Almost forgotten hero restored to glory

This the stone after it was restored
and reset on a large base

SMITHLAND, Ky. – An interesting discovery was made in November 2024 in the Smithland Cemetery.  While filling in holes in the cemetery with a tractor, it was discovered, leaning up against a tree, a very old monument for Chaylon Gorden, a man who died in 1923 at the age of 43.  

Who was this man whose stone was carelessly propped up against a tree at the bottom of the hill? With the help of Livingston County cemetery historians, Wanda Trail and her son, Mark Trail, it was discovered that Chaylon Gorden was a hero in his day.

Newspaper archives revealed that in 1901 Chaylon and a friend, William Webb, were on the steamboat, the City of Golconda, which was headed to Paducah from Smithland when the boat sank in a storm just off Cottonwood Bar in the Ohio River.  As it turns out, Gorden, a 21-year-old Black man, and William Webb, another young Black man, rescued a White woman, the wife of the boat’s engineer, and her child from the sinking vessel.  Twelve or more drowned in the incident.  Among those who perished were passengers from Smithland, Paducah, Grahamville, and Evansville. The vessel included Smithland Cemetery committee member Billy Downs’ great-great uncle, Watts Davis, who was taking five head of cattle to market in Paducah.  

The Smithland Cemetery Committee felt Chaylon Gorden deserved better than to have his stone propped up against a tree.  Henry & Henry Monument Company of Marion picked up and cleaned his stone, then remounted it on a base. Henry & Henry delivered the restored monument to the Smithland Cemetery and replaced it on a concrete base, located as nearly as could be determined where Chaylon is buried. The cemetery association is grateful to Henry & Henry for its help in a very worthwhile historic restoration.  

The Smithland Cemetery is maintained solely by charitable, tax-deductible donations. 

This araticle was submitted by the Smithland Cemetery Committee
The article first appeared in the March 26, 2026 Crittenden Press

Murder trial ends abruptly with plea deal

MARION, Ky. – After more than four years of waiting, the Timothy Paris murder trial came to an unexpected and abrupt end Monday when a plea deal was reached midway through the proceedings.

Paris, 41, was accused of shooting his father during an argument in the winter of 2022.

What had been scheduled as a four-day trial concluded in less than two days, bringing a sudden close to a case that has drawn significant attention across the community.

For full details on how the case unfolded and what led to the agreement, see this week’s edition of The Crittenden Press. Visit our website to subscribe for full access.

Pictured is defendant Timothy Paris shaking hands with this attorney Richard Walls.
 

City council special meeting Tuesday

Marion City Council will hold a special called meeting at 5 p.m., Tuesday, March 31 at the Crittenden County Office Complex. The meeting was originally scheduled for Marion City Hall but has been relocated because of a trial underway at city hall.

Items on the agenda include confirmation of mayoral appointments to the Marion Planning & Zoning Commission, consideration of issuing a request for proposals for towing and vehicle storage services, and discussion of two resolution, one declaring certain city-owned property as surplus and another designating an agent to handle required documentation for disaster relief and emergency assistance funding.

Legislative Update | Sen. Jason Howell

With the end of the 2026 Regular Session in sight, work in Frankfort has entered a busy final stretch. These closing weeks often bring some of the most consequential conversations of the session, as legislation developed and debated over the past several months begins moving through the remaining stages of the process.

Three pieces of legislation I sponsored have made it to the governor’s desk for signature this week.

Senate Bill (SB) 5 makes it easier for Kentucky schools to buy fresh, local food by removing certain bidding rules and defining what counts as “Kentucky-grown.” It supports student health and boosts local farming. The bill allows school boards and districts to work more directly with in-state farmers to bring nutritious food into school meals. The measure supports student health, strengthens local agriculture and advances the broader Food is Medicine initiative led by Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell. The bill takes effect immediately upon its filing with the Kentucky Secretary of State’s Office. 

SB 73 lets small Kentucky producers make and sell tallow- and pork-based cosmetic products from home under state safety rules, thus supporting local entrepreneurship. It adds rules for farm-based poultry sales and further protects working livestock dogs. Local governments can collaborate with nonprofits to care for stray horses with liability protections, too.

