Owensboro Times in Print - Volume 2 issue 4 by Black Box Media Group

Volume 2, Issue 4

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Daviess County, Kentucky

FOURTH QUARTER 2026

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Kevin Olusola found his voice by embracing what made him different BY RYA N R ICHA R DSON

evin Olusola had already made it. He was a member of one of the world’s most successful vocal groups. There were Grammy Awards, multi-platinum albums, and performances on some of the biggest stages in the world. And yet, somewhere along the way, the Owensboro native found himself asking a question that all of that success hadn’t answered. “I don’t even know why I’m here,” he can remember thinking. Olusola had become known around the world as the beatboxer and cellist for Pentatonix. But what millions of people recognized as his signature talent sometimes felt surprisingly small to him. “Is the world just going to see me as somebody who makes sounds with my mouth?” he remembered wondering. Beatboxing, he told Owensboro Times in a September interview, might account for 2% of what he thinks about on a typical day. It comes naturally. His mind is often somewhere else — thinking about art, cello, practicing, and how to create something meaningful. “Is my identity only in this one thing, or is there more?” he questioned. Answering that question became what Olusola describes as a 17-year journey — one that stretched from the kid growing up in Owensboro and originally planning to become a doctor, to a musician performing around the world and still trying to understand how all the seemingly mismatched pieces of himself

Photo by Jason Tanner

fit together. The answer finally crystallized onstage at the Hollywood Bowl in 2022. Performing with Pentatonix, Olusola presented his own interpretation of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, bringing together classical music, Afrobeat, and hip-hop. Ten cellists joined him onstage along with Memphis Jookin dancer Lil Buck. For perhaps the first time, all the pieces made sense. “I was roaring on stage because I knew it was the most authentic version of me, not just musically, but who I finally became,” Olusola said. The audience rose for a standing ovation. Olusola went backstage, dropped to his knees, and realized something much more important had happened. “I now finally know who I am,” he remembers thinking. “I’m ready to make real art.” Now 38, Olusola can trace that journey back to Owensboro — to the teachers who recognized his talent, the classmates who didn’t always understand him, the parents he desperately wanted to make proud, and the expectation that music would remain a passion while medicine became his career. Twenty years after attending Owensboro High School, he returned home this fall for his class reunion. The trip also gave him an opportunity to visit Continued on page 4

Daviess County voters will head to the polls Nov. 3, and Owensboro Times is once again giving readers a chance to hear directly from the candidates before casting their ballots. Continued on page 22

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local elementary schools and share his debut children’s book, My Voice Is a Beat, which was released earlier this month. Its message comes directly from the lesson Olusola said took him nearly four decades to understand about himself. “Your difference isn’t a defect,” he said. “It’s a dare.”

The kid who planned to become a doctor

Ask Olusola to describe the kid who grew up in Owensboro, and he laughs. “Oh my goodness, Kevin was a very nerdy kid who wanted to do well in school, who wanted to do well by his parents because I knew what they sacrificed for me to be able to have the opportunities that I had,” he said. His father, a doctor, came from Nigeria. His mother came from Grenada. Olusola envisioned following a much more conventional path than the one his life ultimately took. “I was a pre-med student who just wanted to be great at being a doctor, and I just loved music,” he said. “It was a passion of mine, not something I ever saw as a career.” Music, though, had been

F EATURE

part of his life since childhood. Olusola credits several Owensboro educators with recognizing his potential long before he did. Among them was the late Dr. Joan Mack, his Suzuki string teacher. Olusola’s sister wanted to take violin lessons, and his mother suggested he try cello. His first instrument wasn’t really a cello at all. “They gave me this box that had strings on it — which really weren’t strings,” he recalled. Mack began teaching him and told him he could stop whenever he wanted. “I didn’t stop,” Olusola said. The box eventually became a real cello. He progressed quickly and kept playing. “It’s been 32 years, and I still haven’t said no.” He also remembers the influence of his middle school band directors. At 12, Olusola was selected for a United States Wind Band program that took high school and college musicians on a three-week European tour. The directors worked with him throughout the summer before his chair audition. Olusola earned first chair on alto saxophone. “They really saw potential,” Olusola said. “I wouldn’t be who I am today without those music teachers.”

Feeling different

Not everyone understood the kid they saw. Olusola said the easy version of his story can make what followed sound almost inevitable: a talented child from Owensboro develops a rare combination of musical skills, joins Pentatonix, and eventually becomes a Grammy winner. What that version leaves out, he said, is “the struggle of feeling a lot of times misunderstood.” His family’s background was unfamiliar to some people around him. His last name stood out. So did the kid who seemed to beatbox constantly. “I got made fun of a ton for just kind of being me, for beatboxing all the time, my interesting last name, things of that nature,” he said. With time, his perspective on those experiences has changed. “I understand now, like, they were learning about me,” he said. “They had never met anybody like me. They had never met anybody like my family.” Returning for his 20-year reunion brought him face-toface with people who knew him during those years. Now, he said, they tell him they’re proud of him and respect the person he became.

Photo by Lydia Tanner

Olusola doesn’t speak bitterly about the experiences that were difficult at the time. Instead, he sees them as something he can use to reach children who feel misunderstood now. “That thing that you’re misunderstood for might be the actual thing that changes your world if you continue to focus on it,” he said. There was still another

expectation to overcome. For years, music wasn’t supposed to be the career. Medicine was.

‘Dad, I just performed with Stevie Wonder’ Even extraordinary success didn’t immediately put the question to rest. Olusola remembers

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sitting next to his father after Pentatonix won its second Grammy. The group had just performed with Stevie Wonder. His father turned to him. “Hey, congratulations on your Grammy,” Olusola remembers his dad saying. “Are you going back to medical school?” Olusola couldn’t believe it. “Dad, I just performed with Stevie Wonder.” His father laughed. The exchange was funny, but what it represented mattered deeply to Olusola. His parents had watched the child they expected to become a doctor take an entirely different path. By then, it was impossible to dismiss music as merely a passion. “I see that as a massive moment because not only am I getting career success, but finally, my parents are seeing what I’m doing as viable,” Olusola said. Their support helped quiet one question. The larger question — what kind of artist he actually wanted to be — took much longer to answer. His various interests didn’t fit neatly together. There was classical cello. Beatboxing. Hiphop. His faith. The music he made with Pentatonix and the art he wanted to make on his own. For years, Olusola questioned how those pieces belonged together. The Hollywood Bowl performance helped provide the answer, and the journey eventually led to his solo music project, Dawn of a Misfit. The title itself reflects the idea Olusola has increasingly embraced: The parts of himself that once seemed not to fit were precisely the things that made his voice his own. That realization eventually led him somewhere unexpected: a children’s book.

The message he wishes he had

After Dawn of a Misfit helped solidify his own identity, Olusola found himself thinking about how long it had taken him to get there. He wished someone had delivered the message earlier. “I wish I had this book growing up that crystallized all these thoughts because I think I would have felt less alone,” he said. “I would have felt less misunderstood.” My Voice Is a Beat follows a young boy named Kasey who hears rhythm in the world around him and discovers a gift for beatboxing. The character isn’t a literal version of young Kevin, but the feelings behind his story are familiar. Olusola wants children who feel weird, different, or misunderstood to see those qualities differently. “Don’t worry what other people are saying about you. Don’t worry that other people think you’re crazy. Don’t be worried that people think you’re weird,” he said. “You’re gonna change the world one day with everything that you have.” He distilled that idea into the phrase he repeated during his visit home: “Your difference isn’t a defect; it’s a dare.” For Olusola, the “dare” is to discover what makes a person different and figure out what to do with it. “As I believe, God has given something to you,” he said. “It’s a gift that you have to uncover with Him. And if you do that, you’re not only going to change your own life, but you’re going to change the life of others that need your specific gift.”

Bringing it home

The timing of Olusola’s return to Owensboro wasn’t originally connected to the book. His 20-year high school

reunion brought him back. Then Carolyn Greer, who is involved with the Owensboro Museum of Science and History, reached out about something unrelated. Olusola mentioned My Voice Is a Beat and asked whether there might be an opportunity to share it with students while he was home. Greer connected with OPS Fine Arts Coordinator Kara Smith, and the visit grew to include stops at several elementary schools and a public event at the museum. The trip also gave Olusola time to rediscover his hometown. Some things were different. The KY 54 corridor had grown dramatically. Restaurants had appeared in places he didn’t remember. The movie theater that had been on Frederica Street was gone. Other things remained exactly where he wanted them. Rally’s was among them. “I have been to Rally’s across the country,” he said. “No Rally’s fries hit like the ones in Owensboro, Kentucky.” So, he went twice. There was also a return to New China Buffet and a first visit to Gramps Coffee & Donuts, where the cronuts left an impression. “It was nice to try familiar places and go to new places and just expand what I know about my city,” he said. Despite the physical changes, the feeling hadn’t changed much. “The same values, the same feeling when I come back here — that remains the same,” Olusola said. “It just feels warm and like home.” That made Owensboro a particularly meaningful place to share the book. “I want them to feel like I see them, I feel them, I know them, because I am them,” Olusola said of the local students. “I grew up in this community.” He hopes a child sitting in

one of those audiences might see his story and imagine a larger version of his or her own. Olusola said he hopes they think, “Maybe one day I can do something like that. I can really achieve big things. I can see myself greater than any circumstance I’m in, and really shoot for the stars.”

Still the ‘funny nerd’

Ask what part of the kid version of himself remains most recognizable, and Olusola doesn’t hesitate. “Probably the funny nerd,” he said. His classmates noticed it, too. At the reunion, Olusola said people told him he hadn’t changed. He was still interested in unusual things. More importantly, they told him the fame, Grammys, multi-platinum albums, and arena tours hadn’t changed the person they remembered. Olusola appreciated hearing that. For years, he had wrestled with questions about who he was and where all the pieces fit. Now, the next accolade isn’t necessarily what he’s chasing. “A daily sense of authentic joy that comes from who I really am,” he said, “not based off of any standard except for my own.” It’s a lesson that took him from Owensboro to stages around the world and, eventually, back home. And now he’s hoping the next kid who feels a little different doesn’t need 37 years to figure it out. This story is part of a pair of profiles catching up with Owensboro native Kevin Olusola. In the November/ December issue of Owensboro Living, Olusola talks more about fatherhood, family, and how his definition of success has changed.

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The Heart Behind the Hustle

Behind every successful business is someone whose passion, grit, and dedication keep things running — often without the spotlight. The Heart Behind the Hustle shines a light on those people, sharing the stories of the hard work and heart that drive our local businesses forward. Photo by Jamie Plain

Young quietly making her mark in Owensboro through work, service BY RYAN RICHA R DSON

ouise Murdock Young has built a career around getting people’s attention. She just doesn’t particularly want that attention directed at herself. For the past 12 years, Young has worked in marketing, social media, and public relations at Jagoe Homes. Outside of work, she is serving as president of the Women’s Guild of Owensboro, following in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother. Both roles can put her in the public eye, though Young would generally rather be somewhere behind it. “I enjoy being a background person,” she said. “I jump in when I need to.” That philosophy extends beyond work. Young said her late grandmother, Elizabeth “Betty” Jagoe — known as Liz to her grandchildren — taught her the value of being a “silent giver.” “You don’t really need to be loud about your giving,” Young said. “You just need to do it

and help out when you can. You don’t need to make a big deal about it.” It’s an approach Young has carried with her as she has built a career, started a family, and found a home in a city she initially wasn’t sure she wanted to call home.

Finding her place in Owensboro Young grew up in Atlanta and attended the University of Alabama, earning a degree in anthropology with a minor in psychology. After college, she returned to Atlanta and worked for a small marketing firm, but finding her footing professionally — and making enough to live comfortably in the city — proved difficult. Then her stepfather, Bill Jagoe, suggested she come to Owensboro and work for the family business. Young wasn’t immediately sold. Going from Atlanta to Owensboro felt like a significant change for someone in her early 20s. “I started coming up here and visiting, and I just saw more and more people just like me — young professionals just trying to make it in life,” she said. Young made the move at 23. Twelve years later, she has no plans to leave. “I think that I will live and die

here,” she said. Her first steps toward making Owensboro feel like home came through getting involved. Young joined the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce’s Ambassadors and Chamber Young Professionals, organizations she credits with helping her meet people and become part of the community. That tendency to dive in has followed her ever since. “If I’m jumping in with something, I’m jumping in with both feet and just hitting it hard,” she said.

