QUICKSIE98.3
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources opens a new public area in Breckinridge County Friday.
The Belvedere Tract will add 790 acres to the Yellowbank Wildlife Management Area, located about 20 miles north of Hardinsburg and about 20 miles west of Brandenburg.
Lee McClellan with the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources says the property is an impressive one.
“It’s 1.7 miles of Ohio River border,” McClellan said. “There’s a lot of bottom land in there. It was a working cattle farm until recently. There’s a lot of upland areas that have a mixture of mature woods and grasslands. It’s just extraordinarily beautiful.”
The addition of the Belvedere Tract brings the total size of Yellowbank to more than 7,500 acres, with 30 acres of the addition being devoted to wetland enhancement. McClellan says the land is a valuable resource.
“This preserves a very unique and rare habitat type, and Yellowbank is one of our best wildlife management areas,” McClellan said. “It’s phenomenal.”
Access to Yellowbank is available off of KY-259 in Breckinridge County near Stephensport. A map of the property is available at www.fw.ky.gov.
Several area entities and organizations are among the 114 that received $27.2 million in funding to support victims of crime in kentucky.
According to a release from the governor’s office, federal Victims of Crime Act funding prioritizes services to victims of child abuse, sexual assault, and domestic violence, but funding also serves survivors of homicide and victims of burglary, theft, and drug and alochol-related crime, along with elderly victims and adult survivors of childhood abuse and assault.
Among the recipients is the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office. Hardin County Sheriff John Ward says the office will use the $64,662 it is receiving to hire a full-time victim’s advocate.
“You investigate a crime, and you help the victim get through the court process, but other than that there’s limited contact, and this gives us a victim’s advocate that’s going to be there to help a victim of a crime with a vast array of different things,” Ward said. “Getting them help, counseling, different things such as that.”
Michelle Kail is the executive director of CASA of the Heartland, which will receive $47,978. She says support from VOCA is critical for organizations that are maximizing all that they can in their budgets.
“It is very important because that is what allows our small, dedicated team to continue to guide, support, and serve up to 80 volunteers, which in turn allows us to serve the children that we serve in our community,” Kail said.
Funding from this cycle was also supported by funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. For more information on Victims of Crime Act funding or a full list of recipients, visit www.justice.ky.gov.
Nolin RECC is accepting applications for “Be a Light” teacher grants, which are awarded from Operation Round Up donations.
“This year, it is opening to 30 of the $200 grants for certified teachers, K through 12, in Hardin and LaRue counties,” said Operation Round Up Board Chair Price Smith.
The board is doubling the number of teacher grants awarded this year due to the increased number of applications received last year.
Nolin says the mission of Operation Round Up is to make a positive impact on the community, and this funding is a way to support teachers in their efforts and help with classroom costs. Smith says applying for the program is easy.
“The application is open during the month of September,” Smith said. “You can apply at www.nolinrecc.com. There’s an online form. Two or three clicks and you’ve got it submitted. We’d like as many folks to apply for this go-around as we can.”
The deadline to apply is September 30.
The teacher grants are in addition to the Community Impact grants awarded through Operation Round Up, for which applications will be available in March of 2024. For more information, visit www.nolinrecc.com.