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for Crittenden and Livingston counties
Monday, March 2, 2026
Sunday, March 1, 2026
Lyon County Sheriff's Report
On Friday, Feb. 27, deputies served a Lyon Circuit Court bench warrant for failure to appear on Anthony D. Simmons, 39, of Atlanta. Simmons was extradited from Georgia to face charges in a felony case involving cocaine, marijuana and tampering with physical evidence. He was lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center.
In a separate case, the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office announced additional charges following a Feb. 24 standoff at the Dollar General store on KY 293 south of Eddyville. Investigators continued processing evidence from the scene beginning early Feb. 25 and executed a search warrant on the stolen vehicle involved, working through after midnight Feb. 26.
As a result of the ongoing investigation, Thomas J. Prevatte, 46, of Princeton, was charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, first offense, involving more than 2 grams of methamphetamine, and buying or possessing drug paraphernalia. He remains lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center.
Angela F. Egbert, 48, of Princeton, was also charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, first offense, involving more than 2 grams of methamphetamine, and buying or possessing drug paraphernalia. She remains lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center.
On Saturday, Feb. 28, at approximately 5:15 p.m., Deputy Bobby Beeler, Deputy Josh Travis and Lyon County EMS responded to a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of KY 93 and KY 293 south of Eddyville.
According to Deputy Beeler’s investigation, a 1999 Ford F-150 driven by Jeffery L. Carroll, 63, of Eddyville, was traveling on KY 293 and pulled into the path of a 2014 Toyota Sienna driven by Patricio Gabriel Jara Tapia, 50, of Mount Juliet, Tenn., who was southbound on KY 93. Both drivers and their passengers declined medical treatment at the scene.
Amish man dies in tree-cutting accident
A 29-year-old Amish man was killed Saturday morning in a tree-cutting accident off KY 654 North near Mattoon.
Eli Bontrager was reportedly alone cutting down a tree when the incident occurred. He was later found unresponsive, and first responders were called to the scene at approximately 10:30 a.m.
Crittenden County Assistant Coroner Keith Gilbert said Bontrager was pronounced dead at the scene.
Friday, February 27, 2026
Sen. Howell | Legislative Update
Week Eight of the 2026 Legislative Session
This week, the General Assembly advanced one of the session’s most significant education measures, House Bill 1, allowing Kentucky to opt in to the federal Education Freedom Tax Credit program created by Congress in 2025. Beginning in tax year 2027, the program offers a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit of up to $1,700 for donations to certified scholarship-granting organizations that fund K-12 educational expenses. States must formally opt in for students to benefit, and more than two dozen have already done so.
Eligible students must come from households earning up to 300 percent of the area median income, making most Kentucky working- and middle-class families eligible. Scholarships, distributed by certified nonprofits that must direct at least 90 percent of contributions to students, may be used for tuition, tutoring, special-needs services, instructional materials, technology, transportation and other approved expenses. Public school students are not excluded and may use funds for qualifying educational support.
HB 1 does not create a new state program, raise taxes or reduce SEEK funding. The federal tax credit can be claimed regardless of Kentucky’s decision; the question is whether those contributions support students here or flow to other states. By opting in, Kentucky keeps those federal dollars in-state and expands educational opportunity without increasing state spending.
State budget update
As noted in prior updates, the top priority during a 60-day legislative session is our responsibility to enact a new two-year state budget. We’ve heard from many regarding the initial version of the House’s budget proposal, HB 500. HB 500 was a bare-bones starting point, and significant modifications were made this week. With the Senate now officially in receipt of the House’s proposal, next week is when our deliberate and meticulous work really begins.
I experienced success with two bills passing off the Senate floor this week. Senate Bill 157 will clarify Kentucky law governing certain mortgage loans and ensure greater consistency with federal lending standards. The bill also exempts loans with points and fees below the federal threshold from existing total net income limits and applies to contracts entered into after the effective date, aligning Kentucky law with federal standards and promoting consistency in mortgage lending practices.
Senate Bill 214 allows the Kentucky Department of Agriculture to accept and manage nonfederal funds and grants from public or private sources that support its programs and clarifies the department’s authority to apply for, administer and spend funds at all levels of government. The bill includes an emergency clause that allows the department to immediately pursue privately funded grants that would benefit agriculture across the commonwealth.
Several other measures were approved in the Senate this week and were either delivered to the governor’s desk or sent to the House for consideration.
