Adult Ed Center hosting open house

Crittenden County Adult Education Center will be hosting an open house Wednesday from 2 to 5 p.m. for all students and potential students. Officials at the center located on East Bellville Street in Marion invite visitors to check out its new look and new technology, as well as learn about the center's services and enjoy free ice cream.

Livingston middle school SBDM meetings set

Regular meetings of the Livingston County Middle School School-Based Decision Making Council take place on the third Wednesday of each month beginning at 3:30 p.m. in the school's Cardinal Room.

SBDM meetings for the 2014-15 academic year will occur next Wednesday and on Sept. 17, Oct. 15, Nov. 19, Dec. 17, Jan. 21, Feb. 18, March 18, April 15, May 20 and June 17.

Parent and teacher elections are held in March or April of each school year. Everyone is encouraged to join the SBDM standing committee of their choice at any time to provide input for school improvement. These committees meet monthly on Mondays after school.

Call the school at (270) 988-3263 to put an item on the SBDM agenda, join a committee, volunteer or ask questions.

Monthly senior center fundraiser tonight

Crittenden County Senior Citizens Center's monthly fundraiser for home-delivered meals is tonight.

Beans, cornbread and desserts will be served beginning at 5 p.m. The cost is $5 per person.

Musical entertainment is provided, and side dishes are appreciated.

The fundraisers are held on the second Thursday evening of each month.

The center is located at 210 N. Walker St. in Marion.

Demolition of old Ledbetter Bridge progressing

Demolition of the old Ledbetter Bridge continues

A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KyTC) is continuing to make progress on the demolition of the old Ledbetter Bridge.

The contractor has removed all of the concrete decking from the three truss spans and has started removing decking on the eastern approach spans at the Livingston County end of the 83-year-old structure. The demolition crew is using a ram mounted on a trackhoe to break up the concrete decking.

The contractor submitted a demolition plan to the U.S. Coast Guard for approval about a month ago. The Coast Guard shared the plan with a river industry trade group and federal agencies for their input. This week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers indicated they would like to have more input on the project. At this time, the Corps of Engineers is asking for some additional time to review the plan.

The contractor has indicated that removing the remaining deck from the structure will keep their crew busy for up to a month. However, once the demolition plan gains approval by the various agencies, they can be prepared to use explosives to remove sections of the bridge truss within a couple of weeks.

KyTC has indicated they will provide updates on the progress every week or two as the work progresses. The demolition contract calls for all of the bridge to be removed by Dec. 1.

The old Ledbetter Bridge opened to traffic in 1931. It was restricted to a 3-ton load limit while construction of the new U.S. 60 Tennessee River Bridge at Ledbetter was expedited. Traffic was moved to the new bridge in July 2013.

Two western approach spans on the old Ledbetter Bridge dropped several inches at the end of April this year. The approaches were eventually brought down by land slippage along a bluff on the McCracken County side of the Tennessee River that moved two of the land-base support piers on the bridge. That land movement prompted transportation officials to expedite demolition of the old bridge.

McConnell leading in re-election bid

A private polling firm based in North Carolina has released its latest results for Kentucky's hotly-contested senate race and a wide-open governor's race in 2015.

The poll from Public Policy Polling has Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell leading Democratic challenger Alison Lundergan Grimes. McConnell leads Grimes and Libertarian David Patterson by a margin of 44/40/7 with 9 percent undecided. Both major party candidates in this race face negative ratings; McConnell’s approval rating is only 37 percent while 54 percent disapprove of his job performance. Grimes' rating is at 45 percent disapproval and 41 percent approval.

The bright spot for Grimes in addition to the fact that the race is so close is that she leads among women in the state. Grimes has a net favorable rating among women at 44/40 and leads among women by one point 42/41.

“Mitch McConnell’s starting to see Republican voters unify around him a little bit more,” said Dean Debnam, president of Public Policy Polling. “That’s allowed him to regain a small lead although the race remains very competitive overall.”

Meantime, in the 2015 race for governor, Democratic Attorney General Jack Conway leads each of his likely Republican challengers; Cathy Bailey, Matt Bevin, James Comer and Hal Heiner. Conway leads Bevin and Comer each by three points; 39/36 and 38/35, respectively. Conway leads Bailey and Heiner by wider margins; he leads Bailey 42/30 and Heiner 39/32.

