Henderson has failed
Dear Editor:
After reading the August issue I realized we as a community here in Henderson have failed. If we look at the last few years:
• Henderson County residents have made superficial complaints about the added solar farm. The county government is actually fighting to prevent an approved solar project (Henderson County Solar) because of the moratorium created after the project approval. In the reporting, I have yet to see the county government or planning commission state any possible reasons to any possible new regulations which the project might not meet. Let it begin.
• A group formed to prevent wind energy production in the county. A first complaint of actual merit are any property within 1 ½ miles would see a drop in property value. So, the question remains, how many of the proposed turbines would fit into that situation if constructed? We never were offered that data. A second was noise/vibration complaints. The one person from Missouri who appeared for one meeting was trying to sell her farm and stated it sold at a loss of $300,000. How much land? What was the asking price? How far from the turbine was her property line? How large was her land? We see many asking prices for homes and land which are currently more inflated due to the up and down recently in the housing market. None of this was offered in reporting.
• I have heard no one who has issue with the appearance of a turbine call for a change to the regulations for oil pumps sitting on local land nor any locals complain of any particles coming from coal production/transportation. Why? We hear people talk about the rust on the train bridge going through Henderson more than the eyesores on land.
• A possible battery energy storage system was withdrawn by Henderson Municipal Power & Light. An energy storage facility (extra-large battery) would be a great upgrade to our local energy systems to allow excess energy produced to be stored in low-need times and available during peak times when the cost of energy is much higher. As more individuals place solar on their homes and sell the excess back to the local utility companies, some energy needs to be stored or is wasted. The newer systems have addressed all issues of fire and damage mentioned. Local regulations need to be written as soon as possible and let our local utilities work on getting one built. It took years before the city saw fiber internet brought to our community even as numerous locals complained about the poor service of the local cable internet providers. Now we have many options in town for internet service.
• Even if Henderson County puts a very strict set of regulations on data centers, we will still see more demand on the state/regional energy production with other data centers and other electric needs. More and more electrical demand is predicted to be needed over the next 10-25 years even with a decline in local population. Solar panels, despite our current administration’s efforts, have continued to decline in price while improving in efficiency. Twenty years ago, they had 11% efficiency and today they are almost 25% for commercial panels. In the lab, it can reach over 45% efficiency.
I just do not understand why Henderson strives to be last in technology, efficiency and production. We are all seeing more people locally using more electronic devices including mobile phones, computers, tablets, chargeable lawn equipment and electric kitchen items. Energy use is not going down, and the grid needs a balance of energy production to meet the needs.
Doug Briggs
Henderson
Jailer supports Hampton
Dear Editor:
I am proud to express my support for Ashley Hampton for District Judge.
I have known Ashley to be someone who does what she believes is right, even when doing so is difficult or when others may disagree with her. She does not make decisions based on what is popular or convenient. She looks at the facts, considers the law, and stands firm when she believes justice requires it.
I have personally witnessed that courage. While Ashley was serving in the County Attorney’s office, she advised me that the facts of a serious case supported an attempted murder charge. Others were hesitant about pursuing that charge, but Ashley stood her ground because she believed it was the right and legally appropriate decision. The individual was ultimately charged with and convicted of attempted murder. That experience showed me that Ashley has the judgment, strength and integrity necessary to make difficult decisions without backing down under pressure.
Ashley’s professional experience also makes her uniquely qualified to serve as District Judge. She spent seven years working in criminal defense and ten years in prosecution. Because she has worked on both sides of the courtroom, she understands the importance of protecting individual rights while also holding people accountable and keeping our community safe.
Ashley believes the right outcome is more important than simply giving people what they want. She understands that fairness does not mean avoiding accountability. It means treating every person with dignity, applying the law consistently, and making decisions based on the facts of each individual case.
She is also the only candidate who actively works in Henderson District Court week after week and has hands-on experience with the full range of matters handled by the Division One District Judge. She understands the courtroom, the people it serves and the real challenges that come before the court every day.
For years, Ashley has worked alongside law enforcement, attorneys, treatment providers, victim advocates and other community partners. Those established professional relationships will help her bring people together, solve problems and connect individuals with the services and accountability they need.
A judge must have knowledge of the law, but knowledge alone is not enough. A judge must also possess courage, fairness, sound judgment, compassion and the willingness to do what is right even when it is difficult. I believe Ashley Hampton has those qualities.
For these reasons, I am proud to support Ashley Hampton for District Judge, and I respectfully ask the citizens of Henderson County to consider supporting her as well.
Anthony Willett
Henderson County Jailer
Jenkins-Mackey pitches occupational tax, property tax plans and more
Dear Editor:
Good leadership means knowing what’s stretched thin, and having a plan to fix it.
