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Author: Chad Hembree

  • The Arts Beat: Final Weekend for Two Spotlight Playhouse Productions

    BEREA, Ky. — It is a busy week at The Spotlight Playhouse, with two wildly different productions closing out their runs and another major musical just around the corner.

    For families looking for something positive to do together, this is one of those weekends where local theater is offering more than just a night out. It is giving young performers, adult actors, families, and audiences a dedicated place to gather, cheer, laugh, and enjoy something uplifting close to home.

    Spotlight Acting School’s Madagascar: A Musical Adventure JR. and The Bluegrass Players’ production of The Secret Garden are both heading into their final performances. That gives audiences one last chance to catch two contrasting shows on the same weekend.

    🎭 A Weekend of Contrasts

    Madagascar JR. brings the colorful, high-energy world of Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, Gloria the Hippo, and those scene-stealing penguins to the stage. The show is fast, funny, and built specifically for young audiences, while giving Spotlight’s younger students a chance to shine in front of a live crowd.

    The Secret Garden offers a much quieter and more emotional experience. Based on the classic story, the show explores deep themes of grief, healing, friendship, and the power of bringing life back to forgotten places. It is the kind of story that feels especially fitting right now, as the world outside starts blooming for spring.

    Together, the two productions showcase the range of what is happening at The Spotlight Playhouse. One show is bright, silly, and full of movement. The other is tender, thoughtful, and heartfelt. Both give local performers a chance to grow, and both give families a reason to step away from their screens and spend time together in a shared community space.

    🌟 Why Local Theater Matters

    That shared space matters. In a week where families are juggling school, work, end-of-year schedules, and plenty of everyday stress, local arts can provide a much-needed bright spot.

    A student stepping onstage for the first time, a family laughing together in the audience, or a community member seeing a familiar face perform can all be small reminders that the arts still have a real, vital place in local life.

    🎟️ Looking Ahead to Annie

    This weekend also serves as a bridge to another major Spotlight production. Annie: The Musical opens May 15 at The Spotlight Playhouse, bringing one of the most beloved family musicals to Berea. With its familiar songs, hopeful story, and a large, dedicated cast, Annie is expected to be one of the biggest productions of the spring season.

    For now, though, the focus is squarely on this final weekend. Anyone who has been meaning to see Madagascar JR. or The Secret Garden is officially running out of time.

    The arts are busy in Berea this week, and The Spotlight Playhouse is right in the middle of it. For local families, that means a final chance to support young performers, enjoy live theater, and be part of a community weekend centered entirely on imagination, music, and storytelling.

    Click Here for Tickets to All Upcoming Shows

    About the Author

    Chad Hembree serves as the Executive Director of Spotlight Acting School, The Spotlight Playhouse, and Spotlight Performing Arts. Affectionately known as “Mr. Chad,” he is an accomplished performer, director, and creative executive who draws on his broad experience to guide students and staff with creativity, care, and a passion for making community events accessible to everyone in Berea.

    Upcoming Events in Berea & Beyond

    🎭 Theater & Performance at The Spotlight Playhouse

    (Tickets and info for all shows: thespotlightplayhouse.com)

    • Madagascar: A Musical Adventure JR. (Ages 9–14) — Final Weekend! Closes May 10
    • The Secret Garden (The Bluegrass Players) — Final Weekend! Closes May 10
    • Annie: The Musical (The Bluegrass Players) — May 15–24
    • Annie KIDS (Spotlight Acting School) — May 29–June 7
    • Creative Arts Camp (“New York, New York”) — June 8–12
    • “Oh, Those Summer Nights” Intergenerational Intensive — June 14–27
    • Macbeth — June 19–28
    • Film Acting Camp (Rising 6th–Age 18) — June 29 – July 3
    • Seussical the Musical (Ages 14–18) — July 31–Aug. 9

  • Berea Arts Council Plant Sale Helps Grow Gardens and Community Support

    BEREA, Ky. — The Berea Arts Council will host its annual Plant Sale on Saturday, May 9, giving residents a chance to refresh their gardens while supporting local arts programming.

    The sale is scheduled from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Berea Arts Council, located at 444 Chestnut Street. This year’s theme, “Grow Your Garden, Grow Our Community,” captures the spirit of the event: a spring fundraiser rooted in both gardening and community support.

    🌱 A Fundraiser With Local Roots

    The Plant Sale is more than a seasonal shopping stop; it is a fundraiser that helps support the council’s work in the community. The Berea Arts Council serves as a creative hub for the community, offering exhibitions, cultural experiences, and resources designed to make art accessible to everyone.

    Buying a plant, donating one, or simply stopping by to browse is a meaningful way for residents to connect everyday community life with the creative work happening at the council.

    🪴 Donations and Selection

    The sale offers a variety of additions for the yard, porch, or windowsill, including flowers, bulbs, houseplants, and vegetables. For those who have extra plants to share, the Arts Council is also accepting plant donations on Friday, May 8, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

    Whether you are a seasoned gardener, a supporter of the arts, or both, participation helps the council keep its programs and exhibits available to the public.

    🗓️ A Busy Berea Weekend

    The Plant Sale takes place during a busy early-May weekend in Berea. With graduation activities, the Farmers Market, and local theater performances all overlapping, the weekend offers several ways for residents to stay close to home while supporting the organizations that make the town unique.

    Click Here for More Information from the Berea Arts Council

    Upcoming Events in Berea & Beyond

    🌿 Community, Arts & Outdoors

    • Eastern Kentucky University Commencement — May 7–8
    • Studio Space Spring Soiree (105 Jackson St.) — Friday, May 8, 5:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.
    • Berea Runners Saturday Group Run (Native Bagel Co.) — Saturday, May 9 at 8:00 a.m.
    • Berea Farmers Market (Chestnut Street Pavilion) — Saturdays, 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
    • Berea Arts Council Plant Sale (444 Chestnut St.) — Saturday, May 9, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
    • Berea College Commencement — Sunday, May 10
    • Madison Central High School Graduation (Alumni Coliseum) — Friday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m.
    • Model Laboratory School Graduation — Friday, May 22
    • Madison Southern High School Graduation (Alumni Coliseum) — Saturday, May 23 at 10:00 a.m.

    🎭 Theater & Performance at The Spotlight Playhouse

    (Tickets and info for all shows: thespotlightplayhouse.com)

    • Madagascar: A Musical Adventure JR. (Ages 9–14) — Final Weekend! Closes May 10
    • The Secret Garden (The Bluegrass Players) — Final Weekend! Closes May 10
    • Annie: The Musical (The Bluegrass Players) — May 15–24
    • Annie KIDS (Spotlight Acting School) — May 29–June 7
    • Creative Arts Camp (“New York, New York”) — June 8–12
    • “Oh, Those Summer Nights” Intergenerational Intensive — June 14–27
    • Macbeth (The Bluegrass Players) — June 19–28
    • Film Acting Camp (Rising 6th–Age 18) — June 29–July 3
    • Seussical the Musical (Ages 14–18) — July 31–Aug. 9

  • Studio Space Spring Soiree Brings Evening Pop-Up Market to Berea

    BEREA, Ky. — Studio Space Berea will host its Spring Soiree on Friday, May 8, offering an evening pop-up market for shoppers looking to support local creativity and small businesses.

    The event is scheduled from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Studio Space Berea, located at 105 Jackson Street. The Spring Soiree is free to attend and open to the public.

    🛍️ A Curated Local Experience

    The event serves as a curated pop-up market, giving visitors a chance to shop, gather, and enjoy a relaxed night out in Berea. For small businesses, artists, and makers, events like this provide a valuable way to connect directly with the community.

    That makes the Spring Soiree more than just an evening of shopping. It is a meaningful part of the local creative economy that helps make Berea feel like Berea.

