From a few dinosaur-themed cookies in 2017 to becoming a full-time baking entrepreneur, Azlin Flener has built The Bee’s Knees Bakery into one of Owensboro’s most creative and community-minded home bakeries.

“I grew up loving baking, and when I had my daughter in 2014, I started making her birthday cakes and treats,” said Flener, owner and self-described “cookie magician.” “In 2017, I tried out decorated cookies for the first time for her dinosaur-themed party — and they were a hit.”

That moment sparked something bigger. Friends and family started requesting her cookies, and by 2019, Flener obtained her business license and began taking custom orders while still working full-time. Two years later, she took the leap into full-time baking — and hasn’t looked back.

Flener specializes in custom-decorated sugar cookies that she promises “taste as good as they look.” From weddings to baby showers, holidays to birthdays, she can match any theme with a cookie design that’s both edible and artful. She also bakes cakes, cupcakes, gourmet cookies, brownies, and cake cups.

“It can be overwhelming as the sole employee of a bakery, but I always try to remember that busy is a blessing,” she said.

One of her biggest boosts has come from being a vendor at the Owensboro Regional Farmers’ Market, where she’s built new connections and introduced her creations to customers across the region.

She’s also invested in her own 3D printer — a game changer that allows her to make custom cookie cutters in-house.

“This has been incredible for my business,” she said. “Now I can truly create any design without worrying about purchasing and waiting on shipping for custom cutters.”

While Flener has dreams of opening a storefront one day, her next goal is to renovate her garage into a commercial kitchen so she can expand her offerings beyond what a licensed home bakery allows.

Outside the kitchen, Flener is a wife and mother who holds a biology degree from Western Kentucky University. Though she originally planned for a career in research, she found her calling in baking — thanks in part to a childhood spent watching Food Network shows and learning from family members.

“I’m always in the kitchen creating new flavors and testing out recipes,” she said. “Most of what I’ve learned has been through experimentation.”

Her tagline — Sweets That Tell Your Story — reflects her passion for celebrating life’s biggest moments.

“I’ve worked with customers from wedding showers to baby showers, first birthdays, and all the holidays in between,” she said. “It really is an honor to be a small part of someone’s favorite day and celebrations.”

Flener encourages others to follow their dreams, no matter how unlikely they may seem.

“It’s not always easy, and there is a significant amount of hard work that goes into it, but I truly believe that God gives us our passions for a reason,” she said.

To learn more or place an order, visit thebeeskneesbakeryandgoods.com, or find her on Facebook and Instagram. You can also sample her creations at the Owensboro Regional Farmers’ Market.

The Chamber Member of the Week program is a Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce membership benefit. Founded in 1913, the Chamber has worked to provide valuable benefits and services to member businesses and individuals for over a century.

Today, with nearly 1,000 members, the Chamber is a guiding force in community and business development initiatives and serves as the center of business advocacy for the Greater Owensboro region. 

To learn more about becoming the Chamber Member of the Week or inquire about Chamber membership, contact Kitty Jones, director of membership, at 270-926-1860 or kjones@owensboro.com.

By John Kirkpatrick The Owensboro Times

Anyone involved in the local music ecosystem is being asked to share their experiences, challenges, and dreams for the future through the Music Census, launched today by the Greater Owensboro Music Commission. The effort aims to strengthen the local music scene and shape future investments in tourism, economic development, and cultural planning.

The census will remain open through August 1 at greaterowensboromusic.org. Respondents must be 18 or older.

The effort is open to musicians, venue owners, educators, promoters, engineers, students, and anyone else involved in the industry, whether full-time, part-time, or unpaid.

The census covers the entire Greater Owensboro Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Daviess, Hancock, and McLean counties. However, anyone involved in the region’s music community is encouraged to participate, regardless of where they live.

“This isn’t just a survey, it’s a chance to build something together,” said Candance Castlen Brake, President and CEO of the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce. “Music connects every generation and every corner of our region. By listening to our community, we can create new opportunities and ensure Owensboro and its neighbors are placed firmly on the music map.”

