WQXE NEWS

Residents in need of assistance with paying their energy bills may be able to take advantage of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

Registration for winter LIHEAP subsidies runs from now through March 31 or until funds are depleted.

“It covers heating, so it will cover electric, gas, propane, kerosene, and wood, however you heat,” LaRue County Community Action Coordinator Renna Miller said. “It’s income based, so depending on their income and how many people they have in their household.” 

Applicants have to bring proof of income, a license, and a Social Security card, along with their bills that they want help with.

Each county has dedicated offices for Central Kentucky Community Action, locations for which can be found at ckcac.org. Residents who want to learn more about the program should contact their local office.

“They can call their local office and talk to the coordinators at the local offices, and then we can tell them what they need,” Miller said. “They can also give us their income and we can tell them if they qualify or not before they even come into the office.”

Assistance is available on a first come, first served basis.

Area law enforcement agencies are warning residents of two scams attempts that have been reported.

“There’s a scam text message circulating that claims to be from the United States Postal Service alleging that a portion of your address was absent on a parcel that is to be delivered to you,” said Elizabethtown Police Department Public Information Officer Chris Denham. “The text message suggests that the recipient should click on an embedded link to resolve the issue. I would encourage anyone who receives this message to delete it as it is not legitimate.”

Meanwhile, the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office says a person named Spencer Turner is calling people claiming to be with the sheriff’s office and telling people how to pay a $1,500 fine they supposedly owe. The sheriff’s office says this is a scam, and is reminding the public that law enforcement will never try to collect money via phone or text.

The Hardin County Fiscal Court heard several department updates during their meeting Tuesday.

County Attorney Jenny Oldham provided statistics on her office’s activities in 2023, which included work in criminal, civil, and family court cases. The office handled more than 2,000 misdemeanor cases and more than 1,300 felony cases, and helped collect more than $9.2 million in child support. Oldham said a 44 percent decrease in child abuse cases has been seen since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that number is not what it seems.

“What we think we’re seeing is 44 percent fewer cases that we’re involved in because there’s not staff, staffing for social workers is down,” Oldham said. “A big part of that is because our teachers and our school personnel are the people who make the reports, and kids were not in school and teachers were not seeing these.”

County 911 Director Mike Leo said 911 answered more than 4,200 calls in December, and more than 55,000 calls over 2023. County EMS Director Mark Peterson said the department made 1,734 runs in December, bringing their total runs during the fiscal year to date to more than 9,800. Peterson said he is proud of the efforts of his staff to help meet a goal by Judge-Executive Keith Taul for the department to reduce expenses by $200,000.

“Our supply budget overall is down about $87,000 from this time last year, and we’ve reduced our costs-per-run from $25 a run to $14 a run,” Peterson said.

Taul issued a proclamation declaring January 23 as Sophia Todd Day in recognition of Miss Kentucky’s Teen’s fourth runner-up finish and talent preliminary win in the Miss America’s Teen pageant. Todd thanked her family and community for their support, and said she is proud the pageant has allowed her to leave a legacy for her hometown.

“My mission is to promote art therapy so that it is available in all schools the way that speech therapy is now,” Todd said. “Art can combat depression and anxiety as well as improve heart health in those who cannot physically get fit.”

The Hardin County Fiscal Court will next meet February 13, but the fiscal court’s next town hall forum will be held at 5:30 p.m. on January 30 in the fiscal courtroom. The open house presenting the county’s new comprehensive plan will also be held on the 30th at the county building beginning at 4:30 p.m.