Ryan Richardson

Claude Bacon, president and CEO of the Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation and current board chair of Visit Owensboro, has been selected to serve as the 2026 chair of the Kentucky Travel Industry Association.

Mary-Ava Marsengill never expected to see her name attached to a statewide honor. So when an email arrived announcing she had been named the Elementary Level Art Teacher of the Year by the Kentucky Art Education Association, her first reaction was disbelief.

Wendell Foster will host its Fall Yard Sale this Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon, with proceeds helping purchase Christmas and birthday gifts for residents. The local nonprofit is also seeking donated items from the community ahead of the event.

Owensboro Health is partnering with the Kentucky Cancer Program (KCP) to host a series of free “Love Your Lungs” events this week, aimed at raising awareness about lung health, prevention, and early detection.

One of Owensboro’s oldest holiday traditions returns next month as the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art hosts its 48th annual Holiday Forest Festival of Trees. The celebration begins with the Holiday Forest Gala, when multiple new art acquisitions will be unveiled.

Three local nonprofits were each awarded a $100,000 grant Tuesday night by Impact100 Owensboro. A fourth nonprofit received a $32,500 residual grant, while a fifth received the $5,200 NextGen grant.

The next free “Brown Bag Lunch Concert” is set for Thursday and will feature Skip Cleavinger, a bagpiper and renowned musician who has spent nearly five decades performing the traditional music of Scotland, Ireland, and other Celtic nations.

Kentucky Wesleyan College is overhauling its academic structure, with faculty approving a plan to move from the traditional three-credit-hour system to a four-credit-hour model beginning in fall 2027.

Sixteen-year-old Carmynn Blakeley, who is visually impaired, beamed Friday as she and her family received the keys to their new Habitat for Humanity home. The house was built with accessibility in mind and was sponsored by the Owensboro Lions Club in her honor.

Mike Henshaw, who has spent more than 15 years volunteering with Habitat for Humanity of Owensboro-Daviess County, was honored Friday with the 2025 AARP Kentucky Andrus Award for Community Service, the organization’s highest state-level volunteer recognition.