Part 3 follows the journal into some of the most dangerous and dramatic months of the war in the Philippines. The entries record kamikaze attacks, invasion landings, repeated general quarters and the presence of General Douglas MacArthur himself as USS *Boise* helped cover the drive back into Luzon. It is a section filled with tension, fatigue and the growing sense that the war, though far from over, is beginning to turn decisively in the Allies’ favor.
By Chris Evans | The Crittenden Press
Part 3 follows Charles “Woody” Curry and his shipmates into some of the most dangerous days of the Pacific war.
By the fall of 1944, Livingston County sailor Charles “Woody” Curry had been in the Navy only a few months, but the war around him had already intensified. Curry, who grew up in Carrsville and graduated from Hampton High School, enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 18 in May 1944.
Shortly after joining, he began keeping a personal diary. Seaman First Class Curry wrote in the tiny journal book almost daily. Those notes have now become a rare local record of a young Kentuckian serving in the Pacific during World War II. In the first two parts of this series, Curry’s journal followed his long voyage across the Pacific and his early months aboard USS Boise, a Brooklyn-class light cruiser that served as part of the American fleet pushing back Japanese forces across the Pacific.
By the time his journal entries begin in this week’s third in a four-part series, the war has settled into a dangerous rhythm for Curry and the crew of the USS Boise. The ship operates around the Philippines during some of the fiercest fighting of the Pacific campaign, supporting invasion landings and bombarding enemy positions along the coast.
Curry’s entries describe frequent air raid alarms, long stretches at general quarters and the growing threat posed by Japanese suicide pilots. Kamikaze attacks had become one of the most feared dangers for sailors in the Pacific, and the journal captures how regularly those threats appeared. The entries also mention historic events unfolding around the ship. During this period, Gen. Douglas MacArthur came aboard USS Boise as American forces prepared for the invasion of Luzon, part of the campaign to retake the Philippines from Japanese control.
Despite the danger, Curry’s writing remains straightforward and almost understated. One line might describe a tense air attack while the next mentions a movie on deck or letters arriving from home.
The mixture of routine and danger reflects the daily reality of life aboard a warship. The third installment of Curry’s wartime diary follows the crew of USS Boise through invasion operations, kamikaze attacks and the grinding months of combat that carried Allied forces deeper into the Philippines. For the young sailor from Livingston County, the war was far from over, but the balance of the conflict was beginning to shift.
The third installment follows USS Boise through invasion operations, kamikaze attacks and the grinding months of combat that carried Allied forces deeper into the Philippines.
Curry’s handwritten service diary records the ordinary routines and sudden dangers of war at sea.
Service Diary Part 3
Nov. 29, 1944 – Feb. 28, 1945
We pick up diary entries from where they left off in last week’s second segment in the four-part series. Although things are pretty calm for a few days, the war comes calling full blast in early December.
WED. 29
We are making it O.K. The ocean has been as smooth as glass all day. I’ve just come from on deck where we heard some records.
THUR. 30
We are still continuing on our way without any trouble.
December 1944
FRI. 1
I had the noon watch and I’ve got the midnight watch tonight. It is really pretty here tonight. The moon is so bright it is almost like day.
SAT. 2
Two ships have been damaged in Leyte Gulf by Jap suicide pilots and several crew members killed. One ship is in bad shape.
SUN. 3
It has been quiet all day but we had an attack by a Jap plane a few minutes ago. He dropped the torpedo and just missed diving into the ship. He
Gary Damron is a local school bus driver much of the year and is also mayor of Salem.
Gary Damron of Salem has always loved baseball, so when an opportunity came along to spend part of his summer around the game, he was quick to climb aboard – literally.
Damron, who describes himself as semi-retired, stays plenty busy. He is mayor of Salem, drives a school bus for Crittenden County Schools and this summer added another title: bus driver for the Paducah Chiefs collegiate baseball team. A local company, West Tennessee Motor Coach owned by Denis Hodge and Wayne Winters, has the contract to transport the Paducah ball club this summer.
