Senior citizens in south western Kentucky recently breathed a sigh of relief, when state authorities unlocked $9.1 million in budgeted dollars to fully fund the current list of home-delivered meals through the end of the fiscal year.
During Monday afternoon’s Pennyrile Area Development District meeting in Hopkinsville, however, officials were able to offer a clear vision of the next steps for the social service — which remains in high demand as retirees and elders become eligible, and in great need.
Amanda Stokes, PADD’s director of Aging & Independent Living, said, as of November 3, more than 730 people in the nine-county area were back to getting hot meals at home five days a week.
PADD, she said, gratefully received $1.86 million.
Stokes and PADD Executive Director Jason Vincent did confirm, however, that while current recipients have been accounted, the waiting list cannot be addressed until further appropriations arrive either through the Kentucky General Assembly — or perhaps not at all.
Typically averaging 100, or so, waiting individuals, more than 170 are on the list as of November 4. This includes:
+ 13 in Caldwell County
+ 48 in Christian County
+ 17 in Crittenden County
+ 22 in Hopkins County
+ 7 in Livingston County
+12 in Lyon County
+ 28 in Muhlenberg County
+ 6 in Todd County
+ and 21 in Trigg County
Vincent said that local legislators and state officials have asked for two specific requests heading into the 2026-28 biennium budget cycle.
In other PADD news:
+ Senator Mitch McConnell rep Morgan Alvey and Congressman James Comer rep Austin Wetherington both confirmed that the U.S. House and Senate have been called to rally and end the government shutdown, which hit 41 days before late Sunday theatrics saw more than a half-dozen Democrats join for bi-partisan legislation and a continuing resolution.
+ Andy Beshear rep Alex Caudill confirmed that the governor will soon be making a lengthy stop in west Kentucky. On December 9, he will be joining alongside regional economic leaders for a 10 AM ribbon cutting at Hopkinsville’s Toyota Boshoku, before joining with Princeton families at 11:45 AM for tornado-related recovery updates.
+ Vincent confirmed that, after years of service to the organization, Princeton’s Sherman Chadouin recently turned in his resignation from the Pennyrile Development & Governmental Center, Inc., and its Board of Directors. In his stead, Vincent nominated another Caldwell County stalwart in Gale Cherry, and she was unanimously approved — joining a board that is, among many things, responsible for the PADD property on Hammond Drive, and already has Trigg County’s David Shore, Christian County’s Rich Leibe, Muhlenberg County’s Gary Jones and Hopkins County’s Donnie Carroll in its fold.
+ Former Cadiz Police Chief and Trigg County Judge-Executive Hollis Alexander confirmed he had left Higgins Insurance for an opportunity to work at the Kentucky Association of Counties.
+ And PADD next meets at 11:30 AM December 8 at Pennyrile Forest State Park, for its annual Christmas celebration and Legislative Luncheon in preparation for the January gavel.
