Three arrested on multiple charges

On Thursday, Kentucky State Police responded to a residence on Wilson Farm Road after receiving an anonymous tip of the whereabouts of Joshua T. Lanham, a wanted person.

Upon arrival, troopers could see a subject inside the residence who appeared to be hiding items. Lanham came to the door and was immediately arrested without incident. Troopers also made contact with April M. McKenzie and William L. Renz, who were also taken into custody.

Troopers located approximately 3 grams of methamphetamine in the home along with several items of drug paraphernalia and twp firearms.

Lanham was charged with first-degree possession of controlled substance, first offense (methamphetamine); possession of drug paraphernalia; possession of a defaced firearm; possession of marijuana; second-degree possession of a controlled substance (drug unspecified); and tampering with physical evidence. Lanham was also served with two warrants.

McKenzie was charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance, first offense (methamphetamine); possession of drug paraphernalia; possession of a defaced firearm; possession of marijuana; second-degree possession of a controlled substance (drug unspecified); possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; hindering prosecution or apprehension. McKenzie was also served with a warrant.

Renz was charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance, first offense (methamphetamine); possession of drug paraphernalia; possession of a defaced firearm; possession of marijuana; second-degree possession of a controlled substance (drug unspecified); possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; hindering prosecution or apprehension.

All the subjects were lodged in Crittenden County Detention Center.

Trooper Joe Bartolotti and Trooper Jonathan Carlock were the arresting officers.  They were assisted by Trooper Cody Kromer and the Crittenden County Sheriff’s Department.

Stumbo appoints committee to investigate allegations against Rep. Arnold

Earlier this afternoon, House Speaker Greg Stumbo appointed the five members who will serve on the investigative committee that he called for in yesterday’s Petition for Censure or Expulsion of Rep. John Arnold (D-Sturgis).

The five are:

• Rep. Arnold Simpson (D-Covington)
• Rep. Rita Smart (D-Richmond)
• Rep. Jeff Donohue (D-Louisville)
• Rep. Julie Adams (R-Louisville)
• Rep. Robert Benvenuti (R-Lexington)

This committee will now carry out its work under KRS 6:100 and other legal authority, and will make a final report to the House of Representatives during the 2014 Regular Session, which begins in January.

Area deaths

Irene F. Hobbs, 89, of Rosiclare, Ill., died Aug. 30, 2013, at Rosiclare Health and Rehab. Cox Funeral Home in Rosiclare is handling arrangements.

Donald Ray Haralson, 70, of Marion, died Aug. 28, 2013, at Deaconess Hospice Care Center in Evansville, Ind. Myers Funeral Home in Marion is handling arrangements.

Area death

Myrna Raye Wheeler, 72, of Marion, died Aug. 28, 2013, at Crittenden Hospital in Marion. Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion is handling arrangements.

First golf cart certified to operate on city streets

On Tuesday, Crittenden County Sheriff Wayne Agent and Deputy Mandi Harrison inspected Marion’s first street-legal golf cart, which belongs to Marion Tourism Commission for use of watering the city’s flower planters in the downtown area.

A City of Marion ordinance passed last week allows for the restricted use of golf carts on designated city streets during daylight hours. To qualify for use on streets, the vehicles must be outfitted with certain safety equipment and be inspected by the sheriff’s department to ensure the mandates of the ordinance are met.

The one-time inspection fee is $5. An annual $25 permit to operate on city streets must be obtained at Marion City Hall.

