11/30/11
Toys for Tots breakfast Thursday at Cattle Pen
The 56th Annual Toys for Tots Breakfast will be held from 5 a.m. to noon Thursday at the Cattle Pen Restaurant.

Torin Graham scores 36 in Cougars' loss
Junior point guard Torin Graham scored 36 points Tuesday in the Logan County Cougars' 76-72 loss at Hopkinsville. Coach Harold Tackett's team entertains Warren East Friday. Coach Scot MacAllister's Lady Cougars, who lost 47-36 at Warren Central, play at Ohio County Thursday. The Russellville Panthers of Coach Dennis Pardue, who lost 87-58 to visiting Muhlenberg County, will go to Butler County Saturday. Coach Dedra Adler's Lady Panthers open their season Thursday against visiting McLean County.

11/29/11
Al Smith's book tops sales at biggest state book fair
WORDSMITH , the recently published autobiography of veteran Russellville editor/publisher Al Smith, outsold all other books offered by 180 authors at the State Book Fair in Frankfort. He outsold several of his "heavy hitter friends," including Bob Edwards, Bobbie Ann Mason, and Wendell Berry as well as several famous athletes, including legendary UK quarterback Babe Parrelli and Meadowlark Lemon of the Globetrotters. Smith will be in Russellville for a book signing on Sunday after-noon, Dec. 11 at Trinity Episcopal Church.

11/28/11
Sye Head leads Kentucky team in 16-state race
Logan County High junior Sye Head led Kentucky Momentum runners in the Footlocker South Nationals Cross Country meet last week at McAlpine Park in Charlotte, N.C. He finished fourth among 276 runners in his age group. The only ones finishing ahead of him were from Florida, West Virginia and North Carolina. The second place Kentuckian placed 22nd. His time ranks Head as a member of the National Elite second team. Fellow LCHS runnerThomas Lyne placed 21st of 80 in the 11-12 division. The other Cougars competing were Noah Thomas, Colton Spencer, Evan Harris and Cory Ford.

11/27/11
Crittenden Drive serves over 1,200 at Thanksgiving
Almost 1,100 meals were carried out to the public Wednesday as part of Crittenden Drive Church of Christ's annual Thanksgiving Eve outreach. Many went to low income areas. Over 100 people also dined in for the meals, which were prepared and distributed by members of the congregation with help from Bethany Church of Christ. Sisters Julie Davenport and Annelle White again led the effort with special help from Polly Porter & Christine Allen.

11/26/11
Logan Democrats offering chance on Calipari b'ball
Logan County Democrats are selling chances for an autographed basketball from UK Coach John Calapari. State Representative Martha Jane King asked him to donate the ball with the stipulation that proceeds go to a charity. Each year Logan Democrats team with Agape to raise money for Soldiers Family Christmas-- to buy toys, gift cards and meals for the lowest paid soldiers' fami-lies of the 7th Battalion at Fort Campbell. Last year the effort provided 265 gifts and 75 dinners. The soldiers left for Afghanistan two weeks after that party in 2010 and are still there. However, their spouses and children are here. Chances for the autographed UK ball are $3 or two for $5. Ronnie Stearsman will have the ball at the Toys for Tots Breakfast on Dec. 1 at the Cattle Pen. or at Democratic Headquarters on Dec. 13 from 5-8 p.m. They will also accept any monetary donations, toy donations (approximately $10 unwrapped gifts), or canned food for the food baskets. They will also hold a roadblock from 3-5 p.m. on Dec 2. Call Evelda Stearsman at 725-9536 or 725-1508 to donate or help the effort.

