STORMS CAUSE DAMAGE, CLOSE CALLOWAY COUNTY SCHOOLS
Severe storms and possible tornadoes were reported in the area overnight. According to the National Weather Service in Paducah, significant tree and power line damage was reported east of Murray along KY 280 while a tree was also reported to be down on a house in Harris Grove. Power outages have also knocked WNBS AM and FM off the air due to an outage at the station’s transmitter site. Due to damage from the storms, Calloway County Schools will not be in session today. This is not an NTI day. Damage was also reported in Graves County and Marshall County.
MSU ANNOUNCES FACILITIES PLAN FOR CFSB CENTER
The Murray State Athletics Facility Master Plan was unveiled on Friday with future plans for the CFSB Center. In addition to upgraded lighting and sound, the CFSB Center plan includes a fixed seating configuration on three sides of the lower bowl. The west end zone will continue with retractable seating to accommodate events requiring a stage. Fixed lower bowl seating will facilitate an increase in lower bowl capacity and provide higher-quality seats throughout. Additionally, a premium club space is included in the plan located behind the team benches and underneath the fixed seating. This premium club space will provide ticket holders access to food and beverage service and a unique game day experience as teams take the floor via center court, through the premium club space. Also included is a Student-Athlete Development Suite which results from a transformation of existing training room and weight room spaces.
LOCAL AG STUDENTS HONORED AT MSU
The Hutson School of Agriculture at Murray State University recently honored high school students from the Purchase, Pennyrile and Green River regions as Murray State FFA All-Region Stars based on the students’ demonstrated leadership in Future Farmers of America. Local honorees were Savannah Pittman and Bella Swain, both of Calloway County High School, as well as Farris Howard and Gwendolyn Falwell, both of Murray High School. he honored FFA students attend a number of high schools in the 18-county Murray State service region.
CCSO DEPUTY GRADUATES FROM TRAINING ACADEMY
Calloway County Sheriff’s Deputy Parker Wooldridge graduated last week from the Department of Criminal Justice Training Basic Police Training Academy. Deputy Wooldridge completed the 20 week course and was selected to be the guidon bearer which is a leadership position for his academy class. Wooldridge was also recognized with the Academy’s “Physical Fitness Excellence Award” which goes to those recruits who meet the highest standard in all five standardized test areas. Wooldridge is a native of Calloway County and graduated from Murray High School.
CCHD REPORTS 45 WEEKLY COVID CASES
In Friday’s weekly report, the Calloway County Health Department announced 45 new cases of COVID-19. The county currently has 50 cases isolated at home and 1 is hospitalized. Calloway County’s latest reported COVID-19 positivity rate is 6.9% which is lower than the state rate of 9.2%. As of Friday, Calloway County was one of 21 of the state’s 120 counties outside of the red zone for COVID-19 Incidence Rates. The state reported 1,674 confirmed new cases and 51 confirmed new deaths Friday. There are currently 972 hospitalized in Kentucky, which is 151 more than last Friday, including 284 in ICU, which is 80 more than a week ago.
IN AND AROUND KENTUCKY
UNION COUNTY—Kentucky’s Energy and Environment Cabinet officials say a man has died from injuries sustained in a coal mine accident. Officials say 48-year-old mechanic Lester Daugherty, Jr. was critically injured overnight Friday while performing maintenance on a continuous miner at the 16-thousand-foot-deep River View mine in Waverly, Kentucky. He died over the weekend. All operations were shutdown Saturday while state inspectors were on the scene. The Division of Mine Safety last inspected the mine in October 2021.
OWENSBORO—The Daviess County Sheriff’s Office says a deputy was involved in a crash. The crash happened Saturday night on the Owensboro bypass between Frederica Street and Carter Road. Officials say the deputy tried to cross traffic to stop or slow down a vehicle that was driving the wrong way and collided with another car. The deputy and the woman driving the other car were taken to the hospital and have been released. The car going the wrong way was pushed into the median and eventually stopped and Kentucky State Police are investigating.
UTICA—A Daviess County garage fire is out after a response by two separate departments. Masonville Fire Department crews assisted the Utica Fire Department in fighting the fire in the 100 block of Highway 140 East yesterday morning. Crews say the garage was engulfed in flames, but nobody was hurt. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
FRANKFORT—Frankfort is carrying on with some holiday traditions after a year of alterations because of the pandemic. The city’s Christmas parade traveled through the city over the weekend, followed by a Christmas Tree lighting at the Capitol building. Governor Andy Beshear and Santa joined in the festivities. Beshear thanked families after the parade for helping bring back the tradition and helping celebrate frontline heroes.
LOUISVILLE—Record violence in the state’s largest city is continuing. Louisville has set a record for homicides for the second consecutive year. There have been 175 murders in Louisville this year, surpassing last year’s total of 173. An additional 557 people have been injured by gunfire this year.
TENNESSEE—Tennessee’s senior U.S. Senator is remembering former Republican Senator Bob Dole of Kansas. The former presidential candidate passed away yesterday at the age of 98 after battling lung cancer. Senator Blackburn called Dole “a true statesman, American war hero, and unparalleled legislator.” Blackburn added that she’s praying for Dole’s wife Elizabeth and the entire Dole family.
TENNESSEE—Knoxville is announcing plans to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 1982 World’s Fair. The Budweiser Clydesdales were at World’s Fair Park yesterday as the city announced its plans for next year’s yearlong celebration of the 1982 World’s Fair. The Budweiser Clydesdales were also a part of the 1982 World’s Fair. Events celebrating the anniversary will start on the same date as 40 years ago, May 1st and run through October 31st.