A copy of the ordinance listing the requirements for and restrictions of use of golf carts on public roadways can be also picked up at city hall. A sheriff’s inspection checklist can found below:

• Headlamps
• Front and rear turn signal lamps
• Tail lamps
• Stop lamps
• Reflex reflectors (1 red on back, 1 red on each side on back panel)
• Exterior mirror mounted on drivers side of vehicle
• Parking brake
• Windshield of AS-1 or AS-5 composition with official city permit in lower left drivers side of windshield
• Vehicle identification number (VIN)
• Maximum number of passengers cannot exceed 6
• Four wheels
• Slow moving vehicle emblem in compliance with KRS 189.820
• Valid Kentucky driver’s license number
• Reflective safety flag no less than 7 feet on rear of vehicle

Legislative aide who alleged sexual harassment calls for resignation of LRC chief

One of three women who filed a sexual harassment complaint against a Western Kentucky lawmaker said Tuesday she thought both the lawmaker and Legislative Research Commission director Robert Sherman should resign. LRC employee Yolanda Costner, who has filed a sexual harassment complaint against Rep. John Arnold (D-Sturgis) said in a telephone interview Tuesday that "I think our director has failed us."

For the complete story, visit The Herald-Leader online.

Farm help wanted

Farm help wanted. Looking for truck drivers and tractor operators for fall harvest. Pay negotiable. Must have valid driver's license. Contact Todd Clements, (270) 836-6583.

KyTC's LeFevre retire at end of month

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 1 Chief Engineer Jim LeFevre has announced his retirement, effective Friday.   

LeFevre worked on numerous projects, including the Cadiz bypass, the U.S. 60 Tennessee River Bridge, the Lakes Bridges Project to replace both the Kentucky Lake Bridge and Lake Barkley Bridge on U.S. 68 in Trigg and Marshall counties, and, most notably, the emergency replacement of a 322-foot. span of the Eggners Ferry Bridge—a project that was completed in just 121 days.

LeFevre is a graduate of Tennessee Technological University with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and of Murray State University with a Master of Business Administration. He has 22 years of service with the Cabinet and has served as resident engineer in two offices, district materials engineer, acting branch manager for construction and acting branch manager for project development.

LeFevre has served as chief district engineer for the past seven years. 

He spent a year in Iraq as a member of the U.S. Army Reserves.

A public retirement reception for LeFevre will be held Thursday from 1 to 3 p.m. in the KyTC District One Office conference room in Paducah. His last day on the job will be Friday.

Area death

Zula Kinnis, 88, of Salem, died Aug. 27, 2013, at Salem Springlake Health and Rehabilitation Center in Salem. Boyd Funeral Directors in Salem is handling arrangements.

Fallout from sexual harassment allegations continues in Kentucky House

The fallout from a sexual harassment scandal in the state House continued Monday as one Democratic lawmaker called for the resignation of another and House Speaker Greg Stumbo released emails about the complaints that date to May. State Rep. Tom Riner (D-Louisville) who informed many of his House colleagues about the harassment complaints against Rep. John Arnold (D-Sturgis) in a speech last week on the House floor, said Monday that Arnold should resign from the legislature.

For the full story, visit The Herald Leader online.

'Don't Text and Drive' event held Friday

A demonstration aimed at preventing texting and driving will be held at this week in Princeton. According to state Rep. Lynn Bechler (R-Marion), the "Don't Text and Drive" event, which will include an AT&T driving simulator, will be held at 9 a.m. Friday at Caldwell County High School.

Rep. Bechler will join other local and state leaders at the event.

“A recent study by Cohen Children's Medical Center found that texting while driving is the leading cause of death for drivers, with 3,000 killed and 300,000 injured,” said Rep. Bechler. “While we recently increased the penalty for those charged with texting while driving, it’s imperative we also educate our young drivers about the dangers of texting and driving.”

Dog attacks woman in Marion

Police spent about two hours Thursday tracking down what they believed was a vicious dog that attacked a woman on Brook Street. An ambulance was dispatched to the scene of the attack where the woman was bleeding badly. Officers and the county animal control warden finally caught the dog near Rochester Street just before 2:30 p.m.

Area death

Paul Monroe Stone, 72, of Marion, died Aug. 21, 2013, at his home. Boyd Funeral Directors in Salem is handling arrangements.

Dadie Marie Guess Orr Belt, 92, of Marion, died Aug. 21, 2013. Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion is handling arrangements.

