LYON COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORT

On Monday, Aug. 10, 2026, around 10 a.m., deputies served a Lyon District Court criminal summons on Stanley Puryear, 61, of Eddyville. He was charged with seven counts of theft by unlawful taking. The case involves a period when Puryear was an employee of a local business. The case was investigated by Chief Deputy Sam Adams. Puryear is set to appear in Lyon District Court on Aug. 19, 2026, to answer to the charges.

On Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026, around 1:38 p.m., Sheriff Brent White observed a dump truck operating on KY 93 South with no license plate displayed on the rear of the vehicle. He attempted to stop the dump truck on KY 93 near KY 1055. The operator disobeyed multiple directives to stop and turned off KY 93 onto KY 1055, where he continued to disobey directives to stop. The dump truck finally stopped at an abandoned home on KY 1055, where the driver was taken into custody without further incident. He was identified as Maxx T. Phebus, 32, of Earlington. Phebus was charged with improper display of registration plates, failure to or improper signal, first-degree fleeing or evading police, failure to wear a seat belt and driving on a DUI-suspended license, second offense. Phebus was lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center. White was assisted by the Eddyville Police Department and Kentucky State Police. Note: This is the second time in recent days Phebus has been arrested in Lyon County. In the early

Fohs Hall to celebrate 100 years

Click Image to Enlarge

Fohs Hall is turning 100.  Special events are being planned for later this year to commemorate the construction of the building, donated to the community by geologist Julius Fohs.

After it ceased being used by the Crittenden County Board of Education in 1980, it was renovated and has been used as Marion's premier cultural events center.

Watch for additional information coming soon about the 100-year celebration. 

Forging heirlooms in rural Crittenden County

Ashton and Randy Samuels pose
with a custom built sign for
their business.

MAROIN, Ky. – Minnie Pearl once famously said “Take the backroads instead of the highways.” That’s good advice, because one never knows what kind of treasure can be found along those paths. Travelling up one of Crittenden County’s backroads, for example, will lead you to Eight Gables Forge, a father and son craftsman team who are developing their art and skill in every creative project they complete.

“A lot of people don’t know about us,” Randy Samuels explained of Eight Gables Forge. The forge is located on the Samuels’ farm off Blackford Church Road in rural Crittenden County. Samuels started it as a hobby in 2018. His son, Ashton, quickly became interested in learning too. As their skills increased, so did the demand for their product.

Eight Gables Forge specializes in making knives. “I love to forge Damascus steel,” Randy Samuels described. For Samuels, the draw to Damascus is the challenge that it brings. “It is two different materials,” Samuels explained. The two different types of steel that Samuels uses makes the knife easy to sharpen and also for it to hold that edge. Samuels layers pieces of the two types of steel and forge welds them together to create a billet, or “finished blade blank.” He twists it, warping the layers to create complex, swirling patterns that Damascus is known for. Then Samuels hammers it back out into the desired blade shape. This is where Samuels gives it “character.” 

The process alone is why Samuels refers to it as a challenge, but the challenge is multi-faceted. He is looking for the right steel for the knife he is creating. “There may not be enough landscape to show off the pattern,” he explained. The initial forge weld is critical. “You have to have a good weld,” Samuels added. He also takes into consideration what kind of style of Damascus the knife will have. The number of layers of initial steel impacts the style in the end product. For example, ladder Damascus will only have 13 layers, where Diamondback will have 104 layers.  

While Samuels loves Damascus steel, that’s not the only type of metal he uses at Eight Gables. Many of his creations are made with used metal that he has found or that has been given to him. From bush hog blades to railroad spikes, Samuels uses each piece to create something new. One particular knife Samuels

THURSDAY NEWScast | A very ferry conversation

 

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Today we have a conversation with

Cave-In-Rock Village President Marty Kaylor

with regard to the ferry's closure

Road work on "Back Way" to Eddyville

A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will restrict traffic along KY 373 in Lyon County beginning Thursday, Aug. 13, for milling and paving.

This is a common commuter route from southern Crittenden County to Eddyville.

The work zone will extend 3.6 miles between U.S. 62 and KY 1943. Milling is scheduled for Thursday and Friday, followed by paving beginning Monday, Aug. 17. Paving is expected to take about three days, weather permitting.

