Quicksie 98.3

A Kentuckian will be the new U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. The United States Senate voted to approve Kelly Craft as the new representative to the U.N. Craft, who is originally from Barren County, served as an Ambassador to Canada.

An investigation is underway at Mammoth Cave National Park after a man fired a gun. Officials with the park say that the incident occurred in the early morning hours of July 28^th at the park’s Back Country Campsite. Rangers did make contact with all individuals involved in the situation. Firearms are allowed in national parks, but cannot be fired. Various media sources allege that the man fired the weapon after claiming to see Bigfoot. No other details have been released.

Hardin Memorial Health has been recognized on a nationwide scale in the U.S. News and World Report 2019-2020 Best Hospitals rankings. HMH was ranked highly for its treatment of heart failure and COPD. Several Baptist Health hospitals in Kentucky also ranked well in the report.

The Larue County Fair will open for the 112^th time tonight. The fair, which faced uncertainty in recent months, will take place, but with a few notable changes. Various showcases and agricultural exhibits will still be featured, but the fair will not have a midway this season. The opening night of the fair will feature the 4-H sheep and goat shows, as well as the Miss Larue County Pageant and the Mother of the Year award. As previously reported, the fair was on the brink of cancellation in recent months with the fair board opting to lock the gates and discontinue utilities to the grounds. The fair is the longest continually running fair in the state.

Kentucky 1538 in Hardin County will be closed several days this week, starting today, due to construction. A detour from Saint John Road to Ring Road, to Patriot Parkway, and then to Rineyville Road can be used to avoid the closure. The construction is expected to last about two days.

New legislation passed in Kentucky will require public schools to have the national motto, In God We Trust, displayed in a prominent place, such as the cafeteria or main office. State Representative Brandon Reed says this bipartisan effort passed the legislature with a vote of seventy percent. The legislation will go into effect for the upcoming school year.

A Hardin County man has died after a motorcycle wreck last weekend. According to the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department, Christopher C. Blake of Hardin County was travelling on Highway 60 with one other person Sunday afternoon. For unknown reasons, Blake lost control and exited the roadway. Blake overcorrected his bike and re-entered the roadway, eventually hitting the median and being ejected. Blake died at Owensboro health. No other details have been released.

The Hardin County Sheriff’s office has arrested a man in connection with a high speed chase that took place in June. According to arrest records, James Ladnier of Radcliff was seen swerving from lane to lane on US 31 West on June 11^th. When a traffic stop was attempted by the Radcliff Police Department, Ladnier made a hard turn, and began to speed to excess of 90 MPH to evade police. When the suspect reached the Joe Prather Highway, he slammed on his brakes, attempting to disable a cruiser, or injure the officer inside. The pursuit continued until the suspect reached I-65, at which point Kentucky State Police took over. Ladnier is charged with fleeing police, wanton endangerment, and reckless driving, as well as a litany of other charges.

The First Friday Back to School Bash will be taking place in Downtown Hodgenville this Friday at 6 P.M. Various businesses and churches will be giving away school supplies, and the Larue County Food and Nutrition Department will be treating kids 18 and under to dinner. Other attractions will include food trucks, farmer’s market, and live music featuring local artists. More information can be found by calling the Larue County Chamber.

A celebration of the emancipation of African-Americans will be taking place this weekend. Elizabethtown Community and Technical College as well as First Baptist Church will be presenting the second annual Eighth of August Celebration. The event will feature a lunch with homemade dishes as well as food from local eateries, a large variety of vendors, and a church service. The event will take place at the B.T. Bishop Center at 107 Bishop Lane, and will run from 9:30 A.M. to 5:30 P.M.

Nearly 150 soldiers were welcomed home to Fort Knox yesterday afternoon. Members of the 19^th Engineers Battalion’s 42^nd Clearance Company had been deployed since October of last year. The Battalion cleared nearly 7,000 miles of roadway, and intercepted over 30 roadside explosive devices.

Several road projects in Hardin County have received state funding. The discretionary funds were presented to Hardin County Fiscal Court last Tuesday. County Roads Supervisor Dwight Morgan says resurfacing for Needham Road, Laurel Ridge Road, and Howevalley Road is expected to be completed by next spring.

A routine traffic stop turned dangerous last Friday. Kentucky State Police attempted to stop the car of Richard Bloyd of Lousiville late Friday night for failure to maintain insurance. However, when Bloyd saw police, he allegedly sped up, fleeing at speeds over 120 miles-per-hour. Bloyd nearly struck multiple vehicles, including a Muldraugh police officer’s cruiser, but came to a stop after colliding with a concrete median near Highway 44. He was arrested without further incident, and openly stated he was under the influence of meth, which was later found in the vehicle. He was charged with reckless driving, evading police, and wanton endangerment, among several other charges.

A free job fair will be taking place on Fort Knox tomorrow. The event will be hosted by the Stuart Training Center in Building 67 on Fort Knox from 10 A.M. to 1 P.M. The Fort Knox Family and Morale Welfare and Recreation Directorate, or MWR, will be looking to immediately fill positions, and officials will be on post to extend tentative job offers to qualified applicants. Applicants should bring their social security card, a state or government I.D., and several copies of their resume.

The 10^th anniversary of Cruisin’ the Heartland took place over the weekend, and City Events Manager Sarah Vaughn says the event was a huge success. 2500-3000 cruisers packed Downtown Elizabethtown, and were viewed by over 15,000 attendees. Vaughn expects there to be changes made to the running of the event next year, but says the city of Elizabethtown is excited to get started planning.