WQXE News

Kentuckians for the last twenty years have shown their support for animal shelters across the commonwealth with the Kentucky Spay or Neuter special license plate. With more special interest plates available and the same design in place for two decades, Kentucky Animal Control Advisory Board Co-Chair, and Elizabethtown City Council Member, Julia Springsteen said the board decided it was time for a refresh.

“We did a statewide design competition in the spring, and in the summer, we looked at all of the submissions,” Springsteen said. “We actually had about 120 submissions. It was great, and we chose this one that you guys will see online and at the clerk’s office, and we’re just hoping it’ll do some good.”

The winning design was submitted by Hayli Strickland, a graphic design teacher at the University of Kentucky. When you register your vehicle or renew your registration, you can pick Strickland’s plate and support the state’s animal population.

“The Animal Control Advisory Board’s mission is to distribute revenue from the sale and renewal of the Spay/Neuter license plate, and those monies go out in the form of spay/neuter grants to animal shelters across the state, including the Hardin County Animal Shelter,” Springsteen said.

The new plate comes at a time when shelters everywhere are struggling with demand.

“Shelter Animals Count reports the average intake for Kentucky shelters is 319 dogs and 322 cats each month, and adoptions are only about a third of those numbers, so we hope this encourages people to be very public about their support for spaying and neutering pets,” Springsteen said. “Every animal fixed outside of a shelter gives a shelter animal a better chance at getting a new family.”

The new plate is available now for purchase at all Kentucky County Clerk offices, including Hardin County, or on the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s website.

Christmas may have come and gone, but there is still time to enjoy a long-running Elizabethtown holiday staple at Freeman Lake Park with the annual Christmas in the Park lighting tour.

“That will run nightly from 6 to 11 p.m.,” said City of Elizabethtown Events Manager Beth Pyles. “This year we have over 115 displays from not only the city of Elizabethtown, but many local community partners, and you will be surprised we’ve got a lot of new displays and a lot of new businesses have joined in.”

Visitors will enter Freeman Lake Park at the Blue Heron Way entrance. Don’t forget to turn off your headlights when you reach the entrance and set your radio to the posted frequency.

Christmas in the Park runs through January 1. The lighting trail is free but donations are accepted. Visit www.etownevents.com for more information.

Dogs that were rescued during a Hardin County animal cruelty case will officially be cared for by the Hardin County Animal Shelter.

Hardin County Government said in a release Friday that the 14 dogs, who have been cared for by the shelter since May of 2023, will be awarded to the shelter as a result of Morgan Jade Barrick’s conviction on Animal Torture charges.

Hardin County Animal Care and Control Director Mike McNutt said the animals will remain under the care of the shelter until all necessary veterinary services including microchipping, spaying, and neutering are performed. McNutt said the dogs will not be available for public viewing until they are ready for adoption.

The jury that found Barrick guilty recommended a two-year prison sentence. Hardin Circuit Judge John David Simcoe will formally sentence Barrick at a later date.