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Local communities among Kentucky Trail Towns grant funding recipients

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Area communities are among the recipients of the latest round of Kentucky Trail Towns grant funding from the state.

Governor Andy Beshear on Thursday announced that more than $540,000 in funds were awarded to 19 Kentucky cities for recreational projects such as trail development and maintenance, project enhancements, and marketing efforts.

“These grants will help improve, enhance, and promote projects that boost the quality of life in local communities while attracting visitors near and far,” said Governor Beshear during Thursday’s Team Kentucky Update.

The City of Elizabethtown received $25,000, which according to a release from the governor’s office will go towards “trail enhancements, promotion of local events, and signage installation.” Cave City and Horse Cave received $30,000, as did the City of Munfordville.

“I’m excited to see how these communities will continue to provide these new and incredible experiences and show off the best of our new Kentucky home,” Beshear said.

The Kentucky Trail Towns program was established in 2024 with an initial investment from the state of $720,000, which the governor;s office says builds off of the state’s economic momentum including with the tourism industry. Learn more about the Kentucky Trail Towns program at kentuckytourism.com.

Law enforcement agencies reminding Kentuckians to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day responsibly

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Area law enforcement agencies are reminding Kentuckians to celebrate responsibly as they don their green and head out to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

The Kentucky State Police is participating in Operation CARE now through March 17. Short for Crash Awareness Reduction Effort, this national enforcement initiative from the International Association of Chiefs will feature increased patrols and a focus on traffic violations such as impaired or distracted driving, speeding, and failure to wear a seatbelt.

The most important thing drivers can do if alcohol is involved is plan ahead.

“If you’re planning to drink, also have a plan to get home safely,” said Elizabethtown Police Department Public Information Officer Chris Denham. “Never get behind the wheel of a car after you’ve been drinking. It’s not just about getting arrested, getting a DUI, or spending the night in jail. It could cost you or someone else their lives. Please make responsible choices and get home safely.”

Drivers should also remember to buckle up, drive distraction free, and watch for pedestrians. If you see someone driving recklessly or appearing impaired, report it to local law enforcement or the KSP.

City of Elizabethtown seeking public input on historic preservation and downtown area

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The City of Elizabethtown is inviting members of the public to a public engagement session regarding historic preservation and the downtown area, to be held at the WesBanco Gallery at the Historic State Theater on Wednesday, March 19 at 6 p.m.

“We started this discussion last month and I had mentioned at that time that the council had directed us to look into potentially expanding the Historic Preservation District downtown due to a zoning change request that was over on College Street, and there was a discussion by citizens over there about historic preservation in general, not necessarily about the preservation district,” said City of Elizabethtown Director of Planning Joe Reverman during a meeting of the city’s Historic Preservation Commission. 

Reverman said it is a good time to have these discussions as they line up with work on implementing goals and objectives in the city’s comprehensive plan, and the first step in the process is engaging public discussion.

“This is something that would affect property owners, and so we want to make sure that we’re engaging property owners, providing an educational component to this, getting feedback from property owners, things like that,” Reverman said.

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday with a short presentation at 6:15, with time for questions and informal discussion after.

“There are some benefits to property owners, but definitely to the community as a whole to having preservation in our community and expanding the districts and expanding the role that preservation plays with development of our community, so we really want to have that discussion first and make sure that people understand what preservation is and how that can benefit the development of the city and the community,” Reverman said.

Direct comments and questions may be made to Reverman’s office at 270-982-2238 or joe.reverman@elizabethtownky.gov.

Kentucky annual unemployment up in 2024

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Kentucky’s annual unemployment rate saw an increase in 2024. 

The Kentucky Center for Statistics says the state’s annual unemployment rate for 2024 was 5.1 percent. That is up from the 4.3 percent annual rate for 2023, and trends higher than the national annual unemployment rate of 4 percent.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the Kentucky civilian labor force saw an increase in 2024 of about 37,000 people. The estimated number of Kentuckians in the labor force is 2,093,848, with an estimated 106,205 of them unemployed.

Kentucky’s annual unemployment rate for 2024 ranked 48th in the country. Nevada posted the highest annual unemployment rate for 2024 at 5.6 percent while South Dakota posted the lowest at 1.8 percent. 21 states experienced significant increases in annual unemployment rates from 2023 to 2024.

Kentucky’s Education and Health Services, Government, Construction, Manufacturing, Leisure and Hospitality, and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities sectors saw increases in 2024. The Mining and Logging, Financial Activities, Information, and Professional and Business Services sectors saw decreases.

Find more unemployment and labor market information at kystats.ky.gov.