-News from November 12, 2009 issue

Local News
The Crittenden Press Full Version (PDF)

Service with a Smile:
Veteran Salute: Perry James
Talking about a 65-year-old war is no easier today than it was when Perry James was fighting the Germans in Europe.
It’s difficult to think about and even tougher to discuss. James, 85, prefers to talk about his three sons, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Each of his boys lives almost within earshot of their father.
“Some times it was really rough,” injects Viola, Perry’s wife of 57 years, when she sees him struggling with war memories. “He tries to get it off his mind. I don’t think there will ever be another one like it.”
Of course everyone hopes she is right. Perry James was just 18 when he joined the U.S. Army and became an artillery specialist. He earned seven campaign medals – four during World War II and three in Korea. He served 20 years and met his wife while stationed at Fort Knox.
The military took James all over the globe. He was able to take his family to Panama for three years during a tour of duty he calls a “vacation because the weather was just perfect.”
The years he spent on the frontlines in Europe and Korea were nothing similar. They were brutal and he still carries the emotional scars. Yet, James remains very fond of his military career.
“Looking back on it now, it makes you proud,” he said.
If he was 20 today, James says he’d re-enlist.
“I definitely would,” he said while leaning back in an easy chair at his home built by his youngest son Pat in 2000. The house was constructed on the site where his first place was blown away by a tornado. The twister destroyed a house that had parts more than 100 years old.
James grew up in the Crayne and Hebron communities and went to high school in Fredonia before going off to war before he graduated. After a career in the military, he settled on 40 acres on Sugar Grove Church Road. He and Viola have been members of the church – which is just down the road from their house – for almost 40 years.
After the military, James dabbled in carpentry work, but has enjoyed his retirement, which is in its 46th year. Life hasn’t been too easy though. He’s survived 14 surgeries, including some major heart repairs.
The road in front of his home is now a dead end not far past his place. It used to go all the way through from Ky. 120 to Blackburn Church Road. Now, it ends at Piney Creek where a bridge once stood.
James was visiting with Gary Cruce, who hauled some new gravel for the driveway Thursday. They talked about the weather and other folks in the neighborhood, but there was no mention of James’ service to his country nor his bravery in battle. Like so many of those who fought years ago to preserve freedom, James doesn’t care to discuss the details.
Although he was never wounded, James saw intense fighting. He points to the sky and says the “Good Lord” was watching over him.
“The Battle of the Bulge was the worst part of it,” he says. “The German Panzer units were firing 88s at us at point blank range a lot of times.
“It was rough,” and that’s about you’ll here him say.

School children get flu shots Monday
H1N1 flu vaccine will be available to Crittenden County students beginning Monday. Parents or guardians must accompany students who elect to be inoculated.
Local health department personnel and school officials have developed a partnership plan to vaccinate children starting with an after-school clinic next week at the elementary school.
Vaccine will be administered as long as stocks hold out, said Angie Dooms, a nurse at the Crittenden County Health Department. Initially, there should be enough to vaccinate everyone who wants it from preschool through fifth grade.
While children will be inoculated Monday after school, other citizens in high-risk groups can be vaccinated on a daily walk-in basis at the health department on the corner of Second and Walker streets.
The health department is now vaccinating health care workers, pregnant women, individuals aged 24-64 with chronic illness and daycare workers. That vaccine is free, and it is available in shot or nasal mist form.
Students will not have to pay for their vaccines, but anyone with Medicaid will need to bring their medical card so the procedure can be charged to Medicaid.
The vaccine will be provided as a shot or FluMist nasal spray. Vaccines will be administered by certified health department nurses.
A letter from the Pennyrile Area Health Department was sent home Tuesday with students, advising parents and guardians of the vaccination option and procedure.
On Monday, only students from preschool to fifth grade, and their brothers or sisters, will be getting the vaccination. Siblings who qualify for inoculation at that time must be school age or younger.
“We will expand to other groups as we receive the vaccine. Parents or legal guardians must be present in order for the child to receive this vaccine,” the health department said in its letter sent home with students.
The clinic will begin immediately after school on Monday. A schedule has been established for different groups in order to provide for a manageable flow of people, said Al Starnes, director of pupil personnel for the school system. The schedule is located in the blue box above. For more information call, 965-5215. In Livingston County, the same time schedule will be used on Tuesday.
Superintendent Dr. Rachel Yarbrough said student attendance has held strong despite the flu season. During November, attendance has averaged 94.3 percent. The high school was down to 90.6 percent on Monday while the elementary school was at 95.5 and middle school at 94.6 percent.
“We are still quite fortunate that overall attendance remains in the mid 90s,” Dr. Yarbrough said.
To date, the school system has reported a half dozen confirmed cases of H1N1 among students. They have each recovered and returned to the classroom.

STAFF REPORT
Deer hunting dominated by outsiders
There was a time when deer hunting was a home-grown affair. Now, hunting season in Crittenden County is dominated by recreation seekers from abroad and commercial outfitting companies.
Crittenden County Conservation Officer Randy Conway echos what others around town are saying. As the local game warden, he sees hunting trends first hand.
“We have more out-of-state hunters and fewer locals,” Conway said.
The game warden started naming off several commercial hunting operations that have sprung up in Crittenden County. He ran out of fingers on one hand and started on another as he rattled off names like Tradewater Outfitters, Wild Wing, Bowhunt West Kentucky, CCW Outfitters and more.
While there are more than a half dozen licensed hunting guides in the county, Conway says there are numerous others that sell day hunts, leases or broker hunting trips.
Hunting is huge business in Crittenden County and Marion merchants are annually rewarded when orange-clad big game gunners pour into town. The influx begins this weekend with the opening of rifle season.
Marion Tourism Director Michele Edwards says there is no way to know exactly what hunters spend here, but

See DEER/page 4Continued from page 1
the state’s tourism department says overnight guests commonly drop $120 per day when visiting an area. Edwards says the economic impact to the county is much greater because of high-priced hunting leases and paid hunts that last anywhere from three days to one week.
“Hunting is definitely No. 2,” Edwards said about attracting tourists to Crittenden County. The Amish country is the biggest attraction.
This weekend there are several events aimed at hunters, mostly their stomachs. Shady Grove Volunteer Fire Department will host its annual deer hunters breakfast from 8 a.m., until noon. The breakfast and gun giveaway is the fire department’s main source of income every year.
“We had abut 300 eat breakfast last year,” said fireman Dan Wood. “We make about as much off the raffle as we do the breakfast.”
The gun is a Remington .30-06 and breakfast costs $7 a plate.
At Marion Baptist Church, there will be free chili and a Deer Expo from 11 a.m., until 1 p.m. That event also drew about 300 last fall. Organizers will have a deer scoring contest among other activities.
Tolu will host a deer hunters lunch at its community building, the former school. Proceeds from that will benefit the community building.
While hunting season lasts through Nov. 29, the greatest influx of hunters is during the first weekend.