Chad Lampe

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear announced Thursday a plan to accelerate construction of the new U.S. 60 Tennessee River Bridge between Paducah and Ledbetter, enabling motorists to begin using it more than a year ahead of schedule.

Murray State’s campus might seem a little more crowded than usual in the coming weeks.  What could be the largest freshman class in MSU’s 90 year history is moving into dorms and getting ready for the fall semester.  We’ll find out what got them here and what university officials are doing to keep them here, today on Front Page Sunday from WKMS News.

For many, retirement is something they think they’ll never be able to do.  Buddy Hall has played professional pool for more than five decades, winning world championships and a place in pool’s Hall of Fame.  And even though the Metropolis, Illinois native, has slowed down a bit, retirement isn’t something he wants to do.  We’ll find out more about Hall’s career, and his love of the game, on Front Page Sunday from WKMS News. 

For burley tobacco farmers in Kentucky and Tennessee, an average crop being forecast is a big relief. A few weeks ago, the crop was on the brink of ruin from extreme heat and drought.Now, tobacco specialists say much of the burley has gone through a growth spurt, thanks to recent rains.Farmers are just beginning to harvest tobacco.University of Kentucky agricultural economist Will Snell says that with a decent curing season, this year's burley crop could fetch higher prices than a year ago.

The 101st Airborne Division and Fort Campbell are celebrating 70 years since the inception of the airborne division with a week long celebration including games, a concert, an air show and memorials for the fallen.The celebration kicks off today while, one of the division's helicopter units, cases its unit colors to prepare for an upcoming deployment to Afghanistan. The Week of the Eagles will also includes an air show on tomorrow and a demonstration of the division's air assault techniques.

The Kentucky Board of Education has approved a new regulation to limit the use of certain disciplinary actions in schools that involve physically restraining or secluding children. The approval came Thursday at the board's meeting in Frankfort. The regulation calls for using restraint or seclusion only if a child's behavior poses a danger of serious physical harm, and says the actions should be avoided. The board also agreed to retain David Karem as chairman for the next 12 months.

With more dry weather ahead and predicted high winds 11 west Kentucky counties remain under burn bans. Graves County is the latest county to institute the ban.  Here is the latest list of burn bans from the department of forestry.

The Department of Energy recently hosted a two day workshop  in Paducah to meet with a variety of regional and global company leaders on the prospects of reindustrializing the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion plant. The DOE owns the PGPD and leases it to companies.

Currently, the United States Enrichment Corporation or USEC leases the facility to re-enrich uranium for power plants with the help of 1,200 employees. USEC’s operations are scheduled to end in May 2013.

Incidents of snakebite are increasing in Kentucky, and wildlife officials say it could have something to do with the drought our region is in.  One researcher is definite about one thing: it’s not because there are more snakes. We’ll also hear reports on how drought is impacting river navigation and what farmers in the Four Rivers are telling federal officials about the effects of drought on their crops and livestock.  Those stories, and remembrances of the last time the Olympics were in London, are ahead in the next hour.

Every year, Murray’s Playhouse in the Park invites children to a week-long Summer Theatre Camp that engages them in the production of a full-length show. 90 kids signed up for the musical this year. WKMS Youth Reporters Anna-Cate Brown, Brynn Jones, and Wendy Waltrip got a behind-the-scenes scoop on the show, Disney’s Cinderella Kids.