HAZEL MAN CHARGED AFTER ACCIDENT
At approximately 10:30 Saturday morning, Calloway County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to Walston Road near Short Road for a report of a single vehicle non-injury collision. During the investigation, deputies located suspected methamphetamine and other illegal substances in the possession of the driver. 33-year old Joey Duncan of Hazel was arrested and charged with Operating a Vehicle with a DUI Suspended License 2nd Offense, Failure of the Owner to Maintain Required Insurance, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Prescription Controlled Substance Not in a Proper Container. Duncan was lodged in the Calloway County Jail.
MURRAY MAN FACING CHILD SEX CHARGES
At approximately 3:30 Saturday afternoon, Calloway County Sheriff’s Department Deputies assisted the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department with the serving of a search warrant at a residence on Cambridge Drive in Murray. 61-year old Harold Mills of Murray was located in the residence and was arrested on a Marshall County warrant charging him with three counts of Unlawful Transaction with a Minor, two counts of Sexual Abuse, and two counts of Attempted Promoting of a Minor in Sexual Performance. He was lodged in the Calloway County Jail.
SEARCH WARRANT LEADS TO DRUG TRAFFICKING CHARGE
At around 9:35 Friday night, officers with the Murray Police Department went to a residence on Stadium View Drive to serve an arrest warrant on 21-year old Avion Cavitt of Murray. While serving the arrest warrant, officers obtained a search warrant for the residence. Inside the residence, officers located over one pound of marijuana, a firearm, and other illegal substances. Cavitt was charged with Trafficking in Marijuana over 8 Ounces-Firearm Enhanced, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Cavitt was also charged with Contempt of Court due to his arrest warrant and was lodged in the Calloway County Jail.
KSP PROBING PUPPY THEFT
Troopers with Kentucky State Police Post 1 are investigating the theft of a litter of puppies in Graves County. Troopers responded last Thursday to a residence in the 2400 block of Meridian Road in the Hickory community. The four females and one male are Beagles with two of them having Bluetick markings. They were stolen from the residence between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm on Thursday. Anyone with information regarding the puppies or the identity of whoever stole them should contact the Kentucky State Police at 270-856-3721.
TORNADO DRILL TODAY
The statewide tornado drill that was originally scheduled for March 2nd will be conducted this 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.
CCHD REPORTS COUNTY’S 49TH COVID-RELATED DEATH
The Calloway County Health Department reported 1 new case of COVID-19 yesterday. The total number of county cases during the pandemic is now at 3,390. Of that total, 3,324 have recovered, 17 are isolated at home, none are hospitalized, and there have been 49 deaths, including one reported yesterday. The Calloway County Health Department’s next Regional Vaccination event will be Wednesday at the CFSB Center. Appointments will be scheduled from the Calloway County Health Department’s sign up list of individuals over 70 and others in Phase 1B and 1C. You must have a previously confirmed, scheduled appointment in order to be vaccinated at the Regional Vaccination Site. Sign up at callowayhealth.org.
CALLOWAY INCIDENCE RATE UP, LYON COUNTY’S CONTINUES TO SOAR
Calloway County’s Incidence Rate per 100,000 on Monday was 5.5%, which was higher than Sunday’s rate of 5.1%. Lyon County’s state leading rate increased yesterday to 783% 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 and Knox County’s rates of 34.9%.
MSU REPORTS 1 NEW COVID CASE
Neither the Murray Independent School District or Calloway County School District has reported any COVID cases or quarantines over the past week. Murray State University reported 1 student case last week.
KENTUCKY SURPASSES 5000 COVID-RELATED DEATHS
At Monday’s COVID-19 update for Kentucky, 396 new cases and 23 deaths were reported, raising the total to 5,005 Kentuckians who are listed as covid deaths. As of Monday, there have been over 4.69 million coronavirus tests performed in Kentucky with a positivity rate of 3.99%, which is lower than last Monday’s rate of 4.06%. There are 464 Kentuckians hospitalized which is 75 less than last Monday, including 114 in ICU, which is 47 less than one week ago. At least 48,720 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus.
PADUCAH MAN ARRESTED AFTER MURRAY CHASE
Troopers with Kentucky State Police, Post 1 arrested a Paducah man in Murray last week after he fled from law enforcement. At approximately 11:50 am Tuesday, Troopers observed a vehicle traveling west on KY 94 outside of Murray and attempted to stop the vehicle for a traffic violation. The vehicle sped up and attempted to elude Troopers, eventually going out of control and landing in a ditch. The operator left the vehicle and was later located inside a garage of a residence and taken into custody. 36-year old Joseph Owen was found to be under the influence of controlled substances. Through further investigation, Owen was found to be operating a stolen Chevrolet Tahoe from Paducah. Owen was transported to the Calloway County Jail and charged with Fleeing or Evading Police, Operating a Motor Vehicle Under the Influence, Burglary, Criminal Mischief, Possession of Marijuana and Drug Paraphernalia, Receiving Stolen Property, and several traffic offenses.