Motorists should use caution and follow directions from flaggers.

Caution on US 62 and I-24

Motorists should use caution along eastbound U.S. 62 and Interstate 24 in Livingston and Lyon counties following a diesel spill Wednesday.

The spill begins near Kentucky Dam at U.S. 62 mile point 0 and continues east through Livingston and Lyon counties, including near the I-24 Exit 40 interchange at Kuttawa. Diesel also was reported in the right lane of eastbound I-24 through about mile marker 47.

Cleanup is underway, and no lanes are blocked. Rain forecast for Wednesday afternoon could create additional slick conditions.

POSTAL DELIVERIES disrupted today

An issue involving a private contractor responsible for transporting U.S. Postal Service mail across western Kentucky disrupted some deliveries Wednesday, particularly in ZIP codes beginning with 420.

The disruption could affect mail service for the next couple of days. The contractor transports mail between Paducah and smaller post offices throughout the region.

"Due to an issue involving a new contract carrier, mail for a majority of the 420 ZIP Code prefix area did not receive mail on Monday, Aug. 12. The Postal Service anticipates mail delivery will resume for our customers on Tuesday. We apologize to those who were inconvenienced by this unfortunate situation," said Susan Wright, communications director for the USPS.

 Attempts to reach the contractor for comment also have been unsuccessful.

C-PLANT | Monday NEWScast

 

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LYON COUNTY SHERIFF’S ACTIVITY

On Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, just before 9:30 p.m., Kentucky State Police reported a vehicle traveling at an excessive speed on Interstate 24. Deputy Bobby Beeler and a state trooper made contact with the 2026 Hyundai on I-24 westbound near the 40-mile marker. Beeler arrested the operator, Sandera L. Reyes-Valenzuela, 36, of Granite City, Illinois, and charged her with no operator’s license and speeding. She was lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center and later transported to the Christian County Jail because of an ICE detainer.

On Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, around 2 a.m., Beeler was dispatched to a suspicious incident on KY 730 West. A resident called dispatch to report a dump truck in the yard of a neighbor whom he believed to be in the hospital and not at home. Upon arrival, Beeler located the dump truck with a man passed out inside. The man was identified as Maxx T. Phebus, 32, of Madisonville. He was arrested and charged with third-degree criminal trespassing, second-degree criminal mischief, alcohol intoxication and possession of an open alcoholic beverage container in a motor vehicle. Phebus was lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center.

On Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, around 3 p.m., the Eddyville Police Department and Lyon County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call regarding a subject who had left Circuit Court and was driving a Nissan Titan pickup truck on a suspended operator’s license. The vehicle and its operator were located on West Dale Avenue. The driver was identified as Brandon S. Ausherman, 35, of Cadiz. He was arrested by Sheriff Brent White and charged with improper registration plate for having a plate on a vehicle to which it was not assigned, second-offense failure to maintain insurance, no or canceled registration receipt, no or canceled registration plate, operating on a suspended or revoked operator’s license and second-degree possession of a controlled substance. Ausherman was lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center.

On Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, around 6:30 p.m., Beeler located Elizabeth L. Wright, 24, of Eddyville. She was arrested on a McCracken District Court bench warrant for failure to appear as it pertained to a fraudulent use of a credit card case. She later posted a cash bond and was released from custody.

On Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, around 10:42 a.m., Chief Deputy Sam Adams responded to a two-vehicle

Lane restrictions on I-24 this week

Daytime lane restrictions are planned along Interstate 24 in Livingston and Lyon counties Monday through Friday, Aug. 10-14, while crews cut brush and clear overgrowth along guardrails.

The work zone will extend from the Tennessee River Bridge near Exit 31 at Grand Rivers to Exit 45 at Eddyville. Crews will begin in the eastbound lanes and progress toward Eddyville before shifting westbound and working back toward the bridge.

Lane restrictions will be removed after each workday. Nearby entrance and exit ramps may be temporarily blocked as crews move through the area. Motorists should slow down and use caution.

Hudson Mine Rescue Tribute is Saturday

MARION, Ky. – A detailed presentation recounting the 1926 Hudson Mine cave-in and the extraordinary rescue effort that followed will be the featured attraction at a free centennial celebration Saturday, Aug. 8, in Marion.

