Paducah, KY - Paducah Tilghman High School senior Claire Kelly has been named a semifinalist in the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation Program. Kelly is one of 2,000 high school seniors nationwide selected from a pool of more than 87,000 applicants to advance in the scholarship program based on academic excellence, leadership, and service to the community.

(Fulton, KY) - Fancy Fannie's Bakery at 422 Lake Street in Fulton is named for matriarch Carolyn Byassee's grandmother. Grandmother Fannie was a baker in East St. Louis years ago...

The bakery offers an assortment of goodies - snowmen made from cupcakes, wedding cakes, party snacks, and pies. Fridays through Sundays are for donuts - plain, chocolate and glazed. They also do apple fritters and sausage, egg and cheese biscuits.

Editor's Note: As of Monday, December 12th, Senator McConnell has joined the chorus of US Senators asking for an investigation into Russian cyber-espionage.

The CIA held a secret briefing for Congressional leaders regarding Russian attempts to not just influence the presidential election, but to specifically aid the election of Donald Trump. The story reports that "...In September, during a secret briefing for congressional leaders, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) voiced doubts about the veracity of the intelligence, according to officials present..."

Follow the jump to the Washington Post http://wpo.st/YvNL2

December 2016 - a sense of community

Graves County High School Chamber Choir members, from left, Elizabeth Rhea, Maddi Green, Ashley Mohler, Messina Ortega, Leeanne Chapman, Jack Peters. Ethan Murphey. and Evan Williams sing Christmas carols to residents of the Mayfield Plaza Apartments.

WASHINGTON - House Democrats voted to elect Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) of Louisville as Ranking Member of the powerful House Budget Committee for the 115^th Congress, set to begin in January. Yarmuth was elected unanimously by the Caucus's 198 members.

Updated: Who, what, where, when supplied by March co-organizer, Peter Murphy for Saturday morning March for Equality and Social Justice in Murray.

Schedule and March information follow.

Only four members of the pre-Bevin Kentucky Arts Council kept their seats. Cadiz resident Paul Fourshee is a hold over and the only member from west of Bowling Green.

Executive Director Lori Meadows resigned from the post she held since 2005. Ironically, also off the board is Darlene Mazzone, whose Paducah Life magazine just won the media award in the Governor's Awards.

PTHS senior Michael-Ellen Walden has been named a Commended Student in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship program.

About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise.

Santa Claus, miles of Christmas lights, dinosaurs and music are December attractions at the Discovery Park of America.

Schedule follows the jump.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Dec. 1, 2016) - The maximum homestead exemption on real estate owned by qualified persons has been set at $37,600 for the 2017 and 2018 tax periods. The 2017-2018 exemption reflects a $700 increase over the 2015 - 2016 exemption of $36,900.

The Cabinet is winter-ready, fully stocked with a supply of 431,200 tons of salt, 1.1 million gallons of salt brine and 1.1 million gallons of calcium chloride.

The Cabinet has approximately 980 deployable trucks and plows among the 125 snow and ice front line maintenance crews. Another 451 contracted trucks are available to assist in snow and ice operations.

The Delta Regional Commission announced multiple programs to help communities in West Kentucky. Among them, the Merryman House in Paducah. Merryman Kemp led a campaign for safe housing for survivors of domestic abuse. The DRA is kicking in $256,500 toward expansion of the Paducah facility. Total project cost will be $2.185 million. For other projects, follow the jump.

(Clinton KY) - Jackson Purchase regional photographers, Mary and Ivan Potter of Clinton, KY, have published their 2017 Calendar. "Looking Through the Year." The limited edition signed by both photographers, will be on sale this Saturday at the Hickman County Arts, Crafts and Book Fair at the Hickman County Elementary School Gym. The Fair runs from 8:30 - 2:30...

Energy Department Announces Agreement to Sell

Depleted Uranium to be Enriched for Civil Nuclear Power

Several Purchase graduates of Emerge KY are on the ballot, including a mayoral candidate, judge, legislator and school board member.

For complete list of Emerge candidates, follow the jump.

The 12th Annual Arts, Crafts & Book Fair will be held on Saturday, November 19th from 8:30 - 2:30.

45 vendors bring their original work to the Fair. Choices range from goat soap to furniture with stops in between for books, jewelry, Christmas decorations

Democrat Lexington Mayor Jim Gray came to Paducah this morning for one more visit before the election in his challenge to unseat Senator Rand Paul.

Republican Senator Rand Paul swings by Paducah today in his final ride around before tomorrow's vote.

Tomorrow, November 8th, is OUR day. It's the day voters get to talk back to the politicians.

At best, 7 out of 10 of us will speak at the ballot box.

Fancy Farm Elementary students get choices in alternative seating

that experts say can improve academic performance

MURRAY, Ky. -- The Murray State University Department of Art & Design and the Clara M. Eagle Gallery are pleased to present the 2016 Annual Art Auction on Friday, Nov. 11, 2016.

The art auction is a scholarship benefit that will take place in the main space of the Clara M. Eagle Gallery, 6th floor of the Fine Arts Building on campus, with a silent auction from 4 to 7 p.m. and a live auction at 5:30 p.m.

With over $100-plus million in maintenance needs at Kentucky's state parks, public-private partnerships, known as P3s, are expected to help reduce the parks' deferred maintenance while employing a strict system of check and balances built into HB 309, said Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet General Counsel Leigh Powers.

"We're not selling off state parks..." Powers

(November 7, 2016) Governor Matt Bevin today recognized the sacrifice of Fort Campbell soldier, Staff Sgt. Matthew C. Lewellen, 27, of Kirksville, Missouri.

(November 7, 2016) Governor Matt Bevin today recognized the sacrifice of Fort Campbell soldier, Staff Sgt. Kevin J. McEnroe, 30, of Tucson, AZ

(November 7, 2016) Governor Matt Bevin today recognized the sacrifice of Fort Campbell soldier, Staff Sgt. James Moriarty, 27, of Kerrville Texas.

...The election being only days away and party rancor the highest since Burr shot Hamilton, Senator Paul was asked about bipartisanship in Congress.

Could he work with the other side of the aisle?

Paul says that he can and that he has. He reeled off a laundry list of bills and issues that he has worked with Democratic senators: Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut on stopping weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, a practice Paul said puts guns into the hands of terrorists like ISIS...