The Courier-Journal (Louisville)
What mayoral hopefuls say about data centers
ith data centers generating tax revenue and jobs while also requiring significant power and water resources, how would candidates running for Louisville mayor balance those interests? As part of the 2026 general election voter guide, The Courier...
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Why Louisville candidates are dodging election forums
Repeated refusals from political candidates have left Louisville’s League of Women Voters, a leading organizer of candidate forums in the city, with only a handful of the events scheduled this election season. On a national level, the League of Women...
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Life-saving infrastructure is at risk in Kentucky: Report
Several areas of Kentucky’s critical infrastructure are in urgent need of investment and modernization, the American Society of Civil Engineers found in its latest landmark assessment, including systems responsible for protecting communities from...
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Kentucky could lessen asthma’s costly burden
This is Part 4 of “Breathless,” a Courier Journal special report on the burden of asthma on Kentucky families. This project was supported by the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism’s 2026 National Fellowship, the Fund for Reporting on Child...
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Why asthma hits some Louisville families harder
This is Part 3 of “Breathless,” a Courier Journal special report on the burden of asthma on Kentucky families. This project was supported by the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism’s 2026 National Fellowship, the Fund for Reporting on Child...
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Louisville kids with asthma are missing school at ‘horrifying’ rates
This is Part 2 of “Breathless,” a Courier Journal special report on the burden of asthma on Kentucky families. This project was supported by the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism’s 2026 National Fellowship, the Fund for Reporting on Child...
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TRANSPARENCY Inside our series on asthma
This summer, The Courier Journal examined how asthma inflicts a billion-dollar toll in Kentucky, robbing people of health, education, wages, time, opportunity and life. The worst impacts of asthma are preventable. But many in Louisville and elsewhere...
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Where candidates stand on state data center rules
Where do candidates running for Kentucky state Senate and House stand on data centers? And what state regulations would they support? As part of the 2026 general election voter guide, The Courier Journal posed those questions to Louisvillearea...
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JCPS sees growth in reading, stagnation in other subjects
Jefferson County Public Schools reported modest gains in reading and relatively stagnant math performances that still lagged far behind state averages for the 2025-26 school year, according to assessment data released Oct. 15. When compared to the...
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After rough primary, Gallrein’s challenge is repairing GOP divisions
After a brutal primary battle with Kentucky’s resident firebrand, U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, Ed Gallrein, the GOP nominee for Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District, is focusing on building bridges and supporting President Donald Trump ahead of the...
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High school athlete’s autopsy released Coroner’s office: Danville player had enlarged heart
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Can Dembo flip this House district to blue?
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, flew into the Bluegrass State in early October to help raise campaign cash for Dr. Ralph Alvarado, the GOP’s nominee to represent Central Kentucky in Congress. It’s an impressive pull at face...
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Races take shape without labels
In 2022, Louisville Metro Councilwoman Donna Purvis defeated Ray “Sir Friendly C” Barker in the Democratic primary for District 5 by a narrow margin, pushing the incumbent toward a shoo-in victory in the general election that fall. Four years later,...
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An inside look at how we created our voter guide
Kentucky voters will make several major decisions at the ballot box in the 2026 election, including electing a new U.S. senator and two new U.S. representatives. h To help voters understand candidates’ positions on important issues ahead of Election...
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The first public AED station has arrived in Louisville
When Trey Mobley collapsed during a run on the treadmill at Lakeside Swim Club in December 2023, a quick response and an automated external defibrillator saved his life. If an AED detects an irregular heart rhythm, like in Mobley’s case, the portable...
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JCPS cracks in communications
When Cici Spayner first heard of a potential gas leak in the tech building at Pleasure Ridge Park High on Sept. 21, she wasn’t surprised. Her son, who is in middle school but lifts weights in that building twice a week with his cross country team,...
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Ninth Street work set to start in 2027
Afinal design for a significant remaking of Louisville’s Ninth Street is weeks away as officials continue to target a 2028 completion for a new version of the major thoroughfare. The Reimagine Ninth Street project seeks to narrow a gap between West End...
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Fallen trooper Hayden Phillips eulogized at funeral
BOWLING GREEN, KY − “Heroes get remembered but legends never die.” Kentucky State Police Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. read the iconic line from “The Sandlot” over a somber crowd of gray, blue and black uniforms in a packed arena on Western...