GRAVES SHERIFF GETS CLEAN STATE AUDIT
State Auditor Mike Harmon released the results Monday of the state mandated routine audit of the March 1-December 31, 2019 financial statement of Graves County Sheriff Jon Hayden. State law requires the auditor to annually audit the accounts of each county sheriff. In compliance with this law, the auditor issues two sheriff’s reports each year: one reporting on the audit of the sheriff’s tax account, and the other reporting on the audit of the fee account used to operate the office. The auditor also noted no matters involving internal control over financial reporting and its operation that were considered to be material weaknesses. In other words, a clean audit.
IN AND AROUND KENTUCKY
LEXINGTON—A memorial is in place outside the Kentucky Capitol to remember those in the commonwealth who have been lost to COVID-19. The Capitol lawn has five-thousand-five flags planted, each signifying one Kentucky life cut short by the virus. Governor Andy Beshear says the effort won’t bring loved ones back, but it will ensure that those who have died are never forgotten.
WASHINGTON DC—Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is criticizing the Biden administration for “walking back” their coronavirus vaccination goals. The Kentucky Republican said Dr. Anthony Fauci [[ FOW-chee ]] predicted a month ago that it would be “open season” for all Americans to get a shot by April. President Biden said last week he’s setting a goal for all Americans to have at least one dose by May 1st. McConnell says Biden’s speech last Friday was “far out of step” with what’s happening across the country. He called it “advice for an alternate universe.”
WEBSTER COUNTY—Deputies in Webster County are searching for a runaway teen. Authorities say 17-year-old Carmen Howard left home Thursday night and hasn’t been seen since. She is about five-foot-two, 175 pounds, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a tattoo of a vine with leaves and the word honesty. Deputies say she is not taking prescribed medication.
HENDERSON—Fire officials say a deadly house fire in Henderson County was caused by an explosion. The blaze broke out Saturday in the 82-hundred-block of Pritchett-Crooks Road. Crews were unable to rescue 67-year-old Susan Givens, who was trapped inside the home and died. Givens was the home’s sole resident. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
FRANKFORT—Kentucky is setting up a new fund to pay for a memorial to honor those lost to COVID-19. The Team Kentucky COVID-19 Memorial Fund was launched yesterday. It will allow Kentuckians to contribute tax-deductible donations for a permanent memorial on Capitol grounds in Frankfort. Governor Andy Beshear says the memorial is an opportunity for Kentuckians to help honor the memory of those who died because of the virus as well as those who have sacrificed to help the state overcome the outbreak.
WASHINGTON DC—Kentucky National Guard members will remain in the nation’s capital through at least May 23rd. It was announced yesterday that 70 National Guardsmen deployed to Washington, DC are having their mission extended. Another 80 troops are returning home. They’ve been helping secure the U.S. Capitol following January’s riot.
OWENSBORO—Kentucky Wesleyan College is pausing all in-person classes. The classes and campus activities are being paused due to a recent increase in positive COVID-19 tests. The school says it’s moving into Level 4 of its threat level indicator table. KWC officials say “Classes will be delivered remotely, and all athletic and student life activities are cancelled through Sunday, March 21st.”
TENNESSEE—There are over 800 new coronavirus cases in Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Health reported 806 new COVID-19 cases yesterday, bringing the total since the outbreak began to nearly 792-thousand-800. Nearly a dozen additional COVID-19-related deaths were reported, bringing the total number of coronavirus-attributed deaths statewide to nearly eleven-thousand-640. There are about 650 COVID-19 patients hospitalized statewide.
TENNESSEE—Tennessee is closer to abolishing slavery. Memphis Democratic Senator Raumesh Akbari’s bill prohibiting slavery under all circumstances is expected to be voted on in the State House of Representatives today. The state constitution still allows for slavery as punishment. It allows for slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment of convicted criminals.
TENNESSEE—The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is issuing an endangered child alert. The TBI says 14-year-old Chiana Cannida has a known medical condition. The Anderson County teen was last seen on Sunday wearing a pink and white PlayStations sweater with jogging pants. She’s described as biracial with brown hair and brown eyes and is four-foot-nine and 134 pounds.
TENNESSEE—The Tennessee Department of Health is reassuring folks in Shelby County the COVID-19 vaccines they received prior to an investigation were safe. Tennessee Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey says all doses administered at Shelby County sites between December 28th and February 24th were stable and effective. There had been questions about over 55-thousand doses after it was learned the Shelby County Health Department let thousands of doses expire. The state continues to monitor the vaccination process in Shelby County.
ILLINOIS— Governor J.B. Pritzker is set of announce a new reopening transition phase. The phase will gradually move the state between Phase Four and a full reopening in Phase Five. Pritzker and health officials say the length of the transition will depend on how soon the state’s most vulnerable populations can get vaccinated for COVID-19. Illinois is leading the nation in vaccine doses administered per capita.
