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Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear welcomed officials and recovery advocates to the capitol Monday in observance of Recovery Month.
The governor held signing ceremonies for three pieces of legislation that support addiction recovery efforts across the commonwealth.
House Bill 462, which was sponsored by House District 25 Representative Steve Bratcher, “addresses gaps in certification requirements and strengthens the framework for recovery housing, ensuring these facilities provide safe, supportive environments for individuals in recovery.”
The governor also signed Senate Bill 71, which expands access to transportation services for people in recovery residences, and House Bill 505, which expands the Board of Alcohol and Drug Counselors and establishes criteria for registration as a “temporary alcohol and drug peer support specialist.”
The governor also recognized the four latest counties that received Recovery Ready Community certifications from the state. When Hardin County received the certification in February, Lincoln Trail District Health Department Social and Community Services Manager Jennifer Osborne said the certification process shows a county what it has and what it needs.
““It gives us a framework to look at what is going on in the community around youth prevention initiatives, substance use prevention initiatives, harm reduction, treatment, recovery support for individuals that are in recovery,” said Osborne. “It gives us an idea of what is already in place in the community and what we might see as opportunities for improvement in a community.”
Information about treatment programs across Kentucky is available at www.findhelpnowky.org.
As the fall season approaches, Kentucky Farm Bureau is highlighting Certified Farm Markets across the state, including six from Hardin County that were recently added to the program.
“It was started as a fruit and vegetable marketing program to help farmers connect with the consumer audience, and it has evolved to markets all over Kentucky that sell a diverse group of agricultural products from pumpkins to apples to agritourism to greenhouses,” said Kentucky Farm Bureau Commodity Specialist Fran McCall. “You name it, we probably sell it at one of our markets.”
She says the goal of the Certified Farm Market program is to connect farmers to their communities and to help community members find local farm markets near them. For running closer to the urban side than other counties, Hardin County’s six markets is a good number.
“We see a larger following in those areas around the Louisville area,” McCall said. “We have similar numbers in Lexington, even Madisonville and Hopkins County in Western Kentucky, Bowling Green. We have a large kind of hub, as I call them, markets, but that’s not really uncommon. You have a really good offering of fall-based markets in your area.”
Kentucky Farm Bureau has more information on how to track down fall fun at Certified Farm Markets.
“You can visit our Kentucky Farm Bureau website (kyfb.com/certified), and then you can find all the markets around the state of Kentucky,” McCall said. “We have over 163. You can also follow us on Facebook, or you can download the Kentucky Farm Bureau app.”
Hardin County’s Certified Farm Markets are Fallen Maple Farm, Hinton’s Orchard and Farm Market, Sunshine and Blossoms Greenhouse, Crawford Pumpkin Patch, the Pumpkin Wagon, and Vine Grove Pumpkin Patch.
Hardin County is the latest Kentucky county to enact a burn ban.
“This is due to the dry conditions, the lack of rain that we have experienced in Hardin County,” said Hardin County Emergency Management Director Joey Scott. “We are implementing the burn ban and we’ll carry on until we get some significant rain to help these dry conditions out.”
Hardin County Judge/ Executive Keith Taul issued the burn ban via executive order Monday.
“Counties around us are going to burn bans,” Scott said. “It’s all across the state of Kentucky right now. We’re entering into a really dry season, so we’re just being proactive and trying to get ahead of it.”
The ban prohibits all outdoor burning with the exception of campfires in an established campground. Violations of the burn ban are punishable as a Class A misdemeanor, which carries a penalty of up to a $500 fine, up to 365 days in jail, or both.
“Just be safe,” Scott said. “Just use good common sense. We’ve got to take care of our neighbors, not only our property but other people’s property that joins ours.”
Burn bans have also been issued in Breckinridge, Meade, and LaRue counties. The ban will remain in effect until drought conditions improve.