WULF News

Last night the Louisville FBI Field Office announced the recovery of a missing Texas child and the arrest of her alleged kidnapper in Elizabethtown. According to a release from the Louisville FBI Field Office, around 10 PM last night, special agents working with Kentucky State Police, as well as the Elizabethtown Police Department, arrested Austen Walker, 21, on a federal charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Walker had an arrest warrant out of Texas on charges of kidnapping. The arrest warrant alleges that on or about May 12, 2020, Walker kidnapped the victim from Grand Saline, Texas.

Police have released the identities of the two men found dead inside of a car in Elizabethtown Wednesday night. According to police, 32-year-old Shawn Fox and 37-year-old Michael Buckner Thomas, both of Hopkinsville, were found deceased when police responded to a call on Patterson Street Wednesday night. A third individual, an unidentified female, was airlifted from the scene to University Hospital, where she was listed in critical condition. The investigation is still ongoing at this time.

A Hardin County man and woman accused of murder will appear in court this morning. As previously reported, Kentucky State Police arrested Jacob Lugmayer and Krystal Erbelding earlier this month after police found Erbelding’s mother, Kathy Erbelding, dead from two gunshot wounds in a home off of Wise Lane in Elizabethtown. Both Erbelding and Lugmayer are charged with murder, abuse of a corpse, and robbery. Lugmayer is also charged with tampering with physical evidence. Both are being held on a $250,000 bond.

In his evening press conference last night, Governor Andy Beshear announced that there are now 7,225 cases of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth. Of these cases, 199 were newly confirmed. It is believed that 2,712 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus, however there were two new deaths announced on Thursday, bringing the state’s total to 328. Governor Beshear talked about the next steps in easing restrictions in Kentucky, saying that May 22^nd will see allowance of gatherings of ten or fewer with guidance to continue to try and social distance. In addition, the travel ban will be lifted on the same day. The Governor noted that if a second spike were to present itself, some of these eased steps may have to be taken again. Also, the Governor announced that the Kentucky Board of Education and Workforce Development Cabinet has been awarded more than $43.7 million from the CARES Act, which will fund the needs of students and schools in Kentucky, including technology and food programs.

Today marks the last day of an unforgettable school year for Hardin County students, and the district is already asking for feedback on the final weeks of instruction. Surveys regarding NTI are available on the Hardin County Schools website for students and parents, and instructors will receive their surveys through district email. NTI was utilitzed by area schools since Governor Beshear urged schools not to return to in person instruction on March 12^th.

Meade County has issued a Boil Water Advisory for those who were out of water due to a leak that took place on Wednesday. The Meade County Water District has advised that any water that is to be consumed should be boiled for three minutes beforehand in order to disinfect. The Water District says it will let those affected know when the advisory is lifted.

In his evening press conference last night, Governor Andy Beshear announced that there are now 6,677 cases of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth. Of these cases, 141 were confirmed on Sunday, and 105 were confirmed Monday. It is believed that 2,335 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus, however there were a total of seven new deaths reported over the last two days, bringing the state’s total to 311. Governor Beshear urged an emphasis on testing as the state moves forward with gradual reopening. The Governor specifically mentioned the Corbin area testing site as one with many spots still available. Governor Beshear has stressed on multiple occasions how important taking advantage of testing will be as part of being Healthy at Work.

Both Hardin and Nelson County each saw a new case of COVID-19 yesterday. The Lincoln Trail District Health Department announced a total number of 135 cases in their region, an increase of two cases from the previous day. Hardin County’s total now sits at 59 positive cases. 102 patients within the district have recovered from the virus, 21 are currently in home isolation, and only eight are hospitalized.

Kentucky Gives Day, a 24-hour giving event for non-profits in the area, is today and Central Kentucky Community Foundation spokesperson Gina Clear says that the day is perfectly set up for this time of social distancing. The participating non-profits can be seen at kygives.org. The event began at midnight this morning, and will continue until 11:59 PM tonight. There are 22 regional non-profit organizations registered to participate in Kentucky Gives Day this year.

