No driver's licensing on Monday

Due to a temporary, nationwide system shutdown, the driver's license division of the Crittenden County Circuit Clerk's office will be unable to issue Kentucky driver's licenses or personal identification cards on Monday, Feb. 21.

Clerk Madeline Henderson said she was notified yesterday of the situation by the Division of Drivers Licensing in the Transportation Cabinet.

"I know this will pose an inconvenience to some, and I regret it, but it is out of my control," Henderson said.

All systems should be up and running by 8 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 22, when the clerk's office opens for business.

State police check school for drugs

Kentucky State Police's special investigations unit conducted an unannounced drug search on the Crittenden County High School and Middle School campus today. One student, who has not been identified at this time, was arrested. Police also searched the student's home.

No other details are available at this time.

Public meetings held for historic farms

Preservation Kentucky and the Kentucky Archaeological Survey wants to meet with residents of Crittenden and Livingston counties next week. The groups are beginning a process to identify and catalog historic farm sites in the two counties, including old buildings, barns, fences, silos, landmarks and other structures.

There will be public meetings Monday in Marion and Tuesday in Smithland. Public input is being sought before the survey begins. The project is being funded through a grant. There will be a meeting at 7 p.m., Monday at the Crittenden County Public Library and at 7 p.m., Tuesday at the Livingston County Courthouse.

Area deaths

Charles L. Hunt Sr., 77, of Marion died Monday, Feb. 14, 2011 at Crittenden Hospital. The funeral is Thursday at Gilbert Funeral Home. Visitation is Wednesday.

Katherine Bugg, 93, of Fredonia died Monday, Feb. 14, 2011 at Christian Care Center in Kuttawa. The funeral is Thursday at Morgan's Funeral Home in Princeton. Visitation is Wednesday.

Area death

Wanda Lee Hunt, 87, of Marion died Monday, Feb. 14, 2011 at Springlake Health and Rehabilitation Center in Salem. The funeral is Wednesday at Myers Funeral Home.

Lady Rockets' snow makeup game tonight

The Lady Rockets basketball team will host Hopkinsville tonight in a makeup game previously postponed because of snow.

Area death

Former Crittenden County magistrate Kenneth Hayden Kirk, 73, of Dawson Springs died Friday, Feb. 11, 2011 at his home. The funeral was Monday at Beshear Funeral Home in Dawson Springs. Burial was at Mapleview Cemetery in Marion.

Basketball games cancelled

The Rocket and Lady Rocket basketball games scheduled tonight against St. Mary have been cancelled. This follows an earlier announcement that homecoming ceremonies at Rocket Arena are postponed until Friday, Feb. 18.

Fourth suspect booked by police

The fourth suspect in the armed robbery at the park Wednesday turned himself in to police yesterday after he was discharged from the hospital. Aaron Cannon, 18, of Eddyville is charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree assault, trafficking in marijuana and first-degree fleeing or evading police. He was driving the car that tried to get away when police converged on the scene. Officers fired five shots at the vehicle before it ran into a creek off Old Morganfield Road. He is lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center.

Homecoming postponed until next week

The basketball homecoming festivities scheduled for tonight at Rocket Arena have been postponed until Friday, Feb. 18.

A decision has not been made on whether to cancel tonight's basketball games. School officials are weighing their options and will make that announcement later today.

School cancelled for Friday

School is cancelled for Friday, Feb. 11 in Crittenden County.

Area death

Andrew Thomas “Tom” Johnson, Jr., 60, of Nashville, Tenn., died Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011 at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville. He was preceded in his death by his parents, Tom and Marjorie Johnson of Marion. There will be two services. One is on Saturday, Feb. 12 at Woodlawn Roesch-Patton Funeral Home in Nashville. Another service will be held from 4-6 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 19 at Gilbert Funeral Home, Marion.

Sturgis Rally is cancelled this summer

The Little Sturgis Rally scheduled for July 14-17 this year has been cancelled, according to the event's official Web site, http://www.littlesturgisrally.net/.

The rally generally draws thousands of bikers, partiers and motorcycle enthusiasts to the Union County Fairgrounds. It has given tens of thousands of dollars to area charities and many groups from the region have held fundraising events around the rally.