False Alarm: No bank robbery at Peoples

Although police converged on Peoples Bank shortly after noon on Thursday, it appears there was only some type of false alarm. There was not attempted bank robbery. More details as they become available.

ACT: Grads still aren't prepared

The nation’s high school graduates continue to be ill-prepared for college and careers, according to the testing company ACT. ACT released the 2013 state-by-state results of its college and career readiness test Tuesday. Only 39 percent of the 2013 graduates who took the test met three or more of the four ACT benchmarks. Nearly a third, 31 percent, didn’t meet any of the benchmarks, meaning they’ll be more likely to struggle in first-year college courses, according to ACT. Scores continue to be lower for minority students.

For more on the story, visit The Kentucky Enquirer online.

Farmer seeking hand

Farm help wanted. Looking for truck drivers and tractor operators for fall harvest. Pay negotiable. Must have valid driver's license. Contact Todd Clements, (270) 836-6583.

Auction Saturday on Lily Dale Road

CLICK PICTURE TO ENLARGE

Area death

Barbara Babb, 74, of Lola, died Aug. 18, 2013, at Baptist Health of Paducah. Boyd Funeral Directors in Salem is handling arrangements.

Farm help wanted

Farm help wanted. Looking for truck drivers and tractor operators for fall harvest. Pay negotiable. Must have valid driver's license. Contact Todd Clements, (270) 836-6583.

Gov. Beshear celebrates opening of kynect customer service center

KENTUCKY PRESS NEWS SERVICE
Gov. Steve Beshear Friday celebrated the grand opening of the kynect contact center, making Kentucky one of the first states in the country to open a toll-free health benefit exchange call center for its citizens.

The contact center, a major component of the Affordable Care Act, is operated through a contract with Xerox.

“In just 45 days, Kentucky citizens will be able to choose and enroll in a health insurance plan on kynect: Kentucky’s Healthcare Connection. Today, we have reached an important milestone in ensuring all Kentuckians have access to affordable healthcare coverage,” Beshear said in a statement. “This facility plays a key role for kynect, answering questions for more than 640,000 Kentuckians who will be newly eligible for health insurance or Medicaid coverage.”

More than 60 professional customer care representatives at Xerox’s Lexington facility are available to answer questions about kynect and to help citizens navigate the online application process. Representatives are available via phone, live online chat and email. Representatives are also available to help Kentuckians without internet access by helping them complete and file applications, a state news release said.

The kynect website can be found at www.kynect.com.

The call center staff is expected to grow to 100 representatives in time for the start of open enrollment on Oct. 1.

The contact center provides assistance in English, Spanish and other languages and can be reached at 1-855-4kynect (459-6328).

“We are excited about the opening of the contact center and extremely pleased that the Commonwealth is among the first in the nation to activate a toll-free hotline for Kentuckians seeking information about kynect,” Audrey Tayse Haynes, secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, said in the release. “The contact center, along with our online site, will provide convenient access for Kentuckians who need assistance using the Exchange to find health coverage.”

Xerox, which operates the call center on a contract basis with the state, has deployed state-of-the-art technology to operate the contact center and ensure optimal connections with appropriate government agencies. For example, if a caller may be eligible for Medicaid assistance, Xerox can seamlessly transfer the call for a final eligibility determination. Known as “warm connect,” Xerox has collaborated closely with state officials to complete all the technical preparations that will ensure callers receive efficient and speedy service from the most appropriate information source.

Open enrollment for kynect will begin on Oct. 1 with coverage effective beginning Jan. 1, 2014. Federal funding from the ACA will support contact center start-up, staffing and training through 2014.

Attempted theft of historic placard points to trend

A Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KyTC) bridge inspector may have foiled the theft of a metal placard from a monument dedicating the old U.S. 60 Tennessee River Bridge at Ledbetter in memory of revolutionary war hero George Rogers Clark.