The census is being conducted in partnership with Sound Music Cities, a national leader in music ecosystem research that has worked with more than 30 cities, including Nashville, New Orleans, and Chattanooga. Results will be published later this year and are expected to guide decisions around economic development, venue access, music tourism, youth engagement, and cultural planning.

“Owensboro has a real chance to capitalize on the power of music tourism and create something that sets us apart,” said Mark Calitri, President of Visit Owensboro. “It’s a unique opportunity to build identity, drive visitors, and energize our community.”

Daviess County Judge/Executive Charlie Castlen noted the region’s musical roots — from bluegrass to symphonic and everything in between — and said the census could help preserve that legacy.

“Our Daviess County community has a rich and storied music history,” Castlen said. “The Census will offer valuable information that will assist us in preserving, maintaining, and growing the cultural life in our community.”

Mayor Tom Watson echoed the importance of investing in Owensboro’s creative economy.

“This is a deeply musical city, but too often we don’t think of ourselves that way,” Watson said. “As mayor and lifelong supporter of music and the arts, I want to see our creative economy thrive. But for that to happen, we need to understand the human dimensions of our music scene.”

To complete the survey or learn more, visit greaterowensboromusic.org. Community organizations and leaders are encouraged to share the survey within their networks.

By Ryan Richardson The Owensboro Times

OWENSBORO, Ky. (WEVV) — The Greater Owensboro Music Commission has launched the Greater Owensboro Music Census to support and understand the local music scene.

The Census, available until August 1st, is open to anyone 18 and older working in the music industry in Owensboro, regardless of compensation.

“This isn’t just a survey, it’s a chance to build something together,” said Candance Castlen Brake, President & CEO of the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce.

The initiative is in partnership with Sound Music Cities and follows successful models from cities like Nashville and New Orleans.

Mayor Tom Watson emphasized the importance of understanding Owensboro’s music scene. “I want to see our creative economy thrive,” Watson said.

The results will influence local strategies for music tourism, economic development, and cultural planning.

By Ben Thomas 44News

This story is sponsored by the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce.

After years of artistic exploration in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City, Owensboro native Colt Walker returned home to pursue a passion rooted in his childhood — auto detailing. Now, one year into officially operating his business, Kangen Detailing, Walker said he’s found success by offering meticulous service with an artist’s eye.

“I started my company about a year ago, but I’ve been detailing cars for over a decade,” Walker said. “My dad does body work, and I was always the one cleaning the cars afterward. Over time, people would say, ‘Wow, this looks amazing,’ and it just kind of clicked for me.”

Walker’s work is influenced by more than just elbow grease. As a creative professional who has worked as a photographer and model — shooting for artists like Nelly and working in major fashion markets — he sees detailing as another form of artistry.

“Detailing is kind of an art, so it makes sense for me to be an artist who makes cars look clean, glossy, and new again,” he said.

The name Kangen, which means “return to origin” in Japanese, was inspired both by his personal journey and one of his favorite anime shows. Walker said he wanted a name that felt meaningful and memorable — and after scrapping a fully developed brand identity, the word Kangen came to him in prayer.

Walker offers a range of services, from basic wash packages starting at $59.99 to advanced detailing jobs that can climb into the thousands. Though trained in paint work, he said repainting is still his father’s domain. The two often work together, offering customers a one-stop shop for everything from paint correction to collision repair.

“We can do body work, repaint, paint repair — all of it,” Walker said. “It really depends on what the customer needs.”

Business has been booming — so much so that Walker said he’s had to rely on occasional help to keep up with demand.

“Business has been great, a little too much to handle on my own sometimes,” he said. “But I can’t complain. I’m very blessed and excited to see what the future holds.”

Looking ahead, Walker is exploring ways to combine his background in photography and creative direction with the detailing side of his business. Though he’s not ready to reveal full plans, he hinted that some exciting projects are on the horizon.

Walker said his impact on the community might not be flashy, but it’s practical and appreciated.

