KickStartKentucky: Build Lexington in SimCity

KickStartKentucky is a new feature at Kentucky Geek Girl where I scour the web for interesting, Kentucky-based crowdsourcing projects. It doesn't have to be Kickstarter, projects can come from Indie GoGo or any platform. The only criteria for this feature is that the project has to be about Kentucky or based in Kentucky. If you have a project that you'd like for me to feature, just send me an email!

In this inaugural edition of KickStartKentucky, I'm sharing a project by Nolan Gray called "Help me build Lexington, Kentucky in SimCity (2013)." The title is self-explanatory. Nolan wants to construct the Athens of the West, the Horse Capital of the World, Lexington, Kentucky in SimCity.

I am fascinated by cities and city planning. As a historian, I find it interesting to see how a city changes over time and Lexington is no stranger to change. Starting from a town plat which spanned less than ten blocks, Lexington became a sprawling city, especially in the mid-20th century when urban sprawl was the norm all over the country. Even today, new subdivisions are cropping up all over as more and more land is taken in by developers. The landscape of Lexington has changed tremendously even in the 10 years that I've call it home.

I asked Nolan a few questions about his project and what he hopes to accomplish. More from him after the break.

Welcome to Night Vale to Return to Kentucky on May 12

Fans of Welcome to Night Vale, rejoice! Cecil, Carlos, and the cast of characters returns to Kentucky for a live performance on May 12 at Louisville's Bomhard Theater at The Kentucky Center. Tickets to the 2014 event sold quickly, so be sure to order yours soon!

Welcome to Night Vale is a twice-monthly podcast which can be described as "A Prairie Home Companion" meets Gaiman and Lovecraft. The podcast, presented as a radio program, provides community updates for the small desert town of Night Vale featuring local weather, news, announcements from the Sheriff's Secret Police, mysterious lights in the sky, dark hooded figures with unknowable powers, and cultural events. The show is hosted by Cecil, with secondary characters voiced by guest stars such as Mara Wilson and Wil Wheaton.

WTNV released its 61st episode on February 1, so there's plenty of time to get caught up before the May 12 performance. Tickets are available now and can be purchased through Ticketmaster. If you're unable to make it to the Louisville show, Cincinnati is a comparable drive from Central Kentucky. And for those who really want to drive to Cleveland, you can do that too.

MAY 12. 8:00PM
LOUISVILLE, KY
BOMHARD THEATRE
ON SALE NOW


MAY 13. 8:00PM
CINCINNATI, OH
TAFT THEATRE
ON SALE NOW

MAY 14. 8:00PM
CLEVELAND, OH
HANNA THEATRE
ON SALE NOW


Be sure to like Kentucky Geek Girl on Facebook and follow my daily updates on Twitter! If you have any questions or want to discuss partnership opportunities, be sure to send me an email.