    💼 Supporting the Creative Ecosystem

    Pop-up markets give small vendors a chance to meet customers without needing a full storefront of their own. They also give residents and visitors a reason to explore local spaces, discover new products, and spend money close to home.

    Creative spaces and pop-up markets play an important role in that ecosystem. They create room for photographers, artists, designers, small retailers, and creative entrepreneurs to test ideas, build an audience, and collaborate with others. For shoppers, the appeal is simple: a relaxed evening, a local setting, and the chance to find something different from what is usually available in larger retail stores.

    The Studio Space Spring Soiree is one of several early-May events giving Berea residents and visitors a reason to get out and support local businesses, artists, and makers. With graduation season, market season, and spring performances all overlapping, the weekend offers several ways to stay close to home while still finding something unique to do.

    Click Here for More Event Information

    Upcoming Events in Berea & Beyond

    🌿 Community, Arts & Outdoors

    • Eastern Kentucky University Commencement — May 7–8
    • Studio Space Spring Soiree (105 Jackson St.) — Friday, May 8, 5:00–9:00 p.m.
    • Berea Runners Saturday Group Run (Native Bagel Co.) — Saturday, May 9 at 8:00 a.m.
    • Berea Farmers Market (Chestnut Street Pavilion) — Saturdays, 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
    • Berea College Commencement — Sunday, May 10
    • Madison Central High School Graduation (Alumni Coliseum) — Friday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m.
    • Model Laboratory School Graduation — Friday, May 22
    • Madison Southern High School Graduation (Alumni Coliseum) — Saturday, May 23 at 10:00 a.m.

    🎭 Theater & Performance at The Spotlight Playhouse

    (Tickets and info for all shows: thespotlightplayhouse.com)

    • Madagascar: A Musical Adventure JR. (Ages 9–14) — Final Weekend! Closes May 10
    • The Secret Garden (The Bluegrass Players) — Final Weekend! Closes May 10
    • Annie: The Musical (The Bluegrass Players) — May 15–24
    • Annie KIDS (Spotlight Acting School) — May 29–June 7
    • Creative Arts Camp (“New York, New York”) — June 8–12
    • “Oh, Those Summer Nights” Intergenerational Intensive — June 14–27
    • Macbeth (The Bluegrass Players) — June 19–28
    • Film Acting Camp (Rising 6th–Age 18) — June 29–July 3
    • Seussical the Musical (Ages 14–18) — July 31–Aug. 9

  • CG Bank Sponsorship Helps Bring Pay-What-You-Can Fridays to ‘Annie’ at The Spotlight Playhouse

    BEREA, Ky. — When Annie: The Musical opens May 15 at The Spotlight Playhouse, the familiar story of hope and perseverance will come with a local boost from a community partner helping make the show more accessible to families.

    CG Bank is officially sponsoring the upcoming production, supporting The Bluegrass Players, Spotlight Acting School, and the broader mission of providing theatrical opportunities for people across the region.

    Most notably, that sponsorship is helping make Pay-What-You-Can Fridays possible during the run of Annie, giving more families a chance to experience live theater regardless of their entertainment budget. Pay-What-You-Can Fridays will be offered during the run of Annie, including the Friday performances on May 15 and May 22.

    🏦 A Local Bank Supporting Local Arts

    CG Bank, also known as Citizens Guaranty Bank, is a locally owned and operated community bank with roots dating back to 1972. After beginning in Irvine and expanding into Richmond, the bank opened its Berea branch in 2008. Since then, the organization has made it a point to actively support the communities where its team members live and work.

    That kind of local commitment matters deeply when it reaches beyond banking and into community life.

    The arts depend on partnerships. Ticket sales help keep the lights on, but sponsors help make bigger things possible. In this case, CG Bank’s support helps bring one of Broadway’s best-known family musicals to the stage while actively opening the doors wider for audiences who might not otherwise be able to attend.

    🎟️ Making Theater More Accessible

    Pay-What-You-Can Fridays are designed to remove some of the financial pressure that can keep families away from live performances. Instead of asking every household to meet the same ticket price, the program allows families to attend and contribute what they comfortably can.

    For a community theater and acting school, that kind of access is central to the overall mission. Spotlight Acting School works to give students a place to grow through performance, teamwork, music, storytelling, and confidence-building. The Bluegrass Players provide local actors with opportunities to perform in full community productions. Together, those efforts help keep theatrical arts vibrant and available in Berea.

    CG Bank’s sponsorship helps that work continue.

    ☀️ A Partnership Built on Optimism

    The enduring magic of Annie lies in its relentless optimism. The classic tale of a brave young orphan outsmarting Miss Hannigan and unexpectedly finding a family with billionaire Oliver Warbucks is ultimately a story about finding light in the dark. It is a reminder that even in tough times, tomorrow can still be better.

    That hopeful message makes this partnership especially fitting. A local bank supporting a local theater helps turn that message into something highly practical: more access, more opportunity, and more families in the room together enjoying familiar songs like “Tomorrow” and “It’s the Hard-Knock Life.”

    🎭 A Month of ‘Annie’ in Berea

    Annie: The Musical opens May 15 and runs through May 24. The celebration continues later in the month when Spotlight Acting School presents Annie KIDS, featuring younger students, beginning May 29 and running through June 7.

    Together, the two productions create a full month of Annie at The Spotlight Playhouse. Thanks to support from CG Bank, it is a month that a whole lot more families will have the chance to take part in.

    Click Here for Tickets and Pay-What-You-Can Information

    About the Author

    Dr. Chad Hembree serves as the Executive Director of Spotlight Acting School, The Spotlight Playhouse, and Spotlight Performing Arts. Affectionately known as “Mr. Chad,” he is an accomplished performer, director, and creative executive who draws on his broad experience to guide students and staff with creativity, care, and a passion for making community events accessible to everyone in Berea.

    Upcoming Events in Berea & Beyond

    🌿 Community, Arts & Outdoors

    • Berea Farmers Market (Chestnut Street Pavilion) — Saturdays, 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
    • Eastern Kentucky University Commencement — May 7–8
    • Berea College Commencement — Sunday, May 10
    • Madison Central High School Graduation (Alumni Coliseum) — Friday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m.
    • Model Laboratory School Graduation — Friday, May 22
    • Madison Southern High School Graduation (Alumni Coliseum) — Saturday, May 23 at 10:00 a.m.

    🎭 Theater & Performance at The Spotlight Playhouse

    (Tickets and info for all shows: thespotlightplayhouse.com)

    • Madagascar: A Musical Adventure JR. (Ages 9–14) — Final Weekend! Closes May 10
    • The Secret Garden (The Bluegrass Players) — Final Weekend! Closes May 10
    • Annie: The Musical (The Bluegrass Players) — May 15–24
    • Annie KIDS (Spotlight Acting School) — May 29–June 7
    • Creative Arts Camp (“New York, New York”) — June 8–12
    • “Oh, Those Summer Nights” Intergenerational Intensive — June 14–27
    • Macbeth (The Bluegrass Players) — June 19–28
    • Film Acting Camp (Rising 6th–Age 18) — June 29–July 3
    • Seussical the Musical (Ages 14–18) — July 31–Aug. 9

  • A Month of Milestones: Navigating College and High School Graduation Traffic Across Madison County

    MADISON COUNTY, Ky. — Madison County is about to get very busy, and the traffic will arrive in two massive waves. From the early-May college ceremonies to the late-May high school send-offs, local roads, restaurants, and shops are gearing up for a full month of graduation crowds.

    For local residents, a little planning is going to go a long way. Restaurants will be busier than usual, parking around campus areas will be much tighter, and local businesses should see a welcome bump in foot traffic from families celebrating milestones.

