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Elizabethtown gearing up for holiday events

The City of Elizabethtown is doing its part to help spread holiday cheer with several events coming up later this month.

Elizabethtown Events Manager Beth Pyles says the city is looking forward to welcoming more than 60,000 people to Freeman Lake Park for the annual Christmas in the Park lights display.

“This will be our 33rd annual Christmas in the Park,” Pyles said. “It will be open daily from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. beginning Wednesday, November 22, which is the night before Thanksgiving, and it runs until January 1, 2024. It is free to drive through the park and see all of the light displays provided by our local community partners. Donations are welcome and are accepted at the end of the route.”

The annual Christmas Parade and Light Up Downtown event will be held on Friday, December 1, with the parade getting under way at 7 p.m.

“It starts at St. John Road, so we kind of call it the reverse parade from the Heartland Festival,” Pyles said. “We start at St. John Road and we come downtown. We end at the square. Once we get to Walker Square, where our city Christmas Tree will be located, the mayor will read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.’”

Other upcoming holiday events include Breakfast with Santa and movies at the State Theater. For ticket information and a full calendar of events, visit the events tab on the city’s website.

Elizabethtown-based TDA Properties to acquire Towne Mall

Towne Mall in Elizabethtown will be under new ownership soon.

TDA Properties, Inc. has announced it has reached an agreement to acquire the 37-year-old retail center.

According to a release from TDA, the company has plans to revitalize Towne Mall, including a “comprehensive redevelopment strategy aimed at generating a renaissance for this centerpiece location.” The company says it believes it has the vision to breathe new life into the property while also contributing to the economic growth projected to take place in the area in the coming years, and says they are committed to working closely with the community, local leadership, and stakeholders to align redevelopment efforts with regional needs.

TDA Properties President Tim Aulbach said in the release: “Our goal for this acquisition is to create a ‘win-win’ situation for the entire region and particularly the Elizabethtown community, just as we’ve been able to accomplish with numerous other developments across Kentucky.”

Aulbach declined further comment until after the deal to acquire the property is officially closed, which he said should be by the end of the month. The release from TDA Properties says the company will share additional details about its plans following the holiday season.

Hardin County Animal Shelter hosting rabies clinic Saturday at fairgrounds

The Hardin County Animal Shelter will be hosting the largest rabies clinic of the year this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hardin County Fairgrounds main pavilion.

“We’ve got the free distemper shots for the dogs and the cats going on,” said Hardin County Animal Care and Control Director Mike McNutt during the most recent episode of Furrever Friends. “Of course you know you need to get your rabies, It’s the law, and it’s healthier for the people and healthier for the animal, so please come out and see us. We’re hoping to have a big turnout, and hoping to be able to accommodate everybody.”

You can find more information on the clinic on the Hardin County animal Shelter – Elizabethtown, Kentucky Facebook page. You can also pick up your paperwork ahead of time by stopping by the shelter, located 220 Peterson Drive in Elizabethtown.

The event is cash or check only. Cards will not be accepted. All animals must be at least 12 weeks old and must be on a leash or in a carrier.The distemper vaccines are free of charge thanks to a donation from PetCo Love. To learn more about how you can donate to the shelter, visit www.hcky.org.

Inspection work on Poplar Street starts Monday

State highway crews will be doing inspection work along Poplar Street beginning Monday.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says a set of highway safety improvement projects throughout Elizabethtown will conclude this month with intersection work along West Poplar Street at Sycamore Street and North Mantle Avenue to improve sidewalk and crossing safety for pedestrians and provide better maneuverability for motorists. The work was scheduled to coincide with area schools going on Fall Break.

The KYTC says the original design of the project has been modified with construction to include rebuilding outside corners and sidewalk approaches. Both intersections will remain open during the project, but congestion and delays are possible. Work is expected to take about three weeks.

Safe at Home Program for domestic violence victims sees increased participation

Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams this week said the number of participants in the commonwealth’s Safe at Home Program has doubled since the law creating the program went into effect in June.

“This is a program designed to protect survivors of domestic violence,” said Hardin County Clerk Brian D. Smith. “It’s built on prior legislation, but it basically makes it easy for somebody who is a survivor of domestic violence to shield from public view their address which would normally be on public documents. Unfortunately there have been abusers in the past who have used government transparency as a weapon against their victims.”

The Secretary of State’s office says a criminal justice domestic violence publication found that more than 38,000 reports of suspected domestic violence were filed in Kentucky in 2022, with the Kentucky State Police serving more than 16,000 emergency protective orders last year.

Learn more about how to enroll in the Safe at Home Program by visiting www.sos.ky.gov/safe-at-home.