WQXE News

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has several resurfacing projects under way in Hardin County this week.

KYTC District Four says flaggers will direct traffic around milling and paving operations on North Mulberry Street from just east of Elizabethtown High School to Ring Road. Operations will run daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Saturday.

Work is also taking place on North Miles Road from just north of Pear Orchard Road to Ring Road, with flaggers directing traffic around operations from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Saturday.

Crews will also be working Tuesday on New Glendale Road from the U.S. 31W Bypass to U.S. 31W. That work should wrap at 5 p.m.

The projects are part of the push to get area paving completed ahead of winter. The KYTC says with several schools on fall break, areas around school buildings should be less congested, but drivers should still expect short delays and be prepared for slow or stopped traffic.

Meanwhile, KYTC District Four will also have crews this week along KY 245 between Bardstown and Clermont conducting drilling for core samples. Lane closures will be set up at various points along the roadway both westbound and eastbound.

Drivers should always use caution and watch for signage when approaching work zones.

Fire officials are reminding residents to be prepared as Fire Prevention Month is observed in October, with Fire Prevention Week observed now through October 12.

“The work we’re doing in making people aware of fire safety and things like that, it is working,” said Radcliff Deputy Fire Marshal Tommy Crane. “Our statistics, if you look back to 1977, show 7,395 people died in fires. In 2021, it was 3,800 in residential fires, so we are making a difference.”

Crane says medical runs and responses to vehicle accidents are prominent parts of fire department duties today, but responding to fires remains vitaly important.

“A fire department responds every 21 seconds to a fire in the United States,” Crane said. “One home structure fire was reported every 88 seconds and one home fire-related death occurred every 3 hours, 14 minutes.”

The results of a fire can quickly turn devastating.

“In 2022, the national estimates for residential building fires and losses showed that there were 374,300 fires, 2,700 deaths, and almost $11 million in dollar loss,” Crane said.

The theme for this year’s Fire Prevention Week is “Smoke Alarms: Make them work for you.” Visit the National Fire Protection Association’s website to learn more.

Crystal Rogers investigation suspects Joseph Lawson and Steven Lawson were back in court Friday. 

Attorneys for Steven Lawson told Nelson Circuit Court Judge Charles Simms III that their client will not be waiving evidentiary protections, meaning recordings of Lawson’s interviews with investigators during the plea process will be admissible in Lawson’s trial. Grand jury testimony from Lawson, however, will be permitted.

The trial for the Lawsons and fellow suspect Brooks Houck is scheduled to begin in February. Judge Simms said the case will be tried in either Warren County or Christian County. Judge Simms said he had spoken with judges in both counties and they felt their facilities could handle the case. The prosecution and defense counsels had previously submitted a proposal to move the case to Christian County that Judge Simms declined.

Friday’s hearing had been delayed a month in order for Steven Lawson’s new defense attorneys to get up to speed on the case. They informed Judge Simms that Lawson’s previous attorney, Ted Lavit, had still not turned over the entire case file. Judge Simms issued an order Friday that gave Lavit fourteen days to turn in the entire case file or he would have to appear in court to face a possible Contempt of Court charge.

The next status hearing in the case is scheduled for October 25.