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A legacy of giving: The Weaver Challenge for Charities

Jessica Paine
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A legacy of giving: The Weaver Challenge for Charities

MURRAY – A unique opportunity is available this year to 20 local nonprofit organizations who are participating in the Murray-Calloway County Community Foundation’s (MCCCF) Drs. Dick and Jan Weaver Challenge for Charities to earn matching grants for their fundraising efforts. These are no ordinary matching grants because, instead of giving the matching funds directly to the organizations, the money will go into an endowment for the organization. 

At the Weaver Challenge kick-off event in September, MCCCF Board President Harold Hurt, after acknowledging he never met Jan Weaver, painted a picture of his friend Dick Weaver, calling him an “outstanding individual,” and noted he was instrumental in getting MCCCF off the ground. When he died, he left an endowment worth more than $500,000 to the foundation.

“He loved Murray; he loved our community; he loved Murray State University,” Hurt said. “He was a strong member of our board until he died. He always had wisdom at our board meetings. Any time we were ready to bring in a new board member, he had to interview them; and he only had one question, ‘What are you going to bring to this board?’ That was a pretty hard question for a lot of people.”

Although organizational meetings began in 2010, MCCCF, which is an affiliate of the Community Foundation of West Kentucky (CFWKY), did not fully launch until 2011.

“We got started in 2011 with zero money in the bank, and I’m proud to say that we now have over $4.5 million in endowments since we started,” Hurt said. An endowment is an investment fund, started by a donor, for the benefit of a specific organization. Often, earnings are paid to the designee annually, and, because the principal is not disbursed, the fund remains in perpetuity. Endowments are designed to provide financial stability year after year to the nonprofits they support.

“These endowments are going to help the future generations of our community,” Hurt continued. “They are helping as we go along, but the real impact is going to be 20 years down the road.”

Prior to their respective deaths in 2009 and 2018, Jan and Dick Weaver established the Weaver Educational Trust, which is controlled by the Weaver family. Dick and Jan’s nephew, Lynn Weaver, reached out to Hurt and proposed, on behalf of the family, funding a “special project” for nonprofits in Calloway County but left the details of the project for the MCCCF board to decide.

“The Weaver Trust committed $60,000 to match monies that you all will, hopefully, raise,” Hurt said. “And not only have they committed for this year, they said, ‘If y’all can get this thing going good, we’ll do it next year.’ So, we’ve got a goal.”

The 20 participating nonprofit organizations are: Angels Attic, Anna Mae Owen Residential Hospice House, CASA by the Lakes, Murray-Calloway County Crimestoppers, MCCCF, HOPE Calloway, Humane Society of Calloway County, Life House, Murray Art Guild, Murray-Calloway County Senior Citizens Center, Murray Christian Fellowship, Murray Lions Club Foundation, Rotary Club of Murray, Murray Woman’s Club, Need Line, Neartown, Playhouse in the Park, Serenity Recovery, Soup for the Soul and United Way of Murray-Calloway County.

The challenge for these nonprofits is to raise $5,000 between Sept. 15 and Nov. 30. Organizations that raise at least $1,000 will receive matching grants up to $5,000, and those funds will be deposited into an endowment for that organization. The organizations get to keep the money they raise for their operational needs; only the matching funds – $1,000 to $5,000, depending on how much they raise – will go in their endowment. Many of those participating already have established endowments; for those who do not, one will be established for them.

“The great thing about this is that the match money, that’s yours for tomorrow,” CFWKY CEO Tony Watkins said at the challenge kick-off event, “because tomorrow’s gonna come; there are going to be situations with your nonprofit where you’re going to need something, and you’re going to be able to turn toward that endowment fund and have funds available to do the things you didn’t plan on – ice storms, tornados.”

“Our job as a community foundation is to come along beside you and help you with day-to-day (needs) but also to help you prepare for the future,” MCCCF board member Linda Avery said. “Thanks to the Weaver family, we have this match where you can raise (funds to cover day-to-day expenses), and then up to $5,000 is matched into your endowment.”

“All of you (who already have endowments) have mentioned at some time or another, your patrons, your supporters don’t always understand your endowment – they don’t see the value, don’t even know you have one,” said fellow board member Gale Broach Sharp. “Hopefully, this will be a way to draw more attention to that, build it up – that’s the no-brainer – and get the word out there so that you can start making that a piece of your marketing plan. This is hopefully going to be a win-win for you – raise money now, then draw attention to your endowment and really make that money grow down the road.”

There are three avenues for giving in the Weaver Challenge. All of the organizations have special events planned to coincide with the challenge, which will likely be the main fundraising sources. Fortunately, attending a function is not required to donate. Online donations can be made through MCCCF’s website, where links to each organization’s designated Weaver Challenge PayPal can be found on the home page. Donors should note that, if they want to donate to more than one organization, they will have to make individual transactions for each donation.

Donors should also note that the PayPal pages say, “Donate to Community Foundation of West Kentucky.” Avery explained to the participating nonprofits’ representatives at the Weaver Challenge Kick-Off in September that is only because the CFWKY is the umbrella organization under which MCCCF operates and its EIN (employer identification number) is the one associated with the PayPal accounts.

“I’m in the old crowd; all these young folks are digital,” Avery said. “I’ve actually done it. I was the guinea pig, so it’s not hard. If Linda can do it, anybody can!”

For those who would prefer to pay by check, there is a third way – using the donor forms printed in the Weaver Challenge brochures. All participating organizations have the brochures available; they can also be found online at mcccf.org/weaver-brochure. Taking this path, donors can make contributions to more than one organization and only write one check. Please note that any brochure donation checks should be made payable to Murray-Calloway County Community Foundation, not the organization, and put “Weaver Challenge” in the memo line.

The forms and checks can either be given directly to the organization or mailed to MCCCF at 705 South Fourth Street, Murray, Kentucky 42071. Donors can rest assured that their check will not be held until the challenge ends in November; organizations are required to turn in any checks received to MCCCF no later than the Friday of the week they were received. Upon receipt, MCCCF divvies the donations to the intended recipient(s).

An interesting aspect of this three-pronged fundraising approach is that, while the nonprofits will know how much they raised through their special event, they will not know the total amount they raised through the challenge until it is revealed at noon on Wednesday, Dec. 6, as part of the CUBS Christmas Celebration.

“On December 6th, it’s really going to be a surprise to you,” Sharp said. “You’re going to know what you collected through special events, but you’re probably not going to have any idea how many people dropped brochures off or given online. Hopefully, it will be a really nice surprise for everybody.”

Jameson files brief, again calls for oral arguments

Jessica Paine
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Jameson files brief, again calls for oral arguments

FRANKFORT, Ky. – There was movement today in the Kentucky Supreme Court case brought by former Circuit Court Judge James (Jamie) Jameson against the Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission, appealing the commission’s judgment which deemed him unfit for office. 

In June, the high court sent the case back to the JCC to supplement its findings of fact, conclusions of law and final order and both parties were allowed to file supplemental briefs. Attorney Jeffrey C. Mando filed the JCC’s brief in late July, and today, Jameson’s attorney Richard L. Walter filed his, wherein he again requested the court hear oral arguments.

In the 25-page document, Jameson argues that the JCC’s conclusions must be based on “clear and convincing evidence” and that it did not adequately articulate the “specific and actual facts” of record, backing that up with the following:

· The names of the individuals who initially filed complaints with the JCC and the factual allegations contained in those complaints have never been disclosed to Jameson,

· Due process is not required for direct criminal contempt,

· He reaffirms that, based on his research and communications with the Kentucky Administrative Office of the Courts, his role in the formation and administration of the 42nd Judicial Circuit Community Corrections Board was permissible,

· He states that Judge Mitch Perry should have recused himself from the case due to his connections to Commonwealth Attorney Dennis Foust,

· He provides testimony summaries from five character witnesses and Jameson’s own testimony as to his “good character and fitness as a judge,” and

· Over 12 pages, he cites specific examples of “unsupported conclusory statements” made by the commission in its supplemental findings related to the CCB and its ankle monitoring program. 

In conclusion, Jameson affirms that “despite having another proverbial bite at the apple, the JCC has failed to show by clear and convincing evidence that Judge Jameson committed an unethical act” and that its decision to remove him from office should be reversed.

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CCHS welcomes the littlest Lakers

Jessica Paine
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CCHS welcomes the littlest Lakers

By Jessica Paine | Sept. 25, 2023

MURRAY – Calloway County School District administrators had plenty of good news to report at last week’s Calloway County Board of Education meeting, but the highlight of the evening was the discussion of an overwhelmingly positive collaboration between the district’s oldest and youngest Lakers.