On July 29, the inspector was on the old bridge to document it for the state’s inventory list. While there, the inspector discovered the bolts securing the metal plate to the concrete monolith had been loosened.

“We believe whoever did it planned to return later to steal the metal portion of the historic marker,” KyTC District 1 Chief Engineer LeFevre said.

The metal plate has since been taken off the pedestal and stored at the KyTC District 1 Office to be safeguarded. LeFevre said the attempted theft is typical of issues facing highway crews across the region and the state and indicative of a larger problem.

“Over the last several years we’ve had metal drain gratings and various railings stolen from bridges. We’ve had hundreds of signs disappear from our roadsides. We’ve had copper wiring stolen from bridge navigation lights, and the lights themselves taken. We even had steel beams stolen from under a county bridge a few years ago,” LeFevre said.

Police are still seeking leads on the theft of navigational lights and wiring—valued at $50,000—from the Ky. 453 Canal Bridge at the northern entrance to the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area near Grand Rivers.

“This is an ongoing problem statewide,” LeFevre said.

LeFevre is asking the public and area recycling yards to report anyone who brings in materials that do not appear to be from a legitimate salvage operation.

Area death

Truman Croft, 75, of Marion, died Aug. 14, 2013, at Crittenden Hospital in Marion. Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion is handling arrangements.

School district addresses rumored threat

Local police and school authorities have taken steps to address a rumored threat of harm to others at a school facility made Wednesday night on Facebook. Action was taken immediately once the rumored threat was discovered, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Rachel Yarbrough said today in a statement addressing the matter.

“The investigation reached a conclusion this morning and all appropriate law enforcement steps and school district discipline procedures have been implemented to ensure the safety of all students and staff at Crittenden County Middle School,” Yarbrough wrote. 

School administrators ask that anyone with knowledge of any type of threat immediately notify school or local law enforcement authorities in order to better protect students and staff.

“We take all threatening statements seriously and proceed promptly to investigate the situations thoroughly,” Yarbrough added.

Grand Rivers drug-related arrests made

Livingston County Sheriff's Department and the Pennryile Narcotics Task Force have arrested two Livingston County men on multiple drug charges as the result of a joint investigation.

The investigation led to the search of a residence at 1520 Iuka Road in Grand Rivers. During the search, Doug R. Walker, 41, of Grand Rivers was alleged to be in possession of methamphetamine and assorted drug paraphernalia. Wesley Willis, the owner of the residence, was also reportedly in possession of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and marijuana. 

Both men were arrested by Livingston County Sheriff's Department deputies and lodged in the McCracken County Jail.

Willis was charged with one count of first-degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana.

Walker was charged with one count of first-degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), third offense; and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Area death

Wesley Norman “Pete” Vick, 64, of Smithland, died Aug. 13, 2013, at his home. Boyd Funeral Directors in Salem is handling arrangements.

Edge of town with backyard pool

Farm help wanted

Farm help wanted. Looking for truck drivers and tractor operators for fall harvest. Pay negotiable. Must have valid driver's license. Contact Todd Clements, (270) 836-6583.

Auction Aug. 24 in southern Crittenden County

CLICK PICTURE TO ENLARGE

Elite baseball clubs looking for area players

Several area baseball teams, 13u to 17u, have merged into Kentucky Prospects Baseball. Players who are interested in development and more exposure to college coaches and scouts should attend tryouts.

Tryouts for the 13- and 14-year-old teams will be held from 6-8 p.m., Saturday3-5 p.m., Sunday at Noble Park Field 2 in Paducah.

Tryouts for the 15- and 17-year-old teams will be held from 3-5 p.m., Sunday August 25 at the same field. For more information, call Shawn Yarbrough at 366-1404 or Jim Grief at 744-8920.   

Check Facebook for Kentucky Prospects Baseball Club.

 

Area deaths

Beatrice Croft, 78, of Salem, died Aug. 11, 2013, at Livingston Hospital and Healthcare Services. Boyd Funeral Directors in Salem is handling arrangements.

