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Caldwell County man fatally electrocuted in accident on campus

Jessica Paine
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Caldwell County man fatally electrocuted in accident on campus

MURRAY – While details are still sparse, more information was released today regarding the accidental death of an electrical contractor that occurred yesterday outside of Waterfield Library on the campus of Murray State University.

Calloway County Coroner Ricky Garland confirmed this afternoon that next-of-kin had been notified and identified the man as 49-year-old Jerry Humphrey of Caldwell County.

Humphrey was part of a crew from Groves Electrical Services, a company based in Madisonville, Kentucky. MSU Executive Director of Marketing and Communication Shawn Touney told The Sentinel this afternoon that the crew was doing work related to a water main break near Waterfield.

A Groves Electric Services bucket truck is parked between Waterfield Library and John W. Carr Hall. (Photo: Jessica Paine/The Murray Sentinel)

According to scanner traffic recordings provided to The Sentinel by murrayscanner.com, the call to first responders went out at 12:11 p.m. yesterday, with dispatchers advising that a man had been struck by high-voltage electricity and was not breathing.

At the time of the accident, Humphrey was working inside what appeared to be an industrial outdoor junction box (also known as a modular enclosure) located in the parking lot between John W. Carr Hall and the Waterfield Library, Garland advised, noting the pad-mounted metal unit was large enough that Humphrey could stand in it.   

The accident occurred in the modular enclosure shown here. (Photo: Jessica Paine/The Murray Sentinel)

Per the murrayscanner.com recordings, first responders were not sure upon arrival if the power to the enclosure was disconnected. Units stood down for approximately 10 minutes until Murray Electric System arrived to cut all power sources, including any back-up generators. Garland arrived on scene around 1:30 p.m. and pronounced Humphrey deceased shortly thereafter.

Groves Electrical Services workers and first responders are shown here at the scene of the accident. (Photo: Jessica Paine/The Murray Sentinel)

Garland said that the cause of death appeared to be electrocution; however, an autopsy will be necessary to confirm that. The body was transported to Louisville today for the autopsy, but it will likely be a few weeks before the results are available.

Because it was a workplace accident, Garland advised he is confident that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will conduct an investigation but added that, as of this afternoon, the agency had not contacted him.

The university released a statement about the accident last night. “Earlier today, an electrical contractor performing work on our campus was involved in a tragic incident,” it read. “Our deepest condolences go out to the individual’s family and loved ones during this difficult time.”

As of this morning, Groves Electrical Services had no comment on the incident.

According to Humphrey’s obituary, he was born in Louisville to Jerry Lavon and Charlotte Stiles Humphrey in June 1975. It notes that he “enjoyed turkey and deer hunting with his mother, running any type of heavy equipment and spending time with his family.”  Morgan’s Funeral Home in Princeton, Ky., is in charge of arrangements, but no services are planned at this time.

CORRECTION: This story was intially published with an incorrect headline. We apologize for any confusion.

MCCH announces retirement of CEO Jerry Penner, launches search for next leader

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MCCH announces retirement of CEO Jerry Penner, launches search for next leader

MURRAY – Murray-Calloway County Hospital officially announces that president and CEO Jerry Penner, FACHE, is retiring in 2025 after 14 years of dedicated service. He will step down on March 31, 2025.

During his tenure at MCCH, Mr. Penner led many initiatives and successfully added new providers and innovative service lines, acquired new physician practices and led the construction and fundraising efforts of the Anna Mae Owen Residential Hospice House. He piloted the Hospital Incident Command System team through a once in a lifetime COVID-19 global pandemic all while establishing a new, highly successful Interventional Cardiology program that completed 300 procedures in 2020 and over 2,000 procedures to date.  He spearheaded construction of the $15M Regional Cancer Center completed in August 2023 that has impacted so many people in Calloway and the surrounding counties. 

Under Penner’s leadership, the hospital has set record numbers for organization-wide patient satisfaction (94), dramatically increased access to primary care and specialty services, and modernized equipment and facilities throughout the organization.  Staff satisfaction hit its peak in 2024, climbing from the 29th to the 72nd percentile as the financial strength of the hospital tripled, raising days cash on hand from 67 to 200 days that further led to the highest historical bond rating of the hospital to BBB with a positive outlook. 

