Bechler's organ donation bill advances

Supporters of organ and tissue donation hope a proposed change to Kentucky law will save more lives while fully honoring the wishes of donors.

House Bill 84, sponsored by Rep. Lynn Bechler, R-Marion, would require coroners and medical examiners to contact the Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates, or KODA, if a deceased person’s body is in any way medically suitable for organ or tissue donation. The bill was approved today without dissent by the House Licensing, Occupations & Administrative Regulations.

Hospitals routinely contact KODA to determine if someone is an organ donor, Bechler told the committee, but donors who die outside of a hospital setting can have their wishes overlooked.

That is what happened to the late Courtney Flear, a 19-year-old Princeton woman killed in a traffic accident in 2015. Although Flear had signed her driver’s license indicating that she wanted to be an organ donor, KODA was never contacted, said Bechler.

“Had the proposed changes that are in HB 84 been law at the time of Courtney’s death, one or more lives may have been saved,” he said.

Should HB 84 become law, a provision in the bill would allow it to be cited as Courtney’s Law in honor of Flear.

The bill now moves to the full House for consideration.

Winter storm could impact area Friday

A potential weather storm will impact the area overnight Thursday and continuing Friday.

According to the National Weather Service in Paducah, a strong cold front will move across western Kentucky Thursday night. Rain is forecast to transition to freezing rain and sleet, then to a period of snow from west to east. The transition is expected to occur late Thursday night into Friday morning. Depending on the speed of the storm system, snow may linger through much of Friday night.

The types and amounts of precipitation will depend on the speed of the storm system. However, the potential for a high impact winter storm does exist.

After the weather hits, the temperature is forecast to remain below freezing through next Wednesday.

Several agencies, organizations and the school district are keeping an eye on the forecast to determine any potential closings for Friday. Closings will be posted here as the newspaper is notified.

Basketball game changed for weather

Crittenden County's Fifth District basketball game at Trigg County will be played Thursday night instead of Friday as originally scheduled due to the threat of bad weather Friday. This will be a varsity doubleheader.

What's news this week in Crittenden County...

To Your Health
Find our 6-page section dedicated
to a healthier you in 2018

After several months of debate, a reversed decision to close the street  and $100,000 in repairs and an ongoing need for more, Marion City Council is looking at an end to commercial traffic to prolong the life of County Club Drive.

For the complete story and the following headlines, grab a copy of this week's issue of The Crittenden Press:

• Deep freeze plays havoc with city’s water distribution lines
• State pension woes may lead to city, county service cuts
• ABOUT TOWN: Isolation becoming burden for community
• Coyote DNA sought for species expansion study
• Bill would piggyback gubernatorial polling
• Marion attorney opening own office
• Attorney’s new office necessitates counseling center move to Ed-Tech
• SENATE LEGISLATIVE LOOK: ‘Dire’ pension situation no time for partisanship
• HOUSE LEGISLATIVE LOOK: Pension crisis affects all
• Electric utility fined $20,000 for fatal 2016 safety violations
• Comer in, Gaskins out in 1st District congressional race
• Caldwell pursuit leads to DUI, other charges filed against Fredonia man
• KU seeks OK to make smart meters standard
• Crittenden County man headed
• overseas with Ky. Guard unit
• Bitter cold may qualify ag losses for FSA help
• Woman’s Club 2018 youth short story, poetry contest deadline set for Jan. 26
• SPORTS: Tall orders await CCHS in All A
• SPORTS: Rocket coach feels better after film review
• SPORTS: Roller coaster ride adds uncertainty to girls' season
• SPORTS: Cardinals caravan coming to Paducah, Evansville
• VAUGHT'S VIEWS: Father hopes UK fans will remember Barker's team loyalty
• Burna Legion honors Pecks, Gibsons for 2017
• Atmos replacing lines on 641
• Paducah Kmart shuts doors in April
• Highs and lows: 2017 weather almanac
• Compare 2017 Marion Police activity to 2016
• Study: State losing residents
• FORGOTTEN PASSAGES: 1948 in review reveals war, sports news
• Chamber breakfast scheduled for Jan. 19
• Local jobless rate up from November 2016

LHHS has job openings

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Area Death

Kenneth D. Beavers, 85, of Marion died Tuesday. Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion is in charge of arrangements.

High-Speed Internet available

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Order to DirecTV today

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Area death

Donald Eugene Hooten, 89, of Marion died Saturday. He was a recipient of the Purple Heart while serving in the U.S. Navy. Boyd Funeral Directors and Cremation Services is in charge of arrangements.

Gas line improvement project

The construction along US 641 around Crayne is a continuation of an ongoing distribution system upgrade by Atmos, which serves the area with natural gas.

Clearly, the project will change the horizon in the southern part of the county as a number of trees are being taken out to accommodate the improvement project.