Calloway County High School Principal Steve Smith invited a classroom of preschoolers to the school to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. After the pledge, CCHS students lined the hallways, cheering and giving the little Lakers high fives as they walked back to the preschool. It was a simple idea, but its simplicity should not discount the surprisingly profound impact the experience had on all involved.

It was not hard to imagine the positive energy flowing freely through the school that morning as Smith and Calloway County Preschool Principal Leisha Barlow’s excitement was infectious when they talked about the uplifting experience.

“I had so many people say, ‘Did you see the look on our high school kids faces when they were leaving?’” Smith said. “It was just a breath of fresh air in our building, and it was a good start to our day; so, we’re going to try to keep doing that.”

“It was just the coolest experience to be part of,” said Calloway County Preschool Principal Leisha Barlow. “They were very proud of themselves. Their little eyes were big because they weren’t really sure exactly what was going on, but they were proud; they were walking tall, and they were that way for several hours after.”

News of the success of the venture even made its way to Superintendent Tres Settle, who said, “The high school kids loved it. I have heard about it. Kudos to you all for organizing that because it was awesome.”

During administrative reports, Finance Director April Lax advised the district’s beginning balance for the month of August was $16,901,859; revenue for the month was $2,287,249; expenditures totaled $3,333,292, bringing the closing balance for August to $15,855,816.

As part of the consent agenda, the board approved the working budget report and summary for fiscal year 2024. Settle praised Lax for doing “an outstanding job” preparing the budget and working with auditors for the annual audit. “She does a lot of work behind the scenes, and she does an outstanding job for us,” he said to the board before telling Lax, “Thank you.”

Supply chain issues are, once again, a concern for Food Service Director Megan Adams, she noted in her food service report. Although she has been assured product availability will improve in the next three to four weeks, she said dealing with it is very time-consuming at the moment. She also advised having two open positions – one at North Elementary and the other at Southwest Elementary.

Last month, Transportation Director Matt Turner reported he was in the process of making adjustments to the newly consolidated routes to balance out the number of students on each bus. This month, he reported having 27 regular routes, including five preschool routes and two special needs routes. He also noted that all the routes are staffed with full-time drivers, all bus monitor positions are filled and there are three standby sub positions staffed. Regarding the current staffing situation, Turner said, “We’re doing very well right now.”

“I’ve been on the board eight years, and I’ve never heard that,” interjected board member Van Pitman. Board Chair Jay Housden called it “great news.” But Turner reminded the board the situation is always subject to change.

As part of the consent agenda, the board approved Turner’s request for three new 2024 model buses, which will be purchased with Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. During his report, Turner specified the request is for one preschool bus; one 72-passenger, full-size front-engine bus; and one 84-passenger rear-engine, also known as a “pusher,” bus.

“The reason I’m trying to get a pusher this year is because I’d like to have a ‘trip’ vehicle for big trips,” Turner said. “Also, when we combined routes this year, we saw the need for an 84-passenger bus. We’re doing good right now, but I would like to have that option in the future.”

As of last week, the district’s strategic planning process is officially underway. In the superintendent’s report, Settle advised that a representative from Huron Studer Education, the company contracted to guide the district through the process, had already met with several stakeholder groups, including classified staff, teachers, parents, high school students and community business leaders.

“This morning, we started with students from the high school; that was a phenomenal meeting,” Settle said. “Matter of fact, I told that group I want to have them back again; they brought up some things that I think we really need to look at that were off my radar completely. So, we’re going to be talking to them some more.”

“I’m just excited about this process,” he added, “and once you all have the opportunity to contribute your thoughts, what will happen is we will begin compiling and looking for trends in data, so to speak, and start looking at ways we can narrow it down to four or five main focal points for our strategic plan moving forward.”

In an update on the project to build a new entrance to Calloway County Middle School off of KY 121, Settle said that surveying would begin soon, starting behind the soccer field on the main campus, moving toward the middle school. They are looking at having to widen the existing road, currently for bus traffic only, to be able to handle the increased traffic.

“I’ve heard several different theories and rumors on how far the added lanes will go,” Settle said of the turn lanes to be built on KY 121. “I talked with Bobby (Deitz with Bacon Farmer Workman Engineering & Testing), he felt like it needed to go all the way down to Bailey Road and probably back towards the (National Guard Armory) going the other way; but that’s not concrete yet. There’s some surveying that has to be done there as well to see if it’s doable and if access can be granted from the private property owners.”

Settle also advised the board that he and Maintenance Director Kenny Duncan are looking into purchasing a GPS-directed field-painting robot because, during mowing season, employees spend a considerable amount of time striping athletic fields. The two recently visited a school in Graves County to see the robot in action.

“It’s amazing,” he said. “Basically, you fill it full of paint, plug it in and, once your field is mapped, this thing will run the whole field, paint it for you; it will even paint logos if you want it to. We’re interested; we’re getting different quotes and bids right now, which is a process. I think it’s something our kids can even get involved with – robotics and understanding how that works.”

In other business, the board approved a revised BG-1, which is an application districts must file with the Kentucky Department of Education before beginning any building project, for HVAC upgrades at the Calloway County Day Treatment Center. Settle said the revised plan came in under the original amount approved. Also related to the project, the board approved the contract between the district and Trane on the project along with a direct purchase order for the HVAC equipment.

The next regular board meeting will be at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 17, at the board office.

Local man turns passion for weather into community service

Jessica Paine
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Local man turns passion for weather into community service

MURRAY – Public service takes many forms. Commonly, public servants fulfill their roles through working in service-oriented fields and volunteering. Seldom do people choose self-imposed, voluntary second jobs as their public service path; but they do exist, and Justin Holland, the creator of the Facebook page Murray/Calloway County Weather, is one of them. 

Holland’s hyper-local weather page recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. The page boasts nearly 15,000 followers, most of whom live in Calloway County, but he has quite a few in west Tennessee and several who moved away but still have ties to the area.

“It definitely has been a lot of fun,” Holland said, “and it’s definitely been a lot of work because I have been doing this pretty much every single day for 10 straight years. There’s been times that I’ve been up all night, doing stuff, whenever severe weather comes in. I’ve done stuff on Thanksgiving Day, on Christmas Day. There’s never a dull moment around here. We have a lot of severe weather – we have a lot of winter weather, a lot of flash flooding – we get a bit of everything around here, locally.” 

Surprisingly, Holland’s passion for weather developed at a young age. When most children were watching cartoons, he was watching the Weather Channel. 

“I loved seeing all of the colorful maps on TV,” he said. “They would show pictures; they would show videos of snow, of tornados, and I thought that was really, really cool. Something about science, something about the atmosphere really fascinated me as a young child, and that has stuck with me throughout most of my life.” 

Holland is the Official Weather Observer of Calloway County for the Paducah National Weather Service (PNWS), a post he has held for the past 13 years. PNWS covers Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana and Missouri; and in each county, there is a co-op observer who reports weather conditions at the county’s official site back to PNWS daily. In Calloway County, the official site is just north of court square.

At 7 a.m. every day, Holland reports the temperature and precipitation reading along with high and low temperatures, total rainfall and total snowfall, if applicable, within the previous 24 hours to PNWS. That data is then sent to the National Climatic Data Center for entry in the national database used to determine county-level weather records – high and low temperatures and maximum daily precipitation. 

“I will often get people to say they live in Kirksey or Coldwater or they live in Lynn Grove, and their rainfall total was different from what mine was; that’s because rainfall totals vary all across the county,” Holland explained. “Some places have a bit more; some places may get a bit less; but all of Calloway’s official weather numbers come from two blocks north of the court square.”

Holland’s role with PNWS is voluntary; in his day job, he is the GIS and safety coordinator for Murray Electric System. He is responsible for mapping the utility’s grid, which includes poles and lights as well as underground and overhead lines. He also conducts safety training and ensures OSHA guidelines are met. 

A Murray native, Holland graduated from Calloway County High School in 2001 before attending Murray State University where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Earth science. While Earth science is a broader field of study than meteorology, there is crossover between the subjects.

“They offered some meteorology courses, but they don’t have a meteorology program; so, therefore, I don’t have a meteorology degree,” he said of Murray State. “Earth science was about as close (as I could get) out of what they did have. So, I don’t have a meteorology degree like people you see on TV or the people who work for the Paducah Weather Service.” 

But that does not mean Holland is not well-educated in the field. In addition to taking every meteorology class on offer at MSU, he has taken several storm spotting courses and regularly attends PNWS’ spring and winter weather conferences. 

