Members of the House voted to pass legislation yesterday that would improve safety at railroad crossings across Kentucky. Representative Josh Calloway (R-Irvington) and Representative Nancy Tate (R-Brandenburg) are the primary sponsor and cosponsor of House Bill 311, which would require railroad companies to clear obstructive vegetation along public railroad-highway grade crossings. “Overgrown vegetation can block a driver’s view at railroad crossings, making it difficult t

The Kentucky General Assembly continues to work through their 2026 session. This past week, a bill passed out of the House addressing skilled trade education for inmates in the state prison system in an attempt to reduce recidivism. Meade County State Representative Nancy Tate issued the following statement in regard to House Bill 5: "Inmates serving time in a Kentucky state prison could spend their days in an intensive, focused program learning a skilled trade, earning certi

The Green Wave Basketball Team looks to add a 3rd Region Championship trophy to the case after winning their third straight 11th District Championship trophy against Breckenridge County. (photo from MCHS Basketball Team) The last time the Meade County Green Wave basketball team was in the 3rd Region Championship was 2017. Their losing record that year had no one giving them a chance, but they proved doubters wrong, knocking off Daviess County 52-50 to punch their ticket to t

Representative Nancy Tate proved the following legislative update on the state budget deliberations in Frankfort: The Kentucky House of Representatives took a major step with the passage of the House version of the state’s two-year spending plan, House Bill 500 HCS, on Thursday, February 26. The bill reflects a focus on making state government more efficient in order to focus on priority areas like education, healthcare, public safety, and community stability. As its spon

Photos by Katie Hobbs This past Monday, the gym at St. Martin of Tours in Flaherty was full of smiles and joy. The Meade County Special Olympics basketball team and cheerleading squad had arrived on campus to showcase their awesome skills. They were there to team up with St. Martin’s Youth Group members for a full-on scrimmage as they prepared for tournament competitions. The basketball team, fresh off winning a Special Olympics Regional Basketball Championship title, broke i

February 15th was the official beginning of the spring fire season in the state of Kentucky, which means there will be restrictions on burning now through April 30th. Per state law, there are two fire seasons each year in Kentucky: one during the fall from October 1st to December 15 and another during the spring from February 15th to April 30th. KRS 149.400 states the following with regards to fire seasons in Kentucky: During the official fire seasons it shall be unlawful for

Representative Nancy Tate provided the following legislative update from the 2026 Kentucky General Assembly: "As we pass the halfway point of our 60-day legislative session, members continue to work on the version of our state budget that will be considered by the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee in the days to come. That bill, House Bill 500, was filed in January as a preliminary version to begin conversations because the executive branch failed to provide much o

Ash Wednesday kicked off the Lenten Season this week and that means it’s time for Friday night fish fries. And there is no shortage of delicious options in our local area. Here is a breakdown of the need-to-know info for each one: St. Martin of Tours Fish Fry, Flaherty: Every Friday night from Feb. 20th thru March 27 in the elementary school cafeteria beside the church from 4 pm - 7 pm. Menu includes fish, salmon patty, or fried shrimp with fries/onion rings/or baked potato

According to g ame wardens with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources 3 rd District l, they have concluded a year-long investigation into a major poaching case involving six people. The group is responsible for the illegal killing of several hundred animals, including deer, turkey, fox and a domestic pet. The investigation reached a turning point on July 16, 2024, when Game Warden Sgt. Thomas Blackwell and then-Game Warden Steven Nelson intercepted the group

According to the Kentucky State Police, on February 10, at approximately 09:56 am, the Kentucky State Police Electronic Crime Branch arrested Christopher Scott Barnes, 51, on charges related to child sexual abuse material. Barnes was arrested as the result of an undercover Internet Crimes Against Children investigation. Santa Claus Police Department in Santa Claus, Indiana began the investigation after discovering the suspect procuring a minor online. The suspect was later id

