Governor visits Princeton, Mayfield on eve of 4th anniversary of deadly tornado

Governor Beshear spent the day in western Kentucky with several events that included observing the eve of the fourth anniversary of the deadly 2021 tornadoes.

Four Dawson Springs families were presented keys to their new homes in Princeton during a dedication ceremony on Tuesday with the Hope Initiative.

The governor reflected on the tornado’s impact across Mayfield, Princeton, and his family’s hometown of Dawson Springs. First Lady Britainy Beshear gifted each family a Governor's Mansion Christmas ornament to hang on their tree.

Tuesday afternoon's visit to Mayfield also reflected the city's rebirth from the tornado's destruction. Beshear joined with Mayor Kathy O'Nan and the city's first responders to celebrate the implementation of the new Statewide Emergency Responder Voice System. SERVS allows seamless communication between the Kentucky State Police, Graves County Sheriff's Office, Mayfield Police Department, and Mayfield Fire and EMS, and addresses previous coverage gaps and failures. 

In another major upgrade for the county, it was announced that the Mayfield-Graves County Airport has achieved the designation of a regional airport.

The regional airport distinction goes to just a handful of facilities across the state. Mayfield has met requirements like a passenger terminal, night time operations, instrument operations, automated weather systems and availability of jet fuel and aircraft maintenance. 


(Photos: Brittainy Beshear addresses families in Princeton at dedication of newest torando recovery homes;