Eddyville resident winner in “Click it or Ticket” drawing

Fugitives, drunken drivers and people with stolen vehicles were among those detected and cited in this year’s Click It or Ticket enforcement effort, coordinated by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) and supported by over 300 police agencies statewide.
The main objective of Click It or Ticket is enforcement of Kentucky’s seat belt law, and more than 20,500 people were cited for not being buckled up, according to reports from participating law enforcement agencies.
But officers who manned 883 checkpoints throughout the commonwealth also detected other types of crimes. Officers made 1,594 drunken driving arrests, 1,246 felony arrests, and 1,581 drug arrests. They recovered 76 stolen vehicles and apprehended 1,312 fugitives. They also cited 15,460 people for speeding and 6,574 people for having no proof of automobile insurance.
“The goal of the Click It or Ticket campaign is not necessarily to write tickets, although enforcement agencies are definitely looking for violators,” said Boyd Sigler, director of KYTC’s Highway Safety Programs, whose office coordinates the campaign each year.  “Our goal is to educate the public on the importance of wearing a seat belt and to reduce deaths and injuries along our roadways.  It’s interesting, though, to learn what officers encounter when they’re out there doing traffic patrols and check points, and how working to reduce crashes also reduces criminal activity.”. (more)

Born before computers becomes issue

Ricardo Alonso-Zaldiver
Associated Press writer

So how old is John McCain? Six-packs, automatic transmissions and the American Express card were all introduced after he was born — not to mention computers, which McCain admits he doesn't use.
McCain, himself, jokes that he's older than dirt. And while his age is being raised as a campaign issue, medical experts say voters shouldn't be concerned that, if elected, McCain would be the oldest man to assume the presidency, at 72.
In politics and other fields, they explain, it's not unusual for talented people to do signature work late in life, when they can apply the cumulative wisdom of experience, and leverage personal connections cultivated over time.
“The presidential campaign is full of chatter — much of it quite misinformed — about the role of age," said Dr. William Thomas, a geriatrician and professor at the Erickson School of Aging Studies at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Geriatrics is a medical specialty that focuses on the elderly.
"People in old age are fully capable of imaginative and skillful work," Thomas added. "A person's age is not a block to doing fantastic work."

Traffic advisory

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans to restrict traffic to ONE LANE at various locations along Interstate 24 in McCracken County for the next several weeks. The McCracken County Highway Maintenance Crew plans to repair a number of washouts along the right-of-way between the 0 and 16 mile marker. Lane restrictions and shoulder restrictions will be required to allow room for equipment and personnel to complete the required work.
The crew is working today along the westbound lanes between the 12 and 11 mile markers.
Motorists should be prepared to encounter slowing and merging traffic in the work zone. Motorists are advised to slow down and use appropriate caution in areas where equipment and personnel will be along the roadway in close proximity to passing traffic.

Working on Ohio River bridge between Paducah and Metropolis

A contractor for the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDot) plans to start maintenance work on the Interstate 24 Ohio River Bridge between Paducah and Metropolis on Monday, July 7, 2008.
The initial work will be below the bridge deck and is not cause any traffic disruptions.
However, sometime after July 14, 2008, the contractor plans to start daytime lane restrictions for cleaning and painting of the bridgesupport structure. Some load width restrictions may be placed on truck traffic at that time. The work is expected to take 95 working days.
About 32,000 vehicles cross the I-24 Ohio River Bridge between Paducah, KY, and Metropolis, IL, in an average day. IDot is responsible for maintaining the bridge through an inter-agency agreement with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
Motorists who regularly travel this section of I-24 should slow down and use appropriate caution where equipment, flaggers, and construction personnel will be on the bridge deck in close proximity to traffic flow.

Where did this Mystery bug come from?

Meera Selva
Associated Press Writer

The experts at London's Natural History Museum pride themselves on being able to identify species from around the globe, from birds and mammals to insects and snakes. Yet they can't figure out a tiny red-and-black bug that has appeared in the museum's own gardens.
The almond-shaped insect, about the size of a grain of rice, and was first seen in March 2007 on some of the plants & trees that grow on the grounds of the 19th century museum, collections manager Max Barclay said Tuesday.
Within three months, it had become the most common insect in the garden, and it was also spotted in other central London parks, he said.

