Glenn's Candle Sale This Week

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Area death

Charles W. "Nubby" Stone, 80, of Owensboro, formerly of Crittenden County, died April 29, 2015. James H. Davis Funeral Home & Crematory in Owensboro is in charge of arrangements.

Pre-School Screening is May 8

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Early graduation meeting Tuesday

To learn more about early graduation or dual credit advancement opportunities for students at Crittenden County High School, parents and guardians are invited to attend an informational session beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the school library. For more information, call (270) 965-2525 or email diana.lusby@crittenden.kyschools.us.

Library to host V-E Day discussion

National Archives and Records Administration

To mark the 70th anniversary of V-E Day, or Victory in Europe Day, Crittenden County Public Library and Crittenden County Historical Society will be presenting a remembrance and discussion next week on the official end of World War II in Europe on May 8, 1945.

Featured will be noted author and World War II veteran Michael Freeland along with local panelists.

The public is encouraged to attend and enter into the discussion. The event begins at 10 a.m. next Wednesday in the library meeting room.

Freeland, of Hopkinsville, will have copies of his book, “Blood River to Berlin,” for sale and available for signing.

Anyone who has memories of V-E Day in Crittenden County is encouraged to participate or share their thoughts. Please contact Daryl K. Tabor at The Crittenden Press for further information at (270) 965-3191 or thepress@the-press.com.

What's news this week in Crittenden County...

The major employment problem in Crittenden County is not so much the availability of jobs as it is the lack of qualified workers to fill openings. This week, The Crittenden Press looks at the local job market and the struggles faced by employers.

Also this week:

• Pick up our Spring Home Improvement Guide to find bargains, ideas and the help you need with your renovation project. Also read about a new Crittenden County home custom-built to accommodate the owner's disability.
• Federal intervention makes little headway in moving along the construction and development of a realigned U.S. 641.
• Crittenden Fiscal Court introduced its new budget.
• Forty years after the end of the Vietnam War, the scars still remain.
• What's new with spring break for students?
• Find pictures from last week's local quilt shows as well as from the elementary school's Arts Extravaganza.
• Get the latest about spring sports at the high school.
• Clip out the complete Caldwell, Crittenden, Dawson, Lyon youth baseball and softball schedules.

Lady Rocket softball can set new record

Crittenden County's fast-pitch softball team can set a new school record with a win on Thursday at Dawson Springs.

The girls tied the season wins record Tuesday at Livingston.

See this week's printed edition of The Press for more on this record-setting season.

WOW: Women of Worth program

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UK national champ dead in Madisonville

Mike Phillips, one of the Kentucky Wildcats on the 1978 NCAA championship team, has died in Madisonville.

He was 59.

The Hopkins County coroner's office is investigating the cause of death but told WFIE-TV that Phillips died after a fall Saturday at his home.

In 1978, the UK team went 30-2 and beat Duke in the NCAA final. The Courier-Journal reported Phillips was an Ohio native who averaged more than 10 points a game during the season and finished 25th on UK's all-time scoring list.

Paving starts Wednesday near Salem

A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans paving along Ky. 1433/Cedar Grove Road in Livingston County starting Wednesday.

Paving along the road runs from the 6-mile marker near the Cobb Road intersection extending to the 10-mile marker at the Ky. 723/Pinckneyville Road intersection, a distance of 4 miles.

Motorists should be alert for one lane traffic with alternating flow controlled by flaggers. Appropriate caution is required.  Some delays are possible during the positioning and placement of equipment.

Jim Smith Contracting of Grand Rivers is the prime contractor on this $368,822 highway improvement project. Work in this area should take about three to five days to complete, weather permitting.

Approximately 165 vehicles travel this section of Ky. 1433 in an average day.

Marion Baptist Revival Starts Sunday

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County under tornado watch

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch in effect until 8 p.m. for far western Kentucky, including Crittenden County.

Ferry to re-open at 6 a.m. Saturday

The owner of the Cave In Rock Ferry plans to reopen to traffic on Saturday morning.

The ferry has been closed for more than a week due to Ohio River floodwaters blocking Ky. 91 North near the Kentucky landing. Floodwaters are expected to drop off the roadway during the overnight hours.

The ferry plans to resume service at 6 a.m. Saturday on the regular operating schedule.

The Cave In Rock Ferry connects Ky. 91 North with Ill. 1 across the Ohio River between Crittenden County and Hardin County.

The ferry normally operates from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. The ferry carries about 500 vehicles across the Ohio River in an average day.

Possbile world record turkey in Lyon

Cody Guess harvested a 37.6-pound wild turkey this week in Lyon County.

The National Wild Turkey Federation, which keeps records on such things, says the world record is currently 36 pounds.

The Lake News in Calvert City reports that Guess’s bird has been weighed on two different USDA certified scales that say it weighs 37. 6 pounds and it has been checked by other wildlife officials.

The gobbler 's spurs measured one and one-quarter inches and its beard 9.75 inches, the Lake News reported.

Confirmation of this begin a world record could take several days.

Today is National Arbor Day

Today marks National Arbor Day

Marion Baptist Revival in May

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KET to air gubernatorial candidate discussions

Kentucky Educational Television will be broadcasting a series of programs with gubernatorial candidates in the 2015 primary election. Hosted by Bill Goodman, these "Kentucky Tonight" programs with candidates take place beginning Monday and continuing May 4 and May 11. Each telecast airs at 7 p.m. on KET.

