WQXE News

A jackknifed truck caused delays on I-65 North this morning. According to Transportation Cabinet Spokesperson Chris Jessie, the commercial vehicle jackknifed at Exit 91, and took the interstate down to one lane for several hours. The lanes reopened and traffic returned to normal, but Jessie stressed allowing for extra time and caution while driving to avoid slick spots on the roadway.

Several school districts, including Hardin, Breckenridge, Meade, and Grayson called off school today due to large amounts of absences because of illness. Larue County Schools called off today as well as Monday so the schools and all properties could be deep cleaned and sanitized. No make up day has been scheduled for Larue County while Hardin County will make up this absence by being in session on President’s Day.

The Elizabethtown Police Department responded to the Speedway at 1005 North Dixie in reference to a vehicle theft. When officers arrived, they learned that a motorist inside the store had left their minivan running in the parking lot with two children, aged eleven and five, inside. The suspect, Fredrick Ruelas Branham unlawfully entered the van and departed the parking lot with the children still inside. After travelling a short distance, the suspect stopped and ordered both children out of the vehicle, then he continued northbound on Dixie Highway. He was located on KY 313 by Radcliff police shortly thereafter. Ruelas Branham was arrested for theft of a motor vehicle, as well as wanton endangerment. No one was harmed in the incident, but the police department urges the public never to leave a vehicle running or leave children inside of a vehicle without an adult present.

After a town hall meeting held earlier this week, officials in the city of Vine Grove are working to come to a conclusion on a plan for the City Hall Building. Mayor Pam Ogden says the goal for this year is to work out all the financials for the project. The city has started to look into loans and grants to help pay for the project. Residents of Vine Grove were in favor of demolishing the old building and building something brand new.

A Radcliff man has been charged after a Radcliff Police officer-involved shooting that took place last month. According to a press release from Kentucky State Police, Joseph Godsey, 34, has been charged with one count of assault of a police officer, which carries a one to five- year prison sentence. The two officers involved were Officer Roger Beets III, a two-year veteran of the department, and Officer Jonah Everage, a one-year veteran of the department. As previously reported, Godsey was attempting to illegally enter a home when he was confronted by police. He then charged the officers with a knife and was shot, sustaining non-life-threatening injuries.

Officials with Fort Knox Federal Credit Union, or Abound Credit Union as it will soon be known, have responded to some criticism regarding the name change. President and CEO Ray Springsteen says that people are passionate, and that’s what the Credit Union is all about. He also says it would likely have been impossible to please everyone. He emphasizes that the Credit Union is still doing a lot for the military, and will not stop doing so. Reportedly, the institution, in collaboration with Hardin Memorial Health, invested over $1 million in to military health programs on Fort Knox, as well as donated $70,000 to veterans programs.

Hardin County Animal Care and Control will now be using new forms of technology to help recover lost pets. The organization has begun to use revolutionary facial recognition technology to identify lost dogs and cats. The Hardin County Animal Shelter registers every animal that enters the shelter system on Finding Rover. In addition to helping lost pets find their home, Finding Rover also features dogs and cats that are available for adoption. More information can be found at findingrover.com.

Kentucky State Police Post 4 was asked to assist the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office in regards to a two vehicle collision on Friday morning. The incident took place near the 2600 block of Beaver Dam Road in Grayson County. Tanner Edwards, 16, of Leitchfield was travelling west on the road, while Martin Whobrey, 58, of Leitchfield, was travelling east. Due to the wet conditions, Edwards crossed the center line and into the path of Whobrey’s vehicle. Whobrey was declared deceased at the scene. Edwards and his passenger, 16-year-old Hunter Hodges of Leitchfield, were transported to Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. The affected portion of Beaver Dam Road was closed to allow troopers to investigate the collision. The investigation is ongoing.

The Elizabethtown Police Department has made it a goal to crack down on unsafe driving habits in the year of 2020, as there were over 2500 collisions last year alone, just in the city of Elizabethtown. Collision numbers have increased steadily over the last five years. Officials with the Police Department stress that this is not in order to meet a quota, but to provide a safe driving experience. Specific offenses being targeted include driving under the influence, distracted driving, and unsafe driving in school zones.

Elizabethtown Community and Technical College was named one of the best places to work in Kentucky by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and the Kentucky Society for Human Resource Management in 2020. The selection process is based on an assessment of the company’s employee policies and procedures, as well as the results of an internal employee survey. ECTC was in the medium employer category, which consisted of 31 winners and includes 150-499 employees. ECTC President and CEO Doctor Juston Pate said, “We do meaningful work and work hard doing it, but we care about and respect each other along the way. I believe we truly are one of the best places to work in Kentucky, and couldn’t be more pleased to be formally recognized as such.” To see the full list of the 100 best places to work in Kentucky, visit bestplacestoworkky.com.

The City of Vine Grove will be hosting a town hall meeting to discuss the future of the City Hall building. The meeting will take place at around 7:30 tonight, following the city council meeting being held at 6:30. Ideas surrounding the future of the building have included making necessary repairs, tearing down and relocating the building, adding on to the current structure, or just building an entirely new city hall. This is a meeting that is open to the public to attend.