Julia Hunter, The Hoptown Chronicle

Democrat Pam Dossett, a local educator and Hopkinsville native, has filed papers to run for the 8th District state representative seat held by Republican Walker Thomas, she announced Wednesday, the first day candidacy paperwork could be submitted for 2022 elections.

News of the proposed development has drawn heavy scrutiny from many county residents and some public officials.

Four aircraft landed Thursday morning at the Hopkinsville-Christian County Airport, carrying individuals who were in town to discuss a proposed beef processing facility. Flight logs and public records hint at possible topics of discussion during the whirlwind of meetings that followed their arrival.

On Friday, there wasn’t a single intensive care bed available in Christian County or at hospitals located in 10 surrounding counties, according to data provided by the state Department of Public Health.

As health care workers grapple with the pandemic’s most recent wave, a few things are clear: patients hospitalized with COVID are getting sick quicker, are younger than before and are mostly unvaccinated.