The schedule for invited candidates who have indicated they’ll be participating is:

Monday (two-part program)

Democrats for Governor/Lieutenant Governor


• Geoffrey M. "Geoff" Young (candidate for governor)

• Johnathan D. Masters (candidate for lieutenant governor, Young slate)

May 4

Republicans for Lieutenant Governor


• Rodney Coffey (Scott slate)

• K.C. Crosbie (Heiner slate)

• Jenean Hampton (Bevin slate)

• State Sen. Chris McDaniel (Comer slate)

May 11

Republicans for Governor


• Matt Bevin
• Agriculture Commissioner James R. Comer

• Hal Heiner

• Will T. Scott

Area death

Ishmel Loyal Teitloff, 64, of Salem died April 21, 2015, at Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, Ind. Boyd Funeral Directors in Salem is in charge of arrangements.

WKCTC camps to help students learn about energy, health care careers

Middle school and high school students can learn about careers in health care and energy at West Kentucky Community and Technical College beginning in June. Space is limited and early registration is encouraged.

The two free, hands-on Career Craze camps are for students ages 12 to 15 to discover their passion for the healthcare and energy fields.

WKCTC Air Conditioning Technology Coordinator Mark Westerfield will teach “Exploring Energy & Alternative Energy Careers” on June 8-11 in the Emerging Technology Center, Room 155.

Throughout the week campers will learn what careers exist in the energy industry and will tour two local energy plants to learn how electric energy is produced. They will visit a power utility to learn how the electric grid works and how electricity gets to their homes. Students will also travel to WKCTC’s Skilled Craft Training Center where a simulation house, a solar power generation system and GEO thermal HVAC system is housed to learn how those systems work. With hands-on activities, the students will learn how a generator and wind energy works. The maximum enrollment in the energy camp is 20.

“So You Want to Work in Health care” will be held on July 6-9 in the Allied Health Building, Room W-107. Students will tour the areas of nursing, physical therapy, surgical technology, dental, phlebotomy, X-Ray/ultrasound and other programs on the campus of WKCTC. Students will also travel to Baptist Health to tour the physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech language pathology departments, as well as interact with interns learning about careers in those fields. The maximum enrollment for the camp is 25.

WKCTC Assistant Nursing Professors Paula Isenberg and Kristin Reid will be the leaders for the health care camp. Students will be divided into five groups for hands-on experiences with moulage (wounds, blood, etc.), suturing sponge or other simulated object. WKCTC physical therapy assistant students will be on hand to share their experiences; campers will also learn from area healthcare professionals during the camp.

Each camp will be held Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to noon. On Thursday of each week, families are encouraged to come see what the students learned in each camp.

College representatives will also be available on Thursday during both camps to answer questions as well as encourage the camp participants to look to WKCTC as their next step in education after high school.

Space is limited. Call (270) 534-3335 to register. For more information about the Career Craze camps, contact Kevin O’Neill at (270) 534-3206.

WPSD named most accurate weather provider

WPSD is the most accurate weather provider in the television market covering western Kentucky, southern Illinois, southeast Missouri and northwest Tennessee, according to WeatheRate, an independent research company.

WeatheRate crowns TV meteorologists across the country as the most accurate in their market by comparing forecasts with actual weather conditions. WeatheRate verifies high and low temperatures, sky cover, precipitation, wind and fog. Accuracy in forecasting severe weather and timing of precipitation also comes into play.

Using a business model similar to J.D. Power and Associates, WeatheRate conducts independent research at their own expense. At the end of each annual WeatheRating period, the company offers its seal of approval only to the most accurate station in each television market.

“TV is still the most popular source of weather information," WeatheRate President Bruce Fixman said in a news release. "Some forecasters are indeed better than others, and because we’re not affiliated with TV stations or the companies that own them, the public can trust us to tell them who is really the most accurate.”

“Jennifer Rukavina and the WPSD Weather Authority team have proven that they deliver the most accurate weather in the Paducah/Cape Girardeau/Harrisburg market,” said Fixman

For more information about WeatheRate, logon to www.weatherate.com, or call (602) 909-8429.

For the birds...

A young osprey sits in a nest atop the U.S. 60 Cumberland Bridge at Smithland. Last year ospreys build 17 nests on area bridges. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and contractors on new bridges over Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley have been working with wildlife and regulatory agencies to provide alternate nesting sites for ospreys who have been nesting in construction areas.

What's news in Crittenden County...

Although the annual Backroads Tour doesn’t officially begin until Friday, tourists have been flowing into the community for days, visiting the Amish community and taking in the rural countryside and its spring beauty.

“Monday was pretty busy,” said Marion Tourism Director Michele Edwards. “We had quite a few groups come through.”

Edwards tracks visitors who pass through the Marion Welcome Center during the Backroads Festival, and tourists from afar are commonplace among the scores of those spilling over from the American Quilters Society Quilt Week in Paducah. The annual show is expected to bring as many as 30,000 people to McCracken County and western Kentucky this week.

This week's issue of The Crittenden Press has all the details on the 2015 Amish Tour and Backroads Festival, plus:

• Something new could be in store for spring break next year.
• KU alters rate increase request. Read how it may affect you.
• Pet Project: A slew of volunteers help dogs and cats from Crittenden County Animal Shelter find homes.
• The county's own "mountain man" has passed.
• Discover the fuss over Andrew Jackson.
• Crittenden County Detention Center is offering inmates a hand-up.
• What's going on with B.J. May?
• Employee health benefits a topic of discussion at city council.
• Meantime, the fiscal court discusses roads... again.
• Salem Day dedicated to 11-year-old resident.
• Better or worse? Compare last year's jobless rate in the county with 2013.
• History lesson: Early county lawyers quickly built solid practices.
• High school baseball, softball team results.

