Order for the Recognition of Sergeant Richard Givan and the Lowering of Flags to Half-Staff.
WHEREAS, Sergeant Richard Givan, a dedicated and esteemed member of our community, served with unwavering commitment and selflessness as a firefighter; and
WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper to honor the memory and service of Sergeant Richard Givan and to express our profound gratitude for his dedicated service to our community;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Troy Kok, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Judge Executive, do hereby declare that all flags at all public buildings, grounds, and facilities within Meade County be lowered to half-staff immediately and remain at half-staff until sunset on Sunday, April 14, 2024.
I further encourage all residents, businesses, and organizations within Meade County to join in this expression of respect and remembrance for Sergeant Richard Givan.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Transportation Officials Remind Kentucky Vehicle Owners About Registration Options Given Delayed March Renewal Notices Mailed notices expected to arrive mid-April FRANKFORT, Ky. (April 10, 2024) – Registration renewals typically sent in March to applicable Kentucky vehicle owners have been delayed to mid-April due to a state system issue. Vehicle owners have options to pay registration fees and taxes before receiving the mailed notice, including online renewal or visiting their local county clerk’s office.
Kentuckians with vehicle registrations expiring in April 2024 can visit drive.ky.gov to renew online by entering the title number found on a previous year’s registration document and their license plate number. Online renewals are not available if previous balances are owed or if insurance information is not on file.
Kentuckians always have the option to pay in person or check balances at their county clerk’s office. Those visiting offices ahead of receiving the April notice are asked to bring their ID, proof of insurance and last year’s registration document for the same vehicle. Administered by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC), the vehicle registration and titling portion of the Kentucky Automated Vehicle Information System (KAVIS) that launched in January is used primarily by county clerk staff to perform vehicle and vessel-related transactions and to generate user data used to mail notices. KAVIS generates the data used to prepare and send the renewal notification postcards.
“The new KAVIS system is getting stronger every day, and we’re committed to working through the challenges that any modernization project presents,” said KYTC Secretary Jim Gray. “We appreciate the public’s patience and want folks to know they can take care of their vehicle registration needs without having to wait for the notice to arrive.” State transportation officials have resolved the majority of issues identified after making the new system available statewide. Processing times at county clerk’s offices have and will continue to improve throughout the year.
The KAVIS team continues to improve KAVIS performance and provide technical assistance to clerk staff adjusting to a new payment system and process.
“Despite the growing pains of replacing a 1970s outdated mainframe system, KAVIS was needed to introduce capabilities that are standard in most 21st century businesses, like improved reporting, intuitive interfaces and user guardrails,” said Department of Vehicle Regulations Commissioner Matt Cole. “Because of the many combinations of unique transactions the system performs, we may continue to identify and resolve new issues throughout the first year as we cycle through new renewal transaction types, like boat renewals due in April.”
Time-Saving Tips for Kentuckians When Renewing Vehicle Registrations:
Renew your vehicle registration online at drive.ky.gov.
Bring your ID, proof of insurance and renewal postcard.
Pay electric and hybrid vehicle ownership fees online at EVHV.ky.gov. If paying in person at a county clerk’s office, you must pay when renewing your car registration and will need to bring your fee notification postcard.
KAVIS Implementation
The project to migrate to KAVIS kicked off in 2015, and six modules were gradually released, including boat titling and registration, a standardized point-of-sale system, disabled placard improvements, print on-demand decals and new flat license plates. In January, the commonwealth fully launched KAVIS to now handle motor vehicle title and registration services. A short-term closure of county clerk offices started Jan. 1, 2024, and counties gradually began using the new system starting the week of Jan. 8.
As a mainframe legacy system, AVIS was difficult to support and lacked needed functionalities. Kentuckians, under KAVIS, can now keep their license plate if they sell or trade a car, and have more special license plate options to support their favorite organizations.
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Editor’s note: Click here to view the AVIS interface compared to the user-friendly KAVIS interface.
BUDGET HEARING REGARDING PROPOSED USE OF COUNTY ROAD AID (CRA) AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE (LGEA) FUNDS.
A public hearing will be held by Meade County Fiscal Court at the Meade County Courthouse, 516 Hillcrest Dr. Brandenburg, KY 40108 on Thursday, April 18th, 2024, at 5:00 pm for the purpose of obtaining citizens comments regarding the possible uses of the County Road Aid (CRA) and Local Government Economic Assistance (LGEA) Funds.
