July 3, 2025

Kentucky faces 287,000-unit housing shortfall by 2029

The Kentucky General Assembly’s Housing Task Force held its first meeting of the 2025 interim session this week, launching a renewed effort to address the state’s worsening housing shortage.

New data presented by the Kentucky Housing Corporation show a projected gap of more than 287,000 housing units by 2029, a 39% increase since 2024.

County unemployment data for May 2025

Unemployment rates fell in 97 counties, rose in 13 counties and stayed the same in 10 counties between May 2024 and May 2025, according to the Kentucky Center for Statistics (KYSTATS), an agency within the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet.         

Woodford County recorded the lowest jobless rate in the commonwealth at 3.4%. It was followed by Fayette, Oldham, Scott and Shelby counties, 3.6% each; Harrison, Jessamine, Todd and Washington counties, 3.7% each; and Boone, Cumberland and Spencer counties, 3.8% each.

KACo webinar recap: Keeping your community informed in a disaster

Effective communication can save lives—and during a crisis, every second counts.

That was the core message of a recent KACo training session on emergency communication, led by David Davis, Public Information Officer for the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) at the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management.

Check out the latest headlines from across Kentucky

• Casey County waits on ATV ordinance
• Kentucky leads America’s Best Counties rankings with 4 counties in the Top 20
• Kentucky AG finds no credible law violations from 2024 general election inquiries
• Shelby County Treasurer Sheila McGee recognized for fourth consecutive clean audit
• Graves County to house inmates at Christian County Jail
• Madison County discusses new 911 service fee amid zoning classification errors
• LaRue County votes on heavy industrial rezoning
• New health center finally moving forward in Marion County
• Kenton County debates where it’s OK to store campers, boats, RVs
• Washington County PSAP seeks to fund additional 911 dispatchers

Training Opportunities

Senate Bill 63: What counties need to know about street-legal special purpose vehicles

Senate Bill 63, passed during the 2025 Regular Session, gives counties and cities the authority to adopt an ordinance and allow street-legal special purpose vehicles on highways within their jurisdictional boundaries. The new law takes effect June 27. KACo’s webinar will cover the key provisions of SB 63, including the legislative intent, requirements for street-legal special purpose vehicles, registration process, local government authority, safety and inspection standards, and how the law interacts with farm exemptions. 

Date: July 9, 2025

Time: 2-3 p.m. ET

Location: Virtual

Cost: Free

Navigating the Local Assistance Road Program: Application updates & demonstration for county officials

Join KACo and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for an informative webinar tailored for county officials to learn about the newly established Local Assistance Road Program (LARP), which replaces the County Priority Projects Program (CPPP). This webinar will feature a detailed explanation of LARP, including a live demonstration of the revised application process.

Date: July 17, 2025

Time: 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. ET

Location: Virtual

Cost: Free

Get prepared for the new opioid reporting system for local governments

KACo is offering a virtual training opportunity on the new local government opioid settlement reporting portal that will launch on July 1, 2025. Representatives from the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission will cover portal navigation, reporting requirements and best practices.

Date: July 22, 2025

Time: 2 - 3:30 p.m. ET

Location: Virtual

Cost: Free

2025 Wrap VR System – Train the Trainer (makeup class)

A new virtual reality training system called the WRAP system is now available for sheriffs and jailers. Any department requesting to utilize the WRAP system must send at least one trainer to a mandatory training class at KACo. This one-day training will include WRAP operation overview, safety, legal review, knowledge base and tactics, scenario review, scenario coaching and testing and documentation. 

Date: July 23, 2025

Time: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. ET

Location: KACo HQ, 400 Englewood Drive, Frankfort

Cost: Free

Advancing local solutions: Best practices for opioid settlement implementation

This one-day, in-person training is designed to support county leaders and stakeholders in maximizing the impact of opioid settlement funds through proven local strategies. The training includes an immersive visit and lunch at Recovery Café Frankfort to see community-based recovery in action. 

Date: July 29, 2025

Time: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. ET

Location: KACo HQ, 400 Englewood Drive, Frankfort

Cost: $25 member/$35 non-member

Ethics, open records and open meetings for county officials

Join KACo staff attorney Rich Ornstein for a practical and informative half-day training focused on the ethical and legal responsibilities of county officials. This session will cover the core principles of local government ethics codes, compliance with Kentucky’s Open Records and Open Meetings Acts, and best practices for maintaining transparency and accountability in local government.

Date: Aug. 5, 2025

Time: 8:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. ET

Location: KACo HQ, 400 Englewood Drive, Frankfort

Cost: $30 member/$45 non-member

Date: Sept. 23, 2025

Time: 8:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. CT

Location: Green River Area Development District, Owensboro

Cost: $30 member/$45 non-member

This week in pictures

Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman stopped by the Laurel County Emergency Operations Center Wednesday for a briefing on tornado recovery efforts. She's pictured with Assistant EM Director Daryl Thompson, Assistant EM Director Brook Sea, Deputy Judge/Executive Mike Calebs, Judge/Executive David Westerfield and EM Director Jerry Rains.

The McCracken County Sheriff’s Office is one of more than 1,400 sheriff offices that swore in DJ Daniel as an honorary deputy at the National Sheriff's Conference recently. DJ,13, is battling cancer, and his dream is to be a police officer. He is now an honorary deputy or officer for more than 2,800 agencies across the U.S.

KACo's Michael Ray presents a safety grant to Cumberland County Judge/Executive Luke King.

KACo's Michael Ray recently presented a safety grant to McLean County Judge/Executive Curtis Dame.

Lincoln County Judge/Executive Woods Adams swore in Gloria Sneed as the District 4 representative for the Lincoln County Board of Education.

Hardin County Clerk Brian D. Smith shows a newlywed couple who just said “I do” how their marriage documents will be filed and stored at the clerk’s office and how older records are kept safely.

Sheriff Nicky Knight made sure one Calloway County camper arrived safely at the Kentucky Sheriffs' Boys and Girls Ranch.

The Madison County Sheriff’s Office welcomed Steven Karkoski as its newest court security officer. He was officially sworn in by Madison County Judge/Executive Reagan Taylor and is pictured here with Sheriff Mike Coyle and Chief Deputy Anthony Terry.

Jessamine County Judge/Executive David West spoke at a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Nicholasville-Jessamine County Parks and Recreation pickleball courts.