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EPD hosting victims’ rights resource fair and 5K

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National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is April 19 through 25, and the Elizabethtown Police Department is giving the community the opportunity to “listen, act, and advocate.”

“On Monday, April 20, we are hosting a community resource fair beginning at 5:30 p.m. followed by a 5K run/walk at 6:30 at the ElizabethTown Sports Park in recognition of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week,” said EPD Public Information Officer Chris Denham. “This event is free to attend and is a great opportunity for citizens to stand alongside crime victims while learning about resources available in our community. Beach Snow Snack Shack will also be on site providing free treats for participants.”

The registration link for the 5K can be accessed via the QR code on the event poster, which is posted on the Elizabethtown Police Department Facebook page. Contact EPD Victims Services Specialist Anesha Knott for more information.

New state maps help you explore new areas of Kentucky

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Kentuckians looking to hit the road this summer can find somewhere new to explore with the new state highway maps that debuted this month.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says the new Team Kentucky 2026-2027 Highway Map showcases historic horse landscapes, diverse trails, and accessible attractions which the KYTC says show that no matter where you land in the commonwealth, adventure and entertainment awaits.

Created in collaboration between the KYTC and the Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet, the new maps offer traditional map features for Kentuckians looking for unplugged navigation while highlighting eclectic entertainment as well as ADA-acceccible attractions, themed trails, and festivals and events.

The map includes primary and secondary roads, parks and trails locations, Kentucky State Police posts, weigh stations, and more. The map highlights destinations unique to Kentucky such as natural stone arches, the Country Music Highway on U.S. 23, bourbon distilleries, and museums and attractions celebrating horse racing.

The new state highway maps can be found at Kentucky rest areas and welcome centers. You can download an electronic copy or request a printed copy at transportation.ky.gov.

E-Town council approves roundabout bid, statewide mutual aid agreement

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The Elizabethtown City Council met for a special meeting Monday.

The council approved a bid from Summit Civil LLC of Elizabethtown for the Veterans Way/Towne Drive roundabout project. The bid was accepted at $981,700. City Administrator Ed Poppe noted additional language was included in the bid to account for safety measures as Veterans Way has a higher speed limit than other city streets where roundabouts have been added.

“For our first city-funded roundabout, this is one of the better places that we do need to put it in, and I think there’s a lot more support for this one than there has been for others,” said City Council Member Julia Springsteen. “Hopefully that keeps up, because it will be safer and more efficient.”

The council also approved a resolution entering the city into a statewide emergency management mutual aid and assistance agreement.

“If you take for example when they had the tornadoes in Mayfield and Dawson Springs and some of the natural disasters that we had a few years ago in the Commonwealth, and multiple cities send all kinds of resources, whether it be manpower or equipment or supplies to those locations, this is no different than what we did then,” said Elizabethtown Mayor Jeff Gregory. “This just kind of formalizes it a little bit.”

Elizabethtown Director of Finance Jeff Hawkins gave the council an update as his department prepares for what he called an “ambitious” budget. Hawkins said the city’s finances are strong, noting that at about $35.5 million in March the General Fund is down about $2 million from the same point the year before due to recent purchases the city made for ongoing projects. Hawkins said city revenues are coming in close to budgeted estimates.

“The occupational tax, that’s the 1.95 percent on the working wages in the city, and the property tax, both of those you can see are very strong,” Hawkins said. “We continue to maintain a strong, healthy employee base. With the restaurant tax and hotel tax, it’s the same story we’ve had in the last couple years as both of those are down. I think the budget was a little aggressive on that.”

The Elizabethtown City Council will next meet April 20.

KYTC reminds residents to keep signs out of state right of way areas, alerts E-Town drivers to newly-instituted Public Square roundabout

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With the primary election in Kentucky just over a month away, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is reminding residents of regulations in place to keep state right of way areas free of signs and other items.

“We find out a lot of times when people call to ask about putting signs up that they simply don’t know the rules or regulations with regard to what is and what isn’t allowed on right away, and it’s simply nothing is allowed on right of way unless it’s done by permit through the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District Four office here in Hardin County,” said KYTC District Four Public Information Officer Chris Jessie.

The KYTC says non-permitted signs can create additional hazards by blocking sight lines and distracting drivers. It is also illegal to attach signs or items such as flyers, posters, balloons, or streamers to stop signs, highway markers, other road signs, and utility poles.

“If you’re going to put up a yard sale sign or a political sign, it must be beyond the right-of-way onto the personal property side of that line,” Jessie said. “If you have a specific location in mind and you’re unsure, you are welcome to call our office and you can ask for our Permits and Right-of-Way Section at 270-766-5066.”

KYTC District Four has received requests to clear non-permitted signs across the district. Removed items will be taken to each county’s KYTC maintenance facility and held for a short period of time before being trashed or recycled.

Meanwhile, KYTC District Four is also alerting drivers heading through downtown Elizabethtown of a new traffic pattern related to permitted work being implemented by the developers of the former Hardin County Courthouse. The KYTC says the intersection around the Public Square is now functioning as a roundabout, therefore all drivers entering the roundabout must now look and yield to the left. The change is particularly significant for the southbound U.S. 31W approach. Drivers should also pay close attention for pedestrians navigating the intersection.

January unemployment in Kentucky sees decline

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January unemployment in Kentucky is down slightly from the previous month and year.

The Kentucky Center for Statistics says the state unemployment average for January was 4.3 percent. That is down from the 4.5 percent average reported in December, and down .5 percent from the January 2025 average of 4.8 percent.

Kentucky’s unemployment average for January came in tied with the national unemployment rate, which the U.S. Department of Labor says at 4.3 percent is up from the 4 percent rate reported in January 2025.

The Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet says the state’s civilian labor force, which includes people currently employed and people actively searching for work, saw a decrease of 5,476 people from December to January, bringing the total civilian labor force to 2,114,515 people.

The Trade, Transportation and Utilities, Educational and Health Services, Manufacturing, Professional and Business Services, Financial Activities, Government, and Other Services sectors made gains from December into January. The Information Services, Mining and Logging, Construction, and Leisure and Hospitality sectors saw decreases.

Visit the Kentucky Center for Statistics website, kystats.ky.gov, for more about unemployment figures and labor market information.