WQXE News

A report released by the Lincoln Trail Area Development District Monday looks at the potential return-on-investment the area would see with the implementation of a funding model to make childcare more affordable.

“We have over 2,000 parents, mainly females, that want to work but can’t because of childcare,” said LTADD Executive Director Daniel London. “Think of the impact on them personally and professionally, that they want to get involved in the workforce but can’t. We have a chance to help them. That’s huge.”

London was one of several speakers that discussed the impact report during a presentation Monday held at Fischbach USA in Elizabethtown. 

Data compiled by consulting firm TPMA estimates that there are 2,035 work-willing parents in the Lincoln Trail District and Hart County that would rejoin the workforce if affordable childcare options existed. The report estimates the wages of those parents would generate between $863,000 and $1.09 million in local tax revenue.

Kentucky 18th District State Representative Samara Heavrin discussed efforts to create more options for affordable childcare, including House Bill 499 which created the Employee Child Care Assistance Partnership, under which the state will match an employer’s childcare benefits. Heavrin said more efforts are being made to make the program more accessible, so employers, local governments, and organizations can work to remove more barriers.

“Educate that this is an issue,” Heavrin said. “Have the conversations. You don’t know it’s an issue until you’re affected by it, most likely. That’s life, right? You don’t know something’s an issue until it comes to you, so educate those around you about this, have the conversations and then have hard conversations. That’s how change is done. We can’t be complacent. We’ve got to keep moving forward, and so have the hard conversations to make it better.”

Following the presentation and a panel discussion with the day’s speakers, a task force consisting of area business, government, education, and community leaders met for their first meeting to discuss issues identified in the study and to identify goals. London said as the area prepares for future expansion, the study presents an opportunity to make a lasting impact.

“We are the only ones in this state at this level of work on this issue,” London said. “You’re part of something special, you’re part of something great, and we can achieve this. We are going to change lives, and a rising tide raises all boats.”

Data from the study estimates that BlueOval SK will employ more than 509 people ages 34 or younger with children ages 5 or younger. The full study can be found on the Lincoln Trail Area Development District’s website.

More than 5,000 pounds of food will be distributed to Elizabethtown Community and Technical College students as well as members of the public during a pop-up event Tuesday. 

“Family Scholar House at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College is hosting a free food and clothing pop-up shop,” said ECTC Director of Marketing and Communications Sarah Brkshire. “It’s going to start at 10 a.m. The 10 a.m. time is for current ECTC students and then from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. anyone in the community is welcome to come by our Elizabethtown campus and take part in that. It’s going to be in the Academic Technical Building.”

Attendees are asked to bring their own bags and coolers for items.

The Family Scholar House is part of the ECTC Student Success Hub which provides a variety of services to support students in and out of the classroom.

“Events like this pop up are just one of the ways that they really help support that mission, and we’re very thankful that they’ve got the resources to not only help current students, but to open it up to community members as well,” Berkshire said.

Items Tuesday are available while supplies last. Contact the Student Success Hub at 270-706-8432 or Family Scholar House at 270-706-8835 (or via email at FSHElizabethtown@familyscholarhouse.org) for more information.

The Hardin County Animal Shelter is celebrating after receiving financial support from Petco Love.

“It’s a Petco Love Grant we filled out for quite a while ago, and honestly we hadn’t heard anything so we didn’t think we were going to be one of the recipients, but it’s $20,000 that we can put forward towards anything that’s on the life-saving effort that’s not currently in the budget,” said Hardin County Animal Care and Control Director Mike McNutt. 

The grant can be used on projects such as sustainable food storage and medical equipment. McNutt said the financial support from the grant is great, but it doesn’t compare to the support the animal shelter regularly gets from the community.

“We recently had put out a plea because we are trying to keep the animals on a constant food supply of the same brand of food, and I want to say that this county has always stepped up and helped us out in great measure to the point to where we’ve had to find other places to store food,” McNutt said.

Responsible pet owners can support the animal shelter and take advantage of their Clear the Kennel special which runs now through May 4. All adoptions for dogs ages 5 months and older are free and include normal vetting including spaying or neutering.

McNutt said the shelter is at capacity and needs to get dogs to good homes, but he advises that you should only dive in if you are ready to make a commitment.

“People don’t understand that when they’re at the shelter and we get them to where they’re housebroken there, they’re going to have to have an adjustment period at home before they’re housebroken there, and their training has to be consistent once they get there, so when we say that animal is housebroken it doesn’t mean they’re going to be housebroken the first week in your house because they have to adjust to it,” McNutt said.

The animal shelter is open Mondays through Saturdays from 12 to 4 p.m. at 220 Peterson Drive in Elizabethtown.