Midday Headlines 4.28.11

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS EXTENDED A FLOOD WARNING FOR WESTERN KENTUCKY, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS, SOUTHWEST INDIANA AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI UNTIL NINE A-M FRIDAY.  RUNOFF FROM RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE RISES IN SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS, KEEPING MANY AREAS FLOODED.  MANY ROADS WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO BE IMPASSABLE.  BE EXTRA CAUTIOUS IF YOU TRAVEL THIS EVENING BECAUSE IT IS HARD TO RECOGNIZE THE DANGERS OF FLOODING.

GOVERNOR STEVE BESHEAR SAYS THE DAMAGE ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH FROM THE SEVERE WEATHER IS AT 34 (B)ILLION DOLLARS AND CLIMBING.  BESHEAR IS TOURING WESTERN KENTUCKY TODAY, WITH AFTERNOON STOPS AT LIVINGSTON CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL IN SMITHLAND AND THE COMMUNITY OF BEALS IN HENDERSON COUNTY.

THE FIRST WEATHER RELATED FATALITY IN KENTUCKY OCCURED WEDNESDAY.  KENTUCKY STATE POLICE AT MAYFIELD SAY 30-YEAR-OLD ANDREW WASHINGTON OF MURRAY DIED ON A LOCAL ROAD NEAR MURRAY WHEN HIS VEHICLE RAN THROUGH A POOL OF WATER AND HIT A UTILITY POLE.  WASHINGTON WORKED WITH THE MAYFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT.

EARLINGTON'S CITY COUNCIL IS MEETING TODAY TO CONSIDER SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE ALLOWING SUNDAY ALCOHOL SALES.  THE MADISONVILLE MESSENGER REPORTS THE MEASURE IS LIKE ONE PASSED IN MADISONVILLE EARLIER THIS WEEK.  THE MEASURE WOULD ALLOW FOR SUNDAY SALES AT ELIGIBLE RESTAURANTS AND PRIVATE CLUBS FROM ONE UNTIL TEN P-M.  EARLINGTON RESIDENTS PASSED A MEASURE ALLOWING ALCOHOL SALES IN MARCH.

MARSHALL COUNTY AUTHORITIES ARE SEARCHING FOR AN ARMED ROBBER TODAY.  BENTON POLICE TELL WEST KENTUCKY STAR. COM A MAN CAME INTO THE NEW WAVE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AROUND TWO BRANDISHING A KNIFE AND DEMANDING MONEY.  THE ROBBER FLED WITH AN UNKNOWN AMOUNT OF CASH AND A 42 INCH TELEVISION.

IT WAS ONE YEAR AGO TODAY 28-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL CARTER OF HANSON DIED WHEN A WALL CAVED IN AT THE DOTIKI MINE.  THE MADISONVILLE MESSENGER REPORTS HIS WIFE HAS ESTABLISHED A SCHOLARSHIP FUND IN HIS MEMORY AT MADISONVILLE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.