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Newcomer Academy loses 10 teachers amid enrollment drop
A Jefferson County Public Schools campus designed to support newly arrived immigrant students has been dramatically reshaped as the district faces declining enrollment of multilingual students. Ten teachers have been overstaffed from Newcomer Academy...
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Fighting to have Alberta Jones recognized
This week’s Sunday cover story focuses on the longtime fight of Flora Shanklin, the last immediate relative of Louisville civil rights pioneer Alberta O. Jones, to have one last part of her big sister’s legacy remembered. h Jones represented Muhammad...
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Residents oppose data centers in KY
Nearly 100 Kentuckians met with state lawmakers for a listening session on data centers, led by Rep. Adam Moore, D-Lexington, on Oct. 1. Data centers — facilities that store computer systems that provide processing power for everything from artificial...
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Kentucky Party offers voters another option at ballot box
WINCHESTER, KY – They have just 305 registered members and a bare-bones political platform built around three priorities — fighting corruption, opposing wars and supporting “equality of opportunity for everyone in the Commonwealth.” Still, the...
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Lock, camera law may get update
Licensed massage therapists have become fixtures at Louisville Metro Council meetings. At nearly every meeting since the council passed new regulations for massage facilities in November 2025 – aimed at rooting out businesses that use massage services...
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How 2 counties dealt with voter address discrepancies
Vince Mattingly III still sees Spencer County school buses pass his Shelby County home. The buses are a reminder that his home, situated near the county line, was once considered to be in Spencer County – a classification that changed two years ago....
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Arena’s progress ‘slow and steady’
Five months after plans for a new arena in Louisville first surfaced, progress on developing the facility is “slow and steady,” a project official said Sept. 25. Details on arena renderings and funding are still being worked out as officials continue...
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Chronologizing KY’s bourbon heritage
Bourbon, the country’s official native spirit, has been putting Kentucky on the map for centuries. h On the national and international stage, the spirit is synonymous with the Bluegrass State. And within Kentucky, bourbon’s influence is woven into the...
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Plan outlines goals for downtown through 2027
Downtown Louisville officials are planning ways to improve economic activity in the Central Business District through a more than $4.6 million budget for 2027. The Economic Improvement Plan calls for, among other things, new development on surface...
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‘Needs have grown,’ former principal says
Will Green shook his head in frustration as he watched a Facebook post made by a former Louisville principal go viral – a post he felt was heavily critical of fundraising efforts he’d been dedicated to for the past decade. “IF YOU ALWAYS DO WHAT...
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Chemical co. sues to block development
The years-long battle to redevelop the abandoned Rhodia chemical complex in Louisville’s West End has hit another roadblock, with the former owner of the land suing to block the state from allowing redevelopment, citing health risks from lingering soil...
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‘Hunts people every night’
The man Louisville Metro Police shot and killed in May as they tried to apprehend him for his suspected role in the brutal killing and mutilation of a homeless man months earlier was already well-known to law enforcement – even once telling an LMPD...
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A worker’s commute reveals impact of TARC changes
Alex Chapman lives in the Portland neighborhood and commutes to work at Dairy Queen most days via TARC bus. He’s remarking on the new signs that now populate the TARC routes and stops. The commute takes him two hours one way on an average day, he said,...
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Courier Journal reporter talks challenges for JCPS’ future
In August 2025, Zachary Taylor and King elementaries opened their doors under those names for the last time. h Both campuses were closed as the district made millions of dollars in budget cuts, though Zachary Taylor’s building will be used as a swing...
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GETTING LOUD IN LOUISVILLE
Day two of Louder Than Life brought massive crowds, and more heat, to the Kentucky Exposition Center grounds in Louisville for a day full of headbanging, guitar riffs and mosh pits. Festivalgoers partied Sept. 18 during a second day of 90-degree...
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Beshear weighing White House bid
With the energy of Democratic Socialists of America and their progressive kin grabbing midterm headlines, can an earnest, moderate, Bible-quoting governor from a red state emerge as the Democrats’ standard-bearer two years down the road? Andy Beshear...
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Livin’ the ultimate fish story
PARIS, KY — The wood dock creaked slightly as S.G. Goodman shifted her weight before letting the line on her spincasting rod fly across the pristine pond at Stone Farm, the storied home of thoroughbred racing fixture Arthur Hancock III. In 24 hours,...
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EPA repeals emission rule
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is removing limits on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, the agency announced Sept. 14, in another sweeping step by the Trump administration to reduce regulation of the power sector and halt federal...
