KET

News release

KET’s next Kentucky Life travels to downtown Taylorsville, explores a new addition to John James Audubon State Park, visits Bowling Green’s Downing Museum at Baker Arboretum and examines Danville’s role in Kentucky’s early statehood. The program airs Saturday, May 6 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, May 7 at 4 p.m. on KET and Monday, May 8 at 7/6 pm on KET2.

First, host Doug Flynn introduces viewers to several bustling businesses that make up the heart of downtown Taylorsville. Beverly Ingram, owner of The Red Scooter antique store, shares her perspective on the close-knit downtown community, while Courtney Hall Humes, owner of Sassy Bunny gift shop — a newcomer to the city’s downtown – explains why the location was a perfect fit for her business. While in town, Flynn also stops in at The Tea Cup restaurant and Bennett Hardware & Paint, a longtime fixture in the community.

Next, Kentucky Life explores a new 650-acre wetlands addition to the John James Audubon State Park in Henderson. Lisa Hoffman, program services supervisor at Audubon State Park, and Zeb Weese, executive director of the Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission, share details of the cooperative, public-private-nonprofit effort that enabled the park to acquisition the land last year. The wetlands addition – which roughly doubles the size of the park – features a wheelchair accessible boardwalk, allowing guests of all ages and mobilities to experience this unique Kentucky landscape up close.

Then, Kentucky Life travels to Bowling Green, where the Downing Museum at Baker Arboretum displays a vast collection of art by the late Joe Downing, a world-renowned artist and Western Kentucky University alumnus. Exhibits at the Downing Museum represent a lifetime of creative work by Downing, while the surrounding 115-acre Baker Arboretum features over 600 species and 1,200 varieties of plants and trees. Downing museum director Jack LeSieur and arboretum director Martin Stone share how the missions of their facilities are mutually complimentary, as each are charged with showcasing creativity and beauty.

Finally, as part of Kentucky Life’s ongoing series celebrating the upcoming 225th anniversary of Kentucky’s statehood, the program visits Danville’s Constitution Square to learn more about the city’s role as Kentucky’s first seat of government.

Kentucky Life is a KET production, produced by Brandon Wickey. Segment producers for this episode are Gary Pahler, Paul Smith, Matt Grimm and Brandon Wickey.

KET is Kentucky’s largest classroom, serving more than one million people each week via television, online and mobile. Learn more about Kentucky’s preeminent public media organization on Twitter @KET and facebook.com/KET and at KET.org.