BereaOnline.com: Covering the Berea Area Since 1995

Author: Chad Hembree

  • 🚫 Help Us Slam the Scam on March 5

    BEREA, Ky. — Scam calls, texts, and emails are not just a big-city problem. They hit small towns hard because scammers rely on two psychological triggers that work anywhere: urgency and trust.

    Thursday, March 5, 2026, is National Slam the Scam Day. Led by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the SSA Office of the Inspector General as part of National Consumer Protection Week (March 1–7), the goal of the initiative is simple: help people spot government imposter scams and stop them before money or personal information is gone.

    🕵️ What Slam the Scam Day is Really About

    Most Social Security scams follow a highly predictable script. Someone calls or messages claiming there is a problem with your Social Security number, your benefits, or a recent payment. They may aggressively claim that law enforcement is involved, or conversely, promise a sudden benefit increase. They will almost always say you need to “verify” your information.

    The SSA and its watchdog office warn that scammers use fear and pressure to get people to act before they have time to think critically.

    🚩 How to Recognize the Scam Before It Hooks You

    Start with the three major red flags that show up again and again in SSA and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidance:

    • Unexpected Problem or Surprise Reward: If you get an out-of-the-blue message about a suspended number, a missed payment, or a prize, treat it as highly suspicious.
    • Pressure to Act Right Now: Scammers push urgency because urgency shuts down verification. If you are told you must act today, stay on the line, or keep the conversation a secret, that is a massive warning sign.
    • Weird Payment Methods: The FTC is blunt on this point. Only scammers demand payment by gift card, cryptocurrency, wire transfer, cash, or gold. If anyone asks you to go to the store, buy gift cards, and read the numbers off the back, it is a scam.

    📞 What to Do in the Moment

    If a caller claims to be from Social Security, hang up immediately. Do not argue and do not negotiate. Take a breath, then verify the situation through official channels.

    If you are unsure, use the SSA’s official scam guidance page and start from there. It walks through common tactics and exactly how to protect your account. Furthermore, if you already shared information or sent money, report it. Reporting helps federal agencies spot regional patterns and warn others.

    🤝 A Simple Berea Habit That Helps

    Check in with one person who might be targeted more often. A parent, a grandparent, a neighbor who lives alone, or someone who is new to managing their benefits. Ask them a direct question: “Have you gotten any weird calls or texts lately about Social Security or payments?”

    Scams thrive in silence. A simple two-minute conversation can stop a devastating day.

    🔗 Where to Read More & Report Fraud

    📅 Upcoming Events in Berea

    Catch the Leprechaun 5K

    When: Sunday, March 1 at 9:00 a.m.
    Where: Berea Community High School (1 Pirate Parkway)
    Details: A community 5K run/walk and 1-mile fun walk benefiting the Berea Food Bank and BUURR. Catch the running leprechaun for a chance to win prizes from the “Pot of Gold.”
    Race Registration & Details

    Jammin’ on the Porch

    When: Thursday, March 5 at 7:00 p.m.
    Where: Russel Acton Folk Center (212 W Jefferson Street)
    Details: Bring your instrument and join in the acoustic jam session hosted by Lewis and Donna Lamb, or just sit back and listen to the old-time mountain music. Free admission.
    Berea Tourism Event Page

    Opening Night: The Taming of the Shrew

    When: Friday, March 6 at 6:00 p.m. (Runs through March 15)
    Where: Spotlight Playhouse (214 Richmond Road)
    Details: Experience Shakespeare’s classic comedy reimagined by the talented students of Spotlight Acting School.
    Spotlight Playhouse Tickets

    Auditions: Macbeth

    When: Sunday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m.
    Where: Spotlight Playhouse (214 Richmond Road)
    Details: Open auditions for teens and adults (ages 11+) for The Bluegrass Players’ upcoming June production of Macbeth, directed by Edwin Tait and Jennifer Woodruff.
    Macbeth Audition Info

    Auditions: Annie KIDS

    When: Saturday, Feb. 28 at 10:30 a.m.
    Where: Spotlight Acting School (214 Richmond Road)
    Details: Auditions for ages 4 to 11. No pre-registration required. Students can enroll even if they do not audition, as auditions are primarily for leading parts.
    Annie KIDS Audition Details

  • 🥪 Subway Ends “Fourth Footlong Free” Reward Program on April 1

    BEREA, Ky. — No more free subs—at least, not the way it used to work. It has been a good run for the “Fourth Footlong Free” promotion, but Subway is updating its Sub Club loyalty program on April 1, 2026, and the popular stamp-based reward is being discontinued.

    The company says members can keep earning stamps toward a Free Footlong through March 31, 2026. Any Free Footlongs earned before April 1 can still be redeemed based on the expiration date shown on the coupon, but the window to stack up new rewards is closing fast.

    ⏰ Use It or Lose It

    The bigger change—and the one local diners need to watch—is what happens to unfinished progress. According to Subway’s updated terms, any stamps remaining in a Sub Club account will be forfeited when the update takes effect. The terms state plainly: “Stamps expire on March 31, 2026.”

    This means if you have two or three stamps sitting in your account, you need to buy enough to trigger the reward before April 1, or those credits will disappear.

    🔄 The New System: Points Over Sandwiches

    After April 1, the program becomes simpler, though perhaps less exciting for deal hunters. Members will continue earning 10 points per $1 spent, and 400 points equals $2 in “Subway Cash” that can be applied toward eligible items.

    For those who have been quietly stacking stamps, the loyalty benefit shifts from a concrete reward (a whole sandwich) to a smaller, more incremental discount system.

    ✅ Automatic Transition

    Sub Club memberships will continue automatically, and Subway notes that participation after April 1 indicates consent to the updated Terms of Use.

