MURRAY CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE ON BUDGET ORDINANCE
The Murray City Council will meet in regular session tonight and will consider five ordinances. Ordinance 1812 will have its first reading and seeks to adopt the City of Murray Annual Budget. Ordinance 1811 will also have a first reading. It would amend the City of Murray Code, Chapter 118 for Alcohol Beverage Control to revise the regulatory license fee percentage from 5% percent to 4%. Three ordinances will have second readings. Ordinance 1808 would amend the city Zoning Ordinance in order to update text and clarify current sign regulations. Ordinance 1809 will accept into the city two newly constructed streets located in Deerfield Estates Phase II and Phase III. Ordinance 1810 would amend the City Code for the Architectural Review Board’s approval of changes to landmarks and property in historic districts. Tonight’s meeting begins at 6:30 in the Council Chambers of City Hall and will be streamed on the government access channel of Murray Electric Cable.
CALLOWAY BOARD TO HONOR CCHS SOFTBALL TEAM
The Calloway County School Board will also meet tonight in regular session. The Board will recognize the Calloway County High School softball team that won the inaugural 2A State Championship. Among other business, the board is expected to approve the issuance of the Calloway County School District Finance Corporation Energy Conservation Revenue Bonds and all related documentation. Tonight’s meeting begins at 6 at Calloway County Middle School.
MURRAY PEDIATRICS TO HOST COVID-19 TEEN VACCINATION CLINIC
Murray Pediatrics is hosting a COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic for teens. The clinic will be held in the office of Murray Pediatrics on Tuesday and Wednesday from 2 to 5 pm each day. Pfizer vaccines will be administered for this clinic. Teens ages 12 to 18 years are eligible to receive the vaccine. Appointments are required and may be made by calling 270-759-9223. Murray Pediatrics is located in the Medical Arts Building, Suite 208 East. Murray Medical Associates also continues to offer vaccinations weekly for adults.
CALLOWAY COUNTY COVID REPORT
The Calloway County Health Department reported 2 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday, bringing the county case total during the pandemic to 3,514. Of that total, 3,453 have recovered, 12 are isolated at home, and none are hospitalized. There have been 49 COVID-19 related deaths in the county, but none over the past 2 months. As of yesterday, 33.3% of Calloway County residents have been fully vaccinated including 68.7% of those 65 and older. Calloway County’s COVID-19 positivity rate as of Wednesday was .89%, which was the same as Tuesday’s rate.
KENTUCKY COVID REPORT
At Wednesday’s COVID-19 update for Kentucky, 440 new cases and 16 new deaths were reported, raising the total to 6,744 Kentuckians who are listed as Covid deaths. As of Wednesday, there have been over 6.58 million coronavirus tests performed in Kentucky with a positivity rate of 2.40%, which is lower than last Wednesday’s rate of 2.77%. There are 349 Kentuckians hospitalized which is 29 less than last Wednesday, including 109 in ICU, which is 1 more than one week ago. At least 52,651 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus. As of Wednesday, 2,010,846 Kentuckians have been vaccinated for a 45% total, including 81% of those 65 and older.
MISD HONORS RETIREES
During the Murray Independent School District closing day luncheon, Superintendent Coy Sammons and the administration, recognized retiring MISD employees. Karmel Stewart served 27 years with Murray Head Start. Peggy Chrisman is a 22-year employee who recently served as an instructional assistant. Kriss Buss has served a total of 21 years as a teacher, completing her last year with Murray Elementary this past year. Tom Shown has taught at Murray Middle School for the past 17 years, and prior to this, nine years at Calloway County Middle School. Melanie Dawson is a 31 year employee with the Murray Independent School District. Most of her teaching career was spent teaching science. Sammons and the school board congratulated each of the retirees for reaching this milestone.
ONE KILLED IN I-24 ACCIDENT
An Alabama man was killed and an Illinois man was hospitalized in a collision involving two semi trailers and a compact SUV Wednesday near the 3 mile marker of I-24 westbound. Witnesses told police that an SUV driving in the right-hand lane tried to pass stopped traffic when the driver lost control. A semi hit the passenger side of the SUV, shoving it into the rear of a semi that was stopped in traffic. The driver of the SUV was pronounced dead at a Paducah hospital. Police have not yet released his name, pending notification of his family. One of the semi drivers was also injured. The westbound lanes of I-24 were closed for more than three hours.
BHP RECOGNIZED AMONG THE BEST FOR HEART ATTACK TREATMENT
Heart attack treatment at Baptist Health Paducah has been recognized among the nation’s best by the American College of Cardiology for the ninth year. Baptist Health is one of only 212 hospitals nationwide to receive the NCDR Chest Pain-MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award. Platinum status is the highest level awarded. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.
