WQXE News

The Elizabethtown City Council met for their first meeting of the month Monday.

The council approved an inter-local agreement with Hardin County in which the city’s enforcement officer for recovery residences will serve in the same role for the county. Elizabethtown Mayor Jeff Gregory said city and county officials met to discuss the creation of the city’s recovery residences certification ordinance, and both entities felt it was important to stay ahead of possible problems.

“We didn’t want to implement our certification process and then they move just outside the city limits and continue to operate if they’re not doing what they’re supposed to, and we still have the same problem, so we thought it was in everybody’s best interest for them to pair it or mirror exactly what our ordinance stated in the county, and then it was foolish at the time for them to go hire an inspector with one place,” said Gregory.

Council Member Cindy Walker asked about the city’s ability to renegotiate the agreement if more recovery residences appear in the county. City Attorney Ken Howard said he and County Attorney Jenny Oldham discussed this.

“We kind of intentionally did not include a level of service that the city is going to provide to the county here because it depends not only on how many residences are in the county, currently two, but how many residences we have to deal with,” Howard said.

Council Member Marty Fulkerson ultimately voted in favor of the agreement, but said his previous frustrations almost made him vote no.

“I’ve had my fill with the county not coming to the table,” Fulkerson said. “When we went through this whole thing with this annexation, we couldn’t get any reasonable conversation from county government on this deal, but again the city of E-town comes to the table once again to partner and do what’s right for our community.”

In other meeting news, the council approved a $220,517 bid from Dirt Works Unlimited for the Ridgestone Drive culvert project. RFH CPAs and Associates was hired on a $69,000 per year contract to conduct audits for the city and the Elizabethtown Airport. Gregory also said Andrea Sue Percell and Neelam Patel were re-appointed to the Elizabethtown Tourism and Convention Bureau board.

The Elizabethtown City Council will next meet for a work session on March 12.

The Fort Knox Area chapter of the Military Officers Association of America encourages eligible students to apply for their merit-based scholarships for graduating seniors.

“Our scholarship is available to graduating seniors attending the local high schools,” said Fort Knox Area MOAA Scholarship Chairman Dick Ardisson. “That would be Fort Knox, Hardin, Meade, and LaRue counties, Elizabethtown Independent, Faith Homeschool, and North Hardin Christian School. So we cover all the high schools in our service area.”

Applicants must be a family member of an active duty, Guard, or reserve military service member; a family member of a 20-year or medically retired or deceased active duty, Guard, or reserve service member; or the grandson or granddaughter of a retired active duty, Guard, or reserve service member. Rank of service member is not a factor.

Ardisson said the available scholarships are a great opportunity.

“We’re giving out $14,500 in scholarships this year, and that includes one for $3,000, one for $2,500, two for $2,000, and two for $1,500, and as we did a couple years ago one of our sister organizations, the Military Order of the World Wars, is also putting up a $1,500 scholarship, so we’ve got a grand total of $16,000 in scholarships available spread across eight scholarships.” Ardisson said.

The deadline to apply for the MOAA scholarships is coming up near the end of this month.

“The scholarship applications were sent to the high school counselors at those high schools that I mentioned early in January, and the suspense date to have them postmarked is the 29th of March,” Ardisson said.

Check with your guidance counselor’s office for more information.

Baptist Health Hardin recently partnered with area law enforcement and first responders to present a live overdose simulation at area high schools which has been seen by more than 7,000 students.

“After the simulation, we then had a panel where education was given to the students, and then after that panel we played a video testimonial because the overdose was based on a Central Hardin student who had graduated and passed back in 2021,” said Baptist Health Hardin Community Health and Wellness Manager Erin Priddy. 

Area parents and community members will get a chance to see the presentation seen by students and talk with a panel at a community overdose simulation set for 6 p.m. on March 18 at the Hardin County Performing Arts Center.

Priddy said the simulation and panel are not just a scare tactic, but an opportunity to show the impact of the situation. Similarly, the presentation for adults on the 18th is a reminder for parents.

“I think it is important for parents to understand,” Priddy said. “I know that a lot of times parents get busy, but this is going to give a lot of information on some things that parents need to look out for, and I think the most important thing is remembering that don’t think your child couldn’t get involved in something like this. Just come out and hear the information and hear what we have to say.”

Baptist Health Hardin says the presentation on the 18th contains content for mature audiences and is intended for adults 18 and over. No advanced registration is required to attend. Contact Baptist Health Hardin for more information.