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Hardin County hires rapid response officer for overdose survivors

94.3 The Wolf

The Hardin County Coroner’s Office has announced the hiring of Justin Blair, who will serve as the county’s new rapid response officer.

Hardin County Coroner Pat Elmore says the rapid response officer will be leading efforts to connect with and assist overdose survivors.

“So anytime  there is an overdose that is survived, they will be making a response,” Elmore said. “We’re in the early stages of building a team to make responses to offer assistance. It will be anywhere from offering to take them to rehab services, any type of services they may need to help them  in their recovery.”

Elmore said Blair has an extensive background for the job.

“Justin brings an extensive amount of experience in counseling and building a team as far as helping people to do their recovery and so forth, so he has an extensive history and extensive experience with it,” Elmore said.

Lincoln Trail District Health Department Social and Community Services Manager Jennifer Osborne says a rapid response team was identified as a missing element by the coroner’s office’s Overdose Fatality Review Team, and when Hardin County applied for Recovery Ready Community status with the state.

“That was one of the recommendations, along with the development of a recovery community center, and also the passage of the ability to operate a syringe service program within the county,” Osborne said.

Area residents looking for recovery resources can go online to www.findhelpnowky.org or contact the KY Help Call Center at 1-833-859-4357.

Vine Grove Police seeking video of armed robbery investigation

94.3 The Wolf

The Vine Grove Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating a suspect.

The Vine Grove PD is asking residents in the area of Valley View Drive to review their surveillance or doorbell cameras between 3:45 and 5:15 p.m. Tuesday. 

Officers are looking for footage of a black male believed to be between 16 and 25 years of age, between 5 feet 7 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall, and weighing about 165 pounds, wearing all black with no shoes on and possibly wearing a black mask.

The suspect is wanted in connection with an attempted armed robbery that occurred at approximately 4:45 p.m. Tuesday. Police will post additional information and photos when available.

Contact the Vine Grove Police Department via 270-877-2262 or via Facebook Messenger for more information.

Radcliff council approves medical cannabis ordinance

94.3 The Wolf

The Radcliff City Council met for their second meeting of the month Tuesday.

The council approved on second reading an ordinance that approves the operation of medical cannabis facilities in the city, as outlined by a Kentucky law that went into effect this year. 

“The cannabis business is any entity licensed under Kentucky statutes or administrative regulations as a cultivator, dispensary, processor, producer, or safety compliance facility,” said Radcliff City Attorney Mike Pike, reading from the ordinance. “Please find the full ordinance on the website www.radcliff.org, or by contacting the Radcliff City Clerk by email at Ashley.Russo@radcliffky.gov.”

That’s Radcliff City Attorney Mike Pike reading from the ordinance. Council Member Jerry Brown said the council had weighed the good and the bad, and after speaking with a pharmacist he said he believes the good outweighs the bad.

“He said there’s all these positive things and very little downside,” Brown said. “We’ve had to do a lot of research. We talked about this. I feel like this is the right thing to do.”

The first reading was held on an ordinance that will amend the city’s budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. Radcliff Mayor JJ Duvall said the budget adjustment is standard for the end of a fiscal year.

Council Member Pamela DeRoche encouraged area businesses and organizations to sign up for the Radcliff Days Festival and parade, which is coming up on September 21.

“That starts at 4 p.m. with vendors, and then the parade at 5, so we are looking for parade entries,” DeRoche said. “We’re looking for vendors. I’ve got several vendors already lined out. We’ve got food booths.”

The Radcliff City Council will next meet September 9.

Elizabethtown City Council meets

94.3 The Wolf

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

An ordinance approving a zoning change for 1505 North Miles Street was approved on its second reading. The zoning was changed from R-2 to R-3, which fits developments such as duplexes.

The council approved several municipal orders, including the appointment of H.Y. Davis IV to the Board of Zoning Adjustments. The council also approved a contract not to exceed $200,000 with Palmer Engineering for professional design services for the upgrading of Commerce Drive for the city’s outdoor music venue.

“These services shall include surveying, final roadway design plans, permitting, preparation of bid documents, bidding assistance, and construction administration to be completed in coordination with the design of the outdoor music venue site,” said City Attorney Ken Howard reading from the municipal order.

An order approving the acceptance of $1,250,550 from the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority was approved. The city entered into a partnership agreement with the Authority for sanitary sewer upgrades for Leitchfield Road and South Ring Road to help support development on that end of the city.

Mayor Jeff Gregory and members of the council presented a portrait and plaque recognizing former Council Member Bill Wiseman, who passed away in June, to Wiseman’s wife and children. Patricia Wiseman said the portrait was a nice honor.

“I am very emotional, so this is really hard for me, but thank you, and I don’t think I realized until he passed away how many people really did love him, so he’d appreciate it very much,” Wiseman said.

The Elizabethtown City Council will next meet August 26.

Road work will close I-65 Exit 91 ramps Tuesday and Wednesday

94.3 The Wolf

Drivers should be aware of work happening at the Interstate 65/Western Kentucky Parkway interchange happening the next two nights.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says crews will be placing a microsurface on the southbound I-65 ramps at Exit 91 to the WKP and U.S. 31W Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Work will also be taking place along the parkway between the interstate interchange and the U.S. 31W Bypass interchange.

KYTC District Four Public Information Officer Chris Jessie says the work is being moved to the evening to best get out of people’s way.

“We’re doing this work at night,” Jessie said. “It minimizes traffic disruption, obviously, when traffic volumes are lower on I-65 and the parkway. Folks will have to follow those detours signs closely to get to where they need to go, but just follow them. You may have to do several loops on the clover leaf interchange there, but you’ll be able to get to your destination if you’ll just follow those signs.”

