As another school year begins winding down, plans are already in place to help make sure children across Carter County continue receiving healthy meals throughout the summer months.
The Carter County School District has announced details for its 2026 Summer Meals Program, providing free breakfasts and lunches each week for children ages 13 months through 18 years old. The program is part of the USDA Summer Nutrition initiative and is designed to help families keep kids fed, healthy, and ready for a safe and active summer break.
This year’s program will operate as a convenient drive-thru pickup service on Thursdays only from 9:00 AM until 11:00 AM, running June 8th through July 30th. Families will receive seven days’ worth of breakfasts and lunches during each weekly pickup.
Pickup locations will once again be available at Prichard Elementary School and West Carter High School, helping serve families across both ends of the county.
School officials say registration is required for the drive-thru meal pickup program, and families are encouraged to register as early as possible before summer begins.
The annual effort has become an important community resource for many local families and is made possible through the continued work of the district’s food service staff and volunteers who dedicate part of their summer to helping children stay nourished while school is out of session.
For additional information about registration or eligibility, residents can contact Summer Food Services Coordinator Becca Jackson at 606-474-6696 extension 20215.
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The written word will take center stage during this year’s Grayson Memory Days as local poets, performers, and storytellers prepare to bring plenty of energy and creativity to an upcoming Poetry Slam in downtown Grayson.
Holler Down the Holler and the Carter County Poetry Society are teaming up to host the special event Thursday, May 21st at 7:00 PM at the Grayson Branch of the Carter County Public Library on Main Street.
Organizers say the evening will feature local voices sharing original poetry and spoken word performances in a lively, audience-driven atmosphere where emotion, storytelling, humor, and hometown creativity all collide on stage. Participants are encouraged to come ready with their best poetry and their best performance voice as they compete for cash prizes awarded to the top three poets of the night.
Community members are invited not only to participate, but also to attend, support the performers, and help judge the competition as the audience helps decide who walks away with bragging rights and prize money.
The Poetry Slam is one of many unique events taking place during this year’s Memory Days celebration and organizers say it offers another opportunity to showcase the talent, creativity, and artistic spirit found throughout Carter County and the surrounding region.
The event is free to attend and open to the public.
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The Carter County Clean-Up campaign continues this week, with crews operating on the East end of the county. Dumpsters will be available for public use at the county maintenance garage located along US 60, and clean-up personnel will be on hand to help unload items each day from 8:00 AM to 2:30 PM, today through Friday.
As a reminder, the list of items not accepted has been updated. Crews will not collect refrigerators, deep freezers, televisions, household garbage, paint, tires, or batteries. And all materials brought to the site must be bagged or boxed — no loose items will be accepted. The County Clean-Up runs on a rotating schedule, alternating between the East and West ends of Carter County every two weeks. After this week’s collection, dumpsters are scheduled to return to the Grayson maintenance garage from May 13th through the 15th.
This valuable community service is made possible by the Carter County Solid Waste Department, who continue to support these efforts to keep our neighborhoods clean, safe, and beautiful. Again, dumpsters are open today through Friday, 8:00 AM to 2:30 PM, at the East end site in Olive Hill.