News

A healthy lifestyle isn't just about physical health. Seven Counties Services and the Mayor's Healthy Hometown Movement want to remind the community not to neglect mental health, so they're staging a free concert in the Kentucky Center's Bomhard Theater Friday that will emphasize the importance of preventative measures and empathy for those dealing with mental health issues. 

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer continues to push for a local sales tax option to fund future city services and projects.

The option would make it easier for the city to pay for services in the face of budget shortfalls. Currently, the state must approve a ballot initiative to increase local taxes for specific projects. In 2007, Louisville voters rejected such a tax referendum to pay for an expansion of the Louisville Free Public Library by a resounding 2-to-1 margin. 

Kentucky Republicans hoping to win the state House in elections this fall are getting a helping hand from the party’s leader.

U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell has used his leadership PAC to dole out at least $54,000 dollars to Republican lawmakers in the last three months.

McConnell typically uses the Bluegrass Committee PAC to help U.S. Senate candidates in his bid to become majority leader. But his focus is now on making sure Kentucky’s two legislative chambers are controlled by Republicans. Currently, the Senate is GOP controlled, but not the House. 

In the Indiana Ninth congressional district race, Democrat Shelli Yoder has filed a tepid fundraising report.

Yoder is a political newcomer and she brought in just over $93,000 in the second quarter of this year. She faces Republican incumbent Todd Young, who garnered $311,000 in the same period. According to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission, Yoder has $73,000 total on hand, compared to the nearly $900,000 in Young’s coffers.

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear is not joining other Kentucky  officials in calling for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

Ford Motor Company is recalling over 10,000 new Escape SUVs that were made in the Louisville Assembly Plant. 

Ford officials say there have been no reported incidences that inspired the recall, but the company will be replacing carpet padding that officials say could get in the way of the brake pedal.

Ford officials told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that dealers will fix the issue at no charge beginning July 23.

The vehicles were built in March and June at Ford's Louisville Assembly Plant.

The 11th annual celebration of all things Lebowski—bowling, White Russians, what-have-you—happens this weekend at the Executive Strike and Spare. The Coen Brothers' 1998 film "The Big Lebowski" spawned a cult following with its own traveling fan festival, a religion based on its hero (Dudeism) and now a book of essays examining philosophical questions raised by the film. 

Louisville Metro’s Planning and Zoning Committee will consider two competing ordinances that change the city’s landmarks process on Tuesday.

The current law requires landmarks to be declared through petitions and the city’s appointed Landmarks Commission. Opponents of changing the longstanding ordinance argue “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” But several council members have sponsored an ordinance that has a major provision adamantly opposed by several in the preservation and historical communities.

The Louisville Metro Ethics Commission still cannot compel witnesses to testify, which could impact a possible hearing involving Councilwoman Barbara Shanklin.

Over the past year the commission has addressed a number of procedural and policy weaknesses it discovered during the course of two hearings against former Councilwoman Judy Green. The panel has since hired a full-time legal counsel and requested the council tinker with parts of the city code of ethics.

But in its 2011 annual report the commission said the lack of subpoena powers remains a serious challenge to its ability to enforce the law and is ultimately a question of state law that the General Assembly must address.

"At this point in time without that power people come voluntarily and provide testimony on their own," says Ethics Commission Chairman Jonathan Ricketts. "And without being able to compel their attendance we’re limited in what we can bring and evaluate."

In the 2012 presidential race Kentucky is assuredly in the Republican column, but President Barack Obama will be in the commonwealth briefly today—to visit Ohio.

The president is scheduled to hold a campaign event in Cincinnati and Air Force One will touchdown in the city's airport, which is in Erlanger, Kentucky. According to the White House, Mr. Obama will outline a plan to restore the middle-class, paying down our debt and grow the national economy.