WHITFIELD ANNOUNCES HEAD START GRANT
U.S. Representative Ed Whitfield announced today that the Murray Board of Education has been awarded a $2,048,288 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The funds will be used for Head Start projects within the school district. "The importance of early childhood education as a tool for encouraging both social development and a love of learning cannot be overstated," Whitfield said. "Head Start is a critical program which provides just that to thousands of children across Kentucky and I am pleased to support them in any way I can." Head Start provides grants to local public and private agencies to provide comprehensive child development services to economically disadvantaged children and families, with a special focus on helping preschoolers develop the early reading and math skills they need to be successful in school. Head Start programs promote school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social and other services to enrolled children and families.

EAST CALLOWAY HONORS TOP CATS
East Calloway Elementary held an awards luncheon Wednesday in the Library/Media Center for sixth and fifth grade students who scored Proficient or Distinguished on last spring’s CATS assessment. Middle School students (sixth grade this school year) were bussed to their former elementary school to join a crowd of over 150 to enjoy a meal served by teachers and staff and to receive trophies and medallions inscribed with their names.

KSP LOOKING FOR ESCAPEE
Kentucky State Police is currently investigating the escape of a Marshall County prisoner. Bradley D Hicks, a state inmate at Marshall County Detention Center, walked away from a work detail at the Marshall County Landfill around 11:50 A.M. today. Hicks was last seen wearing a camouflage hat, gray sweatshirt, blue jeans, and boots. Hicks was being lodged for charges of fleeing and evading, resisting arrest and numerous drug related charges. Anyone with information on Hicks’ whereabouts is asked to contact the Kentucky State Police, Post 1 at 1-800-222-5555 or (270) 856-3721. Hicks is described as a white male. 32 years old, 6'4" 220 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.

MORE UNEMPLOYMENT IN KENTUCKY
Unemployment rates rose in 115 Kentucky counties between September 2007 and September 2008 and fell in five counties, according to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training, an agency of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet. Woodford County recorded the lowest jobless rate in the commonwealth at 4.9 percent. Other counties with low unemployment rates were Fayette County, 5.1 percent; Livingston and Webster counties, 5.2 percent each; Warren County, 5.3 percent; Madison County, 5.6 percent; Barren and Boone counties, 5.7 percent each; and Franklin, Hancock, Henderson, Jessamine and Robertson counties, 5.8 percent each. Magoffin County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate — 10.9 percent. It was followed by Jackson County, 10.5 percent; Wolfe County, 10.3 percent; Clay County, 10 percent; Grayson County, 9.9 percent; Spencer County, 9.7 percent; McCreary County, 9.5 percent; Morgan County, 9.4 percent; and Bell, Harlan and Lewis counties, 9.2 percent each. Unemployment statistics are based on estimates and are compiled to measure trends rather than actually to count people working.

QUAD STATE IS FRIDAY AT MSU
A long-standing musical tradition in Murray, the department of music will host its 62nd Annual Quad State String Festival, Friday on the campus of Murray State University. In attendance will be 280 students from Kentucky, Missouri, Indiana and Tennessee. Pre-college level string students will gather to rehearse, attend master classes, and perform in Lovett Auditorium. This year’s guest conductors include James Weil, Eva Rouse and Pamela Wilensky. Each director is an accomplished professional and will bring a high standard of excellence to the festival. Participating teachers from Kentucky include the MSU String Project Director Karen O’Daniel; Patty Story and Ashley Darnell from Graves County Schools; and private teachers Conny Ottway, Dr. Sue-Jean Park, Donus Schweizer and Kim Forguson. Teachers attending the festival from Tennessee include Megan Norris from Paris, and Dr. Sheryl Lane, James Weil and Pamela Wilensky from Memphis. In addition, Matt Rundle will be bringing students from Evansville, Ind., and Agatha Gay French will have a student from Sikeston. Two events associated with the Quad State String Festival are open to the general public and should not be missed by anyone who has any interest in orchestra music. First, a mini-concert, featuring the MSU string orchestra and faculty artists Sue-Jean Park and SaeRom Kwon, will be held in the Performing Arts Hall in the Doyle Fine Arts Center. The concert will begin at 1 p.m. and is free to the public. The second concert will be held in Lovett Auditorium, featuring the MSU symphony orchestra as well as all three of the Quad State Festival student orchestras. This concert will begin at 5 p.m. and is also free to the public.

