The Elizabethtown Police Department wants to warn citizens about a nationwide charity scam that the FBI has warned about previously that has made its way to the area. “Panhandlers traveling in groups are showing up in densely populated areas such as major intersections, parking lots and they’re holding signs that indicate they’re soliciting donations to benefit a small child named Sofia, who is in need of a life-saving heart surgery. We’ve also received reports that individuals, providing a similar story, are approaching citizens selling jewelry that appears to be made of gold. A handful of citizens have purchased the jewelry and attempted to pawn it only to find out that it’s not genuine. Despite how convincing the story may be, please do not fall for the scam. No matter how heart-wrenching. These individuals are not advocating on behalf of a child in need,” Elizabethtown Police Public Affairs Officer Chris Denham. If anyone observes people engaging in this scam, you are encouraged to contact the Elizabethtown Police immediately.
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The Transportation Cabinet wants to remind motorists about the closure for the Dolphin Drive and Josale Drive intersection roundabout construction that starts today. Access to Kroger, the US Post Office and 2935 Office Park is available via Dolphin Drive from Prospect Point Drive. Access to businesses on Josale Drive can be accessed from Ring Road and Dolphin Drive businesses can be accessed from North Mulberry. Message boards will be placed along Mulberry and Ring Roads to help drivers to navigate through the area. The intersection will be closed for 15 days. On April 6 the intersection will reopen but roundabout construction will continue. At that time flaggers will direct traffic until the completion of the project at the end of April.
State Senator Matt Deneen has been busy since he arrived in Frankfort at the beginning of the year. He presented three bills for consideration during this legislative session. “Senate Bill 119 was just signed into law by the Governor just the other day. Kentucky is currently ranked fifth in the nation when it comes to sexual assaults. We really wanted to look at ways that we could tighten up the law. So we looked at best practices from other states. We worked with county attorneys, with Commonwealth attorneys, with advocacy lawyers for domestic abuse homes and clinics. This bill, I think, will help change the Commonwealth when it comes to giving the judges and the prosecutors the tools they need to prosecute these perpetrators and to also assign IPOs and DVOs to those victims,” shared Senator Matt Deneen. Deneen also got Senate Bill 49 – a law to extend the time period option six alternative certification teachers had to complete their teaching certifications – and Senate Bill 60 – a law to assist military members from Kentucky renew their motorcycle licenses when stationed outside of Kentucky – passed into law.
The Hodgenville Police Department responded to a call at Creekfront Park Monday afternoon for a medical emergency. “We responded to Creekfront Park yesterday on a medical issue call. An individual juvenile male had been playing basketball with some friends. One of these other individuals offered him a vape which he took a hit off of and immediately started having adverse effects. We have seen this multiple times in recent months.We call it an overdose which technically is – it’s not an overdose that’s going to kill you, for about two three hours, it’s pretty tumultuous for the victims. So his friends left and when his family got there he was lying next to the basketball court, called an ambulance and they took him to BHH (Baptist Health Hardin)for treatment,” stated Hodgenville Police Chief James Richardson. Police want to remind citizens that if they witness someone overdosing, they need to call 911 immediately. There are laws that prohibit arresting those who report overdoses. “The biggest issue we saw was that the friends left. We want to remind everybody if you are partaking in illegal substances and somebody happens to overdose, call for help. Do not let them lay there and die. If this had been anything else or had been laced with something else, things could have ended very badly.” Hodgenville Police and Larue County Schools will be hosting an information session on the dangers of vapes on Thursday. “We are going to be part of the Larue County High School’s vaping and its impacts on youth mental health forum on Thursday, March 23rd at 5:30 to 7:00 to talk about this very thing. With the rise in Delta 8 vapes in the area and the fact that they’re often found inside the high schools and the middle schools. We’re actually going to start talking to some folks and try to get the word out. So this is open to the public and it’ll be at the auditorium at Larue County High School. Thursday, March 23rd 5:30 to 7:00 PM.” The Superintendents of Larue County Schools, Elizabethtown Independent Schools and Hardin County School published a letter recently about concerns with the rise in vape use among juveniles in their districts and asked businesses in the area to aid in the fight to keep vapes away from minors.
An Elizabethtown woman pled guilty to fraud charges in federal court on Monday. Kelly Woods, 43 of Elizabethtown, admitted to filing three fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program Loans that resulted in over $1.3 million between May 2020 and March 31 2021. Woods exaggerated the number of employees and payroll expenses for two entities in the applications. The loan program was designed as an incentive to help small businesses to keep their workers on payroll. Woods is scheduled to be sentenced on June 22, 2023 and will forfeit certain real property and a vehicle as part of the plea agreement.