    🎓 Wave One: EKU and Berea College

    Eastern Kentucky University will kick things off with its Spring 2026 Commencement on Thursday, May 7, and Friday, May 8, at Baptist Health Arena at Alumni Coliseum. The master’s and doctoral ceremony begins Thursday at 6:00 p.m., but Friday will bring the heaviest impact to Richmond. Undergraduate ceremonies are staggered at 9:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 5:00 p.m., meaning traffic will pulse near Lancaster Avenue, the Bypass, and downtown restaurants all day.

    Berea will see its own college crowds on Sunday, May 10, for Berea College’s Commencement. Baccalaureate will be held at 10:30 a.m. in Phelps Stokes, followed by the main Commencement ceremony at 2:00 p.m. in the Seabury Center. Adding to the buzz this year, Governor Andy Beshear is scheduled to deliver the commencement address. That high-profile visit is likely to make an already busy Sunday even busier around College Square, Boone Tavern, and Main Street.

    🏫 Wave Two: The High School Crowds

    Just as the college traffic clears out, the county’s high schools will take center stage. Because the Madison County public school system does not reach its last day of class until May 26, their ceremonies will create a completely separate wave of traffic at the end of the month.

    The county will once again utilize EKU’s Alumni Coliseum to handle the massive high school crowds. Madison Central High School will graduate on Friday, May 22, at 7:00 p.m., and Madison Southern High School will follow the next morning on Saturday, May 23, at 10:00 a.m.Model Laboratory School also lists its Graduation & Commencement Ceremony for May 22. Berea Community High School’s ceremony traditionally keeps much of its graduation traffic closer to town, adding to the late-May local activity.

    🛍️ A Month to Shop Local and Plan Ahead

    This influx of visitors creates a fantastic opportunity to showcase Berea throughout the entire month. For families looking for last-minute gifts, the Berea Farmers Market is a perfect stop. The market operates under its summer hours on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Chestnut Street Pavilion (635 Chestnut St.), offering local, handmade items that feel far more personal than a rushed stop at a big-box store.

    If you are attending a graduation, allow plenty of extra time for parking. If you are just trying to grab dinner on a graduation weekend, consider making reservations, call ahead for larger groups, or just be ready for a longer wait.

    Graduation season brings families into town, fills our local businesses, and gives the county a chance to celebrate. Expect a busier-than-normal May, plan ahead, and maybe use the occasion to shop local while visitors are doing the same.

    Upcoming Events in Berea & Beyond

    🎭 Theater & Performance at The Spotlight Playhouse

    (Tickets and info for all shows: thespotlightplayhouse.com)

  • Spotlight’s Film Acting Camp Offers Families a Summer Option Beyond the Stage

    BEREA, Ky. — For Berea-area families trying to map out the final stretch of June, Spotlight Acting School is offering a summer camp that shifts the focus from stage lights to camera lenses.

    The school’s Film Acting Camp is scheduled for June 29 through July 3, 2026, at The Spotlight Playhouse. Open to rising sixth graders through age 18, the camp is designed for students who want to build confidence on camera, strengthen their acting skills, and create professional footage of their own.

    🎥 A Focus on the Screen

    For parents, that focus makes this camp stand out from more traditional theater programs. Instead of preparing students solely for live performance, the week zeroes in on on-camera technique, scene work, self-taping, and acting reels—the exact skills that reflect how young performers audition and train in the modern industry.

    Each student will help create material for a short acting reel to take home, giving families something tangible at the end of the week beyond great memories and rehearsal stories.

    👥 The Teaching Team

    The camp is designed as a fun, hands-on week for teens and preteens who want to explore film performance in a supportive setting.

    The instruction team includes Kat Davis, who recently led Spotlight’s technical theater intensives, alongside Executive Director Chad Hembree and Mason Hembree, who is returning after completing his junior year as a performing arts major at Bellarmine University. For families considering whether a child is ready for a more focused acting experience, that teaching lineup offers reassurance that students will be guided by staff already deeply familiar with Spotlight’s educational programs.

    ✅ Camp Fast Facts

    The family appeal is also highly practical. The full-day format helps working parents while still giving students a specialized arts experience close to home.

    • Dates: Monday, June 29 – Friday, July 3, 2026
    • Times: Drop-off begins at 7:45 a.m. | Pick-up by 4:00 p.m.
    • Location: The Spotlight Playhouse, 214 Richmond Road, Berea
    • Ages: Rising 6th graders through age 18
    • Cost: $150 for the week (tuition is non-refundable and not prorated)

    🥪 Lunch and Campus Policies

    There are a few key details parents will want to know before registering. Students may not leave campus for lunch, regardless of age—a strict policy meant to protect all participants, especially the younger students. Campers should bring a packed lunch and a reusable water bottle each day. However, older students are welcome to use DoorDash or pizza delivery if it does not interrupt the daily schedule. Comfortable clothing designed for movement is highly recommended.

    For Berea families, the Film Acting Camp rounds out a June lineup at The Spotlight Playhouse that includes broader arts offerings for younger students and even an all-ages summer workshop. It provides older students a different entry point, one that may especially appeal to kids who are curious about acting but more interested in screen performance than a traditional musical.

    Space is strictly limited to ensure each student gets enough dedicated time in front of the camera. Families with questions can contact Chad Hembree at 859-756-0011 or chad@spotlightactingschool.com.

    Click Here to Enroll in the 2026 Film Acting Camp

    About the Author

    Dr. Chad Hembree serves as the Executive Director of Spotlight Acting School, The Spotlight Playhouse, and Spotlight Performing Arts. Affectionately known as “Mr. Chad,” he is an accomplished performer, director, and creative executive who draws on his broad experience to guide students and staff with creativity, care, and a passion for making community events accessible to everyone in Berea.

    Upcoming Events in Berea & Beyond

    🎭 Theater & Performance at The Spotlight Playhouse

    (Tickets and info for all shows: thespotlightplayhouse.com)

    🌿 Community, Arts & Outdoors

  • Spotlight’s “Oh, Those Summer Nights” Invites Berea Families to Take the Stage Together

    BEREA, Ky. — For families in Berea, summer activities often come with a familiar balancing act: finding something meaningful for the children, manageable for the parents, and flexible enough to fit a packed seasonal calendar.

    Spotlight Acting School’s new Summer Workshop Intensive, “Oh, Those Summer Nights,” appears built with exactly that challenge in mind. Offering a unique intergenerational theater experience for ages 9 to 99 at The Spotlight Playhouse, the workshop is a chance to make theater a shared family memory rather than a spectator activity.

    🎭 A Shared Family Experience

    Running from June 14 through June 27, the intensive is open not only to children and teens, but also to community members, parents, and even grandparents. Spotlight describes the program as a high-energy musical celebration of the 1950s and 1960s. Participants will spend two weeks building skills in singing, movement, stage presence, and performance confidence before presenting two live performances on the Spotlight stage.

    That family-centered setup is what makes this intensive stand out. Instead of simply dropping children off for another summer program, parents and grandparents are invited to be part of the experience themselves. In fact, this marks the first time in Spotlight’s history that the school is intentionally bringing adult students into the rehearsal room alongside younger performers, bridging the gap between generations and experience levels.

    ✅ Low Pressure, High Reward

    Another point likely to resonate with families is the low-pressure entry. There is no audition required to participate—everyone who enrolls will be in the show.

    While soloists may be selected during the rehearsal process, the environment is designed to be highly supportive, entirely removing the stress of competitive casting. That is especially welcoming for first-time performers, hesitant adults, or children who want to try theater without the fear of being cut.

    The cost is also structured with families in mind. Rather than charging per person, Spotlight is marketing the intensive as a flat-rate opportunity to bring the whole household. Participants will provide their own simple, 1950s- and 1960s-inspired costumes, with guidance supplied after enrollment.