Active with community and state organizations, Mr. Penner served with the Murray Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce, Angel’s Clinic Board, was a member and later president of the Murray State University Alumni Association and was trustee on the Kentucky Hospital Association Board closing out his tenure as Chair and Immediate Past Chair.  On May 22, 2022, he was awarded the KHA Award of Excellence for his timely coordination and response to Mayfield’s hospital within minutes following the devastating December 2021 tornado.  He has served his local fraternity, Pi Kappa Alpha, as advisor since 2012, and was selected as Pi Kappa Alpha International Advisor of the Year in 2016.  For the past two years, he has served as a board member, Oaks Country Club, where he currently serves as President.

A 1978 graduate of North Hardin High School in Radcliff, he earned his bachelor’s degree in biology at Murray State University, a master’s in healthcare administration from Baylor University in Waco, Texas and an M.S. in strategic studies, U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.  

Mr. Penner previously served as the CEO of the U.S. Army’s Madigan Healthcare System in Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington.  Penner retired from the United States Army as a colonel after 29 years of service.  He now has 45 years in professional healthcare and has served as the MCCH CEO since April 1, 2011. 

“MCCH has had a great run…I am profoundly grateful that Board Chair, Sandra Parks, and the 2011 hospital board took a chance on me to lead Murray-Calloway County Hospital as we built something that is truly special.  Ultimately, it has been the MCCH family that helped us accomplish so many incredible goals — they are the best and I could not have asked for a better team of healthcare professionals.  From housekeepers to doctors and nurses and everyone in between, their success is my success. I’m humbled to have served them,” said Jerry Penner. “The time has come for me to retire and make way for new leadership, but I am confident the values and work of MCCH will continue on.”

To find the next president and CEO to carry this important work forward, Amy Futrell, Board Member will chair the search committee. The organization has begun the official search to seek qualified candidates and will be accepting applications until August 31, 2024.

“We would like to thank Jerry for his many years of excellent leadership and service to our hospital,” said Steve Owens, Board Chair. “And we look forward to finding the next visionary leader who will build on our mission to serve the needs of our communities and the patients we serve.”

Murray-Calloway County Hospital is a 152-licensed bed medical center located at 803 Poplar Street in Murray, Kentucky.  The hospital has been serving the medical and health care needs of the Western Kentucky area for over 100 years.  Murray Hospital specializes in such major areas as women’s services, surgery, cancer, orthopedics, neurology, psychiatric services, emergency services and more. Murray-Calloway County Hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.  

From reluctant leader to mental health role model

Constance Alexander
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From reluctant leader to mental health role model

MURRAY – Fourteen years ago, if anyone had told Brenda Benson she would be making speeches, traveling to Frankfort to talk with legislators, or facilitating meetings of individuals and families affected by mental illness, she would have said, “No way!”

Her family’s experiences, however, motivated her and her husband to get active in NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization, NAMI began in 1979 as a small group of families gathered around a kitchen table. Since then, it has become the nation’s leading voice on mental health, dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.

Before NAMI, Benson and her husband struggled with the challenges of parenting an adult child diagnosed with a mental illness.

“We were trying to figure out what was going on. We had a diagnosis but no background in mental illness,” she said. “We were trying to learn what to do.”

When they joined the Paducah affiliate in 2009, they began to learn how to navigate the unknown, gaining valuable insights to guide their decision-making and improve their ability as parents in support of their son. NAMI’s Family to Family class provided strong support. Participants were trained by previously-trained families to learn how the brain works, what distinguishes one mental illness from another, the impact of medication, etc.

There was a lot to be learned.

“Mental disorders are a disease of the brain,” Benson explained. “And, like many other organs in the body, (the brain) can become ill. Neither the person or the families involved are at fault. It’s not a sign of weakness.” 

Today, Murray is one of more than 600 local NAMI affiliates working to raise awareness and provide support and education for those in need. As steering committee chair, a volunteer position, Benson – for the past 14 years – has organized and conducted monthly meetings of the local family support group. The sessions are free, confidential and safe, with families helping other families helping each other.

