The Bluegrass Blues Podcast

UPS plane crash at SDF has us sheltered in place A UPS cargo jet destined for Honolulu has crashed on takeoff at Louisville's Muhammad Ali Airport. Police and fire crews are responded just after 5 p.m. to a reported plane crash near the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. Video ... shows a plane attempting to take off southbound from the airport with a fire burning off the left wing. Shortly thereafter, it explodes.

UPS plane crash at SDF has us sheltered in place

A UPS cargo jet destined for Honolulu has crashed on takeoff at Louisville's Muhammad Ali Airport. Police and fire crews are responded just after 5 p.m. to a reported plane crash near the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. Video ...…

There’s sports tournament in the Ville this week You ever go to a sporting event and see a team jump for joy at the end because they won? (Well, yeah. That happened at the World Series this weekend). But this was a different sport and, obviously, something big just happened, but you don't know what? On Saturday, I was at Trager Stadium, the home of the Louisville Cardinals field hockey team.

There’s sports tournament in the Ville this week

You ever go to a sporting event and see a team jump for joy at the end because they won? (Well, yeah. That happened at the World Series this weekend). But this was a different sport and, obviously, something big just happened, but you don't know…

Ky.’s only woman governor, Martha Layne Collins, dies at 88 This happened over the weekend (from Kentucky Lantern): Martha Layne Collins, who as the only woman to serve as governor of Kentucky revolutionized the state’s economy by landing Toyota Motor Manufacturing, died at 3 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, in Lexington. She was 88. Her husband, Dr. Bill Collins, said his wife died in her sleep at Richmond Place, a retirement community in Lexington where they had been living.

Kentucky's only woman governor, Martha Layne Collins, dies at 88. But our first thought was about something she ate.

Former Cardinals are winners in the World Series The Los Angeles Dodgers have won back-to-back World Series, and this time it was because of a former Louisville Cardinal: The photo at the top of the page is from Will Smith's bio on the University of Louisville Baseball page. He had a great year in 2016, with career honors listed as: • 2016 MLB Draft - 1st Round (32nd overall) - Los Angeles Dodgers…

Former Cardinals are winners in the World Series

The Los Angeles Dodgers have won back-to-back World Series, and this time it was because of a former Louisville Cardinal: The photo at the top of the page is from Will Smith's bio on the University of Louisville Baseball page. He had a great year in…

Let’s put billionaire donations in perspective: Part 2

This made the news rounds a couple of weeks ago (from WHAS-TV): Louisville plans to allocate hundreds of thousands of dollars to support families experiencing homelessness. During a news conference Tuesday, the mayor said Metro Government will…

Data center power plants: If they build it, we are screwed We recently posted an item on how Meade County rejected a rezoning application that would have paved the way for a data center. The concerns included the cost of the operation as well as the impact on the local environment. So imagine what we thought when we saw this (from Kentucky Lantern): Kentucky’s utility regulator is granting permission to the state’s largest electric utility to build two new natural gas-fired power plants costing billions of dollars to meet a potential surge of power demand from prospective data centers seeking to locate in the state.

Data center power plants in Kentucky: If they build them, we are screwed. Let's talk about OpenAI and its move to oblivion.

Where to get access to food MAGA Republicans are hell bent on starving poor people. This appeared in the Courier Journal: With millions of Americans about to lose their SNAP benefits, Kentucky communities are struggling to fill the gap. SNAP is a federal program that provides low-income families with monthly benefits and food stamps to afford healthy food. Due to the continuing partial government shutdown, funding for benefits runs out on Saturday, Nov.

Where to get access to food

MAGA Republicans are hell bent on starving poor people. This appeared in the Courier Journal: With millions of Americans about to lose their SNAP benefits, Kentucky communities are struggling to fill the gap. SNAP is a federal program that provides low-income families…

Louisville Public Media comes up short on election news So this appeared on the Louisville Public Media website this week: The Jefferson County Clerk's Office is preparing for a special election to fill the seat for Kentucky Senate District 37 — it became vacant when Democrat David Yates left in order to become the head of that same clerk’s office. While turnout at special elections is often poor, Yates said he is hopeful the district he served for many years will show up to the polls.