“All Found Alive!” will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Fohs Hall and the neighboring Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum. Registration will begin at 9 a.m., and organizers encourage visitors to arrive before the featured program starts promptly at 10.

Bo Moodie will lead the presentation at Fohs Hall, using historical photographs and A.M. Shelby’s written report to provide a play-by-play account of the disaster and rescue.

“People need to be here at Fohs Hall between 9 and 10 for registration,” organizer Andrea Clement said. “The stuff you don’t want to miss is at 10 o’clock.”

The program will explain the daunting conditions rescuers encountered and the repeated mechanical and logistical failures that complicated their work.

“It was Murphy’s law in effect,” Clement said. “Anything and everything that could go wrong did go wrong. And they never gave up.”

Five fluorspar miners — Randolph Cobb, Roy James, George Castiller, U.B. Wilson and Harry Watson — were trapped about 150 to 160 feet underground after a massive cave-in occurred between 9 and 10 p.m. Aug. 5, 1926, at the Hudson Zinc and Spar Mine southwest of Salem.

The mine had operated intermittently since the 1890s. Near the working area was an abandoned pit about 90 feet deep that had filled with water, mud, discarded timbers and other refuse. Older miners had warned

THURSDAY NewCast | StoryWalk

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Find out about the new StoryWalk

at Marion-Crittenden County Park

and learn more about these emblems 

 

UPCOMING Back to School Events

Crittenden County Schools’ back-to-school events are just around the corner as students prepare to return for the new academic year. All back-to-school events will be held on consecutive days Monday, Aug. 17 and Tuesday, Aug. 18. The schedule includes:

•Kindergarten 5 to 6:30 p.m., Aug. 17

•Preschool 4 to 5:30 p.m., Aug. 17.

•Elementary School grades 1-5 from 4 to 6 p.m., Aug. 18.

•Middle School 4 to 6 p.m., Aug. 17.

•High School 4 to 6 p.m., Aug. 17.

Families will have an opportunity to meet teachers and staff, visit classrooms and prepare for the start of school.

Local student completes KY Gov's School

Crittenden County High School student Creea Whitfield recently completed the 2026 Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts program, studying visual art.

Whitfield was among 275 students from 60 Kentucky counties who participated in the tuition-free program June 7-27 at Northern Kentucky University. It was the first year NKU hosted the three-week program.

Students participated in daily seminars, creative projects, master classes and lectures across 10 artistic disciplines. They also attended a performance of Broadway’s “The Lion King” in Cincinnati.

Since 1987, the Governor’s School for the Arts has provided more than 9,000 rising Kentucky high school juniors and seniors with intensive arts instruction and opportunities to qualify for college scholarships. 

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Decorated teacher is leaving classroom

MARION, Ky. – Crittenden County Middle School science teacher Neal Bryant is trading chemistry for counseling this year, as he becomes the elementary school’s next counselor when school resumes later next month. 

Bryant, an accomplished educator with teaching experience both at the elementary and middle school levels, said he is excited for a new journey and the opportunity to help students grow socially and emotionally.

“I love encouraging kids, helping them work through challenges, and being another trusted adult in their lives,” said Bryant. “Counseling just feels like the right fit for me.”

Bryant’s goals in his new role include building trust and forging relationships with students and families. 

“I want my office to be a place where kids feel safe, welcome, and excited to visit, not because they’re in trouble, but because they know someone cares about them,” he said. “I also hope to partner closely with teachers and families to help students be successful both in and out of the classroom.”

Known for bringing engaging and exciting lessons to his students, Bryant said he looks forward to infusing the same creativity into his counseling work. 

Bryant is a past winner of Paducah Challenger Center’s Outstanding Educator award, the Linda McDowell Outstanding Educator award, and the Regional Educator Partnership Excellence in Teaching award, among others. Most recently, Bryant has served as a GoTeach Kentucky Ambassador, sharing content expertise, teaching strategies, and engagement techniques with colleagues across the state. 

Bryant also serves as an assistant coach for Crittenden County High School’s boys basketball program. He enjoys running, being outdoors, and spending time with his family in his free time.

