You’re ‘Bound’ to Like It! Jesse Stuart Foundation Launches New Book Gwen Akers The Ashland Beacon      This past Saturday, the Jesse Stuart Foundation hosted a launch party at the Delta Marriott Hotel in downtown Ashland to celebrate the 39 authors represented in its newest anthology, Song of Life: Poetry and Prose from the 2026 Jesse Stuart Writers Workshop. Twenty-nine of the 39 authors published in the book were recognized at the event, and the public had the opportunity

Fun Time in the Autumn Air The Annual Fall Hayride with Boyd County Community & Economic Development Gideon Thompson The Ashland Beacon      Thrills come in many forms, and we often seek something beyond our usual routines when deciding where to go over the weekend. Our preferences for spending a wonderful autumn afternoon can be influenced by friends, family, and whatever we happen upon along the way. A trip to the movies, an outing to a park, or even a visit to a museum ma

Keeney’s Kitchen Brings Healthy, Convenient Meals to the YMCA Sasha Bush The Ashland Beacon      A new healthy dining option is coming to the YMCA, offering busy families and individuals a convenient way to enjoy nutritious, portion-controlled meals without breaking the bank. Keeney’s Kitchen, owned and operated by Matt Keeney, is built around a simple concept: make healthy eating easier, more affordable and less stressful.     Keeney’s Kitchen began its licensed operation i

More Than A Diagnosis 34-Year-Old Breast Cancer Warrior Becomes Voice For Awareness Brandy York The Ashland Beacon     “Cancer doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t care how healthy you are, how old you are, how carefully you plan your life, or how much you still have left to do.” Those aren’t just words of awareness on a page- those are words straight from experience and from the heart of a young woman in Boyd County, KY who knows the battle first hand and all too well. That yo

Westwood Boys and Girls Club 70 Years of Making a Difference Lavenna Stambaugh The Ashland Beacon      Not many organizations can claim a 70-year record of helping our youth. The Westwood Boys and Girls Club can. Established in 1956, it is the longest-standing youth organization in our region.     Everything the Boys and Girls Club provides to children and families is absolutely free, thanks to donations and volunteers. Jim McKenzie and Mindy Hanshaw are two of the volunteer

Breaking the Mold A Courageous Journey with Tonya Cordial Gideon Thompson The Ashland Beacon      Facing breast cancer head-on is a physically and mentally demanding challenge that can have devastating effects that linger for the rest of a person's life. The trauma can begin with the fear of the unknown that accompanies the diagnosis and continues through the physical deterioration that may result from treatment. Chemotherapy, radiation, and experimental treatment strategies

Mother and Daughter, United by a Breast Cancer Journey Lesya Feinstein The Ashland Beacon For UK King’s Daughters patients Heather Butcher and her mother, Toni Patton, breast cancer has become part of a story they never expected to share. Today, the two women describe themselves as best friends and each other’s “ride or die.” Their bond took on an even deeper meaning after both faced breast cancer, just five years apart. For Heather, 38, the journey began during Labor Day w

Carnival for a Cause Upcoming Fundraiser to Benefit Holy Family Brandy York The Ashland Beacon      The leaves are falling, the temperatures are dropping, but the list of things to do in our area is growing! This season brings many festivals and other opportunities for you and your family to get outside and enjoy activities together, and what better way to spend that time than by attending a carnival for a great cause — the Holy Family Carnival!     On Saturday, October 17,

Good Music, Good Food and the Pride of Blazer Fall Concert Returns to Central Park Lavenna Stambaugh The Ashland Beacon     There is something special about gathering in Central Park on a fall evening, listening to good music, and enjoying a bowl of homemade chili or soup. Add a little Halloween spirit, and you have the makings of a community tradition.     The Paul G. Blazer High School Band will bring that tradition back to the Central Park Bandstand on Tuesday, Oct. 13, w

Local History Comes Alive: Highlands DO!Zeum to Host Walking with the Past Gwen Akers The Ashland Beacon      The Highlands DO!Zeum honors local history this Saturday, October 10, with its annual Walking with the Past tour. Reenactors will bring to life prominent historical figures involved in the founding and prosperity of Ashland, KY, for a one-night-only show.     “This is one of my favorite events we do. It is so wonderful to see the public’s interest in Ashland’s hist