Building a career she never studied for Young’s path into marketing was hardly mapped out. Her college degrees had nothing to do with social media or public relations. Much of what she knows, she taught herself. She jokes that she was a “MySpace kid,” tinkering with code before she really understood what she was doing. As social media evolved, she evolved with it — spending hours on webinars, learning new platforms and adapting as the job changed. Her title at Jagoe Homes has remained social media and PR coordinator throughout her 12 years there, but Young said the actual job

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has continually expanded. The constant change is part of what she enjoys. “My position kept getting added to,” she said. “They’d love one thing, and then another. So it’s just grown and grown and grown. It’s always new challenges.” Her career also gives her an opportunity to do something she values deeply: work alongside family. Young said she is loyal to both the company and the people who gave her an opportunity when she was still trying to figure out what came next after college. And while she hopes to continue growing professionally, she doesn’t seem overly concerned with plotting out exactly what the next title or position will be. “My time will come,” she said.

A family tradition of service Young’s involvement with the Women’s Guild came later, with some encouragement from her mother to join an organization that already had deep family ties. Her mother previously served as president, as did Young’s grandmother, who died in March. Young initially gravitated

toward a familiar role: helping behind the scenes with public relations and social media. She spent a few years as the Guild’s PR chair before then-President Emmy Woosley informed Young that she was going to become vice president and eventually president. Young was preparing to have a baby at the time. “I’m like, ‘OK, I’m having a baby this year, but whatever. I can definitely make it work,’” she said. Now, she’s carrying on a family legacy while helping lead an organization that raised $36,500 for women’s and children’s charities through its annual luncheon. Young said the position is somewhat outside her natural comfort zone, but she has found leading the group easier because of the women around her. “They are so intelligent, helpful, kind,” she said. “We’re just trying to get together and raise some money for charity.” For Young, the importance of contributing to the community goes beyond any one organization. It is tied to the place Owensboro has come to occupy in her own life. “I love being a part of watching this city grow,” she said.

“I can’t even imagine where it’s going to be in 10 years.”

From left: Melissa Jagoe, Ethel Jagoe, Alex Jagoe, and Louise Murdock Young at the 2022 Women’s Guild Luncheon. Photo provided

A life built here Owensboro eventually gave Young more than a career and a community. It’s also where she met her husband, Brad, although that introduction required some family assistance. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Young’s uncle Scott Jagoe happened to meet Brad at The Pub on Second. He invited Brad to a family dinner, where the two were introduced. Louise and Brad married in 2022. Their family now includes Young’s 13-year-old stepson, Brady, and their infant daughter, Beth. “We have an interesting mix,” she said, “but wouldn’t have it any other way.” Motherhood has also reinforced something Young said has changed as she has gotten older: her appreciation for keeping parts of life private. That might sound unusual coming from someone who has spent more than a decade working in social media. But Young has increasingly found value in putting the phone down, keeping some moments to herself and not feeling the need

to broadcast everything. “I like being more quietly myself,” she said. “It just makes me appreciate the smaller moments more when you put down your phone or put down the social media and just take it all in a little more.” It circles back to the lesson she learned from her grandmother: contribute where

you can, help when you can, and don’t worry too much about who notices. Young may make her living telling stories publicly, but the life she has built in Owensboro is rooted in what happens away from the spotlight. “I just want to share moments with people,” she said, “but not necessarily be loud about it.”

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Inclusive Cuts S brings accessible, sensory-friendly barber and salon services to Owensboro BY RYA N R IC H A R DSO N Photos by Jamie Plain

am Greer hears the concerns all the time from parents and caregivers of people with disabilities and sensory needs. Their child won’t sit still. The clippers are too loud. The lights are too bright. They might cry, kick, or move around the room before the haircut is finished. None of it fazes her. Sometimes Greer cuts hair on the floor. Sometimes she follows a client from the barber chair to the couch and back again. Sometimes half the lights stay off, the clippers stay put, and a favorite show plays on the TV instead. Whatever it takes. “I’ll cut them wherever,” Greer said. “For me, it’s just the comfortability of them.” That willingness to tailor the experience to the person — rather than expecting the person to adapt to a traditional barber shop — is at the heart of Inclusive Cuts, a new barber shop and salon on the Wendell Foster campus designed with physical and intellectual disabilities and sensory needs in mind, but open to everyone. Greer said she regularly meets parents who have been told their child moves too much or simply can’t get a haircut. Others have resorted to cutting their child’s hair at home because they worry about how their child will react in a public setting. “I cut hair for kids every day who people say aren’t able to be cut,” Greer said. “And it’s not that they’re not able to be cut. It’s they’re not comfortable with whoever was cutting their hair.”

An overlooked need Greer has been cutting hair for nearly 10 years and has worked with people with physical and intellectual disabilities

for about seven. She also has family members with intellectual disabilities, and seeing how they and others could be overlooked helped draw her to that clientele. “Not a lot of people have time for them. Not a lot of people have the patience for them,” Greer said. Today, she estimates 30% to 40% of her clientele has some type of physical or intellectual disability. Her relationship with Wendell Foster started after one of her existing clients brought some residents to Precision Studios, the barber shop and salon Greer owns with her wife, Ashley Greer, across the street from the Wendell Foster campus. Greer said some residents didn’t have consistent access to professional grooming services. After conversations with Wendell Foster staff, she began cutting residents’ hair on campus in July 2025. The original setup was inside a residential home where a shampoo sink was installed to allow Greer to operate a licensed barber shop. It wasn’t ideal, but it worked. Wendell Foster CEO Doug Hoyt said roughly 150 haircuts and other hair treatments were provided during the following year — enough to show there was a much larger need. Getting a haircut can seem like a routine task, Hoyt said he came to realize, but a traditional barber shop or salon can present challenges for someone who uses a wheelchair or has sensory issues related to bright lights, buzzing clippers, loud conversations, or other noise. Some Wendell Foster clients had even been traveling to Bowling Green for haircuts. As the organization prepared for a larger renovation of its day

training facilities, Hoyt and his team realized an underused room could provide a permanent solution. They brought Greer into the planning process, and she immediately saw the potential. By July 2026 — one year after Greer began cutting hair in the residential home — Inclusive Cuts opened.

Built to adapt The new space was designed from the beginning around accessibility. One barber station has a traditional chair, while another allows someone using a wheelchair to roll directly into place. The salon side similarly has a shampoo station that can accommodate someone in a wheelchair. The environment itself can also change from appointment to appointment. Greer asks questions before sensory services to learn what might make the experience easier. Can she use clippers? What about a blow dryer? Are there issues with bright lights? Is there a favorite show that might help? Sometimes she lets a client see and become familiar with her tools before she starts. “The more you kind of just show them, ‘Hey, this is safe. Hey, this is comfortable. Hey, I’m not going to hurt you,’ the more it’s almost just like, ‘Oh, OK. She’s not so bad,’” Greer said. And success doesn’t necessarily mean producing what Greer called an “Instagramworthy haircut.” Sometimes simply getting through a haircut comfortably is the victory. A few weeks ago, Greer said, a parent brought in a child who had struggled badly with previous attempts. She was told he would

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to barber services. Ashley is a cosmetologist with

about

nine

years

experience and provides hair and

falls off the parents’ shoulders, the weight falls off the kids’

room and eventually left with his

shoulders,” Greer said.

first successful haircut. “You can almost see when they walk into the room, nine times out of 10, the weight

Looking good — and feeling it Inclusive Cuts isn’t limited

appointment to remain personal.

Wendell Foster clients or people with disabilities. It’s a regular, paid barber

said that became an important

shop and salon open to the

part of the plan after Wendell

public.

Foster staff pointed out that

Sam moved her established

women faced many of the same

barber clientele from Precision

barriers.

Studios to Inclusive Cuts when

Some women, Sam said, had

the new shop opened, and she

been receiving buzz cuts rather

said more people with disabilities

than having access to the type of

are also finding the business

salon services they might prefer.

through therapists, behavioral

Ashley can now style their

services, and other organizations across the region.

get ready for special occasions.

Still, she thinks some people

The Greers have also helped

see the Wendell Foster campus

people prepare for Night to Shine,

and assume the shop isn’t for

the annual prom experience for

them.

people with disabilities.

the child moved around Greer’s

waiting area and allows each

Inclusive Cuts isn’t only for

nail services at the shop. Sam

hair, do their nails, or help them

scream, cry, and kick. Instead,

its emphasis on accessibility,

“I don’t care who you are,”

For Sam, those moments

Greer said. “I don’t care if you’re

illustrate why access to grooming

wanting to get your kid’s first

services can mean more than

haircut, or you’re somebody’s

simply getting someone’s hair

papaw looking to get just a basic

shorter.

haircut, or you want this extensive

“It’s such a heartwarming time to be able to just make them look in the mirror,” she said, “and

cleanup for your wedding. We’re here to do it all.” Inclusive

Cuts

operates

you can tell they feel confident in

by appointment, with someone

who they are.”

available

Monday

Saturday.

Appointments

Open to everyone Despite its location and

through are

booked through Booksy, which Greer said helps avoid a crowded

“It’s more of a personal oneon-one environment,” she said. “It allows me to tailor your service exactly to you.” For also

Hoyt, represents

the

shop

something

about Wendell Foster as the organization nears its 80th year: After decades of serving people with disabilities, there are still needs to recognize and new ways to meet them. “We

haven’t

stopped

learning. We haven’t stopped growing. We haven’t stopped figuring out ways to serve and support people with disabilities,” Hoyt said. Inclusive Cuts grew from one of those needs — something as ordinary as getting a haircut, but something that wasn’t ordinary at all for some families. Now, if the lights need to go down, they go down. If the clippers are too much, Greer finds another way. If someone can’t stay in the chair, she follows them. Even if that means finishing the haircut on the floor.

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More than packages: Osborne built successful shipping business around service, family BY RYAN RIC H ARDS O N Photos by Jamie Plain

fter more than three decades in the shipping business, Pat Osborne can boil much of his philosophy down to a few words: Make it easy for people to do business with you. That has meant everything from putting a drive-through at Packages Plus to showing customers their shipping options on a monitor rather than simply telling them what to choose. It means helping someone repack a box that isn’t going to survive the trip or navigating a return for someone who isn’t comfortable doing it on their phone. But underneath those practical decisions is something Osborne considers even more important — being available when people need help. “We’re in the service business,” Osborne said. “You have to embrace the fact that you’re a public servant.” It’s an approach that has helped turn a struggling shipping franchise into a locally owned business that has been part of Owensboro for more than three decades. Along the way, Packages Plus has become one of the higher-volume independent shipping operations in the country, while Osborne has become a voice in an industry that looks dramatically different than it did when he bought the business in 1994. For Osborne, though, the story of Packages Plus isn’t simply one of packages, volume, or awards. It starts with family.

A decision bigger than business Osborne was 34 when he bought the store, but owning a shipping business wasn’t some lifelong ambition. He had been working as a corporate salesman for Modern Welding, covering a nine-state territory. He enjoyed the job, but he and his wife, Tish, were trying to start a family. When their daughter, Mallory, arrived, Osborne’s priorities changed. “I love my job. I love everybody here,” Osborne

recalled telling his boss. “I’m not going to watch my daughter grow up on the telephone. It’s not going to happen.” His closest customer was about five hours from Owensboro, he said, and he was routinely on the road six days a week. Osborne knew he couldn’t keep that schedule and be the father he wanted to be. When the company didn’t have a position that would substantially reduce his travel, he left. Mallory had arrived several weeks early, and Osborne stayed home with her for about nine months while considering what came next. Eventually, he heard that a local shipping store was for sale. The opportunity wasn’t entirely foreign. While attending the University of Kentucky, Osborne had worked at a Lexington mail-order company that shipped roughly 1,000 packages a day, primarily to police officers, firefighters, and EMTs. He had also worked nights loading UPS trucks while going to school full time. Owning a local business gave him a chance to use that experience while gaining something his corporate career couldn’t offer: time. “I got to see every dance recital and every soccer game and every softball game and track, cross country, swim team, dance,” Osborne said, beaming with pride. “I was there for it all. So that was more important to me than money.”

