Local sports with A.J. Brammer.
The suspect in the shooting death of a Radcliff man has been transferred to Hardin County.
Chief Deputy David Lee with the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office says a deputy transported Frescas C. Cruz from Shelby County to the Hardin County Detention Center Tuesday morning.
The sheriff’s office received a call shortly after 11 a.m. on March 3 regarding an unidentified body just off the roadway along the 5000 block of North Dixie Highway.
“Upon arrival, our detectives learned that a 36-year-old male, Derrick J. Franks of Radcliffe, had been shot and killed,” Lee said. “They had no leads, but through their work, and they worked probably over 24 hours straight, they developed leads. They were able to track where Mr. Franks had been and develop a lead that led them to 25-year-old Frecas C. Cruz from Bullitt County.”
Officers were able to take Cruz into custody after finding him in Shelby County.
Cruz has been charged with Murder and is being held on a $500,000 bond. He is due in court for an arraignment hearing Wednesday morning. Lee says the sheriff’s office’s investigation is ongoing.
The Elizabethtown City Council met for their first meeting of the month Monday.
The council approved an inter-local agreement with Hardin County in which the city’s enforcement officer for recovery residences will serve in the same role for the county. Elizabethtown Mayor Jeff Gregory said city and county officials met to discuss the creation of the city’s recovery residences certification ordinance, and both entities felt it was important to stay ahead of possible problems.
“We didn’t want to implement our certification process and then they move just outside the city limits and continue to operate if they’re not doing what they’re supposed to, and we still have the same problem, so we thought it was in everybody’s best interest for them to pair it or mirror exactly what our ordinance stated in the county, and then it was foolish at the time for them to go hire an inspector with one place,” said Gregory.
Council Member Cindy Walker asked about the city’s ability to renegotiate the agreement if more recovery residences appear in the county. City Attorney Ken Howard said he and County Attorney Jenny Oldham discussed this.
“We kind of intentionally did not include a level of service that the city is going to provide to the county here because it depends not only on how many residences are in the county, currently two, but how many residences we have to deal with,” Howard said.
Council Member Marty Fulkerson ultimately voted in favor of the agreement, but said his previous frustrations almost made him vote no.
“I’ve had my fill with the county not coming to the table,” Fulkerson said. “When we went through this whole thing with this annexation, we couldn’t get any reasonable conversation from county government on this deal, but again the city of E-town comes to the table once again to partner and do what’s right for our community.”
In other meeting news, the council approved a $220,517 bid from Dirt Works Unlimited for the Ridgestone Drive culvert project. RFH CPAs and Associates was hired on a $69,000 per year contract to conduct audits for the city and the Elizabethtown Airport. Gregory also said Andrea Sue Percell and Neelam Patel were re-appointed to the Elizabethtown Tourism and Convention Bureau board.
The Elizabethtown City Council will next meet for a work session on March 12.
The early voting period begins Wednesday for the special elections to fill vacancies in the Kentucky House of Representatives for District 24, which includes parts of LaRue and Hart counties, and District 26, which includes three precincts in Hardin County.
The House District 24 special election will be contested by Democrat Johnny Pennington, Republican Courtney Gilbert, and independent write-in Craig Astor. Republican Peyton Griffee is unopposed in the House District 26 race.
In-person excused absentee voting for the District 24 race will take place at the Hart and LaRue County Clerk’s offices from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, and 13. Early voting will take place at the clerk’s offices on March 14, 15, and 16. Hardin County will host in-person excused absentee voting and early voting for the District 26 race those same days at the Hardin County Clerk’s Office’s Radcliff location at 101 West Lincoln Trail Boulevard.
On Special Election Day March 19, voters in Hart County can cast ballots at the clerk’s office and the Horse Cave Fire Department. LaRue County Clerk Rhonda Metcalf said in addition to the clerk’s office, voters have several options in LaRue County
“On Election Day, we have our vote center which is at First Baptist Church on Tonieville Road, and then we have at Rolling Fork Christian Church in Lyons Station, and we have Uptown Graphics in Upton, and then we have the Old School Market down in Magnolia,” said Metcalf.
Hardin County voters on special election day can cast ballots at the clerk’s office’s Radcliff location or the West Point School Building.
Hardin County Clerk Brian D. Smith said during the most recent Hardin County Fiscal Court meeting that counties have the same obligations for any election no matter what is on the ballot, and many residents take their civic duty to vote very seriously.
