12.22: Christmas Spirit - Hour 2

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, Kentucky, Ina.

Speaker 2 (00:01):
It is Kentucky INA's morning news here at news Radio
eight forty whas Coffee and Company. We are fueled about Thornton's.
Make sure you stop in this morning at Thornton's. If
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and they've got what you need to stay fueled for
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you're looking for something quick, convenient but just enough. They've

(00:21):
got the combo, the donut, any donut you want, and
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So again we are proudly fueled by Thornton's.

Speaker 1 (00:29):
John. It is the second day of winter. That's right.

Speaker 3 (00:32):
Yesterday was the solstice, the shortest day of the year.
That means if you're somebody who hates the darkness, that
means every day from here on out that's going to
get a little bit lighter until we get to the
day that the time changes. Once again.

Speaker 2 (00:44):
What a way to tee it up for me. What
a lobb you've given me here, because I can tell
you that today we gained two whole seconds of day.

Speaker 1 (00:53):
Just two seconds.

Speaker 2 (00:54):
It's slow progress, but it is progress for those who
hate the winter darkness. As winter is here, we act
actually get a little less darkness. Again, you're welcome two
more seconds of daylight today, So again, great progress. But
yesterday winter officially began at ten oh three am. So
of the seasons, and I feel like an idiot not

(01:18):
knowing this, maybe others are like me, And if so,
I guess I'm not calling you an idiot. Maybe it
just means I'm not as dumb as I feel as
I say this, I didn't realize that winter is the
shortest of the seasons. I thought they were all the same,
so did I. Okay, all right, so I'm not the
only one who didn't know. Maybe we're not alone here.
But the shortest is winter. It's eighty nine days, so

(01:38):
they're relatively they're relatively close. Summer is the longest at
ninety four days, so it feels like they're all relatively
the same. So that's But again, winter is the shortest,
and I'm sure it seems like the longest, as you say,
just because most people just want it to end and
they want that sunlight, the warmer weather, and I totally
get it. So when it comes to the snowfall. I

(02:02):
mean again, we're we're on track to even if we
get a little bit of snow in the actual winter
season here, we're going to exceed what the what the
average has been. And I don't think we're not We're
not in for a record, I don't think, or at least
I hope not. But yeah, the December showed up with
winter weather that we typically don't get around here at all,

(02:23):
that that early. So we're gonna be warm the rest
of this well, mildly warm for December, which I think
is you know, for the most part, I think folks
would prefer that rather than it being you know, the
teens or the single digits. But we'll see, I doesn't
look as if as we you know, as you project
as far as you can. It's not like we're looking at,
you know, a real stretch of just really cold, brutal temperatures.

(02:44):
But again, it's nothing like what we had for I
guess what felt like a good chunk of December, I.

Speaker 3 (02:49):
Mean Christmas, even Christmas Day, I think they're going to
be in the load of mid sixties at least if
you look at it right now, those may be the
warmest days of the month. I feel like we've had
on what p well normally would hopefully get. You know,
if you're expecting snow, we're hoping for snow. It's kind
of the opposite of what you're getting this week.

Speaker 1 (03:05):
Yep.

Speaker 2 (03:06):
And just some records as far as the first day
of winter here in Louisville, the highest temperature ever recorded
was in twenty thirteen, not that long ago, and it
was seventy Wow, you have seventy degrees now the warmest
December day ever. So again, not just the first day
of December, but the warmest December day ever. And this
just sounds crazy, but in nineteen eighty two, on December third,

(03:27):
it was seventy seven degrees, which I mean.

Speaker 1 (03:31):
You're going to open the pool up?

Speaker 2 (03:32):
Yeah, I mean, I think I'm pretty sure. On December
the third of this year, we were I think that
was whenever it was the first snow. Yeah, we were
under we were we were under snow.

Speaker 1 (03:42):
So yeah.

Speaker 2 (03:43):
And now the coldest temperature ever on the first day
of winter is negative fifteen. That was in nineteen eighty nine,
so uh yeah, we're nowhere near there. Which again fifteen, yeah,
that was in nineteen eighty nine. Now the average high
in December, we're looking at between forty four and forty
seven degrees. The average low is around twenty nine to

(04:04):
thirty three. So again I think we're we're going to
be on the higher side as we finish up the
month of December. And I'm sure many people again would
prefer that than the brutal cold tempts that you that
you can get and we learned that that you can
get it, because that's how this month. It's how that
this month got started, all right. So what I want
to get to coming up here on the other side
is a look at some of the biggest holiday scams

(04:28):
that Americans keep falling for. And some of these I'm
sure you've heard of some of them, maybe you've been
a victim of these scams. But this gives us a
little bit of information as to maybe why this time
of year you see people fall for it more than
they typically do, not just because it's more you know,
the scammers, no, it's their time to shine. But we
can get into that a little bit and a lot more,

(04:50):
including some there's no there's no added information from Jim Beam,
but I do want to get back into the conversation
just about their decision that they've made to stop production.
Just to clarify, they're not shutting down. They're still going
to have the tours set up and all that. It's
just it's a financial decision that really doesn't speak to

(05:12):
the popularity of it.

