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Prayer vigil tonight on campus for SRO

A community prayer vigil for Crittenden County Sheriff’s Deputy and School Resource Officer Rick Coyle will be held at 6 p.m., tonight on the Crittenden County High School football field.

Coyle was critically wounded in Thursday evening’s shooting in rural Crittenden County while taking part in an operation with the sheriff’s office.

In the event of bad weather, the vigil will be moved inside Rocket Arena.

Deputy and SRO Coyle critically injured in shooting

Rick Coyle

MARION, Ky. – A Crittenden County sheriff’s deputy who also serves as the school resource officer for Crittenden County High School and Middle School was shot Thursday afternoon during an officer-involved incident in rural Crittenden County.

The Kentucky State Police Critical Incident Response Team is investigating the shooting, which occurred around 5 p.m. April 2 at a residence on KY 365 near Sturgis.

According to KSP, deputies with the Crittenden County Sheriff’s Office, along with staff from the Kentucky Department of Community Based Services, were attempting to serve emergency guardianship paperwork when gunfire was exchanged.

Deputy Rick Coyle, who also serves as the district’s school resource officer, was struck by gunfire and airlifted to Deaconess Midtown Hospital in Evansville, Ind., where he remains in critical condition.

The suspect, identified as Ronnie Phillips, 60, was fatally wounded during the exchange.

Authorities said a female victim was safely removed from the residence, and no other injuries were reported.

Multiple agencies assisted at the scene, including the Caldwell, Livingston, Lyon and Union county sheriff’s offices, Marion Police Department, Crittenden County EMS and Crittenden County Coroner Brad Gilbert.

KSP officials said the agency was requested by Post 2 in Madisonville to lead the investigation, which remains ongoing. State police noted that further details will be released once interviews are completed and key facts are confirmed.

Cross walk today; Egg hunt tonight

Local Christians will begin celebrating Easter Weekend today with a non-denominational community event to recognize Good Friday in downtown Marion. Also, Marion Baptist Church's annual Easter Egg Hunt has been moved to tonight at 6pm due to tomorrow's weather forecast.

Beginning at 11:30 a.m., Friday there will be a cross walk along Main Street from Elm Street to West Bellville Street and will end at Marion First Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Following the cross walk, there will be a Good Friday message at noon at the church then a free, light meal in its fellowship hall. 

Marion Baptist Church had originally planned its egg hunt for 10 a.m., Saturday at Crittenden County Fairgrounds. Those plans have changed and the event will be at 6pm Friday at the fairgrounds.

This Sunday is Easter, which concludes Holy Week. It is typically the most attended church service of the year, celebrating the resurrection and the promise of new life. 

Two shot, including one lawman at rural home

MARION, Ky. – A Crittenden County Deputy and another individual were shot during a confrontation at a rural Crittenden County residence around 5 p.m. Thursday.

The law enforcement officer was taken to a regional hospital. The condition of the other individual has not been released, but the coroner has arrived at the scene.

A woman inside the residence was transported by ambulance to a hospital, but she was apparently not injured in the gunfire.

Information remains limited. It appears law enforcement had responded to the residence on KY 365 between Mattoon and Sturgis, about three miles from U.S. 60, for a welfare check.

At some point, it appears the deputy was shot by an individual at the home. Investigators have not released who shot the man at the home or other details about the incident. 

Kentucky State Police Capt. Derek Smith said the Critical Incident Response Team is on the scene and that state police are leading the investigation.

The Crittenden County Sheriff’s Department, Marion Police Department and law enforcement agencies from Livingston, Caldwell, Union and Lyon counties were also at the scene. Sheriff’s departments from nearby counties will temporarily provide manpower to assist the Crittenden County Sheriff’s Department and other law enforcement agencies throughout the county.

This post was updated at 8:45 p.m. with new information.

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Kentucky US Senate candidate Barr in Marion

Farmers Bank President Wade Berry introduces
U.S. Rep. Andy Barr at today's speaking event

MARION, Ky. – U.S. Rep. Andy Barr made a campaign stop in Marion on Wednesday at Farmers Bank as he seeks the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Mitch McConnell. Barr, a Lexington native now serving his seventh and final term in the House, is among leading GOP candidates in a primary field that includes former Attorney General Daniel Cameron and businessman Nate Morris. The eventual Republican nominee will face a Democratic challenger in November in what will be a closely watched open-seat race.

