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Elizabethtown hosting free food giveaway for households in need Friday

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The City of Elizabethtown is making an effort Friday to support families impacted by the government shutdown.

The city, in partnership with Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland, is hosting a food giveaway at the Pritchard Community Center.

Elizabethtown Mayor Jeff Gregory said during Monday’s city council meeting that the city is preparing enough boxes for 1,000 households.

“This body has pledged $50,000 to purchase food for Feeding America, and we’ll do it in three different installments,” Gregory said. “The first one will be this coming Friday, and then hopefully the next two Fridays after that at different locations in town, which will be announced.”

The giveaway will begin at noon, with food distributed until it runs out.

“We encourage anybody that’s struggling, or especially since we’re having the shutdown, the government shutdown, and people are losing some of their benefits, we’re going to try to compensate for that a little bit and see if we can hand out some food each Friday for the next three weeks,” Gregory said.

Council Member Julia Springsteen said more than 5,000 households in Hardin County are dependent on SNAP benefits.

“The announcement today was that they’ll only get partial funding for SNAP this month, so they’re already struggling,” Springsteen said. “They’re going to struggle a little bit more, in addition to the government workers who are going to pay, so hopefully this will help a few people in addition to the other efforts going on in the community.”

The city says no identification is needed. Residents in need can simply drive through the Pritchard Community Center parking lot beginning at noon and city employees will load the boxes into their cars.

Community invited to free spaghetti dinner

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Community members are invited to an evening of food, fellowship, and community spirit at the free Community “Stone Soup” Spaghetti Dinner, to be held Saturday, November 15 at 4 p.m. at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College.

The event is the product of several area businesses and individuals looking to support area residents struggling. Little Charlie’s Pizza owner Charlie Messina says one of his employees got the ball rolling.

“One of my managers came up with the idea and he passed it on to me,” Messina said. “His name is Z. He says, ‘Charlie, over here, everybody’s hurting because of the government shutdown, and a lot of people are not getting paid. What do you think if we do some type of dinners or some type of donation?’ I said ‘You know what? That’s a great idea.”

The event is free and open to the public. Messina says event organizers are hoping to serve at least 1,000 people as a way of supporting the community during a difficult time, and as a way of saying thank you.

“We want to thank the community, and the community does not have to thank Little Charlie’s,” Messina said. “That’s what happens when we stick together, and that’s what happens when a community sticks together and good things happen.”

More events are being planned for future dates. Find more information on the Free Community ‘Stone Soup’ Spaghetti Dinner Facebook event page. Contact Little Charlie’s Pizza if you are looking to donate or volunteer in support of the event.

Kentucky Modern Gun Deer Season open on Saturday

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Kentucky’s biggest hunting season gets under way this weekend.

Modern Gun Deer Season in Kentucky opens on Saturday, November 8, continuing for 16 days and ending on Sunday, November 23.

According to Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, hunters in Kentucky harvested nearly 150,000 deer last year, with the Modern Gun Season accounting for the most deer harvested annually. KFW says the state’s bountiful white-tailed deer herd provides many hunting opportunities and a sustainable source of lean protein.

Harvest limits are based on deer density in each of the state’s four deer zones. Under Kentucky’s statewide deer permit, hunters may take up to four deer, with hunters limited to one buck per year regardless of zone. Consult the state’s Hunting Guide for more information.

Special restrictions related to carcass transportation and baiting remain in place for deer harvested in the state’s Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance Zone, which includes Breckinridge, Hardin, and Meade counties. Hunters can assist state biologists by donating the heads of legally harvested and telechecked deer for testing through the state’s CWD sample drop-off sites or with a CWD sample mail-in kit.

More information on deer hunting in Kentucky can be found by searching for “deer season” at fw.ky.gov or by downloading the Kentucky Deer and Elk app.

Louisville plane crash response moving from rescue to recovery phase

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Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenburg, and Kentucky Third District Congressman Morgan McGarvey provided an update on the UPS Flight 2976 crash after touring the crash site Wednesday afternoon.

Beshear described the scene of the crash as “violent.”

“Where the plane hit, at best, is destroyed,” Beshear said. “What you see are mangled remnants of what was in its path, completely burnt and blackened.”

The Governor confirmed the number of total fatalities as of Wednesday afternoon was 11. A 12th fatality was confirmed Wednesday evening.

Beshear said operations are moving from rescue to recovery.

“We do not expect to find anyone else alive in the area,” Beshear said. “Because of that, we now move and put the safety of the first responders at the top of the list, and so we’re going to have limited operations at night because if you walk through this debris field it’s very easy for somebody to get hurt, and we want to make sure that everyone on site is safe. After disasters, we have lost people, and I don’t want that to happen here.”

A victim family reunification center has been established at the Louisville Metro Police Training Academy, located at 2911 Taylor Boulevard.

McGarvey said the National Transportation Safety Board is in charge of the investigation.

“They are going to do their best to get us answers,” McGarvey said. “As much as we’re hurting right now, we want those answers quickly. They want to make sure though that they’re both thorough, that they’re right, that they’re showing respect for everyone involved. We will continue working with them and giving them everything they need.”

Anybody that believes they have possible debris from the crash on their property is asked to not disturb it but report it to witness@ntsb.qov.

The Governor has declared a state of emergency in response to the crash. Kentuckians can support victims by contributing to the Team Kentucky Emergency Relief Fund.

EPD accepting donations for Shop with a Cop

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You can help the Elizabethtown Police Department make the Christmas season special for area kids in need by supporting their annual Shop with a Cop program.

“Every year, our Shop of the Cop program provides essential clothing and a special toy to nearly 300 Hardin County children, but we can’t do it without the support of individuals and businesses throughout Hardin County,” said EPD Public Information Officer John Thomas. “Your donations, big or small, help keep kids warm this winter, and bring a little extra Christmas joy to their hearts. And yes, it is tax deductible.”

Donations can be dropped off at the Elizabethtown Police Department, located at 300 South Mulberry Street.

“Please make checks payable to FOP Lodge No. 40 with Shop with a Cop in the memo line,” Thomas said. “We appreciate the support of our citizens to help us make this program a success every year.”

For more information, contact Thomas at 270-765-4125 or john.thomas@elizabethtownky.gov.