Local Government

The closure is planned from 8 a.m. to noon, city officials said.

Mayor James R. Knight Jr.'s decision surprised council members who heard him caution against a tax cut two months ago.

East Construction Co. brought the building down in less than two hours Thursday morning.

After a structural engineer said the building was in imminent danger of collapsing, the council approved an emergency declaration that includes a $58,564 demolition contract.

After a second inspection declared the Blue Streak building unsafe, Hopkinsville City Council will meet Tuesday to decide whether to order its demolition. The report has sparked public outcry and renewed debate over how to balance safety and preservation downtown.

Advocates for saving the East Ninth Street building told the mayor and council members that professionals in historic properties ought to be consulted, too.

Watson, who has worked for the city's water utility for 28 years, will retire at the end of the year.

Lt. Nathan Stewart's features members of HFD Battalion I in scenes styled like a sitcom trailer to highlight the “camaraderie and spirit within the fire department."

County officials are setting up a two-stage bid process that will be announced soon, said Judge-Executive Jerry Gilliam

Improvements will include new flooring and paint.

Historians believe the Webber Building behind the old courthouse is the oldest surviving structure in the downtown business district.

Housing affordability data showed that more than 4,200 households in Hopkinsville were cost burdened, meaning that more than 30% of their monthly income goes to housing costs.