Kentucky COVID-19 Positivity Rate Reaches Record Level
Kentucky’s COVID-19 positivity rate is at a record high. Governor Andy Beshear announced yesterday that the commonwealth’s positivity rate had reached 20-point-72-percent, the highest ever reported. The Governor reported over 41-hundred new cases of the virus, along with 15 additional deaths. Beshear attributes the escalation in the number of cases to the omicron variant.
Beshear Requesting Extension Of Federal Government Payments
Governor Andy Beshear is requesting an extension of the federal government’s 100-percent payments for debris removal and temporary housing from the December 10th tornadoes. The governor spoke yesterday from Graves County while out surveying the continuing recovery in Western Kentucky. The federal funding was set to last for the first 30 days of the recovery and is set to end January 10th. Beshear says he’ll be asking for an additional 60 days of 100-percent cost coverage by the federal government.
First Lady To Visit Kentucky Following Tornadoes
First Lady Jill Biden is putting Kentucky on her travel schedule this week. The White House announced that Dr. Biden, as well as federal officials, will be surveying the Bluegrass State Thursday following last month’s devastating tornadoes. She’s also set to stop by a FEMA State Disaster Recovery Center. Governor Andy Beshear and First Lady Britainy Beshear will accompany the First Lady during the visit. Ninety people died from the tornadoes that traveled through eight different states.
KYTC District 1 Crews to Pre-Treat in Preparation for Snow Arriving Thursday
In anticipation of the season’s first accumulating snowfall arriving sometime Thursday, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) crews in District 1 plan to ramp up pre-treating activities along area highways during the day on Tuesday, January 4, 2022. While accumulation totals are uncertain at this time, cold temperatures arriving with the system provide our first real opportunity for widespread winter driving conditions across the region.
Kentucky State Police Investigates Trooper-Involved Shooting in Graves County
MAYFIELD, KY. (January 3, 2022) – The Kentucky State Police (KSP) Critical Incident Response Team is investigating a trooper-involved shooting that occurred late morning on New Years Eve in Graves County.
KSP Post 1 dispatch was notified of an armed robbery in Mayfield. Glasgow Police Department initially responded to the incident and became engaged in a vehicle pursuit where shots were fired at officers. Upon Glasgow Police Department losing sight of the vehicle the pursuit was terminated. A short time later, KSP troopers located a vehicle matching the description from the armed robbery and a second pursuit began. Shots were fired from the vehicle at KSP, at which time a trooper discharged an agency-issued firearm, striking a subject located inside of the vehicle and ending the pursuit.
A male subject was transported by Mayfield-Graves County EMS to Baptist Hospital in Paducah where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, released and transported to the McCracken County Jail. A second subject was also arrested and transported to McCracken County Jail. KSP Critical Incident Response Team’s investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
KY National Guard from Murray Deploying to Kosovo
Kentucky National Guard Leadership will join friends and family Wednesday at 2pm, at the White Barn in Murray to say farewell to 20 Soldiers from the 438th Military Police (MP) Company, based out of Murray, Ky, who are scheduled to deploy to Kosovo for a year-long mission to provide Military Police Liaison Officer Support in support of Operation Joint Guardian. The 438th is comprised of Soldiers trained in force protection, anti-terrorism, area security, and police intelligence operations.The unit has mobilized twice since Sept. 11 2001, to Cuba in 2002 and Iraq in 2007.
Calloway Co. Covid Update
Calloway County Health Department Announces One Death and 65 Cases of COVID19
for the Period of 1/1 to 1/3 As of 1/3/22, the Calloway County Health Department has received notification of one death related to COVID19. The patient was a resident of Calloway County. The Calloway County Health Department wishes to express our deepest condolences and sympathies to the family.
In addition, the Calloway County Health Department has received notification of 65 cases for the period 1/1 to 1/3
Calloway Co Sheriff’s Department Hires 2 New Deputies
The Calloway County Sheriff’s Office welcomes two new deputies to the force. Both deputies were sworn in by Calloway County Judge Executive Kenny Imes yesterday.
Deputy Nicholas Hopkins is a native of Calloway County, having graduated from Murray High School. Deputy Hopkins began his career as a Court Security Officer in July of 2021. The transition from Court Security Officer to Deputy Sheriff has been a goal of Hopkins’ since first applying to the department.
Deputy Zach Chapman is a native of Muscogee, Oklahoma. Deputy Chapman joins the Calloway County Sheriff’s Office after having served approximately 5 years in the U. S. Coast Guard.