The Chiefs play in the Ohio Valley Summer Collegiate Baseball League, an organization with strong local ties. The league was developed in part through the efforts of the late Gordon Guess of Marion, a longtime supporter of baseball. Marion was also part of the league’s early history as the Marion Bobcats were among the original OVL teams when it began play in 2010.
Today, the summer collegiate league includes teams primarily from western Kentucky, including the Paducah Chiefs, Henderson Flash, Hoptown Hoppers, Madisonville Miners and Fulton Railroaders. Full Count Rhythm from Hendersonville, Tenn., is the league’s only team outside Kentucky.
For Damron, the job is more than just driving a bus. It’s a chance to stay connected to baseball and build relationships with young players who come from across the country to compete during the summer.
Damron said he enjoys being around “these fine young men and ballplayers” and getting to know their stories during the season.
The assignment does come with some long nights. For road games, Damron leaves his home in Salem, picks up the team bus in Fredonia, travels to Paducah to load the players and then heads to opposing ballparks. A trip to Henderson, for example, is about 93 miles one way from Paducah.
After the final out, Damron makes the same trip in reverse, sometimes not arriving home until around 2 a.m.
Despite the miles and late hours, Damron says being around the game and the players makes it rewarding.
The Ohio Valley League regular season concludes July 18, followed by postseason tournament play.
Local officials continue to encourage residents, commuters and businesses affected by the ongoing Cave-In-Rock Ferry closure to contact state officials and share how the loss of service is impacting them.
The ferry, which connects Crittenden County, Ky., and Hardin County, Ill., remains closed while contract negotiations continue. Its two-year contract expired June 30.
The two states and ferry owner have not reached a compromise for a new contract.
Those wishing to leave comments about the ferry crossing may contact the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet 502-564-8100, Illinois Department of Transportation 217-782-7820, Kentucky Legislative Hotline 800-372-7181 or Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear’s office 502-564-2611.
On Thursday, July 9, 2026, just after 7 p.m., sheriff’s deputies and other first responder agencies were dispatched to reports of storm damage that impacted the city of Eddyville. Deputies, officers, EMS and fire department personnel assisted a family of four to safety after their RV overturned at a campground near the water park.
Multiple commercial building roofs were lifted off their respective buildings in downtown Eddyville. Trees and power lines also came down as a result of the storm. Businesses and buildings on Fairview Avenue, West Dale Avenue, Main Street, Trade Avenue, Funway Drive and Newman Drive were affected. Thankfully, there were no fatalities or major injuries reported.
Approximately 16 businesses and buildings were impacted by damage from the storm, which produced high winds, large hail and significant rainfall. Most of the affected buildings remained closed Friday as damage assessments and surveys were conducted. Cleanup and overhaul operations will continue in this area through next week.
On Friday, July 10, 2026, just after 4:30 p.m., Deputy Josh Travis responded to a single-vehicle collision on U.S. 641 approximately 2.5 miles north of Eddyville. His investigation revealed that a 2018 Toyota Highlander, driven by Franklin T. Smith, 78, of Horse Branch, was northbound on U.S. 641 when a deer entered his path, resulting in a collision. No injuries were reported in the accident.
On Saturday, July 11, 2026, around 6:10 p.m., law enforcement agencies received a suspicious person report regarding a male subject looking in windows in the Eddyville area. A description of the vehicle the male was operating was provided to law enforcement. An officer with the Eddyville Police Department located the vehicle and later conducted a traffic stop. Another report provided to Deputy Sheriff Luke Fraley indicated a similar suspicious incident involving the same vehicle and suspect. The male subject was identified as James Carnett, 41, of Bartlett, Tennessee. He was arrested by a Kentucky State Police trooper and charged with reckless driving, first-offense DUI, failure to have a license in possession and first-degree possession of a controlled substance, first offense (methamphetamine). Carnett was later lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center.