SB 158 sets clear rules to protect consumers when buying optional financial products tied to vehicle purchases, such as debt cancellation or value protection plans. The bill ensures these products are optional, clearly disclosed and priced separately from loan interest. It prevents lenders or dealers from requiring consumers to purchase them as a condition of financing or a vehicle sale. The bill stipulates that vehicle value protection agreements are not insurance products and must be disclosed as such, applies enforcement under Kentucky’s Consumer Protection Act and establishes additional regulatory standards for these agreements. There is now a regulatory framework for credit personal property insurance, including limits on coverage, consumer disclosure requirements and oversight by the Department of Insurance. The legislation applies to new agreements beginning Jan. 1, 2027. 

Other bills are moving quickly between the House and Senate as lawmakers work through a wide range of policy issues before sending legislation to the governor for consideration. The volume and variety of proposals reflect the broad scope of issues the Kentucky General Assembly has taken up this year, from education and workforce initiatives to regulatory oversight, economic policy and public safety.

In even-numbered years, the General Assembly meets for 60 legislative days, and we are now approaching the final portion of that calendar. Over the coming days, legislation passed by both chambers will move through the governor’s review period, when bills may be signed into law, vetoed or allowed to become law without a signature.

Lawmakers will then return for the final legislative days of the session to consider any vetoes and complete the remaining work before adjourning sine die, and formally closing the 2026 session on April 15.

One major piece of unfinished business remains the state budget, which outlines Kentucky’s spending priorities for the next two fiscal years. Budget negotiations are continuing as lawmakers work to reach an

Murder trial continues today in Marion

MARION, Ky. – Testimony resumes this morning in Crittenden Circuit Court in the Timothy W. Paris murder trial at Marion City Hall.

Paris, 41, is charged with killing his 80-year-old father, Jerry Paris, on Feb. 28, 2022, at the elder Paris’ home off Blackburn Church Road in rural eastern Crittenden County. Investigators allege that Paris shot his father twice with a .41-caliber handgun during a confrontation at the residence. He has been held on a $1 million bond since his arrest.

A jury was seated Friday morning, and a number of witnesses testified for the prosecution in the afternoon, including law enforcement officers who responded to the scene after a 911 call from the victim’s other son, Eric Paris, who lives in Henderson.

A 911 recording made to Marion emergency dispatch was entered into evidence on the trial’s first day.

Testimony and recordings indicate that the defendant and his father had gotten into an altercation on the night before the fatal shooting. Both of Jerry Paris’ adult sons were at the Crittenden County home when it happened, along with a grandchild. The defendant had a shotgun in his hand during that initial encounter, according to testimony. 

After Timothy Paris and his father were separated, the defendant’s brother and his family returned home to Henderson. The next day, Eric Paris attempted to reach his father by phone, but his calls went unanswered. Shortly thereafter, testimony showed that the accused called his brother and admitted he had shot their father.

Former Crittenden County sheriff Wayne Agent testified that when he arrived at the scene and found the elder Paris dead, he also located Timothy Paris at a secondary residence near the victim’s home. The former sheriff testified that the defendant admitted to him that he shot his father.

The prosecution is expected to continue presenting its case this morning when the trial resumes at 8:30 a.m. Expected to testify today are the medical examiner and the case’s lead detective. 

The defense did not present an opening statement Friday, opting to defer until the start of its case after the prosecution rests.

Three days this week are set aside for trial.

C-PLANT | Monday NewsCast

 

LISTEN NOW

On Today's show with visit with Lee Conrad

to discuss a very uncomfortable yet urgent topic.

Conrad is outgoing chair of the

National Mental Health Alliance in Kentucky

and a Crittenden County native.

Marion flushing water system overnight

 

City of Marion will flush its drinking water distribution system beginning Sunday night, March 29, through early Friday morning, April 3, as part of routine maintenance and efforts to support water quality. 

Flushing will occur nightly from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. during that period. 

City officials said customers may experience temporary low water pressure and could notice discolored water during the process.

THURSDAY | LOCAL NewCAST

 

LISTEN NOW

News | Sports | More

LWK coming to Marion Thursday

MARION, Ky. – Crittenden County officials and business leaders will host Leadership West Kentucky for a daylong community and industry tour Thursday, March 26, beginning at Marion Methodist Church and traveling to multiple sites across Crittenden and Livingston counties.

The agenda includes stops at Riley Tool and Machine, the Marion-Crittenden County James C. Johnson Regional Airport, Fohs Hall and the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum, along with tours in Salem of the Crittenden Livingston Water District treatment plant and Pine Bluff Sand and Gravel’s Cumberland River Quarry. The day also features lunch and speakers at Deer Lakes Golf Course Clubhouse and will conclude with an afterhours gathering at The Wake Club at Lighthouse Landing in Grand Rivers.

