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Feeding America says the latest data from their Map the Meal Gap study shows that more than 176,000 people in Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland’s 42-county service area are struggling with food insecurity, an increase of more than 35,000 people from last year.
“In Hardin County alone, we have over 15,000 individuals, including children, that are food insecure,” said FAKH Marketing and Communications Manager Kaitlyn Jackson. “For the number of individuals, Hardin County ranks among the top five in the state of Kentucky for food insecure individuals, both as overall numbers but also for kids specifically.”
The USDA defines food insecurity as “the lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life.” Food insecurity is a struggle that is not always visible, and Jackson says 30 percent of food insecure individuals in Hardin County make more money than is permitted for SNAP or other government assistance.
“They’re working,” Jackson said. “They’re trying to better their families, and yet there is a problem putting food on the table, whether that’s having to choose to pay for utilities, having to choose to pay for transportation, the roof over your head, all of these other issues that then leave food the last thing you put your paycheck towards. It is an ongoing issue.”
The impact of food insecurity goes beyond hunger.
“It is a barrier to living an active and healthy life for so many people, and it can be related to a lot of critical public health issues such as depression, high blood pressure, and cardiac issues,” Jackson said. “As individuals, especially children, grow up in food insecure environments, they can deal with a lot of consequences from those environments as they get older.”
Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland and their partner organizations continue to focus on addressing issues with food insecurity despite reduced funding and resources. Visit their website to learn more about volunteer and donation opportunities, and visit Feeding America’s website for more information on the Map the Meal Gap study.
The Kentucky Association of School Administrators will be led by an area superintendent.
Bullitt County Schools Superintendent Dr. Jesse Bacon was selected by the KASA as its new president during the association’s annual meeting on July 26. Bacon has been a member of the KASA since 2008 and has served as the head of Bullitt County Schools since 2018.
The association says as president Bacon will “guide the board of directors in advocating for critical legislation aimed at sustaining the education profession.” Leadership will focus on securing competitive salaries, benefits, and support systems for educators while ensuring quality education for the more than 640,000 students in the commonwealth as they advance legislative priorities with the 2025 Kentucky General Assembly.
Joining Bacon as KASA officers will be Meade County Schools Assistant Superintendent Marc Adams, who will serve as vice president, and Breckinridge County Schools Superintendent Dr. Nick Carter, who will serve as immediate past president.
Learn more about the Kentucky Association of School Administrators at www.kasa.org.
A hearing in Nelson Circuit Court Thursday that was supposed to involve Crystal Rogers investigation suspect Steven Lawson giving an answer on whether or not he was waving evidentiary protection ended with Lawson dismissing his attorney.
Judge Charles Simms III called the hearing to order and was calling on defense attorney Ted Lavit to discuss his motion filed Wednesday not to waive the protection, which would mean the prosecution could not use footage of Lawson’s interviews with police. Lawson then raised his hand and asked to speak to the judge, and after Simms cautioned that anything he said was being recorded into record Lawson said he did not believe Lavit was properly representing him and wanted a new attorney.
Special Prosecutor Teresa Young said she supported Lawson’s request because the prosecution had “serious concerns about whether Mr. Lawson has had conflict-free counsel in his representation.” Young said on August 4 Lawson said in a call from jail that he had fired Lavit because he said the attorney had a meeting with attorneys for Brooks Houck “behind his back,” so the prosecution was surprised Lavit made another motion in the case when they were expecting him to withdraw. Young also said the prosecution has noticed peculiarities dating back to March in the similarities of Lawson and Houck’s filings with the court including quotes, misquotes, and paraphrasing. Young said “I don’t know what’s going on here, but I know that it’s something that I think the court needs to inquire about. It’s disturbing.”
Lavit said he was never personally told that he had been dismissed, and said “I have done my best at this point in time without any conflict whatsoever concerning my client, and I believe Mr. Lawson has been aware of what I’ve been doing on his behalf since he engaged.”
Lawson said he could not afford an attorney at this time, and Simms ordered for a public defender to be appointed within the next two weeks. Lavit said he would turn over his file to the new attorney.