Workers have spent much of the late summer and fall in Caldwell County. Now, a majority of the project have moved into Crittenden.

Basketball doubleheader tonight at Marion

Crittenden County hosts Lyon County tonight in a basketball doubleheader at Rocket Arena.

The girls' game starts at 6pm with the Lady Rockets looking for a second win over the Lyons this season. A victory will help the CCHS girls content for a regular-season district championship.

Crittenden's boys meanwhile are hoping to keep Lyon County in the Second Region cellar. Right now, the Lyons (1-10) have the worst record in the whole region with just one win. However, that lone victory was against Crittenden at Eddyville in December.

Area deaths

Jody Lee Starrett, 48, of Marion died Jan. 2, 2018. Myers Funeral Home in Marion was in charge of arrangements.

Michael Steven McDonald, 66, of Morganfield died Friday, Dec. 29, 2017. Whitsell Funeral Home in Morganfield was in charge of arrangements.

Marion City Council meets Monday

Marion City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Monday at city hall for its regular monthly meeting. By ordinance, the January meeting is moved from the usual third Monday due to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on that day.

City water leak now repaired

City of Marion utility workers labor to make repairs to a busted
water main in midday temperatures around 15 degree. The geyser has
coated a wooded area around the break in a sheet of ice.

Updated at 12:45 p.m.
The leak has been repaired and water has been restored to all customers. City Administrator Adam Ledford said there is no boil water order necessary and things are back to normal.

Original post
Beginning at noon, Crittenden County Elementary School will be without water as will some residents in that area of the community and manufacturing facilities in the Industrial Park South.

According to Superintendent of Schools Vince Clark, CCES is making plans to accommodate student needs.

"This will require some adjustments for lunch and restroom services at CCES," said Clark, "but (staff) are working on how best to handle that while providing lunch and restroom breaks for students."

The middle and high school campuses should not be impacted, Clark added.

However, some residents in the southeast part of town and Par 4 Plastics will be impacted. The county is working with Par 4 to help provide backup water and the schools reportedly have a 1,000-gallon mobile water supply that will be used at CCES.

City Administrator Adam Ledford said a water line broke early this morning and it's spewing so much water that repairs must be made soon or the city's supply could be jeopardized. He said repairs should be completed sometime after dark this evening. Crews, he said, will be making the repairs without closing off the water system. So it will be a wet and cold job, Ledford said.

The line break is on a major artery in the distribution system that takes water from the plant on Chapel Hill Road to the water tower on Wilson Hill above Marion.

Health screenings available

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What's news this week in Crittenden County

After a week off, The Crittenden Press returns with a look back at what made the news 2017 and a bevy of fresh stories that will impact your life in 2018. For that and all of the following headlines, pick up a copy of this week's issue out today on newsstands:

• Take a look back at 2017 news
• Roll call of those we lost in 2017
• City shedding light on burglaries
• Firemen save former skating rink on coldest night of winter thus far
• Financial bleeding slowed at hospital
• KU, Atmos users may save with fed tax reform
• Flu hits area hard
• Frazer files paperwork for county attorney
• Missing woman, 21, located in nearby jail
• Temps plummet to lowest in three years
• New library director takes over
• Freedom Waste seeks residential rate bump
• November jail revenue dips, but per-day income ticks up
• Audit clean for clerk’s fee account for 2016
• CCEDC appoints five to regional board
• State workers cost Kentucky taxpayers $100,000 in false election leave claims
• December police activity report
• Livingston teen dies in Christmas Eve wreck
• Local man arrested for fleeing state police
• Salem Springlake audit good
• UK research center expansion will help local farmers
• 1 in 4 Ky. vehicle recalls ignored, costing drivers
• Fewer unemployed since March 2001
• New benefits, insurance options in 2018
• Kentucky workplaces safer than ever
• Jones bids adieu to grocery store
• Schools prepare for NTI snow days
• SPORTS: District showdown Friday at Marion
• SPORTS: Lady Rockets need another W vs. Lyon
• SPORTS: Players wanted for 3-on-3 basketball
• VAUGHT'S VIEWS: Sports anchor Mizelle plans to be her self on air
• BENCHMARKS: Where is the moral compass?
• FORGOTTEN PASSAGES: School days created lasting memories
• Fredonia Heritage Society solicits survey information

Grass fire occupies local firemen

A field fire in the eastern part of Crittenden County is occupying multiple fire departments this afternoon.

About three acres were on fire at one time.

The blaze is in the Shady Grove district.

Local business seeks employees

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Firemen on scene of blaze at plaza

Marion City Firemen are on the scene of a blaze at the former skating rink behind Pizza Hut in Darben Plaza.

The fire is in the attic and there are flames visible. 

Area death

Reba Mae Riley, 85, of Burna died Thursday. Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion was in charge of arrangements.