A 30-year-old man is in police custody and a home has been deemed uninhabitable after a disturbance Saturday in Frankfort Township Will County sheriff’s deputies responded to a call of a disturbance about 6:27 p.m in a home in the 7200 block of West Matthews Drive in Frankfort Township according to a news release from the Will County Sheriff’s Office deputies could not make contact with persons inside the home deputies forced their way in through a barricaded front door with help from officers with the Frankfort Police Department police took a 30-year-old male into custody He initially has been charged with domestic battery and unlawful restraint He and a 31-year-old female victim were taken to local hospitals for evaluation and treatment Because of what police described as “hazardous living conditions observed within the home,” Will County Land Use officials were called and deemed the home uninhabitable Will County Animal Control also was called and removed two pets from the home “for their safety and care,” according to the release the sheriff’s office thanked the Frankfort Police Department and the Frankfort Fire Department for their coordinated assistance during the incident Shaw Local News NetworkShaw Local News Network provides local news throughout northern Illinois This year’s Frankfort Heritage Week has a special theme —commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Marquis de Lafayette’s May 14 1825 visit to Frankfort while on his farewell tour as the “Guest of the Nation” and upon personal invitation from Congress and the Kentucky Legislature better known worldwide as the Marquis de Lafayette was a military hero of the American Revolution and a visionary architect of democracy A major general of the Continental Army at just 19 years old and a close friend of George Washington Lafayette secured France’s alliance and transformed the tide of the American Revolution proving that freedom could — and should — be won Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content Email notifications are only sent once a day or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to read or post comments Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInFRANKLIN COUNTY (KFVS) - Crews are on the scene of a crash on Highway 37 north of West Frankfort According to the Franklin County Emergency Management and Communications Drivers are asked to avoid the area and use alternate routes a bourbon barrel floats on the floodwaters of the Buffalo Trace Distillery on Monday the flooded Buffalo Trace Distillery is seen on Monday The flooded Buffalo Trace Distillery is seen on Monday a bourbon barrel floats not the floodwaters of the Buffalo Trace Distillery on Monday community members walk near the flooded Buffalo Trace Distillery on Monday Kentucky-based distillery said it would remain closed through April 10 but warned that date could change “Due to the unprecedented and ongoing rain and flooding we are not able to advise on the impact to our total distillery footprint,” Buffalo Trace said “We will assess those realities in the coming days as the facilities become safe to navigate and will make necessary adjustments to operations as required.” It was not immediately known how much of Buffalo Trace’s inventory — ranging from barrels bottles or other items — may have been damaged A spokesperson for Buffalo Trace declined to comment further Days of unrelenting torrential rain in Kentucky and across the U.S South and Midwest have caused catastrophic flooding and raised fears the damage could linger for days as rivers swell the Kentucky River curves throughout the capital city and has been known to flood the river was cresting at Frankfort Lock — approaching the record of 48 1/2 feet (14.78 meters) set on Dec a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Louisville Buffalo Trace is far from the only distillery in Kentucky but it is one of the closest to the banks of the Kentucky River the distillery has markers of several high-water marks from previous floods inside its Frankfort buildings several Buffalo Trace buildings were flooded at lower levels and parking lots and cars were underwater The water tower bearing the brand’s logo stood over the visitor center and warehouses that appeared to be inundated with water Residents stopped to take pictures of the well-known bourbon maker’s property as it was flooded out Traffic signs directing trucks and visitors to parking peeked over several feet of rushing water ▶ Watch Video: Kentucky distillery defies historic flooding and reopens for “Derby Week” has bottled up scores of spirits on its 400-acre campus But America’s oldest-running distillery ground to a halt last month amid historic and deadly flooding, when Buffalo Trace master distiller Harlen Wheatley says the nearby Kentucky River rose to over 48 feet “Every building that you see had four or five feet of water in it all over…the site,” Wheatley told CBS News Crews hurried to restore tanks ahead of the distillery’s busiest days, dubbed “Derby Week” by locals ahead of Saturday’s Kentucky Derby and you need horses,” local Colleen Calvy said And visitors flocking to the Run for the Roses also raced to Buffalo Trace’s gift shop this week as the distillery reopened for limited tours and tastings says the soft reopening marks a step in the right direction for a community still reeling from disaster “It’s an iconic part of our identity here in Frankfort,” Wilkerson said. “Bourbon Wheatley says seeing the distillery back up and running “means something to us too.” “We have 770 employees,” Wheatley said “We have a lot of families that depend on the job…and we want to be up and