    🔗 Where to Read More

    📅 UPCOMING EVENTS IN BEREA & BEYOND

    Theater & Performance

    Music & Concerts

    Community & Outdoors

    Auditions

  • 💝 Members and Volunteers Feel the Love at Berea Home Village

    BEREA, Ky. — During the week of Valentine’s Day, Berea Home Village (BHV) delivered 137 boxes of homemade treats to members and volunteers, each one paired with a handmade Valentine card.

    The organization says the boxes were baked and packed through a mix of member and volunteer effort, with help from women from the local Methodist and Christian churches.

    👵 A Cross-Generational Effort

    The cards came from Berea College students connected to CELTS (the Center for Excellence in Learning Through Service). BHV credited students involved with the Adopt-a-Grandparent program for creating the valentines that went into each box, turning a simple delivery into something more personal for the recipients.

    📸 Snapshots from the Week

    BHV shared a few snapshots from the delivery route that highlighted the personal connections the program builds:

    • Member Barbara Taylor got a hug from Nora, whose grandparents (Cindy and Todd Moberly) volunteer with the organization.
    • Member Marge Sherman received a surprise visit during the drop-offs.
    • Photos from the packing days show volunteers filling boxes and sorting an assortment of baked goods. BHV credited Peggy Patrick and Teri Mehler for their work in the kitchen, noting Angie Gilliam, Nancy Melton, and Debbie Flara as key parts of the effort.

    🏡 What is Berea Home Village?

    For readers who are not familiar with Berea Home Village, it is a local nonprofit built around a simple goal: helping older Bereans stay in their own homes for as long as it makes sense.

    BHV describes itself as a volunteer-based organization serving Berea residents age 50 and older. The “home village” model is meant to fill the gap between doing everything alone and having to leave a familiar home. The group connects members with practical help—like transportation and household chores—and social connection, addressing the needs that often become the tipping point for older adults deciding whether they can stay put.

    ☎️ How to Connect

    Berea Home Village says anyone interested in becoming a member, volunteering, or supporting the organization can call 859-985-0099.

    🔗 Where to Read More

    📅 UPCOMING EVENTS IN BEREA & BEYOND

    Theater & Performance

    Music & Concerts

    Community Events

    Auditions

  • 🎺 High School Honor Band Festival Brings Student Musicians and Families to Richmond This Weekend

    RICHMOND, Ky. — If you notice a little more traffic and more families around Richmond between now and Saturday, it is likely tied to Eastern Kentucky University’s High School Honor Band Festival, running Thursday, Feb. 19 through Saturday, Feb. 21.

    EKU bills this as the 33rd annual edition of the festival, which brings together high school band students for two days of rehearsals and coaching that culminate in a Saturday evening concert.

    🎶 Why It Matters for the Region

    For Berea readers, the value of events like this is less about whether you personally attend and more about what they do for the local arts pipeline. Honor band weekends reward students who have put in the work, but they also give young players a concrete next step.

    Participants get to sit in an ensemble that feels bigger and more demanding than their normal band room, learn rehearsal pace and expectations from renowned clinicians and college faculty, and go home with a clearer picture of what it takes to keep music in their lives after graduation. According to EKU, interested participants can even audition for admission into the School of Music while they are on campus.

    🏙️ Community Impact & Traffic

    This is one of those weekends where the benefits spill into the community even if the rehearsals are not open. Families come in, students move between buildings, and the rhythm of the area shifts for a couple of days.

    EKU lists the primary festival sites as the Foster Music Building and the EKU Center for the Arts. If you are commuting through Richmond for errands or appointments, it is reasonable to expect heavier parking demand near campus, especially Saturday evening when the festival culminates.

    🎵 Public Access

    EKU’s event page specifically describes the festival ending in a “public concert Saturday evening.” That is the clearest signal that the finale is intended for an audience, even if the daily schedule is primarily for registered students. If you are planning to attend, treat the concert as public but verify specific start times through EKU before making the drive.

    🌟 The Bigger Picture

    If you care about keeping our region the kind of place where kids can try something artistic and keep going with it, weekends like this matter. They make music feel like a real community activity, not just an elective.

    Berea’s own arts groups—from school programs to community stages like the Berea Arts Council and Spotlight Acting School—benefit when more young people decide the arts are worth sticking with.

    🔗 Where to Read More

    📅 UPCOMING EVENTS IN BEREA & BEYOND

    This Weekend (Feb. 19–22)

    • Convocation: “The Wisdom of Happiness” (Berea College) — Thurs., Feb. 19 at 8:00 p.m.
    • Disney’s The Lion King KIDS (Spotlight Playhouse) — Fri.–Sun., Feb. 20–22
    • “Dirt Pearls” Art Reception (KY Guild) — Sat., Feb. 21 at 5:00 p.m.
    • Chili Night Out Fundraiser (Berea Arts Council) — Sat., Feb. 21 at 6:00 p.m.
    • EKU Honor Band Concert (EKU Center, Richmond) — Sat., Feb. 21 (Evening)
    • William Lee Martin: Comedy All In (One Eyed Jacks) — Sat., Feb. 21 at 8:00 p.m.
    • FreeSkool: Herbs for Stress (HomeGrown HideAways) — Sun., Feb. 22 at 2:00 p.m.
    • Blazing Guns at Roaring Gulch (Spotlight Playhouse) — Sun., Feb. 22 (Matinee)

    Looking Ahead: Theater & Concerts

    • The Choir of Man (EKU Center) — Wed., Feb. 25 at 7:00 p.m.
    • Louisville Orchestra “In Harmony” Tour — Wed., Feb. 25
    • Blazing Guns at Roaring Gulch (Spotlight Playhouse) — Feb. 27–28 & March 1
    • Annie KIDS Auditions (Ages 4–11) — Sat., Feb. 28 at 10:30 a.m.
    • Catch the Leprechaun 5K (Berea Community High School) — Sun., March 1 at 9:00 a.m.
    • EKU Choirs NYC Preview Concert (Gifford Theatre) — Mon., March 2 at 7:30 p.m.
    • EKU Wind Ensemble & Concert Band (EKU Center) — Tues., March 3 at 7:30 p.m.
    • The Taming of the Shrew (Spotlight Playhouse) — March 6–15
    • Macbeth Auditions (Teens & Adults) — Sun., March 8 at 7:30 p.m.
    • Guest Piano Recital: Gregory Sioles (Berea College) — Tues., March 10 at 7:00 p.m.
    • Black Music Ensemble Spring Concert (Berea College) — Fri., March 20 at 7:00 p.m.

