Museum rich with history

As June approaches the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum in Marion, Ky., is gearing up for its third annual mineral show and dig.

If you haven't taken the time to visit the museum, you're missing out on a real treat.

The museum, located next to Fohs Hall in downtown Marion, is home to the world's largest collection of fluorite samples. Now that might not sound too interesting to the average Reality TV Show fan, but in fact it's quite intriguing. The museum displays its collection in gripping fashion with the use of fascinating lighting schemes. The region's storied mining history is also on display at the museum, which is named for the late Ben E. Clement, one of the country's foremost geologists in the early 20th century.

The county's rich fluorspar mining history is traced through documents, journals, displays and old machinery exhibited inside and outside the museum. Crittenden County is believed to be the first place in Kentucky where fluorspar was mined.

Tina Walker, manager of the museum, sent us a copy of a letter to the editor that a couple of visitors submitted to the Madisonville Messenger newspaper recently. Don and June Greenfield of Madisonville wrote, "there is a rare treasure in Marion in nearby Crittenden County. Rock formations more beautiful than I have ever seen anywhere are on display."

Walker was proud of the reaction from those visitors, but not surprised. Virtually everyone who views the collection of crystals and rocks is amazed at their beauty.

Later this summer, on June 7-8, the museum will host its big show and dig. The digs are especially attractive to rock hounds who come in from all across the country to scratch and scrape around on area farms in search of interesting specimens. They find dozens of beautiful rocks because this part of the country is known for its abundance of unique crystals and minerals.

For more online about the mineral museum go to MarionKentucky.US/ClementMineralMuseum.

Or check out this brief video footage at The Crittenden Press' YouTube Channel.

Bad news for UK

Kentucky football wide receiver DeMoreo Ford ruptured the patella tendon in his knee during practice on Saturday and could miss the 2008 season, the Associated Press reported this morning.

That's especially disheartening for UK fans because Ford was certain to have a banner year this fall.

Ford, a junior, will have surgery to repair the injury this week. In his career, For has made 20 receptions for 236 yards and two touchdowns. He played his high school football for former Crittenden County head coach Steve Pardue, who now coaches at LaGrange, Ga.

Obituaries: Update

Bobby Raymond Clark, 54, of Marion died Saturday, March 29, 2008 at his home. Clark was a member of the Mattoon Volunteer Fire Department.

Survivors include his wife, Wanda Clark of Marion; stepmother, Teresa Clark of Marion; a son, Bobby Clark Jr. of Marion; two daughters, Samantha Hayes and Sheena Lane, both of Marion; and six grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Juanita Clark.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m., Wednesday, April 2 at Gilbert Funeral Home with Rev. Tom Easley and Rev. David Davis officiating. Burial will be at Crowell Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5-9 p.m., Tuesday.

Condolences may be offered online at http://www.gilbertfunerals.com/.

Barbara Rhea Guess Easley, 55, of Marion died Saturday, March 29, 2008 at her home. She was a member of Cave Springs Baptist Church.

Survivors include her husband, Jackie Easley; her parents, Lonnie and Helen Travis of Eddyville and Jewel and Carol Pugh of Marion; two sons, Tony Floyd and wife Kim Of Marion and Kevin Floyd and wife Tiffany of Princeton, Ind.; a daughter, Angela Crowell of Sturgis; stepsons, Jackie Easley Jr. and wife Christina of Hartford, Steven Easley of Cincinnati; a brother, Kent Martin and wife Phyllis of Marion; and a sister, Shannon Williams and husband Steve of Stillwater, Tex.; four grandchildren and four step-grandchildren.

Easley was preceded in death by her grandparents, Elvas And Marie Guess; and an uncle, Ricky Guess.

Funeral services will be at 1 p.m., Monday, March 31 at Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion with Rev. Heath Martin officiating. Burial will be at Asbridge Cemetery.

Visitation is today from 5-9 p.m., at the funeral home.

Condolences may be offered online at http://www.gilbertfunerals.com/.