UK, WKU, U of L get wins in great Kentucky weekend
Behind converted wide receiver Matt Roark at quarterback, UK beat Tennessee 10-7 Saturday to end a 26-year drought. The last time UK beat UT, Russellville's Tom Wilkins was a starting line-backer. Today RHS grad Mikie Benton was the Cats' safety. The win helped secure the job of Coach Joker Phillips while adding to the jeopardy of Vols' coach Derek Dooley, who was arrogant and obscene after a narrow OT victory over Vanderbilt a week earlier. It also knocked UT out of the bowl picture, which could help get a bowl bid for Western Kentucky, now 7-5 after knocking off five-time defending Sun Belt champion Troy 41-13 in Bowling Green. The win was the 7th in the last eight games for Coach Willie Taggart. Bobby Rainey, one of the nation's rushing leaders, became WKU's all-time leading rusher during Saturday's game. all-time leading rusher during Saturday's game.
On Friday Coach Charley Strong's Louisville team had won 34-24 at South Florida to clinch a tie for the Big East championship and to get the Cardinals in contention for an Orange Bowl berth. Eastern Kentucky University lost 20-17 to #17 James Madison in a Division II playoff game Saturday.
11/25/11
Judge Gill featured in Courier-Journal lead story
The Thanksgiving issue of The Courier-Journal quotes Logan-Todd Circuit Judge Tyler Gill extensively in its lead story after he sentenced 18-year-old Garrett Dye to 50 years in prison for the murder of his sister, Amy Dye in Todd County. "Judge savages state social service agency" is the subhead of the story. Common-wealth Attorney Gail Guiling is also quoted. The C-J has been doing a series of stories about problems facing child services in the state.

11/23/11
Billy Jeff Burton, WKU welcome Final 4's VCU tonight
Former Russellville tennis and basketball standout Billy Jeff Burton knows VCU well after having worked in administration for the school for 18 years. Burton is associate athletic director for administration at his alma mater, Western Kentucky. WKU returns to Diddle Arena Wednesday night at 7: to face the VCU Rams for the second time in four days after the two teams met in the DirecTV Charleston Classic Sunday.VCU came from behind to win 69-64. The Rams return two starters from a team that made an incredible run all the way to the Final Four after wins over USC, Georgetown, Purdue, Florida State and Kansas. Before Sunday, the all-time series between WKU and VCU, who were members of the Sun Belt Conference together from 1979-91, was tied at 15 each..

Crittenden Drive serving Thanksgiving meals again
Once again, Crittenden Drive Church of Christ is offering meals on Thanksgiving Eve. The congregation will be serving Thanksgiving meals to the community Wednesday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Multipur-pose Room. Meals will also be delivered meals for those unable to come, beginning at 1 p.m. The church hopes to reach as many families in the community as possible. Anyone who knows of a household in need of a delivered meal can call the church office (726-6583) with the name, address, phone number and the number in the household. The church has served several hundred meals on this day each of the past few years.

11/22/11
Logan Memorial photo contest deadline next week
A photo contest with ten $100 prizes is being conducted by Logan Memorial Hospital. The deadline for electronic submissions is next Wednesday, Nov. 30. Scenes have to be of Todd or Logan county sites. Rules can be found at http://www.loganmemorial.com/.

11/21/11
Lee Dockins wins 5 golds at state meet
Lee Dockins of Russellville won five gold medals at the state artistic gymnastics competition held Saturday in Lexington. She won gold for the vault (19.90), bars (19.30), floor (19.80), and a perfect score of 20 on the balance beam. She also won the gold for All Around.

Services today for college coach who visited Logan
The Oklahoma State University women's basketball coach who died in an airplane crash last week once visited Logan County, Karl Budke and a top assistant lost their lives in the crash of a small plane in Arkansas while on a recruiting trip. He brought his first Louisiana Tech team to Logan County High on the eve of a game at Western Kentucky University on Nov. 22, 2002, as the guest of then- Lady Cougar coach Paul McNeal, who had been a friend of the Lady Techsters' program while coaching in Louisiana. Budke had just replaced the legendary Leon Barmore as coach of one of the greatest programs in women's history, La Tech, ranked 10th in the nation, lost the game the next day 71-57 to the Lady Toppers. It was the first game as head coach for both Budke and Mary Taylor Cowles of WKU. That La Tech team, which spent time with the Lady Cougars in the Commons Area, later won 29 straight games. Budke went 80-16 as the Lady Techsters' coach before taking the position at Oklahoma State.

11/18/11
Radiothon raises over $11,700 for Toys for Tots
A four-hour raditothon on WRUS raised over $11,700 for Toys for Tots Friday afternoon. Instrumental in the effort were Chris McGinnis, Lon Sosh, Mack Mallory, Sharon Ray, Don Neagle, Tim Harris & Casey Yates of WRUS, Mike and Janice Humble of Agape Ministries, and many volunteers, led by Logan Telephone Co-op. Afterwards Bro. Joe Carrico, 87, who began Toys for Tots in Logan County 54 years ago, was headed to the Elizabethtown area to see his daughter, Renee Carrico, who has overcome staggering physical problems at age 55.

