Bowling Green Recognizes New Citizens
The city of Bowling Green celebrated the country’s new citizens during its annual Reception for New Americans Sept. 14 at the Sloan Convention Center. The city works to identify recently naturalized U.S. citizens annually and celebrates each new citizen in attendance. Individuals who became citizens between June 2022 and Sept. 2023 were recognized by the mayor and city commission. GN
Makeover Coming for Local Airport
The Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport runway is getting a makeover! New lighting, crack-filling, sealing, and striping will improve safety and efficiency. This is great news for the community, as it will attract new businesses and visitors. The project is funded by an FAA grant and is expected to begin soon. GN
Veteran’s Day Parade
If your social club, church group, or other organization would like to participate in the Nov. 11 Veteran’s Day parade, entries are now being accepted online at www.surveymonkey.com/r/2023bgvp. The parade will be at 10 a.m. Nov. 11 beginning and ending near Circus Square Park. Parade entry applications are open until Oct. 20. For more information, call (270) 393-3549. GN
Bowling Green Recognizes and Honors Longest Serving Member of the Board of Commissioners
The city of Bowling Green recently honored Joe Denning for his service to the citizens of Bowling Green. Denning holds the record of serving the longest number of years on the Board of Commissioners. He was also the city’s first Black police officer, mayor, and city commissioner. The city announced the naming of the city hall lobby as The Denning Commons and unveiled a plaque listing Mr. Denning’s service to the city. The plaque is attached to a column in The Denning Commons. During the ceremony, attended by about 100 people, Bowling Green Police Chief Michael Delaney honored Denning for being the city’s first Black police officer. GN
Local Kids Have Opportunity to Learn About Police Academy
Bowling Green Police Department welcomed 21 children for the Junior Police Academy. The kids learned about all of the different divisions within the police department, solved a mock crime, and held a mock court day. The police department holds this event once a year. GN
Helping the Bowling Green Community Connect to Nature
Bowling Green Parks and Recreation along with community partners are creating a linear park, at the Jennings Creek Park project along the Creekwood greenway, which will provide a natural space for the community to enjoy. The city recently held a Down at the Creek celebration for phase one of the project. The entire project includes an outdoor classroom, a stream access point, and a natural play element and play space unlike any other play space in Bowling Green’s other parks. The goal is to help the community connect with nature. GN
Retired Officer Returns to Police Department
Retired Bowling Green Police Major Charles Casey became the first police department retiree to return to the department as part of the BGPD-R program. This program is open for retirees who are still certified police officers. Casey is returning to the department as an officer and brings more than two decades of experience to the job. GN
Annual BGKY Harvest Festival Takes Place Downtown
Come celebrate the abundance of the fall harvest at the annual Downtown BGKY Harvest Festival and Croptoberfest from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Oct. 14. Fountain Square Park will feature a Day of the Dead theme and food trucks serving fiesta food. Bounce houses, pumpkin smashing, and more family fun activities will be scattered throughout Circus Square Park. Cropertoberfest at Soky Marketplace is the final farmers market of the year and a great place for some amazing shopping. GN
Walk to End Alzheimer’s Brings Crowd to Bowling Green
The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s rallied a crowd of more than 500 supporters to Bowling Green Ballpark for their annual walk. The walk raised over $100,000 for research and support services. Seventy teams participated in the walk, many carrying multicolored Promise Garden flowers. At the walk, the top donor, Crusin’ for a Cure, presented a $20,000 check, which was raised through their car shows. GN
“Music Time” to Encourage Creativity for Local Children
In mid-September, the Lisa Rice Library launched “Music Time,” with a local instructor. Each month, Miss Lauren will teach basic concepts of music to help local kids experience and learn through music, creative games, fun and engaging songs, and hands-on activities. GN
Fiestaval Returns to Bowling Green
The biannual Fiestaval returned to Bowling Green in mid-September. This event fills Clay street with music, dancing, and good authentic food. Organizers say that community members spend the entire day enjoying the festival each time it is in town. GN
New Wellness Center Opens in Bowling Green
The Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting event for Fleming Wellness Center, where community members in attendance had the opportunity to learn about the services this new center offers. The wellness center is known for its holistic approach to healing. Fleming Wellness Center offers a range of services including wellness consultations, EEG neurofeedback, and various therapies. GN
Hall of Distinguished Alumni Continues for Warren County School District
Warren County Schools will be inducting their next group of successful individuals into Warren County Public Schools’ (WCPS) Hall of Distinguished Alumni. Anyone in the community wanting to nominate a WCPS graduate to be a part of this distinguished group, can do so by visiting the Warren County Schools’ Twitter page and filling out the form on their page. GN
WKU’s 2023 Family of the Year Recognized
During one of Western Kentucky University’s (WKU) football games, the family of WKU junior Sydney Windhorst was recognized as WKU’s 2023 Family of the Year. Windhorst said in an essay that the support she receives from her university is similar to the support she receives from her own family. Windhorst is majoring in International Affairs and Political Science, and will become her family’s fourth WKU alumnus upon graduation, joining her father, Stanley “Bud” Windhorst (‘97); maternal grandfather, Walter McHugh (‘67); and paternal grandfather, Stanley Windhorst (‘69). GN