Building Packages Plus The business Osborne bought in 1994 had already operated for about a decade as a Mail Boxes Etc. franchise, but it wasn’t thriving. Osborne said the franchise’s pricing was based on larger metropolitan markets and didn’t work well in Owensboro. The previous owner gave him some unusual advice when he expressed interest in buying it: She would sell him the store, but

not if he intended to keep it as a franchise. Osborne listened. He went independent and changed the business model, but first he had to overcome the reputation the previous operation had developed. He said he had to “re-educate” the customer base. At the time, customers had plenty of alternatives, including UPS and FedEx counters, postal contract stations, and two post offices. Osborne chose to compete differently. Where the independent shipping industry traditionally relied on higher margins and lower volume, Osborne opted for lower margins and higher volume. It took roughly a year and a half, he said, for customers to understand that the business had changed. The strategy eventually worked well enough that, two years after buying the original location near Carter Road and West Parrish Avenue, Osborne opened a second store on 18th Street. For roughly 20 years, Packages Plus operated both locations. Osborne later consolidated operations at the

18th Street store after problems with the Parrish Avenue building made remaining there impractical. He worried longtime customers wouldn’t follow. When he eventually studied the numbers, he estimated about 80% had made the move. During the years Packages Plus operated two stores, Osborne said the locations combined for 28 appearances among UPS’ top 100 authorized shipping outlets by volume. The numbers matter as evidence that his approach worked. But Osborne’s explanation for that success usually comes back to service. One of his favorite examples is the drive-through. The original Parrish Avenue location already had one because the building had once housed a restaurant. When Osborne began considering the 18th Street location, adding a drivethrough was among his requests. It helps parents who don’t want to unload children from car seats, older customers who have difficulty getting out of their vehicles, and anyone carrying a

package in bad weather. “You’ve got to make it easy for people to do business with you,” Osborne said. “That’s what it’s all about.” The same idea carries inside. Customers can see monitors displaying shipping options rather than having an employee simply choose for them. If a package isn’t packed well enough, employees can help reinforce or repack it. Osborne’s years loading UPS trucks taught him that proper packing matters more than a “fragile” sticker. Workers were expected to move packages quickly, he said, leaving little time to inspect special handling labels. “Does it pack well?” Osborne said. “That’s your best defense against a mishap. Pack it to death.”

A voice in the industry The success of an independent store in a market the size of Owensboro has also brought Osborne attention within the shipping industry.

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He serves on national advisory councils for Retail Shipping Associates and PackageHub Business Centers, giving him a role in conversations about where the industry is headed. He has participated in testing new services and regularly shares his experiences with other independent store owners. Osborne isn’t shy about offering an opinion. When he was asked to serve on one council, he recalled being told, “Pat, I get the feeling that you’re not going to be a yes man.” “You got that right,” Osborne

F EATURE

replied. “I’m going to give you my opinion whether you like it or not.” He also teaches at national conferences, where other owners frequently ask how a store in Owensboro generates its volume. Osborne’s answer goes back to the decision he made when he took over the business. “The industry has always been high margin, low volume,” he said. “I flipped the switch when we started, and it worked. It worked in my market, and it can work in yours, too.” He is equally willing to tell other owners about what he considers his better ideas,

particularly the drive-through. His message is simple: Shipping may be the product, but service is the business.

An extended family Much about that business has changed since 1994. Online shopping has transformed how people ship and return merchandise. Packages Plus now handles large numbers of drop-offs and returns, along with other services Osborne has added over the years. He expects the industry to continue

changing as carriers and retailers look for more efficient ways to move packages. Osborne doesn’t pretend to know exactly what Packages Plus will look like five or 10 years from now. People have asked him numerous times when he plans to retire. After 32 years, stepping away isn’t a simple proposition. “It’s almost like my child,” he said. He wants to help pilot Packages Plus into its next phase, whatever that turns out to be. What he doesn’t expect to change is the philosophy behind it. That part predates Packages Plus. Osborne grew up around a family business in Hardin County, watching his grandfather, father, and uncles interact with customers. There was a clear expectation about how people were supposed to be treated. “If we didn’t just treat our customers like our family, then my papaw would light up the back of that earlobe,” Osborne laughed. When Osborne eventually found himself in charge of a business, he remembered it.

“I swore to myself if I ever got keys to the kingdom, that I would do it like my grandfather and my dad and my dad’s brothers, how they ran our family businesses,” he said. “If I can’t do it like that, then I’ll do something else.” Three decades later, he measures that philosophy in ways that have little to do with shipping volume. Customers know him. They know his employees. Some know Osborne well enough to notice if something about him looks different and ask whether he’s OK. “It’s awesome that people care,” Osborne said. And that’s why, for all the talk about shipping rates, drivethroughs, online returns, and an industry that continues to reinvent itself, Osborne has another, more personal standard for whether Packages Plus is doing its job. “If you walk in my door and you don’t feel like you came to a homecoming, then I failed you somehow,” he said. Customers, he said, have become his extended family. “And I treat them that way.”

N EWS

Page 13

Page 14

F EATURE

How Cheryl Purdy helped bring digital forensics to local criminal investigations BY PH O EN IX STEVEN S

hen Dr. Cheryl Purdy began

enforcement

working in digital forensics

Western Kentucky.

with the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office in 2011, computers were already an established source of digital evidence in criminal investigations. Cell phones were a different story. Phones

have

become

increasingly central to everyday life and, as a result, increasingly central to criminal investigations. Purdy

helped

develop

the

procedures and expertise that allowed local law enforcement to examine that evidence in-house. “When you talk about Dr. Purdy’s impact on digital forensics in this area, I don’t know that you could actually quantify the amount of good work she’s done,” Daviess

County

Sheriff

Brad

Youngman said. “She more or less is responsible for everything that we have going on, whether it’s the Sheriff’s Office or other law enforcement agencies in this area. To have this type of digital forensic investigative capability is unheard of.” Much of Purdy’s work has been used in cases involving child sexual abuse material (CSAM), but she said her work has also contributed

convictions

homicide, burglary, and assault

across

Evidence that can change a case The importance of Purdy’s work

becomes

clearer

when

investigators are dealing with a modern criminal case. A

cell

phone

forensic

examination

can

reveal

conversations, search

photographs,

histories,

information,

location

deleted

files,

and other evidence that isn’t necessarily visible to someone simply

scrolling

through

the

device. 6th Circuit Commonwealth’s Attorney Mike Van Meter said

More than 15 years later, procedures

she

helped

establish have grown into a digital

Photo by Jamie Plain

Purdy’s examinations have played an integral role in numerous prosecutions, including murder cases and cases involving child sexual abuse material. Van Meter said that before cell phone forensics became a regular part of criminal investigations, the information available from a phone was nowhere near as useful to prosecutors. “We’re able to take a download of a cell phone and find evidence of a crime,” Van Meter said. “That was unheard of when I started here in 1994.” Digital forensic investigations

cases. the

agencies

can also provide context that isn’t immediately apparent when going through a cell phone.

Van Meter said. “Yes, we can see it,

information raised concerns, but

evidence ultimately supported an

but we don’t know where it came

investigators didn’t have enough

arrest or ruled one out.

from. Cheryl helps us determine

evidence to know whether a crime

where it came from. From the

had actually occurred.

which

metadata, we can see when it was

Purdy examined both the

produced, when it was put on the

suspect’s phone and the alleged

phone, and when it was sent to

victim’s phone.

other people.”

There were also cases in Purdy’s

examinations

uncovered evidence that helped lead to convictions. Youngman

recalled

three

The examination showed that

consecutive cases in which Purdy

That information can help

while inappropriate conversations

testified at trial, with the three

prosecutors establish timelines,

had occurred, the evidence did

defendants ultimately receiving

identify

relationships

not support criminal conduct.

more than 150 years in prison

people,

and

how

Purdy’s work allowed investigators

combined.

evidence came to be on a device.

to reach that conclusion quickly

“There

between

determine

Youngman experienced that firsthand early in his career with Purdy.

cases

and with certainty. “It told us everything we needed to know,” Youngman said.

were

where

many,

many

found

what

we were looking for and more,” Youngman said. Her

practices

are

now

He recalled investigating a

The experience demonstrated

case involving allegations that a

to Youngman how cell phone

commonplace locally, but that

forensics could strengthen an

wasn’t the case when Purdy first

investigation

arrived at DCSO.

forensics operation that serves

“Say you find some child sex

local person had an inappropriate

Daviess County and other law

abuse material on a cell phone,”

relationship with a minor. The initial

—

whether

the

Page 15

F EAT U R E

“I knew it could be done,” Purdy said. “Nobody else believed

evidence was going to become

with DCSO and helped arrange an

examining cell phones for criminal

increasingly important.

agreement that allowed her to use

investigations,

the equipment while continuing

educator. She taught at Apollo

her work at OCTC.

High

that this could be done locally.

“When I first started this,

People would say, ‘We need big

there really weren’t very many

people like the Attorney General’s

phone examinations,” Purdy said.

Office or the [Regional Computer

“It was mostly computers. Now,

Forensics Laboratory]. We can’t

almost everything is on the phone.”

do this locally.’ I built this program locally, and I’m just proud of it.”

Building the capability locally were

largely

agencies that needed specialized examinations had limited options and could face lengthy backlogs when sending devices elsewhere. the

technology

was

changing, and Purdy recognized it. Phones

were

said,

large

percentage

criminal

prosecutions

involve

evidence

location data, photographs, text

centered on computers. Local

But

she

from a phone, whether it is GPS

At the time, digital forensics examinations

Today,

becoming

more powerful, carrying more

messages, emails, or other digital information. That shift created a new need: knowing not just how to collect information from a phone, but how to properly preserve, interpret, and present that information as evidence. Purdy’s work initially required bringing together several different pieces. The University of Louisville

The

arrangement

gave

Purdy something she hadn’t had when she first began her law enforcement training: the tools to go along with her knowledge. “There were a lot of moving parts at that time,” Purdy said. “All of these moving parts came together

into

something

that

resulted in a successful positive

School

Purdy before

Owensboro

Technical taught

was

moving

Community &

College, where computer

she

information

technology. Her

husband,

retired

Owensboro Police Department officer, was the coordinator of OCTC’s criminal justice program. When the college was considering dropping

its

digital

forensics

thing for our community.”

course because it was being

Sharing her knowledge

to take it over.

Purdy

retired

from

offered online, Purdy volunteered

the

Daviess County Sheriff’s Office this past spring, but she hasn’t totally left the world of digital forensics. In some ways, she has returned to where the journey

Taking her expertise beyond Owensboro In 2023, Purdy took her expertise police

overseas,

trainees

teaching

about

digital

forensics at the University of Akureyri in Iceland. Purdy brought roughly 15 cell phones with her, installed open-source forensic tools on computers, and taught multiple groups

how

acquire

and

examine data from phones. She also met the commander

She saw the course as a

of Iceland’s national police force

natural intersection between the

and toured the national police

two fields she knew best and was

academy in Reykjavik.

most passionate about. “I said, ‘No, no, no, don’t do that. Let me teach it,’” Purdy said. “This is a cross-curricular area.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime thing,” Purdy said. Even though she has retired from DCSO, the phone on her

information and becoming more

had received a Department of

deeply integrated into people’s

Justice grant to establish satellite

lives. The growth of social media

forensic

meant anyone could message

Kentucky. The Owensboro Police

knowledge and insight on to

anyone.

Department was one of the sites,

others as an adjunct professor at

In April 2011, Purdy was

but the equipment had sat largely

Western Kentucky University, the

sworn in as a special deputy so

unused.

University of the Cumberlands,

she could attend digital forensics

and she’ll sit down with me and

and the University of Louisville.

training through the Kentucky

take all the time I need,” Van Meter

Department of Criminal Justice.

said. “She still has that passion.”

Accessibility to others was greater than ever before, for better and for worse, and Purdy recognized

that

cell

phone

laboratories

around

Retired OPD Chief Glenn Skeens learned about Purdy’s work

began: the classroom. Purdy

Long

now

before

passes

she

her

began

You know, criminal justice and IT together.” That decision eventually led her to the DCSO.

desk still rings every now and then with a question from someone who needs her expertise. “I can still pick up my phone and call her and ask her questions,

Page 16

Page 17

F EAT U R E

Inside the technology helping WKRBC turn donations into lifesaving blood products BY PH O EN IX STEVEN S Photo by Jamie Plain

espite a national blood shortage

“The patient will only receive the

that has blood centers across the

blood product that they need for their

country calling for donations, the Western

particular situation,” Ellis said. “So, you’re

Kentucky Regional Blood Center has

talking

on cards that would go back into the filing cabinet.” Ellis said the blood center eventually

BY THE NUMBERS

had to add space to the building just to

1978 — Year WKRBC was established

been able to meet local demand in part

individual

are

store testing files. That continued into

available to these 12 medical facilities in

2 — Locations: Owensboro and

because of its ability to process and test

the early 2000s, before automation

blood in-house.

western Kentucky.”

began transforming the process.

