Dispatch Upgrade
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75 CENTS An Independent Newspaper Since 1879 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2007 VOLUME 127, NUMBER 31 - 16 PAGES FIREFIGHTERFIREFIGHTER FUNDINGFUNDING Dispatch upgrade Feds giving local departments $187K City gets funds to improve emergency communications for turnout gear STAFF REPORT equipment, including a new dispatching A $19,242 Homeland Security grant will console. U.S Congressman Ed enhance communication capabilities Currently, the dispatch center inside Whitfield and Sen. Jim between emergency dispatchers and police, Marion City Hall, has limited capabilities. Bunning announced last week firemen and emergency workers. Because there is just one communications that Marion and Crittenden The City of Marion originally applied for a console, only one person at a time can County fire departments will $66,510 grant to improve its equipment and answer calls or dispatch various agencies receive a $187,597 grant from dispatch antenna. The dispatch antenna is during an emergency. A new console and the Department of Homeland mounted on an old roadsign post, and the related equipment will allow two dispatchers building that houses some vital equipment Security. The money will be to work simultaneously – something that is housed in an enclosed truck bed that has used to pay for turnout gear could be a very valuable time-saving tool in suffered damage from weather over the the event of a serious event that requires and other safety and opera- years. communication with multiple agencies, tions equipment. The grant was not enough to make those Bryant said. two replacements; however, City The remainder of the grant will purchase Paula Miniard works the day shift at central dispatching inside Administrator Mark Bryant said Marion will two police car radios, handheld radios and Marion City Hall. Central dispatching handles all 911 emergencies, Weather Alert be able to purchase some much needed accessories. fire, ambulance and law enforcement dispatches. radios available Magistrate Dan Wood says anyone interested in buying a weather alert radio like the ones sold in the county last Risk year, can place an order at Crossing the courthouse. Contact the judge-executive’s office at 965-5251 to place an order before the spring storm sea- Rocket son. ready? Governor’s reps Creek Community gets will be in Marion BY ALLISON EVANS Eddie Spraggs and Virginia PRESS ASST. EDITOR graded on its Gray, representatives of Gov. City of Marion and Crittenden County Ernie Fletcher, will visit sever- School district officials are surveying al communities in western foot traffic on West Elm Street and the preparedness Kentucky soon to address pedestrian bridge behind Crittenden questions and concerns from County High School. It's the first step in BY ALLISON EVANS PRESS ASST. EDITOR constituents. They will be in applying for a Safe Routes to School Results of a 16-site Homeland Marion at the Crittenden Program that could result in up to Security assessment will not be County Courthouse at 10:30 $275,000 to replace the metal bridge available for two months, but some a.m., Feb. 28. and construct sidewalks along three of Marion’s strengths and weak- blocks of West Elm. nesses were identified during a pub- Some estimate that up to 150 people lic review Friday. EMT basic class – including students and members of Marion is among 90 percent of the community – use the bridge each Kentucky communities to undergo offered at Ed-Tech day, many of whom walk down West an assessment conducted by the Marion Ed-Tech Center will Elm to school. Located at the end of Department of Criminal Justice and its representatives, who have police, offer a basic EMT certification West Elm Street, the four-foot-wide fire and military backgrounds. course beginning March 1. bridge was fashioned from metal grating Vulnerability assessments are Classes will be held on material in the mid 1980s by high Tuesdays and Thursdays conducted at no cost to the city, but school industrial arts students. It is the participating communities earn up from 5:30 p.m., until 9:30 only bridge across a small creek known p.m., for 20 weeks. Cost is to $10,000 to use to begin correct- in the school community as Rocket ing deficiencies identified in a $800. The course is approved Creek. It’s a small branch or tributary of detailed report. for EMS and firefighters. To Crooked Creek which drains a large The assessment also gives register, call 965-9294. portion of the county. City Attorney Bart Frazer, Mayor Mickey Alexander and school Marion and Crittenden County "When the weather is nice more peo- Transportation Director Al Starnes take a look at the old metal bridge con- some leverage on future state and federal grant applications. necting Elm Street to the school campus. By my Valentine! See BRIDGE/page 5A Locations reviewed last week were the courthouse, city