For the full story, visit Public Policy Polling online.

What's news in Marion?

First week back to school in Marion

This week's printed edition of The Crittenden Press will be on newsstands this afternoon. 

Here are some points on interest in this week's issue:

• City: No more warning before water cut offs
• Paddy's Bluff quarry changes plan
• Delinquent taxes: 2 weeks or else
• Nine file for city council seats
• Woman threatens teen with gun
• Fohs Hall BBQ fundraiser coming
• Book signing at library
• Youth football information
• 5K race coming up
• Soccer and volleyball previews
• Social Security in Crittenden County
• Hunting season officially begins
• Meet the new drug dog

Don't miss these and other interesting local articles in this week's newspaper...on sale in Marion at local groceries, convenience stores, drug stores and at The Press office.

2 teens missing from Union County

UPDATE: The missing girls have been safely located.

Union County authorities are searching for two teens missing since Tuesday night.

Cassandra L. Pinkerton and Alyssa D. Lovell, both of Union County, were last seen at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. Anyone with information on the missing teens is asked to call the Union County Sheriff's Department at (270) 389-1303.

Area deaths

Barbara Markham Bell, 70, of Marion died Aug. 11, 2014, at Lourdes Hospital in Paducah. Whitsell Funeral Home in Sturgis is in charge of arrangements.

Dorothy “Dottie” Edna Janus, 76, of Portage, Ind., formerly of Marion, died Aug. 8, 2014, at her home. Myers Funeral Home in Marion is in charge of local arrangements.

Floyd A. Daughtrey, 79, of Henderson, formerly of Crittenden County, died Aug. 10, 2014, at St. Anthony’s Hospice Lucy Smith King Care Center in Henderson. Rudy-Rowland Funeral Home in Henderson is handling arrangements.

Drivers be aware: It’s back to school time

It's back to school time in Crittenden County for hundreds of students, parents, educators and school staff.  The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety (KOHS) is reminding drivers to be alert, use extreme caution and be safe behind the wheel.

Children head back to the classroom Tuesday in Crittenden County.

Each year in the United States, approximately 450,000 public school buses travel 4.3 billion miles to transport 23.5 million children to-and-from school and school-related activities. In 2013, there were 825 collisions either directly or indirectly involving a school bus in Kentucky. These collisions resulted in 316 injuries and one fatality.

“Safety on our roadways is the responsibility of every driver,” KOHS Director Bill Bell said. “Traffic is increasing in and around school zones and school buses are on the road again. This busy time of year can also be a dangerous one – especially for children.”

Fewer daylight hours can make it harder for motorists to see young students. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more school-age pedestrians have been killed between 7 and 8 a.m. and between 3 and 4 p.m. than any other times of the day.

Whether walking, riding a bicycle or catching a school bus to and from school, KOHS is reminding parents and students of safe transportation practices.

School Bus

School buses are the safest mode of transportation for getting children back and forth to school. Even so, kids need to be especially careful around the school bus "danger zone" – 10 feet in front, 10 feet behind and on each side of the bus. Kids should:

• Wait five giant steps from the road and when the school bus arrives, wait until the driver says to board.
• When boarding the school bus, quickly find a seat, sit facing the front and do what the school bus driver says to do.
• When exiting the bus, look out for cars. When off the bus, take five giant steps from the school bus.
• Look left-right-left to make sure no cars are coming and wait for the driver to signal it's safe to cross.

Walking

Pedestrians 10 years old and younger should be accompanied by an adult or young adult on their way to and from school. Kids should:

• Walk on the sidewalk and if there is none, walk facing traffic.
• Not push or shove others when you walk.
• When crossing the street, look left-right-left for cars. Do not cross if a car is coming and use a crosswalk if available.

Biking 

The two best protections when biking to and from school are a properly fitted bicycle helmet and a good grasp of traffic safety rules. Kids should:

• Always wear a helmet and make sure to buckle the chin strap.
• Ride along streets with low traffic volume and at lower speeds.
• Always ride in the same direction as traffic, and stop at all stop signs and signals.
• Never use headphones or cell phones while riding.

