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Coroner reports rising suicides; sheriff says tax collections near complete in quarterly updates
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Summary
Pat Elmore, Hardin County coroner, reported a three‑month caseload with an uptick in suicides (all by gunshot in the recent cluster) and Sheriff John Ward presented law‑enforcement activity and said the office had collected about 99.23% of property taxes by April 15 with roughly $815,000 outstanding.
At the April 27 meeting, Coroner Pat Elmore summarized the coroner’s office activity for the last three months and flagged an increase in suicides among older individuals.
Elmore gave month‑by‑month figures for the coroner’s caseload and said of the recent suicides, "it's actually all of those were gunshots," noting concern and that the office does not yet understand the cause of the increase in that demographic.
Sheriff John Ward presented his office’s report for February and March, enumerating arrests, citations, warrants served, civil process service totals, complaint calls, accident investigations, criminal cases, school safety checks and other activities. Ward also reported that, as of April 15, the office had collected about 99.23% of Hardin County property taxes and that approximately $815,000 remained outstanding and had been turned over to the clerk’s office. He announced a deputy would graduate from the 22‑week basic academy later in the week.
Why it matters: the coroner’s mention of a rise in suicides by firearm among older residents signals a public‑health concern that may warrant follow‑up from health and safety partners. The sheriff’s collection rate is notable from a fiscal perspective because property‑tax receipts fund much county activity.
Attribution: direct quotes and statistics in this article are attributed to the speakers who presented them: Pat Elmore (coroner) and Sheriff John Ward (sheriff).
