County reports 21st coronavirus case

On Saturday, Crittenden County announced its 21st confirmed COVID-19 case. 

This one is a 72-year-old female who is self-isolated at home in rural Crittenden County.

Although the county has about 10 active cases, the most since the pandemic began, none are reportedly hospitalized at this time.

Cave In Rock Ferry stopped by mechanical problem

The Cave In Rock Ferry has ceased operations because of a mechanical issue.

The ferry was forced to stop carrying passengers across the Ohio River Sunday afternoon due to a gear box issue on the tug.

The ferry will likely remain closed until some point on Wednesday so that repairs can be completed.

Pennyrile District COVID-19 case detail

The above chart is the most detailed look available at COVID-19 information from Crittenden County and nearby communities that are part of the Pennyrile Health District.

Although there have been a number cases reported in the last few days in Crittenden and other nearby counties, these figures updated this afternoon show that most people with the virus are not sick enough to be hospitalized.

Nine people in Crittenden County have active cases – four from the same extended family – and none are in the hospital. Of the 20 total cases here since records began being kept in March, half have recovered. One person has died, a 59-year-old female, and COVID-19 was listed as one of eight contributing factors in that person's death.

The rate of confirmed infection in the five-county Pennyrile District since March is .00274 of the 53,484 population. 

Job Corps Center seeking employees

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The Earl C. Clements Job Corps Center has employment opportunities.

The Union County center offers a benefits package and opportunities for advancement for full-, part-time and substitute positions.

To learn more, visit the website mtcjobs.com.

County confirms COVID case No. 20

Crittenden County has verified its 20th case of COVID-19 since records began being kept in March.

The latest confirmed case is a 29-year-old female who is self-isolated at home in Marion.

This is the ninth case reported this week. Until this week, the county had not had more than two cases confirmed in a given week.

So far, the infection rate in the county is .0022 of the population of 8,915.

School district holds forums for parents

A series of forums for parents of Crittenden County students begins at noon today in the Rocket Arena Conference Room.

Superintendent Vince Clark will facilitate, allowing parents to ask questions about the school district's plan for a safe return to school amid COVID-19 concerns.

Forums are scheduled at the following times:
    -Noon, Friday (today)
    -Noon and 6 p.m., Monday
    -Noon and 6 p.m., Tuesday

More COVID cases brings weekly count to eight

Two more COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Crittenden County today. That brings this week's total to eight, by far the most recorded in a seven-day period since the outbreak began and records started being kept in March.

These mark the 18th and 19th cases in the county since March 1. The infection rate is now .00213 of the county's population. 

They are a 58-year-old female and a 60-year-old male living at the same address. 

Pace estate auction July 25

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A large estate auction is scheduled for July 25 in Salem.

Bunch Brothers will sell the contents of John S. Pace, Jr.'s estate beginning at 10 a.m.

Aside from a two-bedroom house and two commercial buildings, the estate includes a large antique collection, furniture, tools, vehicles and more.

Two more confirmed cases today

Crittenden County Judge-Executive Perry Newcom has announced that the county has had two more positive COVID-19 cases confirmed today. That makes three today and six this week.

These are the 16th and 17th cases since records began being kept in March.

The latest are a nine-year-old male sibling of the previous 11-year-old female confirmed earlier today, and a 67-year-old male. All three of today’s confirmed cases are isolating at home.

First responders working injury accident

UPDATE: The vehicle has been found, but there does not appear to be a victim at the scene or nearby. Authorities have made contact with the owner of the vehicle and are seeking more details. 

Original Post

First responders have been summoned to an injury accident on Amos Road in rural Crittenden County.

Amos Road is located between Mexico Road and Ky. 855 North in the Frances community.

Stay tuned for updates as information becomes available. 

Council meets in special session Thursday

Marion City Council will meet at 5pm Thursday, July 16 in special session to consider a first reading of three ordinances dealing with zoning changes in the city.

Marion Planning Commission has approved property zone changes at 312 W. Gum St., 533 E. Depot St., and 154 Pippi Hardin Blvd. The commission's recommendations will be presented to the council at this special meeting.

County reports COVID case No. 15

An 11-year-old female is the latest person in Crittenden County to test positive for COVID-19.

