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Lincoln Trail counties see improved unemployment numbers for February

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Unemployment rates in the Lincoln Trail District in February saw increases from January, but are down compared to the year prior.

The Kentucky Center for Statistics says unemployment rates decreased in 119 counties and remained the same in one when comparing February 2026 with February 2025.

The state unemployment average for February was 4.8 percent. That’s up from the 4.4 percent average reported in January and down from the February 2025 average of 5.5 percent.

Hardin County’s unemployment rate for February came in above the state average at 5.3 percent. That is an increase from the January rate of 4.8 percent but is a decrease from February 2025 when the rate was reported at 5.9 percent.

The unemployment average for the Lincoln Trail District in February was 5.3 percent. Grayson County posted the highest unemployment rate in the district at 6.4 percent followed by Breckinridge County at 5.7 percent. Washington County posted the lowest unemployment rate in the district, and tied for the ninth-lowest in the state, at 4 percent.

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

Community members invited to Vine Grove Roots Initiative meeting

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Vine Grove resident Shannon Rickey says seeing rates of food insecurity across the community increase, along with a desire to see more community connection, prompted her to create the Vine Grove Roots Initiative, with an initial goal of creating a community garden.

“What it kind of developed into was not just a space for a community garden, but also for a place for us to come together, educate each other, learn from each other, converse with each other, get back to being a community again, knowing your neighbors, and also doing something good for our community,” Rickey says.

Rickey says the plan is to create the community garden at Scheible Park, then form a 501(c)3 organization to maintain the initiative well into the future.

“I just am hoping that we can keep the momentum going,” Rickey says. “This is not just a hobby garden project that we’re gonna do this summer. This is something that, the vision is something that is self-sustaining.”

Rickey is inviting community members interested in helping move the initiative forward to attend the organizing committee meeting to be held at Vine Grove City Hall Monday at 7 p.m. following the city council meeting.

“We need everybody at the table, so come meet with us and share your voice, your experience, your background,” Rickey says. “We have a wealth of knowledge in this community, and that’s what I’m hoping to draw to the meeting on Monday.”

Visit the Vine Grove Roots Initiative Facebook page for more information.

Louisville man flees scene of collision that injured KSP trooper

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A man is in custody after fleeing the scene of a traffic incident on Dixie Highway that sent a Kentucky State Police trooper to the hospital.

The Kentucky State Police says the three-vehicle collision occurred Wednesday near the 15000 block of Dixie Highway near Valley Station.

According to the KSP, the preliminary investigation indicates a vehicle operated by David Huggins of Louisville was travelling south on Dixie Highway when the vehicle collided with a southbound pickup truck operated by Michael Nugent of Shepherdsville. The pickup truck spun into the northbound lanes, where it was struck by a marked KSP cruiser operated by KSP Post Four Trooper Lukas Jones.

Trooper Jones was transported to Jewish Hospital in Louisville for treatment of minor injuries and later released. Nugent was transported to the University of Louisville Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Huggins fled the scene following the collision, traveling south on Dixie Highway towards Radcliff. He was later found in Vine Grove and taken into custody on two counts of second degree Assault, one count of Leaving the Scene of an Accident, and one count of Driving Under the Influence.

The Vine Grove Police Department was among the agencies that assisted the KSP. The KSP Critical Incident Response Team’s investigation is ongoing.

Deneen recaps aim for ‘common sense legislation’ during 2026 legislative session

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Kentucky Tenth District State Senator Matt Deneen says one of his goals heading into the 2026 state legislative session was “common sense legislation” that would align the state with federal regulations to make the state eligible for more federal grants and support, including legislation concerning missing persons and death benefits for search and rescue personnel. Deneen also says he focused on education, including a bill concerning the use of 10-seat passenger vans.

“It was really to assist our schools as they transport students to extracurricular activities,” Deneen says. “There’s no need to use a 60-passenger bus using diesel fuel when you can use a 10-passenger van and use unleaded fuel. It saves the district thousands of dollars in transportation.”

Deneen says he is also looking at legislation that did not clear the current session that he hopes to reintroduce in the future, including a bill to give judges better authority in cases where the suspect has absconded on their probation.

“When they come back before the judge, sometimes their probationary time has ended, and the bill that I introduced gives our judges a 60-day window to examine those violations of probation and to hold those folks accountable, and I think that’s another good bill that we can continue to work on,” Deneen says.

Deneen also highlighted the $39 million in funding for road and infrastructure improvements in Hardin County secured in House Bill 900, including $6.5 million for the construction of the Hardin County Emergency Services Center in Glendale.

“We also looked at $2 million for our Hardin County water districts so that they can continue to upgrade their pump stations and also expand their water availability to citizens and to new developments, so those are critical pieces of it, and we also put in $1.1 million for the Lincoln Trail Area Development District in support of child care initiatives as we see our workforce grow,” Deneen says.

Deneen and other state lawmakers will return to Frankfort in June for the start of the 2026 interim calendar.

Radcliff Woman’s Club hosting ‘Pasta, Performance, and Pastries’ event

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The Radcliff Woman’s Club invites community members to come out for their “Pasta, Performance, and Pastries” event, to be held at the Colvin Community Center from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 5.

“We’re going to have pasta dishes made by our ladies at the club, with everything from mac and cheese to ziti to spaghetti, and we’ll have salads,” said Radcliff Woman’s Club President Kristin Ramirez. “The performance is going to be by the Allegra Dance group and they’re going to be performing the musical The Lion King, and then for pastries our local candidates for mayor and the Radcliff City Council are going to be there serving desserts.”

All proceeds from the event will go towards the year-round community efforts of the club.

“Radcliff and North Park Elementary schools, we fill their food pantries and their clothing pantries,” Ramirez said. “Last year, we were able to donate to the Boys and Girls Club. We do a lot of stuff for SilverLeaf, and of course Mrs. Claus and Shop with a Cop. Last year we took care of victims of the flooding and the tornadoes, so we’re really busy in the community, and the money’s going to go into our pot of helping everywhere we can.”

All are welcome to attend. Tickets are $15 and children 5 and under are free. 

“We’re really excited about it,” Ramirez said. “We hope Radcliff comes out and supports us because it all goes to supporting our community.”

Tickets are available at the door, by contacting a club member, or via the QR code on the Radcliff Woman’s Club Facebook page.