Top WEKT News Stories of the Second Quarter (April to June) of 2025, sponsored by the City of Elkton, Todd County Public Library, Modern Woodmen – Kathy J. Morgan, Southern Homes Realty, and Todd County Public Schools:
During the first week of April, Todd County and the City of Elkton were placed under a state of emergency after heavy rainfall—totaling around 10 inches—caused record flooding and forced numerous road closures. Judge Executive Todd Mansfield and Elkton Mayor Arthur Green urged residents to stay home and advised those in low-lying areas to evacuate before rising water entered their houses. The flooding caused the washout of a portion of Antioch Church Road and damaged a portion of Blue Hole Road.
On April 8th, the Tennessee Valley Authority announced preferred locations for the new Stokes Switching Station and a 20-mile transmission line spanning Logan and Todd counties to bolster regional power reliability. Officials selected the final route after evaluating environmental factors and incorporating public feedback gathered during several open houses held between late 2024 and early 2025. Completion of the project is expected by fall 2028.
The Elkton Rotary Club concluded its 2025 scholarship auction on Saturday night, April 12th, having raised $29,000 to support Todd County Central High School seniors and other community initiatives. Auction leaders expressed their gratitude to the public for donating 225 items and contributing heavily to the Century Club.
On Monday evening, April 14th, Trenton City Commissioner Wayne Johnson submitted his resignation. Johnson had moved outside of the city limits and was no longer eligible to be a commissioner.
On Wednesday, April 16th, the Todd County Board of Education appointed Jessica Addison as the new superintendent following a rigorous search to find a successor for Mark Thomas. Addison, a lifelong Todd County resident who previously served as the assistant superintendent of Christian County Public Schools, accepted the role and began the job on July 1, 2025.
Charles Petty was remembered for his lifelong dedication to agriculture and the community following his passing at the age of 85. He left behind a legacy of service that included founding Kentucky American Seed, hosting numerous agricultural radio reports, and receiving multiple distinguished honors for his contributions to the industry.
Cheryl Dossett was honored for her retirement following more than 40 years of dedicated service to Todd County’s emergency and volunteer organizations. Throughout her career, she served as a pioneer for the county’s ambulance service, worked extensively in dispatch, and volunteered for nearly two decades with the rescue squad.
On April 29th, three state inmates faced additional jail time after an attempted riot and small fire broke out inside the Todd County Jail. Emergency response teams and local law enforcement successfully contained the situation by early the following morning, resulting in property damage but no reported injuries.
A 27-year-old Guthrie man, Ivan Villa Contreras, was killed on Tuesday, April 29th, following a fight and stabbing at a construction site on Old Russellville Pike. His co-worker, 24-year-old Cristian Moreno-Hernandez, was arrested and charged with criminal homicide in connection with the incident.
Craig Harman, a former Todd County Central High School JROTC instructor, was sentenced on Wednesday, April 30th, to 25 years in prison on 48 counts involving the exploitation of minors. Harman, who served at the school in 2021, will be eligible for parole after serving eight and a half years of his sentence.
In early May, Steve Haley, a dedicated community leader and longtime grocery professional, passed away at 65 following a brief battle with cancer. Known for his 45-year career and service as a Robertson County Commissioner, Haley was also a passionate writer whose column, “The Guthrie I Remember,” celebrated the history and spirit of his hometown.
Trenton native Shelley Haley was sworn in as the newest City Commissioner during a special-called May meeting. The commission voted unanimously to appoint Haley to fill the vacancy left by Wayne Johnson following his resignation the previous month.
Todd County’s May food drive, hosted by WEKT, collected over $2,000 in donations and supplies to support the school district’s efforts to feed local families over summer break. The event featured several notable contributions, including a $1,000 gift from the Back2Back Foundation and a donation in honor of retiring Superintendent Mark Thomas. An additional $5,000 was raised following the events at both Todd County Food Giant locations.
Two bicyclists, 34-year-old Rachel Hoover and 31-year-old Marlene Martin, died from their injuries after being struck by an SUV on Pembroke Road in Hopkinsville on Monday, May 5th. The motor vehicle driver, 30-year-old Isaiah Edwards, was arrested at the scene.
