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With the Thanksgiving holiday arriving, many Kentuckians will be joining a projected record number of travelers hitting the road this holiday season.

AAA is projecting nearly 80 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from November 26 to December 2 as part of their Thanksgiving plans. While Thanksgiving is a time for Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, the vast majority will be going with automobiles, with AAA projecting just under 72 million.

Elizabethtown Police Department Public Information Officer Chris Denham says if alcoholic beverages will be part of your holiday season, plan accordingly.

“Plan ahead and designate a sober driver prior to taking the first sip of alcohol,” Denham said. “This simple step can help ensure everyone gets home safely to their loved ones. I want to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving and a merry Christmas.”

Travelers can check on highway conditions by visiting goky.ky.gov.

The first of two license lotteries for medical cannabis dispensaries in Kentucky was held at the Kentucky Lottery Corporation in Louisville Monday.

Four applicants each were drawn from nine of the 13 dispensary regions through a random number generator.

“In total, 4,075 applications were submitted for dispensary licenses,” said Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis Executive Director Sam Flynn during a simulcast event at the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort. “2,840, about 60 percent of the total, were submitted for the 36 licenses in the regions we will be drawing for today. Of those, 2,551 or 88 percent of the applications were approved to be in today’s lottery and 329 were denied.”

Flynn said all applicants were given one opportunity to review and correct any discrepancies that were found in their initial application.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said the license process helps fulfill the goal of the Kentucky General Assembly to make medical cannabis available in a controlled manner, and his goal of extending healthcare options for Kentuckians.

“Since taking office, my administration has been committed to providing access to health care and creating safer communities for all Kentuckians,” Beshear said. “It’s been a priority to ensure those among us who have serious medical conditions like cancer or PTSD have access to safe, affordable medical cannabis.”

The applicants selected from Region Nine, which includes the counties in the Lincoln Trail Area Development District, are: Barrio Capital Partners LLC and Wynn Win LLC in Elizabethtown, Thoroughtrek LLC in Radcliff, and NGHKC in Eastview. The selected applicants have 15 days to pay required fees to obtain their license.

Licenses for the remaining regions (Bluegrass, Kentuckiana, Fayette County, and Jefferson County) will be awarded in a lottery on December 16. 

Visit kymedcan.ky.gov for more information on the state’s medical cannabis program.

As you begin preparing for your Thanksgiving meal this Thursday, remember to take some basic precautions to protect yourself and your family while working in the kitchen.

Radcliff Deputy Fire Marshal Tommy Crane says never leave anything cooking on your stove or in your oven unattended, and be mindful of how you are using smaller appliances on the counter top.

“Try to plug everything in the outlet if you can,” Crane said. “If you do have to use an extension cord for a short period of time, make sure that it’s going to be a high enough amperage for those devices so that you don’t have that risk of fire there, and make sure all those cords and everything are away from the edge of the counter as well.”

If you plan on frying your turkey this year, please plan accordingly.

“Treat it kind of like we tell you with a grill,” Crane said. “Keep it about 10 feet away from your house and any overhangs. Don’t have it in the garage or on the back porch, especially with a roof on it. Make sure those turkeys are fully thawed and that they’re not cold. You’re putting it in  hot oil. Don’t overfill your fryer.”

Crane says the general rule of thumb is to keep a three-foot buffer between the cooking area and kids and pets.

“Give the younger kids something to do,” Crane said. “Maybe let them help set the table, maybe have some coloring pages printed off, or let the older kids kind of keep them busy, that kind of thing.”

Make sure things such as paper towels or dishcloths are away from stovetops, and don’t forget to check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.