Category: Local News
Local news and community updates from Berea, Richmond, and Madison County, including public safety, business, local developments, and everyday community coverage.
The Makers Behind the Magic: Ken Koshman, Albert Lindsay, and Camp Creations
A few months back, two men walked into the Spotlight Playhouse with a pitch that sounded almost too good to be true. They wanted to build our props. Not sell them to us. Build them, and let us rent them, so a community theater could have real, character driven pieces without the kind of budget…
A Disney Classic Opens the Door to the Stage With The Aristocats KIDS Auditions in Berea
Some movies belong mostly to one generation. Disney’s The Aristocats belongs to several. Many grandparents first met Duchess, Thomas O’Malley, Marie, Toulouse, and Berlioz when the animated movie arrived in theaters in 1970. Parents may remember watching it during a later theater release, on television, or over and over at home. Today’s children are still…
Back-to-School Carnival in Berea Puts Foster Children First 🎒
For many children, the fast-approaching back-to-school season begins with a standard shopping list. They need sharpened pencils, fresh notebooks, new shoes, and a backpack sturdy enough to survive another year of activity. For a child navigating the foster care system, however, the beginning of a new school year can involve much more complicated changes. There…
Business Brew: Where Berea’s Local Entrepreneurs Meet Over Coffee ☕️
Business Brew brings Berea-area entrepreneurs together over coffee at Just Love, offering a simple monthly place to trade leads, solve problems, and build local business connections.
Mid-Week Pickups: Tuesday Evenings at the Berea Farmers Market 🥕
The Berea Farmers Market runs a quieter Tuesday evening market from 4 to 7 p.m., giving local shoppers a mid-week way to buy fresh food, artisan goods, and Kentucky Double Dollars-eligible staples.
The $228.7 Million Question: What Berea College Actually Means for Madison County 💰
Berea College generated an estimated $228.7 million in annual economic impact for Madison County, supporting jobs, local spending, and civic life well beyond campus.
A Home for Survivors: First Lady Tours Berea’s Redeeming Hope 🏠
Redeeming Hope is nearing completion in Berea as Kentucky First Lady Britainy Beshear tours the state’s first dedicated home for teen survivors of trafficking and exploitation.
Macbeth Belongs at The Spotlight Playhouse Because Big Stories Should Happen Close to Home 🎭
Some plays feel far away until the right people put them on stage. Macbeth is one of them. On paper, it can look like schoolwork. Witches. Kings. Scotland. Old language. A dagger that may or may not be there. But on stage, especially on a local stage like The Spotlight Playhouse, Macbeth becomes something much…
🚰 Berea Should Expect a Watchful Summer for Water, Not a Panic
Berea residents should head into summer with a practical attitude about water levels. Not panic. Not ignore it. Just pay attention. Current official drought information shows much of Kentucky already dealing with dry conditions as summer begins. Drought.gov’s Kentucky page, based on the U.S. Drought Monitor, showed nearly the entire state—99.97 percent—in documented drought conditions…
🚛 What Berea Residents Should Know About the Local Disposal Site
Most towns have a few places everybody knows about, but not everybody fully understands. In Berea, one of those places is the local disposal site on Estridge Road. Some folks still call it “the dump.” Others call it the landfill. The city lists it as the Berea Transfer Station. That name matters. Unlike a landfill,…
⛳💧 Gibson Bay Golf Course Irrigation Upgrades Bring Short-Term Disruptions, Long-Term Improvements
RICHMOND, Ky. — Golfers at Gibson Bay Golf Course may see temporary disruptions this season ⚠️ as Richmond continues work on a major irrigation system replacement at the public course. 🌿🏌️ The City of Richmond announced in March 📣 that a new irrigation system is being installed at Gibson Bay to replace the course’s aging…
♻️ Richmond Recycling Center Receives $330,308 Grant for Facility Upgrades
RICHMOND, Ky. — The City of Richmond has been awarded a $330,308.02 state grant 💰 from the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet to bankroll critical infrastructure upgrades 🏗️ and optimize daily processing volumes 📦 at the Richmond Recycling Center. Municipal administrators announced the finalized funding allocation following official notification from state environmental compliance officers ✅.…
Junebug Festival Brings Drums, Vendors, and Family Activities to Old Town Berea
BEREA, Ky. — Old Town Berea will welcome the start of summer with rhythm, art, food, and family activities during the Junebug Festival on Friday, June 5. 🗓 Date: Friday, June 5⏰ Time:6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.📍 Where: Old Town Berea (centered around Artist Circle and North Broadway)💲 Cost: Free👨👩👧👦 Ages: All ages 🥁 Community…
US 25 Yard Sale Returns June 5 to 6, Stretching Through Berea and Beyond
BEREA, Ky. — The US 25 Yard Sale returns Friday, June 5, and Saturday, June 6, bringing two days of roadside sales, bargain hunting, and extra traffic along one of Kentucky’s historic north-south routes. Berea Tourism lists the 15th Annual US 25 Yard Sale as a two-day event featuring hundreds of yard sales along 200…
Berea Arts Council Garden Tour Returns May 23 After a Year Away
BEREA, Ky. — A local spring tradition is returning this month as the Berea Arts Council hosts its 2026 Garden Tour on Saturday, May 23. The self-guided tour runs from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and features six private and local garden spaces across the city. The event, which took a year-long hiatus in 2025,…
Berea Chamber Annual Golf Tournament Set for June 12 at Battlefield Golf Course
BEREA, Ky. — The Berea Chamber of Commerce has scheduled its annual golf tournament for Friday, June 12, 2026, at Battlefield Golf Course in Richmond. The tournament is one of the organization’s regular networking events, bringing together local business owners, civic leaders, and community supporters. While hosted by the Berea Chamber, the event takes place…
Tasty Tuesdays Return to Irvine-McDowell Park; Historic House Remains Closed for Construction
RICHMOND, Ky. — Tuesday evenings at Irvine-McDowell Park are once again becoming a weekly community stop as the city kicks off another season of Tasty Tuesdays. The recurring event is held every Tuesday from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the park, with live music beginning at 6:00 p.m. While the park remains open for…
Paint Your Pet Party Offers a Creative Outing for Berea Animal Lovers May 17
BEREA, Ky. — Berea animal lovers will have a chance to turn a favorite pet photo into a painted keepsake during a Paint Your Pet Paint Party on Sunday, May 17. The event is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at One Eyed Jack’s Social Club, located at 107 Clay Dr. in Berea. The…
Tools and Stools Workshop Brings Traditional Woodworking to Berea Makerspace May 30–31
BEREA, Ky. — A two-day woodworking workshop called Tools and Stools with Don Weber is scheduled for Saturday, May 30, and Sunday, May 31, at the Berea Makerspace, located at 116 Spring Circle Drive. The class is built around a hands-on philosophy: participants build a traditional hand tool first, then use that same tool to…