Noah Thompson on 'American Idol' | Peaches and Strawberries | Love Lock Bridge

Hello, friends! This is Lifestyle and Features reporter Kirby Adams and more than week out, it still feels like we're coming down from the high of the Kentucky Derby.

But good news, there's LOTS going on around Louisville this week to highlight and plenty of attention being showered on the Derby City from a national perspective.

Let's dive right in to this week's news:

Kentucky native in Top 3 on 'American Idol' — Yours truly has the scoop on Noah Thompson, a 20-year-old construction worker from Louisa, Kentucky who just landed in the finale of 'American Idol,' which airs Sunday at 8 p.m. on ABC. Thompson never planned to try out for the long-running television show and it was his best friend, Arthur Johnson, who submitted the recording that landed him an audition in front of "American Idol" judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.

If that's not enough Kentucky pride in the national news, how about this? "The Kindness Capital of Kentucky," which can be found on the map listed as La Grange, Kentucky, received a nice little facelift when HGTV’s “Home Town Kickstart” came to town earlier this year. Now you can see the transformation for yourself in the episode "Love for La Grange" on HGTV.

Peaches and Strawberries — It's really warm out there, which mean fruit harvest season is in full swing. Food writer Dahlia Ghabour gives you all the details you need to know about strawberry picking at Eckert's Orchard in Versailles and I've got all the juicy details about when the incredibly popular The Peach Truck will be returning to Louisville this year.

Love Lock Bridge — Features columnist Maggie Menderski explores this "Love Lock Bridge," which has popped up across the Ohio River in Southern Indiana. The concept is simple. Sweethearts secure a lock on a bridge over a body of water, pledge their love to each other and ceremoniously fling the key into the water. LJ Huber, director of operations at Joe Huber's Family Farm and Restaurant, said Huber’s already has a long history of being a place where families make memories and he wanted to give his guests an opportunity to make their own mark on the property. How sweet.

Looking for something to do? Culture & Diversity reporter Jason Gonzalez has previewed the upcoming Muhammad Ali Festival, which takes place in Louisville on the sixth anniversry of the death of "The Greatest." He's also previewed the upcoming Juneteenth festival, so check out his stories if you're looking ahead to make some June plans.

Feel informed? Did you learn something you can't wait to share with a friend? Great! If you enjoyed this newsletter, feel free to forward it on, so they can sign up here and stay in the know, too.

— Kirby Adams

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Noah Thompson on 'American Idol' | Peaches and Strawberries | Love Lock Bridge