    🕒 A Schedule Built for Working Parents

    The schedule is designed around evening rehearsals, making participation much easier for working families:

    • Enrollment Meeting: Sunday, June 14, at 5:30 p.m.
    • Rehearsals: Monday–Friday, June 15–19, and Monday–Thursday, June 22–25 (5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.)
    • Performances: Friday, June 26, and Saturday, June 27, at 6:30 p.m. (Call time at 5:30 p.m.)
    • Location: The Spotlight Playhouse, 214 Richmond Rd N, Berea
    • Cost: $150 per family (covers all participating household members)

    For households in Berea, “Oh, Those Summer Nights” is more than just another summer arts offering. It is a genuine community-building event—one where a parent, child, and grandparent could conceivably stand under the exact same stage lights this summer.

    Click Here to Enroll in “Oh, Those Summer Nights”

    About the Author

    Dr. Chad Hembree serves as the Executive Director of Spotlight Acting School, The Spotlight Playhouse, and Spotlight Performing Arts. Affectionately known as “Mr. Chad,” he is an accomplished performer, director, and creative executive who draws on his broad experience to guide students and staff with creativity, care, and a passion for making community events accessible to everyone in Berea.

    Upcoming Events in Berea & Beyond

    🎭 Theater & Performance at The Spotlight Playhouse

    (Tickets and info for all shows: thespotlightplayhouse.com)

    🌿 Community, Arts & Outdoors

  • 🎭 Spotlight Acting School Opens Registration for “New York, New York” Summer Creative Arts Camp

    BEREA, Ky. — Families in Berea looking for a summer option that blends creativity, structure, and performance have a new date to circle on the calendar.

    Registration is officially open for Spotlight Acting School’s Creative Arts Camp, a weeklong program for rising first through ninth graders hosted at The Spotlight Playhouse on Richmond Road. The camp runs Monday through Friday, June 8–12, providing a full day of arts immersion for local students.

    🗽 A Big-City Creative Lens

    This year’s camp theme is “New York, New York,” giving students a chance to explore performing and visual arts through the energy of the big city.

    Campers will be divided by age groups and take part in six distinct classes each day. The curriculum goes far beyond the standard stage time, including musical theater dance, acting, music, visual art, stage makeup, and design work focused on sets and costumes. Families will also get a firsthand look at what the students have been learning during a short Friday presentation at the end of the week.

    For many local parents, that mix is the biggest draw. Instead of a camp built around a single skill, Spotlight’s program is designed to expose children to several parts of the creative process in one week. That appeals both to students who already love the spotlight and to children who may be more interested in painting, design, or hands-on making behind the scenes. In a town where families often look for programs that keep children engaged while school is out, the camp offers a robust local option without the need for a long commute.

    ✅ Camp Fast Facts

    • Dates: Monday, June 8 – Friday, June 12
    • Times: Drop-off begins at 7:45 a.m. | Pick-up by 4:00 p.m.
    • Location: The Spotlight Playhouse, 214 Richmond Road, Berea
    • Cost: $150 for the week (tuition is non-refundable and not prorated)
    • What to Bring: A packed lunch and a reusable water bottle

    Required paperwork will be completed at first drop-off, where parents can also share any special needs, allergies, or dietary restrictions directly with the staff.

    🎟️ A Community Arts Hub

    The camp will be held at The Spotlight Playhouse, a venue that has become a deeply familiar arts hub for local families through its steady lineup of youth productions, classes, and community performances.

    On the Playhouse calendar this spring, family audiences can also find Spotlight Acting School productions including Disney’s Finding Nemo KIDS in late April and Madagascar: A Musical Adventure JR. in early May. It is a busy season that underscores how the Richmond Road space continues to serve as both a training ground and a performance home for young artists year-round.

    Space for the Creative Arts Camp is strictly limited. Families with questions can contact Chad Hembree by email or call 859-756-0011.

    Click Here to Enroll in the 2026 Creative Arts Camp

    About the Author

    Dr. Chad Hembree serves as the Executive Director of Spotlight Acting School, The Spotlight Playhouse, and Spotlight Performing Arts. Affectionately known as “Mr. Chad,” he is an accomplished performer, director, and creative executive who draws on his broad experience to guide students and staff with creativity, care, and a passion for making community events accessible to everyone in Berea.

    🎟️ Upcoming Events in Berea & Beyond

    🎭 Theater & Performance at The Spotlight Playhouse

    (Tickets and info for all shows: thespotlightplayhouse.com)

    🌿 Community, Arts & Outdoors

  • Frankenstein Is Fun Fiction. This Mouse Study Is a Reminder We Are Still Not Ready to Play God

    Science has a way of humbling people just when they start feeling clever.

    A new study out of Japan followed an extraordinary experiment in which scientists repeatedly cloned mice from clones of clones for roughly 20 years, producing 58 generations and making 30,947 cloning attempts before the process finally collapsed. The result was not an army of perfect copies. It was a long, slow lesson in biological limits.

    Over time, serious mutations piled up, birth rates fell, structural DNA damage accumulated, and somewhere between generations 25 and 45, the mouse line even lost an entire X chromosome that was never regained. By the 58th generation, the cloned mice did not survive.

    That is the part that should make people pause.

    The Limits of the Copy Machine

    We tend to talk about cloning as if it were the biological version of copying a file on a computer. Same thing in, same thing out. Duplicate it again. Duplicate it again. No problem.

    But that is not what this study found. The researchers reported that the mice often looked normal for many generations, even living normal lifespans for a while, while hidden damage quietly kept stacking up underneath. The cloning success rate began to decline around the 27th generation, and the damage eventually became too severe to continue.

    That is what makes the study so unsettling and so revealing. It is not a monster movie. It is almost the opposite. The system appears to work, until suddenly it does not.

    Reuters reported that the mutation rate in these cloned mice was about three times higher than in naturally reproduced mice. The researchers concluded that repeated mammalian cloning cannot continue indefinitely and that sexual reproduction appears to play an essential role in clearing out large-scale genetic errors that pure copying allows to build up. Nature’s messy old system, it turns out, still knows a thing or two.

    That is why my reaction to this study is less “wow, how amazing” and more “maybe we are not ready to play God just yet.”

    Biology Is Not Engineering

    Now, to be fair, this does not mean cloning is useless or impossible. Scientists have cloned mammals before, and this experiment itself produced over 1,200 cloned mice from a single original donor over two decades. But it does mean that cloning is not the clean, controllable, endlessly repeatable trick some people may imagine.

    Every time we talk as if biology is just engineering with softer materials, studies like this come along to remind us that living systems have their own rules, and they do not always care about human ambition.

    That is where the Frankenstein comparison comes in.

    Mary Shelley’s story has lasted so long not because people are afraid of electricity or laboratories, but because it gets at something deeper: the danger of assuming that because we can do something, we therefore understand it well enough to control it. Frankenstein is a fun story. But the warning under it still holds up. Human beings love to push boundaries first and sort out the consequences later.

    This mouse study does not tell us to stop doing science. It does not tell us to panic. What it does say, pretty clearly, is that cloning is not a magic copy machine and life is not as simple as duplication. For all our technology, we are still dealing with systems more fragile, more complex, and more mysterious than our headlines usually admit.

    And maybe that is the most useful takeaway of all. The more power science gives us, the more humility we are going to need.

    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 is based in Berea as the Executive Director of The Spotlight Playhouse, proof that some careers don’t pivot, they evolve.

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  • Why I Use Both ChatGPT and Gemini—and Why Google’s New Import Tool Makes Sense

    The AI world absolutely loves a rivalry story. Every new feature gets framed as a cage match, every product update becomes a “winner” or “loser,” and every user is apparently supposed to pick a side.

    But the truth is a lot less dramatic. I use both ChatGPT and Gemini, and I do not see much reason to treat them like an either-or choice. Google’s newly announced Gemini switching tools only make that clearer.

