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Man in custody after infant hospitalized with rib injuries

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A Hardin County man is in custody on an abuse charge after a baby was treated for injuries at a hospital.

Austin Webster of Cecilia was charged with Class D Felony Second Degree Criminal Abuse following his arrest Wednesday.

According to the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office, deputies with the office’s Criminal Investigations Unit received information on a two-month old infant from Hardin County who was being treated at Norton Children’s Hospital in Louisville with three bilateral healing rib fractures. The mother of the child identified Webster as a possible suspect in an interview with detectives and Child Protective Services.

During an interview with detectives and CPS, Webster said the infant had been experiencing gastrointestinal discomfort and he attempted a technique he had seen on social media in hopes of relieving the child’s symptoms. The sheriff’s office says Webster “further acknowledged that he handled the infant in a rough manner and that his actions likely caused the rib fractures.”

Webster is currently lodged in the Hardin County Detention Center. He is due to appear in Hardin District Court Thursday morning.

The sheriff’s office reminds residents to seek medical guidance from licensed professionals rather than social media.

Breckinridge County Emergency Management encourages residents to stay informed

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Breckinridge County Emergency Management Director Justin Frazier says it is important for the community to stay up to date on the latest information during an emergency or a disaster.

“One of the best ways that the community can stay informed is through our Code Red automated text and email service,” Frazier said. “There’s also an app that you can download from both app stores. It’s just called Code Red.”

Links and QR codes that take you to download the app or sign up for alerts can be found on the Breckinridge County Emergency Management Facebook page.

“This is going to be the fastest and the most accurate way to get emergency information to Breckinridge County citizens,” Frazier said

Frazier said after the alerts county officials will get information out via local radio stations followed by county social media accounts. He also cautioned residents on completely relying on social media posts they see.

“Social media is great, but a lot of the information that gets put out on social media lacks context, and it lacks the direction that the community needs,” Frazier said. “I’m going to use social media. I’m going to use it to help people prepare for disasters and emergencies. I’m going to give them updates on our training and all that kind of stuff, but really, the Code Red app and listening to the local radio stations are going to be the best way to get up-to-date emergency information.”

Visit the Breckinridge County Emergency Management Facebook page for more information.

Residents advised on burning restrictions during Fall Forest Fire Hazard Season

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State fire officials are reminding residents to take precautions to protect their homes and natural areas during Fall Forest Fire Hazard Season, which runs October 1 through December 15.

“During the late fall through early spring, since everything goes dormant, the leaves fall, the grass dies down and 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 Fall Forest Fire Hazard 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. 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 on what is allowed and what’s 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 is available on the Kentucky Division of Forestry’s website.

Grant awarded to ECTC will go towards STEM lab

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A grant will help lead to more student pathways at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College.

ECTC was recently awarded a $100,000 grant from the Legacy Foundation, which will be used to establish the Legacy Foundation STEM Lab at the college.

ECTC said in a release: “The innovative new initiative is aimed at expanding access to allied health pathways and improving student success in key STEM courses.” 

The college says the grant will help ECTC play a vital role in producing highly skilled healthcare professionals.

The STEM Lab will be located near ECTC’s Allied Health classrooms. The lab will include a full-time professional tutor to support students studying for required courses in selective healthcare programs such as nursing.

The ECTC Foundation previously received a $100,000 grant from the Legacy Foundation in May which also supported the college’s Allied Health programming. Learn more about healthcare opportunities and other programs at the college by visiting the ECTC website.