#WolfCountry

Unemployment rates across the Lincoln Trail District saw another slight uptick in January compared to the year prior.

The Kentucky Center for Statistics says unemployment rates rose in 115 counties from January 2023 to January 2024, with the state unemployment average for January 2024 reported at 4.8 percent.

Six counties in the Lincoln Trail District saw unemployment rates in January that were higher than both December 2023 and January 2023. Nelson County’s unemployment rate for January 2024 came in at 4.1 percent, which is even with January 2023. Meade County was one of only three counties in the commonwealth where unemployment fell, going from 5.1 percent last January to 4.9 percent this January.

The unemployment rate for Hardin County in January 2024 was reported at 4.7 percent. That’s an increase from the 4.3 percent rate reported in January 2023 as well as the 3.9 percent rate from December 2023.

Washington County posted the lowest unemployment rate in the district at 3.6 percent, while Grayson County posted the highest rate in the district at 5.7 percent.

Visit the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet online for more information.

The Hardin County Extension Homemakers invite you to their Spring Bazaar, which will be held this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hardin County Extension Office, located at 111 Opportunity Way in Elizabethtown.

More than 40 vendors will be on hand with crafts, gifts, and unique homemade items for sale. Stop in for lunch with soups, sandwiches, and baked goods available. Admission is free, and all proceeds benefit local students.

For more information, contact the extension office at 270-765-4121.

Several high-profile guests were on hand for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Advanced Nano Products Enertech facility in Elizabethtown Wednesday.

“We’re here to see Advanced Nano Products’s nearly $50 million investment for a facility that will produce parts for EV batteries,” said United States Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen. “It’s part of a boom in EV-related investments in Kentucky, and those are part of the massive investments in manufacturing and clean energy being made across the country.”

The secretary credited state incentives along with incentives created by the Inflation Reduction Act with helping to bring the facility to Elizabethtown.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear was also on hand for the ceremony. Beshear called Wednesday a banner day, and credited the hard work of local officials.

“When we made the announcements, we were excited,” Beshear said. “We knew it changed everything, but the reality is coming. And Mayor (Jeff Gregory), this right here, this city, this county, is becoming the center of our EV universe. Thank you for all of your work, and everybody, no matter what you did, you played a role.”

Korean Ambassador to the United States Hyundong Cho said the work of local officials to create partnerships with Korean companies makes developments like ANP no surprise.

“It’s not a coincidence that ANP chose to build their plant in Hardin County,” Cho said. “Governor Beshear and your local officials have sought out foreign investment and taken the necessary measures to bring factories and good jobs right here.”

The ANP facility is due to open in May.

More than 200 parents and caregivers of Breckinridge County Schools students submitted responses to a survey sent out by the district in February, and Superintendent Dr. Nick Carter says that feedback is a gift.

“The goal of the survey was to receive feedback and input about how our parents and caregivers in our school district feel about the educational experiences of their children,” Carter said.

Respondents were asked to score statements on the district on a one to five scale. Carter said the statements that scored best reflect efforts made across the district.

“We strive for our schools to be a place of respect and stability and positivity, and so to hear that positive feedback, there’s been so much emphasis on that,” Carter said. “Also, ‘I feel comfortable approaching school administration’ was another high area, and that’s terrific. I know that our school principals work really hard to build relationships, and that’s wonderful.”

The lowest scoring statements involved parents and caregivers receiving feedback on how their children are doing in school, but Carter said he was pleased that even the lowest scoring categories still scored in positive ranges. He said the feedback is already guiding district plans.

“Our district and school leaders have reviewed the data and had conversations about next steps,” Carter said. “They are also working to share this information with all of our teachers and staff, and then what we do is we use the feedback to continue to improve, to highlight the great things that are taking place in our district, and then look at the areas that maybe scored lower and think about what can we do to help with that.”

Carter said more opportunities for feedback from district families will be coming, and encouraged anybody with questions to reach out.

The Hardin County Fiscal Court met for their first meeting of the month Tuesday.

The court approved, as part of its consent agenda, an updated inter-local agreement with the City of Elizabethtown allowing for use of the city’s enforcement officer for recovery residences in the county. That agreement will run for one year beginning July 1, with the city paying for the enforcement officer and the county paying for needed involvement of the county attorney.

Also approved was the adoption of goals and objectives for the county comprehensive plan. Judge-Executive Ketih Taul thanked the members of the county’s Planning and Development Department for their hard work getting the plan ready for adoption.

Planning and Development Director Adam King said 16 plots have been recorded and 20 new lots created to this point this year, which is already up from this point in 2023. King encouraged anybody planning on doing building to contact his office to avoid delays.

“What I’m not thrilled about here is we’ve already done 18 stop work orders for the year,” King said. “So just educational: you need a building permit even if you’re out in the county.”

Deputy Judge-Executive Vicki Meredith gave a presentation on behalf of the county’s Engineering Department concerning the county’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Permit application process.

“The MS4 permit has six minimum control measures, so these are actual activities that are included in this permit,” Meredith said. “When I came on board in 2006, I said ‘this is the most comprehensive permit I’ve ever seen,’ but actually it works very well because it addresses all different elements of activities that need to be worked on to make sure that erosion and sediment control and controlling the storm water is done effectively.”

Meredith’s presentation also gave information for homeowners with septic systems to look for to help keep those systems running compliantly.

The Hardin County Fiscal Court will next meet March 26.