Farmers Market Fountain "test run"

The new Imogene Stout Farmers Market, under construction on North Main Street, is still a few weeks away from being complete but tonight contractors did a test run on the water fountain. Here's how it looked.

Whitfield resigning congressional seat

Retiring Kentucky Congressman Ed Whitfield has announced his resignation.

According to The Associated Press and other news agencies, Whitfield, a Hopkinsville Republican, notified Gov. Matt Bevin Monday of his intentions, and Whitfield's communications director today reportedly confirmed the letter. The resignation will be effective at 6 p.m. Sept. 6. No reason has been given for the sudden resignation.

Whitfield was first elected in 1994, becoming the first-ever Republican representative of Kentucky's 1st Congressional District. Bevin will call a special election, to be held on the same day as the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 8. The winner of the special election would take office immediately upon certification of election results. The winner of the general election would then be sworn to office in January 2017 for a new two-year term.

James Comer, who in May secured the GOP nomination for the general election, is hoping to appear on the ballot two times this fall.

"I will seek the nomination for the unexpired term of Congressman Whitfield, and fully expect to be on the ballot twice on Nov. 8, once for the unexpired term and once for the full two-year term."

Republicans and Democrats will each choose a respective nominee for the special election.

Comer will face Democrat Sam Gaskins in the general election.

Press office closed Monday

 

The Crittenden Press will be closed Monday in observance of Labor Day. Due to the holiday, the advertising and submission deadline for next week’s issue of the newspaper will be 5 p.m. Friday. The newspaper will still be available on newsstands next Wednesday afternoon. The deadline for advertising in next week’s issue of The Early Bird is close of business today. 

Pleasant Hill Road closing for week

Pleasant Hill Road in Crittenden County will be closed beginning today to replace a cross tile at the intersection of Floyd Turley Road, according to Judge-Executive Perry Newcom. The closure should be for a period of a week.

Hurricane Church Road is now open after a cross drain there was replaced.

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

Crittenden County Jailer Robbie Kirk
checks out the rec area at the jail's
new RCC set to open Friday.

It’s moving in week at the new quarter-of-a-million-dollar restricted custody center. By Friday, the 39-bed facility is expected to have at least 24 inmates bunked, and the rest will be coming in by early next week, said Athena Abshire, Class D Coordinator for the Crittenden County Detention Center.

For more on how much the RCC is expected to benefit the community and the following headlines, pick up a copy of this week's issue of The Crittenden Press:

• City to crack down on grass clippings
• County targeting mosquitoes
• Alleged assault puts felon back in lockup
• County now eligible for fed disaster aid
• Pumpkin Festival to include additions
• EDITORIAL: Hilarious, gospel musical ‘Smoke’ good family fun
• OPINION: War on Drugs failure; new plan necessary to win more battles
• Local ACT scores up from prior year
• State unemployment hits 15-year low
• County jobless rate falls from previous year
• 4-H’ers outdrive competition
• 4-H youth put county on map at state fair
• Trees bogging down CCES internet signal
• 4 FFA welders earn $500 at state fair
• Farmers Bank facelift continues
• OUTDOORS: This week brings start to big hunts; find a calendar of all 2016 hunting seasons
• OUTDOORS: 4 tips can help to bag more doves
• OUTDOORS: Deer Telecheck asks more questions
• OUTDOORS: Paducah doctor appointed to 1st district KDFWR seat
• SPORTS: Storm dampens Rocket spirts, damages legs
• SPORTS: Gilchrist making third straight trip to All A Golf Classic
• SPORTS: Rocket Roundup: fall sports updates
• Homecoming parade theme gets tweaked
• Rockets invite first responders to game
• FORGOTTEN PASSAGES: Local travel has certainly changed
• Fredonia Heritage Society to
• meet, still taking vet bios, pics Band contests slated
• Shelter offering neuter discounts
• Lundy attends Governor’s Scholar program
• Deadline to enter Senior Games near
• ‘We All Need Trees’ topic of poster contest
• Sutton joins library trustees
• Gilley joins UK’s College of Pharmacy in Lexington
• Homemakers teach, aid community

Bus side-swiped, no injuries

A Crittenden County school bus was damaged this afternoon when it was side-swiped by another vehicle on Roe Wafford Road in the rural northern part of the county, according to Superintendent of Schools Vince Clark. However, Clark said no one was injured in the incident. Only minor damage was incurred by the bus.

Area Death

Eddie Joe McDonald, 60, of Marion died Monday. Myers Funeral Home in Marion is in charge of arrangements.

CCMS opens season tonight at Trigg

Click image to enlarge and print schedule.

Crittenden County Middle School opens its football season tonight at Trigg County.

The Rockets have a new head coach this season, Bryan Qualls.

CCMS will play an eight-game schedule, including two games against Trigg as they play the Midcats again in the Trojan Bowl at Dixon.

Job Openings in Marion

LOCAL COMPANY looking for full-time sales person to work in office. Right candidate should possess: Sales experience preferable, some Quickbooks knowledge, attention to detail. We offer: 6 paid holidays, retirement plan, paid vacation, partial paid health insurance. Send resume to: P.O. Box 191-M, Marion, Ky. 42064.

I-24 Ohio River bridge re-opens to traffic

UPDATE

Site is reported as clear.

Initial reports indicate a couple of fuel barges broke free from their moorings and were floating near the bridge prompting a request to halt roadway traffic.

The barges are reported as secure and traffic is flowing on the bridge.

ORIGINAL POST
The US Coast Guard has asked that the Interstate 24 Ohio River Bridge be closed to traffic due to a loose barge on the river.

Area law enforcement agencies are assisting with closure of the bridge to all highway traffic at this time.

More information as it becomes available.

