WULF News

Today marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the initiation of Operation Overlord that saw Allied troops reclaim Omaha Beach in Normandy, beginning the liberation of France from the Axis powers and setting the stage for victory in the European Theater of World War II.

Communities, installations, and officials across the country are marking the occasion.

“Around 156,000 Allied forces bravely stormed the beaches of Normandy and successfully combated German forces, which marked the turning point of World War II,” said Kentucky House District 25 Representative Steve Bratcher. “Although the operation was successful, 4,000 Allied troops paid the ultimate sacrifice that day. This week, let us remember the courage that was displayed and the sacrifices that were made by those service members as they worked to defeat the Nazi regime and fight for our freedom.”

About 150 American, about 50 British, and 15 Canadian World War II veterans are in Normandy today to participate in what many officials anticipate will be the final major anniversary of D-Day with living veterans in attendance. Among the military units participating in the festivities in France is the Kentucky Air National Guard, which will fly a C-130J Super Hercules donned with a historic livery for the occasion.

Wreaths Across America says there are 165 Kentucky soldiers buried at the Normandy American Cemetery, and the names of 14 Kentucky soldiers are listed on the cemetery’s Tablet of the Missing.

The Kentucky State Police is investigating a fatal accident on the Western Kentucky Parkway.

The KSP says Post Four troopers were requested by the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office just before 1:30 p.m. on June 4 to investigate a two-vehicle collision near the 116 mile marker between the Clarkson and White Mills exits. According to the KSP, the preliminary investigation indicates that 28-year-old Kelsey Dunn of Elkton was traveling east in her vehicle when she lost control operating in heavy rainfall. The vehicle crossed the median and ended up in the path of a westbound semi-tractor trailer.

Dunn was pronounced dead at the scene by the Grayson County Coroner’s Office. The operator of the semi reported no injuries.

Dunn was the director of bands at North Hardin High School. Hardin County Schools Superintendent Teresa Morgan said in a release:

“Generations will feel the impact Ms. Dunn made on students, her fellow staff members, the school, alumni, band boosters, and our community. She cultivated and nurtured relationships with students and ensured that their performances and presentations represented North Hardin High School with class, respect, and dignity. Ms. Dunn was passionate about her students and their well-being. She was more than a teacher; she was a mentor and a friend to all she encountered. Her dedication to North Hardin was immeasurable. She gave so much of herself to her bands and NHHS as a whole.”

The HCS Crisis Response Team will be at North Hardin High School beginning at 10 a.m. Wednesday to meet with students and staff in need of support.

The crash was one of three that impacted the area Tuesday, along with a westbound Western Kentucky Parkway accident near mile marker 124 involving an overturned semi hauling lumber and a crash that resulted in spilled cargo on Interstate 65 in Hart County.

“That northbound crash just north of Munfordville blocked traffic until about 6:30 p.m. down there local time, and then on the Western Kentucky Parkway that westbound crash near mile marker 116 cleared around 5:30 p.m. local time and the eastbound crash near White Mills cleared around 8:30 p.m.,” said Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District Four Public Information Officer Chris Jessie. 

The heavy rain impacted efforts to clear debris from the accidents.

The Hardin County Public Library invites kids and adults alike to participate in their 2024 Summer Reading Program, which runs now through July 20.

“For our kids we’ve got a full programming calendar,” said HCPL Head of Youth Services Becca Isaacs. “There’s all sorts of fun stuff to do just about every day of the week if they just want to stop by. We also have some reading challenges to encourage them to read over the summer and try to keep their skills fresh.” 

Isaacs says summer reading is good for kids as they are away from the classroom.

“The summer slides a big deal, especially with our schools where they have those two months off and they start to get a little rusty on their skills, but this way they’re keeping their minds sharp, keeping themselves interested,” Isaacs said.

The theme for Summer Reading 2024 is “Adventure Begins at Your Library.” 

“We’ve got some fun challenges set up like little help-wanted boards, and they track how many minutes they’ve read with a little dungeon crawl reading log that they can keep track of on there,” Isaacs said. “For our grown-ups, our adult services department has a time log as well so they can keep track of how long they’ve read this summer and win some cool stuff.”

Anybody interested in participating can swing by the library, located at 100 Jim Owen Drive in Elizabethtown, or visit the Hardin County Public Library website or Facebook page.

The Elizabethtown City Council met for their first meeting of the month Monday.

The first reading was held on an ordinance that would prohibit the operation of all medicinal cannabis facilities in the city. State law legalizing medical cannabis goes on the books July 1, so cities and counties are making decisions on whether to opt into or out of the state law. The ordinance does not prohibit the legal use of medical marijuana by cardholders, but it does prohibit the five types of businesses that are regulated by state law.

“Cultivators, processors, producers, compliance businesses, and dispensaries,” said City Attorney Ken Howard. “Now typically what most people are interested in is dispensaries, where can you go and buy.”

The law allows for 48 total dispensary licenses statewide, with no more than four in each of 11 established regions. No county may have more than one of the four district dispensaries, and a lottery is held if there are multiple applications.

Other restrictions exist for the other business types. Several members of the council were not comfortable taking action on the ordinance until they could learn more about the other regulations since state law appears to require approval of all or none. Council Member Julia Springsteen said she is against banning the facilities because of the heavy regulation state law provides for acquiring a medical cannabis card and for businesses.

“There’s a board of eight doctors and two nurses that govern the whole thing,” Springsteen said. “It can’t be near schools, it can’t be advertised that well, and the bottom line is this was passed because sick people need this and it’s proven to help sick people.”

Elizabethtown Mayor Jeff Gregory said the restrictions in the law also satisfy some of his concerns.

“If it treats people that have terminal cancer or epilepsy and makes their life a little bit better for what they have here, then I’m all for it, but if it was going to be available to be on every corner of the city I was out, but with the restriction that it could, possibly, only be one place softens my stance somewhat,” Gregory said.

The council tabled the ordinance in order to get more information on questions they had. The ordinance can be found on the city website.

In other meeting news, the first reading was held on the city’s 2024-2025 budget. The total budget comes in at $149.9 million with $119.7 million in expenditures.

The Elizabethtown City Council will next meet for a work session on June 10.

The Elizabethtown Police Department will host their eleventh annual Cops and Bobbers youth fishing derby Saturday, June 22 at the Freeman Lake Park Boat Ramp.

“Children between the ages of 8 and 12 are invited to participate, but spaces are limited,” said EPD Public Information Officer Chris Denham. “Rods and reels as well as necessary bait and tackle will be provided to all participants.”

Check-in will begin at 10:30 a.m. on June 22 and the event will wrap up at 12:30 p.m.

“Hot dogs and snacks will be provided to all participants and trophies will be awarded to the winners,” Denham said. “All participants will leave with a fishing rod and tackle box.”

Download an application from the EPD website. Contact Officer Denham (270-765-4125) for more information.