Speaking to a crowd of regional officials, bankers and business leaders from across Western Kentucky, Barr introduced himself as an eighth-generation Kentuckian with a background in law, business representation and economic development. He emphasized his work on the House Financial Services Committee and his advocacy for community banks, calling them “the American dream makers” and stressing the need for tailored regulations rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Barr centered much of his message on economic growth and national security, tying both to energy production in Kentucky. He argued the state is positioned to become an “energy juggernaut” through coal, natural gas, hydro and nuclear development, particularly as demand rises from emerging technologies like artificial intelligence. He warned of competition from China in both economic and military arenas and said expanding domestic energy production is critical to maintaining U.S. global leadership while creating jobs in regions like Western Kentucky.

Throughout his remarks, Barr leaned heavily on themes of persistence, work ethic and opportunity, citing his own narrow 2010 congressional loss before later winning the seat as evidence of determination. He said he is running to “restore the American dream” amid rising costs and economic uncertainty, pledging to use his experience and relationships in Washington to deliver for Kentucky. Barr also highlighted his support of former President Donald Trump and positioned himself as a candidate who can win statewide by appealing to both Republican and swing voters.

Pictured is Barr speaking with local airport board chairman Jim Johnson.

Almost forgotten hero restored to glory

This the stone after it was restored
and reset on a large base

SMITHLAND, Ky. – An interesting discovery was made in November 2024 in the Smithland Cemetery.  While filling in holes in the cemetery with a tractor, it was discovered, leaning up against a tree, a very old monument for Chaylon Gorden, a man who died in 1923 at the age of 43.  

Who was this man whose stone was carelessly propped up against a tree at the bottom of the hill? With the help of Livingston County cemetery historians, Wanda Trail and her son, Mark Trail, it was discovered that Chaylon Gorden was a hero in his day.

Newspaper archives revealed that in 1901 Chaylon and a friend, William Webb, were on the steamboat, the City of Golconda, which was headed to Paducah from Smithland when the boat sank in a storm just off Cottonwood Bar in the Ohio River.  As it turns out, Gorden, a 21-year-old Black man, and William Webb, another young Black man, rescued a White woman, the wife of the boat’s engineer, and her child from the sinking vessel.  Twelve or more drowned in the incident.  Among those who perished were passengers from Smithland, Paducah, Grahamville, and Evansville. The vessel included Smithland Cemetery committee member Billy Downs’ great-great uncle, Watts Davis, who was taking five head of cattle to market in Paducah.  

The Smithland Cemetery Committee felt Chaylon Gorden deserved better than to have his stone propped up against a tree.  Henry & Henry Monument Company of Marion picked up and cleaned his stone, then remounted it on a base. Henry & Henry delivered the restored monument to the Smithland Cemetery and replaced it on a concrete base, located as nearly as could be determined where Chaylon is buried. The cemetery association is grateful to Henry & Henry for its help in a very worthwhile historic restoration.  

The Smithland Cemetery is maintained solely by charitable, tax-deductible donations. 

This araticle was submitted by the Smithland Cemetery Committee
The article first appeared in the March 26, 2026 Crittenden Press

Murder trial ends abruptly with plea deal

MARION, Ky. – After more than four years of waiting, the Timothy Paris murder trial came to an unexpected and abrupt end Monday when a plea deal was reached midway through the proceedings.

Paris, 41, was accused of shooting his father during an argument in the winter of 2022.

What had been scheduled as a four-day trial concluded in less than two days, bringing a sudden close to a case that has drawn significant attention across the community.

For full details on how the case unfolded and what led to the agreement, see this week’s edition of The Crittenden Press. Visit our website to subscribe for full access.

Pictured is defendant Timothy Paris shaking hands with this attorney Richard Walls.
 

City council special meeting Tuesday

Marion City Council will hold a special called meeting at 5 p.m., Tuesday, March 31 at the Crittenden County Office Complex. The meeting was originally scheduled for Marion City Hall but has been relocated because of a trial underway at city hall.

Items on the agenda include confirmation of mayoral appointments to the Marion Planning & Zoning Commission, consideration of issuing a request for proposals for towing and vehicle storage services, and discussion of two resolution, one declaring certain city-owned property as surplus and another designating an agent to handle required documentation for disaster relief and emergency assistance funding.

Legislative Update | Sen. Jason Howell

With the end of the 2026 Regular Session in sight, work in Frankfort has entered a busy final stretch. These closing weeks often bring some of the most consequential conversations of the session, as legislation developed and debated over the past several months begins moving through the remaining stages of the process.

Three pieces of legislation I sponsored have made it to the governor’s desk for signature this week.

Senate Bill (SB) 5 makes it easier for Kentucky schools to buy fresh, local food by removing certain bidding rules and defining what counts as “Kentucky-grown.” It supports student health and boosts local farming. The bill allows school boards and districts to work more directly with in-state farmers to bring nutritious food into school meals. The measure supports student health, strengthens local agriculture and advances the broader Food is Medicine initiative led by Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell. The bill takes effect immediately upon its filing with the Kentucky Secretary of State’s Office. 

