Jenny Thacker, Author at Blue Jefferson

About Jenny Thacker

Jenny Thacker grew up in California believing that a democratic system of government only works if the population participates. In college she vowed to write at least one letter a week to a leader who could make a difference about a cause that mattered to her. After earning her BA in Geography, she joined the US Peace Corps, traveled widely, and settled in West Virginia to raise her family, coach soccer, and commute to Washington, D.C. to work for NOAA making nautical charts. She is now retired.

Entries by Jenny Thacker

Video: The Pros and Cons of Datacenters

June 13, 2026/in Campaign Position/by Jenny Thacker

Jenny Thacker presents her take on data centers, specifically whether they are appropriate for Jefferson County. She doesn’t deny that they will provide some jobs especially jobs for tradespeople, such as electricians. But, the number of permanent jobs they create are few, especially in consideration of the negative effects of the threats to our ground water and to the cost of our electricity. Those costs will impact everyone in the county. So are are they worth it? Watch and listen to her video the Pros and Cons of Datacenters.

Raylee’s Law Failure to Pass

April 30, 2026/in Fair Share/by Jenny Thacker

Jenny Thacker, in a video recording, details the arguments for Raylee’s Law and then goes on to describe the legislature’s inaction in passing any of three versions. Any of the three would have included some provision in the law to provide oversight over the HOPE Scholarship program. This oversight could have prevented Raylee Browning’s death at age eight.

Our Homes Are Burning

March 30, 2026/in Community/by Jenny Thacker

A recent fire in Bolivar in a multi-unit home for elderly and disabled people has upturned their lives. The fire started in one unit and spread along the roof to others, making the building unlivable. Jenny Thacker considers the possibility that this building fire and many others predating building codes could have been caused by faulty construction. She wants legislators to focus more on fire prevention in our older homes, as well as to better support local fire fighting and rescue.