Your WEKT News Edge continues its look back at 2024.
Listen or read below the second quarter report:
APRIL 2024
- After learning of veteran actor Lou Gossett Jr.’s passing, WEKT’s Scott Brown highlighted that Gossett Jr. was in Elkton to film the made-for-TV movie Lawman Without a Gun. He played a Black man running for sheriff in a small southern town. The movie was based on Rev. Thomas Gilmore Sr., who became the first Black sheriff in Greene County, Alabama, in the late 1960s. Filming took place in Elkton, Todd County, Pembroke, and Hopkinsville in the summer of 1977.
- Two Todd County Central FFA Officers were recognized during the Pennyrile FFA Region event. Chapter President Emily Frogue was selected as the Pennyrile FFA Region Star in Agriculture Placement. Chapter Reporter Mollie Skipworth was elected to serve as the 2024-2025 Pennyrile FFA Regional Sentinel.
- The City of Guthrie learned that $28 million in the state budget had been allocated to build a new wastewater treatment plant.
- Bryan Michael Zimmerman, the son of Bryan and Elizabeth Zimmerman of Trenton, was among 95 sophomores from the Class of 2026 selected for the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science.
- After 21 years in law enforcement, School Resource and Elkton Police Officer Ed Higgins announced his retirement at an Elkton City Council meeting. Also at that meeting, Elkton Fire Chief Darrel Wagoner shared his plans to retire later in the spring.
- On April 12, 2024, WEKT made local history, when adding 92.1 FM to the airwaves.
- In mid-April, the Todd County Senior Citizens Center transitioned services to the Nazarene Church in Elkton, while renovations began at the center.
- In late April, Todd County Schools Superintendent Mark Thomas announced that Kenneth Anderson had been selected as the Assistant Superintendent for the district.
MAY 2024
- In early May, 15th District State Representative Jason Petrie announced that Kentucky was expected to meet its next set of triggers to lower the income tax rate by another half a percent in 2026.
- Nashville artist Kim Radford began her mural in downtown Guthrie to honor the history of blues music and how the area played a vital role in the Chitlin’ Circuit. The mural is on the right wall of Longhurst Park.
- The Tennessee Valley Authority awarded South Todd Elementary and Todd Central High School with a $10,000 grant through the 2024 School Uplift Grant program. The purpose of the program is to find ways to cut down on energy costs, which in turn saves schools at least ten percent on energy costs, according to the TVA.
- After being open for nearly eight months, Option Pharmacy in Guthrie announced they would be closing toward the end of May. The pharmacy was opened through a partnership with Pharmacists Brad Ashby, Mike Torbey – and Tim Robinson, Tony Torbey, and Michael Weis.
- Blount Rural Health Center celebrated its 25th anniversary in May, with Executive Director Anita Jo Powell saying they have greatly expanded services since the creation of the Helping Hands Health Clinic.
- During May’s Trenton City Commission meeting, the commission approved two projects totaling just over $51,000 to replace 20 steel water service lines on Clarksville Road and South Main Street.
- The Todd County Fair Board was re-established to create an outdoor arena, with more projects expected in the future. The outdoor arena was constructed on the property of the Todd County Extension Service on Pond River Road.
- 120 Todd County Central students walked across the stage on Friday evening, May 17, 2024, to receive their high school diplomas.
- The City of Elkton was named one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, according to estimates released by the Kentucky Data Center. The city saw an increase of 165 people from 2000 to 2023.
- An Elkton attorney was selected as the Republican National Convention Alternate Delegate on behalf of Kentucky. Todd County Republican Party Chairman Frank Amaro said Mark Collins’ dedication and commitment to the party have earned him this prestigious role.
- A severe storm on Sunday, May 26, 2024, brought at least 80 MPH winds to Elkton and surrounding areas. The winds knocked down trees and power lines and caused damage to various buildings including the building home to Pearle Vision. Todd County Judge Executive Todd Mansfield issued a State of Emergency following the storms.
- Todd County Superintendent Mark Thomas announced that Dr. Cherise Williams would be the district’s next Director of District Wide Services.
JUNE 2024
- Sergeant Major Robert “Bob” Murphy was posthumously honored with a bridge dedication on Kentucky 107/Clifty-Kirkmansville Road over the East Fork Pond River near Clifty. Murphy, passed away following a car accident on May 9, 2023, at the age of 58.
- Todd County Middle School announced that Steven McGhee would serve as assistant principal.
- An Elkton native, who was the band director at North Hardin High School, died in a car crash in Grayson County on the Western Kentucky Parkway. Kentucky State Police said 28-year-old Kelsey Dunn was killed after losing control of her vehicle in heavy rain, entering the median, and into the path of a westbound tractor-trailer.
- The Elkton Rotary Club learned that efforts were moving forward with the Pennyrile Regional Energy Agency to construct a 53-mile natural gas pipeline to help residents and businesses in Lyon, Caldwell, Trigg, Christian, and Todd counties.
- Kayce Bright was named the next City Clerk/Treasurer for the City of Elkton. She took over the position in late August.
- Todd County was named StormReady by the Paducah National Weather Service.
- The Tennessee Valley Authority donated 100 box fans to Edge Media Group’s ‘Cooling Our Communities’ campaign.
- The Elkton Rotary Club learned in late June that the recycling facility was up and running at Novelis in Guthrie. The project was a $365 million investment.
WEKT’s 2024 Year-in-Review is sponsored by: Kathy Morgan, of Modern Woodman of America, Southern Homes Realty/Back Country Builders, Blount Rural Health Center, City of Elkton, Todd County Attorney Jeff Traughber, Elkton Bank and Trust, Novelis, Todd County Health Department, and Todd County Public Library.
