STATEWIDE TORNADO DRILL SET FOR TUESDAY
The statewide tornado drill that was originally scheduled for March 2nd will be conducted tomorrow morning at 9:15. This drill will differ from other quarterly drills in that all sirens in the county will be activated at the same time and will be done so when the Tornado Warning alert is received from the National Weather Service. This is also the time of year that schools, businesses, and individual homes should review & practice their severe weather/tornado plans.
MURRAY WOMAN CHARGED WITH THEFT AND BURGLARY
Graves County Sheriff’s Department deputies were dispatched Saturday to a reported theft in the 3500 block of Swan Road. Upon arrival, the property owner said he was notified that someone was tampering with the electrical meter. Deputies say 32-year-old Cristel Nuguid of Murray and 33-year-old Matthew Duncan of Hardin were found in a vehicle behind the residence. A bundle of wire was reportedly found beside their vehicle, along with a removed electrical box behind the building. Both allegedly admitted to cutting off the electric box and taking the wire from the shed behind the building. Both were lodged in the Graves County Jail and charged with burglary and theft by unlawful taking. Nuguid was additionally charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.
MAYFIELD MAN CHARGED WITH WALMART ROBBERY
An arrest has been made in the robbery of a Mayfield store last month. Mayfield Police Department officers responded on February 22 to Walmart for a report of a robbery. Store personnel told officers that an unidentified man brandished a knife while fleeing the store with stolen merchandise. A search by police came up empty. On Saturday, 53-year-old Kenneth Beauchamp was arrested without incident. He was lodged in the Graves County Jail on a robbery charge.
CCHD REPORTS NEW CASES
The Calloway County Health Department reported 10 new cases of COVID-19 from Friday through Sunday. The total number of county cases during the pandemic is now 3,389. Of that total, 3,318 have recovered, 23 are isolated at home, none are hospitalized, and there have been 48 deaths. The Marshall County Health Department reported 23 new cases for the week from Friday to Friday, while the Graves County Health Department announced 3 new cases. The Purchase District Health Department announced 11 new cases in McCracken County, 1 in Fulton County, and 1 in Carlisle County.
CALLOWAY INCIDENCE RATE STEADY; LYON SURGES HIGHER
Calloway County’s Incidence Rate per 100,000 on Sunday was 5.1%, which was higher than Thursday’s rate of 3.7%. Lyon County’s state leading rate escalated even more yesterday to 774.3% due mostly to over 500 active cases at Kentucky State Penitentiary. Lyon County’s rate is over 22 times times higher than second place Carroll County’s rate of 34.9%. Neither the Murray Independent School District or Calloway County School District has reported any COVID cases or quarantines last week. Murray State University has reported no new cases over the past week.
STATE POSITIVITY RATE REMAINS UNDER 4%
At Sunday’s COVID-19 update for Kentucky, 445 new cases and 16 deaths were reported, raising the total to 4,982 Kentuckians who are listed as covid deaths. As of Sunday, there have been over 4.68 million coronavirus tests performed in Kentucky with a positivity rate of 3.99%, which is lower than last Sunday’s rate of 4.12%. There are 488 Kentuckians hospitalized which is 60 less than last Sunday, including 118 in ICU, which is 38 less than one week ago. At least 48,674 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus.
MAYFIELD MAN FACING DRUG CHARGES
A Mayfield man wanted on a warrant was arrested over the weekend on drug charges. 37-year-old Arthur Eaton was arrested Friday on a bench warrant out of Graves County. During the arrest, police said Eaton was found in possession of illegal drugs, resulting in additional charges. He was lodged in the Graves County Jail on charges of failure to appear, possession of marijuana, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
IN AND AROUND KENTUCKY
WINCHESTER—Volunteers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are providing flood relief across Kentucky. About 80 volunteers helped out families in Winchester over the weekend who are trying to salvage things from their homes. The group is using teams to help remove debris and have provided eight semis full of supplies for hard hit counties. Drive-up events for supply collection will be held today in Estill, Powell, and Owsley.
OWESNBORO—A teen pedestrian hit by a car in Owensboro is receiving treatment for potentially life-threatening injuries. Police say the 13-year-old was crossing the eastbound on-ramp at Carter Road and Wendell H. Ford Expressway on Friday afternoon when she was struck by a vehicle. The crash is under investigation.
HENDERSON—A stabbing in Henderson is under police investigation. The stabbing happened yesterday in the 14-hundred-block of Woodland Drive. Police say the victim told them he got into a verbal argument with a man he didn’t know, which turned into a physical altercation. The victim was taken to the hospital in unknown condition.
LEXINGTON—Wildlife officials are warning about increased coyote sightings. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources says it is coyote breeding season and a good time to keep a closer eye on pets. Coyotes are being seen in urban and suburban areas, especially near abandoned groundhog burrows and brush piles. Officials say coyotes are omnivores and not picky eaters who will also scavenge. In an encounter with an aggressive coyote, experts recommend making yourself appear big, shouting, and throwing rocks or sticks in the direction of the animal. They also recommend keeping an eye out when gardening and not leaving pet food outdoors overnight.
WASHINGTON DC—President Biden is showing support for Breonna Taylor’s family. On the one-year anniversary of her police-shooting death on Saturday, Biden tweeted that Taylor’s death was “a tragedy, a blow to her family, her community, and America.” The President also said he’s committed to signing into law a landmark bill on police reform. Taylor was killed in a raid on her apartment connected to a larger drug investigation.
LOUISVILLE—Former Kentucky Representative and U.S. Senate candidate Charles Booker says he may run for Rand Paul’s Senate seat in 2022. During an interview on Kentucky Education Television yesterday, the Democrat said he believes there’s a new story to tell for Kentucky. Booker says many Kentuckians have been asking him to run for public office again. Booker lost to fellow Democrat Amy McGrath in the 2020 primary election before McGrath lost to Senator Mitch McConnell.
TENNESSEE—The Tennessee Department of Health is making a change to its coronavirus reporting. TDH announced Saturday that it will only be releasing COVID-19 data for the state Monday through Friday. The state says data from Saturdays, Sundays and state holidays will be available the next business day. A new COVID-19 data report is expected today.
TENNESSEE—Law enforcement agencies around the state are showing support for a Nashville police officer wounded in a deadly shooting. Metro Nashville Police Department Officer Josh Baker was wounded on Friday during an exchange of gunfire with a woman who apparently pulled a gun after drugs were found in the car she was driving. In a tweet on Friday, the Tennessee Highway Patrol asked Tennesseans to pray for Officer Baker. The Knoxville Police Department also tweeted that its thoughts and prayers are with Baker and everyone within MNPD.
TENNESSEE—Dolly Parton is making history. The country music star won her tenth Grammy Award yesterday in Los Angeles. Dolly and Christian rock artist Zach Williams won a Grammy for best contemporary Christian music performance/song for their collaboration, There Was Jesus. The duet was Dolly’s first top ten hit on the Billboard Hot Christian Songs and Christian Airplay charts.
ILLINOIS—The Illinois Department of Public Health says the state is approaching nearly one-point-five million fully vaccinated residents. Health officials say the state set a new single-day record of over 152-thousand vaccines administered Friday. Officials say nearly four-million Illinoisans have received at least one vaccine dose, with over 353-thousand administered at long-term care facilities.
