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New school year arrives for Elizabethtown Independent Schools

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Elizabethtown Independent Schools Superintendent Paul Mullins said Monday the district is ready for the 2025-2026 school year.

“We’re just looking forward to the first day of school,” Mullins said. “There’s always that fresh air of excitement that just makes it very special when it’s the first day of school.”

Mullins said everything is up and running at the district buildings as the students return to the classroom Tuesday.

He said the district is focused on addressing the needs of every student.

“We want to grow every student in our district at a minimum of one year each school year, and for those students that are behind, of course, we want to be able to help catch them up and give them interventions, and for our students that may be ahead we want to make sure we’re giving them challenging, rigorous work that challenge them and help them grow as learners, Mullins said.

Mullins asks families to be patient as the district gets transportation plans finalized as the school year gets under way.

“We’re short some bus drivers and are working the best we can to make that as smooth of a transition as possible,” Mullins said. “The first few days are always a little slower too when it comes to transportation. Just know that we’re here to help and we’re just a call away, and we’re looking forward to seeing everybody.”

Visit the Elizabethtown Independent Schools website for more information.

July another strong month for independent or other voter registration

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Registration for independent or other parties continues to outpace the main parties in recent months. 

The Kentucky Secretary of State’s Office says for the fifth straight month Kentuckians registering to vote under independent or other outpaced new registrations by Republicans or Democrats.

According to the Secretary of State’s Office, independent or other registration in July increased by 1,792 voters. Republican registration increased by 630, while Democratic registration decreased by 1,524 voters. Republican registration makes up 47 percent of the state electorate, Democratic registration makes up 42 percent, and independent or other makes up 11 percent.

The Secretary of State’s Office says 6,186 voters were removed from the rolls in July. 4,958 were deceased, 538 moved out of state, and 502 were convicted felons.

Kentuckians can register to vote or check their registration status by visiting govote.ky.gov, or by contacting their county clerk’s office.

CKCAC cuts ribbon on new Elizabethtown headquarters

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Former Central Kentucky Community Action Council Executive Director Hal Goode says the organization’s new headquarters at 708 Westport Road in Elizabethtown is more than just a brick and mortar building.

“It’s a symbol of investment in our people,” Goode said. “It’s a symbol of investment to our children. It is an investment for the future of this area.”

The organization held a ribbon cutting on the building Friday morning in a ceremony that featured multiple local and state officials.

The facility will be home to the multiple organizations that are operated under the Community Action umbrella including Elizabethtown Head Start, Kentucky Works, and Community Collaboration for Children.

Goode said housing the organizations under one roof makes sense when their focus is on improving the community.

“These programs, they build stronger families,” Goode said. “They build communities. When I first came on board as executive director, folks would ask me, ‘well, I’ve heard about Community Action. What do you guys do? You know, I’ve always heard you all were just big charity folks.’ I go, “We are, but we’re not there to give handouts. We’re there to give hand-ups.’”

Among the speakers Friday was Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Jacquline Coleman. She said with Hardin County the epicenter of economic development in the commonwealth, supporting area youth is key to keeping the forward momentum going.

“The most important thing that you are doing in this community to ensure that we just don’t get to announce these things, but we get to see them for generations to come, is to invest in your littlest learners,” Coleman said. “That is going to be the tie that binds for this community and that guarantees the success for generations to come.”

Learn more about the Central Kentucky Community Action Council at www.ckcac.org.

Red Cross urges donations amongst an emergency need for blood

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August is National Wellness Month, and the American Red Cross is encouraging folks to prioritize their personal health and well-being while also helping to save lives amongst an urgent need for blood donations.

“The need for Type O, O-positive and O-negative, is in an emergency need right now,” said American Red Cross Account Manager Tammy Ritchie. “Transfusions are happening when needed, but because that is the most common blood type, it is also the most needed, and in an emergency situation, that is what’s going to be transfused until we know that patient’s blood type.”

High school and college students make up 20 to 25 percent of blood donations, but as students head back to school, donating blood may not be top of mind right now, so the Red Cross is looking for others to step up to help maintain the blood supply.

“We are trying to get into our schools here in September and October to try to get things evened out, but right now, we just need to encourage anybody who’s out there who would be willing to come and donate blood,” Ritchie said. “It is a very safe and simple process, and once you do it one time, you always come up with ‘Wow, that’s not bad at all. I’ll continue to do that.’”

Special incentives are available to donors during the month of August.

“We are giving a $15 e-gift card to the merchant of their choice, as well as anyone who completes the donation will get a diabetes A1C testing that will help them to make sure they’re healthy, that their blood sugar is where they need it to be,” Ritchie said.

Visit www.redcrossblood.org and enter your zip code to find blood drives near you.

New website aims to help keep Kentuckians safe from scams

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Kentucky state government is rolling out a new website aimed at protecting Kentuckians from scams.

During his Team Kentucky Update Thursday, Governor Andy Beshear announced the launch of StopScams.ky.gov, along with other initiatives focused on preventing scams through awareness, reporting, and education.

According to a release from the Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet, the new website “will serve as a one-stop resource on how to spot scams, ways to report, and resources for recovering what was lost should someone fall victim.” Kentuckians will also be able to sign up for scam alerts via email or text in order to stay updated on the latest emerging scams.

The Public Protection Cabinet says their recommended strategy for scams is “Pause, Check, and Protect”. When you are contacted by someone or a company you do not know, pause. Before taking any action, check reliable resources and do your research. Protect your personal information by learning ways to boost your digital security.

Beshear said a 2024 FBI report showed Kentuckians are losing more than $74 million annually to online scammers. Learn more and sign up for alerts at StopScams.ky.gov.