“What is said here, stays here,” is a NAMI value.

In addition to leading the family group, Benson also volunteered on the state advocacy committee, which entails communicating with elected and appointed officials regarding mental health issues.

“I didn’t realize how broken the system was,” she admitted. “I started going to Frankfort. I had to take the lead. I guess if you’re passionate, it helps to step up.”

Now retired from her paying job, Benson and her husband look forward to traveling, visiting old friends and spending more time with their grandchild. As she transitions away from her NAMI responsibilities, she is seeking a volunteer to take the reins of the Murray group.

Citing the benefits of leadership, Benson shared her own takeaways.

“I’ve become a better parent,” she remarked. “I learned from others in the group about what has helped and what has not. We’ve become a family. We know each other’s stories. We can support each other.”

No matter what, her connection to mental health issues and activism will endure. “The NAMI group becomes a family itself. You become very close. The message family members seek is not complicated,” she said. “They need to be heard (and know) that they are not alone.”

Always dedicated to helping others, Benson ended the interview by naming two books that have increased her knowledge and understanding of mental illness. They are: “I’m not sick, I don’t need your help,” by Xavier Amador, and “Insane Consequences,” by D.J. Jaffee. 

Both authors have lived experience with a family member with a mental illness, and both books are available through Amazon.com.

The next NAMI meeting is Thursday, August 15, 6:30 p.m. The group meets at the Murray-Calloway Hospital Wellness Center. For more information, contact Benson at 270-748-6133 or email brenda.benson@murraystate.edu.

constance alexander

Recipient of a Governor’s Award in the Arts, Constance Alexander has won numerous grants, awards and residencies for her poetry, plays, prose and civic journalism projects. She also serves on The Sentinel’s Board of Directors. Contact her at constancealexander@twc.com.

Out with the old: City erects new storm siren on Glendale Road

Jessica Paine
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Out with the old: City erects new storm siren on Glendale Road

MURRAY – Residents on the south side of Murray will soon be able to take solace in knowing that, when severe weather is imminent, they will hear the warning call as the City of Murray began installing a new storm siren on Glendale Road last week.

Crews from Murray Electric System and Swift Roofing assembled in the Village Medical parking lot on Tuesday to take down the old eight-speaker system and install the new one, which features a single rotating speaker.

The Murray Police Department oversees the city’s storm sirens as a matter of public safety. Their dispatch unit transmits the signals that activate the sirens. As such, ensuring the proper functioning of the city’s storm sirens falls to Police Chief Sam Bierds, who said that installing the speaker is only the first step. The control units still must be configured before the siren is operational, which he expects to be done either this week or next.

Murray Police Chief Sam Bierds, in black, talks to part of the crew tasked with installing the new storm siren. (JESSICA PAINE/The Murray Sentinel)

“This is the biggest part; (it) requires the most coordination because we had to get a crane and get a bucket truck to get that thing up there,” Bierds said of the installation, and he thanked Swift Roofing owner Robert Swift for donating use of the crane and Murray Electric System for providing the bucket truck and linemen needed for the installation.

“It just makes everything go a whole lot smoother and saves money – I looked into what it would cost to rent a boom (lift), and it ‘ain’t’ cheap,” he said.

Crews remove the old Glendale Road siren before installing the new one. (JESSICA PAINE/The Murray Sentinel)

“At this point, I’m ready to have it operational,” Bierds added, “but I’m just glad we’re actually at this stage of it. It took so long just to get here – to get it built, to get it sent to us and coordinating putting it up. So, fingers crossed, that we won’t have anything bad coming (before the control units are installed).”

The City of Murray owns four storm sirens located within the city limits – one on the south end of  Doran Road; one in the Village Medical parking lot on Glendale Road; one near the entrance of Riviera Courts, a mobile home park on U.S. 641 N; and one at the Murray-Calloway EMS building (formerly Fire Station 1) downtown, which is the only one of the city’s sirens that is activated manually.  

Murray State University owns the sirens located on its properties, including the main campus and one by the Cherry Expo Center. The City of Hazel also owns two storm sirens. Despite Calloway County Emergency Management’s role in coordinating quarterly tests, the county does not actually own any storm sirens.

