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Holiday cheer still on display at Freeman Lake Park

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Christmas may have come and gone, but there is still time to enjoy a long-running Elizabethtown holiday staple at Freeman Lake Park with the annual Christmas in the Park lighting tour.

“That will run nightly from 6 to 11 p.m.,” said City of Elizabethtown Events Manager Beth Pyles. “This year we have over 115 displays from not only the city of Elizabethtown, but many local community partners, and you will be surprised we’ve got a lot of new displays and a lot of new businesses have joined in.”

Visitors will enter Freeman Lake Park at the Blue Heron Way entrance. Don’t forget to turn off your headlights when you reach the entrance and set your radio to the posted frequency.

Christmas in the Park runs through January 1. The lighting trail is free but donations are accepted. Visit www.etownevents.com for more information.

Taul says Hardin County is focused on continuing public safety improvements in 2026

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Hardin County Judge/Executive Keith Taul said one of the county’s biggest accomplishments in 2025 was improvements in public safety. 

He said this is best represented by reduced response times for ambulances, including a near 80 percent reduction for West Point by partnering with Bullitt County EMS and the addition of a ninth full-time ambulance, housed in White Mills.

“This has basically reduced response times about 50 percent in that western part of the county,” Taul said. “That was long overdue. We were able to work with the volunteer fire department there in that part of the county. We had just recently had a merger of fire departments.”

Taul said the county made strides in transparency and communication this year.

“Our redesigned county website won two major awards this year,” Taul said. “It makes it easier than ever for residents to find what they need, and we’ve grown our social media presence to better connect with the community.”

Taul said 2026 begins with a focus on supporting the employees who will be impacted by Ford’s transitioning of BlueOval SK. Public safety will also be a goal with additional ambulance services and the hiring of a possible county fire service coordinator.

“We’re also looking forward to completing a full analysis of our county roads and making that information available online so residents can see where improvements are needed and what’s being done,” Taul said.

Taul encouraged anybody who has not yet done so to sign up for the county’s RAVE alert system, the link for which can be found on the county website.

Dogs held in abuse case formally awarded to Hardin County Animal Shelter

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Dogs that were rescued during a Hardin County animal cruelty case will officially be cared for by the Hardin County Animal Shelter.

Hardin County Government said in a release Friday that the 14 dogs, who have been cared for by the shelter since May of 2023, will be awarded to the shelter as a result of Morgan Jade Barrick’s conviction on Animal Torture charges.

Hardin County Animal Care and Control Director Mike McNutt said the animals will remain under the care of the shelter until all necessary veterinary services including microchipping, spaying, and neutering are performed. McNutt said the dogs will not be available for public viewing until they are ready for adoption.

The jury that found Barrick guilty recommended a two-year prison sentence. Hardin Circuit Judge John David Simcoe will formally sentence Barrick at a later date.

Hardin County Fiscal Court votes down GIS coordinator hiring

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The Hardin County Fiscal Court met for their final meeting of 2025 Thursday.

Hardin County Clerk Brian D. Smith recounted his office’s activities in 2025. Smith said his team put a lot of energy into election work.

“We made nearly 50 years of election recordings available online,” Smith said. “Our elections staff completed national training qualifications. I’m really, really appreciative of the hard work they put into those certifications. We held voter registration drives at ECTC, E-Town High, School, and John Hardin.”

The court approved the clerk’s office’s budget for calendar year 2026, which was requested at $2,565,919.46, which Smith said represents “a cumulative savings to the Hardin County taxpayers of over $169,000.”

A resolution approving the hiring of a GIS coordinator was removed from the consent agenda for more discussion. Some of the magistrates took issue with hiring a full-time employee when the county has a contract with the Lincoln Trail Area Development District for GIS services.

“My sense is let’s stop trying to bring somebody in and let the contract play out,” said Fifth District Magistrate Aaron Pennington. “If it’s advantageous to us, if we hit $85,000, okay, well, obviously we need to hire somebody because we’ve hit that mark, but if we haven’t hit the mark, our advantage is to go somewhere else.”

Hardin County Judge/Executive Keith Taul said the GIS coordinator position is already budgeted, and he took issue with what he called the magistrates inserting themselves into operations that are under his office’s management.

“This is a budgeted position,” Taul said. “We’re filling it, and the only thing that is in the way of doing that are some folks that have decided to take it upon themselves to manage this government on a day-to-day basis instead of me, and it’s very upsetting.”

The vote tied at four yes, four no, and Magistrate E.G. Thompson abstained, meaning the resolution was voted down.

The Hardin County Fiscal Court will next meet January 13.

Area officials optimistic for Ford’s continued presence amidst BlueOval SK shutdown news

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As the news broke this week of Ford Motor Company’s decision to end operations at BlueOval SK and replace it with a battery energy storage systems operation, area officials offered their reactions.

“With impending layoffs of an announced 1,600 co-workers, Judge Taul has announced his main focus is to do whatever is possible to help the impacted citizens have the support and resources they need to find new jobs,” said Hardin County Government Communications Officer Brian Walker. “The county is in communication with Ford, state officials, and other stakeholders as additional details become available.”

Walker said Judge/Executive Keith Taul is optimistic about Ford’s decision to maintain a presence in Glendale along with investments in other facilities.

“Their long-standing presence in Louisville and the announced retooling of that factory has historically shown their dedication to remain in the Commonwealth,” Walker said. “We’re here to support long-term job opportunities, economic stability, and responsible growth that will serve Hardin County and surrounding areas and its residents now and in the future.”

Kentucky Tenth District State Senator Matt Deneen said in a statement: “As Ford moves through an organizational and ownership transition, there will be short-term challenges associated with that process. However, Ford’s $2 billion commitment to the Glendale facilities, coupled with its expansion of energy-storage battery production to serve a broad range of industrial and utility needs, underscores the company’s long-term commitment to this community. The company’s presence and employment in the region will continue as planned.”

Elizabethtown/Hardin County Industrial Foundation President and COO Andy Games said in a release: “While the Glendale site will transition from the original joint venture structure, it remains clear that this project has already delivered significant investment and economic impact to our community and will continue to deliver in the future.”

The Lincoln Trail Area Development District said their Rapid Response team, which is part of the Kentucky Career Center, is prepared to assist BlueOval SK employees facing layoffs.