Kentucky Wildfire Hazard Season Begins Oct. 1

Gov. Andy Beshear and Energy and Environment Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Goodman are urging Kentuckians to be alert as the fall wildfire hazard season begins Oct. 1, bringing outdoor burning restrictions to the state.

Avoid burning debris during fire hazard seasons and during dry, windy conditions. Outdoor burning is illegal between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. in or within 150 feet of any woodland or brushland during wildfire hazard seasons.

“We want to do everything we possibly can to keep all our Kentucky families safe, so we are asking everyone to use caution and be alert this wildfire season,” Gov. Beshear said. “Let’s do what we do best: Work together to keep our neighbors safe.”

The commonwealth’s outdoor burning law (KRS149.400) prohibits burning between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. local time, if the fire is within 150 feet of any woodland, brushland or fields containing dry grass or other flammable materials. These restrictions are in effect every fall (Oct. 1 – Dec. 15) and spring (Feb. 15 – April 30) to help prevent wildfires.

“The National Interagency Coordination Center’s Predictive Services are indicating the Kentucky wildfire potential outlook is normal for this fall, but the lack of precipitation in late August and early

Job Corps Center has job openings

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The Earle C. Clements Job Corps Center is hiring! Minimum wage is $16.20, plus sign-on bonus for most positions.

Pay for Residential Advisor positions for nights and overnights is $16.45 per hour plus a $2,000 sign-on bonus.

The Job Corps Center offers a benefits package and opportunities for advancement. 

Deer Creek celebrates 200th homecoming

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Deer Creek Church is celebrating 200 years.

A homecoming event will be held this weekend at the church near Sheridan with events on Saturday, Sept. 30 and Sunday, Oct. 1.

On Saturday, church members invite guests to participate in fellowship activities from 2-6 p.m., which will include a performance by Classy & Grassy at 5 p.m. 

On Sunday, Bro. Todd Gray will be the guest speaker at the morning worship service, which will be followed by a potluck.

Schools update policy on events, ballgames

Crittenden County School District has announced a policy change for audiences attending school-sponsored events.

Citing a need to provide greater safety and security at high school events, including ballgames, the district said that beginning immediately all student attendees in kindergarten through eighth grade “must be accompanied by an adult at all school and athletic events and will not be admitted without an adult age 18 or older. 

"Additionally, students in grades kindergarten through fifth should sit with their accompanying adult during the game. Students, regardless of age, will not be permitted to throw balls or other objects or engage in simulated games in the end zones or in any area of the stadium or field during a game. This is to ensure your child's safety and the safety of our friends and visitors attending our athletic events,” said the school’s statement.  

New Beginnings in Salem offers free screenings

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New Beginnings Out-patient Behavioral Health is recognizing Oct. 1-7 as Mental Awareness & Depression Screening Week.

Special events will include tours of the Salem facility 

and free depressions screenings. 

Mental illness affects families, friends and co-workers, and New Beginnings wants to offer special services during national Mental Health Awareness 

Month.

To learn more about the services offered at New Beginnings Out-patient Behavioral Health, call or 

stop by the Main Street location in Salem.

Blackford Bridge is closed

The pedestrian bridge at Blackford Veterans Memorial is closed until further notice following an examination last week by a federal bridge inspector. 

The bridge is in Webster County. 

Although it was built ostensibly for foot traffic and possibly emergency vehicles, a great deal of local traffic crosses the bridge on a regular basis.

Crittenden Sheriff seeks School Resource Officer

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The Crittenden County Sheriff's Office is seeking applicants for a School Resource Officer (SRO) to work in the Crittenden County School District. Starting pay is $25 per hour.

Preference will be given to candidates who have School Resource Officer training; however, individuals who do not have this credential are encouraged to apply.

Applications are available at the Crittenden County Sheriff's Office, located through Friday, Sept. 29 at the Crittenden County Courthouse. The office will be moving next week to the Crittenden County Office Complex next to the health department.

True Value Closes its Doors

According to a post on social media last night, Clark's True Value has permanently closed.

On its official Facebook page, the store said it shut down at 4pm Wednesday. The closure also includes the lumber yard.

The Crittenden Press reported earlier this month that a real estate broker in Madisonville had posted an online advertisement seeking buyers for Clark’s Marion True Value store. Chuck Lambdin, a Realtor with Keller Williams Elite Realty, provided few details, but posted a phone number for more information. The post displays nine photos of the business on Sturgis Road.