    Google says users can now import memories, context, and even full chat-history ZIP files from other AI apps directly into Gemini. The feature is rolling out right now through Gemini’s Settings page for consumer accounts.

    That does not mean Gemini has somehow “won,” and it does not mean ChatGPT users are all about to pack up and leave. It means Google is doing something highly practical: lowering the friction for people who want to try another tool without losing all the hard-earned context they have built elsewhere.

    How the Import Works

    According to Google, users can paste a summary of their preferences from another AI app directly into Gemini’s memory. Better yet, they can upload a ZIP file of past chats so they can search old threads and keep building from them without missing a beat. (Google notes the feature is specifically for personal consumer accounts and is not currently supported for Business, Enterprise, under-18, or certain European-region users).

    And honestly, that strategy seems incredibly sensible to me.

    I pay for ChatGPT Plus—which currently runs $20 a month—and for me, it has been an excellent writing assistant. It is especially strong when I need help shaping an article, tightening phrasing, organizing ideas, or working through tone. For something I use almost daily, it is a perfectly reasonable business expense.

    At the same time, Google’s massive ecosystem makes Gemini useful in an entirely different way. A Google One AI Premium subscription is basically the same price at $19.99 a month, but it includes 2 TB of storage across Google Drive, Gmail, and Photos, along with deep Gemini access inside the Google apps I already use. In my experience, Gemini is especially handy when it comes to looking things up and working across that connected ecosystem. It can write, yes, but I still do not think it writes quite as well as GPT for the kinds of projects I do most.

    Different Tools for Different Jobs

    That is really the point. These tools are not identical, and they do not have to be.

    For people who live in this space every day, the better question is not “Which one is best?” but “Which one is best at what?” ChatGPT may feel stronger as a dedicated writing partner. Gemini may feel stronger as a search-connected assistant that lives naturally inside your broader workflow. If both are useful, and the cost feels manageable, it is not irrational to keep both around. It is just practical.

    Google’s new import feature matters because it acknowledges something the tech world does not always like to admit: users do not necessarily want one single AI assistant to rule their lives. Sometimes they want flexibility. Sometimes they want to cross-check answers. Sometimes they want one tool for drafting and another for search.

    By making it easier to bring old context into Gemini, Google is not just chasing rival users. It is acknowledging that starting from scratch with a blank slate is annoying, and that data portability matters.

    So no, I do not buy the idea that this has to be some dramatic breakup story where users flee one platform for the other. It looks more like the next stage of a market that is getting mature. If these companies want our loyalty, they are going to have to compete not just on hype, but on usefulness, fit, price, and convenience.

    And from where I sit, that is a good thing. Right now, ChatGPT and Gemini both earn their keep—just in very different ways.

    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 is based in Berea as the Executive Director of The Spotlight Playhouse, proof that some careers don’t pivot, they evolve.

  • OpenAI’s Ad Business Takes Off—and Proves the Early Panic Was Overblown

    When OpenAI first started talking about putting ads in ChatGPT, the reaction in some corners of the internet was immediate panic. For some users, the very idea sounded like a betrayal of the platform’s original ethos. For others, it felt like a grim inevitability.

    My own reaction was a lot less dramatic. If ads were clearly labeled, kept completely separate from the AI’s responses, and used to support free or lower-cost access for millions of people, that seemed fairly reasonable.

    OpenAI’s early numbers now suggest the broader market agrees. Its U.S. ad pilot in ChatGPT has already surpassed $100 million in annualized revenue just six weeks after launch.

    A Restrained Rollout

    That $100 million milestone stands out even more because the rollout is still relatively restrained. Reuters reported that while about 85% of users are eligible to see ads, fewer than 20% are actually seeing them on a daily basis so far.

    In other words, this revenue is not the result of blanketing the product with sponsored clutter. It is coming from a measured, tightly controlled pilot that is still early in its expansion. OpenAI already has more than 600 advertisers involved and reportedly plans to launch a fully self-serve ad platform in April.

    Clear Rules and Tiered Access

    OpenAI’s official policy helps explain why the user blowback has not been worse. The company says ads are currently being tested only for logged-in adults in the U.S. on the Free and Go tiers. If you are paying for Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, or Education, your experience remains completely ad-free.

    OpenAI has also drawn a hard line in the sand regarding the interface: the ads are clearly labeled and physically separated from the organic answers, and advertisers have zero influence over the model’s actual responses.

    That is exactly why I never found the anti-ad handwringing especially persuasive. There is a very meaningful difference between turning a product into a blinking billboard and using limited, visible advertising to help subsidize a service that millions of people rely on for free. OpenAI is plainly trying to strike that balance. Whether it holds long-term is another question, but so far, the approach looks much more cautious than reckless.

    The Anthropic Super Bowl Jab

    What did strike me as off was Anthropic’s recent Super Bowl jab at OpenAI. Anthropic ran high-profile ads with the line, “Ads are coming to AI. But not to Claude,” a message OpenAI CEO Sam Altman publicly called “deceptive.”

    To me, that criticism from Anthropic always felt a little too neat and a little too self-righteous. If OpenAI is showing clearly separated ads only on specific lower-cost tiers while strictly keeping paid plans ad-free, that is not quite the dystopian, ad-riddled future the Claude commercial invited viewers to imagine.

    The Billion-Dollar Balancing Act

    The broader business point here is hard to miss. OpenAI appears to have successfully found a massive new revenue stream that does not depend entirely on persuading more people to pay premium monthly subscription prices.

    That matters deeply in a business where computing costs are enormous, and every new model generation seems to come with a staggering, multi-billion-dollar infrastructure bill attached. It also helps explain why investors and advertisers are watching this pilot so closely. A product with ChatGPT’s massive global reach does not need to flood the screen with ads to build a highly lucrative ad business.

    The real test, of course, is what happens next. If OpenAI keeps the ad load light, keeps them clearly labeled, and preserves total trust in the answers themselves, the vast majority of users will likely accept the tradeoff. But if the company gets greedy, people will notice quickly.

    For now, though, the early message from the market is pretty simple: the ad machine is working, and it is working fast.

    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 is based in Berea as the Executive Director of The Spotlight Playhouse, proof that some careers don’t pivot, they evolve.

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  • 🎤 Major Concert Event Headed to Richmond as Jason Derulo Comes to EKU

    RICHMOND, Ky. — This is not just another stop on the calendar. It is the kind of booking that gets people talking across the entire county.

    Pop star Jason Derulo is set to perform at the EKU Center for the Arts in Richmond on Friday, April 10 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Kentucky University is calling it one of the biggest artists ever to come to campus, promising a full-scale live production built around Derulo’s massive catalog of hit songs.

    ⭐ A Massive Get for Madison County

    That is a big deal for Richmond, but also for Madison County as a whole. Derulo is not a niche act or a throwback curiosity. He is one of those rare pop names that still lands instantly with a wide crowd, thanks to universally recognizable hits like “Whatcha Say,” “Ridin’ Solo,” and “Trumpets.” EKU’s announcement highlights his undeniable global reach, noting his dozens of multi-platinum certifications and tens of billions of streams worldwide.

    For a community this size, bringing in an artist with that kind of name recognition is a real get. It gives Richmond the kind of headline-grabbing event more often associated with larger markets, while giving local fans a chance to catch a major live show without making the drive to Lexington, Louisville, or Cincinnati.

    EKU has also tied the blockbuster concert to recent upgrades at the Center for the Arts, noting that those facility improvements are exactly what is helping the university attract higher-profile entertainment for both students and the general public.

    🎭🎶 A Packed Weekend for Local Entertainment

    Even if Jason Derulo is not your thing, this is still shaping up to be an incredibly strong weekend for live entertainment around the county.

