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The Level One Drought declaration for Kentucky has been removed.
The Office of the State Climatologist and the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet say several days of rain brought by the remnants of Hurricane Helene allowed for water to infiltrate into the soil column and return soil moisture to pre-summer levels. The precipitation also eliminated rain deficits and returned streamflows to normal levels.
While the drought declaration has been lifted, Kentuckians are reminded to adhere to the regulations in place for Fall Forest Fire Hazard Season, which is now in effect.
“During that period from October to April is where the forestry service says that you need to stay 150 feet from any wood line or anything like that,” said Radcliff Deputy Fire Marshal Tommy Crane. “They have the times where if you’re doing a large fire, clearing brush and stuff, they want you to do it between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. where the temperature is cooler, the air temperature has dropped, and the wind is typically a little calmer in the evenings.”
Crane says never leave any fire unattended. Visit the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet’s website for more information.
Elizabethtown resident Patrick Mattingly saw the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene and decided to help one of the smaller communities impacted by the storm.
“I partnered up with United Way of North Carolina and we’re doing a supply drive, taking any types of donations to take to Jefferson, North Carolina,” Mattingly said. “It’s a little farm town in Ashe County that’s been severely affected by the flood from Hurricane Helene.”
Mattingly is planning on driving a box truck provided to him by Penske to the area on Saturday, so people who would like to contribute can bring items to two locations Friday.
“One is at the E-Town Ace Hardware, and I believe that’s 408 West Dixie Avenue, and another drop-off point is going to be in Louisville for people that may be in Louisville,” Mattingly said. “It’s going to be at 10515 Fischer Park Drive in Louisville, and that is at the KCREA office.”
Mattingly says he has secured donations of water and food, but he is looking for a wider range of needed items.
“Hygiene, baby food, propane bottles,” Mattingly said. “They’re asking for fencing supplies, if anybody could help with that, because these farmers have cattle and livestock that they’re not able to corral, they’re just running wild, and people are already bringing water and food. It’s small things like trash bags and buckets and cleaning materials.”
Ace Hardware in Elizabethtown is open Friday until 8 p.m.
Organizations across the community and across the state are working to assist those impacted by Hurricane Helene.
The American Red Cross says this past weekend more than 2,600 people were staying in 69 emergency shelters supported by the Red Cross and other community organizations. Officials say shelter operations will likely need to last for several weeks as disaster assessments are completed. Red Cross volunteers are assisting about 100 people from Kentucky who had homes impacted by the storm.
The Red Cross has issued an appeal for financial donations, blood donations, and donations of time. Visit redcross.org or text HELENE to 90999 to make a monetary donation. You can also find information on the Red Cross website about training requirements to volunteer with the organization.
The Red Cross says more than 1,500 scheduled blood donations in areas impacted by the storm went uncollected, and at a time where the national blood supply is already facing a shortage additional donations are needed to sustain patients and hospitals. Schedule an appointment today at redcrossblood.org.
On the local level, several organizations are running collection drives to send needed items to those impacted. Ride Wright Tire is accepting materials at 2400 Leitchfield Road through October 4 for delivery the next day. The Grayson County Chamber of Commerce is collecting items at their office through October 7. Wills Transport is accepting items at 314 Kitty Hawk Drive through October 11. Items requested include cases of water, socks, gloves, non-perishable food items, pet food, baby care products, toiletries, and cleaning supplies. Contact the respective locations for more information.
Drivers are being alerted to lane closures on Interstate 65 South in Bullitt County this weekend.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District Five says two lanes of I-65 South from north of mile marker 117 to mile marker 113 near the Bullitt County Welcome Center will be closed from Friday at 7 p.m. to Sunday at 7 p.m.
The KYTC says the ramps to and from KY 44 will remain open during the lane closures, as will the off ramp from I-65 South to KY 480. The on ramp from KY 480 to I-65 South will be closed.
Crews will be repairing concrete slabs on the interstate at multiple locations, with the lane closures in place to allow time for the concrete to cure.
Drivers should expect traffic shifts, obey lane restrictions, and use caution when traveling through the work zone. This work is weather permitting. Follow KYTC District Five on Facebook for project updates.
This weekend is your last weekend to register to vote ahead of the November 5 general election.
“The deadline to register to vote is 4 p.m. on October 7,” said Hardin County Clerk Brian D. Smith. “You can do that by coming by our office or visiting govote.ky.gov. The absentee request portal is open at that same website, govote.ky.gov, or you can come by our office or you can call our election staff at 270-765-6762.”
GoVote.KY.gov also allows you to check on your absentee ballot status, find polling locations, look up sample ballots, and find more election information.
Smith says voters should also be wary of the potential for scams as they go online for election information.
“There are a lot of third-party websites that look very official,” Smith said. “They’re run by private organizations or purported non-profit organizations. They cannot request your absentee ballot. You cannot request an absentee ballot through them. They’re collecting your name, your address, your Social Security number, and your birth date, and we don’t know what they’re doing with them.”
Smith says official election information would never come from a .com or a .org website. Contact your county clerk’s office for more election information.
The Grayson County Chamber of Commerce is still collecting relief items for victims of Hurricane Helene in Tennessee and North Carolina.
“We really started seeing everything online, and myself and Tiffany Decker, who is the tourism director, were up late one night talking and she said we need to do something and so we did,” said Grayson County Chamber Executive Director April Spalding. “We’ve been absolutely blessed, with already one load leaving and our front lobby is completely full again.”
A full list of items the chamber is looking to collect can be found on their Facebook page.
“We need sanitary wipes,” Spaliding said. “We’re looking for baby formula, wipes, diapers, trash bags. We really need some storage containers because ours are already full of items. Pet food, any non-perishable items, things like toothbrushes, toothpaste, hygiene, batteries, Gatorade packs, anything you can think of that you would need, that’s what we’re in need of.”
Items for the next delivery need to be collected by October 7.
“They can take it to the Center on Main, which is at 425 South Main Street from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and then anything after hours can be dropped to our neighbors next door at the Leitchfield Police Department,” Spalding said.
Spalding said the chamber has drivers volunteering to make additional runs, so items will still be collected to be delivered after the October 7 delivery.