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An impact study conducted by the Kentucky Career and Technical College System shows that Elizabethtown Community and Technical College had a positive impact of $176.5 million on the Lincoln Trail District.

“Every dollar that a student spends with us, they get an annual return of $5.90 because of that dollar, and that’s a great annual return on that,” said ECTC President Dr. Juston Pate. “The region actually sees a $10.90 addition for every dollar that is spent at ECTC.”

The college’s annual report for 2023 states that ECTC provided more than 15,800 hours of training for more than 3,100 regional employees. Pate says the impact of ECTC is evident in individuals and the community.

“We think a lot about the individual value that the college adds, and that is our mission,” Pate said. “Our mission is to add value to the lives of our students and then return that value to the community, but it doesn’t stop there, and that’s what I think this impact study kind of shows is through that additional value all of those students do go back out into the community and what is returned to the community is exponentially greater than that individual value.”

ECTC supported students with more than $185,000 in scholarships and $1.5 million in Work Ready Kentucky scholarship funds. More than 1,000 students benefited from more than $28,000 in support through Family Scholar House.

Pate says there is still time this week for anybody looking to begin, continue, or start again on their education to sign up for the second eight-week session of the spring semester, and staff at ECTC are ready to help.

“Things are really getting streamlined,” Pate said. “We still have Work Ready Kentucky scholarship money available, a lot of other scholarships in the college, so really there’s no barrier to anyone who would want to start right now. There’s no barrier that would keep them from starting.”

Visit www.elizabethtown.kctcs.edu for more information.

The suspect in the shooting death of a Radcliff man has been transferred to Hardin County.

Chief Deputy David Lee with the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office says a deputy transported Frescas C. Cruz from Shelby County to the Hardin County Detention Center Tuesday morning.

The sheriff’s office received a call shortly after 11 a.m. on March 3 regarding an unidentified body just off the roadway along the 5000 block of North Dixie Highway.

“Upon arrival, our detectives learned that a 36-year-old male, Derrick J. Franks of Radcliffe, had been shot and killed,” Lee said. “They had no leads, but through their work, and they worked probably over 24 hours straight, they developed leads. They were able to track where Mr. Franks had been and develop a lead that led them to 25-year-old Frecas C. Cruz from Bullitt County.”

Officers were able to take Cruz into custody after finding him in Shelby County.

Cruz has been charged with Murder and is being held on a $500,000 bond. He is due in court for an arraignment hearing Wednesday morning. Lee says the sheriff’s office’s investigation is ongoing.

The early voting period begins Wednesday for the special elections to fill vacancies in the Kentucky House of Representatives for District 24, which includes parts of LaRue and Hart counties, and District 26, which includes three precincts in Hardin County.

The House District 24 special election will be contested by Democrat Johnny Pennington, Republican Courtney Gilbert, and independent write-in Craig Astor. Republican Peyton Griffee is unopposed in the House District 26 race.

In-person excused absentee voting for the District 24 race will take place at the Hart and LaRue County Clerk’s offices from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, and 13. Early voting will take place at the clerk’s offices on March 14, 15, and 16. Hardin County will host in-person excused absentee voting and early voting for the District 26 race those same days at the Hardin County Clerk’s Office’s Radcliff location at 101 West Lincoln Trail Boulevard.

On Special Election Day March 19, voters in Hart County can cast ballots at the clerk’s office and the Horse Cave Fire Department. LaRue County Clerk Rhonda Metcalf said in addition to the clerk’s office, voters have several options in LaRue County

“On Election Day, we have our vote center which is at First Baptist Church on Tonieville Road, and then we have at Rolling Fork Christian Church in Lyons Station, and we have Uptown Graphics in Upton, and then we have the Old School Market down in Magnolia,” said Metcalf.

Hardin County voters on special election day can cast ballots at the clerk’s office’s Radcliff location or the West Point School Building.

Hardin County Clerk Brian D. Smith said during the most recent Hardin County Fiscal Court meeting that counties have the same obligations for any election no matter what is on the ballot, and many residents take their civic duty to vote very seriously.

“I know that we have voters in those three precincts who have never missed an election,” Smith said. “Every year, I have people on Election Day, they shake my hand, they brag about it. They’re in their 60s and 70s. ‘I’ve never missed an election.’ Let that be your incentive. Keep that streak going and keep voting, and then be ready to vote again in another month in May.”

Check your registration status and find more election information at govote.ky.gov.