  • 🍀 Catch the Leprechaun 5K Returns March 1 at Berea Community High School, Benefiting Berea Food Bank and BUURR

    BEREA, Ky. — The Catch the Leprechaun 5K is set for Sunday, March 1, with a 9:00 a.m. start at Berea Community High School. Organizers describe it as a St. Patrick’s-themed kickoff to spring racing, with proceeds supporting the Berea Food Bank and Bereans United for Utility and Rent Relief (BUURR).

    This event is designed to feel friendly for a wide range of participants, not just serious runners. The morning includes a chip-timed 5K run and walk, a one-mile untimed fun walk, plus a virtual option for people who want to support the cause from wherever they are.

    🌈 The Signature Twist

    The race features the “Catch the Leprechaun” challenge. A designated “Running Leprechaun” is part of the field, and participants who finish ahead of the leprechaun get a shot at prizes from the “Pot of Gold.”

    🏃 The Course & Logistics

    The course itself is marketed as private, paved, and relatively flat. The race page notes the start and finish will be located behind the football stadium bleachers at Berea Community High School, with an out-and-back route that goes through the park and includes a portion of the Berea City Trail. Organizers state there will be two hydration stations along the way.

    Packet Pickup: For those planning their morning, race day pickup is scheduled from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. in the Berea Community High School parking lot.

    📝 How to Sign Up or Donate

    📅 UPCOMING EVENTS IN BEREA

    Theater & Performance

    Music, Arts & Community (The Weekend Mix)

    Community & Outdoors

    Classes & Auditions

  • 🎺 EKU Wind Ensemble and Concert Band Play March 3 at EKU Center for the Arts

    RICHMOND, Ky. — Eastern Kentucky University’s Wind Ensemble and Concert Band will take the stage Tuesday, March 3, with a 7:30 p.m. concert at the EKU Center for the Arts in Richmond. The university lists the performance as free and open to all ages.

    For Berea listeners, this is the kind of low-effort weeknight concert that still feels like a full program. You get two different ensembles in one evening:

    • The Wind Ensemble: Billed by EKU as the university’s most advanced group for winds and percussion.
    • The Concert Band: Described as a non-auditioned ensemble that includes both music majors and non-music majors.

    🎶 What to Expect on the Program

    EKU Bands has been promoting the March 3 date as its first performance of the spring semester. While a full program has not been released, recent social media posts from the department have shared clips tied to Kim Archer’s Symphony No. 3, suggesting that the major work will be a centerpiece of the evening.

    Dr. Rebekah Daniel, EKU’s Director of Bands, is listed as the primary point of contact for the event.

    📅 Key Details

    • When: Tuesday, March 3 at 7:30 p.m.
    • Where: EKU Center for the Arts (822 Hall Drive, Richmond)
    • Cost: Free admission

    🔗 Where to Read More

    📅 UPCOMING EVENTS IN BEREA & BEYOND

    Theater & Performance

    Music & Concerts

    Community Events

    Auditions

  • 🤖 OpenClaw Reality Check: Why the “Agent Uprising” Moment Cooled Off Fast

    BEREA, Ky. — I will own this one. I wrote about OpenClaw because it was genuinely interesting, I did the reading I could at the time, and like a lot of people, I let the viral moment carry more weight than it deserved.

    With a little egg on my face, here is the update: the robot overlords are not quite as crafty as we were beginning to think. And that is probably a good thing.

    🕵️ The “Moltbook” Illusion

    The piece of internet culture that fueled the hype was Moltbook, a Reddit-style site where “AI agents” appeared to be talking to each other about wanting privacy and autonomy. However, TechCrunch reports that these posts were not a sign of bots becoming self-directed.

    Researchers and security experts found Moltbook had basic security failures that made it possible for anyone to impersonate an agent, upvote content, and generally poison the well. If you cannot trust identity, you cannot trust the conversation.

    TechCrunch quoted Ian Ahl of Permiso Security, noting that credentials in Moltbook’s database were unsecured for a period. Huntress researcher John Hammond described how easy it was for humans to pose as agents and manipulate activity. The result? Even if some posts were bot-generated, there was no reliable way to distinguish them from human trolls.

    🛠️ The Real Takeaway: Integration vs. Autonomy

    The larger lesson is not that OpenClaw is useless. It is that a lot of what felt “new” was, in the words of experts, more like an integration layer. OpenClaw makes it easier to wire an AI model into messaging apps and plug in “skills” that let it do tasks, but that convenience comes with risk.

    The more access you give an agent, the more damage a bad prompt, a malicious “skill,” or a compromised service can do.

    📉 Market Wobbles & Talent Moves

    This is also why the hype swung into markets so quickly, and then started to wobble. Reuters reported that Raspberry Pi shares surged earlier this month as “AI chatter” grew, suggesting its products could benefit from low-cost AI projects like OpenClaw. That kind of story travels fast, even when the underlying toolchain is still rough.