“I’ve always loved weather, and I’ve always loved to help people,” Holland explained about his motivations behind starting his Facebook page. “I thought I would put my weather background and my weather expertise to good use. I wanted it to be local; I wanted people here in Murray and Calloway to be able to have a place to go to view current conditions, to have a place to go to see what the weather’s going to be like for the next couple of days. 

“It’s just something that everybody needs to be aware of; everybody needs to be aware of when the weather’s going to turn because it affects their life – it affects their family’s life – every single day. From things as simple as, ‘What should I wear to school?’ ‘What should I wear to work?’ Will their son’s soccer game get rained out? Will their kids have school because of snow? Every day isn’t sunny and 75 degrees. You have to plan your day, your week, based on what the weather’s going to do.” 

Every day of the year, followers can look to Holland’s page to find current conditions updates starting around 6:30 a.m., followed by mid-morning, afternoon and evening updates, yesterday’s weather almanac and tomorrow’s forecast along with six- to 10-day predictions. And when severe weather threatens, they have come to rely upon Holland’s frequent updates and his responsiveness to comments.

“One of the cool things with Facebook is that you can see how many times that a post gets shared and viewed,” Holland shared. “I had a post back a couple of years ago that was viewed 750,000 times; three-quarters of a million people saw that post. That was not the norm; that was a very big post that dealt with a winter storm. And when it’s shared over and over, it just gets viewed multiple times. Most of the posts, on a typical weekly basis, can be viewed anywhere from 15,000 up to 100,000 times.” 

Recognizing the popularity of the page, a local business approached Holland around four years ago about advertising. Until that point, the thought of monetizing Murray/Calloway County Weather had not occurred to him.

“They sponsored a weather update, and they loved it,” Holland said. “They got a lot of good feedback; they got a lot more business and a lot more customers because people were seeing their business logo on my weather page. So, that grew into another business doing it and then another one doing it. Now, on a typical basis, I’ll have anywhere from 12-16 businesses per day that will run an ad with me.” 

Holland also offers a texting service. For $1 a month, subscribers receive severe weather alerts via text message. It is similar to the CodeRED service offered by the County that sends phone calls or texts about severe weather warnings, but Holland’s service offers more. In addition to warnings, he sends a “heads-up” text two days before severe weather is expected, an update the day of and a text when the “all-clear” is given. 

“My weather texting service has become really, really huge,” he said. “There are hundreds and hundreds of people in this county that use that texting service. It’s only $1 a month. I’m not trying to get rich off of it; I want to provide a good service for the citizens of Calloway County. 

“I am constantly monitoring the weather situation, and if anything is threatening people here in Calloway, they will hear it from me first. My wife gets messages through service within 30 seconds of me hitting send. You don’t have to wait a minute or two minutes; because if a tornado’s coming, seconds matter.”

Regardless of the added features of his service, Holland said people should subscribe to CodeRED, too, which can be done by visiting www.onsolve.com/landing/sign-up-for-codered-emergency-alerts. Having multiple ways to receive alerts is important because you never know when “your cable may go out; your NOAA radio may not sound out for whatever reason; the one weather app that you have may not work; but if you have four or five ways, you are bound for one of those ways to work.” 

“My system has never failed me,” he added. “I’m not saying that it can’t, but in the three years that I’ve used it, it has always worked, it has always notified people when I send out messages.”

To sign up for the texting service or get information about advertising, contact Holland through the Murray/Calloway County Weather page on Facebook.

CCPL board discusses unattended child policy

Jessica Paine
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CCPL board discusses unattended child policy

By Jessica Jones Paine/For Murray Ledger & Times*

MURRAY – Times have changed. That was the overarching message behind an emotional discussion of the Calloway County Public Library’s unattended child policy during its Board of Trustees meeting last week as library staff defended the policy and explained their concerns to the board.

“It’s important for people to understand because this gets emotionally charged, and it reads – or it sounds like – the library’s against children,” Board President Lance Allison said. “The library’s not against children, but the library’s for everyone. So, everyone has to be taken into account with this, and that includes our older population, it includes the general public, it includes children.”

A local mother, Ashley Holliday, spoke against the CCPL’s unattended child policy during the public comment period at the beginning of the meeting. Her daughters Corinne and Lyla were present as well. Holliday, who was previously unfamiliar with the policy, explained that, after the library reopened in July, she allowed her daughters to go there alone. For one week, the girls visited the library by themselves before staff noticed and told them they could not come back without an adult.

“For the week that they were allowed to come up here by themselves, it was amazing. And all I heard about was how magical it was and how many books they picked out. They looked up the books on their own; they didn’t have to have my help. And it breaks my heart now that they’re not allowed to come up here unless I am coming up here with them because that takes away part of the magic of coming up here and being old enough and mature enough to come here. I feel – I have a fifth grader and a seventh grader – that they are old enough and mature enough.”

Holliday said the girls, who had previously asked to go to the library daily, had not mentioned going there since being told they had to have adult supervision and added, “That broke my heart because y’all spent so much money and time to build this beautiful library and now the audience – this is what you want; you want to instill this in them at an early age – aren’t allowed to come here unless they have a parent that wants to bring them up here.”

“I loved going to the library over the summer all by myself,” Lyla said. “… I loved the way I felt coming and looking for my own book, and I want everyone to feel like that, specifically kids under 18.”

A discussion of the policy was included on the agenda. Before the discussion began, the board allowed library staff to express their thoughts. Three employees prepared multi-page statements, which they read aloud during the meeting. 

Much of their testimony centered around problems with Murray Middle School students after school, which largely motivated CCPL to institute its unattended child policy several years ago. Before the policy was instituted, the library essentially became a child care center from 3 p.m. until around 6 p.m.

One librarian, Diane, outlined many of the disrespectful behaviors that were commonplace at the time, such as “arguing about the rules, ignoring instructions, giving staff the middle finger, hitting each other, sneaking up on staff in the stacks to startle them, throwing things at staff as they worked in the stacks, setting fires outside of the library, defacing library furniture and walls, threatening staff with parental retribution when asked to follow library rules and policies, fighting, climbing on landscaping and trees and leaving trash around the library.”

The second librarian to speak, Pam, did not work at CCPL prior to the policy in place. Instead, she told trustees about the behaviors she has observed from middle-school-aged children since the July reopening, many of whom had a parent present, such as “running throughout the library, loudly using obscene language, placing feet – both bare and shoed – on the furniture, being very disrespectful to staff and chasing and being chased by other children.”

Those kinds of behaviors are not only problematic for staff, but they are also disruptive and bothersome to other patrons. While both are unacceptable, librarians have a far greater concern when it comes to having children in the library without adult supervision, and that is safety.

“I’d like to open with a recent example,” Pam continued. “During our open house on Sunday, the 2nd of July, we had a patron – who is known to us as someone to ‘keep an eye on’ – was following the children around, frightening them and then threatening our staff and other patrons as well. Her behavior was such that she had to be asked to leave. These children were uncomfortable, and they were with their parents.

“If the parents are not here, there is not enough staff in this building to constantly watch every single inch of the place and be able to perform our duties as librarians. If a patron were to approach a child back here in this foyer (referring to the back entrance of the building), anywhere in any of the bathrooms, in the Quiet Reading Room, even places in the children’s area, we cannot see these areas from the front desk; and it is a safety concern. We want to make sure that these children are safe when they are at the library.”

Processing Assistant Madeah Daubert advised that, based on her 15 years working at CCPL, she would never let her seventh-grade stepdaughter visit the library alone.

“I have had individuals watch and know exactly what time of day I came into work and watch to see and make comments on the number of bags I carried in that day, like my purse, lunchbox, work bag,” she said. “I have been cornered in the shelves and at the desk by individuals asking me inappropriate questions and making comments that have made me feel uncomfortable. … I have been here when police come in, looking for individuals, and have been here when they have found who they were looking for and arrested them. I have also had individuals become agitated to the point of becoming hostile.

“Staff did not have eyes and ears on every nook and cranny in the old building; we definitely do not have eyes everywhere in this new building. As a mother, I don’t want to put her in a situation where her safety could be at risk because I am not there to watch out for her or get her to safety if need be. I’m also not going to send her somewhere to stay where there is little adult supervision or not enough supervision for the number of kids.”

“You shouldn’t have to babysit everyone’s kids,” Holliday said. “I’m just saying to take away a special opportunity for children to come in and actually be able to explore. I’ve never found Murray to be a dangerous spot. I moved back here because I lived in Virginia Beach and wanted to raise my kids here because this is a safe spot.”