Hopkinsville

Once blood is donated, time matters. It has a shelf life of five days before it’s no longer good for use. By processing blood on-site, WKRBC saves roughly two days that would otherwise be spent transporting blood to an outside testing laboratory and waiting for results to be entered into the system. Vicki Ellis, who oversees donor recruitment and public relations at WKRBC, said the nonprofit community blood center receives just under 10,000 whole blood donations per year.

somewhere blood

around

products

30,000 that

Technology transformed the process The process of turning whole blood donations into usable blood products has never been more efficient for the blood center, Ellis said, largely because of advances in its in-house technology. When Ellis arrived at the blood center 30 years ago, the process was far less automated. “When I started at the blood center in ‘96, we had paper cards,” Ellis said. “We

“That’s when we’ve seen technology come into play,” Ellis said. “That’s where we’ve seen the automation of the samples into the machine, the little eye that reads

13 — Western Kentucky counties served

3 — Air Evac Lifeteam helicopters supplied

the barcodes and tests the sample, then

8 hours — Time in which WKRBC

creates the file of what the result is.”

can collect blood and release it to a

The blood center still manually labels some results, Ellis said, maintaining a human element in the process. Every donation that comes through the blood center is also processed and tested, regardless of how many times the person has donated.

hospital in an extreme emergency

262,598 — Whole blood donations collected from 2005-25

799,667 — Total blood productslood products produced from 2005-25, each representing the potential to help save a life

Those donations are separated into

did not have a data bank per se. Nothing

“It doesn’t matter if the person’s

three components during processing:

was kept on a computer. We did not

donated once or 25 times,” Ellis said.

114,519 — Blood products delivered

red blood cells, plasma, and platelets.

have all of the lab results. Everything was

“Every single time, they’re going to go

to Owensboro Health Regional Hospital

That means one donation can potentially

recorded by hand. All of the tests were by

through the questions, the screening,

help save three lives.

hand, and everything was documented

the physical. Their unit is going to go

over the past 15 years

Page 18

F EATURE

Photo by Jamie Plain

through all of the FDA- and

will dictate what testing has to

bus has five donation

state-required tests.”

happen. All of our technology

beds, compared with

fluctuates with what the FDA

four

says we have to do.”

vehicle.

The

blood

center

uses

different technologies to test for

atypical

hepatitis,

antibodies,

HTLV,

and

HIV,

Ellis said WKRBC’s existing

other

technology also allowed it to

potential concerns.

respond

One of those machines,

quickly

during

the

COVID-19 pandemic.

called Una, tests for infectious

“We were one of the first

diseases at the DNA and RNA

blood centers to deliver a COVID

levels. Ellis said it performs some

convalescent plasma to a hospital

of the most important testing

for the sickest patients,” Ellis said.

done

“They were actually extracting

the

blood

center’s

laboratory.

antibodies from people who had

“It’s looking for markers,

survived COVID and helping

antibodies, and antigens that

those who were suffering from it

your body will produce before

with that plasma.”

you’re testing positive for any of

WKRBC’s

these diseases,” Ellis said.

technology

extends beyond its laboratory.

the

older

Donors are key to success Once

donated

blood

enters

processing, Ellis said a team of more than 30

lab

assistants

separates it into its components.

Each

donation is handled no fewer than 33 times before it is ready to be sent to medical facilities.

technology, testing, and staff

eventually reaching a patient. For

required to turn a donation into

the WKRBC, keeping that entire

usable blood products, Ellis said

process under one roof means

The technology used by

The blood center operates two

“We all feel good about

the blood center changes over

Bloodmobiles, essentially mobile

what we do,” Ellis said of the

time as regulations and testing

blood

camaraderie

requirements evolve.

allow collections to take place

center. “We all know it’s our

throughout the region.

responsibility. In this building, we

Bloodmobile,

A blood donation may begin

all work together. We know what

with someone sitting in a chair

“We had to do a Zika screening.

known as the Bus and Us,

we do is important, and we know

or on a bed with a needle in their

Sometimes, we have to test for

remains in use. In 2020, WKRBC

that we have to put our petty

arm, but it does not end there.

Chagas disease or West Nile

invested $430,000 in a newer

stuff aside because there’s a

virus. So, different current events

Bloodmobile called the Spirit of

greater common goal for us.”

or different things that happen

Western Kentucky. The newer

“When Zika was a thing, we had an added test,” Ellis said.

donation

The

older

centers

that

But

even

the

with

blood

the

the process still depends on one thing the blood center cannot manufacture: donors.

less time waiting, more control over the supply, and the ability to make the most of every donation it receives. “Without

them,

there’s

nothing we can do,” Ellis said.

It moves through a network

“That’s the one thing that we have

of people, machines, laboratories,

to have to be successful: people

and

willing to donate blood.”

safety

checks

before

Page 19

Page 20

DINING

Forks Up!

Pizza Week celebrates creative kitchens and community favorites BY CHR ISTY CHA NEY Photos by Ryan Richardson

wensboro Times Pizza Week took

consecutive year with its Saturday Night

its second spin around the crust

Special. Owners Matt and Jessica Weafer

in September, serving up unexpected

built the entry around their family’s

flavors, repeat winners, and a chance

weekly pizza tradition, pairing pepperoni,

to celebrate the people who make our

black pepper, and Parmesan with sun-

meals.

dried tomato sauce, mozzarella, fresh

Held Sept. 11-19, the event featured 25 creations from 24 participating businesses. The Pillar of Fire entered

herbs, and Parmesan crema. “Classic done right is always a good choice,” Jessica said.

both the traditional pizza and outside-

Rosie Helen’s Treats & More placed

the-box categories, helping round out

second in the judges’ standings with

a lineup that challenged teams to put

Love at First Bite, while The Oven’s The

their own stamp on pizza.

Hot Mess finished third.

We were thrilled by the imagination

Customers

gave

Donatos

its

in those kitchens and the community

second

support that followed. Five awards

award for traditional pizza. Its Alfredo

recognized

the

judges’

consecutive “People’s

Slice”

favorite,

Meats Tomato combined marinara and

customers’ choices, and the top sellers

Alfredo sauces with garlic, cheeses, and

in each category.

a trio of meats.

Niko’s Bakery & Cafe earned “The

The outside-the-box community

Supreme” judges’ award for the second

honor went to first-time competitor

Page 21

DI N I N G

Rosie Helen’s. Owner Sebree Brown’s sweet potato cookie pizza paid tribute to her grandmother, bringing Southern sweet potato casserole flavors to a creation layered with apple butter, pumpkin-orange buttercream, and toasted marshmallows. The sales awards brought another

another’s work. The spirit of Pizza Week is to meet restaurants where they are. Asking a business to operate beyond its capabilities for one week a year does little to support the people we’re celebrating.

win for Niko’s, which earned the traditional

That includes selling pizza by the

“Dough Maker” honor despite operating

slice. For a restaurant that isn’t equipped

only at lunchtime during the event.

to offer individual slices, doing so means

Pinocchio’s Deli at the Opportunity Center of Owensboro took the outsidethe-box sales crown with Pinocchio’s Chicken, Bacon and Cheese Please! The team combined chicken, bacon, ranch, and

changing how food is held and served. Slices might entice more customers, but the added demands of safe food handling and the potential for waste can outweigh

cheese in Italian bread with a Parmesan

the benefits. Pizza Week should work for

crust. Run by individuals with disabilities

the businesses taking part.

under Opportunity Center staff supervision, Pinocchio’s developed the recipe together and spent time learning to prepare it before serving customers. The crew earned its win while participating Monday through Friday, without the opening weekend.

Instead, grab a friend — or five — and make a game of it. Share a pizza, compare favorites, and choose another place to try together. Pizza Week is about community, so celebrate it with yours.

“It was a team effort. We all did it

Thank you to every participating team

together,” said Tiffany Vinson, the center’s

and everyone who ordered, voted, and

training and employment specialist who

helped make the second year a celebration

runs Pinocchio’s Kitchen. That spirit deserves as much attention as the awards. Every entry represented people

developing

recipes,

preparing

ingredients, and filling orders. Participating businesses

also

exchanged

creations,

giving teams a chance to enjoy one

of Owensboro’s kitchens. Keep those discoveries on your dinner list long after the awards are handed out. We’ll be back next year, loving local, supporting small businesses, and taking a bite out of Owensboro!

Page 22

ELECTION

CHARLIE CASTLEN

WILLIAM ROD KUEGEL JR.

When rising property values generate additional revenue without a taxrate increase, should Fiscal Court generally use that revenue for services and investments or lower the tax rate to limit the increase for property owners? Why?

DAVIESS COUNTY J UD GE-EXECUTIVE R EPUBLICAN

2026 GENERAL ELECTION GUIDE

Daviess County voters will head to the polls Nov. 3, and Owensboro Times is once again giving readers a chance to hear directly from the candidates before casting their ballots. For this election guide, OT selected several races to highlight and invited every candidate seeking those offices to participate. Candidates for each office were given the same three questions for their respective races and asked to respond within the same overall word limit. The responses that follow are the candidates’ own words, edited only for grammar and OT style and, when necessary, trimmed for length. The goal is to give voters a chance to hear directly from the candidates about the issues they could face in office and the priorities they would bring to the position.

WHEN AND WHERE TO VOTE

Early voting will be available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day on Oct. 29-31 at the Owensboro Sportscenter, located at 1215 Hickman Avenue. Election Day is Nov. 3, with polls open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Daviess County voters may cast their ballot at any of these 14 voting locations on Election Day: • Abundant Life Church — 6601 U.S. 231, Utica • Audubon Elementary School — 300 Worthington Road, Owensboro • Burns Middle School — 4610 Goetz Drive, Owensboro • Daviess County Middle School — 3901 Fairview Drive, Owensboro • Faith Community Center — 9515 KY 144, Philpot • H.L. Neblett Community Center — 801 West 5th Street, Owensboro • Owensboro Christian Church — 2818 New Hartford Road, Owensboro • Owensboro Sportscenter — 1215 Hickman Avenue, Owensboro • Saint Martin Parish Hall — 5856 KY 81, Owensboro • Saint Mary Magdalene Parish Hall — 7232 KY 56, Owensboro • Third Baptist Church — 527 Allen Street, Owensboro • Utica Baptist Church — 415 KY 1207, Utica • Whitesville Baptist Church — 10167 KY 54, Whitesville • Yellow Creek Baptist Church — 5741 KY 144, Owensboro • Additional election information, including voter information and sample ballots, is available through the Daviess County Clerk’s Office.

Each year, the state calculates what is called the compensating rate (the rate that generates the same revenue as the prior year) and the 4% rate (a rate that generates 4% more revenue than the prior year) and sends those to Daviess County Fiscal Court. DCFC can adopt either rate or a rate in between. Since I have been a member of DCFC, I have voted to lower taxes five times in 16 years — two of which, since I have been Judge-Executive, were the largest decreases in 50 years. Depending on the demands placed on DCFC and rising costs, there are certainly times when the rate can and should be lowered; however, we must match our revenues to the services our citizens have come to expect.

As residential and commercial development expands into previously rural parts of Daviess County, how should the county balance growth with infrastructure needs and the interests of existing residents?

Much of the growth in residential areas is being annexed into the city via their aggressive consensual annexation policy. DCFC has been responsive to the needs of our growing community with the new centrally located public safety facility and additional deputies for DCSO.

A full city-county merger has been discussed on and off for decades with very little traction. However, the city and county have successfully collaborated on shared services like 911 central dispatch. Do you believe the city and county should merge other services to save taxpayer money? If so, which specific areas would you explore?

I do not support a merger. Twentyplus years ago, the city and county studied a merger to identify departments where it made sense and cut costs. Ultimately, 911 dispatch was the only department merged. In every other case, as is true today, a merger does not result in a reduction of expenses. As an example, you can’t maintain all roads in the county with less employees currently, nor can you provide fire protection service with less firefighters than exist between both entities.

