WQXE News
A year-long investigation into illegal poaching in Hardin and Grayson counties resulted in charges for six individuals.
Allen Sauer, Malachi Delatour, Joshua Stevenson, Bradley Webb, and Madison Whittington of Leitchfield along with Aden Walker of Elizabethtown face a combined 116 criminal charges as a result of the investigation by Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Resources Third District Game Wardens.
“There were numerous complaints received in Hardin County and Grayson County, and those were relayed to Sergeant Thomas Blackwell and Game Warden Steven Nelson,” said KFW Game Warden Tyler Willen.
Blackwell and Nelson intercepted the group on July 16, 2024.
“They observed out in the field for spotlighting, and observed an individual spotlighting in Hardin County and made a traffic stop, and once the traffic stop was made, there were multiple .22 caliber firearms and spotlighting equipment found inside the vehicle along with open alcoholic beverages containers,” Willen said.
KFW says the suspects at the time claimed to be raccoon hunting, but no open season for the species was in effect at that time. The KFW’s investigation “uncovered a coordinated illegal effort to take wildlife across Hardin and Grayson counties” which resulted in the illegal killing of several hundred animals including deer, turkey, fox, and a domestic pet.
“This was a very in-depth investigation that required multiple game wardens, and I’m very proud of the Third District game wardens and their diligence and dedication to the state,” Willen said.
Suspected poaching activity can be reported to your local game warden by calling 1-800-25-ALERT, texting “KFWLAW” and the message to 847411, or via the “Find My County Contact” page at fw.ky.gov. Reports can also be made to your local Kentucky State Police post.
A man faces charges out of three different counties after leading police on a pursuit in Grayson County Friday.
Ronald Geary of Beaver Dam faces multiple charges including first degree Fleeing or Evading Police and first degree Wanton Endangerment, and was served with warrants for similar charges, following his arrest Saturday.
According to Kentucky State Police Post Four, at approximately 3:12 p.m. on February 13 troopers observed a motorcycle traveling on Owensboro Road in Caneyville without a visible registration plate. Troopers initiated a traffic stop, and when the operator failed to comply a pursuit was initiated. The pursuit was later terminated, but the investigation that followed led to the identification of Geary as the operator. Troopers also found that Geary had outstanding warrants for his arrest out of Warren and Ohio counties.
Troopers continued efforts to locate Geary, which they did on February 14, at which time he was taken into custody and charged for the pursuit and served with the outstanding warrants. Geary was lodged in the Grayson County Detention Center. The KSP’s investigation is ongoing.
Boys and Girls Club of Kentuckiana President and CEO Daryle Unseld said it was “a true labor of love” to bring a club site to the city of Radcliff.
“It was the community, led by your great mayor JJ Duvall and the City Council,” Unseld said. “It was the staff of the Boys and Girls Club of Kentuckiana, and there’s a few of our board members that are here too that not only believed in this vision, but really wanted to think about how we can serve more kids more often through the mission of the Boys and Girls Club.”
Unseld joined city officials, board members, and community members for a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the grand opening of the Boys and Girls Club Radcliff Site, located at Stithton Baptist Church.
The club, which officially opens on February 17, will serve approximately 100 area youth ranging from age six through eighth grade. The club will feature programming focused on academic success, healthy lifestyles, and character and citizenship.
Radcliff Mayor JJ Duvall said the city has been working to develop youth programming for years, and after discussions with Pastor Denver Copeland made a location possible the city then had to deliver financially.
“Louisville’s board, as gracious as they have been, there’s no money coming from our area that’s being put into that area to come down here, and so the City Council and myself worked together along with Daryle (Unseld), Rubin (Nieto), and the whole team to see what it would cost for us to self-fund this,” Duvall said. “Self-funding means the city is going to take on the youth programming.”
Radcliff has committed $165,000 over the next two budget cycles to fund operations while the church provided newly-renovated facilities. Duvall also said Hardin County Schools assisted by making the club a bus stop location.
Find more information on membership and volunteer opportunities at www.bgcky.org.
The Stephen Foster Drama Association is set to present the 67th season of The Stephen Foster Story this summer, and joining the Kentucky classic at the J. Dan Talbott Amphitheatre will be the Broadway classic Annie.
SFDA Executive Artistic Director Johnny Warren says this will be the second time the association has staged a production of the musical that features classics such as “Tomorrow” and “It’s the Hard Knock Life”.
“It’s a show that we kind of have in our pocket that we knew we wanted to produce again, and it turned out that this year was the year to do it,” Warren said.
Warren says staging a show meant to be seen inside a Broadway theatre at an outdoor amphitheater requires a creative endeavor, but the association has a talented team that is up to the task.
“We’re excited for our audiences to see a version of the show unlike anything they’ve seen before, primarily because we are outside, and that brings a lot of opportunity,” Warren said.
Local auditions for Annie and The Stephen Foster Story will be held Saturday, February 21, at Nelson County High School.
“Not every adult that we hire in the summer performs in both shows, but most do, and then the youth audition is for the production of Annie where we intend to cast 18 children,” Warren said.
The Stephen Foster Story begins its season June 13. Annie will run Wednesdays and Fridays beginning July 8. Tickets are on sale now.
Ticket information, and audition information, is available at www.stephenfoster.com.