Two anonymous local donors provided the Trenton Fire Department with an all-inclusive grain entrapment rescue system, the only one of its kind in Todd County. Chief John Stahl noted that firefighters completed hands-on training with the new equipment to ensure they are prepared for local agricultural emergencies.
Madison Harrison made history as the first Todd County Central student to graduate from Hopkinsville Community College’s Early College program, earning two associate degrees before her high school graduation. The valedictorian and cheerleader attends Murray State University to pursue a nursing degree while continuing to help on her family’s farm.
On May 15th, Ascension Saint Thomas announced plans to invest $148.5 million in a new 44-bed full-service hospital at Highway 76 and I-24 in Clarksville. The facility aims to create 250 jobs and provide local access to emergency care, surgery, and specialized services for one of Tennessee’s fastest-growing counties.
On May 16th, a night marked by both community celebration and severe weather, Todd County Central High School held its 2025 graduation ceremony as an EF-2 tornado touched down in the northern part of the county. While over 120 graduates, led by Valedictorian Madison Harrison, celebrated their achievements and honored late classmates, emergency crews responded to significant storm damage along Blue Hole and Allegre Roads, where thankfully no injuries were reported.
26-year-old Jonathan Detweiler, of Guthrie, was handed a superseding indictment by the Todd County Grand Jury on multiple charges, including the rape and sexual abuse of two minors. The indictment also includes three counts of terroristic threatening for allegedly using threats of physical force to keep the victims from reporting the abuse.
In early June, Governor Andy Beshear announced a state gas tax reduction of 1.4 cents per gallon to help ease the financial burden on Kentucky households, which was scheduled to take effect on July 1.
The City of Elkton hosted its first-ever Touch A Truck event on Saturday, June 7th, at the Elkton-Todd County Park, drawing a large crowd of families and children. The community enjoyed a day of exploring heavy equipment, like the Sheriff’s Department Humvee, and was treated to a free hot dog lunch and snow cones.
A barn fire on Britmart Road in Todd County destroyed a large chicken house and killed several chickens on June 10th. Firefighters from five local departments responded to the scene, noting that some of the animals had previously been rescued from a different barn destroyed by a tornado earlier this year.
The Elkton Fire Department hosted a special gathering to celebrate the retirement of Safety Officer Perry Knight, who stepped away after 21 years with the department. Knight’s extensive career in emergency services also included time with EMS, the Rescue Squad, and the Sheriff’s Office.
The City of Elkton mourned the passing of former Mayor Evelyn Morgan Bell Boone, who served the community as a council member and mayor from 1982 to 1989. In her honor, Mayor Arthur Green proclaimed June 19, 2025, as “Mayor Evelyn Boone Day,” ordering flags to be flown at half-staff to recognize her legacy as a local business owner, church leader, and founding member of numerous civic organizations.
Twelve-year-old Ellery Jenkins, a student at Todd County Middle School, competed as a pre-quarterfinalist in the national Ranger Rick Junior Ranger competition to fund her unique cancer research. Inspired by her mother’s diagnosis, Jenkins sought the $20,000 prize to expand her beekeeping operation and study how to infuse honey with natural cancer-fighting enzymes.
WEKT celebrated the conclusion of its “Grand FAN-ale” on Thursday, June 26th, at Haley Hardware, thanking the community for donating 88 fans and three air conditioning units throughout June. Sponsored by Walker Automotive, the campaign received major support from the Elkton Rotary Club, the Back-to-Back Foundation, and the TVA to help provide cooling relief to residents in need.
In late June, Todd County was selected as one of 12 Kentucky counties to receive state funding for critical infrastructure repairs. Governor Andy Beshear awarded the Todd County Fiscal Court $542,428 from the County and City Bridge Improvement Program to replace the Maton Road bridge with a safer and more durable structure.
The Elkton Rotary Club surpassed its fundraising goal during its third annual Firecracker 5K in late June, raising nearly $8,000. Over 150 participants joined the race, with the proceeds providing 200 Todd County students with new shoes for the upcoming school year through the district’s FRYSC programs.
