Casey Northcutt

On the second day of hearings on the January 26th Eggners Ferry Bridge accident, Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board questioned workers involved in the elision involving a Foss Maritime cargo ship and the bridge connecting Aurora to Land Between the Lakes.  U.S. Coast Guard Court Recorder Nick Parham says as they investigate the causes of the crash, officials could discover that decisions made by multiple people led to the crash:

The first day testimonies in the Coast Guard’s Eggners Ferry Bridge hearing revolved around navigation lights. The hearing began yesterday and explored the causes of the January 26 incident involving a Foss Maritime cargo ship that collided with and collapsed a section of the bridge connecting Aurora to Land Between the Lakes.

In Paducah, the Human Rights Commission paid tribute to fair housing practices in the area by honoring Habitat for Humanity and the Merryman House Domestic Crisis Center with Fair Housing Awards on Thursday.  Casey Northcutt  provides a quick update on the efforts in Paducah to build homes for low-income families.

Homes have sprung up around the area as part of a citywide effort to provide housing to all segments of the population.

Two local non-profit organizations received recognition during the 15th annual Fair Housing Luncheon in Paducah Wednesday. The Merryman House Domestic Crisis Center and Habitat for Humanity both received plaques for their efforts to provide housing for citizens in need. The Paducah Human Rights Commission and the City of Paducah hosted the event. The audience included legislators, police officers and non-profit managers, a mixture that impressed Merryman House Assistant Director Dawn York.

Two local non-profit organizations received recognition during the 15th annual Fair Housing Luncheon today. The Merryman House Domestic Crisis Center and Habitat for Humanity both received plaques recognizing their efforts to provide housing for citizens in need. The Paducah Human Rights Commission and the City of Paducah hosted the event, inviting the public to enjoy helpings of chicken and mashed potatoes while speakers from the Paducah Board of Realtors and the US Bank offered advice on housing acquisition.

The McCracken County Fiscal Court decided last night to schedule a workshop to discuss an advisory board for the county’s animal shelter. Judge-Executive Van Newberry says the current proposal outlines a governing body of five members. The Court will hold the workshop within the next few weeks. The court also voted to allocate $12,000 toward transportation for non-public school children in the St. John’s area. Newberry says for years, the state has given money to the Court for this purpose, and it has mainly helped transport children to the St. Mary’s School System.

Not a single beer can mingles with the soda and water bottles for sale in the crowd of vendors at Benton’s annual Tater Day celebration. However, that could change in the festival’s future.

Last week, a group named Marshall First delivered a petition with 2,400 signatures to the county courthouse.

The petition pushes for a referendum to legalize the sale of alcohol within county lines. At today’s festivities, Marshall County residents like Kim Bomgardner and her daughter, Terah, expressed mixed opinions regarding the issue.

The average adult American is ballooning in weight. This isn’t breaking news. According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kentucky possessed a 31 percent obesity rate in 2010, one of the highest in the nation. Naturally, kids are following suit. The nation needs a diet. However, when families strategize ways in which to fight the obesity epidemic, is more activity a key or a curse?

The Earth’s ecosystems operate on a fragile balance between soil, water and wildlife.  In the early 20th century, a local drainage district upset this balance when it straightened and widened a Hickman County stream. It hoped to drain the land to add farmable soil to the area, but the stream clogged and farmers wound up with more water instead of less.

Businesses that serve alcohol in the city of Paducah might soon face a mandatory obligation to send their staff to alcoholic beverage server training. During the Paducah City Commissioners’ meeting Tuesday, commissioners heard and discussed a presentation on the program, “Server Training in Alcohol Regulations” or “S.T.A.R.”.