According to Kentucky State Police (KSP) Post, Donald R. Brown, age 48, of Vine Grove was arrested in connection with a domestic violence incident that occurred in Meade County. On Saturday, February 7, at approximately 12:06 a.m., KSP Post 4 received a report of domestic violence from a woman, who was located at a Dollar General in Meade County. She reported that she had been strangled during an altercation and fell from a vehicle, striking her head. Following the incident,

Representative Nancy Tate: The Capitol Annex has been especially busy in recent weeks, with individuals and advocacy groups from across Kentucky visiting Frankfort to meet with legislators and share their priorities. These conversations are a vital part of the legislative process and help ensure the voices of communities, families, and industries are heard as policy decisions take shape. Of course, so are the emails, calls, and letters that lawmakers receive from constituents

Kentucky State Police Post 4 has returned a convicted child sex offender to Grayson County to face sentencing after fleeing the country. William Lee “Scott” Carter was arrested on June 11, 2023, following an investigation conducted by Kentucky State Police Post 4. Carter later entered a guilty plea to the following charges: One count of Rape, 2nd Degree Four counts of Rape, 3rd Degree One count of Sexual Abuse, 1st Degree During the course of the investigation, Carter confess

HB 311, filed by Representative Josh Calloway (R-Irvington) and Representative Nancy Tate (R-Brandenburg), would require railroad companies to remove obstructive vegetation at railroad intersections on public roads. “HB 1, passed in the 2024 Regular session, includes allocations for railroad companies to restore their rail facilities for the purpose of improving public safety. Those funds can and should be used by railroads companies across our state to fulfill the maintena

Kentucky State Police (KSP) Post 4 recently had the honor of visiting retired Trooper Howard P. King, Sr. at his home in Meade County, recognizing both his remarkable life and his service during the earliest years of the Kentucky State Police. Trooper King, who celebrated his 99th birthday in September, was hired by the Kentucky State Police in 1948 and graduated from the second KSP Academy class in March 1949 at approximately 22 years of age. Although his formal graduation o

The General Assembly convened on Tuesday, January 6 at Noon. Our convening is set by the Kentucky Constitution, which requires that we begin session on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January. The Constitution also establishes that in odd years we have 30 legislative days to complete our work before we must adjourn by midnight on March 30. We already know that this will be a historic session, as the legislature will convene and meet in a temporary building rathe

Jessica Youart, middle, stands with Sheena Wethington, left, exceptional children consultant with the Kentucky Department of Education, and Stacy Bewley, president of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children The Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Office of Special Education and Early Learning, in collaboration with the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children (KYCEC), is proud to recognize Jessica Youart of Meade County as the 2025 Special Education Teacher of t

Kentucky State Police (KSP) Post 4 is investigating a fatal collision that occurred on Monday, December 29, in Breckinridge County. At approximately 5:00 pm, KSP Post 4 troopers were notified of a two-vehicle head-on collision near the four-mile marker of KY 79. During the preliminary investigation, troopers determined a Hyundai Sonata passenger car, operated by Justin Nance, 42 , of Falls of Rough, crossed the center line and struck a Jeep Patriot SUV operated by Daniella W

According to the Kentucky State Police, Elizabethtown Post, they responded to a two vehicle collision in Meade County on Thursday, December 25. The collision occured at the intersections of Garrett Road and Brandenburg Road at approximately 10 pm. The initial investigation indicates that an F-150 pickup truck operated by Kailey Kwiatkowski, 19, of Brandenburg, was traveling westbound on KY 144 when, for unknown reasons, crossed the center line. The F-150 struck a Nissan Sent

On Monday night, the Powerball lottery reached its sixth highest jackpot, reaching $1.1 billion after no winner picked the winning numbers on Saturday night. However, there were two $50,000 tickets sold in Kentucky on Saturday which had four of the five numbers correct along with the powerball. One of those tickets was purchased in Brandenburg at Kroger, thought the individual’s name was not released. The second ticket was purchased in Bardstown. There was also no grand priz