McConnell Slams Democrats’ Voting Bill
(Washington, DC) — Senator Mitch McConnell is commenting on a Democratic voting rights bill. A vote to formally open debate on the Freedom to Vote Act failed yesterday with no support from Republican senators. Senator McConnell said the bill is an “election takeover scheme” by Democrats. McConnell defended new election laws in Republican-led states, calling them common sense measures that are focused on voting integrity.
Bomb Threat Called Into Lincoln Co. HS
(Stanford, KY) — Everyone is okay after a bomb threat at Lincoln County High School. The campus was evacuated yesterday after the threat was called in. News of the threat was announced on Lincoln County Public Schools’ Facebook page. Kentucky State Police and the Stanford Police Department are working together to investigate the threat.
Owensboro Drivers Asked To Report Potholes
(Owensboro, KY) — It’s pothole patching season in Owensboro. The Owensboro Street Department is asking drivers to report the location of potholes around the city from October 25th through November 5th. They’re asked to report the potholes to City Action by phone or email. The potholes will be filled from November 8th through November 19th.
OMG!con Organizers Throwing Halloween Party In Owensboro
(Owensboro, KY) — An organization known for an event at the Owensboro Convention Center each summer is planning a Halloween party. OMG!con’s party includes two events over as many days on October 30th and 31st. The first is a play on the Nightmare on Elm Street theme with a parade to be held from the convention center to the Brew Bridge at the corner of Second and Elm Street in downtown Owensboro. A horror movie showing and a costume Halloween ball is also part of the event’s first day, while table and board games are planned for the next day.
Missing Whitley County Man Found Dead
(Whitley County, KY) — Whitley County authorities say a missing man has been found dead. A Golden Alert was issued last week for 68-year-old Larry Hamblin. He was last seen on September 22nd in the 500 block of Bennet Branch Road in Williamsburg. Officials have not released where in Whitley County the body was found. Authorities confirmed yesterday that foul play is not suspected, but Hamblin’s body is being sent for further examination.
Owensboro Murder Suspect Sentenced To Life In Prison
(Owensboro, KY) — An Owensboro murder suspect will be serving life in prison after agreeing to a plea deal. Prosecutors say 29-year-old Matthew Adams pled guilty to several charges yesterday, including murder, in exchange for a sentence of life in prison without parole. Adams was originally facing the death penalty in the strangulation death of former girlfriend 25-year-old Erica Owen in 2018. Owen had a protective order against Adams when she was killed in her home.
Funeral Services Held For Clark County Judge-Executive Pace
(Winchester, KY) — The Clark County community is remembering Judge-Executive Chris Pace. Funerals services were held for Pace yesterday. The visitation and funeral service were held at Calvary Christian Church in Winchester, with burial following at Winchester Cemetery. Pace died last week because of complications from COVID-19.
Lexington Priest Creates Sauce To Raise Money For Hungry in Appalachia
(Lexington, KY) — A Lexington priest is using his culinary skills to raise money for charity. Father Jim Sichko has created a new food line called Miss Marie’s Spaghetti Sauce to fund efforts to fight hunger in Appalachia through the Diocese of Lexington. The line is named in honor of Sichko’s mother. It will be served in Delta Airline Sky Clubs.
Westbound Lanes Of Sherman Minton Bridge To Close For 9 Days
(Louisville, KY) — A change is being made to the nine-day closure of the lanes headed west on the Sherman Minton Bridge. The closure will now run from 3 o’clock in the morning on Wednesday, October 27th until 3 in the morning on Friday, November 5th. The ramp from I-265 west to I-64 west will be closed from 11 o’clock on Sunday night October 24th to 6 o’clock in the morning the next day. The closure will allow crews to add up to 30 years of life to the nearly 60-year-old bridge.
Several JCPS Middle Schools Offer Career Path Program
(Louisville, KY) — JCPS says several of its middle schools are getting an Explore Academy. The program will help students explore their career interests and prepare them to choose a high school. They’ll get hands-on, real-world experience in a number of fields. District officials said yesterday students will work through a rotation of each school’s chosen pathways starting in the sixth grade before picking one to pursue in seventh and eighth grades.
