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Grant funding for targeting drug trafficking includes local law enforcement

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Area law enforcement was included in the latest round of federal funding aimed at fighting drug crimes in the commonwealth.

Governor Andy Beshear on Thursday announced more than $1.4 million had been awarded through the Edward J. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program. The program allows “Kentucky’s law enforcement agencies, drug task forces, and nonprofit organizations to purchase critical resources, provide drug prevention programming to community residents, offer counseling to crime victims, ensure officers receive specialized training, and work with individuals leaving incarceration for successful reentry skills.”

“Each of these organizations is receiving over $100,000,” said Governor Beshear during Thursday’s Team Kentucky Update. “Thank you to these groups for all they’re doing. With three straight years of declines in overdose deaths, we can finally see real hope, especially after last year where we saw a 30 percent decline. We’re still losing too many people. Each one, a child of God, loved by their family and their friends. Let’s keep working until we end this epidemic that arose in our lifetime, and I think we have an obligation not to leave it to our kids or to our grandkids.”

Included in the latest funding recipients are the Greater Hardin County Narcotics Task Force, which received $196,307, and the Kentucky State Police, which received $333,595.

Learn more about the grant program on the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet’s website.

Juvenile driver dead after I-65 crash

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A collision on Interstate 65 in Hart County Thursday resulted in the death of a driver.

Kentucky State Police Post Three says at approximately 11 a.m. CDT troopers were called to the scene of an accident at the 65.8 mile marker of I-65. The KSP says the preliminary investigation indicates a minivan with a juvenile driver was traveling north on I-65 when the vehicle collided with the rear end of a stopped commercial vehicle. The juvenile driver was pronounced dead at the scene by the Hart County Coroner’s Office.

The KSP’s investigation is ongoing. The collision was part of traffic impacts on I-65 which lasted nearly seven hours.

Arrests made in Hardin County cemetery vandalism investigation

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A series of arrests have been made in relation to area law enforcement’s investigation into reports of theft and vandalism in area cemeteries.

The Hardin County Sheriff’s Office says their Criminal Investigation Division launched an investigation, “quickly identifying a group of possible suspects connected to the crimes.” Detectives on Monday began collecting physical evidence of stolen and vandalized property from local scrap yards, and on Tuesday detectives conducted interviews with multiple suspects.

Four individuals have been arrested to date: Tomas Bernardo, Gaven Carayoun, Jesse Barcinas, and Joseph Mendiloa, all of Radcliff. The four have been charged with Class D Felony Violating Graves and Class D Felony Theft by Unlawful Taking or Disposition. They are currently incarcerated in the Hardin County Detention Center, with each scheduled to appear in Hardin District Court on October 3.

The sheriff’s office says more than two dozen reports have been made regarding incidents at several cemeteries, and their investigation remains active and ongoing. Anybody with possible information is asked to file a report with the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office by calling 270-765-5133.

Grayson County Sheriff’s Office seeks information on road rage shooting

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The Grayson County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance in their investigation into a road rage incident Tuesday.

The sheriff’s office says on September 23 at approximately 6:45 p.m. a burgundy Harley Davidson motorcycle was heading east on the Western Kentucky Parkway. A dark colored SUV which was also travelling east appeared to be pursuing the motorcycle at a high rate of speed.

The sheriff’s office says at around the 113-mile marker the SUV attempted to run the motorcycle off the roadway, which caused the motorcycle’s operator to lay the bike down in the right lane and then into the ditch alongside the emergency lane. The SUV then pulled into the emergency lane, and a passenger exited the vehicle, fired multiple rounds at the motorcycle’s operator, and reentered the vehicle, at which time the driver fled eastbound on the parkway.

The sheriff’s office says none of the rounds struck the motorcycle operator and no injuries were reported in the incident. Witnesses stopped to assist the operator but left the scene before the arrival of law enforcement.

The shooter is described as a white male, approximately 6 feet tall with an average build and shoulder-length hair. He was wearing a red flannel shirt and blue jeans. Any witnesses to the incident or anybody with possible information on the shooter is encouraged to contact the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office at 270-259-3024.

Pool tournament this Saturday a fundraiser for Sycamore Farm KY

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Sycamore Farm founder and Executive Director Cindy Crawford says the nonprofit ministry is dedicated to helping women come out of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation.

“There’s a lot of overlap, so we just try to help them find their next best step, and we offer an emergency home where they can come and get safe and stable, and we also now are able to offer long-term residential programming as well,” Crawford said.

Looney’s Billiard Lounge in Elizabethtown is hosting a benefit for the organization this Saturday with an 8-ball Jack and Jill scotch doubles tournament.

“It’s $20 a person,” Crawford said. “Jack and Jill means it’s a woman and a man. It just makes it really fun for everybody to come out and just enjoy each other, have fun playing pool. There’ll be food there. We’re going to have our jewelry there. We hand-make jewelry and we sell it. 100 percent of the profits go back to Sycamore Farm.”

The event begins at 10 a.m. Saturday. All are welcome to attend.

“Just show up” Crawford said. “If you need a partner, there should be plenty of people around to just come in and join us, but it’s all for fun. We’ll have some good pool players. We’ll have some not so good pool players. I haven’t played in forever, but I’m just excited to be able to do it and just hang out.”

Learn more about the organization at www.sycamorefarmsky.org.