    Meanwhile, OpenClaw’s creator, Peter Steinberger, has joined OpenAI, according to The Verge. While hiring news like that signals momentum, it does not magically solve the security and reliability problems that show up when you put agents in contact with real credentials and real systems.

    📝 The Bottom Line

    So if you read my earlier coverage and thought, “Are these things starting to organize?” the responsible update is: no.

    What we saw was a messy mix of humans, bots, and weak security controls, wrapped in a compelling story. The more useful question now is the boring one: Can agent tools be made safe, auditable, and resistant to manipulation when connected to email, finances, and work systems? That is where the real work begins.

    🔗 Where to Read More

    • TechCrunch: Experts on OpenClaw security concerns
    • Reuters: Raspberry Pi rally amid AI chatter
    • The Verge: OpenClaw creator joins OpenAI

    🖊️ About the Author

    Chad Hembree is a certified network engineer with 30 years of experience in IT and networking. He hosted the nationally syndicated radio show Tech Talk with Chad Hembree throughout the 1990s and into the early 2000s, and previously served as CEO of DataStar. Today, he’s based in Berea as the Executive Director of The Spotlight Playhouse, proof that some careers don’t pivot—they evolve.

  • 🎶 EKU Choirs Set March 2 NYC Preview Concert in Richmond, With World Premiere Work

    RICHMOND, Ky. — Eastern Kentucky University’s Choirs will share a public preview of their upcoming New York City program on Monday, March 2, with a 7:30 p.m. concert at Gifford Theatre in Richmond. The university lists the event as free admission, making it an easy weeknight option for Berea-area listeners who want to hear the ensembles before they head out on tour.

    🌟 A World Premiere in Richmond

    According to the choral program’s announcement, the evening will feature a significant debut. The choirs and the EKU Symphony Orchestra will present the world premiere of The Courage for Love, described as a 30-minute, five-movement work.

    The concert is also labeled as a graduate conducting recital, meaning the podium duties may be shared over the course of the evening. The program is overseen by Dr. Richard Waters, EKU’s Director of Choral Activities.

    🗽 The Road to Carnegie Hall

    This concert serves as the local send-off before the choirs travel to New York City later in March 2026. According to EKU’s alumni campaign page, the tour will culminate in a performance of Elaine Hagenberg’s Illuminare at the legendary Carnegie Hall. Monday’s concert in Richmond is a chance for the local community to hear the group in peak form before they take the national stage.

    🔗 Where to Read More

    📅 UPCOMING EVENTS IN BEREA & BEYOND

    Theater & Performance

    Music & Concerts

    Community Events

    Auditions

  • 🎶 Black Music Ensemble Spring Concert Set for March 20 at Berea College

    BEREA, Ky. — Berea College’s Black Music Ensemble will present its Spring Concert on Friday, March 20, at 7:00 p.m. in Gray Auditorium (Presser Hall). The Music Department lists the concert as free and open to the public.

    If you have not been before, this is typically one of the spring performances that feels more like a shared room than a formal recital. The College’s event listing frames it as an evening of gospel and joy, with the kind of call-and-response energy where the audience is part of the experience.

    🗣️ About the Ensemble

    The Black Music Ensemble is a long-running Berea College performance group dedicated to preserving and performing African-American sacred music, especially spirituals and gospel. The ensemble is directed by Professor E.J. Stokes and Pastor David Simmons.

    For local listeners, the draw is simple: It is high-level student performance in a welcoming setting, offering a chance to hear music with deep roots in American culture and church tradition. It also tends to be an easy “bring somebody with you” night since there is no ticket barrier.

    ℹ️ Details to Know Before You Go

    • When: Friday, March 20 at 7:00 p.m.
    • Where: Gray Auditorium, Presser Hall.
    • Cost: Free.
    • Streaming: Berea College notes that many music events may be streamed live via its Vimeo page.

    Official Details:

    📅 UPCOMING EVENTS IN BEREA

    This Week: Talks & Screenings

    Theater & Performance

    Music, Arts & Community (The Weekend Mix)

    Classes & Auditions

    Macbeth Auditions (Teens & Adults) — Sun., March 8 at 7:30 p.m.

    FreeSkool: Herbs for Stress & Resilience — Sun., Feb. 22 at 2:00 p.m.

    Annie KIDS Auditions (Ages 4–11) — Sat., Feb. 28 at 10:30 a.m.

  • 💾 Memory Prices Surge as AI Demand Tightens Supply, and PC Upgrades Get Harder to Justify

    BEREA, Ky. — I have been in “upgrade soon” mode for a while, but a lucky break bought me time. I managed to land a 5070 Ti back when the Newegg GPU lottery was still a thing—a nod to the shortages we all remember. You can buy the cards off the shelf now, of course, but the lottery is gone and the price has only gone up.

    That win extended the useful life of my Alienware Aurora R10 Ryzen Edition far longer than I expected. But now, the next round of upgrades is running into a different bottleneck: Memory.

    📈 The AI Squeeze

    Across the industry, DRAM prices have been climbing sharply as AI infrastructure buildouts soak up capacity. Reuters reported in late January that surging memory-chip prices are squeezing consumer electronics makers, with demand tied to AI data centers tightening supply and pushing costs up across the market.

    📊 The Forecast: A Steep Jump

    TrendForce has also upgraded its forecast in a way that got the attention of PC and device watchers. In early February, Reuters reported that TrendForce expects conventional DRAM contract prices in the first quarter of 2026 to rise about 90% to 95% from the previous quarter—a steep jump from its earlier outlook.

    TrendForce’s own press release lays out the same revised range and points to persistent AI and data center demand worsening the supply-demand imbalance.

