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Two from Vine Grove arrested for allegedly sharing child pornography

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A Kentucky Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigation landed two Vine Grove men in jail Thursday on charges related to child sexual abuse material.

Nicholas Ray Renfro is charged with 10 counts of Class C Felony Possession of Matter Portraying a Minor in a Sexual Performance Under 12 Years Old and 10 counts of Class C Felony Distribution of Matter Portraying a Minor in a Sexual Performance Under 12 Years Old. Gary Eugene Middleton II is charged with 10 counts of Class C Felony Distribution of Matter Portraying a Minor in a Sexual Performance Under 12 Years Old.

According to the Kentucky State Police Electronic Crimes Branch, Renfro was arrested at approximately 3:30 p.m. on May 21. The KSP began an undercover investigation after discovering Renfro sharing images of child sexual exploitation online. A search warrant was served at a Vine Grove residence and equipment used to facilitate the crime was seized and taken to the KSP’s forensic laboratory for examination.

The KSP says Middleton was taken into custody at approximately 10 p.m. on May 21 as a result of an undercover investigation. A search warrant was served at a residence in Vine Grove. Equipment was seized and taken to the KSP’s forensic laboratory for examination.

The KSP’s investigation is ongoing. Renfro and Middleton were lodged in the Hardin County Detention Center.

Registration open for Breckinridge County Schools Summer Meals Program

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The Breckinridge County School District encourages area families to get signed up for their Summer Meals Program, which will offer drive-through meals every Wednesday from June 3 through July 22.

“A lot of students take advantage of our lunch and breakfast program throughout the year and then during the summer our Summer Feeding Program provides those students and other students that are in Breckinridge County the opportunity to take advantage of the Summer Feeding Program,” said BCS Superintendent Dr. Nick Carter.

During each pick-up, a parent or guardian may pick up five breakfasts and five lunches per registered child. Weekly registration is required by 11 p.m. the Monday before each pick-up. Meals are not guaranteed if you do not sign up.

“We’ve got a schedule that parents and families are able to get online and sign up for their free pickups, and we’re really excited that we’re able to offer that again for our kids and the community,” Carter said.

The link to the registration form and a menu for the meals can be found on the Breckinridge County School District Facebook page. Contact Valerie Dowell at 270-756-3007 for more information.

Lincoln Trail District Health Department receives reaccreditation

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The Lincoln Trail District Health Department is celebrating after successfully completing the reaccreditation process through the Public Health Accreditation Board.

“We achieved our initial PHAB certification in 2018,” said LTDHD Public Relations Officer Melissa Phillips. “We just went through the reaccreditation process and we found out a couple of days ago that we met all the measures and we will be reaccredited for the next five years.”

Phillips said reaccreditation shows the community that the health department is dedicated to its mission.

“It’s a mark of quality, of trust,” Phillips said. “It shows that we have the capacity to continue to improve and shape our practices to give the best service that we can to the communities that we serve.”

Phillips said she likes to say the Lincoln Trail District Health Department is “not your grandma’s health department” and does more than just vaccinations.

“We also have programs in harm reduction,” Phillips said. “We have programs in maternal and child health. We have all of our environmental health services, so public health is very broad, and we like to say that we touch folks ‘from the cradle to the grave.’”

Find more information on services by visiting www.ltdhd.org or by calling 270-769-1601.

April unemployment in Kentucky sees slight decline

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April unemployment in Kentucky is down slightly from where it was the previous year.

The Kentucky Center for Statistics says the state unemployment average for April was 4.3 percent. While that is slightly above the average reported in March of 4.2 percent, it is down .4 percent from the April 2025 average of 4.7 percent.

Kentucky’s unemployment average for April came in even with the national unemployment rate, which the U.S. Department of Labor says at 4.3 percent is up from the 4.2 percent rate reported in April 2025.

The Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet says the state’s civilian labor force, which includes people currently employed and people actively searching for work, saw a decrease of 7,569 people from March to April, bringing the total civilian labor force to 2,097,526 people.

The Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, Other Services, Educational and Health Services, Construction, Government, Leisure and Hospitality, Financial Activities, Information Services, and Mining and Logging sectors saw increases from March to April. Decreases were seen in the Manufacturing and Professional and Business Services sectors.

Visit the Kentucky Center for Statistics website, kystats.ky.gov, for more about unemployment figures and labor market information.

BlueOvalSK site now officially Ford Energy Systems

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Ford Motor Company says Ford Energy is “set to convert its Kentucky gigafactory to serve the large and growing demand for battery energy storage systems.”

According to a release published Thursday, Ford has assumed full ownership of the Glendale site following the dissolution of the BlueOval SK joint venture. The factory is now called Ford Energy Systems.

Ford says retooling of the factory will begin soon, with units planned for availability beginning in late 2027. Ford says operations “will span full LFP prismatic battery cell manufacturing and assembly of battery energy storage system modules and 20-foot DC container systems.”

Ford Energy recently began hiring for positions at the retooled facility. Find more information at www.fordenergy.com.