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Car show in memory of Breckinridge County man will benefit another

94.3 The Wolf

Caitlyn Burden says she has known the McKellar family since she was in middle school, so she has been looking for a way to honor the memory of Timothy “Junior” McKellar.

“Last year he passed away in a plane crash in Whitesville, and ever since then the community’s been coming together and remembering him, and I hadn’t done anything for him yet because everybody else was doing stuff for him, and I knew a year was coming up so I figured now would be a good time to do something,” Burden said.

Burden and other organizers will be hosting Junior’s Show and Shine Saturday, September 28 at Breckinridge County High School, beginning at 2 p.m. All are welcome to attend.

“We’ve got free entry for the show,” Burden said. “It’s just basically a show in remembrance of Junior. We’ve got vendors like food trucks, we’ve got trophies, and we’ve got bouncy houses for the kids, music, so we’ve got pretty much everything.”

When Burden reached out to the McKellar family, they said the event should benefit another Breckinridge County resident, Braxton Criss.

“We had seen a bunch of stuff posted around Facebook saying prayers, that he was having a rough time, and Tim McKellar, Junior’s dad, called me yesterday, and we were going to donate all the money from the show to an aviation school or a welding school, and we had been seeing that go around and he called me yesterday and he kind of mentioned it to me and I was like ‘yeah, that’s a great idea,’” Burden said.

Find more information on the Junior’s Show and Shine Facebook event page.

Elizabethtown Mayor Gregory discusses road grant funding at Team Kentucky Update

94.3 The Wolf

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear discussed the latest round of funding for the Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program during his Team Kentucky Update Thursday.

Included in the $28.5 million awarded was an $11.1 million grant matched by $2.3 million in state funds for the Envisioning a Safer Elizabethtown project.

“This grant money is going to be huge for us because it identifies two different corridors that probably are our most at-risk statistically with injury accidents and accidents just in general, and we’ll be able to put this money for the aforementioned sidewalks and lighting and road diets and roundabouts that we’ve seen have great success in Elizabethtown,” said Elizabethtown Mayor Jeff Gregory. 

The funding is for projects targeting Ring Road, Leitchfield Road, and U.S. 31W.

“We’re working really hard to make sure that our infrastructure stays ahead of the game in Elizabethtown,” Gregory said. “BlueOval SK, four miles south of Elizabethtown, which immediately brought us three other companies in our industrial park in Elizabethtown, has caused us to look at the way that we’re looking at our infrastructure as far as roadways, sewer lines, gas lines, and everything that comes with that.”

Visit the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet online for more information.

Kentucky labor market sees slight increase despite slight unemployment increase

94.3 The Wolf

Unemployment in Kentucky saw a slight increase in August. 

The Kentucky Center for Statistics says the state unemployment average for August was 4.8 percent. That is an increase from the 4.7 percent rate reported in July as well as from August 2023 when the rate was reported at 4.2 percent.

Kentucky’s unemployment average also came in higher in July than the national unemployment rate, which the U.S. Department of Labor reported at 4.2 percent.

The Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet says the state’s civilian labor force, which includes people currently employed and people actively searching for work, saw an increase of just over 7,300 people from July into August, bringing the civilian labor force to about 2,061,000.

The Education and Labor Cabinet says while manufacturing jobs saw an increase in August, companies have been reporting fewer jobs over the last few months. Employment in the trade, transportation, and utilities sector and the leisure and hospitality sector saw slight drops. The mining and logging sectors were mostly unchanged.

Visit the Kentucky Center for Statistics to learn more about labor market information.

Radcliff City Council accepts check for North Logsdon Parkway work

94.3 The Wolf

The Radcliff City Council met for their second meeting of the month Tuesday.

An ordinance amending the city budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year was approved on its second reading. Radcliff Mayor JJ Duvall previously said the amendment was standard for the end of a fiscal year.

Representatives from QK4, which provides engineering work for the city, presented the council with a $1.85 million check from the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant Program, which will be used for stormwater improvements on North Logsdon Parkway. The grant, which includes a 25 percent local match, must be used within three years, and surveying work should begin on the project in four to five weeks.

