Daviess County, Kentucky is proving that economic prosperity and community care can go hand in hand. In his fourth State of the County address delivered Thursday, Judge-Executive Charlie Castlen painted a portrait of a thriving community that has turned challenges into opportunities and investments into real quality of life improvements for residents.

The numbers tell an impressive story. Since Castlen took office, the county has attracted more than $415 million in new investment and created 727 new jobs, setting a standard for rural economic development. But what makes this growth truly special is how the county has managed it while maintaining fiscal responsibility and investing heavily in the people and places that make Daviess County home.

When disaster struck in the form of a massive March hailstorm and April flooding, the worst since 1997, the community's response was nothing short of inspiring. Castlen described the hailstorm as having a "Bigfoot-sized footprint," but the county's response was even bigger. First responders, volunteers, and county employees across multiple departments stepped up in remarkable ways. The sheriff's office alone processed nearly 10,000 damaged vehicle titles, while solid waste crews managed debris volumes at four times the normal rate for months.

The Ripple Effect of the county's investments extends far beyond emergency response. Public safety improvements include well-deserved pay raises for sheriff's deputies and court security officers, plus the creation of the county's first-ever cold case detective. Volunteer fire departments received capital funding for much-needed repairs, and 89 new fire hydrants were added county-wide. Perhaps most exciting, a new partnership with Owensboro Community & Technical College is helping firefighters earn advanced EMT certifications, with more than half the department expected to reach advanced life support level by the end of 2026.

The county's commitment to cleaner, more beautiful public spaces is particularly heartwarming. Through a combination of contracted services, the Cash for Trash program, jail crews, and dedicated nonprofit groups, Daviess County removed an impressive 63 tons of litter in 2025. That's more than the weight of 10 elephants worth of trash that's no longer cluttering roadways and natural areas.

Innovation is also flourishing in Daviess County. The completion of a landfill gas recovery project in partnership with Redtail Renewables captures methane gas and converts it into clean, marketable energy, all without using a single taxpayer dollar. Meanwhile, new print-on-demand voting technology ensures residents never face hours-long lines at polling places, making democracy more accessible and efficient.

Cultural investments show a community that values quality of life as much as economic growth. The county allocated $3.8 million to parks, arts, and education programs in 2025, including $1.3 million to support organizations like the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the Owensboro Symphony, and local theaters. A new $2.5 million Senior Community Center will open in 2026, fulfilling a long-discussed community need.

"We're not just meeting expectations, we're setting the standard for what a county can achieve," Castlen said, summing up a year of remarkable progress built on community dedication and smart investments in people, infrastructure, and the future.