CARLISLE COUNTY HAD LOWEST JOBLESS RATE IN 2020
Annual unemployment rates increased in 119 Kentucky counties in 2020 compared to 2019, and decreased in Clinton County. The Purchase District jobless rate for 2020 was 6.5%, led by Carlisle County with a rate of 4.7%, which was also the lowest in the state. Calloway County’s rate was 6.2%, Graves County was 5.9%, and Marshall County had a rate of 6.1%. McCracken County’s 7.2% rate was the highest in the Purchase Area. Magoffin County recorded the state’s highest annual unemployment rate in 2020 at 16.1%.
KYLE FIELD GETS ADDITIONAL FEDERAL FUNDING
Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell announced yesterday that 30 Kentucky airports received a total of almost 13 million dollars to continue operations and keep travelers safe during the coronavirus pandemic. The Murray-Calloway County Airport Board and Mayfield-Graves County airport Board will each receive $13,000. The State of Kentucky also received $9,000 for the airport at Calvert City.
CALHOON ACCEPTED TO GATTON ACADEMY
Calloway County High School sophomore Drake Calhoon has been accepted to The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science at Western Kentucky University for the upcoming school year. The Gatton Academy is a residential program for bright, highly motivated Kentucky high school students who have demonstrated interest in pursuing advanced careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Housed on the campus of Western Kentucky University, students take college classes, engage in faculty-led research, and have the ability to study abroad. Drake is the daughter of Stacy and Tabethia Smith.
CCHD REPORTS 4 NEW COVID CASES
The Calloway County Health Department reported 4 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday and Monday, bringing the county case total during the pandemic to 3,450. Of that total, 3,389 have recovered, 12 are isolated at home, and none are hospitalized. There have been 49 COVID-19 related deaths in the county. Murray State University has reported 4 student cases from April 12 through the 18th. Calloway County’s COVID-19 Incidence Rate per 100,000 on Monday was 5.9%, which is higher than Sunday’s rate of 5.1%. There are now 11 red zone counties for COVID-19 cases in the state.
VACCINATION APPOINTMENTS STILL AVAILABLE
The Murray Regional Vaccination Clinic is scheduling online appointments for administration of Moderna COVID-19 first doses at the CFSB Center. This week’s clinic will be held from 2 pm to 6 pm on Thursday, and from 8 am until noon on Friday. Appointments are currently available for those 18 years of age and older. Please visit MurrayKYvaccine.org to schedule an appointment and make sure you select April 22 or 23 to see available appointments.
STATE POSITIVITY RATE UP SLIGHTLY
At Monday’s COVID-19 update for Kentucky, 231 new cases and 4 new deaths were reported, raising the total to 6,347 Kentuckians who are listed as Covid deaths. As of Monday, there have been over 5.31 million coronavirus tests performed in Kentucky with a positivity rate of 3.46%, which is higher than last Monday’s rate of 3.16%. There are 402 Kentuckians hospitalized which is 22 more than last Monday, including 121 in ICU, which is 17 more than one week ago. At least 50,776 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus.
MAYFIELD MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER
Mayfield Police officers were dispatched Sunday to an unresponsive man at a home on South 14th Street at approximately 8:20 am. 31-year-old Devon Saxton of Mayfield, was found on the front porch of the home with a laceration wound to his neck and was pronounced dead at the scene. After conducting interviews and gathering evidence, detectives were led to the home of 36-year-old Troy Rogers of Mayfield who reportedly confessed to the crime, and was arrested on a murder charge. Rogers was lodged in the Graves County Jail.
KSP MAKES ARREST AFTER SUSPICIOUS PERSON CALL
Kentucky State Police arrested a Mayfield man Sunday night after complaints of a suspicious person walking through the backyards of residences near the area of Clark Street and 15th Street in Mayfield. While on an unrelated complaint, a male subject observed a Trooper and began yelling and cursing at him. The Trooper made contact with 28-year old Philip Vrhovnik who fled from the Trooper and a Mayfield Police Department officer, running through residential yards and across a street. Vrhovnik approached a tree line and after a brief struggle, he was apprehended. Vrhovnik was charged with Criminal Trespassing, Disorderly Conduct, Resisting Arrest, Fleeing or Evading Police, possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of Methamphetamine. He was lodged in the Graves County Jail. Trooper Austin Ramage is continuing the investigation.
GAS PRICES UP A PENNY
Gas prices in West Central Kentucky are one cent higher this week at $2.68 a gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report. Despite gasoline demand mostly increasing this month, the national gas price average has hovered steadily around $2.87 per gallon. Refinery utilization is nearly back to pre-pandemic levels, and with gasoline stocks building in the last month amid lower crude oil prices, motorists are benefitting from mostly flat gas prices. However, crude prices are on the rise this week, which could translate to increases at the pump by the end of April. On the week, the majority of states saw little fluctuation at the pump: 27 state averages held steady while another 16 saw pump prices increase or decrease by only one or two cents. Today’s national average is $2.87 per gallon. While the national gas price average is $1.05 more than last year, it is on par with averages from April 2019.
