WQXE News

The cause of the gas explosion that caused a Grayson County woman and her daughter to sustain substantial burns has been revealed. According to Grayson County Fire Chief Tim Duvall, a faulty gas furnace is to blame. Reportedly, a faulty connection to the furnace caused the leak, which then later caused the explosion. As previously reported, the resident of the home, Angela Young, and her seven-year-old daughter had to be airlifted to Louisville hospitals due to their injuries.

Fort Knox will be hosting a Super Bowl party on post this weekend. The event will begin at 6:30 at Samuel Adams Brewhouse, and will feature food for purchase, as well as recliners for seating. Arriving early will allow attendees a better shot at preferred seating.

John Hardin High School will be hosting the Region Five National Archery in the School Tournament starting today with three flights starting at five o’clock, and ten flights starting at 9 o’clock on Saturday morning. Over 1100 archers are expected to be in attendance, and range from middle to high school age students from the eight county central region. The event will also host a silent auction, and items are still being accepted. Money made from the silent auction will be put back into the archery program.

The Fort Knox Tax Center has opened for business in Pike Hall on post. The tax center prepared over 4000 returns last year, leading to over $4 million in refunds.

The Cecilian Chapel, coming to the realization that the church is going to have to be demolished due to damage from multiple fires, is asking for the community to be a part of the last act of solidarity at the church. Officials with the church want to get one last picture with everyone from the community this Sunday at 4 PM. Officials ask that anyone who has had their life affected by the chapel attend this event. As previously reported, the chapel was deemed a total loss on Tuesday, and other fires have hit the building since then.  

The West Point Independent School District Board has unanimously agreed to enter into negotiations with Hardin County Schools for the purposes of a merger. Tearful chairman Eddie Moore introduced the items on the agenda before interim superintendent Sally Sugg began a presentation, laying out the financial impact the court case surrounding the school is having on the community. If legal battles continued, the total cost to the district could come to over $120,000. Also present at the board meeting was Hardin County Schools superintendent Teresa Morgan, who answered questions from the crowd and stressed the importance of creating familiarity for students should a merger take place. Morgan states that Hardin County Schools will make a priority out of bringing staff from West Point to the schools to create a familiar environment for the children. A list of frequently asked questions regarding the potential merger can be found on the West Point Independent Schools website.

The Hardin County Fiscal Court heard a presentation from Hardin County United regarding designating Hardin County as a Second Amendment Sanctuary, which would defend against federal or state legislation that would control access to firearms or ammunition. Hardin County Judge Executive heard the presentation from Spokesperson Rob Powers, but said that the county could not accommodate the designation at this time. The Larue County Fiscal Court passed a similar resolution earlier this month.

A Big Clifty woman has been arrested for animal cruelty after several malnourished horses were found on her property. Deputies with the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office responded to the residence after reports of mistreatment of the animals. Five horses were on the property, and one more had to be euthanized due to its condition. Once the arrest was made, the owner, Shiloh Lisa Lee, surrendered the horses to the Sheriff’s Department. Multiple other horses were found dead on the property the following day, and one of the rescued horses later died as well. The rest of the horses are in a wildlife rehab center in Grayson County. Lee was charged with several counts of animal cruelty, and is lodged in the Grayson County Detention Center.

The Cecilian Chapel, which was hit by fire late Monday night and into Tuesday morning, has been designated a total loss. According to a post to the Chapel’s Facebook page, the firefighters on the scene worked hard to save the sanctuary, but the roof has fallen in, and the floor in the sanctuary has given way. Because of this, the walls are pulling in and jeopardizing the stained glass windows. Officials with the chapel have expressed doubt in even being able to salvage the pews in the chapel due to the failing structural integrity. The chapel has requested that people who have held events at the Chapel post pictures from them on the Facebook page, so that everyone can remember the happy times.

Nolin River Wildlife has unveiled a new logo with a new slogan. The logo features the face of a raccoon, and will be accompanied with the slogan “Nurturing Hope”. This slogan is a reference to a raccoon named Hope that died earlier in the month after attempts to rehabilitate her. According to comments on the organization’s Facebook page, merchandise with the new logo and slogan is already in the works.

Kentucky State Police Post 4 responded to a fatal collision in Grayson County on Friday night after the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance with the collision near Peonia Road. According to preliminary investigation, John Puckett of Sonora was traveling East on Peonia when he crossed the center-line and into the path of another vehicle driven by Vincent Abell of Crestwood. Puckett was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Grayson County Coroner. Abell and his passenger were transported to Hardin Memorial Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Alcohol was believed to be involved with the collision, but the investigation is ongoing.

An anonymous tip to Hardin County Crime Stoppers has led to another arrest. Michael Owens, who was wanted for burglary and theft, was captured last Thursday. Owens had been featured on radio station’s Crime Stoppers section. Anyone with information on crimes new or old should contact Hardin County Crime Stoppers.

A staple in the Radcliff community passed away last week, as Bill Mahanna passed on January 22^nd. Mahanna served as a founding member of the Radcliff Fire Department, served on the City Board of Adjustments, Planning and Zoning, City Manager, and youth sports coach.

Warm Blessings Soup Kitchen reopens for business today after a week undergoing a renovation to the interior of the facility. The remodel included changes to the dining area, as well as the living area and kitchen. Also added were extra security features to the building.