With that, the board began its discussion of the policy. Secretary Debbie Bell noted receiving several complaints from parents on the subject and proposed a revised policy. In Bell’s proposal, the policy would be in full force and effect after school from 3-4 p.m. during the school year; however, students in sixth, seventh or eighth grade could be unsupervised in the library at other times for up to two hours, provided the child and their parent signed a contract stating they understand the rules and that if the child breaks the rules, they will not be allowed to come back without adult supervision.

“We don’t have to put up with bad behavior, but I don’t think a group of badly behaved children should penalize all the kids in the county that want to come to the library,” Bell said. “I’m not wanting to put a burden on librarians, but I think (about) my experience as a child, (Trustee Vonnie Hays-Adams’) experience as a child and many others… if we take away their joy of going to the library when they’re 12, 13 years old, they’ll never come back; and I don’t want that to happen.”

“I understand,” said CCPL Executive Director Mignon Rutledge. “I was allowed to come here, and my purpose was to come and read books; but I also had friends that that was not the purpose. You know, I felt like my children were good children, but you put them in a crowd or with a group – doesn’t even have to be a crowd – and they’re kissing on the couch.”

“You guys are not the problem,” Rutledge said directly to Holliday’s daughters. “You come in; you look for books; we barely even know you’re here.”

“On the same hand,” she continued, “I only have so many staff. They cannot watch (everyone). We’ve had people… Some guy trapped a little boy in the bathroom, and he just so happened to get away. They’re on the internet, meeting guys, meeting girls; we have that. We have two or three patrons that come that have mental illness, and we’re on alert if we see them come in. ‘If we see them come in’ is the issue. I don’t want to be a place where somebody’s child is molested, or this is the last place they’re seen.

“And I understand; I grew up like you (referring to Holliday); I ran all over Murray, on my bicycle, walking in groups and stuff like that. We’ve had so many incidents where the police are coming in saying ‘If you see this person on the computer, they are a child molester. They’ve had somebody chained under their sink.’ It’s here in Murray. It is here. Our concern is not your girls; it’s the safety of your girls.”

The discussion was redirected to Bell’s proposed revisions.

“I really think we need to find a middle ground instead of a sweeping policy that bans all students,” Bell said. “We need to make some exceptions. If a kid is willing to come in here and visit the librarian and bring their mom and sign a contract with both of them and know that if they don’t follow the rules, they’re out; I think that’s fair. One time and then they’re gone. … So, if there is any part of this we can adopt, I would be OK with that.”

“Our mission is to provide this opportunity for the community,” Allison said. “When people say, ‘I pay my taxes,’ yeah, you’re right; you do, and it gives you the right to enjoy a library. But it gives you the right to enjoy a safe library; it does not give you the right to impose harm on paid staff. So, our responsibility as the board is not just to the general public, it is to the staff. And the staff is not a daycare facility. … I do like the idea of the contract, that if you’ve signed a contract, you understand there’s consequences to the contract and that means you’re kicked out.”

Before concluding the discussion, Rutledge, again, turned to Holliday’s daughters and asked them what they thought policy should be. Lyla said she thought the contract was a good idea.

Then, upon motion from Trustee Riley Ramsey, the board voted to table the discussion until the next meeting to allow board members and library staff to review the proposed policy revision.

In other business, Rutledge advised that she and Business Manager Wyneth Herrington have been working with Sarah Fineman and Chasity Bryant with Safety Training and Environmental Protection, LLC (STEP), Fire Marshal Greg Molinar and Building Official Marisa Stewart to develop an emergency action plan, which includes an evacuation plan with maps and posting capacity signage for rooms.

In the construction update, 5352 Design Group President Chris Cottongim reported crews have approximately 10 items remaining on the punch list. The board approved Pay Application #25 in the amount of $7,972.40. He reminded the board that CCPL is withholding almost $376,000 in retainage until the punch list is complete.

There were no change orders for direct purchase orders. Cottongim called that “a good sign” and said, “When DPOs are gone that’s a good thing because you’ve paid for all your materials.”

In the financial report, Herrington reported around $355,000 remains in the construction account, $205,000 the emergency contingency fund, $815,000 in the building reserve fund, nearly $1.3 in the money market account and $77,000 in checking. A very generous donation to the Beyond the Bricks campaign brought the total amount raised to $27,962. At the end of August, CCPL held $2.7 million in cash and investments.

The Friends of the Library annual meeting was Sunday at 2 p.m. at the library. The group is organizing a book sale to take place on Oct. 21; times will be announced at a later date.

The next library board meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 10, at the library. 

*This article was reprinted with permission from the Murray Ledger & Times.

Celebrating Pride MKY-style

Jessica Paine
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Celebrating Pride MKY-style

MURRAY – Murray Pridefest 2023 kicks off Friday night. Organizers with Murray KY Pride have planned an eclectic mix of events throughout the weekend that give people of all ages and persuasions an opportunity to celebrate Pride. 

Pride began as a celebration in commemoration of a series of gay rights protests that took place in New York City during the summer of 1969 known as the Stonewall uprising, which is cited as the beginning of the LGBT civil rights movement. 

“We’re all just showing our pride in who we are,” Murray KY Pride President Madison Leach said. “Sometimes, being an LGBTQ person, it can come with a lot of shame and bullying that happens and ostracization, so it’s a showing of our pride and who we are and that it’s OK to love ourselves and it’s okay to be who we are.” 

While June is known as LGBTQ+ Pride month, Murray Pridefest is held in September so that Murray State University students can participate.

“This is my first year as president, but I’ve been involved every year that we’ve had Pride in Murray. It’s grown every year, bigger and bigger,” Leach added. “I am so proud of everybody who has worked on it. We work on this for a whole year, this festival. A month after this event, we’ll start planning the next one.” 

Madison Leach speaks during this year’s Pride in the Park event. (JESSICA PAINE/Murray Sentinel)

The festival kicks off Friday evening with Family Art Night at the Murray Art Guild. The family-friendly event is from 5-7 p.m. and features arts and crafts activities, including making posters for the March to Pride Saturday morning. Participants can start gathering in front of the MSU gates at the corner of 15th and Olive Streets at 9 a.m. The march to Central Park begins at 10 a.m. 

A girl shows the poster she painted to her mother at Pridefest 2023 Family Night. (JESSICA PAINE/The Murray Sentinel)

The Murray Police Department (MPD) will escort the marchers to the park and provide traffic control along the route to ensure all participants are safe. 

“We have people who are out looking for anything suspicious or anybody with guns. All of the board members have direct contact with the Murray Police, and we can divert the route if we need to at any time,” Leach said. While last year’s march proceeded as planned, two years ago, the route was diverted to avoid an individual armed with an assault weapon standing along 12th Street.

Pridefest organizers worked with MPD Captain Andrew Wiggins to develop the route along with alternate routes and contingencies should they be needed. 

Demonstrators march down Olive Boulevard for the main event of Pridefest 2023 – March to Pride. (JESSICA PAINE/The Murray Sentinel)

“They’re working to keep us safe for the event,” Leach said. “They’ve been really helpful; they were last year, too. We’re glad to work with them, and we’re thankful for their support in having this event. I think it shows where we’ve come. You know, pride started as a protest against police brutality in New York City in gay bars, and Kentucky is not absent from that history as well. It wasn’t too long ago that Lexington gay bars were raided by law enforcement and people were arrested for not dressing in the gender they were born in.

“Even if you don’t agree with transitioning or cross-dressing or any of those things, I like living in a country where we get to decide how we live. I love the fact that we honor pride and honor where we came from and our ancestors and their struggle, but at the same time, we’re thankful that we don’t have that anymore. We are, for the most part, I believe that law enforcement is supportive of our movement or they’re at least supportive of the idea that this is America and people get to live their lives the way they want to.” 

Pride in the Park runs from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring chairs and/or blankets. A shuttle will be available to transport people from the event in the park back to 15th and Olive. 

The event will feature speakers, including Chris Hartman from the Fairness Campaign, and music from the Murray State Music Ensemble, Keisha and Melanie Davis. At least 37 vendors are expected. In addition to those selling products, several organizations will be represented to share information about resources in the community. HIV/AIDS testing will also be available on site. 

Chris Hartman with the Fairness Campaign speaks at Pride in the Park. (JESSICA PAINE/The Murray Sentinel)

“It’s so important that people know their status,” Leach said. “That will be there for the general public. You don’t have to be part of the LGBTQ community to be tested, and really you should be tested if you’ve been sexually active. They’ll also be giving away condoms and lube for free and dental dams for free and other safe sex products for people.”

There is also a raffle for a bundle of gift cards – a $200 card from Gallery X Art Collective; $50 cards from Buff City Soap Company and Shogun; $25 cards from Big Apple Grill and Bar, Corvette Lanes, Starbucks and Cracker Barrel; and a $20 card from Dunkin’. Tickets are $5 each and can be purchased at Pride in the Park and at the Drag Extravaganza. The winner will be drawn during the drag show Saturday night. 

