WQXE News

Unemployment rates across the Lincoln Trail District were up slightly in March from where they were the year prior. 

The Kentucky Center for Statistics says unemployment rates increased in 112 of the state’s counties in March. The rates were the same in four counties and decreased in four.

The state unemployment average for March was reported at 5.5 percent. That is a slight increase from the average seen in March 2024 when it was reported at 5.1 percent, but it is the same average reported in February. Five counties in the Lincoln Trail District had March unemployment rates higher than the state average, with three counties below the state average.

Hardin County’s unemployment rate for March was slightly above the state average at 5.8 percent. That’s an increase from the 5.2 percent rate reported in March 2024 but is down slightly from the 5.9 percent rate reported in February.

Grayson County posted the highest unemployment rate in the Lincoln Trail District for March at 7.2 percent, followed by Breckinridge County at 6.5 percent. Washington County had the lowest rate in the district, and tied for the sixth-lowest rate in the state, at 4.8 percent, followed by Nelson County at 5 percent.

Learn more about how the unemployment rate is calculated and find more labor market information by visiting kystats.ky.gov.

The Kentucky State Police is investigating a fatal collision that occurred in Nelson County Tuesday.

According to KSP Post Four, at approximately 6 p.m. on April 22 the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office requested the KSP investigate a two-vehicle collision near the 800 block of KY 509 in Coxs Creek.

The KSP says the preliminary investigation indicates that a vehicle operated by Jonathan Hood of Lawrenceburg was traveling east on KY 509 when for unknown reasons the vehicle crossed the center line, crossing into the path of a vehicle operated by a 17-year-old juvenile.

A passenger in the juvenile’s vehicle, 18-year-old McKinzi Raisor of Bardstown, was pronounced dead at the scene by the Nelson County Coroner’s Office. Hood and the juvenile driver were both transported to the University of Louisville Hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries.

The KSP’s investigation is ongoing. KY 509 was closed for several hours after the collision to allow for accident reconstruction.

Hardin County Judge/Executive Keith Taul gave a presentation on his proposed budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year during the Hardin County Fiscal Court’s second meeting of the month Tuesday.

“It’s difficult because it’s trying to balance out the fact that you’re needing to take and consider growth in the county, but at the same time with limited, very limited funds, so how do you balance that out?” Taul said.

Taul proposed a total budget of $60,780,515, up from the previous fiscal year’s budget of $59,615,729. Taul said challenges in the budget include the continued impact of inflation, accounting for a 1.8 percent increase in personnel costs, and necessary commitments such as subsidies for county departments, which Taul noted at $12 million comes in higher than the county’s property tax draw of $11.6 million.

“It kind of gives you an idea, I believe, of what we’re up against here,” Taul said. “All of our property tax is gone, even in excess of that, even before we get to some of our departments and other things that we are trying to do, some of the other services.”

Taul said the net operating budget is balanced with revenues and expenses both estimated at $23,646,154. That revenue includes a 4 percent increase in property taxes and $2.5 million of the annual hospital sale payout funds.

“I’m not saying that we should use all $2.7 million every year for the next 20 years, but we have it available to us as we try to figure out how to continue to grow our services at a very efficient way, but as we try to figure out how to increase revenues to cover all those, right now we have this available to us,” Taul said.

Taul’s budget presentation can be found on the county website. The fiscal court’s finance committee will hold meetings on the budget, with the first reading of the budget ordinance scheduled for the next Hardin County Fiscal Court meeting on May 13.

(Photo Credit: Hardin County Government YouTube Channel)