SB 33 strengthens oversight of recovery residences by closing certification loopholes and requiring the state to notify local officials when a residence seeks certification, is certified or faces discipline.
SB 37 designates the treeing Walker coonhound as Kentucky’s official state dog in recognition of its
Thursday, February 26, 2026
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
Turley among 2026 KHSAA Hall of Fame class
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| WKU photo |
With the addition of this year’s 13-member class, the Hall of Fame grows to 542 all-time inductees since its inception in 1988. Tickets for the induction ceremony will be available at a later date at khsaatickets.org.
Turley, 72, now lives in Bowling Green, but he grew up in Marion and graduated from Crittenden County High School in 1972. He carved out a 32-year career as a head basketball coach across the Commonwealth, including at Lyon County and Graves County in western Kentucky, and won 624 games with 17 seasons with 20 or more victories. Beginning his head coaching career at age 22 in 1976, he made stops at a dozen Kentucky schools and is one of a select few coaches to lead three different programs to the Sweet 16 appearances – Warren Central (1982, 1983), Henderson County (1990) and Daviess County (2003). He was named Coach of the Year by both the Lexington Herald-Leader and Louisville Courier-Journal in 1996 and has previously been inducted into multiple state basketball halls of fame, including the Kentucky High School Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame and the Marion-Crittenden County Athletics Hall of Fame. He also spent time as an assistant coach and director of operations with the women’s basketball program at Western Kentucky University.
“To me Curtis Turley has long been a legend in the coaching community,” said former Crittenden County coach Denis Hodge. “He is a gentleman’s gentleman and a mentor so many. He has always been so willing to help other coaches, and no one is more passionate about high school basketball.
Also among this year’s inductees is Caldwell County golf standout Emma Talley, one of the most decorated players in state history. A 2012 graduate, Talley competed in seven consecutive state
Looking back at Hodge's mark on Marion
To mark the passing of longtime local businessman Leroy Hodge, we went into the archives and retrieved this article published in THE CRITTENDEN PRESS about two years ago, on February 15, 2024.
Emil Leroy Hodge, 83, of Marion, died Monday, Feb. 23, 2026 at Livingston Hospital. Services are scheduled for 1 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 28 at Marion Baptist Church followed by burial in Sugar Grove Cemetery. The family will receive visitors from 6-9 p.m., Friday at Gilbert Funeral Home and from 10 a.m., until service time Satur- day at the church.
From The Press archives | Available at Newspapers.com
It’s hard to imagine Leroy Hodge as an adrenaline junkie.
Most recognize him as somewhat of a stoic, reverent man who has served customers for many years from behind a sporting goods counter.
Yet, in his 20s and 30s, Hodge, now 81, learned to fly a plane, perform waterskiing stunts, race motorcycles and exercise an appetite for adventure as a scuba diver.
He even had an earring – if only for a day – just to prove he could do it.
It didn’t take long for Hodge’s enterprising spirit to develop into a successful business career.
Today, his namesake, Hodge’s Sports & Apparel, is on the eve of its 50th anniversary. It is a Marion landmark, a retail rock that has adapted to a varied clientele across six different decades, offering everything from motorcycles and trampolines to night-crawlers, tuxedos and electronics.
Hodge is Marion’s longest-operating retail business owner.
His career started miles from Marion in pipeline construction, but he returned to his father Charlie Hodge’s Westside Market in the 1960s working as a butcher.
In 1971, married with a young daughter, Hodge and wife Barbara purchased North Court S&T Hardware on East Bellville Street from Imogene and Raymond “Pat” Patmor. It was there that daughter Britt began “playing” store, laying a foundation for her future management of the current retail enterprise on Sturgis Road.
“It was his first leap of faith into business,” his wife recalls, pointing out that despite their desire to get into retail, it was rife with early heartache.
“I soon regretted it,” Hodge admits. “It made him sick – literally made him sick – the financial aspect of it,” Barbara said. “We were newlyweds and poor, we didn’t have any money.”
A few years later, Charlie Hodge sold Westside Market and Leroy Hodge sold North Court S&T Hardware, and the father/son team purchased York Sporting Goods on Sturgis Road and renamed it Hodge Outdoors. They sold motorcycles, bicycles, go-carts, hardware, paint, Franciscan China and wedding gifts. Charlie Hodge, who some may remember by his handle “Shotgun,” parlayed a hobby in CB radios into a Radio Shack franchise that meshed with Hodges’ business model.
