Photos via MSU Marketing and PR
MSU NAMES DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD WINNERS
The Murray State University Alumni Association has announced three recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award. This year’s event will honor the award recipients for both 2020 and 2021 after last April’s dinner and banquet was cancelled due to the pandemic. The Award has been presented annually to Murray State alumni who have made meaningful contributions to their professions on a local, state, and national level. The Distinguished Alumni honorees for 2021 include Dr. Melissa Collins, Judge Alan Stout, and Dr. Bonnie Higginson. The Distinguished Young Alumni Award recipient is Dr. Samantha Erwin. The Distinguished Alumni ceremony will premiere at 5 pm on April 16, on Murray State’s YouTube channel and the MSU Alumni and Friends Facebook page. Both links will be available to the public at murraystate.edu/streaming.
MURRAY WOMAN CHARGED AFTER ONE-VEHICLE ACCIDENT
A Thursday afternoon accident has led to the arrest of a Murray woman. Emergency personnel were dispatched at about 1:45 p.m. to an accident with possible injuries on KY 121 South. Upon arrival, an SUV showing heavy damage was located off the west side of the highway. An investigation showed that 39-year old Lorie Akers of Murray, was traveling south on 121 when the SUV left the west side of the road. The SUV struck the front of a bridge before partially overturning and coming to rest on its wheels in a grassy area. Akers was not injured but an investigation led Calloway County Sheriff’s Department deputies to determine that the wreck had happened due to impairment. Akers was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, second offense, and lodged in the Calloway County Jail.
CCMS FPS TEAM ADVANCES TO INTERNATIONAL EVENT
Earlier this month, the Calloway County Middle School Academic Team competed in the KAAC virtual state tournament against students from over 250 middle schools from around the state. The Future Problem Solving team finished third in the state. The team consisted of Vayla Carlisle, Aubrey Naber, Dakotah Pittman, and Brooklyn Swatzell. This finish now sends the Lakers to the International Future Problem Solving championship tournament, which will be held later in the summer. The Lakers will represent Kentucky and compete against students from around the world. The Laker Quick Recall team finished 9th in the state, and the Laker team as a whole was finished 5th in the state
CCHD REPORTS 6 NEW COVID-19 CASES
The Calloway County Health Department reported 6 new cases of COVID-19 for Tuesday through Thursday, bringing the total number of cases in the county to 3,404 during the pandemic. Of that total, 3,342 cases have recovered, 12 are isolated at home, 1 is hospitalized, and there have been 49 deaths reported. Calloway County’s COVID-19 Incidence Rate per 100,000 on Thursday was 2.9%, which was the same as Wednesday’s rate. Ballard County, Carlisle County, Fulton County, and Hickman County all have COVID-19 Incidence rates of 0.
STATE REPORTS 19 NEW COVID-19 DEATHS
At Thursday’s COVID-19 update for Kentucky, 726 new cases and 19 new deaths were reported, raising the total to 5,970 Kentuckians who are listed as covid deaths. As of Thursday, there have been over 4.82 million coronavirus tests performed in Kentucky with a positivity rate of 2.92%, which is lower than last Thursday’s rate of 3.23%. There are 403 Kentuckians hospitalized which is 46 less than last Thursday, including 106 in ICU, which is 4 less than one week ago. At least 49,349 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus.
MAYFIELD MAN CHARGED WITH ASSAULTING POLICE OFFICER
Mayfield Police officers responded Thursday to a call about a man kicking in the front door of a home. When police arrived, they tried to place 28-year-old Jared Medlock under arrest, but he fled on foot. After a short foot pursuit, Medlock was apprehended. Police reported that Medlock continued to struggle and assaulted an officer. Medlock was transported to the Graves County Jail on charges of public intoxication of a controlled substance, criminal mischief, assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest, and fleeing or evading police.
ONE INJURED WHEN TRAIN STRIKES CAR
The Caldwell County Sheriff’s Department reported that a woman was injured Wednesday when her vehicle was struck by a train. The collision happened at approximately 6:50 pm on Matt Rich Road when a vehicle driven by 28-year-old Macie Oliver of Princeton was struck after she failed to yield the right of way to an oncoming P&L Railway train. Oliver refused treatment at the scene, but was later airlifted to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville for treatment of her injuries. Two children in Oliver’s vehicle were not injured.
JNC ANNOUNCES NOMINEES FOR VACANT 59TH JUDICIAL SPOT
The Judicial Nominating Commission yesterday announced nominees to fill the District Court judicial vacancy for Ballard and Carlisle counties that make up the 59th Judicial District. The three nominees for the judgeship are attorneys Mark Stephen Medlin, Dawn Stacy, and Grace Eleanor Stewart, all of Kevil. Medlin has his own law practice. Stacy retired after serving 20 years as an assistant commonwealth’s attorney for the 1st Judicial Circuit. Stewart serves as an attorney with Lotus Children’s Advocacy & Sexual Violence Resource Center. The judicial seat became vacant when Judge Keith Myers retired on October 1. The governor has 60 days to appoint a replacement and his office will make the announcement.
