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Duct work is going to be run into the courthouse through the front door, so that warm air can circulate throughout the building's hallways, offices and courtrooms.
Front sidewalks will be closed off with appropriate signage.
This temporary heating system belongs to the Crittenden County Rescue Squad and is being deployed to eliminate continued use of multiple space heaters in the courthouse. As we reported in last week's full edition of The Crittenden Press, the courthouse is without heat because a new boiler, which was approved for purchase in June, has yet to be completely installed.
County Judge-Executive Perry Newcom said the contractor installing the new boiler system expects to be finished by Monday. At that point, the temporary heating device can be removed.
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The highway is closed near the intersection with Crittenden Springs Road (KY 1668).
There were apparently no serious injuries in the wreck, but towing companies will have to get the site cleared before the highway can reopen.
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The Salem Christmas Parade has been rescheduled because of the chance of rain on Saturday.
The parade will now be held on December 17.
Its theme is National Lampoon Christmas.
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Also, find out what's creating shivers at the courthouse. Although the building is scheduled to be torn down soon, there's a need for a new heating system.
County government is considering a new solid waste ordinance that could remove competition in commercial trash collection. Right now, businesses can shop around for their trash pickup and dumpster service, but this proposal would change all that. See this week's newspaper for details.
Find out in this week's Press why a magistrate has resigned.
Fohs Hall has some big events coming up, including a very popular area syphoned.
What's going on with local restaurant sales? We take a look at the data.
Also, in this week's full edition you can get caught up on plenty of other local news and get the rifle deer harvest totals, which continues to puzzle local gunners.
The Crittenden Press is your primary source of news and information for this community. We’re proud to serve our community and we take great pride in bringing you real news, sports reporting and other information that helps you know what’s going on in town and across the county. Help ensure that real reporting continues in this community by subscribing today. You can subscribe online to the full version of the newspaper for only $2.95 a month. Try our new e-Edition newspaper emailed straight to your inbox every Wednesday. Click here to subscribe.
Copyright 2022
The Crittenden Press
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Kentucky Department of Revenue (DOR) has set the maximum homestead exemption at $46,350 for the 2023 and 2024 tax periods. By statute, the amount of the homestead exemption is recalculated every two years to adjust for inflation. The 2023-2024 exemption reflects a $5,850 increase over the 2021–2022 exemption of $40,500.
To qualify for the homestead exemption, a person must be at least 65 years old during the tax period or classified as totally disabled by any public or private retirement system. The property must also be owned, occupied and maintained as the taxpayer’s personal residence on the January 1 assessment date to be eligible for this exemption.
“The last two years have presented many challenges, as together we have faced a worldwide health pandemic and endured two major natural disasters,” Gov. Andy Beshear said. “The tax savings available
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| Click Here for eVersion |
It is available in print at participating locations in Marion.
Rifle Deer Season is in full swing. Grab a copy at one of our participating location, or check out this electronic issue to get all of the news about local hunting opportunities.
On the cover is Fredonia trophy hunter Kevin Chambliss with his 2021 buck that won the Marion Big Buck Contest sponsored by Marion Tourism and Recreation Commission and Hodge's Outdoor Sports.
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Pictured are Rocket football coach Gaige Courtney, CCHS Principal Dr. Melissa Quertermous and CCHS Athletic Director Bryan Qualls with a plaque presented to the school last weekend.
Read more about this honor and why CCHS earned it in next week's full edition of The Crittenden Press.
Highway 60 in Salem was closed for about three hours overnight as firemen worked to put out a blaze that erupted at workshop.
The highway through Salem reopened about 4 a.m., but water from fire trucks had frozen on the pavement making it slick. Caution is urged in that location on the east edge of Salem near the hospital.
Crittenden County Chamber of Commerce will host one of its routine Leadership Breakfast events staring at 7 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 16 at Rocket Arena.
The event is being sponsored by H&H Home and Hardware and local educator and former U.S. Army Ranger Denis Hodge will be the guest speaker.
Tickets are $15 per person.
Hunters are pouring into the county, which is one of the top destinations for deer gunners in Kentucky.
This week's full edition of The Crittenden Press examines some trends in deer hunting and recent harvest data, and we take a look at what outdoorsmen can expect this weekend when they take to the field.
Grab this week's Press at newsstands in Marion, Salem and Fredonia. And good luck finding a big buck!
Crittenden Elementary School students will be performing songs, the CCHS band will perform and student artwork from each school will be displayed. Additionally, VFW representatives will be on hand to announce winners of the annual Patriot Pen essay contest.
The event is open to the public.
Also, Fredonia will mark the day at 11:11am at its Veterans Memorial. Bring a lawn chair to enjoy the service.
Crittenden County has 542 veterans living this community, according to the U.S. Census.
Thank you for serving and God bless America!
Percent of Crittenden residents that are veterans: 7.8% (542 veterans)
Living Veterans by war based on 2020 Census:
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Crittenden County Board of Elections has investigated a complaint filed this morning against a local candidate, but no infraction was found.
Election officials were notified that Don Young, the Democratic candidate for sheriff, was in the parking lot of Deer Creek Church doing excavation work that was reportedly contracted recently to his construction business. Deer Creek Church is an official polling place.
Members of the local election board, county clerk and sheriff have investigated the complaint.
In Kentucky, electioneering is prohibited within 100 feet from a polling place. Officials measured the distance Young and another crew member and their equipment were from the front door of the polling place. It measured about 140 feet. The equipment did not have the candidate's name on it.
Young is running against Republican candidate Evan Head, who lives not too far from Deer Creek Church.
Donna Girten, chairman of the Crittenden County Republican Party, said that a formal complaint was also filed with the Kentucky Attorney General’s Voter Fraud and Integrity Hotline. While Girten concedes that the candidate is outside of the 100-foot distance required by law, she says it’s a questionable situation.
