Last week the US Department of Transportation announced that Kentucky would receive $25 million as part of the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All grant. The City of Elizabethtown will be receiving $200,000 of that money to conduct a study to assess the needs of the community. “Melissa Nepi writes our grants for the city. She applied for a Federal Grant and it’s called Safer Streets. Currently we have been awarded $200,000 and that $200,000 is to take a look at the city and look around different locations at things that we may need – like sidewalks in certain places, bike lanes or street widening. Anything that could make our streets safer. So we’ve been granted $200,000 to do the study. The hope and the plan is as we do our study and show how we will utilize the money, that we will be awarded money every year to implement the plan,” says City Spokesperson Amy Inman. The Safe Streets and Roads Grant funds initiatives at the local and regional levels to prevent roadway injuries and deaths.
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The City of Elizabethtown City Council heard and approved a new fee schedule for the Parks and Recreation Facilities and Activities last night. “We did a study and looked at the current rates, when they were last put into place. Once we looked through and compared them to other municipalities in the area, what our operational costs are and what everything has gone to, we set them at a little bit higher rate than where they were previously. They’re very competitive and comparable to the other municipalities in the state of Kentucky, comparing them to the types of facilities that we have,” said Parks and Recreations Director Seth Breitner. More information can be found on the City of Elizabethtown website or app.
The Leitchfield Police Department was called to Five-Star in Leitchfield early Saturday morning as a man was attempting to purchase fuel with a possible counterfeit bill. According to a statement, Officers confirmed the information from witnesses as another Officer saw the suspected vehicle leaving the parking lot. A traffic stop was conducted. The driver was identified as Aaron Cummings, age 28 of Hopkinsville. Cummings admitted to attempting to use the counterfeit bill to purchase gas. The investigation led Officers to locating $4,080 of counterfeit money in the rear of the vehicle along with a juvenile. Cummings was arrested pursuant to a warrant from another County as well as charges of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the First Degree and Unlawful Transaction with a Minor in the Second Degree. Cummings was lodged in the Grayson County Detention Center. The investigation is ongoing.
Hardin County Schools is asking the community’s assistance to help a student’s family who suffered a fire at their home over the weekend. According to a statement, the mother and two children escaped the fire unharmed but they lost not only their home but the only car that the family had. The mother is disabled and there was no insurance on the car or trailer. “The family has sought and received assistance from the Hardin County Schools Family Stability Program and the Family Resource Center at Meadow View Elementary School. However, there are certain things, obviously, bigger things that those two entities cannot provide. And so, we have reached out to the community and are seeking assistance for this family to help with things like a home, automobile, clothing and housing items that they will need to get back on their feet,” said Hardin County Spokesperson John Wright. Anyone who is able to assist this family can contact the Meadow View Elementary School Family Resource Center coordinator.
As reported last week, the US Department of Treasury approved Kentucky’s plan to invest more than $182M to provide affordable broadband service to areas that currently have no access or limited access. On Thursday, Governor Andy Beshear announced a 14 stop listening tour across the Commonwealth where Kentuckians can bring their priorities and concerns to the Office of Broadband Development and the Education and Labor Cabinet. One of those stops will be in Elizabethtown on February 23. Those interested in attending are asked to register at broadband.ky.gov. The purpose of these stops is to bring local leaders, business and industry, education, healthcare, agriculture and local residents together to bring their input of what is needed in their communities when addressing internet access.