Kentucky
Kentucky reports record year of tourism; state leaders tout bourbon as one key driver
NEWPORT, Ky. — Last year marked a record year for Kentucky tourism, drawing in nearly $14 billion in spending statewide according to the state’s Department of Tourism. The state said tourism led to more than 95,000 jobs.
Most of the tourism spending in Kentucky went toward food and beverage ($2.54 billion). State officials tout the state’s bourbon infrastructure as a major driver.
“It’s been in our great state for over several hundreds of years,” said Mollie Lewis, president of New Riff Distilling.
While some might think of “bourbon country” as being farther south, Northern Kentucky has a rich history in the business. The region served as a hub for production, along with Cincinnati, before prohibition.
“During prohibition, it all fell apart,” Lewis said. “Northern Kentucky was basically forgotten as far as bourbon tourism and bourbon production for the latter half of the past 50 years.”
That’s since changed. Now, the region serves as a gateway to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
“Northern Kentucky is still a great secret,” she said. “But the secret is leaking out.”
Tourism brought in more than $2 billion to Kenton, Boone and Campbell counties last year.
“We need these millions of visitors coming in to keep our bars or restaurants full and provide base visitation for all these attractions,” said Julie Kirkpatrick, President and CEO of meetNKY.
Kirkpatrick said those visitors put new eyes on the region.
“New people thinking about moving here and new people thinking about investing here,” she said.
In Independence, Boone County Distilling Co. is reaping the reward. The business sees tourists from Australia, China and Japan, to name a few.
“I would say it’s 80% out-of-town visitors and 20% from Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties,” said Boone County Distilling Co-Founder Josh Quinn.
Quinn said the industry in Northern Kentucky is a “hidden gem.”
Northern Kentucky tourism officials, like Kirkpatrick, say bourbon is only the tip of the iceberg. She points to other major attractions (like the Ark Encounter and Newport Aquarium) and events (Cincinnati’s Oktoberfest and the Taylor Swift concert) as drivers too.
“There’s more and more stuff to do here every day,” said Lewis.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – A former spokesperson for the Kentucky Fraternal Order of Police pleaded guilty Thursday to wire fraud after stealing thousands of dollars from the union and fellow officers.
Ryan Straw entered his plea at the Eastern District federal courthouse in Kentucky.
Straw was under investigation for embezzlement as of last November, according to a letter from the FOP board.
According to that letter, Straw convinced other officers to give him money for an investment club. That money was never invested. Straw was also suspected of taking funds from the lodge itself.
The FOP gave Straw the chance to return the money, but he did not.
Straw previously conducted media interviews and spoke about police matters, including accountability issues at the state level.
He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Sentencing is pending.
Copyright 2026 WAVE. All rights reserved.
Warm and humid weather for Preakness Stakes this weekend
The second race of the Triple Crown is May 16 in Laurel, Maryland. Conditions at Preakness Stakes are expected to be warmer with humidity. There could be a spotty thunderstorm after the race.
Golden Tempo won the Kentucky Derby. He won’t be at the Preakness. And that’s becoming a familiar story.
This marks the second straight year and the third time in five years that the Derby winner has decided not to compete in the Preakness Stakes despite having a healthy horse. The reason is almost always the same: two weeks isn’t enough time.
Trainer Cherie DeVaux made the call quickly after Golden Tempo’s dramatic last-to-first Derby victory on May 2.
“Golden gave us the race of a lifetime,” DeVaux said in a statement. “We believe the best decision for him moving forward is to give him a little more time following such a tremendous effort.”
DeVaux and Golden Tempo are focused on the June 6 Belmont Stakes instead.
The pattern is pretty clear.
From 1997 to 2018, every Kentucky Derby winner ran the Preakness, keeping the Triple Crown path intact. That streak ended with Country House, who won the Derby on the disqualification of Maximum Security, was scratched from the Preakness. The sport has been wrestling with the question ever since. Maryland’s racing leaders have considered moving the Preakness one week later, from the third Saturday in May to the fourth, though no change has been made.
Of the 14 horses entered in the Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park on May 16, just three made the trip from Churchill Downs. None of them won the Derby. One nearly caused the biggest upset in recent memory.
Ocelli (Post 2, 6-1)
The most intriguing Derby returnee. Ocelli finished third at 70-1 odds on May 2, giving trainer Whit Beckman and jockey Tyler Gaffalione a surprise ticket to Laurel Park. He was the lone maiden in the Derby field and remains a maiden heading into Saturday. Nobody expected him to be here.
Incredibolt (post 12, 5-1)
The morning-line co-favorite among Derby runners. Incredibolt finished sixth at Churchill Downs and trainer Riley Mott moved quickly to point him to Laurel Park. Jockey Jaime Torres won the 2024 Preakness aboard Seize the Grey. The connections believe the 1 3/16-mile distance suits Incredibolt better than the Derby’s mile and a quarter.
Robusta (Post 4, 30-1)
The longest shot of the Derby trio is Robusta, who finished 14th of the 14 in the Derby. The question with any horse coming back this quickly after a tough Derby is how much the race took out of him. At 30-1, it seems the market has answered that question.
COVINGTON, Ky. (WKRC) – A Northern Kentucky man is in jail, accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl who’d been reported missing.
Matthew Wade, 40, faces charges, including sexual abuse, unlawful transaction with a minor and assault.
Covington Police say they found the teen at Wade’s home on Highway Avenue on Monday. According to the police report, he was knowingly hiding her, knew she was missing and had cut her ankle monitor off.
Investigators say the teen was given alcohol, marijuana and magic mushrooms.
The girl told police wade slapped her and choked her.
Officers also say they found guns in the home.
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