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Another winter storm system brought 2 to 8 inches of snow across much of Kentucky, and frigid temperatures in the forecast the rest of the week combined with the remaining impacts of weekend flooding means the cleanup is not an easy one as plowing gives way to salt treatments.

“With these temperatures expected to be very cold the next few days, especially at night, effectiveness of those treatments will become limited,” said Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District Four Public Information Officer Chris Jessie. “Our main routes will likely be in good shape. Those lower volume routes, though, may be partially covered for a few days here, especially in shaded areas.”

Any additional snowfall for the area was projected at one inch or less, but Meteorologist John Gordon with the National Weather Service in Louisville says the frigid temperatures are likely here the rest of the week.

“Temperatures will be in the teens,” Gordon said. “Wind chill is in the teens. It’s just kind of an ugly time. There is good news, though, because we’ll be in the 40s by Sunday, Sunday and Monday, so we have to suffer a little but there will be some rejoicing at the end of the week.”

During his update on the storms Wednesday morning, Governor Andy Beshear advised anybody in need to seek assistance to get out of the cold. The governor also reminded residents to never drive around a barrier that is blocking a flooded roadway.

“I think we had a number of rescues yesterday, almost all of them were people driving around barriers,” Beshear said. “You drive around the barrier, your car gets swept away, it threatens your life, but it also threatens the life of every person out there trying to rescue you in these really cold conditions.”

Up-to-date information on resources available for Kentuckians impacted by the flooding and winter storm is available on the governor’s website.

The Hardin County Quick Response Team says another spike in overdoses has been seen in the area.

According to the QRT, three known overdoses were reported within 24 hours this week. The QRT encourages anybody who is currently struggling with substance use disorder, or knows somebody who is, to reach out to the Quick Response Team.

“Whether it’s housing, or you need to get your driver’s license, or maybe you need to try to find a job, or you need a car, or you need tattoo removal, or you need an outfit to go to court in, or you need clothes, or a job resume to try to get a job, or something as simple as a food bank, and the list can go on and on and on,” said Hardin County Chief Deputy Coroner and Quick Response Team Supervisor Shana Norton.

The QRT recently hosted its first training event for residents interested in joining the team, and an additional training event is in the works.

“This is obviously a new thing for all of us, and we want to just be able to have those that want to be a part of it kind of prepared, so that way when we do call our team and we have to go out and knock on doors, people that are wanting to join the team will be able to know what to expect,” Norton said.

Visit the Quick Response Team – Hardin County Facebook page to get connected with the QRT.

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

The council approved an ordinance on second reading approving the annexation of about 154 acres at Gaither Station Road and South Ring Road. As read from the ordinance by City Attorney Ken Howard, “the property will be zoned General Industrial or I-1 and Suburban Residential Limited R-1 upon annexation based on the Planning Commission’s recommendation.” The Elizabethtown Hardin County Industrial Foundation purchased the property in 2024 for the establishment of a new industrial park.

Elizabethtown Stormwater Management Director Rita Davis gave an update on the city’s stormwater system following weekend rain that measured more than 4.5 inches. Davis said a storm like this 15 or 20 years ago would likely have been more damaging.

“While our creeks were out of their banks and we did see some localized flooding in areas, I think we handled that much rain pretty well with all the improvements that we’ve done, the basins that we have, the lakes that we have invested in,” Davis said. “I think the proof is in the pudding, all the work that we’ve done.”

Davis also said the city’s application for Tree City USA recognition was recently approved.

“We will have some tree ordinances to further regulate some of the tree removals and have some offsetting, as far as if a tree of a certain size is removed we would want additional at a ratio to be replaced based on the size of that tree,” Davis said.

The Elizabethtown City Council will next meet February 24.