On May 1, 1974, Leroy and Charlie Hodge opened Hodge Outdoor Sports. They soon phased out hardware, expanded the sporting goods department, and during the 1980s energy crisis sold wood-heater inserts.
Leroy Hodge later became the sole owner and transitioned into apparel after he found a good deal on Levis jeans from a Madisonville wholesaler. The apparel department grew from there, and today is
Monday, February 23, 2026
Development plan scrapped south of Fredonia
Area counties considering a resolution to dissolve an organization originally tasked with developing a mega industrial site south of Fredonia.
Crittenden County Fiscal Court last week approved a resolution to dissolve the Pennyrile Westpark Industrial Development Authority, formally ending its participation in a multi-county effort to market a 500-acre industrial megasite near Fredonia. Other counties in the coalition are expected to consider similar action to withdraw and dissolve the authority, including Lyon, Caldwell, Trigg and Livingston.
The resolution states the authority “currently has no assets and is no longer deemed a viable option for the purpose of promoting economic development.”
The property for the proposed megasite was owned by the State of Kentucky, which had offered it to the authority for development. When the concept was introduced almost five years ago, it would have been one of only two megasites in the state available for industrial development.
Located near the West Kentucky Correctional Complex along the Lyon-Caldwell county line, the large tract was ultimately determined to be unsuitable for the intended purpose.
The authority was established to oversee development and marketing of the site. The Tennessee Valley Authority had expressed interest in assisting with the project, and there was cautious optimism it could become a key component in attracting large-scale industrial development to the region. The planned U.S. 641 relocation also was viewed as a potential transportation advantage for the site.
Updated Federal Emergency Management Agency maps showed a significant portion of the property in the floodplain. To confirm those concerns, a state grant was secured in 2022 to fund a comprehensive engineering study. The results of that study concluded the site was not feasible for development as an industrial megasite.
Consider Fohs Hall for your next event
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| Click Image to Enlarge |
event? Consider holding that event at Fohs Hall.
Fohs Hall, a beautiful 100-year-old cultural arts
Fohs Hall, a beautiful 100-year-old cultural arts
center, is the area's premier special events venue.
For rental information, contact Elliot West.
For rental information, contact Elliot West.
Sunday, February 22, 2026
County Ethics Board meets Monday morning
Marion-Crittenden County Code of Ethics Board will meet at 9 a.m. Monday, Feb. 23 at the County Office Complex
On the agenda will be acknowledgement of financial disclosure forms and potential action for those in non-compliance, discussion and possible action on ethics complaint procedures
The joint city-county board consists of appointees Susan Yarbrough, Dan Wood and Mickey Alexander.
Marion will celebrate 182nd Birthday
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| Click Image to Enlarge |
The City of Marion marks its 182nd birthday this month.
Marion was incorporated Feb. 22, 1844. To celebrate the anniversary, the city office will host a birthday cake reception Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. A donated cake will be available to the public from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cake will be served on a first-come basis while supplies last.
Saturday, February 21, 2026
Sen. Jason Howell | Legislative Update
Week Seven of the 2026 Legislative Session
With more than 30 legislative days complete of the required 60, the Senate has remained focused on steady, deliberate progress. At this stage of the session, nine of the Senate majority’s 10 top-priority bills have been filed and passed the Senate.
First, I’m happy to inform you that the first bill of this session to be signed by the governor and become
law is Senate Bill (SB) 172. It provides an additional tool to the Kentucky Public Service Commission to address energy affordability challenges. Under the bill, upon request from your utility company, the PSC could prevent sudden spikes in utility bills from fuel surcharges by allowing the costs to be spread out over time. I’m happy to see this bipartisan measure become law, as it should provide relief for you in the very near future.
I have heard from many of you regarding the early budget bill filed in the state House of Representatives and the budget process more broadly. I understand these discussions affect real families, and I appreciate those who have taken the time to share their concerns.
It is important to clarify where we currently stand. The state budget originates in the House of Representatives, and it has not yet passed that chamber. When the House delivers a proposed budget to the Senate, we will carefully review it, evaluate any changes and make revisions where necessary. That is the Senate’s constitutional responsibility, and we take it seriously.
Questions surrounding health insurance costs, benefit stability and long-term affordability deserve thoughtful review. Those issues require discipline, transparency and careful analysis. In fulfilling the Senate’s role in the budget process, our guiding principles remain clear:
Maintain a structurally balanced budget, ensuring recurring revenues support recurring expenses.
Exercise discipline with one-time dollars and avoid short-term budgeting approaches that create long-term instability.