Great Kitchen Event @ Johnson's

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WKCTC to offer training for high-paying radiation control tech jobs

Beginning early next month, West Kentucky Community and Technical College in Paducah will offer an accelerated training program to prepare students for jobs as radiation control technicians with a Department of Energy (DOE) facility. Pay for most of these jobs starts around $35 per hour.


Those interested in the Radiation Control Technician Certificate Program can attend an informational meeting from 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday in the WKCTC Emerging Technology Center.


Students who complete the college’s 12-week Radiation Control Technician Training Program can earn a certificate to prepare them for entry-level employment with prospective employers such as Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant subcontractors, hospitals and nuclear plants in other states.


Students will learn the basic principles of atomic and nuclear physics, radioactivity, radiation detection, environmental monitoring, proper use of instrumentation, equipment and techniques to conduct workplace and environmental surveys and the current technologies used in hazard control.


To be admitted to the certificate program, students must pass a background check, a drug screening, a physical capabilities assessment and demonstrate proficiency in math and reading. Students must successfully complete classroom training and pass a certification exam to be hired as a radiation control technician. Program completion and passing the exam does not guarantee an individual a job. It does, however, qualify them to seek employment as a radiation control technician.


Classes meet four evenings a week for 12 weeks. Various financial assistance options for class costs are available. Space is limited and early registration is encouraged.
For more information, contact Jim Pape at (270) 534-3370 or westkentucky-wfs@kctcs.edu. Information can also be found on the WKCTC Workforce Solutions Facebook page.

Area deaths

Toby Wood Knoth, 82, of Marion died April 19, 2015, at Crittenden County Health and Rehab in Marion. Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion is in charge of arrangements.

Christopher M. Templeton, 33, of Clay died April 20, 2015, at St. Mary's Medical Center in Evansville, Ind. Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion is in charge of arrangements.

Transportation Cabinet has job openings

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KyTC) has about a dozen job openings for equipment operators and truck drivers in the counties of KyTC District 1.

Counties with immediate openings include McCracken, Carlisle, Graves, and Calloway. The agency also has openings for truck mechanics and technicians.

The Automotive Technician I job requires a high school diploma with 2 years of automotive technical experience. The monthly salary range is $1,823.90 to $2,416.22. Tasks include working in a repair facility or field setting to repair automotive vehicles on a 40-hour work week. Applicants must possess a valid driver’s license. The position reports to the repair facility located in McCracken County. The job includes a 5-percent increase in pay after completing 6-month probation. This register closes Saturday.

The Heavy Equipment Operator I jobs start at $10.20 per hour on a 40-hour work week with a 5-percent raise after a 6-month probation. The jobs include CDL training. It requires a high School diploma and valid driver’s license. No experience is required. The position is required to report during snow/ice events and emergency situations.

Jobs are posted at www.personnel.ky.gov and are listed by county. Generally, jobs are posted for a couple of weeks on this site, so check it often for new listings. You may enter your resume on the site to be prepared to apply for specific jobs. This site lists jobs available in all state agencies.

Police encourage motorists to avoid texting

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RARE online auction ends tomorrow

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Cave In Rock Ferry remains closed

The Cave In Rock Ferry remains closed due to high water on the Ohio River and Ky. 137 (River Road) in Livingston County is closed near Bayou. Signs are posted on River Road.

Arts in Evening program at CCHS

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Summer Reading Program at Library

THIS IS FOR 

Pre Schoolers!

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Area deaths

Jack L. Stalion, 71, of Hobart, Ind., formerly of Crittenden County, died April 15, 2015, at Southlake Methodist Hospital in Merrill, Ind. Rees Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Dawn Michelle Smith, 49, of Marion died today at Baptist Health Paducah. Myers Funeral Home in Marion is handling the arrangements.

J.D. Gilland, 91, of Salem died today at Lourdes Hospital in Paducah. Boyd Funeral Directors in Salem is in charge of arrangements.

Gov. Beshear orders flags to half-staff Monday

Gov. Steve Beshear has directed that flags at all state office buildings be lowered to half-staff Monday in honor of a Fort Campbell soldier who died while supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.

According to the Department of Defense, Spc. John M. Dawson, 22, of Whitinsville, Mass., died April 8 in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when he was attacked by small arms fire while he was on an escort mission. He was assigned to 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell.

Services for Spc. Dawson will be held Monday at 11 a.m. local time at St. Gabriels the Archangel Church in Upton, Mass.

Gov. Beshear encourages individuals, businesses, organizations and government agencies to join in this tribute.

Flag status information is available at http://governor.ky.gov/Pages/flagstatus.aspx.

State judge strikes down Kentucky's ban on same-sex marriage, but decision put on hold

A Franklin Circuit Court judge on Thursday struck down Kentucky's ban on same-sex marriage, although he immediately put his decision on hold because the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on that ban in less than two weeks. Judge Thomas Wingate ruled for two Lexington couples who were denied marriage licenses by the Fayette County Clerk in 2013 because Kentucky's Constitution was amended by voters in 2004 to define marriage as exclusively between one man and one woman.

For more, visit The Herald-Leader online.

Task force could develop guidelines for contact between teachers, students in Kentucky

Support is growing for creation of a task force to study policies that could prevent inappropriate relationships between teachers and students in Kentucky. A former U.S. Department of Education official who conducted a national study of 2014 media reports about inappropriate relationships found that in Kentucky, social media and text messaging was involved in 36 percent of the cases. The former official, Terry Abbott, also found that based on the media reports, Kentucky in 2014 had the second highest per-capita rate in the country of inappropriate relationships between school employees and students.

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

Cave In Rock Ferry down for days

The Cave In Rock Ferry remains closed due to high water and at this point, it appears the ferry which connects Crittenden County and Hardin County, Ill., may be down for several more days.

