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The Elizabethtown City Council met for their second meeting of the month Tuesday.

The council approved a municipal order approving the purchase of 522 Commerce Drive for $25,000. The purchase is part of work on the Commerce Drive Corridor Road Improvement Project.

“The city has budgeted funds for the expansion and extension of Commerce Drive from Executive Drive to its terminus at Springfield Road, to include the acquisition of additional public street right-of-way and the acquisition of utility and drainage easements,” said Elizabethtown City Attorney Ken Howard, reading from the municipal order.

The city is hosting an open-house style neighborhood meeting to discuss the North Downtown Master Plan Thursday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Central Avenue Baptist Church. City Administrator Ed Poppe said this is the next area the city is targeting for Community Development Block Grant funding.

“We hope to spend a number of years in the neighborhood helping to redevelop the area, place some infill residential housing in some areas, upgrade pedestrian access through sidewalks and trails in the area, and also probably look at street lighting,” said Poppe.

Also meeting for a regular meeting Tuesday night was the Radcliff City Council. 

The council approved the sale of the former FFO building and property, located at 987 North Dixie Boulevard, to John Tindall. Radcliff Mayor JJ Duvall said Tindall’s bid was for $508,500, and Tindall included the required reserve amount for the bid.

The council recognized the efforts of Radcliff Fire Department Lieutenant Sean O’Donley to rescue a homeowner during a December 14 residential fire. Radcliff Fire Chief Timothy Marsh said O’Donley was on his way home after a shift change when the report of the fire came in.

“He turned around and was on scene within a minute,” Marsh said. “He was the first one on scene, and he didn’t hesitate. He confirmed that there was somebody inside the house, that the house was on fire, and at that point in time he proceeded to enter the house to pull the homeowner out.”

The Elizabethtown City Council will next meet February 23, and the Radcliff City Council will next meet March 9.

Monday marked the beginning of a new era for Warm Blessings Community Kitchen as Josh Miller began his first official day as the organization’s executive director.

“I’m feeling good,” Miller said. “I’ve made a lot of connections with a lot of people in the community. I’ve been able to meet with our team and our staff. We’re really excited about going forward., so I’m really excited. It’s been a busy day, but hey, I love it. That’s what we’re here to do, is here to serve.”

Miller said the mission-minded nature of Warm Blessings stood out to him when he applied for the role.

“I love to serve, and I love people,” Miller said. “I grew up serving all of my life, so being able to give back to my community and being able to serve our neighbors in need, that was the draw. I feel like service is a calling, so I’m just answering the call, all my life.”

Miller says the organization is rooted in loving your neighbor and coming together, so he is hoping to attract more community involvement.

“We need volunteers,” Miller said. “We need resources. We just need the support of everybody in Hardin County, and I know we’ll get that. We’re in such a tight-knit community, so I’m just thankful to be a part of Warm Blessings and be a part of this community, as well.”

Miller steps into the executive director role following the death of Dawn Cash, who died at the age of 61 in December.

Learn more about the organization on their website, www.warmblessings.org, or follow the Warm Blessings Community Kitchen Facebook page.

Kentucky State Police Post Four is investigating a two-vehicle fatal collision that occurred on Interstate 65 in Hardin County Monday.

According to KSP Post Four, at approximately 9:46 a.m. on February 16 troopers responded to a collision at the 103-mile marker on I-65 North near Lebanon Junction. The preliminary investigation indicates traffic on I-65 North had slowed due to a previous collision near the 106-mile marker. A vehicle operated by 29-year-old Drew Cookenmaster of Hodgenville struck the rear of a northbound tractor-trailer.

Cookenmaster was pronounced dead at the scene by the Hardin County Coroner’s Office. The operator of the tractor-trailer was not injured.

The northbound lanes of I-65 at the Joe Prather Highway exit were closed for approximately three hours to allow for collision reconstruction. The KSP’s investigation remains ongoing.

Meanwhile, the KSP is also investigating a collision on the Bluegrass Parkway that shut the highway down for several hours.

KSP Post Four says at approximately 9:26 p.m. on February 16 troopers responded to a collision near the 7-mile marker. The preliminary investigation indicates two commercial vehicles were traveling east when the operator of the first tractor-trailer, Manual Ostos Paxtian of Moss, Tennessee, attempted to make an illegal u-turn using an emergency turnaround to attempt to travel west. A second eastbound tractor-trailer, operated by Charles Penn of Union Springs, Alabama, attempted to avoid the first vehicle but was unable to do so and struck it.

The KSP says one of the tractor-trailers caught fire and was completely destroyed after the collision. The second tractor-trailer then overturned in the westbound lanes of the Bluegrass Parkway. Paxtian sustained minor injuries and was transported to Baptist Health Hardin for treatment. Penn was not injured in the collision. 

Both eastbound and westbound lanes of the Bluegrass Parkway were closed for several hours as the tractor-trailers were recovered and for roadway cleanup. All lanes were not fully cleared until about 6:30 a.m. on February 17.