The child is isolated at home in Marion.

That brings to one half dozen the number of local cases that are active, and third one announced this week.

Eight have recovered. One person who tested positive has died.

I-24 shut down in Trigg County for accident

Both directions of travel on I-24 near the 62 mile marker in Trigg County are closed due to an accident involving a box truck.

 

The truck struck the centerline barrier wall and ripped open a fuel tank before striking the crash barrier at one of the emergency crossovers where it caught fire, said the Kentucky Department of Highways.

 

Due to the damage to the crash cushion and barrier wall and substantial debris field, the roadway at this site will be blocked for an extended period of time.

 

It could be midnight before the roadway is reopened.

 

 

Recovery of vehicle has Ky. 135 blocked

An accident east of Tolu on Ky. 135 injured the driver of a utility truck.

The driver was airlifted to an Evansville hospital.

Crittenden County Emergency Management reports that the highway is blocked because the truck was carrying tools and other items blocking the roadway.  It could take until after 5 p.m., for the recovery of the vehicle and reopening of the road. 

Diabetes classes online in August

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Diabetes classes are being offered online rather than in person late this summer.

Officials with the Pennyrile District Health Department can walk potential participants through setting up an account to view the classes from their personal computer, tablet or smart phone.

The classes will contain information on managing diabetes – including healthy eating, developing an active lifestyle, properly taking medications and reducing risks of long-term complications.

Healthy Living with Diabetes classes are taught be certified instructors and will be offered each Tuesday and Thursday in August, as well as one date in September.

Parents voice concern over cell phone ban

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About 20 Crittenden County parents and another dozen educators were present Monday night for a forum related to the proposed cell phone ban at Crittenden County High School. The high school SBDM has approved the purchase of locking pouches that will prohibit use of cell phones during the school day.


See this week's printed edition of The Crittenden Press for complete details about the policy and read parent concerns, comments and responses from school administrators.

At right, teacher Kim Vince explains how cell phones are disruptive in the classroom and why the ban is needed to increase student attentiveness.

Spay/neuter discount at Animal Practice

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If you're considering spaying or neutering your cat, the Animal Practice Clinic in Marion has an offer you might be interested in.


During July, Dr. Stephanie Call at the Animal Practice will be offering a $50 feline spay and neuter special.


To learn more, contact the clinic.

County confirms another COVID case

Crittenden County has its13th confirmed COVID-19 case.

The newest case is a 31-year-old female. She is self-isolated at home.  

There are now 4 active cases in the county.

Of all the cases confirmed here since March:

• Four are active
• Eight have recovered
• One has died
• Since March 1, 2020: 41 Crittenden County residents have died from other causes.

The frequency of cases during the pandemic time period in Crittenden County is .0014 of the population of roughly 9,100 people living here.

Smithland Bridge restriction today

Smithland Bridge on US 60 over the Cumberland River will be restricted to one lane today as workers place a platform on a bridge pier to facilitate repairs. The platform will allow work on the pier and repairs to a bearing on the bridge.

The work zone is expected to be in place from approximately 8am to 4pm Monday – and perhaps part of Tuesday – and will include a 10-foot maximum load width in the restricted area. 

Motorists should be alert for flaggers restricting traffic through the work zone.

School District announces 'Relaunch' Details

Following is an informational release from the Crittenden County School District

#RocketRelaunch

Rocket Students and Families,

As we continue to prepare for the restart of school, we want to provide you with the most current information we have regarding what school will look like for the 2020- 2021 school year. We will share a second survey on July 10-19 to determine parents’ intent toward in-person or virtual learning. The survey link will be emailed to parents, as well as shared to the school Website and social media pages.  We want you to be informed prior to participating in order for us to accurately and effectively plan instruction for our students, while making their health and safety our top priority. Online registration will follow, beginning on July 27. 

Here is what we know:

Students’ first day will be Aug. 25. (On June 23, our Board of Education adopted a variable instructional calendar with an Aug. 25 start date, which allows some flexibility with the number of instructional days in the school year, if needed. This delayed start also gives staff the ability to adequately prepare and train for a variety of learning options.) 

