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E-Town bowling alley will live on as Taylor family closes out more than 6 decades of ownership

94.3 The Wolf

David Taylor says he and his wife Tonya were not necessarily interested in running a bowling alley when they took over B & B Lanes three years ago.

“I had a desire to own it, but not to run it, but when my brother stepped down, it was time for me to step up, and it has been a chapter in my life that I couldn’t be more happier to have,” Taylor said.

That chapter concludes Monday as the Taylors transfer ownership of the bowling alley to L & S Entertainment LLC, which will continue the operation as Strike and Spare B & B Lanes.

Taylor said he is proud of his family’s contribution to the community for more than six decades, and while walking away is hard it is easier knowing a family-owned operation is here to carry on the legacy.

“It’s bittersweet, but at the same token, I’m getting ready to turn 65, and I feel that I found someone to take it over, to take it above and beyond what we could do for this community,” Taylor said. “I think they will give back and you’ll have a bowling alley here in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, for as long as the Taylors did for 60-plus years.”

L & S Entertainment will continue the new lanes project the Taylors got started for the bowling alley and have started other renovations, and Taylor said they were committed to retaining B & B employees that wished to stay on.

Taylor said keeping the local bowling alley alive means keeping the community better.

“Our kids need it, our adults need it, and we try to make it a great family fun center to give them something to do, and since COVID we all know that families have become more families today than they have been in years, and that’s the kind of places that you’ve got to have and you need for your community,” Taylor said.

Visit B & B Lanes on Facebook for more information.

Ribbon cuttings celebrate new life for Leitchfield Public Square

94.3 The Wolf

Area business, government, and community members were in Leitchfield Friday to celebrate two efforts to help revive the downtown public square.

The Grayson County Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting for Elmore’s Big 7 Furniture, located at 32 Public Square in Leitchfield. Shortly after that, the crowd went across the square to the Alice Theatre for a ribbon cutting celebrating the re-opening of the theatre and the Alexander Hotel.

Robin Elmore said the road may not have been easy, but being part of the Leitchfield community is a rewarding experience.

“It’s been a blessing,” Elmore said. “It’s been tiresome, and it’s wonderful. I mean, we have had a year and a half of putting this back together and trying to restore it back to this original status, but also trying to bring it up to date and put a little modern flair to it, but it’s been awesome and the support of the community that we’ve had has been amazing.”

Robert McKinzie and his wife Mandi said their work on the theatre and hotel is an investment in the community’s future.

“What we hoped for was that whatever we did would inspire others to do something even more in the community to bring more life back into it, to allow great things to happen in Grayson County,” McKinzie said.

Grayson County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director April Spalding said community partners like the Elmores and McKinzies are critical.

“They put a lot of time and effort and money into it, and they have made big decisions and big, big donations to our community just by rehabbing these buildings,” Spalding said.

Learn more about Elmore’s Big 7 Furniture, the Alice Theatre, and the Alexander Hotel by finding their pages on Facebook.

Special prosecutor responds to defense filings in Crystal Rogers investigation cases

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Special Prosecutor Shane Young responded to the recent filings made by the suspects charged in the Crystal Rogers investigation.

Attorneys for Brooks Houck filed an objection to the special prosecutor’s motion to try Houck, Steven Lawson, and Joseph Lawson in the same trial, with attorneys for the Lawsons joining the objection. Houck’s attorneys stated that Houck could not get a fair trial as trying the three together would take away his ability to cross-examine the Lawsons.

Special Prosecutor Shane Young said in response: “There is no undue prejudice as a result of defendants pointing fingers at each other, rather our courts have favored joinder in such instances.” Young also says it is important to try the three together in order for the jury to see the prosecution’s argument that the three worked together to cover-up the crimes committed.

Young also responded to the motion to dismiss charges against Steven Lawson due to his claim that he was offered immunity. Young says Lawson was charged because of inconsistencies with his story, and it is ultimately up to his defense to prove in court his immunity argument.