Council Member Pamela DeRoche reminded the community of this Saturday’s Radcliff Days festival.

“Vendors will start setting up at 2 p.m.,” said DeRoche. “The festival actually starts at 4, and we’ve got 35-plus vendors, I think, that’ll be selling wares on Saturday, and then we’ve got several food trucks.”

The Radcliff Days parade begins at 5 p.m.

“The theme is ‘Dance the Night Away,’ so we will have several dance groups out there,” DeRoche said. “We’ll have a DJ that will be playing music, so if people want to join in on the dancing, they’re welcome to do that as well.”

Visit the City of Radcliff Government Facebook page for details.

The Radcliff City Council will next meet October 7.

Snapchat threat against Breckinridge County Schools under investigation

94.3 The Wolf

Breckinridge County Schools responded to a potential threat Wednesday.

“A little bit before noon, a student reported to a school official a Snapchat post, and the Snapchat post was threatening in nature to our school district, so we immediately started putting things in place to ensure the safety of all of our schools in the district,” said BCS Superintendent Dr. Nick Carter. 

The Breckinridge County Sheriff’s Office and the Hardinsburg and Irvington police departments expanded their presence at school buildings through dismissal. The sheriff’s office is leading the ongoing investigation into the threat.

“Right now we’re cooperating with the Breckinridge County Sheriff’s Office with this investigation and when we know more, we’ll be sure to communicate more,” Carter said.

Carter last week sent out a message to district parents and guardians advising them to talk with their students about responsible use of social media. Carter says talking with students and keeping a close eye can help keep schools a safe place.

“Unmonitored teenage use of social media platforms is causing disruptions to the school days for students, not just in Breckinridge County but all around the state, and we need the help of all parents and guardians in monitoring their child’s social media platforms,” Carter said.

Follow the Breckinridge County School District Facebook page for updates.

Increased activity means increased noise possible at Fort Knox

94.3 The Wolf

Area residents may hear increased activity at Fort Knox for the next few weeks.

“Due to military training at Fort Knox’s new Digital Air Ground Integration Range, or DAGIR, September 18 through October 8, increased noise and vibrations may be experienced during that time,” said Fort Knox Media Relations Officer Kyle Hodges. 

The DAGIR came online in the summer, so more activity can be expected as more units utilize it.

“Exercises involving aircraft maneuvers and weapons firing in daytime and nighttime hours are an important aspect to maintaining critical capabilities and readiness for all units, so we ask for the community’s patience and understanding during this time,” Hodges said.

Follow the U.S. Army Fort Knox Facebook page for updates.

Down Syndrome Association of the Heartland hosting two events

94.3 The Wolf

Down Syndrome Association of the Heartland has two events on the calendar this week, beginning with the Birdies and Burgers golf scramble and lunch.

“It’s Thursday, September 19,” said DSAH Executive Director Tonya House. “We have the golf scramble and then the lunch is right after that from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and then our Buddy Walk is Saturday, September 21.”

The event will be held at the Heartland Golf Club. Participants in the golf scramble get their lunch included, but all who wish to participate are invited to the lunch and silent auction.

“If you just want to come and have lunch with us, you can buy tickets,” House said. “They’re $30. You can go to our website, dshartland.org, to get those, you can click ‘Support’ and then you’ll see all the options, all the things we have going on. You can get your tickets there, or you could always show up and just say ‘Hey, I want to have lunch.’”

All are also invited to participate in the Buddy Walk Saturday at Elizabethtown High School. Registration is at 9 a.m. with the walk at 10.

“We’re going to do a morning walk this year,” House said. “We will have festivities until noon that day. Bounce houses and face painting, we have Disney princesses coming, we have a DJ, so lots of things scheduled.”

Visit Down Syndrome Association of the Heartland on their website and Facebook page for more information on their mission and the events.

HCS debuts Portrait of a Learner

94.3 The Wolf

Hardin County Schools Tuesday night unveiled their Portrait of a Learner, a set of aspirations for what every student will know and be able to do when they graduate.

