Murray resident Roy Helton divides his time between teaching in the English Department at Murray State University and indulging his passion for gardening.  In this week's "From the Garden Gate" commentary, the topic is white gardens. Similar in design to the English cottage garden, white gardens feature flowers that are white or silvery, with the intent to overwhelm the viewer with a single color. 

The Tennessee House and Senate speakers say they will seek a review of a no-bid contract with a real estate firm because it once counted Governor Bill Haslam among its investors.

The Haslam administration hired Chicago-based Jones Lang LaSalle for a $1 million contract to consult on office space issues. That deal has since evolved into a five-year, $38 million contract to manage all state-owned and leased properties outside of higher education. 

A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has asked to delay the start of repairs on the U.S. 51 Ohio River Bridge between Wickliffe, Ky. and Cairo, Ill. until after July 7.

During the repairs, the bridge will have a 7-foot maximum load width, which means an 80-mile detour for commercial drivers.

In a press release, KYTC spokesman Keith Todd said the agency wants truckers and suppliers who depend on the 76-year-old river crossing to be fully prepared for the coming project, which will last about two months.

Prospects of a mine workers' strike involving Patriot Coal are intensifying after a bankruptcy judge signed off on the company's push to abandon its labor agreement with the United Mine Workers of America.

Patriot operates two mines in Union and Henderson counties in Kentucky.

Three parcels of land off Hinkleville Road in Paducah housing an elementary school and two churches could undergo a zoning change that would make their operations easier.

City Planning Director Steve Ervin says the city’s planning department initiated the switch from Residential 1 to Highway Business District for Concord Elementary School, Olivet Baptist Church and Concord United Methodist Church.

An economic boost 14 years in the making is open for operation in Lake County, Tenn., this week. The Port of Cates Landing on the Mississippi River opened to river traffic late last week with a port dock, harbor channel and transload facility.

The Northwest Tennessee Regional Port Authority announced Tuesday a $500,000 grant from the state to build a railroad spur from the port to nearby Tiptonville.

Murray State’s NPR station, 91.3 WKMS presents the second program in its “Sounds Good Documentary Series” with a re-airing of Kentucky Dam Power for the People on Tuesday, June 25 at noon, during the second hour of Sounds Good with Tracy Ross. The special hour-long documentary underwritten, in part, by Hunter Marine of Nashville and Paducah, first aired Sunday, June 3, and chronicles the Dam’s inception, construction, and impact on the region through human stories. A soundtrack of music and archival newsreels help set the scene for the documentary.

Click here for the documentary's program page.

The Pioneer 10 was initially launched to study the environment around Jupiter and eventually... beyond. On this day in 1983, it crossed the orbit of Neptune, effectively leaving our solar system. It's last check-in was 2003, at 12 billion kilometers from Earth. It's en-route to the star Aldebaran, estimated arrival: two million years from now.

It’s Thursday, June 13

Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area offers a full schedule of events this weekend in honor of its 50th Anniversary, including video presentations at the Golden Pond Visitor Center, Eagle Encounters at the Nature Station, a Conservation Canoe Trip, and more. See a complete listing of the weekend’s events at lbl.org.