WQXE NEWS

The Elizabethtown City Council met for a work session Monday.

City Public Works Director Don Hill gave an annual report on his department. Hill discussed several projects completed in the previous fiscal year including new roofs on the State Theater and the Elizabethtown Police Department’s lobby, grease trap installation for area restaurants, and video inspection of sewer and stormwater lines. Hill said city crews have paved seven miles of roadways so far this year, and are scheduled to complete 12.5 miles.

“Our goal every year is between 12 and 15 miles,” Hill said. “Now, that’s depending on how much money is budgeted, depending on how much money we get from the Road Tax Fund, and depending on what the cost is, and so really the cost drives it more than anything, and so it fluctuates. It’s on a fluctuating index monthly, so we watch the market and we try to plan our paving according to that, try to get the best bang for your city dollars.”

City Parks and Rec Director Seth Breitner provided an update on the American Legion Park project which will include a new pavilion with restrooms, shade structures, a roundabout area for food trucks, and sidewalk improvements.

“Part of that is the area that walks from the main parking lot down to the pool by the pavilion, and then part of the other area that we looked at is a sidewalk that goes from Miles Street, the sidewalk down there, and goes up to the pool house and the pool building,” Breitner said.

Breitner said four bids were submitted to the city for the project, and a recommendation to council will be presented at the next council meeting.

City Events Manager Beth Pyles discussed the annual Heartland Parade, which will step off from the Public Square at 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 23.

“It is one of the largest parades in the state of Kentucky,” Pyles said. “We have over a hundred entries this year made up of floats, walkers, fans, dignitaries, just about anybody you can imagine you’ll probably see them on that Saturday.”

The Elizabethtown City Council will next meet August 18.

Registration for independent or other parties continues to outpace the main parties in recent months. 

The Kentucky Secretary of State’s Office says for the fifth straight month Kentuckians registering to vote under independent or other outpaced new registrations by Republicans or Democrats.

According to the Secretary of State’s Office, independent or other registration in July increased by 1,792 voters. Republican registration increased by 630, while Democratic registration decreased by 1,524 voters. Republican registration makes up 47 percent of the state electorate, Democratic registration makes up 42 percent, and independent or other makes up 11 percent.

The Secretary of State’s Office says 6,186 voters were removed from the rolls in July. 4,958 were deceased, 538 moved out of state, and 502 were convicted felons.

Kentuckians can register to vote or check their registration status by visiting govote.ky.gov, or by contacting their county clerk’s office.

August is National Wellness Month, and the American Red Cross is encouraging folks to prioritize their personal health and well-being while also helping to save lives amongst an urgent need for blood donations.

“The need for Type O, O-positive and O-negative, is in an emergency need right now,” said American Red Cross Account Manager Tammy Ritchie. “Transfusions are happening when needed, but because that is the most common blood type, it is also the most needed, and in an emergency situation, that is what’s going to be transfused until we know that patient’s blood type.”

High school and college students make up 20 to 25 percent of blood donations, but as students head back to school, donating blood may not be top of mind right now, so the Red Cross is looking for others to step up to help maintain the blood supply.

“We are trying to get into our schools here in September and October to try to get things evened out, but right now, we just need to encourage anybody who’s out there who would be willing to come and donate blood,” Ritchie said. “It is a very safe and simple process, and once you do it one time, you always come up with ‘Wow, that’s not bad at all. I’ll continue to do that.’”

Special incentives are available to donors during the month of August.

“We are giving a $15 e-gift card to the merchant of their choice, as well as anyone who completes the donation will get a diabetes A1C testing that will help them to make sure they’re healthy, that their blood sugar is where they need it to be,” Ritchie said.

Visit www.redcrossblood.org and enter your zip code to find blood drives near you.