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KY bourbon in trade war
The trade war between the U.S. and its second-largest trading partner, Canada, continues to drag on, with Kentucky’s marquee bourbon industry in the middle. Following trade talks that collapsed in August with the country’s northern neighbor, Canada...
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Ford plans $1B Louisville truck plant investment
Ford is expanding its marquee facility in Kentucky with a $1 billion investment. The Ford Kentucky Truck Plant, where the company produces its Super Duty trucks, will soon be home to a new $1 billion state-of-the-art paint shop, replacing the plant’s...
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UofL Health opens new $25M cancer center
The new UofL Health Brown Cancer Center at South Hospital’s immediate goal is to break down barriers to care and potentially save many Kentucky cancer patients hours of travel time in the car. h The health care system’s longterm mission is much bolder:...
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A GENERATION OF AFTERSHOCK
Aquarter-century later, 9/11 still echoes. The worst terrorist attack in U.S. history has been followed by other seismic events, from a once-in-a-century global pandemic to the rise of artificial intelligence that is transforming commerce, education...
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When every minute counts
Before the school day officially starts at Clarksville Elementary School in Southern Indiana, students are already working on math and reading activities. During the 2025-26 school year, staff at Clarksville started thinking about how they could use...
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ICE arrests in KY hit new high; Louisville leads state
Immigration officials are arresting more people in Kentucky than ever before, according to newly released data. Through Aug. 5, more than 2,350 immigrants were arrested this year across the commonwealth. That’s a 69% increase from the same period last...
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Louisville’s homelessness count drops in latest tally
The number of people who were homeless in Louisville decreased this year compared with the previous year, according to the city’s most recent point-in-time count (PIT), conducted in February. Each year, volunteers fan out across communities to count...
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New ‘Most Wanted’ list seeks fraudsters
WASHINGTON – First, the FBI came for the mobsters and other “Most Wanted” fugitives in 1950. Then it came for the “Most Wanted Terrorists” after the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington 25 years ago. Now, the FBI has a third Most Wanted list, this...
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WHAT’S IN THE FUTURE FOR BOURBON TOURISM
When landing at the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, a walk through the terminal makes it clear: You’ve arrived in “bourbon city.” From downtown’s Whiskey Row and its many tasting rooms to distilleries that dot the county - not to mention...
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KY lawmakers seek stricter Flock rules
Some Republican lawmakers are expressing concern over Flock cameras, with one member of leadership suggesting greater guardrails surrounding the powerful and controversial automated license plate readers, including requiring police to obtain a warrant...
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Spirits giant Brown-Forman reports sales dip
Louisville-based Brown-Forman Corp. reported a 1% decline in both net sales and gross profit during its first quarter 2027 earnings call as it reaffirmed a flat net sales forecast for the rest of the fiscal year. h The company behind Jack Daniel’s,...
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GE plans $1 billion Louisville redesign
GE Appliances, the appliance company with its global headquarters in Louisville, is once again growing. The kitchen appliance manufacturer and the IUE-CWA, the union representing its workers, announced on Sept. 2 a $1 billion “major transformation” at...
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‘If we don’t fight for it, nobody’s going to fight for it’
It took three decades, millions of dollars and a change in state law to bring an abandoned chemical complex in Algonquin to the verge of redevelopment – but a looming legal fight still threatens to set back a long-awaited project. The notorious Rhodia...
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Flock camera vandalism is surging in Louisville
Cut down. Spraypainted. Stolen. Since last October, Flock Safety automated license plate reader cameras in Louisville have been vandalized or gone missing on at least two dozen occasions according to documents obtained by The Courier Journal under...
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After 11 years on dialysis, this Bardstown woman finally got a new kidney
LaQuayia “LQ” Goldring, 37, hoped dialysis would keep her alive long enough to see all her siblings graduate from high school. The Bardstown woman was a cancer survivor, a college student and a big sister to 11 when the donated kidney she’d received...
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The Lexington plane crash, 20 years later
This week’s Sunday cover story focuses on the 20th anniversary of Comair Flight 5191. h The commercial flight from Lexington’s Blue Grass Airport bound for Atlanta accidentally took off from the wrong runway, which was too short. The plane crashed just...
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Texas Roadhouse growing its footprint — in grocery stores
For decades, warm yeast rolls and deliciously spreadable cinnamon butter have been a staple in Texas Roadhouse restaurants across the country. The fast-casual steakhouse chain headquartered in Louisville has managed to turn steaks, loaded baked...