“He may very well be within the range of legalities, but that doesn’t make it right or ethical,” Girten said.
"It's kind of weird," said City Water Plant Manager Jeff Black, who points out that last weekend's precipitation totaled about one-half inch in the gauge outside of the treatment plant. He said it didn't seem to rain that much, but runoff from the lake's nearly-2,000-acre watershed helped fill it up.
Old City Lake, where Marion is getting almost all of its raw water these days, has risen to near the top of the dam.
"It's almost spilling over," Black said.
When the old lake spills over the dam, it's great news for Marion residents. That means there is ample supply of raw water in the system.
Right now, Marion is getting about two-thirds of its daily drinking water from Crittenden-Livingston Water District. The city is making the rest at its plant, which is only running a few days a week.
Crittenden County's PVA office will be closing at noon today, Tuesday, No. 8.
ELECTION DAY - Polls are open 6am to 6pm
If you have questions about the upcoming election, call the clerk’s office at 270-965-3403.
After the polls close, Crittenden County Courthouse will be open until final totals are reported.
The Crittenden Press will be reporting from the courthouse with a live feed on YouTube and Facebook starting about 6 pm.
Crittenden County will have a daytime closing of Zion Cemetery Road in the western part of the county beginning Monday, Nov. 14 and lasting through Friday Nov. 18.
The five-day road closure will be from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., daily and will be necessary for repair work to the road beginning at the Livingston County line for approximately two miles back toward Levias Road.
Due to the size of the equipment being used for this repair it will not allow for passing vehicles during the work day.
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Are you tired of paying higher prices and waiting longer for the traditional printed edition of the newspaper to arrive in your mailbox? Now, you can SAVE money and get The Press on time every week. We will email it to you. Postage costs are going up again in a few weeks. Chances are newspapers will have to raise subscription rates again. Get on the eEdition list now. Go Here to Subscribe or email information@the-press.com to convert from print to eEdition
Crittenden County first responders have been summoned to an injury accident on US 60 West near Union Baptist Church.
Crittenden and Salem first responders are on the scene shortly after 2:30pm Sunday.
The accident involved multiple individuals, but none appeared to be seriously injured.
Additionally, there was a wildfire at the same time on KY 120 about a mile east of Marion. The fire had reached a field with standing corn, so additional firemen were dispatched to the scene.
Crittenden County Judge-Executive Perry Newcom announced Saturday that recent rains have provide sufficient moisture to allow the county's burn ban to be lifted, effectively immediately.
Although the burn ban is lifted, the state wildfire season restrictions remain in effect, which prohibits burning during daylight hours from 6 a.m., to 6 p.m. Burning can be done at night.
Set your clocks back one hour before going to bed Saturday night.
Daylight Saving Time will be gone until March 12.
Crittenden Press editor and publisher Chris Evans spoke Thursday night in
Lexington to professional journalists from across Kentucky as part of the
annual Al Smith Dinner and Award Presentation.
BY AL CROSS FOR KENTUCKY TODAY
LEXINGTON, Ky. - The loss of community newspapers "has left our country ripe for an invasion of mistruth," and the remaining newspapers must adapt to the digital age to survive, an innovative weekly editor-publisher told an audience of journalists and their supporters Thursday night.
Evans recalled a statement attributed to World War II Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto: "You cannot invade [the] mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass."
"We are losing community newspapers, one blade of grass at a time," Evans said. "Losing those town criers has left our country ripe for an invasion of mistruth. Study after study has found that the most trusted media are local.
“Forces that are eroding national trust in media can be blamed on two things. One is that blurred line between commentary and news, and No. 2 is that there is a decline in rural journalism. Myths are finding a foothold in our society because there isn't a journalist in every county and every parish in the country. There's not a journalist behind every blade... READ MORE.
Crittenden County Schools will by closed Friday. The school district issued the following notice at 12:30pm today.
Due to rapidly falling attendance numbers from widespread illness among staff and students, we are canceling school on Friday, Nov. 4, and Monday, Nov. 7. Friday will be a non-school day. Monday will be an NTI day, with students working from home on assignments that will be sent home today.
Because it is a KHSAA-scheduled playoff game, Friday night's football game will still be played. We urge everyone who is sick, however, to please stay home to help prevent the spread of further illness.
Our custodians will deep clean all buildings during this time to further mitigate the spread of sickness. We hope our Rockets are feeling better soon and look forward to seeing everyone back on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
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Livingston County lifted its countywide burn ban early this week, but Crittenden County’s burn ban remains in effect.
The state wildfire season is also underway which makes it unlawful, even in Livingston County, to burn within 150 feet of a brushland or woodland during daylight hours from 6 a.m., to 6 p.m.
In Crittenden County, under the current burn ban, open fires are prohibited at any time, any where.
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Updated twice with additional details: Last 12:17pm
There was a fatal automobile crash west of Salem on US 60 late last night, according to Livingston County 911 Dispatch which reported the highway was blocked for several hours.
The crash involved a tractor-trailer hauling a large dump truck known as a "Yuke" and another passenger vehicle. It occurred at about 7:45pm.
According to the accident report, a mini van traveling west driven by LaDonna Baker, 47, of Smithland sideswiped cargo being hauled by the tractor-trailer and crashed. The tractor-trailer traveled a bit farther down the road until it was safe to stop. The truck was hauling a large rock truck from the nearby quarry, investigators said.
Baker was pronounced deceased at the scene by the county coroner.
The crash remains under investigation by Livingston County Deputy Bobby Beeler. Commercial Vehicle Enforcement and Deputy Donald Crawford were also involved in the investigation.
The wreck was near Old Salem Church Road and Victory Auto Sales.