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Collection week for Operation Christmas Child coming up soon

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Volunteers are gearing up to support Samaritan’s Purse’s Operation Christmas Child, which will be collecting shoebox gifts at nearly 5,000 drop-off locations across the country November 17 through 24.

According to Samaritan’s Purse, Operation Christmas Child has been collecting and delivering gift-filled shoeboxes for children in need since 1993. The operation supports children who are suffering from war, poverty, disease, and disaster.

All are welcome to contribute a shoebox, information on which can be found on the “How to Pack a Shoebox” webpage on the organization’s website. Participants can also make a donation on the website to support the effort.

Area drop-off locations that will be active during collection week include Severns Valley Baptist Church in Elizabethtown, Stithton Baptist Church in Radcliff, First Baptist Church in Hodgenville, First Baptist Church in Brandenburg, Hardinsburg Baptist Church, Crosspoint Church in Leitchfield, and Wickland Baptist Church in Bardstown. Search for the location nearest you and find more information at www.samaritanspurse.org.

Glendale Crossing Festival set to welcome in visitors and more than 400 vendors

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A fall staple for the Hardin County community takes place this Saturday as the Glendale Crossing Festival rolls in for the largest one-day festival in the commonwealth.

“It’s mainly an arts and crafts festival, so you’re going to see a lot of things that people have been making for years and they perfected their craft, and you’re also going to see a lot of fall food,” said Glendale Crossing Festival Committee Member Drew Goodman. “I mean, just with this time of year, this is probably one of the best times of year, in my opinion, being able to see things like kettle corn and stuff like that. We’ve also got a parade that starts at 10 a.m. where you’re going to see classic cars, fire trucks. The kids are going to love it.”

More than 400 vendors will be on hand for the festival, which runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parking may be hard to come by so visit the festival’s website to come prepared.

“We always get people that try to come off I-65 onto ky 222 from that way, But if you guys go on our website, we’ve got a few different directions,” Goodman said.

The festival parade begins at 10 a.m. Anybody participating in the parade should line up at Damon Ray Field at the old East Hardin Middle School building by 9:30 a.m. The grand marshall for this year’s parade is Mary Key with Nolin River Wildlife.

Visit www.glendalecrossingfestival.org or the Glendale Crossing Festival Inc. Facebook page for more information.

Roundabouts now open at U.S. 62/U.S. 31W Bypass interchange

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Work on the dual roundabout interchange being installed at U.S. 62 and the U.S. 31W Bypass is progressing.

A traffic switch took place in the construction zone this week, with eastbound traffic being placed into the roundabout configuration. With this change, both roundabouts are now fully operational for traffic on U.S. 62, with access for ramp traffic to and from the U.S. 31W Bypass. The Nicholas Street connector remains closed as work on the overall project is completed.

“So minus the connection at Nicholas Street, this is the final configuration, how traffic’s going to flow at that dual roundabout intersection there,” said KYTC District Four Public Information Officer Chris Jessie. “The contractor still has some work to do, obviously, between the bypass and French Street to finish this project up, but this is how it’s going to look as we move forward with U.S. 62 and that intersection.”

Construction on the interchange began in July, a part of the larger corridor project announced in 2024 aimed at making U.S. 62 safer and more efficient. Work is scheduled to be completed on the interchange by November 1. Follow KYTC District Four on social media for updates.

Meade County Fiscal Court votes no on data center zoning request

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Plans for an AI data center in Meade County are not moving forward.

After hundreds of residents showed up for a special meeting of the Meade County Planning and Zoning Commission Tuesday, the commission voted to recommend a zoning change for property located in Ekron along Joe Prather Highway and Garrett Road from Agricultural to Light Industrial be denied.

Later that evening, the Meade County Fiscal Court voted to deny the zoning change in a meeting that also saw hundreds in attendance.

Over the course of several hours, residents attending both meetings raised their concerns with the impact the proposed data center could have on the surrounding community, with speakers expressing concerns with noise and environmental impacts. Many in attendance expressed concerns with the amount of water such a facility would require and the impact it would have on the county’s existing water infrastructure, which one resident said needs major improvements. Neighboring property owners were also concerned with water runoff impacts on their properties.

After voting to deny the zoning change, members of the fiscal court discussed placing a one-year moratorium on data center proposals in order to review existing zoning laws.

Families encouraged to register children for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

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Hardin County Schools, Elizabethtown Independent Schools, and the Central Kentucky Community Foundation are encouraging Hardin County residents to sign up for or support Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

According to a release from HCS, when families register, the library mails a free age-appropriate book each month to children from birth to age five. Registered children will receive a new book in the mail each month free of charge.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a lifelong love of reading, which creates a steady foundation for young learners.

“We all know that reading skills are essential for success, and proven research shows that children who are read to by their parents, older siblings, family members, and friends come to kindergarten ready to learn at much higher levels, so that also leads to success in and out of the K-12 classrooms, the college classrooms, and even in careers after graduation,” said HCS Community Relations Specialist John Wright.

The Imagination Library says 38 percent of eligible children in Hardin County are currently participating.

“This initiative has a legacy of creating a strong foundation of academic success for every child, and a book a month for five years can build a wonderful library and provide endless opportunities for fun and learning,” Wright said.

Families interested in signing up should visit www.imaginationlibrary.com. Community members can also donate to the literacy initiative by visiting the Community Foundation’s website, www.ckcf4people.org.