Olmstead Lady Rams playing at state this weekend
The Olmstead Lady Rams will play in the Eighth Grade Middle School State Tournament in Lexington: Tonight they will play Powell County at the Kentucky Basketball Academy, 7 (EST). Saturday game schedules are on the Roy's Sports Calendar. Olmstead, which is coached by Daniel Alvis and Chris Wilcutt, will try to advance to championship rounds at Rupp Arena.

Toys for Tots Radiothon planned this afternoon
Toys For Tots Radiothon will be held on WRUS today from 1-5. The goal is to surpass the $10,000 raised on last year's program.. Mack Mallory will host 1-2 p.m. and Lon Sosh from 2-5. Sosh says, "Logan County children and Ft. Campbell families are depending on us," Call 542-TOYS (542-8697.) Pledges will be read on the air and acknowledged.

11/17/11
Teams announced for FSNB Christmas Classic
Teams have been announced for the First Southern National Bank Christmas Classic, which is also sponsored by Roy's Bar-B-Q & WRUS. Schools from four states are fielding teams for the boys division, including South Atlanta and.Percy L. Julian of Chicago, which plays Logan County. Also from out-of-state is Tennessee's West Creek, which meets Russellville first. Other teams are Muhlenberg County, Bullitt Central and Louisville Fern Creek.
In girls opening round pairings on Dec. 27, Russellville will meet Mayfield and Logan County will host Jackson County, Other entrants are St. Mary's, Trimble County, Middlesboro and West Creek. The finals for both divisions will be played Dec. 29.
Tournament Director Holli Brown notes: "In addition to this, we will be playing a game on Friday, Dec. 30. If the South Atlanta & Percy L Julian boys don’t play in the finals, they will play that morning. If they do, we will have two games, one with Logan playing South Atlanta and one with Russellville playing Percy L Julian. Since those teams were traveling so far, they needed to get four games in."

11/16/11
Howard named Area Coach of Year in cross country
Logan County Cross Country Coach Greg Howard has been chosen Area 2 Boys Cross County High School Coach of the Year. Area 2 encompasses the following counties and all school districts within those counties: Daviess, Grayson, Warren, Allen, Barren, Edmonson, Muhlenberg, Butler, and Logan. The Cougars had an outstanding season. Class 2A-Region 1 Boys champions and Class 2A 5^th place team in state.

11/15/11
Arts & Crafts club presenting annual craft show
The 11^th annual “Christmas in November” Craft Show sponsored by Logan County Arts & Crafts will be held this weekend at the Russellville Parks and Recreation Building on South Winter Street. Hours are 9 to 5 on Saturday and 1 to 5 on Sunday. Featured will be handmade crafts from local vendors. Admission is free and door prizes will be given.

11/14/11
LCHS Fall Sports Awards program set Sunday
Logan County High School will host its 2011 Fall Sports Awards Program on Sunday, Nov. 20 at 2 p.m. in the Auxiliary Gym at the school. The school will honor participants for their individual and team accomplishments in the sports of Cheerleading, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Soccer, & Volleyball. The public is invited to attend. Following the program, refreshments will be served.

Conservation districts invite public to celebration
The public is invited to help celebrate 70 years in conservation and the American farmer in the Farmer Appreciation Day at the USDA offices at 253 C Hopkinsville Road in Russellville Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Refreshments, door prizes, brochures and pictures will be part of the celebration. Dale Goad will be honored upon his retirement from the district office,

Ami Brooks licensed to practice law in Kentucky
Logan Countian Ami Brooks, who has been practicing law in Tennesee, now will be able to practice law in her hometown. Brooks, who has worked in the office of attorney James Milam since 2000, graduated from the Nashville School of Law in 2008 and has been practicing law in Springfield, Tenn. since. Kentucky was not going to let her sit for the exam, but after learning she has gotten a "substantially equivalent education as a Kentucky law school," authorities permitted to sit for the Kentucky Bar Exam and she passed. In addition to her work in Springfield, she will now be a lawyer in Milam's office, She is the wife of Logan County High teacher/ guidance counselor David Brooks.