The Interstate 24 Ohio River Bridge is a 5,632 ft. 4-lane structure with two tied arch main spans and 17 approach/connector spans.  The southern arch span is 730 ft. long while the northern most main arch span is 630 ft. The bridge is located at Kentucky mile point 0.0 and Illinois mile point 28.5.

The bridge is at Ohio River navigation mile point 940.8.

The bridge opened to traffic in 1973 and now carries about 30,000 vehicles across the Ohio River between Paducah, KY, and Metropolis, IL, in an average day.

Local Job Opportunity

LOCAL COMPANY looking for full-time sales person to work in office. Right candidate should possess: Sales experience preferable, some Quickbooks knowledge, attention to detail. We offer: 6 paid holidays, retirement plan, paid vacation, partial paid health insurance. Send resume to: P.O. Box 191-M, Marion, Ky. 42064.

Local inmates can get time credit

FROM THE CRITTENDEN PRESS Printed Edition

Local inmates serving time in the Crittenden County Detention Center for misdemeanors now have a system for reducing the number of days they will spend in jail.

Crittenden County Fiscal Court recently gave its blessing to a plan proposed by Jailer Robbie Kirk that will reduce sentences of county inmates. The plan will help reduce overcrowding in the jail, reduce incarcerations costs and improve inmate behavior, Kirk said.

Inmates serving misdemeanor sentences, generally less than one year, may not get credit for community service work outside the jail, for labor performed inside the jail (such as but not limited to maintenance and kitchen assignments), for receiving a GED, for successfully completing requirements for and receiving a National Career Readiness Certificate and for general good behavior.

Kirk said the program will adhere to all Kentucky statutes regarding credit for misdemeanor convictions. 

Little League World Series tied to Tolu

From The Crittenden Press The Little League Baseball World Series captures the imagination of millions late each summer when the best 11- and 12-year-old baseball teams in the world converge on Williamsport, Pa., for a tournament that is now being televised nationally.Over the past week, Crittenden County residents have watched with particular interest and excitement as two boys from Goodlettsville, Tenn., with local ties became overnight stars. Twins Tyler and Tanner Jones are among the top players on the Southeast Regional team that hails from Goodlettsville, a suberb of Nashville. They are the great-grandchildren of the late C.R. Jones and Lavina Jones. The couple lived in Crittenden County near Tolu for many years and still has family living here. The Jones twins were instrumental in Goodlettsville’s regional championship over Georgia and the victories this week in the World Series games in Pennsylvania. They scored all of Goodlettsville’s runs in a 3-2 World Series win over the Northwest Regional champion. Their team lost on Monday but came out of the lower bracket to beat Bowling Green, Ky., Thursday. That victory sends the Jones boys and Goodlettsville to Saturday's U.S. Championship Game. Ann English, who is a distant relative of the boys, says she and other kin in Livingston County have followed the games with great interest. “Their father is one of the coaches,” English said.

Sports Action Photos

TONS OF PHOTOS

View or Download

Plane Crash in Cave In Rock

Hardin Independent Photo

A small airplane crashed this morning across the Ohio River in Cave In Rock.

See the Hardin County Independent's report and photographs.

Courthouse closed Saturday, Sept. 3

The courthouse offices of Crittenden Circuit Clerk and Sheriff’s Department will be closed Saturday, Sept. 3.

Sycamore Hills Golf Tourney this weekend

The Heritage at Marion County Club is hosting its signature medal-play golf tournament, the Sycamore Hills Invitational, this weekend.

The two-day, 36-hole event will include 8 a.m., and 1 p.m., tee times. This flighted event will include a seniors division.

For information, call (270) 704-5015 or register at pro shop.

Treatment program administrator wanted

Crittenden County Detention Center is seeking a Clinical Administrator for a male substance abuse treatment program. Minimum qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in social service field with clinical experience in substance abuse treatment and/or counseling. Preferred candidate would have LCSW, LPCC, LCADC and/or CADC. Qualified parties should contact Jailer Robbie Kirk by mailing resume to: Crittenden County Detention Center, 208 W. Carlisle Street, Marion, KY 42064.

Ky. 453 to open, Ky. 937 to close in Livingston County

A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans to open a section of KY 453/Iuka Road in Livingston County on Friday.

KY 453/Iuka Road has been closed for construction of a new box culvert at Echo Spring Creek and realignment of curves near the 14 mile marker between Coons Chapel Road and Smithland.

Once KY 453 has opened to traffic at the site, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans to close KY 937/Cutoff Road starting promptly at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. KY 937/Cutoff Road will close at mile point 2.8. Engineers plan to replace a temporary culvert with a new permanent culvert just north of the KY 453 intersection.

During early morning hours of Thursday, July 7, floodwaters took out a 60 ft. long 8 X 13 ft. metal culvert and washed out the roadway on KY 937/Cutoff Road just north the intersection with KY 453/Iuka Road.   At that time, KY 937/Cutoff Road was functioning as a detour for KY 453.   The washout forced KY 937 to close, cutting a critical link.  It forced Livingston County residents to take an extended detour through back roads, or around US 60 and I-24 through Ledbetter to travel between Smithland and Grand Rivers.

Engineers developed a plan to put in a temporary culvert, smaller than the original, to restore traffic quickly without having to wait 4 to 6 weeks for a new culvert to be manufactured.  Now that KY 453 is reopening, engineers want to place a larger permanent culvert at the KY 937 location before another flash flood hits.

If you recall, about the time engineers restored KY 937 traffic with the temporary culvert arrangement, they also found structural issues with the Lee Creek Bridge near the north end of KY 937 just off US 60.  With help from a temporary bridge provided by Jim Smith Contracting of Grand Rivers, engineers were able to reopen KY 937 at that site in time for school bus traffic at the start of the school year.

Once KY 453 reopens on Friday, work to install the permanent culvert on KY 937 is expected to start promptly at 4:30 p.m., after the last school bus run of the day.   If all goes as planned, KY 937/Cutoff Road is expected to reopen to traffic late Saturday afternoon.

