New hunting regulations PROPOSED that would affect small gamE, deer hunting | Page 14
AN INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1879 Get a taste of local children’s THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017 $ NEWS letters to Santa | Page 4 14 PAGES / VOLUME 136 / NUMBER 23 1STAND USPS 138-260 • MARION • KENTUCKY 24/7 BREAKING AND LOCAL NEWS THE-PRESS.COM
Controlled burns asked to be reported Baptist Health giving up EMS Local firefighters are ask- ing residents who are con- ployees were also notified by said. head of the hospital under ducting controlled burns to Local officials assure no Baptist Health the same But fewer than two weeks Rural Community Hospitals report them prior to starting day. A registered letter was after notification, the county of America’s (RCHA) contract the fires. Dan Wood, a mag- ambulance service lapse received by the hospital and and hospital have already with the CHS board to run istrate and volunteer with judge-executive a couple of begun discussions with the local health care facility. By DARYL K. TABOR be giving up management of days later indicating other management “This hospital needs this Shady Grove Fire PRESS EDITOR Department, said Crittenden EMS. The con- May 31, 2018, would services about taking ambulance service. This By next summer, the am- tract Baptist Health inked be the end of the over the ambulance community needs it.” firefighters are bulance service in Critten- two years ago with CHS and agreement. service in Crittenden Local government and the unnecessarily den County will be under the county allowed either “It was completely County. hospital have a joint stake in responding to new management. But local party to withdraw from the unexpected,” Hunt “We are looking at providing health care to the reported fires officials contend Baptist commitment with 180 days said. “We didn’t insti- other avenues to community. The county that turn out to be Health’s decision to give up notice. gate the change.” make sure the owns the hospital property intentionally set to its stake in Crittenden EMS “They called and gave a Kentucky’s largest county has a viable and grounds and appoints clear brush, fields or will not result in a disruption heads up they were going to not-for-profit health Nichols ambulance service CHS board members. burn felled trees and limbs. of service to the community. exercise that option,” Terry care system cited fis- without any disrup- As the county’s top Wood said it is not only Earlier this month, the Nichols, CHS CEO said of cal concerns as the reason tion in service,” Hunt as- elected official, Newcom is costly to volunteer depart- health care giant notified Baptist Health’s Dec. 1 noti- for ending its affiliation with sured. quick to address any con- ments, but also dangerous. Crittenden Health Systems fication. Crittenden EMS. “We’ll do everything we cerns similar to those He said nationwide, more (CHS) and Judge-Executive CHS Board Chairman “In a word, it was finan- can to keep and have quality firefighters are killed on their Perry Newcom that it would Charlie Hunt said EMS em- cial,” the board chairman EMS,” added Nichols, who is See EMS/Page 2 way to fires than fighting blazes. He simply asks that the controlled burns be re- ported by contacting Marion dispatch at (270) 965-3500. Most controlled burns are Rosebud set legally, but passersby often report the fires. Without prior knowledge of the blaze, dispatchers have no choice Hill road but to dispatch fire depart- ments to put out the fires. As a magistrate, Wood said he does not want to im- upgrade plement fines for not report- ing controlled burns, but adds that something must be coming done to limit false alarms to county fire departments. Forest fire hazard season By MIMI BYRNS STAFF WRITER ends Friday, but residents are asked to remain cautious A project for improvements to U.S. 60 East in the Rosebud Hill when starting fires near area of Crittenden County is sched- brush or woodlands. uled to be bid in January. The esti- mated $1.5 million in improvements will cover about five miles of the fed- Next week final issue eral highway be- tween Mattoon and of The Press in 2017 the Crittenden- Next week’s edition of Union County line, The Crittenden Press will be a hazardous section the last for 2017. Tradition- of U.S. 60 East that ally, the newspaper pub- has claimed two lishes only 51 issues a year, lives over the past 5 printing no edition between years, including a Christmas and New Year’s toddler last month. On Nov. 15, 2- Day. Next week’s issue will How many people year-old Liliana Mc- contain holiday greetings PHOTO BY DARYL K. TABOR, THE PRESS must die in this Connell died when from our advertisers to you, Crittenden County High School chess player Chase Stevens (right) concentrates for his next move during Sat- ‘‘ her mother’s vehi- our readers, as well as chil- urday’s Blue Knights Scholastic Chess Tournament at the elementary school. Stevens is a member of the high section of road cle hydroplaned dren’s letters