BLAIR DEATH A HOMICIDE
A medical examiner determined that a Mayfield homicide victim died of strangulation. Relatives found the body of Delilah Blair, 49, on Oct. 4 inside her apartment on East South Street. Coroner Phillip McClain ruled her death a homicide after an autopsy. Police have no arrest as they await reports on DNA evidence. Police have ruled out robbery as a motive but have not determined whether Blair knew her attacker.

FULTON POLICE RAID HOME
Fulton police and Pennyrile Narcotics Task Force detectives arrested two people late Tuesday after raiding their home at 112 Valley St. Johnny Parrott, 29, is charged with trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 yards of a school and possession of drug paraphernalia. Sharkia Warlick, 20, is charged with failure to appear in court. Police searching the home about 9:30 p.m. found 23.5 grams of marijuana and a hand-held police scanner.

THREE FACE METH CHARGES
Pennyrile Narcotics Task Force detectives arrested three people early Wednesday on methamphetamine-related charges. Lexie J. Robinson, 30, of Symsonia is charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, possessing anhydrous ammonia with the intent to manufacture meth and possessing a controlled substance. Kelly N. Payne, 29, and Michael Chittendon, 28, both also of Symsonia, were each charged with conspiracy to manufacture meth. Detectives raided the home where the three live at 3301 Dooms Chapel Road shortly after midnight, Detective George Workman said. Officers found a cooler containing anhydrous ammonia, a methadone pill, pseudoephedrine, coffee filters, plastic bags and both plastic ware and a rubber hose containing meth residue, he said. Detectives seized an all-terrain vehicle and a Dodge Intrepid at the home, Workman said. Officers took Robinson, Payne and Chittendon to the Graves County Jail, where they remained Wednesday afternoon.

PURCHASE PARKWAY ACCIDENT INJURES TWO
Two people were injured in an accident on the Purchase Parkway Wednesday.  According to police, Jacqueline Toombs, 54, of McEwen, Tenn., slowed her minivan to answer her phone at 8:58 a.m. near the 44-mile marker. Robert Morris, 57, of South Fulton, Tenn., was driving behind her and pulled into the passing lane to pass. Toombs turned left from the right lane in an attempt to pull into the turnaround and take the cell phone call. She pulled into the path of the truck, and the two collided. The force of the impact pushed Toombs’ minivan into the median. She and her passenger, Clyde Lee Rust, 78, of McEwen, were taken to Marshall County Hospital. The hospital did not provide information on their conditions. Morris was not hurt.

ACROSS KENTUCKY
State and federal officials are investigating a fatal accident at a strip mine in Perry County. WKYT-TV reports a man was fatally injured while operating a bulldozer that went over a 100-foot embankment. The accident at an AME Coal Company operation in Leatherwood. The identity of the worker has not been released.

Students are back in class today at Western Kentucky University and the South Campus. Five students could face some charged in connection with two altercations that led to erroneous reports of gunfire. Those reports prompted WKU officials to issue a campus alert and order a lockdown. Heavily armed police rushed to the scene. The "Bowling Green Daily News" reports an investigation reveals no shots were fired.

Different polls show different results in the Senate race. Within days polls have indicated a tie, and both men ahead. The latest poll the "Herald Leader"/ WKYT-TV Kentucky Poll shows Mitch McConnell leading Bruce Lunsford by four points, 47-to-43 percent. That poll shows ten percent undecided. The poll has a margin of error of four percent.

School superintendents across the state worry about the economy, tight budgets, and the loss of jobs. The "Courier Journal" reports on a Kentucky School Boards Association study that shows public school districts cut more than one-thousand jobs this year. That means cuts in 135 of the states 174 school districts. Association officials say superintendents worry they will have to make more cuts next year.

We may never know why a 23-year-old Grant County man killed his parents. Russell Bramlage has confessed to police he murdered Terry and Lynda Bramlage. They're bodies were discovered last November in their Grant County home. WKYT-TV reports Russell Bramlage told investigators he just "snapped." A judge has sentenced him to life in prison with eligibility for parole in 20 years.

Boyd County Sheriff's deputies say two-thousand pounds of stolen pills are still missing. They recovered the stolen truck that contained the almost 100 cases of Adderall. The truck stolen in West Virginia was recovered at a truck stop along the Interstate in Boyd County. The "Daily Independent" reports Adderall is a prescription stimulant used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity and narcolepsy. The stolen drugs have a value of more than six-million dollars.