LMPD Looking For Elderly Missing Woman
(Louisville, KY) — LMPD is asking for help finding an elderly missing woman. Police say 81-year-old Nancy Jones was reported missing yesterday. Jones was last seen on Clayborne Road, near the Auburndale area south of Iroquois Park. Jones is described as white, five-feet-two, 120 pounds with blue eyes and brown hair. She was driving a maroon 2008 Chevrolet Malibu with Kentucky license plate number 690-YYD when she disappeared.
Presale Tickets To Jack Harlow’s Louisville Shows Sold Out
(Louisville, KY) — Presale tickets for five consecutive shows by Louisville rapper Jack Harlow are gone. The presale was held yesterday after the shows were announced the day before. The shows at five different Louisville venues from December 14th through the 18th are part of what Harlow is calling the No Place Like Home tour. General sales will start tomorrow morning at 10 o’clock.
Louisville Beer Week Starts Tomorrow
(Louisville, KY) — Louisville Beer Week starts tomorrow. More than 20 local breweries will participate in the event that will last through Friday, October 29th. Tailspin Ale Fest will serve as an “after-party” on Saturday, October 30th. This year’s theme of The Pouring 20s is a celebration of the historic and evolving beer scene in Louisville and is organized by Louisville Ale Trail.
Tennessee State News Brief
State Lawmakers Approve $900-Million Incentive Package For Ford
(Nashville, TN) — State lawmakers are approving a nearly 900-million dollar incentive package for a new Ford electric truck factory in West Tennessee. The General Assembly gave final approval for the package yesterday during a special session. Ford’s over five-and-a-half-billion-dollar factory will be built at the Memphis Regional Megasite in Haywood County. It’s expected to create about six-thousand jobs.
TDH Updates State Coronavirus Cases
(Nashville, TN) — There are over 19-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-269-thousand. Nearly 80 additional COVID-19-related deaths were also reported, with the total number standing at over 16-thousand. There are about 14-hundred COVID-19 hospitalizations in Tennessee.
USPS Worker Critical Following Collision With Train In Knox Co.
(Knox Co., TN) — A United State Postal Service worker is in critical condition in East Tennessee. The man was taken to UT Medical Center yesterday after a train hit his mail truck while he was crossing tracks in Knox County. Rural Metro says the crossing has stop signs instead of signals or gates. The Knox County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the collision with the Norfolk Southern train.
Helicopter Makes Emergency Landing On Street In Pigeon Forge
(Pigeon Forge, TN) — Everyone is okay after a helicopter made an emergency landing in Pigeon Forge. Pigeon Forge police say the helicopter was put down safely on a street after losing power late yesterday morning. They say the helicopter doesn’t appear to be damaged. The Federal Aviation Administration has been contacted.
FedEx Feature Flight Crew Of African-American Women
(Memphis, TN) — Memphis-based FedEx is making history. The shipping giant recently had its first flight crew of all Black women. The flight from Memphis to Atlanta happened in June. It was led by Captain Tahirah [[ Tuh-hear-uh ]] Brown and First Officer Diana Lugemwa [[ Leh-goom-whu ]]. Black women make up less than one percent of the world’s pilots.
Dispute Within Nation’s Largest Protestant Denomination Heading To Court
(Nashville, TN) — A dispute within the Nashville-based Southern Baptist Convention is going to court. The leader of a conservative movement within the SBC is suing the former president of the denomination’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. The suit filed by Georgia pastor Mike Stone against Russell Moore accuses Moore of defamation, false light invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The suit filed on Monday focuses on letters written by Moore and eventually leaked to the press, one of which claimed the SBC’s Executive Committee exonerated a church that covered up sex abuse. Stone was referred to in the letter by his former role as chair of the Executive Committee.