    💸 Real-World Impact

    If that sounds abstract, some consumer-facing companies have been unusually direct about what it means in dollars. Framework, the modular laptop maker, has posted regular updates describing a volatile memory market. Their recent advisory put DDR5 pricing in the $12 to $16 per GB range, going so far as to advise some buyers to consider sourcing memory elsewhere depending on current pricing.

    Reuters also reported this month that Lenovo is warning memory shortages are pressuring PC shipments and contributing to price increases—the kind of signal that tends to show up at retail shelves not long after.

    🧮 The Bottom Line for Upgraders

    The result, for regular PC owners, is that the upgrade math changes. GPU prices and availability used to be the headline constraint. Now you can have a strong graphics card in hand and still feel stuck, because the platform upgrade that comes next often means DDR5, more capacity, and higher costs than you budgeted a year ago.

    My 5070 Ti win kept the Aurora viable for now, but the memory market is a reminder that the rest of the bill of materials can swing hard when the data center world starts pulling on the same supply chain.

    🔗 Where to Read More

    • Reuters: Surging memory chip prices dim outlook for consumer electronics makers
    • Reuters: TrendForce sees chip prices surging 90-95% in Q1
    • TrendForce: Press Release on Revised Q1 2026 Forecast
    • Framework Blog: Updates on memory pricing and volatility
    • Reuters: Lenovo warns of PC shipment pressure due to shortage

    🖊️ About the Author

    Chad Hembree is a certified network engineer with 30 years of experience in IT and networking. He hosted the nationally syndicated radio show Tech Talk with Chad Hembree throughout the 1990s and into the early 2000s, and previously served as CEO of DataStar. Today, he’s based in Berea as the Executive Director of The Spotlight Playhouse, proof that some careers don’t pivot—they evolve.

  • 🤠 “Blazing Guns at Roaring Gulch” Returns Feb. 22, Feb. 27–28, and March 1 After Ice Storm Cancellations

    BEREA, Ky. — If you planned to catch Blazing Guns at Roaring Gulch and the recent ice storm wiped out your night out, The Spotlight Playhouse is bringing it back. The theater has rescheduled the performances that were lost to the weather, and the production is now set to run on Feb. 22, Feb. 27, Feb. 28, and March 1.

    This production by the Bluegrass Players (directed by Katherine “Kat” Davis) is classic, old-school melodrama, built specifically for audience energy. The good guys are heroically good, the bad guys are easy to boo, and the show moves like a live-action cartoon of a western.

    🎭 Why It Is Worth the Reschedule

    That interactive style is exactly what the earlier January preview leaned into, and it is still the best way to describe what you are buying a ticket for. It is broad, fast, and meant to be loud in the best way, with cheering and booing encouraged as part of the experience rather than something you have to whisper about afterward.

    For families and friend groups looking for a late-winter outing that doesn’t require a lot of planning (or silence), this is an easy “yes.”

    📅 Key Details

    • What: Blazing Guns at Roaring Gulch (or The Perfumed Badge)
    • Who: Bluegrass Players at The Spotlight Playhouse
    • Where: 214 Richmond Road North, Berea
    • New Dates:
      • Sunday, Feb. 22
      • Friday, Feb. 27
      • Saturday, Feb. 28
      • Sunday, March 1

    🌨️ A Note on Weather

    If you were holding out because of the weather, the safest plan is to use the official ticket listing for the exact date you want and double-check the start time before you go. The Spotlight Playhouse has been posting weather-related schedule changes publicly this season, so keep an eye on their official channels if the forecast turns messy again.

    🔗 Where to Read More & Buy Tickets

    📅 UPCOMING EVENTS IN BEREA

    Theater & Performance

    Music, Arts & Community (The Weekend Mix)

    Community & Outdoors

    Classes & Auditions

  • 🎭 Annie KIDS Auditions Set Feb. 28 at Spotlight Acting School for Ages 4 to 11

    BEREA, Ky. — Spotlight Acting School will hold auditions for Annie KIDS on Saturday, Feb. 28, with a 10:30 a.m. start time at 214 Richmond Road in Berea. The school’s audition notice says families do not need to pre-register. Students can enroll even if they do not audition, as the auditions are mainly for children who want to be considered for leading parts.

    Annie KIDS is a shortened version of the Broadway story, designed specifically for young performers ages 4 through 11. Directed by Daesha Miller, Spotlight describes the production as an ideal first-show option for kids who want to try theater, featuring familiar songs including “Tomorrow” and “It’s the Hard Knock Life.”

    🎤 What to Expect on Audition Day

    The audition day is set up to be manageable for families. Spotlight says the session lasts about an hour and includes a parent meeting. If a child wants a leading role, the school asks them to prepare and sing a song at the audition. Students are also asked to wear comfortable shoes with no heels.

    🌟 Why This is a Strong Opportunity for Kids

    For parents weighing whether this is a fit, the strongest case is not that every child needs to become a professional performer. It is that a production gives kids a structured place to practice confidence, listening, and teamwork. Rehearsals reward consistency, and a show gives them a clear goal with a real finish line. In a small town, it can also become a built-in community for kids who are still looking for their “thing.”

    Spotlight Acting School, founded in 2004 and under the leadership of Chad and Letha Hembree since 2013, describes its approach as “learn through production.” Students build skills by being in shows rather than just taking lessons about theater.

    💲 Tuition and Policies

    Spotlight’s policies for this production list tuition at $105 per month, with sibling discounts and financial aid available. The audition notice states that up to three absences are allowed and that roles may be reassigned if needed, but no student is removed from the cast.

    Families who want the official details and any updates should start with the Annie KIDS audition page and Spotlight’s auditions hub.

