WQXE News

Area and state officials are warning Kentuckians of recent scam attempts.

A Stop Scams Alert from Team Kentucky is alerting Kentucky residents of a new texting scam. The alert states that the text appears to offer a $250 reward to Kentucky residents who complete a survey. According to the Stop Scams team, “The sender does not identify themselves and the link is attempting to collect personal information from the recipient.” Do not click the link. Delete and report the message as junk from your mobile device if you receive it.

Meanwhile, the Elizabethtown Police Department is warning residents of a scam involving the Hardin County Detention Center. The EPD says scammers are spoofing the detention center’s phone number and claiming a friend or family member has been arrested. They tell the intended victim that due to overcrowding the subject can be released with an ankle monitor for $50. The detention center does not issue ankle monitors and does not ask for money over the phone. If you get such a phone call, hang up.

Finally, the Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Kentucky and South Central Indiana has compiled a list of recommendations for residents looking to support the victims of the UPS Flight 2976 crash. The BBB says after disasters scammers often try to pray upon the kindness of others looking to help. Visit the BBB’s website for more information.

The City of Elizabethtown is making an effort Friday to support families impacted by the government shutdown.

The city, in partnership with Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland, is hosting a food giveaway at the Pritchard Community Center.

Elizabethtown Mayor Jeff Gregory said during Monday’s city council meeting that the city is preparing enough boxes for 1,000 households.

“This body has pledged $50,000 to purchase food for Feeding America, and we’ll do it in three different installments,” Gregory said. “The first one will be this coming Friday, and then hopefully the next two Fridays after that at different locations in town, which will be announced.”

The giveaway will begin at noon, with food distributed until it runs out.

“We encourage anybody that’s struggling, or especially since we’re having the shutdown, the government shutdown, and people are losing some of their benefits, we’re going to try to compensate for that a little bit and see if we can hand out some food each Friday for the next three weeks,” Gregory said.

Council Member Julia Springsteen said more than 5,000 households in Hardin County are dependent on SNAP benefits.

“The announcement today was that they’ll only get partial funding for SNAP this month, so they’re already struggling,” Springsteen said. “They’re going to struggle a little bit more, in addition to the government workers who are going to pay, so hopefully this will help a few people in addition to the other efforts going on in the community.”

The city says no identification is needed. Residents in need can simply drive through the Pritchard Community Center parking lot beginning at noon and city employees will load the boxes into their cars.

Kentucky’s biggest hunting season gets under way this weekend.

Modern Gun Deer Season in Kentucky opens on Saturday, November 8, continuing for 16 days and ending on Sunday, November 23.

According to Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, hunters in Kentucky harvested nearly 150,000 deer last year, with the Modern Gun Season accounting for the most deer harvested annually. KFW says the state’s bountiful white-tailed deer herd provides many hunting opportunities and a sustainable source of lean protein.

Harvest limits are based on deer density in each of the state’s four deer zones. Under Kentucky’s statewide deer permit, hunters may take up to four deer, with hunters limited to one buck per year regardless of zone. Consult the state’s Hunting Guide for more information.

Special restrictions related to carcass transportation and baiting remain in place for deer harvested in the state’s Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance Zone, which includes Breckinridge, Hardin, and Meade counties. Hunters can assist state biologists by donating the heads of legally harvested and telechecked deer for testing through the state’s CWD sample drop-off sites or with a CWD sample mail-in kit.

More information on deer hunting in Kentucky can be found by searching for “deer season” at fw.ky.gov or by downloading the Kentucky Deer and Elk app.