News from March
24, 2005 issue
City looking
again at annexation
The idea of annexing more property into the Marion city limits
resurfaced again Monday night during the city council meeting.
For several years, the council has been on and off the idea of
annexation. This time, it says the plan is warranted because of
possible industrial development on the northeast end of town.
The city is eyeballing the former Tyson chicken farm which has
recently been purchased by the Crittenden County Economic Development
Corporation. It wants to annex that area and go farther out U.S.
60 on both sides of the highway.
The idea was only briefly discussed Monday and some council members
said they didn't think the idea would be well received by the
public.
Citizens in areas targeted for annexation can force the issue
to be put to a vote if half of the residents in the designated
area oppose the idea. However, 55 percent of those in the area
must vote against annexation in order to stop it.
The idea discussed Monday night includes the area out U.S. 60
East to just past Hanor's Gun Shop.
No further action was taken on the issue. Some said it could be
discussed again during next month's meeting which will be held
at 6 p.m., April 18.
Click here for more about Kentucky's annexation
laws.
City
looks at old Sureway building
The former Sureway grocery store building at Darben Plaza is being
considered as a possible location for a Cherokee museum.
City Administrator Garry Barber told the Marion City Council Monday
night during its regular meeting that the vacant, former grocery
store is for lease, and could possibly be purchased. Two weeks
ago, Barber toured the building in order to determine its condition.
While negotiations with building owner Jack Rogers Realty of Evansville
are in the preliminary stages, Barber said the almost 12,000-square
foot building could be a good starting point for Dr. R. Michael
Abram's collection of contemporary Cherokee artifacts and handicrafts.
Dr. Abram, who is a medical doctor, noted Native American lecturer
and collector, currently operates a museum in Cherokee, N.C. He
has expressed an interest in moving his collection to Marion.
He is also being courted by Princeton officials.
Abram has visited Marion a couple of times and has been in close
contact with city officials and members of the Mantle Rock Native
American Cultural Center here.
Mayor Mickey Alexander said that the former grocery store would
be a good place for the museum because it is across the highway
from the proposed site of a Native American village. The local
Indian group organizing the living village agreed to a three-year
lease agreement Monday with the city which recently purchased
the land. The Indians will immediately begin using and developing
the 44 acres between Carson Davidson National Guard Armory and
City-County Park.
The concept will start slow and ramp up to a full-blown 1700s
and 1800s living village which local officials believe could potentially
attract thousands of tourists a year.
The Marion Tourism Commission will for three years pay interest
on the loan that the city took out to buy the land. That cost
will be about $240 a month. The city will absorb the balance of
the monthly debt which is about $260 until the Native American
village reaches its fourth year of existence. At that point, it
will begin paying $500 a month rent.
Barber said the Tourism Commission and city worked out the deal
to defray costs to village organizers for the first few years
so that all proceeds could be re-invested in the project.
The Indian group's spokesman Randall Hawkins told the city council
that work will begin Friday on a corn maze and pavilion at the
site which is directly behind Pamida and has access to U.S. 60
in front of the old Sureway building. The corn maze and pavilion
will be on the northwest side of the property, near Pamida.
Seven
sex offenders registered here
A registered sex offender last living at 127 Rochester Ave. in
Marion had failed to properly keep authorities notified of his
whereabouts and was out of compliance with laws that require him
to register his address with the local sheriff.
Crittenden County Sheriff Wayne Agent said he finally located
the man in Indiana early this week, after looking for him for
about a month.
In light of the tragic events in Florida over the last few days
that included the death of a nine-year-old girl allegedly at the
hands of a registered sex-offender, many are asking questions
about how well the system works. John Evander Couey, 46, has confessed
to killing the little girl in Florida. Although Couey was a registered
sex offender, he was not in compliance with notification procedures
regarding where he lived.
There are seven individuals currently listed as living in Crittenden
County and registered as sex offenders with the Kentucky State
Police. Thomas Lee II, 27, had apparently moved from Marion and
failed to notify authorities until he phoned Sheriff Agent Tuesday.
Agent said he contact probation and parole officials when he learned
that Lee was no longer living in on Rochester Ave. Lee was convicted
of child molestation in Indiana in and registered as a sex offender
in September of last year. Based on his crime, Lee must maintain
his sex offender registration for the rest of his life.
There are three registered sex offenders living in Salem and five
more in the surrounding area.
To learn more about Kentucky's registered sex offenders and to
see a photograph of each one of them click here: http://kspsor.state.ky.us/.
Registered Sex Offenders
by town:
Marion...7
Salem...3
Fredonia...2
Sturgis...2
Burna...1