News from November
18, 2004 issue
Bullet
passes through Williams' kitchen
Investigators are still not certain from where the stray bullet
came that pierced Junior Williams' mobile home on Piney Fork Road
(Ky. 506) last Wednesday afternoon about 3:30.
The rifle deer season opened Saturday, creating the common influx
of weapon-toting hunters, and a number of firearms have been discharged
recently. Hunters commonly sight in guns before the season opens.
Marion police have not ruled out someone hunting illegally or
sighting in a gun nearby.
A neighbor, Alvis Coats, saw a whitetail buck run out the woods
behind the mobile home after the shot was fired.
Police Chief Kenneth Winn said the bullet that went through the
side of Williams' mobile home just above the stove was from a
high-caliber rifle such as one used for deer hunting. The bullet
lodged in Williams' refrigerator freezer.
"I was in the back room and it just so happened that I wasn't
at the stove or the refrigerator," Williams said. "I
could have been standing there or getting some sugar for my coffee."
Williams' neighbor Rebecca Coats heard a second bullet whiz past
where she was standing, about 25 yards from Williams' mobile home.
Williams said there were about 10 shots fired repetitively from
what he thought was a semi-automatic weapon the night before.
Chief Winn said neighbors were interviewed, including a couple
of boys who were in a field behind Williams' trailer, but no one
offered information other than that they heard shots.
"I was shook up so bad," Williams said. "I don't
want to cause trouble to anybody, though."
Williams had just recently purchased the refrigerator. Johnson's
Furniture has loaned him a backup until they can repair the damaged
appliance.
County considers CAFO permit
By next month, Crittenden County magistrates are expected to have
some local regulations for large-scale confined animal feeding
operations, commonly known by their acronym CAFOs.
Crittenden Fiscal Court has wrestled with the idea of implementing
some type of regulations ever since the controversial chicken
houses were built on the north edge of the city limits. After
some lengthy legal disputes, the Tyson Foods poultry operation
finally moved out last year.
Although the state has created some temporary regulations for
CAFOs, county magistrates want more specific control when a large,
animal manufacturing type industry plans to locate here.
"We don't want to do anything to hurt farmers, but we need
to know if something like this going to come in here," said
Magistrate Greg West during Tuesday's regularly fiscal court meeting.
West and magistrates Dan Wood and Helen McConnell are on a committee
established to look into the matter.
Wood added, "We don't want to do anything to hinder local
farmers and as far as I know nothing we have here now would be
considered a CAFO, but we need to prevent something like we had
before with the chickens."
County Attorney Alan Stout said the fiscal court has authority
to require a permit and to enforce the state regulations. He said
that beyond that, it's unclear what the county wants to do or
can do.
"The question is how far do you want to go," he said.
"What is going to be the scope of these regulations?"
Stout, too, noted that the regulations need to be restrictive
enough to regulate CAFOs, but still not infringe upon traditional
family farms.
Judge-Executive Fred Brown encouraged the committee to continue
its work and to have some type of formal regulations prepared
by the December fiscal court meeting.
"If you think we need to consider adopting a permit application
then that might be just another barrier to protect our citizens,"
Brown said.
West also noted that any farming activity currently in operation
would not be affected by the new regulations, if any are adopted.
Those now in existence would be grandfathered in. Also, the restrictions
would not affect something like the local livestock market.
Marion policeman among those activated
Crittenden and Livingston county residents who are members of
the Kentucky National Guard's 2113th Transportation Company in
Paducah have been put on alert.
The unit is expected to go first to Mississippi for training and
then to Iraq by the end of the year. The unit was activated in
2003 when it performed military police duty at Fort Campbell due
to the large number of soldiers away from the base fighting in
the Middle East.
Sgt. 1st Class Marty Hodge took a leave from his position as a
Marion police officer last week. As the truck master of the 2113th,
Hodge is working daily in Paducah making sure the unit's vehicles
and equipment are ready for activation.
He will be on active duty for 12 to 18 months. The police department
is making arrangements for a replacement.
Other Crittenden and Livingston county residents are members of
the transportation unit in Paducah, including Aaron Davis, Ray
Witherspoon and Landon Driver.