KY 937/Cutoff road normally carries about 1,400 vehicles in an average day.  With the added traffic from the KY 453 detour, it has been carrying slightly more than double that.  Once KY 937 closes on Friday, all of that traffic will move to KY 453.

Cottonpatch Road re-opens to traffic

Cottonpatch Road in rural northern Crittenden County is now re-opened to traffic, according to Judge-Executive Perry Newcom. He said paving is scheduled for Friday, weather permitting.

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

Up and down: City, county set tax rates
Council members reversed course Monday, increasing the tax rate on property in Marion after first proposing a decrease a week earlier. However, the difference for the average homeowner will be pocket change when their 2016 tax bills arrive in the mailbox in the next few days.

For more on this story and the following headlines, see this week's copy of The Crittenden Press:

• County drops tax rate by half-penny
• Local businesses partner to offer supplies to elementary school kids
• State’s return to private prisons should not affect local jail
• Community officially on way to being Work Ready
• Drug court winning battles in ‘War’
• Local 4-H'ers win big at state fair
• U.S. 60 at Dyer Hill in no immediate jeopardy
• Hurricane Church Road still closed
• Ky. growing wetter ... and not by rain
• USDA measures grain production through survey
• Child Support helps with back-to-school
• Motorcyclists donate to help shoe students
• Adult ed among top 25
• Only third of school districts tobacco-free
• ‘Smoke’ returns to stage at Fohs
• Parade entries sought by CCHS
• Rocket Oil named Business of Month by county Chamber
• EDITORIAL: Focus should shift to Marion election
• OPINION: No room for modesty in Olympics
• OPINION: Truth or consequences: Taking The Pledge seriously
• FORGOTTEN PASSAGES: First Little League squad was probably Marion's best ever
• SPORTS: Little League World Series tied to Tolu
• FOOTBALL: Highlights significant in 14-point victory
• SPORTS: Fall sports roundup
• Homemakers hold 68th annual meeting
• Senior menu includes birthday cake Friday
• Calendar includes Class of ‘56 reunion
• Maiden Alley film directed by Crittenden graduate Iddings

Smoke on the Mountain coming to Fohs

TICKETS GO ON SALE TODAY

The Community Arts Foundation is hosting a production of “Smoke on the Mountain” at Fohs Hall on Saturday, Sept. 17. In conjunction with the Badgett Playhouse in Grand Rivers, Ky., CAF will be bringing this highly-billed show to Marion. Tickets are on sale starting today.

Join in as a member of the Mount Pleasant Church’s 1938 congregation as the Sanders Family singers perform in the Saturday Night Gospel Sing! Meet a talented family…quirky, flawed and uniquely entertaining! Enjoy over 30 classic gospel tunes that bring us all back to a much simpler time. Laugh at their crazy antics, sing along, and witness a heartwarming conclusion that reminds us all what it means to be a family.

The show will be performed twice at historic Fohs Hall on Sept. 17. There will be matinee at 2 p.m., followed by an evening performance at 7 p.m. Tickets for adults are $15 (plus tax) in advance and $17 (plus tax) at the door. Students (17 and under) are $13 (plus tax) in advance and $15 (plus tax) at the door. Group rates for 20 or more are available for $15 each, with no tax. There are no holds for tickets; you must pay at the time of the reservation. Advance tickets must be purchased with a credit card. No refunds.

Tickets can only be reserved by calling Badgett Playhouse at 888-362-4223. Box office hours are Tuesday - Saturday, 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.  This show sold out quickly the last time, so hurry and get your tickets and the seats you want!

2 Local Job Openings

LOCAL COMPANY looking for full-time sales person to work in office. Right candidate should possess: Sales experience preferable, some Quickbooks knowledge, attention to detail. We offer: 6 paid holidays, retirement plan, paid vacation, partial paid health insurance. Send resume to: P.O. Box 191-M, Marion, Ky. 42064.

LOCAL COMPANY looking for part-time person to work in office. Right candidate should have knowledge of: Quickbooks, attention to detail, be able to converse with customers by phone. Send resume to P.O. Box 191-M, Marion, Ky. 42064.

Homecoming Parade Entries

Crittenden County High School 2016 "Greek Week" Homecoming Parade will be Thursday, September 15 at 5 p.m., on Main Street. If you or your organization will have an entry, please contact Glenna Rich at the high school (270) 965-2248 or email glenna.hoeszle@crittenden.kyschools.us. The deadline to enter is September 9 at 3 p.m. All drivers must be 18, and no golf carts or ATV's will be allowed.

Area Deaths

Wayne Myers, 69, of Sullivan died Sunday. Gilbert Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Benita “Sue” Greenwell, 77, of Morganfield died Friday. Whitsell Funeral Home in Morganfield was in charge of arrangements.

24/7 Fitness Center in Marion

Hurricane Church Road closed next week

Hurricane Church Road in northern Crittenden County will close Monday and remain closed through Friday, Aug. 26 unless otherwise indicated. The closure is necessary for the replacement of a cross tile and road stabilization work, said Crittenden County Judge-Executive Perry Newcom.

Area Death

Muriel Wright, 100, of Marion died Wednesday. Gilbert Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Podcasts are back starting today

Follow Rocket football by listing to our podcasts with coach Al Starnes. The first-game preview is posted today:

Area Death

Diane DeBoe, 57, of Marion died Tuesday at her home. Lakeland Funeral Home in Eddyville is in charge of arrangements.

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

 

A call for a closer look at the City of Marion’s operations in the wake of the arrest and dismissal of former City Administrator Mark Bryant has received the go-ahead from elected officials, though not without some consternation. By agreeing to form an ad hoc committee to perform a citizen audit, Marion City Council on Monday seemed to appease a crowd of residents who first made their case at a special meeting last week to look deeper into city government for “instances of waste, fraud or abuse.”