Mother Nature's spring rains have the Ohio River on a continued rise. The river is not predicted to crest until early next week. Once the Ohio reaches its apex, it will begin to fall slowly.

It appears the ferry will be unable to navigate the river until at the very earliest the middle of next week.

STARTING TONIGHT : Passion Play

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City identifies concerning housing trend

A recent survey of homes by the City of Marion

shows the classification of street-by-street

residential properties as either owner occupied,

rentals, vacant or an empty lot. To download the

entire survey, click here.

Local officials are concerned by what they think is a negative trend in the housing situation in Marion.

A variety of factors, says Marion City Administrator Mark Bryant, is causing an apparent depreciation in the “housing stock” inside the city limits. While new construction is steady out in the county, Bryant said only one new home has been built within the city limits over the last two and a half years.

“Building in the county appears to be in good health,” Bryant said, “but in the city, we’re not seeing anything. So we decided to take a serious look at the reasons why so we can start thinking about a plan.”

Developing a strategy to change the apparent direction will perhaps be more difficult than the laborious process Marion Code Enforcement Officer Terri Hart put in while cataloging all 1,570 housing units in the city and identifying their status on city a map.

The number of owner-occupied homes in Marion is just under 50 percent. The national average before the housing bust was around 70 percent in 2008. The U.S. average is now at 64 percent, meaning Marion lags grossly behind the country in regard to the number of residents who own their homes.

Twenty-eight percent of the houses inside the city limits are rental units, either single-family dwellings, duplexes or multi-unit apartment complexes.

For more on this story, see the April 15, 2015, edition of The Crittenden Press.

To view a map of the City of Marion indicating

residential properties as either owner occupied, rental,

vacant or an empty lot, click the above image.

Job Opportunities at CHS

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Arts in the Evening at Fohs Hall

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Ferry closing again at nightfall

The Cave In Rock Ferry will once again close at nightfall due to high water.

Rising Ohio River floodwaters have covered the approach to the Kentucky landing along Ky. 91 North. This has created hazardous conditions for those attempting to reach the ferry landing.

The ferry will make the last run from the Kentucky landing at 7:30 tonight.

Travelers should expect the ferry to be closed Thursday morning and until further notice.

Grimes warns of business scam

Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, Kentucky’s chief business officer, is warning Kentucky businesses to protect themselves by exercising caution with respect to suspicious phone calls purporting to be from the Internal Revenue Service.

Business owners around Kentucky have reported receiving a phone call from the number (301) 909-4956 alleging that back taxes are owed and threatening action if immediate payment is not made. Business owners have also received voicemails referencing a “time-sensitive matter” and urging them to return the call before action is taken against them.

“There are several red flags businesses should be aware of this tax season,” said Grimes. "First, the IRS typically contacts taxpayers by mail, not phone. In addition, the IRS does not ask for credit card numbers over the phone or request payment via prepaid debit card or wire transfer. As always, businesses should be vigilant and be wary of any unknown or suspicious entity that asks for payment or information.”

For information about common IRS-related scams or if you think you may have been targeted, visit http://www.irs.gov/uac/Tax-Scams-Consumer-Alerts.

Area death

Donald Lee McEuen, 70, of Beaver Dam, a native of Crittenden County, died April 14, 2015, at Ohio County Hospital in Hartford. He was a former police officer and U.S. Army veteran. William L. Danks Funeral Home in Beaver Dam is in charge of arrangements.

Lady Rockets Class A game postponed

Crittenden County's fast-pitch softball team was scheduled to play University Heights today at 5:30pm at Marion-Crittenden County Park. However, the tournament semifinal game has been postponed until 5:30pm Thursday. The championship game will be played 30 minutes after the completion of that game.

Tonight at Marion, Lyon County will play Livingston Central in the other semifinal matchup. Fist pitch is at 5:45pm.

What's news this week in Crittenden County...

Cutter Singleton plays the banjo at a GOP dinner Tuesday evening that
brought several statewide candidates to Crittenden County.

Officials in Marion are concerned about the city's housing trend. Home ownership is down, rentals are up, no new dwellings are being built and the number of vacant, condemned or foreclosed upon homes is up. Find out in this week's issue of The Crittenden Press what the city's concerns are with this trend and what can be done about it.

Also in this week's issue:

• Crittenden-Livingston Water District raising rates next month.
• Quilting brings local woman fame.
• Local GOP hosts gubernatorial, down ticket candidates.
• Public, private financing brings park lights up to date.
• Circuit court sees bevy of drug cases.
• Grand jury indicts four on variety of charges.
• Crittenden chess teams ends season strong.
• High school produces own news telecast.
• Making postcards once a thriving business in Marion.
• New men's golf league forming at country club.
• High school teens share memories from trip to France.

Find these stories and much more in The Crittenden Press.

Chamber awards luncheon May 21

Crittenden County Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 21.

This luncheon will be honoring the selections for Volunteer of the Year, Community Pride, Customer Service, Unsung Hero and Person of the Year. The Chamber is asking once again for the community to nominate individuals in each of these categories. A list of criteria for each nomination can be found below.

Send your nominations by May 14 to: Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 164, Marion, KY 42064; or you may email nominations to susan@crittendenchamber.org. Luncheon reservations can be made via the same method.

Criteria for Chamber of Commerce annual awards

Chamber Person of the Year
This is the Chamber’s most coveted award and recognizes an individual(s) for outstanding leadership through community service, generally, over a period of time. The individual(s) selected always puts the community first and offers to do the often thankless jobs.

Community Pride
This award is given to a business or organization demonstrating pride in their community by either improvements made to their own establishment or improvements to a public facility/property.

