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The American Red Cross says the need for blood donors doesn’t take a Christmas break.

“Our cancer patients, there is a constant need for blood with cancer patients needing different blood products, and that’s why we encourage everybody, even if you’ve never donated before, to come out and donate and give something that doesn’t cost you anything that could help sustain a life of a patient in need,” said Red Cross Accounts Manager Tammy Ritchie.

Area residents have an opportunity to donate Wednesday on the local level.

“We’re having our blood drive at the Pritchard Community Center from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday,” Ritchie said. “We have a goal of 40 units right now. We need at least 25 more people to schedule appointments, which they can do at www.RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.”

The Red Cross says donating blood is a safe and simple process, and donors have a special incentive to donate Wednesday.

“As a way of saying thank you to anybody that comes out, they will receive our long-sleeved ‘snowmies’ t-shirt that is absolutely adorable,” Ritchie said. “Again, it’s a way of saying thank you from the Red Cross for coming out and supporting us during our hard season.”

Visit www.RedCrossBlood.org for more information.

Area officials are warning residents of several ongoing scam attempts.

The Grayson County Chamber of Commerce says a chamber member received a phone call Tuesday from somebody posing as a chamber official. The caller asked the chamber member about purchasing advertising space for the “Leitchfield Junior Chamber.” Grayson County does not have a junior chamber, and the Chamber of Commerce says residents should not give any information over the phone and hang up if they receive such a phone call.

Meanwhile, the City of Elizabethtown says local businesses have reported receiving a phone call from somebody who says they are with “E-Town Utilities.” The scammer tells the person they are behind on utility payments and must pay via credit card over the phone or their gas will be turned off. The city’s utilities department does not make phone calls, and a caller can only pay their bill via phone by calling City Hall directly.

Never give out personal or financial information without confirming you are talking with a company or entity you mean to do business with. Never click the link in a suspicious text or email. If shopping online, check for a website on the Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker to confirm its legitimacy.

The Elizabethtown City Council met for their final meeting of 2024 Monday evening.

Heather Cochran with RFH-PLLC reported to the council on the city’s annual audit. Cochran said the final report is waiting on some tourism numbers, but the city is looking at a “clean opinion” for their operations in 2024.

“It says, in our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly in all material respects,” Cochran said. “So, I always say, in the auditing world that’s as good as it gets. That’s what you’re looking for for your audit opinion, so that’s a clean opinion.”

Cochran said the audit found no internal control deficiencies and no instances of non-compliance. The city’s total revenue for the year came in at about $63.8 million and total expenses came in at about $59 million.

The first readings were held for three annexation requests. The properties, all to be annexed from unincorporated Hardin County, are: 154 acres at 1750 Gaither Station Road, .482 acres at 2031 Bardstown Road, and 68 acres at 1001 Ring Road and Patriot Parkway.

An ordinance changing the zoning for 3500 Leitchfield Road to Planned Neighborhood Residential was approved on its second reading. The council also approved several municipal orders including a change order for the Leitchfield Road/South Ring Road Sanitary Sewer Project, a design contract with CMW for Elizabethtown Nature Park trails, and amendments to the city’s personnel handbook.

Mayor Jeff Gregory recognized outgoing council members Bobby Tabb, Cindy Walker, and Virgil Wiloughby for their time on the council. Gregory said disagreements may happen but ultimately everybody has worked at making the city better.

“We don’t always all agree, and as matter of fact we get aggravated with each other from time to time,” Gregory said. “It’s just the truth. But we don’t take it to the next day or to the next ordinance or to the next municipal order. We get over it, and then we reset, and we work together again. And we don’t air our dirty laundry in public. We discuss things, and whoever wins wins, and you move to the next thing, and I think that’s very productive.”

New council members Tim Isaacs, Lamar Jones, and Mika Tyler were sworn in to their terms that begin in January following the council meeting.

The Elizabethtown City Council will next meet January 6.