For more on this story and the following headlines, see this week's copy of The Crittenden Press:

• HS student arrested after ‘blow it up’ comment on Facebook
• City council proposing lower tax rates
• BOE proposing drop in tax rate
• FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS: Start of school year great, but challenges lie ahead for district
• Promising deer season ahead, bodes well for Crittenden
• Input sought on Ky. deer management
• Local GOP numbers experience plateau
• Longtime engine repair shop closing
• Film directed by local graduate
• Salem to soon be down to one bank
• Zika virus threat low in Kentucky
• PSC OK’s KU plan to handle EPA regs
• Craft Academy welcomes Crittenden students
• Baker gets preview of UK med program
• FORGOTTEN PASSAGES: Cochran’s a landmark Marion business
• New panel indicts 4 on drug, theft charges
• Several felony cases heard in circuit court
• Teacher, CCHS Class of 1966 share bond as reunion nears

New part of WMA open for squirrels

John Zimmer, manager at Big Rivers Wildlife Management Area in northern Crittenden County and southern Union County, reminds hunters that the WMA will be open for squirrel hunting starting Saturday. That includes the new Jenkins-Rich Tract, which was recently purchased. 

The new property is heavily wooded and full of mast, said Zimmer. The new portion of the WMA lies southeast of Bells Mines Road and includes approximately 841 acres. 

To hunt small game on the WMA, outdoors enthusiasts need only a statewide hunting license. No WMA permit is required. 

For more information on the WMA, click here, for a recently updated map with the newly added property boundaries marked.

There are parking areas on the recently added Jenkins-Rich Tract, two off Bells Mines Road and one off Ky. 365. The property is named for the late Donan Jenkins and the late Ronnie Rich, both former employees of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources who served this area for many years.

Open House is Saturday in Marion

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Football preview next week!

Look ahead to the Rockets' 2016 campaign inside the next issue of The Crittenden Press. Our annual pigskin preview hits newsstands Wednesday afternoon and includes all you need to know about football in Crittenden County.

National bicycle route officially marked through county

FROM THE CRITTENDEN PRESS, JUNE 2
U.S. Bicycle Route 76, also known as the TransAmerica Trail, is now marked through Crittenden County and all of western Kentucky. 

Signs have been placed along the route in Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s District 1 and District 2 counties, including Crittenden and Webster.

Route 76 was established in 1976 as part of the country's bicentennial and is celebrating its 40th birthday this year. It was one of the first two U.S. Bicycle Routes established by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the same organization that certifies the United States Numbered Highways system that includes routes such as U.S. 60. The other original national bike route is Route 1, which runs north-south through the Atlantic coast states.

Transpiration Cabinet spokesman Keith Todd said a number of cyclists travel through the area along the route, mainly during the summer months.

“I regularly travel along sections of the bike route. During the summer months you’ll encounter cross-country bicyclists a couple of times a week,” Todd said. “They range from single bikers to groups of three to five generally with camping gear strapped to their bicycles.”

Todd said that motorists who regularly travel highways that carry Route 76 bikers should be prepared to encounter them and, share the road.

“The new signage may not immediately attract additional riders, but it will allow them to more easily travel the route without having to constantly check a map,” Todd said.

Locally, the Route follows Ky. 120 from the Crittenden-Webster County Line to Marion where it takes Ky. 91 North to the Cave In Rock Ferry to enter Illinois.

Marion Untied Methodist Church is a designated overnight spot for bikers, who get a warm shower and soft sofas to sleep on.

The TransAmerican Bike Race also follows this particular route through western Kentucky. That race starts in Oregon and ends in Virginia, passing through 10 states.

Hazardous weekend driving warned of

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is advising motorists to be prepared for hazardous driving conditions over the next several days in anticipation of heavy rain tonight through next Wednesday.

The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch for the region from 7 p.m. tonight to 7 a.m. Monday. Rainfall amounts are expected to be from 2 to 6 inches over much of Western Kentucky with totals running in the 4 to 8 inch range in counties along the Missippippi River and Ohio River.

The NWS Paducah Office indicates there is a possibility for flash flooding to damage roadways and cause washouts above and beyond what we have experienced during record rainfall during June and July. Motorists should be alert for debris washed onto roadways and of ponding water on driving surfaces. Special caution is required in flood prone areas.

Remember, Turn Around, Don’t Drown. As little as 6 inches of running water was sweep you off your feet and a foot of running water can push a vehicle off the roadway.  Do not use your cruise control when it is raining.

If you are traveling to the north and west into Missouri, Illinois and Indiana, please be aware those states have the potential for up to 10 inches of rain over the next 5 or 6 days.

Cooler temps could bring (more) flooding

The hot, muggy air should cool off a bit this weekend, but that's only because of a cold front that is expected to stall and dump torrents of rain across the Ohio Valley. In fact, a flash flood watch has been issued by the National Weather Service for Crittenden and several other river counties in multiple states. The watch runs from 7 a.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Monday, during which time as much as 6 inches of rain could fall.

The county is already appealing to FEMA for assistance related to $2 million in damage to local infrastructure from July flooding.

Area death

Rayburn E. Gobin, 83, of Providence died Wednesday. Melton Funeral Home in Providence is in charge of arrangements.

Fair Pageants Followup

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Fredonia Summer Festival begins tonight

Need something fun to do this weekend? Look no further than the Fredonia Summer Festival set for Saturday at Paul Riley Park.

Organizer Linda Bennett said several new events have been added to increase new excitement to the 52nd annual festival, which raises money for Lions Club-supported projects such as eye exams and eyeglasses for those who need but cannot afford them.

The largest new addition to the Summer Festival line-up is a bass fishing tournament.