COVID-19 testing will begin today in Hardin County. John Hardin High School will be the location of the testing, which is a result of the partnership between the state and Kroger. Susan Dunlap, Executive Director with the State Cabinet for Health and Family Services, says that the entire process can take around ten minutes to complete, and is simple. Testing at John Hardin will take place from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM until Thursday. Signups for testing can be found online at krogerhealth.com/services.

After being closed more than a month, Hardin County Government will begin to reopen some of their facilities next week. The reopening will begin on the 18^th for most facilities except for the County Clerk’s office. However, residents are still encouraged to use online services as much as possible. The Hardin County Animal Shelter will open May 18^th as well, and will begin to accept stray animals again. The Hardin County Attorney’s office is planned to open on a limited basis on June 1^st. A full list of openings can be found on the Hardin County Government website.

In his evening press conference last night, Governor Andy Beshear announced that there are now 6,128 cases of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth. Of these cases, 208 were newly confirmed. It is believed that 2,177 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus, however there were eleven new deaths announced on Thursday, bringing the state’s total to 294. As phase one of reopening prepares to begin, Governor Beshear laid out a plan for the second phase of reopening, which the state hopes to begin on May 22^nd. This phase will see restaurants reopen at a 33% capacity. On June 1^st, movie theaters and fitness centers will reopen at a limited capacity. On June 11^th, public and private campgrounds will reopen, though they will still have to follow social distancing guidelines. Then, on June 15^th, the state is hoping to reopen childcare at a reduced capacity, and with many guidelines in place. The Governor noted that phase three will hopefully be coming by July 1^st.

Just days after announcing their first death, Hardin County has seen another death due to COVID-19. Officials with the Lincoln Trail District Health Department announced yesterday that, in addition to five new cases, Hardin County had registered their second death. In total, the district announced eight new cases, including the five in Hardin as well as cases in Nelson and Meade. The department says that of the 132 total cases, 88 individuals have recovered.

Hardin County Schools have announced that they will host a virtual field day for students on May 11^th and 12^th. On the flipgrid app using the code HCS2020, or on the Hardin County Schools website, students will video themselves performing the tasks in the activities list and upload the videos. Videos of other students performing the same tasks can also be viewed.

A Hardin County middle school has selected a new principal. Bluegrass Middle School Assistant Principal Tanya Jury was chosen as the next principal of the middle school by the school’s site-based decision making council. Jury had previously worked at Bluegrass Middle before from 2013 to 2015, at which time she left for Nelson County High School in the same capacity. Jury takes over for outgoing Principal Michael Elmore, who is retiring in June.

Friends of Hardin County Animal Shelter are reminding the public of a voucher service for pet food that is available at this time. To apply for a voucher, email the organization at fohcas.ky@gmail.com.

The location for Saturday’s Hardin County High School and GED graduation has been changed. The event for was previously scheduled to take place at Central Hardin High School in an outside ceremony, but due to inclement weather that is expected, the location has been changed to College View Education Center. This is the former GC Burkhead Elementary School building, located at 521 Charlemagne Boulevard in Elizabethtown. The time and date of the graduation will remain the same, taking place tomorrow at 9 AM.

In his evening press conference last night, Governor Andy Beshear announced that there are now 5,822 cases of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth. Yesterday saw the biggest spike in cases thus far, with 625 new cases confirmed. More than 300 of these positive cases were a result of testing at Green River Correctional Complex. It is believed that 2,058 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus, however there were 14 new deaths reported on Tuesday, bringing the state’s total to 275. Many of the announced deaths on Tuesday were related to long-term care facilities, and Dr. Steven Stack addressed this in the press conference, noting that they are about to “embark on a very aggressive program to test the long-term care facilities over the weeks ahead at a very brisk pace.” The Governor announced that a new testing location in Pikeville would be opening today at Pikeville medical center, and information for signing up at that testing location is available at kycovid19.gov.

