Learn how to get your news published

The Crittenden Press and the Marion Ed-Tech Center are teaming up for their second annual Community Journalist Class at 6 p.m., on Thursday, Dec. 9.

Open to the public, this class is perfect for recording secretaries of community organizations, church groups and corporations. Learn how to write and submit news releases so that your information is published in the newspaper.

Chris Evans, editor and publisher of The Crittenden Press, will be the instructor. He will dissect the newspaper from front to back to help participants better understand where and why the newspaper places articles.

Cost is $10. The tuition for this class is being paid by the newspaper for the first 10 to enroll. There will also be a drawing and a gas gift certificate given to one participant.

For more information, call the newspaper at 965-3191 or Jeremey Wheeler at the Ed-Tech Center at 965-9294.

Final registration tonight for Upward basketball

Tonight is the final evaluation and registration period for Upward basketball.

Register and have your child fitted for a uniform and skill level evaluated, which takes only a few minutes, from 6-8 p.m., at the Marion Baptist Church Family Life Center.

Smithland Bridge one lane on Tuesday

A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans to reduce traffic to one lane on the US 60 Cumberland River Bridge at Smithland on Tuesday.

The lane restriction is to allow follow-up work on the deck rehab project that was completed during the summer.

The Smithland Bridge will be restricted to one lane with alternating traffic flow controlled by flaggers from approximately 8 a.m., to 3 p.m. Work may extend into Wednesday, if required.

Motorists should be alert for slowing and stopped traffic on the bridge approach. Construction personnel will be working along the center line of the bridge deck in close proximity to traffic flow. Appropriate caution is required in this work zone.

This work is scheduled on a weather permitting basis.

The US 60 Cumberland River bridge at Smithland, also known as the Lucy Jefferson Lewis Memorial Bridge and the Smithland Bridge, is at Livingston County mile point 12.348. About 5,500 vehicles cross the bridge in an average day.

The Smithland Bridge opened to traffic in 1931.

Happy Thanksgiving

Drive safely, buckle up.

Have a happy Thanksgiving Day.

City looking for new raw water source

After a series of droughts raised concerns about the City of Marion's raw water source, local officials are becoming much more proactive in finding a longterm solution. Last week, geologists were in town studying an old fluorspar mine inside the city limits with hopes of finding a large cache of water that could be made suitable for drinking.

Geologists and city officials believe there is plenty of raw water in the caverns of the old Lucile Mine at the end of East Elm Street behind the city maintenance garage. If it is of sufficient quantity and quality, the water could be extracted, treated and distributed to residents.

Fears are that the current raw water source, Lake George, which is currently 12 feet below normal pool, may one day be unable to supply the city with enough water to keep residents happy.

Results of the geological study, commissioned by the City of Marion, should be available in a few days. Read more about this matter in today's printed edition of The Crittenden Press, on sale at newsstands after 3 p.m.

Pictured are geologists from the University of Kentucky examining data on their computerized field gear.

No school on Wednesday

The holiday weekend kicks of a little early with schools turning out Wednesday. There will be no school the rest of the week and many businesses and public offices in Marion will be closed on Thursday and Friday. Many courthouse offices will also be closed on Saturday.

The Crittenden Press is closed Thursday and Friday, but newspapers will be available normally Wednesday afternoon. Those coming in the mail will be delivered Friday because the postal service is off on Thursday.

Local businesses featured in Evansville paper

Barbara Wheeler's herb and antique shop and her son, Mike's furniture making business, are featured in today's Evansville Courier and online. See the feature by clicking here.

Midnight Madness cranks up local hoops season

Dozens of local high school and junior league basketball fans packed into Rocket Arena Saturday night for Midnight Madness. It was the first time the school has held a late-night event to kick off the start of the varsity seasons.

The Rockets and Lady Rockets open their seasons with a doubleheader Tuesday night, Nov. 30 at home against Union County.

Too see a complete schedule and to follow the teams all season, click here for CCHS Basketball Web site.

Saturday's event, from 10 p.m., to midnight, included introduction of players from Little Dribblers to high school seniors. Plus, there were shooting competitions, scrimmages and skills displays.

Landon Young, an eighth-grader, won the overall 3-point shooting contest and varsity player Thomas Scott won the hotshot competition. Laken Tabor and Aaron Owen were finalists, also, in each competition, respectively.

Midnight Madness tonight

The Rockets and Lady Rockets basketball teams will host Midnight Madness tonight as they gear up for the Nov. 30 opener.

“I did this when I coached in Marion and Christian counties,” boys' coach Brad Fraser said. “It really brought a lot of interest to our teams and allowed fans to come watch them before the season actually started. It also helps that the players get to have fun while doing it.”

Not only will the high school players be introduced to the crowd, but it will also give the little league traveling teams and cheerleaders a chance to be recognized. There will also be a 3-point shootout and five-minute scrimmages for the Rockets and Lady Rockets high school teams.

“We want to make this fun while sparking interest,” Fraser said. “It’s a really great thing for the community.”

The event will be from 10 p.m., to midnight with ticket prices $3 for adults and $2 for students.