There is a $30 registration due Friday night at Paul Riley Park for two-person teams and $20 for singles. Fish may be caught in any area lake or pond. The tournament offers a 70 percent payback with prizes also awarded for second- and third-place finishers. Additionally, contestants can choose to enter the biggest fish contest, which isn’t necessarily the heaviest fish. Entry is $10 with $100 prize money.

The contest has a two-fish limit and concludes with weigh-in at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Fredonia park.

Call Kenny Ford for details at (270) 625-1064. The fishing contest is sponsored by Security Seed Company.

Another addition to the events is a two-hour concert by the Fort Campbell Army Concert Band at 4 p.m. Saturday. In case of rain, the concert will be moved to Fredonia First Baptist Church Family Life Center.  Please bring lawn chairs.

Schedule of events
 
FRIDAY

• Fredonia Fire & Resuce will lead the parade route when it begins at 6:30 p.m. The parade kicks off the annual Fredonia Lions Club Summer Festival.
• Lakeland Cruisers will have a car show at 5 p.m. at Fredonia First Baptist before the parade and drive in the parade.

SATURDAY

• 9 a.m. women’s softball game
• 10 a.m.-7 p.m. inflatables for kids
• 10 a.m. pedal tractor pull
• 10 a.m. fish weigh-in
• 10:30 a.m. sack races
• 11 a.m. bingo
• 1 p.m. free throw contest
• 2 p.m. pet show
• 3 p.m. corn hole tournament
• 3:30 p.m. bingo and colored water balloon toss
• 4 p.m. two-hour concert by the Fort Campbell Army Concert Band.
• 5 p.m. washer pitch contest
• 6 p.m. music by local talent
• 7 p.m. music by Tom Peek
• All-day events include: face painting, games for kids, cake walk, silent auction, arts and crafts booths and a half/half drawing.
• Food sold throughout the day includes barbecue pork, chicken, burgers, hot dogs, homemade pies and cakes, cotton candy, snow cones, funnel cakes, popcorn and more.
• Big Raffle items are a gas grill, lawn mower, beach assortment and Y Flicker Scooter. Tickets are $2 each or 3 for $5.

Kentucky State Fair starts Thursday

­­­­The Kentucky State Fair will attract thousands of people to the Kentucky Exposition Center for its 112th running Aug. 18-28, and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture will be there to help keep the fair running smoothly.

“The state fair is a celebration of everything that is Kentucky,” Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles said. “But more than anything else, the state fair is a showcase for the very best of Kentucky agriculture. We are proud to do our part to make the 2016 Kentucky State Fair a success.”

Employees of the state veterinarian’s office will check the health papers of every animal that enters the fairgrounds to prevent a disease outbreak. Staff with the Division of Show and Fair Promotion will help conduct the livestock shows at the fair. Other KDA workers will oversee the crop and vegetable displays and the bees and honey exhibit. Inspectors with the Division of Regulation and Inspection will check the amusement rides on the midway to ensure that they are assembled and operating in accordance with the manufacturers’ specifications.

Commissioner Quarles will host the Commodity Appreciation Breakfast on Aug. 18 to open the fair. To commemorate the KDA’s Hunger Initiative, attendees are asked to bring canned goods that will be donated to local charities. The Hunger Initiative is an effort to examine the hunger problem in Kentucky and search for solutions.

Commissioner Quarles also will address the Kentucky Farm Bureau Country Ham Breakfast on Aug. 25. He is scheduled to crown the state champion in the Farm to School Junior Chef competition on Aug. 26 and attend livestock shows, public meetings, the Kentucky 4-H Foundation Breakfast, the Kentucky FFA Awards Program, the Sale of Champions, and other events. Commissioner Quarles will maintain an office in the West Hall during the fair.

The KDA’s West Hall display will feature Kentucky Proud Popcorn, a premium popcorn product produced by western Kentucky growers; the Kentucky Hunger Initiative; and the popular chick hatch. Across from the KDA display, the Kentucky Corn Growers Association will exhibit a car that runs on ethanol. A display for Homegrown By Heroes, the brand for Kentucky farm products produced by military veteran farmers, will appear outside the commissioner’s office.

The department, in partnership with the State Fire Commission, will host a display in the South Wing featuring the KDA’s rollover tractor simulator and Mobile Science Activity Center as well as a combine provided by Whayne Supply. The display will focus on farm safety and grain production. It will include a “scAvenGer hunt” in which participants answer questions about the display.

For more information about the 2016 Kentucky State Fair, including a full schedule of events, go to kystatefair.org.

KSP asking for assistance in Marshall theft investigation

The Kentucky State Police is asking the community for assistance in solving a theft of over $100,000 in equipment that occurred from a construction site located at the I-24/I-69 (Jackson Purchase Parkway) interchange between 3 P.M. on August 3, 2016 and 10 A.M on August 4, 2016.

Crews at this location returned to work early on August 4, 2016 to find several Trimble GPS receivers and control boxes stolen out of construction equipment located at the job site.

KSP is currently following all leads and is asking for information from anyone traveling in this area during the late hours of August 3, 2016 and the early hours of August 4, 2016 that may have seen something suspicious in the work zone or any vehicles parked along the side of I-24 or I-69 in this area during this time frame.

Travelers Insurance is also offering a reward of up to $4000 for information related to this theft.

Anyone with information related to this theft may contact Detective Cory Hamby at KSP Post 1, 270-856-3721.

Friends of Pollinators Weekend next week

Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park will host the Friends of Pollinators Weekend Aug. 19-21.

The weekend, co-sponsored by the Garden Club of Kentucky, features workshops on container gardens, native trees and shrubs, bees, rain gardens, photographing pollinators and creating a monarch waystation. The workshops begin Friday evening and run through Sunday morning.

For more details about the workshops, visit: http://parks.ky.gov/parks/resortparks/ky-dam-village.

The cost is $30 per person. Lodging packages are also available. Call 1-800-325-0146 to register.

Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park features a lodge, cottages, campground, golf course, marina, convention center and full-service restaurant.

Accident on US 60 East

First responders are on the scene of a single-vehicle injury accident six miles from Marion on US 60 East.

State police, Mattoon Volunteer Fire Department and EMS have responded.

Rockets set to scrimmage Friday

The Rockets will be in action Friday at Calloway County for a scrimmage set to begin at 6 p.m. This preseason game with the Lakers in Murray will serve as the one and only tune-up before the Rockets begin their season in earnest at Todd County Central on Friday, Aug. 19. The first game at Rocket Stadium will be Friday, Sept. 2 against McClean County.

For a full schedule and much more on the Rockets' upcoming season, pick up a copy of next week's issue of The Crittenden Press, which will feature our annual pigskin preview.

Call 811 before you dig: It's the law!

Did you know that, before you dig, it is required by law to call 811 to have all buried utility lines located and marked? Atmos Energy wants to thank homeowners and excavators alike for observing the law and keeping our communities safe by always calling 811 before digging.

Since 2008, Atmos Energy has seen a 36 percent increase in requests by the public to have underground natural gas lines marked. Once underground utility lines are marked, it is important to take special care around all line markings by digging by hand.

“The greatest risk to our natural gas pipelines is accidental damage while digging,” said Kevin Dobbs, vice president of Atmos Energy’s Kentucky/Mid-States division. “Even minor damage, such as a scrape, dent, or crease in a pipeline or its coating, can cause a leak.”

Every time the excavating public calls 811 before digging, the chance of hitting an underground utility line decreases to 99.9 percent. When calling 811, homeowners and contractors are connected to their local one-call center, which notifies the appropriate utility companies of their intent to dig.  Professional locators are then sent to the digging site to mark the locations of underground utility-owned lines with flags and spray paint, free of charge.

“Atmos Energy located 1.5 million underground natural gas lines in 2015. We appreciate our customers observing this important safety law. Calling 811 is the law in every state that we serve. All excavators call 811 at least two business days before digging on public or private property,” said Dobbs.

For more information, visit atmosenergy.com/811 or call811.org.

Area deaths

Lillian “Ruth” Nottingham Hill, 95, of Tell City, Ind., formerly of Marion, died Tuesday. Gilbert Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Michael Shane Doom, 46, of Marion, Ill., formerly of Marion, Ky., died Sunday. Myers Funeral Home in Marion is in charge of arrangements.

Schools sending home water to beat heat

On the first day of school in Crittenden County, bus riders will be offered a bottle of water to help beat today's heat on their way home from classes.

"The heat index was over 100 when we last checked, and our concern is student acclimation and idle buses," Superintendent Vince Clark said early this afternoon.

Children with extra-long rides will be particularly encouraged to take a bottle to keep hydrated and cool. The longest bus rides in the county can last 90 minutes.

Local Demon handed over to ‘ghouls’

Larry Maness (right) and his grandson David

FROM THE CRITTENDEN PRESS, JULY 28
Larry Maness is giving his grandson, 15-year-old David Maness, an old Chrysler for the boys’ first vehicle.

It hasn’t run since 1994, and David won’t see it again for three years.

Odd setup?

Not really. The Manesses are banking on a television show, “Graveyard Carz,” to restore the rig to its original luster.

“Graveyard Carz” is an automotive reality show currently airing on the Velocity Channel. It documents the work of a crew nicknamed "the ghouls" at show star Mark Workman's collision shop. The show digs into the background of each vehicle as it’s being brought back to life. Most of the cars on the show are Plymouths and Dodges from late 1960s and early 1970s.

Larry’s 1971 muscle car was a rare breed as soon as it rolled off the assembly line. At the time, he was a manager at the Fenton, Mo., Chrysler plant and through a stroke of luck was given an opportunity to buy it with fewer than 1,000 miles on the odometer.

This week, a transport company picked up the car and will be taking it to Springfield, Ore., where the so-called Mopar Morticians led by Workman will completely refurbish the Dodge Demon 340, turning it into what’s certain to be a collector’s item.

Larry’s son, Mike, did most of the work getting the producers to take on the project. The agreement is pretty complicated. The show will take about two years in completing the restoration, then it will put the rig on show tours for a year.

“It will be shown all over the West Coast,” Mike Maness said.

The cost will be split between the show’s producers and the Maness family.

“And we will have to make one TV appearance,” Mike added.

The TV show’s management was immediately interested in the vintage car because of its numerous options. The Maness clan says it could very well be the only one of its kind.

“It has a double-tag VIN number because it came with so many options,” Mike said.

Graveyard Carz is beginning its fifth season in October on the Velocity Channel, but Maness doesn’t look for his car to make the tube until next year or the following season.

Cutoff Road reopens at Lee Creek Bridge

KY 937/Cutoff Road in LIVINGSTON County has reopened to traffic at the Lee Creek Bridge just south of the US 60 intersection.  Kentucky Transportation Cabinent engineers have been working extra hours since Friday to get the roadway open in time for Livingston County schools go into session on Wednesday.

KY 937/Cutoff Road was closed Friday morning due to a substructure failure on the Lee Creek Bridge at mile point 0.874.  During an inspection, engineers found a severely damaged piling on the bridge.  They spent much of the day Friday developing a plan to get the highway opened to traffic as safely and as quickly as possible.

Jim Smith Contracting of Grand Rivers was able to place a temporary military-style bridge over the existing structure that has sufficient load capacity to carry school bus traffic.  Work to install the temporary structure has been completed in the last hour and the roadway Is open.

Motorists who plan to travel KY 937/Cutoff Road should be aware that the speed limit at the temporary bridge is reduced to 35 miles per hour.   A Transportation Cabinet crew will restrict traffic to one lane on the temporary bridge during the day on Wednesday to complete some additional finish work.