running.” This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area Police in Frankfort are investigating a stabbing at the Amazon facility in the Route 5-S Business Park in Frankfort Police say the incident happened at around 3:15 a.m Sunday when an employee was stabbed in the face by another person yielding a knife The victim was treated at Wynn Hospital in Utica The extent of the victim's injuries is unknown at this time Frankfort Police are investigating and say details will be available soon in a message to employees says the company is investigating and is expressing sadness over the incident saying they are “saddened by this senseless act of violence and are focused on providing support for our employees at this time.” an Amazon employee was stabbed to death at an Amazon facility in Berkeley Police said a 31-year-old employee died from his injuries after his co-worker a 41-year-old male was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action Amazon made the very same statement to employees that is made in the Frankfort stabbing - "(we are) saddened by this senseless act of violence and are focused on providing support for our employees at this time.” Gallery Credit: Permission by Lisa Burline Roser for TSM Gallery Credit: Megan Police say the incident happened at around 3:15 a.m. Sunday when an employee was stabbed in the face by another person yielding a knife. The victim was treated at Wynn Hospital in Utica. The extent of the victim's injuries is unknown at this time.\nRead More Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application 2025 at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox Scott (Fiancé Christie Beebe) Patterson Kay (Tom) Ducett and numerous nieces and nephews Raymond was preceded in death by his parents Norman & Rita Patterson (Ward) and brother Edward Patterson in infancy Raymond was a founding member of the Mokena Burros Youth Football and longtime Coach and Board Member He retired from Bill’s Drywall in 2020 after 40 years of service hunting and especially spending time with his grandchildren Family will receive friends at Kurtz Memorial Chapel 2025 from 9:00 AM until time of the funeral service at 11:00 AM donations to the Ronald McDonald House would be greatly appreciated Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (LEX 18) — Now a week removed from the river’s crest cleanup is in full swing for Frankfort residents probably another two weeks,” said Jeff Smith Smith says his team is in the thick of restoration making sure all the building materials that are wet are taken out and we get them prepared so that anybody puts the stuff back in properly,” said Smith Like the reefer drying out documents saved from the courthouse more than a dozen trailers and pieces of heavy equipment line Wapping Street drywall and insulation have to be pulled out “Some of the buildings have taken in anywhere from 4 to 7 feet of water,” said Smith it's widespread and in pockets here and there definitely the worst flood I've ever seen living here my whole life.” If you've had water damage to your home or business Smith recommends calling a restoration company that specializes in mitigation to check the moisture and humidity levels to prevent secondary damage Report a typo Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More — While it has been weeks since floodwaters receded in Frankfort a distribution site is still handing out supplies to people who are still cleaning up The distribution site continues to supply cleanup materials to Frankfort residents The former pic-pac grocery store off West Second Street has been temporarily transformed into a flood recovery resource center over the last few weeks space heaters and the propane tanks that go with them for the ones who lost electricity,” Mike Grimes of Frankfort said.  Grimes has helped flood victims get back on their feet by volunteering at the center.  but that’s not stopping him from helping others So I’ll go down there and I’ve been down here every day this week and a couple of days I was here all by myself,” Grimes said Kathleen Hopkins and Lilia Burgos are also volunteers They both said their family and friends were affected by flooding So pictures show it just maybe a foot shy of the top of the first-floor windows So everything on the first floor was lost,” Hopkins said about her son’s newly renovated home Burgos and Hopkins helped load cars and pack bags with supplies Burgos said her biggest concern is helping Spanish-speaking families who may find it difficult to find and get help She said while it’s been hard for working parents And [it will] be hard for them and the kids As long as their warehouse remains stocked the distribution site will offer help wherever possible The center is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m (WISH) — A teacher at Frankfort High School faces two felony charges after inappropriate communication with a student The Clinton County Prosecutor’s Office filed an probable cause affidavit Monday afternoon in Clinton Circuit Court 1 The prosecutor shared the affidavit with News 8 Frankfort Police Department arrested Drew Akridge The department says he was charged with low-level felony counts of dissemination of matter harmful to minors and attempt to commit possession of child pornography Police shared a photo of the arrest on social media Akridge was taken to jail on a “no bond” warrant Akridge was put on administrative leave during the investigation following of the allegations, the Frankfort Community school district announced Sunday. The Frankfort School Board on Monday night canceled the remainder of Akridge’s contact Akridge was