All three suspects are expected back in court for a pre-trial conference on June 13. Meanwhile, Nelson Circuit Court Judge Charles Simms III is reviewing a motion filed by the prosecutor and the defenses to move the trial out of Nelson County.

Tennessee man dies in wrong way crash on I-65

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A Tennessee man is dead following a wrong-way collision on Interstate 65 near Elizabethtown.

“The Kentucky State Police investigated a two-vehicle collision on Interstate 65 near Elizabethtown on Wednesday around 10:59 p.m.,” said Sergeant Jason Morris with the Kentucky State Police Commercial Enforcement Division. “The preliminary investigation indicates a 2016 Lexus being operated by 50-year-old Jeffrey Simonton of Clarksville, Tennessee, was traveling north on I-65 in the southbound lanes. A 2019 Volvo truck and semi trailer operated by Alexander Bojov of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, was traveling south on Interstate 65.”

Bojov was unable to avoid Simonton’s vehicle and they collided head-on.

“Simonton was ejected from the vehicle and later pronounced dead at the scene by the Hardin County Corner,” Morris said. “Simonton and Bojav were not wearing their seatbelts at the time of the crash, and Bojav was transported to University of Louisville Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.”

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says the crash blocked the southbound lanes of I-65 near mile marker 90 for several hours Thursday morning.

Vine Grove City Hall collecting school supplies for area students in need

94.3 The Wolf

The City of Vine Grove is asking for your help supporting area students.

“We are going to do a back to school bash at our First Friday in August, and we’re going to combine the two and we are collecting school supplies to be given out that night,” said Vine Grove Mayor Pam Ogden.

The city is partnering with several organizations to help support the school supply drive, but donations of any kind are appreciated.

“Anything that kids can use for school, backpacks is going to be the main thing, but we’ll take any supplies, paper, pencils, anything they use in school,” Ogden said. “You can bring it to Vine Grove City Hall and we will disperse it out to the kids.”

Donations are being accepted through August 1. Anybody in need of assistance will be eligible for the school supplies. Contact Vine Grove City Hall for more information.

Local governments among state recycling grant recipients

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Governor Andy Beshear announced the awarding of more than $9 million in recycling program grants this week, and several local governments are among the recipients. 

The funding will support 73 projects across the commonwealth to support the expansion of recycling, the reduction of the amount of solid waste going into landfills, and improved handling of household hazardous waste.

The recycling program awards funds through three programs. Recycling grants provide funds for counties to purchase recycling equipment. Composting grants allow for the purchase of equipment to improve composting and promote creative solutions for solid waste. The household hazardous waste grant gives funds for counties to conduct annual drop-off events for disposal of waste such as chemicals and electronics.

The LaRue County Fiscal Court received about $71,000 and the Meade County Fiscal Court received more than $1 million in recycling grants. The Bullitt County Fiscal Court received about $42,000 and the Hardin County Fiscal Court received about $47,000 in household hazardous waste grants.

The grants are funded through the Kentucky Pride Fund, which is generated by fees for municipal solid waste disposed of at Kentucky landfills. 

Visit the Kentucky Division of Waste Management website for more information.

Be mindful of outdoor burning as summer approaches

94.3 The Wolf

Spring is a popular time for yard cleanup, and as the temperature outside increases and the ground dries more, Radcliff Deputy Fire Marshal Tommy Crane says you should make sure the area around the house is free of debris.

“Make sure you’re pulling limbs, leaves, all that stuff that’s gathered up through the winter months, pull that away from your house, especially if you’re out in a rural area, or you have a lot of trees and things like that around your home,” Crane said “So if it does get dry and there is a lot of, there is a danger of a wildfire or anything that you’ve got that stuff away from your house.”

Crane says check with your local municipalities on collecting limbs or other yard waste. If you plan to burn anything, make sure you check to make sure you are in the clear.

