Muhlenberg County

Central City Remembers Phil Everly's Musical Talents, Generosity

By Emil Moffatt • Jan 18, 2014
Emil Moffatt

For 15 years beginning in 1988, Phil and Don Everly returned to the town of Central City, Ky. to perform an annual benefit “Homecoming” concert which, at its pinnacle, drew a crowd four-times the town’s population.  On Saturday, hundreds of people from that same town turned out to pay tribute to Phil Everly, a day before what would have been his 75th birthday.

The recognizable hits poured from the stage of the Merle Travis Music Center. As one performer put it – being asked to pick out an Everly Brothers song to cover was like being led into Fort Knox and being asked to select a favorite piece of gold to take with you.

He picked "Bye Bye Love" and "Wake Up Little Susie".

Two of the Everly Brothers second cousins, Tim Giageos and David Everly performed four songs including  "All I Have to Do is Dream" and "When Will I Be Loved."

One of the Everly Brother’s first cousins, Diana Sue Taylor described one of the first memories of her famous relatives – when she was eight years old was escorted backstage at the Civic Center in Hammond, Indiana.

Muhlenberg County Holding Memorial Service for Phil Everly

By Associated Press • Jan 16, 2014

A memorial service is being held this weekend for Phil Everly near Central City, where the Everly Brothers entertained for years at a homecoming benefit.

The Central City Tourist and Convention Commission said the service will be at 2 p.m. CST Saturday at the Merle Travis Center in Powderly with music from cousins of the Everly Brothers and a tribute band.

Phil Everly died Jan. 3 at 74. With his brother, Don Everly, the duo had 19 top 40 hits between 1957 and 1962.

They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and are members of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

The Everly Brothers began the homecoming concerts in 1988 and continued through 2001 to help raise scholarship money and funds for other projects.

TVA Decides Coal-Fired Power Plant in Western Kentucky Will Stay Open

By • Nov 14, 2013
Tennessee Valley Authority

The Tennessee Valley Authority has decided not to close a coal-fired power plant in western Kentucky.  The nation’s largest utility was facing congressional pressure to keep open the Paradise Fossil Plant.

In a vote Thusday, the TVA's Board of Directors decided that one of the three units at the plant in Drakesboro will continue burning coal, while the other units will be converted to natural gas. 

“It’s unnecessary and tragic that the Obama administration’s actions have forced utilities to discontinue coal operations at any of these units,” U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said in a statement.  “I fought hard to prevent these changes and fortunately one of the units will continue to burn coal, saving hundreds of jobs."

In his statement, McConnell also vowed to continue fighting what he called the Obama administration’s anti-coal agenda that threatens the livelihood of Kentuckians.

In a meeting last month with McConnell, TVA President Bill Johnson said several factors, including the current regulatory environment, forced the utility to review the future of the Paradise Fossil Plant.  McConnell responded that Muhlenberg County couldn’t take anymore hits, given the upcoming retirement of Kentucky Utilities’ Green River plant in 2016. 

Kentucky Pediatricians Feel Reading is Good Medicine

By • Aug 16, 2013
Lisa Autry

Studies suggest reading to children early in their development enhances their vocabulary, helps them identify letters and become better readers.  Yet, less than half of U.S. children are read to on a daily basis. 

To counteract that problem, reading is being doctor-prescribed in certain parts of the commonwealth, like Muhlenberg County.

Dr. Billie Galyen sees about 6,000 kids a year at her pediatric clinic in Greenville.

Five-year-old Brady and three-year-old Noah are there for check-ups. Every child six months to five years old leaves the office with a new book to take home and a prescription to read.

Drug Sweep Leads to 16 Arrests in Hardin, Muhlenberg, and Nelson Counties

By Associated Press • Jul 15, 2013

Authorities say 16 people in Hardin, Muhlenberg and Nelson counties have been charged with drug trafficking after a yearlong investigation.

The News-Enterprise reports that the probe, titled "Operation Pill Crusher," netted arrests of 14 residents of Elizabethtown and one New Haven resident.

A warrant was also served on an inmate at the Green River Correctional Complex in Central City.

All but one of those arrested June 28 was charged with trafficking in prescription medication. One man was charged with selling marijuana.

Officials said that the prescription drugs being illegally sold included morphine, hydrocodone and Oxycodone.

Ron Eckart, director of the Greater Hardin County Narcotics Task Force, said detectives served arrest warrants after spending two weeks pursuing indictments through a Hardin County grand jury.

Greenville Clinic to Begin Operating as Part of Owensboro Health Network

By • Apr 15, 2013

A Muhlenberg County health clinic will soon begin operating as part of the Owensboro Health network. Dr. Marshall Prunty founded Family Practices of Greenville, PSC, 29 years ago. Dr. Prunty says it has become too difficult for a small operation such as his to keep up with the paperwork and filings related to the Affordable Care Act, Hippa, and other regulations.

"It gets to the point where I probably almost need two or three people just to take care of the regulations. And in a small, independent office, you just don't really have the resources to do that,” Dr. Prunty told WKU Public Radio.

Dr. Prunty's office will begin operating as Owensboro Health Multicare Greenville on May 1st.

His office provides family medical care for children and adults, as well as on-site lab testing.

Dr. Prunty's office currently serves patients in Muhlenberg, McLean, Todd, and Ohio counties.

Kentucky Farmer's Estate Donates to Every County Animal Shelter in State

By Associated Press • Mar 28, 2013

A mild-mannered western Kentucky farmer who never turned away a stray cat left a portion of his estate to every county-run animal shelter in the state.

County officials received checks earlier this month for $1,432.47 from a man they never met, a Muhlenberg County dairy farmer named Bland Hardison.

Hardison died in 2008 at age 86 and had set up in his will a gift for the state's animal shelters, said his widow, Jonell Hardison. In total, Hardison set aside nearly $1 million in donations to various charities upon his death, and the estate took years to settle.

Jonell Hardison said Wednesday that her husband loved his pets and even the strays that would wander onto the farm.

Kentucky Coal Plant Makes Top 10 Polluter List

By Associated Press • Jan 3, 2013

A Tennessee Valley Authority coal-fired power plant in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky has landed on an environmental group's list of top polluters.

The report Thursday from the Environmental Integrity Project says the TVA Paradise Fossil Plant near Drakesboro emitted 1,505 pounds of arsenic, 1,907 pounds of lead and 1,409 pounds of chromium in 2011. The plant was third on the group's metal emissions list that used the most recent data available from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The 2,200-megawatt plant is the largest in Kentucky by wattage output. TVA said in 2011 it is spending $500 million to upgrade pollution controls on two generating units at the plant. TVA's website says the work was to be completed by last month.

National Guard Unit Returns to Greenville on 9/11

By • Sep 11, 2012

A Kentucky National Guard firefighting team is returning to Greenville on Tuesday, on the 11th anniversary of 9/11 and a year to the day since the soldiers' departure. The unit will be welcomed home Tuesday afternoon at the Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center.

Pages