“I’ve been able to help busy professionals who want to keep their vehicles looking sharp but don’t have the time to do it themselves,” he said. “Your home and your car are usually your biggest investments, and I want to help people retain that value.”

He’s also working on partnerships with local businesses — particularly in transportation, landscaping, and construction — to keep fleet vehicles clean and professional-looking.

“When your employees show up to a job, their truck is a reflection of your business,” Walker said. “You want it to look the part.”

While he doesn’t claim to be the best in the area, Walker said he takes pride in his work and is committed to delivering results customers can be proud of.

“I just know my value,” he said. “I want everyone to feel like they can succeed in this, too. I used to look at other detailers and wonder how I’d ever get to that point. I want others to know it’s possible.”

Kangen Detailing can be reached at 270-313-2255 or through Facebook and Instagram at @kangendetailing. For more information, visit kangendetailing.com.

The Chamber Member of the Week program is a Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce membership benefit. Founded in 1913, the Chamber has worked to provide valuable benefits and services to member businesses and individuals for over a century.

Today, with nearly 1,000 members, the Chamber is a guiding force in community and business development initiatives and serves as the center of business advocacy for the Greater Owensboro region. 

To learn more about becoming the Chamber Member of the Week or inquire about Chamber membership, contact Kitty Jones, director of membership, at 270-926-1860 or kjones@owensboro.com.

By John Kirkpatrick The Owensboro Times

This story is sponsored by the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce.

What started as a grassroots idea for a community basketball event in 1974 has grown into one of Owensboro’s most iconic summer traditions. Now entering its 52nd year, the Dust Bowl continues to thrive under the leadership of William “Rippo” Hinton, who’s been part of the tournament since its inception.

“The Dust Bowl started in Chautauqua,” Hinton said. “It was just good basketball. We came up with the idea to hold it at Kendall-Perkins Park — and here we are, 52 years later.”

For Hinton, the Dust Bowl is more than basketball. It’s about bringing people together across neighborhoods, races, and generations. It’s also a deeply personal mission to uplift youth, something inspired by watching his own mother work with children as the longtime director of the West End Access Center.

“I try to give back to the community, especially to kids, because I was a kid who needed direction,” he said. “That’s where my passion comes from.”

The Dust Bowl, which spans 10 days, has grown into a full community festival with basketball at its heart. This year’s event begins Friday, July 18, with Beverly’s Hearty Slice expected to draw a crowd of over 600 on opening night. Other nightly highlights include a gospel program on Sunday, Owensboro Health outreach on Monday, and Mental Health Night on Tuesday.

“Wednesday is Kids Day — that’s my favorite,” Hinton said. “We’ll have inflatables, a game trailer with computers, and food for all the kids. It’s a big deal.”

Each day features games, food vendors, and events, including a three-point contest and a motorcycle night. Local neighborhoods such as Mechanicsville, Dugan Best, and Baptist Town will be represented on the court. Community involvement remains central, with assistance from the City of Owensboro’s police, fire, and sanitation departments, as well as local sponsors and a 15-person volunteer board that helps keep the event running smoothly.

“We don’t get paid. We do it for free,” Hinton said. “The community, the vendors, the fans — that’s why we’re still here. They’re more excited than we are.”

Hinton’s impact on youth sports extends far beyond the Dust Bowl. He has coached for more than four decades, accumulating roughly 40 championships, and has sponsored teams for decades through McDonald’s. He said his emphasis has always been on respect and mentoring.

“My thing with coaching: I never cussed a kid. They’re only 18 or 19 years old — they’re still babies,” he said. “Coaches today need to uplift, not tear down.”

He’s now working to bring in a third and fourth-grade girls division to the Dust Bowl and has been inspired to see his own son following in his footsteps, coaching and mentoring kids in the same way.

“I look forward to this — families coming together, not only the Black community, but the white community too. This is for everyone,” Hinton said.

For the full schedule and event updates, visit owensborodustbowl.org.