Coffee Break

As promised, I've got a bit more about the Coffee Shop in Marion being closed for renovations.

We visited with co-owner Kory Wheeler Saturday and she tells The Press Online that the renovation will be done in two phases. The first phase will not really be noticed by customers, other than it's prompting the temporary shutdown. The Main Street restaurant will be closed for another couple of weeks and when it re-opens the kitchen area will be like new.

They are taking out the old concrete floor, replacing it and adding all new cooking equipment and walls. The seating area will get its own facelift in June and Korey and Bill Wheeler are also renovating the upstairs at that point, where banquets and meetings can be held.

While the Coffee Shop is undergoing its renovation, the Wheelers invite everyone to the Front Porch, their restaurant on the south end of town. Its open daily, except for Wednesday.

Here's a little teaser for next week's Coffee Shop blog ... Watch for a new moniker, too!

Biker turf war

It seems as though big brother has his panties in a wad.

Sturgis, S.D., Chamber of Commerce is suing Sturgis, Ky., over the little western Kentucky town's motorcycle rally held each July since 1993. The South Dakota Chamber started holding a much larger and wider known motorcycle rally in 1938 and apparently holds a trademark on the name.

So now, big Sturgis has filed a federal lawsuit in South Dakota accusing Sturgis, Ky., of stepping on its protected turf. It seeks to stop "little" Sturgis from using the name.

So what's Sturgis, Ky., to do? Change the name of the town?

I think Sturgis Bike Week's Web site said it best, "The Sturgis (S.D.) Chamber of Commerce has finally hit rock bottom. Like an alcoholic drinking Aqua Velva filtered through a baby’s diaper, they can’t go any lower. The entirely NON-BIKER Chamber Board of Directors filed a federal lawsuit this week accusing Sturgis Kentucky of infringing on their trademarks." Those comments were issued by the corporation that owns the name to Sturgis Bike Week which makes all of the licensed apparel for the South Dakota event.

Even the town of Sturgis, S.D., appears to be miffed at the provocation of a biker turf war. It issued a statement late last week making it clear that the town has no part in the lawsuit. It's the Chamber of Commerce that's pitting biker brother and biker brother. The group is asking the U.S. District Court in South Dakota to hear the case and it also wants monetary damages.

It doesn't appear that the lawsuit will affect this year's rally in Sturgis, Ky., set for July 17-20.

Stay tuned for this one; it could get ugly.

Hillary coming to Madisonville

Presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton will be in Madisonville Saturday, an early visit to Kentucky ahead of the May 20 primary election.

Clinton will also be in Louisville Saturday.

The candidate, in a tight race but slightly trailing Barack Obama in balloting, is drawing a lot of support in Hopkins County.

She will speak at the Ruby Laffoon Dinner, named for a Madisonville native who served as Kentucky governor in the early to mid-1930s. The event generally draws a few hundred people, but organizers think about 3,500 will attend now that Clinton is on the dance card.

Clinton campaign officials say she will handily carry Kentucky.

Recent deaths

Here are some recent deaths since The Crittenden Press was published this week. For more information, contact the appropriate funeral homes. Their phone numbers are at The Press Online's obituary page.

Eloise McDonald, 87, of San Bernardiino, Calif., formerly of Livingston County, died March 22, 2008 at County Villa Hacinda Nursing Home in San Bernardino.

Ovella Doom Perryman, 85, of Marion died Wednesday. March 26, 2008 at Crittenden Hospital. Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion is in charge of arrangements.

Q&A with Dycusburg historian

Matthew T. Patton informs us that his Dycusburg book continues to remain popular. Who would have thought that the tiny town in Southern Crittenden County on the Cumberland River was so rich in history and genealogy?

Patton is selling the book for $50 until April 1 (it's originally price at $75), and encourages those interested in the book to e-mail him at matthewtpatton@yahoo.com. We sold them here at The Crittenden Press a few years back, and we could barely keep them. It's not surprising, then, that Patton's on his sixth printing and has sold hundreds of copies. Here's a Q&A with Patton about the book and his interest in the county's (primarly Dycusburg and Frances) history.

