PHOTO VIA CHRISTIAN CO. JAIL
CADIZ WOMAN CHARGED IN HOMICIDE CASE
Detectives with Kentucky State Police Post 1 have made a second arrest regarding the homicide and arson investigation that occurred on September 16 at a residence on Will Jackson Road in Trigg County. Detectives executed a Trigg County indictment warrant yesterday on 29-year old Keisha Stewart of Cadiz. She was lodged in the Christian County Jail and charged with Complicity to Arson, Complicity to Abuse of a Corpse, Complicity to Tampering with Physical Evidence, and Complicity to Burglary. On December 3rd, detectives arrested 42-year old Jonathan McCoy of Cadiz for the brutal murder of Thelma Barnett and the arson of her residence.
LACENTER MAN FACING RAPE CHARGES
The Ballard County Sheriff’s Department was notified by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services on Wednesday about an alleged sex crime. During the investigation it was learned that 49-year-old Timothy Tipton of LaCenter had allegedly been having a sexual relationship with a female child for at least the past four years and had also been exchanging illicit photos with the child. Tipton was arrested and lodged in the Ballard County Jail on charges of incest, rape, sexual abuse, and incest by forcible compulsion of someone incapable of consent or under 18.
MARSHALL MAN PLEADS GUILTY IN CHILD PORN CASE
56-year old Peter Simonich of Marshall County entered a guilty plea yesterday to 12 counts of possession of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor. He will be sentenced on May 11. Marshall County deputies arrested Simonich in September of last year after an investigation revealed that he was in possession of child pornography.
MURRAY EDUCATORS RECOGNIZED AT WKCTC EVENT
West Kentucky Community and Technical College hosted a virtual Regional Educators Awards and Scholarship Program yesterday that premiered on the school’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. Students, parents, community members, and colleagues nominated more than 80 faculty, staff ,and administrators. Murray Elementary Principal, Denise Ann Whitaker was a finalist for the Distinguished Administrator Award while Murray Independent School District Director of Maintenance Jim Bauer was a finalist for the Cornelia Reece Unsung Hero Staff Award. Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman praised all educators in the Commonwealth who have had to adapt and make sacrifices in order to meet the challenges of 2020.
CCHD ANNOUNCES 2 NEW COVID-19 CASES
The Calloway County Health Department yesterday reported 2 new cases of COVID-19 . The total number of county cases during the pandemic is now 3,379. Of that total, 3,311 have recovered, 20 are isolated at home, none are hospitalized, and there have been 48 deaths. The Graves County Health Department reported 6 new cases yesterday, while the Purchase District Health Department reported 5 new cases in McCracken County.
CALLOWAY INCIDENCE RATE UP SLIGHTLY
Calloway County’s Incidence Rate per 100,000 on Tuesday was 4.8%, which was slightly higher than Wednesday’s rate of 4.4%. Lyon County’s state leading rate escalated even more yesterday to 673.4%, which is almost nineteen times times higher than second place Owsley County’s rate of 35.6%.
ARE COVID-19 SCHOOL UPDATE
Neither the Murray Independent School District or Calloway County School District has reported any COVID cases or quarantines this week. Murray State University reported three cases last week.
STATE POSITIVITY RATE REMAINS UNDER 4%
At Thursday’s COVID-19 update for Kentucky, 1,211 new cases and 37 deaths were reported, raising the total to 4,921 Kentuckians who are listed as covid deaths. As of Thursday, there have been over 4.64 million coronavirus tests performed in Kentucky with a positivity rate of 3.95%, which is lower than last Thursday’s rate of 4.45%. There are 551 Kentuckians hospitalized which is 94 less than last Thursday, including 147 in ICU, which is 25 less than one week ago. At least 48,500 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus.
SPRING FORWARD THIS WEEKEND
Remember to “spring forward” this weekend. Clocks will be advanced by an hour early Sunday morning as part of daylight saving time. The move means an hour less to sleep. Doctors say to help cope with the loss of sleep people should start going to bed at least 20 minutes earlier days in advance.
BVC DESIGNATED LEVEL 1 LAB
Murray State University’s Breathitt Veterinary Center in Hopkinsville has been designated as a Level 1 laboratory by the USDA National Animal Health Laboratory system. NAHLN Level 1 status gives the facility additional responsibilities in the arena of livestock and consumer protection. The Breathitt Veterinary Center is a part of Murray State’s Hutson School of Agriculture. It is a nationally preeminent animal disease diagnostic laboratory dedicated to protecting the invaluable assets of the region’s equine, livestock, and poultry industries by providing the fastest, most accurate and most dependable animal disease diagnostic services possible. The center also provides valuable learning opportunities for Murray State students who are pursuing degrees through the Hutson School of Agriculture.
MSU HOSTING SURVIVAL
The Murray State University Galleries and the Department of Art & Design is hosting SURVIVAL, an exhibit sponsored by the Organization of Murray Art Students which organizes and curates an annual juried show for students at Murray State who are actively engaged in the process of making visual art. This year’s juror is visual artist and poet John Brooks from Louisville. Prizes of $500, $250, and $125 will be awarded for first, second and third-place winning artworks. SURVIVAL show dates are now through March 24 in the Clara Eagle Main Gallery. Social distancing and masks are required to enter the gallery spaces and enjoy students’ works. A virtual reception will take place today at 5 via Zoom.