Brandon and Ryan Clark, brothers from Madisonville, bought the longtime Marion business in the spring of 2022. It had been operated for decades by Connie Gebhart, and her parents Wendell and LouElla Coffer before her.

What's Happening in Your Community?

There are many things happening right here in your western Kentucky community.

In this week's full edition of The Crittenden Press we take a look at several things that could affect you one way or another.

First, the county is leaving downtown. Yep, for the first time in the history of Crittenden County, its government offices will no longer be on the court square. Read more about the move in your local newspaper. It's an historic event.

There's a new Dollar General going up soon and you may be surprised. Get the lowdown on the upcoming DG in this week's paper.

Trash is becoming a matter of conversation in a couple of local hamlets on the outskirts of Crittenden County. Check this week's paper for details, because this very well could hit home if you live in one of those towns.

Did you know there's a new school coming? Those details are in The Press, too.

And if you weren't born until the 21st Century, the B1 Bomber episode may not ring a bell. Press Editor Chris Evans reexamines how a 1990s military airplane crash near Mattoon was hauntingly similar to one in South Carolina last week. 

We also have the latest on scholastic sports, obituaries and more in your hometown newspaper. 

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Copyright 2023

The Crittenden Press

Wolf Week at LBL to start October

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Friends of Land Between the Lakes at Woodlands Nature Station invites families to celebrate Wolf Week during Fall Break, October 1 - 7, 2023.

 Come and visit the Nature Station’s resident endangered red wolves and join their "pack" of wolf admirers during Wolf Week. Catch special wolf programs every day, including "Red Wolf Treat Time" each day at 1:30pm. Discover why these cunning canines have inspired awe in people for generations. 

Call 270.924.2299 or visit www.landbetweenthelakes.us for more information. The Woodlands Nature Station is located in Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area at 3146 Silver Trail Road, Cadiz, Kentucky, 42211. Admission is $7 for ages 18+, $5 for ages 5-17, and free for ages 4 and under.

Rescue fundraiser ongoing

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The Crittenden County Rescue Squad has mailed fundraising letters to all Crittenden County residents.
No calls are being made, and no one will is going door-to-door to solicit donations.

Individuals who wish to make a donation should put checks in provided envelopes and mail them to the 

rescue squad. 

One hundred percent of donations goes directly to the agency, which operates with volunteer manpower and provides water rescue and automobile extractions 

among other emergency services.

True Value is listed for sale online

A real estate broker in Madisonville has posted an online advertisement seeking buyers for Clark’s Marion True Value store. Chuck Lambdin, a Realtor with Keller Williams Elite Realty, provided few details, but posted a phone number for more information. The post displays nine photos of the business on Sturgis Road.

Brandon and Ryan Clark, brothers from Madisonville, bought the longtime Marion business in the spring of 2022. It had been operated for decades by Connie Gebhart, and her parents Wendell and LouElla Coffer before her.

Hodge's Girls Day Out Saturday

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Mark your calendar for Hodge's annual Girls Day Out event Saturday, Sept. 30.

Shop, eat and save 20 percent off new fall apparel (excluding denim).

Enter to win hourly giveaways and get a free fall t-shirt with $60 boutique purchase.

Work in Henderson will disrupt traffic

As progress continues on Section 1 of the I-69 Ohio River Crossing, lane closures are scheduled this week to accommodate setting large concrete beams for the new US 41 northbound bridge over 2^nd Street/KY 351. 

A total of eight beams will be set in two spans. Lane closures are needed for the staging, delivery and setting of the beams.

 

What to Expect

• Tuesday, Sept. 26 – Wednesday, Sept. 27: One lane closed on westbound Audubon Parkway near the Airline Road/KY 812 overpass. The closure is expected to begin late Tuesday morning and end around midday Wednesday.
• Tuesday, Sept. 26: One lane of US 41 northbound closed between KY 2084 and KY 351. The closure is expected 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a short-term, full closure of up to 15 minutes expected before 10 a.m.
• Wednesday, Sept. 27: Single-lane closures on US 41 northbound and southbound between KY 2084 and KY 351. The closures are expected 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closures of up to 15 minutes are also expected on 2^nd Street/KY 351 with flaggers in place. 
• Thursday, Sept. 28: One lane of US 41 northbound closed between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

 

Actual dates and anticipated work may be adjusted if inclement weather or other unforeseen activities occur. Drivers should slow down, avoid distractions, and observe the lower speed limit in work zones.

