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

Deer Creek live Nativity still growing after 45 years

Mark Bryant, the former Marion City Administrator accused of criminal wrongdoing, has agreed to a plea deal on three felony charges and is facing six years in prison. Standing alongside his attorney Don Thomas of Benton during a pretrial hearing last Thursday in Crittenden Circuit Court, the defendant changed his original plea of not guilty to guilty based on a recommended sentence by special prosecutor Raymond McGee.

For more on this story and the following headlines, pick up a copy of this week's issue of The Crittenden Press:

• Monday new start for city government
• Sentences handed down in drug cases, others
• Grand jury indicts 3 last week
• Rocket Docket saved jails $18.7 million
• Realignment would move Livingston to 5th Circuit
• Grand Rivers OKs liquor sales
• Ex-Morganfield police chief jailed after investigation
• Deer Creek Church recreates biblical village, celebrates true Christmas story
• Sanders Family back at Fohs Hall
• IN PICTURES: Salem's Lighted Christmas Parade
• Deal could ease burden on Kenergy customers
• County’s child well-being 69th
• Holiday closings, shipping deadlines
• KFB success recognized
• Bechler to chair Ky. House Program Review & Investigations Committee
• Dual credit class benefits realized
• JUDGE'S JOURNAL: Roads at fore of county’s efforts of late
• SUPER NEWS: Community key to education success
• PASTOR'S PEN: ‘Tis the season to be blessed or stressed
• FORGOTTEN PASSAGES: Church, school center of Chapel Hill community
• SPORTS: Fouls keep Rockets on heels in 5th loss to undefeated Lyon
• SPORTS: Lady Rockets miss chance to eliminate hex from Lyon wand
• SPORTS: Rocket football awards distributed
• VAUGHT'S VIEWS: UK, UofL square off Dec. 21 at KFC Yum! Center
• OUTDOORS: Sick deer suggests baiting deadly to wildlife
• OUTDOORS: Wildlife commission proposes hunting changes

Open House

Williams, Faughn and Associates greeted a number of clients and guests this evening for their Open House event. 

The Certified public accounting firm is located in the offices formerly of Larry Orr, CPA.

 

Gift Idea: Season Tickets CCHS Basketball

Crittenden County fans can purchase basketball season tickets and save big money on admission to home basketball games.

Season tickets are available at the general admission gate during any home varsity basketball game or by contacting a member of the coaching staff.

Adult season tickets are $30. That is a savings of $50 off regular admission price.

Season tickets for students are only $10, which is a substantial savings over the gate price, which is anticipated to be $5 across the board this season.

Email Coach Denis Hodge to Order Season Tickets

Area deaths

Mary Katherine (Wheeler) Taylor Bailey, 80, of Ledbetter died Monday. Boyd Funeral Directors and Cremation Services in Salem is in charge of arrangements.

Escil L. “Eck” Marvel, 88, of Marion died Monday. Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion  is in charge of arrangements.

Driver's testing 1-2 p.m. Friday

Crittenden County Courthouse will be closed Friday from noon until 1 p.m. to accommodate the annual Christmas dinner for county workers, This means driver’s testing on Friday will be from 1 to 2 p.m.

Christmas comedy heading to Fohs Hall

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Crittenden teens get Chromebooks Wednesday

Christmas is coming early this year to students at Crittenden County High School.

On Wednesday, students will have the opportunity to pick up their new Google Chromebooks at #ChromeConnect as part of an initiative recently passed by Crittenden County Board of Education to provide personal computing devices to all students in grades 6-12. Parents or guardians and their student with last names A-L should report to the Crittenden County Middle School gymnasium at 5 p.m. Students with last names M-Z should report to the gym at 6 p.m.

Students at the middle school will also be receiving Chromebooks following Christmas break.

Following a brief presentation on usage and care, high school students and their parents or guardians will go into the adjoining multi-purpose room to sign necessary papers and pick up their new devices. A technology fee of $20 must be paid at that time in order for a student to bring the device home.

This fee also will serve as self-insurance in the event the device needs repairs. If the $20 fee is paid, students will pay 50 percent of the cost of repairs. If the fee is unpaid, students will be allowed to use the device at school only and will be responsible for 100 percent of repair fees.

Superintendent Vince Clark hopes all high school students will take advantage of the opportunity to use the devices both at home and school.

“The one-to-one technology initiative opens so many windows of opportunity for our students,” said Clark. “Taking the device home with them affords them to complete projects at home, work on downloaded assignments and, for those with internet at home, research and perform web-based tasks.”

Clark said access to other websites and social media apps will be accessible only after school hours so students can use the device in their free time when schoolwork is completed. The school is filtering access to other sites it deems inappropriate for student access.