having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student at Frankfort High School.” Akridge’s profile on the district’s website has been removed and an assistant coach for the varsity football team The district said the Frankfort Police Department gave a cyber-awareness presentation April 4 at the high school and a student afterward confided in another teacher about the relationship The partially redacted court document says the allegations surfaced on April 4 when a student reported to a another teacher that she had been communicating with Akridge via Snapchat This information was subsequently relayed to the school’s principal The court document nor the school district named the student Frankfort Police Department interviewed the student on April 11 she received a video from Akridge via Snapchat Akridge requested the student send a video of herself engaging in explicit conduct A redacted paragraph in the affidavit read “Akridge stated” with the rest of the paragraph covered in black Elizabeth Stewart is a mother in the district She said there is a pattern of disturbing behavior going on in the district She said her daughter was groomed by Akridge when she was 15 This happened during the last school year when her daughter was a sophomore in his math class “He took some quiz called the purity quiz and shared the answers with my daughter and one of her friends,” Stewart said She said young people are not educated about the signed of grooming enough “We haven’t really taught them about grooming and what that looks like,” Stewart said She also told News 8 Akridge allowed students to sit behind his desk and hang out “He would often take pictures of her and her friends and she saw pictures of lots of girls.” Stewart said he daughter also saw pictures of female students when they were younger She did not know how Akridge got these pictures She only learned what happened with her daughter after the other allegations against Akridge were made public Stewart said this is a pattern in the district She said her son was targeted by a middle school teacher when he was 12 during the last school year “Last year I found messages from the middle school band teacher on my son’s phone on an app called Discord,” Stewart said “They were to my son and another boy and very inappropriate Gifs of a girl eating an ice cream in one bite and Mr (Austin) King saying you wish (redacted name) would do that to you Rhoda confirmed King was allowed to resign or he would be terminated He was fired for violating the district’s communication policy by communicating with a student about a noneducational subject and outside of the district approved platform Stewart also told News 8 that an elementary school teacher was arrested by federal authorities two years ago for similar crimes A press release from the Justice Department said received child sexual abuse material files via the internet.” He got 72 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release “Two years in a row with dismissing a teacher for inappropriate communication with a student We’ve had that happen two years but they were two different cases and we want to continue to be proactive.” Rhoda confirmed the student came forward after going through a cyber-awareness training at school He said the school put on this training to be proactive and help educate students According to an Indiana government database Akridge’s license remained active as of 6 p.m Akridge was formally charged Tuesday in Clinton Circuit Court Wabaunsee’s Deacon Yocum throws a pitch during Friday’s game against Frankfort at Tom Watson Ball Field in Frankfort there are no recent results for popular commented articles Have some photos on your phone or computer Send them to The Mercury and see them in print We’ll print them each Tuesday on Snapshots Mostly cloudy with light rain this evening Daniel Willis announces the arrest of 44-year-old Dustin Fields who is charged with arson stemming from an April 30 house fire that left two people dead Sheriff Chris Quire and Judge-Executive Michael Mueller look on Franklin County Fire Chief Brian Brewer discusses his department's effort in the early morning fire on Flat Creek Road that left two people dead on Wednesday A 44-year-old Frankfort man has been charged with arson following an early morning fire in northern Franklin County on Wednesday that claimed two lives Franklin County Sheriff’s Office officials announced the arrest of Dustin Fields who — according property valuation administration records — owns the home in the 5800 block of Flat Creek Road Improving the lives of the people and economic vitality of Indiana and beyond through timely education See our full plan here. Frankfort Mayor Layne Wilkerson has issued on ongoing curfew in the city as crews work to continue flood recovery and cleanup flood waters from the Kentucky River remain in "moderate flood stage" at 36.6 feet residents are urged to avoid returning until streets are cleaned dumpsters will be available for use in cleanup throughout the city and county Those locations can be found on the city's Facebook page Residents in need of assistance with electrical reconnection in homes with water damage can contact a hotline between the hours of 8 a.m shelters operated in partnership with the Red Cross are located at 202 Medical Heights Drive and 1100 E Main Street Food and water distribution will take place daily between noon and 6 p.m where cleaning supplies can also be dropped off and picked up All flood-related information can be found here. the City of Frankfort has extended its curfew It will now be in effect from Tuesday evening at 8 p.m A curfew for flood-affected areas in Frankfort has