Two linesmen with Murray Electric System place the new siren speaker on its post. (JESSICA PAINE/The Murray Sentinel)

Quarterly siren tests are conducted for a reason – to detect and fix malfunctions before the next severe weather event – so a siren having the occasional problem is to be expected. But problems with the Glendale siren have become increasingly frequent for more than a decade, and it is not the only storm siren in town that has had issues. In recent years, the Riveria Courts siren has followed suit.

Problems with the Glendale siren go back at least 12 years. “In the city of Murray, period, we’ve got a problem,” former Calloway County Emergency Management Director Bill Call told the Murray Ledger & Times in March 2013. “The one (off Glendale) has not sounded for the last several tests and that’s a concern.” 

In March 2024, The Sentinel reported that the Glendale and Riviera Courts sirens failed to sound during quarterly tests in December and March. At that time, Bierds explained that the Glendale siren had blown a fuse – a longstanding problem for that siren, specifically – while the Riviera Courts siren had issue with the radio.

“Those two sirens are relatively old,” Bierds said in March. “For whatever reason, we’ve been trying to piecemeal it together for, I guess, quite some time. When the repairman came down (after the December failure), he (said it) needs to be replaced.” 

“We can repair it, and maybe they can last a few weeks, a few months, but they don’t make it to the next quarterly test,” he added. “We don’t know when they’re going down unless we’re going out there every day and testing them, and I think the citizens would be a little upset if I set the sirens off every day.” 

The storm siren outside of Riviera Courts has failed every quarterly test since December. (JESSICA PAINE/The Murray Sentinel)

As of last week, the Riviera Courts siren is still not functioning properly. “Riviera, we’re still chasing down problems,” Bierds said. “It’s like, ‘Is it this one? No.’ So then we go to the next one. ‘Is it this one? No.’ Eventually we’ll either find the problem or say, ‘No, it’s the entire system. We need to replace it.’”

Read all of The Sentinel’s coverage of this issue:

City officials respond to storm siren failure (3/8/24)

Storm sirens still not working (5/8/24)

Storm siren update (5/26/24)

Fiscal court passes decision on medical cannabis businesses to voters

Jessica Paine
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Fiscal court passes decision on medical cannabis businesses to voters

MURRAY – In a 3:2 vote, the Calloway County Fiscal Court passed a resolution Wednesday authorizing a ballot initiative that will let voters make the call on whether medical cannabis businesses, which include cultivators, producers, processors, dispensaries and safety compliance facilities, will be prohibited from operating in the county.

Starting Jan. 1, patients who meet specific guidelines will be able to possess and use cannabis (also called marijuana) for medicinal purposes legally throughout the commonwealth.

The law specifies that products sold in dispensaries must also be grown and processed in Kentucky. In order to have stocked shelves on day one, cultivators and processors need to be in production well in advance of the end of the year.

But first, prospective medical cannabis business (MCB) owners must apply for a license – that portal opened July 1 and closes Aug. 31. Among other requirements, applicants must specify where they intend to base their business operations and pay a non-refundable application fee, which can range from $3,000 to $20,000, depending on the business category.

In October, the state will hold a lottery to determine who among the applicants will get a license. The date of the lottery has yet to be determined, but regardless of when it happens, licensees have 15 days to pay the initial licensing fee – those fees range from $12,000 to $50,000. Should the lottery take place prior to Oct. 21, licensees would have to pay the fee before election day.

While local governments cannot impose restrictions on possession or use of MC within their borders, they do have a few options for if and how MCBs can operate in their jurisdictions.

Under KRS 218B.130, local governments are allowed to determine the place, time and manner in which MCBs operate within their boundaries, provided they are not less restrictive than state law. They can also establish and collect “reasonable local fees for local administration.” Enacting ordinances that impose an undue burden on MCBs is forbidden.

City and county governments may also “opt-out” by passing an ordinance that prohibits MCBs. As of yesterday, 11 out of the 120 counties in the commonwealth have passed ordinances prohibiting them in addition to 14 cities.

Benton and Mayfield are among another 14 cities statewide – and the only ones in the Purchase Area – that have notified the Office of Medical Cannabis (OMC) they plan to “opt-in” and allow MCBs to operate within city limits. Only three counties have notified OMC.