Thomas Patrick “Pat” Hagan, 62, of Henderson, died Aug. 11, 2013, at Deaconess Gateway in Newburgh, Ind. Tapp Funeral Home in Henderson is handling arrangements.

Farm help wanted

Farm help wanted. Looking for truck drivers and tractor operators for fall harvest. Pay negotiable. Must have valid driver's license. Contact Todd Clements, (270) 836-6583.

Flash flood warning issued

The National Weather Service in Paducah has issued a flash flood warning for southwestern Crittenden County until 6:15 p.m.

Doppler radar indicated flash flooding from a thunderstorm over the warned area. Radar estimates showed 1 to 2 inches of rain had falling in the past hour with additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches expected with ongoing storms.

Stingrays' recognition party cancelled

Due to inclement weather, the Marion Stingrays' end-of-year recognition party is cancelled tonight at Marion Country Club.

Tornado warning issued for Crittenden County

According to the National Weather Service, a tornado warning has been issued for south central Crittenden County and central Livingston County until 4 p.m.

Officials urge U.S. 641 forum attendance

Local leaders are imploring citizens interested in the U.S. 641 improvement project to attend Tuesday's public meeting on the road project in Fredonia.

Crittenden County Judge-Executive Perry Newcom told the Chamber of Commerce at its meeting this week that an aggressive effort to keep the highway project on task will be needed or else the consequences might damage the county's economy.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is hosting a public meeting from 5 to 7 p.m., Tuesday at the Lions Club building in Fredonia.

Transportation officials will show alternatives and hope to gain input from citizens throughout the affected communities with regard to corridor options for Phase 2 from just north of Fredonia to Eddyville. Jim LeFevre, speaking to the Crittenden County Economic Development Corp.’s annual meeting a few days ago, reminded local leaders that there is no funding available at this time for construction of the final leg of the highway.

A great deal of the 5.2-mile Phase 1 from Marion to Fredonia is complete. Within a few months, everything will be done except the paving. Questions remain as to when that will be done as well.

Paving projects in county to start Saturday

Paving crews will begin resurfacing projects along two state highways in Crittenden County beginning this weekend.

Crews will mill the surface of the affected areas along Ky. 91 North and Ky. 120 along both routes Saturday, weather permitting.

Paving work on Ky. 91 North between mile-points 4 and 10 at the Ky. 135 intersection will start Monday. Paving on Ky. 120 between mile-points 5 and 6, at the intersection of Ky. 654 to Cave Spring Road, will begin Wednesday.

Flaggers will direct traffic at both locations. Drivers are urged to plan accordingly, use caution and expect delays.

Work is scheduled to be completed by Aug. 20. The Rogers Group was awarded the $740,607 contract.

The starting date and duration of work are dependent on weather conditions and may be adjusted for inclement weather or other unforeseen delays.

New jailer named today

Phillip W. Parker has been appointed as Crittenden County Jailer by Judge-Executive Perry Newcom. Parker accepted the position today and is slated to fill the unexpired term of former Jailer Rick Riley beginning Monday.

Riley, first elected as jailer in 2003, announced his retirement nearly two weeks ago, primarily citing health concerns as his reason for stepping down.

Parker, a resident of Crittenden County for several years, has twice served as warden of the Kentucky State Penitentiary in Eddyville.

Area death

Johnny C. Lowery, 63, of Marion, died Aug. 6, 2013, at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion is handling arrangements.

Free medical screenings offered in western Kentucky

KENTUCKY PRESS NEWS SERVICE
Gov. Steve Beshear on Wednesday announced that the Delta Regional Authority and Department of Defense will provide free medical, dental and optical screenings for the next week to Kentuckians in need of health care. Kentucky is one of four states in the Delta Regional Authority to receive the free health screening program, known as Innovative Readiness Training.

