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Bullitt County man indicted on federal firearms charges

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A Bullitt County man was indicted earlier this month on federal firearms charges. 

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky says on November 5 a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Jason Argenbright of Lebanon Junction with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm.

According to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office this week, Argenbright was arrested on August 20 after he was found to be in possession of a .223 caliber rifle that was equipped with a silencer. The rifle was not registered to Argenbright in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Argenbright was prohibited from possessing firearms because of three previous convictions in Bullitt County.

The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives along with the Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office. The case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program.

Argenbright made his initial court appearance on November 13. He is currently lodged in the Oldham County Detention Center pending trial. Argenbright faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

E-Town council votes to decline solar farm annexation request

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

The council voted to decline the annexation request from seven property owners along Hayden Church and Cecilia roads that would be leasing their property to Lightsource BP for a solar farm. 

“The city council emphasizes the administrative staff finding that the large-scale solar farm proposed is not urban in character and is not suitable for development for urban purposes without unreasonable delay,” said City Attorney Ken Howard, reading from the municipal order approved by the council to decline the request. “This finding is further supported by Telesto’s memorandum, indicating the need for minimal municipal services for the project.”

The order “does not express an opinion on the viability or suitability of a large-scale solar farm in the unincorporated areas of Hardin County.”

The council also approved municipal orders that approved a contract with Dirt Works Unlimited for about $214,000 for the Keeneland Drive ditch stormwater design project, and a change order with Triumph Landscape Construction Inc. for about $133,000 for the North Main Street sidewalk project. 

Ordinances approving changes to the city’s zoning ordinance regarding medical cannabis operations and offsite directional signs were passed on their second readings. The first reading was held on two zoning amendments as well as an amendment to the city’s Alcohol Beverage Control ordinance.

“It reestablishes annual licensing fees, reaffirms times of sale, added language for the Entertainment Destination Center License and ordinance, clarified language and enforcement and penalties, and reestablishes procedures for enforcement of the ordinance,” Howard said, reading from the ordinance

The full text of the ordinances and municipal orders can be obtained by contacting the city clerk’s office.

The Elizabethtown City Council will next meet December 2.

Grayson County receives Kentucky Trail Town designation

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State and local officials were on hand at Logsdon Valley Park Monday as Grayson County was declared the 30th official Kentucky Trail Town.

The Kentucky Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet says the Trail Town program recognizes a community’s commitment to sharing their areas outdoor opportunities, culture, histories, and stories while serving as an official gateway to the state’s outdoor offerings.

Leitchfield Mayor Harold Miller said the designation is a great honor.

“It recognizes our dedication to preserving our natural beauty here in the county and it promotes outdoor recreation for our citizens,” Miller said. “This distinction celebrates our ongoing effort to welcome visitors, to enhance our quality of life, and to showcase our hospitality.”

Miller and Grayson County Judge/Executive Kevin Henderson praised the seven-years-long effort that Grayson County Tourism and the Public Trails Association of Grayson County put into bringing about the designation. 

Kentucky State Parks Director of Interpretation and Engagement Seth Wheat said Grayson County fits well into the Trail Town program’s two-pronged goal of connecting people to outdoor spaces, such as Nolin Lake State Park and Rough River Dam State Resort Park, as well as improving the health of Kentuckians.

“This isn’t a silver bullet,” Wheat said. “It’s not a magic bullet, but what it’ll do is it’ll encourage people to get out and move more, and that doesn’t just help our physical health. It helps our mental health, our social health, more and more studies are showing why these kinds of activities are important, and they’re prescribing certain amounts of time for us to be outdoors. Spend 20 minutes a day, three days a week outdoors in a park, just like this beautiful park we have here, which is located right in town.”

Find more information on the Trail Towns program at kentuckytourism.com.

Radcliff police asking tipster to call them again

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The Radcliff Police Department is requesting more information from a person that called in a tip. 

The RPD is looking for more information regarding a tip submitted to the department through Hardin County Crime Stoppers earlier this year.

According to the RPD, the tipster gave specific information on a possible homicide that occurred in Radcliff in 2005. The caller gave “very specific details/information about encountering a male subject in a parking lot in Owensboro.” The caller also gave identifying characteristics for the male subject along with a vehicle description.

The RPD is asking the person who called in this tip to once again contact Hardin County Crime Stoppers and leave some way for officers to contact them such as a phone number or email address in order to clarify some of the details provided in the tip. The caller may remain anonymous. If the caller wishes to contact the Radcliff Police Department directly, they may ask for Detective Kenneth Mattingly.

The phone number for Hardin County Crime Stoppers is 1-800-597-8123, or you may report a tip online at P3Tips.com.

Community Foundation awards more than $116k to 19 nonprofits

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19 area nonprofit organizations received a total of more than $116,000 from the Central Kentucky Community Foundation through their fourth annual Granted program.

“The Granted program offers nonprofit organizations from throughout our nine-county region the opportunity to tell us what their needs are, what are the opportunities they see to better serve the people and carry out their mission,” said CKCF President and CEO Davette Swiney. 

The nonprofits apply to the foundation for grants awarded for three categories: capacity building, capital improvement, and programming.

This was the second year in a row that the total funds awarded through the Granted program totalled more than $100,000.

“I think that speaks to the generosity of people in our region, but also to the quality work that our nonprofit organizations do,” Swiney said. “People can want to give, but they want to know that it’s being used in a good manner and it’s really making a difference, and our nonprofits really step up to the plate in that regard.”

Area residents looking to support area nonprofits can contribute to the program.

“Most of these grants are funded from individual donors, but we also, as a foundation, supplement that with our MADE Fund, or Make a Difference Everyday Fund, and that’s an opportunity for anyone to give to that collective pool to help fund those grants every year,” Swiney said.

The 19 organizations that received funding through this year’s program are: Animal Rescue Kare – ARK, CASA of the Heartland, Central Kentucky Community Action Council Inc., City of Elizabethtown (Elizabethtown Police Department), Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland, Grayson County, Grayson County Alliance, Helping Hand of Hope, Hope Academy for Kids, Hosparus Inc., Lincoln Heritage Council, Boy Scouts of America, Nazareth Literary & Benevolent Institution Inc. dba Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, Project L.E.A.R.N., Inc., Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kentuckiana, Inc., St. Vincent de Paul Outreach Ministries, ShPIEL Theatre, and The Lincoln Museum, Inc. More information on how to donate can be found on the Central Kentucky Community Foundation’s website.