Speaker 1 (05:13):
Right.

Speaker 2 (05:13):
It's not like, hey, we're going to stop producing because
nobody wants it. It's just when you realize what is
paid on taxes when it comes to just these bourbon barrels, it,
you know, from what I can tell, seems like a
smart decision financially. All right, let's get to a quick
time out trafficking. Weather updates on the way right here
at news Radio eight forty whas. So, of course it's

(05:35):
local news. You've probably already heard about it. I know
you've heard about it this morning, and of course you'll
hear about it nationally because that's the kind of news
that it is. But Jim Beam is going to pause disillay,
they're gonna no longer. They're going to pause I guess
operations when it comes to distilling their product at their
main facility here in Kentucky beginning in twenty twenty six,
so in just a little over a week, So this

(05:59):
move is according to a spokesperson for the company, it's
to take the opportunity to invest in site enhancements. So
what this means is despite no longer producing, they're going
to still be open. The visitors center is still going
to be there. They've got a restaurant that's still going
to be open, and bottling and warehousing operations will continue

(06:20):
at that at the Claremont campus. So there's no timeline
yet on if distillation is going to resume any at
any certain point. But again, this is a move that
I just think when you look at it from the
financial standpoint, it makes sense. I mean, the Kentucky barrel

(06:40):
tax is something I'll admit wasn't super familiar with. Had
no clue that we're the only state that taxes this stuff.
So obviously bourbon, it's Kentucky's crown jewel, and that's always
been the case demand in the last fifteen twenty years.
I mean, if you didn't realize that this is absolutely

(07:02):
something we're known for. It's something people come here for.
And I'm sure most people are aware of that. But
if you've been here your whole life and you just
you know, you're in your own bubble, maybe you didn't
realize that if somebody is interested in bourbon, the bourbon culture,
that kind of stuff, we are where they want to
be to experience it. But Kentucky's the only state currently
and the only place globally that taxes aging barrels of

(07:22):
distilled spirits. So this this tax, I mean, it's it's
it's hit a boiling point, it seems. So Kentucky distillers
are giving up roughly seventy five million dollars in barrel
taxes in twenty twenty five alone. So that sounds like
a lot of money, because it is a lot of money.
But let's look at the increase here. That's up twenty
seven percent since twenty twenty four. It's up one hundred

(07:46):
and sixty three percent over the past five years. So
here's an inventory reality for them. A record sixteen point
one billion barrels of bourbon are aging here in Kentucky warehouses.
Think about that sixteen point one million barrels of bourbon.
So with that you're getting taxed. Right, the longer bourbon ages,

(08:09):
the more valuable it becomes. But it becomes more expensive
because of that higher tax bill that you have. So
I mean, with those kind of numbers. You can be
booming business wise but still have to make some decisions
that are just smarter for you from a from a
financial standpoint. I mean, we're we're built on Bourbon and

(08:33):
I don't see that ever changing. But I wouldn't be
shocked if anybody else makes the same makes the same
decision here. So again, it's it is kind of funny
if you think about the fact that when it you know,
when you look at just the the process of bourbon, right,
the longer that it ages, the more valuable it is,
the more the more high dollar it is. But it

(08:55):
also it's going to cost them a lot more money
to let something say around like that.

Speaker 1 (09:01):
So again, this.

Speaker 2 (09:04):
Is certainly big news, but as of right now, there's
no layoffs expected. I don't even think this means that
the industry should be I mean again, it's this state
taxing those in the industry that that are going to
lead to these going to lead to these decisions. And
again I think these decisions, I think they I think
they make sense.

Speaker 1 (09:20):
So yeah, if.

Speaker 2 (09:23):
You've got a I mean, you could have business continuing
to grow and boom, but yet when you see in
a five year stretch you've got one hundred and sixty
three percent increase in your in your taxes. I mean
that's it's a lot of money. All right, Let's get
to a quick TRAPVCK and weather update. We'll also talk
some sports with Scott Fitzgerald coming up on the other side,

(09:45):
and I believe we're going to talk a little bit
about Tyler Shuck, former Louisville QB, who is each week
looking more and more likely to be a strong candidate
for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. And the Saints
looks like they, at least right now, they probably feel
pretty good about that second round investment that made on
Tyler Shock. All right, quick update to tracking him bother
right here right now on news Radio eight forty whas.

(10:07):
It's okay, John Shannon, It's Coffee and Company, and we
are field about Thornton's.

Speaker 1 (10:11):
People know, at least I hope they do. If you
didn't know, now you do.

