Good morning, Elizabethtown.

Fest-a-Ville officially kicked off the 151st Kentucky Derby season today at the waterfront after Thunder Over Louisville was canceled due to flooding.

The 19th-year festival offers rides, games, food, music, and family events—local officials report part of the Great Lawn remains closed due to debris—and many vendors say cleanup has improved the area since it was underwater a week ago.

A train and a semi-truck collided at the Nicholas Street crossing off Hwy 62 Thursday morning around 8:00 a.m. in Elizabethtown—when the train struck the truck, the impact sliced the trailer in half while leaving the cab intact, and no injuries were reported.

A teenage passenger died in a crossover crash in Nelson County on Tuesday night when a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado driven by a 17-year-old collided with a 2002 Silverado driven by 26-year-old Jonathan Hood on the 800 block of Hwy 509 in Coxs Creek—both Hood and the juvenile driver were critically injured.

The Kentucky Center for Statistics said all 120 counties had higher unemployment in 2024 — the state and Lincoln Trail District both at 5.1 percent.

Breckinridge and Grayson reached 5.8 percent while Washington was 4.2 percent, Hardin County went from 4.3 percent to 5.2 percent, and most counties added jobs except Grayson which lost 55 workers.

Senate Transportation Committee Chair Jimmy Higdon and 27 senators have sent a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem asking to delay REAL ID enforcement set for May 7 because long wait times and few appointments have hindered licensing services—Senate Bill 43, which permits third-party renewals, will not take effect until June 27.

FEMA denied public assistance to two and individual aid to six counties based on February's damage assessments, and Governor Beshear warned that if the president does not sign his Major Disaster Declaration, families in flood-hit counties — Butler, Franklin, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, and Whitley — may lose $40,000 in recovery aid.

Elizabethtown Monthly Tourism Meeting

9-10 a.m. — Elizabethtown Tourism & Convention Bureau — Free entry — Discover how the bureau promotes tourism and convention activities in the community.

Light The Night 5K: Superhero Walk/Run

8:42 PM - 12:42 AM — Elizabethtown Sports Park — Registration required — A fun-filled event aiming to raise awareness for vulnerable children through a superhero-themed run/walk.

Small Business Expo & Membership Luncheon

11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. — Pritchard Community Center — Free entry — Discover local businesses that drive our economic growth.