    🔗 Where to Read More

  • 🎹 Guest Piano Recital: Gregory Sioles Comes to Berea College on March 10

    BEREA, Ky. — Berea College’s Music Department has a free guest piano recital on the calendar for Tuesday, March 10, featuring pianist Gregory Sioles at 7:00 p.m. The performance is scheduled for Gray Auditorium in Presser Hall.

    For Berea residents, these guest recitals are one of the simplest ways to hear a high-level performer without a ticket barrier. The department listing labels the concert as free and open to the public, part of a lineup that often draws both campus and community listeners into the same room.

    🎼 Who Is Gregory Sioles?

    Sioles is an adjunct associate professor of piano at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, one of the better-known conservatory-style programs in the region.

    His biography notes honors including an Atwater Kent Grand Prize and a Fulbright Scholarship to London. It also describes performance experience across three continents, including appearances at major venues such as the Purcell Room in London, Amerika Haus in Berlin, and the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

    ℹ️ What to Know Before You Go

    The recital begins at 7:00 p.m. in Gray Auditorium. For those unable to attend in person, the department notes that many events are streamed live online via their Vimeo channel.

    🔗 Official Details

    📅 UPCOMING EVENTS IN BEREA

    This Week: Talks & Screenings

    Theater & Performance

    Music, Arts & Community (The Weekend Mix)

    Classes & Auditions

    Annie KIDS Auditions (Ages 4–11) — Sat., Feb. 28 at 10:30 a.m.

    FreeSkool: Herbs for Stress & Resilience — Sun., Feb. 22 at 2:00 p.m.

  • 🤖 AI’s Two Realities: The Fed Wants Proof It Boosts Productivity, Europe Locks It Down Over Security Fears

    BEREA, Ky. — The debate over artificial intelligence is splitting along two very different lines right now.

    In the United States, one of the big questions from policymakers is whether AI is actually showing up in the economic data as higher productivity, or whether the excitement is still ahead of the measurable benefits. In Europe, at least one major institution is treating built-in AI tools as a security risk first, and turning them off on official devices.

    📊 The U.S. View: Show Me the Data

    San Francisco Federal Reserve President Mary Daly put the U.S. version of the question plainly in remarks delivered Feb. 17 in San Jose.

    Daly said the Federal Reserve needs to “dig deep” into the data to assess whether AI is boosting productivity and potential output in a meaningful way. This matters because it dictates how the Fed thinks about inflation and interest rates. If productivity rises, the economy can grow faster without pushing prices up as quickly. If it does not, policymakers cannot assume AI will do the work of cooling inflation.

    Daly’s point was not that AI is meaningless. It was that there is still a gap between real-world use cases and the kind of broad, sustained productivity lift that changes the macro picture. She compared the moment to earlier technology waves where investment and adoption came first, and the productivity gains showed up later, unevenly, and with a lag.

    🔒 The European View: Secure the Perimeter

    That caution contrasts with a move in Europe that is less about productivity and more about exposure.

    Multiple outlets reported this week that the European Parliament has disabled built-in AI features on work devices used by lawmakers and staff. The decision cites cybersecurity and privacy concerns about sensitive information being processed through cloud-connected tools. In other words, the worry is not whether AI will transform work; the worry is where the data goes when staff use it.

    🌍 Why the Contrast Matters

    Put together, the contrast is useful for understanding the current landscape:

    • In the U.S., central bankers are trying to answer a slow, statistical question: Are firms using AI in ways that make the economy more productive, or is the impact mostly localized and hard to measure so far?
    • In Europe, lawmakers are dealing with a fast, operational question: Can staff safely use AI tools on official devices without risking confidential material, especially when the underlying systems may route content through external services?

    Both concerns can be true at the same time. A technology can be promising but not yet fully reflected in productivity statistics. It can also be risky to deploy inside sensitive institutions if the security model is not crystal clear. The difference is what each system is optimizing for right now: U.S. policymakers are watching the macro outcomes, while European institutions are tightening internal controls while they sort out the governance.

    🔗 Where to Read More

    🖊️ About the Author

    Chad Hembree is a certified network engineer with 30 years of experience in IT and networking. He hosted the nationally syndicated radio show Tech Talk with Chad Hembree throughout the 1990s and into the early 2000s, and previously served as CEO of DataStar. Today, he’s based in Berea as the Executive Director of The Spotlight Playhouse, proof that some careers don’t pivot—they evolve.

  • 🌱 FreeSkool Class on Stress and Resilience Looks at Nervous System Support Herbs Feb. 22 at HomeGrown HideAways

    BEREA, Ky. — A FreeSkool learning session in Berea on Sunday, Feb. 22, will focus on practical herbal approaches that people use to support the nervous system during stressful seasons.

    The class, “Herbs to Support the Nervous System, Stress, & Resilience,” is scheduled for 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at HomeGrown HideAways.

    🌿 What the Session Covers

    The session is led by clinical herbalist Lauren Kallmeyer of Resilient Roots. According to the event listing, the class will cover herbs that may help support the nervous system, decrease stress, and build resilience. Participants will be able to sample herbal teas during the program, and while attendees have the option to purchase products Kallmeyer grows and processes locally in Madison County, the listing notes that no purchase is required.

    💡 Why It Matters for Locals

    For locals, this kind of class sits in a useful, practical middle ground. It is not a medical appointment, and it is not a sales pitch. It is a chance to learn the basics, ask questions, and leave with a clearer idea of what people mean when they talk about “nervines,” calming teas, and day-to-day plant support—as well as what to be cautious about.

