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West Point Mayor Ciresi has sights set on growth in 2024

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West Point Mayor Richard Ciresi said his first year as mayor was mainly focused on addressing issues he did not know existed when he took office.

With a full year under his belt and what he called a committed city council, Ciresi said he is looking forward to getting into agenda items he campaigned on.

“Streets, sidewalks, and then to expand our parks and expand our tourism attractions to bolster our economy, and then the big thing is just development to be able to build new homes” Ciresi said.

The mayor has a number in mind when it comes to development.

“My commitment is to build at least 120 new homes in West Point,” Ciresi said. “I think we can build more than that. We have plenty of space to do it, but we just need to expand our population.”

Ciresi said the West Point community is poised for significant self-improvement.

“We, as a small city that has kind of slipped over the past several years, we just have a tremendous opportunity to make great changes that enhance not only the city but all of its citizens,” Ciresi said. “That old adage, ‘a rising tide lifts all boats’, that’s really true in a city of our size because it’s a city that’s better, everybody’s life will get better, just because they live in a nicer place.”

The city received grant money in the past year to improve access to tourism attractions such as Fort Duffield Park.

Springhaven, FOHCAS partner to help find safe places for pets of domestic violence survivors

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Springhaven Inc. and Friends of Hardin County Animal Shelter are announcing a new partnership to provide rescue resources for domestic violence survivors faced with potentially leaving a pet behind when escaping an abusive environment.

“We are excited to partner with FOHCAS in hopes that no survivors in the Lincoln Trail Development District are ever deterred from leaving a violent situation for fear that their pets will be harmed,” said Springhaven Domestic Violence Program Executive Director Georgia Hensley. “It’s our goal that all survivors are able to find safe places for their pet families.”

Springhaven says research shows domestic abuse is often extended to all occupants of a home including pets, and when domestic violence victims seek an escape from their abusers they are faced with finding shelter for themselves as well as children and pets, which is complicated by the fact that many shelters do not accept animals.

The new partnership “will engage community resources to provide an option for domestic violence survivors with pets.”

FOHCAS Board Chair Myra Covault says the partnership is a natural one.

“Their mission aligns so much with ours in that we try to give a voice to the voiceless,” Covault said. “Together, we want to do everything possible to ensure that domestic violence victims have a chance to flee horrible situations with their pets and not ever have to make a decision of staying or leaving them behind.”

The goal is to make the Springhaven shelter a pet-friendly facility. While cats are currently accepted, it will take some time before dogs can be accepted, so the organizations are utilizing a community of foster homes and community partners.

Time running out to support Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland’s One Million Meals Challenge

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Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland is closing in on the deadline for their One Million Meals Challenge.

“Our goal is by December 31 to provide 1,000,000 meals to our neighbors facing hunger here in Kentucky’s heartland,” said FAKH Marketing and Communications Manager Kaitlyn Jackson. “We are currently at 64 percent of the goal, so right now we’re a little over 600,000 meals that will be provided with the donations we have been given by amazing members of our community and corporations here in our local community.”

At a time where need is higher than it was during the COVID-19 pandemic, support for organizations like Feeding America can prove critical.

“Our recent study actually shows that from the prior year food insecurity for adults and for children has increased by at least 30 percent, so we’re just trying to, as the holiday season is here, as winter is cold people are having more expenses for their utilities, their grocery bills, trying to provide for their families, that we can take one worry off of their plate and provide a meal to them,” Jackson said.

Jackson says for every dollar donated to FAKH, the organization is able to purchase eight meals. As the year and the challenge wind down, your dollar can have an extra impact this holiday season.

“Even a little bit helps, so currently we have a $20,000 match from the Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland board of directors and from Atmos Energy, who is one of our amazing partners,” Jackson said. “Any donation between now and the end of the year up to $20,000 will be matched.”

Visit Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland online or call the office to learn more about how to donate.

Deadline to switch party affiliation ahead of May 2024 primary is December 31

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A voter registration deadline for the May 2024 Primary Election is actually at the end of this month.

“December 31 is the deadline to change your party affiliation in order to vote in that party’s May primary election in 2024,” said Hardin County Clerk Brian D. Smith. “We’ve got a presidential election coming up. We’ve got other federal delegation elections coming up, so we encourage everybody to go to govote.ky.gov and double check their party affiliation and make sure it matches the way they plan on voting in the primary in May of 2024.”

By law, a voter registered as Democrat or Independent after December 31 may not vote in the Republican primary, and any voter registered Republican or Independent after December 31 may not vote in the Democratic primary. The law does not apply to new voter registrations made after the new year ahead of the primary registration deadline.

Smith also said Hardin County residents should remember that a statewide computer conversion will impact vehicle registration at the start of 2024.

“Vehicle registration of any kind will not be available from January 1 until at least January 9,” Smith said. “We ask for the patience of the public as we continue to make this conversion. Once we get this up and running, feel free to come in or call the county clerk’s office. We should be able to take care of you.”

Contact the Hardin County Clerk’s Office for assistance.

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Resources will take your live Christmas tree when you are done with it

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If you and your family purchased a live Christmas tree this holiday season, instead of heading to a compost pile your tree can be put to another environmentally-friendly use.

You can help improve Kentucky’s fisheries by donating your natural tree to the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources’s Christmas for the Fishes Tree Recycling Program.

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife says trees donated to the program are used to improve fish habitat, which in turn enhances public lakes across Kentucky for anglers. The donated trees help restore woody structures in lakes, providing cover and shade for fish in the water.

Donated trees are anchored to environmentally-friendly weights and submerged at various depths, providing refuge and feeding habitats for game fish, small fish, and invertebrates that call Kentucky’s lakes home. Locations where donated trees are submerged typically become hot spots for fish species targeted by anglers.

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife will be accepting real evergreen trees that should be free of lights, garland, and decorations from December 26 through January 15 at 29 drop-off locations, including the North Fork Boat Ramp parking lot in Hardinsburg and the Nolin River Lake Moutardier Boat Ramp in Leitchfield.

Visit fw.ky.gov for more locations and details.