The following information explains the two options that parents have to enroll their children as Crittenden County Schools students:  

1. Send students to in-person school.
2. Have students learn virtually from home through a district-provided curriculum.

In-Person School Option

Social distancing will take place, with students spread out as much as possible in the classrooms, hallways, and common areas. We will have alternatives to eliminate large group gatherings, such as in the cafeteria.  We will be alternating students between eating in the cafeteria and eating in the classroom, and in some instances, outside.  The goal is to be able to reduce capacity in the cafeteria, not eliminate the option of using it as an eating place.

No-touch thermometers will be used to perform temperature checks for both students and staff prior to boarding buses in the morning and/or upon entering the school buildings. A student with a temperature above 100.4 or higher will not be able to participate in face-to-face instruction. 

Masks will be required of staff and students when social distancing is not possible, and parents are encouraged to provide these, if possible, for their students. Masks also will be required when students are moving throughout the hallways and waiting in lines (ex: cafeteria, morning arrival, afternoon dismissal). Masks may be lowered during class if all students and staff are able to practice social distancing, at the discretion of the teacher. Finally, masks must be worn by anyone moving around and by all students riding on school buses. Exceptions will be allowed for students with medical waivers, and per state guidelines, preschool and kindergarten students will not be required to wear masks.

Disinfecting and sanitizing practices will take place throughout the day while students are learning in-person. Students will be encouraged and scheduled to wash hands frequently, and hand sanitizer will be available.

Where practical, students will remain in self-contained settings, limiting the number of contacts an individual may experience throughout the day. Seating charts in classrooms, cafeterias, and buses will be required to aid in contact tracing, should a positive case occur. Visitors to the school will be limited, and parents checking in or out students will be required to wear a mask. 

Virtual Learning Option

Students choosing this option will be required to engage in a virtual learning platform daily, where they will learn grade-level content. Elementary school students will use Pathblazer, while middle and high school students will use Edgenuity. This option will NOT be similar to the NTI learning that occurred during the final semester of the 2019-2020 school year. We will be using an online curriculum instead of the learning packets, so internet service is essential.

Students choosing the virtual learning option will be required to attend an orientation session with their parent or caregiver (dates TBA) in advance of school starting. At that time, a virtual learning agreement will be signed. 

Students choosing to learn virtually from home will commit to this option through the end of a scheduled grading period. A student may choose to transition from in-person to virtual learning, however, at any time. In that scenario, the student must remain a virtual learner until the end of the next scheduled grading period, at which time he or she can continue to learn virtually or choose to return to in-person learning. 

Virtual learning will take place via students’ Chromebooks. Damages to Chromebooks will be assessed, per usual school guidelines, and students are expected to abide by technology acceptable use policies.  

Daily participation and submission of work according to predetermined deadlines will be expected for successful completion of online learning. 

School Will Look Different 

It’s easy to see that school will look differently this year. The sacrifices we all will be making, we hope you agree, are worth it for us to welcome back our students, continue learning, feeding, and taking care of each other, and ensure the health and safety of our students and staff. While school may be “different,” we want to remind you of things that won’t change: our caring, knowledgeable, and dedicated Rocket staff who love our students and love teaching; our belief that every child can learn and grow; and our commitment to helping our Rockets achieve success, both academically and emotionally. We know that patience and flexibility are key this year as we navigate unfamiliar territory in education. We know our students’ mental health is important and a focal point. We know our students need breaks, outdoor time, and as much normalcy as we can achieve. And we know that, together, we can make the 2020-2021 school year a great one. 

Annually, we choose a motto as the foundation for our year. Last year, that motto was #WhateverItTakes, and the resilience it encompasses was demonstrated over and over by our students, parents, and staff as we wrapped up a challenging, to say the least, school year. This year, our motto is #RocketRelaunch. We know that some changes are necessary as we start a new year, but as always, the goal for our Rockets to achieve success in all areas remains the same. 

Please keep these things in mind as we share the second edition of our student and parent survey. Again, we ask you to remember that the Covid-19 pandemic is an ever-evolving situation, and instances may occur that could create changes in our school plans. Your patience and flexibility as we work through these challenges, together, and continue to develop a finalized plan for our district, is appreciated.