hall, fire Don’t miss a department, Ed-Tech Center, hospi- tal, water plant, three local indus- chance to say it... tries, health department, each Valentines greetings will be school, National Guard Armory, accepted through Friday for Grand jury indicts 4 state highway garage and city-coun- publication in the Feb. 15 ty park. Press. Text-only love lines are The purpose of the assessment is STAFF REPORT $6. Photos with text are $10. phernalia, second offense. Police say chase that led officers from Marion to identify preparedness, policies A Crittenden County Grand Jury that a child under age 18 was in the into Livingston County on Dec. 30. and weaknesses in infrastructure in Say "I love you" to a pet, indicted four individuals on various vehicle. The indictment says that Ronald G. Ledbetter Sr., 44, of the event of a natural disaster or spouse, grandparent, sibling charges Monday. It also dismissed Boggess “engaged in illegal drug Tanglewood Estates in Benton, Ky., domestic terrorism attack. or newborn. Let everyone charges against three other people. activity” in the presence of the juve- was indicted on a charge of first- Mike Roe, one of the representa- know how you feel by putting A grand jury consists of 12 individ- nile. degree fleeing or evading police, first- tives who helped carry out last it in black and white. uals. It does not determine guilt or Police say Bradley, 39, of Main degree wanton endangerment, com- week's assessment, said the pur- innocence. Instead, the grand jury Street in Salem, was driving the car in plicity to first-degree wanton endan- pose of the program should not be decides whether there is enough evi- which Boggess and the juvenile were germent and first-degree reckless dri- confused with that of helping dence to continue a case in circuit LOCAL MEETINGS passengers. Bradley was indicted on ving. Investigators said Ledbetter was Kentucky communities prepare court. At least nine of the 12 grand charges of DUI, first-degree unlawful in the vehicle when his son fired themselves for a major international TUESDAY NIGHT jurors must vote to indict or the transaction with a minor, possession shots into the home of Randy Cowsert terrorist threat. Such terrorist Crittenden County School Board charges against a defendant are dis- of a police scanner, possession of on U.S. 641 four miles south of threats are remote, he said. But will meet at 6 p.m., Tuesday at the missed. drug paraphernalia, failure to pro- Marion then led police on a chase other risks are very real. middle school library. The grand jury indicted James R. duce an insurance card, failure to through two counties at speeds A good working relationship Boggess and Charles G. Bradley Jr., notify the Kentucky Department of exceeding 100 mph. between city and county fire and on a variety of charges based on evi- District Court docket online Transportation of change of address The son, Ronald G. Ledbetter Jr., police agencies was commended dence collected by police when their www.the-press.com and possession of an open alcoholic 24, was indicted for firing the shots during the presentation. vehicle was stopped at a road check beverage in a vehicle. into Cowsert’s home. Additionally, a school resource offi- on U.S. 641 near Marion on Dec. 14. The grand jury indicted a father The grand jury dismissed charges cer and access control at Crittenden Boggess, 43, of 13th Street in AL 511 and son from Smithland for the of theft against Tracy L. Skees and County High School are two posi- Paducah was indicted on a charge of alleged involvement in a shooting Michael W. Skees. It also dismissed first degree unlawful transaction with near Mott City and a high-speed charges against Derrick W. Spinks. See RISK/page 3A b a minor and possession of drug para- P.M. FLURRIES d P.M. FLURRIES M. CLOUDY Partly Sunny Cold Continues 33/18 35/19 USDA unveils 2007 farm bill proposals THURSDAY FRIDAY Agriculture Secretary Mike with the 2002 farm bill and propose two year process. Each detailed pro- ed for cellulosic ethanol, which will Rain gauge Johanns last week unveiled the U.S. to improve it by bolstering support for posal provides information about why support $2.1 billion in guaranteed Last 7 days ..............................0.06” Department of Agriculture's 2007 emerging priorities and focusing on a a change is needed, the recommend- loans for cellulosic projects and Last 30 days ............................5.05” farm bill proposals. The more than 65 market-oriented approach." ed solution, and relevant background includes $500 million for a bio-ener- Year-to-date .............................6.49” (+2.38”) UK Ag Weather Service, Observations at Paducah as of Tuesday proposals correspond to the 2002 USDA began preparations for the information about the impacted pro- gy and bio-based product research farm bill titles with additional special 2007 farm bill in 2005 by conducting gram or policy.