Make thoughtful, transparent decisions that protect both taxpayers and public employees.
There is considerable work ahead before a final budget is enacted, and I will continue keeping you informed as the process moves forward.
On Thursday, the Senate welcomed military families from across the commonwealth for our annual Military Kids Day at the Capitol. This special event honors the children and grandchildren of those who serve or have served in the United States Armed Forces. Military kids endure long deployments, frequent moves, new schools and time away from parents who answer the call to protect our freedoms. These young Kentuckians explored a Capitol campus they may one day return to as public servants themselves. It was an honor to recognize their resilience and thank their families for the shared sacrifice that strengthens both our state and our nation.
Several bills were passed out of the Senate this week.
SB 9 streamlines regulations and creates new financing tools to support housing construction and redevelopment across Kentucky. The bill aims to increase housing supply, strengthen local economies and help more Kentuckians find homes they can afford.
SB 39 gives private landowners greater flexibility to manage lakes and ponds on their own property by allowing them to stock and fish without certain state limits on size, creel or methods. It also allows landowners to extend those privileges to others through written or electronic permission, while
Friday, February 20, 2026
Items recovered from Sunday burglary
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| Sheriff Head inventories items recovered on Thursday. |
Breauna Moon is charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), second offense; convicted felon in possession of a firearm; receiving stolen property; and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Crittenden County Sheriff Evan Head said a passerby reported seeing some of the stolen items at a residence in the Levias community Thursday. During the investigation, additional items were located at a nearby home on Zion Cemetery Road.
When deputies arrived at that residence, they found Moon along with items believed to have been stolen from the cabin. An inventory of recovered property included two long guns, knives, a welder, boots, tools and maple syrup. The recovered items were valued between $10,000 and $15,000, according to the sheriff.
Assisting in the investigation and recovery were Deputy James Duncan and Special Deputy Jason Hurley.
Sheriff Head said another person of interest remains at large and may be the male suspect captured on surveillance video inside the cabin during the burglary.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Crittenden County Sheriff’s Department at 270-965-3400.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Ferry idled by high west winds
Cave-In-Rock Ferry has closed due to hazardous weather conditions.
The ferry shut down at 9 a.m., Friday, Feb. 20, because of high west winds creating rough river conditions on the Ohio River.
Officials said an update will be provided once conditions improve and service can safely resume.
Missing woman is located
In the post, he said Clark has been seen and that “all indications she is not in harm.” He wrote that she has chosen to leave and make no contact with him, family or friends, adding that he does not know why and that many questions remain unanswered.
Clark, 38, was last confirmed to have been seen in the early morning hours of Feb. 6 in Huntington, W.Va., after a series of sightings in northern Kentucky, southern Ohio and West Virginia.
Her disappearance was reported to authorities, and the Crittenden County Sheriff’s Department became the lead agency in the case Feb. 13.
In his post, Clark’s father thanked family, friends and the community for their prayers and support and expressed appreciation to Sheriff Evan Head for his efforts during the search.
No additional details about Clark’s location were stated. Sheriff Evan Head has confirmed this information. 
SPORTScast | KHSAA re-alignment
Special Friday Podcast discussing
KHSAA's landmark announcement
In Partnership with The Launch Pad in Marion, Ky.
Thursday, February 19, 2026
New multiplier factor could benefit Rockets football
Under the measure, private schools will have their boys enrollment multiplied by 1.35 for football classification purposes and their total enrollment multiplied by 1.35 for track and cross country. Public schools will continue to use a factor of 1.0.
The adjustment means some private schools could move up a class in football and track and cross country when the next four-year alignment takes effect in 2027. The new alignment was supposed to be released today, but the multiplier change means more time will be needed to sort through the lineup. It is unclear when realignment will be released.
In football, Class A consists of the bottom 32 football-playing schools in the state based on enrollment. If enough private schools currently in Class A are pushed into Class 2A by the multiplier, that could shift the cutoff line downward – potentially allowing public schools near the margin to drop into Class A.
For Class 2A Crittenden County, that could be significant. If enrollment figures and statewide positioning fall favorably during realignment, the Rockets could find themselves back in Class A football in the next cycle. Crittenden has traditionally been a Class A football program. It won the state title in 1985. During its years in Class 2A, the Rockets have rarely advanced past the first round and routinely have been eliminated by Owensboro Catholic, a private school.
The KHSAA’s move is expected to generate discussion statewide, particularly among small public schools that have long argued competitive balance concerns in certain sports.
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