    Down in Berea, “Finally” A Broadway Revue is running at The Spotlight Playhouse from April 3 through April 12, offering a very different, highly localized kind of night out for musical theater lovers. Meanwhile, on Saturday, April 11, the Berea College Bluegrass Ensemble is scheduled to perform a fantastic free concert at 7:00 p.m. in Gray Auditorium at Presser Hall.

    So whether your weekend tastes lean toward a global pop concert, a Broadway-style community revue, or live Appalachian bluegrass, Madison County is going to have some excellent options.

    But there is no question what the biggest marquee event is. Jason Derulo coming to Richmond is a major concert story for this area, and one that signals EKU is aiming much bigger when it comes to live entertainment. For local fans, that is exactly the kind of development worth watching.

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  • 🌍 Global Flavors, Local Impact: Richmond Rotary’s International Dinner Returns April 11

    RICHMOND, Ky. — If you enjoy trying new foods and supporting a good cause at the same time, the Richmond Rotary Club may have exactly the evening you are looking for.

    The Rotary Club of Richmond is set to host its annual “Sharing a Taste of the World” International Dinner on Saturday, April 11 at 6:00 p.m. at the Carl D. Perkins Building. The event serves as a major fundraiser, giving the evening both a welcoming community feel and a deeply meaningful purpose.

    🍽️ Dining for a Cause

    The idea behind the evening is a simple but brilliant one: bring people together around food from different cultures, and use that shared experience to help organizations doing important work close to home.

    Richmond Rotary has made the international dinner a cornerstone of its annual fundraising efforts, and the event has built a strong, dedicated following in the community. As in years past, the dinner will feature a wide variety of authentic dishes provided by local restaurants and community contributors.

    That mix of local generosity and global flavor is what makes this event stand out. It is not just another dinner out. It is a chance to gather with friends, enjoy something completely different, and know your ticket is helping support real needs in the region. This year, all proceeds from the event will directly benefit Enrich and God’s Outreach, two organizations doing vital work right here at home.

    🎟️ How to Attend

    For folks who like community events with a little heart behind them, this one is absolutely worth a spot on the calendar. Richmond has no shortage of spring activities, but this offers something unique—a night out that feels both festive and genuinely useful to the community.

    Tickets are available now through Eventbrite, and updates can be found on the Richmond Rotary’s Facebook page.

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  • 🍔🎶 Tasty Tuesdays Returns to Irvine-McDowell Park with Music, Food Trucks, and Community Fun

    RICHMOND, Ky. — Richmond’s popular Tasty Tuesdays series is returning to Irvine-McDowell Park this spring, bringing together live music, food trucks, local vendors, and family-friendly activities on Tuesday evenings throughout April.

    Hosted by Richmond Parks and Recreation, the free event series runs from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Irvine-McDowell Park, 345 Lancaster Ave. The series will continue from April all the way through September, offering a relaxed way for families and friends to spend a spring evening outdoors.

    📅 The April Lineup

    The April schedule includes four distinct Tuesday events, each featuring its own unique mix of live entertainment, local vendors, and community activities:

    🎸 April 7 (Kickoff Event)

    Live music: 3 Men & A Banjo, plus a drop-in drum circle led by Sanjay Blevins.

    Food & Drink: Comete Alguito, Mac-A-Tude, Cindy Lou Who Delights, Ice Paradise, Batter & Buttercream Cupcakes, Dreaming Creek Brewery, Chenault Vineyards, and the Madison County Farmers Market.

    🎤 April 14

    Live music: Lauren Mink and Dale Adams.

    Food & Drink: Bert’s Speakecheezy, Dogg House, La Cima Mexican Food Truck, DonutNV, Cindy Lou Who’s Kettle Corn, Dreaming Creek Brewery, and Chenault Vineyards.

    🌳 April 21 (Arbor Day Event)

    Live music: Whiskey River, alongside special Arbor Day activities.

    Food & Drink: Fully Loaded, Drea’s Catfish Bucket, Tolentino’s, Batter & Buttercream Cupcakes, Beverly Ann’s Cookie Truck, Dreaming Creek Brewery, and Chenault Vineyards.

    🎵 April 28

    Live music: Yes ter Year.

    Food & Drink: Piggin Out, Mac-A-Tude, La Cima Mexican Food Truck, Jenabelle Treats, Batter & Buttercream Cupcakes, Dreaming Creek Brewery, and Chenault Vineyards.

    🚗 Parking and Planning Your Visit

    With a great mix of music, food, and an open-air community atmosphere, Tasty Tuesdays is an easy trip for Berea residents looking to break up the work week.

    For those planning to attend the kickoff event on April 7, organizers note that the Lancaster Avenue lot will be open, with additional parking readily available in the EKU Crabbe Street lot or the Adams lot. All activities and vendor lineups are subject to change, so attendees are encouraged to follow Richmond Parks and Recreation for the latest updates.

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  • 🐠 Disney’s Finding Nemo KIDS Swims Into Spotlight Acting School — and Shrek KIDS Is on the Horizon

    BEREA, Ky. — There is a lot of excitement building at Spotlight Acting School right now, and for good reason.

    Coming up first is Disney’s Finding Nemo KIDS, which arrives April 24 through April 26 and brings one of Pixar’s most beloved stories to the stage. It follows Marlin, the anxious and overprotective clownfish, as he crosses the ocean to find Nemo after his son is captured and taken far from home. Along the way come Dory, Crush, the Tank Gang, and a whole underwater world full of humor, heart, and adventure.

    That story has always had a lot going for it. It is colorful, funny, fast-moving, and full of characters children already know and love. But it also has real heart. At its core, Finding Nemo KIDS is about family, courage, friendship, and learning to trust. That makes it a wonderful fit for young performers and for the families coming to see them on stage.

    💙 Guided by Heart and Dedication

    This production is being directed by Daesha Miller, who has had a wonderful run at Spotlight and is truly invaluable to us as one of our directors. She is always looking ahead, always bringing a positive attitude, and she has already booked out all of her shows for next season, which says a lot about both her energy and her commitment.

    Daesha is also a deeply devoted Christian, and she brings that spirit with her into her work in ways that make a real difference. She is trustworthy, loving, caring, and exactly the kind of person who helps create the supportive environment families want for their children.

    That matters.

    At Spotlight Acting School, shows like Finding Nemo KIDS are about much more than putting on something cute and familiar. They are about giving young children the chance to build confidence, practice teamwork, and experience the joy of performance in a way that feels exciting and accessible. Finding Nemo KIDS is exactly the kind of show that lets that happen. It is playful, energetic, and filled with opportunities for young performers to shine.

    🧅 Looking Ahead to Shrek KIDS

    And while Finding Nemo KIDS is the next show on deck, there is another bit of exciting news just behind it.

    We recently finalized the contract for Shrek KIDS.

    We have never done Shrek KIDS before, so that is a big moment for us. Auditions are planned for April 25 for ages 4 to 11, and that alone is enough to make me excited. Shrek KIDS brings Shrek, Donkey, Fiona, and a whole cast of fairy-tale characters together in a funny, heartfelt adventure about acceptance, friendship, and finding where you belong.

    It is always exciting to know what is coming next. For the moment, though, the focus is entirely on Disney’s Finding Nemo KIDS and the young cast bringing that underwater adventure to life at Spotlight. It is another chance for children to grow, perform, and discover what they can do on stage. And it is one more reminder that there is always something new and exciting happening at Spotlight Acting School.

    🗓️ Performance & Audition Details

    • Performances: Disney’s Finding Nemo KIDS runs April 24–26 at The Spotlight Playhouse.
    • Auditions: Shrek KIDS auditions are planned for April 25 for ages 4–11. More details will be announced soon.
    • Tickets and information: thespotlightplayhouse.com

    🖊️ About the Author

    Dr. Chad Hembree has served as Executive Director of Spotlight Acting School, The Spotlight Playhouse, and Spotlight Performing Arts since 2013. Affectionately known as “Mr. Chad,” he is an accomplished performer and director who draws on his broad experience to guide students and staff with creativity, care, and a passion for making theater accessible to the Berea community.

