By Lora Sparks Larry Cushenberry, 74, is a retired health teacher who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease six years ago. The disease affects his posture, walk, balance, and hand movement. Despite his ailments, Cushenberry’s is the main caregiver and legal guardian...
Spotlight
Read MoreWhat’s your story?
WKU Journalism students feel your story is newsworthy. Each of the writing pieces below captures the story of an individual and puts a spotlight on their life, the lessons they learned, and the importance of sharing within a community. Some of the writers even open up about their own personal experiences.
A Mennonite man and his family straddle the past and the future
Reuben Habegger shuns technology, reads the Bible every day, and his beard reaches his chest. Even though he lives a throwback-life in a modern world, he worries about the future. Photos and story by Rasmus Straka SCOTTSVILLE, Kentucky — Reuben Habegger is going to...
Stand Up and Cheer with the Red Towel Guy
By Morgan Reagle “The Red Towel Guy.” When asked what his name was, those were the words from soon-to-be Western Kentucky University grad Brendan Ward. His answer was uniquely based on how other people would identify him, not his birth name. And he’s OK with being the...
King of Hearts
By Chris DiMeo A two of spades flutters loftily through the air, then dives into Ethan Cale’s hand like a slam dunk into a basketball hoop. Ethan, 20, stands in his living room in Bowling Green, Kentucky, effortlessly juggling the card in high arcs as he chats with...
From pictures to a president
By Laurel Deppen On the evening of Nov. 30, 2018, former President George H. W. Bush laid in his bed, surrounded by his family as Ronan Tynan, a member of the Irish tenors, sang “Silent Night.” The president loved Christmas carols, and as Tynan sang by his bedside,...
A labor of love
By Katelyn Latture Wedding planner Lydia Petersen knows what it’s like to find a great love. Perhaps that is why she loves her job so much. She gets to send off happy couples on a lifetime journey. Her own journey to finding true love was complicated. After years of...
The ‘Principal’ Of Wrestling
In God’s house, powerslams and piledrivers are the mission for promoter and school leader Tortorello. Story by Drake Kizer Photos by Basil Mahmud In a dimly lit venue about 30 miles south of Chicago, 800 professional wrestling fans cry out to their favorite, and least...
A night of a thousand dollys
This fall, Dolly Parton celebrated her 50th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. The impersonator Carla Jean Morgan is keeping Dolly’s image — and legacy in country music — alive on the party-town streets of Nashville. Story by Sara Krog Photos by Sofie...
Fast (food) Friends
The McDonald’s Man thinks you deserve a break today. By Manny Dixon-Peralta Monday. 3:30 a.m.: Jimmy Smith, 54, rises to the sound of a blaring alarm. His joints pop as he stretches out his arms to silence the electronic yell. To most, it is still the middle of the...
From death ’till we part
The embalmer’s story is a tale of art and heart. By Annalee Hubbs Kevin Kirby, a Bowling Green funeral director, leads his life knowing the moment we breathe we start taking our last breath. He reckons we’re all just a blip in the grand scheme of things. But Kirby has...