Photo via The Murray Bank
INVESTMENT CELEBRATION AT BEE CREEK TODAY
The Murray Bank will be hosting a Community Investment Celebration at 5 pm today at the Murray Bank Bee Creek Soccer Complex, Field 15 for a check presentation to Murray Calloway County Parks. A $500,000 check will be given to help secure lighting for the soccer complex. The public is invited to attend the event.
FAVORITE THINGS DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY; TRICK-OR-TREATING IS SATURDAY
Wednesday is the deadline to showcase your holiday products and services in “Chamber’s Favorite Things” Holiday Guide, presented by the Murray-Calloway County Chamber of Commerce. Those interested can contact the Chamber for additional details. This Friday, join the Murray Calloway County Parks for Drive-Thru Trail of Treats in Central Park from 5-8 pm. Community Trick-or-Treating in Murray is set for Saturday evening.
CCHD REPORTS 1 NEW COVID CASE
The Calloway County Health Department reported 1 new case of COVID-19 yesterday. The county currently has 29 cases isolated at home and 2 are hospitalized. Calloway County’s latest reported positivity rate is 4.88% which is lower than the state rate of 5.84%. Calloway County is now one of 66 of the state’s 120 counties outside of the red zone for COVID-19 Incidence Rates. The state reported 316 confirmed new cases and 18 confirmed new deaths yesterday. There are 919 hospitalized, which is 274 less than last Monday, including 281 in ICU, which is 56 less than a week ago.
ART AUCTION BEGINS FRIDAY
The Murray State University Department of Art & Design and the University Galleries Annual Art Auction is this week. The event will take place online from October 29 through November 15. Bidding is open to the public. Domestic shipping, local delivery, and in-person buyer pickup will be available for purchased works. The auction’s online platform can be accessed at 32auctions.com/MurrayStateArtAuction. The art auction is a scholarship fundraiser that showcases talented faculty, students, alumni and local artists. Proceeds from the auction go to support Murray State University’s Department of Art & Design majors’ scholarships.
GAS PRICES CONTINUE TO RISE
Gas prices in West Central Kentucky are six cents higher this week at $3.07 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report. The recent surge in the price of gas may seem spooky this Halloween, but it’s not frightening people away from driving as demand continues to rise. The national average price for a gallon of gasoline rose six cents over the past week to hit $3.38. The pump price has gone up every day in the past 27 days, adding approximately 20 cents to the cost of a gallon of gas. The last time prices were this high was September 2014. The recent rise in the pump price is due to higher demand coupled with a decline in stocks and elevated crude prices. Since the cost of oil accounts for more than half of the pump price, consumers will likely be paying more as long as crude prices remain high.
IN AND AROUND KENTUCKY
FRANKFORT—Governor Andy Beshear says he is moving forward with an initiative to provide bonuses to essential pandemic workers despite running into obstacles. State Republican leaders recently notified Beshear that they wouldn’t be taking part in a proposed work group on the issue, that they would instead consider the proposal through the committee process. The proposed bipartisan work group would have decided who qualified for the proposed 400 million dollars in American Rescue Plan-funded bonuses and how much each recipient would receive. House Speaker David Osborne says Republicans will look forward to input from the executive branch on the issue.
FRANKFORT—There are more jobs open in Kentucky than almost anywhere else in the United States. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports there are 167-thousand unfilled jobs in the state. That’s more than eight-percent of Kentucky’s workforce. Only Alaska had a higher rate of unfilled jobs. The most recent statistics are from August.
OWENSBORO—An effort is underway in Owensboro to clean up the banks of the Ohio River. The city is teaming up with Specialty Foods Group and the Army Reserve to help clear overgrowth and debris from the banks on the west side of the English Park boat ramp. Officials say they are also working with St. Benedict’s Homeless Shelter, which has notified people camping in tents on the banks of the cleanup effort and has offered them a place to stay. The cleanup is expected to wrap up on November eleventh.
HENDERSON—Authorities are releasing the identity of the victim in a deadly Henderson crash. Deputies say 67-year-old Ava Barley was driving across Highway 41 at Wolf Hills Road yesterday morning when her vehicle was hit by another car. Bartley died from her injuries. Shane Wilhite was the 19-year-old driver of the other car and was taken to the hospital and released.
FORT CAMPBELL—There’s no threat to Fort Campbell. That’s what military police determined yesterday after responding to reports of shots fired on the base. No weapons were found after homes on the installation had to be cleared temporarily. It was determined what was initially thought to be a gunshot was the sound of a vehicle backfiring.
OWENSBORO—The Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame is mourning the passing of one of its members. Legendary banjo player Sonny Osborne died on Sunday. Osborne and his brother Bobby Osborne were part of The Osborne Brothers, which starred on the Grand Ole Opry, as well as on hit records like Rocky Top. Roland “Sonny” Osborne was born in Hyden, Kentucky and was just days away from his 84th birthday.
WINCHESTER—A number of central Kentucky musicians are raising money for a Winchester Guitar Shop. Six musicians participated last night in the Acoustic Guitar Project’s annual concert. The musicians were charged with each creating a song in one week using one guitar that they then passed to the next musician in the group. The concept originated several years ago with New York musician Dave Adams and become a worldwide movement. Funds raised from the concert went to the Guitars for Kids program created by RS Guitarworks, which was devastated by flooding several weeks ago.
TENNESSEE—The third special session of the Tennessee General Assembly this year will focus on COVID-19 mandates. The special session is scheduled to start tomorrow in Nashville. Among the bills that have been prefiled is one that would make private employers liable for side effects of mandated COVID-19 vaccinations. The side effects would be classified as injuries and workers would be entitled to workers’ compensation.
TENNESSEE—The Tennessee Department of Education will hold eight town hall events as part of its review of the state’s funding formula for public schools. The first meeting will be held in Hendersonville tomorrow. Education officials say they’re focused on student-based funding and how to create a new strategy that will best serve Tennessee’s students. Parents can RSVP for the meetings through Facebook and the hearings will also be livestreamed.
TENNESSEE—There are over 570 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-275-thousand. An additional eight COVID-19-related deaths were also reported, with the total number standing at over 16-thousand. Over eleven-hundred COVID-19 hospitalizations in Tennessee.
