Hardin County News & Business Buzz

Hardin County Daily Brief: August 20, 2026

A vandalism charge, a Flock camera assist, and fall events fill today's Hardin County roundup.

Hardin County Daily Brief: August 19, 2026

A KSP trooper pulls a family from a burning wreck on I-65, license-plate cameras crack a car theft ring, and Hinton's Orchard turns 20.

Hardin Local E34: Meet Grafton & the Handoff

A new co-host, a big handoff, football's return, a Publix opening date, and a housing market getting more selective. Here's everything from this week's show.

Meet Grafton Sizemore, Hardin Local's New Co-Host

Rachel Brantingham introduces her new co-host, Motto Mortgage loan officer Grafton Sizemore, on the same episode where Phil Taul and Scott Lucas announce their handoff.

Guero's Salsa and More Review: Radcliff Taco Trailer

Fried taco shells, a 12 inch quesadilla, and a tres leches cake that ended in a tug of war. Britten and Michele McDowell review Guero's Salsa and More in Radcliff.

Hardin County Housing: Market Turns More Selective

Fewer homes sold, but they sold faster and for more. Rachel Brantingham on what a slower absorption rate really means for Hardin County buyers and sellers.

Publix Opening Date Set for Elizabethtown: September 23

Nate Bryan has the Publix opening date everyone's been asking about, plus a new skin bar, a bungee fitness studio, and four tenants leaving Mulberry Square.

Football Opens Friday: Hardin County's Full Event Guide

Jon O'Brien previews a packed week: football opens Friday with John Hardin's only home game, plus the Homecoming Parade, St. James Picnic, and Bee School.

Meeting Report: Elizabethtown City Council, August 17, 2026

Data center rules adopted 6-0, an ice rink bid rejected at nearly twice budget, a new public speaking policy, a second nonprofit moving into the Woodland Drive building, and two public comments. What happened at the August 17 Elizabethtown City Council meeting, from the city's own video.

'Accessory Uses Only': E'town Adopts Its Data Center Rules, 6-0

Elizabethtown's data center zoning rules are now law. The City Council adopted Ordinance 13-2026 on a 6-0 roll call vote August 17, with no discussion. Minutes later, a resident asked the question nobody had asked before the vote: does the 50,000 square foot cap include sub-basements?

Hardin County Daily Brief: August 18, 2026

Flock cameras help police recover seven stolen cars, the Justice Center reopens after an HVAC closure, and Rand Paul checks in on Fort Knox's gold.

Off The Clock's Grand Opening Is Friday: The Rooftop, the Vault and the Bourbon Lockers

Off The Clock's grand opening is Friday, Aug. 21, on the second floor of The Assembly above the Social Food Hall. GM Caleb Powers walked us through the whole space first: the rooftop nobody knew was there, the private tasting room, the bourbon lockers, and the entrance you will get wrong.

business-buzz

Wellness City, Super Kroger Opening & Burger 21: E-town Business

A Kentucky-first rebrand, the Super Kroger Marketplace opening, a gourmet burger chain eyeing E-town, and two respectful goodbyes in this week's Business Buzz.

business-buzz

Hardin County Business Buzz: VA Clinic, Wawa & More

Nate Bryan's roundup of the week's Hardin County business news, from the new VA clinic near Ring Road to Wawa, Kroger, and a rebrand at Suntan City.

business-buzz

New Cecilia Food Truck Roundup & Growth Near Ring Road

A new Cecilia food truck roundup, river access at White Mills, and continued commercial growth near Ring Road.

Bryan's Banter

What's In a Name? Why SteelGrove Amphitheater Is Still a Home Run for Elizabethtown

The full video replay of our first Bryan's Banter is free for Hardin Local members — create your free account (no payment, ever) to watch "SteelGrove: What's In a Name?" and read the full write-up.

business-buzz

New German Café Opens Downtown in Elizabethtown

Nate Bryan's Business Buzz: a new German-American café from "The Flavor Queen" soft-opens downtown, Bluegrass Meats opens Thursday, and the mall keeps reshuffling.

news

109 N Mulberry: A German-American Café Opens in Downtown Elizabethtown

There is a new flavor downtown, and it is one you do not see every day around here. 109 N Mulberry, a brand new German-American café, just held its soft opening in the heart of downtown Elizabethtown, and Hardin Local was on it right away. It comes from Janine Washle,

news

The 2026 Hardin County VBS Guide: Every Vacation Bible School This Summer

Every Vacation Bible School still to come across Hardin County this summer — 24 programs organized week by week, with dates, ages, flyers, and registration links. Compiled from your submissions by Hardin Local.

business-buzz

Bluegrass Meats Moves Downtown + a West Point Wine House

Nate Bryan's Business Buzz: an award-winning BBQ spot trades up to the old downtown Dairy Queen building, Bells and Whistles announces a wine house, and the City Center article tops 100,000 viewers.

news

City Center: What's Really Coming to the New Elizabethtown Mall

Everybody keeps asking us the same question: what's actually going into the new Elizabethtown mall? So we went and found out. Nate Bryan spent weeks digging through public plans, site listings and reports, we built a suite-by-suite map of the whole property, and then the two of us

business-buzz

Publix Opening Window & Parrott Orchard Tenants Revealed

Publix finally has an opening window, and an updated listing reveals who's joining it at the Shops at Parrott Orchard — plus Green Releaf, the Playhouse move, and two local closings.

business-buzz

Elizabethtown Named Kentucky's #1 Best Place to Live (Again)

Nate Bryan on Elizabethtown's #1 best-place-to-live ranking, a wave of new coffee, and the Hardin County Summer Camp Guide.

business-buzz

Patriot Center at Cox Farm — Kroger Marketplace Opens July 9

Patriot Center at Cox Farm is the official name of the new Kroger Marketplace at Ring Road and Patriot Parkway. Plus Publix, ANU on Buford Lane, and Bluegrass Meats downtown.