Both new deputies will attend the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training Basic Law Enforcement Academy prior to being assigned to a patrol position. The addition of these two deputies brings the department’s Deputy force up to full strength.
Kentucky State News Brief
NWS Confirms NYE Weekend EF-1 Tornado In Estill County
(Estill County, KY) — The National Weather Service is confirming that an EF-1 tornado hit Estill County over the weekend. The NWS determined the tornado brought 95 mile per hour winds and tracked for a mile. A barn was completely destroyed as it blew through the county. Weather officials counted the tornado as separate from the one that hit Union City because it had lifted off the ground for more than two miles before touching back down.
Classes At University Of Kentucky To Resume Next Week
(Lexington, KY) — In-person classes at the University of Kentucky will resume next week following an end-of-semester break. President Eli Capilouto says the university will continue to monitor rising COVID-19 case numbers. He says UK will make boosters available soon to everyone on campus. Capilouto said in a letter to the campus that UK will follow the CDC’s latest isolation guidelines of five days, followed by five days of masking.
Deadly Daviess County Crash Under Investigation
(Daviess County, KY) — A deadly Daviess County crash is under investigation. The crash happened late yesterday morning in the 26-hundred block of Highway 81. Deputies say the driver of a car was attempting to turn left from the Daviess County Government Operations Building and pulled out in front of a pickup. The 61-year-old Owensboro woman driving the car was killed. The driver of the truck wasn’t hurt and deputies say alcohol isn’t a factor in the crash.
JCPS Returns From Christmas Break Amid COVID Surge
(Louisville, KY) — Students in the state’s largest school district are returning to classes today following Christmas break. Jefferson County Public Schools is returning to classrooms despite surging cases of COVID-19. There are over 13-hundred active cases among JCPS staff members. Over 27-hundred students are currently quarantined.
Some Oldham Co. Schools Parents Want Mask Mandate Reinstated
(Oldham Co., KY) — Some parents are starting a petition to reinstate the mask mandate in Oldham County Schools. The district lifted its mask mandate for students and staff in November. The superintendent can enforce a two-week mask mandate at specific schools to prevent outbreaks of COVID-19 if there’s reason to do so. Students return from Christmas break today.
Fort Campbell Middle School Closed Over Critical Staffing Shortage
(Fort Campbell, KY) — Fort Campbell says its middle school is closing for a couple of days this week. Mahaffey Middle School will be closed today and tomorrow due to a critical staffing shortage. School officials say the shortage is due to absences related to COVID-19, bereavement leave and stranded travelers. The closure doesn’t apply to other schools on Fort Campbell.
GRDHD To Update COVID-19 Numbers
(Owensboro, KY) — The Green River District Health Department is expected to update its COVID-19 numbers today. There have been about 42-thousand-500 cases in the seven-county district since the outbreak began. There have been nearly 700 COVID-related deaths since the start of the outbreak.
JCPS Returns From Christmas Break Amid COVID Surge
(Louisville, KY) — JCPS students are returning to classes today following Christmas break. The district is returning to classrooms despite surging cases of COVID-19. There are over 13-hundred active cases among JCPS staff members. Over 27-hundred students are currently quarantined.
Some Oldham Co. Schools Parents Want Mask Mandate Reinstated
(Oldham Co., KY) — Some parents with students in Oldham County Schools are starting a petition to reinstate the district’s mask mandate. The district lifted its mask mandate for students and staff in November. The superintendent can enforce a two-week mask mandate at specific schools to prevent outbreaks of COVID-19 if there’s reason to do so. Students return from Christmas break today.
Riders Of TARC3 Asked To Limit Rides To Essential Trips
(Louisville, KY) — People with disabilities are being asked to limit bus rides. TARC3 says bus rides should be limited to essential trips. The service says it’s dealing with a significant TARC3 driver shortage due to cases of COVID-19. TARC says wait times and routes are likely to be impacted.
Metro Leaders To Focus On Public Safety In New Year
(Louisville, KY) — Public safety is the focus of the Metro government in the new year. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and members of the Metro Council outlined their priorities for this year’s legislative session yesterday. There were nearly 190 homicides in Louisville last year. Fischer and other leaders say they hope to place more restrictions on gun owners.
Tennessee State News Brief
TDOT Treating Roads Following Wintry Weather
(Undated) – TDOT is treating roads in some parts of the state that got snow. Some areas got several inches of snow early yesterday morning. TDOT says it had crews on standby overnight to treat roads that saw freezing. Officials say most of the main roads are dry.