Unsung Hero
This award is presented to an individual who has made a difference in our community but has not received public recognition for their contributions. Often this will be the “behind the scenes” person who gets the project completed or makes sure everything is done. Often they help other gain recognition. Sometimes this will be an individual whose accomplishments are known only to a small group or a soft-hero award for less than life-saving but a “Paul Revere” type.

Volunteer of the Year
This award recognizes an individual for outstanding volunteer service in Crittenden County. The individual performs their volunteer service on their own time and is not compensated financially.  Nominations must be in writing and explain why the individual should be selected.

Customer Service
This is to recognize an individual who goes beyond the normal demands of their job to give customer service that is believed to be extraordinary. The individual does not have to be Chamber member but the business to which the individual is associated must be. Nominations must be in writing and explain why the individual should be selected.

Ferry now back in service

The Cave In Rock Ferry plans to resume operation at 10:30 this morning.

The ferry halted operations at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday with the expectation the river would continue to rise overnight.

The Ohio River did not rise as much as expected overnight, so the ferry will be able to resume operation this morning.

The river forecast indicates the river will gradually rise over the next few days. However, for the next day or two it appears the ferry will be able to remain in service.

Great Kitchen Event at Johnson's

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Ferry closing at 7:30 tonight

Floodwaters on the Ohio River are on the rise again and will force the Cave In Rock Ferry to close at 7:30 tonight.

Water is starting to cross the Kentucky approach to the ferry landing on Ky. 91, forcing the ferry to halt operation at sunset.

We will attempt to provide timely notice when the ferry is able to safely resume service.

The ferry connects Ky. 91 with Ill. 1 across the Ohio River between Crittenden County and Hardin County.

The ferry normally operates from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. It carries about 500 vehicles across the Ohio River in an average day.
 
Timely traffic advisories for the 12 counties of Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Highway District 1 are available by going to www.facebook.com/kytcdistrict1.

Area death

Charlotte Ann Conger, 73, of Fredonia died April 14, 2015, at Crittenden Health Systems in Marion. Boyd Funeral Directors in Salem is handling arrangements.

Class A Tournament still waiting

UPDATE: Game is ON for today 

Volunteers have removed the tarp on the Lady Rocket softball field at Marion-Crittenden County Park and are hoping to get the field ready for today's scheduled 6pm start in the Class A Tournament.

Although there has been no official word, Crittenden County hopes to get the game in this afternoon with Dawson Springs. It was postponed because of rain yesterday.

Area death

Mary E. Washer, 91, of DeLand, Fla., formerly of Shady Grove, died April 6, 2015, in Florida. Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion is in charge of local arrangements.

Truck down slows US 60 traffic at Rosebud

UPDATE: Site is cleared

Traffic is restricted to one lane on US 60 in Crittenden County at mile point 21.7 between Marion and Sullivan. A truck is broken down near the lower curve on Rose Bud Hill about a mile west of the Crittenden-Union County Line.

It will be about an hour before a tow truck can remove the disabled SEMI.  The Mattoon Fire Department is flagging traffic at the site.  Caution is required.

Ky. law enforcement cracking down on distracted driving this month

In conjunction with National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, law enforcement agencies in Kentucky are stepping up efforts to persuade drivers to put down the phone as part of the second annual national texting enforcement crackdown – U Drive. U Text. U Pay.

“Driving and texting is illegal and irresponsible,” said Kentucky Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock, who is Gov. Steve Beshear’s designated representative for highway safety and chair of the Governor’s Executive Committee on Highway Safety. “We are serious about stopping this deadly behavior, so all drivers must know that if you are texting while driving, you will be stopped and fined.”

Violating Kentucky’s texting law, which took effect April 15, 2010, can be costly. Violators will be liable for fines of $25 on a first offense and $50 on each subsequent offense, plus court costs.

“For those who say that driving and texting is an epidemic, we believe enforcement is part of the cure,” said Kentucky Office of Highway Safety Executive Director Bill Bell.  “That is why our office is distributing federal overtime funds to select agencies throughout the state to strictly enforce our anti-texting law.”

The law bans texting for drivers of all ages while the vehicle is in motion. For drivers over 18, it allows the use of global positioning devices and reading, selecting or entering a telephone number or name for the purpose of making a phone call. Texting is allowed only to report illegal activity or to request medical or emergency aid.

For drivers under 18, no use of personal communication devices, such as cellphones and pagers, is allowed while the vehicle is in motion. The use of a global positioning system is allowed, but manually entering information must be completed while the vehicle is stopped.

“We also want drivers to realize that a fine is not the only consequence of distracted driving,” said Hancock.  “In fact, this year’s campaign hits close to home.”

A radio spot was recorded by Transportation Cabinet employee Nancy Wood, the Public Information Officer in the District 6 Office in Covington.  Nancy’s daughter, Brianna, was severely injured when her vehicle was hit by a distracted driver in 2011.


“It’s been a long journey with multiple surgeries and hospital stays, but Brianna is lucky because she survived,” said Wood. “I hope my story will help prevent other parents from receiving the type of call we all dread – that our child has been involved in a crash.”

In Kentucky in 2014, there were over 53,500 crashes resulting in over 14,000 injuries and 169 fatalities due to distracted driving.

“Texting and driving requires motorists to take their eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, and mind off the task of driving,” said Bell. “It creates the proverbial ‘perfect storm’ for a crash, and no one has the right to do that on our roadway.

According to a 2014 report in the New England Journal of Medicine, the risk of a crash or near-crash among novice drivers increased with the performance of many secondary tasks, including texting and dialing cell phones.