Marion natives Travis and Chasity Allcock have turned a family tragedy into a way to give back.
Through their Hopkinsville business, Grizzly Up Soap Company, the couple created the Beautiful Bella line in memory of their daughter, Bella, who died in 2023 at age 3. Inspired by Bella’s love of music, the Allcocks are donating a portion of sales to Marion’s Community Arts Foundation to help support arts and music opportunities for others.
Read how one little girl’s love of music continues to make an impact through her family’s Purchase With a Purpose program.
See full story in July 9 edition of The Crittenden Press newspaper.
Part 2 of the journal of young World War II sailor Woody Curry shows the voyage changing from travel to combat. Now aboard USS Boise, the sailor settles into shipboard routine, studies for advancement and learns radio work, all while the cruiser moves steadily toward the Philippines campaign. What follows is a firsthand account of bombardment, invasion and air attack as American forces return to the islands Gen. Douglas MacArthur had vowed to reclaim.
By Chris Evans | The Crittenden Press
Charles “Woody” Curry’s wartime diary continues from Sept. 8 to Nov. 28, 1944, as he serves aboard USS Boise.
Charles “Woody” Curry was just 18 years old when he left his Livingston County home in 1944 and joined the U.S. Navy during the height of World War II. The Carrsville native, who had recently graduated from Hampton High School, enlisted on May 29 of that year and soon found himself heading west toward the Pacific.
Not long after enlisting, Curry began keeping a diary. The result is a rare firsthand record from a young Kentucky sailor experiencing the war day by day. In last week’s first part of this series, readers followed Curry across the Pacific as he left the United States, passed through Pearl Harbor and traveled through some of the most storied waters of the war, including Guadalcanal and the Solomon Islands.
Those early entries captured the long ocean voyage, the routine of shipboard life and the gradual realization that he was heading toward
active combat. Part two of the journal this week picks up on Sept. 8, 1944, shortly after Curry transferred onto USS Boise, a Brooklyn-class light cruiser that had already seen significant combat earlier in the war. Curry later joked that the ship was “an old rusty bucket,” but it would soon carry him into some of the most important naval operations of the Pacific campaign.
The entries in this section show the young sailor settling into life aboard the cruiser. Curry writes about learning radio work, standing watch and studying to advance to Seaman First Class while the ship moves steadily toward the Philippines. At the same time, the war begins to close in around him. The journal records bombardments of Japanese positions, invasion landings and repeated air raid alarms as American forces return to the Philippines during Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s campaign to liberate the islands.
Curry describes the cruiser firing its six-inch guns at enemy positions, aircraft attacks against the fleet and the tense days surrounding the historic Battle of Leyte Gulf, one of the largest naval battles in history. The entries remain simple and direct, capturing both routine and danger: movie nights on the ship’s deck, letters from home, long watches in the radio room and sudden calls to general quarters as enemy aircraft approach.
Together, the journal entries in this second installment show how quickly a young sailor from rural Kentucky moved from training and travel into the middle of a global war.
What began as routine watches, radio training and movie nights quickly gave way to bombardment, invasion and air attack.
Part 2 of a four-part series from the wartime journals of Charles “Woody” Curry.
Service Diary Part 2
Sept. 8, 1944 to Nov. 28, 1944
Part 2 of the journal of young World War II sailor Woody Curry shows the voyage changing from travel to combat. Now aboard USS Boise, the sailor settles into shipboard routine, studies for advancement and learns radio work, all while the cruiser moves steadily toward the Philippines campaign. What follows is a firsthand account of bombardment, invasion and air attack as American forces return to the islands Gen. Douglas MacArthur had vowed to reclaim.
FRI. 8
I’m studying for radio and I’m in C Division now. I’ll report at 0800 in the morning.
SAT. 9
We took on ammunition today. I bought some hats, dungarees and shirts, also a knife. We had some music tonight and they played all the songs we played at home. I saw old acquaintances, too.