11/13/11
Family concert offered at First Baptist Tuesday
The Wissmann Family will be in concert at First Baptist Church at 5th and Main in Russellville Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. The Wissmanns include 13 children who play 15 instruments. Fellowship Church of Christ is also a sponsor of the concert.

11/12/11
Wayne Harris to be featured on Channel 8 Sunday
Russellville businessman Wayne Harris will be featured on "Tennessee Crossroads" at 10 a.m. on Nashville Public Television, (Channel 8).Sunday. The segment was also shown Thursday.
NPT crews filmed the trains in his backyard and his exotic wood art pictures in his woodwork shop.

Panthers, UK's Benton have rough weekend
Russellville football-present and past--has experienced a rough weekend. Friday night, the Panthers' season came to an end (6-6) with a 65-7 loss at Louisville Holy Cross in the second round of the playoffs. Saturday afternoon the Kentucky Wildcats an safety Mikie Benton--a former RHS star--were soundly defeated 38-8 at Vanderbilt, probably knocking them out of bowl competition.

Cougars, Head record 5th place state finishes
With junior Sye Head leading the way, the Logan County Cougars finished 5th in the state in Class 2A cross country competition at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington Saturday. Head, who had won the regional championship a week earlier,also finished 5th. North Oldham, which had runners place 1st, 4th and 7th, won the state championship. Logan finished ahead of 6th place Lexington Catholic and 25 other teams. Barrett Rogers, Noah Thomas, Evan Harris and Jacob Speck also placed in team standings for Coach Greg Howard's team.

11/11/11
Auburn Christmas Open Houses planned Saturday
The Auburn Merchants Christmas Open Houses will be Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free carriage rides and live music will be available on the square. Countryside Bake Shop is offering breakfast and lunch while Federal Grove Bed and Breakfast will serve high tea or lunch and dinner. Colonial House Furniture, Glen’s Hardware, Lion & Lamb Antiques, Red Barn Antiques, Yard Sale Shop and Main Street Style will conduct open houses.

11/10/11
Panthers headed to Derby City for playoffs
The Russellville Panthers head to Louisville Friday night to try to upset one of the state's top-ranked Class A teams in the second round of the football playoffs. Coach John Myers' team (5-5) goes again Holy Cross (10-1), which is third-ranked in The Litratings. and is beating opponents by an average score of 48 10. The Cougars are a six-touchdown favorite. Game time is 7 p.m., CST.

WKU men's basketball season to open Friday
The 93rd season of basketball at Western Kentucky University begins Friday night at 7 with a rematch of last season’s tip-off contest, as WKU welcomes Saint Joseph’s to E.A. Diddle Arena for the first time since Dec. 21, 2000. WKU defeated Saint Jos’s in Philadelphia one year ago, 98-70, which kicked off a season that ended with a 16-16 overall record and an 8-8 mark in Sun Belt Conference play.

Benefit for Josh Thomas and family set Saturday
A benefit for accident victim Josh Thomas and his family will be held at the Auburn Fire Department Saturday from 5-8 p.m. Ribeye sandwiches with chips and drinks will be provided for $6. Josh was injured during a motor vehicle accident in July and suffered brain trauma. Since the accident, most of his immediate family have spent most of their time in Nashville to be by Josh’s side. All proceeds raised will go to the Thomas family to help with expenses. Sponsor of the event is Auburn Minit Mart where Josh’s mom Lynne Thomasworked until the accident.

Beshear leads Democratic romp; Comer triumphs
Logan County helped Republican Jamie Comer of Monroe County be elected Commissioner of Agriculture Tuesday. He had big support from the ag community, most of whom Democratic candidate Bob Farmer may never have met. Otherwise Tuesday was a wonderful day for the Democratic ticket, headed by Gov. Steve Beshear and his charismatic running mate, Lieutenant Governor-elect Jerry Abramson. Other statewide winners were Democrats Allison Grimes, Jack Conway, Adam Edelen & Todd Hollenbach, Bruce Wilkerson was elected mayor of Bowling Green.

