Some digital options phasing out

The Crittenden Press is phasing out its current online full-version subscription option as it prepares to roll out a new digital offering that will include access to the newspaper’s archives via Newspapers.com later this year. While the full online version is no longer available for new subscribers, current users will continue to receive it for the time being. Meanwhile, the ePress email edition remains available and is the most cost-effective option for readers. Subscribers can now choose from two formats:

•ePress – A PDF version of the full newspaper emailed each Wednesday for $32 per year. This edition renews automatically through PayPal unless canceled.

•Traditional Print Edition – Delivered weekly via USPS. Rates vary by location: $45 per year for Crittenden and bordering counties; $60 for other Kentucky addresses; or $86 for out-of-state delivery (which may take up to 10 days)

All subscriptions, both print and digital, are nonrefundable and subject to Kentucky sales tax.

Morris Estate Auction is Aug. 16

Click Image to Enlarge

A huge collection of guns of many makes will be sold from the collection of the late Everett Morris on Saturday, Aug. 16.

Additional outdoors equipment, household and shop tools, mowers and more are also included in the sale conducted by Buntin Auction Service at 303 Sturgis Rd., Marion. Sale begins at 9 .m.

This is a one you don't want to miss.

Click Here for Full Sale Listing

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School Board Special Meeting Thursday

Crittenden County Board of Education will hold a special called meeting and working session at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 7 in the Rocket Arena Conference Room.

The agenda includes discussion on the 2025 tax rate, the district’s SRO contract, and roofing updates. The board will also consider approving an emergency certification for a shared financial literacy and career exploration teacher at the middle and high school levels.

Additional items include a review of Commonwealth Academy’s enrollment policy and discussion on creating a one-year lead preschool teacher position.

The board’s regular monthly meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 12 at the same location.

DELAY | No school until September

Crittenden County Schools has pushed the first day of the 2025-26 school year to Tuesday, Sept. 2, due to delays in the delivery of desks, chairs and other classroom furniture for the new middle school addition.

Superintendent Tonya Driver said that while the new facility itself is ready, the company responsible for furnishing classrooms is unable to deliver before the original start date of Aug. 26 and does not offer weekend or evening delivery options.

“We’ve missed our students and we’re ready to begin learning,” Driver said in a statement to families. “We want to do so, however, in the best way possible.”

Despite the delayed start, no changes will be made to the 2025-26 academic calendar. The last day of school will remain May 28.

All professional development and planning dates for staff will continue as scheduled, and Opening Day for faculty and staff will still take place Monday, Aug. 25. A detailed schedule for staff for Aug. 26–29 will be shared by the end of the week.

Back-to-School Bashes may also be rescheduled, with more information expected later this week.

Families with questions can contact Superintendent Driver’s office directly.

Lyon County Sheriff's Report

From Lyon County Sheriff Brent White, here is last week's report, which also included information about its cooperation with Crittenden County in arresting three individuals jailed in connection to a shooting in southern Crittenden County in February.

- On July 22 around 2 a.m., Deputy Bobby Beeler investigated a car-deer collision on KY 93 South. A 2020 Dodge Charger driven by Joshua Oden, 35, of Cadiz struck a deer but no injuries were reported.

- On July 23 just before 1 p.m., Chief Deputy Sam Adams investigated a minor crash on Fairview Avenue in Eddyville where a 75-year-old man backed into a parked vehicle. No injuries occurred.

- On July 27, a high-speed crash on Lake Barkley Drive in Kuttawa resulted in two minor injuries. Jonathan Ramos, 21, of Calvert City lost control of a 2019 Chrysler 300, hitting a guard rail and ditch.

- On July 30 at 5:50 p.m., Deputy Josh Travis served a criminal complaint on Amber Beckner, 45, of Eddyville for failing to send a child to school.

- On July 31 at 10:27 p.m., Deputy Shannon Oliver investigated a parking lot crash off Days Inn Drive where a truck backed into an SUV. No injuries were reported.

- On Aug. 1, Capt. Dennis Beckett arrested Shanda A. Walker, 37, of Winchester on a Fayette County

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Riverport Authority calls special meeting

Eddyville Riverport & Industrial Development Authority Board of Directors will hold a special called board meeting on Tuesday, August 5, 2025 at 7:30 a.m. in the Eddyville Riverport & Industrial Development Authority Inc. office located at 630 W Dale Ave, Eddyville, KY 42038.