DAVIESS COUNTY JUDGE-EXEC UTIVE DEMOC RAT

Fiscal Court collects $9.4 million in property taxes as part of a $67.7 million general fund. Excellent public services and investments are an expectation all citizens share, but people also feel the financial pressures of property tax increases. As judge, I will seek input from our citizens to determine how to balance keeping tax rates as low as possible while still providing excellent services. We need to establish community priorities by involving and listening to all our citizens. The time has come to involve everyone in the decision-making process.

We need to ensure new development and infrastructure bring smart growth that provides new jobs and opportunities, while at the same time respecting property owners and neighborhoods. Developers must be held accountable by government through a strong vetting process, increased public input and information sharing, and safeguards that protect existing and future residents. As judge, I pledge to make those decisions after gathering all the facts, hearing from citizens, and determining the best path for everyone.

A few years ago, our community overwhelmingly decided, during a divisive campaign, that merging city and county governments was not what they wanted. As a cornerstone of my campaign, I have pledged to work closely with the mayor to ensure we are doing everything we can to save taxpayers’ money, increase our economic opportunities, improve safety, and find ways to improve services. Before declaring which areas to address, we need to determine priorities based on community needs and wants.

Page 23

E L ECT I O N

LARRY CONDER

BRUCE KUNZE

JOE HAGAN

SAGAN STORM

C E N TRA L DAVIES S COUNTY CO MMIS S IO NER RE PU BL ICA N

CENTR AL DAVIESS COUNTY COM M ISSIONER WR ITE-IN

EAST DAVIESS COUNTY COM M ISSIONER R EP UBLICAN

EAST DAVIESS COUNTY COMMISSIONER DEMOCRAT

What countywide issue should Fiscal Court make a higher priority, and how would you address it?

My priority is making sure Daviess County is prepared for the future while taking care of the basic responsibilities of county government. We need stronger economic and population growth, but growth needs to be responsible. The new Public Safety Facility is a good example of planning for a real need, as fire and medical calls have increased and we work to improve emergency response throughout the county. As we consider future development, including issues surrounding solar farms or possible data centers, we need to protect our farmland, water, and environment while also respecting private property rights. I believe in asking questions, listening to those affected, and looking at all sides before making a decision.

With major county investments including the Detention Center expansion and new Public Safety Facility, what criteria should Fiscal Court use when deciding whether to take on additional debt or commit significant funding to future projects? I have always said we must put needs before wants. The Detention Center renovation is a constitutional responsibility of the county. When considering any major project or additional debt, we should ask: Is it necessary? Can we afford it? What will it cost long-term? Are other funding sources available? And what are we giving up to do it?

As Daviess County grows, how should Fiscal Court prioritize infrastructure and county services for residents outside city limits? For residents outside the city limits, our responsibility is pretty basic: maintain safe roads and bridges, address drainage, provide dependable emergency services, and plan ahead as areas develop. My approach is simple: take care of what we have, address the greatest needs first, spend taxpayers’ money carefully, and make decisions that serve all of Daviess County.

I would like to see Fiscal Court put a greater emphasis on utilizing the dollars that are set aside for economic development. We need to more actively pursue new businesses that pay good wages, but just as importantly, we need to move more Daviess County workers into higher-paying jobs.

With major county investments including the Detention Center expansion and new Public Safety Facility, what criteria should Fiscal Court use when deciding whether to take on additional debt or commit significant funding to future projects? Daviess Fiscal Court intends to use approximately $16 million of reserve funds toward a projected cost of $60 million for the jail renovation and addition. Are the plans the best way to address the needs of the jail? Is using $16 million of reserves the best use of taxpayer dollars? With regard to the public safety facility, which is projected to cost $15-$18 million, would using an additional $6-8 million of county reserves be the best use of those tax dollars? So the real question in paying for any project is how much cash reserve should the county have, and is a mix of cash and borrowed money the best way to pay for these projects?

As Daviess County grows, how should Fiscal Court prioritize infrastructure and county services for residents outside city limits? Fiscal Court needs to prioritize infrastructure projects based on current needs and future growth. For example, the state recently replaced the bridge on U.S. 431 at Panther Creek even though the bridge had been extensively renovated a few years ago. However, the new bridge is much wider and more easily accommodates wide farm equipment. In addition, as the rural county experiences more homes being built, and the need for safe transportation and access to emergency services increases, a new interchange on I-165 in southern Daviess County should be actively pursued.

As you may or may not know, my platform is centered on responsible growth, real-world leadership, strong infrastructure and public safety, fiscal accountability, protection of property rights and agriculture, and transparent, fact-based decision-making. I believe Daviess County can continue to grow while protecting the character and qualities of life that make our community special. Infrastructure must remain a top priority. Including roads, drainage, and planning for economic growth. A longterm plan of prioritized infrastructure improvements based on safety, need, growth patterns, and available funding — rather than reacting by project as we are notified. The only path to economic growth is through maintaining the infrastructure we have and planning ahead for what is to come.

With major county investments including the Detention Center expansion and new Public Safety Facility, what criteria should Fiscal Court use when deciding whether to take on additional debt or commit significant funding to future projects? Each major investment must be evaluated on necessity, public benefit, overall costs, and impact to taxpayers. Public safety and essential services MUST come first. However, looking at what projects can be phased over time and is outside funding available. Finally, determining whether taking on debt today limits our ability to respond to future needs must be evaluated.

As Daviess County grows, how should Fiscal Court prioritize infrastructure and county services for residents outside city limits? Growth outside of the city limits requires intentionality and strong planning. Drainage has been an ongoing issue in Daviess County and must be addressed. Roads, fire protection, law enforcement, and essential services must be evaluated as well. The sheriff’s office is at least 8 deputies short at this moment. In order to grow, and as we grow, we must protect existing infrastructure, existing neighborhoods, agriculture, and property rights. We must protect what makes Daviess County home.

One countywide issue worth prioritizing is keeping our community involved and working together, even when we disagree. The community often feels left out of county decisions while officials appear to press their own ideas rather than listening to the people they represent. When that happens, people disengage, making it even harder for the community to come together and solve problems. I support regular community meetings, open conversations, and opportunities for every person to share ideas and concerns. The goal isn’t for everyone to agree but to listen and work together.

As Daviess County grows, how should Fiscal Court prioritize infrastructure and county services for residents outside city limits? As Daviess County grows, I think we must prioritize infrastructure and services based on the people first. That means focusing on projects and services that provide the greatest benefit to the greatest number of residents, ensuring taxpayer dollars are used where they can make the biggest difference. The best decisions come from listening, identifying real community needs, and spending responsibly. By putting people first, we can make sure county investments benefit everyone and remain financially sustainable.

Page 24

ELECTION

RACHEL PENCE FOSTER

WILLIAM T. POGUE JR. DAVIESS COUNTY PVA D EM OCR AT

D CPS SCHOOL BOARD, D ISTR ICT 2

DCPS SC HOOL BOARD, DISTRICT 2

Property values have risen significantly in recent years. How would you ensure assessments keep pace with the market while remaining fair and consistent for property owners across Daviess County?

What is the biggest area in which the district needs to improve student outcomes, and what should the school board do to address it?

As your current PVA, I have put in place programs and assessment techniques to ensure fair and equitable assessments. My office can pull data in a specific neighborhood/area that breaks down the sale price to a price per SQ FT. We then use the median value to assess that specific neighborhood. Of course, the data that the program generates is only as good as the data that is entered. I have well-trained, long-time employees that ensure the data entered is correct. The PVA cannot simply value property however they see fit; they must strictly adhere to rigid statutory and constitutional mandates monitored by the state. To frame it accurately, a PVA must operate within the strict Department of Revenue requirements.

Utilizing my over 27 years experience licensed in real estate, each assessment will be carefully reviewed for accuracy, fairness and a true representation of fair market value. Knowing the community, neighborhoods, and the real estate market of Daviess County, a fresh pair of experienced eyes can make the world of difference.

DAVIES S CO U NTY PVA RE PU BL ICAN

The PVA determines property assessments but does not set property tax rates. What should the office do to help residents understand how their assessment is determined and how it affects their property tax bill? When I took office in 2013, the first thing I did was make the PVA website free and more user-friendly. There are several help tools (sales search, tax calculator & FAQ) and, of course, ways to contact me or any of the PVA deputies. There is also a customer service e-mail for questions and corrections.

What is one specific change you would make to how the PVA’s office currently operates, and why? If elected to continue to serve the people of Daviess County, I will continue to educate the public about the PVA office. I plan to host at least two public information workshops every year to bring even more transparency to the PVA office, explain state valuation mandates, and help eligible residents sign up for the Homestead Exemption/ Disability Exemption.

The PVA determines property assessments but does not set property tax rates. What should the office do to help residents understand how their assessment is determined and how it affects their property tax bill? I would like to offer semi-annual “town hall” meetings across the community (Whitesville, Knottsville, Curdsville, etc.) explaining the process, including the homestead and disability exemptions for those who qualify, and again with “mobile appeal clinics” during reassessment time for those who have trouble traveling to the courthouse. In addition, the PVA office will always be open for business, making it userfriendly for the taxpayers to walk in and address their issue or concern.

What is one specific change you would make to how the PVA’s office currently operates, and why? A big complaint I hear is property information that is listed (data, specs, amenities) is incorrect with the PVA office. I will utilize the real estate community (agents, brokers, MLS, etc.) to get the most up-to-date and accurate information possible. A true and accurate assessment means the taxpayer isn’t paying more than their fair share on their property assessment.

TOM PAYNE

Our greatest challenge is always improving student achievement. As indicated in the DCPS 2025 assessment results, we must ensure ALL students develop reading and math skills. Achievement gaps must be closed, especially with our students with disabilities and any student needing extra help. As a board, we need to establish measurable goals and then monitor those goals. We have to make sure our teachers have what they need to help ALL students, and this includes not only the best instructional practices but top-quality professional development.

When considering future property tax rates, what circumstances would justify asking taxpayers for additional revenue, and what circumstances would lead you to support a lower rate? I would support additional taxes ONLY if it meant retaining quality teachers, strengthening instructional programs, or making sure students are safe. I would never consider an increase until I had looked at expenditures and all our funding sources. If property assessments and SEEK funding did generate sufficient funding to guarantee we met our educational needs, I would support lower taxes. Taxpayers deserve transparency, accountability, and above all, that their taxes are producing the desired results.

How should the district balance student discipline and school safety with efforts to keep students in the classroom and engaged in their education? Every student and staff person has a right to feel and be safe. Discipline must be fair and consistent, and serious threats or violence must be dealt with immediately. Every discipline must be looked at through the lens of what’s appropriate in relation to the offense. Special needs students must be held accountable and at the same time be offered the protection allowed by law. Every decision and every vote I’ve cast has rested on these pillars.

ALEX KING

Our greatest opportunity is improving academic growth for every student. To do that, we need to look beyond districtwide averages and understand how students are actually progressing within each school, ensuring students who need additional support receive it while continuing to challenge those who are ready for more. The board should regularly examine outcomes, identify what is producing measurable results, and direct resources accordingly. Just as importantly, we need to listen to teachers. They know what is working in their classrooms and where barriers are keeping students from reaching their potential.

When considering future property tax rates, what circumstances would justify asking taxpayers for additional revenue, and what circumstances would lead you to support a lower rate?

Before asking taxpayers for more, I believe the district should first demonstrate that we are using the resources we already have as efficiently and effectively as possible. That means closely examining spending, programs, and priorities and asking whether each is delivering meaningful value for students. Additional revenue should require a clearly demonstrated, essential need that cannot responsibly be met with existing resources. If we can meet our obligations, maintain responsible reserves, and provide an excellent education at a lower rate, I would support lowering it.

How should the district balance student discipline and school safety with efforts to keep students in the classroom and engaged in their education?

Every student deserves the opportunity to learn, and every teacher deserves a classroom where they can teach. Expectations and consequences should be clear, consistent, and fair, with teachers and administrators supported in addressing disruptive behavior. When appropriate, consequences should be paired with interventions that address repeated behavior, involve families, and help students successfully return to learning. Keeping students engaged matters, but it cannot come at the expense of the safety, learning, or wellbeing of other students and staff.

