O’Charley’s Closes as First Watch Opens

A popular restaurant chain with a Bowling Green location, Nashville-based O’Charley’s, has closed all its remaining locations nationwide, according to multiple news reports.

The Bowling Green O’Charley’s was on Scottsville Road in front of Greenwood Mall and served the chain’s American fare. The location was permanently closing its doors Wednesday.

The O’Charley’s chain was started in 1971 in Nashville by Charlie Watkins. No official word has been released about the reason for the abrupt closings, but the chain had been shuttering locations for several years amid declining business.

-Wes Swietek, Daily News

Kentucky General Fund Revenue Up 13.8% Despite August Decline

Kentucky’s General Fund revenue slipped in August, but state tax collections remain well ahead of last year’s pace through the first two months of fiscal 2027, driven by stronger sales tax collections and a surge in business tax receipts.

General Fund receipts totaled nearly $1.09 billion in August, down 1.7% from $1.11 billion in August 2025, according to figures released Thursday by State Budget Director John Hicks.

Despite the monthly decline, General Fund revenue is up 13.8% through the first two months of FY27, putting collections well ahead of the state’s official revenue forecast.

-The Lane Report

Kentucky’s Yet to See a Hyperscale Data Center Come Online, But Gallatin Could Offer a Glimpse at What to Expect

The mayor of Gallatin, Tennessee says a hyperscale Meta data center is the city’s largest taxpayer and has done a lot of charitable giving in the community. But two years into operation, residents in the northern Tennessee town still have concerns about its effect on utilities, the environment, and property values.

North of Nashville and south of the Kentucky state line is historic downtown Gallatin, Tennessee, where it's easy to step back in time. It’s home to the state’s oldest silent movie theater still standing in its original location. A few doors down is a former drugstore and soda fountain.

Noah Arai cuts hair at a barbershop on the square. He fears Gallatin’s identity is threatened by one of its newest corporate neighbors — Meta.

-Lisa Autry, WKU Public Radio

-Photo: Lisa Autry, WKU Public Radio

Small Business Optimism Slips in August as Sales, Inflation Concerns Persist

Small business optimism cooled in August as business owners reported weaker sales and continued concerns about inflation, workforce availability and supply chain disruptions, according to the latest National Federation of Independent Business survey.

The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index declined to 98.7 in August, down 1.1 points from July but remaining above its 52-year average of 98.0. The organization’s Uncertainty Index fell 2 points to 89 but remained well above its historical average of 68.

“Uncertainty remains elevated among small business owners as they face a mixed set of challenges with weakened sales, supply chain disruptions, and inflation pressures,” NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg said. “While expectations for the overall economy dimmed, Main Street owners remain largely positive in the health of their own businesses.”

-The Lane Report