Plus, a new development is on the way, Hamburg East.
 
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Today’s Forecast

49° | Partly cloudy | 15% chance of rain
Sunrise 7:41 a.m. | Sunset 6:01 p.m.
 

♻️ The race to zero waste

The race to zero waste, UK aims to make Kroger Field a zero waste facility by 2030
A recycling can and trash can sitting on the edge of a walkway at with Kroger Field in the backgorund.
Recycling at Kroger Field was up 10% in 2023 from 2022. | Photo courtesy of UK Recycling
While all eyes might be on Rupp Arena and the UK men’s basketball team, we’re bringing our focus to another Big Blue dream team — UK Recycling.

Did you know that the seven home football games last year created 5% of all campus waste in 2023? However, that number is lower than in years past thanks to the efforts of UK Recycling + the dedicated Big Blue Nation. In fact, 32% of waste at Kroger Field — 59.2 tons— was diverted from the landfill last season.

We spoke with Ryan Lark, a zero waste specialist at UK, about the steps his team is taking to make the stadium a zero-waste facility by 2030.

Current processes

UK Recycling utilizes two teams during the football season to support its efforts. “We’re trying to make it as easy as possible for people to recycle their waste,” Lark said.
  • Big Blue Recycling Crew | This team of student employees walk the parking lots on game days to educate fans on what + where to recycle.
  • Garbage Guards | This team is stationed by the stadium entrance + lets fans know if what they are about to throw out is actually recyclable.
Six green trash bins on wheels that say "food waste only" on UK's campus as part of their food composting program.

UK Recycling began composting at campus restaurants as well in 2019. | Photo courtesy of UK Recycling

Another piece to the puzzle is food. Any food that is able to be donated is taken to God’s Pantry. Anything that can’t be donated is composted thanks to the program piloted by UK Recycling and Aramark. Here’s a look at last year’s numbers:
  • 1.24 tons of food waste was composted
  • 1.5 tons of food was donated
“That was actually less than last year, which is a good thing, because that means we’re taking better care of how much food we’re actually putting out. So, we’re not creating that waste in the first place,” Lark said.

Future plans

That’s the goal for this year — eliminate waste on the front end and lessen the amount they create in the first place. They also hope to continue expanding the recycling program + extending food composting to all suites in the stadium.
 
Events
Friday, Feb. 2
  • Hot Chocolate Week | Friday, Feb. 2 | 7 a.m.-7 p.m. | The Amsden, 151 S. Main St., Versailles | Price of purchase | Celebrate this cup of sweetness with this shop’s specialty flavor, Cinnamon Bun White Hot Chocolate — plus, enjoy specials all weekend.
  • “Fallen Leaves” | Friday, Feb. 2 | 1:40 p.m. | The Kentucky Theatre, 214 E. Main St., Lexington | $7.31 | This highly acclaimed romantic comedy follows the story of a couple who meets by chance at a karaoke bar.
  • Groundhog Day Printmaking | Friday, Feb. 2 | 6-8:30 p.m. | Artworks at the Carver School, 522 Patterson St., Lexington | Free | Stop by to make your own Groundhog Day-themed precut linocut print.
Saturday, Feb. 3
  • Raptor Exhibit | Saturday, Feb. 3 | 9 a.m.-1 p.m. | Frederick Douglass High School, 2000 Winchester Rd., Lexington | Free | See wild-winged birds from the Liberty Nature Center, including the Eastern Screech Owl + Red-tailed Hawk.
  • John Holder Trail Hike | Saturday, Feb. 3 | 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | 1225 Athens Boonesboro Rd., Winchester | Free | Explore the John Holder Trail and learn about the historical significance of various sites throughout the hike — donations encouraged.
Sunday, Feb. 4
  • Graham McTavish Book Signing | Sunday, Feb. 4 | 12 p.m. | Joseph-Beth Booksellers, 161 Lexington Green Cir., Lexington | Free | Meet “Outlander” star + author Graham McTavish for a signing event of his book “Clanlands in New Zealand: Kiwis, Kilts, and an Adventure Down Under.”
  • Nature Crafts: Winter Wreaths | Sunday, Feb. 4 | 2-3:30 p.m. | McConnell Springs Park, 416 Rebmann Ln., Lexington | Free | Park staff will help you forage for wild botanicals that you can use to create your own wreath — registration required.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
News Notes
Development
  • A 44-acre tract of land will be transformed into a new mixed-use development known as Hamburg East. Located at the intersection of Winchester Road and I-75/64, the project will feature apartments, green spaces, hotels, and retail that will join the upcoming UK Healthcare campus. (The Lane Report)
Sports
  • After a global candidate search, former UK soccer player + local sports marketing executive Kim Shelton has been named the new CEO of Lexington Sporting Club. Most recently, she was Senior Vice President of College Properties for JMI Sports. Mark your calendars for the home season opener on Saturday, March 9.
Pets
  • This one’s for the pup parents. Bluegrass Dog Daycare is officially open at 1777 Alexandria Dr. in the Gardenside Shopping Center. The on-site trainers will evaluate all dogs on their first day before being placed in organized play groups.
Kids
  • Parents pull out those planners, because on Wednesday, Feb. 21, registration opens for Lexington Parks & Recreation’s summer camps. Sign the little ones up for a variety of opportunities including art, dance, horseback riding, and archery.
Outdoors
  • Registration is open for The Arboretum’s monthly bird walks, which take place on the first Saturday of each month. Expert birders will lead you on a guided stroll to learn about resident + migrating birds. If spots are full, take a self-led experience with our guide to birdwatching.
Today is
  • Groundhog Day. This morning, Punxsutawney Phil gives his unofficial weather prediction. Remember: Legend says that if the groundhog sees its shadow, six more weeks of winter lie ahead. If not, an early spring is expected. Don’t trust Phil? You can always reference our winter weather outlook, too.
Announced
  • Congratulations to our survey winner, Rachel M., for winning $500! Thank you to everyone who took the time to take our survey. We’re excited to continue providing positive news and events in our free newsletter.
Culture

💘 We love love stories

Our readers’ local love stories
Lexington's skyline including the Central Bank building and big blue building with little blue points and hearts
You all found love in a lot of places in LEX. | Graphic by 6AM City
Have you found love in Lexington? We want to know about it.

Every Valentine’s Day, we create a map of places where our readers have made memories around the area. We want to hear about every kind of relationship. Tell us about your meet cute stories, getting advice from a parent, learning to love yourself... we love love stories in all their forms. (But do keep it PG, please.)

Add a story to our map by clicking the green “add point” button. You have until Friday, Feb. 9 to submit for a chance to be featured in our interactive map (and newsletter).

We’ll go first with a story of our own. City Editor Molly met her husband in the hottest way possible — in a 100+ degree room. There’s no better way to test the endurance + flexibility of a relationship than taking a hot yoga class at Creative Yoga.
Tell us a love story
The Buy

The Buy 2.02.24 (Affiliate + Six & Main)
A portable phone charger that’s credit card-sized and fits right on the back of your smartphone. Choose your color and store the slim, lightweight device in your pocket or bag.
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The Wrap
 
Molly Thompson in a black shirt

Today’s edition by:
Molly
From the editor
This weekend I’m heading to Charlotte for my college’s homecoming and to visit my besties. You know what else is coming to Charlotte? One of our newsletters. If you’ve got friends or family in the Queen City tell them to check out CLTtoday.
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