to Santa. school team that is undefeated this season. Saturday’s tournament brought together 111 players. before we can get and left the road- The newspaper office will way, striking a tree. be closed on the Friday be- something done? The latest traffic fa- fore and Monday of Christ- –Perry Newcom tality on Rosebud mas and New Year’s Day. judge-executive to U.S. Hill – there have Secretary of Transportation been four since No- The right moves vember 2002 – had Elaine Chao seeking help to Courthouse shut for upgrade U.S. 60 East a strong affect on the community, employee lunch Friday leading Judge-Ex- Crittenden County Court- Chess sharpening students’ minds ecutive Perry Newcom to seek assis- tance from Washington, D.C., to house will be closed from By DARYL K. TABOR chess players in the district from carpooling to get the players to improve the historically hazardous noon to 1 p.m. Friday for the PRESS EDITOR elementary to high school – receive tournaments. stretch of road. The incident also annual county employee With five state titles, Crittenden very little in the way of funding Winters takes it all in stride. prompted trauma debriefings and Christmas dinner. County’s chess squad has histori- from each school. The state cham- But as his team continues to pile counseling for those who responded cally outperformed any sports pionship trophies amassed in the up victories and impressive fin- to the call. team in Crittenden County. But team’s 30-or-so-year-history were ishes after a rebuild of the pro- Keith Todd, Kentucky Trans- Public meetings the program continues to struggle almost tossed out during a re- gram, his aim is to help players portation Cabinet (KyTC) - Crittenden County for recognition among the compe- model of the middle school. And gain the respect others in the dis- spokesman and himself a Critten- Board of Education will titions carried out on a field, dia- according to Coach Don Winters, trict have received. den County resident, said that over meet at 6 p.m. today (Thurs- mond or court. because of the expense, the team In the recent past, some athletic the years, a number of upgrades to day) in the Rocket Arena The Blue Knights – the name doesn’t take a bus to competitions, conference room. taken by the team that represents and instead relies on parents and See CHESS/Page 5 See ROSEBUD/Page 14 - Marion City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Monday at city hall. - Crittenden Fiscal Court will meet at 8:30 a.m. next Thursday at the courthouse. Inmate escapes while being treated at hospital - Crittenden County By DARYL K. TABOR deputy jailer last Wednes- fore Parker could be booked reportedly able to dart from pital barefoot, taking flight Local Emergency Planning PRESS EDITOR day as he was being treated into jail after arriving at the the grasp of a deputy jailer across Marion Country Club Committee will meet at 1 A local man ordered to at the hospital for a facility from court stationed inside property before p.m. next Thursday at the jail last week after being suspected drug over- proceedings, where the room where the deputy lost emergency operations cen- held in contempt of court or- dose. Jailer Robbie he had just been sen- treatment was Lockdown sight. Kirk said ter on Industrial Drive. chestrated an escape before Kirk said Crittenden tenced by District being provided evaluated a phone tip led he was even booked into EMS was called to the Judge Daniel Heady for a suspected authorities to Crittenden County Deten- jail after Parker col- to serve time for vio- overdose. Page 3 the home of a tion Center. The incident led lapsed and urinated lating the terms of a “The deputy relative in town. to students being kept at on himself shortly previously suspended was sitting right Parker was ar- school almost an hour after after being escorted sentence. Kirk said beside him, but he bolted,” rested there without inci- normal dismissal time out of to the facility from Parker the suspect had ad- Kirk explained. “The deputy dent by Assistant Marion concern for their safety. district court just mitted earlier in court simply could not get his Police Chief Bobby West. Facebook.com/TheCrittendenPress Twitter.com/CrittendenPress Ryan Paul Parker, 26, of prior to 2 p.m. EMS then to “taking a bunch of pills,” hands on him.” "At that point, he was [email protected] Marion is facing second de- transported him to Critten- so EMS was called. Parker was able to elude cold and tired," Kirk said of 270.965.3191 gree escape charges after den Health Systems (CHS). After being taken to CHS capture for just under two Open weekdays 9 am to 5 pm fleeing the custody of a The incident occurred be- by ambulance, Parker was hours after fleeing the hos- See ESCAPE/Page 3
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Contents ©2017, The Crittenden Press Inc. 2 THE CRITTENDEN PRESS, Marion, Kentucky 42064, Thursday, December 14, 2017 Letters to the Editor News&Views The Crittenden Press P.O. Box 191, Marion, KY 42064
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