STATE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DOWN SLIGHTLY
Kentucky’s seasonally adjusted preliminary February unemployment rate was 5.2%, according to the Kentucky Center for Statistics. The rate was down 0.1 percentage points from January and up 1% from the 4.2% recorded for the state one year ago. The U.S. seasonally adjusted jobless rate for February was 6.2%, down from the 6.3% reported in January, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Labor force statistics, including the unemployment rate, are based upon estimates from the Current Population Survey of households. The survey is designed to measure trends in the number of people working, and includes jobs in agriculture and individuals who are self-employed.
MSU TO HOST VIRTUAL RACER DAY
Murray State University will host a virtual Racer Day event on Tuesday. Geared toward prospective students and families, the event will provide helpful information through live, interactive sessions with admissions staff, financial services, housing and more. Attendees can also attend a virtual session with their academic area of interest and take a virtual tour of campus. Both morning and afternoon sessions are available. Registration for the free event is available at murraystate.edu/racerdays. Those with questions can call 270-809-2896. Students interested in joining the Racer Family can learn more, schedule a virtual or on-campus visit and apply for admission at admissions.murraystate.edu.
IN AND AROUND KENTUCKY
LEXINGTON—A Versailles man is under arrest for allegedly bringing weapons and suspected explosives to UK’s Chandler Hospital. UK police say Bryan Carroll was arrested as he left the hospital yesterday. Authorities say Monroe had guns and body armor in his possession and possible explosives were found in his vehicle. Carroll is expected to be charged with multiple local and federal crimes.
FRANKFORT—Kentucky’s juvenile justice commissioner is out of a job. The personnel records of LaShana Harris show she was fired following an investigation of allegations of harassment and bullying. A letter from the Kentucky Personnel Cabinet on March 23rd informed Harris of her immediate termination. It said Harris was being dismissed with cause for violating harassment policies.
OWENSBORO—A man known for bringing Christmas cheer to Owensboro families as Santa Claus is set to do the same for Netflix. Bob Dasher recently returned from Atlanta where he played Santa for an upcoming film. The Drone that Saved Christmas is expected out in November.
LEXINGTON—The staff at Baptist Health Lexington is experiencing deja vu, again and again. Since the beginning of the year, 17 sets of twins have been born there. Doctors say that birth rates have fallen nationally, but they’re up about three percent at Baptist Health Lexington compared to this time last year.
FRANKFORT—All Kentuckians 40 and older will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine on Monday. The state is currently in Phase 1C of its vaccination plan. Phase 1C includes essential workers and anyone 50-years-old and older. Governor Andy Beshear says all Kentuckians 16 and older should be eligible for the vaccine by April 12th.
FRANKFORT—The mask mandate in Kentucky will continue. During yesterday’s COVID-19 briefing, Governor Andy Beshear said there are multiple reasons why he’s not ready to lift Kentucky’s mask mandate. First, he said every scientist, leader, and epidemiologist guiding the country through the outbreak agree people should continue to wear masks until more people are vaccinated. Governor Beshear also said it wouldn’t be right to lift the mandate while so many people are not yet eligible for the vaccine.
TENNESSEE—There are over 15-hundred new coronavirus cases in Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Health reported one-thousand-519 new COVID-19 cases yesterday, bringing the total since the outbreak began to over 806-thousand. A few additional COVID-19-related deaths were reported, with the total number of coronavirus-attributed deaths statewide standing at nearly eleven-thousand-800. There are over 800 COVID-19 patients hospitalized statewide.
TENNESSEE—A bill that would restrict gender-affirming healthcare for transgender kids is making its way through the Tennessee State House. The bill would block some medical care for transgender kids prior to puberty and would add requirements for health care once they start puberty. It would also require any transgender child who’s entered puberty to have three doctors sign off on their care. At least one letter from a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist would be among the requirements.
TENNESSEE—It’s not yet known if damage in Portland was caused by a tornado. Mayor Mike Callis said yesterday a tornado may have touched down off Highway 259, near Cook Road. Pictures posted to social media showed downed trees, an overturned trailer and boarded up windows after they were blown out. The storm also caused a barn to collapse.
TENNESSEE—An ice cream specially made for Dolly Parton will be out next month. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams revealed Strawberry Pretzel Pie – Specially Made For Dolly Parton yesterday. The company says the new flavor will be available at Jeni’s Scoop Shops and online starting Thursday, April 8th. Money raised from its sales will go towards the Sevier County-native’s Imagination Library program.
ILLINOIS—A sweeping healthcare reform bill has officially passed the Illinois General Assembly. Officials say the legislation will address health inequities in communities of color, such requiring implicit bias training for health care workers and creating an Anti-Racism Commission to work on eliminating systemic racism. The bill also includes a moratorium on hospital closures. Those against the bill cited costs, saying it could take anywhere between five-to-12-billion dollars to implement.
