Menu Close

#quicksie983

Hardin County Public Library director named Librarian of the Year

WQXE News 0 Comments

Hardin County Public Library Director Laurel Tabaka said it was quite the surprise when she was presented with the inaugural Librarian of the Year Award at the Kentucky Public Library Association’s annual conference.

“I was incredibly humbled, incredibly shocked,” Tabaka said. “I still really haven’t fully taken it all on board, but I’m very proud and very thankful for the honor and the recognition.”

According to a release, Tabaka was recognized for accomplishments including spearheading a $3.8 million library renovation, launching Home Base @HCPL to support veterans and military families, creating programs addressing critical needs, and expanding technology access across library services.

Tabaka said access to information is one of the most important points of the library’s mission, and expanding access and programming opportunities are important for growth of the library as well as the community.

“We definitely are thinking about how do we get folks into the library and then how do we get them to check out books, so we do that through programming with our children, with our teens, with our adults,” Tabaka said. “We find that very successful for us. Plus we have public computers, we have printing services, we have all kinds of stuff here. We have access to digital media, and we have access to databases for research. Truly it is a one-stop shop.”

Tabaka said she loves coming to work every day.

“I’m just so thankful that my board of trustees has placed their trust in me to direct the library,” Tabaka said. “I truly love Hardin County so very much, and I’m just really excited to see how we grow. I think our potential for the future is limitless.”

Learn more about the library’s offerings on the Hardin County Public Library Facebook page or at www.hcpl.info.

Woman dead after fall near Big Clifty

WQXE News 0 Comments

A woman who fell from a cliff in Big Clifty Saturday was declared dead at the scene.

West Hardin Fire and Rescue says at approximately 7:48 p.m. on March 14 emergency crews were dispatched to the area of Sonora Hardin Springs Road in Big Clifty for a reported rescue. The initial information indicated “a 26-year-old female had reportedly fallen from an estimated height of two to three stories while near the edge of a cliff in a remote area,” with the caller reporting that the individual had landed on rocks below the cliff.

Emergency responders confirmed upon arrival that the incident occurred in steep and rugged terrain. Firefighters and rescue personnel coordinated efforts to reach the individual. Upon reaching the individual, “responders determined the individual had sustained injuries incompatible with life” and she was declared dead at the scene.

The name of the victim is not being identified at this time. The incident remains under investigation.

If alcohol is part of your Saint Patrick’s Day plans, remember to plan ahead

WQXE News 0 Comments

Saint Patrick’s Day is Tuesday, and state officials are reminding Kentuckians to celebrate responsibly.

Ahead of the March 17 holiday, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is joining the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and reminding Kentuckians that buzzed driving is drunk driving.

The KYTC says Kentuckians who plan on including alcohol in their Saint Patrick’s Day festivities should think ahead by arranging a safe ride or designated driver to keep themselves and others safe. The KYTC says over the past three years there have been 40 crashes statewide related to drunk drivers on Saint Patrick’s Day, with those crashes resulting in 17 injuries and one death.

The KYTC says you can help prevent tragedies by taking these steps:

-Plan a sober ride. If you drink at all, use a designated driver, public transit, or a ride-share service.
-Don’t walk impaired. Choose a sober companion and stay alert. 
-Report dangerous driving. Make an anonymous call to the Kentucky State Police to report suspected drunk drivers.
-Step in for friends. Take the keys and help arrange a safe ride home. “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk.”
-Buckle up. Every trip, every time. Seat belts are the best defense against serious injury or death.

Visit the NHTSA’s website for more drunk driving statistics.

Bardstown airman killed in Iraq

WQXE News 0 Comments

A Kentucky airman has been killed while supporting Operation Epic Fury, the joint U.S./Israeli military operation against Iran.

The U.S. Department of War has confirmed that 34-year-old Technical Sergeant Ashley B. Pruitt of Bardstown was one of the six soldiers who “died on March 12, 2026, in the crash of a KC-135 in western Iraq.” The DOW says Pruitt was assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing based out of MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.

In a post on Facebook, Nelson County Judge-Executive Tim Hutchins said: “My deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of Technical Sergeant Ashley Pruitt. Her unwavering commitment and selfless service to our nation will forever be celebrated. Her legacy here at home will be of courage and bravery. May her ultimate sacrifice forever inspire us all to cherish the freedom that we hold dear and to remember that freedom is not free.”

Governor Andy Beshear said in a Facebook post: “I am sad to share that Tech. Sgt. Ashley Pruitt of Bardstown was one of the six service members killed in an aircraft crash in Iraq. Kentucky, please join Britainy and me as we pray for her family — and for the family of her fellow Kentuckian Sgt. Benjamin Pennington of Glendale — during this difficult time. They are two American heroes who called our commonwealth home.”

U.S. Central Command said in a social media post Friday that the aircraft was lost while flying over friendly airspace, and the crash was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire. The DOW says the crash remains under investigation.

(Photo Credit: MacDill Air Force Base)