Among some of the region’s top stories running through the final three months of 2024, none were larger in south western Kentucky than the developing storyline around Jennie Stuart Health, and its possible acquisition by Evansville’s Deaconess Health System.
In October, concerned citizens, noted dignitaries and current employees of the hospital filled the Doctors Pavilion Cotthoff Learning Center for a town hall meeting — many gripped with interest and intent behind the inner-workings of the developing relationship between the hundred-year-old hospital and medical conglomerate.
“Save Jennie Stuart,” a growing non-profit organization, also drew large crowds at Hopkinsville Rotary and Hopkinsville Kiwanis meetings, as Chairwoman Theresa Nichol and fellow board member Darrell Gustafson publicly asked for all leaders to bring pause on a potentially binding deal, while exploring “every avenue” before venturing on this path.
In this quagmire, Jennie Stuart Health’s Board of Trustees released a statement to the public, noting the board was “eager to engage with members of the community around the opportunities for JSH together with Deaconess,” calling the partnership an “important next step” that would allow the acceleration of its mission to serve the public.
Just before the New Year rang in, the Jennie Stuart Health Board and “Save Jennie Stuart” reached an agreement through Christian County Circuit Court Judge Andrew Self following a three-hour, closed-door meeting — brokering a deal that delays any signed agreement between Deaconess Health and the hospital not take place until March 31, 2025.
Elsewhere in October,
Great weather opened the door for a strong 48th annual Trigg County Country Ham Festival, as officials collaborated following the dismissal of On Main Director Briana Hyde. New Trigg County Tourism Director Beth Sumner, alongside the Ham Festival Committee, celebrated another weekend that brought at least 20,000 unique visitors to downtown Cadiz. The festival closed with a concert from the Charlie Daniels Legacy Band.
Leadership from Hopkinsville Community College celebrated the school’s 60th birthday at the Emerging Technologies Center, which also brought the announcement of a new “60 For 60” capital campaign and fundraiser for scholarships and other financial aid opportunities.
The year-long birthday theme, according to HCC’s sixth President & CEO Dr. Alissa Young: “60 Years: A Mosaic Of Growth, Learning And Community.”
Long-tenured former adjunct and Christian County historian William Turner offered context:
In November,
The late Louis Porter McHenry, of Hopkinsville, was named to the Class of 2024 Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame — his daughter, Linda Faye, and grandson, named for his grandfather, accepting the award during a ceremony at The Bruce Convention Center.
Alongside Hal and Bettye Thurmond, McHenry was co-founder of what would eventually become the Hopkinsville-Christian County Human Rights Commission. In 1967, a week after being appointed to the state’s Advisory Committee of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, he died at age 52 from startling health complications following a surgery — and was laid to rest in the Green Hill Memorial Gardens.
Linda said the honor for her father had “long been overdue.”
Trigg County’s Cadiz I-24 Business Park Spec Building returned to the open market, following the dissolution of “Project Snooze.” Judge-Executive Humphries said the unnamed company “quickly picked up” on the building and its location back in August, and entered into that letter of intent before national marketing factors changed.
Trigg County Circuit Judge Jamus Redd brought a decisive end to a three-year wait for a verdict, when he ordered southern Illinois man Harold Jett to serve 35 years in prison without parole for the 2021 Cadiz murder of his aunt, Mary Dullenty. Jett’s niece, 30-year-old Christiana Jett, besought Redd to consider her uncle’s mental issues and state of mind during the time of the murder, while Dullenty’s granddaughter, Savana Cotton, issued an emotional victim impact statement.
Veterans Day took on new meaning in Trigg County, when officials and local citizens gathered in West Cadiz Park — and heard from Judge-Executive Humphries about the newly-formed Trigg County Veterans Memorial Committee. Behind him, as he spoke — a revealing graphic, and the first look of construction coming near Vinson Cemetery, along U.S. 68 and U.S. 272, to be completed before March 29, 2025, which is the two-year anniversary of the dual HH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crash that claimed the lives of nine Fort Campbell soldiers.
Following scads of rumors milling and spilling in south western Kentucky, officials with Ascend Elements announced they are not “pulling the plug” on the massive Apex 1 construction in Christian County’s Commerce Park II. And that was according to media contact Thomas Frey, who said the company remains “100% committed” to completing the project “on budget” and with a planned startup in late 2025.
Ahead of the 2024 election, early voting turnouts proved strong in Christian and Trigg counties, signaling what was a successful election season in the region. More than 8,200 voted early in Christian County, while more than 2,500 did so in Trigg County.
And in December,
Governor Andy Beshear ordered for flags at all state office buildings be at half-staff until sunset Tuesday, January 28, in honor of former President Jimmy Carter, who died at the age of 100. Beshear called Carter “a true American,” who lived through his faith and values every day, while lifting up his neighbors and serving this great country through kindness and compassion. Carter served as the 39th President of the United States from Jan. 20, 1977, to Jan. 20, 1981.
Following a lengthy two-hour evidentiary hearing in Cadiz involving Jonathan McCoy, Judge Redd told the court he would take time before making a ruling in the defense’s motion for change of venue. Alongside Keisha Stewart and Allison Hunter, McCoy is charge and accused of the most serious offenses in the 2020 kidnapping and murder of Thelma “Ileen” Barnett, as well as the arson of her Will Jackson Road home. Pre-trial has lasted more than four years.
Craig Stallons had sincerely contemplated running for Cadiz City Council — but life and business got in the way. But now, he’s answering the call, as he was appointed as replacement for Tim Bridges — who chose to resign his post in November.
Officials with Kentucky State Parks announced the building upon of the “New Kentucky Home” Initiative — bringing Lake Barkley State Resort Park in Trigg County along the way. In order to enhance the visitor experience, the main lodge and pool will reportedly undergo $17 million in renovations. As such, both will be temporarily closed beginning September 2, 2025. Renovations in this project include essential structural repairs, a new roof, safety upgrades and updates to walkway canopies. There will also be new pool upgrades and a sun terrace overlooking the lakefront.
A week after conducting a major workshop walkthrough in the facility, Trigg County’s Board of Education took its first steps toward the possibility of major renovations to Wildcat Gymnasium Thursday night — unanimously approving the revision of a BG-1 originally targeting the middle school’s awning. Looking to add more to this project, Superintendent Rex Booth said the district wants to add an elevator, new finishes and concession area casework to the community’s home not only of Trigg County High School Athletics, but also graduation and many other local events.
Hopkinsville had a trio of businesses either announced, or opened. Cinis Fertilizer, a Sweden-based producer of green fertilizer, declared plans to locate a new production plant valued at $109.2 million with 65 full-time jobs. The company will construct a new facility at 200 Recharge Boulevard, an address not yet in Commerce Park II, near Ascend Elements. At 202 East 7th Street, it was go time for three matrons — Margaret Prim, Mallory Lawrence and Mindy Hargrove — and their ideas for “The Crusty Pig” restaurant. And Sydney, Australia’s Kitchen Foods made it official with the state’s largest industrial announcement of the year, behind a 900-job promise to the region as a family-owned and -operated quality food business that has been at the forefront of providing nutritious, convenient, and affordable ready meals to the Australian market since inception.
Finally, citizens of Hopkinsville and former players under legendary Attucks High School coach and Hopkinsville High School Assistant Coach William Falls gathered at the intersection of Lafayette Road and Dell Drive — unveiling a sign naming the long-spanning Greenway Bridge in his honor. This effort came together through the Pioneers — a group Falls helped found — as well as Parks & Recreation, city officials, and others who wanted the coach’s legacy preserved in permanent memory.