Games, practices cancelled

High school and Upward games and practices for Thursday, February 10 have been cancelled. The Rockets' game with Dawson Springs has been rescheduled for Tuesday, February 15.

I-24 open with slow traffic

UPDATE: I-24 is now open in both lanes in both directions. Proceed through area with caution.

Interstate 24 is open at the Cumberland River Bridge with police escorting traffic through the accident scene at 10 mph.

Crittenden County Public Library closed

The Crittenden County Public Library is closed today due to the snow.

Suspects remain jailed after alleged robbery

Three suspects in the alleged armed robbery Wednesday at City-County Park remained jailed at the Crittenden County Detention Center.

Another suspect was taken to the hospital, where he was treated for non-lifethreatening injuries due to an automobile accident as he was trying to flee the scene. A fifth suspect is a juvenile. Pictured are three of the four adults charged in the incident. See details in earlier posts.

I-24 closed due to multi-vehicle accident

Livingston County Rescue Squad is searching the Cumberland River near Interstate 24 where the driver of a vehicle involved in an early-morning accident is missing.

Interstate 24 remains closed at the Cumberland River Bridge at the Lyon-Livingston County Line. A multi-vehicle collision, involving several commercial vehicles and passenger vehicles occurred before daylight this morning. The interstate could be closed until about 10 a.m.

The driver of a van involved in the wreck cannot be found and rescue personnel are starting to look in the river below. Fog on the river was hampering efforts shortly after sunup.

A detour has been established along U.S. 62 between I-24 Exit 31 at Grand Rivers and Exit 40 at Eddyville. However, driving conditions on U.S. 62 are reported to be hazardous due to yesterday's snow, and temperatures near zero.

No school Thursday, officials caution motorists

There will be no school in Crittenden County Thursday. It will be the 11th day students have missed this witner due to snow. Students will not have to make up all of those days, however. As it stands, they will likely only have to make up three days.

Because of the latest winter snow storm, state and local officials urged motorists to restrict travel in western Kentucky because of hazardous driving conditions. Caldwell and Christian counties are among areas with the largest amounts of snowfall. Snow amounts exceeded forecasts, and plunging temperatures limited the effectiveness of salt treatments, said Keith Todd, spokesman for the transportation department.

“Transportation Cabinet crews will do everything possible to keep roadways open,” Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock said. “But when conditions are hazardous, motorists should drive only when absolutely necessary.”

Crashes blocked I-24 in Christian County and the Purchase Parkway in Marshall County for a time on Wednesday.

Police identify suspects in robbery at park

The Pennyrile Narcotics Task Force has released the names of suspects involved in the apparent armed robbery at Marion-Crittenden County Park just before noon today. See details in earlier post.

Arrested were David R. Catallo, 33, of Grand Rapids, Mich.; Chase A. Bull, 18, of Eddyville; Aaron Cannon, 18, of Eddyville; and Anthony G. Williams, 19, of Eddyville. Additionally, an unnamed 17-year-old juvenile was arrested. The men and juvenile face a variety of charges, including assault, first-degree robbery and trafficking in marijuana by complicity.

Investigators say Catallo, Bull, Cannon and the male juvenile came to Marion to sell two pounds of marijuana for $1,800. The deal had been set up by an unnamed confidential police informant and Williams, according to Det. Robbie Kirk of the narcotics task force.

Three local lawmen and Kirk were watching the transaction from a nearby hiding place with plans to bust the drug deal once it was complete. However, the plan went sour when three men got out of one car – one armed with a long gun – and began assaulting the confidential informant.

Kirk said the informant was not assaulted because of his involvement with police. He said robbery was the motive.

"They were just going to beat him up and rob him," Kirk said. "It happens all the time in the drug business."

Kirk said Williams had helped arrange the proposed drug deal, but knew the other four were going to take the informant's money and run. Police found no drugs, but did recover a muzzleloading rifle, which was used in the commission of the crime.

Pictured above is Det. Kirk with three of the suspects on the ground at Lower Park Drive at the park. Marion Police Department, Crittenden County Sheriff's Department and Kentucky State Police all assisted at the scene.