Car 

Children should always ride in the back seat. Children in the front seat are 40 percent more likely to be injured in crashes.

One last tip: Whether walking, biking or driving, stay completely focused on the road and put your cell phone away.

“The importance of highway safety cannot be overstated.  By utilizing these tips, you could save a life,” Bell said.

For more back-to-school safety tips, visit Parents Central at www.safercar.gov/parents.

Blood drive slated for Aug. 13 in Salem

The American Red Cross is facing a looming blood shortage, leading to an urgent need for donors of all blood types to roll up a sleeve and give.

Donations through the Red Cross are down approximately 8 percent over the last three months, resulting in about 80,000 fewer donations than expected. The number of donors continues to decline, and the shortfall is significant enough that the Red Cross could experience an emergency situation in the coming weeks.

Eligible donors with types O negative, B negative and A negative blood are especially needed at this time. Type O negative is the universal blood type and can be transfused to anyone who needs blood.
There is also an urgent need for platelet donations.

There will be a blood drive from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 13 at Livingston Hospital and Healthcare Services in Salem.

Enforcement of weight, speed limits stepped up on Smithland Bridge

Truckers should be aware that Kentucky State Police (KSP) Troopers and Officers with the KSP Division of Commercial Vehicle Enforcement have stepped up enforcement of the load limit on the U.S. 60 Cumberland River Bridge at Smithland.

Responding to a number of recent complaints about overweight trucks crossing the bridge, there will be an enhanced enforcement presence at the bridge.

According to Kentucky Transportation Cabinet regulations, trucks crossing the bridge have the following gross weight restrictions:

• Type I trucks: 23 Tons (2 axle)
• Type II trucks: 23 Tons (3 axle)
• Type III trucks: 26 Tons (4 axle)
• Type IV trucks: 35 Tons (5 axle-semi)

Load limit information is posted at the end of all Kentucky bridges. It is the responsibility of the commercial drivers license holder to obey bridge weight restrictions.

While farm trucks hauling crops and trucks hauling certain natural resources are given a margin of error on some highways, all bridge load limits still apply and cannot be exceeded.

While officers are on-site they will also be enforcing the 35 mph speed limit on the bridge.

The U.S. 60 Cumberland River bridge at Smithland, also known as the Lucy Jefferson Lewis Memorial Bridge and the Smithland Bridge is a 1,817-foot through truss structure that opened to traffic in 1931. About 5,500 vehicles cross the bridge in an average day.

Back to School Bash

CCHS student Elizabeth Price chats with a teacher

Parents and students flocked to local schools Thursday evening for the annual Back to School Bash at CCMS and CCHS and the Sneak-a-Peek at CCES.

There, parents and students were able to get all the information they need to get started back to class next week.

Crittenden County schools resume on Tuesday.

Rain can create road hazards

Rain moving across the region brings the potential for hazardous driving conditions for the next few days.

It has been weeks since we have had substantial rainfall across most of Western Kentucky.  During extended dry periods a film of oil can develop on road surfaces. When rain first starts to fall this film can create hazardous driving conditions.

Additionally, there is a potential for areas of localized heavy downpours which will create additional safety hazards for motorists.

Please remember to slow down adjust your driving habits to meet localized weather conditions.

Timely traffic advisories for the 12 counties of KYTC Highway District 1 are available by going to www.facebook.com/kytcdistrict1.  You do not have to be a Facebook member to access this page.

No middle school game Tuesday

Due to repairs at Rocket Stadium, the originally scheduled middle school football game Tuesday between Crittenden and Trigg counties has been cancelled. Read more.

Photography fundamentals offered at WKCTC

West Kentucky Community and Technical College in Paducah is offering a five-week class to teach the fundamentals of photography beginning Aug.  26.

Class instructor Jim Ethridge will cover topics such as camera types, exposure settings, composition, posing, lighting, types of photography and more.

Photographs by Ethridge have been used in several books including: "Paducah, Kentucky: A Center for Culture and Commerce," which was published by Turner Publishing; and "In Your Backyard," an article in the fall 2001 issue of Nature Photographer Magazine. Ethridge has also won several local photography contests.

