Voter turnout already high
Early voting at the Chase Fulcher Archery Center on Thursday, Friday and Saturday resulted in 8,397 votes cast, according to the Henderson County Clerk’s Office.
Thursday’s voter turnout was 3,023, Friday’s voter turnout was 3,007 and Saturday’s turnout was 2,367, said Carrie Smith, who heads elections for the county clerk’s office.
Election officials say the turnout should be one of the highest in recent memory.
On Tuesday, voters can cast their ballot from 6 a.m.- 6 p.m. at:
- Chase Fulcher Archery Center
- Bend Gate Elementary School
- Presbyterian Church
- AB Chandler Elementary School
- Jefferson Elementary School
- Niagara Elementary School
- Spottsville Elementary School
Planning Commission to hear rezoning for property intended for battery storage system Tuesday
The Henderson-Henderson County Joint Planning Commission will hold a public hearing about a South Green Street property that is intended to be used for a battery energy storage system. The meeting will be 6 p.m. Tuesday in the third-floor assembly room of the Municipal Building.
The property is currently zoned general business. For a BESS system to locate there, it will need to be re-zoned to heavy industrial.
Henderson Municipal Power & Light has signed a contract with Next Era Energy to build the BESS there, pending getting through the zoning and permitting processes.
The 6.878-acre site is located at 2230 S. Green St.
United Way begins campaign with a $3,000 donation from Henderson County Schools
Henderson County Schools officials and students—as well as the Colonel mascot—were on hand Friday morning to launch the United Way of Henderson County’s “Live United. Live Local.” campaign.
HCS made the first donation of the campaign, a $3,000 gift that came from payroll deductions and donations from three schools—Bend Gate Elementary, North Middle and Thelma B. Johnson Early Learning Center, said Kelsi Dunham, interim executive director of the local United Way.
Dunham said UW has set a $450,000 goal for the campaign. She said a bit more than that was allocated to local nonprofit organizations last year.
Nonprofits interested in receiving funding can create a letter of intent in January, and applications can be submitted March and April, Dunham said.
AKZ announces Campbell as executive director
Audubon Kids Zone announced last week that Kacee Campbell has been named executive director.
Campbell said the board made the decision at its August meeting, but the announcement didn’t come till later.
She said since the move—and even before—AKZ has been busy advancing the organization’s mission. She said AKZ has hired an interventionist who helps students with math and reading skills and a program manager who runs afterschool enrichment. In the past, both jobs were handled by one person, Campbell said.
The organization also continues to beautify its building and the surrounding neighborhood and has staff working with the city of Henderson’s Inner City Improvement Plan, Campbell said.
Additionally, the organization is aiming to increase donations, she said.
“We’re definitely trying to grow our support system,” Campbell said.
Horses for Heroes is Nov. 9
A group of local agencies and nonprofits have teamed to host “Horses for Heroes” from 12 noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at Rolling Hills Equestrian Center.
The event is a day of appreciation for first responders, law enforcement, veterans and their families.
The event will provide support through a fun, stress-free, family-friendly event that offers a resource fair, food, horses, and children’s activities, said a release from organizers. The event will incorporate equine/human interactions to promote emotional and healing support in a farm environment, said the release.
Freedom Senior Services, Stephen Boyens, Farm Bureau, Curt Hamilton Injury Law and Preston Family Foundation are sponsoring the event in collaboration with Rolling Hills Equestrian Center, Healing Reins of Kentucky and Henderson County Public Library. Onsite activities will include children’s games, miniature horses, a walking tour of the farm, hayrides, horse grooming, a police cruiser, a fire truck, and more.
Organizers are accepting donations of gift cards, monetary donations and letters of appreciation for those who will attend. The group invites local businesses to donate $5 coffee cards, meal cards or other gift cards. They also invite schools, civic groups and the public to send notes or cards of appreciation to handout at the event. Thank a firefighter, police officer, EMT or veteran cards can be sent to PO Box 2027, Henderson, KY 42419 up until November 8.
For more information, call (270) 854–3150 or email horsesheal1@gmail.com.
Henderson County Schools announce Veterans Day programs
Henderson County Schools has announced its Veterans Day celebration lineup.
The school system has a tradition of honoring our veterans yearly with programs and activities, including one of the largest programs in the tri-state at South Middle School, said HCS.
Events will be at:
- A.B. Chandler Elementary School, 1 p.m. Nov. 12
- Bend Gate Elementary School, 8 a.m. Nov. 11
- Cairo Elementary School, 6 p.m. Nov. 7 (4th and 5th grade program) and 9 a.m. Nov. 8 (schoolwide program)
- East Heights Elementary School, 1 p.m. on Nov. 11
- Jefferson Elementary School, 1 p.m. Nov. 11
- Niagara Elementary School, 1:15 p.m. Nov. 7
- South Heights Elementary School, 1 p.m. Nov. 11
- Spottsville Elementary School, 1 p.m. Nov. 11
- North Middle School, Luncheon 12 noon-1:30 p.m. and Program 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 8
- South Middle School, 9 a.m. Nov. 11
- Henderson County High School, Nov. 13, Colonel Cast video programFor more information, contact Megan Mortis, Director of Public Information, at 270-831-5000 or megan.mortis@henderson.kyschools.us
Roundabouts to open to two lanes of traffic later this month
The new roundabouts at KY 351/2nd Street are expected to open in their final configuration in mid-November, said a release from I-69 Ohio River Crossing.
Two roundabouts opened in July and the third opened in September. All currently are in temporary configuration with a single lane of traffic using the outside lane.
“Moving to final configuration means that capacity will increase, and we should see traffic flowing even better along the corridor,” said Emily Deason, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet project manager.
Additionally, the KY 2084 northbound on-ramp to US 41 and the US 41 southbound off-ramp to KY 2084 are expected to close in mid-November, and these will be permanent closures.
The KY 2084 and KY 351 interchanges are in too close of proximity to meet interstate standards, said the release.
Crews will continue to work in the area through mid-2025 to complete final touches including permanent striping, landscaping, erecting flag poles, lighting and installing gateway signage for the city of Henderson, said the release.
Across the river, the lane restriction on I-69 associated with work on Section 3 of the I-69 Ohio River Crossing will end early, said a release. Both lanes of northbound I-69, from Mile Marker 1, east of the US 41 interchange to Mile Marker 2.5, west of the Green River Road interchange, are expected to be open to traffic by Monday, Nov. 4. The restriction was expected to be needed until late November.
KY 136 in Henderson County to be blocked for a bridge replacement project
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans to block KY 136 between the 9- and 10-mile markers in Henderson for about a week and a half, beginning on Monday so that a bridge can be replaced, said a cabinet release.
KYTC recently completed installation of two new aluminum box culvert bridges at crossings of Pond Creek located only about 0.1 miles apart on KY 136. While engineers originally intended to replace the third bridge at the same time, a delayed delivery date for this structure pushed installation back.
KY 136 will be closed to through-traffic from Burbank Road at the 11.1-mile point and Klondike Road (Gray-Aldridge Road) at the 8.9 mile point from Monday through Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 3:30 p.m.
Motorists can detour around the blockage using KY 268.
