WQXE NEWS

The City of Elizabethtown will assist residents with the disposal of junk and debris during the annual Spring Clean Up days which run from April 1 through 30.

Elizabethtown Public Works Director Don Hill says the guidelines for collection can be found on the city’s website.

“We ask that you place the items near the street, not in the street, and within 10 feet of the back of the curb or edge of pavement, that way our equipment can reach it,” Hill said. “Smaller, loose items, we ask that you bag them. Put them in clear plastic bags, limit the weight to 50 pounds, and you can purchase those at Public Works and at the Pritchard Community Center.”

The city says do not mix large items with small items when setting them out for collection, and place brush in a separate pile.

“What we will not pick up is garbage, hazardous materials, liquids, paints, oils, antifreeze, construction debris, tires, or automobiles,” Hill said.

Junk and debris collection will cycle through the designated zones as needed throughout the month. Appliances will be picked up on a call-in basis from April 22 through 30.

“We’ll pick up dehumidifiers, washing machines, dryers, ranges, water heaters,” Hill said. “They’ll be picked up and recycled. Anything that contains freon needs to be removed professionally and tagged so we know when we show up that the freon or refrigerant has been removed in a professional manner.”

Find the Spring Clean Up guidelines on the city’s website or contact the city’s Public Works Department for more information.

The Kentucky Community and Technical College System has established a FAFSA Rapid Response Task Force that is working on expanding communication with students as the college system deals with delays in getting FAFSA information.

The delay stems from an overhaul that was meant to simplify the FAFSA application process, but the rollout of the new system delayed the application opening date from the typical October 1 launch to a limited launch on December 31. The delayed launch along with submission issues has caused a delay in getting colleges information on students, which in turn means students are not getting info on financial aid options.

KCTCS President Ryan Quarles has established the task force and charged them with developing a communication plan with students, providing financial aid estimates ahead of the arrival of FAFSA data, and anticipating the short-term and long-term impact of the delays.

Colleges began receiving FAFSA information last week. In a typical year, the college system has received FAFSA information on 35,000 students by mid-March. This year they have received info on about 7,000.

Elizabethtown Community and Technical College students that need assistance with the FAFSA can contact the college’s financial aid office.

A heavy fall mast harvest of nuts and acorns combined with a mild winter means ample opportunities for hunters looking to take advantage of Kentucky’s spring wild turkey hunting season.

Kentucky’s youth-only turkey season open to hunters ages 15 and younger will run the weekend of April 6 and 7, with the general season running from April 13 through May 5.

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife tracks the turkey population through summer brood surveys and hunting season data. KFW biologists are anticipating an average population consistent with numbers seen since a jump in 2021. This comes despite the second highest total turkey harvest on record in 2023, with hunters claiming more than 35,000 birds last spring.

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife says they’re expecting reduced wildlife movement this spring. The heavy mast harvest and mild winter means food sources were amble in the winter and the turkeys are less likely to travel from those food sources.

Regular hunting laws and regulations including hunting license requirements, daily bird claim limits, and public land restrictions will be in effect. Hunters should consult the KFW’s Spring Turkey Hunting Guide and 2024 Kentucky Spring Hunting Guide before hunting season opens.