Thousands Without Power In Sevier Co.
(Pigeon Forge, TN) – Thousands of people are without power in Sevier [[ severe ]] County. More than 20-thousand people were without power as of 8 o’clock last night. The power outage was caused by several inches of snow early yesterday morning. Sevier County Electric System says it could be another night before everyone has power again.
Tornado Confirmed In Giles Co.
(Giles Co., TN) – A tornado is being confirmed in Giles County. The National Weather Service says an EF-1 tornado touched down in Giles County on Saturday. The tornado had wins of 90 miles-per-hour. It’s path was nearly ten-miles long.
Swimming Event Scheduled For UT Campus Canceled
(Knoxville, TN) – USA Swimming is canceling a national swim meet expected to be held on the UT campus later this month. The first TYR Pro Swim event of the year was expected to be held at the Allan Jones Aquatic Center in Knoxville January 12th through the 15th. USA Swimming officials cited rising COVID-19 cases across the country for the cancellation.
FedEx Taking Steps To Go Green
(Memphis, TN) – FedEx is going green. The Memphis-based shipping giant has received its first five of 500 electric light commercial vehicles from Bright Drop. The vehicles run on Ultium batteries with an estimated range of up to 250 miles on a full charge. The company has a goal of making its global operations carbon neutral by 2040.
NWS: Black Ice Could Form On Some Mid-State Roads
(Nashville, TN) — Drivers in the Mid-State are being warned to be careful during this morning’s commute. The National Weather Service has issued a special weather statement saying black ice could form on some roads. Most of the main roads have dried since yesterday morning’s snowfall. However, black ice could form on untreated secondary roads, overpasses and shaded areas.
Some Mid-State School Districts Impacted By Road Conditions
(Nashville, TN) — Several Middle Tennessee school districts are being impacted by weather. The National Weather Service has issued a special statement warning drivers that black ice could form on streets. Some schools are closed and others are opening late due to the road conditions. Wilson County Schools are on a two-hour delay, Rutherford County Schools will open an hour late and Clay County and Bedford County schools are closed.
MNPS Won’t Go To Online Learning, Close Schools Over COVID Cases
(Nashville, TN) — Metro Nashville Public Schools says rising COVID-19 cases won’t lead to remote learning or school closures. MNPS sent an email to staff on Monday saying the district is still planning on students returning to classes on Friday. However, students and staff will be required to follow new CDC guidelines with students who test positive isolating for five days. They’ll be offered remote opportunities to work and learn.
CMCSS Preparing To Rezone School District
(Clarksville, TN) — The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System is preparing to open a new school. It will open Kirkwood Middle School in August. The district says to prepare, it will begin a “comprehensive” rezoning. A first reading of its rezoning recommendation will be done at this evening’s school board study session.
Whataburger Set To Open First Nashville Location
(Nashville, TN) — The first of eight Whataburger restaurants planned for the Nashville area this year will open tomorrow. The Texas-based chain will launch its first-ever Nashville restaurant in Hermitage at 11 o’clock. Whataburger says police will be there to direct traffic for the Old Hickory Boulevard restaurant. Whataburger says it also has sponsorship agreements with the Tennessee Titans and the Nashville Sounds.
Tennessee Titans Player Wanted For Questioning In Altercation At A Nashville Area Walgreens
(Nashville, TN) — Metro Police say they are looking to question a Tennessee Titans player about an altercation at a Nashville area Walgreens. According to reports, officials want to talk to Titans’ linebacker Bud Dupree about an incident inside the Walgreens on Rosa Parks Boulevard. Dupree was allegedly involved in a confrontation between several people and Walgreens employees after someone began videoing him with a cell phone. No charges have been filed at this time.
Man In Custody In Connection To Residential Fire On Ashland City Highway
(Nashville, TN) — Authorities say they have arrested a person in connection to a residential fire yesterday on Ashland City Highway. The Nashville Fire Department says they were delayed responding to the call due to reports of an armed suspect in the area. Crews were able to contain the fire to one property that was reported to be a total loss. Metro Police did not release the identity of the person taken into custody or any possible charges they may be facing.
Metro SWAT Team Arrests Burglar Hiding In The Ceiling Of An East Nashville Restaurant
(Nashville, TN) — A man is free on bond after being discovered hiding in the ceiling of an East Nashville Restaurant on Christmas Eve. Authorities confirmed yesterday that 34-year-old Robert Dowell was arrested on December 24th after breaking into Boombozz Craft Pizza and Tap House on Russell Street and evading police by climbing into the ceiling. Owner James Figueredo said it was the third time his restaurant had been broken into in less than a year. Dowell said he broke into the business because he was hungry, and pizza sounded good.