11/7/11
Cougars, Sye Head win regional cross country titles
With junior Sye Head finishing first and four other runners placing in the top 11, Coach Greg Howard's Logan County Cougars dominated the Class 2A Region 1 cross country meet at Union County High Saturday. Head finished first with a 17:18.9 time. JuniorColton Spencer placed 5th at 18:05.1 with seniors Barrett Rogers & Evan Harris 9th & 10th and junior Noah Thomas 11th. That gave the Cougars a score of 36, easily out-distancing runner-up Webster County at 68. Union County was 3rd at 105, followed by Hopkinsville, Trigg County and five others. Jacob Speck (14th) and Stefan Bieshevuel also ran for the regional champs, finishing in the top 25 of 67 runners.
Junior Claire Hopkins led the Lady Cougars to a 6th place team finish by running a 23:49.4. Also running for Logan were Amber Thorlton, Sammi Collins, Jasmine Martin and Tabatha Valentine for the team also coached by Howard.

11/5/11
WKU Hilltoppers beat FIU for 5th straight win
The Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers edged visiting Florida International 10-9 Saturday to improve their record to 5-4, with all wins coming in the Sun Belt Conference. Only one win short of being bowl eligible, Coach Willie Taggart's team goes next week to face LSU, which continues as the number one team in the nation, following Saturday's 9-6 overtime win at number two Alabama.

Olmstead suffers tough loss, then wins 2 straight
Host South Warren, which went on to win its own tournament, hit a 50-foot game-winner at the buzzer to beat Olmstead 30-29 in a middle school girls tournament, and then Coach Daniel Alvis' team recorded two impressive wins. The Lady Rams beat Owensboro Catholic 37-34 and Moss 44-20 Saturday.

11/4/11
Panthers edge Bethlehem in Class A playoffs
Russellville came from behind to edge visiting Bardstown 28-23 in the first round of the Class A football playoffs Friday. Josh Hamptoncaught an 81-yard pass from Barrett Croslin, who threw for 197 yards. Freshman Desmond Quarles deflected a pass, intercepted it, returned it the one, and then scored. Demarcus Hampton ran for a touchdown and an extra point. Zach Hines scored the winning touchdown. Hines ran for 113 yards, Demarcus Hampton for 59 yards and Quarles 58. The Panthers now go to Louisville for a game against second-ranked Holy Cross Friday

Crawford named Lady Cougar softball coach
Principal Casey Jaynes has announced that Mike Crawford has been named Logan County High School softball coach. Crawford is in his fifth year at LCHS where he has been an assistant football coach. He has also coached at Lone Oak, Ballard Memorial and Graves County high schools. In addition to football, Crawford has served as a girls and boys head track coach and as a boys middle school basketball coach. Crawford has served in various positions with youth sports programs in football, baseball and softball. A 1995 graduate of Murray State University, Crawford has three children, Tony (21), Jordan (12) and Mollianne (9).

Panthers to host Bethlehem in first round of playoffs
The Russellville Panthers are heavily favored to advance in the Class A football playoffs tonight with a win over visiting Bethlehem RHS (5-5) is a four-touchdown favorite over the visitors from the Bardstown area (2-8). Game time is 7 p.m. This is most likely the last home game for the Panthers. Next week's opponent is expected to be Louisville Holy Cross, the state's second-ranked team and an 83-point favorite over Fulton City. Mayfield, which won Russellville's district, appears to have clear path to the regional finals the next two weeks.

11/3/11
Republican spaghetti dinner at headquarters Friday
Logan County's Republicans are offering a low-price spaghetti dinner Friday evening at GOP Headquarters on Carrico Park Square in downtown Russellville. Dinners are $3 for one person or $5 for two. It's a come-and-go format. The General Election is next week.

11211
Aaron Johnson name state Wendy's Heisman finalist
Aaron Johnson , a football and track standout at Logan County High School, is one of 20 finalists for the Wendy's High School Heisman Award. They were chosen from among 940 applicants, according to the Bowling Green Daily News. The competition honors scholar-athletes. tate winners move on to nationals.

11/1/11
CPR & AED HeartSaver class at hospital Wednesday
Logan Memorial Hospital will offer an American Heart Association HeartSaver class, beginning at noon Wednesday. The class will include CPR certification as well as address AED use and choking. There is a $12 charge for class educational materials. Pre-registration is required, which may be completed by calling 725-4601