The Press Online (CP): What got you started on history and genealogy?
Patton (P): When I was younger, my brother was assigned a family genealogy project under Eric LaRue, his English teacher. I was a few grades behind my brother, but once he started, I was more interested than he was. I found a yellowed piece of paper that my great-grandfather, Ollie Guy Patton, had written about our family. On it, he told where my family came from (Laurel Co., Ky.) to Crittenden County. They moved to the county around 1878, settling on the Cumberland near Paddy's Bluff. The rest, they say, is literally history.

CP: Naturally, when you're studying family history, you start taking an interest in towns, right?
P: Absolutely. Because the majority of my family lived near Dycusburg and Frances, I began to learn, through historical osmosis, about those towns. Fortunately, too, many people had blazed the trails for me along the way, like Brenda Underdown, Fay Carol Crider, Doyle G Polk Jr., and Brenda Joyce-Jerome. Many, many others helped me along the way, and their names are listed in the front of the Dycusburg book.

CP: What's the story behind the Dycusburg book?
P: It's actually great how the whole thing came about. I was three credit hours short of graduating a semester early at the University of Kentucky. I approached my journalism professors and advisers and asked if I could write a book as an independent study course. They absolutely loved the idea and I worked on the book the entire semester. I really, really did not know how popular the book would turn out to be.

CP: What's the most interesting thing you've learned about Dycusburg?
P: I continue to stress that Dycusburg was indeed a great little town ... and it still is. I maintain http://www.dycusburg.com/, which is now in a blog format on the whole, and I try to convey that message. The most interesting thing is hard to pinpoint, but I guess the saddest part is if the three massive fires didn't happen (the worst in 1906 and 1908), the city would be much bigger than it is now. It's still a loving little community ... and hopefully one that you'll see become even nicer and cleaner within the next few years.

CP: So why should folks buy your book?
P: Never before has a more comprehensive book about the town been published. I have received so many notes from people through the years telling me they never knew how much history Dycusburg had! I really love talking with people and meeting people who have ties to Dycusburg. In the more than 500 I've sold, I've never had a complaint about the book. People genuinely love it.

CP: Tell us about the Dycusburg Veteran's Memorial.
P: This summer, a group called the Dycusburg Community Foundation will be erecting a veteran's memorial at Dycusburg in honor of those who have served our country in times of war ... both living and for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. We still have a ways to go to raise money for the marker. Go here for more information.

(Editor's Note: To learn more about Dycusburg, visit http://www.dycusburg.com/. E-mail Patton at matthewtpatton@yahoo.com to reserve a copy of the book.)

Bang, bang dead beaters

Illinois is taking aim at dead-beat dads like a hunter draws down on a 10-point buck.

Bang!

What a novel idea. Illinois officials have figured out that withholding hunting and fishing licenses can prompt fathers to catch up on their child support payments. That's right, cut off their hunting privileges and these delinquent dads suddenly find a harboring love for their children. Sad, but true.

Whatever it takes, I say. Deadbeat dads – and those who skirt their parental responsibilities through a variety of evasive maneuvers – are among those for which I carry the greatest contempt.

If pulling their hunting rights is working, imagine the possibilities, if perhaps, we could bar them from the liquor store, too.

For more on Illinois' exercise in taking aim on dead-beaters, see today's Chicago Tribune story.

About town

There a couple of things about town that might be of interest to our online readers.

The Coffee Shop in Marion is getting a facelift. Owners Bill and Kory Wheeler have purchased the building from their previous landlord, James T. Hatfield, and the couple is now sprucing up the place. The downtown Main Street restaurant is closed during remodeling. We'll have some updates and more photos in the next couple of days. In the meantime, the Wheeler's other restaurant on the south side of town, The Front Porch, is open for business. They invite everyone to visit there while the Coffee Shop is being updated.