SB 73 lets small Kentucky producers make and sell tallow- and pork-based cosmetic products from home under state safety rules, thus supporting local entrepreneurship. It adds rules for farm-based poultry sales and further protects working livestock dogs. Local governments can collaborate with nonprofits to care for stray horses with liability protections, too.

SB 158 sets clear rules to protect consumers when buying optional financial products tied to vehicle purchases, such as debt cancellation or value protection plans. The bill ensures these products are optional, clearly disclosed and priced separately from loan interest. It prevents lenders or dealers from requiring consumers to purchase them as a condition of financing or a vehicle sale. The bill stipulates that vehicle value protection agreements are not insurance products and must be disclosed as such, applies enforcement under Kentucky’s Consumer Protection Act and establishes additional regulatory standards for these agreements. There is now a regulatory framework for credit personal property insurance, including limits on coverage, consumer disclosure requirements and oversight by the Department of Insurance. The legislation applies to new agreements beginning Jan. 1, 2027. 

Other bills are moving quickly between the House and Senate as lawmakers work through a wide range of policy issues before sending legislation to the governor for consideration. The volume and variety of proposals reflect the broad scope of issues the Kentucky General Assembly has taken up this year, from education and workforce initiatives to regulatory oversight, economic policy and public safety.

In even-numbered years, the General Assembly meets for 60 legislative days, and we are now approaching the final portion of that calendar. Over the coming days, legislation passed by both chambers will move through the governor’s review period, when bills may be signed into law, vetoed or allowed to become law without a signature.

Lawmakers will then return for the final legislative days of the session to consider any vetoes and complete the remaining work before adjourning sine die, and formally closing the 2026 session on April 15.

One major piece of unfinished business remains the state budget, which outlines Kentucky’s spending priorities for the next two fiscal years. Budget negotiations are continuing as lawmakers work to reach an

Murder trial continues today in Marion

MARION, Ky. – Testimony resumes this morning in Crittenden Circuit Court in the Timothy W. Paris murder trial at Marion City Hall.

Paris, 41, is charged with killing his 80-year-old father, Jerry Paris, on Feb. 28, 2022, at the elder Paris’ home off Blackburn Church Road in rural eastern Crittenden County. Investigators allege that Paris shot his father twice with a .41-caliber handgun during a confrontation at the residence. He has been held on a $1 million bond since his arrest.

A jury was seated Friday morning, and a number of witnesses testified for the prosecution in the afternoon, including law enforcement officers who responded to the scene after a 911 call from the victim’s other son, Eric Paris, who lives in Henderson.

A 911 recording made to Marion emergency dispatch was entered into evidence on the trial’s first day.

Testimony and recordings indicate that the defendant and his father had gotten into an altercation on the night before the fatal shooting. Both of Jerry Paris’ adult sons were at the Crittenden County home when it happened, along with a grandchild. The defendant had a shotgun in his hand during that initial encounter, according to testimony. 

After Timothy Paris and his father were separated, the defendant’s brother and his family returned home to Henderson. The next day, Eric Paris attempted to reach his father by phone, but his calls went unanswered. Shortly thereafter, testimony showed that the accused called his brother and admitted he had shot their father.

Former Crittenden County sheriff Wayne Agent testified that when he arrived at the scene and found the elder Paris dead, he also located Timothy Paris at a secondary residence near the victim’s home. The former sheriff testified that the defendant admitted to him that he shot his father.

The prosecution is expected to continue presenting its case this morning when the trial resumes at 8:30 a.m. Expected to testify today are the medical examiner and the case’s lead detective. 

The defense did not present an opening statement Friday, opting to defer until the start of its case after the prosecution rests.

Three days this week are set aside for trial.

C-PLANT | Monday NewsCast

 

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On Today's show with visit with Lee Conrad

to discuss a very uncomfortable yet urgent topic.

Conrad is outgoing chair of the

National Mental Health Alliance in Kentucky

and a Crittenden County native.

Marion flushing water system overnight

 

City of Marion will flush its drinking water distribution system beginning Sunday night, March 29, through early Friday morning, April 3, as part of routine maintenance and efforts to support water quality. 

Flushing will occur nightly from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. during that period. 

City officials said customers may experience temporary low water pressure and could notice discolored water during the process.

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LWK coming to Marion Thursday

MARION, Ky. – Crittenden County officials and business leaders will host Leadership West Kentucky for a daylong community and industry tour Thursday, March 26, beginning at Marion Methodist Church and traveling to multiple sites across Crittenden and Livingston counties.

