Source: Fayette County Public Schools

Rebecca Shearer, a 28-year education veteran and current Academy Coach at Bryan Station High School, will serve as interim principal starting July 1. She succeeds Eric Hale, who departed after being named Kentucky’s 2024 Secondary Principal of the Year.

Kentucky tourism reached a fourth consecutive record year with $14.6 billion in economic impact and nearly 97,000 jobs supported, driven by 80 million visitors and ongoing state investments in tourism development projects.

University of Kentucky researchers are developing AI software that recognizes individual cerulean warblers by their unique songs, potentially revolutionizing conservation monitoring for the declining songbird without requiring researchers to capture birds.

Kentucky assistant coach Mikhail McLean has been named head coach of The Bahamas National Team, beginning with World Cup qualifying games in July. He will retain his position with the Wildcats while leading the Caribbean nation.

Lexington native and NYC playwright Cavan Hendron brings his new musical adaptation of the Lizzie Borden story to his hometown as part of the Voices Amplified: Voices HEaRd Women’s Theatre Festival.

Senate President Robert Stivers was named a recipient of the 2026 Motion Picture Association Industry Champion Award for his leadership in advancing film and television legislation that has helped position Kentucky as an attractive destination for productions.

Lexington activated Phase 1 of its Heat Plan on June 10 as heat index forecasts reach 95 degrees, offering free LexTran rides to cooling centers and opening multiple facilities to help vulnerable residents beat the heat.

Lexington-based Gray Construction climbed to #15 among the nation’s top telecommunications contractors, fueled by explosive growth in data center construction across the U.S., according to Engineering News-Record’s 2026 rankings.

Western Kentucky University and Elizabethtown Community & Technical College have launched a new Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management, allowing students to begin at ECTC and complete their bachelor’s degree at WKU in Elizabethtown. Registration for Fall 2026 is open.

University of Kentucky women’s basketball signed Florida transfer Me’Arah O’Neal, a 6-4 forward and daughter of Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, as a junior. O’Neal averaged 13.6 points and 6.4 rebounds last season for the Gators.