Noticed some surveying going on north of downtown on Sturgis Road Tuesday. J&J Surveying was shooting lines in the old hitching lot next to the former Druther's restaurant, now Cozy Hearth. Don't know for sure, but I'd bet that's where Dollar General is going now that Farmers Bank has bought the thrift store's building on Main Street.

Reaching way out there

On the Web, you really never know who's watching – unless, that is, you are using Google Analytics or some other data-catching service. Even then, you really never know who exactly is peeking in on what you're doing.

This little country newspaper blog was caught red handed recently. We were just delivering the news like always when the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues came calling. Tim Wiseman and former Louisville Courier-Journal writer Al Cross are bloggers for the institute aimed at helping non-metropolitan journalists define the public agenda for their communities, and to help them grasp the local impact of broader issues, according to its own Web site.

Wiseman called The Crittenden Press office in Marion earlier this week inquiring about our editor's blog. We discussed for a good while the reasons The Crittenden Press – despite our somewhat isolated existence in rural America – tries to stay on the cutting edge of technology.

Wiseman and Cross found our blog and made us an example for other rural community newspapers to follow. They posted a story on the Rural Journalism Blog.

Think what you want, but it's a feather in our cap. It proves that our plan is working. Our strategy is defined by a belief that despite rural isolation, we can still have at our fingertips a virtual world audience.

Thanks to the Internet, The Crittenden Press Online and our editor's blog, have a stage much larger and broader than most of us realize. Now, if we can only find a way to make it as profitable as the hand-held version of The Crittenden Press, we'll be – to use a rural term – walkin' in tall cotton.

Watch the tulips

I always know that "true" spring is just around the corner when the tulips in front of The Press office start pushing up toward the sky. Check them out this week when you stop by for a newspaper. Not blooming yet, but they're an inspiration of hope!

This week we're working on some interesting articles for the newspaper. Police officer Bobby West, pictured at right, was busy last weekend in the line of duty. West stopped a car driving on the walking track at the park Friday night and charged a man with DUI. On Easter morning, the officer saved a family from a burning home.

Also, spring sports has kicked off this week. The high school baseball and softball teams started up and sports writer Chris Hardesty will have all the details from their spring openers.

Maple syrup time

Someone phoned the newspaper office today and gave us a tip that the Amish are making maple syrup. If you've never watched it done, it's worth a drive out into the Amish community to try and catch them in the act.

Making maple syrup is a laborious chore. The Amish do it outdoors over an open flame in large vats. I've done it on the kitchen stove. My problem was the cooking. I boiled my sap down so low it ended up being maple candy rather than maple syrup. It was still pretty tasty though.

Tapping maple trees for several days in a row during the late winter and early spring will yield plenty of sap. A mature tree will produce well over a gallon of sap per day.

It takes a keg of sap from a maple tree to make a tablespoon of syrup (literally) and the way energy prices are today, cooking down 40 gallons of sap to get one gallon of syrup is costly.

Read more about our inability to meet global demand for maple syrup here on the Rural Journalism Blog. Or take a springtime drive to the Amish community in Crittenden County and watch it being done the old-fashioned way outdoors.

River rising near Tolu

The tiny hamlet of Tolu is once again threatened by the rising water of the Ohio River.

The river is expected to reach 49.7 feet at Shawneetown, Ill., Thursday. That's well above the 33-foot flood stage. When the river gets near 47 feet, it's lapping over the highway at Sawmill Hollow between Tolu and Elizabethtown Landing as it was Monday. It's also threatening barns, basements and homes in the low-lying areas right around Water Street in Tolu.

In 2005, a few months before Tolu Grocery Store closed for good, I took the following river level information off of a yellowing piece of paper hanging on the wall at the store. The late Tom Sherer started the list and others kept it up over the years. It tells the year and the water level at Shawnteetown when the river crested.

A River's History (Year and Crest Level)

1913: 61.5 1937: 68.4 1945: 58.4 1950: 58.6 1962: 53.0 1963: 55.3 1964: 56.4 1972: 50.7

1975: 52.5 1977: 50.3 1979: 54.7 1991: 53.7 1995: 49.6 1996: 50.2 1997: 54.5 2005: 54.0

Road checks planned

If you're going to be driving on U.S. 60 this week expect to see law enforcement officers.