The agenda includes stops at Riley Tool and Machine, the Marion-Crittenden County James C. Johnson Regional Airport, Fohs Hall and the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum, along with tours in Salem of the Crittenden Livingston Water District treatment plant and Pine Bluff Sand and Gravel’s Cumberland River Quarry. The day also features lunch and speakers at Deer Lakes Golf Course Clubhouse and will conclude with an afterhours gathering at The Wake Club at Lighthouse Landing in Grand Rivers.

Leadership West Kentucky is an affiliate of West Kentucky Regional Chamber Alliance (WKRCA), a formal alliance of chambers of commerce in 14 counties in far western Kentucky.  Its purpose is to provide a unified voice for local businesses in the region and to serve as a catalyst for regional leadership and action, bringing together resources for legislative, educational, infrastructure and economic development advocacy.

Member counties are Ballard, Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Christian, Crittenden, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Livingston, Lyon, McCracken, Marshall, and Trigg. Each year, applicants from every county apply to be part of the LWK tour.

City will host "Listening Sessioin"

City of Marion will host a public listening session on Thursday, April 9, at 6 p.m. at Marion City Hall, 217 South Main Street.

The session will serve as an open forum for residents and stakeholders to share ideas and proposals related to funding priorities and expenditures for the city’s 2026-27 fiscal year budget.

City Administrator Adam Ledford will host the meeting, which is intended to gather public input ahead of the upcoming budget process.

For more information, contact Marion City Hall at 270-965-2266.

Use-of-Force Training Simulator at Marion PD

Marion Police Department officer Rome Dickerson participates in a use-of-force training scenario using a video simulation system temporarily set up at Marion City Hall. The simulator projects life-size, interactive situations, ranging from traffic stops to active threats, allowing officers to make split-second decisions in a controlled environment. In this scenario, Dickerson responds to a hallway encounter involving a potentially armed suspect while a second individual lies on the ground, testing judgment, threat assessment and de-escalation skills.

Law enforcement agencies across the country increasingly use these immersive simulators to supplement live training, as they can replicate high-risk encounters without physical danger while tracking reaction time, accuracy and decision-making.

Consider Fohs Hall for your special event

Click Image to Enlarge

Planning a bridal shower, class reunion or special 

event? Consider holding that event at Fohs Hall.

Fohs Hall, a beautiful 100-year-old cultural arts 

center, is the area's premier special events venue. 

For rental information, contact Elliot West.

 

Lyon County Sheriff's Activity Report

Lyon County Sheriff’s deputies made several arrests over the past week, investigated a school assault and worked a two-vehicle crash at a busy intersection, according to a sheriff’s office media release.

Among the arrests, deputies on March 15 went to a Saratoga residence to serve an arrest warrant and took Caleb M. Wellborn, 30, of Eddyville into custody on a Lyon District Court bench warrant for failure to appear. While there, Sheriff Brent White identified Michael W. Reed, 47, of Calvert City, as being in violation of parole conditions. A vehicle search reportedly turned up marijuana, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Reed was charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance, second offense; possession of marijuana; and possession of drug paraphernalia. Both men were lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center.

At Lyon County High School on March 16, School Resource Officer Jason Young investigated a disturbance in a lobby area and determined a 14-year-old male student assaulted another student without provocation, according to the release. The incident led to a second altercation involving the same two students. Young charged the juvenile with fourth-degree assault. The student was removed from school and released to a parent.

Later that evening, Deputy Bobby Beeler stopped a vehicle on Chestnut Oak Road near Green Road and arrested Tonya M. Breaux, 65, of Kuttawa, on a Lyon Circuit Court bench warrant for probation violation on a felony offense. She also was charged with failure to wear a seat belt, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center.

On March 18, deputies served a complaint warrant on Brandon S. Ausherman, 35, of Eddyville, charging him with first-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and theft by deception, including cold checks. Authorities allege he passed counterfeit currency at businesses in Kuttawa and said he is accused of similar offenses in Christian County. He was lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center.

Also on March 18, deputies served a Warren District Court bench warrant on Jessie A. Pytko, 37, of Bowling Green, charging her with nonpayment of court costs, fees or fines. She faces extradition to Warren County.

On March 19, Deputy Josh Travis served a Lyon District Court bench warrant on Justice M. Cordova, 31, of Salem, charging her with nonpayment of court costs, fees or fines. She was lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center.

Deputies also investigated a two-vehicle, non-injury crash March 21 at the intersection of Ky. 93, Ky. 293 and Ky. 1055. According to the sheriff’s office, Dakota J. Shaw, 22, of Carrollton, Ga., was driving a 2014 GMC Sierra and failed to yield at a stop sign on Ky. 1055, pulling into the path of a northbound 2011 GMC Acadia driven by Eric S. Johnson, 60, of Eddyville. No injuries were reported. Kuttawa’s fire chief assisted at the scene.