WQXE News

A Hardin County man is in custody after a Kentucky State Police child sexual exploitation investigation.

Christopher Scott Barnes of Glendale is currently charged with one count of Fugitive from Another State, three counts of Class C Felony Procuring or Promoting the Use of a Minor by Electronic Means, and three counts of Class B Misdemeanor Indecent Exposure following his arrest Tuesday.

According to the KSP, Barnes was arrested as the result of an undercover Internet Crimes Against Children investigation. The Santa Claus Police Department in Indiana “began the investigation after discovering the suspect procuring a minor online.” The investigation was transferred to the KSP Electronic Crime Branch after Barnes was identified as a Kentucky resident.

A search warrant was obtained for a residence in Glendale and executed on February 10. Equipment used to facilitate the crime was seized and taken to the KSP’s forensic lab, and Barnes was placed under arrest.

Barnes made an initial appearance in Hardin District Court Wednesday and is currently incarcerated in the Hardin County Detention Center. The KSP’s investigation is ongoing.

Preliminary work ahead of the temporary closure of Interstate 65 in Louisville this summer got under way this week.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District Five says overnight ramp and lane closures are going into effect this week on Interstates 65 and 264 as crews begin “work to widen and restripe interstate ramps to increase capacity and improve merge operations that will reduce traffic congestion along the designated detour route.”

As part of the project, I-65 will be closed between Jefferson Street and I-264 for two months this summer, with the official detour using I-264 and I-64. To support the preliminary traffic mitigation work, contract crews will establish temporary traffic configurations, install concrete barrier walls, restripe pavement, and place new signage to prepare the designated detour route for increased traffic volumes during the temporary closure. 

The summer closure is part of the larger corridor project which is expected to be completed in 2028. All construction schedules are weather dependent. Visit the I-65 Central Corridor project website for more information, and follow KYTC District Five on social media for updates.

The Hardin County Fiscal Court met for their first meeting of the month Tuesday.

Humane World for Animals Kentucky Director Todd Blevins attended the meeting in order to recognize the Radcliff Police Department, Hardin County Animal Care and Control, and the Ninth Judicial Circuit’s Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office with the organization’s 2025 Humane Law Enforcement Award.

“We present our Humane Law Enforcement Awards to agencies across the country that do exemplary work to highlight animal cruelty and, more importantly, prosecute it and make sure that justice is served,” Blevins said.

The award was presented to the three offices in recognition for their work investigating and prosecuting the Morgan Barrick case, which saw the Radcliff woman convicted on multiple counts of Animal Torture. 

“We normally present it to an agency, but we felt it was important in this case to present awards top to bottom because this was a case in which from the time of investigation all the way through prosecution, the work was exemplary,” Blevins said.

Hardin County Animal Care and Control Director Mike McNutt said the investigation work on the case was “hands down, perfect” and said a great amount of time and energy went towards the case.

“With two and a half years of taking care of the same 14 animals, there’s bonds that are built,” McNutt said. “It was a labor of love by each of the kennel techs that are represented here today. I can’t say enough about the work that this staff does.”

Detective Kenneth Mattingly accepted on behalf of the RPD, and Eric Carr accepted on behalf of the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.

In other meeting news, Hardin County Judge/Executive Keith Taul thanked county employees who devoted extra time to supporting response and recovery efforts following the winter storms, and Taul expressed his appreciation for the patience of county residents.

“It’s been rough, and I just wanted to say I’m sorry for all of the inconveniences and the issues that people have had to deal with,” Taul said. “Between the roads and garbage collection, it has been rough.”

The Hardin County Fiscal Court will next meet February 24. The first Hardin County Town Hall Forum of the year, rescheduled from January due to the weather, will be held in the fiscal courtroom on February 23.