The University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute’s 2012 “Teen Driver Distraction Study” reports that a quarter of teens respond to a text message once or more every time they drive, and 20 percent of teens and 10 percent of parents admit that they have extended, multi-message text conversations while driving.

“It’s not that complicated,” said Bell. “If you drive and you text, you will pay.”

For more information, please visit www.distraction.gov.

County under tornado watch

Crittenden County is under a tornado watch and flash flood watch until 1 a.m. Friday, according the National Weather Service in Paducah.

Area death

John Edward Dalton, 70, of Marion died April 8, 2015, at Hancock Memorial Hospital in Greenfield, Ind. Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion is in charge of arrangements.

Ky. 506, Ky. 654 paving starts Saturday

A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans milling and paving along several highways in Crittenden County starting Saturday.

Motorists should be prepared to encounter milling and asphalt paving operations at the following locations:

• Ky. 506 starting at mile-point 4.196 near the Weldon Road intersection and extending to the 6-mile marker near Country View Drive, a distance of 1.8 miles.
• The entire portion of Ky. 654 South from its junction with Ky. 120 north to the U.S. 60 intersection at Mattoon, a distance of 4.3 miles.

Motorists should be alter for one lane traffic with alternating flow controlled by flaggers. Appropriate caution is required.

Rogers Group Inc. is the prime contractor on this $512,988 group highway improvement project. The cost is just under $85,000 per mile.

The anticipated completion date is April 16, weather permitting.

Job opening in Marion

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Severe weather, flooding anticipated today

The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center is forecasting a risk of severe thunderstorms this afternoon and evening from northeast Texas across the Mississippi and Ohio valleys to the southern Great Lakes. There is an enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms for much of this area, including Crittenden County, with damaging winds being the main threat, though large hail and a few tornadoes are possible, as well.

Locally heavy rain is also a concern, leading the NWS to issue a flash flood watch for Crittenden County effective through the early morning hours of Friday. Today's thunderstorms are expected to bring 1 to 3 inches of rain, creating a potential for flash flooding across the entire county and aggravating flooding along the Ohio River.

A flood warning also remains in effect for Crittenden County along the Ohio River. At 10:30 this morning, the river at Shawneetown, Ill., was at 38.8 feet. Flood stage is 33 feet. The river is expected to crest at near 41.2 feet Sunday morning. Operation of the Cave In Rock Ferry is not expected to be impacted.

Area death

Kenneth Ray Floyd, 67, of Marion died April 8, 2015, at Baptist Health Paducah. He was a retired manager of Five Star Food Mart in Marion and former candidate for mayor and judge-executive. Lindsey Funeral Home in Paducah is in charge of arrangements.

Don't Miss this Event !

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Upgrades to bring Purchase Parkway up to interstate standards; work begins Monday

A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans an extended work zone along the Julian Carroll-Purchase Parkway through Graves and Marshall counties starting Monday.

This extended work zone for upgrades to allow Interstate 69 to be extended southward along the Purchase Parkway will run from mile-point 21.285 at U.S. 45 Bypass Interchange with the Purchase Parkway south of Mayfield extending northward to the Interstate 24 Interchange at Exit 52 near Calvert City in Marshall County, a distance of about 30 miles. The rehabilitation work includes drainage and guardrail upgrades, bridge decking and railing upgrades and paving.

This work zone will initially include several short lane restrictions to allow reconstruction of four bridges along the route. Each of the bridge work areas will include a barrier wall with a 12-foot load width restriction.

Motorists can expect to initially encounter one-lane traffic at the bridge locations with varying traffic configurations that will change every few days to accommodate ongoing work. The contractor may have crews working along the right-of-way at other points along the project area. The work will be phased in sections to help improve traffic flow.

There will be a strictly-enforced 55 mph work zone speed limit with double fines and an enhanced enforcement presence.  Motorists should use caution where equipment, flaggers and construction personnel are along the roadway in close proximity to traffic flow.

The contractor will attempt to provide timely updates on the configuration of the work zone. The project will be phased to allow the work zone to be taken down during major holiday travel periods.

Hall Contracting of Kentucky Inc. is the prime contractor on this $8.08 million highway improvement project. The anticipated completion date is Oct. 15.

This is among 10 major contracts totaling $210 million between Fulton and Henderson aimed at allowing the Pennyrile Parkway and the Purchase Parkway to eventually become a part of I-69. Work on similar upgrades to the Pennyrile Parkway between Mortons Gap and Henderson started this week. Gov. Beshear just announced the awarding of a $3.23 million contract for new signage to allow a 41-mile section of the Pennyrile to be officially converted to I-69 later this year.

More I-69 signage going up

Another 41 miles of the new Interstate 69 corridor in western Kentucky will receive the familiar red, white and blue shields by the end of the year. A $3.23 million contract to construct and place signs in Henderson, Hopkins and Webster counties was awarded recently by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KyTC).

The contract, awarded to Eden Fence Inc., will extend I-69 signage along the former Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway from mile-point 35.6 in Hopkins County to the Henderson Bypass (Ky. 425) at Exit 76. The contract includes updating signage along U.S. 41 and other nearby highways that now direct traffic to the parkway. It will include changing mile markers and exit numbers to reflect I-69 mileage.

The contract also includes rerouting a section of U.S. 41 at Henderson to replace a short section of the Pennyrile Parkway between the Henderson Bypass and the end of the parkway. The Ky. 2084 Connector from Ky. 351 will be extended southward to replace this altered section of U.S. 41 to the bypass.

The new signs are scheduled to be in place by Oct. 15.

