News from July 15, 2004 issue


Trade Days coming back to downtown
Downtown "trade days" are coming back to the Crittenden County Courthouse square.
Marion Main Street, Inc., is working on a plan to hold trade days on the courthouse lawn every Saturday from 7 a.m., until noon starting this weekend.

Rose Crider, Main Street director, said there will be booth rentals for $5 each. Ron Padget will be coordinating the weekly trade days.

"We expect to have baked goods, produce, handicrafts, plants, herbs, concessions and about anything else anyone wants to sell, buy or trade," Crider said. "I think it will generate some traffic downtown and boost commerce for all of our city merchants.

"It also gives some of our local farmers and gardeners an opportunity to sell their products," added Crider.

Crittenden County Judge-Executive Fred Brown said the courthouse restrooms will be available to vendors and customers, but no other services such as electricity or water for booths will be available. Vendors will have to be fully self-supporting, Brown said.

Crider said Main Street will not provide any other improvements such as tables, displays or dividers.

Animals may also be bartered under some restrictions.
For more information about booth space, contact Padget at 965-5310 or the county judge's office at 965-5251.

City ready to renovate grocery store
After years of searching for a site, months of crunching numbers to get the best bang for its buck and thousands spent on architectural fees, the City of Marion appears on the verge of starting the long anticipated project to create a new city hall.

Last winter, the city purchased the former Save-A-Lot grocery store downtown, ending a long search for a new place to put its administrative offices and police department. The city has outgrown its current quarters on Bellville Street and the police department is badly outdated, mainly in regard to security and technology. Building a new home for city hall has been a top priority for the better part of the last decade. In fact, the city wrangled for a couple of years with the idea of renovating the old school building on College Street and spent a great deal of time and money going over architectural plans.

Once the site was determined by the purchase of the former grocery at English Manor Shopping Center, the next hurdle was keeping plans within budget, a factor that's held up progress over the last few months. Indeed, the city almost scrapped its renovation plans in lieu of tearing down the grocery store and putting up a brand new building.

Council members have worked earnestly to bring the project back within budget after just one renovation bid came in two months ago about 30 percent higher than an architect's estimate. The city had hoped to complete its new building for less than $1 million, but its only bid was for more than $1.2 million.

Now, discussions about ways to trim costs have resulted in a slightly different approach. Council members agreed by consensus during a special meeting last Thursday to move forward with plans to renovate the former grocery store according to the current architectural drawings; however, the city will act as its own general contractor, hiring sub-contractors to perform work on various phases of the project.

The city will also hire a temporary project manager or consultant to help oversee the renovation.

"I've never been against the old building, I've been against the price," said Councilman Richard Cruce, one of the local leaders who has been outspoken about looking at alternatives before accepting the only bid on the project.

"I think we should reject the bid," Councilman Allen Lynn said during last week's meeting.
"That's my recommendation, too," said City Administrator Garry Barber.

After a little more discussion, the council agreed to give the city administrator authority to seek out and hire a qualified project manager. Barber said he would try to have someone contracted for that job by the council's next meeting, July 19.

Barber suggested that the city replace the roof on the former grocery store building first thing because some leaks have developed.

Mayor Mickey Alexander said work on the building will begin right away with the roof replacement coming first. Bid specifications will be prepared for other phases.

KDFWR looking for cougar signs
A Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources biologist was in Crittenden County last week looking for evidence of a cougar between Frances and Salem.

The biologist, Philip Sharp of Murray, confirmed that the department had received a call from Shelia Tabor of Ky. 855, who said she'd encountered a large feline crossing the road.
Tabor has told The Press she's seen the cat on other occasions and called fish and wildlife officials out of concern.

Another resident on Ky. 855 North, Dennis Tyner, said he shot at one with a high-powered rifle two years ago in the same area.

The biologist said any mountain lion, cougar or whatever large cat is roaming the area is probably one that was a pet and was released or escaped its cage. He said the fish and wildlife department does not believe there is a free-ranging, breeding population of the animals in western Kentucky.

In a separate case, state police officers confiscated a hide of a mountain lion last year from a Frances man, which was turned over to the fish and wildlife department. The man who shot the animal said conservation officers gave it back to him later.

Friends critically injured in accident
Two young Crittenden County men ­ good friends with one another ­ were critically injured last Wednesday evening in a head-on accident on U.S. 60 West near Moore Hill.

Jeromy Watson, 24, and Josh Hunter, 23, remain in critical condition at Vanderbilt Hospital. Friends say their conditions are slowly improving. Each suffered massive and multiple injuries.

The wreck occurred about 6:30 p.m., July 7. Watson was driving a 1993 GMC pickup and Hunter a 2002 GMC truck. Hunter's truck went off the embankment south of the highway following the collision.

The Crittenden County Rescue Squad used the Jaws of Life to extricate both drivers and they were taken via helicopter from the wreck site to area hospitals before being transferred to Vanderbilt.

The highway was closed for several hours as the scene was cleared and state police reconstructed the accident. According to the initial accident report from Kentucky State Police, both vehicles crossed the center line for an undetermined reason before impact. Neither driver was wearing a seatbelt and no passengers were in either vehicle.
Junior Duncan of Marion has a special connection with both Watson and Hunter.
Watson, who most call "Doc," is his best friend. Hunter is his cousin.

"Doc's like a brother and Josh is family," said Duncan, who went to the accident scene and helped rescuers remove Watson from the tangled wreckage.

The two young men were friends who hung around together, according to Courtney Rushing.

"They would have done anything in the world for each other, now they're in the trauma unit together," Duncan said.

Both are "good boys," according Duncan.

Hunter, following a family tradition, competed in truck pulls around the area.

Watson and Duncan are drag racing buddies, too.

"I love both of those boys," Duncan said. "I'm glad they're both alive."

Crittenden County Rescue Squad, Crittenden County Fire Department, Crittenden County EMS, Crittenden County Sheriff's Department, Air Evac of Hopkinsville, and Air Med of Madisonville assisted the state police at the scene. Trooper Michael Ray continues to investigate the accident.