The statewide unemployment average saw a slight increase in November.
The Kentucky Center for Statistics says the statewide unemployment average for November was 5.1 percent. That’s a slight increase from the 5.0 percent rate reported in October and from the 4.3 percent rate reported in November of 2023.
Kentucky’s unemployment average for November also came in higher than the national unemployment average, which the U.S. Department of Labor reported at 4.2 percent.
The Center for Statistics says Kentucky’s civilian labor force for November was about 2,080,000 people, an increase of about 4,700 from October.
The educational and health services, professional and business services, manufacturing, and government sectors all saw increases from November 2023. The arts, entertainment, and recreation sector and the information services sector saw slight decreases.
Visit the Kentucky Center for Statistics online for more market information.
Support area students and ring in 2025 with the Elizabethtown Lions Club New Year’s Day Dash 5K Run and Walk. The event will be held at the Elizabethtown Sports Park on January 1 beginning at 9 a.m.
“It’s $30 for registration, and if you register by December 20 online you’re ensured to get a t-shirt, and of course if you do show up the day of the race we’ll take you, but we cannot guarantee a t-shirt,” said E-Town Lions Club member Patricia Moore. “100 percent of the profits go back to the Hardin County community, but this year our main recipient is Tools for School. It’s the program where children get much needed supplies.”
The link to register for the 5K is available through Central Kentucky Race Management. Walk-up registrations the day of the event will be accepted. Contact the Elizabethtown Lions Club for more information.
ECTC hosted their Fall 2024 graduation ceremony at Severns Valley Baptist Church Tuesday. 150 graduates and hundreds of guests were in attendance for the ceremony.
ECTC says they expect to award Fall 2024 graduates with about 500 degrees and diplomas for their efforts. ECTC students also completed about 1,200 certificate programs this semester. Credentials were awarded for several high-demand career fields including healthcare, business, IT, advanced manufacturing, and other trades.
The ceremony’s keynote speaker was State Representative Samara Heavrin. She told the graduates: “You are equipped with more than just knowledge. You are equipped with resilience, empathy, and a vision shaped by your experiences. The world awaits your kindness. Go out there and leave a mark that only you can make.”
ECTC is hosting Express Enrollment Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for new and current students attending the spring semester which begins on January 13. Walk-ins are welcome. Visit ectc.us/express-enrollment for more information.
Drivers in Bardstown should be on the lookout for road closures downtown Friday as the city gets shown in the national spotlight.
Bardstown Main Street says NBC’s The Today Show will be filming live from Bardstown Main Street’s Court Square Friday as the show spotlights Bardstown as one of the Merriest Main Street’s in America.
To facilitate filming, several road closures will be in effect from 6 a.m. until filming is complete around 8:30 a.m. North Third Street/U.S. 31E will be closed from the courthouse traffic circle to Broadway Avenue and the westbound lanes of Stephen Foster Avenue/U.S. 62 will be closed from Second Street to Fourth Street. Eastbound traffic should detour north up Second Street to Broadway, go across to Fifth Street, and then go south to Stephen Foster.
Residents and curiosity seekers should line up no later than 7:30 a.m. Friday.
The death of a teenager that resulted from a drug overdose has resulted in three arrests and is prompting area law enforcement to warn of drugs circulating in the community that have been laced with fentanyl.
The Elizabethtown Police Department stated in a press release that officers responded to an Elizabethtown residence just before 7 a.m. Wednesday regarding a death investigation. The EPD says it was determined that the victim, a 17-year-old male, had suffered a fatal drug overdose.
Officers investigating the incident were able to identify an individual suspected of distributing narcotics to the victim, and at around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday the suspect, a juvenile male, was taken into custody. The EPD says the juvenile suspect has been charged with First Degree Manslaughter, First Degree Trafficking in a Controlled Substance, and Trafficking in Marijuana, and will be lodged in a juvenile detention facility.
The EPD says two adults were also arrested Wednesday as part of the investigation. Damian Felker of Elizabethtown faces multiple charges including First Degree Trafficking in a Controlled Substance, and Brandon Durbin of Elizabethtown faces multiple charges including First Degree Possession of a Controlled Substance. They were both lodged in the Hardin County Detention Center.
During a press conference, EPD Public Information Officer Chris Denham said the overdose death is likely related to tablets that were designed to look like a prescription narcotic but are actually laced with fentanyl, and police believe more of these pills are currently on area streets.
The EPD provided this photo showing the subtle but noticeable differences between real tablets and clandestinely-made ones.
“If you are using, abusing illegal drugs, you may think you’re ingesting a Percocet 30 when in reality you may be ingesting a clandestinely-made tablet that contains fentanyl,” Denham said.
Denham said area schools on Wednesday discussed the dangers of these drugs with students in grades six through 12, and officials are encouraging residents to have conversations with loved ones they suspect may be abusing drugs. Denham said in order to get the drugs off the street, those in possession may surrender them to law enforcement without fear of punishment.
“I’m asking you to proactively surrender these tablets so they can be properly disposed of,” Denham said. “Again, our goal is to not criminally charge anyone. If you’re a student at a school, you will not face any type of administrative discipline. We want to get these off of the streets so they do not cause any additional overdoses.” If you have information on drug activity, you may submit an anonymous tip to Hardin County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-597-8123 or online at P3Tips.com.
