Forty retirees were honored with a reception by the Christian County School System before Thursday night's board meeting.

Principals and administrators from across the district helped honor each retiree and distributed gifts as tokens of appreciation for their years of service.

Seven employees from the bus garage and one maintenance worker retired. Christian County High, Hopkinsville Middle, Martin Luther King Elementary and South Christian Elementary schools all lose three employees to retirement.

Sinking Fork, Pembroke, Lacy, Hopkinsville High, Holiday and Crofton retire two and Belmont, Christian County Middle and Indian Hills all lose one employee to retirement.

**

05/17/2013/am

The Vice President of Kentucky Utilities is warning residents of a phone scam.

Kentucky Utilities provides electricity to most of Crofton and several area counties and Vice President Chris Whelan says their customers are being called by someone claiming their bill is way overdue. The scammer threatens to cut off power if a payment isn't made immediately over the phone by credit card or PayPal, something Ms. Whelan says a legit utility would never do.

She says Kentucky Utilities might call to notify a resident their bill is passed due, but threats of immediate termination such as the ones described would not be part of that call.

The scam hasn't been limited to only Kentucky Utilities customers and residents across the area should be cautious of such phone calls.

**

05/17/2013/am

Alcohol is suspected as a factor in a wreck in I-24 in Christian County yesterday morning that killed an out of state man has the alleged perpetrator facing murder charges.

A news release from Kentucky State Police says 69-year old Harold Johnson of Colorado Springs, Colorado was eastbound near the 89 mile-marker in the Oak Grove area around 11:20 am when he was rear-ended by a tractor-trailer driven by 54-year old Timothy Baldwin of Monticello, Minnesota.

Johnson’s vehicle was forced off the road and into a ditch. Johnson and his wife, 68-year old Louise Johnson, were both taken to Gateway Medical Center where Harold Johnson would die from his injuries.

Baldwin was arrested and charged with Murder, DUI, Fleeing from Police on foot, Wanton Endangerment and Resisting Arrest. The investigation continues by KSP.
**

05/17/2013/am

The Christian County Board of Education met tonight and  approved a tentative budget for the 2013-14 school year.

Board Chairman Barry Cornelius says the budget is a work in progress and reflects a $700,000 cut in federal money.

Area residents, local elected leaders and law enforcement officials gathered this afternoon in Hopkinsville to honor and pay their respects to fallen peace officers, who were killed in the line of duty.

Each year, officials with the Hopkinsville-Christian County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 12 hosts the event, which is held at Police Memorial Park, located between the municipal building and the police department building.

Local FOP President, Henry Gould says it takes a special kind of individual to serve others, while expecting nothing in return.

The guest speaker for this year's police memorial service was 3rd District State Senator Whitney Westerfield who asked residents to pray for officers as they put their lives on the line each day for the community.

Other speakers included Hopkinsville Chief Guy Howie, Christian County Sheriff Livy Leavell, Hopkinsville Mayor Dan Kemp, Christian County Judge- Executive Steve Tribble and David Thompson, the Commander of the 7-16^th Military Police Battalion and Director of Emergency Services at Fort Campbell.
                                                                       **
(05/17/2013/MF)