“We actually started working on Portrait of a Learner a couple of years ago in our ongoing efforts to ensure that our students have the advantages they need to succeed when they leave our district and when they graduate,” said HCS Community Relations Specialist John Wright. “We want our students to have advantages over their peers because we know that’s what’s going to land our graduates high-paying, successful jobs and careers.”

The portrait was created using feedback from district stakeholders such as faculty and staff, community members, parents, and students. The district partnered with the University of Kentucky Center for Next Generation Leadership to identify target competencies.

“Those five competencies are Responsible Citizen, Personal Champion, Engaged Learner, Effective Communicator, and Active Collaborator, and so throughout the school year and probably for the next several years, you’ll be hearing those terms used,” Wright said. “That’s kind of the foundation for what they’ll be learning in the classrooms.”

The competencies will make concrete appearances in school buildings, such as on a poster on the wall, and worked into the curriculum.

“It is our ongoing task to ensure that our students are ready for the workplace and for life outside of graduation, and we look forward to continuing this work with the community’s help and our Portrait of a Learner,” Wright said.

Visit the Hardin County Schools website for more information.

State highlighting resources for those seeking help during Recovery Month

94.3 The Wolf

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear welcomed officials and recovery advocates to the capitol Monday in observance of Recovery Month. 

The governor held signing ceremonies for three pieces of legislation that support addiction recovery efforts across the commonwealth. 

House Bill 462, which was sponsored by House District 25 Representative Steve Bratcher, “addresses gaps in certification requirements and strengthens the framework for recovery housing, ensuring these facilities provide safe, supportive environments for individuals in recovery.”

The governor also signed Senate Bill 71, which expands access to transportation services for people in recovery residences, and House Bill 505, which expands the Board of Alcohol and Drug Counselors and establishes criteria for registration as a “temporary alcohol and drug peer support specialist.”

The governor also recognized the four latest counties that received Recovery Ready Community certifications from the state. When Hardin County received the certification in February, Lincoln Trail District Health Department Social and Community Services Manager Jennifer Osborne said the certification process shows a county what it has and what it needs.

““It gives us a framework to look at what is going on in the community around youth prevention initiatives, substance use prevention initiatives, harm reduction, treatment, recovery support for individuals that are in recovery,” said Osborne. “It gives us an idea of what is already in place in the community and what we might see as opportunities for improvement in a community.”

Information about treatment programs across Kentucky is available at www.findhelpnowky.org.

Six Hardin County farms home to KFB Certified Farm Markets

94.3 The Wolf

As the fall season approaches, Kentucky Farm Bureau is highlighting Certified Farm Markets across the state, including six from Hardin County that were recently added to the program.

“It was started as a fruit and vegetable marketing program to help farmers connect with the consumer audience, and it has evolved to markets all over Kentucky that sell a diverse group of agricultural products from pumpkins to apples to agritourism to greenhouses,” said Kentucky Farm Bureau Commodity Specialist Fran McCall. “You name it, we probably sell it at one of our markets.”

She says the goal of the Certified Farm Market program is to connect farmers to their communities and to help community members find local farm markets near them. For running closer to the urban side than other counties, Hardin County’s six markets is a good number.

“We see a larger following in those areas around the Louisville area,” McCall said. “We have similar numbers in Lexington, even Madisonville and Hopkins County in Western Kentucky, Bowling Green. We have a large kind of hub, as I call them, markets, but that’s not really uncommon. You have a really good offering of fall-based markets in your area.”

Kentucky Farm Bureau has more information on how to track down fall fun at Certified Farm Markets.

“You can visit our Kentucky Farm Bureau website (kyfb.com/certified), and then you can find all the markets around the state of Kentucky,” McCall said. “We have over 163. You can also follow us on Facebook, or you can download the Kentucky Farm Bureau app.”

Hardin County’s Certified Farm Markets are Fallen Maple Farm, Hinton’s Orchard and Farm Market, Sunshine and Blossoms Greenhouse, Crawford Pumpkin Patch, the Pumpkin Wagon, and Vine Grove Pumpkin Patch.