'Click It or Ticket' turns up more than seat belt offenders

FRANKFORT, Ky. - Fugitives, drunken drivers and people with stolen vehicles were among those detected and cited in this year's Click It or Ticket enforcement effort, coordinated by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) and supported by over 300 police agencies statewide.
The main objective of Click It or Ticket is enforcement of Kentucky's seat belt law, and more than 20,500 people were cited for not being buckled up, according to reports from participating law enforcement agencies.
But officers who manned 883 checkpoints throughout the commonwealth also detected other types of crimes. Officers made 1,594 drunken driving arrests, 1,246 felony arrests, and 1,581 drug arrests. They recovered 76 stolen vehicles and apprehended 1,312 fugitives. They also cited 15,460 people for speeding and 6,574 people for having no proof of automobile insurance. (More)

Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement becomes a division of KSP

Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement (KVE) will become a division of the Kentucky State Police under an executive order signed today by Gov. Steve Beshear, returning KVE to its core missionwhile allowing the two agencies to combine law enforcement resources and create cost-saving efficiencies.
Under the new division, KVE personnel will maintain their identity as the primary agents of driver and vehicle compliance and safety.
"Rigorous and focused commercial and vehicle enforcement is absolutely critical to the safety of our highways, the security of our homeland and the maintenance of our roads," said Gov. Beshear. "By folding KVE into our state police department, we're able to eliminate a layer of bureaucracy, and allow KVE to focus on vehicle and driver safety, and enforce compliance of vehicles operating in commerce."
The reorganization will allow the new division to expand hours of operation at weigh stations, in some cases doubling or tripling the hours these crucial checkpoints are open, Beshear said. Longer hours will increase the inspection and records checks of hazardous cargo, expand the use of radiological and nuclear material and increase contact with operators and drivers.
The move also enhances critical security measures.

Meth clean-up law amended

People who are considering renting, leasing or buying a residence must now be given written notice by the owner if the property has been contaminated by methamphetamine and has not been properly cleaned up by a certified contractor.
Failure to give potential occupants a written notice will be a Class D felony under amendments to the current Kentucky meth lab cleanup law that go into effect July 15. Each violation could result in a fine of up to $25,000 and/or imprisonment from one to five years.

New legislation for metal theft

New legislation that goes into effect on July 15 is designed to help law enforcement agencies combat an increasingly frequent crime in Kentucky: the theft of certain non-ferrous metals and all ferrous metals.
House Bill 106 requires metal dealers to record purchase transactions on a form and keep the form for two years. Upon request, the dealers are required to provide the forms to law enforcement agencies for the purpose of identifying the perpetrators of metal thefts. (More)

Arlington adopts budget and dangerous structure ordinances

Approves grease trap ordinance on 1st reading

By Tommy Kimbro
Editor, Carlisle County News

The Arlington City Council met in regular session on Tuesday evening, July 8, 2008 at the Arlington City Hall. Present for the meeting were Mayor Kenneth Fritts, Council Members Sammy Garber, Bobby McGee, Shea Thorpe and Jada Burgess, City Clerk Anita Lambert, City Attorney Richie Kemp and Fire Chief Randy Cranor. Donna McGee and Dennis Jones with Prefeered Tank and Tower Company.
Meeting was called to Order with pledge to the American Flag. Minutes of the June meeting were reviewed and approved by the council. The Treasureer’s Report was reviewed and approved by the council members.
Bills were read and the council approved payment of same.
Sammy Garber reported that the condition of the cemetery is satisfactory. Fire Chief Cranor advised the council that the Arlington Fire Department responded to a mutual-aid request from the Burkley Fire Department and also responded to one vehicle accident. The report regarding the Arlington Park was that spraying for mosquito control had been done. As to the city’s operation, the report was that a water meter had been replaced and that mowing was in progress.
A motion was made to adopt, on second reading, the Dangerous Structure Ordinance. All council members voted to adopt the ordinance. A motion was also made to adopt, on second reading, the 2008/2009 Operating Budget for the City of Arlington. All council members voted to adopt the ordinance.
A motion was made to approve the first reading of the Grease Trap Ordinance. Council members Sammy Garber, Bobby McGee and Jada Burgess voted to approve the ordinance. Council member Shea Thorpe voted No on the motion. The second reading of the ordinance is scheduled for the August 12, 2008 regular meeting.
After a discussion on city taxes, Bobby McGee made a motion to raise the taxes as high as possible but not to exceed 4 percent. All members voted in favor.
Council Member McGee made a motion to raise the Sewer Rate, from $6.00 per thousand gallon, to $7.00 per thousand gallon. Council Members McGee, Garber and Thorpe voted to adopt the raise. Council Member Burgess voted No on the motion.
Dennis Jones, with PrefeeredTank and Tower Company gave the city a report on the study the company had completed on the water tank. The council will review the report prior to the August 12th meeting.