Page 25

E L ECT I O N

ANDY GAMBLIN

TYLER SAGARDOY OPS SCHOOL BOAR D

JEREMY LUCKETT

OPS SCHOOL BOARD

ASHLEY KIRTLEY JOHNSON

What is the biggest area in which the district needs to improve student outcomes, and what should the school board do to address it?

I feel that we need to get back to the basics — reading, writing, and arithmetic. I also feel that we need prayer back in our school. We need to back away from the laptops. We need to have a balance.

Chronic absenteeism. It’s a loselose: kids can’t learn what they miss, and the district loses state money. Onequarter of OPS students miss 10% or more of the school year, which tracks the state average. Daviess County is closer to 20%. I’d rather borrow what’s working five miles away than reinvent it. The board should set a target, ask our administrators what DCPS does differently, and fund the pieces that translate. Outreach should start the week a student begins missing days, and the board should publish progress.

There is always room for improvement, and we continue to analyze the data to decide where best to prioritize resources. The most important thing a school board does to influence this is select a superintendent, and we have a superintendent extremely focused on always improving student achievement. The job of the school board is to hold her accountable for results through her evaluation and by setting a vision of what we want graduates of OPS to look like.

What is the biggest area in which the district needs to improve student outcomes, and what should the school board do to address it?

O PS S CHO O L BOARD

When considering future property tax rates, what circumstances would justify asking taxpayers for additional revenue, and what circumstances would lead you to support a lower rate? When we are looking at raising taxes, we need to look at the situation. If something needs to be done, we need to be very conservative on how we spend the money. We need to reach out to the city and see if they could help the school.

How should the district balance student discipline and school safety with efforts to keep students in the classroom and engaged in their education? I feel that our school board needs to hold our children accountable. We need to have three strikes, and the student will be gone from school. I also feel that we need to have some kind of dress code.

When considering future property tax rates, what circumstances would justify asking taxpayers for additional revenue, and what circumstances would lead you to support a lower rate? The rate is the tip of OPS’s budget iceberg. It’s what you see on your bill, but it raises 25% of what it costs to run our schools. The rest comes from Frankfort and Washington, and those funds haven’t kept up. Since 2008, Kentucky’s spending per student has fallen 21% in real terms, and costs the state used to carry (like transportation) are now the district’s responsibility. That money comes out of classrooms. I’d ask taxpayers for more only for documented needs that protect education quality or safety. I’d support a lower rate when reserves are healthy or revenue outpaces needs.

How should the district balance student discipline and school safety with efforts to keep students in the classroom and engaged in their education? Safety comes first, and teachers need to know the district backs them. That starts with clear expectations enforced consistently across all schools. But a suspension is also a lost learning day, so for lower-level behavior, the district should address the cause and keep students engaged: counselors, inschool interventions, early contact with parents. Adequate counselor staffing prevents problems before they become safety issues.

When considering future property tax rates, what circumstances would justify asking taxpayers for additional revenue, and what circumstances would lead you to support a lower rate? Costs for districts rise every year because of inflation and the need to give teachers raises. However, it is important to be fiscally responsible and considerate of the burden on the taxpayers, which is what I have done and will continue to do. A balanced approach considering the rise in property values and how keeping the rate the same, or decreasing the rate if possible, is the responsible choice to me.

How should the district balance student discipline and school safety with efforts to keep students in the classroom and engaged in their education? School safety is one of the most important aspects of our job, and I take that very seriously. This responsibility is to the whole student body, which means taking threats very seriously. The district utilizes resources like Emerson Academy and even sometimes services at home to try to balance our responsibility to the individual student as well as the school population. Engaging students in learning that keeps them motivated is critical to their future success. We can successfully focus on both at the same time.

OPS SCHOOL BOARD

OPS’s biggest need is to improve academic outcomes for all students. As a school board member, I champion academic success by funding a school budget that fully supports our teachers, provides high-quality curriculum, and ensures our classrooms are safe, modern, and well-maintained.

When considering future property tax rates, what circumstances would justify asking taxpayers for additional revenue, and what circumstances would lead you to support a lower rate? During my first term on the school board, I voted three times for a tax rate reduction and once for a rate increase. Before each vote, I spent months meeting with the superintendent and the finance director to review the OPS budget, ask questions about moneysaving measures, and analyze the funds we expected to receive from the state and federal governments (note that the state decreased OPS funding this year). Because of these cuts, essential funding must come from local tax dollars to support our budget. Moving forward, I will continue to advocate for cost-saving measures to lean the district’s budget, listen to the opinions of my constituents, and vote for the precise tax rate necessary to sustain our schools.

How should the district balance student discipline and school safety with efforts to keep students in the classroom and engaged in their education? Safety is paramount in all OPS schools. Reducing disciplinary issues begins in elementary school, where clear behavioral expectations are posted on the walls, students are rewarded for good behavior, and social, emotional, and mental health needs are fully supported. When students reach middle and high school, the Strive program and Emerson Academy keep them in the classroom and learning. I will continue to support these successful programs that help reduce disciplinary issues, promote learning, and ensure school safety.

Page 26

JOHN ROSS MARTIN

ELECTION

OW E NS BO RO CI TY CO MMIS S ION

TYLER GOAD

OWENSBORO CITY COM M ISSION

JEFF SANFORD OWENSBORO CITY COM M ISSION

OWENSBORO CITY COMMISSION

When should the City of Owensboro use public funds or incentives to support private development, and what should taxpayers receive in return?

Public incentives should be used when they create a clear, lasting benefit for the people of Owensboro — not simply because a project asks for help. If taxpayers invest in private development, they deserve measurable results in return: jobs, new economic activity, stronger infrastructure, redevelopment of neglected property, and long-term growth in our tax base. Public dollars belong to the people, and every investment should come with transparency, accountability, and clear expectations.

What city service or program deserves more funding, and what area, if any, should receive less? I would invest more in economic development. Owensboro’s future depends on creating opportunities for local businesses to grow, attracting new employers, and turning good ideas into real investment here at home. To make room for those priorities, I would look for savings in administrative and regulatory functions by reducing unnecessary bureaucracy, modernizing processes, and holding government to clear timelines and measurable service standards. Government should help move our community forward — not make progress harder than it needs to be.

As Owensboro pursues new development, how should the city balance economic growth with the effects that development can have on surrounding neighborhoods and existing residents? Growth should strengthen Owensboro without leaving neighborhoods or longtime residents behind. New development can create jobs and opportunity, but we must also consider traffic, infrastructure, drainage, surrounding property owners, and the character of our neighborhoods. Residents deserve a voice early in the process. We can welcome investment and new ideas while protecting what makes Owensboro feel like home.

Owensboro should use incentives to support private development if it does not harm the city, and produces a benefit to the city and/or its people in the form of an expanded tax base. Having more businesses and more workers and their families come to Owensboro means there are more taxpayers. More taxpayers means an ability to lower taxes on all, especially if those taxpayers are larger corporations or have higher-paying jobs, which is why I am specifically targeting these two groups for Owensboro’s economic growth.

What city service or program deserves more funding, and what area, if any, should receive less? Public Works should receive more city funds to keep working on the streets and sidewalks that we all use. We need to harness the funding power of our representatives in Washington, D.C. too: I would like to work to file for Federal funds to renovate lower English Park, solve some of the flooding issues there, and connect it to the downtown area.

As Owensboro pursues new development, how should the city balance economic growth with the effects that development can have on surrounding neighborhoods and existing residents? The city can balance economic growth with its residents by communicating and compromising. Our neighborhood alliances bring muchneeded perspective to city leaders and should be relied upon to serve as an authentic voice for their neighborhoods. City plans should have alternate plans built into them, should permissions or support not be in place for various aspects. Not everything will result in a popular decision, but communication and resultant compromise can satisfy at least some of the key concerns in a situation.

Public funds should be used if there is a financial return to the taxpayers. I ran successfully in the last election pointing out our need for an industrial site for the maximum amount of employment. That has been accomplished with the help of additional state funds to build out the infrastructure. This is a longterm investment for employment opportunities of the future for goodpaying jobs. Also, we corrected the debacle of losing Churchhill Downs to the county. We have local investors, along with city and state monies, bringing family entertainment to the mall and South Fredrica (Maui’s Indoor Theme Park). The west side of Owensboro is also seeing growth, which balances the city.

What city service or program deserves more funding, and what area, if any, should receive less? Funding is a balancing act for all departments and is very important. My number one responsibility is public safety. We have increased pay in all departments to stay competitive in the marketplace. The police department was given a pretty good increase to help with recruiting new officers and taking care of existing officers. The fire department also saw increases and new facilities, so they have the latest technology for their safety as well as the public’s.

As Owensboro pursues new development, how should the city balance economic growth with the effects that development can have on surrounding neighborhoods and existing residents? As the city grows as we currently are, we will need common sense regulation to protect our neighborhoods. We already have regulations, but as technology and industry change, we will have to implement common sense policy. The city is limited on space, so some industry will border the county, so we will have to work together with our county elected officials for common ground on reasonable restrictions.

BOB GLENN

The city routinely invests in projects to expand local career opportunities, using incentives to remain competitive with regional peers like Henderson, Madisonville, and Paducah. These investments have driven the transformation of the Owensboro Riverfront, Gateway Commons, and South Frederica’s redevelopment (Kentucky Sound Stage and Maui Family Entertainment Center and two new restaurants).

What city service or program deserves more funding, and what area, if any, should receive less? Public Safety remains my top priority, requiring robust funding for OPD, OFD, and 911 Dispatch to support citizens facing the “worst day of their lives.” Over the past four years, we upgraded training facilities for OPD and OFD, supported development of an OPD Police Academy so recruits can stay closer to home, and raised pay rates to improve recruiting and retention. We replaced/upgraded Fire Stations 2 (East Parrish) and 3 (Cravens), and Station 1 (9th Street) is next. Every city department deserves added funding as resources allow because, in my view, they serve our city well.

As Owensboro pursues new development, how should the city balance economic growth with the effects that development can have on surrounding neighborhoods and existing residents? Mid-America Air Park demonstrates that industrial growth can be absorbed without placing undue stress on nearby neighborhoods, a model the new Massie Development Park will share thanks to its highway and bypass access. As major expansions like Unifirst, R&L Carriers, and Mizkan America proceed, the city needs to ensure street, sewer, electric, and water infrastructure keeps pace while actively gathering citizen input before project approvals.

Page 27

E L ECT I O N

CURTIS MAGLINGER

PAMELA L. SMITH-WRIGHT

STEVE JOHNSON

SHARON GAIL NESMITH

When should the City of Owensboro use public funds or incentives to support private development, and what should taxpayers receive in return?

We need to be open to our city helping with private projects if it can show a return by providing jobs, filling a need for our community, and/or putting a vacant property back in use. A developer should invest their own money, and taxpayers should see the benefits they have been promised.

I think the tax payers are due a clear answer as to what the company’s plans are as for as employment, what they plan to do for the city itself, such as donating to schools or the city’s infrastructure.

What city service or program deserves more funding, and what area, if any, should receive less?

I think our transportation system needs to invest in small vans to help transport people back and forth to work after the regular buses have finished their routes for the day, along with more support of the arts and some of our nonprofit organizations.

Owensboro should use incentives while working to leverage outside money — state, federal, or private capital — rather than shift the burden onto local taxpayers first. That’s the model behind my career: public dollars for larger outside investment. In return, taxpayers should get measurable commitments — job numbers, wage floors, and timelines — with a contractual provision requiring money or benefits already paid out to be returned if a developer doesn’t deliver. Incentives are a tool to bring new money in, not a blank check.

Public dollars encourage developers to venture into areas where investment is needed, and ROI is often expected to produce slower returns. Incentives are not always dollars directly to developers. They can include infrastructure, such as street and utility additions, to expedite investments in needed housing or existing business expansion to add employment opportunities. Growth increases both property and occupational tax revenues, creating an ongoing revenue stream for the long term. Citizens should see project completion dates delivered with oversight for legitimate delays and actions taken first to work with developers when project timelines are not met. For excessive delays, taxpayer incentives should reflect changes in the original agreement since projections are based on income from the development to replace the incentives provided.

OW E NS BO RO CI TY CO MMIS S ION

I would prioritize more funding toward public safety, roads, sidewalks and drainage because these are services our citizens depend on every day.

As Owensboro pursues new development, how should the city balance economic growth with the effects that development can have on surrounding neighborhoods and existing residents?