STATE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DOWN FROM DECEMBER RATE
Kentucky’s seasonally adjusted preliminary January 2021 unemployment rate was 5.3%, according to the Kentucky Center for Statistics. The preliminary January 2021 jobless rate was down 0.3 percentage points from December 2020 and up 1.2 percentage points from the 4.1% recorded for the state one year ago. The U.S. seasonally adjusted jobless rate for January 2021 was 6.3%, down from the 6.7% reported in December 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
IN AND AROUND KENTUCKY
FRANKFORT—Metalsa Structural Products Incorporated plans to expand its Hopkinsville operation and create 97 full-time jobs in the years ahead to support its customers. Metalsa is a manufacturer of chassis structures for light and commercial combustion engine, hybrid, and battery electric vehicles. Work on the project is underway and is expected to be completed by October 2022. Metalsa employs over 2,800 people at three facilities in Kentucky, including 605 in Christian County. The Hopkinsville operation opened in 1989, followed by the Elizabethtown plant in 1994 and an Owensboro facility in 1997.
FRANKFORT—Access to the COVID-19 vaccine in Kentucky is expanding. The commonwealth has two lists of underlying conditions that could make a COVID-19 illness severe. Vaccine access is being opened up Monday to people with conditions on both lists. Newly included underlying conditions include high blood pressure, type one diabetes, and asthma.
FRANKFORT—Indoor visitation at some long-term care facilities is set to resume. Governor Andy Beshear announced yesterday that the practice can resume at Medicare-certified facilities starting Monday. The governor say all visitors will have to be screened and are encouraged to be vaccinated or have a recent negative COVID-19 test. Visitors and fully vaccinated residents may have close contact by both wearing masks and performing proper hand hygiene.
ROCKCASTLE COUNTY—A large brushfire is under control in Rockcastle County. The blaze broke out Wednesday on Sand Springs Road near the intersection of School House Hill Road. The fire consumed five vehicles, a motorcycle, and a storage building, along with about one-and-a-half acres of brush and wooded area. Firefighters were able to save two other vehicles and a home before the flames had reached them. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire hasn’t been released.
LEXINGTON—A Lexington shooting is under investigation. The shooting happened last night near the intersection of Triple Crown Parkway and Nelson Avenue. Two women were taken to the hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. Police say the shooter was in a red car. Investigators are determining what led to the shooting.
OWENSBORO—A group of Kentucky firefighters is undergoing specialized confined space training. Owensboro and Henderson crews received the life-saving training yesterday at the Regional Water Resource Training Facility. The technique is used to free someone trapped in an underground pipe or small area. Owensboro Fire battalion chief Colter Tate says the goal of underground operations is to make a quick rescue and get the person away from the area that could have low oxygen or a toxin.
SCOTT COUNTY—The Scott County Sheriff’s Office says the body of a missing Louisville teen has been found. A search for 19-year-old Lauren Reesor started on Wednesday night after her car was found abandoned in Scott County. Reesor had been on her way to Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond on Tuesday. SCSO says her body has been sent to the Kentucky State Medical Examiner’s office in Louisville for an autopsy after being found yesterday in Stamping Ground.
FRANKFORT—Upgrades have been completed on many sites and officials with Kentucky State Parks say campgrounds will open this weekend. The parks department says that campsites at 30 parks are opening today. COVID-19 protocols will be in place including maintaining social distancing and wearing masks.
TENNESSEE—There are over 15-hundred new coronavirus cases in Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Health reported one-thousand-512 new COVID-19 cases yesterday, bringing the total since the outbreak began to over 788-thousand-100. Nearly 20 additional COVID-19-related deaths were reported, bringing the total number of coronavirus-attributed deaths statewide to over eleven-thousand-620. There are less than 700 COVID-19 patients hospitalized statewide.
TENNESSEE—The Tennessee House is advancing a resolution to declare racism a public health threat. House Joint Resolution ten describes the American Medical Association’s adoption of a policy last year recognizing racism as such. The AMA describes racism as “a structural and legalized system that results in differential access to goods and services, including healthcare services.” The resolution brought by Memphis Democratic Rep. Antonio Parkinson now moves to the floor for a vote.
TENNESSEE—The Tennessee Department of Agriculture and the Division of Forestry want to prevent off-highway and all-terrain vehicles from damaging state forests. State officials announced yesterday anyone found using OHVs and ATVs in unauthorized areas of state forests could be charged with criminal trespass and-or vandalism. Penalties up to one year behind bars and a 25-hundred-dollar fine, or the value of damages, are possible. State officials say those using OHVs and ATVs should look for the Jeep symbol indicating the road is open to motorized vehicles.
ILLINOIS—An Illinois House committee is discussing the progress of a law that caps the price of insulin. The law went into effect January 1st that limits the price of insulin to 100-dollars per month. Lawmakers on the Prescription Drug Affordability Committee say only 15-percent of residents have been able to get the life-saving drug at the capped price. The acting Director of the Department of Insurance says it doesn’t have data related to insulin price trends.
