Look, the weather is gonna be as gross this weekend as this roundup is gonna be today. Rounds of showers and storm-babies are making the morning quiet-ish. But chances for stronger and more severe stormy messes return Saturday night and into Sunday. [WxOrNot YouTube]
The family of a beloved Professor of Sculpture is continuing his legacy at WKU through a philanthropic gift. Charles Howard Forrester (1928-2010) was a prolific sculptor and gifted educator who taught at WKU for 27 years, from 1965 to 1992. So… you probably need to book it to campus to see the more than 100 sculptures donated by his family at the Kentucky Museum. [WBKO]
The Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce has selected veteran chamber executive Jim Page as its next president and chief executive officer. Here’s hoping the new guy recognizes that our fine city’s immigrant community is a primary driver of economic growth and development. [BG Daily News]
Kentucky’s General Fund receipts fell a whopping 3% during the month of May, one of the largest monthly drops we’ve seen in the past two decades. But don’t worry, everything is puppies and rainbows according to Frankfort, right? Individual income taxes are down 12.9% for the month but have increased 5.1% overall for the fiscal year, meaning you’re paying more in sales taxes while earning less. Corporate and limited liability taxes sank 20.2%, down 27.6% for the year. Sales and use taxes rose 7.9%, up 6% for the year. Property taxes increased 2.8%, up 0.6% for the year. Cancer stick taxes increased 16.5%, up 2.2% for the year. Coal severance taxes fell 10.4% but coal is coming back, eh? Investment income plummeted another $5.6 million. The real bad news is that Road Fund receipts fell 3.9% in a single month and they’re down 1.1% for the year. The consequences of suspending part of the gas tax are severe. [Press Release]
WKU Office of Global Learning and International Affairs, which assisted students wanting to study abroad and international students on campus, will be shutting its doors at the end of the month. According to University Spokesperson Jace Lux, the decision to close the WKU Global comes after a several-month-long committee review conducted by 14 individuals “representing multiple areas of the university.” He declined to identify those on the committee. If anyone knows their names, feel free to anonymously tip us off. We’ll report on it. [WKU Herald]
A taxpayer-funded commission on energy resource planning says the shared cost of building and operating data centers in Kentucky should be decided before they are built. That kind of timeline sets a tight clock for lawmakers and regulators to institute broad utility customer protections as the commonwealth gains the attention of tech firms seeking low-cost energy and cheap land. [Herald-Leader]
2026 Kids Count data have been released and you won’t be surprised that Kentucky ranks 36th in the country overall. When the governor or any other elected official tries to paint a pretty picture while they waste your taxpayer dollars running for higher office, politely correct them with these hard data. Familiarize yourself with what’s occurring. While reading, keep in mind that Kentucky only ranks second in high school graduation rates because we legally force people to remain in school – they don’t actually have to show up. So districts do what they can to move students along. 66% of our kids can’t read and 75% of 8th graders can’t do math. [Kids Count]
We love to see tourism growth but it’s wild to suggest that Bowling Green accounted for half a billion dollars last year. And if you think more than 81 million people visited the Commonwealth of Kentucky as tourists in 2025, we’ve got an exciting investment opportunity for you. Spoiler alert: They’re counting people who pass through, gas station customers, people who work in the state, et al. Though… there’s no way on earth that comes anywhere near 81 million. Really, a quarter of the entire population chose Kentucky as a destination in the most expensive year of our lives??? [Kentucky Tourism]
Many don’t want to hear it but the governor is playing political games with Kentucky’s poorest and most vulnerable, as are Frankfort Republicans. He shoulders a ton of blame here and could have done more than tepidly complain after the fact. But he didn’t and here we are. Andy Beshear announced cuts are coming to departments and programs within the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, including Medicaid, foster care, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program and more. [More Herald-Leader]
$600,000 renovation for a fountain? In Bowling Green, Kentucky? When there are tons of people in this very city walking around homeless and hungry? While there are children with garbage parents who don’t provide beds for them to sleep in? It’s not even historic, wasn’t broken and has only been a thing since 2007. Junk like this makes it difficult to focus on the fun happenings around town for y’all. So please prioritize local businesses extra-hard this weekend to help make this an easier pill to swallow. [WNKY]
Kentucky was recently ranked the second-worst in the nation for overall economic performance. Personal finance company WalletHub’s report compared all 50 states and Washington, D.C. across 28 economic indicators, including GDP growth, unemployment, startup activity and jobs in high-tech industries. [WHAS11]
If you think people concerned about data centers are being manipulated by the Chinese Communist Party, you’re likely in need of a court-appointed guardian. Not a single person in Bowling Green or Franklin is concerned about dirtier air and increased utility rates because of Chinese government propaganda. They’re concerned because they have eyes and decent brain function. We’re not on board on nixing all data centers (the AI ones are pretty terrible but come on, we need some standard data centers – especially the smaller facilities that host basic web servers and local content like this very website) but this is just abysmally dumb and racist. Y’all have got to run a competent opponent against this guy in 2028. Democrat, Republican, doesn’t matter. Just someone competent and who isn’t as embarrassing as him or his current Democratic opponent. [More WNKY]
Want more proof that Frankfort is broken and no one – not the governor, not the legislators – have the guts to do anything other than whine? Kentucky seniors are losing state funding for meals for the second time in one year, and advocates say people will go hungry. The senior meal program will be reduced by more than $9.1 million. [WKYT]
Do you know what kind of terrible human being you have to be to issue a statement like Matt Bevin just did? Dumped his adopted son in a foreign country, refused to help and now he’s trashing the kid in the press with threats of HIPAA violations. No decent person could be so cruel. It’s been a week and we’re still sick to our stomach over his behavior. [WAVE3]
Pay attention to your local government at all times. Doesn’t matter what your personal politics happen to be. Want a good reason why? Last week the BG Board of Commissioners met to discuss whether the city should pause data center-related applications for six months. What’s that? Now we have your attention? Good. PAY ATTENTION. Quit it with the absentmindedness. Monitor government. Make friends with your neighbors. [YouTube]