WQXE News
The Hardin County Fiscal Court met for their first meeting of the month Tuesday.
A public hearing was held for a request to close a portion of a roadway.
“A request has been made by property owner Stephen Bush to close a platted undeveloped 60-foot right of way for a future street at the end of Christine Way in Concord Heights between Lots 11 and 12,” said Hardin County Attorney Jenny Oldham as she conducted the public hearing.
The request received a favorable recommendation from the county’s plan commision, and the fiscal court approved a resolution granting the closing.
Brandon Thompson with the Hardin County Extension Office presented the office’s proposed property tax rate for the new fiscal year. The extension office elected to adopt the compensating rate, which will see a personal property rate at 2.43 cents per $100 assessed value (down slightly from 2023), while the real property rate of 1.8 cents and the motor vehicle and watercraft rate of 1.46 cents per $100 assessed value remain the same from last year.
Hardin County Public Works Director Stephanie Givens reported that to date 352 bags from 324 vehicles have been collected at the county’s shredding events, an increase of 100 more bags and 86 more vehicles from this point last year. The next shredding event is October 1. Givens said 524 cars brought materials to the county’s household hazardous waste disposal event on August 17.
Hardin County Judge/Executive Keith Taul issued a proclamation recognizing September 10 as Meighan Cable Day in recognition of Cable’s efforts at the Mrs. America 2024 pageant. Cable said she was proud to represent Hardin County and serve as Mrs. Kentucky, and to work with Baptist Health Hardin on support for grieving mothers.
“As a mother to miscarriages and our sweet daughter, Ellie, who passed in July of 2019, it’s very important for me as a person and for other women in this county to be cared for, to be seen, and to be honoring a space for them as they go back for postpartum care,” Cable said.
The Hardin County Fiscal court will next meet September 24.
Hardin County Judge/Executive Keith Taul issued a proclamation at Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland’s Volunteer Center Tuesday recognizing the month of September as Hunger Action Month, encouraging residents to support the organization’s efforts to combat food insecurity through volunteer shifts, social media shares, and donations.
FAKH says data shows more than 176,000 people in the organization’s 42-county service area are struggling with food insecurity, and FAKH Executive Director Charles Dennis says the organization and families are feeling the strain.
“Data that we reference told us that compared to January 2021, the average household in Kentucky is spending $140 more a month on food,” Dennis said. “Cumulatively, the average household in Kentucky has spent $3,555 more on food due to inflation since January of 2021.”
FAKH celebrated two major shows of support during the event. Darden Foods donated a new truck to the organization, and Aetna Better Health of Kentucky CEO Paige Franklin was on hand to announce a donation.
“Through a new $250,000 gift to Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland, we, in partnership with you all, will be able to distribute roughly 16,000 nutritious meals per month for the next 12 months,” Franklin said.
Visit Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland on the web for more information on the impact of food insecurity and volunteer opportunities.
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College celebrated the ribbon cutting for the Robbins University Center during their Pancakes with the Provost event Tuesday.
According to ECTC, the Robbins Center will allow “four-year colleges and universities to offer high-demand bachelor’s and master’s degrees locally.” Students will complete the first two years of a bachelor’s degree at ECTC and then transfer to a four-year partner that offers classes and support services at the Robbins Center.
ECTC President and CEO Dr. Juston Pate said several recent projects have focused on supporting a strong workforce, but this focuses on allowing local students to thrive closer to home.
“What we’ve really got is a population problem,” Pate said. “If we had more people who lived here, we wouldn’t have a workforce problem, so this university center concept really became more of an effort to keep local talent local, to support not just our community but our places of employment.”
The center is named for Dr. Robert and Rita Robbins, who made a $1 million donation to ECTC in 2018. Rita Robbins said the center will support area students and the need for continuing education.
“We hope this center will be an inviting place for people to gather, develop relationships, and pay it forward,” Robbins said. “When you walk through these doors, change happens. You don’t walk out the same way.”
ECTC has partnerships for the Robbins Center with Western Kentucky University, Lindsey Wilson College, and Campbellsville University, and plans to announce additional partnerships “as early as this fall.”
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is updating drivers on two projects in Hardin County.
KYTC District Four says a chip sealing project is beginning on Kentucky Route 1646/North Logsdon Parkway, with the speed limit reduced to 25 miles per hour from the railroad crossing to Patriot Parkway as crews prepare for resurfacing. Drivers will be passing over loose gravel and will see several lane closures this week, then a final pavement surface will be applied next week.
Meanwhile, work is set to begin on the resurfacing of Kentucky Route 361/Patriot Parkway between Kentucky Routes 220 and 313. The roadway will be milled this week and paved next week, with several lane closures set up to accommodate the work.
Drivers should slow down, pay attention, and use caution in all work zones. Work on both projects is scheduled to be completed before September 30.