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Plans for an AI data center in Meade County are not moving forward.
After hundreds of residents showed up for a special meeting of the Meade County Planning and Zoning Commission Tuesday, the commission voted to recommend a zoning change for property located in Ekron along Joe Prather Highway and Garrett Road from Agricultural to Light Industrial be denied.
Later that evening, the Meade County Fiscal Court voted to deny the zoning change in a meeting that also saw hundreds in attendance.
Over the course of several hours, residents attending both meetings raised their concerns with the impact the proposed data center could have on the surrounding community, with speakers expressing concerns with noise and environmental impacts. Many in attendance expressed concerns with the amount of water such a facility would require and the impact it would have on the county’s existing water infrastructure, which one resident said needs major improvements. Neighboring property owners were also concerned with water runoff impacts on their properties.
After voting to deny the zoning change, members of the fiscal court discussed placing a one-year moratorium on data center proposals in order to review existing zoning laws.
Hardin County Schools, Elizabethtown Independent Schools, and the Central Kentucky Community Foundation are encouraging Hardin County residents to sign up for or support Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
According to a release from HCS, when families register, the library mails a free age-appropriate book each month to children from birth to age five. Registered children will receive a new book in the mail each month free of charge.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a lifelong love of reading, which creates a steady foundation for young learners.
“We all know that reading skills are essential for success, and proven research shows that children who are read to by their parents, older siblings, family members, and friends come to kindergarten ready to learn at much higher levels, so that also leads to success in and out of the K-12 classrooms, the college classrooms, and even in careers after graduation,” said HCS Community Relations Specialist John Wright.
The Imagination Library says 38 percent of eligible children in Hardin County are currently participating.
“This initiative has a legacy of creating a strong foundation of academic success for every child, and a book a month for five years can build a wonderful library and provide endless opportunities for fun and learning,” Wright said.
Families interested in signing up should visit www.imaginationlibrary.com. Community members can also donate to the literacy initiative by visiting the Community Foundation’s website, www.ckcf4people.org.
The Kentucky Martin Luther King Jr. State Commission is now accepting entries for the 2026 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay, Visual Arts, and Poetry contests.
According to a release from the Kentucky Heritage Council, the contests are “an exciting opportunity for students to express their creativity and honor Dr. King’s legacy by promoting unity, equality, and justice for all people in Kentucky, the United States, and the world.”
The contest is open to students enrolled in a Kentucky school or home-schooled in Kentucky. Each entry should be inspired by this year’s theme: “Equality for all, hope for tomorrow”. The entry deadline is December 12.
The visual arts contest is open to all K through 12 students. Visual arts entries will be judged based on creativity and originality, and how they address the theme of the contest.
The essay contest is open to students in fourth through 12th grade. The essay must be 500 words or less, and will be judged based on purpose, awareness of audience, idea development, organization, language, and correctness.
The poetry contest is for students in sixth through 12th grade. Entries must be 200 words or less.
Learn more about the contest on the Martin Luther King Jr. State Commission’s website.