You would think Louisville Public Media would offer background on what state senate candidates stand for, especially when one is a soul-sucking sexist incel.

Let’s put billionaire donations in perspective I think this is supposed to be a story about the benevolence of the ultrawealthy. From Kentucky Lantern: The University of Kentucky children’s hospital is getting $50 million and a new name. The gift, announced by Paychex founder Tom Golisano, is the largest ever to UK HealthCare, second-largest in UK history and will “transform pediatric health care in Kentucky,” according to a…

Let's put billionaire donations in perspective and compare them to what average people can give.

MAGA GOP starves Kentucky’s equivalent of District 12 Paul Krugman makes this interesting point in his Substack column "The Hunger Games Begin." Consider, for example, Owsley County in Kentucky. The county is 96 percent white, and last year it cast 88 percent of its votes for Trump. Also, 37 percent of residents are on SNAP. So, by refusing to maintain food aid, Republicans are hurting many of their own supporters.

MAGA GOP starves Kentucky's equivalent of District 12. Paul Krugman makes an interesting point in his Substack column "The Hunger Games Begin."

Let’s talk about student journalism in the Ville This headline appears in the CJ: U of L finds millions for sports but looks to cut newspaper funding. Another headline says: 3 things to know about UofL's student newspaper potentially losing funding Read the above stories, and you'll see that UofL is trying to introduce a student fee to run the student newspaper. And the CJ compares that fee to what students are paying for the sports program.

Let’s talk about student journalism in the Ville

This headline appears in the CJ: U of L finds millions for sports but looks to cut newspaper funding. Another headline says: 3 things to know about UofL's student newspaper potentially losing funding Read the above stories, and you'll see that UofL…

And you thought the Ky. GOP was only sexist Recently, Kentucky GOP officials showed they were sexist assholes by not immediately dumping a state Senate candidate who described women as " “promiscuous skanks,” “coddled americunts,” “party whores” and “damn sloots.” There's no way they can top that, right? The Republican Party of Kentucky says they are investigating a “vile” and “reprehensible” post made by the Hardin County Republican Party.

And you thought the Ky. GOP was only sexist

Recently, Kentucky GOP officials showed they were sexist assholes by not immediately dumping a state Senate candidate who described women as " “promiscuous skanks,” “coddled americunts,” “party whores” and “damn sloots.” There's no way they can top that,…

Louisville GOP supports sexist soul-sucking Senate candidate Just a reminder that the never-ending rot of MAGAt Republicans includes your next-door neighbors in Jefferson County. From Louisville Public Media: The Republican candidate running for a state Senate seat in a special election in South Louisville stands by a 2018 blog post that says “millennial females” aren’t “wife material” and described the “vast majority of young women” as "promiscuous skanks” with no moral compass.

Louisville GOP supports sexist soul-sucking Senate candidate

A reminder that the never-ending rot of MAGAt Republicans includes your next-door neighbors in Jefferson County.

The Bluegrass Blues Podcast: Episode 14 No Kings rallies across America, media shortcomings, government shutdown continues, while food prices rise. White House demolition meets Argentine payoff. And finding good cheesecake. Podcast includes references to: Scenes from the No Kings rally in Denver. 200,000 Kentuckians may lose health insurance by 2027 There goes that last tooth in your head

Episode 14: No Kings rallies across America, media shortcomings, government shutdown continues, while food prices rise. White House demolition meets Argentine payoff. And finding good cheesecake.

There goes that last tooth in your head Leave it to Republicans in Kentucky to find new ways to destroy the health of the people who voted for them. From Kentucky Lantern: Kentucky lawmakers will try again in 2026 to let local water systems’ governing bodies decide whether or not to fluoridate their water. Rep. Mark Hart, R-Falmouth, said the bill he will file in 2026 is…

There goes that last tooth in your head

Leave it to Republicans in Kentucky to find new ways to destroy the health of the people who voted for them. From Kentucky Lantern: Kentucky lawmakers will try again in 2026 to let local water systems’ governing bodies decide whether or not to fluoridate…

Can the local media get it right? Just a quick thought on the No Kings rally and how it was covered in Louisville. It was obvious that the protest against the Orange Menace and his MAGAt cronies in Congress was a success. This from Louisville Public Media: From Paducah to Prestonsburg, Kentuckians gathered at No Kings protests on Saturday to voice dissatisfaction with U.S. President Donald Trump through peaceful demonstration.