“Above all else, Kentuckians and all Americans should have affordable, easy access to quality healthcare,” Beshear said in a news release. “Unfortunately, many residents in our rural communities do not have reasonable access to health services and go untreated for even minor issues, which can lead to more serious health problems, overall higher treatment costs and unemployment. I thank the DRA and DOD for providing the IRT clinic in Kentucky, and I encourage residents to take part in the free screenings.”

Screenings in Kentucky began Monday and will continue through Tuesday at the Old Morgan Haugh Clinic at 220 W. Walnut St. in Mayfield. The clinic will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., including Saturday and Sunday.

All Kentuckians are eligible to receive the free medical services, which do not include emergency or obstetrical treatments. For adults and children age two and up, medical screenings, non-emergency medical treatment, minor lab tests, prescription assistance and optometry exams are available. For adults and children 13 and up, dental exams, extractions and fillings are also available.

Area farmer seeks help

Farm help wanted. Looking for truck drivers and tractor operators for fall harvest. Pay negotiable. Must have valid driver's license. Contact Todd Clements at (270) 836-6583.

Whitfield says all Kentuckians should be concerned about coal

While U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield’s Monday visit to Murray mainly concerned agriculture, the eight-term Hopkinsville Republican also had coal on his mind. While acknowledging that coal is not produced in Calloway County, Whitfield emphasized that this is an issue to which constituents in far-western Kentucky should pay attention.

For more on this story, visit the Murray Ledger & Times online.

Powerball drawing estimated to pay out $425 million

Lottery faithful know about hot streaks. Some meticulously track “hot numbers” that come up more often than others in drawings. Those figures have the lines of residents hoping to change their lives with a $2 bet visiting stores for tickets on tonight’s Powerball drawing. It was estimated Tuesday afternoon to pay out $425 million over 30 years or more than $244 million in a lump sum.

For more, visit The News-Enterprise online.

Area death

Margie Hosick Williams, 88, of Salem, died Aug. 5, 2013, at her home. Boyd Funeral Directors in Salem is handling arrangements.

Gathering of the Juggalos begins today

This weekend marks the Hardin County, Ill., music festival featuring the rap-metal group Insane Clown Posse. The annual Gathering of the Juggalos begins today in a remote area across the river from Crittenden County near Cave In Rock, Ill. The event is expected to draw as many as 10,000 fans from across the United States.

Fans of the festival are referred to as Juggalos.

The festival has been marked by trouble in the past, with one man being stabbed in 2010 and another drowning in the Ohio River in 2011.

WKCTC new student orientation Friday

Students who have enrolled for fall classes at West Kentucky Community and Technical College can attend the last new student orientation on Friday.  Students who would like to attend the orientation need to register for classes before Friday.

Fall classes begin Aug. 19. Students can register for classes in the WKCTC advising center located in the Anderson Building, Room 106, or by contacting Amanda Scheidegger, WKCTC admissions intake counselor, at (270) 534-3110.

Students are encouraged to make an appointment to avoid waiting during registration. Appointments are available by calling the advising center at (270) 534-3408. Advising center hours are 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday

Students can also submit an online application at  
www.westkentucky.kctcs.edu/en/Admissions/Apply.aspx. No fee required. Students submitting an online application must still register for classes. Registration continues following new student orientation.

Students who miss the Friday’s orientation must complete the online orientation at www.westkentucky.kctcs.edu/Admissions/Orientation.aspx.

Schools back in session starting Wednesday

Be alert in school zones and on the highway beginning this week. Schools are back in session in both Crittenden and Livingston counties starting Wednesday.

Area deaths

Daniel Kent Topper, 57, of Hampton, died Aug. 3, 2013, at his home. Boyd Funeral Directors in Salem was in charge of arrangements.

Almanzo J. Vasseur, 29, of Marion, died Aug. 1, 2013, at Crittenden Hospital. Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion was in charge of arrangements.

Helen Ann Redd, 68, of Plainfield, Ind., formerly of Marion, died Aug. 2, 2013, at St. Francis Hospital in Mooresville, Ind. Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion was in charge of arrangements.

