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Hunters asked to remember CWD restrictions as deer season begins

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Archery deer season opens this Saturday, so Kentucky Fish and Wildlife is reminding hunters to review regulations in place regarding chronic wasting disease.

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture confirmed a case of CWD in a captive deer at a farm in Breckinridge County in October 2024, which prompted the creation of a CWD surveillance zone consisting of Breckinridge, Hardin, and Meade counties. Eight new cases of CWD were confirmed at the same facility in August.

Special regulations are in place in CWD surveillance zones. Whole carcases may not be taken out of a county within the zone. Baiting is allowed with restrictions, and is banned on public lands, with contact-style feeders prohibited. Scent attractants and urine products are still allowed.

Hunters may assist KFW by submitting the heads of harvested deer for testing, which can be done via drop-off sites and CWD sample mail-in kits. Sick or dead deer can be reported to the KFW Information Center (1-800-858-1549 or info.center@ky.gov) or via the KFW website.

Chronic wasting disease is caused by abnormal prions and affects cervids such as white-tailed deer and elk. The disease is always fatal and has no known cure. Visit the KFW’s deer hunting webpage for more information on the disease and other regulations.

Wilson Gate at Fort Knox now open for limited hours

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Visitors and employees heading into Fort Knox now have limited access to an additional gate.

The Wilson Gate is scheduled to reopen for limited weekday hours beginning Tuesday, September 2. 

“We’ve done some analysis and garnered some military support from all the commands across Fort Knox, and we now have enough guards trained to reopen Wilson Gate in a limited capacity,” said Fort Knox Garrison Commander Colonel Dave Holstead.

The gate will be open “from 6 to 9 a.m. with one inbound lane and outbound lanes open, and again from 3 to 6 p.m. for outbound-traffic only.”

Holstead said several factors contributed to the closing of the gate.

“Because of the hiring freeze, because we’ve lost a lot of security guards, because of the surge with cadet summer training, we are not able to hire the security guards, and people just don’t know that the Army actually says that Fort Knox should be a one gate post, so they only man us to that level, but we manned two through the summer and we’re now back up to three,” Holstead said.

Follow the U.S. Army Fort Knox Facebook page for updates.

Red Cross partners with Peanuts to encourage September donations

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As the summer days wind down, the need for blood donors remains high.

“The need for Type O, O-positive and O-negative, is in an emergency need right now,” said American Red Cross Account Manager Tammy Ritchie. “Transfusions are happening when needed, but because that is the most common blood type, it is also the most needed, and in an emergency situation, that is what’s going to be transfused until we know that patient’s blood type.”

High school and college students make up 20 to 25 percent of blood donations, but as students head back to school, donating blood may not be top of mind right now, so the Red Cross is looking for others to step up to help maintain the blood supply.

“We are trying to get into our schools here in September and October to try to get things evened out, but right now, we just need to encourage anybody who’s out there who would be willing to come and donate blood,” Ritchie said. “It is a very safe and simple process, and once you do it one time, you always come up with ‘Wow, that’s not bad at all. I’ll continue to do that.’”

If you are looking for a special incentive, why don’t you check the funny papers?

Now through September 21, when you donate you will receive an exclusive American Red Cross and Peanuts mystery bag with one of four special t-shirt designs featuring Snoopy and Woodstock. Select bags will include a golden ticket which will get you all four shirts. Additionally, platelet donors from September 22 through October 5 will receive a Red Cross sweatshirt featuring Joe Cool.

Visit www.redcrossblood.org to learn more and make an appointment to donate.

‘Yes’ votes lead but contested ballots could impact BlueOval SK union vote

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Workers in favor of unionizing at BlueOval SK appear to be on their way to victory, but the decision could still swing Either way.

According to a statement from the company Thursday, the results of the National Labor Relations Board election this week stand at 526 yes votes, 515 no votes, and 41 challenged ballots.

BlueOval SK said in the statement: “BlueOval SK will urge the board to count each eligible vote because every voice matters. We remain focused on the safety and wellbeing of our team and our commitment to build best-in-class batteries together! “

United Auto Workers in a release described the 41 challenged ballots as “illegitimate” and represent “an employer tactic to flood the unit and undermine the outcome.” UAW said in the release: “We will fight these challenges to defend the democratic choices of these workers, as we always do when corporations try to interfere with workers’ democratic choice. The challenged ballots are not part of the group of workers who built their union from the bottom up. They deserve to have their own union, in an appropriate bargaining unit with a representative of their own choosing.”

BlueOval SK’s Kentucky One plant officially began battery production on August 19.

Burn Ban issued for LaRue County and Hodgenville

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Due to extremely dry conditions of ground cover, LaRue County Judge/Executive Blake Durrett has issued a burn ban for the unincorporated area of the county. 

“As listed, it is no fire for recreational or ceremonial purposes, so those are your backyard fire pits or barbecues,” Durrett said. “No fire set for construction purposes, so you know how people would burn construction debris. No weed abatement, so no controlled burns for weed control. No fire training. No ag purposes. No burning of leaves. We’re not that far into the year where leaves are dropping, but obviously that’s not okay, and then some people burn their trash, so no disposal of rubbish by fire and things of that nature.”

Durrett said he issued the burn ban after hearing from the chiefs of the county’s volunteer fire companies.

The city of Hodgenville has also issued a burn ban. The Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet says LaRue is one of 25 Kentucky counties with burn bans currently in place.