If a local government passes an ordinance prohibiting MCBs, the law authorizes citizens to use the petition process to have the issue added to the ballot in the next general election. If it passes, that would overrule a prohibition ordinance. If it fails, it cannot be put on the ballot again for three years.

But local governments are also free to preempt such actions by passing a resolution to put it on the ballot. The Murray City Council authorized such a referendum in May.

As of yesterday, voters in Ballard, Calloway, Carlisle and Hickman counties and the City of Murray will be weighing in on the issue, joining voters in 25 other counties and 20 cities across the state, according to the OMC website. The filing deadline is Aug. 13.

“This is the last month we can vote on this – whether we give our citizens the choice to vote or we just allow it to pass into Kentucky law,” District 3 Magistrate Don Cherry said after he brought the resolution for consideration at yesterday’s meeting.

Before voting on the resolution, the court approved an amendment specifying the verbiage of the ballot question. Then, by roll-call vote, District 1 Magistrate Ricky Stewart, District 2 Magistrate Larry Crutcher and Cherry voted in favor of the resolution, although Crutcher noticeably hesitated before saying, “Aye.” Judge-Executive Kenny Imes and District 4 Magistrate Paul Rister voted against it.

Imes said in an email today that he is disappointed in the outcome, but at the same time, he fully appreciates the opportunity to have citizen input on county policy. “However, it will be too late, in November, to matter much after that,” he added, referring to the timing of the license lottery in October.

Asked why he voted against the resolution, Imes said, “We should welcome any reasonable opportunity to enhance growth, provide job opportunities and growth of (the) tax base in our community,” adding that the delay is “extremely limiting (to) our desire for greater economic development opportunities and services for and in Calloway County and for those who would invest in our community.”

On the subject of his “no” vote, Rister said that he was still “on the fence” about putting it on the ballot or allowing the law to take effect unencumbered up until the meeting, with his main concern being that some voters might allow stigmas around marijuana to sway their vote.

“Let me be very upfront on this,” Rister wrote in an email today. “I have never used any type of marijuana and stand firm on helping those with addictions. If medical cannabis was a hope for a sick loved one, I would support them on their use, but not abuse.

“I definitely would agree that it should be on the ballot, had we been talking about recreational. But it’s medical. I talked to some people that admitted they would never use medical cannabis or support its use… But one spoke of her grandmother who had cancer, another man spoke of his family member that had epilepsy, another with a friend that had cancer. Their stories were all the same.  When other medicines seem to be failing, or they take one medicine, but have to take six more drugs to offset the side effects of the primary drug…. Medical cannabis as gummies and oils worked for them.”

In total, Rister said he spoke to at least two dozen people about the pros and cons of medical cannabis.

“One person I spoke with heads up a local drug rehab center in our community,” he wrote. “Though he fights to help people get off drugs, he indicated if people could use medical cannabis rather than opioids, they would be better off. One pointed out that I was not a doctor, so why should I even have a say so; it’s now legal statewide, who am I to say what is medically needed for someone or limit their ability to get it? Others discussed possible revenue and jobs for our community.”

He acknowledged that, based on what has happened in other states, it is possible that legalizing cannabis for medicinal purposes gets “a foot in the door” for legalizing recreational use. “But if they can drive 50 minutes to (Illinois) and get it, or eventually the next county over, then have we really stopped the use in our community?”

“I feel like I did my due diligence to be educated on it, gather different opinions, but ultimately prayed about it several times, that I could come to a response for Don (Cherry’s) resolution, that I could be comfortable with,” Rister wrote, adding later that he spoke to Cherry this morning. “I told him I was perfectly fine with how the vote came out. Being on the ballot, I am good with.”

Between now and the election, he hopes voters will take some time to educate themselves about medical cannabis as well as what is and is not allowable under the new law.

Cherry calls for transparency from fiscal court on US 641 property

Jessica Paine
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Cherry calls for transparency from fiscal court on US 641 property

MURRAY – After more than a year of speculation and gossip (as evidenced by too many public Facebook posts to cite) around the county’s plans for a 20-acre parcel of land north of town, District 3 Magistrate Don Cherry presented a draft resolution at the Calloway County Fiscal Court work session this morning that vows transparency regarding all matters related to the property moving forward.

