Following the guidance from Governor Andy Beshear, Hardin County Schools and Elizabethtown Independent Schools have laid out their plans for the rest of the school year. Both districts will continue non-traditional instruction for the rest of the school year, however the date of the last day of school is different for the two districts. For Hardin County Schools the last day of school will be May 15th, and for Elizabethtown Independent Schools, the last day will be May 8th. Navigating through this tough time has proven to be a challenge, but the hopeful plan is to return to normal by next school year. Hardin County Schools spokesperson John Wright reiterates that the district loves and cares for the students, and the good of the community and the students come first. In a post on the Elizabethtown Independent Schools Facebook page, the district thanks the families of students for their patience and perseverance during this time. In his evening press conference last night, Governor Beshear acknowledged the difficulty, saying that the accomplishments of students this year are no less important than any other year. The Governor said that even though an in-person graduation or prom won’t happen, he thanked students for making the sacrifice in order to save lives. This step is in accordance with White House guidance, and is being followed in other states including Ohio, Indiana, and Tennessee.
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The Lincoln Trail District Health Department has announced that there are 64 total cases of COVID-19 in the district. The case breakdown is as follows: 28 in Hardin, 13 in Marion, three in Meade, 13 in Nelson, and three in Washington. Currently, 57 cases are on home isolation or have been released from monitoring. For reliable information and updates, visit the Health Department’s website, ltdhd.org, or the Kentucky state website, kycovid19.gov.
A Hardin County man was arrested yesterday after leading police on a high-speed pursuit. According to officials, a Kentucky State Police trooper observed a vehicle make an improper turn on Bacon Creek Road shortly after midnight on Sunday. When the trooper activated his lights, the vehicle fled, allegedly reaching speeds of up to 80 miles per hour. When attempting to make a turn, control of the vehicle was lost and the car came to a rest. The driver, Prentice Wheeler, exited the vehicle and fled on foot into the woodline. Troopers were able to apprehend Wheeler a short time after. Wheeler was arrested and charged with fleeing and evading police, wanton endangerment, and reckless driving among other charges. He was lodged in the Hardin County Detention Center.
Cooperation between two local law enforcement agencies resulted in the arrest of two men suspected in an Iowa homicide. On Friday, the Elizabethtown Police Department was contacted by Radcliff Police, who were seeking assistance in serving two felony arrest warrants. The suspects, Elijah and Milton McAbee, were wanted for a 2019 Iowa homicide. Milton McAbee was taken into custody at a residence in Radcliff while Elijah was apprehended in Elizabethtown. Officer Chris Denham says the arrests were made without incident. Both men were lodged in the Hardin County Detention Center.
In his evening press conference last night, Governor Andy Beshear announced that there are now 2,960 cases of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth. Of these cases, 273 were newly confirmed, which marks the highest number of new cases thus far. In addition, it was reported that 1,122 people have recovered from the virus, however there were also four new deaths reported on Sunday, bringing the state’s total to 148. Governor Beshear praised Kentucky’s heroes, and all the forms they come in including frontline heroes such as grocery store employees and first responders, everyday heroes, including those who are staying healthy at home, and health care heroes, who put themselves in harm’s way everyday in order to help the public. Governor Beshear also reported details about announced benchmarks that the Commonwealth must meet in order to start safely reopening the state’s economy while keeping Kentuckians safe. These seven benchmarks reflect White House criteria and include 14 days of decreasing cases, increased testing capability and contact tracing, personal protective equipment availability, ability to protect at risk populations, ability to social distance, preparedness for possible future spike, and status of vaccine and treatment.