Once complete, I-69 in Kentucky will run north to south from the Tennessee line at Fulton to the Ohio River at Henderson. It will include sections of Interstate 24, the Julian M. Carroll Purchase Parkway, the Wendell H. Ford Western Kentucky Parkway and the Pennyrile Parkway.

To date, 55 miles of the corridor are complete – from roughly Nortonville in Hopkins County to the interchange of I-24 and the Purchase Parkway near Calvert City in Marshall County.

The first I-69 shield was unveiled by Gov. Steve Beshear and then-Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez in October 2011.

Area death

Harlan L. Gilbert, 87, of Evansville, Ind., formerly of Marion, died April 7, 2015, at Deaconess VNA Plus Hospice Center. Alexander North Chapel in Evansville is in charge of arrangements.

Ohio River above flood stage again

A flood warning continues for Crittenden County along the Ohio River.

At 9:30 this morning, the river stage at Shawneetown, Ill., was 37.8 feet. Flood stage is 33 feet. The river, according to the National Weather Service at Paducah, will continue rising to near 41.6 feet by Saturday morning.

The Cave In Rock Ferry is forced to halt operations at around 44 feet.

What's news in the community this week...

CCHS junior Nick Castiller on the mound.

This week's issue of The Crittenden Press is chock full of an assortment of news from around the community found nowhere else, including:

• Got nuts? If so, school officials are asking you to not bring them into CCES as part of a new policy to protect students with food allergies.
• The county convenience center is offering free dumping later this month. Find out when.
• Read any good books lately? Discover what CHS Auxiliary does with each quarter it earns from its book sales.
• The opera is coming to town... well, nearby. A Marion native will be showcasing his vocal talents at Paducah's performing arts center later this month.
• Two high school students will be spending the remainder of their public education at a prestigious math and science academy in Morehead.
• Did your child or grandchild make the elementary school honor roll?

If that's not enough, read the stories accompanying these headlines:

• Juvenile suspected in county shooting.
• Rural hospitals’ future appears bleak without community support.
• MPD has opening for new patrolman.
• Education soon minus Hodges.
• Mail processing change could affect delivery.
• Crittenden native blazing trail as rare female deputy sheriff.
• Book features collection of soldier’s letters.
• IRS scam making rounds again locally.
• Phillips joins summer baseball league.

Fruit tree program today at Extension

Want to learn more about growing and caring for fruit trees?

A program starts at 1 p.m. today at the Crittenden County Extension office. It will move from there to an active orchard in the northern part of the county.

Games on today in Marion

Despite recent rains, it looks like high school baseball and softball will be played today at Marion-Crittenden County Park. The Lady Rockets host Christian Fellowship and the Rocket baseball team will host Caldwell County in a game originally scheduled at Princeton. 

Johnson's : Kitchen Event

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Area death

Troy P. Conway, 82, of Sturgis died April 4, 2015, at his home. He was a U.S. Army veteran and paratrooper. Whitsell Funeral Home in Sturgis is handling arrangements.

Area deaths

Sidney Vernon Watson, 82, of Marion died April 2, 2015, at Baptist Health Paducah. Boyd Funeral Directors in Salem is in charge of arrangements.

Harold Hayden Hodge, 94, of Marion died April 3, 2015, at his home near Frances. He was a veteran of World War II. Boyd Funeral Directors in Salem is in charge of arrangements.

Wanda Ruth Hodge, 67, of Marion died April 3, 2015, at River's Bend Retirement Community in Kuttawa. Boyd Funeral Directors in Salem is in charge of arrangements.

Rebecca Ann Koon, 67, of marion died April 4, 2015, at Volunteer Hospital in Martin, Tenn. Boyd Funeral Directors in Salem is in charge of arrangements.

Elected officials make Final Four wager

Gov. Steve Beshear and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker are wagering on their home teams in Saturday’s NCAA Final Four men’s basketball game.

Gov. Beshear bet a basket of Kentucky bourbons from Lexington-area distillers that the University of Kentucky will prevail over the University of Wisconsin. Bourbons are provided by the Kentucky Distillers’ Association. Gov. Walker bet a basket of Wisconsin cheese, sausage and root beer that Wisconsin will beat Kentucky in the matchup.

“For the second year in a row, the 'Cats will be facing the Badgers in what is sure to be another thrilling Final Four game between the two teams,” said Gov. Beshear. “Kentucky has already made history with an undefeated season, and we’ll be rooting them on to continue the streak this weekend. Go 'Cats!”

Also, Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway will enter into a friendly wager with Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel over the outcome of Saturday night’s game. If UK wins, Attorney General Schimel will give Attorney General Conway an assortment of Sargento Cheeses, Johnsonville Brats and Leinenkugel Beer. If Wisconsin wins, Conway will give Schimel a Meacham’s country ham from Union County, where Attorney General Conway’s father was born and raised.

The last time Wisconsin and UK met in men’s basketball was last year in the Final Four, when UK beat Wisconsin by 1 point on a long 3-pointer by Aaron Harrison with 6 seconds left in the game. Many of the same players from that game return for the rematch including Wisconsin NCAA tourney superstars Frank Kamensky and Sam Dekker. Kentucky returns the Harrison twins but also has a new cast of freshman playing in their first Final Four. Willie Cauley-Stein was on the team last season but was not able to play in the game due to injury. UK has four overall wins in the all-time series to Wisconsin’s one.

The Wildcats will tip off against the Badgers Saturday at approximately 7:49 p.m. at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.

Baseball games today are postponed

Crittenden County's district baseball game at M-CC Park today has been postponed due to field conditions and forecast of more of rain.

The makeup date will be announced at a later time.

Crittenden Press office closed today

In observance of Good Friday, the office of The Crittenden Press is closed today.