“If you’re deciding to do a controlled burn, make sure you check with your local ordinances,” Crane said. “Check what’s allowed, and make sure you’re checking to make sure that there is no statewide or local prohibition on burning at that time.”

When you head outside to burn, make sure you are only burning approved materials, and you are a safe distance from the house, trees, or other structures.

“Definitely watch the wind conditions,” Crane said. “If you check the weather and it looks like it’s gonna be a breezy or gusty day, hold off and don’t burn. When you are burning though, make sure that you are constantly attending the fire and make sure you have something to put it out, whether it be a small tractor with a bucket or make sure that you’ve got a hose close by, something like that to help put it out.”

More fire safety tips can be found on the Kentucky State Fire Marshal’s website.

Cecilia man convicted for participating in January 6 U.S. Capitol attack

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A former employee of the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office was convicted Tuesday on charges related to his participation in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Joseph Irwin of Cecilia was found guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia of three felony charges, including Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon, and three misdemeanor charges, including Entering and Remaining on the Floor of Congress.

According to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, court documents state that Irwin and co-defendant John Joseph Richter of Port Charlotte, Florida, discussed plans to travel to Washington with the intent to obstruct the certification of the electoral college vote. The two discussed the potential for violence and possible supplies to bring, with both bringing wooden poles with all-black American flags. 

The two men attended the January 6th “Stop the Steal” rally and joined the march to the Capitol, and then joined efforts to breach the building. Irwin broke his pole into two pieces when he “aggressively smashed his pole on the ground in a threatening manner at the police officers.” After breaching the building and eventually making it to the senate floor, the two had fellow rioters take their pictures at senators’ desks while posing with their poles. The two left the Capitol after Metropolitan Police officers eventually directed the rioters out. The release says the two continued to celebrate their participation in the riot, with Irwin keeping his wooden pole in a shadow box.

Irwin was arrested on August 17, 2021. According to the criminal complaint from his arrest, Irwin was identified through an anonymous tip after he was seen in video recorded at the Capitol. Hardin County Sheriff John Ward identified Irwin and confirmed in the complaint that he was a former employee, having left the sheriff’s office in May of 2016.

Sentencing for Irwin is scheduled for August 9. More than 1,400 people have been charged for their participation in the January 6th attack, and the FBI continues to collect tips on other participants.

Games tells city council area growth goes beyond BOSK

94.3 The Wolf

When Elizabethtown-Hardin County Industrial Foundation President Andy Games gave an economic development update to the Elizabethtown City Council Monday, he said the projected economic impact of BlueOval SK has been discussed, but E-Town’s growth goes further.

“I kind of tell people, take BOSK out of the equation, and we here at E-Town have three-quarters of $1 billion worth of investment currently under construction in the park between Whiskey House, Lotte, and Advanced Nano Products or ANP InterTech, so that’s exciting,” Games said.

Games said that growth is not reserved for new development, with existing companies also making strides.

“Flex finished an expansion, Fischbach finished an expansion, WL Plastics finalized their purchase on some land on West Park Road, and there are plans to build another factory for WL Plastics,” Games said. “I’m not sure when that’s going to come on, but they did finalize their land purchase with us. Soudal and Altec, Altec’s always growing, and Soudall is looking at doing an expansion as well.”

With the successes comes some challenges. Games said the industrial foundation has been working with Akebono Brake Corporation after the announcement that they will be closing their Elizabethtown operation.

“They are committed through December 2025,” Games said. “They’re a longstanding partner here with our community, but we are working closely with them as that day comes. I’ve spoken to many of those employees that have called about wanting to know what options are when they get done in December, and I said ‘don’t worry, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to get a job, I promise you.’”

Games said the industrial foundation is working with Akebono on finding a buyer for their building, and the foundation has been working to identify possible properties for future development.

Learn more about the Elizabethtown-Hardin County Industrial Foundation on their website.