CALLOWAY POSITIVITY RATE DOWN SLIGHTLY
The Calloway County Health Department did not issue an updated COVID-19 report yesterday. As of Wednesday, 77 are isolated at home and 8 were hospitalized. Calloway County’s current positivity rate is 11.34% which is higher than the state rate of 8.55%. Yesterday, the state reported 1,618 new cases and 2 new deaths. There are currently 608 hospitalized, which is 185 more than last Tuesday, including 189 in ICU, which is up 65 from a week ago.
MSU WELCOMES OVER 100 FOR RACER 101
Murray State University’s Racer 101 new student program recently welcomed its largest group since the program’s inception, with over 100 incoming freshmen participating. Racer 101 is a program built for students to get involved with the Racer experience before they arrive on campus in August. Incoming students are allowed to participate in campus activities and programs while developing leadership skills to help them acclimate to their new home away from home. As the University prepares for the start of the fall semester on August 17, there is still time for prospective students to apply and register for the 2021-22 academic year by calling the office of recruitment at 270-809-2896.
LYON AND CRITTENDEN TO CEASE DRIVER LICENSING SERVICES
Nine more Kentucky counties will make the transition in August to a new, secure driver-licensing model, administered by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, that gives Kentuckians more choices and modern services. West Kentucky counties making the transition in August will be Crittenden and Lyon counties. The Office of Circuit Court Clerk in each of those counties will cease in-person driver licensing services on August 23 and licensing services will instead be performed at KYTC’s regional offices. With the August transition, 49 of Kentucky’s 120 counties will have made the transfer of services.
WKCTC OFFERS NEW COURSE FOR LPN’S
West Kentucky Community and Technical College has a new preparation course to help licensed practical nurses prepare to pass the Nursing Accelerated Challenge Exam, and to fulfill the requirement to apply for the WKCTC associate degree nursing program. The course is free and is available online beginning Monday. In addition to one-on-one mentoring, the prep course also prepares students to pass the NACE with extensive content review, test-taking strategies and numerous practice tests. For more information, contact Vanessa Lyons at 270-534-3147.
IN AND AROUND KENTUCKY
TENNESSEE—Tennesseans are shopping tax free this weekend. As of 12:01 this morning, and through 11:59 Sunday night, most clothes, school supplies and computers can be bought without tax. The state’s tax holiday on nearly all non-alcohol food and drink purchases at stores and restaurants is also underway through next Thursday, August 5th. A tax-break event on gun safes and gun safety devices started earlier this summer and runs through June 30th of next year.
HENDERSON—Pratt Paper is set to invest 400-million dollars into a new paper mill in Henderson. Governor Andy Beshear announced the new economic development yesterday at the Henderson Bypass Rail Site, calling it the largest investment in the region in a quarter century. Beshear says the state-of-the-art, 450-thousand square-foot mill will manufacture 100-percent recycled products. The facility will bring just over 320 full-time jobs to the area, with some paying 39-dollars an hour.
WASHINGTON DC—President Biden is praising Senator Mitch McConnell. During a press conference yesterday, Biden complimented the Republican for not making the coronavirus vaccine issue political. The President also complimented McConnell for encouraging people to get vaccinated. Kentucky reported over 16-hundred new COVID-19 cases yesterday.
FRANKFORT—The 12th District State Senate seat will be up for grabs in the 2022 election. State Senator Alice Forgy Kerr has announced she will not see re-election. The Lexington Republican has represented Fayette County for 23 years. In a statement Wednesday, Kerr thanked her family, friends and constituents and said she looks forward to seeing what’s in store in the next chapter of her life.
WASHINGTON DC—Senator Rand Paul’s 2016 presidential campaign committee is being fined by the Federal Election Commission. The Courier-Journal says the 21-thousand-dollar penalty stems from a complaint filed in 2016 by the former chairman of the Louisville Democratic Party. The FEC says Paul’s campaign committee failed to either refund donations or re-designate nearly 166-thousand-dollars in contributions leftover from his 2016 presidential run.
FORT CAMPBELL—A universal mask mandate is being issued at Fort Campbell. The Department of Defense updated its mask guidelines on Wednesday evening. The DOD says everyone on military installations and facilities is to wear face coverings indoors, regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status in areas of substantial transmission. The policy applies to all service members, federal personnel, contractors and visitors.
CORBIN—Baptist Health Corbin is restricting hospital visitation. The hospital changed its policy yesterday, and is allowing only one visitor per patient with few exceptions. Visitors will go through COVID-19 screening questions and have their temperature taken when entering the hospital. Hospital President Anthony Powers say the changes were necessary because of a “significant increase” in COVID-19 cases in the area.
DAVIESS COUNTY—Daviess County Public Schools is set to hold a mental health summit. The event will take place Tuesday at the Owensboro Convention Center and will be attended by 500 education professionals from across Kentucky. The conference’s theme is “The Umbrella Projects: Rise Up for Resilience,” and the workshop is intended to provide intensive and practical strategies for those working with children experiencing educational barriers.
SOMERSET—The remains of two sailors killed in the attacks on Pearl Harbor are back in Kentucky for burial nearly 80 years later. Seaman Second Class Floyd Helton’s and Navy Electrician’s Mate Third Class Alphard Owsley’s remains were positively identified recently using DNA testing. Both were given full honors on their arrival in the commonwealth yesterday, with Helton escorted to Somerset for burial later this week. Owsley’s remains were escorted to Bourbon County.
TENNESSEE—There are nearly 23-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 891-thousand-330. An additional eight COVID-19-related deaths were also reported, with the total number standing at over 12-thousand-730. There are nearly 900 COVID-19 hospitalizations in Tennessee.
TENNESSEE—An aluminum product manufacturer is leaving Southern California for Middle Tennessee. Kaiser Aluminum announced yesterday it’s relocating from Orange County, California to Williamson County. The company is making a three-million-dollar investment with the move, creating 80 new jobs. Kaiser already has a facility in West Tennessee.
TENNESSEE—A Middle Tennessee man is pleading guilty to federal charges for his role in the breach of the U.S. Capitol. Gallatin’s Jack Jesse Griffith pleaded guilty yesterday to “willfully and knowingly” parading, demonstrating, and picketing in the U.S. Capitol Building earlier this year. Griffith’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 15th. He could get up to six months behind bars and a five-thousand-dollar fine.