Cases continue to be confirmed within the Lincoln Trail District Health Department. In their latest release, the Department confirmed the presence of 119 cases of COVID-19, with new cases being announced in both Hardin and Meade counties. Elsewhere around the area, Breckinridge County officials announced there are 11 cases in the county, and the Grayson County Health Department confirmed three new cases in the county, bringing their total to 91.

Tourism has been halted in many places due to COVID-19, and Elizabethtown is no exception. Executive Director of Elizabethtown Tourism Janna Clark discussed the difference in tourism numbers compared to this time last year. Clark said that March and April were “devastating” for tourism, as hotel occupancies were around 15-20%. In addition, restaurants who have seen the need to convert to delivery or take-out services are also struggling, as the business model is not seen as sustainable at this time.

Elizabethtown Community and Technical College is the latest college to make operational changes due to COVID-19. The college announced yesterday that test scores would not be required for enrollment for the upcoming school year. The college made the decision after determining that the school’s Assessment Center would be operational due to the Center not being able to adhere to social distancing guidelines. As a result, the college will be accepting test scores, even those past the 4-year requirement. More information can be found on ECTC’s website.

Elizabethtown Community and Technical College is offering free online classes to interested individuals looking for a pathway to a new career, needing a learning outlet, or testing their interest in online learning. The only requirements for the courses are internet access and being 18 years of age. These classes include Electrical Principles, Change Management, Managing Workplace Anxiety, Income Tax, Every “Body” is Beautiful, Stress Management, and a CDL Permit Test Prep. Registration for the courses is open, and can be done on the Workforce Solutions page on ECTC’s website. The classes will start May 13^th and continue to June 15^th.

Officials are still investigating after a woman was found dead in a residence last Thursday. Kentucky State Police say that 63-year-old Kathy Erbelding was found dead in a residence off of Wise Lane in Elizabethtown Thursday night. The victim was found dead with an apparent gunshot wound. According to the Hardin County Coroner’s Office, the Erbelding was shot twice. Jacob Lugmayer and Krystal Erbelding, the victim’s daughter, were subsequently arrested and charged with murder, robbery, and abuse of a corpse. Lugmayer was also charged with tampering with physical evidence. Both are being held on $250,000 cash bonds, and appeared in Hardin District Court this morning.

A child has died after officials say he suffered a gunshot wound at his home. Police say they were dispatched to a residence off of Woodland Drive late Sunday afternoon in response to a shooting. When police arrived, they found a 2-year-old child with a single gunshot wound. The child’s parents and siblings were in the home at the time of the incident. The child was transported to Hardin Memorial, where he was pronounced deceased. This is an ongoing investigation, and a decision will be made once the investigation is complete as to whether charges will be filed.

In his evening press conference last night, Governor Andy Beshear announced that there are now 5,130 cases of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth. Of these cases, 173 were newly confirmed on Saturday, and 80 were confirmed on Sunday. It is believed the 1,892 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus. On Saturday, five new deaths were reported, and on Sunday, for the first time in weeks, there were no new deaths reported. Governor Beshear urged Kentuckians who need to be tested for COVID-19 to take advantage of the drive-thru testing facilities around the state. He also called out those who signed up for tests and then did not show up for their testing time. The Governor announced in previous conferences that an increase in testing capacity would be required in order to further open Kentucky’s economy.

As the state begins phase one of reopening, local healthcare facilities have crafted their plan for re-launching their full line of services. Beginning this week, Hardin Memorial Health will start outpatient diagnostic radiology and lab services at the main campus and offsite locations. Select outpatient services, including some elective surgeries, will resume later this week in addition to other invasive procedures. HMH says they hope to return to normal volumes for in-patient surgeries by late May or early June.