As part of the U.S. 60 Corridor Safety Blitz in several counties from the Ohio to Mississippi rivers, local police will be checking for speeding, seat belts and other traffic violations including DUI.

"We are planning to have three road safety checkpoints," said Marion Police Chief Ray O'Neal. "If the weather permits."

One safety checkpoint will be Wednesday afternoon and two more are scheduled for Friday and Saturday. The checkpoints will focus on U.S. 60 near the city limits. At least one location has been pinpointed. That will be at the city limits on U.S. 60 West near the sawmill.

O'Neal said that motorists should be prepared to show officers their driver's license, registration and proof of insurance.

Legion honoring veterans

The Ellis B. Ordway American Legion Post 111 in Marion is helping the U.S. Army honor its own. Legion member Jim Estes tells The Press that the group is gathering names of Army veterans as part of a Freedom Team Salute.

An application for recognition will appear in the printed edition of The Press. If you do not receive the printed edition, you may list the veteran's name, rank, dates of service and address on a piece of paper and mail it to American Legion, c/o P.O. Box 134, Marion, KY 42064.

Those names received will be honored during a Memorial Day ceremony at Mapleview Cemetery in Marion on May 26. Each honoree will receive a certificate of honor from the U.S. Army.

Storm issues remain

Although rumors indicate that the city is cleaning up storm debris left on the edge of streets, that is not true.

The City of Marion is not collecting storm debris piled on curbsides. Residents who have previously been assisted by the Baptist group cleaning up in the aftermath of the storm, did receive some relief thanks to the city.

However, as a general rule, city residents are responsible for the removal of their own storm debris. A city debris dump located on Mill Street is open and residents may use it free of charge.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter. Remember that we celebrate Easter because of Jesus Christ and not the Easter Bunny!

Remember, too, that Easter will not fall this early in March for nearly 300 more years. Those young ladies in Easter dresses might appreciate that.

Happy Birthday, Meredith. Enjoy your 9th birthday on the same day that we celebrate Easter and your official joining of the Marion United Methodist Church.

Only memories remain

Only memories remain of this former farmhouse that for about a century stood vigil on the southern end of Marion. The house, owned by Eddie and Karen Wheeler, was torn down Friday to make way for new residential development. Eddie's parents had lived in the home and he grew up there as a boy.

The house once was the centerpiece of a sprawling 300-plus acre farm that ran from where the Front Porch Restaurant is today to the tiny creek at the intersection of Coleman Road and U.S. 641 near Ricky Brown's house. The City of Marion bought part of the farm back in the 1940s to build Old City Lake.

Wayne Crider of Marion was raised in the old clapboard home and says it still had the same roof on it as it did when his father bought it in 1922. Crider recalls many stories about the old homeplace and shared them with The Press for a story that will be published in next week's printed edition. Crider's father sold the farm and house to the Wheelers in the mid 1940s.

Eddyville's Ty on top

Eddyville native Ty Rogers hit a 3-pointer with three defenders in his face and no time on the clock as his 12th-seeded Western Kentucky Hilltoppers stunned Drake 101-99 in overtime Friday in the first round of the NCAA tournament's West Regional.

Rogers played his high school ball at Lyon County. Those who saw him back then were not surprised that he could make such a shot on such a prestigious stage.

The fifth-seeded Drake Bulldogs (28-5) overcame a 16-point deficit in the final 8 minutes of regulation and led 99-98 after two free throws with 5.7 seconds to play. But Tyrone Brazelton raced across midcourt with the ball then tossed it to Rogers, whose long-rank 3-pointer from the wing gave the Hilltoppers (28-6) their first tournament victory since 1995.

Rogers' shot made headlines and highlight reels all across the nation as the NCAA Tournament finished up its first round games Friday night.

Rogers (5) is in the inset photo by the Associated Press.