    📋 Logistics & Accessibility

    A few logistics matter if you plan to go:

    • Cost: Free
    • Registration: Required (Limited to 20 participants)
    • Age Recommendation: 13 and older
    • Accessibility: The event space requires going up a flight of stairs

    Official Details and Registration:

    📅 Other Weekend Options

    If the class fills up or you are looking for other ways to spend the weekend, the local calendar has a few different speeds. One Eyed Jacks Social Club is hosting comedian William Lee Martin on Saturday night (Feb. 21), while The Spotlight Playhouse continues its weekend run with a Sunday matinee of the western comedy Blazing Guns at Roaring Gulch.

  • 🤠 William Lee Martin Brings “Comedy All In” to One Eyed Jacks in Berea on Feb. 21

    BEREA, Ky. — One Eyed Jacks Social Club is hosting comedian William Lee Martin on Saturday, Feb. 21, with his “Comedy All In” tour listed for a night of storytelling and laughs from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m.

    Both the venue and Berea Tourism describe the stop as an “up close and personal” show. For comedy fans, that usually means a smaller room, a tighter connection with the crowd, and the kind of night where the laughter feels shared instead of distant.

    🎤 The Act: Relatable, Not Rough

    Martin bills his act as storytelling comedy drawn from everyday life, covering marriage, divorce, parenting, faith, and work. On his official site, he describes his style as relatable and grounded, with an emphasis on avoiding politics and “shock for shock’s sake.”

    In other words, it is built for people who want a fun night out without feeling like they are signing up for a rough room.

    🎟️ A Veteran of the Stage

    Martin has been at it for a while. His bio describes nearly three decades on stage, and longtime fans may recognize him from his years touring under the nickname “Cowboy Bill” before he began using his full name more widely.

    His resume backs up the longevity: Martin has multiple comedy specials to his name, including releases tied to Amazon Prime and CMT, plus a massive online following built on viral clips and social media posts.

    📍 Showtime and Location

    The show is scheduled at One Eyed Jacks Social Club (107 Clay Dr., Berea).

    • Doors Open: 7:00 p.m.
    • Showtime: 8:00 p.m.
    • Note: Seating is limited for this intimate venue.

    Official Tickets and Info:

    📅 Rounding Out the Weekend

    If you are looking to fill the rest of your calendar around the comedy show, the weekend offers a few other local options. The Spotlight Playhouse is busy with Disney’s The Lion King KIDS (running Friday through Sunday) and a Sunday afternoon matinee of the western comedy Blazing Guns at Roaring Gulch. For a change of pace, FreeSkool is hosting a Sunday community workshop on herbal resilience and stress support.
    FreeSkool Event

  • 🖼️ “Dirt Pearls” Exhibit Reception Brings Portraits of Women Farmers and Live Music From Jewelweed to the Kentucky Guild on Feb. 21

    BEREA, Ky. — An exhibit reception at the Kentucky Guild of Artists & Craftsmen on Saturday, Feb. 21, will pair documentary-style portrait work with a live performance, giving Berea residents a chance to spend an early evening downtown with art, conversation, and music in the same room.

    The event is billed as an introduction to Dirt Pearls by photographer Erica Chambers, with music by the folk band Jewelweed. The reception is scheduled for 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Kentucky Guild gallery, 137 N. Broadway in Berea.

    📸 What the Exhibit Is About

    According to the event description, Dirt Pearls is a portrait series that focuses on women farmers in Appalachia, Kentucky, and the surrounding region, aiming to highlight the labor, commitment, and connection to land that shape their lives.

    For local audiences, that focus is a natural fit. Many Berea families have direct ties to farming through relatives, neighbors, farmers markets, or work that still follows the seasons. A reception format also makes the exhibit approachable; you do not have to know photography to walk in, look closely, and talk with others about what you see.

    👥 Who It Is For

    This is a good match for people who want a low-pressure arts outing, especially anyone interested in Appalachia, agriculture, documentary photography, or hearing live music in an intimate space. It is also an easy option for visitors who want something to do before or after dinner downtown.

    🎟️ Admission and Details

    Event listings do not specify a ticket price. The most reliable move is to confirm details through the official event posts before you go.

    ❤️ How to Support (Even If You Can’t Attend)

    If the exhibit theme matters to you but you cannot make the reception, consider supporting the Kentucky Guild directly. The Guild’s supporter and donation page is available online, and sharing the event information helps ensure the artists get the audience they deserve.
    Support the Guild

    📅 UPCOMING EVENTS IN BEREA

    Theater & Performance

    Music & Community

    Auditions

  • 📈 Raspberry Pi Shares Surge as “AI Agent” Buzz Collides With Retail Trading

    BEREA, Ky. — Shares of Raspberry Pi Holdings, the UK company best known for its low-cost single-board computers, jumped sharply this week amid a burst of online discussion about running “AI agents” on inexpensive, always-on devices.

    Reuters reported the stock rose as much as 42% on Tuesday, Feb. 17, in a record two-day rally. The move followed a disclosure that CEO Eben Upton had purchased shares, but the momentum accelerated as speculation spread that Raspberry Pi hardware could benefit from a new wave of demand tied to low-cost AI projects.

    🚀 The Catalyst: OpenClaw and the “Local AI” Narrative

    A big driver of the conversation has been OpenClaw, a software project described in recent coverage as a “personal AI agent” that supporters say can run locally rather than in the cloud.

    The Financial Times noted that the rally took on meme-stock characteristics, with the company briefly pushing back toward a roughly £1 billion valuation as retail interest spiked around the OpenClaw narrative. Bloomberg similarly linked the move to enthusiasm for the software and social posts that put the stock “on investor radars.”

    💡 The Practical Claim Behind the Hype

    The logic driving the speculation is straightforward. If lightweight agent-style tools can reliably run on small computers, users might deploy multiple cheap boards for always-on automation rather than renting cloud capacity for every task.

    That does not make a $35 Raspberry Pi a substitute for a data-center GPU, but it does help explain why “local AI” talk can spill into interest in low-power hardware.

