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Be careful with outdoor burning and check your heating sources ahead of winter

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October is Fire Prevention Month, and fire officials are reminding residents to have safety in mind as they enjoy fall activities.

“If you’re going to do fires, little campfires or bonfires, that kind of thing, make sure you’re always attending the fire,” said Radcliff Deputy Fire Marshal Tommy Crane. “Make sure that you’re keeping your fire pits and things like that away from residences. You don’t want to put it too close. We tell people at least 15, 20 feet away from your buildings, any overhangs, anything like that.”

Check with your municipality on burning laws, and if you will be doing a large controlled burn alert your area fire department.

Crane says the fall season is a good time to make sure your heating sources are ready to operate properly ahead of winter.

“Maintain your fireplace, your wood stove,” Crane said. “Make sure you’re only burning clean, seasoned wood, not wet wood or green wood. Make sure that you’re checking the chimney and the stove pipes that they’re clean, there’s not a lot of creosote buildup. Get them serviced professionally periodically as well. The furnaces, change your filters. That’s probably the biggest thing on furnace maintenance is change those filters regularly.”

Crane also says with Halloween approaching, be sure your decorations are not a potential fire hazard. Keep entryways clear and decorations such as hay bales away from potential fire sources.

“Make sure in your decorative lighting, just like your Christmas lights, make sure the wiring is in good shape,” Crane said. “Make sure you’re not overloading any of your circuits. When you hook those lights together, how many strands can you hook together? Things like that. Don’t staple them to the side of your house because the staples could damage that wiring.”

Find more fire safety tips on the National Fire Protection Association’s website.

Area schools seek survey responses

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Three area school districts are looking for feedback from school families through active surveys available through their websites and social media.

Breckinridge County Schools is seeking responses for their Parent/Caregiver Experience survey. BCS says feedback from the survey will help the district determine what is working well in their schools and what needs improvement. The survey should take about 15 minutes to complete and can be found on the Breckinridge County School District Facebook page.

Meanwhile, the Hardin County Schools Calendar Committee has created two options for the 2025-2026 school year. That survey is available on the News and Announcements section of the Hardin County Schools website until midnight this Friday. The HCS School Board has the final decision on the calendar but will consider community input in their decision.

Finally, Tuesday is the last day to provide input on the Elizabethtown Independent Schools 2025-2026 school calendar. A link to the survey options can be found on the Elizabethtown Independent School District Facebook page.

Unemployment rates up in September across Lincoln Trail District

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Unemployment rates across the Lincoln Trail District were up in September from where they were the year prior. 

The Kentucky Center for Labor Statistics says unemployment rates increased in all 120 counties of the commonwealth in September.

The state unemployment average for September 2024 was reported at 4.9 percent. While that is down from the 5.2 percent average from August, it is up from the 4 percent average from September 2023. Four counties in the Lincoln Trail District came in higher than the state average for September while three counties came in below the state average.

Hardin County’s unemployment rate for September 2024 tied the state average at 4.9 percent. That’s a slight decrease from August when the rate was reported at 5.1 percent but it is a jump from September 2023 when the rate came in at 3.8 percent.

Breckinridge County has the highest unemployment rate in the Lincoln Trail District for September with a rate of 5.5 percent. Nelson and Washington counties tied for the lowest rates in the region, and tied for the ninth lowest in the state, at 4.2 percent.

Learn more about how the unemployment rate is calculated and find more labor market information by visiting kystats.ky.gov.

Prosecution for Crystal Rogers cases finalizing case file review, hotel accommodations

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Crystal Rogers investigation suspects Steven Lawson and Joseph Lawson were back in the Nelson Circuit Court Friday afternoon for a review hearing.

Attorneys for Steven Lawson confirmed that his former attorney Ted Lavit had turned over the rest of the case file to them. Lavit had been threatened with contempt of court after not turning over the entire case file after he was dismissed by Lawson in August.

Special Prosecutor Shane Young submitted his response to arguments made by attorneys for Joseph Lawson to sever his trial from Steven Lawson and Brooks Houck. Attorneys for Joseph Lawson were prepared to make additional arguments based on similar cases from other states, but Judge Charles Simms III asked them to submit it to the court in writing, which the attorneys said they would Friday evening. Young said he would file a response Monday.

Young also said his office is wrapping up its comparison of case files sent in by the FBI with files sent by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Young said most of the information overlaps, but they are identifying any additional information that has not been seen by the defenses. He said that review should be completed in two weeks and at this time he does not anticipate additional discovery.

Young said hotel accommodations in Warren County, which will be the site of the trial scheduled to begin in February, are being finalized. Simms asked that the hotels for all parties involved be in separate parts of the area in order to keep them separated during the trial, and said part of what ruled out Christian County was all of its hotels are in the same area.

The judge said he would schedule the next review hearing after the prosecution submits their response Monday.

EPD now accepting donations for Shop with a Cop

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With the Christmas season quickly approaching, the Elizabethtown Police Department is gearing up for one of their favorite holiday traditions: the annual Shop with a Cop Program.

“Through this program, we provide clothing and toys to roughly 300 Hardin County children in need, and this wouldn’t be possible without the generosity from our monetary donors,” said EPD Public Information Officer Chris Denham. 

Donations are now being accepted.

“If you would like to donate, you may contact me (Chris Denham) by calling 270-765-4125, or by email at chris.denham@elizabethtownky.gov,” Denham said. “Monetary donations can be dropped off at the Elizabethtown Police Department located at 300 South Mulberry Street, and checks should be made payable to FOP Lodge No. 40, and in the memo line with ‘Shop With A Cop.’”

Donations are tax deductible. Visit the Elizabethtown Police Department Facebook page or contact the EPD for more information.