“I know that we have voters in those three precincts who have never missed an election,” Smith said. “Every year, I have people on Election Day, they shake my hand, they brag about it. They’re in their 60s and 70s. ‘I’ve never missed an election.’ Let that be your incentive. Keep that streak going and keep voting, and then be ready to vote again in another month in May.”
Check your registration status and find more election information at govote.ky.gov.
The Fort Knox Area chapter of the Military Officers Association of America encourages eligible students to apply for their merit-based scholarships for graduating seniors.
“Our scholarship is available to graduating seniors attending the local high schools,” said Fort Knox Area MOAA Scholarship Chairman Dick Ardisson. “That would be Fort Knox, Hardin, Meade, and LaRue counties, Elizabethtown Independent, Faith Homeschool, and North Hardin Christian School. So we cover all the high schools in our service area.”
Applicants must be a family member of an active duty, Guard, or reserve military service member; a family member of a 20-year or medically retired or deceased active duty, Guard, or reserve service member; or the grandson or granddaughter of a retired active duty, Guard, or reserve service member. Rank of service member is not a factor.
Ardisson said the available scholarships are a great opportunity.
“We’re giving out $14,500 in scholarships this year, and that includes one for $3,000, one for $2,500, two for $2,000, and two for $1,500, and as we did a couple years ago one of our sister organizations, the Military Order of the World Wars, is also putting up a $1,500 scholarship, so we’ve got a grand total of $16,000 in scholarships available spread across eight scholarships.” Ardisson said.
The deadline to apply for the MOAA scholarships is coming up near the end of this month.
“The scholarship applications were sent to the high school counselors at those high schools that I mentioned early in January, and the suspense date to have them postmarked is the 29th of March,” Ardisson said.
Check with your guidance counselor’s office for more information.
Baptist Health Hardin recently partnered with area law enforcement and first responders to present a live overdose simulation at area high schools which has been seen by more than 7,000 students.
“After the simulation, we then had a panel where education was given to the students, and then after that panel we played a video testimonial because the overdose was based on a Central Hardin student who had graduated and passed back in 2021,” said Baptist Health Hardin Community Health and Wellness Manager Erin Priddy.
Area parents and community members will get a chance to see the presentation seen by students and talk with a panel at a community overdose simulation set for 6 p.m. on March 18 at the Hardin County Performing Arts Center.
Priddy said the simulation and panel are not just a scare tactic, but an opportunity to show the impact of the situation. Similarly, the presentation for adults on the 18th is a reminder for parents.
“I think it is important for parents to understand,” Priddy said. “I know that a lot of times parents get busy, but this is going to give a lot of information on some things that parents need to look out for, and I think the most important thing is remembering that don’t think your child couldn’t get involved in something like this. Just come out and hear the information and hear what we have to say.”
Baptist Health Hardin says the presentation on the 18th contains content for mature audiences and is intended for adults 18 and over. No advanced registration is required to attend. Contact Baptist Health Hardin for more information.
The first week of March is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Kentucky, an opportunity for residents, schools, and businesses to review plans and prepare for the possibility of severe weather.
“Severe weather can occur at any time of the year and brings a variety of hazards and impacts to Kentucky from tornadoes to flooding and high winds, but this is the perfect time to plan and prepare before severe weather strikes,” said Meteorologist Evan Webb with the National Weather Service in Louisville.
Part of Severe Weather Awareness Week is the statewide tornado drill, which will take place Wednesday, March 6 at 10:07 a.m. Eastern and 9:07 a.m. Central.
“This is a great opportunity for everyone to practice your tornado safety plan, whether you’re at home, school, or work,” said Webb. “If there is a threat of actual severe weather that day the drill will be postponed to a fair weather day so as to not cause confusion, but it is a coordinated statewide test for all of us to collectively have a chance to prepare for severe weather. It’s a chance to practice for a tornado and it’s not as often you get a chance to practice for something like that.”
Residents can find more information on creating safety plans and other tips by visiting the National Weather Service in Louisville’s website.
“We have a link at the top of our page on Kentucky Severe Weather Awareness Week so that folks can go to that page,” Webb said. “You can find a wealth of safety information on how to receive warnings, and on all sorts of different hazards from tornadoes and flooding to lightning, hail, recreational safety like while you’re boating and camping, even beach safety.”
In the event of severe weather, be sure to follow emergency responders and area media, including Quicksie and The Wolf, to stay up to date on weather conditions.