Leadership West Kentucky is an affiliate of West Kentucky Regional Chamber Alliance (WKRCA), a formal alliance of chambers of commerce in 14 counties in far western Kentucky.  Its purpose is to provide a unified voice for local businesses in the region and to serve as a catalyst for regional leadership and action, bringing together resources for legislative, educational, infrastructure and economic development advocacy.

Member counties are Ballard, Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Christian, Crittenden, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Livingston, Lyon, McCracken, Marshall, and Trigg. Each year, applicants from every county apply to be part of the LWK tour.

City will host "Listening Sessioin"

City of Marion will host a public listening session on Thursday, April 9, at 6 p.m. at Marion City Hall, 217 South Main Street.

The session will serve as an open forum for residents and stakeholders to share ideas and proposals related to funding priorities and expenditures for the city’s 2026-27 fiscal year budget.

City Administrator Adam Ledford will host the meeting, which is intended to gather public input ahead of the upcoming budget process.

For more information, contact Marion City Hall at 270-965-2266.

Use-of-Force Training Simulator at Marion PD

Marion Police Department officer Rome Dickerson participates in a use-of-force training scenario using a video simulation system temporarily set up at Marion City Hall. The simulator projects life-size, interactive situations, ranging from traffic stops to active threats, allowing officers to make split-second decisions in a controlled environment. In this scenario, Dickerson responds to a hallway encounter involving a potentially armed suspect while a second individual lies on the ground, testing judgment, threat assessment and de-escalation skills.

Law enforcement agencies across the country increasingly use these immersive simulators to supplement live training, as they can replicate high-risk encounters without physical danger while tracking reaction time, accuracy and decision-making.

Consider Fohs Hall for your special event

Click Image to Enlarge

Planning a bridal shower, class reunion or special 

event? Consider holding that event at Fohs Hall.

Fohs Hall, a beautiful 100-year-old cultural arts 

center, is the area's premier special events venue. 

For rental information, contact Elliot West.

 

Lyon County Sheriff's Activity Report

Lyon County Sheriff’s deputies made several arrests over the past week, investigated a school assault and worked a two-vehicle crash at a busy intersection, according to a sheriff’s office media release.

Among the arrests, deputies on March 15 went to a Saratoga residence to serve an arrest warrant and took Caleb M. Wellborn, 30, of Eddyville into custody on a Lyon District Court bench warrant for failure to appear. While there, Sheriff Brent White identified Michael W. Reed, 47, of Calvert City, as being in violation of parole conditions. A vehicle search reportedly turned up marijuana, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Reed was charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance, second offense; possession of marijuana; and possession of drug paraphernalia. Both men were lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center.

At Lyon County High School on March 16, School Resource Officer Jason Young investigated a disturbance in a lobby area and determined a 14-year-old male student assaulted another student without provocation, according to the release. The incident led to a second altercation involving the same two students. Young charged the juvenile with fourth-degree assault. The student was removed from school and released to a parent.

Later that evening, Deputy Bobby Beeler stopped a vehicle on Chestnut Oak Road near Green Road and arrested Tonya M. Breaux, 65, of Kuttawa, on a Lyon Circuit Court bench warrant for probation violation on a felony offense. She also was charged with failure to wear a seat belt, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center.

On March 18, deputies served a complaint warrant on Brandon S. Ausherman, 35, of Eddyville, charging him with first-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and theft by deception, including cold checks. Authorities allege he passed counterfeit currency at businesses in Kuttawa and said he is accused of similar offenses in Christian County. He was lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center.

Also on March 18, deputies served a Warren District Court bench warrant on Jessie A. Pytko, 37, of Bowling Green, charging her with nonpayment of court costs, fees or fines. She faces extradition to Warren County.

On March 19, Deputy Josh Travis served a Lyon District Court bench warrant on Justice M. Cordova, 31, of Salem, charging her with nonpayment of court costs, fees or fines. She was lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center.

Deputies also investigated a two-vehicle, non-injury crash March 21 at the intersection of Ky. 93, Ky. 293 and Ky. 1055. According to the sheriff’s office, Dakota J. Shaw, 22, of Carrollton, Ga., was driving a 2014 GMC Sierra and failed to yield at a stop sign on Ky. 1055, pulling into the path of a northbound 2011 GMC Acadia driven by Eric S. Johnson, 60, of Eddyville. No injuries were reported. Kuttawa’s fire chief assisted at the scene.

