Bowling Green

On June 19, hundreds of people gathered in Bowling Green to celebrate Juneteenth for the first time as a federal holiday. 

In January of 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. The proclamation declared “all persons held as slaves are and henceforward shall be free.” Unfortunately, this only applied to states that had seceded from the United States during the Civil War.

It wasn’t until June 19, 1865, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, that the remaining enslaved people in Texas learned they were freed. Juneteenth marks that moment of history.

One of the many communities celebrating Juneteenth was Bowling Green. There were numerous free events, including block parties and concerts. The Bowling Green-based group “Essence in Harmony” sang at a local NAACP pre-Juneteenth event. Through the songs they sang, the group showcased what makes Juneteenth a different type of holiday than what we would normally see on Memorial Day or 4th of July. Those holidays celebrate a collective national history. 

It's the first full week that businesses across Kentucky reopened with no mask, social distancing or capacity requirements.

Some changes made to meet the challenges of the pandemic turned out to be good for business. 

Along Russellville Road in Bowling Green, one visible change made during the pandemic is a white tent installed in front of a little diner named ConCon’s. 

Owner Connie Blair said she had to adapt quickly to the requirements of the pandemic. She didn’t have any indoor dining for nine months

“I never shut the doors, not at all. I put in the drive-up window in six hours after it started and I put a PA system outside,” said Blair. “You know, they just cracked their window and waited for me tell ‘em to pull up to the window and pick their food up.”

She said the changes that saved her business are going to stay. 

As arts organizations across Kentucky struggle to rebound after the pandemic, a theater in Bowling Green is now dealing with one more annoyance.

The side of the blue building that houses Public Theatre of Kentucky has been spray painted with what Producing Artistic Director Amber Turner describes as childlike faces with big eyes.

She said the graffiti is "frustrating." 

“We recently received a grant and we redid our dressing room. And then, because we were making the inside look so wonderful, we decided to freshen up the outside," said Turner. "That included painting the front of the building and we did some touchups on the side of the building, but now we’re going to have to completely repaint the whole side of the building.” 

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said the state will mirror CDC guidelines on COVID-19 announced this week, that people who are fully vaccinated do not need a mask or social distancing in most places.

Beshear said that on June 11 the state will return to 100% capacity for businesses, and no masks will be required for those who have had their shots. 

One popular tourism destination in Bowling Green is preparing to get back to normal.

Lost River Cave has had a silver lining during the pandemic. People flocked to the walking trails as outdoor spaces became a welcome , and safe, change from isolation and indoor restrictions. 

Spring is blossoming across Kentucky and refugees who have resettled in Bowling Green are planting seeds of vegetables common in their native countries.

A greenhouse is a welcoming place to  bring together people - and plants - from Asia, Africa and America.

The greenhouse at Bowling Green Housing Authority is vibrant with the shiny leaves of butterhead and romaine lettuce, and beans with bright magenta shells.

On a recent spring day, Angele Niyonzima was in the greenhouse planting seeds in small trays.

“It’s almost times to grow, so we come here to start getting ready,” she said. 

Niyonzima was raised in Burundi until she was 14. Then she was in a refugee camp for 10 years in the Central African Republic. She’s 38 years old, has lived in Bowling Green for 14 years, and works at Dart Container in Horse Cave.

A new manufacturer is coming to Bowling Green and creating 200 jobs.  Material Handling Systems, based in Bullitt County, is expanding its operations by adding a new facility in the Kentucky Transpark. 

MHS produces conveyor systems for companies, including UPS, FedEx, and Wayfair. In a virtual news conference on Thursday, CEO Scott McReynolds said Bowling Green is a good fit for the company.

“Of course, the access to major transportation routes, proximity to our other operations, and it’s a growing population center with a strong workforce and a great quality of life for our employees," McReynolds said.

The city of Bowling Green is beginning 2021 with a new mayor for the first time in a decade. 

Todd Alcott was sworn into office in December after winning the mayoral race over two write-in candidates. Alcott succeeded Bruce Wilkerson, who dropped out of the race for re-election last year after serving as Bowling Green mayor since 2011. 

Alcott brings a military background to his new role. In an interview with WKU Public Radio, the retired Air Forice Lt. Col. said the skills he acquired in the military translate to running city government.

"I was never a flier. I was always in charge of personnel, people, facilities, manpower, and finances, Alcott said. "This is a government by the people. That was a government for the people. I feel like people are the same. We want to make sure our taxes, our revenue, go to the things that make us a better quality of life."

Some minority and low-income business start-ups are finding help through a new program administered by the Housing Authority of Bowling Green.

Since August, the People's Opportunity Program for Underserved Populations or POP-UP, has awarded micro-loans, business consulting, and mentoring to three new businesses. The program’s goal is to level the playing field for members of underserved populations interested in becoming entrepreneurs.

Dawn Bolton is the small business consultant for the POP-UP program.

As hundreds of restaurants across Bowling Green scale back or temporarily close due to COVID-19 restrictions, the city is offering grants to help them survive the pandemic.

Bowling Green has designated $1,885,000 to assist businesses with 50 or fewer employees.

Bowling Green City Manager Jeff Meisel said code enforcement officers who are currently bringing information on COVID-19 regulations to dining establishments are also providing details about the BG CARES program.

"That’s why we want to get out, too, and publicize that we do have CARES money that we would happy to help with small businesses here in Bowling Green," Meisel said. "And we’re going to pass out information on that as we’re out and about with these businesses and restaurants and bars that have really been probably hit the hardest.”

The city of Bowling Green is beginning to send out code enforcement officers to assist in monitoring restaurants and bars for compliance with Kentucky's COVID-19 regulations. 

The four officers will serve only in an outreach and education capacity to assist the Barren River District Health Department.

Bowling Green City Manager Jeff Meisel said that will include site visits to provide bars and restaurants with information on requirements for masks, social distancing and outdoor dining.

“A lot of restaurants are trying to still do outdoor dining with putting up some tents and enclosing some areas," said Meisel. "But with that, there are still rules of leaving two sides open and things like that, so there’s air circulating and it doesn’t become indoor dining with a tent.”