WQXE News

Hodgenville Police Chief James Richardson wants students to be responsible and parents to be aware when it comes to the dangers of THC products.

“The biggest thing that we have found that parents have no idea about is most parents think that when you purchase a product at a local gas station it’s safe, it’s good, it’s regulated, and that is absolutely not the case,” Richardson said.

The Hodgenville Police Department last week investigated an incident at LaRue County High School in which a female student had an adverse reaction to a THC gummy she had purchased from a male student. Richardson said students often don’t know what they are getting into when they try a THC product.

“The biggest issue we have is we did a little bit of research on these gummies, and there are 20 milligrams of Delta-9 THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, in each gummy,” Richardson said. “According to the research that we did, that;s about anywhere between a quarter to a half of a marijuana joint’s worth of THC in one gummy.”

Richardson compares the THC gummies to similarly-unregulated vape cartridges, which have also caused issues in schools. The chief says it falls to parents to protect their kids if regulators will not step up.

“Legislation’s going to have to close that loophole, but until they do and they get some kind of regulation we want parents to know exactly what it is their kids are ingesting, and that’s the mission right now,” Richardson said. “Delta-9 THC, Delta-8 THC, whatever it is, if it can get your kids high it’s probably not good for them.”

Richardson says the HPD, along with other law enforcement agencies, will continue to prosecute anybody that supplies children with impairing substances. The investigation into last week’s incident led to the arrest of Daniel Roberts II, who the HPD says provided the gummy to the student who then sold it.

“Even under the Farm Bill, anybody under the age of I think 21 can’t have those substances anyway, for sure nobody under the age of 18, so that person was charged with unlawful transaction with a minor, and we are pursuing charges of trafficking on the juvenile that actually sold at the school,” Richardson said.

The chief also has a message for students that put other students at risk.

“If you are a student, and you are a drug dealer, we’re going to prosecute you, too,” Richardson said.

Parents with questions can contact the HPD at 270-491-5357.

Troopers and detectives from Kentucky State Police Post Four wrote 1,883 citations in the month of August.

The KSP says troopers cited 428 speeders, cited 183 people for seatbelt violations, and removed 33 impaired drivers from area roadways. 37 collisions were investigated, and troopers assisted 97 stranded motorists.

Detectives and troopers opened 66 criminal cases and made 390 criminal arrests during the month of August. More than 70 school and business security checks were conducted.

Troopers, detectives, and command staff logged more than 9,000 hours in service time, and KSP Post Four dispatchers logged more than 2,100 data entries while fielding calls from across the eight-county Post Four area.

More information and statistics can be found at www.kentuckystatepolice.org.

The City of Elizabethtown will host the final Lawn Party of the year at the bandstand at Freeman Lake Park this evening.

“We’ll have Casey and Romy take the stage at 6 p.m., and then at 7:30 we’ll have Caribou,” said Elizabethtown Events Manager Beth Pyles. “They are a good favorite from the Louisville area. I think a lot of people have heard of them. I think they’ve been around for a couple of decades, so we are encouraging everyone to bring their bag chair and enjoy a nice night of music.” 

Pyles says the Lawn Parties have been a great addition to E-Town’s summer calendar.

“The other Lawn Parties that we’ve had this year, of course it’s our first year, have been wildly successful,” Pyles said. “We’ve heard lots of positive feedback, and they’ve been very well attended.”

Parking opens at 5 p.m. Seating is festival style and patrons should bring their own chairs or blankets. Outside alcohol and coolers are not permitted, but food and alcohol vendors will be set up.

Pyles says all ages are welcome to come close out the summer in style.

“I know there is a chance of overcast,” Pyles said. “It looks like the rain is not going to be an issue this time, so we just invite everyone to come out and enjoy one of the last days of summer.”

More information can be found online at www.etownevents.com.