All interested persons in Meade County, KY are invited to the hearing to submit verbal comments. Written comments on possible uses of the CRA and LGEA Funds will be accepted at the above address or emailed to treasurer@meadeky.gov.
Any person(s) who cannot submit written comments or attend the public hearing but wish to submit comments, should call the Office of the county Judge/Executive at 270-422-3967 before close of business on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, so the arrangements can be made to secure their comments.
UPDATE: There is a potential safety concern regarding Solar Eclipse Glasses purchased with non-appropriated funds and distributed by staff members of the Ireland Army Health Clinic. The glasses were purchased from a credible vendor but have since been recalled out of an abundance of caution. The glasses listed below were not included in the American Astronomical Society’s list of safe suppliers of solar eclipse viewers and filters and therefore may not be safe for viewing a solar eclipse.
Meade County Rural Electric Cooperative (RECC) is locally owned and operated, and their members have a voice in their co-op. Their members work together as a community to offer reliable, affordable electricity. Providing safe, reliable and affordable electric service in Breckinridge, Grayson, Hancock, Hardin, Meade and Ohio counties in north central Kentucky.
Check out the PowerOutage.us website for up-to-date Power Outage Information! PowerOutage.us is an ongoing project created to track, record, and aggregate power outages across the United States. Click on a state and county to see more detailed info. Data is updated site wide approximately every ten minutes, with the goal to create the single most reliable and complete source of power outage information available.
The Meade County Planning and Zoning Board of Adjustments will have a regular meeting in the Planning and Zoning Office at the Meade County Courthouse on April 8th, 2024 at 8:30 AM EDT.
Please join us today as we remember the lives lost and those changed forever by the tornado that hit Brandenburg 50 years ago. The ceremony will be streamed live on WVIH.com and broadcast on WMMG for those who are not able to attend in person.
Communities in Meade and Breckinridge County will pause to remember and honor those lost fifty years ago today on April 3, 1974.
The storms hit with little or no advance warning in the mid afternoon hours. One storm developed in western Kentucky and dropped the 47th of 148 tornadoes of the outbreak near McQuady and continued on the ground some thirty miles to where as a F5 storm it leveled the main business and residential areas of Brandenburg just after 4 pm.
The same storm produced another long track tornado in Louisville that continued through Oldham and Trimble Counties to near Madison, Indiana. Thirty one people were killed in a matter of moments in Brandenburg that afternoon. A remembrance ceremony of the anniversary will be held at 4 pm in Brandenburg at the First Baptist Church at 149 Lawrence Street, a site that was destroyed in the middle of the path of the storm.
The ceremony will be streamed live on WVIH.com and broadcast on WMMG for those who are not able to attend in person. For more coverage and personal survival stories visit our special remembrance section of our website for audio and video related to the 1974 Super Outbreak by clicking here.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Remembering the Legacy: Brandenburg, KY Commemorates 50th Anniversary of Devastating Tornado Brandenburg, KY – March 31, 2024 – On April 3, 1974, a catastrophic tornado tore through Brandenburg, Kentucky, leaving behind a trail of devastation that forever changed the landscape of our community. As we approach the solemn anniversary of this tragic event, the residents of Brandenburg and Meade County gather to honor the memories of those who lost their lives, and to reflect on the resilience and strength of our community over the past fifty years. The Brandenburg community will come together on April 3, 2024, at First Baptist Church in Brandenburg, KY, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the tornado that struck our town. This memorial ceremony will serve as a time of reflection, remembrance, and unity as we honor the lives lost, the heroes who emerged in the face of adversity, and the spirit of resilience that has defined our community in the years since. The ceremony will feature remarks from local officials, community leaders, and survivors, who will share their reflections on the impact of the tornado and the journey of recovery and rebuilding that followed. There will also be a moment of silence at approximately 4:08PM EDT, the time the tornado entered Brandenburg that fateful day, to honor the memory of those who perished and to pay tribute to the strength and solidarity of the Brandenburg community. In addition to the memorial ceremony, there will be a reception offering light refreshments and memorabilia connected to the events of that day and the days that followed. All members of the community, as well as friends and supporters from across the region, are invited to join us as we come together to remember, reflect, and renew our commitment to building a stronger, more resilient future for Brandenburg, KY. Event Details: Date: April 3, 2024 Time: 4:00 PM EDT Location: First Baptist Church, 149 Lawrence St., Brandenburg, KY For more information, please contact: Jessica McKinney Administrative Assistant, Meade County Judge Executive’s Office (270) 422-3967 adminassistant@meadeky.gov
