Thursday, July 2, 2026
Kentucky’s Seventy Six community celebrates historic holiday
Asmall community many believe was named for the nation’s founding — Seventy Six, Kentucky — is pulling together a big celebration for America’s 250th birthday this weekend, led by a WKU alumnus and his brother
Al Cross, the now-retired political journalist who was editor of the College Heights Herald when he was a student on the Hill, has been working with his brother, attorney David Cross ofAlbany, to stage the Spirit of 76 Celebration this Friday and Saturday in the rural Clinton County hamlet a few miles north of the Tennessee state line.
Fiscal Court gives final approval to data center regulations
TheWarren County and Bowling Green local governments hosted an informational event for data centers at the Knicely Conference Centerto answerthe questions of the public.
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Warren County Judge Executive Doug Gorman reads through community concerns at the Fiscal Court meeting on June 25, 2026. (Josh Baumgardner)
The event, entitled “Strong Standards ProactiveApproach,” aimed to provide more information regarding the data center regulations approved by the Board of Commissioners just a week ago. During the event, residents were able to speak with experts and elected officials and ask questions to learn and give input on the regulations.
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by
Josh Baumgardner
Thunderfest returns to BG
The logo for the 2026Thunderfest. Image courtesy of Thunderfest.
On July 3, the sky overEphramWhite Park will be lit with fireworks from the annual Hayward Minton Thunderfest Fireworks Show and Music Festival.
In its 55th year,Thunderfest has gone beyond being one of South Central Kentucky’s premierfireworks shows.Alongside providing family-friendly fun, it serves as the biggest fundraiser forits organizer, the Kiwanis Club.
WKU concrete canoe team
rows to victory at nationals
Forthe first time in school history,WKU’s
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The WKU concrete canoeing team poses with their first-place winning canoe at the American Society of Civil Engineers Civil Engineering Student Championships. Photo taken with permission from the WKUASCE Instagram.
concrete canoe team took home first place at theAmerican Society of Civil Engineers Civil Engineering Student Championships.
Themed around theAmerica 250 celebration, the canoe was designed and made in-house by the concrete canoe team representing theWKUASCE’s award-winning chapter The team placed first overall among 25 teams, while also placing high in other subcategories.
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WKU Meteorology makes a mark at Obama Presidential Ceremony
WKU meteorology professor Josh Durkee and his two Homeland
students Harmoney
and Thomas
Obama Presidential Center Grand Opening
permission from Durkee’s Facebook.
Among the stars and politicians present at the Obama Presidential Ceremony wasWKU meteorology professorJosh Durkee, along with his two Homeland Security Science master’s students Harmony Guercio andThomas Payette.
While some present spent theirJune 18 at the newly opened Obama Presidential Center walking around the grounds orpreviewing the museum, Durkee and his team were there with equipment in hand to provide a hyperlocal forecast.Aweathersupport service pioneered byWKU Meteorology, theirmeteorological observations were used to inform the behind-the-scenes decisions regarding the logistics of the ceremony.
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DiegoAlcaraz-Monje
Security Science master’s
Guercio
Payette pose with a WKU towel in front of the
Ceremony on June 18. Photo taken with
WKU has announced Derick Strode to be the next directorofThe Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science.Afourtime graduate ofWKU, Strode was chosen throughThe GattonAcademy Search Committee and will serve as Gatton directoreffective July 13.
WKU employee retires after35 years of service to students
Atable is set up at the front of the retirement party for people to give their printed photos they have of them and Charley Pride, former Director of StudentActivities, on June 29, 2026. (Josh Baumgardner)
TheWKU Directorof StudentActivities retires after35 years of devotion to his work.
Charley Pride, a former student turned employee, had a retirement party in his honorat Downing Student Union.All were welcome to come and encouraged to bring their favorite pictures they have with Pride printed out.
Both of Pride’s children also work atWKU along with his wife.
The College Heights Herald is the independent, student-run news organization operating on the campus of Western Kentucky University, emphasizing accuracy and truth while being a public forum for the fair display of diverse opinions and viewpoints. The Herald works to be steadfast and unwavering in its pursuit of truth while being true to the tenets of the WKU Student Publications mission to grow exceptional journalists and innovative leaders through real-world experiences and a strong educational and ethical foundation centered on principled journalism. All creative and editorial decisions are made by the Herald’s student leadership, and all consequences of those decisions are the sole responsibility of these student leaders. While editorially and operationally independent from the university, the Herald participates in the mission of WKU to prepare students of all backgrounds to be productive, engaged and socially responsible citizen-leaders of a global society, both within and outside of its newsroom. Views expressed are diverse and, as an independent publication, should not be taken as representative of views of WKU and any of its administration, faculty, staff, student body or other constituency
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