Can the local media get it right?

Just a quick thought on the No Kings rally and how it was covered in Louisville. It was obvious that the protest against the Orange Menace and his MAGAt cronies in Congress was a success. This from Louisville Public Media: From Paducah to Prestonsburg, Kentuckians…

200,000 Kentuckians may lose health insurance by 2027 The Orange menace and his MAGAt henchmen in Congress pushed through the Big Bullshit Bill this past summer that took money that could have helped people and gave it to billionaires, a flailing Argentine economy and a vanity ballroom at the White House. But if you are trying to fight an addiction, they have nothing for you. From the CJ:

200,000 Kentuckians may lose health insurance by 2027

The Orange menace and his MAGAt henchmen in Congress pushed through the Big Bullshit Bill this past summer that took money that could have helped people and gave it to billionaires, a flailing Argentine economy and a vanity ballroom at the…

Let them eat cake, or nothing The Orange menace and his MAGAt henchmen in Congress have money to prop up a flailing Argentine economy and to tear down the White House to build an unnecessary ballroom, but if you're hungry in Kentucky, they have nothing for you. From Louisville Public Media: Gov. Andy Beshear said the Trump administration has halted funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, due to the ongoing federal government shutdown.

Let them eat cake, or nothing

The Orange menace and his MAGAt henchmen in Congress have money to prop up a flailing Argentine economy and to tear down the White House to build an unnecessary ballroom, but if you're hungry in Kentucky, they have nothing for you. From Louisville Public Media: Gov.…

No Kings rally in Denver Some of us aren't in Louisville today for the No Kings in America rally, but that doesn't mean we weren't able to find a protest to join. In Denver, the rally at the state capitol had tens of thousands of participants in a peaceful, but spirited, gathering against the evils of the Trump regime. People are sick of the corrupt, fascist, oligarchical, racist, xenophobic (use your favorite adjective here) direction of our Republican MAGA infested government.

No Kings rally in Denver

Some of us aren't in Louisville today for the No Kings in America rally, but that doesn't mean we weren't able to find a protest to join. In Denver, the rally at the state capitol had tens of thousands of participants in a peaceful, but spirited, gathering against the…

No Kings day expected to draw millions for anti-Trump mass protests That's the Kentucky Lantern's headline on the following: More than 2,600 nonviolent demonstrations against President Donald Trump’s administration are slated Saturday as part of No Kings day. The second No Kings day, following another in June, is in response to what a broad coalition of liberal advocacy and labor organizations say is “the increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption of the Trump administration, which they have doubled down on since June.” 

No Kings day expected to draw millions for anti-Trump mass protests

That's the Kentucky Lantern's headline on the following: More than 2,600 nonviolent demonstrations against President Donald Trump’s administration are slated Saturday as part of No Kings day. The second No Kings day, following…

No Kings in America rallies in the Bluegrass Here's a list of No Kings rallies on Saturday in and near Kentucky. Maybe you'll see each other there? (I'll be out West.)

No Kings in America rallies in the Bluegrass

Here's a list of No Kings rallies on Saturday in and near Kentucky. Maybe you'll see each other there? (I'll be out West.)

We’re not going to fall for true America haters (MAGAts) Robert Reich makes an excellent point about the GOP freakout over the coming "No Kings in America" rally: You know Trump Republicans are worried when they slam a planned protest — more than a week before it occurs. Last Friday, Speaker Mike Johnson described this coming Saturday’s No Kings rally as the “hate-America” rally that would draw “the pro-Hamas wing” and “the antifa people.”

We’re not going to fall for true America haters (MAGAts)

Robert Reich makes an excellent point about the GOP freakout over the coming "No Kings in America" rally: You know Trump Republicans are worried when they slam a planned protest — more than a week before it occurs. Last Friday, Speaker Mike…

For all of us who aren't technologically advanced, why are data centers an issue?

