Dawson Springs

A Hopkins County group unveiled a memorial to victims of last December’s tornado outbreak this weekend less than a month before the one-year anniversary of the disaster.

Kentucky Sports Radio and the Kentucky Chamber Foundation presented the more than $950,000 check to the nonprofit in Dawson Springs, where around 75% of the community’s homes were damaged or destroyed by high speed winds last December.

Officials at the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area in western Kentucky say reforestation efforts are underway after two tornadoes ripped through sections of the recreation area in December, destroying countless trees along the way. Likewise, western Kentucky cities are pushing initiatives to bring a little green back into tornado-impacted communities.

More than eight months after the December tornado outbreak, many organizations, such as Samaritan’s Purse, are working on rebuilding efforts across west Kentucky.

As the school year starts up in much of the state, leadership at western Kentucky school districts hit hard by last year’s tornado outbreak see the future of their districts tied to the future of their local tax bases.

As tornado recovery continues to progress in west and central Kentucky, three charities are working toward the goal of building 300 homes for survivors with support from the Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund.

For 74 years, the small western Kentucky town of Dawson Springs has come together in late July for a community barbecue, bringing people together to raise money for the community and celebrate the summer.

Gov. Andy Beshear announced $12 million dollars of the Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund will go to direct individual assistance like furniture and transportation needs.

More than six months after the December tornado outbreak, many western Kentucky residents are looking for mental health resources to help them navigate the trauma caused by the disaster.

It’s been six months since a devastating and deadly storm ripped through western and southern Kentucky, producing 20 tornadoes, killing 81 people, injuring hundreds more and roiling an entire region. The event was heartbreaking, and took most people by surprise. Tornadoes aren’t unheard of in Kentucky, but few were expecting one of the longest tornado systems in the country’s history to materialize on the night of Dec. 10 — not exactly twister season.