WQXE NEWS

The National Weather Service in Louisville has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for all of Central Kentucky, in effect from noon Thursday to 7 p.m. Friday. Wintry precipitation may result in some ice accumulation that will then be covered with some snow, all with frigid air pushing wind chill values below zero.

Baptist Health Hardin is reminding residents to bundle up when going out into frigid conditions in order to avoid conditions such as frostbite and hypothermia.

Dr. Peter Popovich works in the emergency department at Baptist Health Hardin. He says the three groups of people most at risk for frostbite and hypothermia are:

“Children,” Popovich says. “Part of that is because they have a higher body surface area, so more of their body surface is exposed to the cold elements. The elderly; a lot of times their blood supply, their vascular supplies to their extremities are not as efficient and subsequently they can be more affected by it. And then people that work in the cold.”

Popovich says the best way to prevent exposure is avoiding exposure altogether. If you must go out in subzero conditions, try not to be out for more than 15 minutes, and dress warmly in layers, paying particular attention to limbs and the face.

Pay attention to the signs of frostbite to avoid severe tissue damage.

“Discoloration of, usually, the digits,” Popovich says. “Your fingers, your toes, things along those lines, but it can be your nose or ears or other exposed area. Any initial red discoloration or eventually blue or a pale discoloration, but also numbness and severe pain, and in severe cases you lose any pain sensation.”

If somebody is showing signs of frostbite, get them out of the cold as soon as possible. Get the person out of wet clothing and gradually warm the body. Seek medical attention right away.

As the area prepares for another round of frigid conditions, warming centers are available for those in need of shelter.

Any citizen who is displaced and in need of assistance should contact one of the following phone numbers:

-City of Elizabethtown residents may call 270-765-4125

-City of Radcliff residents may call 270-351-4477

-City of Vine Grove residents may call 270-877-2252

Any Hardin County resident who resides outside of a municipality’s city limits may contact the police department for the city closest to them.

The Elizabethtown City Council met for a regular meeting Tuesday.

The council approved on its second reading an ordinance establishing certification requirements for recovery residences that provide treatment for alcohol and other drug abuse. The ordinance follows Kentucky law to create a multi-point set of rules and regulations for said facilities and will allow for the city’s inspection officer to ensure facilities are in compliance. Facilities must be in compliance by March 15.

Elizabethtown resident Greg Carter said there are seven recovery residences on his street and several others nearby, and he is concerned with the impact having that many in one area will have on property values.

“I think there should be some way that we can regulate at least the volume that’s going on one street, or somehow get with the state and say ‘hey, you know, this is the limit that this town can support’ or something just to where this doesn’t have to happen,” Carter said.

Elizabethtown Mayor Jeff Gregory said he understood Carter’s frustration, but said the city’s options are legally limited.

“I know it’s not what you want to hear, but we are bound by federal ADA and Fair Housing laws, and we have looked at this six times every way that you can think of, and this was the only way that we could figure out a way to approach it and have any kind of leverage or any kind of enforcement ability,” Gregory said.

A public meeting for property owners explaining the ordinance will be held at the Elizabethtown Police Department at 10 a.m. on January 29.

The council also approved a municipal order awarding a Downtown Redevelopment Grant for 40 Public Square. The grant is not to exceed $3,379.

The Elizabethtown City Council will next meet for a work session on January 22.

A break from precipitation Tuesday and Wednesday has led to improvement in road conditions in the area and will allow for more efforts from road crews.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District Four says areas that received less snow in the 11-county district are generally more clear while interstate and parkway routes are mostly clear. Lower volume secondary routes remain mostly covered, but with clear skies in the forecast Wednesday crews will focus on those secondary routes to maximize the effectiveness of the increased sunshine.

KYTC District Four Public Information Officer Chris Jessie says the response of road crews to winter weather varies from storm to storm.

“A lot of variables in play,” Jessie said. “Certainly the temperature, the amount of precipitation we get, what kind of snow is it? Is it a dry, fine snow kind of like we had this time or is it a wet, packed snow? Those things all go into decisions of how we approach before the storm, during the storm, and after the snow storm. The response is not just to go out and throw salt or calcium down and go plow. It really is about timing, about when you do each of those operations, and how you do them with respect to all of the variables I just mentioned.”

The KYTC says drivers should still anticipate changing pavement conditions over short distances as snow and ice melt will vary based on the amount of sunlight a road gets, and icy spots from snow melt runoff are still likely especially on bridges and underpasses. Remember to give yourself extra time and begin breaking at earlier distances.

Visit snowky.ky.gov for links to road conditions, driving tips, and other winter weather information.