 

Another bridge sees weight limit drop

Jackson School Rd. Bridge over Dry Branch

A second posted weight restriction in less than a week on a rural Crittenden County bridge is creating immediate concerns for local travel and transportation.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has ordered a 3-ton weight limit on the Jackson School Road bridge over Dry Fork Livingston Creek following a structural review of the bridge’s substructure.

The restriction effectively limits the bridge to passenger vehicles, preventing use by school buses, farm equipment, emergency vehicles and other heavy traffic.

The posting comes on the heels of a similar action late last week involving the Chapel Hill Road bridge over Crooked Creek, which was reduced to a 13-ton limit. That change has already forced adjustments to at least one Crittenden County Schools bus route, adding time and mileage for students.

Updated signage for both bridges is has been installed

The back-to-back restrictions are raising concerns about transportation impacts across the county, particularly in rural areas where alternate routes can be limited.

More details on both bridge postings and their local impact will be included in an upcoming edition of The Crittenden Press.

C-Plant | Local NEWScast

LISTEN NOW

News | Sports | More

Mobile home fire in Marion Friday night

 

A mobile home fire last night in Marion resulted in a total loss of one trailer and damage to another.

No one was home at the time the fire was reported, and no injuries were reported. An indoor animal died in the fire.

A neighboring mobile home sustained heat damage, with siding melted from the exterior, but no structural damage was reported.

Firefighters from Marion, Crittenden County and Salem responded to the blaze and were on the scene for almost three hours.

Weekly Legislative Report | Sen. Howell

By KY State Senator Jason Howell

Before I get into my legislative update, know that I’m deeply saddened to learn of the loss of Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, a proud Kentuckian from Bardstown who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country overseas.

At just 34 years old, Pruitt exemplified the courage and dedication of our armed forces. Pruitt was among six airmen killed on March 12 when a KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq during a mission supporting Operation Epic Fury.

Her sacrifice is a solemn reminder that our freedoms are protected by those willing to serve in harm’s way. We extend our heartfelt prayers and deepest condolences to her family, fellow airmen, Bardstown and Nelson County.

Budget process

The Senate passed a balanced and responsible state budget that protects taxpayers, strengthens essential services and positions Kentucky for long-term stability. The plan avoids using one-time dollars to fund ongoing expenses, maintains strong reserves and continues the work of reducing long-term liabilities such as pensions and retiree health costs. At the same time, it allows us to make targeted investments in the services Kentuckians rely on every day.

The budget resides in four bills.

House Bill (HB) 500 establishes a balanced two-year state budget focused on fiscal stability and key investments. It fully funds pension and health obligations, maintains about $3.9 billion in reserves and includes spending controls. The plan sustains education funding, supports universities and school safety, preserves Medicaid services, expands behavioral health care. It also invests in infrastructure, disaster response and economic development projects such as nuclear energy.

HB 503 largely maintains the House proposal while ensuring the General Assembly has the resources to carry out its duties. It includes 2 percent annual salary increases for legislative staff and funds a salary study to evaluate compensation, supporting long-term workforce planning in the judicial branch.

HB 504 maintains core judicial funding while improving efficiency and flexibility. It includes 2 percent annual raises for judicial employees, fully funds judgeships created in 2022 and provides $1 million annually for county support services. The bill also refines expense reductions, supports key facility projects, pauses new courthouse construction and increases oversight of capital projects.

HB 900 allows one-time strategic investments from the state’s budget reserve trust fund while maintaining strong reserves. It funds targeted infrastructure, economic development and emergency response projects and separates these expenditures from the operating budget to promote disciplined use of surplus funds.

With the Senate’s changes now before the House of Representatives, lawmakers from both chambers will continue working together to finalize a two-year budget that meets the needs of Kentuckians while protecting the commonwealth’s long-term financial health.

HB 1 veto

Both chambers quickly overrode the governor’s veto of HB 1, which made it Kentucky law. This

ROUTE CHANGE | BRIDGE WEIGHT REDUCTION

The illustration is a file photo
from when work was going on
to rebuild the bridge in late 2023.

A state-ordered weight reduction on the Chapel Hill Road bridge over Crooked Creek is forcing immediate changes for school transportation and could create problems for farmers, emergency responders and other large vehicles in that area of Crittenden County.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials on March 18 ordered the bridge posted at 13 tons for all vehicles because of the load rating of the superstructure, according to a cabinet memo provided to local officials.

