Reminder: No newspaper this week

There will be no Dec. 30 edition of The Crittenden Press this week. The next issue will be Jan. 6.

Stay tuned to The Press Online for any breaking news in the community.

Meantime, check out our new Facebook page. Click on the Big Blue F at in the lefthand column of this page.

KSP Plans Major Crackdown on Drunk Drivers

Kentucky State Police are gearing up for the New Years Eve holiday, which is traditionally a time for festive events where people gather to ring in a new year. Many of these celebrations will include the consumption of alcohol, lending way to the potential for impaired drivers on Kentucky roadways.

Every year law enforcement officials make a plea to those who drink to stay off the roads. While drunk driving is a terrible crime any day of the year, statistics show that the holiday season has the greatest incidence for crashes involving alcohol.

KSP Commissioner Rodney Brewer said his agency will be participating in the Over the Limit. Under Arrest.impaired driving enforcement campaign sponsored by the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety.

“Life is too precious to be lost in a senseless tragedy that causes indescribable hardship,” said Brewer. “KSP has a no-tolerance policy. If you are caught driving under the influence, you will go to jail.”

Increased enforcement begins Thursday, Dec. 30, 2010 and runs through Sunday, Jan. 2. Brewer advised that KSP will increase road patrols and operate safety checkpoints statewide during the holiday period, cracking down on drunk drivers.

“Make no mistake, our message is simple. If you are caught driving impaired, you will be arrested. No exceptions, no excuses. We will be out in force to take drunk drivers off the road - and save lives that might otherwise be lost,” said Brewer.

KSP Spokesman Trooper John Hawkins urges friends and family members to take the keys away from anyone who drinks alcohol and arrange for them to be driven home.

“We know there are going to be holiday celebrations and office parties this time of year where alcohol will be consumed, so your best bet is to always designate a sober driver before the parties begin,” says Hawkins.

“In 2009, there were 30,430 DUI arrests in the Commonwealth,” said Hawkins. “We need every citizen’s help to keep impaired drivers off the road.”

KSP established a toll-free number (1-800-222-5555) that citizens can call to report impaired or erratic drivers.

Area Death

James Franklin Hughes, 93, of Carrsville died Monday, Dec. 27, 2010 at Salem Springlake Health and Rehabilitation Center. The funeral and visitation are Wednesday at Boyd Funeral Directors in Salem.

Area death

Rowena Campbell, 85, of Marion died Friday, Dec. 24, 2010 at Livingston Hospital in Salem. The funeral is Tuesday at Gilbert Funeral Home. Visitation is tonight.

Merry Christmas from The Press Online

The Crittenden Press wishes its readers a blessed holiday season starting with a joyous Christmas Day.

Remember, there will be no printed edition of The Press next week.

Stay tuned to our Web site for any breaking news events.

In the meantime, check us out on Facebook. The new site has a discussion board.

Methodists open church for public communion

Marion United Methodist Church, across from the U.S. Post Office in Marion, invites everyone to its sanctuary for public communion from 5-7 p.m., Christmas Eve. Come and go as you please.

Holiday closings and hours

GROCERY STORES

• Conrads and Food Giant grocery stores will be closed Christmas Day. Conrad’s is open until 10 p.m., Christmas Eve and Food Giant is closing at 6 p.m. Both stores are open regular hours New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

GAS STATIONS

• Five Star Food Mart will be open 24 hours a day throughout the holidays.
• nIdeal gas station on Sturgis Road will be open from 6 a.m., to 6 p.m., Christmas Eve and from 8 a.m., to 10 p.m., Christmas Day. It will be open normal hours for New Year’s Eve and Day.
• Liberty Fuels gas station will be open until 2 p.m., Christmas Eve and closed all day Christmas Day. It will be closed New Year’s Day, too. Liberty Fuels offers after-hours fueling with a credit card.

GOVERNMENT OFFICES

• Offices in the Crittenden County Courthouse are closed Dec. 23-25, Dec. 30-31 and Jan. 1.
• Marion City Hall will be closed Dec. 23-24 and Dec. 30-31.
• The Crittenden-Livingston Water District will be closed Dec. 23-24 and Dec. 31.
• The Marion Post Office will be closing at noon Christmas Eve and noon New Year’s Eve. The office will be closed Christmas and New Year’s Day.

OTHER SERVICES

• The Crittenden Press will close at noon today and be closed tomorrow, Christmas Eve. There will be no newspaper the last week of the year; however, the Early Bird will be on a normal schedule through the holidays. The Press office will be closed New Year’s Eve.
• Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum will be closed Dec. 24 through Jan. 4. If anyone would like to tour the museum during this time, call Tina Walker at 965-3728.
• The Crittenden County Adult Learning Center will be closed Christmas Eve through Jan. 2 for the holidays.