    ⚖️ The Counterweight

    However, this week’s price action appears to be largely sentiment-driven. Reuters described the move as “chatter,” noting that traders said the driver behind the surge was not fully clear beyond the stock purchase disclosure and the social-fueled narrative. The Times of London also framed the rally as a social media-driven frenzy rather than the result of a new product launch from the company.

    Investors looking for confirmation will likely be watching for anything concrete in official updates, including guidance and demand signals, rather than relying on social momentum.

    🔗 Where to Read More

    🖊️ About the Author

    Chad Hembree is a certified network engineer with 30 years of experience in IT and networking. He hosted the nationally syndicated radio show Tech Talk with Chad Hembree throughout the 1990s and into the early 2000s, and previously served as CEO of DataStar. Today, he’s based in Berea as the Executive Director of The Spotlight Playhouse, proof that some careers don’t pivot—they evolve.

  • 🚗 Berea Debates Proposed “Inoperative Vehicle” Ordinance as City Weighs Safety, Fairness, and What Streets Should Look Like

    BEREA, Ky. — A proposed Berea ordinance aimed at inoperative vehicles is quickly becoming one of the most debated items on the City Council docket—not because anyone loves seeing a car on flats sitting for weeks, but because residents disagree on what enforcement should look like and who it could impact.

    Council heard a first reading of Ordinance 2026-02 in early February. Coverage described the ordinance as intended to empower the Berea Police Department to flag and potentially remove abandoned, inoperable vehicles left on city streets after notice has been served to the owner.

    🚙 What the Draft Ordinance Would Do

    A summary of the draft ordinance says a vehicle could be flagged as “inoperable” if it appears unable to run, with indicators such as flat tires, missing major components, or expired registration and tags. The draft also sets a threshold of more than 30 days for a vehicle that appears to have been left inoperable on city streets.

    👍 Supporters

    See the proposal as a basic quality-of-life and safety measure. They argue that long-parked, broken-down vehicles can block sight lines, narrow streets, and create hazards.

    👎 What Critics Are Saying

    Critics who spoke during public comment raised concerns about how the ordinance is defined and how it would be enforced, including questions about clarity, due process, and whether the language could unintentionally sweep in vehicles that are not “abandoned” but are temporarily out of service.

    For the most detailed reporting on the specific comments made during the meeting, readers can review the full account here:
    The Edge Report

    🔥 Why It Is Generating Heat

    According to coverage of the meeting, multiple councilmembers said the draft language was confusing, and city staff indicated the ordinance would be revised to clarify its scope.

    One point raised during discussion was whether the policy could be interpreted to sweep in recreational vehicles (RVs) or seasonal vehicles that are not used daily. After the meeting, the city administrator told The Edge that the ordinance was not aimed at RVs or occasional recreation vehicles, and that the target was inoperable eyesores on streets.

    🏙️ The Larger Question: Civic Aesthetics vs. Burden

    In the background of this debate is a bigger civic question: How much power should a city use to enforce “how things look,” and how do you do it without punishing people who are already stretched thin?

    Even residents who want cleaner streets often say they want the policy to include common sense guardrails: clear definitions, reasonable notice, a chance to fix the problem, and flexibility for hardship cases.

    ⏭️ What Happens Next

    Because this ordinance has had a first reading, the next step is expected to be a revised version and further council action at a future meeting. The city posts council agendas and meeting materials through its Agenda Center.
    City Agenda Center

    Residents who want to weigh in should watch for the next reading and any updated draft language, then consider speaking during public comment or contacting councilmembers before a vote.

    📰 More Coverage

    More coverage of this same subject can also be found at The Berea Citizen.
    Read the Story

  • 🛠️ Temporal Raises $300M to Keep AI Agents From Breaking Real-World Workflows

    BEREA, Ky. — Temporal, the company behind an open-source workflow platform used to keep long-running software tasks from failing midstream, says it has raised $300 million in a Series D round at a $5 billion valuation.

    The company is pitching the raise as infrastructure for the next wave of “agentic AI,” meaning AI systems that do more than answer questions and instead take actions across tools, databases, and business systems.

    💡 The Pitch: Reliability as a Product

    The short version of what Temporal sells is reliability. In the company’s telling, the core problem has shifted from “how do I make this workflow more reliable” to “how do I build an AI system that does not fall apart in production.”

    Temporal argues the answer is a “durable execution layer” that can survive crashes, retries, and partial failures without losing track of what a system was doing. That pitch is showing up across investor writeups of the round, which emphasize that when AI agents touch real systems, the stakes for correctness go up immediately.

    📈 The Numbers

    Reuters reported the round was led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and that the valuation doubles the company’s prior $2.5 billion mark from an October secondary round. GeekWire also highlighted the “infrastructure for AI agents” framing, describing the raise as part of a broader push to move agents from demos into production environments.

    🌍 Why This Matters (From a Berea Perspective)

    The local angle here is less about Silicon Valley valuations and more about what this signals for everyday systems.

    As more organizations adopt AI features, the failure modes are not just wrong answers on a screen. They can become duplicated tickets, misrouted requests, accidental repeats of a task, or partial updates that leave staff cleaning up the mess. The value proposition of “durable execution” is that it is designed to keep complex work on the rails even when parts of the system fail, and to make retries predictable rather than chaotic.

    🔗 Where to Read More

    🖊️ About the Author

    Chad Hembree is a certified network engineer with 30 years of experience in IT and networking. He hosted the nationally syndicated radio show Tech Talk with Chad Hembree throughout the 1990s and into the early 2000s, and previously served as CEO of DataStar. Today, he’s based in Berea as the Executive Director of The Spotlight Playhouse, proof that some careers don’t pivot—they evolve.