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Downed power pole causes outage

More than 200 Kenergy customers were without power about 10:30pm Friday due to a downed utility pole north of Marion off of KY 91.

Crittenden County Sheriff's Department reports that a farmer accidentally struck the pole.

Customers will be without power for about two hours until the pole can be repaired. 

Hendrix will be honored at Friday breakfast

Carol Hendrix, 86, a lifelong farmer and factory worker from the Cave Springs area, will be inducted into the Crittenden County Agriculture Hall of Fame during the 4-H Fair Breakfast Friday morning at the Lions Club Fairgrounds. The event begins at 7 a.m.

Known for his humility, leadership, and early adoption of no-till farming, Hendrix spent decades balancing full-time work at Potter & Brumfield with managing a 275-acre farm, raising cattle, and serving in numerous agricultural and civic organizations.

Read the full story in this week’s edition of The Crittenden Press.

Court Street transitioning to one way

MARION, Ky. — Due to ongoing construction at the new Crittenden County Judicial Center, Court Street in downtown Marion will permanently transition to a one-way street as early as next week.

Traffic will flow south to north, and signage is expected to be installed in the coming days. Striping of the new angled parking layout will follow shortly after.

City and county officials said the change is necessary to accommodate infrastructure updates and planned features along the back of the courthouse property. Construction supervisors are coordinating closely with local leaders to implement the change with minimal disruption.

Motorists and property owners along Court Street are encouraged to prepare for the new traffic pattern and directional parking shift. City officials plan to notify affected property owners directly.

Local text service launching Friday

Crittenden County Clerk Daryl Tabor has launched a new text service called TextMyGov. It’ll send out important info, like election updates or vehicle registration reminders, straight to your phone. 

If you’re in the 42064 ZIP code, you may get a text from 91896 to opt in. If not, just text “CRITTENDENCLERK” to 91896 to sign up. You can opt out anytime by texting STOP.

Highway closed Aug. 6 near county line

WEBSTER COUNTY, Ky. – The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans to close a section of KY 120 near the Crittenden County line on Wednesday, Aug. 6, to replace a failing cross drain.

The highway will be blocked to through traffic between KY 1525 (Gardner Lane) at mile point 0.62 and Diamond Green Grove Road at mile point 2.309. The closure is expected to last from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., with the work centered near the 1.5 mile point.

There will be no marked detour, and motorists are advised to plan alternate routes.

Three charged in alleged murder plot

ALLEGED SHOOTING WAS IN FEBRUARY;

IN MEXICO COMMUNITY OF CRITTENDEN COUNTY

 ©The Crittenden Press 

Three individuals are being held without bond in the Crittenden County Detention Center on conspiracy to commit murder and other charges following the conclusion of a months-long investigation into a winter shooting in the Mexico community of southern Crittenden County.

The arrests stem from a Feb. 10 incident in which an unnamed male victim in his 30s was allegedly shot while driving along KY 70 near the intersection with Jackson School Road around 4 a.m. The victim sustained a gunshot wound to the left hip but was able to drive himself to Crittenden Community Hospital. The victim has recovered.

As a result of an investigation by the West Kentucky Violent Crime Task Force, Lyon County Sheriff’s Department and Crittenden County Sheriff Evan Head, arrests were made Thursday after sealed indictments were handed down Tuesday by the Crittenden County Grand Jury.

Jailed are Allison Robinson, 25, of Marion, charged with a Class B felony conspiracy to commit murder; Travis Robinson, 47, of Marion, charged with a Class B felony conspiracy to commit murder, a Class D felony possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, a Class D felony tampering with physical evidence and for allegedly being a persistent felony offender (PFO); and Jonathan Chase York, 40, of Marion, charged with a Class B felony for attempted murder, a Class D felony for possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, a Class D felony tampering with physical evidence and for allegedly being a persistent felony offender (PFO). The Class B felony charges against the two male suspects are enhanceable to Class A felonies under the PFO indictments. Based on the charges, it appears that York is believed to have been the actual shooter. 

Travis Robinson was taken into custody in Kuttawa at 12:44 a.m. Thursday by Lyon County Deputy Bobby Beeler. York and Allison Robinson were arrested in Crittenden County by Sheriff Evan Head later in the day.