been extended into Tuesday morning According to a release by Frankfort Mayor Layne Wilkerson the curfew will be in effect from Monday evening at 8 p.m The curfew apples to all of South Frankfort Frankfort Mayor Layne Wilkerson released a statement saying that a curfew will be enacted for flood-affected areas starting at 8 p.m and it applies to flood-affected areas that include all of South Frankfort "We understand that this curfew may cause inconvenience but it is a necessary measure to ensure public safety and allow our first responders and recovery team to operate efficiently." Emergency personnel and essential workers will be exempt from the order — At the corner of Murray Street and East Second streets in Frankfort but plenty of people’s homes and cars remain entrenched in the murky mess The sight of what’s been affected is never easy to process for Reese Brownlee “Coming back living around here is really hard," he said You got to pick up and got to keep going.” were forced to evacuate their home this past weekend but only got the chance to come back home Tuesday morning after near-record levels of flooding clean up and things like that," Reese said but he’s lost all the food in his fridge and will be without power for a few more days "Help all over the state of Kentucky and wherever all the floods have been Y’all listen to people that’s lived down in these areas; give us some help.” but getting back on his feet will be hard because they live paycheck-to-paycheck the First Baptist Church has been providing food to anyone who wanted it both first responders and residents affected by the flooding said he put out a message to social media Monday afternoon “People came in droves with bags from grocery stores bringing the meats that we needed bringing drinks and chips and ice and paper plates," Hill said "The city had really come together to help us help each.” Franklin County Judge Executive Michael Mueller said Tuesday afternoon the Kentucky River measured out at 45 feet the same height as when it flooded back in 1997 He continued to urge residents to stay safe and use caution while traveling.  (LEX 18) — The sun finally came out on Monday offering flood-impacted Kentuckians a chance to take in the damage snapping photos of the Kentucky River from Capital Avenue in Frankfort the Kentucky River crested at just over 48 feet The city’s flood wall system is designed to withstand 51 feet of water Lawson and dozens of others gawked at the level of the river and the debris making its way downstream the view from the bridge was less heartbreaking than the view from home for some of the hardest hit residents “We're in a better situation than people taken by surprise,” said Emma Anderson “Our first floor is flooded up to here and there are a couple houses on the street that are gone For many Frankfort residents, the flood impact was more than material loss or property damage. A tight knit community, their hearts hurt for the 9-year-old boy swept away and killed in the flood on Friday “It's hard for me to talk…it makes me sad to think that a little boy died,” said Angela Powell water levels are receding faster than anticipated neighbors are helping neighbors so can Kentucky can get back on its feet “People have just come through and it's cool to see it's like a really human moment,” said Anderson (LEX 18) — According to the Frankfort city government there is a possibility for flooding in several low-lying "areas of uncertainty." The areas include South Frankfort The city provided the following prediction maps for the areas and said that officers would be in these areas to assist Residents are encouraged to get to a safe location if they can A post from the city says that the flood wall system is designed to withstand 51 feet of water The post adds that crews have been working to ensure that these structures are in place "The current river crest is predicted at 49.5 feet Roadways in these areas have the possibility to be water covered and inaccessible Basements and lower level floors may get water." "We are currently experiencing a historic flood in Frankfort and Franklin County The river is expected to crest Monday morning at 8am." Anyone who needs assistance is asked to call the EOC hotline at 502-352-2252 "Check on your neighbors and be aware of flood waters bringing everyone's favorite bunny back to Louisville family-friendly event kicks off at 11:30 a.m and will travel down Frankfort Avenue to Pope Street featuring this year’s Parade Grand Marshal and more and participants and spectators are encouraged to dress up as judges will be on the lookout for the most egg-ceptional entries awarding the coveted “Good Ears” prizes to the most creative floats and participants More: From easter egg hunts to events, 23 things to do for Easter this year in Louisville The 31st annual Frankfort Avenue Easter Parade takes place this year on Saturday Which roads are closed for the 2025 Frankfort Avenue Easter Parade in Louisville?Frankfort Avenue from Stilz Avenue to Pope Street will be closed from 10 a.m Additional closures may be announced at a later date Reach News Clerk Gege Reed at greed@courier-journalPop.com — Flooding in Frankfort this past week has affected Kentucky’s signature industry have felt the effects of the near record crest Buffalo Trace Distillery has visitors for tours tastings or even just to shop at the gift shop it will be quiet as the distillery will remain closed to the public through at least Sunday as crews continue to cleanup following near historic flooding Master Distiller Harlan Whetley said being on the Kentucky River for over 200 years flooding is nothing new for Buffalo Trace