WQXE News

The absentee ballot request portal is active for Kentucky voters, and voters have one more week to register ahead of the November 5 general election.

“The deadline to register to vote is 4 p.m. on October 7,” said Hardin County Clerk Brian D. Smith. “You can do that by coming by our office or visiting govote.ky.gov. The absentee request portal is open at that same website, govote.ky.gov, or you can come by our office or you can call our election staff at 270-765-6762.”

Voters should also be wary of the potential for scams as they go online for election information.

“There are a lot of third-party websites that look very official,” Smith said. “They’re run by private organizations or purported non-profit organizations. They cannot request your absentee ballot. You cannot request an absentee ballot through them. They’re collecting your name, your address, your Social Security number, and your birth date, and we don’t know what they’re doing with them.”

Smith says official election information would never come from a .com or a .org website. Contact your county clerk’s office for more election information.

Baptist Health Hardin invites the public to support cancer survivors and learn more about the hospital’s cancer services this Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the hospital’s new medical pavilion. 

“The Perfectly Pink Pop-in Party is a fundraiser for patients with cancer,” said Baptist Health Vardin Vice President and Chief Development Officer Tracee Trout. “Specifically, the committee and the organizer of the event hope to raise money for lymphedema patients and lymphedema sleeves.”

Trout says the party is the brainchild of breast cancer survivor Laura Couch.

“She went through her cancer journey at Baptist Health Hardin and realized that lymphedema sleeves are sometimes expensive and oftentimes not covered by insurance, and so she wanted to organize something to help patients with cancer have an easier journey,” Trout said.

The party will benefit the Baptist Health Foundation and their support of cancer and lymphedema patients. Tours of the new cancer center will be available.

“There will be food and beverages available for purchase,” Trout said. “There are live auction items and a lot of information and education about cancer care and about lymphedema specifically, but it’s a fun ‘come and go party,’ and most importantly it is a chance for people to see our new cancer care center for the first time.”

All are welcome to attend the Perfectly Pink Pop-In Party, but pre-registration is requested. Visit bhfhardin.maxgiving.bid to sign up and purchase food, drinks, and other items in advance.

While unemployment rates across the Lincoln Trail District saw slight increases in August 2024 compared to the year prior, the rates across the district are down from the month prior. 

The Kentucky Center for Labor Statistics says unemployment rates increased in all 120 counties in the commonwealth from August 2023 to August 2024.

The state unemployment average for August was reported at 5.1 percent, down some from the 5.4 percent average reported in July and up from the 4.1 percent average reported in August 2023. Four counties in the Lincoln Trail District had rates higher than the state average and three counties had rates lower than the state average.

Hardin County’s unemployment rate for August 2024 tied the state average at 5.1 percent. Hardin’s rate is a slight decrease from July 2024 when the rate was 5.4 percent and an increase from the 4 percent rate reported in August 2023.

Breckinridge and Grayson counties tied for the highest unemployment rate in the district for August at 5.7 percent, while Nelson County had the lowest at 4.3 percent.

More information on how the unemployment rate is calculated and more data is available at kystats.ky.gov.