Despite rain, demolition derby still on

The Crittenden County Lions Club Fair is still on for tonight despite heavy rains this morning. Fair organizers said at noon that everything is still on go for tonight's feature event, the demolition derby. Parking may be a bit muddy, but otherwise, the Lions think the event will go off as planned.

Marion man dead after alleged stabbing

Marion Police Chief Ray O'Neal cordons off part of a crime scene
Thursday afternoon following a reported assault on West Depot
Street that turned deadly.

A Marion man has died after a fatal stabbing, allegedly at the hands of his brother.

According to Kentucky State Police, Almanzo Vasseur, 29, died Thursday at Crittenden Health Systems after being stabbed multiple times during an assault that reportedly began just before 2 p.m. inside the West Depot Street residence of Vasseur and the accused killer, Britt Deckert, 26. A woman, Phyllis Vasseur, 41, was also injured in the incident.

The assault is said to have started as an argument between the brothers at 316 W. Depot St. State police report the incident escalated and Deckert attacked Almanzo Vasseur, a former City of Marion employee, with more than one knife. Police also say Phyllis Vasseur was assaulted with a knife by Deckert as she attempted to break up the fight. A 13-year-old girl at the home during the time of the fight escaped without harm.

Authorities allege that Deckert gave chase to the Vasseurs and the juvenile after they exited the residence out a back door. Phyllis Vasseur and the juvenile escaped, running to a neighbor's house to call for help. Deckert reportedly assaulted his brother with the weapon again while outside. Almanzo Vasseur was said to have made it to a neighbor's house across the street before collapsing on the front porch.

Once on the scene, authorities with the state police, Marion Police Department and Crittenden County Sheriff's Department were reportedly able to apprehend Deckert in the front yard of his home without incident.

Almanzo Vasseur was transported to the hospital in Marion for treatment of multiple stab wounds and was pronounced dead at the facility. Phyllis Vasseur was also transported to the hospital and treated for injuries to her head, hand and arms. She was later released.

Deckert was charged with murder, assault, and wanton endangerment and was lodged in Crittenden County Detention Center.

An autopsy on Vasseur was scheduled for this morning in Madisonville.

Stabbing victim dies, police investigation continues

Kentucky State Police Det. Matt Foster is the lead detective in a death investigation in Marion. The victim of an assault on West Depot Street has died, according to police. No other information was immediately available, but details should be forthcoming soon from state police. See earlier post today for more about this situation.

UPDATE: The victim's identity has been confirmed. The deceased is A.J. Vasseur of Marion, a former City of Marion employee.

Area death

Mary Frances Crawford, 87, of McKenzie, Tenn., formerly of Marion, died July 30, 2013, at McKenzie Nursing Home in McKenzie. Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion is handling arrangements.

Fancy Farm no picnic for Senate candidates

The heated political rhetoric at Fancy Farm this weekend should give voters a sense of how the 2014 U.S. Senate candidates stand up in a hostile environment. Sen. Mitch McConnell, who’s been in office for 30 years, is no stranger to the heckling and sharp barbs lobbed at politicians at the annual Fancy Farm Picnic outside Paducah in western Kentucky. His Democratic challenger, Alison Lundergan Grimes, spoke at the picnic in 2011 during her race for secretary of state. But will be the first time McConnell GOP opponent Matt Bevin has appeared at the time and some observers are interested in seeing how the Louisville businessman reacts.

For more, read The Kentucky Enquirer online.

Murray State receives recognitions

Murray State University has again been recognized by two national publications, Forbes and the Chronicle of Higher Education. Forbes has included Murray on its “America’s Top Colleges” list. In another honor, the Chronicle of Higher Education’s latest survey has found MSU to be one of the top universities in the nation for a career for faculty. This is Murray’s fourth time to be recognized as one of the Chronicle’s “Great Colleges to Work For,” an MSU press release said.

For more, visit the Murray Ledger & Times online.