Dida Ritz holds nothing back in her performance at the Drag Extravaganza. (JESSICA PAINE/The Murray Sentinel)

The Drag Extravaganza is limited to those 18 and older. It starts at 8 p.m. at The Grove. Tickets are $20. Sunshine Cabs is offering discounted rates on rides within city limits to anyone going to or coming from The Grove Saturday night.

The headliners are Dida Ritz, who competed on season four of Ru Paul’s Drag Race, and Coco Sho-nell. They will be joined by several local drag queens: Leimomi, Diana Tunnel, Gemma Devil, Ken Sucky, Leiyana Santana, Cierra Devil, Alexandra LeBlanc Leight and Anhedonia Delight. 

Pridefest culminates Sunday evening with a spiritual service, “Love Casts Out Fear.” The service starts at 6 p.m. at the Arborteum and represents a collaborative effort between First Presbyterian Church, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Q Faith and Murray Pride. 

“I just hope everybody comes out and has a good time, and they celebrate who they are,” Leach said. “I’ve heard people say, ‘When are we going to have a straight pride?’ Come one down, we’ll celebrate you, too. We’re going to celebrate everybody for who they are. We welcome allies. We welcome straight, cis people; we welcome gay, lesbian, transgender, intersex, asexual people; all of those people are welcome at Pride because we should all take pride in who we are.” 

Family Fun Night

March to Pride

Pride in the Park

Drag Extravaganza

COVID cases are on the rise, but how do they know?

Jessica Paine
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COVID cases are on the rise, but how do they know?

MURRAY – Media outlets have been documenting the slow proliferation of COVID-19 across the country for weeks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID Data Tracker shows a 21.6% increase in hospital admissions for the week ending Aug. 19 over the previous week; likewise, COVID-related deaths were up 21.4%.

Zooming in locally, even without any knowledge of the current metrics, much of the citizenry of Calloway County is aware, at least anecdotally, of the current surge in cases.

CDC’s county-level reporting shows 117 counties in the country where new hospital admission rates in their health service areas (HSA) are beginning to warrant attention, among them are the Purchase Area counties of Graves, Marshall, McCracken, Carlisle, Hickman and Ballard, which are all in the HSA serviced by Paducah hospitals Mercy Health-Lourdes and Baptist Health Paducah that, notably, does not include Calloway.

Murray-Calloway County Hospital’s Chief Nursing Officer Jeff Eye said that a surge in cases four to six weeks before the start of the school year has been typical for the past three years. This year is no exception.

Murray Medical Associates, who usually sees about 750 patients a week, saw closer to 900 patients last week, more than 350 of those were walk-ins; and they had 40 positive COVID patients. In addition, Murray Pediatrics reported around 20 cases. Eye also noted the clinics are receiving calls from patients who tested positive at home and are calling to report their results and receive guidance, adding those with mild symptoms can be managed at home.

But how is that impacting our local hospital? According to Eye, it isn’t. As of Tuesday morning, there was one patient hospitalized for COVID. “It will be like every other year; we’ll have to watch and see where we see impacts. We have had some staff out sick, and the clinics are very, very busy; but as of right now, the hospital is operating under normal conditions.”

The real question is: will it stay that way? Nationally, daily hospital admissions for COVID are expected to increase from 1,100 per day, as of Aug. 21, to 7,500 by Sept 18, according to an ensemble forecast – a combination of forecasts from independent teams – released by the CDC early last week.

The CDC characterizes the ensemble forecasting method as “among the most reliable forecasts in performance over time” but notes the forecasts “have not reliably predicted rapid changes in trends of reported cases, hospitalizations and deaths” and, therefore, should not be used as a decision-making tool.

For years, decision-making tools were based on case rates. Terms like incidence rate (the number of cases in a given period adjusted for population size), positivity rate (the percentage of positive results out of all tests administered) and seven-day rolling average (the average number of cases per day over a seven-day period) became part of the vernacular for many as they monitored conditions to make informed choices.

Over the course of the pandemic, the metrics used to monitor the impact of the virus on communities have changed. The CDC made clear when it released the Community Levels map in spring 2022 that its primary concern was to avoid stressing healthcare systems. That guidance was in stark contrast to the two years prior when minimizing community spread of the disease through monitoring case rates was the priority.

“When we were coming out of the emergency phase,” Eye explained, “the CDC said, ‘We’re not really worried about the prevalence of the disease in the community – we know it’s high – what we’re concerned about is the capacity of the hospitals to care for their communities, so we’re going to adjust our recommendations based on how well the hospital’s able to deal with the current disease burden and take care of the community. As long as the hospital’s fine, then we’re fine.’ Back up prior to that and they were doing positivity rate and prevalence rates to track how fast the disease was spreading in the community, anticipating that it would cause hospitalizations.”

Perhaps the most dramatic changes occurred after the federally-declared COVID Public Health Emergency (PHE) expired on May 11.

“The CDC and the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) data reports are going to change because much of the data that is needed to generate them will no longer be gathered or collected at the CDC,” Kentucky Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack explained during a press conference on May 11. “The COVID-19 community level map … will be removed from the website and be retired at the end of the business day today because we won’t be getting that data. The CDC won’t be able to generate that anymore.”

Since that time, CDC has, again, adjusted the primary surveillance indicators it uses to monitor COVID trends. Weekly COVID hospital admissions continue to be used along with the percentage of deaths from COVID out of all deaths in the United States. Hospitalization data remain the main metric for determining which mitigation strategies to employ, if any, on both personal and community levels, while mortality data provide insight on severity of illness.

“The CDC, regularly, will go back, look at old data and apply their new reporting model,” Eye said. “’If we had used this back then, would we have gotten the information that we needed?’ They’ll go back and rerun some of those reports, using the metrics they’re going to use moving forward, and say, ‘Does that line up with what we would have expected and how we would’ve issued guidance through that time period?’”

Through evaluating surveillance data sources and indicators from Oct. 1, 2020, to March 22, 2023, the CDC found that COVID hospital admission levels alone were still consistent with the Community Levels, which incorporated case rates. To that end, hospital admission rates only lagged one day behind case rates. 

Mortality data are now sourced from the National Vital Statistics System. The CDC found those data strongly correlated with the aggregate death data previously used for tracking purposes and were 13 days timelier.

“They’re going to use provisional death certificates from the state, instead of a hospital saying, ‘We had a death of a patient who had COVID today’ because that’s what was happening,” Eye explained. “Some states would just report that number – this many people died, and on the day of their death, they had a positive COVID diagnosis. Our state, Kentucky, would go back and scrub those and say, ‘Did COVID appear to be contributable to their death?’”

“I’m proud of this,” Stack said of KDPH’s scrutiny of deaths deemed COVID-related. “It was very difficult along the way, but we have been very, very diligent in making sure that we reviewed all the cases that were outliers, that weren’t clear, to make sure we had folks who felt confident that we were including only people who died from COVID and not others. That process will now be mainstreamed into the normal process that we do for all death/mortality reporting. So, it won’t be quite the same in that we won’t have weekly data being reported, but (it will be reported) at least monthly and it will become more normal.”

But we learned over the course of the pandemic that hospitalizations and deaths are not leading indicators; in other words, hospitalizations and deaths only increase after a surge in cases is already underway. So, how do we know when cases are starting to climb now?

The CDC uses data collected through emergency rooms to detect early trends, specifically, the percentages of positive SARS-CoV-2 lab tests and emergency department visits related to COVID. In its evaluation of surveillance data, the CDC also found these ER metrics can identify trends four days earlier than hospital admissions.

“If you’re not going to do widespread testing, then the three places you would watch would be doctor’s offices, urgent care (clinics) and emergency departments,” Eye said. “That’s where you would look for the early indicators that you’re seeing an increase in COVID activity in a community. It would show up in one of those three places because that’s where people go, right? You’ll catch people with a little sniffle; you’ll catch people who are more short of breath; you’re going to catch people that have more severe illness and get admitted.

“You need all of those to paint a full picture, but if you’re trying to limit the amount that you’re having to track and report, and you’re out of that acute emergency phase, the approach makes sense. That is similar to what they have done historically for the flu. Emergency departments report the number of influenza-like illnesses and their total volume of ER visits.”

In addition to monitoring those four primary indicators, CDC will continue to use national genomic surveillance and wastewater surveillance to identify and monitor emerging variants.

Given the evolution of surveillance methods throughout the course of the pandemic, one pertinent question remains: are we better off now than we were three and a half years ago?