Clerk's office closed next week

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Friday, Sept. 29 is the last day the Crittenden County Clerk's Office will be open for business inside the courthouse. 

The office will be closed Oct. 2-6 while it relocates to the Crittenden County Office Complex, where it will re-open Oct. 9.

See attached information about conducting business during the closure.

Show and Shine's last event of series

The final event in the annual summertime Show and Shine Car Show series will be held in downtown  Marion on Thursday, Sept. 28 at the courthouse square. 

The event is sponsored by Marion Tourism and Recreation Commission. The monthly shows began in the spring and this will be the last until 2024. All makes and models are welcome.

Kuttawa hosting Live on the Lawn Oktoberfest

Kuttawa Tourism Commission is hosting its fourth annual music festival Live on the Lawn IV on Sept. 29-30. Live on the Lawn Oktoberfest is also back for the second year in a row, along with the annual Kuttawa Days Carnival Celebration. This event is located at Silver Cliff Park in Kuttawa.

 This music festival will feature  tribute bands that have performed at venues in Disney World and Las Vegas, including Gabriel Sanchez presents The Prince Experience, Captain Fantastic: The Magic of Elton John and The Eagles Project. Local bands High Noon Moon and Diverge will also perform.

The festival is set to open Friday, Sept. 29 at 3 p.m., and ends at 9 p.m., with the Kuttawa Days Carnival, including a Ferris Wheel, Spider Mountain Rock Wall, a trackless train, slides, bouncers and a mechanical bull. Rides are free. There will be food trucks and craft vendors from around the area.

Saturday’s activities start at 10 a.m., until dark. Live on the Lawn Oktoberfest will take place from 10 a.m., to 3 p.m., in Hu-B’s Marina parking lot. Tickets are $25 before the event and are available for purchase online through the event website liveonthelawnky.com. 

A beer festival will offer over 50 unique tastings from breweries from all over such as Rhinegeist, Mad Tree, Samuel Adams, Paducah Brew Werks, Casey Jones Distillery and many more. The purchase of a $25 Oktoberfest ticket  includes a 16-ounce commemorative pint glass, 15 5-ounce pours, voucher for one pretzel & sauce combo and other prizes and giveaways.

Free music starts at 1 p.m., with local bands going until 10 p.m., when headliner Gabriel Sanchez the Prince Experience shuts down the show. Carnival rides and the food truck rodeo will continue all day Saturday along with kayak races during the day and glow-in-the-dark kayaking at night.

Author's fiction set in Crittenden County

Drawn on a backdrop of Crittenden County, a rural Kentucky area with whitetail deer, Amish, Ford’s Ferry and Crooked Creek, an unforeseeable climax to a fictional story is drawn from author Brent Brantley’s purpose to write suspense novels with plausible plots and unexpected endings.

A native Kentuckian, Brantley currently lives in a retirement community in northern Florida created by the late retail giant J.C. Penney. He has lived in Marion and still owns property here where his family has been for multiple generations dating back more than 200 years. 

His latest book, Summer of the Waxman, was recently released and locals will be very familiar with setting. 

For more about this book and how to get it, read this week's full edition of The Crittenden Press.

Aunt Jane Tabernacle closed today

UPDATE: The road will remain closed through the weekend, Sept. 22-23, and probably all of next week during to delays in the repairs process.

ORIGINAL POST

Aunt Jane Tabernacle Road will be closed to through traffic for the rest of the week, starting today.

Crittenden County Road Maintenance crews will be on site working and will need to shut the rural road in the northern part of the county off to traffic starting one mile west of the south entrance to 1.9 miles south of the north entrance. 

Aunt Jane Tabernacle loops off of KY 91 North, also known as the ferry highway.

Work should be completed by Friday and the road will reopen for the weekend.

Library hosts book sale this week

Crittenden County Public Library will host its annual fall book sale Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Friends of the Library will be working the event, selling surplus books of all genres as a fundraising event. 

All Friends of the Library are invited to a private early-bird sale from 5-7 p.m., on Thursday. Joining the Friends group is easy and inexpensive. You can register at the book sale. The public sale is from 9 a.m., to 5 p.m., Friday and 9 a.m., until 1 p.m., on Saturday.

Friends of the Library will meet at 6 p.m., Thursday in the library meeting room.