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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.

The Stephen Foster Drama Association invites the community to come out for some free, family-friendly fall fun as the Bardstown Scarecrow Trail returns to the driveway of the Stephen Foster Story Amphitheater for its second year, opening today.

“This year we have over 70 scarecrows on display, which is up from last year, which was our first year of the event, and now that our scarecrows have been created, collected, and displayed, the Scarecrow Trail is open daily until dusk,” said SFDA Executive Artistic Director Johnny Warren.

The trail, which will be open through October 31, features scarecrows created by area businesses, organizations, schools, and artists. The scarecrow trail is free to visit, but donations are accepted to support the mission of the drama association.

“It’s a great opportunity for families to get outside and do something together and celebrate the fall in Bardstown,” Warren said. “There’s also a voting element, so you can vote for your favorite scarecrow, and that’s a competition element among our businesses. Everybody wants to get the most votes for their scarecrow.”

Visit stephenfoster.com/scarecrow after your visit to vote, and follow The Stephen Foster Story on Facebook for updates on the upcoming 2027 season.

Kentucky State Police Post Four is under new leadership.

KSP Post Four this week announced the appointment of Captain Chris Baker as the new commander of the Elizabethtown post.

According to the KSP, Baker is a native of Breckinridge County, and brings more than 17 years of experience including “assignments in patrol, criminal investigations, supervision, and command.”

The KSP says after graduating from the KSP Academy in June 2009 as a member of Cadet Class 87, Baker was assigned to Post 16 in Henderson, serving first as a road trooper and then as a detective. He was promoted in 2017 to sergeant, and in 2018 transferred to Post 3 in Bowling Green. Baker was promoted to lieutenant in 2019, and in 2023 he was promoted to captain and assigned to the Investigations Branch at Post 3 before transferring to the Driver Testing Branch, where he served as commander for just under three years.

KSP Post Four serves Breckinridge, Bullitt, Grayson, Hardin, Jefferson, LaRue, Meade, and Nelson counties.