Rocket Midnight Madness Schedule

ROCKET ARENA

Saturday - November 20

10:00 pm Doors Open / Selling Tickets

10:15 pm Performing groups arrive and sit together

10:30 pm Team Introductions (Cheerleaders make a tunnel)

· Lights go out. Fog machine creates fog. Light show & Spot light hitting center of floor

1) ¾ Grade Boys Travel Team

2) 5/6 Grade Boys Travel Team

3) CCMS 7/8 Grade Girls Teams

4) CCMS 7/8 Grade Boys Teams

Individual Introductions

1) CCHS Women’s Team

2) CCHS Men’s Team

10:45 pm Mini-Scrimmage – 5 minutes CCHS Women’s Team

10:50 pm Mini-Scrimmage – 5 minute CCHS Men’s Team

10:55 pm Little Dribblers Perform K-2

11:00 pm ¾ Grade Cheerleaders Perform

11:05 pm Full Body Fitness Studio – Zumba with Stefanie

11:10 pm Middle School Cheerleaders

11:15 pm Varsity Cheerleaders Perform

11:20 pm Full Body Fitness Studio – Zumba with Stefanie

11:25 pm 3 Point Contest

11:36 pm 5/6 Grade Cheerleaders

11:40 pm Varsity Cheerleaders Perform

11:45 pm Hot Spot Competition

12:00 pm Midnight Madness Ends

Area Death

Addie Bell Crawford, 81, of Salem died on Friday, Nov. 19, 2010. The funeral is Tuesday at Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion.

Beauty and Beast appear on stage tonight

The classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast will be on stage tonight and Sunday at Fohs Hall.

This performance features a unique twist to the age-old tale.

The play is being produced and directed by Crittenden County High School students.

Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students. The curtain goes up at 7 p.m., Friday and 2 p.m., Sunday.

Area Death

Christine Simpson, 93, of Marion died Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2010 at Crittenden County Health and Rehab. The funeral is Saturday at Gilbert Funeral Home.

Livestock market checks good, manager says

The office manager of West Kentucky Livestock Market in Marion says all outstanding checks made recently to cattle farmers are good.

Linda Edwards said Thursday that a few checks issued to area producers have not been cashed. She said no checks written by West Kentucky Livestock have been returned for insufficient funds.

West Kentucky Livestock Market, which operates the weekly cattle auction in Marion, is owned by Thomas Gibson, of New Albany, Ind. Gibson also owns the financially-troubled Eastern Livestock Company.

Edwards said the Marion livestock market's legal counsel has advised it to remain closed until the matter with Eastern Livestock is settled. Eastern is now in receivership.

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Traffic accidents way up in county

There have been an alarming number of accidents in Crittenden County this year, almost 225.

The sheriff’s department has worked 104 wrecks, more than normal and 40 percent more than a year ago. Marion Police have investigated 73 wrecks and Kentucky State Police have investigated another 47. There have been four fatal accidents, resulting in the deaths of five people in Crittenden County this year. That, too, is more than usual. Fortunately, this county averages about two or fewer traffic deaths a year.

“We have had way too many crashes this year,” said Crittenden County Deputy Don Perry. “We can’t keep our reports caught up.”

There were five accidents Saturday in the area, three almost at the same time in Crittenden and Livingston counties.

Local traffic enforcement officers say speed and inattention are also playing a major role in accidents. Deer are not always to blame. Deputies and state police have told The Press in the past week that speeding is a pervasive problem on the county’s narrow highways.

Read more of this article in this week's full version of The Crittenden Press.

Unite 2 Read tonight at high school

The annual schoolwide Unite 2 Read program will be hosted tonight by the high school library. The featured book is The Magic School Bus: Inside the Human Body. Registration is from 5:30 to 5:45 p.m.

The event includes a variety of activities for the whole family, including computer games, obstacle course, mazes, crafts and a book walk. It is sponsored by several school groups, including FBLA, FEA, FCCLA and FFA.

It's free and open to everyone.

Area death

Floy Winn, 82, of Fredonia, died Friday, Nov. 12, 2010 at Crittenden Hospital. The funeral was Monday at Morgan's Funeral Home in Princeton.

City of Marion has positions open

Laborer positions available. Apply in person at Marion City Hall, 217 S. Main St., between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday-Friday from now until Nov. 19. No phone calls please. The City of Marion is an equal opportunity employer.

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Deer season opens in county

Judd Woodward of Crittenden County harvested this nice 14-point buck on opening day of the rifle season.

The season opened Saturday and runs through Nov. 28.

Crittenden and Livinston County are Zone 1 counties where the bag limit is one antlered deer and unlimited antlerless deer with the required permits.

Local livestock market affected by Eastern issues

Apparent financial issues that have prompted a federal investigation in Eastern Livestock Co., will affect the West Kentucky Livestock Market in Marion next week.

There will be no livestock auction there on Monday, said Ben Gibson, who was at the office Friday morning. He referred all other questions to the Louisville office, which has said it will make no comment at this time.

For more on the Eastern Livestock situation, click here.