As of last week, and according to the Pennyrile Area Development District, regional senior citizens services certainly remain in high demand — and show no signs of slowing.
The home-delivered meal waiting list is close to 200, with Christian County at 63, Muhlenberg County at 38, Hopkins County at 31, Trigg County at 23 and Caldwell County at 12.
The homemaking waiting list is close to 300, with Christian County at 116, Hopkins County at 51, Muhlenberg County at 41, Trigg County at 30 and Todd County at 15.
And the personal care waiting list is at 70, with Christian County at 35.
Aging and Independent Living Director Amanda Stokes said a recently-returned survey, the comprehensive needs assessment, people made it very clear the needs of south western Kentucky.
The survey return rate, she said, was 49%, and its demographics were:
+ “Predominantly female, age 70 and above, especially those in the 80-to-89 age group, one-third widowed, one-fourth veterans or the spouse of a veteran, one-sixth caregivers, primarily lower income, more than half lived alone, the majority reported at least one or more common chronic illnesses, and there were issues identified with food insecurity and nutrition challenges.”
County-by-county data is available through her office.
Meanwhile, the February Kentucky eClearinghouse reports have plenty of illuminating points throughout the News Edge listening area:
+ Currently under review, Caldwell County Judge-Executive Kota Young has submitted a $5.6 million plan to the U.S. Department of Transportation that, if approved, would allow the construction of a 1.6-mile path adjacent to U.S. 62 from West Main Street in Princeton, all the way to the west terminus of Wal-Mart. Additional connections to this path would come at Medical Center Drive to connect US 62 and the Caldwell Medical Center, and again from Park Avenue to connect US 62 to the Princeton-Caldwell County Industrial Development complex.
According to the project submission, this effort would greatly extend pedestrian and bicycle access from the residential portion of Princeton to various businesses, medical facilities and job centers along US 62.
Numerous residents, he said, are currently walking and biking along the US 62 shoulder without the safeties needed, and that many locations — like Bay Valley Foods, Tractor Supply, Dollar Tree, the Medical Center, and others — could benefit from the added access.
Preliminary analysis, Young writes, indicates the most economical means of construction here would be to utilize a curb and gutter section, with a 7-foot offset from the travel lane, and for about 60% of the corridor length. Additional storm sewer accommodations would not be required.
+ Currently under review, Mark Matheny of the Nebo Water District has submitted a $2 million plan to the USDA that, if approved, would help replace the existing Highway 41A Calumet Lane Pump Station with a prefabricated pump station with VFD’s. It would also replace an outdated SCADA system at three other pump stations, three tanks, and at the Nebo Water District Office. An automated meter reading system would then replace around 1,600 meters, and the purchase of two trucks would allow for drive-by efforts. A new GPS unit would also be purchased, in order to help with mapping the meters across the district.
+ Currently under review, Mortons Gap Mayor Chris Phelps has submitted an $832,000 plan to the U.S. Department of Transportation that, if approved, would create engineering design and construction of pedestrian improvements along US 41 Hopkinsville Road and KY 813 Cross Street in Mortons Gap. A sidewalk along the east side of US 41, specifically, would connect to the existing pedestrian network on both the north and south sides of KY 813, and would improve pedestrian crossings on US 41, KY 813 and Morton Street.
+ Currently under review, Hanson’s Brian Ruffin has submitted a $378,000 plan to the U.S. Department of Transportation that, if approved, would bring life to the Memorial Drive Sidewalk Project. The designation of I-69 has brought some major developments, including: Wal-Mart, Love’s Travel Center and McDonald’s. As such, Ruffin writes that sidewalks need to be built from Love’s, across KY 260, and end at the Wal-Mart.
+ Currently under review, Crofton’s Daniel Lacy has submitted a $696,000 plan to the U.S. Department of Transportation to replace five deteriorated sidewalks along Church, North Anderson, South Anderson, East Princeton and West Princeton streets. A 40-foot pedestrian bridge has also been proposed in the plan.
+ Also currently under review, Lisa Chaney of Impetus Consulting, and through Community Ventures Corporation of Louisville, has submitted for $500,000 in federal funding to pair with more than $760,000 of applicant funding for connection to the Kentucky Housing Corporation and its HUD HOME Investment Partnerships Program.
If approved, the funds would be used to acquire, rehabilitate and resell single-family homes to households with incomes at, or below, 80% of the area median.
Though no sites are selected at this time, Community Ventures would assist in locating for-sale homes in the private market that can then be brought to code and sold at or below HD Homeownership Value Limits, which vary by Kentucky county.
Acquired homes will typically be three-bedroom, 1 ½-to-2 bathrooms and average 1,300 square feet, and the plan is to locate five such home profiles in the region.
