Local government and more
- The Henderson Fiscal Court on Tuesday approved a memorandum of understanding with the city of Henderson and Henderson County Schools for continued support of the Fire Science Pathway at Henderson County High School. The pathway prepares interested students in becoming firefighters. By program’s completion, students could earn all training necessary to start as a firefighter except for firefighter rescue and training with live burns. According to the MOU, the county will pay 33% of the costs for next school year’s program.
- County Engineer Nick Stallings at the fiscal court meeting said that the county is returning the remainder of a damage deposit that Unbridled Solar paid in 2024. He said the solar company paid $163,500 damage deposit in 2024 on roads that may be affected from the truck traffic during construction of its solar farm in the Robards area. The county used $6,801.25 for work on a culvert and a ditch on Spencer Thornberry Road. The county returned $156,698.75 to Unbridled. Stallings said he made sure that Unbridled fixed roads the company impacted during its construction. Those roads include Old Knoblich Road, Pedler McDonald Road, Handley Road, W.N. Royster Road, Coal Mine Road and Spencer Thornberry Road.
- The organizers of the SummerFest, the Sons of Henderson, last week presented $12,000 to local organization, Experiencing Autism Together. After organizers of SummerFest pay all the money to pay costs associated with the festival, the remaining money each year goes to a local nonprofit.
- The Henderson City Commission at its Tuesday meeting approved a municipal order for Newburgh firm Morley & Associates professional surveying, planning and easement services, according to a document in the city commission meeting packet. The work will occur at city-owned land behind Hoffman Plaza. According to Assistant City Manager Buzzy Newman, the city owns several lots there and part of the work will be to clean up the different utility and drainage easements associated with the parcels so that they can all be consolidated into one parcel. Newman said that consolidating into one parcel is being done to get the land ready for the possibility of a developer buying the property.
- Preparations for the city’s 250th Independence Day celebration are continuing. At Tuesday’s meeting, Parks Director Thomas Kenney said Water Street will be closed from Audubon Mill Park all the way to the street’s intersection with Fifth Street. Kenney also said that in front of the Annex, the former Henderson Municipal Power & Light office building at the Fifth and Water intersection, the city will put in place a Kids zone section at the Independence Day Celebration. The city is partnering with the Chamber of Commerce to host the celebration. City Manager Dylan Ward said the city is aiming for a bigger fireworks show. He said the plans are for the fireworks to be set off from a barge in the Ohio River. The city is waiting on approval from the Army Corps of Engineers. Ward said he expects the approval will come.
- Henderson Mayor Brad Staton asked that Ward and City Attorney Dawn Kelsey meet with the Henderson Police Department to come up with some common sense rules regarding bicycles, electric scooters and golf carts on city streets. This comes after a recent photo was posted on Facebook of a boy on a bicycle waiting at a red light on Green Street.
- Henderson Municipal Power & Light’s project to replace power poles continues in phase 2 this week and will focus on work on Sand Lane. According to a release from HMP&L, work on Sand Lane will occur on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday as workers replace poles and power lines. Motorists may encounter work zone traffic measures with the one lane of traffic in place in portions of the roadway, said the release. HMP&L advises motorists to obey traffic control flagmen and be cautious when driving through this work zone.