             

Photographic Fundamentals will be held each Tuesday evening Aug. 26, Sept. 2, 9, 16 and 23. Each class will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. in WKCTC’s Emerging Technology Center, Room 214. A short field trip in Paducah is planned for Sept. 16.

The cost for the five classes is $95. Participants are encouraged to bring a camera. A specific type of camera is not required for the class.

To register, call (270) 534-3335 or follow this link.

Johnson's: Big Fridge Sale!

Click Image to Enlarge

Marion couple arrested on drug charges

A Marion couple has been arrested by Kentucky State Police on drug-related offenses following an investigation into a complaint of drug activity.

Carl R. Belt, 41, and Beverly S. McDaniel, 40, were arrested Tuesday night after Trooper First Class Darron Holliman and Crittenden County Sheriff’s Department responded around 9:30 p.m. to a residence on Pleasant Hill Road in reference to a complaint of illegal drug activity. 

While at the residence, consent to search was obtained. During the search, officers located suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

Belt was charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance (meth), first offense, which is a Class D felony; and possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor. McDaniel was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, as well as first-degree possession of a controlled substance (meth), second offense, a Class D Felony.

Both subjects were lodged in Crittenden County Detention Center.

To anonymously report any type of suspected illegal drug activity, citizens can call the KSP toll-free drug tip hotline at (800) DOPE-TIP. The hotline is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Demolition of old Ledbetter Bridge progressing

A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KyTC) has removed about half of the concrete decking on the three main spans of the old Ledbetter Bridge. The contractor cut the concrete and over the last week has been using a trackhoe to break off 3-foot sections of the decking, then using a loader to haul the concrete chunks back down the bridge to the Livingston County side of the Tennessee River for disposal. 

The contractor plans to continue working from west to east along the bridge until the concrete decking is removed from the main spans.

The contractor submitted plans for the demolition to the U.S. Coast Guard for approval several weeks ago. The Coast Guard has indicated it would take about 30 days to fully review the plan. They have also provided the plan to other agencies and river industry organizations for their input.

Once the plan is approved, the contractor will be able to provide a timetable for the ongoing demolition work through the summer. Throughout the demolition process, the safety of workers and the public will be of prime importance.

Also known as the George Rogers Clark Memorial Bridge, the old Ledbetter Bridge was opened to traffic in 1931.  KyTC has issued a $5.6 million demolition contract that requires the old bridge to be removed by Dec. 1.

The old Ledbetter Bridge has been closed since July of 2013, when traffic was moved to the new U.S. 60 Tennessee River Bridge just upstream. 

At the end of April, a section of the West approach on the old Ledbetter Bridge dropped several feet due to land movement along the bluff on the McCracken County side of the river. Due to the continued land slippage along the bluff, one land-based approach pier and two approach spans at the west end of the bridge collapsed in the early morning hours of June 22, prompting engineers to expedite demolition of the structure.

Demolition of the bridge will require close coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard and river industry groups to help minimize disruptions to navigation along the Tennessee River.

What's News in Marion!

Donnie Phillips has a new Job
FIND OUT WHAT IT IS
in this week's Press

School starts Tuesday and there's plenty of banter about the Rocket football team kicking off its season in a few days.

This week's printed edition of The Crittenden Press is full of interesting things you will find nowhere else, not even on the Web!

Here is a taste of this week's Press:

• 2 local businesses see big changes
• School District gets a huge insurance bill
• New gas lines going in ground
• Some Livingston folks are in trouble in Paducah
• Info on 1973 and 1974 CCHS Reunions
• There's a new band director in town
• Lots and lots of Fair Results
• William Ralph Paris makes headlines
• See who's the Rocket Ironman

This and much more awaits readers of the printed version this week. The Press will be on newsstands this afternoon.

Russian hackers steal more than 1 billion Internet passwords

A Russian crime ring has amassed the largest known collection of stolen Internet credentials, including 1.2 billion user name and password combinations and more than 500 million email addresses, security researchers say. The records, discovered by Hold Security, a firm in Milwaukee, include confidential material gathered from 420,000 websites, including household names, and small Internet sites. 

Because the hacking was so widespread, computer users are advised to change all online passwords for security reasons.

For the full story, visit the New York Times online.