A NEW SCHOOL YEAR, SAFER JOURNEYS AHEAD

A back-to-school message from Sen. Jason Howell

As students across Kentucky head back to the classroom, a new school year brings fresh opportunities to learn, grow and prepare for the future. Whether it’s a child’s first day of kindergarten or a student’s final year before graduation, every school year marks a new beginning filled with possibility.

This year is especially meaningful for my family because it marks our youngest child's senior year of high school. With every "last first day," "last football game" and "last school event," we're reminded that this chapter is quickly coming to a close. As parents, we're trying to savor every moment while preparing for the bittersweet transition that comes with watching our child take the next step into adulthood. I know many of you have experienced those same emotions, and my family shares that mix of pride, gratitude, excitement and nostalgia right alongside you.

As excitement builds for the year ahead, it is also a timely reminder that every student’s journey to and from school should be just as safe as the learning that takes place inside the classroom. While families return to their regular routines, it is important for every driver to understand the rules of the road around school buses. With the passage and implementation of House Bill 7, drivers are now required to stop whenever a school or church bus has its signal lights flashing and its stop arm extended on most roadways. This includes highways and four-lane roads with a center turning lane.

Drivers traveling in both directions must stop unless the roadway is divided by an elevated barrier or an unpaved median. A painted centerline or middle turning lane does not create an exception. These requirements help protect students as they enter or exit a bus and may need to cross multiple lanes of traffic.

HB 7 also allows school districts to use stop-arm camera systems to identify motorists who illegally pass stopped buses and strengthens penalties for violations. While these provisions increase accountability,

C-PLAN | Monday NEWScast

 

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Today we hear from Andrea Clement

about this weekend's fluorspar heritage event

to recognize the 100th anniversary of the

Hudson Mine Rescue

Fredonia Festival is Saturday, Aug. 8

The Fredonia Lions Club’s 61st annual Summer Festival will be held Saturday, Aug. 8 at Buddy Rogers Park in Fredonia. The all-day event begins at 8 a.m. with Little League activities and includes bingo, cake walks, water balloons, a petting zoo, pedal tractor pulls, trophies, a pet show and washer pitching. 

Food will include smoked pork, chicken, burgers, hot dogs, homemade desserts and other festival favorites. 

Live music begins at 5:30 p.m. with the Fort Campbell Band, followed by local talent at 6:30 p.m. Large raffles and hourly cash drawings will be held throughout the day. Admission is free, and proceeds benefit the Fredonia Lions Club’s charitable projects.

Martin completes Washington learning mission

MARION, Ky. – Crittenden County High School student Maeson Martin returned from Washington, D.C., with new friendships, greater confidence and a deeper appreciation for American history and civic engagement after participating in the 2026 Washington Youth Tour.

Martin was among three students sponsored by Kenergy for the weeklong experience coordinated by Kentucky Electric Cooperatives and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. She was joined by Heath Ford of Henderson County High School and Carson Whitsell of Webster County High School.

The students visited Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and George Washington’s Mount Vernon before touring the U.S. Capitol, museums and memorials in Washington. They also heard from U.S. Sen. Rand Paul and congressional staff members during a discussion about artificial intelligence, term limits and Federal Emergency Management Agency reform.

Martin said the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum was the most meaningful stop.

“You can talk about it over and over again in history classes all throughout years of school,” Martin said, “but looking at it through pictures and video, being able to actually walk through one of the cattle cars, it hits you different.”

The tour also included stops at the National Mall, Smithsonian museums, White House Visitor Center, World War I Memorial, National Air and Space Museum and Arlington National Cemetery. At Arlington, students watched the Changing of the Guard, and members of the Kentucky delegation placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Kenergy representatives Kristine and Jonathan Carrier served as chaperones.

Lane restrictions in Lake City next week

LAKE CITY, Ky. – A lane restriction is planned Monday, Aug. 3, and Tuesday, Aug. 4, along U.S. 62 between KY 453/Dover Road and KY 952/J.H. O’Bryan Avenue in Livingston County.

Crews will cut brush along guardrails from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The westbound right lane will be restricted Monday, followed by the eastbound right lane Tuesday. Traffic will shift into the left lane.

The northbound KY 453 exit ramp to U.S. 62 also will be blocked for part of Tuesday morning. Work is weather permitting.