SUN. 10
We left this morning in a thick mist of rain. I’ve been learning radio today.
MON. 11
We had P.G.Q. this morning. I’ve been studying S1/c book all day and will take the test for Seaman 1/c after this operation we’re on.
Editor’s note:“P.G.Q.” in this context likely stands for Personnel General Quarters, a routine shipboard drill focused on accountability and emergency readiness as combat appears looming. It was commonly used to ensure all crew members were present, prepared and familiar with procedures between active operations.
TUE. 12
I was on watch today from noon until eve chow. I studied the Seaman 1/c book and learned the code.
WED. 13
I was on watch today from morning until noon. I wrote some letters this eve. I’m on watch again tonight.
THUR. 14
Today I had the whole day to sleep. I was on watch last night. We joined the convoy yesterday.
FRI. 15
We attacked Halmahera and shelled the island this morning and landed troops and met no opposition. I saw my first volcano today.
Editor’s note:This refers to the Morotai operation on Sept. 15, 1944. USS Boise helped bombard positions on Halmahera while Allied troops landed nearby with little opposition.
SAT. 16
I was on watch this morning. I slept this afternoon and the messenger didn’t wake me up and I was late for my watch.
SUN. 17
I had the day off today and I slept up on the deck all day. I’ll have the watch from 5:30 until 12:00 o’clock tonight.
MON. 18
I saw Pat O’Brien in “Iron Major.” They changed the watch into four instead of three and so I got a day, a night and another half day off. I go on at 12:00 tomorrow.
TUE. 19
I had the watch from 12 until 6:00 o’clock this eve and again tonight from 12:00 until 7:30 and then I’m off two days and a night.
WED. 20
I got off watch at 7:30 this morning and got a haircut at about 8:30, then went to sleep on deck and slept until 3:00. I went swimming over the side.
THUR. 21
I saw “Ziegfeld Girl” last night. It was a good show. I laid around today, drew some small stores and went swimming.
FRI. 22
I was on watch this morning and I went swimming this evening over the side. I saw a show tonight, “The Magnificent Dope.”
Editor’s note:That movie, released in 1942, starred Henry Fonda and Lynn Bari.
SAT. 23
It has rained all day today off and on. I took a lesson in typing. It was my second lesson. I had the watch from 12:00 until 5:00.
SUN. 24
I was off watch from 12:00 last night until 7:30 this morning and I missed my classes and didn’t wake up until swimming was over at four o’clock this eve.
MON. 25
I’ve got the watch from 5:00 until 12:00 tonight. I’ve been trying to learn the code and I took some typing.
TUE. 26
I took another lesson in typing today and studied the Seaman First Class book. I saw a show tonight, “Lady Takes a Chance.”
WED. 27
We left the Biak Islands today. We had been there over a week. I got off watch at 12:00 and go on at 12:00 tonight. We have G.Q. in a little while.
THUR. 28
I was off watch today and had the whole day and all tonight and tomorrow
to sleep and go to classes. There is still two heavy and two light cruisers with us and DDs.
Editor’s note:DD meant destroyers.
FRI. 29
We got here to the Admiralties at 8:00 this morning and got our mail. I got 13 letters. I’ve been off guard duty two days and a night and I’ll have to go on at 5:00 p.m.
Editor’s note:The Admiralty Islands, located north of New Guinea, were the site of a key Allied campaign in early 1944 aimed at securing airfields and naval bases to support General Douglas MacArthur’s advance toward the Philippines. Their capture gave the Allies a major forward staging area at Manus Island’s Seeadler Harbor, strengthening control over the western Pacific and cutting off Japanese positions in the region.
SAT. 30
I was on watch this morning and had a class on receiving code. I saw a show this evening, “Two Girls and a Sailor.”
October 1944
SUN. 1
I had the afternoon watch and I go on again at 12:00 tonight. I saw “You Were Never Lovelier” starring Rita Hayworth and Fred Astaire.