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Head Start providers worry changes may harm program
A new proposal from the Trump administration seeks to roll back many requirements for Head Start, leaving some Kentucky providers with concerns over the future of the federally funded preschool and child care program for low-income families. The...
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KY cattle advocates balk at beef imports
President Donald Trump’s plan to allow hundreds of thousands of tons of beef to be imported into the U.S. over the next 90 days has drawn significant pushback from industry advocates in Kentucky – including a congressman who’s been a thorn in Trump’s...
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The movement to ‘8664’ is aiming for a comeback
A movement to “8664” is aiming for a return to Louisville’s consciousness, two decades after discussions about Interstate 64’s place in the city were often heard. Members of the original 8664 group are “looking to get the band back together,” said Ken...
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Trump’s proposal could allow roads, logging in undeveloped tract
The Trump administration is moving to repeal a federal conservation rule that has long protected undeveloped swaths of national forests from roads and logging — including more than 2,800 acres at the heart of Kentucky’s Red River Gorge. The Roadless...
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Tough fight to mitigate measles outbreak risk
With measles cases in the U.S. at a 30-year high, many health experts and parents, including in the Louisville metro area, are taking a closer look at protection measures for children. More than 2,465 measles cases have been confirmed nationwide as of...
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Roblox says deceased girl waived suit rights at age 8
Can an 8-year-old waive their rights to sue a company by clicking a box? That’s the stance of Roblox, an online gaming platform that bills itself as a digital playground. The argument comes as the $41 billion company is embroiled in a lawsuit with...
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Famous Lewis and Clark Expedition comes full circle in Louisville
The expedition of Lewis and Clark may sometimes be told without references to the Louisville metro, but the area itself plays a key role in both the beginning and end of their famous exploration of the western U.S. While there is a lot to say about...
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Letters about updated maps spark confusion
Susan and Bobby Melhart moved into their Oldham County home from Louisville’s Germantown neighborhood in 1997. The home, which sits near the border of Oldham and Jefferson counties in the Willow Creek subdivision, was an ideal fit, foremost because it...
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‘More time on the clock’
Three pills a day could give Christina Baumer dozens more weekly movie nights with her 5-year-old twins. Those pills, a ground-breaking new drug for late-stage pancreatic cancer, could possibly create time for hundreds more family dinners. It could...
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Cubans discuss Castro heir
Sometimes going days without power at their home in La Habana, Cuba, Louisville resident Yensy González’s parents struggle to stay in touch with her. In their city, trash accumulates on their street while they stockpile food rations in their...
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A place for history lovers, gearheads, pop culture fans
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Inside the Skydome of the National Corvette Museum, a cathedral for horsepower, sunlight shines through the glass ceiling onto a display of Corvettes, making visitors like Steve and Rachael Stepro stop in their tracks. The couple...
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Reporter tells the story of iconic Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette, an iconic American made sports car, has been produced in Bowling Green, Kentucky, for 45 years. h The car’s history and legacy in pop culture extends beyond its time in the commonwealth, dating back to the first Corvette to make...
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‘World-class attraction’
A completely overhauled design for downtown Louisville’s Belvedere unveiled Aug. 11 includes a soaring performance space, winding walking path and children’s play area, among a slew of other features. Having pivoted from an initial design deemed too...
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Is it worth it?
This year, John Mays hoped to renovate his 2,600-square-foot historic home in the Chickasaw neighborhood, but it hasn’t been as easy as calling up a contractor and paying a bill. His 100-year-old home lies within an area the Louisville Metro Council...
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Jeffersonville mayor pushes back against bridge project
The mayor of Jeffersonville, Indiana, is calling for city and state leaders in Kentucky to come to the table to discuss a project centered around the George Rogers Clark Memorial Bridge that has created tension across state lines. Indiana leaders have...
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Persistent problem
The health care industry continues to prove itself essential amid ongoing disease outbreaks from cyclospora and salmonella across the U.S. However, a recent report from the Kentucky Hospital Association that looked at workforce data from 2025 found...
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‘We’re still fighting’
On May 14, 1963, the Louisville Board of Aldermen passed an ordinance banning racial discrimination at public businesses — a move that earned the city national praise. A New York Times piece republished in The Courier Journal on June 5, 1963, declared,...
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