Noise & Notes

Congressman John Yarmuth is the lone Democrat in Kentucky’s federal delegation.

That makes Yarmuth the only liberal voice arguably in the region, and the lawmaker that the Obama administration confers with over potential federal appointments in the state.

Now in his fifth term in Congress, Yarmuth is the co-sponsor of a number of progressive bills, including campaign finance reforms and gun control measures.

But since 2010, he has been in the minority railing against the Republican-controlled House.

In terms of politics, Yarmuth has been the chief cheerleader for Ashley Judd, who is the rumored top-contender to run against Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell.

For Tea Party strategist Jesse Benton, politics and family are one in the same.

The grandson of former Congressman Ron Paul and nephew of Senator Rand Paul, Benton was hired to run the re-election of Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell last fall.

Three years ago, Benton worked on his uncle's successful Senate bid that included a primary victory over a McConnell-backed GOP candidate.

It was a shrewd move on Team Mitch's part to blunt vocal criticism from the Tea Party.

Like his boss, Benton acknowledges the campaign still has Tea Party critics, however, he doesn't expect a credible primary challenger will arise.

Kentucky State University President Mary Evans Sias is warning the 127-year-old institution faces serious challenges, and will have to change to survive.

Located in the bosom of the commonwealth’s capital, K-State is a historically black college with a proud tradition that counts the late Urban League President Whitney Young among its alumni.

As of late K-State has seen a significant drop in enrollment as it has weathered state budget cuts and the national recession.

As Sias writes:

As we expected, in May of 2012, our graduation rate hit a low of 14 percent, down substantially from 2003. That enrollment decline resulted in a $4.8 million loss of revenue for the year.

Louisville Democrat David James and Republican Ken Fleming don’t always agree as leaders of their respective caucuses, but the two Metro Council members hope city lawmakers tackle a number of issues this year.

Among them is the new spending plan for the city. Mayor Greg Fischer says the local economy is bouncing back from the recession, but Metro Government still faces a $13 million budget shortfall.

Both parties hope the budget process is transparent, and James and Fleming agree that public dollars for city services are running thin and need to be spent wisely.

Louisville journalist Debby Yetter’s fingertips have bled ink as a reporter and now editorial columnist at The Courier-Journal for over three decades.

Yetter is a veteran reporter who has the federal courts, social services and a ferocious focus on state government. Even the newspaper's sharpest critics praised the company's decision when the Yetter's role shifted, and award-winning journalist was picked to help lead the C-J's editorial department.

She’s spent her life collecting thoughts and opinions, and has been eager to share her own in the opinion pages.

NAACP President Raoul Cunningham has been involved with civil rights since he was a 14-year-old activist protesting against Jim Crow in downtown Louisville.

Still, Cunningham says that in 2013 there are still many pertinent issues and some will be before the Supreme Court this year, such as cases dealing with affirmative action and gay marriage.

The most important question the justices will face deals with a key provision of the Voting Rights Act that could unravel the historic legislation. For Cunningham, this will be a defining moment for the Roberts Court on matters of civil rights.

The late Dr. J. Blaine Hudson spent his life dedicated to scholarship and community, and in the process became one of Louisville's most beloved natives.

Whether as a student activist, historian or University of Louisville dean, Hudson left a mark on everyone he encountered. The outpouring of grief and fond memories has been immense since his death last week at age 63.

Over the years Hudson stopped by WFPL on numerous occasions to show how the city's past informed its present and could potentially solve problems in the future.

He had a wealth of knowledge about theories on race, African-American history and Louisville's role in the Civil Rights Movement, and we have collected some of the best excerpts for one final class.

Mayor Greg Fischer is halfway through his first term in office, and he is marking the mid-term by highlighting job creation and making Louisville a more compassionate city.

Despite his optimism and business acumen, much of Fischer’s tenure has been gobbled up dealing with "cleaning house" at different departments, auditing city services and steep budget deficits.

Then there is the surge in homicides, which increased by 28 percent in 2012.

The mayor's task force issued a report that says there’s a need for violence prevention director and other serious intervention from Metro Government on a number of fronts. But some Metro Council members have question if that's the best use of city resources and many residents are taking a "wait and see" approach.

At the end of every year LEO Weekly publishes a controversial edition that it dubs 'Loserville', which is a list of individuals and stories that the staff scorns.

It includes a who's who of Democratic and Republican elected officials, various organizations and topics, and this year was no different when it targeted Papa John's founder John Schnatter on the 2012 cover.

The staff argues that the penance is a sign that their issue is trying to make locals do better, but the very next week LEO comes out with an issue that highlights the good work of organizers, local business owners and journalists.

Among those represented on that list were the Rev. Pat Delahanty, who is leading a charge to abolition the death penalty in Kentucky.

For more than 20 years, Louisville artist Ed White has led River City Drum Corps to teach children and young adults about the arts.

The program centers on African drumming and also helps at-risk with leadership skills. Participants are also challenged to find materials in their own neighborhoods to make their “pipe drums” for their first performance.

White was recently recognized for his work by the California-based United States Artists, and awarded a hefty $50,000 grant.

But while hundreds of young people have come through his doors to learn music and life lessons, White still faces budget cuts in his native-Louisville.