A Christian County Sheriff’s Deputy responding to a wreck with injuries became involved in a separate wreck with injuries on North Main Street this morning.

The incident happened around 7:45 near the intersection with Talbert Drive, where 54-year old Freida Catlett of Hopkinsville was attempting to make a left turn into the parking lot of the Kangaroo Mart and turned into the path of an oncoming police cruiser driven by 33-year old Deputy Sean Head of Hopkinsville.

Hopkinsville Police say Deputy Head had his emergency lights and siren activated and was en route to a wreck with minor injuries at Lacy Elementary School.    

The deputy was unable to avoid a wreck and struck the passenger side of Ms. Catlett’s mini-van. Both drivers were taken by ambulance to Jennie Stuart Medical Center, with Deputy Head reporting a hip injury and Ms. Catlett chest injuries.

The wreck at Lacy Elementary School involved a school bus, though the minor injuries were reported by a person in the other vehicle.

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04/05/2012/am

The University of Wisconsin recently released the results of its annual county by county nationwide study on health issues, which showed Christian in the middle of the pack across a mostly unhealthy Kentucky.

Christian County came in 51^st out of 120 counties, which was better than any adjoining county.

Physical environment and social and economic factors were the areas that held Christian County back the most. For example, 22 percent of those polled in Christian County who were low income did not have easy access to a grocery store to purchase health foods. That number is over triple the rate of 7-percent across Kentucky.

Along the same lines, 52 percent of restaurants in Christian County are fast food establishments, compared to 25 percent across the country and 54 percent across Kentucky.

53 percent of those polled in Christian County have some college education, compared to 68 percent nationwide and 55 percent across the commonwealth. 18 percent did not have health insurance in Christian County, seven percent more than the national average and one percent more than the state average.

Officials say 28-percent of those polled in Christian County are smokers—double the 14 percent nationally and a tick over 27 percent in Kentucky.

29-percent of Christian County children live in poverty and 39-percernt of children live in single-parent households. In fact, there is not one category where Christian County is healthier than the national average, though there are several where Christian is healthier than the rest of the state.

We’ll have detailed stories on our adjoining counties in the coming days.

Click here to view the complete results in Christian County.

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04/04/2012/AM

The Christian County School Board and Superintendent Screening Committee will hold a joint-meeting for the first time next month as the process to replace current Superintendent Brady Link gets underway in earnest.

The meeting will be at 5:15pm at the Board of Education on Glass Avenue, according to a news release from district spokesperson Heather Aubin.

The Superintendent Screening Committee is made up of Board Chairman Barry Cornelius, Hopkinsville High School Principal Demetria Choice, Technology Resource Teacher Tracy Pelletier, MLK Elementary School teacher Sally Coffeen, Director of Systems Support Barry Combs and parent representative Tom Bell.

Kentucky law requires the screening committee to review all submitted applications and to then recommend top candidates to the board for a formal interview.

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04/04/2012/am

The first ever North Christian Old Fashioned Political Rally and Crafts Fair is about a month away and organizers are hoping for a big crowd.

The event will be at Gordon Park in Crofton May 12^th from 8am until 12 and organizer Frank Brown says political candidates and office-holders from all political parties will be there to speak.

Brown encourages everyone attending to dress “old fashioned” and to wear any political regalia they can find.

The rally is co-sponsored by Gordon Park, Crofton Community Organization and the Kelly Community Organization. Anyone interested in setting up a booth to sell crafts can do so for a 10 dollar donation and should call Brenda at 348-3745 after 2:30pm for more information.

Brown says almost all candidates running for office in Christian County have committed to be there and that any candidates who haven’t committed but who want to speak only need to contact him to get on the agenda.

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