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The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services is confirming an outbreak of measles across five counties, noting more cases have been confirmed in the commonwealth this year than in any year since 1991.

The health cabinet says 15 cases of measles have been confirmed in Christian, Owen, Todd, Trigg, and Washington counties in the last four days. That number is expected to increase as the Kentucky Department for Public Health is actively investigating additional reports. Updated case numbers can be found on the KDPH measles dashboard.

The health cabinet says all 19 cases reported in 2026 have been for individuals who were not vaccinated against measles. The American Academy of Pediatrics and other experts say two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine are 97 percent effective against the disease.

The health cabinet says the immunization rate among Kentucky kindergartners has recently increased to 90.7 percent, but this remains among the lowest rates in the nation. This comes as the United States is experiencing its largest measles outbreak since the disease was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000.

Contact your local health department or primary care provider for more information on measles and the MMR vaccine.  

Elizabethtown Community and Technical College Chancellor Dr. Juston Pate said Tuesday’s groundbreaking for an expansion to the college’s Science Building is not just a kickoff for a construction project, it’s a kickoff for the next 40 years of the Science Building.

“Local workforce development is really the point for this,” Pate said. “When we talk about adding value to students’ lives and then returning that value back out into the community, it’s largely evident in the careers that they take.”

Pate discussed the expansion during ECTC’s annual Community Breakfast. The $16 million expansion to the west and south sides of the building is expected to be completed in 2027. Pate said biology and chemistry programs are important to the healthcare field, and the expansion comes at a time where healthcare worker shortages are seen across the area.

“By both expanding and providing more relevant experiences through this renovation, we’re really going to be enhancing our workforce through our students’ lives,” Pate said.

During the breakfast event, Jennifer Swope was presented with the ECTC Chancellor’s Pathfinder Award in recognition of her chairing of the ECTC Home for Hope campaign, which helped fund construction of the Family Scholar House housing facility.

Learn more about ECTC’s ongoing projects at ectc.us/grows.

Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana invites area girls to come see what Girl Scouts is all about during two upcoming Taste of Girl Scouts events.

The first will be held at the Williams Pavilion at Freeman Lake Park in Elizabethtown this Friday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The second will be held at Creekfront Park in Hodgenville this Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m.

“That gives prospective Girl Scouts, girls that are interested in becoming a Girl Scout, the opportunity to come out and try different Girl Scout activities such as STEM activities, crafts, slingshots, and more,” said Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana Heartland Area Service Unit Manager Ashley Kenney.

The event is an opportunity for girls and their families to learn more about the organization, which has activities for girls from kindergarten through 12th grade. Kenney says the main goal of Girl Scouts is to build girls’ courage, character, and confidence.

“If you’re able to watch a girl who starts out in Girl Scouts, they’re often very shy and timid, and you really see a lot of that confidence blossom out as they’re going through the program,” Kenney said.

The events are free to attend. Visit www.gskentuckiana.org for more information.