Go along to get alon– actually to get screwed Let's talk about the whitewashing of Louisville elections. From Rickey L. Jones in the CJ: There will be increasing chatter about candidates for myriad political offices as we draw closer to election 2026. The outcome of one race is already clear. This will be difficult for some to hear or accept but there isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Louisville, Kentucky will elect a Black mayor — no matter who runs.

Let's talk about the whitewashing of Louisville elections.

Ky.’s for profit concentration camps Some places in Kentucky have decided to make a profit out of being concentration camps. According to Louisville Public Media: The number of detainees held in Kentucky county jails contracting with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) increased by 659% from January to August this year, according to a report by the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy. In January, the Boone County Detention Center (pictured) was the only full time ICE detention center in Kentucky — 

Ky.’s for profit concentration camps

Some places in Kentucky have decided to make a profit out of being concentration camps. According to Louisville Public Media: The number of detainees held in Kentucky county jails contracting with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) increased by…

The Bluegrass Blues Podcast: Episode 13 Dealing with the government shutdown: Is it safe to fly and what's happening at national parks? Kentucky Democrats on the campaign trail. Reflections on the art fair (show) and a slowdown at the Speed. Links to our discussion: Why the U.S. government has shut down and what happens now (BBC) A couple of quick notes on the government shutdown Keeping Kentuckians in the dark on their health The best of times, the worst of times for the arts

The Bluegrass Blues Podcast: Episode 13

Dealing with the government shutdown: Is it safe to fly and what's happening at national parks? Kentucky Democrats on the campaign trail. Reflections on the art fair (show) and a slowdown at the Speed. Links to our discussion: Why the U.S. government has…

In praise of Jeff Walz As a season ticket holder, I already knew this about Louisville women's basketball coach Jeff Walz. Nice of the CJ to catch up: Louisville’s Jeff Walz is the best active women’s basketball coach to have not won a national championship. It’s time he’s recognized as such. That may sound like a dubious honor, to be the best at something that hasn’t been accomplished.

In praise of Jeff Walz

As a season ticket holder, I already knew this about Louisville women's basketball coach Jeff Walz. Nice of the CJ to catch up: Louisville’s Jeff Walz is the best active women’s basketball coach to have not won a national championship. It’s time he’s recognized as such. That…

A familiar name announces Senate run We have a new entry in the race for Mitch McConnell's U.S. Senate seat: Democrat Amy McGrath, a retired Marine aviator, on Monday entered the Senate campaign in Kentucky, vowing to be a “bulwark against authoritarianism” in launching a comeback bid after being trounced by Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell in 2020. McGrath joins a growing field of Republicans and Democrats competing in the 2026 midterms for the seat occupied since the mid-1980s by McConnell, who is…

A familiar name announces Senate run

We have a new entry in the race for Mitch McConnell's U.S. Senate seat: Democrat Amy McGrath, a retired Marine aviator, on Monday entered the Senate campaign in Kentucky, vowing to be a “bulwark against authoritarianism” in launching a comeback bid after being…

The best of times, the worst of times for the arts There was a major ceremony at the Speed Museum in Louisville last week for the unveiling of its new Art Park. According to its announcement: The Speed Art Museum is proud to announce the opening of its new Elizabeth P. and Frederick K. Cressman Art Park, a three-acre landscape surrounding the Museum that brings the power of art into the open air.

The best of times, the worst of times for the arts

There was a major ceremony at the Speed Museum in Louisville last week for the unveiling of its new Art Park. According to its announcement: The Speed Art Museum is proud to announce the opening of its new Elizabeth P. and Frederick K. Cressman…

Keeping Kentuckians in the dark on their health This entry in the CJ is pretty interesting in what it doesn't say: The future of health care was on the minds — and signs — of some 100 people who took the downtown Louisville amid the federal government shutdown. The assembly of concerned locals at the “Healthcare Not Authoritarianism” rally on Oct. 4 drew from various advocacy and political groups, including organizing groups Louisville Democratic Party, Indivisible Louisville, and 50501KY, among others.

Keeping Kentuckians in the dark on their health

This entry in the CJ is pretty interesting in what it doesn't say: The future of health care was on the minds — and signs — of some 100 people who took the downtown Louisville amid the federal government shutdown. The assembly of concerned locals at…