W. Ky. residents reject metro merger

Posted: Wed 4:00 PM, Nov 07, 2012

PADUCAH, Ky. (AP) - Residents in one western Kentucky community have rejected a controversial proposal to merge governments.

Residents in Paducah and McCracken County voted the proposal down by a more than 2-to-1 margin. The Paducah Sun reports that 70 percent of voters were against the measure that would have combined city and county governments into one metro government.

The measure had strong backing from business leaders, but a grassroots group called No to Metro that had support from community leaders such as Judge-Executive Van Newberry got a majority of the community's support.

Paducah McCracken United member John Williams Jr. said that despite the loss he thinks the idea is around to stay and will get more support as people learn more about it.

'The Sopranos' mobster James Gandolfini has died