MON. 2
I laid around all day today and was on a working party and I got half a gallon of pineapple and saw the show “Hi Neighbor.”
WED. 4
I was on watch this morning and ordered some things, a watch and a photo album and record album. I saw a movie tonight, “Bedtime Story.”
THUR. 5
We had AA practice today and I was on watch this eve and go on again at twelve. I just saw a show, “Crime at Night.” We had a happy hour before the music.
Editor’s note:“AA practice” refers to drills using the ship’s anti-aircraft guns, training crews to track and fire at enemy planes, which was a routine and critical part of shipboard readiness during World War II.
FRI. 6
We got paid today and I got everything I needed, enough to last a month. I wrote a girl in Kentucky this eve. Folks told me about her.
SAT. 7
I wrote some letters today and that is all. I’ve got the watch from 6:30 until 12:00 tonight.
SUN. 8
I had the watch from 0800 until 1200 today and now I’m off until tomorrow. I saw a show and wrote some letters.
MON. 9
Today I had the watch from 1200 until 2000 then I’m off until 2400 tonight. I saw a show.
TUE. 10
I got off watch at 0800 and wrote letters and I got seven from Shoemaker. I’m going to see a show, “I Love a Soldier.”
WED. 11
Today I wrote some letters and ate ice cream all day. I’m on watch tonight from 5 until 12:00. We are getting underway now.
THUR. 12
I slept this morning and went on watch at 1200 and was a messenger. Then when I got off watch, I saw a show, “Barnes Convoy.”
FRI. 13
I had the 0800 to 1200 watch today and now we have left the Halmaheras and I’ve been put in the compartment. All I do is help clean it.
SAT. 14
Today was my first day in the compartment and it is not a bad job. I don’t stand watch and I get every night in.
SUN. 15
I got another shot today of chloric. I swept the compartment and read the rest of the day. A friend of mine was put on report tonight for shining a light after dark.
Editor’s note:“Chloric” refers to a chlorinated vaccine or preventive treatment, most likely tied to cholera or typhoid immunizations commonly given to sailors in the Pacific.
MON. 16
I worked in the compartment today and listened to some records on the fantail this morning.
TUE. 17
I worked in the compartment and then read a book the rest of the day. It was mostly reading all day. My buddy got off with a warning about the light on deck.
WED. 18
I did not do much today, worked in the compartment and slept and read some.
THUR. 19
We are in range of enemy aircraft and warned to expect air attacks tomorrow.
FRI. 20
We sailed into Leyte Harbor about 0400 this morning and shelled the shore and we are anchored in the harbor now. Troops have landed.
Editor’s note:This matches the opening of the Leyte invasion on Oct. 20, 1944, the campaign that marked Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s return to the Philippines.
SAT. 21
We had an air attack early this morning. The plane was hit several times and crashed into an Aussie cruiser, killing and wounding 61. The Honolulu was hit by a torpedo from a plane and damaged quite a bit. We had a few more raids but they didn’t amount to much.
Editor’s note:The “Aussie cruiser” was HMAS Australia, which was struck during the Leyte operation. Japanese air attacks intensified immediately after the landings.
SUN. 22
We had an air raid alarm this morning and just a few minutes ago we had a raid and shot down two or three planes. I saw one of them and it was some show.
MON. 23
We had an air raid alarm this morning and the plane came in sight but didn’t get in range of the guns. We had another alarm tonight and shot at the plane.
TUE. 24
We had another air attack this morning. Shot down 32 planes and they sunk a ship and damaged one for us. We are on our way now to engage the enemy in a sea battle.
WED. 25
We had a battle last night and sunk several ships with only slight damage to us. We are now waiting for the other Jap ships. The Pennsylvania shot down three planes this morning. And an LST shot down one of ours. The pilot landed in the water.
Editor’s note:Editor’s note: These entries line up with the Battle of Leyte Gulf, especially the night action in Surigao Strait on Oct. 24-25, 1944, in which USS Boise took part.