Hendersonville Police Arrest Nashville Man Passing Out Counterfeit Bills
(Hendersonville, TN) — Hendersonville Police say they have arrested a Nashville man for allegedly using counterfeit money at several area businesses. Officials confirmed yesterday that 46-year-old Clifton Odell was booked into the Sumner County Jail on a 52-thousand-dollar bond. Odell is accused of using fake 100-dollar bills around the Hendersonville area between December 21st and 29th.
Airlines Cancel Flights At Nashville International Airport Due To Winter Storms
(Nashville, TN) — Airlines canceled thousands of flights yesterday for the second straight day, including almost 60 at Nashville International Airport. Airlines grounded nearly three-thousand flights across the U.S. and over 47-hundred worldwide. Winter storms and staffing shortages due to COVID-19 have canceled almost 18-thousand flights since December 24th. Around 400 flights have already been canceled or delayed nationwide today, with travelers advised to check with their airlines before heading to the airport.
National/World
VA DOT Acknowledges Stranded I-95 Drivers, Calls It ‘Unprecedented’
(Fredericksburg, VA) — Transportation officials in Virginia are acknowledging the travel nightmare endured by some in the commonwealth. Some travelers have been stuck on parts of Interstate 95 since Monday morning and a large chunk of it is still shut down. One official covering the Fredericksburg area, south of Washington, DC, called it “unprecedented.” Even when the interstate reopens, transportation officials say more time will be needed to help those who have been on the interstate for a long time. Virginia Senator Tim Kaine is among those stuck. He tweeted a picture saying he started his drive to DC early yesterday afternoon and it normally takes two hours. He noted he’s “still not near the [ U.S. ] Capitol.”
Airline Delays, Cancellations Stack Up Again Today
(Undated) — It’s already looking like another day of headaches for air travelers with flight delays and cancellations stacking up. The flight tracking website FlightAware puts the number of flights scrapped within, into, or out of the U.S. at 12-hundred. Delays total more than one-thousand. While that’s not the best news, it’s so far better than yesterday when airlines delayed or canceled more than seven-thousand flights.
Nation Sets COVID Record Of One Million Cases
(Washington, DC) — President Biden is set to meet with his COVID response team today on a new plan to fight the raging omicron [[ ahm-ih-cron ]] variant. The nation topped more than one-million infections yesterday alone, almost double the record just set this past Thursday. The count also included a backlog of state cases from the New Year’s weekend. Still, this means the weekly average could come close to 450-thousand cases each day as more than 100-thousand people are currently hospitalized.
Poll: Americans Disagree On Why Democracy In Peril
(Boston, MA) — Americans overwhelmingly agree democracy is in peril, but a new poll shows they don’t agree on why. The USA Today/Suffolk University Poll out today shows more than eight in ten Democrats, Republicans, and Independents say they’re worried about the future of democracy in the U.S. There’s little agreement on whether the mob that attacked the Capitol on January 6th of last year attempted to undermine democracy, or fix it. Two-thirds of Republicans say the rioters “went too far, but they had a point”, while 85-percent of Democrats call the rioters “criminals.”
Cruz Floats Biden Impeachment If GOP Takes House
(Washington, DC) — Senator Ted Cruz says the House will probably impeach President Biden if Republicans take back the chamber this November. The Texas Republican floated the idea on his podcast Monday. Cruz put GOP odds of winning the House at 90-10 and 50-50 to retake the Senate. Four House Republicans filed impeachment articles against Biden last September over his handling of the southern border and troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.
CA New Pork Regulatory Regimen Now In Effect
(Sacramento, CA) — A new California law is in effect to regulate pork production. The measure will ban some pork products originating out of state from being sold in California. The new Proposition 12 bans gestation stalls, which many pork producers across the country use after a sow gives birth. Only about five-percent of pork producers nationally are currently compliant with the new California regulations.
Rare Bird Seen In Massachusetts Has Apparently Flown To Maine
(Undated) — A rare eagle recently spotted in southeastern Massachusetts has apparently moved on to the next stop of its New England journey. The Portland Press Herald reports the Steller’s sea eagle that was seen near the Taunton River a week before Christmas is likely the same one that caught the attention of birdwatchers in Georgetown, Maine on New Year’s Eve. The Asian bird started its North American journey with a sighting in Alaska.