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  • Just When the Market Thinks It Knows Everything, It Learns It Doesn’t

    For the last several months, one of the dominant assumptions in the AI boom has felt almost unquestionable: as models get bigger, chats get longer, and demand keeps rising, the world is going to need more and more high-end memory to keep up.

    Then along comes a paper like TurboQuant, and all of a sudden that certainty starts to wobble.

    Google Research this week publicly highlighted TurboQuant, a compression method first posted in April 2025 and now accepted to ICLR 2026, saying it can slash AI memory overhead dramatically without retraining models. In some cases, it can deliver major speed gains on Nvidia H100 chips.

    That is the kind of development that reminds everyone just how dangerous it is to assume the current bottleneck will stay the bottleneck.

    The KV Cache Problem

    TurboQuant targets a growing problem in AI systems known as KV cache overhead. In plain English, large models keep a running memory of the conversation and surrounding context, and that stored information grows as the interaction grows. The result is heavier memory use, rising costs, and slower performance over time.

    Google says TurboQuant addresses that by compressing this memory footprint far more aggressively than standard methods while preserving quality. In its public writeup, the company says the technique can cut memory requirements by 6x or more and deliver up to 8x faster attention on H100 GPUs in tested settings.

    The paper’s own claims are highly technical, but striking. It reports quality-neutral KV-cache compression at 3.5 bits per channel, with only marginal degradation at more extreme compression levels, and it also shows strong performance in vector search tasks. In other words, this is not being pitched as a small optimization around the edges. It is being presented as a serious attempt to change the economics of long-context AI inference.

    Wall Street Reacts

    And investors noticed immediately.

    After Google’s release, memory-related stocks sold off sharply. Reporting from major financial outlets said the move hit names like Micron, SanDisk, Western Digital, and Seagate, as investors reacted to the possibility that smarter software could reduce future demand for premium AI memory. One report noted Micron fell 3.4% on Wednesday, while others highlighted broader losses across the memory and storage sector, with some names dropping more than 6%.

    That reaction says a lot.

    Wall Street has spent months pricing in an AI future built entirely around scarcity—scarce chips, scarce bandwidth, scarce memory, scarce capacity. But technology has a way of embarrassing people who get too comfortable with straight-line thinking. Just when the market starts acting as though it has definitively mapped the future, a research team drops a paper suggesting that one of the industry’s most expensive pain points might not be as fixed as everyone thought.

    The Danger of Certainty

    That does not mean memory demand is about to collapse overnight. It would be reckless to jump that far. TurboQuant is still one method, under specific test conditions, and real-world deployment always takes longer and proves messier than a headline suggests. Even some market coverage has pointed out that efficiency gains can actually lower costs and expand adoption at the same time, which may eventually increase total demand rather than shrink it.

    But that is almost beside the point.

    The deeper lesson is that in AI, everybody is operating with far less certainty than they pretend. One month the story is that memory shortages will define the next phase of the boom. The next month, a compression breakthrough lands and investors suddenly have to consider a very different possibility. That does not mean the shortage story was foolish. It means it was never as settled as it sounded.

    And that is worth remembering in a market like this. The more people talk as if they know exactly where the chokepoints are, exactly which suppliers will win, and exactly what the next two years will look like, the more likely it is that something unexpected is already forming in a lab somewhere.

    Sometimes the real headline is not just the paper. Sometimes the real headline is how quickly it reminds everyone that, just when you think you know everything, you actually know nothing.

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  • 🐣 Easter Eggstravaganza Brings a Full Day of Family Fun Back to Lake Reba

    RICHMOND, Ky. — If your kids are the kind who start talking about Easter eggs the minute spring shows up, Richmond’s 47th Annual Easter Eggstravaganza is absolutely worth the short drive from Berea.

    The event is set for Saturday, April 4, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Lake Reba Park softball fields, and it looks like the exact kind of outing built for a busy family Saturday. The fields will be transformed into a massive spring festival specifically for children ages 10 and under.

    🧺 No “Mad Dash” Required

    What makes this event incredibly appealing to parents is the “continuous” hunt format. Unlike traditional egg hunts that are over in a stressful, sixty-second blur of elbows and plastic grass, the Eggstravaganza offers ongoing hunts. This means families can arrive at their own pace and ensure every little one gets their fair share of treat-filled eggs without waiting for a single starting whistle.

    It gives families room to settle in a little. The children get the excitement of the hunt, but there is enough else going on to make it feel like a real afternoon out instead of a five-minute dash and a quick trip back to the car.

    🎈 More Than Just Eggs

    Along with the egg hunts, the park will be buzzing with activities to keep the kids entertained all afternoon. Organizers are bringing in walk-around characters (including the Easter Bunny), plenty of inflatables, and community-led games. There will also be over 25 local business booths hosting crafts and giving away prizes, alongside live music and food vendors.

    This is a deep-rooted community tradition. Richmond has been doing this for decades, and families across Madison County know the routine. If you live in Berea, it is close enough to make for an easy trip, especially if you are looking to fill out a spring weekend. It also lands on a day when there is plenty else happening around the area, meaning this can easily become part of a bigger day out.

    🗺️ Plan Your Visit

    The event is entirely free and open to the public. If you are making the drive, organizers recommend parking at the Paradise Cove Aquatic Center lot for the easiest access to the softball complex. Just remember to bring your own baskets, and leave the furry friends at home—no pets are allowed on the athletic fields during the event.

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  • AI’s Hunger for Power Is Reaching Kentucky

    By Chad Hembree | Published March 25, 2026

    BEREA, Ky. — For a long time, artificial intelligence sounded like a software story. Faster models. Smarter chatbots. Better image generators. But the deeper this boom gets, the clearer it becomes that AI is also a power story, an infrastructure story, and increasingly, a Kentucky story.

    The 100-Hour Battery

    This week, Reuters reported that Google and Xcel Energy are backing a massive new energy package in Minnesota for a Google data center. The project includes a 300-megawatt, 30-gigawatt-hour iron-air battery system from Form Energy designed to deliver power for up to 100 hours. Xcel says the broader package also includes 1.6 gigawatts of new wind and solar generation, with the battery meant to provide firm capacity and help the grid hold up over multiple days when needed.

    That matters because AI data centers do not behave like a normal office building or even a typical factory. They run hard, they run constantly, and they demand huge amounts of electricity around the clock. Google has also signed agreements with multiple U.S. utilities to curb some data-center electricity use during peak demand periods, which shows just how serious the power squeeze has become.

    The newsletter version of this story makes it sound like somebody invented new physics. They did not. What is happening is more practical, and in some ways more important: the AI boom is forcing utilities and manufacturers to think beyond short-duration lithium-ion backup and toward long-duration energy storage that can keep power flowing for days, not just minutes or hours. Reuters describes this as a broader rollout of long-duration storage driven by soaring AI demand, and Form says its iron-air chemistry is designed specifically for that multi-day role.

    The Kentucky Connection

    And this is where Kentucky comes in.

    Ford announced in December that it would use its battery plants in Kentucky and Michigan to produce energy storage system batteries, with Reuters reporting that these systems are in high demand from data centers tied to the AI boom. Ford plans to invest about $2 billion over two years to launch the operation and bring initial capacity online within 18 months.

    Local reporting has made the Kentucky side even more concrete. Spectrum News 1 and other local outlets reported that Ford would take over the Glendale facility and retool it to make data center battery systems, noting that the site was officially transitioning to battery energy storage. That means a massive plant once sold to Kentuckians as part of the electric-vehicle future is now being repositioned around a completely different future: supporting the grid and the data-center economy that AI requires.

