With Winter Weather Advisories in effect for parts of western and central Kentucky, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is reminding residents to exercise caution when hitting the roadways.
The KYTC offers the following safe driving tips:
Buckle up; put the phone down.
Reduce speed.
Give snowplows plenty of room on the road.
Keep a distance of at least three car lengths from the car in front of you.
Alter travel plans to avoid driving during the peak of weather activity.
Pay attention to weather advisories and allow more time to travel for routine commutes.
Slow down when approaching intersections, off-ramps, bridges or shaded areas. Watch for “black ice” – a thin coating of clear ice that can form on pavement surfaces that may be difficult to see.
Visit snowky.ky.gov for snow and ice resources, and goky.ky.gov for travel conditions and real-time traffic cameras.
Kick start your new year and support the community work of the Elizabethtown Lions Club with their New Year’s Day Dash 5K Fun Run/Walk, to be held January 1 at the Elizabethtown Sports Park.
“We are the first one of the year, so for all of our runners and walkers that love getting out there for their 5Ks, come on out on 1 January,” said E-Town Lions Club Member Chris Moore. “We start at 7:30 a.m. for registration and the race starts at 9. This is our third year doing this annual New Year’s Day Dash, and it’s going to be a blast as always. Every year we get a little bit bigger and better with it, as we have a lot of great programs here in Hardin County.”
All proceeds from this year’s 5K will benefit Envision Blind Sports, which provides sports and physical activity opportunities for individuals who are blind or visually impaired.
Registration is $35, with children nine and under free. Runners and walkers will receive a long-sleeve shirt, and sign up by December 17 to receive a fun race day hot chocolate mug. Find the event page on the Elizabethtown Lions Club Facebook page for more information and a link to register.
The Grayson County Chamber of Commerce, Grayson County Tourism, Leitchfield Tourism, the Grayson County Fiscal Court, and Owensboro Health invite the community to help ring in the holiday season with Christmas on the Square, coming up on Saturday, December 6.
“It is just a gathering for our local businesses and our community to come together and shop our square with our local businesses and some vendors, and just to get everybody together and get them in the Christmas spirit,” said Grayson County Chamber Executive Director April Spaulding.
The event promises holiday fun for all ages.
“We have snow that’ll be falling,” Spaulding said. “We have over 41 vendors that’re going to be there. We have a Christmas carousel for the kids. We have bounce houses. Just a lot of good Christmas fun that’s going to be going on.”
Head downtown early for the Hometown Christmas Parade.
“There is a parade that happens directly before the event,” Sapulding said. “It starts at 3:30 p.m. and it actually ends at our square, so we encourage everybody to come up to that and then go straight to the square to shop.”
“This is the first time our residents will have access to a full-time ambulance crew dedicated to serving this area, and this is not just another addition to our county services; it is a life-saving milestone,” Taul said.
Taul was joined by government and emergency services officials for a push-in ceremony Monday to mark the official launch of the ambulance unit. He said the current average response time for the White Mills area is 30 minutes, but the new ambulance is expected to cut that time in half.
“In this rural area where distances are long and resources can be stretched very thin, minutes matter in an emergency,” Hicks said. “This new ambulance is not just metal and wheels; it’s a lifeline.”
Hardin County EMS Director Mark Peterson said county first responders are ready to get to work.
“If one life is saved because of this addition, then it was all well worth it, so on behalf of the supervisors, EMTs, advanced EMTs, paramedics, and the admin staff of Hardin County EMS: we are here, we are excited to be part of the community, and we are ready to answer the call,” Peterson said.
The White Mills ambulance joins three ambulances stationed in Elizabethtown, three in Radcliff, one in Sonora, and one at the Hardin County Detention Center. An updated service map was posted to the Hardin County Government Facebook page.
Celebrate the season with Bernheim Forest as they host their Holiday Open House on Saturday, December 6 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“The Holiday Open House is a fun and festive day of shopping and celebrating in the forest,” said Bernheim Forest Director of Marketing and Communications Lynette Cox. “Visitors will enjoy holiday music, refreshments, and hourly giveaways while they shop for the perfect gift.”
The event is free and no registration is required.
“You can browse a selection of handcrafted gifts from Kentucky artisans including jewelry, cozy apparel, pottery, walking sticks, and more,” Cox said. “You’ll find everything that you need for the nature lover, bird lover, and cook in your life.”
If you have not had the chance to visit Bernheim, the Holiday Open House is a good opportunity to do so.
“We’ve got all kinds of gifts in the gift shop at Bernheim for nature lovers and pet lovers,” Cox said. “It’s a great time to come out to the forest and take a hike and then knock a little shopping off your list while you shop local.”