Also closed today are Marion City Hall and all courthouse offices.

Earthquake hits region Wednesday night

There was a rumbling both above and below the ground in the area Wednesday night.

As thunderstorms rolled across the tri-state region after dark Wednesday, a 3.6 magnitude earthquake struck along the New Madrid Fault Zone. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the tremor occurred at 10:51 p.m. in the bootheel of Missouri near Steele. The USGS originally labeled the shaking a 4.0 magnitude, but downgraded the measurement Thursday morning.

There were no reports of damage or injuries.

The USGS indicates people from western Kentucky, southern Illinois and northwest Tennessee felt the tremor.

Did you feel it? Email us your comments.

Severe storms, flooding possible

The National Weather Service in Paducah is alerting the lower Ohio River Valley of possible severe storms and flooding into Friday evening.

A flood watch that includes Crittenden and Livingston counties is in effect from 7 p.m. today to 7 p.m. Friday. The watch is related to a forecast of thunderstorms, some possibly severe, beginning this afternoon and continuing into Friday afternoon, bringing with them heavy rains.

"The presence of a quasi-stationary frontal boundary combined with deep layer moisture and weak upper support will provide the necessary ingredients for locally heavy rainfall...," the weather service watch warns.

Widespread thunderstorms are possible today and tonight. A few storms may become severe this afternoon and into the evening hours with the primary threats being damaging winds and large hail, though a tornado threat cannot be ruled out.

Storms are also possible Friday, then diminishing Friday night. A few storms Friday afternoon could become severe with damaging winds and large hail.

Anywhere from 2 to 4 inches of rain are expected through Friday evening. Locally, higher amounts are possible.

Thunderstorms are also possible Sunday night through Wednesday.

Area death

Grace Hummel Jones, 93, of Marion died April 1, 2015, at Salem Springlake Health and Rehabilitation Center. Myers Funeral Home in Marion is in charge of arrangements.

Accident on Rosebud Hill

Emergency personnel are responding to a single-vehicle automobile accident at Rosebud Hill on U.S. 60 East.

First responders have found two patients, but neither appear to have serious injuries.

Traffic will moving slowly in that area for a time.

Pre-School Screening is April 10

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Celebration Saturday at Glenn's in Salem

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What's news in the community this week...

Britt Deckert takes the stand in his own

murder trial this week.

A three-day murder trial ended Monday in Marion with a jury finding Britt Deckert, 28, guilty of manslaughter in the killing of his half-brother in August 2013. The jury's recommended sentence will send the man to prison for several years. Read details from three days of testimony in this week's issue of The Crittenden Press.

Also in this week's newspaper:

• A study released Monday by State Auditor Adam Edelen finds many of Kentucky's rural and community hospitals struggling financially. So where do the hospitals in Marion and Salem fit in and what might the future hold?
• The county's top two elected officials are making a federal case out of U.S. 641.
• April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and Family Court Judge Brandi Rogers wants to raise the community's awareness to the problem.
• Lawmakers report on the final work of the 2015 session of the General Assembly.
• The ladies auxiliary of the local VFW post recognizes Vietnam Veterans Day.
• What's the Word on the Street?
• Ex-teacher feature: Helen Springs was hands-on with students for more than 30 years.
• Forgotten Passages: Brenda Underdown examines the history of Chapel Hill Church.
• Ministry offers hope to prisoners.
• The Rockets baseball team notches its first district win.

The paper hits newsstands this afternoon.

Severe thunderstorms possible Thursday

The National Weather Service in Paducah is warning of the possibility of severe thunderstorms throughout Thursday, possibly even entering the area tonight. In fact, there is an 60 percent change of storms during the day Thursday and 90 percent chance at night. 

Heavy downpours dumping 2 to 3 inches of rain are expected. Local flooding could be a possibility, as the ground remains mostly saturated.

Thunderstorms are forecast to continue into Friday.

Area offices closed for Good Friday

Landon Young teams with Nathan

McKinney last week at the elementary

school as they collect a colorful

assortment of Easter eggs.

Easter is upon us.

Marion City Hall, courthouse offices and the senior citizens center will be closed this week in observance of Good Friday. Additionally, the sheriff’s department and circuit clerk’s office will be closed Saturday. State government offices will be closed a half-day on Friday.

The Crittenden Press will also be closed Friday in observance of the Christian holiday.

Meantime, the public library and Extension Service will not close for the holiday. Federal offices, like the post office, will also be open Friday.

CHS: Quality Care in Marion

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Ky. education chief stepping down

Today, Kentucky Commissioner of Education Terry Holliday announced his retirement effective Aug. 31. Holliday, who will end 43 years in public education, has served as commissioner since July 2009.

During his tenure, Holliday implemented many reform efforts, including Senate Bill 1 (2009) that mandated new academic standards, new aligned assessments and a balanced accountability system; a Professional Growth and Effectiveness System for teachers, principals and superintendents; and a comprehensive system of school and district improvement planning and support.

Under his leadership, Kentucky has improved both its graduation rate and the percentage of students who graduate from high school ready for college and careers.

In October 2014, the National Association of State Boards of Education named Holliday its Policy Leader of the Year and in March 2015, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards named Holliday the recipient of the prestigious 2015 James A. Kelly Award.    

Prior to coming to Kentucky, Holliday served as superintendent, associate superintendent, director of accountability, principal, assistant principal, director of instrumental music and band director in North Carolina and South Carolina.

In 2012, the Kentucky Board of Education approved a four-year extension to his initial contract. The contract was to run through August 4, 2017 at a salary of $225,000 per year.

The board will begin to discuss a process for selecting a new commissioner later today.