“Pre-COVID, we did not have a very robust surveillance system for monitoring infectious diseases across the country,” Eye explained. “When COVID started, at one point, we were reporting to four different agencies on four different platforms, and they all wanted different things. There was just a laundry list of things we had to report, 62 data elements every day.

“In December 2022, everything went back to NHSN (National Healthcare Safety Network), which is the data platform that we reported things on prior to COVID. There’s a list of things – MRSA, c-diff, central line infections, post-op surgical site infections, any reportable disease – that, any time we diagnose somebody with, we have to report it to the health department and the CDC. But it was still every day, as opposed to everything else, which is reported monthly. 

“I wonder, in retrospect, if they think, ‘Why didn’t we just expand the NHSN reporting as opposed to three different government agencies developing three different platforms to report all of this stuff?’ And part of it was just that the system wasn’t well-coordinated.”

Since the PHE ended, the reporting burden on hospitals has dropped to 44 metrics that are reported weekly. Eye noted that, still, several of the data elements reported are not COVID-specific, such as supply levels and available beds. 

“They may keep that up until they find a better way to keep tabs on hospital capacity,” he added. “They may be viewing that as ‘we needed to be doing that anyway, so we’ll just keep it.’ Because prior to COVID, they didn’t track any of that.”

In May, Stack told reporters that, while the country’s disease surveillance systems have improved over the course of the pandemic, there is still more that needs to be done.

“We need to build a strong nationwide system where information flows freely so that we can provide real time updates to the public on our websites so that you can be informed and you have confidence in that,” he said. “There’s a lot of work underway, but it’s complicated – there’s 50 states, nine territories, the District of Columbia and national government – and things are all politicized, as we’ve all seen. So, it’s difficult, but yeah, we’ve made progress.

“Wastewater testing holds promise to be able to find diseases earlier than we otherwise would have. Opportunities to maintain some form of hospital data reporting so that we have a sense of health care capacity, that’s important. I think we learned that that was valuable. … I think we’ve learned a lot, and I think we’ll make some meaningful progress on that (in the future).”

He also noted his hope to replace the state’s COVID website (kycovid19.ky.gov) with one focused more broadly on fall and winter respiratory illnesses, such as RSV and influenza, in addition to COVID. For now, KDPH still provides COVID-related data through two interactive dashboards – one for cases and deaths and one for vaccinations.

“For most of us, life already returned to our new normal a long time ago,” Stack said as he closed his prepared remarks. “For those of us later in life or with substantial medical conditions, ready access to high quality masks, tests, immunizations, treatments and adequate hospital care ensures that you can reduce your risk and more safely get treated and cared for, if you have COVID-19, to avoid bad complications.

“Even so, we would be wise to be mindful that COVID-19 has not gone and will not disappear. Remaining vigilant and supportive of each other is really important. And though it will be done less prominently, the Kentucky Department for Public Health will continue to monitor trends, keep the governor informed and make sure we share with you important updates as they occur.” 

Calloway County Board of Health sets 2023 tax rate

Jessica Paine
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Calloway County Board of Health sets 2023 tax rate

MURRAY – The last time the Calloway County Board of Health changed its tax rate was 1987, and at its regular quarterly meeting Tuesday (Aug. 22), the board unanimously agreed to stay the course this year.

As such, the 2023 tax rate for the Calloway County Public Health Taxing District remains 2.8 cents per $100 assessed value of both real and personal property and 3.1 cents per $100 assessed value of motor vehicles.

The decision came on the heels of Calloway County Health Department Director of Administrative Services Joe Crawford’s presentation of the financial reconciliation for fiscal year (FY) ’23. He reported CCHD’s total revenue for the year was $863,483, and it had $676,240 in expenditures. At the end of June, the health department had more than $4.6 million in holdings.

Calloway County Judge Executive Kenny Imes, who serves as board chair, asked Crawford if it was feasible to move some funds to a CD or money market account. A discussion ensued during which Crawford advised that he would need to check the terms of the agreement with First Financial Bank, who provides CCHD’s banking services, to be able to fully answer that question. 

 Dr. Charles Tucker, noting it is audit season, suggested getting an opinion from the accountants on how much money could be moved without creating any financial problems for the health department. Discussion continued briefly and ended with Imes asking Crawford to investigate and report back to the board at the next meeting.  

The meeting also included an unexpected discussion after Public Health Director Jamie Hughes advised of an uptick in possible rabies cases. He said rabies infections were ruled out for all of the individuals in questions; regardless, it prompted CCHD to try to remind the public of the dangers of animal bites and the importance of staying away from wild animals, mainly bats, raccoons and skunks.

“If it’s an animal that’s wild, leave it alone. Don’t pick up raccoons,” Hughes said. “We’re just trying to remind people to stay away from them and also reminding people that if your dog bites someone and they actually have to have (a vaccine after being bitten), that they could be responsible for paying for that. It’s just important to make sure they have their animals vaccinated.”

Hughes also noted increased interest in pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) vaccines for rabies from individuals who work directly with animals, and he anticipates that will grow as Murray State University will be requiring veterinary and pre-veterinary students to be immunized next year.

CCHD does not carry the vaccine because it is very expensive – around $350 per shot. At least two shots are required to complete the series; after the second dose, a titer test is performed to determine if a third shot is needed. Not all insurance companies cover the vaccine. For example, Hughes noted that he contacted CCHD’s health insurance provider and was told that it is not covered on their plans.

Hughes advised he contacted all of the local pharmacies; Walgreens is the only one who carries it, but it will cost around $440 per vaccine. The closest health department that carries it is the Pennyrile District Health Department.

Dr. Damon Eastwood, a veterinarian at Westside Veterinary Service, said that it is not required in his practice, but they do recommend it. In response to a question about how long immunity from the vaccine lasts, he shared that he received the vaccine when he was in vet school and got a booster around 15 years ago. He added that he had a titer test three or four years ago, which showed his immunity level was sufficient.

Tucker asked if the county’s animal control officers have received the PrEP vaccine, and several board members noted they should be. Calloway County Judge Executive Kenny Imes, who is also the chairman of the board, advised that he will find out if that could be covered under the state’s insurance plan.

CCHD has a new breastfeeding peer counselor, Caitlyn Williams, Hughes said during his clinic update. She is currently going through training, and it is anticipated that she will start seeing clients in October. Breastfeeding peer counselors work with women in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), providing support to those considering or are currently breastfeeding.

Hughes further advised there are currently 896 county residents participating in the WIC program, and the breastfeeding rate among eligible participants is 34.18%.

The Health Access Nurturing Development Series (HANDS) program has 21 families enrolled, and Hughes noted CCHD is receiving new referrals to the program daily. The 2023 Birthday Bash, an annual HANDS event, will be held at the Calloway County Public Library on Sept. 16 from 2-4 p.m. There will be cake, birthday presents, story time and a tour of the new library facility.

In other business, the board voted to create a grievance committee. Murray attorney William C. (Chip) Adams, III, was present at the meeting and advised that it would be prudent for the board to create the committee to address issues that arise between meetings without having to hold a special-called meeting. The board agreed, and Tucker, Eastwood, Robert Deitz and Ricky Stewart volunteered to be on the committee.

The board approved revisions to CCHD’s open records request policy. The revisions were not substantive, largely amounting to formatting changes and the name of a former public health director was replaced with Hughes’ name.

During the last meeting in May, the board elected to begin paying employees’ portions of health insurance premiums through the end of FY ’24. Tuesday, Hughes requested that it be extended through December 20, 2024; the board approved.

Hughes advised that Dr. Richard L. Vonnahme, a dentist at Taylor Family Dental, accepted the request to fill the open dentist position on the board, and the board approved the appointment. Hughes further advised that there is still an open seat for an optometrist. That seat can only be filled by a practicing doctor who is also a resident of Calloway County.

The next regularly-scheduled meeting will be at noon on Tuesday, Nov. 28, at the health department and via Zoom. 

The ‘Best Thing’ to do this weekend

Jessica Paine
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The ‘Best Thing’ to do this weekend

MURRAY – We all have stories to tell, but how many of us actually write them down? For Murray State University flute professor Dr. Stephanie Rea, writing her life story ended up being life-changing.

What started as a simple story ultimately morphed into a one-person show called “The Next Best Thing: A Flute Professor’s Tragicomic Origin Story,” which Rea will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, in the Performing Arts Hall on the second floor of the Old Fine Arts Building on campus. Fellow music professor Dr. Meeyoun Park will accompany Rea on the piano. 