THUR. 26
Nothing much happened today but a few air raids. Bombers came over the ship but he got away. Another one was shot down.
FRI. 27
We have joined six carriers and two of the cruisers and half of the destroyers went to join some more CVs. That will make two carrier groups.
Editor’s note:In U.S. Navy terminology during World War II, “CVs” was short for aircraft carriers.
SAT. 28
We have just been cruising around all day. Several planes cracked up landing. The weather was heavy. I saw one plane crash. The LSTs shot at our plane and damaged it, then when we recognized it the pilot made a crash landing in the water and we saved him. The plane sunk in about ten seconds.
Editor’s note:The two accounts about LSTs suggests the possibility of friendly fire, as LSTs were Allied ships and could have mistakenly engaged a friendly aircraft in the confusion of combat. However, without more detail, it’s not certain what the diary was describing.
SUN. 29
We got back to Leyte Harbor where we made the invasion and have took on ammunition and are moving around now. It has rained all day.
MON. 30
We’ve cruised around the harbor and had another air raid but it wasn’t much. There isn’t but about 20 ships in the harbor now.
TUE. 31
We have been cruising around the bay today and had a few air raids.
November 1944
WED. 1
We had an air raid today and shot down six planes. One of them crashed into a destroyer and we got one ship sunk and four damaged.
THUR. 2
We’ve just cruised around all day and had an air raid or two but nothing of importance happened.
FRI. 3
We were woke up thirty minutes early this morning by AA fire but we saw no planes and nothing much happened the rest of the day.
SAT. 4
We arrived back in Leyte Harbor today and took on ammunition and oil. We had been cruising around outside the harbor. We got paid $20 today.
SUN. 5
We’ve been in close all day today and sitting still most of the time. There are some tankers and ammunition ships here now, and we’ve been sending off mail.
MON. 6
We’ve not had but one alarm all day today. We received mail from a destroyer this evening.
TUE. 7
It has been quiet and peaceful all day today. Not a single air raid. We
It has rained all day like it was a bad winter day, all but being cold. Two Jap bodies passed the ship today.
THUR. 9
It has been clear today but very windy and a little rough. Three Jap task forces have been picked up by radar but they are a good ways off.
FRI. 10
We’ve cruised around close to the shore today. The wind has begun to calm down and it is clear now.
SAT. 11
We have been in close to shore today. I’ve been working in the compartment all day.
SUN. 12
There was a big air raid on the beach last night and they left a fire or two. There was another one this morning and we shot down four planes.
MON. 13
We’ve cruised around all day inside the harbor. We are supposed to get relieved the 15th so we can go back to Seeadler Harbor to service the ship.
Editor’s note:Seeadler Harbor on Manus Island in the Admiralty Islands was a major Allied repair and logistics base.
TUE. 14
We’ve cruised around all day and had a destroyer alongside but they didn’t have any mail.
WED. 15
We’ve been in close to the beach today and got 22 bags of mail this evening. We are supposed to leave for Seeadler Harbor tomorrow.
THUR. 16
We’ve been taking on mail and passengers and getting ready to leave for Seeadler Harbor, I think. We are now underway.
FRI. 17
We’ve been on our way since about 6:00 last night. I’m back on watch now and I don’t have the compartment any more.
SAT. 18
We are taking it easy. We’ve been cruising all day and we’ve not seen any planes or had any raids.
SUN. 19
We met a convoy this evening headed towards the Philippines. It is clear and sunny today with a cool breeze.
MON. 20
We had target practice this evening with the AA batteries. I’ve got the evening watch.
TUE. 21
We’ve been shooting at a target towed by planes all morning. Shooting quite a bit of ammunition.
WED. 22
We’ve been fueling and taking on stores today. We are now in Seeadler Harbor. I was on a working party from 8:00 a.m., until 9:00 p.m., then had mid watch.
