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KY From Above offers accessible map views of the commonwealth

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The Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet says Kentucky is the first state in the country to capture side and angle view photography of its entire geography from the sky.

Pilots working for contractor NV5 flew 2,600 flight lines over 117,000 miles to capture images of more than 40,000 square miles of Kentucky’s cities, towns, farms, and natural areas to create the KY From Above program.

The program was established in 2010 by the Kentucky Geographic Information Advisory Council with the mission of creating access to geographic information in the state by providing detailed elevation data and aerial photography at no cost to Kentuckians. The accuracy and clarity of the images captured provides context for hundreds of map layers used by state and local government agencies. 

The state also says the program will improve public safety as first responders will be able to use it to help on accident responses and search and rescue missions, and emergency management leaders will be able to use the program when assessing damage after a disaster.

You can access the program by visiting www.kyfromabove.ky.gov.

Highway fatalities up in Kentucky in 2023

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The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says there were 813 highway fatalities on Kentucky roadways in 2023, an increase from the 744 seen in 2022.

The KYTC’s Office of Highway Safety says in those fatal accidents, 51 percent of victims were not wearing a seatbelt. 33 percent of the accidents involved speeding or aggressive driving, 20 percent involved distracted drivers, and 16 percent involved alcohol.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says wearing a seatbelt is the single most effective way of preventing injury or death in a traffic accident. Seatbelt use and the dangers of drunk driving continue to be the primary subjects of most public awareness campaigns.

The KYTC says it continues to focus on infrastructure projects that improve safety for everybody on the roadway, including a pilot project set to begin this summer that will test systems that detect and deter wrong-way crashes along select interstate ramps in Fayette and Jefferson counties. 

Preliminary numbers for 2024 report 170 roadway deaths, which is down more than 13 percent compared to this time last year.

Clean around appliances and check on dryer lent to help reduce fire risk

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Spring is in full swing, and people are sprucing up their houses and yards as they welcome the warmer weather.

Radcliff Deputy Fire Marshal Tommy Crane says as you go about your spring cleaning, don’t forget about your appliances.

“Just make sure that when you’re cleaning, clean places that you might not normally like behind refrigerators or dryers, a lot of those that have motors where the dust and things like that can build up,” Crane said. “Try to clean those, vacuum around and behind those at least once a year.”

Crane says not only does it reduce the risk for fire, it also helps extend the life of the appliance.

While cleaning your dryer, don’t forget about making sure lent isn’t building up.

“We tell you always make sure you’re cleaning the lint filter during each time you dry, but also during the spring, maybe pull the dryer out, clean the hose or the pipe that goes to the outside of the house to make sure that’s clean and free of lint because that will build up and could cause a fire,” Crane said.

Also check to make sure the dryer exhaust outside the house is clear, as there is potential for it to become clogged due to lent and animals or other pests.

“Just make sure that it’s free and clear, that it’s got good air movement,” Crane said. “If you do live in an area where, say, birds and other pests are a problem, and you put a screen over there, make sure you’re checking the screen because the lint will build up even easier there.”

More fire safety tips can be found on the Kentucky State Fire Marshal’s website.

Bear sighting in Elizabethtown is unique but not uncommon, KFW says

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An Elizabethtown resident on Sportsman Lake Road found a surprise on their security camera Wednesday morning as they saw a young black bear wander through their back porch.

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Bear Program Coordinator John Hast says while such a sighting is a surprise, it is not that uncommon.

“Although we’ve not had one out there for a couple years, that seems to be a fairly common place to get them passing through,” Hast said. “I think probably 2018 was kind of our first big year where we had a few between E-Town and Louisville. We’ve had one road killed on 31-W there, kind of between Fort Knox and Louisville. It’s kind of just a point where they seem to converge right there.”

Hast says this is the first year since 2020 that the state has seen increased reports of roaming bears, but it is just part of how the animals go about their lives.

“It’s just kind of the evolutionary plan of bear populations,” Hast said. “They send their young males out. So right now is the start of the breeding season in the bear range in the mountains of Kentucky, and really this is the point where those year and a half old males kind of get the boot, and when that happens they go in search of new habitat and mates and let’s call it one out of every 100 or one out of every 200 just ends up walking out of the mountains.”

Hast says if you happen to spot a bear, use common sense, but enjoy the moment.

“Honestly, I tell people, especially folks in E-Town and outside the typical bear range, consider yourself lucky that you saw one, and just take it for what it is,” Hast said. “Get a quick video on the cell phone or something. Obviously, don’t approach.”

Hast says in nearly all cases the bear returns to the mountains by September or October, but residents can help to make sure the only bear that is taking up residency in the area is Central Hardin’s mascot.

“The biggest thing with keeping these bears wild, and this bear in E-Town we don’t have any record of him getting in any garbage or getting a meal in any way so he’s just truly roaming, which is what we want to see, but if you’re in that area, secure your garbage for a couple weeks, just to be on the safe side,” Hast said.

Hast says the estimated Kentucky bear population is between 1,000 and 1,500. Information on bears and what to do if you spot one can be found at www.bearwise.org.

Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office investigating after human remains found

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The Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after the discovery of human remains.

The sheriff’s office says deputies responded Monday evening to a call about remains that had been found at a property north of the Little Flock Baptist Church on Old Preston Highway North. A person there was bush-hogging near Tanyard Branch Creek when they discovered the remains and contacted law enforcement.

The case is being considered a death investigation. The sheriff’s office is reviewing area missing persons reports while working with the medical examiner’s office to try and identify the individual.
Anybody with possible information that may assist the investigation is asked to call or email the Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip Line. (502-543-1262, crimetip@bcky.org)