We need to make sure new development will bring smart growth by providing jobs and opportunities, while being mindful of surrounding neighborhoods and residents. Our city needs to listen to residents while making sure developers understand our citizens’ concerns about safety, infrastructure, and environmental needs.

OWENSBORO CITY COM M ISSION

What city service or program deserves more funding, and what area, if any, should receive less?

As Owensboro pursues new development, how should the city balance economic growth with the effects that development can have on surrounding neighborhoods and existing residents? I think the city should be very careful when infringing on citizens’ property. Some people have invested their life savings to own property they thought would be theirs, without one day someone deciding to put a hazardous factory, business, or whatever next door. City officials must be transparent in all aspects of city dealings.

OWENSBORO CITY COM M ISSION

What city service or program deserves more funding, and what area, if any, should receive less? Public safety and core infrastructure — roads, sidewalks, water, sewer — deserve first call on new funding, since growth is exerted on both. I’d first look for efficiencies in administrative overhead and duplicated services before cutting anything resident-facing, and I’d keep pushing outside grants and directed funding first, the way I have throughout my career, so local dollars stretch further rather than funding everything with local tax dollars.

As Owensboro pursues new development, how should the city balance economic growth with the effects that development can have on surrounding neighborhoods and existing residents? Growth must be planned, not just permitted. Infrastructure — roads, sidewalks, utilities, drainage — should be correctly sized and then funded before development begins. The alternative — approving development and hoping infrastructure catches up. This leads to things like flooded streets after storms, intersections that become dangerous once traffic increases, or new neighborhoods with no sidewalks connecting them to anything. Real coordination between the city and Daviess County Fiscal Court, and genuine input from the neighborhoods affected, not just the developers proposing the project. Owensboro can keep growing while still protecting the character and quality of life residents already have.

OWENSBORO CITY COMMISSION

What city service or program deserves more funding, and what area, if any, should receive less? Each city service or project is initiated based on the five elements of the city’s mission statement: public safety, efficiency and effectiveness of services, promote economic development, enhance neighborhood quality and values, and provide appropriate community facilities. Decisions to add, improve, or delete services or programs should be based on effectiveness, the availability of options if change is needed, and input from the citizens impacted by any changes. Our city transit system and relocating the hub for shorter, focused routes, along with changes in operation hours, is an example of an improvement needed.

As Owensboro pursues new development, how should the city balance economic growth with the effects that development can have on surrounding neighborhoods and existing residents? Growth should add, maintain, or improve opportunities for individuals and families to have access to economic strength, educational and cultural opportunities, and ensure core values of public safety, neighborhood, and environmental values are priorities.

Page 28

ELECTION

NICK PAYNE

6TH DISTRICT J UDGE, DIVIS IO N 1

LELAH ROGERS

6TH D ISTR ICT J UD GE, D IVISION 1

BRIAN L. QUATTROCCHI 6TH D ISTR ICT JUDGE, D IVISION 2

6TH DISTRICT JUDGE, DIVISION 2

What experience has best prepared you to serve as a District Court judge, and how would that experience shape your approach to the bench?

Twenty-seven years of public service, with 20 of those practicing law, have given me an informed perspective on the people and issues that come before District Court. Before taking the bench on July 1, 2025, I practiced at Kentucky Legal Aid, served as a public defender, and spent 17 years at the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office prosecuting felonies and holding offenders accountable. Prior to law, I spent nine years in social work, working with individuals and families struggling with addiction, mental illness, and poverty. I’ve helped people, defended them, prosecuted them, and now judge their cases, where I apply the law as written while considering the individual circumstances of each case.

I have practiced as an attorney in every kind of case and field of law in District and Family Court. I have also served for years on The H.L. Neblett Community Center and OASIS nonprofit boards, and I volunteer regularly with other nonprofits. These experiences shape my approach to the bench and demonstrate that as a judge, I will work relentlessly for everyone. The collected experiences have prepared me to better understand people and address the legal issues with wisdom and fairness.

Life and professional experience have both prepared me to serve. I was born and raised in Daviess County and have worked since I was 16 to get where I am today. Being a husband and father in a blended family of eight has also taught me patience, responsibility, and the importance of listening to different perspectives. Professionally, I have served as a defense attorney, judicial clerk, and for the last 25 years as a prosecutor in Daviess County courts. Those different perspectives have given me courtroom experience, sound judgment, and the humility to listen carefully, consider each case individually, and apply the law fairly to everyone.

What is the biggest challenge facing District Court in Daviess County, and what can a judge appropriately do to address it? District Court handles a large caseload involving people experiencing stressful circumstances and unfamiliarity with the system. A judge must keep cases moving efficiently while still giving each matter the attention and explanation it deserves. My experience managing a demanding caseload has strengthened my ability to multitask, communicate, prioritize, and relate to people. I would use that experience to make court efficient, respectful, and fair.

Within the discretion allowed by law, how should a District Court judge balance accountability with opportunities for treatment or rehabilitation? Accountability and rehabilitation are not opposing concepts. Accountability may mean treatment, probation, restitution, incarceration, or a combination of those options. I have working familiarity with the treatment options and specialty courts available to District Court and understand how those resources can be used within the law. District Court is often the first court intervention in drug and juvenile cases, and a judge who combines compassion with accountability can make a positive difference not only for the individual, but for the entire community.

I have practiced for 20 years in Juvenile, District, and Circuit Courts in Daviess, Ohio, Hancock, Butler, Breckinridge, Bullitt, and Warren Counties, representing thousands of clients. That experience gives me insight others may not have. I recognize signs of abuse, neglect, and substance abuse. I understand the people and agencies that come before the Court. My relationships with treatment and service providers help connect people with resources. Most importantly, everyone who enters a courtroom deserves to be heard — victims, defendants, families, and juveniles.

What is the biggest challenge facing District Court in Daviess County, and what can a judge appropriately do to address it? From my experience in District Court, I believe one of our biggest challenges is accountability — not simply holding people accountable but helping them understand and accept responsibility. Parents have a responsibility to guide and raise their children. Children must learn that choices have consequences. Adults must take responsibility for their actions, and our community and systems must do their part to protect and support women and children. Accountability means taking responsibility rather than shifting blame, while recognizing that it can create an opportunity to make better choices. Early intervention, whether it be for juveniles or adults, is the key to giving people their best chance at success. But we cannot get there without accountability.

Within the discretion allowed by law, how should a District Court judge balance accountability with opportunities for treatment or rehabilitation? Treatment and rehabilitation cannot exist without accountability. I have always told my clients that if they cannot own what they have done, they lose the power to change it. In District Court, many victims want accountability while also hoping those responsible receive help for addiction or other issues. Sometimes jail is necessary; other times treatment, community service, or intervention may be appropriate.

What is the biggest challenge facing District Court in Daviess County, and what can a judge appropriately do to address it? The biggest challenge is the volume of repeat offenders cycling through District Court, driven by substance use and untreated mental health. A judge cannot completely solve those problems, but a judge can hold offenders accountable, protect victims, apply the law consistently, ensure due process, move cases efficiently, and use lawfully available treatment and community resources where they genuinely reduce reoffending, decided case by case.

Within the discretion allowed by law, how should a District Court judge balance accountability with opportunities for treatment or rehabilitation? Accountability and rehabilitation are not mutually exclusive. Seventeen years as a prosecutor taught me what accountability looks like. My years as a social worker taught me when treatment can work. Within the law, I hold people responsible for their conduct while considering whether treatment or supervision will reduce the likelihood of future offenses. My experience allows me to differentiate between offenders who truly need and want help from those who need consequences.

PHILLIP J. PAGE

What is the biggest challenge facing District Court in Daviess County, and what can a judge appropriately do to address it? The growing sentiment that offenders will not be held accountable and victims are not heard. A judge can address these by giving decisions based on the evidence as presented and the law as written, and be ready to explain why and how they came to the decision they reached. The judge needs to take the time to explain how they came to their conclusion and show it was well reasoned and not arbitrary.

Within the discretion allowed by law, how should a District Court judge balance accountability with opportunities for treatment or rehabilitation? First, the defendant shall be held accountable. Secondly, where and when it is appropriate, the defendant should receive an opportunity for treatment or rehabilitation. Once justice is dealt, if the defendant is to successfully rejoin and become a law-abiding and contributing member of society, they will need to rehabilitate their behavior and align with society’s laws. Whether it’s a traffic ticket or substance abuse, the defendant must change their behavior(s) to avoid reoffending.

Page 29

E L ECT I O N

GARY M. BOSWELL

VICKI QUISENBERRY KY SENATE, D ISTR ICT 8 D EM OCR AT

KY HOUSE, D ISTRICT 7 R EP UBLICAN

KY HOUSE, DISTRICT 7 DEMOCRAT

Kentucky has invested significant state funding in local projects in recent years. What should be the next major priority for state funding in your district, and why?

I helped secure more than $21 million in state funding for our airport, emergency operations facility, utilities, and other local projects. A new homeless shelter should be next. St. Benedict’s Shelter is a blessing, but bed space is limited. I want state, city, county, and private partners to work together on a facility with adequate sleeping space. It is hard to find and keep a job without a dependable place to lay your head.

Looming healthcare and education cuts from the Big Ugly are projected to hit our area hard. These attacks on two major pillars of our infrastructure are estimated to remove tens of millions of dollars from our local economy and reduce access to employment, healthcare, and education. Adjusted for inflation, total SEEK funding for public schools is down 25% from 2008 levels, forcing school boards to raise local taxes. Healthcare and public education employ more people than any other industries in Senate District 8. The Kentucky state legislators in our area must be willing to support these sectors with appropriate state funding.

Infrastructure for drainage, water, sewer, roads, bridges, and energy. We have done pretty well with broadband expansion, but we have an aging infrastructure that needs maintenance and replacement. We continue to struggle with drainage, especially with Panther Creek.

The KY supermajority stockpiled money in the reserve fund to trigger a reduction in the state income tax rate. After passing a “bare-bones” budget which included a pay raise for themselves, they used those reserve funds for capital projects in this election year. The priority for funding should be driven by what data shows we need to focus on. We have a shortage of housing by 4,000 units in Daviess County, public education is underfunded by 25%, and we need more childcare options. Local school boards may not need to raise local taxes if the state legislature adequately funds them.

K Y S E NATE , DISTRI CT 8 RE PU BL ICAN

What change to state law or policy would have the greatest positive impact on residents of your district, and why? Tax reform and growth. I support continuing toward 0% state individual income tax so residents keep more of what they earn. We can make up the difference with tourism sales tax dollars. Mark Calitri and Visit Owensboro are making great strides in that direction locally. I will re-introduce Senate Bill 41, requiring voter approval of certain local property tax increases. Separately, I am developing a proposal limiting property assessment increases unless the property sells or transfers. I will continue fighting for taxpayers.

What should the General Assembly do to address the cost of living for local families, and what tradeoffs would your approach require? Lawmakers should protect reliable coal and natural gas generation and embrace an all-of-the-above energy approach. We must scrutinize utility costs and protect ratepayers. Families need affordable power without sacrificing dependability. I have backed measures to improve affordability through the Public Service Commission and strengthen our grid. Affordable housing also deserves attention. Based on my real estate experience, I believe part of the solution could be 50-year and interest-only mortgages for home buyers. The lower payments would help buyers get into a home, and inflation/appreciation would allow them to build equity in the property until they could afford to pay more toward the principal, or refinance.

What change to state law or policy would have the greatest positive impact on residents of your district, and why? Kentucky is one of five states without income-based property tax assistance. As property assessments increase, current legislators are allowing working Kentuckians and seniors to be pushed out of their homes while data centers worth billions get a 50-year sales tax exemption on equipment. We need to balance the state’s tax policy to benefit everyday Kentuckians and repeal the 50-year data center sales tax exemption.

What should the General Assembly do to address the cost of living for local families, and what tradeoffs would your approach require? Senate District 8 needs more affordable housing. We are currently 4,000+ units short of meeting housing needs in the tri-county district. The median home price in Daviess County is now approximately three times the median household income. Increased costs due to federal tariffs on imported building supplies and increased transportation costs due to the Iran war are further squeezing builders, driving up costs. The state must work with developers on ways to build more affordable housing and make access to rehabilitation loans/grants available to homeowners.

