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Bardstown man faces animal cruelty charge for alleged chicken-fighting operation

A Nelson County man was charged with animal cruelty following an investigation by the Kentucky State Police.

The KSP says Aaron John Thompson of Bardstown on Monday was charged with second degree Cruelty to Animals. The charge was cited to Nelson County District Court.

According to the KSP, at 11 a.m. on February 17 troopers responded to a call from an individual who said an organized chicken-fighting event was taking place at a residence on the 1900 block of Pottershop Road. Troopers and detectives made contact with the property owner, identified as Thompson, and other individuals present. Thompson was charged as a result of the investigation.

The KSP says the investigation remains ongoing, and the KSP has active investigations into chicken-fighting operations in Bethelridge, Blackberry, and Dunnville.

Hardin County Animal Shelter reminds pet owners to mind their animals in the cold

When it gets cold outside, animals need special attention. 

With frigid temperatures in the forecast for the rest of the week, Hardin County Animal Care and Control Director Mike McNutt has some advice for dog owners.

“A lot of people are under the impression that dogs have fur and they can handle the cold better than humans, and that’s like an old wives tale, and the truth of the matter is that some dogs are built for the cold, you know, your huskies, your thicker-furred animals are built for being out in the cold, but as for just your run of the mill dogs, they are not built to be out in the cold, so the rule of thumb is if you are cold, they are cold,” McNutt said.

McNutt goes on to say if possible, bring your dog into your house or provide it with shelter of some kind. Another way to keep your animal warm is to provide it with straw.

“Straw generates heat,” McNutt said. “We currently have straw vouchers available at the shelter at 220 Peterson Drive, provided to us by the Friends of Hardin County Animal Shelter, so if you need a straw voucher, please stop in and see us Monday through Saturday 12 to 4 p.m.”

The vouchers can be redeemed at Pepper’s Hardin County Milling Company. For more information go to the Hardin County Animal Shelter Facebook page or hcky.org.

More winter weather on the way

After a brief respite from precipitation Monday, another round of winter weather appears to be on its way to the area.

“We’ve got another snow event coming through, probably in the E-Town area between about 6 and 8 p.m. Tuesday evening, probably somewhere between 4 and 6 inches of snow by Wednesday morning,” said Meteorologist John Gordon with the National Weather Service in Louisville. “It will be a dry snow, and the worst snow will be from about probably 9 p.m. to about 3 in the morning.”

Impacts to Wednesday morning travel are expected, and Gordon said cold temperatures mean freezing is likely for areas still impacted by flooding from the weekend rain.

“We’re going to be very cold during the day on Wednesday,” Gordon said. “Temperatures will be in the teens. Wind chill is in the teens. It’s just kind of an ugly time. There is good news, though, because we’ll be in the 40s by Sunday, Sunday and Monday, so we have to suffer a little but there will be some rejoicing at the end of the week.”

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District Four says area roads were pretreated ahead of the weather on Monday.

Governor Andy Beshear, who declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm, said the White House has approved an emergency disaster declaration for all 120 counties in Kentucky. During an update Monday morning, Beshear said the Team Kentucky Storm Relief Fund has been activated in order to assist families impacted by the severe weather.

“The help’s needed, because we can now confirm 11 fatalities from this event,” Beshear said. “That number may still grow. That’s an addition of two since last night. Those include an adult male in Hardin County and an adult male in Floyd County.”

State officials say as of Monday morning more than 14,000 customers across the commonwealth are without power, more than 17,000 are without water, and more than 28,000 are under boil water advisories. 344 state highways are closed due to flooding, 14 from mudslides, and three from rock slides.

Radcliff man charged for shooting at car

A Radcliff man is in custody after a shooting incident in LaRue County.

Anthony Barth of Radcliff was charged with first degree Wanton Endangerment following his arrest Saturday.

According to the LaRue County Sheriff’s Office, on February 15 deputies responded to the Dollar General store in Magnolia following a reported possible shooting. The sheriff’s office says the victim’s vehicle was found to have been struck twice, once in the trunk area and once in the passenger door. Three individuals were in the vehicle that was damaged by gunfire.

Deputies obtained vehicle and suspect descriptions at the scene, and Barth was identified. Barth was located with the assistance of the Radcliff Police Department and placed under arrest.

Barth was lodged in the LaRue County Detention Center, where he is being held on a $50,000 cash bond. He is due to appear in LaRue District Court on Wednesday.

The sheriff’s office says the shooting was an isolated domestic-related incident. Their investigation is ongoing.

Restrictions on outdoor burning in place for Spring Wildfire Season

Temperatures may be cooler and conditions may be wetter at the moment, but state fire officials are reminding residents to take precautions to protect their homes and natural areas during Spring Wildfire Season, which runs now through April 30.

“During the late fall through early spring, since everything goes dormant, the leaves fall, the grass dies down and stuff, all that stuff is technically dry,” said Radcliff Deputy Fire Marshal Tommy Crane. “Yeah, we may have some rain, some snow, but the grasses and a lot of the brush are still technically dry because they’re dormant.”

During Spring Wildfire Season, burning is prohibited within 150 feet of woodland or brushland between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. If you plan to burn debris, only burn natural vegetation during evening hours when conditions are less windy, keep fire tools handy, and never leave a fire unattended.

Crane says consider alternatives to burning such as limb removal and leaf pickup services offered by the cities, and always check with your local fire department ahead of any burning.

“Anytime you’re burning, whether it’s in this restricted time or whatever time of year it is, always check to make sure with your local ordinances, and what is allowed was not allowed because we want to take care of our neighbors and we want to make sure that we don’t burn down anybody else’s wooded area or anything like that,” Crane said.

More information on Kentucky Spring Wildfire Season is available on the Kentucky Division of Forestry’s website.