Cherry discussed two resolutions, both of which he plans to present to the fiscal court at its monthly meeting Wednesday – one calling for a ballot initiative related to medical cannabis businesses, the other concerning the land at the intersection of U.S. 641 and KY 80, which the county bought incrementally in 2022 and 2023 with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.

“We’ve all been fielding a lot of questions about our land out there on (U.S.) 641,” Cherry said this morning. He noted that his intent in drafting the resolution was “to make the public aware of what vision the judge has had with the ARPA money and the land purchase and how that has and will benefit the county in the future.”

“I hope it gives the public some information about what’s gone on out there,” he continued. “The last part of the resolution is we become totally transparent on this land. … If there’s anything else we need to do with this land – and there may be – then we bring it before the court; we discuss it; and we vote on it.”

“In accordance with Fiscal Court’s ongoing commitment to complete transparency to the citizens of this County,” the resolution declares, “no future action will be taken by or on behalf of Calloway County by any officer or employee thereof with regard to this property, including, but not limited to, construction, development, expenditures, encumbrances, collateralization, bonding, leasing or selling this property without the prior approval of the Fiscal Court occurring by vote at an open meeting in order that the citizens of this County may be sufficiently aware of any such actions concerning this valuable investment in our future.”

The document’s preamble memorializes an “ARPA brainstorm session” held by Calloway County Judge-Executive Kenny Imes in March 2022, which included nine county residents with expertise in the areas of commerce, realty and banking as well as representatives from local schools and West Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation (WKRECC).

The group focused on how to best allocate more than $7.5 million in ARPA funds, focusing on three categories – roads and bridges, county infrastructure and economic development.

The county purchased the land approximately four miles north of town in four separate transactions, bearing a total price tag of over $1.3 million. The county began excavating work on the land in January 2023, and those improvements, according to the resolution, have increased the potential of that property.

“The best future use of this land is yet to be determined, though Fiscal Court believes options will arise for its use that will benefit all residents for generations to come,” the resolution states.

The resolution declares the property is owned “free and clear” by the county and was paid for without tax revenue.

“The Calloway County Fiscal Court celebrates this wise investment for the County, and further acknowledges that the land has been adequately cleaned up and leveled to make it ready for a multitude of potential future uses.”

District Four Magistrate Paul Rister voiced support of the resolution, acknowledging that many county residents have asked him about the property and what the county plans to do with it.

“I think it’s a good time to let the people know we bought this piece of property as an investment without tax dollars, local tax dollars,” Rister said. “Although our plan for the future is not clear – we have some ideas, and it’s potentially there for economic development – we’re going to be transparent about anything else that goes on there.”

The fiscal court took no action on either of Cherry’s resolutions today. They will be presented and considered during the fiscal court’s regular meeting on Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the Robert O. Miller Courthouse Annex.   

KY 1270 to close for cross drain replacement in southwestern Calloway County Friday

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KY 1270 to close for cross drain replacement in southwestern Calloway County Friday

MURRAY – The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) plans to close a section of KY 1270 in southwestern Calloway County on Friday, July 12.

KY 1270 (Edgehill Trail) will be closed at the 2.8-mile point to allow a cross drain to be replaced. This is along KY 1270 between Rayburn Road and Albert Road, about 0.3 miles west of the West Fork Clarks River Bridge.

The roadway at this site is expected to close promptly at 7 a.m. Friday. KY 1270 (Edgehill Trail) is expected to reopen later that day, around 2 p.m.

There will be no marked detour. Motorists may consider a self-detour via KY 893 (Cherokee Trail), KY 94 and KY 97.

This project is scheduled on a weather-permitting basis.

KYTC District 1 and the Calloway County Highway Maintenance Crew will attempt to provide timely notice should the work be completed earlier than expected.

Sign up to get traffic advisories and alerts for KYTC District 1 counties via email here. Click on the District 1 counties you regularly drive through, or on any of the specialty corridors you travel. Check your SPAM filtering to ensure “Gov Delivery” is on your approved list.