Ramps will be closed and lane closures will be in place from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday Signs and message boards directing drivers to a short detour will be in place. Work is weather permitting.

Officials investigating Big Spring water issue near Upton

94.3 The Wolf

Officials are investigating an area water issue.

According to a press release from Hardin County Judge/Executive Keith Taul’s office, the Kentucky Emergency Response Team and the Kentucky Division of Water are investigating to determine the source and substance of contamination of Big Spring in the Upton area.

The judge/executive’s office says: “There is confidence that no drinking water is affected, and no public health warnings are in effect.”

Concerns about well water should be directed to the Kentucky Division of Water at 502-564-3410.

UPDATE: Two dead and one injured in shooting near Hardin County Justice Center; suspect dies from self-inflicted gunshot wound

94.3 The Wolf

UPDATE 8/20/24: The Elizabethtown Police Department has confirmed that Christopher Elder died Monday evening as a result of injuries he sustained from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head during a standoff with police.
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Two people are dead and another is injured following a shooting in a parking lot across from the Hardin County Justice Center Monday, and the suspect is hospitalized after a vehicle pursuit ended with him shooting himself.

The Elizabethtown Police Department said Christopher Elder is currently hospitalized in critical condition.

Elizabethtown Police Chief Jeremy Thompsion said during a press conference that shortly before 9 a.m. Monday 911 calls came in reporting the shooting. 

“We were on scene within a minute, and located three victims while we were down there, and the suspect had fled the scene, obviously armed and dangerous,” Thompson said. “We began working to find that individual. We later identified him as Christopher Elder.”

The EPD said 37-year-old Erica Riley of Elizabethtown was pronounced dead at the scene. Her mother, 71-year-old Janet Riley of Hardinsburg, died as a result of her injuries at an area hospital. A third victim is currently hospitalized in stable condition.

Thompson said Elder had been in a relationship with one of the victims, later identified as Erica Riley.

“At no time was this a threat to anyone other than the individuals that were involved,” Thompson said. “This was a domestic-related incident. There was a hearing at the courthouse this morning stemming from previous incidents, and we believe it was isolated to the individuals that were involved.”

Thompson described the shooting as an ambush-style attack, and Elder’s vehicle had been seen waiting around the area ahead of the shooting.

The Hopkinsville Police Department said in a Facebook post that their officers along with officers from the Christian County and Muhlenburg County sheriff’s offices and the Kentucky State Police pursued a male subject, identified by the EPD as Elder, after he fled the Elizabethtown area. The HPD said that at multiple times during the pursuit Elder pointed a rifle at pursuing officers. Elder then pointed the rifle at himself after pulling into a church parking lot near the intersection of Greenville and Judges Chapel roads, and after about 90 minutes of negotiations with police he shot himself in the head. Elder was transported to Vanderbilt Hospital.

The EPD is investigating the shooting, while Kentucky State Police Post 2 is investigating the pursuit and standoff.

Hodgenville Police Department settling into new headquarters

94.3 The Wolf

The staff at the Hodgenville Police Department are enjoying their new digs.

“The city had the opportunity to purchase the old DWE building located at 1250 Old Elizabethtown Road at the corner of KY 210 and Northridge Circle here in town,” said Hodgenville Police Chief James Richardson. “It’s a big building. We have an administrative portion of the front and a large warehouse in the back along with an impound lot area that’s fenced in next to the building.”

That’s Hodgenville Police Chief James Richardson. The new location was an opportunity for two city departments to get more space.

“It was a little bit too big for us, and a bit too big for maintenance, but together we’re going to share it, so we’re in the front and we share the back portion of the building with the Maintenance Department,” Richardson said.

Richardson said after splitting some services between the old and new locations things are just about at 100 percent at the new office.

“We moved in last week, and we’ve got everything up here,” Richardson said. “We’ve got a few more minor things to get done, some housekeeping issues. We’re constructing a little bit of this, that, and the other, but everything we need is here, so we’re actually moved into the building.”

The Hodgenville Police Department plans to host an open house at the new building once things are fully installed.

Beshear highlights LOTTE Aluminum’s E-Town operation during Team Kentucky update

94.3 The Wolf

An Elizabethtown factory was highlighted during Governor Andy Beshear’s Team Kentucky update Thursday.

The governor congratulated LOTTE Aluminum Materials USA for beginning the hiring process to fill 122 full-time jobs at their Elizabethtown facility.

Governor Beshear said LOTTE’s commitment to Elizabethtown is a product of the state’s strong relationship with South Korea. He said LOTTE has connections across the globe that can benefit the state.

“I got to visit the company when I was in Seoul just about a month ago, and the opportunity to have such a sophisticated company open up a facility in Kentucky gives us the opportunity for growth over time,” Beshear said. “This is a big win for us, and we’re going to make sure it’s a big win for this company, and we can’t wait for the decades to come and how this partnership grows and evolves.”

LOTTE announced plans to build a $238.7 million aluminum foil manufacturing facility in Hardin County in 2022. The facility will produce cathode foil, a core material used in EV batteries.

Production Manager Germain Smith spoke during the update and said support from the state and from LOTTE’s Korean headquarters will allow employees to hit the ground running.

“We have been fortunate to have the ability to start investing in our employees from the beginning,” Smith said. “By partnering with the local community college and Kentucky Trains, this opportunity has allowed us to build custom training programs for our employees to participate in.”

Smith said partnerships with Elizabethtown Community and Technical College have also proven beneficial, including training for Korean employees on American culture and for American employees on Korean culture.