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2025 a record year for tourism in Hardin County

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Elizabethtown Tourism and Convention Bureau Interim Executive Director Krytsa Souleyrette says in a year that the Kentucky tourism industry once again put up record numbers, she is proud that tourism in Hardin County did the same.

“Hardin County continues to deliver record-breaking economic impact numbers every year, and we are so proud of the increases from last year and are looking forward to doing even better next year,” Souleyrette says.

According to a joint release from E-Town Tourism and the Radcliff/Fort Knox Convention and Tourism Commission, from 2024 to 2025 the local tourism industry saw increases in spending, jobs, labor income, and tax dollars.

“In 2025, visitor spending totaled $376.7 million,” Souleyrette says. “State and local taxes generated through tourism was $30.1 million, and labor income generated through tourism was $76.9 million.”

Souleyrette says the numbers show the strength of Hardin County as a destination and the dedication of area tourism partners.

“You know, there is so much for visitors to explore in our area, and we are looking forward to continuing to welcome them to Hardin County and having them explore everything that there is to do in our area,” Souleyrette says.

According to numbers announced last week, the Kentucky tourism industry generated $14.6 billion in spending in 2025, the fourth-straight record-breaking year for the industry.

30-plus years in prison for Bardstown man, 10 years in prison for Bardstown woman on federal drug charges

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A Bardstown man will serve more than three decades in prison, and a Bardstown woman will serve 10 years, after being sentenced last week on federal drug charges.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky says following his conviction in a September 2025 jury trial, Neal Scott Stone was sentenced to 30 years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. Because Stone was on federal supervised release at the time of the offenses, he was sentenced to an additional three-year prison term, with half to be served consecutively, bringing his total combined prison term to 31.5 years. Meanwhile, Keely Logsdon was sentenced to 10 years in prison following six years of supervised release.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says between August of 2022 and June of 2023, Stone and Logsdon “conspired with each other and others to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine.” On eight separate locations, Stone and Logsdon distributed the drugs, with Stone obtaining them from the southwest border of the United States and transporting them back to Bardstown.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says there is no parole in the federal system. The case was prosecuted as part of the Homeland Security Task Force. The FBI, DEA, Greater Hardin County Narcotics Task Force, Nelson County Sheriff’s Office, and Kentucky State Police were among the law enforcement agencies which assisted in the investigation.

BBB warns of increasing number of employment scams

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The Better Business Bureau of the Greater Kentucky Region says record numbers were seen for an employment scam in 2025.

The BBB says over the last three years nearly 50,000 people contacted the BBB Scam Tracker to report a scam in which jobseekers were tricked into sending over thousands of dollars after being offered high pay to “like” and “subscribe” to videos online. The number of scam reports doubled from 2024 into 2025 with task-based scams involving fraudsters impersonating popular companies.

A BBB International Investigations Initiative study examined reports from people caught up in the scams to help other consumers avoid them. The BBB says the study found job scams conducted over text message saw a dramatic increase in 2025, representing half of all scam reports. Employment scam reports continue to rise, and the median loss from the scams remains more than $1,000.

The BBB says red flags that alert to an employment scam include unprompted job offers that are made without an interview, interviewers refusing to turn on their camera, too-good-to-be-true salaries, high-pressure offers to take the job, and upfront costs to begin work. Consumers can help avoid these scams by doing research on companies offering jobs, never paying money to get a paycheck, and asking the interviewer to use video.

Learn more about this scam and other reports at www.bbb.org/scamstudies.

Know the signs of heat exhaustion and heatstroke as summer temperatures increase

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As summer temperatures continue to climb, make sure you are taking steps to stay cool.

You should also know the signs of heat exhaustion and heatstroke.

“With heat exhaustion, the things you’re going to notice are heavy sweating, you’re going to have cool, pale, clammy skin, a fast, weak pulse, maybe even nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps, tiredness or weakness, dizziness, headache, even fainting,” said Radcliff Deputy Fire Marshal Tommy Crane. 

Crane says the symptoms of heatstroke are different, with body temperature reaching 103 degrees or higher.

“You’ve got hot, red, dry skin, a fast and strong pulse, throbbing headache, dizziness, nausea, even confusion, and even loss of consciousness there,” Crane said.

For heat exhaustion, get the person to someplace cool, start getting them fluids, and use cold compresses to bring their temperature down. For heatstroke, the person requires immediate medical attention.

“Immediately call 911, move the person to a cooler location, cool them using cool cloths,” Crane said. “Don’t try to give them anything to drink at that point because what will happen is when the ambulance gets there they’re probably going to do an IV and they’re probably going to put some fluids in them that way.”

If you are working outside, try to work during the cooler hours earlier in the morning or later in the evening. Drink plenty of fluids, and take breaks in shaded areas.

Clark steps down as executive director of E-Town Tourism

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The Elizabethtown Tourism and Convention Bureau will soon be under new leadership.

The ETCB board has announced the resignation of Executive Director Janna Clark, who departs the organization after 17 years of service.

ETCB Board Chair Rene Sullivan said in a release: “Janna’s 17 years of service represent an extraordinary commitment to Elizabethtown and its tourism industry. We are grateful for her leadership, her vision, and the lasting impact she has made on the bureau and the community.”

Elizabethtown Tourism said in the release that during her tenure Clark played a leading role in several major tourism initiatives. Highlights of those achievements include the development and launch of the Elizabethtown Sports Park, the relocating of the tourism office to the David May House in Downtown E-Town, and the beginning of work on the city’s outdoor music venue.

ETCB Marketing Director Krysta Souleyrette will serve as interim executive director while the board begins the search for Clark’s replacement. The board says additional details on the hiring process will be released soon.