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Unemployment rates up slightly across Lincoln Trail District

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Unemployment rates across the Lincoln Trail District saw slight increases in July 2024. 

The Kentucky Center for Labor Statistics says unemployment rates in July 2024 increased in 119 Kentucky counties and decreased in one.

The state average for unemployment for July was reported at 5.3 percent, up slightly from the 5.0 percent rate reported in June and from the 4.6 percent rate reported in July 2023. Five counties in the Lincoln Trail District had rates higher than the state average and three counties had rates lower than the state average.

Hardin County’s unemployment rate for July 2024 was reported at 5.4 percent. Hardin’s rate also shows a slight increase, going from 5.0 percent in June and 4.4 percent in July 2023.

Meade County had the highest unemployment rate in the district for July at 6.2 percent, while Washington County had the lowest at 4.2 percent.

More information on how the unemployment rate is calculated and more data is available at kystats.ky.gov.

Hardin County Animal Care and Control hosting annual rabies clinic

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The Hardin County Animal Shelter is reminding area pet owners to mark their calendars for their largest annual vaccination clinic.

“Our once a year, great big rabies clinic is coming up Saturday, September 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. out at the Hardin County Fairgrounds’s main pavilion,” said Hardin County Animal Care and Control Director Mike McNutt. 

McNutt says the annual rabies clinic is the safest and easiest way to get these services for your cat or dog.

“It’s right after the new licenses go,” McNutt said. “It gives you the rest of the year before you have to worry about it again, so it is the main rabies clinic for Hardin County.”

Only cash or check payments will be accepted and animals must be at least 12 weeks old.

“You can get a rabies vaccination for a dog or a cat for $13.78,” McNutt said. “The Distemper Parvo vaccine will be $13.78 for dogs (Feline Distemper vaccines are also $13.78). Strongid, which is the dewormer we use, is $5.30. That just kills roundworms. The Bordetella vaccine will be $16.96. Microchipping will be $21.20, and of course a $15 license.”

Contact the animal shelter for more information.

Steven Lawson’s new attorneys ask for more time to review case files

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Crystal Rogers investigation suspect Steven Lawson’s new attorneys made their first appearance in Nelson Circuit Court during a status hearing Thursday.

Darren Wolff and Zach Buckler were appointed to represent Lawson by Nelson County’s Department of Public Advocacy after Lawson fired his previous attorney Ted Lavit.

Nelson Circuit Judge Charles Simms III said he wants the trial to begin on its scheduled date in February 2025, noting that three people are currently waiting in jail for the trial to begin, but Wolff and Buckler said they feel that is unlikely as they need to review the existing discovery in the case, which includes more than 2 terabytes of information.

Wolff and Buckler requested 45 days to review the case files before making any assessment of the scheduled trial date. Judge Simms scheduled a status hearing for October 4.

Health department encourages residents, area leaders to review Community Health Improvement Plan

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Area residents and organizations are invited to review the Lincoln Trail District Health Department’s 2024-2026 Community Health Improvement Plan.

Health Department Public Relations Officer Melissa Phillips says the improvement plan, or CHIP, is the product of the Community Health Assessment that concluded in 2023.

“We have done focus groups, we’ve had community sessions, so this is all the way from national level data, state level data to actually talking to our citizens, boots on the ground folks, and what came to the top we dumped into two different buckets, two different areas of focus, and we called those ‘Connected Communities’ and ‘Behavioral Health and Wellness,’” Phillips said.

“Connected Communities” looks at topics such as safer environments, expanding reach of the health department’s mobile unit, pedestrian safety, and addressing adverse childhood experiences. “Behavioral Health and Wellness” looks at topics such as substance use prevention along with Tobacco Free Community and Recovery Ready Community designations.

Phillips says the health department will need community support to achieve the goals laid out in the CHIP.

“We need partner agencies to buy into this,” Phillips said. “We need our citizens to buy into this, so this tool will just help our community see what the plans are and how they can help.”

Phillips says she encourages organization and business leaders as well as area residents to explore the CHIP.

“There are links to all the data that we use, and it’s broken down by county, and there’s also a resource map in there,” Philips said. “So if you’re wondering ‘where’s the prescription drop box in my community? How do I find a lactation consultant? How do I find out about affordable housing?’ get in there and explore that resource map.”

The CHIP can be found at www.ltdhd.org, and feedback can be submitted by emailing community@ltdhd.org.

Grant application deadline for Hardin and LaRue County teachers this Saturday

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The deadline is approaching for Hardin and LaRue County teachers to apply for Nolin RECC’s Be a Light Teacher Grants.

“Teachers really bear a lot of expense out of their personal funds to outfit their classroom, to provide things for their students, and this is a way for us to give back to those individuals,” said Nolin RECC Operation Round-Up Board Chair Price Smith. 

30 $200 grants will be awarded. The grants are made possible by the Operation Round-Up program that is supported by co-op members.

“Operation Round-Up is a voluntary program where Nolin members can round up their electric bills to the next highest dollar,” Smith said. “Those funds are aggregated together and given out in the form of impact grants in the year.”

Nolin RECC says more than $400,000 has been awarded in Operation Round-Up grants since 2006. The application deadline for the Be a Light Teacher Grants is August 31. Find the application at www.nolinrecc.com.