Hospital breaks ground for operating room

Crittenden Health Systems hosted a groundbreaking ceremony at noon Wednesday to formally kick off a construction project that will include renovation and expansion of the hospital operating room at a cost of about $2.6 million.

Several hospital officials, staff and representatives from financial institutions and engineering and construction groups attended the event.

See the Jan. 6, 2011 printed edition of The Crittenden Press for more details.

Pictured in front are (from left) Hugh Highfil, hospital director; Wade Berry, president of Farmers Bank; Bart Frazer, chairman of hospital board, Jean-Claude Keifer, hospital director; Charlie Hunt, hospital director; Dr. V. Soni, Dr. Rex Manayan, a new hospital surgeon; Dr. James Hawkins; and Roger Simpson, hospital director.

Health departments offering free flu shots for kids

The Pennyrile District Health Department is now offering free flu vaccinations to children age 6 months to 18 years. Get your vaccination at the Crittenden County Health Department in Industrial Park South next to the Marion Ed-Tech Center or in Caldwell, Livingston, Lyon or Trigg counties.

Shots are also available at school clinics when classes resume after the holidays. If you would like your child to receive a flu shot at school, call the school clinic to make an appointment.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the flu shot for everyone six months and older, especially those with chronic illnesses. Cost of the shot for those 19 and older is $25 and free to those with Medicaid and Medicare.

Check out our new Facebook page

Join The Crittenden Press on Facebook. We launched a new page this week that will include a variety of features. For starters, you can join a couple of online discussions about things going on in Marion.

View our page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Crittenden-Press/185406934808499?v=wall

Ride round town tomorrow night with Santa

Santa invites the community to join him on a series of short hayrides around town from 6-8 p.m., tomorrow night (Thursday, Dec. 23). The rides are free and will include a tour of Marion to see the Christmas lights on homes and public buildings. Meet Santa and the hay wagon at the courthouse.

Auction today at Grandview Estates in Marion

Welcome to the shortest day of the year

Today is the winter solstice, which happens when the Earth's axial tilt is farthest away from the sun. It is the shortest day and longest night of the year, and also signals the beginning of winter.

The winter solstice comes to the Norther Hemisphere in December and to the Southern Hemisphere in June.

Area Death

Betty J. Jones, 78, of Marion died Sunday, Dec. 19, 2010 at Crittenden County Health and Rehab. Visitation is Wednesday evening at Gilbert Funeral Home.

Area Deaths

Richard Stokes, 76, of Marion died Friday at Salem Springlake Health and Rehab. The funeral is Monday at Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion.

Ruby Tinsley, 83, of Tolu died Saturday at her home. The funeral is Wednesday at Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion.

Kenneth Rhea Locke, Sr, 80, of Marion died Saturday at his home. The funeral is Wednesday at Myers Funeral Home in Marion.

Western Kentucky Parkway bottlenecked at Caldwell-Hopkins County line

Traffic is restricted to one lane on the Western Kentucky Parkway at the Hopkins-Caldwell County Line.

Engineers have discovered a void underneath the right-hand or driving lane of the parkway near the Tradewater River. Traffic is being moved to the left-hand or passing lane at the site. The lane restriction is likely to remain round the clock through the middle of next week when repairs should be completed.

Motorists traveling eastbound on the parkway between Princeton and Dawson Springs should be alert for slowing and merging traffic as they approach the 21 mile marker.

Courthouse hosts reception for Judge Brown

More than 50 well-wishers, including Sen. Dorsey Ridley and Rep. Mike Cherry, attended a retirement reception for outgoing Crittenden County Judge-Executive Fred Brown on Thursday.

Brown will turn over the county's top seat to Perry Newcom starting in January.

Pictured is Dan Witherspoon making a presentation to Brown on behalf of the Veterans Walk of Honor.

For more, see next week's printed edition of The Crittenden Press.

Auction Tuesday at Grandview in Marion

Welcome Marion Cafe to the Web

The Crittenden Press Online welcomes its newest online advertiser, Marion Cafe and Thom's Sweet Shoppe on Main Street at the courthouse square in Marion.

Click here to visit the cafe's Web page

Community Christmas reaches goal

Thanks to some 11th-hour giving, the annual Community Christmas project has reached its goal of sponsoring more than 300 children this holiday season.

Every child signed up for the program has received a sponsor and thanks to the generosity of the community, the effort has raised an additional $10,500 in cash. The money will be used for gift vouchers and food for those who did not register for Community Christmas.