If you’ve crossed the Twin Bridges or been on social media recently, you know the headache. A commute that normally takes a few minutes has stretched to hours for many drivers. An annual inspection turned up a structural issue. Roughly 40,000 vehicles cross these bridges every day between Henderson and Evansville, and when delays stretch that long, families lose time they don’t get back, and businesses on both sides of the river lose customers who’d rather stay home than sit in traffic to reach them. As judge-executive, I’ll look at all options to reduce delays during closures like this, and make sure our first responders can get through no matter what’s happening on that bridge.
This isn’t the first time these bridges have needed emergency attention, and it won’t be the last. The current plan on file would tear down the southbound bridge once the new I-69 bridge opens in 2031, leaving us with a single crossing for the traffic both bridges carry today. I’ll fight to keep both bridges standing. Kentucky just laid out a $9.5 billion, six-year plan to rebuild its roads and bridges, most of it federally funded, and as judge-executive, I’ll make sure our county has a seat at the table in how that money gets prioritized.
A bridge isn’t the only thing under strain right now. For a lot of Henderson families and small business owners, that strain shows up every payday, the cost of everything going up while their taxes don’t go down. Henderson County’s occupational tax hasn’t kept pace: the net profits exemption for small businesses has sat at $10,000 since 2016, so more of every dollar they earn becomes taxable every year that threshold doesn’t move. I’ll index it to inflation and phase in a lighter rate for new businesses in their first two years.
The county’s property tax rate deserves the same scrutiny. State law lets it grow by up to 4% almost automatically every year. Just because it’s set at that much doesn’t mean I will. Every rate I bring to a vote will be reviewed, so the burden on families stays as low as possible. And that won’t touch the reserve Henderson has built for storms, state mandates, and emergencies no one can predict. That reserve isn’t a piggy bank to spend down for a short-term win; it’s what lets us move fast on site readiness and incentives when investment comes calling. My approach is to let growth carry more of the load, not homeowners.
Taxes are not the only place our county can’t afford to fall behind. Kentucky’s County Road Aid funding just took a 22% cut, even as construction costs have climbed nearly 90% over the past decade. Henderson County received just over $1 million this cycle for projects like resurfacing KY 416 and KY 1078, but statewide, counties needed $139 million more in 2024 just to keep up with what they already had. As judge-executive, I’ll make sure the county captures every Local Assistance Road Program dollar it’s entitled to, so our roads don’t fall behind. Mayor Brad Staton spoke extensively at the State of the City and County Address about the benefits having a dedicated grant writer has had for the city. It’s time we considered hiring a dedicated grant writer and leaned more heavily into the wealth of resources GRADD can provide for the county, not just for roads, but for every department.
Too many campaigns promise budget “transparency” without specifics. Henderson County already has a real tool for it with the H.E.A.R.T. Budget Database to let any resident see the county’s finances for themselves. As judge-executive, I’ll build on that work with plain-language updates after every fiscal court meeting, and a regular, easy-to-read summary of where county dollars are actually going, so residents don’t have to dig through a dashboard or sit through a two-hour meeting to follow their own tax dollars.
These aren’t hypothetical problems. They’re the tests county leadership actually has to face. That’s why I’ve shown up to fiscal court meetings well before I needed to. Showing up is easy. Understanding this county’s budgets, funding streams, and pressure points is what actually earns people’s trust. When I take office, day one isn’t a scramble, it’s in stride.
Contact me with your concerns for our county at lesley@jenkinsmackey4ky.org or PO Box 12, Robards, KY 42452. I want to hear from you.
Les Jenkins-Mackey
Candidate for Henderson County judge-executive
Henderson cannot subsidize big tech deals
Dear Editor:
Data centers are being promoted as Kentucky’s next big opportunity, but we must ask a fundamental question: Who foots the bill?
When billion dollar corporations receive lucrative tax exemptions, who pays for strained water systems, transmission lines, and surging electric demand? It will not be out-of-state tech giants. It will be working families, seniors on fixed incomes and small businesses right here in District 11.
Data centers consume immense electricity, water and agricultural land, yet provide relatively few permanent jobs once construction ends. While Frankfort negotiates behind closed doors and grants massive corporate tax breaks, our public schools and educators continue to fight for basic, competitive resources. My opponent, J.T. Payne, voted for and supported this corporate tax giveaway model. That is exactly why I am running for state representative.
Responsible economic development must follow five basic principles:
Complete transparency: No hiding major public utility, tax or land use decisions behind nondisclosure agreements.
Corporations pay their fair share: Grid upgrades and substations built for massive industrial users must never be passed to ordinary ratepayers.
Strong environmental protections: Mandatory reviews and transparent projections for water and natural resource consumption before operations begin.
Farmland preservation: Growth should not automatically mean sacrificing prime agricultural acreage.
Measurable long term community return: Evaluating projects by permanent jobs, net tax revenue and local value, not just construction headlines.
I support economic development, but not deals that leave everyday ratepayers holding the tab. Henderson deserves growth that works for the people who already live here. Economic growth must pay its own way, and that is the standard I will take to Frankfort.
Janelle Glass
Candidate for state representative, Dist. 11
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