Todd Hatton

This week, Paducah’s Maiden Alley Cinema presents The Master, the story of a troubled World War Two veteran, played by Joaquin Phoenix, who falls under the sway of the charismatic leader of a movement that bears an uncanny resemblance to Scientology.  But director Paul Thomas Anderson intends this film to be much more than just a critique or analysis of a controversial religion.  Todd Hatton and Maiden Alley Cinema’s Larry Thomas take a look at The Master.

Today at 11 a.m., WKMS News continues coverage of the candidates – and the issues – on the ballot this fall with a live debate from Murray State’s Crisp Center in Paducah on the proposed Paducah/McCracken County merger.  McCracken County Judge-Executive Van Newberry will speak against the merger and Paducah businessman John Williams Jr.

In Ohio Valley Conference football over the weekend, the Murray State Racers improved to 3 and 3 for the season with a 52 to 14 road win over Austin Peay Saturday.  Jacksonville State won out over Tennessee Tech 37 to 28, UT Martin beat Eastern Illinois 51 to 37, and Eastern Kentucky fell to Tennessee State 23 to 20.

The use of bluegrass legend Bill Monroe’s name and likeness to promote an Ohio County bluegrass festival is at the center of a lawsuit between the festival’s organizer and the county government.  Ohio County and its industrial foundation purchased the rights to Monroe’s name and image from the musician’s son 13 years ago.  The dispute is over whether the county gave the Jerusalem Ridge Foundation, which hosts the Jerusalem Ridge Bluegrass Music Festival, permission to use them.  Festival organizer Campbell Mercer says they were given the rights and thinks they can win the case.  The Ohio Co

The University of Kentucky Faculty Senate says UK President Eli Capilouto's fifty million dollars in new spending following a round of layoffs this summer has created a budget crisis.  The Lexington Herald-Leader reports the group sent a memo to Capilouto Thursday acknowledging dwindling state support while allegin the UK president's budget priorities have led to the crisis.  Capilouto says he set those priorities after consultations with the Board of Trustees and the UK community.  University officials announced 140 layoffs in June, the first in UK's history.  They say another round of cut

Facebook is a great way to get, and stay, in touch with friends and family, old or new.  It’s also a great way for anyone to access things you may only want a few people to see.  And on Front Page Sunday from WKMS News, we’ll look into ways you can get a better handle on what makes it onto the social media landscape. We’ll also get some perspective on the lawsuit filed by some national textbook publishers against a Murray businessman and speak with the new executive director of Paducah’s Yeiser Art Center.  Then, we find out how a ham sandwich centuries ago helped inspire a modern art form.

Studies have shown that the human brain, for all of its intelligence and reasoning, prefers efficiency.  Or, as a psychology professor of mine once said, "The brain likes it easy."  That could be why we only tend to scan, at best, things like website privacy policies.  And when that involves the world's most ubiquitous social media site, that ignorance can be dangerous.  To find out to improve that state of affairs, Todd Hatton spoke with Murray State University journalism professor Elizabeth Thomas.  She teaches and blogs on the subject of social media.

Public radio returns to the big screen this week at Paducah's Maiden Alley Cinema.  Following the Garrison Keillor documentary The Man on the Radio in the Red Shoes and the Robert Altman-helmed movie version of A Prairie Home Companion, This American Life host Ira Glass presents Sleepwalk with Me, a film loosely based on the real-life experiences of comedian Mike Birbiglia.  Birbiglia is a frequent contributor to This American Life and suffers from rapid eye movement behavior disorder.  His efforts to contro

Sunday, September 22nd at 3 p.m., actress and author Evelyn Hinds performs her one-woman show portraying Corrie ten Boom at Paducah's Luther T. Carson Center.  Ten Boom and her family defied the Nazis in her native Netherlands to save Jews from persecution and deportation to concentration camps.  Todd Hatton speaks with Hinds about her show and the remarkable woman who inspired it.

Low water in the Mississippi River is delaying work on a new west Tennessee river port.  Cates Landing construction site project manager Michael Sanders says the low levels are delaying placement of rock, completion of piers at the site, dredging operations and work on the walkways, lighting, power and other site work.