Crittenden County Judge-Executive Perry Newcom said the bridge had previously been posted at 18 tons. He said the structure was rebuilt just over 2 years ago in the winter of 2023 by Crown Paving under specifications approved by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, but a newer approach to inspecting abutments and the standards they must meet appears to have factored into the latest review and lower weight limit.

The county expects signs reflecting the new limit to be installed right away.

Crittenden County Schools Transportation Director Wayne Winters said the change will affect at least one bus route because loaded school buses weigh about 17 tons and will no longer be able to cross the bridge. Winters said the revised route will require the bus to travel to Crayne, back to Earl Patmore Road and then back to Crayne, adding both time and mileage.

The restriction also means heavy farm equipment, fire trucks and many larger service vehicles will be unable to use the bridge.

The bridge is near the Marion City Limits in front of the city's water treatment plant. 

Genetic breakthrough could boost trophy KY bass

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife researchers say they have identified genetic markers tied to bigger native largemouth bass, a finding they believe could eventually help improve trophy bass potential in public waters across the state.

The discovery comes through the agency’s Thoroughbred Bass Program, a long-term effort aimed at selectively breeding Kentucky largemouth bass that carry those markers and stocking their offspring in lakes and other public waters.

Biologists in the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources’ Fisheries Division worked with the Center for Aquaculture Technologies on the study. According to the agency, the work marks a significant step in a decades-long challenge of trying to improve largemouth bass size potential in colder climates without relying on non-native fish.

“For more than 50 years, biologists have been trying to increase the size potential of largemouth bass,” Fisheries Division biologist Adam Martin said in a release. “In many states to our south, that effort involves stocking non-native Florida bass or first generation (F1) hybrids. Stocking Florida bass has increased bass size in many lakes in warmer climates, but despite other attempts, it hasn’t worked so far in areas colder than southern Tennessee.”

Martin said more northern states such as Kentucky have not had strong options for improving genetics until now.

The research involved a genome-wide association study using whole-genome sequencing. Fisheries staff collected fin clips from 300 largemouth bass from waters across Kentucky, including 150 fish weighing more than 5 pounds from 30 lakes and 150 slower-growing bass under 3.5 pounds taken from the same lakes. Officials said all samples were confirmed as pure largemouth bass before sequencing began.

Researchers then examined more than 3 million genetic markers per fish to identify markers commonly found in trophy bass but rare in smaller fish.

State officials said the findings now give biologists a way to screen broodfish for both genetic purity and desirable growth traits. Fish carrying the strongest combination of markers could then be bred in hatcheries, with their offspring eventually stocked into public waters.

Over time, those selectively bred fish could reproduce with wild bass and gradually spread the desired growth genetics through wild populations, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife said. The state plans to market fish produced through that effort under the name “Thoroughbred Bass.”

“This process is very similar to the traditional selective breeding programs used in agriculture for millennia,” Fisheries Division Assistant Director Jeff Ross said. “The only difference is that we are using genetic markers to pick which fish to breed. Most importantly, we can use bass caught right here in Kentucky - which preserves local adaptation and genetic integrity.”

Agency leaders said the program is intended as a long-term, science-based investment in Kentucky’s bass fisheries.

“The Thoroughbred Bass Program represents a science-driven, sustainable investment in Kentucky’s bass fisheries,” Fisheries Division Director Dave Dreves said. “By combining advanced genetics with traditional hatchery practices, we are working to ensure that future generations of anglers have the opportunity to continue to catch exceptional bass in Kentucky waters.”

Officials also said the program could help offset the effects of angling pressure, which some research suggests can influence fish genetics by disproportionately removing larger or more aggressive bass from a population. Introducing more fish with genetics tied to larger size could help strengthen those fisheries over time.

Despite the breakthrough, anglers will have to wait at least another year before the first selectively bred fish are produced.

Martin said the first production of Thoroughbred Bass had been anticipated for 2026, but the department is still waiting on manufacture of the screening panel needed to identify trophy markers in broodfish. Because bass spawn only once each year, that delay means the state will likely miss this year’s breeding window.

Biologists will instead spend the spring and summer collecting and testing hundreds of wild largemouth bass to prepare for 2027 production, according to the department. Additional trophy bass from around the state also will be tested to further verify the markers and determine which ones are most important.

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife said more information is available in the Thoroughbred Bass Program interim progress report posted on its website.

SBDM meeting today is cancelled

 Today’s CCHS SBDM council meeting has been cancelled. 

A special called SBDM meeting will be held Monday at 5pm in the CCHS library.