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ECTC Professor Kevin Parrett Represents College at Invitation-Only Silicon Valley AI Summit

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Elizabethtown Community and Technical College says computer and information technology professor Kevin Parrett represented the college at the invitation-only Imagination in Action conference Sept. 14–15 at Google’s Bay View campus in Mountain View, California.

ECTC says the summit was held in collaboration with Stanford’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence. Parrett attended as a curated audience member after an invitation or application approval.

The event’s theme was “The Next Endeavor.” Sessions covered AI hardware and computing, agentic AI, robotics, scientific discovery, entrepreneurship, future work, governance and security.

Parrett said he was proud to represent ECTC.

Dean of Physical Sciences and Related Technologies Shawn Kellie said the connections and knowledge gained at the summit will benefit the college’s students.

Grayson County Marching Cougars Win Grand Champion at Warren East Raider Invitational

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Grayson County High School’s Marching Cougars won Grand Champion at the Warren East Raider Invitational in Bowling Green on Saturday, Sept. 26.

The event score sheet lists Grayson County first overall among the ten participating bands with a final score of 67.800. The Cougars also placed first in Class AAAA.

The score sheet shows an underlying total of 409.00 and no penalty deduction for Grayson County.

Grayson County performed at 1:45 p.m., and awards were held at 2:15 p.m. The score sheet identifies Dick Turner as head judge.

The results do not list separate percussion or color-guard awards.

Hardin County Schools Honors Five 2026 Distinguished Alumni

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Hardin County Schools honored five graduates as its 2026 Distinguished Alumni at a luncheon Sept. 25 at the district’s Early College and Career Center, the district said.

The honorees include three Central Hardin graduates — Sara Jo Best, Detective William Smallwood and Dr. Jesse Vance — and two North Hardin graduates, Joi’ Craig and Aaron Dale.

According to Hardin County Schools, Best is the public health director for the Lincoln Trail District Health Department. Craig serves as director of student life at Simmons College of Kentucky. Dale works as a music educator, arranger, clinician and coach. Smallwood is a detective with the Louisville Metro Police Department. Vance is the medical director of infectious disease and vice chair of medicine at UK St. Claire Hospital.

Vance was unable to attend the luncheon and was represented at the event by Rev. Mike Bell, the district said.

Hardin County Schools organized the event to recognize the professional and community accomplishments of its graduates. The district provided the list of honorees and the role descriptions.

Reminder this respiratory virus season that vaccination is the best defense

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Respiratory virus season typically ramps up in October, and the Kentucky Department for Public Health reminds residents to stay home if sick, wash your hands often, cover coughs and sneezes, and stay up to date on vaccinations.

Lincoln Trail District Health Department Public Relations Officer Melissa Phillips says the health department has about 15 vaccinations available through their adult vaccination program, including the main culprits of respiratory virus season.

“Flu, COVID, pneumonia, RSV, but even things like shingles, which some folks have a hard time finding that vaccine,” said Phillips. “Tdap, which has that whooping cough in it, that pertussis, if you’re around babies this time of year.”

Appointments to the health department can be made by phone call only.

“We want you to talk to an adult, especially our senior adults that sometimes have a hard time making those appointments online, and maybe you need more than one service, so we want you to talk to a live person, so you’ll just call the health department in the county that you’re closest to,” Phillips said. “You don’t have to live in that county to receive services from us, but we do cover Hardin, LaRue, Marion, Meade, Nelson, and Washington.”

Contact the health department or your primary care provider for more information on vaccinations.

August unemployment sees decreases in most Lincoln Trail counties

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Unemployment rates in the Lincoln Trail District in August trended mostly lower with where they were the year prior.

The Kentucky Center for Statistics says unemployment rates decreased in 96 counties, increased in 11, and stayed the same in 13 when comparing August 2026 with August 2025.

The state unemployment average for August was 4.3 percent. That’s down from the 5.2 percent average reported in July and the August 2025 average of 4.4 percent.

Hardin County’s unemployment rate for August came in above the state average at 4.7 percent. That is a decrease from the July rate of 5.8 percent and is even with the August 2025 rate.

Breckinridge County’s unemployment rate for August came in above the state average at 4.6 percent. That is down from both the July rate of 5.6 percent and the August 2025 rate of 5.1 percent.

The unemployment average for the Lincoln Trail District in August was 4.6 percent. Grayson County posted the highest unemployment rate in the district at 5.5 percent. Washington County posted the lowest unemployment rate in the district at 3.8 percent.

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