Tennessee Man Admits To Setting Church Fires
(Nashville, TN) — A Nashville man is pleading guilty to Civil Rights violations over a series of church fires around the Metro area. Alan Fox set the fires at four churches over ten days in 2019. Fox said he set the fires because of “the religious character of the four churches.” He faces up to 20 years in prison for each fire and five years for a gun violation when he’s sentenced in February.
Tickets On Sale For NHL Stadium Series Game At Nissan Stadium
(Nashville, TN) — Tickets go on sale this morning for the NHL Stadium Series game at Nissan Stadium. The Nashville Predators will face the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning at Nissan Stadium on Saturday, February 26th of next year. Ticketmaster will start selling the tickets at 10 o’clock. The Predators lost to the Stars, 4-2, in the 2020 NHL Winter Classic in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas in their only other outdoor game.
RCSO Looking For Missing Murfreesboro Man
(Rutherford Co., TN) — The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office is asking for help finding a missing Murfreesboro man. Brandon Alexander Harvey was reported missing by his family yesterday. Harvey was last seen on Tuesday. He’s described as 50-years-old, white about six-foot-one, 220 pounds and drives a black Ford Escape with Tennessee license plate number N2855K.
Kid Rock Grand Marshal Of The All American 400
(Nashville, TN) — Kid Rock will serve as the grand marshal for this year’s All American 400 race at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. The multi-platinum-selling rock star is known to be a stockcar racing fan and has served as grand marshal at other NASCAR races. He also performed at the 2015 Daytona 500 prior to the race. The race is set for Sunday, October 31st.
World/National Headlines
House Vote Today On Bannon Contempt Charges
(Washington, DC) — The House is deciding today whether to hold an adviser to former President Trump in contempt. The committee investigating January’s Capitol attack already voted for criminal charges, saying Steve Bannon was the only witness who refused to testify. He won’t hand over documents and didn’t show up to a deposition last week despite a subpoena. The committee wants to know how and why rioters stormed the building.
CDC Panel To Decide On Moderna, J&J Boosters
(Washington, DC) — A CDC advisory panel is voting today on mixing and matching COVID booster shots. The FDA said yesterday it was okay for adults to get a different vaccine. The agency also approved a third dose from Moderna for seniors and those at high risk, and a second dose from Johnson and Johnson without any criteria. Pharmacies could begin giving out more boosters by this weekend if the CDC director signs off on recommendations.
FL Remains Found In Park May Be Brian Laundrie
(North Port, FL) — The search may be over for the only person of interest in the Gabby Petito case. She’s the Florida woman killed during a cross country road trip with her fiance. He returned without her last month and then vanished. A family attorney tells CNN a body found in a nature park yesterday is likely Brian Laundrie. Investigators have been searching there for weeks and confirm they recovered what they believe is his backpack and notebook.
AL To Execute Mentally Disabled Killer Tonight
(Montgomery, AL) — Alabama is set to execute a mentally disabled man today for killing a woman in 1991. Willie Smith was convicted of kidnapping the 22-year-old, stealing 80-bucks and then shooting her in the head at a cemetery. His lawyers says he should have been given help in selecting how he was going to die. They tried to get the execution blocked but a federal judge refused. A court is allowing his pastor to be in the chamber.
Every State Now Tops $3 Mark For Gas Prices
(Heathrow, FL) — More drivers are feeling sticker shock at the pump. Every state has now topped the three-dollar mark. The cheapest prices are in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas. California remains the most expensive to fill up at four-53, followed by Hawaii and Nevada. Triple-A puts the new national average at three-37 a gallon, up seven cents from last week. That’s more than a dollar higher since the beginning of the year.
Meghan Markle Pushes For Paid Family Leave
(Washington, DC) — Prince Harry’s wife, the Duchess of Sussex, wants Congress to include paid family leave in the budget bill Democrats are trying to pass. Meghan Markle sent a letter on Wednesday to the House and Senate leaders about the challenges of having a new baby. The couple welcomed their second child in June, more than a year after leaving the royal family and moving to California. The actress says families shouldn’t have to choose between work and caring for kids or family members.
