Damage done by the Mayfield tornado Sunday morning/photo from NWS

The National Weather Service is reminding residents that while spring is the traditional severe weather season, strong storms and tornados are also more frequent in the fall months.

A tornado damaged several homes and injured one person in Mayfield Sunday morning, with a survey team deciding it was an EF1 twister. Christian County native and National Weather Service in Paducah Warning Meteorologist Rick Shanklin says the event wasn’t so out of the ordinary.

Shanklin says residents in the area should remain alert when there is a forecast of thunderstorms in the fall season—and to be sure they have an operating NOAA weather radio.

The Graves County tornado had maximum winds of 105 miles per hour and stayed on the ground for about two miles.

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10/16/2012/am

The election to fill the open District 1 Christian County School Board seat is featured in today’s news.

The two non-partisan candidates—Sara Shepherd and Clayton Boyd—debated last week at the Bradford Square Mall. Asked about the biggest obstacle in front of the board, Boyd pointed toward increasing parent involvement.

Ms. Sheperd listed a number of issues she said were more related to normal business than large obstacles.

Asked about whether Oak Grove should receive an elementary school, Ms. Shepherd said she would look all of the facts before making any promises. Boyd said it’s something to be considered very seriously as that community continues to grow.

Ms. Shepherd is a former school board member and Boyd is retired from Phelps Dodge. District 1 includes much of northern Christian County.

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10/16/2012/am

A Clarksville man was arrested yesterday on theft charges after allegedly trying to scrap items stolen over the weekend.

Arrested at City Salvage around 5pm was 42-year old Lazarus McDonald of Clarksville. The arrest card says McDonald was seen driving the vehicle he was in yesterday on two occasions by eye-witnesses of a theft.

In particular, McDonald was the prime suspect in a theft investigation at a Cherokee Trace Boulevard theft from the weekend when 12 propane tanks were stolen from a business.

Police say the chain and master lock that were attached to the tanks were found in McDonald’s car and that the manager of the business came to the traffic stop and had the key to open the lock in question.

McDonald was charged with three counts of theft and two counts of theft by deception in addition to driving on a suspended license.

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10/16/2012/am

A Hopkinsville woman is accused of stealing and then hiding soap in her pants.

Hopkinsville Police on Friday charged 28-year old Siominia Cherry with 2^nd degree robbery after a IGA store employee allegedly witnessed Cherry conceal Dial soap in her pants and attempted to leave without paying for the merchandise.

The store employee also told police that after she stopped Cherry at the door, Cherry assaulted her, threw down the merchandise and fled the store.

In an attempt to escape, Cherry is also accused of pushing the employee against the wall, causing a minor scratch on her arm, the employee then followed Cherry until police arrived.

Cherry was arrested without incident a short time after police arrived and the total value of the merchandise that was unsuccessfully stolen was $2.29.
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Officials with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet are urging political candidates and their supporters to remove all campaign signs from state highway roadsides as highway crews and contractors prepare to start their fall mowing cycle.

Contract mowing crews and state crews will start their fall mowing during the next two weeks across the Commonwealth.

All campaign, advertising and yard sale signs need to be removed from state rights of way ahead of mowing crews as it creates a safety hazard for the public and mowing crews. 

Crews are expected to start work along the Audubon Parkway from Owensboro to Henderson around October 22^nd, then turn southward and mow along the Breathitt-Pennyrile Parkway from Henderson to Hopkinsville.

Officials are also reminding motorists to slow down and use appropriate caution whenever they enter a mowing zone since crews will be out mowing anytime weather permits between sunup and sundown, Monday through Saturday.
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