Timely traffic advisories for the 12 counties of KYTC Highway District 1 are available on Facebook.  You do not have to be a Facebook member to access this page.

New citizen pitches in when some are opting out

Constance Alexander
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New citizen pitches in when some are opting out

MURRAY – Number 12 on the list of civics questions for the test to become a U.S. citizen asks, “What is the ‘rule of law’”?

Reika Ebert responds without a pause, not an iota of hesitation in her tone. “No one is above the law,” she said.

A newly-minted U.S. citizen, Ebert can readily rattle off responses to questions on the Naturalization Test with the same ease she rides her bike around Murray. She enjoys the freedom of the ride while paying attention to drivers less than gracious about sharing the road.

There are 100 questions prospective citizens must be prepared to answer to be eligible for citizenship, and even though those 65 years or older who have been a legal permanent resident of the United States for 20 or more years are permitted to study just the asterisked questions, it is likely Ebert could answer them all.

From the time she graduated from college in her native Germany, Ebert was destined to become a citizen of the world. Born in West Berlin in 1952 – “before the Wall,” she was quick to explain – she grew up with remnants of World War II evident in her neighborhood, including bullet holes and vestiges of bombed out buildings.

With both of her parent academics, Ebert understood she would complete appropriate secondary school preparation and then go on to university.  “It was completely understood, assumed that I’d go to college,” she remarked.

After completing a degree in education, she traveled with a number of friends and fellow feminists to explore places that interested her. She worked odd jobs, saving her money and planning her next international sojourn.

“I was the rebel in my family,” she declared, adding that the “hippie generation” influenced her. “I did not want a 9 to 5 job.”

She went to Africa, Canada, lived three years in Thailand where she taught German. Now she thinks about what her mother went through while her oldest daughter was exploring the world.

“Every few weeks I sent a postcard,” Ebert said.

Her adventures eventually led to a summer teaching job in the U.S., and she finally settled down enough to accept an assistantship at University of Washington and earn a master’s degree and then a Ph.D.

Her next move led to Baton Rouge, where she was hired to teach German at Louisiana State University. In 2000, Murray State University offered Ebert a job.

“Originally, I thought I would leave Murray,” she admitted. It was a small town in a remote rural region, but over time she formed strong ties to the on-campus community.

“My colleagues, my department, and my college were very international. We created cultural diversity,” she explained.

When she retired in 2017, her focus transitioned to the community. She decided she wanted to become a citizen.

In the true spirit of volunteerism, Ebert made herself useful in many areas of community life. She joined the Sierra Club, became a hospice volunteer, is a familiar figure at City Council meetings, Murray Art Guild gatherings, the Arboretum.

“I’ve grown really fond of the town, the townspeople, and the ruralness of Murray,” she said. “One can contribute in a meaningful way. It is small enough that I don’t get lost.”

The presidential election of 2024 will be her first. In an era where some are threatening not to vote at all, or to leave the country if their candidate does not win, Reika Ebert is registered and ready to cast her ballot. 

“To vote is a responsibility in a democracy. Democracy means – and needs – participation in the workings and well-being of society and the whole country. Voting is the least you can do,” she declared.

“I will always vote.”

Arnett child abuse cases advance to circuit court

Jessica Paine
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Arnett child abuse cases advance to circuit court

MURRAY – After waiving presentation of their cases to the grand jury last month, allowing them to advance to circuit court without indictments, the Murray couple facing first-degree criminal child abuse charges for, among other things, failing to provide adequate nourishment to two children placed in their care make their first appearances before Calloway Circuit Judge Andrea Moore this month.

Samantha Arnett, 36, was arraigned in Calloway Circuit Court today; however, her co-defendant, Robert Arnett, 44, will not be arraigned until later this month.

Today, Moore re-appointed Department of Public Advocacy Murray Trial Office Directing Attorney Cheri Riedel – who represented Samantha in district court – to represent her in the circuit court proceedings. A discovery order was entered, and because Robert’s arraignment is two weeks away, Samantha’s case was set for a status hearing on Aug. 19 at 8:30 a.m.