The closure of KY 937/Cutoff Road was especially critical since it serves as a detour for KY 453 which is closed for a culvert replacement project south of Smithland. Traffic is flowing on KY 937 at this time.

Timely traffic advisories for the 12 counties of KYTC Highway District 1 are available by going to www.facebook.com/kytcdistrict1. You do not have to be a Facebook member to access this page.

Back to school Day 1

School's back and so are traffic issues in the neighborhood.  

11 file for city council

It has been about 15 years since this many candidates have filed for city council. The deadline passed on Tuesday with 11 candidates seeking 6 at-large, non-partisan seats on the Marion City Council this November.

See this week's printed edition of The Crittenden Press to learn who filed. Newspapers will be at newsstands Wednesday at 1pm.

Fitness Center in Marion

Inspection could slow traffic on U.S. 41 twin bridges at Henderson

A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is conducting a detailed inspection of the US 41 Twin Bridges at Henderson starting this week.

To facilitate the inspection, the contractor is placing a daytime work zone lane restriction on the southbound bridge this week.  Southbound motorists should be alert for one lane traffic between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., CDT, Monday through Friday.  Climbers will be on the bridge earlier and later in the day without the need for lane restrictions.

The contractor will have work zone lane restrictions up for extended hours on the weekends to help complete the inspection as quickly as possible.

Once the southbound bridge inspection is completed, inspectors will be moving to the norhbound bridge.

The contractor will be using a snooper truck and a manlift to assist with the work.  Appropriate caution is required where equipment, flaggers, and maintenance personnel are along the roadway in close proximity to traffic flow.

The contractor anticipates the inspection of both bridges will take about two weeks to complete, weather permitting.

Timely traffic advisories for the 11 counties of KYTC Highway District 2 are available by going to www.facebook.com/kytcdistrict2. You do not have to be a Facebook member to access this page.

Paving starts on Cedar Grove Road Tuesday

A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans to close a section of KY 1433/Cedar Grove Road in Livingston County for asphalt paving starting Tuesday, August 9, 2016.

Paving along KY 1433/Cedar Grove Road runs from US 60 at mile point 0.0 in Burna extending to near the Cobb Road intersection at the 6 mile marker.  This is along the western section of KY 1433.

To speed the paving process and provide a smoother ride the roadway along this section will be closed at the paving site to allow full-width paving.  Access will be maintained for property owners on each side of the closure point.

Jim Smith Contracting is the prime contractor on this $405,522 highway improvement project.  Paving along this section of KY 1433 is expected to take about 4 days to complete, weather permitting.

City Council Filing Deadline

Deadline for filing to run for Marion City Council and Crittenden County School Board is Tuesday (tomorrow).

Anyone interested in seeking one of these non-partisan positions, must complete filing by close of business on Aug. 9.

The following seats are up for election in November. All are non-partisan positions:

SCHOOL BOARD
District 1 (current board member Bill Asbridge)
District 3 (current board member Chris Cook)
District 4 (current board member Pam Collins)

MARION CITY COUNCIL
All Six Seats Will be Filled
(current members, Jared Byford, Mike Byford, Donnie Arflack, Dwight Sherer, Darin Tabor, Junior Martin)

Special city council meeting today

Marion City Council will meet in special session this evening starting at 5 p.m.

Among the four items on its agenda is a "mayoral report on personnel."

Detailing and More...

Here's help registering your student

Area death

William Jake “Jakie” Koon, 75, of Marion died Thursday. Boyd Funeral Directors and Cremation Services in Salem is in charge of arrangements.

Sherril Lynn Hansen, 75, of Marion died Thursday. Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion is in charge of arrangements.

Another dump truck crash

The second dump truck crash of the day will likely keep traffic backed up on US 60 West until at least 3:30pm this afternoon. One lane is open and traffic is moving slowly through the area.

The crash happened at the intersection of Old Salem Road just west of the hospital. A dump truck hauling sand or rock dust apparently couldn't stop in time for traffic turning from US 60 onto the side road and overturned. Tons of sand spilled into the inspection.

The driver of the dump truck was conscious and alert but was taken to Crittenden Hospital by ambulance.

Another dump truck overturned into a creek on Ky. 365 near Baker Church earlier today. Recovery personnel were still at that site when this crash happened.

Cutoff Road Closed in Livingston

UPDATE: Transportation officials with the state are hoping the issue can be resolved by Wednesday when students go back to school.

ORIGINAL POST
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has closed state highway 937, locally known as the Cutoff Road, in Livingston County due to a damaged bridge.

During an inspection, engineers found a severely damaged piling on the Lee Creek Bridge at mile point 0.874 just south of the Ky. 937 intersection with US 60.

Engineers are evaluating the bridge at this time to work out a plan for emergency repairs, say Kentucky Transportation Cabinet spokesperson Keith Todd. However, those repairs could take several days perhaps longer.

The closure is especially critical since it serves as a detour for Ky. 453 which is currently closed for a culvert replacment project south of Smithland. KY 453 was expected to reopen in the next week. However, completion of the project has been held up while the contractor waits for AT&T and Windstream to move communications cables that are in the work area. Both AT&T and Windstream have known for several months that their cables would have to be moved to allow the project to be finished, Todd said in a news release.

Crash near Bake Church Road

Emergency personnel are responding to a single-vehicle accident on Ky. 365 near Baker Church Road.

Reports are that a vehicle has run off the roadway.

Over the past week, there have been numerous serious accidents on rural county roads.

Blessing of the Backpacks Sunday

As we near the start of a new school year, Sugar Grove Cumberland Presbyterian Church is excited to host "Blessing of the Backpacks" during this Sunday's service (Aug. 7).

Morning worship begins at 11 a.m., but we encourage you to attend Sunday School with us, as well, at 10 a.m.

