The remarkable story of the Tolu Fluorite Statue

One of Crittenden County's most intriguing archaeological discoveries is the famed Tolu Fluorite Statue, a prehistoric Native American carving found near Tolu in 1954.

Believed to date to the Mississippian culture nearly 1,000 years ago, the figure is considered one of the most detailed and realistic fluorite carvings ever discovered and remains one of the most significant artifacts associated with southern Illinois and western Kentucky.

This week's edition of The Crittenden Press explores the statue's discovery, its unique craftsmanship, its mysterious symbolism and the enduring legacy of one of the county's most fascinating historical treasures.

Eat up for US 641 Yard Sale

 

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City council meets tonight in Marion

MARION, Ky. – The Marion City Council will meet tonight (Monday) at 5 p.m., at Marion City Hall with a relatively full agenda that includes surplus property, city lakes regulations, equipment purchases and the proposed city logo.

Council members are expected to consider a resolution declaring city-owned property as surplus, hear the first reading of an ordinance that would amend the city's fishing regulations at city lakes, discuss the purchase of a mini excavator and review the city's logo. Also on the agenda are second readings of the city's 2026-27 budget ordinance and an ordinance updating the pay plan for classified employees and non-elected officials, along with consideration of bids for the Clearwell Tank Rehabilitation Project and the sale of surplus property. Department reports and public comments will also be heard. 

Livingston Board of Ed meeting

SMITHLAND — The Livingston County Board of Education recognized two district administrators for their leadership, discussed the possibility of providing free meals for employees and awarded Superintendent Amy Ramage exemplary marks during its regular monthly meeting June 8.

Board Chair David Kitchens called the meeting to order with all members present.

Before regular business began, Ramage presented the district's June LiveRED Staff Award to Instructional Supervisors Jennifer Gosselin and Kristy Nelson for their service to Livingston County Schools.

Ramage praised Gosselin for her work as instructional supervisor, gifted and talented coordinator and district assessment coordinator, noting her commitment to instructional excellence and student achievement. Nelson was recognized for her leadership as instructional supervisor, child nutrition director and public relations director, with Ramage citing her innovation, creativity and efforts to secure grants and strengthen district programs.

Following approval of consent agenda items, Ramage informed the board that a special called meeting

Lyon County Sheriff's Activity

Lyon County Sheriff's Office reported multiple arrests over the past week, including domestic violence, DUI, theft and weapons-related cases.

On June 7, deputies and a Kentucky State Police trooper responded to a reckless driving complaint involving a suspected rolling domestic dispute on U.S. 62 East near U.S. 641. Authorities arrested Elizabeth A. Jones, 53, of Sedalia, charging her with fourth-degree assault (domestic violence) and possession of an open alcoholic beverage container in a motor vehicle. Passenger Anthony J. Roberts, 39, of Paducah, was also arrested on a fourth-degree assault (domestic violence) charge. Both were lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center.

Deputies responded June 9 to a disturbance on Valley Drive, where Trenton D. Riley, 51, of Eddyville, was arrested on a menacing charge after allegedly threatening family members with a multi-tool knife while intoxicated. The sheriff's office said Riley was already on bond from a March arrest at the same location and additional charges are pending.

Sheriff Brent White arrested Meagan N. Edwards, 41, of Eddyville, on June 11 after observing her driving on U.S. 62 East. Edwards was charged with second-offense driving on a DUI-suspended license and lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center.

Also June 11, deputies served a Laurel District Court bench warrant on Heather R. Huskey, 27, of

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Union County Fair Next Week in Morganfield

 

Union County Fair Schedule of Events (June 15-20)

Monday, June 15

• 4:30 p.m. – Gates Open
• 5:30 p.m. – Baby Contest
• 6 p.m. – FFA/4-H Rabbit & Poultry Show

Tuesday, June 16

• 4 p.m. – Exhibits Open
• 5:30 p.m. – Little Mr. & Miss Pageant
• 7 p.m. – Miss Union County Pageant
• 7 p.m. – Moto Cross

Wednesday, June 17

• 4 p.m. – Exhibits Open
• 5:30 p.m. – Miss Pre-Teen Pageant
• 6:30 p.m. – ATV Rodeo
• 7 p.m. – Miss Teen Union County Pageant

Thursday, June 18

• 4 p.m. – Exhibits Open
• 6 p.m. – Pedal Tractor Pull
• 7 p.m. – Diesel & Dirt Drag Racing
• 8-10 p.m. – Special Entertainment

Friday, June 19

• 6 p.m. – ITPA Tractor Pull (Street Truck Pull to Follow)
• 7 p.m. – Youth Fun Rodeo

Saturday, June 20

• 8 a.m. – 4-H Ham Breakfast & Auction
• 9 a.m. – Livestock Shows
• Noon-4 p.m. – Sunshine Day & Mr. & Miss Sunshine Day Pageant
• 4 p.m. – Farm Bureau Annual Meeting
• 7 p.m. – Whippoorwill Rodeo
• 7 p.m. – Demolition Derby

🎡 Daily Attractions

• Food Court Open Nightly: 5-10 p.m.
• Local Entertainment on the Pavilion Stage: 6:30-9:30 p.m.
• Carnival Rides Open Nightly at 4:30 p.m. (Tuesday-Saturday)

US 641 Yard Sale Returns June 18-20

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Bargain hunters will have plenty of opportunities to shop local when the 2nd Annual US Highway 641 Yard Sale takes place June 18-20 in and around Marion.