The event is a fundraiser for WKMS, MSU’s public radio station. While admission to the show is free, donations are encouraged. The last time Rea held a fundraiser for the radio station was 20 years ago; she characterized that concert as “straight flute and piano with some talking in between” – the complete opposite of the autobiographical, semi-theatrical performance that bounces from “hilarity to poignancy” the audience will see Saturday night.     

“I don’t even know what to call it,” Rea admitted. “Is it a one-woman show? Is it a lecture? A recital? What is it? It’s all these things. It’s not stand-up comedy, but it has those elements. I’m performing on flute. It’s about 80-90 minutes, maybe 15 or so is flute playing. It’s a lot of talking, but a lot of slide show and the flute playing is peppered in between things so that it doesn’t feel like you’re in a lecture.” 

As for the musical components of the show, Rea said all of the pieces tie into the stories. “It’s not just random palate cleansers, but more like perfectly curated pieces of music,” she explained. “But there’s nothing avant garde or super modern. It’s all kind of pleasing, cute, happy, fun, beautiful types of sounds. Whereas at some recitals that I give, I might incorporate more pieces that also are much more modern or challenging or dissonant, but this does not include any of that. … And some of them are really dazzling, technically dazzling. Two of them are really, really super technically challenging.” 

Rea just started her 24th year as a professor of music at MSU. This semester, she is teaching an honors course called “Music and Society” and one on American musical theatre. Of the latter course, Rea said, “I love it. I’m not a real ‘theatre person,’ but I love it and watch it; and I love teaching it.”

Like all professors at MSU, Rea is expected to make creative and/or scholarly contributions to her field. While she has presented at conferences and writes the occasional article, writing is not her go-to for fulfilling that requirement. Rather, performing has always been her preferred outlet. 

“I’ve tried to do different themes over the years,” Rea said of her annual recitals. “I’ve done winter-themed music with poetry, winter poetry in between. There has been some visual art where I’ve incorporated pieces of music that were in response to a piece of art and I project the art. So, I’ve done lots of different, creative things – different from just classical music on stage – but this one is different. It’s all about the stories. The stories are the real star of this particular show.” 

Born in Pennsylvania, she moved with her family to east Tennessee at the age of 10. She received her bachelor’s degree from East Tennessee State University before moving to Florida where she completed her graduate work at Florida State University. In 2000, Rea moved to Murray to be the music department’s resident flute expert. 

“The show answers the question ‘How did you become a flute professor?’” she said. “And where do you begin to answer the question of ‘How did you become what you are today?’ Like, where do you begin that story? You could start it anywhere, but mine, I think, really specifically, does have a surprising starting point that I reveal in the show.” 

Rea said that writing “the story” had been in the back of her mind for years, but she never had the time or brain space to focus energy on a superfluous creative writing endeavor. That changed last semester when she took a sabbatical to write a flute book. She finished the book but has yet to submit it for publication; rather, she is using it this year in her classes to refine it first. 

“It was a neat thing to get back to, but now I had a daunting task – to write a book,” she said, noting that she had not taken on a writing project of that scale since her dissertation. “Even though it wasn’t terribly creative per se, there are lots of philosophical parts of it and my thoughts on it all. And it made me use a dictionary and a thesaurus every day. I was really trying to hone the meaning of each word and really thinking about exactly how I wanted to say things. So, I think that definitely led me into more of – even though these two things are totally different types of writing – but certainly one got the juices flowing for the other. And then, I had enough brain space because I wasn’t teaching all day. I had enough extended time in a room when there’s not a knock on the door or you have to go to class now. 

“So, I had time to just write this story about this thing that happened to me that was really life-changing and that, sort of, led to my career path. I had thought about writing it down many times, but I’m not a writer, not a creative writer, and so I’ve never written it down. But I had time. So, that inspired me. And then, partly, I was inspired just to send it in… the idea. I was just going to send in the idea to a public radio show that I love.” 

She wrote a pitch to send to said “public radio show” but thought it was no good. She wrote a second pitch, but she did not like that one either. Frustrated with the process, Rea decided a better approach was to write the story before attempting to write another pitch.

Writing the story took longer than Rea had anticipated. It turned out to be a days-long project that temporarily “hijacked” her life. “I was like, ‘I’ve got to finish this. I’ve got to get on with other things. I need to send this thing in so I can just be done.’ But I still wasn’t done even after sending it in.”

She decided that she wanted to be the one to tell her story, but she had no idea how to do that. 

“It’s so unlike anything I’ve ever done,” she said. “Usually, I have an idea, and then I go down my list of how to make that idea happen and put it into place. Whereas, with this, I didn’t have any idea where any of it was going, I just wrote a story. I didn’t know what I’d do with the story.” 

Trying to conceptualize how she could tell the story, Rea thought about the occasions when she talks to groups – in class and during recitals. 

“I thought maybe I could do flute playing and storytelling,” she explained. “If I’m going to tell a 15-minute story in between flute pieces – I mean, that’s a long story – I’m going to have to give some context. So, as I’m writing this story about sending in my story, all these other parts, kind of, emerged. So, then that story becomes its own story. It still didn’t totally make sense why I was telling stories, but because there was this public radio tie-in, I was like, ‘Oh! I can do this as a fundraiser for WKMS!’

By the end of May, Rea was “mostly done” writing the show, but she continued to tweak it throughout the summer. She also explored other creative endeavors, such as traveling to Chicago to take an improv class at Second City. She explained that she was watching an interview with Second City alumnus Stephen Colbert, and as he talked about improv and the influence it had on him, the wheels started turning. 

“Maybe I should do some improv,” she thought. “Then the next thing I knew, I was like, ‘Yes, I really need to do this.’ Even though I knew almost nothing about it really, I felt like it could just kind of be this thing that opens me up a little bit more or something. I turned 50 this summer, and I wanted to do something that was big and just my own thing – I didn’t know what exactly – and that ended up being the thing. It was the week before my classes started, so I didn’t love the timing; but I thought, ‘I can make this happen.’”

The class was four hours a day for five days. There were 15 in the classes, ranging in age from 18 to 55 years. The students’ range of experience also varied widely – while some were seasoned improvisational actors, there were equally as many who had no improv experience whatsoever.

“When you’re doing improv, there’s no time to worry about or plan what you’re doing; you just do it.” Rea said. “That’s so unlike anything in my life; everything is so planned. I think that was really freeing, and I wondered if it would help me with the show, but I knew it wasn’t going to hurt. So, I didn’t do it for that reason, but it’s totally related. Because I was planning this show, I think that’s kind of what led me to that as well.”

The classes consisted mostly of improvisational games and exercises. In the beginning, many of the “games” were focused on learning about their fellow classmates, not only to learn each other’s names but also to create a safe space where a group of strangers were comfortable enough to be vulnerable. 

“You need to know nobody’s going to make fun of you, that we’re all in it together, to build that collaborative, supportive environment,” she said. “A lot of times, I think in so many parts of life where those sorts of ‘ice-breaker’ type things are introduced, it just sounds so corny; but none of it was like that. It just felt so genuine. I’m not super silly by nature, and I don’t have a very high tolerance for bullshit – so, I’m the first one to roll my eyes at this kind of stuff. I didn’t feel that way with any of it.”

“All of the things with improv, for me, were total life lessons almost instantly,” she continued. “Within 15-30 minutes on the first day, I was like, ‘Oh, we’re learning how to be better people.’ ‘Oh, this is a class on communication.’ ‘Oh, I’m learning how to be a better parent and professor and friend.’ We already know the importance of eye contact and listening, but surrendering and acceptance and give-and-take and the idea of maintaining a positive attitude with ‘Yes, and…,’ (which is a common saying in the improv world that refers to) taking the idea that somebody gives you and building on it rather than being a Negative Nelly and throwing other people’s ideas away. I was amazed at how much there is in improv to apply to larger life relationships.” 

Through the internal exploration of the events that led her to where she is today, Rea learned a greater lesson about connecting with others.

Those curious to know more about what to expect can find a short series of promotional videos describing the show on Rea’s YouTube page (@drstephanierea). 

“There is some adult language; it is not intended for kids,” Rea advised in one video. “I’m just talking the way that I talk when I am talking with friends in an impassioned way and not censoring myself. If you know me, then you know; but if you’re not my friend, you may not realize what a total potty mouth I can be. So, use your discretion. It’s not intended to be offensive, but I don’t think I could tell these stories without swearing.” 

Spike in births prompts expansion of hospital’s OB unit

Jessica Paine
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Spike in births prompts expansion of hospital’s OB unit

MURRAY – Murray-Calloway County Hospital (MCCH) is in the midst of a baby boom. Administrators, who worked feverishly throughout the summer to be ready for a record number of deliveries expected over the next three weeks, were able to breathe a sigh of relief Monday as the hospital opened a new postpartum unit before the next anticipated wave.