Back in February, authorities said the shooting involved a small-caliber handgun, likely larger than a .22, and the bullet entered through the driver’s side door of the victim’s Ford Mustang. The investigation revealed enough evidence to warrant multiple felony charges against the three suspects, each of whom will be arraigned in Crittenden Circuit Court on Thursday, Aug. 14.

Beeler was initially involved in the investigation while he was briefly a deputy in Crittenden County. He later transferred to the Lyon County Sheriff’s Department, but continued the investigation with help from the other agencies.

At this time, a motive behind the shooting has not been publicly disclosed. All three suspects have lengthy criminal records involving drugs and other crimes. Three weeks ago, Allison Robinson was convicted in Crittenden Circuit Court of being in possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and misdemeanor charges of second-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was given a probated three-year sentence. Travis Robinson is facing a firearms charge in Hopkins County, with formal sentencing set for Aug. 25. He also has previous trafficking convictions in Crittenden County and other felony convictions on his record. York has previous drug convictions in Crittenden and Caldwell counties and is currently on parole from at least one conviction. 

Post office lobby closed, back door open

Marion postmaster Adam Graham

The lobby of the Marion Post Office closed Thursday due to ceiling damage. It is closed indefinitely until work can be completed. 

Post office patrons may conduct business through the back door of the building on East Carlisle Street by ringing the buzzer near the loading dock.

Post office box access, stamp purchases and package drop-off will 

be handled by staff through the back entrance. 

Postmaster Adam Graham said a timeline for repairs should be known later today after a contractor surveys the problem.

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Tabor Road closing Friday for shoulder repair

A Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Crittenden County Highway Maintenance Crew plans to temporarily close Tabor Road and KY 1113 on Friday, Aug. 1, weather permitting.

Tabor Road, a county-maintained route, runs south from the intersection of KY 902 and KY 855 to connect with KY 1113 at the Crittenden-Lyon County Line.

The closure will extend from KY 902 in Crittenden County to KY 1943 in Lyon County.

KYTC crews will be performing shoulder repairs along both sides of the roadway. Work is scheduled to take place from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday.

Motorists are asked to plan ahead and use alternate routes.

Tabor Road has seen increased traffic since the closure of the Livingston Creek Bridge at mile point 9.4 on KY 295, southeast of Dycusburg.

The new Livingston Creek Bridge is currently under construction, with an estimated completion date of the end of September, weather permitting. 

Fair Runs through Saturday Night

 

Crittenden County Fair Queens for 2025 are (from left) Brinley Tramble, 

Miss Crittenden County Teen; (Kendall Brooke Buell-Belt, 

Miss Pre-Teen; and Ella Geary, Miss Crittenden County.

🎪 FRIDAY, AUGUST 1 – FAMILY NIGHT
Starts at 5 p.m. @ the Fairgrounds

• Pony Rides, Face Painting, Games, Concessions & More!

• Just $5 per carload (kids FREE!)

• 5:30 PM: 4-H Poultry Show

• 6:00 PM: FFA Pedal Tractor Contest

• 7:00 PM: Stick Horse Contest & Barrel Racing

🚗 SATURDAY, AUGUST 2

• CAR SHOW: 9 a.m.–3 p.m. @ the Fairgrounds
  $15 entry fee | Awards at 3 p.m.
  Contact: Matt Tinsley (270) 704-1477

• DEMOLITION DERBY: 7 p.m.
  Gate: $15 (16+), $5 (ages 6–15), under 5 FREE
  Contact: Rodney Travis (270) 704-9514

🎟️ Bring the family and enjoy the excitement of the fair! #CrittendenCountyFair #FairFun #DemolitionDerby #FamilyNight #CarShow #KYFairs2025

KY 91 closed Thursday for road work

FREDONIA, Ky. — The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans to close KY 91 in Caldwell County on Thursday, July 31, for a cross drain replacement.

The closure will block the highway to through traffic from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. between KY 70 in Fredonia (mile marker 23.3) and KY 139 in Princeton (mile marker 13.9). The work zone will fully block KY 91 between Bright Hill Road (15 mm) and East White Sulfur Road (16 mm).

A marked detour will direct drivers along KY 70 and KY 139. Motorists may also bypass the closure using U.S. 62 and U.S. 641 through Eddyville, though this alternate will not be marked.

The closure is expected to last one day.