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Crystal Rogers investigation trials moving to Warren County

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The trials for the three men charged in the Crystal Rogers investigation are officially moving out of Nelson County.

Nelson Circuit Court Judge Charles Simms III issued an order Monday to move the trials of Brooks Houck, Steven Lawson, and Joseph Lawson to Warren County.

According to the order, the defense attorneys for Houck and the Lawsons along with the special prosecutors agreed that the jury trial could be conducted in either Christian or Warren counties. Judge Simms noted in the order that Kentucky law states that “the change shall be made to the nearest county to which there is no valid objection.” The Warren County Justice Center is about 102 miles away from Bardstown.

Special Prosecutor Shane Young said during a pre-trial conference in March that the prosecution agreed with the motion to transfer submitted by Houck’s attorneys. The original motion to transfer requested either Boyd or Daviess counties, and the prosecution and defense previously submitted a proposal to Judge Simms to transfer to Christian County but the judge declined it after an on-site visit. Judge Simms said during the March pre-trial conference that the chosen venue needed to be large enough to accommodate members of the public and needed to have a separate entrance for jurors.

Judge Simms is expected to rule soon on the prosecution’s motion to try the three defendants in the same trial. The next pre-trial conference in the case is scheduled for October 25.

KYTC conducting several paving projects in Hardin County this week

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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.

ECTC expanding sonography program to Owensboro

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Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, in partnership with HealthForce Kentucky, is expanding its Diagnostic Medicine Sonography Program to Owensboro Community and Technical College.

“There is so much growth in the healthcare workforce in Kentucky, and we just think this is a really great example of two colleges within the KCTCS system being able to work together to give students more options and more opportunities to strengthen Kentucky’s workforce even further, especially in the high-demand healthcare field,” said ECTC Director of Marketing and Public Affairs Sarah Berkshire. 

ECTC says diagnostic medical sonography uses high-frequency sound waves to produce high-quality images of soft tissue and motion within the body. The program will prepare qualified individuals to become proficient in abdominal and obstetric/gynecological sonography. Participants in the program are eligible for the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship.

The deadline to register for ECTC’s program has passed, but there is still time  this week to sign up for the new Owensboro program.

“The deadline for applications to the Owensboro program is October 15, but it’s really important for prospective students to note that attending a pre-admission conference is required for applicants, and those are going to be held October 9 and on October 14,” Berkshire said.

The preadmission conferences will be accessible virtually. Visit ectc.us/sonography to find dates for the conferences and to learn more.

Fire officials stress preparedness during Fire Prevention Week

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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.

Former State Senator Elizabeth Tori dies at 91

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Kentucky officials are expressing their appreciation for former State Senator Elizabeth Tori, who died Wednesday, October 2 at the age of 91.

“She was a true powerhouse,” said Hardin County Clerk Brian D. Smith. “I think she was an example to all of us in public service. I think she was an example to strong women in public service. She truly was unique. I was a very young congressional staffer working for our hometown congressman Ron Lewis and would see Elizabeth out and about at different community events. Certainly every parade, she loved the parades here in Hardin County. She loved every community here, the largest and the smallest. She genuinely cared about this community.”

Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell said in a statement: “The daughter of a veteran and wife of a retired army major, Elizabeth was a constant advocate for Kentucky’s active duty military and the many veterans who call the Commonwealth home. Serving Kentucky’s Tenth District for over 16 years, Elizabeth was always looking for ways to improve the lives of our servicemembers and to give them the thanks they deserve.”

Tori represented Kentucky’s Tenth District, which includes all of Hardin County along with a small portion of Jefferson County, from 1995 to 2011. Toriu served as the minority whip in the senate from 1997 to 1999 then as the majority whip from 1999 to 2005. Tori’s obituary notes that she owned the Tori Shoppe and Tori Enterprises in Radcliff.

Graveside services for Elizabeth Tori will be held Tuesday at noon in the North Hardin Memorial Gardens. The Nelson-Edelen-Bennett Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.