The "Blessing of the Backpacks" will take place during morning worship time. Your child is encouraged to bring his or her backpack and wear it down front for a special prayer. If you are an older student and do not wish to bring your backpack, that's fine, too! Also, if you need a backpack, let us know that, as well.

Following church service, the middle/high Sunday School class will enjoy a time of food and fellowship together. If your student in grades 6-12 would like to attend, please message Sugar Grove Cumberland Presbyterian Church on Facebook.

No need to message or RSVP for the "Blessing of the Backpacks" during regular church service. All are welcome!

Let's all keep our students, staff, and parents in prayer for a great school year

Local filing deadline

Deadline for filing to run for Marion City Council and Crittenden County School Board is Tuesday.

Anyone interested in seeking one of these non-partisan positions, must complete filing by close of business on Aug. 9.

The following seats are up for election in November. All are non-partisan positions:

SCHOOL BOARD
District 1 (current board member Bill Asbridge)
District 3 (current board member Chris Cook)
District 4 (current board member Pam Collins)

MARION CITY COUNCIL
All Six Seats Will be Filled
(current members, Jared Byford, Mike Byford, Donnie Arflack, Dwight Sherer, Darin Tabor, Junior Martin)

Local Towing Company

Tree blocking north Livingston County traffic

Kentucky state highways 133 and 137 north of Salem in Livingston County are blocked by a downed tree near Berry's Ferry Landing.    

A large tree has fallen, taking down powerlines and blocking both lanes of travel between Salem and Berry's Ferry.   

The blockage is near the Ky. 133 (River Road) and Ky. 137 intersection on the Salem side of the Berry's Ferry area.

A utility crew is en route, say Kentucky transportation officials. Once the lines are cleared, Kentucky Transportation Cabinety personnel will remove the downed tree.

The roadway could block until late morning, say transportation officials.

Area death

Anna Michelle Belcher, 46, of Marion died Tuesday. Boyd Funeral Directors and Cremation Services is in charge of arrangements.

Bryant arraigned today in district court

A special prosecutor has been requested to handle the state's case against former Marion City Administrator Mark Bryant.

Bryant, 55, appearing alongside his attorney Don Thomas of Benton, entered not guilty pleas this morning in Crittenden District Court to felony charges of trafficking in synthetic drugs, promoting contraband and tampering with physical evidence.

Commonwealth Attorney Zac Greenwell has asked the court to bring in a special prosecutor for the case, which is expected to go before the grand jury on Sept. 8. A special prosecutor from outside the immediate area is typically deployed in such cases where public officials are accused of wrongdoing.

Kentucky State Police say the investigation into Bryant's alleged illegal dealings with jail inmates is continuing. See this week's printed edition of The Crittenden Press for details.

This week's Press is now available

This week's Crittenden Press printed edition is on newsstands.

There is plenty of news this week with late developments at the county fair and alleged wrongdoing at city hall.

Also in this week's Press our reporters examine what local police are doing for weapons training and our photographers have highlights of beauty pageants and Extension canning programs.

Pick up your copy at local groceries, pharmacies and convenience stores.

Pageant Pictures: Just Uploaded

Crittenden County Fair Pageant Photos

from Crittenden Press coverage of all events

Community Needs: Meeting this morning

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Glenn's on Main: Opening this Week

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Area Deaths

Natalie Jo Poindexter, 83, of the Sikeston, Mo., formerly of Marion, died Monday. Gilbert Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Preston Bledsoe, 81, of Fredonia died Sunday. Lakeland Funeral Home in Eddyville is in charge of arrangements.

Josephine "Jo" Gilland, 83, of Marion died Monday. Gilbert Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Anna “Katie” Crider, 87, of Marion died Tuesday. Gilbert Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Traffic Alert: Between Clay and Dixon

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans to close a section of Ky. 132 in Webster County Thursday and Friday of this week.

On Thursday, the highway will be closed at the 14-mile marker to allow a cross drain to be replaced.

On Friday, SR 132 will be closed at mile point 15.2 to allow a cross drain to be replaced.

This is along Ky. 132 between Nat Taylor Road and Lakeview Drive west of Dixon.

The roadway will close at approximately 6:30 a.m., each day. It is expected to reopen at approximately 2:30 p.m., each day.

There will be no marked detour. However, motorists may self-detour around these locations via Ky. 1340 and US 41-A to travel between Clay and Dixon.

Lions plan alternate attractions

Due to the carnival pulling out of the county fair's lineup for this week, organizers have decided on alternative attractions for Wednesday through Saturday night.

The Lions Club hosts the annual Crittenden County Fair which began last Friday and runs through Saturday of this week.

Club members say the carnival promoter failed to show up this week. Therefore, Lions members have decided to offer a number of other opportunities for children and families including multiple inflatables and a mechanical bull at the fairgrounds.

Lions say they are disappointed about the carnival not showing up as scheduled. However, they said the inflatables offer quality entertainment and there will be no additional cost beyond gate entry fee for anyone using them.

Carnival no show at county fair

Crittenden County Lions Club is scrambling today trying to replace the carnival on its schedule of county fair events this week.

The promotor who was scheduled to bring the Midway carnival rides to the fair has failed to show up. Lions Club members say they are working on a solution and hope to have an alternative for entertainment by Tuesday.

Bryant removed as city administrator

Marion Mayor Mickey Alexander has issued a statement on behalf of the City of Marion this morning. In part, it says Mark Bryant has been terminated as city administrator.

Bryant was charged last Thursday with three felonies (see previous post). Investigators say the charges were in response to alleged trafficking, involving drugs being smuggled into the Crittenden County Detention Center. Bryant was jailed last Thursday night then released Friday on bond.

Attempts to contact Bryant have been unsuccessful.

The mayor says he will soon appoint a temporary administrator.

See this week's printed edition of The Crittenden Press for more details.

County Fair Schedule

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