WQXE News

The longtime pastor of Severns Valley Baptist Church, Dr. Bill Langley, has resigned from his position. Langley will be says the next step for him is a possible position helping pastors and churches west of the Mississippi River. He also notes that he is honored to have had the chance to meet and interact with so many people in the community. The Southern Baptist Convention will soon begin searching for a new pastor to serve at Severns Valley.

After some misinformation and misunderstanding, the Meade County Board of Education issued a release last Friday regarding the impending arrival of a Nucor Steel plate mill in the county, and how it would affect the school district going forward. In the release, the Board of Education notes that the mill will create high-paying jobs for students and families, and revenues of the school district are not expected to be negatively impacted by the project. Additionally, the school district will receive a three percent tax on the mill’s electric usage monthly, with an estimated monthly check between $40,000 and $90,000. The Board of Education wrapped up by noting that there will be growing pains, but the community pulling together will undoubtedly improve quality of life. The full document can be found on the Meade County Schools Facebook page.

Elizabethtown- Fort Knox has ranked as the number three Best Place to Work in Manufacturing from New York based personal finance technology company SmartAsset. The company reports that manufacturing jobs increased by over 27% from 2014 to 2017, which makes Elizabethtown the 9^th-highest increase of the over 300 metro areas surveyed. Elizabethtown- Fort Knox was the only location in Kentucky to rank in the top ten.

The American Red Cross is asking for donations to ensure patients don’t have to worry about availability of blood this winter. There is a need for all blood types, but especially for type-O. There will be blood drives at Pritchard Community Center on December 30^th, Bluegrass Cellular on December 31^st, and Towne Mall on January 3^rd. More information on future blood drives can be found at redcrossblood.org.

A staple of publice service in Hardin County, Woodrow “Woody” Will, passed away last Thursday at the age of 73. Will worked with the Elizabethtown Fire Department and the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office in his life, later becoming the chaplain to all emergency responders.

Funeral arrangements have been made for the victims of a deadly car collision that took place earlier this week. Visitation for John “JT” Wiglesworth will be today from 4 PM to 8 PM at Franklin Crossroads Baptist Church. The funeral will take place on Saturday at 11 AM at the same location. Visitation for Louise Pullen took place yesterday at Manakee Funeral Home, but her funeral will take place today at 11 AM at the funeral home. As previously reported, the two were declared deceased at the scene of their collision that took place on Leitchfield Road Monday morning.

A rest stop along I-65 South has been shut down until next year for repairs. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says there will be several different types of renovations done to the inside of the building. The closure is expected to send traffic further down the road, and City of Elizabethtown Spokesperson Amy Inman says the city is prepared for the extra traffic, and will welcome all new visitors to the town. The rest stop has been there for about thirty years.

United Way of Central Kentucky is still seeking volunteers for their Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA, program, which provides tax preparation services for low income families. There is no prior experience required, as there will be training provided. Assistance through VITA is available for individuals who made under $32,000 last year, or families who brought in under $54,000. Cut off for applications is January 9^th. More information can be found at unitedwayck.org.

The American Legion Post 113 will be hosting a special event for veterans on the 27^th of December. There will be a luncheon held for WWII and Korean War veterans at 11 at the post. The post is counting on word of mouth to spread the word, and ask that people RSVP. Anyone wishing to volunteer for the event should call the American Legion Post 113.

Hardin County native Daniel Cameron was sworn in yesterday as the Attorney General for the state of Kentucky. Cameron defeated Democrat Greg Stumbo in the November 5^th election to take the role that would have been left vacant by Governor Elect and former Attorney General Andy Beshear. The Attorney General is typically sworn in early in the year following the election.

Central Hardin High School will be hosting a volleyball camp later this month. The camp takes place on December 27 and 28, and is for third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grade kids. The deadline to reserve a spot with payment is December 20^th. More information can be found on the Central Hardin High School Volleyball Facebook page.

The Central Hardin High School Choir will be giving a public performance this week. The concert will take place in the center court of Towne Mall in Elizabethtown. There will be a medley of Christmas music, and the choir will be dressed as Christmas characters.