The Chamber Member of the Week program is a Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce membership benefit. Founded in 1913, the Chamber has worked to provide valuable benefits and services to member businesses and individuals for over a century.

Today, with nearly 1,000 members, the Chamber is a guiding force in community and business development initiatives and serves as the center of business advocacy for the Greater Owensboro region. 

To learn more about becoming the Chamber Member of the Week or inquire about Chamber membership, contact Kitty Jones, director of membership, at 270-926-1860 or kjones@owensboro.com.

By John Kirkpatrick The Owensboro Times

This is a sponsored story.

For Brittany Wethington, opening her own family practice wasn’t just a career move — it was a calling.

Wethington Family Practice has now been serving the Owensboro community since July 2022, blending traditional Western medicine with functional medicine to help patients get to the root of their health concerns.

“The inspiration to open my own family practice was to be able to offer a different way of health care, such as functional medicine, to my community that is not offered in other traditional medical practices,” Wethington said. “Traditional Western medicine is practiced here too, but I want to help my patients get to the root cause of their health problems.”

Wethington sees patients ranging from newborns to seniors and offers a wide array of services, including chronic disease management, acute illness care, CDL physicals, annual wellness visits, well-child checks, women’s health services, and what she calls “a phenomenal weight loss program.” Childhood vaccinations are available, with parents given the option to follow traditional or delayed schedules.

Business, she said, has been “a wonderful blessing.”

“I love how seeing one patient leads to the rest of their family coming in. All of the Glory goes to God,” Wethington said. “He is the foundation of my practice, and I will give Him the Glory every day.”

The latest addition to the practice is a skin rejuvenation device called Tixel, which is operated by her husband and co-owner, Nathan Wethington. Certified in laser and skincare treatments, he uses the device alongside plant-based products aimed at offering toxin-free skin care.

The Wethingtons are a busy family with three children, often found at the ballfields or enjoying time outdoors. Brittany has spent 16 years in health care, beginning as a nursing assistant before working as an ICU and rehabilitation nurse at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital. She has spent the last eight years as a nurse practitioner.

“My heart and soul are to help people,” she said. “I truly believe that God gives us all a gift to use in our lives, and my calling is to help and love on people.”

Wethington said she is accepting new patients and offers both commercial insurance and affordable self-pay options. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and more information is available at wethingtonfamilypractice.com or on their Facebook page.

“If you truly trust in the Lord to guide you and you have a calling to do something or open a business for your community — you will succeed,” she said. “He is the root of our practice.”

The Chamber Member of the Week program is a Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce membership benefit. Founded in 1913, the Chamber has worked to provide valuable benefits and services to member businesses and individuals for over a century.

Today, with nearly 1,000 members, the Chamber is a guiding force in community and business development initiatives and serves as the center of business advocacy for the Greater Owensboro region. 

To learn more about becoming the Chamber Member of the Week or inquire about Chamber membership, contact Kitty Jones, director of membership, at 270-926-1860 or kjones@owensboro.com.

By John Kirkpatrick The Owensboro Times

This story is sponsored by the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce.

For more than 40 years, Daviess County Special Olympics has provided sports training, competition, and community for individuals with intellectual disabilities — serving not just Owensboro but the surrounding region as well.

Special Olympics was founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1968, with the first games held at Soldier Field in Chicago. Today, it’s the largest global advocacy group for people with intellectual disabilities, offering 26 sports across 180 countries.

Locally, the Daviess County program currently serves more than 200 athletes, ranging in age from 2 to 85. Sports offerings include aquatics, basketball, cheerleading, track and field, bocce, softball, flag football, bowling, and a Young Athletes program for children ages 2 to 7. Athletes also have access to health screenings, the SOKY Athlete Leadership Program, and unified basketball opportunities at the University of Louisville.

Co-local coordinator Kim Johnson said the program continues to grow, with more than 20 new athletes joining the softball program this year alone, bringing the total to 87 players across six teams.

