WQXE NEWS

Summer vacation is in full swing, but Hardin County Schools is already gearing up for the new school year as they have released the dates for the district’s open houses and Back to School Fests.

“The Back to School Fests are a wonderful opportunity for our community partners to come visit and share with families about the services that they offer that will help them navigate the school year, and make the school year a little bit easier for those families,” said HCS Community Relations Specialist John Wright.

Each district school will also host a traditional open house, an opportunity for parents and students to talk with teachers and administrators.

“It’s also a time for maybe a new student who hasn’t been in that school building, like a sixth grader or a ninth grader to a high school, someone who’s transitioning into that building to actually tour the building, get their feet wet in the building, and see just what kind of fun and how much fun that they will have during the upcoming school year,” Wright said.

The dates and times for each school can be found under the Quick Links tab at hardin.kyschools.us.

The Elizabethtown City Council met for a work session Monday evening.

Central Kentucky Community Foundation Executive Director Davette Swiney came before the council to discuss the progress that has been made on Hardin County’s participation in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program, which sends a free book each month to registered children ages birth to five. Swiney said a $20,000 commitment from the city last year allowed the program to hit the ground running.

“I can get people to sign their kid up,” Swiney said. “It takes about 20 seconds online. It is your mailing address and your name to get a free book, but we knew it would take us time to grow the dollars to support that, and by getting your support early on to help us be able to know we could enroll as many kids as we could get and not worry about having to have all of the dollars to support them for five years was huge.”

Enrollment in the program jumped from 17 percent to 44 percent after the city’s gift, and Swiney says there is more work to be done.

“If we could get to 65 percent, that would be an amazing accomplishment in our community, and that would cost us $50,000 to $55,000 a year to maintain,” Swiney said.

Learn more about the program on the Community Foundation’s website.

Elizabethtown resident Jim Becker presented to the council on a proposed native landscaping ordinance, which would allow property owners to plant native species beneficial to area wildlife in a controlled manner. Becker says more than just butterflies and bees benefit from such landscaping.

“Native species use 30 to 60 percent less water than turf grass,” Becker said. “They require zero fertilizer or pesticides once they’re established. They attract three times the pollinators that conventional turf lawns attract or support.”

Becker said such an ordinance would also benefit city stormwater infrastructure.

City Administrator Ed Poppe presented on development on the south end of Elizabethtown. Poppe said the recent groundbreaking of a hotel on the south end has highlighted city efforts to bring more projects to the area.

“The staff has also had discussions about offering other incentive programs to support the south end or to help spur additional development in that area,” Poppe said. “We have a couple programs that the city already operates.”

The Elizabethtown City Council will next meet July 6.

An area state park campground is on track to reopen this summer following significant repairs and renovations.

Kentucky State Parks says the Nolin Lake State Park campground is expected to reopen to primitive camping on July 1, with full reopening anticipated for July 15. Visitors to the primitive camping sites will have access to bathhouse facilities, potable water, and the RV sewer dump station. Electrical service to individual campsites and the full set of campground offerings will return with the full re-opening.

Kentucky State Parks says the campground suffered major infrastructure damage following historic rainfall and flooding in 2025 which put much of the park underwater for several weeks. Significant repairs were required for the campground water system, bathhouse, wastewater treatment plant, and lift stations. Refurbishments were required for the beach, playground areas, and other public-use amenities. The Kentucky Department of Engineering and Contract Administration is performing tree removal and other mitigation work. 

Kentucky State Parks Interim Commissioner Mark Kellen said in a release: “The Kentucky State Parks team is working hard to complete these repairs and renovations as quickly as possible, and we appreciate the community’s patience,” said Kentucky State Parks Interim Commissioner Mark Kellen. “Guest safety remains our top priority, and we look forward to welcoming campers back as soon as it is safe.” 

In addition to the necessary repairs, some of the work at Nolin Lake is part of $40 million in campground improvements approved by the Kentucky General Assembly in 2023. Visit parks.ky.gov for project updates and more information.