The communitywide event features individual yard sales at locations along U.S. 641 and surrounding roads, along with participating downtown businesses offering special sales and vendor events. Participating businesses include Marion & Company, Louise’s Flowers and RUIE, each hosting sidewalk sales or special shopping opportunities.

Additional participants are still being accepted. Anyone interested in joining the event can call or text 270-969-1066 with their address and sale information. Organizers say flyers listing participating locations will be available at multiple sites to help shoppers navigate the event.  

NEWScast | Legacy of Liberty Special Podcast

 

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State issues news release on ferry contract

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Following is a news release issued shortly after 12pm today by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. This week's Crittenden Press has further details on the contract negotiations. Get the full edition for more.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELASE 

Negotiations Underway for Continuing 
Cave-In-Rock Ferry Service

Potential expiration of agreement
on July 1 could impact ferry service

FRANKFORT, Ky. (June 10, 2026) – Team Kentucky and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) are committed to supporting the Ohio River Ferry Authority (Ferry Authority) and its mission to oversee the operations of the Cave-in-Rock Ferry, which serves as a vital transportation link between Kentucky and Illinois.

The two states have jointly funded this ferry service for years, including granting the Ohio River Ferry Authority a 13 percent increase in funding two years ago.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) remains in negotiations with the Ferry Authority but has yet to finalize a new agreement for financial support of the ferry operations. A new funding agreement with the Ohio River Ferry Authority must be made before July 1, 2026, to avoid the potential disruption to the Cave-in-Rock ferry service. Should a new agreement not be reached, and ferry service becomes affected, travelers should be prepared to use an alternate route between Cave-in-Rock, Illinois, and Crittenden County, Kentucky.

Cave-in-Rock Ferry Funding

The current state-funded agreement with the Ohio River Ferry Authority will expire on June 30, 2026. The Ferry Authority was created by the Crittenden County Fiscal Court to oversee the management and operation of the privately-owned ferry. The 16-hour-per-day, 7 day per week ferry service is equally funded by Kentucky and Illinois.

To prevent service disruption, KYTC officials are in discussions with the Ohio River Ferry Authority to renew the agreement. Since 2018, bi-state reimbursements to the Cave-in-Rock Ferry have more than doubled, from $804,000 to $1,878,060 for Fiscal Year 2026. During that same period, Kentucky’s other state-funded ferry operations have seen significantly smaller increases in operational costs. Two of those ferries, Dorena Hickman and Augusta, charge a fee in addition to receiving state funding support.

State operations budgets are declining over the next two years, but given the vital role that this transportation link serves between Kentucky and Illinois, KYTC is proposing a continuation of the ferry service at FY 2026 contract funding levels for Fiscal Years 2027 and 2028. By contrast, the Ohio River Ferry Authority is seeking a 47% increase in state funding support for no increase in services.

The states remain supportive of the Ohio River Ferry Authority and its mission to oversee operations of the Cave-in-Rock Ferry, but cannot afford to increase the level of state financial support for the ferry over the next two years.

The Cave-in-Rock Ferry carries about 300 vehicles per day at no cost to travelers. The shortest alternative drive between Cave-in-Rock and Marion would use the KY 56 Shawneetown Bridge and take about 35 minutes longer than a trip on the ferry.

CCES Honor Roll

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AREA ROADS closed for high water

UPDATE Blackburn Church Road will remain closed overnight at Piney Creek after this morning's flash flooding washed out part of the roadway. The closure extends from the Piney Creek bridge to the Blackburn Church building. Motorists are urged to use alternate routes and avoid the area until repairs can be made and the road is deemed safe for travel.

Also closed
State highway KY 855 North is closed in western Crittenden County between US 60 and Frances due to high water over the roadway. 

Also, state highway KY 902 is closed for the same reason at mile marker 5.

Lyon County Sheriff's Report

EDDYVILLE, Ky. – Lyon County Sheriff's Office reported several arrests and investigations during the first week of June.

On June 1, Sheriff Brent White arrested Joseph D. Bergman, 28, of Paducah on a Lyon Circuit Court failure-to-appear bench warrant. Bergman is charged with first-degree promoting contraband and second-degree persistent felony offender. He was lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center.