“We have so many exciting things happening that it’s hard to pick just one,” Johnson said. “We’re hosting the Special Olympics Kentucky Softball Tournament Sept. 5-7, and in October we’ll hold regional events for flag football and bowling.”

Johnson added that the 2024 gold medal flag football team has been nominated for the 2026 National Games in Minnesota, with selections expected to be announced in August. The local program also added bocce this year and has partnered with organizations such as the RiverCity Pickleball Club and the Dust Bowl Committee to create new inclusive opportunities for athletes.

Johnson has been involved with Special Olympics for 36 years in various roles. She is retired from a career as a school administrator with Owensboro Public Schools, but said Special Olympics has always been her passion.

“It is nothing less than inspirational to work with our incredible athletes,” Johnson said. “They are not defined by their intellectual disability — they train and compete at a high level, and it’s exciting to see their confidence grow, their health improve, and their sense of community strengthen.”

Daviess County Special Olympics is run entirely by volunteers and funded through sponsors, donations, and fundraisers.

“We welcome anyone looking for inspiration to come watch an event. I guarantee you’ll want to come back again,” Johnson said.

For more information, email Johnson at kjohnson@soky.org or follow Daviess County Special Olympics on Facebook.

The Chamber Member of the Week program is a Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce membership benefit. Founded in 1913, the Chamber has worked to provide valuable benefits and services to member businesses and individuals for over a century.

Today, with nearly 1,000 members, the Chamber is a guiding force in community and business development initiatives and serves as the center of business advocacy for the Greater Owensboro region. 

To learn more about becoming the Chamber Member of the Week or inquire about Chamber membership, contact Kitty Jones, director of membership, at 270-926-1860 or kjones@owensboro.com.

By John Kirkpatrick The Owensboro Times

This story is sponsored by the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce. 

For more than two decades, Clean Green Portables has been keeping job sites, festivals, and special events clean and comfortable across Owensboro and the surrounding region. Now, the locally-owned portable sanitation company is entering a new era under the ownership of Logan Higginson.

Higginson, 33, purchased Clean Green Portables in January after spending years working alongside his father and late grandfather in his family’s business, A-1 Septic and Plumbing, which he officially bought in 2022. A Henderson native and a University of Kentucky graduate, Higginson said expanding into portable sanitation was a natural next step in a lifelong trade.

“With deep roots in sanitation and a passion for service, purchasing Clean Green Portables was the next natural step, a new challenge that builds on a legacy of experience while expanding into a new territory,” Higginson said.

The company offers standard portable restrooms, handicap-accessible units, handwashing stations, and luxury restroom trailers. Clean Green Portables serves a range of industries, including construction sites, weddings, private parties, and large outdoor events. One of its largest events each year is ROMP Fest, where Higginson’s team provides sanitation for thousands of festival-goers.

Business has remained steady since the change in ownership, Higginson said, with plans to expand the fleet, make operational upgrades, and build even stronger community partnerships in the year ahead.

“For me, the most rewarding part of owning a service-based business is getting to meet people from all walks of life and seeing their appreciation for a job well done,” he said. “Being able to contribute to local events, businesses, and families through the services we provide is something I take a lot of pride in.”

Higginson, who lives in Henderson with his wife, Railey, and their three children — Piper, Gord,y and Margot — said he wants customers to know they’re getting more than just a restroom rental.

“At the end of the day, we truly care about the work we do and the people we serve,” he said. “Clean Green Portables isn’t just about dropping off a restroom — it’s about showing up on time, doing things the right way, and treating every customer and event like it matters — because it does.”

The Chamber Member of the Week program is a Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce membership benefit. Founded in 1913, the Chamber has worked to provide valuable benefits and services to member businesses and individuals for over a century.

Today, with nearly 1,000 members, the Chamber is a guiding force in community and business development initiatives and serves as the center of business advocacy for the Greater Owensboro region. 

To learn more about becoming the Chamber Member of the Week or inquire about Chamber membership, contact Kitty Jones, director of membership, at 270-926-1860 or kjones@owensboro.com.

By John Kirkpatrick The Owensboro Times