IN AND AROUND KENTUCKY
FRANKFORT—In honor of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, Governor Andy Beshear and the Kentucky State Police are raising awareness for victims’ rights and renewing the state’s commitment to serving all victims of crime. KSP employs one victim advocate at each of the agency’s 16 posts located throughout the commonwealth. These trained professionals also serve as liaisons between law enforcement and the victim, simultaneously helping victims navigate the system while allowing detectives to focus on the details of the case. If you or someone you know needs assistance through the VASS program, please contact a local KSP post and request to speak to the victim advocate.
FRANKFORT—Capacity limits at stadiums and arenas in Kentucky are going up. Governor Andy Beshear announced yesterday that capacities are being increased to 50-percent. The governor says other restrictions are remaining in place until a goal of two-point-five million Kentuckians vaccinated for COVID-19 is met.
FRANKFORT—Governor Andy Beshear is pushing younger Kentuckians to get COVID-19 vaccinations. The governor says more cases of the virus are popping up among young Kentuckians. Almost half of the commonwealth’s case total comes from patients between 20 and 49. Beshear says he and his team are paying close attention to the trend.
LEXINGTON—A Lexington organization is responding to the latest round of shootings with a Stop the Violence rally. The rally is being put together by the group BUILD and is set for tonight at Shiloh Baptist Church. Part of the rally will involve a symbolic funeral procession with at least ten hearses. Lexington has had five shootings in April and a total of 15 in 2021
LEXINGTON—Students and staff at the University of Kentucky are mourning after a professor died suddenly. The Kentucky Kernel reports Dr. Susan Odom died over the weekend in a home accident. The paper says she fell on the stairs at her home and was found later by a co-worker. Odom was a chemistry professor.
LOUISVILLE—The state’s largest COVID-19 mass vaccination site is extending its hours for three days this week. The site at Cardinal Stadium in Louisville will remain open until 8 o’clock Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights. Officials say staying open an additional two hours will allow more people to get vaccinated after work. The site has more than 20 lanes and can give up to four-thousand doses of COVID vaccines a day.
FORT KNOX—Fort Knox is playing a key role in preparing U.S. Army soldiers for future missions. The installation is hosting soldiers from three other bases for training starting today. About 160 soldiers from Fort Campbell, Fort Hood in Texas and Fort Lewis in Washington state are training at Fort Knox. The soldiers are participating in an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise.
FRANKFORT—Governor Andy Beshear and first lady Britainy Beshear are unveiling the 2021 Kentucky Derby celebration poster. Lexington artist Lennon Michalski designed this year’s Governor’s Derby Celebration Poster commemorating the 147th Kentucky Derby and the commonwealth’s long history of horseracing. The Kentucky Derby is the longest-running sporting event in the country and has an estimated annual impact of nearly 217-million dollars on Kentucky. Governor Beshear said yesterday there will be fans at the Derby on May 1st thanks to what he called the “successful rollout of the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines.”
TENNESSEE—There are 470 new coronavirus cases in Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Health reported the new cases yesterday, bringing the total since the outbreak began to over 835-thousand-840. Nearly 20 additional COVID-19-related deaths were also reported, with the total number of coronavirus-attributed deaths statewide standing just over 12-thousand-and-80. There are about 14-thousand active COVID-19 cases in the state.
TENNESSEE—Several people could face charges after being arrested during a Knox County Commission work session. They were arrested last night while calling for the release of body-cam video from last Monday’s deadly officer-involved shooting of a student at Austin-East Magnet High School. Anthony Thompson, Jr. was shot and killed inside a bathroom after police were called about a possibly armed male on campus. A Knoxville police officer was also wounded in the shooting.
TENNESSEE—A Knox County school is preparing to return to class following the deadly officer-involved shooting of a student. Knox County Schools says Austin-East Magnet High School students will be searched and screened with metal detectors when they return for 90-minute sessions tomorrow. It will be the first time students have been on campus since the deadly officer-involved shooting of a student last week. Authorities say 17-year-old Anthony Thompson, Jr. was shot and killed inside a school bathroom after police were called about a possibly armed male on campus.
TENNESSEE—Some state lawmakers want to honor a conservative commentator for moving to Tennessee. A resolution has been filed in the Tennessee General Assembly commending Candace Owens for launching her show Candace from Nashville. It commends Owens for earning the admiration and respect of Americans through her activism “in support of President Trump as a Black woman and her perceptive criticism of creeping socialism and leftist political tyranny.” The resolution was filed by Portland Republican State Representative William Lamberth.
TENNESSEE—Law enforcement agencies across the state are expected to hold collection events during Saturday’s National Drug Take Back Day. Some will hold drop-offs for a few hours. Others provide drop-off sites year round. Those wanting to dispose of prescription drugs can find a site near them on the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website.
ILLINOIS—Governor J.B. Pritzker is deploying the National Guard to support the Chicago Police Department as the verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial is expected soon. Guard members are deploying to Chicago today from the 33rd Military Police Battalion. The troops were requested by Mayor Lori Lightfoot in hopes that any potential protests remain peaceful.
