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Donations needed for Hardin County Pet Food Pantry

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PAWS Shelter Foundation member Dianne Shoffner says after several strong years of giving it has become a challenge to keep the shelves stocked at the Hardin County Pet Food Pantry housed at Helping Hand of Hope.

“We’ve been very wildly successful in the past and have given up to 100,000 pounds of food out a year, But I’ve lost some of my donors,” Shoffner said. “One very prominent one is Chewy. We used to receive three or four truckloads a year, and now we’re not receiving any because they’ve started distributing worldwide and it’s just getting harder to get.”

Shoffner says folks looking to help support families and pets in need have a good opportunity to do so right now.

“We’re doing a promotion this week with Tractor Supply here in Elizabethtown,” Shoffner said. “You can either go online and purchase a bag of food there and have it shipped to our E-Town store, or you can go to the store and pick up a bag of food. They will collect it and we’ll be able to pick it up there to take over to Helping Hand of Hope.”

Shoffner says the pet food pantry was created to support pet-owning families struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 300,000 pounds of food has been distributed since 2021.

“We distribute over 20 bags of food a day, so it just takes a lot of food to keep our county dogs that are less fortunate in having food day to day, and it goes to our community that really needs help to keep their pets at home and not return them to the shelters or that kind of thing,” Shoffner said.

Donations may also be taken to Shoffner at Sam Russell’s Pet Provisions. Contact Shoffner for more information.

Drivers should watch for spraying crews as KYTC treats roadways for weeds and invasive plants

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As Kentuckians wait for warmer weather, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet highway crews are getting ready to prepare the roadways. 

Motorists should be on the lookout for KYTC crews using spray trucks and other equipment to control noxious weeds growing along state-maintained roadways.

The KYTC says controlling weeds is a key part of maintaining safe roads as invasive plants such as spotted knapweed and Canada thistle can destroy roadside turf, leaving areas vulnerable to erosion. This can lead to damages to transportation infrastructure, and weed growth can potentially reduce visibility on the roadway. Expansive plant growth also has the potential to attract wildlife closer to the road which can lead to more hazards.

Motorists are reminded to use extra caution when spraying crews are working along the side of the road. Give these vehicles extra space. Kentuckians treating weeds on private property adjacent to state-owned rights of way may request highway crews treat eligible vegetation. Contact your nearest KYTC cabinet office for more information.

E-Town Council recognizes firefighters, awards Downtown Master Plan contract

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The Elizabethtown City Council met for their first meeting of the month Monday.

Elizabethtown Fire Chief Mark Malone recognized the fire department’s Firefighter of the Year Dan Lockwood and Officer of the Year Mike Satterfield. Elizabethtown Mayor Jeff Gregory congratulated the two and recognized all of the city’s firefighters for all of their work that goes beyond responding to structure fires.

“What they’re doing is they’re responding to medical emergencies a good bit at the time, rescue situations, and car accidents, and people have no idea how many of those runs that they make and the expertise that they have to have past being great firefighters and dealing with fire issues,” Gregory said. “They also have to have the training for all those other things.”

The council approved two municipal orders. The first awards a Downtown Grant in the amount of $76,500 to 100 Public Square for exterior renovations. The second awards a $100,000 contract to Taylor Siefker Williams for work on the city’s Downtown Master Plan.

“Whereas the city wishes to promote and achieve community development efforts on behalf of the residents of Elizabethtown, and whereas in its Envision Elizabethtown 2040 comprehensive plan the city established a goal of investing in the downtown,” said Elizabethtown City Attorney Ken Howard, reading from the municipal order.

The Elizabethtown City Council will next meet March 10.

Statewide tornado drill among Kentucky Severe Weather Awareness Week activities

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UPDATE: Due to the weather forecast for Wednesday, the statewide tornado drill will now be conducted Friday, March 7 at 10:07 a.m. EST/9:07 a.m. CST.

The National Weather Service wants to help Kentuckians be severe weather ready during Kentucky Severe Weather Preparedness Week, which runs now through March 7. 

The NWS says severe weather can occur at any time of the year and can bring many different kinds of hazards to Kentucky including tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, large hail, lightning, heavy rain, flooding, and high winds. Severe Weather Awareness Week is an opportunity for the weather service to share information on how to prepare for severe weather and ways to stay alert of incoming danger.

The National Weather Service in Louisville is sharing information each day to its social media based on different themes. After covering recreational and beach safety for Kentuckians getting ready to travel for Spring Break, themes the rest of the week include hail and wind safety Tuesday, warning reception on Wednesday, tornado safety Thursday, and flood safety on Friday.

As part of Severe Weather Awareness Week, Kentucky families, schools, businesses, and organizations are invited to participate in the statewide tornado drill, which will be conducted Wednesday at 10:07 a.m. Eastern and 9:07 a.m. Central. The tornado drill will be sounded on NOAA weather radios, local TV and radio stations, and cable overrides, with local emergency management agencies deciding whether or not to include outdoor sirens in the test. The test is a great opportunity to practice tornado safety plans.

The weather service says you should always check the forecast before going out each day, and have multiple ways to get warnings such as local media and wireless emergency alerts. Visit the National Weather Service in Louisville on the web for more information.

Kentucky Career Center invites job seekers to virtual and in-person job fairs

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Kentucky Career Center has several upcoming opportunities for job seekers, including their Let’s Talk Tuesdays virtual job fair from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.

“Job seekers have to sign in, so you want to go to LTCareerCenter.org/JobFair and go ahead and register,” said Kentucky Career Center Center Manager Robin Gooden. “Be prepared to upload your resume as a PDF on that platform, and then you can be ready to talk with employers. We are very excited because Tuesday afternoon we are going to have seven employers with over 100 positions posted.”

All job seekers are welcome to participate in this free event.

Kentucky Career Center is also gearing up for their in-person job fair at the Lincoln Trail center, located at 233 Ring Road in Elizabethtown, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on March 13.

“We have about 10 employers that are going to be committed to doing that, and we are so excited,” Gooden said. “Again, it’s for all job seekers. No cost to them, no cost to employers.”

Job seekers who would like assistance with their resume ahead of the job fair may contact the Kentucky Career Center. Find more information on both job fairs on the Kentucky Career Center Lincoln Trail Facebook page and website.