Both defendants, according to the charging documents, are alleged to have intentionally abused the children or allowed them to be abused, causing torture or cruel punishment, beginning in May 2019, when the children were placed with the Arnetts – their aunt and uncle – after their parents lost custodial rights. Both have been charged with two counts (one for each child) of first-degree criminal abuse of a child under 12 years of age, a class B felony, punishable by 10-20 years of incarceration.

The couple was arrested on May 23 following an investigation that commenced with an anonymous tip to the Mayfield Police Department that two juveniles were being neglected and abused, according to the criminal complaints. A Mayfield police officer followed-up on the tip and contacted the Calloway County Department of Community-Based Services (DCBS) office, expressing concerns that the homeschooled children were not eating properly, not receiving adequate medical attention and were isolated from family and friends.

Through the social worker’s investigation, it was discovered that the children had not been seen by their primary care providers since January 2023. The Arnetts were urged to seek additional medical treatments at that time because of malnutrition concerns related to the children being underweight for their size, but the caregivers appear to have not heeded that advice as they continued to lose weight over the next 16 months.

Due to the severity of their condition, the children were referred to Vanderbilt on May 22 and immediately admitted. Additionally noting the children bore marks and bruising consistent with physical abuse, Vanderbilt staff advised the DCBS worker to contact law enforcement.

After meeting with the social worker, Calloway County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Nathan Hopkins launched his own investigation and filed a criminal complaint in Calloway District Court; Calloway District Judge Randall Hutchens issued warrants, and the couple was arrested that night.

Robert posted the $5,000 cash bond the next day, and his arraignment was pushed out to June. Samantha was not able to immediately post bond and appeared in district court on May 28, where she waived formal arraignment and entered a plea of not guilty. On June 5, she waived her preliminary hearing and agreed to advancing the case to circuit court. She posted bond the next day.  

Samantha Arnett walks out of the courtroom following her arraignment today in Calloway Circuit Court. JESSICA PAINE/The Murray Sentinel

Represented by local attorney Mitch Ryan, Robert waived formal arraignment in district court and pleaded not guilty on June 18. He appeared again last Wednesday for a preliminary hearing, which he waived. He will make his first appearance before Moore on Monday, July 15, at 8:30 a.m., for his circuit court arraignment. 

“Robert is deeply saddened by the situation at hand,” Ryan said last week. “We are dedicated to ensuring that all facts and evidence are thoroughly examined and that justice is served accordingly. Our client maintains his innocence and we are committed to diligently representing him throughout the legal process. We appreciate everyone’s understanding and patience as we work towards a resolution in this unfortunate matter.”

Individuals charged with crimes are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Read our previous coverage: Foster parents arrested after children found to be extremely malnourished

Milling & Paving along KY 2075/North 4th Street in Murray starts Friday, June 7

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Milling & Paving along KY 2075/North 4th Street in Murray starts Friday, June 7

1.7 mile project expected to take about 4 days to complete

MURRAY – A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) plans milling and paving along KY 2075/North 4th Street in Murray starting Friday, June 7, 2024.

This project along KY 2075/North 4th Street runs from U.S. 641-Business/Chestnut Street at mile point 0.0, extending northward to U.S. 641/North 12th Street at mile point 1.678.

The contractor plans milling starting Friday with paving to follow.

Motorists should be alert for one lane traffic with alternating flow controlled by flaggers.  Some delays are possible during the movement and placement of equipment to facilitate the work.

Appropriate caution is required where equipment, flaggers, and maintenance personnel are along the roadway in close proximity to traffic flow.

Murray Paving, Inc, is the prime contractor on this $384,435 highway improvement project.  Weather permitting, the target completion date for all work on this project is Friday, June 14.

To get traffic advisories and alerts for KYTC District 1 counties via email, please go to https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/KYTC/signup/13651. Click on the District 1 counties you regularly drive through, or on any of the specialty corridors you travel.  Check your SPAM filtering to ensure Gov Delivery is on your approved list.

Timely traffic advisories for the 12 counties of KYTC Highway District 1 are available by going to www.facebook.com/kytcdistrict1. Please LIKE or FOLLOW District 1.  You do not have to be a Facebook member to access this page.

Navigate traffic at goky.ky.gov or by using a map APP that includes real-time traffic information.

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