On June 2, deputies served a Henderson County bench warrant on Amber W. Alexander, 41, of Owensboro for nonpayment of court costs, fees or fines. She is awaiting extradition to Henderson County.

On June 3, Sheriff White charged Nevaeh J. Thomas, 18, of Cadiz with complicity to intimidating a participant in the legal process. According to the sheriff's office, Thomas is accused of assisting Cameron Sanders, who is incarcerated in the Crittenden County Detention Center, in intimidating and harassing the victim and witnesses in Sanders' criminal assault case. The investigation was conducted by Deputy Bobby Beeler with assistance from Sheriff White.

On June 4, at approximately 8 p.m., sheriff's deputies responded to a disturbance at Lee S. Jones Park. Chief Deputy Sam Adams determined that William D. Russell, 37, of Kuttawa was involved in a verbal dispute that turned physical in the park parking lot. Russell left the scene before law enforcement arrived but later went to the sheriff's office and met with Adams. He was subsequently arrested and charged with fourth-degree assault (domestic violence) involving a minor injury. Russell was lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center.

All charges are merely accusations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Medicaid work requirements start Jan. 1

The federal government has released new Medicaid work requirement rules that could affect hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians enrolled through the state's Medicaid expansion program.

According to **Melissa Patrick of Kentucky Health News**, the new rule issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services requires certain able-bodied adults ages 19 to 64 to complete at least 80 hours a month of work, education, job training or community service to remain eligible for coverage. The requirements must be implemented by Jan. 1 under the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The rule applies to adults covered through the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion, which serves Kentuckians with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level. Kentucky currently has about 1.3 million Medicaid recipients, including roughly 440,000 adults enrolled through the expansion program.

Exemptions include pregnant and postpartum women, people with disabilities or serious medical conditions, American Indians and Alaska Natives, parents and caregivers of young children, and individuals already meeting work requirements through SNAP or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families programs.

Supporters say the policy encourages work and self-sufficiency while reducing waste and fraud. Critics argue that similar requirements in other states caused eligible people to lose coverage because of paperwork and reporting requirements without increasing employment rates.

Priscilla Easterling of Kentucky Voices for Health warned the new rules, combined with more frequent eligibility reviews and additional documentation requirements, could cause eligible Kentuckians to lose coverage simply because they miss notices or cannot complete the required paperwork on time.

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Marion's Crider PAS partners with Princeton Art Guild

PRINCETON, Ky. – The Princeton Art Guild is expanding its arts programming through a new partnership with Crider Performing Arts Studios that will bring music lessons and classes to Princeton beginning this summer.

The collaboration establishes a Princeton campus for Crider Performing Arts Studios at the Art Guild, providing private instruction and group classes for students of all ages and skill levels.

Initial offerings will include guitar, drums, voice, violin, piano and brass instruction, with plans to expand into additional instruments and class-based programs as the partnership grows.

The program will officially begin with a series of summer group music classes starting June 15. Organizers said the classes are intended to provide an affordable entry point into music education, with a discounted introductory rate of $20 per class. Private lessons also will be available based on instructor availability.

Joe Duncan, executive director of the Princeton Art Guild, said the initiative is part of a broader effort to make the Guild a place where community members actively participate in the arts.

“When we talk about the arts, we're really talking about the health and identity of a community,” Duncan said. “Music is a huge part of how people and communities connect, and we want the Guild to be a place where that can happen in a real, lasting way.”

The program will be supported through the Guild's Settle Family Music Fund, which was established to

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Today, we visit with ferry owner Lonnie Lewis

Hogrock is June 10-14

The 30th annual Hogrock River Rally will return to southern Illinois June 10-14, celebrating three decades of one of the region’s best-known motorcycle and music events. Traffic along routes through western Kentucky, particularly on KY 91 toward the ferry, is often heavy with bikers, campers and support vehicles.

Organizers are promoting the milestone event as the “Dirty 30,” featuring five days of live music, camping, vendors, biker activities, food and entertainment at the Hogrock Campground and Music Venue in Cave-In-Rock. The rally is expected to draw motorcycle enthusiasts from across the Midwest for what organizers describe as a weekend of nonstop music. Activities will include multiple music stages, tent and RV camping, cabin rentals, biker-friendly attractions, food vendors and special anniversary events commemorating 30 years of Hogrock history.

Summer student feeding program

Crittenden County Schools will again provide free summer meals for children through its Summer Meals Program, with weekly distribution sites scheduled across the county from June 8 through July 23.

Meals will be available each Tuesday at Crittenden County Elementary School from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Additional pickup locations include the Mattoon Fire Department and Frances Fire Department from 11 to 11:15 a.m., and the Shady Grove Fire Department and Tolu Fire Department from noon to 12:15 p.m.

Children 18 and younger are eligible to receive meals. School officials said a child, parent or guardian must be present when meals are distributed. Participants will receive five breakfasts and five lunches at each pickup. The program is offered through the federally funded SUN Meals initiative.