“Hiss-terical” Fun The Reptile Expo Is Back Charles Romans The Ashland Beacon   The Reptile Expo returns to the Lexington Convention Center in 2026, bringing a lot of amphibious joy to the region. Ashland businessman Jarrod Greer, owner of The Inner Geek comic and toy stores in Ashland, Kentucky, and Huntington, West Virginia, has once again taken the reins of the event. He said that whether you have a deep and abiding love—or just a passing interest—in reptiles, this conv

Walking by Faith When Sight Fades A Mother’s Fight Against Retinitis Pigmentosa Ellen Keaton The Ashland Beacon   For a mother, welcoming a baby is a joyful milestone. While counting tiny fingers and toes is often one of the first things she does, what remains etched in her memory is gazing into her baby's eyes for the very first time. Whether those eyes are blue, brown, or green, that initial moment is never forgotten. There are many times in the coming years when a moth

Big Wins for a Small-Town Paper with a Big Heart Sasha Bush The Ashland Beacon     In newsrooms across the Commonwealth, excellence is measured not only by deadlines met and pages filled, but by the impact a publication makes on its community. Each year, the Kentucky Press Association (KPA) celebrates that impact, recognizing the very best in reporting, photography, design, and advertising among newspapers throughout the state. This year, one paper rose to the top once aga