WKCTC HOSTS KIDS CULINARY CAMP
Kids ages 10-12 can enjoy fun in the kitchen with a week-long culinary camp at West Kentucky Community and Technical College June 14-17. This is the first year for the Kids Culinary Camp, and it will be held each day from 9 am to 1 pm in the Bistro located in the Anderson Technical Building. Participants will learn about meal planning, food preparation, cooking, nutrition, kitchen rules, sanitation, food safety, table manners and service. The cost of the week-long camp is $200. To register, contact Tina Clark via email or by calling 270-534-3821.
IN AND AROUND KENTUCKY
FRANKFORT—Veterans participating in the Remember Our Fallen Ride traveling from California to Washington, DC are making their way through Kentucky. The group stopped yesterday at the Kentucky Vietnam Memorial in Frankfort. The coordinator for the ride says it’s also important to remember the 85-thousand missing POWs along with those who have died serving their country.
JENKINS—Kentucky State Police say Hazardous Device Investigators have recovered what is believed to be an active grenade from the truck of a man accused of stealing a squad car in Jenkins. Steven Tackett was being detained yesterday afternoon at a Double Kwik after guns, ammunitions, and a “small explosive device” were found in his truck. Officials say he got away from authorities and stole a squad car. KSP investigators say the grenade had the potential to cause an explosion, and the area was cleared. The cruiser was last seen on Highway 610 in Pikeville.
LEXINGTON—The Kentucky Blood Center is facing a critical blood shortage and is trying to attract donors using giveaways. KBC is giving away two Toyota vehicles as part of its Summer Double Feature promotion. Those who register to donate blood through a mobile blood drive or donor center through July 4th will be entered to win one of the vehicles. A second vehicle will be given away to a donor registered between July 5th and September 11th.
DAVIESS COUNTY—The teen charged in the death of Owensboro’s Corban Henry is now facing adult court. The teen was arrested earlier this month and could face life in prison if convicted. Police say 15-year-old Corban Henry was found with a gunshot wound in the 15-hundred-block of West Fifth Street in August 2020. The suspect’s name will not be released unless he is indicted.
OWENSBORO—An Owensboro man is facing federal charges in connection with a deadly fentanyl overdose. A federal grand jury has indicted 19-year-old Jonathan Brown on charges of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and distribution of controlled substances resulting in another person’s death or injury. The charges stem from an overdose death in October 2020. U.S. Attorney Michael Bennett says 20-year-old Jonathan Stallings is also charged with conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute in connection with the case.
TENNESSEE—Tennessee health officials say they’ve recorded more than 900 cases of so-called breakthrough COVID-19 infections across the state. Doctors say breakthrough infections occur when someone who is fully vaccinated still becomes infected with the coronavirus. Still, health experts say the vaccine is working because the number of cases and hospitalizations is going down. They say the vaccine is meant to help prevent people from being hospitalized and from dying.
TENNESSEE—Two state lawmakers from Memphis say a third bridge in Shelby County is needed, and they’re urging state and federal officials to begin planning for it. State Representatives Joe Towns Junior and Dwayne Thompson — both Democrats who sit on the Tennessee House transportation committee — held a news conference to talk about building a third bridge over the Mississippi River. Last week, West Memphis Mayor Marco McClendon joined Arkansas Democratic leaders to make a call for a third bridge. Repairs continue on the I-40 Hernando Desoto Bridge, leaving the I-55 bridge as the only span between Tennessee and Arkansas in Memphis.
TENNESSEE—Some Senate Democrats are accusing Governor Bill Lee of inflating jobless numbers in order to justify his recent actions on unemployment benefits. Governor Lee says dropping jobless benefits for Tennessee residents was the right thing to do. He points to a quarter-of-a-million available jobs in the state and an unemployment rate of five-percent as proof he’s right. But Democratic state Senator Raumesh Akbari from Memphis says many of the available jobs are low-paying positions that would not enable people to pay such costs as childcare and transportation.
TENNESSEE—Republican Senator Bill Hagerty says he wants the Biden Administration to come clean over charges it’s flying migrants into Tennessee in the dead of night. In an interview of Fox News this week, Hagerty says the White House is blocking transparency on flights of migrant children coming into Tennessee. Hagerty says he does not know any other details, including how many migrant children are being flown into the state.
ILLINOIS—A former aid to Mike Madigan is facing indictment in connection with the ComEd bribery scandal. Madigan’s former Chief of Staff Tim Mapes is accused of attempting to obstruct justice by lying to a grand jury under oath earlier this year in March. Mapes resigned as Chief of Staff in 2018. He had previously served as Chief Clerk in the Illinois House of Representatives and as Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Illinois. Madigan hasn’t been charged in the case and denies any wrongdoing.