SUZANNE MILES

What change to state law or policy would have the greatest positive impact on residents of your district, and why? We need to look at property tax structure and other tax structures to work toward modernization of our tax codes to prevent unfair taxes. Also, we need to look at building and zoning codes for affordable housing. We have a housing shortage and need to create policies that help people find their first home or forever home with less red tape

What should the General Assembly do to address the cost of living for local families, and what tradeoffs would your approach require? Currently, we have created a plan with guardrails to lower the state income tax to zero. This will enable people to keep more of their income in their pockets and send less to government. I’ve been a member of that general assembly to work toward responsibly providing the funding for education, public safety and services, and reducing your state income tax.

LAURIE C. CAMPBELL

What change to state law or policy would have the greatest positive impact on residents of your district, and why? Fair tax systems and wages would have the greatest impact. The state income tax is more fair than sales taxes. I would advocate for sales tax exemptions for items that help working families, such as diapers and hygiene items. Sales tax savings have been given to data centers buying equipment and to people buying gold bars, and not on things everyday people need to survive. Workers should be paid a livable wage and should not have to work two-three jobs to make ends meet.

What should the General Assembly do to address the cost of living for local families, and what tradeoffs would your approach require? As federal funding cuts continue, the KY General Assembly can ease cuts by increasing housing assistance to prevent homelessness, temporarily suspend sales tax on gasoline as war continues to inflate gas prices, provide additional utility assistance, and expand the Child Care Assistance Program to offset childcare costs. The tradeoff is keeping the state income tax at 3.5% to fund programs, which helps struggling families.

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ELECTION

D.J. JOHNSON

RHONDALYN RANDOLPH KY HOUSE, D ISTR ICT 13 D EM OCR AT

KY HOUSE, D ISTRICT 14 R EP UBLICAN

KY HOUSE, DISTRICT 14 DEMOC RAT

Kentucky has invested significant state funding in local projects in recent years. What should be the next major priority for state funding in your district, and why?

K Y HO U S E , DISTRI CT 13 RE PU BL ICAN

My approach is simple: listen to the people of this district. The best ideas don’t come from Frankfort; they come from home. Local residents and local officials brought me the second Family Court Judgeship and the Healthforce Kentucky training center, and we delivered them. My future priorities will be based on input from Daviess County residents, while also ensuring ongoing projects continue to receive the support they need to succeed.

What change to state law or policy would have the greatest positive impact on residents of your district, and why? Two things. First, we will fix how our schools are funded. The SEEK formula is outdated and overly complicated, and our school leaders spend too much time guessing. We will simplify it in 2027 and give our schools a clear, stable outlook they can confidently count on. Second, we will protect Medicaid for the Kentuckians who truly need it by rooting out the fraud and waste that drain it. I believe every dollar should reach the people it was meant to help.

What should the General Assembly do to address the cost of living for local families, and what tradeoffs would your approach require? It comes down to three things: taxes, energy, and jobs. We’ve already acted, capping the cost of insulin for Kentucky families. I will keep working to lower personal taxes, and I’ll be straight about the tradeoff: it takes a leaner state government. I will demand our agencies cut waste so taxes come down without cutting services. We will keep Kentucky on our most affordable energy sources, coal and natural gas, and keep passing policies that bring real jobs and real pay home.

Modernizing and expanding the Owensboro-Daviess County airport to increase regional capacity to support business recruitment and regional commerce. Investment in outdated infrastructure projects will increase competitiveness in recruiting business. Accessibility through securing an I-165 interchange between U.S. 60 and Hartford exit will increase safety and accessibility. The projected renovations to the Turley Building and the Kentucky Small Business Development Center strategically place businesses to have support from business coaches, technical assistance, and capital access programs.

WES PATE

Infrastructure is one of the most important investments Kentucky can make in the 14th District. Strong roads, reliable water and electric systems, and expanded fiber optic internet help attract employers, create high-paying jobs, and support economic growth. Improved transportation infrastructure also helps our farmers move crops more efficiently from the field to market.

What change to state law or policy would have the greatest positive impact on residents of your district, and why?

The change to the income tax reductions and a reinvestment into targeted public investments will show priority of community growth through family supports. A rush to zero in income tax without a plan to replace the income lost by the reduction is irresponsible and not forward-thinking. The burden will ultimately be placed on working families through consumption taxes, which will further burden families in this struggling economy.

I believe property owners should not face an excessive tax burden on property they already own. While eliminating property taxes entirely would be difficult because many essential services, including public schools, depend on that revenue, I would like to see Kentucky pursue significant property tax relief. The state should explore alternative funding sources, including revenue generated by Kentucky’s growing gaming industry. Similar to how the Kentucky Lottery supports education, gaming revenue could help offset reliance on property taxes. While this is a complex issue, it is a conversation worth having.

What should the General Assembly do to address the cost of living for local families, and what tradeoffs would your approach require?

What change to state law or policy would have the greatest positive impact on residents of your district, and why?

The General Assembly should prioritize families by investing in fully funding public schools, healthcare, and childcare costs. The tradeoff is ceasing the race to zero with the income tax. The income tax is the largest source of revenue for Kentucky at 32%. This money is used to support vital projects and community investments that we need. Putting an emphasis on supporting working families and our senior population through increasing childcare assistance eligibility, fully funding public education, and investing in Medicaid ensures families have access to valuable programs like the Michelle P. Waiver Program and Homecare Programs that help families with disabilities stay in their homes.

I also support a “Build Here, Buy Here” and “Grow Here, Buy Here” approach to economic development. Kentucky should encourage the production and purchase of more locally made goods while reducing our dependence on products imported from outside the state or country. Expanding local manufacturing and agriculture would create jobs, strengthen our economy, keep more dollars within Kentucky communities, and help lower costs associated with transportation and supply chain challenges. This investment in Kentucky workers and businesses would benefit both consumers and local economies.

DONNA HAYNES

Kentucky funding should focus on affordable SAFE housing all across the commonwealth in both rural and urban areas. With continued increases in food, utilities, and gas prices, choices are getting harder to make. Safe housing shouldn’t be one.

What change to state law or policy would have the greatest positive impact on residents of your district, and why? State law should protect against gouging of prices of items from the raising of the price in tanks at the service station the minute oil prices go up to food prices as soon as there’s a weather change.

What should the General Assembly do to address the cost of living for local families, and what tradeoffs would your approach require? The General Assembly should focus on the people who elected them to work for the people of Kentucky and address the greed that’s prevalent in every aspect of their lives and make Kentucky the state it can be. United we stand.

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E L ECT I O N

DAVIESS COUNTY CANDIDATES

William “Bill” Whitsell Whitesville City Commission

Mike Hardesty Livermore City Council

Greg Beyke Whitesville City Commission

Jesse C. Johnson Livermore City Council

James M. Morgan DCPS School Board, District 1

Jackie Bickett Whitesville City Commission

Jacquita Kendall Livermore City Council

Christopher T. Castlen West Daviess County Commissioner Republican

Clarence Julian Merritt Whitesville City Commission

Larry Leach Livermore City Council

Bradley R. Youngman Daviess County Sheriff Republican Art Maglinger Daviess County Jailer Republican Jeffrey Jones Daviess County Coroner Republican John Burlew Daviess County Attorney Republican Leslie A. Mccarty Daviess County Clerk Republican Dan Bennett East Daviess County Constable Republican Steve Nave Central Daviess County Constable Republican Scotty Smith West Daviess County Constable Republican Anthony Cobb East Daviess County Justice of the Peace Republican Chris Saalwaechter Central Daviess County Justice of the Peace Democrat Cathy Kramer West Daviess County Justice of the Peace Republican Pamela A. Morris Whitesville Mayor Shannon Meyer 6th District Judge, Division 3 Bryce Caldwell 6th Circuit Judge, Division 1 Mark Irby Daviess County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor Dustin Warren Daviess County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor Jeffrey Maitland Rice Daviess County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor David Kyle Rice Daviess County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor

MCLEAN COUNTY CANDIDATES Harrison Quinn Taylor McLean County Attorney Republican Donna Dant McLean County Attorney Democrat Kelvin Q. Kassinger McLean County Sheriff Write-In Kenneth Frizzell McLean County Sheriff Republican Brad Baird Calhoun City Council Nancy Dant Calhoun City Council Kenny Neal Calhoun City Council Tyler B. Yandall Calhoun City Council David Bruce Cabbage Calhoun Mayor Matt Huff Calhoun School Board, 3rd District Bobby Glenn Stevens Calhoun School Board, 3rd District Matthew Turner Calhoun Soil And Water Conservation District Supervisor Russ Vickers Calhoun Soil And Water Conservation District Supervisor David Wright Calhoun Soil And Water Conservation District Supervisor Stacy L. Ashby Island City Commission Pamela Eastwood Island City Commission Douglas Edwards Island City Commission Tori Hill Island City Commission Joseph Hamilton Island Mayor

Sharon Neil Boyken Livermore Mayor Thomas Kassinger Livermore Mayor Todd A. Zuehl Livermore Mayor Amanda Gish Sacramento City Council Isaac Smith Sacramento City Council John Miller Sacramento Mayor Curtis Dame McLean County Judge-Executive Republican Chris Ellis McLean County Jailer Republican Dale W. Ayer McLean County PVA Democrat Collin Eaton McLean County Clerk Republican Lee M. Muster McLean County Coroner Republican Keith Wayne Stratton McLean County Northwest Magistrate/Justice of the Peace Democrat Josephy Lowery McLean County Southwest Magistrate/Justice of the Peace Republican Clay Troutman McLean County Northeast Magistrate/Justice of the Peace Republican Robert Bishop McLean County Southeast Magistrate/Justice of the Peace Democrat Troy Slinker McLean County Southwest Constable Republican Mark Badertscher McLean County Northwest Constable Republican Randy Phillip Sosh McLean County Southeast Constable Democrat

Joseph “Buddy” Mattingly Whitesville City Commission

Tristan Buckman Livermore City Council

John M. Howard McLean County School Board, 2nd District

Maranda J. Ward Whitesville City Commission

Gibson Dame Livermore City Council

Eric Stovall 45th District Judge

Jim Gooch Ky House, District 12 Republican

HANCOCK COUNTY CANDIDATES Billy Burton Hancock County Sheriff Republican Aaron Emmick Hancock County Sheriff Democrat Steve Jackson Hancock County Jailer Republican Jonathan Rice Hancock County Jailer Democrat Austin Gray Hancock County Clerk Republican Jake Powers Hancock County Clerk Democrat Brandon Boone Hancock County Constable, 2nd District Republican Josh L. Estes Hancock County Constable, 2nd District Democrat Gordon Kent Gaynor Hancock County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor Coty Johnson Hancock County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor Steve Ogle Hancock County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor Danny Doyle Hawesville City Commission Chase Herndon Hawesville City Commission

Paul L. Madden Jr. Hancock County Attorney Democrat Karen M. Robertson Hancock County PVA Republican D.A. Gibson Hancock County Coroner Republican Gary Baker Magistrate/Justice of the Peace, 4th District Republican John Mark Gray Magistrate/Justice of the Peace, 3rd District Republican Kasey Emmick Magistrate/Justice of the Peace, 2nd District Democrat Brent Wigginton Magistrate/Justice of the Peace, 1st District Republican W. Lloyd Basham Hancock County Constable, 4th District Democrat Brandon D. Bozarth Hancock County Constable, 3rd District Democrat Vanessa Adkins Cox Hancock County School Board, 1st District Brooke Payne Hancock County School Board, 1st District Robbie McCormick Hawesville Mayor Gregory Vincent 38th District Judge, Division 1 Daniel Boling 38th District Judge, Division 2

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE

Tracy O. Johnson Hawesville City Commission

2ND DISTRICT (DAVIESS, HANCOC K , MCLEAN + SEVERAL OTHERS)

Kevin Linn Hawesville City Commission

S. Brett Guthrie Republican

Jordan Nugent Hawesville City Commission

Megan Wingfield Democrat

Tyler O’Bryan Hawesville City Commission

Thomas A. Loecken Independent

Mary Meyers Hawkins Lewisport City Commission Marsha Johnson Lewisport City Commission Josh Roberts Lewisport City Commission Kelly Vanover Lewisport City Commission Johnny “Chic” Roberts Hancock County Judge-Executive Republican

U.S. SENATOR

(STATEWIDE ELECTION)

Andy Barr Republican Charles Booker Democrat Thomas Michael Murphy Write-in Christopher Campbell Kentucky

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