    A Shift in Industrial Strategy

    That is a big shift, and it says something larger about where this economy is heading.

    AI is not just changing the apps on our phones or the tools on our computers. It is changing what factories build. It is changing what utilities plan for. It is changing where capital goes. The boom in large-scale computing is now strong enough that it can help redirect industrial strategy in states like Kentucky, far from Silicon Valley boardrooms.

    There is a local irony in that. Kentucky spent years hearing about the EV future. Now, part of that promised battery capacity is being redirected toward something many people here have barely had time to think about: giant server farms and the backup systems needed to keep them alive. The technology may feel distant, but the jobs, the investment decisions, and the manufacturing consequences are landing much closer to home.

    Why It Matters in Berea

    For everyday people, this can still sound abstract. Most folks in Berea are not sitting around thinking about megawatts, gigawatt-hours, or iron-air chemistry. But they do understand what happens when a new industry starts pulling hard on power, land, labor, and materials. They understand what it means when a Kentucky plant gets retooled because demand somewhere else has changed.

    And they understand that when infrastructure shifts, the effects spread outward fast, from utility planning to local employment to the cost of doing business for everybody else, including community institutions and places like The Spotlight Playhouse that depend on predictable operating costs.

    The real lesson here is not just that AI uses a lot of electricity. It is that AI has grown hungry enough to reshape the physical economy around it. It is pushing utilities toward multi-day storage. It is giving new life to battery chemistries like iron-air. And it is helping turn Kentucky manufacturing toward a new mission.

    For all the talk about artificial intelligence living in the cloud, this is a reminder that the cloud is built out of very real things: steel, concrete, wires, substations, factories, batteries, and a lot of power. And more and more of that story runs straight through Kentucky.

    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 is based in Berea as the Executive Director of The Spotlight Playhouse, proof that some careers don’t pivot, they evolve.

    Upcoming Events in Berea & Beyond

    Theater & Performance at The Spotlight Playhouse

    (Tickets and info for all shows: thespotlightplayhouse.com)

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  • Landmark Social Media Verdict May Send the Wrong Message

    A California jury has handed down a verdict that is already being called a landmark in the growing wave of lawsuits against social media companies.

    In Los Angeles, jurors found Meta and YouTube liable for negligence and for failing to warn about harms tied to their platforms. The jury awarded $6 million to a now-20-year-old plaintiff known in court as KGM—$3 million in compensatory damages and $3 million in punitive damages. The jury assigned 70 percent of the blame to Meta and 30 percent to YouTube. Both companies have said they plan to appeal.

    The Case and the Precedent

    This case matters not just because of the money, but because of what it could open up next. Reuters reports that more than 2,400 similar lawsuits involving youth harms are already pending against major tech platforms. Legal observers say this verdict could encourage still more claims by focusing on product design rather than user-generated content. That distinction is critical because it is one way plaintiffs are trying to get around the broad protections internet companies have historically relied on under Section 230.

    I understand the argument on the other side. If a company knowingly builds products around features like infinite scroll and autoplay, especially while young users are involved, then yes—it is reasonable to ask whether those companies bear some responsibility for the results. That appears to be exactly what persuaded this jury. The plaintiff said her problems began when she used YouTube and Instagram as a child, and the verdict reflects a belief that the platforms’ design was a substantial factor in her mental-health struggles.

    But here is where I part company with the verdict.

    Where the Argument Falls Short

    A ruling like this risks telling the public that when something becomes hard to control, responsibility automatically shifts away from the user, the family, and the broader culture, and lands mainly on the company that made the product. That is a dangerous idea.

    Social media can absolutely be unhealthy. So can junk food, gambling, television, and a long list of other modern habits. But most of us still believe that people bear meaningful responsibility for how those things are used, especially once the user is no longer a child. That is why this verdict feels so unsatisfying. It turns a real problem into a payout, and in my view, $6 million is wildly out of proportion to the facts we know publicly.

    The Danger of the “Personal Injury Jackpot”

    What worries me even more is what happens next. Investors clearly saw the danger right away. Meta shares fell sharply after the verdicts in California and New Mexico, not because $6 million will sink the company, but because the market understands the bigger threat: a legal theory that could lead to billions of dollars in future exposure and major changes to how platforms are built. Analysts and lawyers see these verdicts as potentially forcing redesigns to key engagement features that sit at the center of social media’s business model.

    That is where my concern really lands. I do not want tech companies to get a free pass. They should be honest about risks, more careful with kids, and far less cynical in how they design products. But once juries start treating platform design as a personal-injury jackpot, things can spiral fast.

    Companies may respond with heavy-handed restrictions, more aggressive age verification, more locked-down features, more warnings nobody reads, and more decisions made by corporate lawyers rather than by parents, teachers, communities, and users themselves. That would not necessarily make social media healthier. It might just make it more controlled, more litigious, and more miserable.

    So yes, I can hold two thoughts at once. Meta and YouTube probably do bear some responsibility. But I also think this verdict overshoots badly, and I am not convinced it points us toward a better internet. It may instead reward a culture that is increasingly eager to turn every bad outcome into someone else’s legal fault.

    And that is a precedent worth being nervous about.

    Upcoming Events in Berea & Beyond

    Theater & Performance at The Spotlight Playhouse

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  • 🌸 Churchill’s Spring Market Brings a Charming Afternoon to One of Berea’s Most Historic Spaces

    BEREA, Ky. — Berea’s spring calendar is blossoming beautifully, and one particularly delightful event is the Churchill’s Spring Market, set for Saturday, April 4, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at 100 Churchill Court. The market is being promoted as a lovely indoor gathering featuring local vendors, boutique shopping, and sweet treats, all nestled within one of Berea’s most picturesque historic buildings.

    🏛️ An Enchanting Setting

    What elevates this market from a standard pop-up is the enchanting setting. Churchill’s carries nearly 100 years of history and remains intimately tied to the old Churchill Weavers complex. This gives the day a delicate sense of place that fits Berea perfectly. In a town where craft, handmade goods, and local identity are so sweetly woven together, a curated market like this feels right at home.

    It also appears to be part of a beloved ongoing tradition rather than a fleeting, one-time event. Churchill’s Artisan Market has blossomed in different forms for several years, giving this spring gathering the warm feel of an established community tradition—a beautiful event that locals can happily build their weekend around.

    🛍️ Make a Lovely Day of It

    And that may be the true appeal of the day. This is the kind of event that invites you to make a full, lovely day of it.

    After a sweet afternoon of browsing local artisans, enjoying the charming atmosphere, and taking in one of Berea’s most distinctive spaces, you can easily carry that elegant energy right into the evening. Just down the road, The Spotlight Playhouse will be staging a stunning 8:00 p.m. performance of “Finally” A Broadway Revue.

    It is a match made in heaven: a delicate afternoon of local shopping followed by an evening of soaring, heartfelt musical theater.

    That is part of what makes spring in Berea so incredibly special. On the exact same day, you can support local artisans, spend time in a historic setting, grab a delightful bite to eat, and then head out for an unforgettable show. It turns a simple Saturday into something fuller, something a little more magical, and something beautifully rooted in the life of our community.

    The key details for Churchill’s Spring Market are wonderfully simple: Saturday, April 4, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at Churchill’s, 100 Churchill Court in Berea. For anyone looking for a charming way to get out, shop local, and enjoy the town, this is a gorgeous addition to the spring calendar.

    🎟️ Upcoming Events in Berea & Beyond

    🎭 Theater & Performance at The Spotlight Playhouse

    (Tickets and info for all shows: thespotlightplayhouse.com)

    🎶 Music & Concerts

    🌿 Community, Arts & Outdoors