Murray-Calloway County Hospital CEO Jerry Penner

“We’ve prepared for it just like we prepare for natural disasters,” CEO Jerry Penner said as he praised his staff for all their hard work during an interview last month. “We’re trying to do the right thing and thinking ahead, based on projections of what we think is going to happen. I just want to reassure the community that we’re prepared for this.”

MCCH administrators were able to forecast the exceptionally high number of deliveries through monitoring appointments in the obstetrics (OB) clinic. Preparations were underway long before Henry County Medical Center (HCMC) in Paris, Tennessee, announced plans at the end of May to close its OB unit in September. In fact, at the time of that announcement, deliveries at MCCH were already up 6.5% year-to-date. 

In June, Chief Nursing Officer Jeff Eye told the MCCH Board of Trustees that the number of deliveries forecast in July and August was unprecedented. “With these types of numbers, if we would sustain them, that is a lot more babies than we have delivered… ever,” he said. “Even going back to when (the Murray Women’s Clinic) was still there, we’re going to far surpass our monthly number of deliveries that we typically do.”

Numbers started surging the first week of July when MCCH’s labor and delivery unit welcomed 16 babies to the world, nearly half the unit’s monthly average of 35-40 deliveries. In total, 47 babies were born last month. To accommodate that increase in volume, an additional labor nurse was hired and the hospital’s float pool nurses were trained to work in the postpartum unit. 

Although delivery rates slowed to normal in the first two weeks of August – as of Monday morning, there had only been 16 deliveries – the end of this week marks the start of a two-week period during which the number of expected deliveries exceeds the hospital’s monthly average. To prepare for the impending surge, administrators not only had to ensure there will be enough staff, but also enough room. Simply put, the eight-room postpartum unit was not big enough for that kind of patient load. 

Fortunately, space in the vicinity of the unit opened up when the radiation/oncology clinic moved into the new Regional Cancer Center last month. Interestingly, that area of the hospital, known as 2 West, was historically ward space – in fact, it previously housed the postpartum unit – but the floor was closed in 2013 due to low patient volumes. 

“We closed 2 West down because the census had dropped and I didn’t want to have a minimal nursing staff for two patients; it wasn’t worth it for us,” Penner explained. “Then the idea came along in 2016 to take that and turn it into the oncology practice. Now, we’re taking it from clinic space back to ward space, so it’s come full-circle.” 

Much work was needed to convert the clinic back into patient rooms, such as installing a new nurse call system and infant security electronics as well as re-routing the hospital’s medication dispensing system. Due to time constraints, aesthetic updates were not a priority, but the new 13-room unit has all of the necessary infrastructure to keep patients and their babies safe. 

“I think it will give us some additional help on the back side of this,” Penner said. “We need to get back into the rooms that are currently postpartum and spruce those up a little bit because it’s probably been 14 years since they’ve been touched. We’re going to take advantage of the situation to continue to upgrade the hospital.”

Penner said there has also been talk about overhauling the entire labor and delivery deck. One idea is to equip rooms so that patients can labor, deliver and receive postpartum care in the same space, eliminating the need to transfer patients to a different room during their stay. “So, that is a concept to look into at some point in time,” he added. 

The timing as well as the scope of any major renovation projects could depend on a few factors, but it is really a numbers game. OB units are typically not lucrative for hospitals, largely because regulatory requirements prescribe high minimum staffing levels be maintained regardless of the number of patients in the unit. Penner said that MCCH has to have 600 deliveries a year in order for the unit to break even; however, for several years, MCCH has delivered around 450-500 babies annually. Last year, there were 466. 

“The balancing act has been that if the numbers are gonna continue to decline where they have been, is it cost effective for us to do that? Do we want to invest that much money?” Penner asked. “Whereas the cancer center is an example where we’ve just been exploding with the prevalence of cancer in this area. I’m seeing 1600 cancer patients a year. Does it make sense to make that investment for the cancer center? The answer is yes. 

“But now we’re going the opposite direction with OB – where, here I was back in 2011, 2012 with 660 deliveries, now we’re down to 460 – does it make sense to go that direction and make that sort of investment there if that’s going to continue to be the trend?”

One factor is whether the baby boom is indicative of an upward trend in birthing rates in Calloway County or just an anomaly. Penner cited census trends showing modest growth in population and pointed to continuing growth in the industrial sector and for both local school districts as possible indicators that this baby boom could be more than just a blip.

Another factor, one that stands to have a more considerable impact on OB services at MCCH, is the closure of HCMC’s OB unit, which averages 25-30 deliveries per month. When it closes, patients will have three options from which to choose: West Tennessee Healthcare Volunteer Hospital in Martin, Tennessee, which is 45 minutes from Paris; Jackson-Madison County General Hospital in Jackson, Tennessee, which is an hour and 20 minutes away; or MCCH, which is less than 30 minutes away. 

That may seem like an easy choice – go to the closest. But around 75% of HCMC’s OB patients are insured through TennCare, the Tennessee Medicaid program; for them, crossing the state line is not an option. They will have to travel to Martin or Jackson. For those with private insurance or who are self-paying (which translates to five or six deliveries a month, according to Penner) there are no barriers to receiving services at MCCH.

“Do the math,” Penner said. “If you get five, or six, more times 12, that’s another 60-72 babies we’re adding; now we’re up from 460 to 530. Alright, we’ve got to start thinking about how we would be able to maintain that.” 

The setup is good in theory; the reality, however, is fraught with problems. An uptick in unexpected, non-emergency deliveries from Henry County is anticipated. Penner said that is a problem because, as a Kentucky hospital, MCCH cannot get paid for providing services to TennCare patients; however, if a TennCare patient arrives in active labor, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act requires MCCH to provide care. 

“The problem with that one is that the doctors have never seen them,” Penner said. “They have no prenatal history on this woman, just not a clue. The safety on that is ridiculously bad. They have no idea if they’re preeclamptic, if they’ve got gestational diabetes; you just don’t know all those things that (could put that mother at risk) that you should know before they walk in the door. That’s a problem.” 

It is a scary situation, Penner said, not only because it is not safe for the patient but also because it puts both the hospital and the provider at significant risk. 

Another concern is that, by virtue of proximity, OB emergencies from Henry County will be transferred to MCCH. That brings an entirely different level of planning. Perinatal Services Director Leanna Jackson said that she and MCCH obstetrician Dr. Karla Turley worked with the emergency department to ensure it has all of the resources necessary for OB emergencies and to streamline internal processes regarding transferring patients between units. 

“An OB emergency is an all-hands-on-deck (emergency); you’ve got two people that you’re worried about,” Jackson said. “So, we’re just trying to make sure we have everybody prepared. It doesn’t happen a lot in our community, but there are times when we have an emergency like that, and we all have to work together and pull together.”

Jackson also acknowledged that it is possible that the added burden of having to travel outside of Henry County for OB services could prevent some patients from receiving adequate prenatal care, increasing the likelihood of an OB emergency occurring. 

To mitigate these concerns, Penner reached out to the Kentucky Hospital Association (KHA) for assistance in securing a waiver that would allow MCCH to be paid for providing OB services to TennCare patients. While such a waiver is unprecedented, Penner is hopeful that KHA can negotiate an agreement that will accommodate this unique situation that has the potential to be a financial drain for MCCH.

“If we can get the deal,” Penner said, “if all of a sudden, TennCare says, ‘OK, we’re going to create a waiver, a carve-out, and Henry County patients can go to Murray-Calloway, since (it is) the closest, and we’ll pay you for those;’ that’s fine. But if they’re not going to pay us for them, once again, it just digs a hole deeper for me.”

If an agreement with TennCare can be reached, Penner anticipates most OB patients in Henry County will come to MCCH instead of traveling to Martin or Jackson. That would push the hospital’s annual delivery rate over 700. At that level, MCCH would be forced to expand its OB service.

“That puts me from the 460 (we’re) at now to over 600 (the break-even threshold); that’s great,” Penner said. “We need more staff; we need more rooms; we need more nursery space; we need to think about waiting space. There’s a gamut of things that are going to precipitate us being into a different realm than we’ve been in the last now, probably 7, 8, 9 years – in that 450-460 range.” 

The bottom line is changes are in store for the OB unit at MCCH. Whether that will be a mere sprucing up or a complete overhaul, only time will tell.

“So, we’ve just got to look at the numbers to see where we’re going,” Penner said. “But this whole Henry County dynamic could change the balance of what our responsibilities are because we are the closest.”

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