Incumbent Bowling Green, Ky. Mayor Todd Alcott, center, and his wife Deb Alcott watch the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, at the White Squirrel Brewery in Bowling Green, Ky. Todd Alcott, of the Republican Party, won the 2024 mayoral election against mayoral candidate Patti Minter, of the Democratic Party. “And I’ll say this to Patti Minter, you gave one heck of a fight,” Todd Alcott said. “But we’ve got more.”
Alice Gatewood Waddell, an artist from Bowling Green, Ky., said she has been painting for 50 years. Waddell is a descendant of Jonesville, an African American community that once stood where part of Western Kentucky University’s campus now stands, with her mother having been raised in Jonesville. “Being a descendant of Jonesville and knowing the story that a lot of people don’t know about Jonesville, I thought it would be a good opportunity to focus the mural and tell the story of Jonesville,” Waddell said.
Western Kentucky University graduate student forward Olivia Cooke, right, guards herself as Ohio University junior forward Maia Kaufman kicks the ball at the Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024 women’s soccer game, at WKU’s Soccer Complex in Bowling Green, Ky. The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers lost their senior night game against the Ohio Bobcats, 2-1.
Casey Miciotto, 30, left, chews a bite of the doughnut her 16-month-old son, Maverick Miciotto, gave her after the Snow Flurry Scurry 5K on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025, at Lost River Cave in Bowling Green, Ky. Casey Miciotto said this was her son’s third Snow Flurry Scurry 5K, with his first being when she was pregnant with him and last year, when he was almost 4 months old. In 2025’s race, she placed 35th overall with a time of around 24 minutes. “I just enjoy still being able to be active myself and being able to raise him,” Casey Miciotto said. “Hopefully he grows up to enjoy running as much as I do.”
Western Kentucky University sophomore defensive end Marcus Patterson of Crestview, Fla. puts his head in his hands after a penalty flag is thrown at the Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024 homecoming football game against Louisiana Tech University, at WKU’s Houchens-Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Ky. The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers lost against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, 12-7. The WKU 2024 homecoming theme was “Roaring Red.”
From left: Western Kentucky University junior Madelyn Groth and junior Lindy Fischer dance together as Jerone Williams plays the violin at the Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023 “Harvest Festival,” at Fountain Square Park in Bowling Green, Ky. Groth and Fischer are both dance majors while Williams said he has been playing the violin for over 10 years and that he mainly plays Irish traditional music.
Western Kentucky University sophomore Wayne McClung of Lexington, Ky. writes lyrics on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, at WKU’s Downing Student Union in Bowling Green, Ky. McClung practices weekly with his bandmates as the singer of the heavy-metal band, Treazon; he also writes the lyrics for the band’s songs. “I started out [writing lyrics] by just venting on a page and making stuff rhyme,” McClung said.
Western Kentucky University junior Abi Fitzgibbon of Springfield, Ill. lays on the couch while her daughter 3-month-old Scout Namvong sleeps on her chest, on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023, at her apartment in Bowling Green, Ky. Fitzgibbon became pregnant with Scout at 19 years old and now raises her alongside father Noah Namvong, while being a full-time student. “I think motherhood is so much just involving her [Scout] and the life that I already have,” Fitzgibbon said.
Western Kentucky University freshman Lee Hayden of Owensboro, Ky. said he was formerly diagnosed with anorexia nervosa in 2020. “I just felt like: this is the only thing that’s under my control,” Hayden said, “I didn’t want to eat. I just ate the bare minimum and less.”
From front: Western Kentucky University Gatton Academy juniors Lola Norman, Jill Patel and Aanyaa Arora watch the solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024, outside WKU’s Hardin Planetarium in Bowling Green, Ky. The WKU campus experienced 97% of a solar eclipse as students gathered outside to view the moment. “I think a part of it [the solar eclipse] is pretty overwhelming,” Norman said. “Just like the vastness of it and the rare occurrence, but I think it’s also just beautiful.”
Taquería Los Vázquez’s pupusas on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024 at the restaurant in Bowling Green, Ky. Manager Maria Vazquez of Mexico said that her mom owns the business and that her dad is the “right hand.” “She’s the main cook, she trains everybody in the kitchen,” Vazquez said. “Every recipe, everything, it’s hers.”
University of Illinois junior outside hitter Averie Hernandez (8) hits the ball as Western Kentucky University sophomore middle hitter Izzy Van De Wiele (25) and senior right-side hitter Kenadee Coyle (33) block the ball at the Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024 women’s volleyball game, at WKU’s Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Ky. The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers lost the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini, 3-1.
Tattoo artist Jack Zwernemann, right, tattoos a lion and crosses onto Jeff Lyons on Saturday, March 15, 2025, at Main Street Tattoo & Piercing in Mount Washington, Ky. For Lyons, this was his first tattoo, but for Zwernemann, he has been tattooing for a year. “I think after they see your work, they’re going to have that trust with you,” Zwernemann said. “You just have to produce good work and they’ll keep coming back.”
Western Kentucky University National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Juvenile Justice Chair Myricle Gholston, a sophomore from Atlanta, Ga., protests before “The Rittenhouse Recap” event on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, outside WKU’s Downing Student Union in Bowling Green, Ky. “The Rittenhouse Recap” had Kyle Rittenhouse, a man who shot and killed three men during a “Black Lives Matter” protest in 2020, speak and answer questions. “Today I decided to come here because if you want change, you have to stand for change yourself,” Gholston said. “You can no longer depend on the majority to be the voice for minorities.”
Holly Heller, left, hammers metal while Greg Knight assists her at the Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024 “Hammer In,” at WKU’s Kentucky Museum in Bowling Green, Ky. Heller, with her aunt, Andrea Clan, attended the annual “Hammer In” event, which featured forge demonstrations, tinsmithing demonstrations, aluminum pour demonstrations and others. “I think it’s a fantastic event that highlights some of man’s first creations,” Clan said. “I think it’s fabulous to go back to those roots and learn how to make something from the ground up.”
Western Kentucky University freshman guard Salma Khedr, left, goes for a layup as Sam Houston State University senior guard Sydnee Kemp attempts to block at the Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 women’s basketball game, at WKU’s Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Ky. The Western Kentucky Lady Toppers won the game against the Sam Houston Bearkats, 82-49.
Dale Spearman, 54, left, lines up Franco Irvin’s, 32, beard on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Shake Rag Barbershop in Bowling Green, Ky. Spearman said he has been a barber at Shake Rag Barbershop for seven years, while Irvin, who is also a barber at the shop, said he has been there for three years. “I always like to say that cutting hair is 30% of the product, and 70% connection to the person in the chair,” Spearman said. “At Shake Rag, we say, ‘Come in a client, leave as a friend.’”
Ebenezer Griffith, 20, a USA Boxing boxer from Louisville, Ky., said he has his sights set on the 2024 Paris Olympics. “At the end of my career when I look back, I want to be an Olympic gold medalist, I want to be the undisputed world champion and I want to sell out Diddle Arena,” Griffith said.