morning edition [crawling edition]

“The question isn’t why did the caterpillar cross the road but how? Researchers have discovered that at least one species of caterpillar precedes each step with a thrust of its gut.”

~NPR gets out the microscope.

KENTUCKY~ A real-life MySpace date in Draffenville (with an underage girl) lands a Louisiana man on rape charges. Madisonville Police quickly diffuse a hostage situation. Murray-Calloway’s Chamber of Commerce hands out some awards. State Budget Director is ‘cautiously optimistic‘ about the Commonwealth’s fiscal future and the Education Commissioner wants to reorganize his department. Jack and Rand stab each other (with words).

TENNESSEE~ A jury finds a Clarksville mom guilty of  killing her baby. Army Corps of Engineers: Please, public, comment on our critical report. APSU joins Hopkinsville Community College to offer a green occupation degree. Early voters are coming out in droves.

morning cram [flying telescope edition]

“NASA has begun operating a flying telescope powerful enough to record the birth of distant stars and planets.”

~NPR looks through the lens.

KENTUCKY~ Paducah’s Riverfront Development OKs the Executive Inn demo contractors. Need a job? Owensboro has 500 opening up. A Henderson plant pays $200k for air pollution. Ballard County jurors acquit a Missouri man on DUI/assault charges. A Hopkinsville drive-by sends a man to the hospital.  State department heads are told to brace for $35mil in cuts. Help is here for those denied health insurance for pre-existing conditions.

TENNESSEE~ Clarksville passes a tax incentive to develop the former hospital site on Madison Street. The feds will allow hospitals to pay fees and avoid TennCare cuts.

ILLINOIS~ A shooting in Cairo leaves 1 dead. Honeywell/Union negotiations are suspended until the end of July. The Gov signs a budget that cuts spending.

morning cram [psycho brain edition]

“See it in their eyes… an intensity in their stare, as if they’re trying to pick up signals on how to respond. But the eyes are not an element of psychopathy, just a clue.”

~NPR has more.

KENTUCKY~ A cucumber truck spill on WKY Parkway in Caldwell County is slowing traffic (this morning). McCracken County may grant developer incentives. A West Paducah mom (allegedly) writes a fake letter to get her son out of jail. A Fort Campbell soldier from Arizona died in Afghanistan in a non-combat incident and another lost an appeal for possessing a rocket at his home. Madisonville expands its recycling effort. The Commonwealth ranks 3rd fattest in the nation.

TENNESSEE~ Clarksville’s next budget may include iPads for City Council members. Unemployment in Henry County drops almost 1% in April to May.

ILLINOIS~ Union/Honeywell negotiations remain a stalemate. There’s a call to strip some elected Metropolis officials’ health insurance coverage.

morning cram [discussions edition]

Officials say General Stanley McChrystal is ordered to the White House in person tomorrow to discuss controversial comments with President Obama.

NPR has the story.

It’s still hot.

KENTUCKY~ Traffic is down to one lane on Murray’s Main Street today. Fulton Airport is expanding its runway. Those Todd County escapees have been captured in Indiana. 2 Fort Campbell soldiers died in Afghanistan last week and flags are flying at half-staff today. High schools can track their students’ higher education progress. Someone vandalized the State Capitol.

TENNESSEE~ A Henry County couple faces aggravated child neglect charges. Clarksville PD is searching for two armed robbery shooters. Governor Bredesen may veto part of the budget.

ILLINOIS~ Governor Pat Quinn signs a bill into law that caps storefront loans.

morning cram [ramble edition]

An NPR poll predicts a difficult road ahead for Democrats to thwart Republican gains in the House this November.

KENTUCKY~ McCracken Judge Executive Newberry will draft a letter to County Clerk Jeff Jerrell advising he revise his policies. A Calloway County man gets a life sentence for murder. Good advice: Don’t sleep with bed bugs. WIC participants are encouraged  to use Farmer’s Markets. Chances thin for the state to win federal Race to the Top money without charter schools. Rand Paul defends his certification group.

TENNESSEE~ Montgomery County passed a budget on time (for once).

ILLINOIS~ The Pentagon: aspiring politician Mark Kirk isn’t acting properly.

morning cram (einstein edition)

“A bizarre story that involves a dead genius, a stolen brain, a rogue scientist and a crazy idea that turned out not to be so crazy…” only on NPR.

KENTUCKY~ In Paducah, education officials are psyched about building a new middle school and an ex-ambulance worker gets probation (for helping steal drugs). 3 slots are up for grabs on MSU’s Board of Regents. A mining union says non-union Dotiki workers want regulators to take a closer look. Lawmakers pay for more LBL road & bridge work. Statewide graduation rates slip; dropouts improve, but are (uh oh) racially disproportionate.

TENNESSEE~ Workers are expected to resume excavating the Clarksville Marina site. The budget is still in deadlock.

ILLINOIS~ Street lights in Metropolis could one day be green (or at least less yellow.)

morning cram (unprepared edition)

Look Mom! I can dress myself!

KY~ Today’s the last day to buy a Murray city sticker on the low and the city council passed a first reading of its budget. A freak storm yesterday takes out a marina on Kentucky Lake. Fish all you want (license or not) June 5-6. Lawmakers could slap the rest of the budget together today.

TN~ Clarksville is close to a deal on its old hospital site. Senate proposal targets jailed illegal immigrants. You can get yer guns and go drinkin’. US Senators vote today on Tennessee flood aid amount$.

SPORTS~ MSU loses OVC baseball tourney opener to EKU, but hangs in there by beating SEMO (yesterday); and will again face EKU (today).

morning cram (can’t stop Toyota edition)

Death toll accelerates to 89.

KY~ A man drowned in a boating accident beneath Barkley Dam. An Indiana couple is indicted in the drunken drowning death of their underage niece.  Paducah is applying for a bunch of public safety grants and is looking for a new mobile bathroom-maker. Chances look grim for a new Paducah Middle School in the next budget. Livingston County bridge work is nearing completion. Coffee vs. Tea (parties) coming to Louisville. Lexington’s World Equestrian Games are now just 4 months away.

TN~ Montgomery County’s proposed budget offers the same ‘ole. No super tickets for super speeding coming this super legislative session. The next budget may draw another big chunk from the state reserves.

IL~ House votes to borrow billion$ to cover pensions.

morning cram (rush edition)

Rush ‘Army of One‘ Limbaugh.

KY~ Some guy robbed a Paducah payday loan shop. Picky board members have delayed renovating Paducah Tilghman High for two months. Hopkins County’s budget may be getting a bump from grant$. Beshear warns about ‘radical’ Rand. Beshear/Stumbo doubt there’s time to look @ charter schools. U of L researchers OK immunizations for < 1-year-olds. Ag-head Farmer: affected should apply for flood relief.

TN~ Someone vandalized a soldier statue in Martin (again). Lawmakers want to pat Arizona on the back.

morning cram (AOL edition)

Over the hill and still truckin’!

KY~ A shooting in Hopkinsville over the weekend claims 1 woman; injures 2. Calloway County swipes Livingston Schools’ superintendent; so they plan to shop for a new one. McCracken County’s proposed budget includes employee raises. Livingston County’s $4mil super public office building breaks ground. Republicans UNITE! The ($64k-a-day) special session begins.

TN~ Lawmakers hope to scrape a budget together this week.

OVC BASEBALL~ MSU < TTU, APSU > UTM.