Distillery we have an extensive plan that includes moving all the barrels on the lower floors to the upper floors electronic equipment and we’ve been there before so we’ve done it,” Wheatley said Distillery leaders provided an update on operations at the country’s oldest distillery said it’s one of the most severe events Buffalo Trace has seen Some barrels were exposed to floodwater and staff are still working to determine how much inventory “It really does start with an inspection of the barrel and just reviewing those for quality I don’t have any more details on that but just know there’s a thorough rigorous process we do have experience in,” Adams said Five miles down the road, Glenns Creek Distilling, also in Franklin County, was affected by floodwaters, although it didn’t reach the main building “We were fortunate that the main operation for our business wasn’t impacted directly so we can be thankful for that,” said David Meier owner and head distiller at Glenns Creek Distillery Meier said floodwaters left behind damage in the main warehouse He’s still working to determine exactly how much it will cost the craft distiller Most of it’s going to be labor and then if I have to replace any equipment you know cost of equipment is tens of thousands at least,” Meier said Glenns Creek Distilling reopened to visitors on Friday. Buffalo Trace is working to welcome bourbon enthusiasts back as soon as possible “We are committed to welcome the visitors back Buffalo Trace resumed shipping Friday morning and plans to resume bottling Saturday Buffalo Trace Distillery said a modified retail store will be set up early next week in the Free House, where regular check-ins happen. Priority will be given to anyone with canceled tours during the closure with more details posted soon on their social media IL — Three Frankfort businesses were burglarized early Friday officers were called to the 20200 block of La Grange Road for a burglary in progress A witness told dispatchers that multiple people pulled up in a gray sedan and began smashing out the class of three businesses in the complex According to NBC Chicago, Little Caesar's, Tropical Smoothie Café and Bellavan Nail salon were targeted took items and fled the area before officers arrived "The Frankfort Police Department was made aware that nearby municipalities experienced similar criminal activity during the early morning hours," police said Several businesses, including Jet's Pizza, Pop's Beef, Crumbl Cookies, Great Clips, Subway and Oberweis, were also struck by burglars in nearby Tinley Park and Mokena. Earlier this week, 20 businesses were struck in similar overnight burglaries in Downers Grove Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. (LEX 18) — The Frankfort Plant Board announced on Monday evening that electrical equipment at the city's water treatment plan has been reconnected and the plant is back in operation Residents were asked Sunday morning to conserve water as water levels had risen to levels that could impact the equipement utilized in pumping water from the river "Your conservation efforts allowed us time to safely turn the equipment back on," FBP said on Facebook Monday "We are grateful to our customers and thankful for your support." The announcement comes as water levels remain at 48 feet and still in major flood stage the City of Frankfort said in a press release — After the deaths of several animals and critical USDA inspection reports Frankfort Mayor Judy Sheets said she is recommending the TPA Park Zoo be shut down During her state of the city address Tuesday Sheets said she will plan to make her formal recommendation for the TPA Park Zoo's closure to the Frankfort Board of Works during its next meeting "This is the best decision out of respect for our taxpayers "We deeply care about all involved and feel strongly this is the best decision." Alongside her recommendation for closing the TPA Park Zoo Sheets said she is also initiating an assessment of the long-term viability of the TPA Park Aviary comes after careful consideration of resource allocation the well-being of the animals and the overall sustainability of the petting zoo after recent visits from USDA officials A USDA inspection in December found seven non-critical violations and one critical violation related to the recent loss of 78 birds in the zoo's care and another deer and two chickens dead during routine animal checks Following the deaths of the deer and chickens, Frankfort officials announced the Park Superintendent Joel Tatum had resigned from his position In late January, city officials announced an alpaca had also died following nutritional issues stemming from dental health concerns Despite the string of deaths over the winter necropsies performed on the animals determined no foul play or contagious diseases were the cause of the deaths The causes of death were determined to be natural In the reassessment of the TPA Park Aviary Sheets said the city will consider factors like operational costs facility maintenance and providing an optimal environment for the birds In January, Sheets told the Journal & Courier that public access to the zoo was something the city was working to reevaluate noting there had been instances where members of the public had attempted to feed zoo animals by throwing items into their enclosures "This is probably one of the hardest decisions I have made as mayor It is heartbreaking for our employees who care for our animals," Sheets said Tuesday "This includes making responsible decisions about the resources required to maintain these spaces and the well-being of any animals under our care." Jillian Ellison is a reporter