Firkin Fest Returns to the Ashland Riverfront Oct. 10 Sasha Bush The Ashland Beacon     Fall, craft beer and community will come together Oct. 10 when Firkin Fest returns to the Ashland Riverfront from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.     For those who have never attended, Katherine Dingess, Director of Community Events for the Ashland Area Tourism and Convention Commission, has a simple description: “Firkin Fest is the most fun fundraiser you’ve ever been to!”     Now in its second y

Yearly Tradition Continues New Beginning Church of the Nazarene to Host Community Day Gwen Akers The Ashland Beacon A yearly tradition continues in Cannonsburg this weekend on October 10 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. as New Beginning Church of the Nazarene hosts their annual community day. A day of fellowship and community outreach, attendees can get their flu shot, meet a Nigerian Dwarf goat and have a delicious meal all in one day. “We had our homecoming this past weeken

Greenup’s Old Fashion Days Returns for 2026 A Half-Century of Heart, Heritage, and Harvest Rebecca Hemlock The Ashland Beacon The leaves will be turning, the air will carry that first crisp bite of autumn, and the streets of downtown Greenup will once again pulse with the warm, familiar rhythm of community. For over sixty years, Old Fashion Days has been the heartbeat of this Ohio River town, and the beloved festival is officially set to return with a flourish from October

The Beat Goes On New Band Lynnwood Brings Yesterday’s Rock to Ashland Brandy York The Ashland Beacon Boyd County is no stranger to musical talent. Many music legends have paved the way through the region along the well-known Country Music Highway, and several have roots in Ashland, KY. Throughout the town, you can often find live music at a variety of venues on any given weekend, and much of that music is nestled within the genres of country and bluegrass. If you attended

Muskets at the Ready! Traveling Exhibit Opens at the Highlands DO!Zeum Gwen Akers The Ashland Beacon In the year 1775, colonists stepped forward to fight for their freedom. September 22 from 5-6:30p.m., members of the Daughters of the American Revolution invite us to the Highlands DO!zeum to view the opening of the American Revolution Experience, an interactive pop-up exhibit that encourages the public to consider the decisions and choices that had to be made by ordinary cit

September Slam at Rush Offroad A High-Flying Excursion and a Slamming Good Time Gideon Thompson The Ashland Beacon Remember those dreams of high-flying trucks and off-road vehicles from our childhood? Hours of our parents’ yard work were ruined by our desire to build tracks for our toy trucks and ATVs stored away on our shelves and in our toy boxes. Power Wheels, along with our smaller-class dirt bikes and four-wheelers, left barren lanes through our freshly cut lawns and

Historic Buildings and Institutions The Pulse of Our Lives Mike Tussey The Ashland Beacon Throughout our lives there have been places, people and events that we cherish and will never forget. Then, there are those that have little or no impact. My high school years were simply blasé to be honest. For me, I was what you could term a “mouse”. You know, seen - but never heard. I had little confidence that I could excel or even successfully finish anything I began. I was an a

Horsin' Around Sandy Ridge Hits the Ground Running James Collier The Ashland Beacon And they’re off! The words that echoed from the long-awaited sound system at Sandy Ridge finally became a reality when Ashland welcomed patrons to the track for the final weekend of its inaugural season. I have always been a fan of horse racing, but I had never watched the ponies run in person until visiting Sandy Ridge on the final day of its first season of racing. Arriving about 15 m

The Little Pig Who Refused to Give Up One Tiny Pig…One Extraordinary Fight! Sasha Bush The Ashland Beacon Born with a rare and potentially fatal condition, Hayden has defied the odds—and now his story is giving hope to people facing battles of their own. Six-month-old Hayden doesn't know he's a miracle. He doesn't know that when he was born, he struggled to take his first breaths. He doesn't know that doctors later discovered his liver had moved into his chest cavity, o

Poage Landing Days 2026 Everything Happening in Downtown Ashland Sasha Bush The Ashland Beacon Grab the family, bring your appetite, lace up your running shoes and get ready to spend a weekend in downtown Ashland because Poage Landing Days is coming back September 18–20, 2026, with three days packed with live music, food, vendors, children's activities, contests, a one-mile race and plenty of reasons to stick around from morning until night. For Ashland, Poage Landing Day