Society

After McCracken county resident Susan Guess found out her daughter Morgan was being bullied at school she and Morgan founded the Guess Anti-Bullying Foundation to help get the word out on bullying, and how to stop it. This week the Guess’s foundation is hosting anti-bullying advocate Jodee Blanco. She's author of the book “Please Stop Laughing at Me…” which details the abuse she suffered at the hands of bullies in her youth. Shelly Baskin spoke with Jodee about her campaign to reach out to victims and bullies.

With the rate of suicides among military personnel continuing to rise, a University of Kentucky professor is leading a study to investigate the effect those deaths have on family and friends left behind. Based on previous research, it’s estimated that around 40 percent of Kentuckians know someone who has taken their own life.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is investigating a Trigg County couple after authorities detonated explosive material they found in sheds at the couple’s home over the weekend. They also confiscated more than 80 gallons of homemade liquor.  Nathan Whitt, 51, and his wife, Beatrix, 48, are charged with manufacturing illegal alcohol. They also face drug and possible weapons charges.

Paducah Improv is coming to Murray’s Playhouse in the Park Saturday, August 25th to perform and give a workshop. The group was founded last February and their show “No Baggage” will be their third performance. Rose Krzton-Presson spoke with co-founder Chuck Tate about the improv troupe and how it got started.

From time to time on this program, we introduce you to influential people new to our region on our occasional series “Meet and Greet.”  This time, the person we’d like you to meet isn’t new to the area.  Madisonville native Nadine Turner has lived here for years.  In fact, Mrs. Turner is preparing to celebrate her 95th birthday at the end of August.  And she’s certainly been influential.  During World War Two, she served her country as an Army nurse.  Mrs.

A watermelon weighing 273.3 lbs. has won the blue ribbon at the Kentucky State Fair. Fair spokeswoman Amanda Storment says the watermelon is one of the five largest ever grown and the largest on record in the U.S.

KentuckyOne Health says it is terminating contracts at all its facilities with Medicaid provider Coventry Cares. KentuckyOne Health says the terminations will be effective November 1st at former Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's Healthcare facilities and on December 1st at former Saint Joseph Health System facilities. Today’s announcement comes after Coventry gave notice that it would not participate at two hospitals owned by the health system — Our Lady of Peace in Louisville and Taylor Regional Hospital in Campbellsville.

The website SleepBetter.org has ranked Paducah third among the nation’s sleepiest cities. The site got the rankings by analyzing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System. Paducahans averaged 9.6 days of lost sleep each month, and nearly 26 percent reported not getting enough sleep more than half the time.