“We want students to take the Chromebooks home and use them,” said Clark. “The learning opportunity this presents for our teachers and students is amazing.”

The superintendent said teachers have received training on platforms such as Google Classroom to technologically enhance classroom learning.

Senior English teacher Melissa Quertermous believes the learning possibilities that one-to-one technology offers are endless.

“For the first time in our district, every student at the high school and middle school will have equal access to technology, which levels the playing field, so to speak,” she said. “Many of our students do not have access to technology at home, and this initiative now allows them to have the same opportunities to learn as their peers. As one student told me, this would be his very first computer.”

Quertermous added that while technology cannot replace good teaching, it definitely can enhance quality instruction.

For more on #ChromeConnect, call the high school at (270) 965-2248 or email tiffany.blazina@crittenden.kyschools.us.

Get Ready for Savings!

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Library amnesty runs through Feb. 1

Crittenden County Public Library is encouraging its patrons to celebrate the holidays with amnesty.
The library will be extending a merry Christmas and happy New Year by waiving late fees for nearly two months. That means any materials you have overdue can be returned in good condition with no questions asked and no fines.

The amnesty period will run through Feb. 1.

Marion office hosts open house

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KSP investigates quadruple fatality on I-69

Four people were killed Saturday in a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 69 in Caldwell County at approximately 10:54 a.m.

The Kentucky State Police investigation reveals that a 2013 Chevrolet Camaro driven by Thomas B. Hughes, 66, of Princeton was traveling northbound on Interstate 69 and for unknown reasons, lost control of the vehicle. The Camaro then crossed the median entering the southbound lane of traffic where it collided into a 2014 Ford Explorer operated by Raymond C. Vilvens, 73, of Batavia, Ohio.

Hughes, Vilvens and two passengers in the Explorer – Carolyn J. Vilvens, 69, of Batavia and Linda S. Franz, 65, of Milford, Ohio – were all pronounced dead at the scene by the Caldwell County Coroner.  One occupant of the Explorer, Mary A. Vilvens, 69, of Fayetteville, Ohio, was transported by Air Evac Life Team to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, Ind., and is listed in critical condition.

The investigation is ongoing.

Princeton Fire Department, Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, Princeton Police Department, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Caldwell County EMS and Air Evac Lifeteam assisted at the scene.

Holiday alters food giveaway schedule

Due to the Christmas holiday, Crittenden County Assistance Center is moving up the distribution dates for both the food bank and senior food box. Crittenden County Food Bank for any underprivileged resident of the county and Crittenden County Commodity Food Supplemental Program for registered seniors only will both distribute from 8 a.m. noon on Friday, Dec. 16 at the center on North Walker Street in Marion.

Live nativity continues at Deer Creek

The live nativity at Deer Creek Church in Crittenden County continues tonight and Monday. More than two dozen actors and many live animals – a camel, sheep, goats, donkey, cow and chickens – bring the village of Bethlehem alive, but more importantly, help tell the biblical Christmas story to visitors. The nativity stretches across the church parking lot with a market, era demonstrations and, of course, the manger scene. The nativity runs from 6 to 8 p.m. each night. Non-perishable food items and monetary donations are accepted to help Crittenden County Food Bank. The church is located on Ky. 297, 5 miles off U.S. 60.

Boutique offers 12 Days of Give Aways

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Salem Christmas Parade

 

 

Smoke detectors offered for free

Crittenden County Volunteer Fire Department is giving away free smoke detectors that have a 10-year battery life. There is a limit of three per family. Contact Fire Chief Chris Cooksey at (270) 704-1116 to schedule an installation.

Area death

Brenda Maxine Benton, 76, of Marion died Thursday. Gilbert Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Area death

Brittany DeShae Hinchee, 22, of Marion died Wednesday in Boone County, Ky.  Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion is in charge of arrangements.

Salem parade to block U.S. 60

Salem's 14th annual lighted Christmas parade returns Saturday along Main Street. It begins at 5:30 p.m., and this year's theme is, "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas."

Traffic along this section of U.S. 60 in downtown Salem will be blocked for about 45 minutes starting at parade time. Under a permit from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, U.S. 60 will be blocked from Ky. 133/Lola Road eastward to College Street. Livingston County Sheriff’s Department will provide traffic control during the parade.

Bryant pleads guilty

Former city administrator Mark Bryant pleaded guilty today in Crittenden Circuit Court on three felony counts of wrongdoing while he was in office. The criminal charges deal with his relationship with work-release inmates, providing them drugs.

The commonwealth is recommending six years.

See next week's printed edition of The Crittenden Press for details.