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Construction begins on Elizabethtown outdoor music venue

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The City of Elizabethtown says a major development for the community is ready to move forward.

“We’re excited to announce that we have started construction on the Buffalo Lake corridor, which will include connecting Commerce Drive from Sutton Lane all the way to Springfield Road, and then also clearing out the space that ultimately the outdoor concert venue is going to be located,” said Elizabethtown Mayor Jeff Gregory. 

The city asks drivers to avoid the construction zone in the area near Buffalo Lake from Sutton Lane to the dam.

“The trail system out there will be closed for the time being while they’re getting that construction underway, and we’ll continue to update as that evolves,” Gregory said.

The city says the property for the venue was acquired in 2024, and a priority for the project is preserving the natural environment at Buffalo Lake. Over 200 scrub trees will be removed and replaced with 474 indigenous trees which will be part of a tree canopy consisting of more than 600 trees on the property.

The outdoor music venue is a joint project between the city and Elizabethtown Tourism. When completed, the venue will hold space for 4,000 seats and additional space for 6,000 more attendees.

More information on the outdoor music venue project can be found at touretown.com.

EPD warns of speeding in construction zones, vehicle break-ins

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The Elizabethtown Police Department has some alerts for area residents.

The EPD is reminding area drivers to slow down, especially in construction zones.

“We’re receiving numerous complaints about speeders in the St. John Road construction zone, and as a result our officers will be increasing patrols and enforcing the speed limit,” said EPD Public Information Officer Chris Denham. “Just remember, the workers in these zones are someone’s child, parent, or friend, and they too deserve to make it home safely.”

The EPD also says it has also seen an increase in area vehicle thefts. Kia and Hyundai vehicles have reportedly been frequent targets for thieves. Kia and Hyundai owners should check for vehicle recalls meant to increase vehicle safety. The EPD says remember to lock your vehicles and never leave keys or a fob inside your vehicle or in close proximity to a vehicle. Consider using a steering wheel lock or other anti-theft device.

If you see suspicious activity in your neighborhood, report it to your area law enforcement agency.

CASA of the Heartland focused on growth

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CASA of the Heartland Executive Director Michelle Kail says if she had to pick one word for the organization in 2024, it is “growth.”

“At the start of 2024, we were serving in two counties,” Kail said. “We had picked up LaRue County as part of our service area in August of 2023, and then in 2024 we picked up three additional counties to include Meade, Breckinridge, and Grayson counties.”

Kail presented a recap of the organization’s activities in 2024 to the Elizabethtown City Council during their work session Monday. After picking up those three counties following the dissolving of Tri-County CASA, Kail says 98 volunteers served 265 children across the five-county region, but there is still work to be done.

“We still have 65 children who are waiting for a CASA volunteer, so our waitlist consists of children that our local family court judges have appointed us to, but we don’t yet have a volunteer to take those cases,” Kail said.

Kail says if you are unable to volunteer as a court-appointed special advocate there are still ways to support the organization such as serving on the board, donating, attending CASA events, and joining the Friends of CASA program.

“Those are individuals who maybe don’t have the capacity to serve as an advocate for the children, but they still have the heart to help and have some time, just maybe they are not able to make the commitment to serve as an advocate, but maybe want to help with event planning or clerical work,” Kail said. “We scan a lot of papers in the office.”

Upcoming events include the CASA Loves Community Luncheon on February 11 and the Light the Night 5K on May 9. Visit casaheartland.org for more information.

EC3 HOSA team hosting documentary screening and discussion on brain health

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The Hardin County Schools Early College and Career Center Health Occupations Students of America team will be hosting a screening of the documentary Taking Care at the Historic State Theater on Tuesday, February 4 at 6 p.m.

HOSA member Harper Robbins said the team is competing in a community awareness event at the Kentucky HOSA State Leadership Conference in March, and the team chose Alzheimer’s and dementia as their focus.

“What community awareness is is we’re campaigning about a health issue, and we previewed Taking Care the documentary and we saw the importance of brain health and preventing dementia, and we chose that as our topic to raise awareness about,” Robbins said.

HOSA member Autumn Callahan said Taking Care was created by Seth and Lauren Rogen.

“It shows their Hilarity for Charity, which is a charity created by Seth and Lauren with the mission to help caregivers and families advocate for Alzheimer’s disease and research, and educate about brain health,” Callahan said.

HOSA member Sadie Hesk said students, parents, and community members are encouraged to attend the event.

“After the screening, we’re going to have a presentation about brain health from a local neurologist,” Hesk said. “Research shows that 45 percent of dementia causes may be preventable with the adoption of healthy habits.”

The screening and discussion are free to attend and open to the public.

Auditions scheduled for Stephen Foster productions

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The Stephen Foster Drama Association will be hosting auditions next month for their upcoming summer productions.

In-person auditions for The Stephen Foster Story and The Sound of Music will be held Saturday, February 22 at Nelson County High School in Bardstown. The drama association says they look forward to welcoming returning performers and new faces to the amphitheatre at My Old Kentucky Home State Park this summer.

Audition time slots are available on a first come, first served basis. Interested participants should reserve a time by emailing stephenfosterstoryauditions@gmail.com with the subject line “Local Audition Time.” Virtual auditions may also be submitted for principal roles and ensemble dancers. Youth auditioning for The Sound of Music are asked to prepare material listed on the Auditions page at stephenfoster.com.

Following auditions, some participants may be asked to submit additional material via video or to attend a callback. Rehearsals begin on or around May 28.
The Stephen Foster Story runs June 14 through August 9. The Sound of Music runs July 9 through August 6. Visit stephenfoster.com for more information.