for the Journal & Courier She can be reached via email at jellison@gannett.com (LEX 18) — Emergency crews found the body of a boy who died after being swept away by flood waters on Friday morning Frankfort Assistant Police Chief Scott Tracy said the boy was walking to his school bus stop around 6:35 a.m His body was recovered about two hours later approximately half a mile from where he reportedly was swept away according to the Franklin County Coroner's Office It happened in the Hickory Hills area of Frankfort The Coroner's Office identified the boy as 9-year-old Gabriel Andrews An autopsy is scheduled for Saturday morning in Frankfort and the investigation is ongoing by the Frankfort Police Department Franklin County Schools confirmed the child was one of their students "We are deeply saddened at this horrific tragedy that claimed the life of one of our students," the district said in a released statement "The entire Franklin County School System is praying for the family and friends of those directly affected by the events this morning we are a family at Franklin County Schools we are working with support staff at our schools and offering services to our students and staff who need assistance during this time We are eternally grateful for our community first responders from both city and county agencies who selflessly responded to assist in this situation." Neighbors in the Hickory Hills questioned why school was not canceled in the first place "They call off school because of a possibility of snow but you don't call off school when there's flood waters all over and more bad weather coming in this could've been prevented," said Jennifer Hogan Neighbors tell LEX 18 News that emergency crews were focused on the storm drains during their search this morning my kids stood out here for years waiting for the bus (LEX 18) — The Capital Plaza Hotel continues to serve as a relief hub for those impacted by flooding "We just want to normalize things as much as possible," Kristie Powe said Thanks in large part to World Central Kitchen a food relief organization Powe is working with to provide the meals This initiative is delivering 240 meals per day Natalie Spoonamore who has three toddlers and moved into the hotel April 3 after losing her home in Owen County "There's so many homes that are going to have to be torn down It's absolutely horrifying," Spoonamore said Frankfort resident Crystal Brown sent LEX18 pictures of the damage to her home "I had a home on the 4th and I don't have a home on the 5th," "We didn't think it was going to happen that quick...it was within a couple of hours they were coming in with the boats getting us out of there," Whang said That's why this hub is here for these flood victims and just having an ear and having someone to listen has been a big thing," Powe added It's a bond created in part by Rowe and her team of local advocates leaving a lasting impression Frankfort Mayor Layne Wilkerson and Franklin County Judge/Executive Michael Mueller issued a joint emergency declaration The Frankfort/Franklin County Office of Emergency Management Director Ray Kinney also advised residents to take precautions ahead of "historic flooding." Franklin County has received over six inches of rain and another two to three inches are anticipated and low-lying areas within the city and county are already experiencing flooding The release says that Elkhorn Creek in northern Franklin County has risen to 14 feet Areas that are currently affected by the creek flooding are listed in the release as Stillhouse Hollow North Scruggs Lane including Elkhorn Campground the release says that the Kentucky River is currently at 41 feet and is expected to keep rising until it reaches its crest on Monday making this flood event the fourth largest in history areas of South Frankfort including Paul Sawyier Drive and water has the potential to cross Wilkinson Boulevard at Reilly Road." The Frankfort flood wall has been activated to protect areas of South Frankfort and downtown Frankfort and other measures have been implemented to warn of roads impacted by the high waters The joint emergency declaration from the Frankfort Mayor and Franklin Co Judge/Executive was issued with the goal of allowing the allocation of resources needed to provide assistance to anyone who the flood has impacted “We’ve been monitoring this situation closely and based on current forecasts we know this is a once in a generation flood We are confident we know what to expect and we are prepared We remain committed to everyone’s safety and appreciate the public’s patience as we work through this weather event We continue to keep those in our community who have already been impacted by flooding in our thoughts and prayers.” Franklin County Judge/Executive Michael Mueller says “City and county emergency response crews and the Office of Emergency Management have been working diligently to keep our community safe and plan for the days ahead We ask that the public stay home if possible We thank our first responders for all their hard work and we continue to make the safety of our residents our top priority.” The Office of Emergency Management has a response line for anyone in the community who needs assistance and can be reached at 502-352-2252 The release says that residents can use this hotline for weather-disaster related non-emergency calls and that 911 should be used for all emergencies and Franklin County Fiscal Court on social media to receive updates The Ready Frankfort app will also be updated regularly with alerts "Remember to observe safety precautions during this weather event as flood waters are more difficult to see after dark."