This Week on Hardin Local: $11.3M Unclaimed & White Mills Days

What We Covered This Week

Rachel Brantingham picked a good week to come back from vacation. Within four minutes of her welcome-back intro, the Kentucky State Treasurer was live on the show explaining that $11.3 million belonging to Hardin County residents is sitting unclaimed in Frankfort — and that his office is driving here Friday to start giving it back.

That set the tone for an episode that kept handing the audience things to actually do: search the unclaimed property list (Phil found $1,500), circle August 14-15 for White Mills Days' 51st year, show up Saturday for a charity beard competition, and — if you're a seller watching your listing sit — call your agent about that 80-days-on-market number.

It was also a week of firsts behind the scenes: the Experienced Eater's first-ever grocery store review, delivered by their first-ever fully remote segment. The homework question of the week is still open in the comments: have you ever found unclaimed money? We're reading every reply.

In This Episode

$11.3 Million Is Waiting in Hardin County — Treasurer Mark H. Metcalf

Treasurer Mark H. Metcalf on Hardin Local The State Treasurer came with a number and a date: $11.3 million unclaimed locally, and a Friday Roadshow (July 24, 10-1) at the Hardin County Government Center where claims start on the spot. His $1.7 million library-password story alone is worth the watch.

51 Years of White Mills Days

Event Spotlight — White Mills Days Laura Nall walked the whole August 14-15 weekend: touch-a-truck, the duck race, the parade, the secret-recipe barbecue chicken, the husband calling contest, and a quilt sewn from 36 years of festival t-shirts.

Beardmerica Headlines the Week

Hardin County This Week — with Jon O'Brien A charity beard competition at the American Legion benefiting Forever Homes for Paws — with fake-beard categories so everyone can enter — tops a calendar that includes touch-a-truck, kickball, and 3-on-3 soccer.

O'Charley's Out, Chipotle In

Nate's Business Buzz Nate reports the county's first Chipotle is in line for the O'Charley's site, a second 7 Brew is coming, Zaxby's is rising next to Cracker Barrel, and Towne Mall's sign wave keeps growing.

80 Days on Market

Hardin County Housing Market — with Rachel Brantingham Days on market jumped to 80 and inventory hit 3.7 months. Rachel explains why correctly priced homes still sell — and what the drift toward balance means for buyers.

The Experienced Eater Goes Grocery

The Experienced Eater — Britten & Michele McDowell A series first: Britten and Michele tour the new Kroger Marketplace on Ring Road — impressed by the aisles, bested by the parking lot, finished at Baskin-Robbins.

Episode Highlights

"We were holding $1.7 million, which we returned earlier this year." — Treasurer Mark H. Metcalf

"It's all just clean, community fun... something to simplify life, not a bunch of video games and things." — Laura Nall, White Mills Civic League

"Homes that are priced correctly and professionally marketed continue to sell." — Rachel, Housing Market Update

"I have a beard because I don't want anybody looking at my chin." — Jon, ahead of Saturday's Beardmerica

"We're going to come check out the big, bad, brand new Kroger." — Britten, The Experienced Eater