THUR. 23 (THANKSGIVING)
We had turkey and dressing, cranberry sauce and ice cream and pie, etc., for dinner. I saw a show tonight. The name of it was “Cry Havoc.”
FRI. 24
We had field day today and I worked all morning. We were supposed to
I went on recreation on the beach today. It was the first time I have touched land since I left the States. We had five bottles of beer and a lot of the boys got drunk and had a few fights.
SUN. 26
I had the afternoon watch today so I slept all morning and then went on watch. I saw a show tonight, “Hey Rookie.”
MON. 27
I had the mid watch last night and didn’t get but an hour sleep so I slept all day today after getting off watch.
TUE. 28
We left Seeadler Harbor today for Leyte. The captain had a heart attack and was taken to the hospital. The executive officer is acting captain.
Epilogue
After weeks of battle off Leyte, repeated air raids and one of the most decisive naval engagements of the Pacific war, the crew finally reached Seeadler Harbor for supplies, recreation and a brief reset. But the pause was only temporary. On Nov. 28, 1944, the ship sailed again for Leyte, carrying the sailor back toward the front and into another dangerous phase of the war. Stay tuned for next week’s third part in this four-part series.
The Crittenden County Cooperative Extension Office is offering two programs aimed at improving brain health and helping families better understand dementia and caregiving.
Wits Workout, an ongoing program held the first and third Monday of each month at the Crittenden County Senior Citizens Center, offers brain exercises and memory-building activities designed to keep the mind active.
Research shows that exercising the brain may help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia or help maintain cognitive function longer. The program includes interactive activities along with practical tips for improving memory and supporting overall brain health.
The free program begins at noon following the senior center’s lunch. Participants do not have to be senior citizens to attend.
The Extension Office is also partnering with The Carter Center, Pennyrile Area Development District and Kara Phillips, APRN, of Livingston Hospital to offer a free Dealing with Dementia Workshop from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, July 17 at St. William Catholic Church, 860 S. Main St. in Marion.
As the population ages, more families are finding themselves caring for loved ones with dementia. The workshop is designed to provide education, encouragement and practical resources for those caregivers.
Participants will learn more about how dementia affects the brain, ways to manage challenging behaviors, strategies to reduce caregiver stress and the importance of caregivers taking care of their own physical and emotional health.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, nearly 13 million Americans provide unpaid care for someone living with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, totaling more than 19 billion hours of care each year.
The workshop is open to anyone caring for a spouse, parent, grandparent, sibling, friend or neighbor living with dementia.
There is no cost to attend, but preregistration is encouraged. To reserve a spot, contact Miranda White at 270-886-9484 or Miranda.White@ky.gov, or call the Crittenden County Cooperative Extension Office at 270-965-5236.
Amy Doner of First United Bank's fraud department presented a program today on recognizing and avoiding fraud and scams during a Chamber event.
MARION, Ky. – Scammers continue to find new ways to steal personal information and money, but a few warning signs can help residents avoid becoming victims.
Amy Doner, fraud specialist with First United Bank and Trust Company, spoke last week at the Crittenden County Chamber of Commerce’s Lunch and Learn event catered by Marion Pit Barbecue and held at Rocket Arena on the high school campus.
Doner says recognizing the tactics used by scammers is one of the best defenses against fraud.
Banks like First United, she said, are beginning to create their own fraud departments with guidance from the Kentucky Bankers Association. First United started its fraud investigation and prevention department two years ago.
According to information provided by Doner, many scams follow a similar pattern. Scammers often pretend to represent a familiar organization, claim there is an urgent problem or a prize waiting, pressure victims to act immediately and demand payment through specific methods.
“One common tactic is impersonation,” Doner said.
Scammers may claim to be calling from a government agency such as the IRS, Social Security Administration or Medicare. Others may pretend to represent a utility company, technology company, charity or another organization the victim recognizes.
Technology has made those schemes more convincing.
“Fraudulent callers can disguise phone numbers so the name appearing on caller ID looks legitimate,” she