Speaker 2 (10:14):
Again. It is Coffee and Company, and we are field
about Thornton's here at news Radio eight forty whas. Full
crew here as we get this Christmas week started. Nick Coffee.
That is me the company man, John All alongside John Shannon.
You just heard him and then of course Scott will
be back with another sports update in about twenty minutes
or so, but you may notice a smoother commute this morning.
As of course, most schools are out for Christmas Break.

(10:38):
For some reason, when I was a kid, Christmas Break John,
it felt like it was two months long. It did.

Speaker 1 (10:42):
It really did.

Speaker 2 (10:43):
When it ended, it was, you know, a little different,
like where did time go? But knowing I was about
to have two weeks off of school, I remember thinking like,
who knows what life's going to be like when I return,
because it's going to be such a you know, I
don't know the perception of time. I don't really remember
having any thought of it whenever I was younger, but man,
I remember thinking, man, the countdown to Christmas.

Speaker 3 (11:03):
Break, there's so many things that happen in those two weeks.
When you're a kid too, you have so many holidays, parties,
whatever it might be. You have New Years, so you
go into a new calendar year before you start the
next semester of school. So there's probably that perception for
kids that so many things and a lot of time
has actually gone by, because you go back and it's
you know, for example, this year it's gonna be twenty

(11:25):
twenty six the next time these kids are in school.

Speaker 2 (11:27):
Yeah, is you think it happens any before Christmas, before
we get out of here for the for the Christmas break,
that we get hit with see you next year. I mean,
especially those who are going to use their vacation time
to you know, not come back until next year.

Speaker 3 (11:41):
I think one person, one colleague of ours, is already
doing that. Mister Venetti, he won't be in here this week.

Speaker 2 (11:45):
Yeah, he hit me with that as we were leaving
a wedding reception the other night. Okay, very very didn't
expect it from him, but you know, it's it's the
easy go to. But yeah, and look, I credit anybody
who is strategically timing out their cation to where they
get the Christmas break essentially that the kids get in school.

Speaker 1 (12:04):
I mean it's the best. That's the best thing to do,
no doubt about it.

Speaker 2 (12:07):
And uh, I guess I've been able to do that
for so long, and I just didn't because I had this,
you know, when I was when I was in the
sports talk world, I was very much mindful of all right,
you need to be on the air when big things
are going on. And I'm not really sure how true
that ever was, because you know, in what we do
and really what a lot of people do when it

(12:27):
comes to content, you got to go where the people are.
And we didn't lose people. They're still around. But during
the holiday season, everybody's schedule is different and a lot
of people are on different routines and whatnot, or maybe
just not as checked in. Again, their daily routines likely changing,
and if their daily routine happens to include listening to
your show, it could it could. It could have your listeners,

(12:50):
your audience being a little bit different. But now this year,
I've clearly made made made it a point to take
some time off at the end of the year and
it's helped me kind of get into the holiday season.
So very happy about that, right. What I want to
get to coming up here in about fifteen about seven
minutes or so, is a discussion that we'll have once again,

(13:11):
because we've already had the discussion where somehow a violent
criminal who showed us that's what they are, that's what
they do, was free roaming the streets of Louisville, continuing
to be a violent criminal, and this time they put
officers at risk, So I mean, part of me says,
you can't make it up. But also I'm not totally

(13:32):
surprised because as we've seen, there are violent criminals that
have shown that that's what they do, that's who they are,
and judges continue to put them into society with the
rest of us, which is infuriating if you think about it.
But before that, real quick, John, your thoughts on the
first weekend of the college football Playoff. A few games Saturday,
of course, a Friday night game as well. I'm sure

(13:56):
if my team was in and I would be way
more into it.

Speaker 1 (13:58):
Oh yeah, it kind of felt like a chore for
to keep up with. What was it?

Speaker 3 (14:02):
I very much enjoyed the Friday night game between Alabama
and Oklahoma that looked like it was going to be
a blowout whenever it was seventeen to nothing and then
Alabama comes back ties and ends up winning thirty four
to twenty four. That was probably the best game of
the weekend. Miami in Texas A and m that was
just it was very boring for a while, and it
was still it was a close game at the end,
and it was kind of cool to see Miami knock

(14:24):
off an SEC team. But I'll say, I'll admit this,
I didn't watch the other two games at all. I
watched the NFL games on Saturday.

Speaker 2 (14:31):
And most people probably did. And it's hard for me
to say the heck with the with the G five teams,
don't put them in. They don't belong, They're they're a
lower caliber, because I don't want to do it and
make it sound like I think that the teams that
were left out should have gotten in, because I think
there are teams that clearly if they played one on one,

(14:53):
it was if it was a matchup, you know, between
James Madison and Vandy, Vandy's probably went in ten out
of ten, t right, But like that doesn't mean that
they belong and they deserve to be there, because if
we just make it about well who's the better team,
why play any game. Let's just go off these preseason
rankings and just run with that. So A and M
to me, is the perfect example of what is going

(15:13):
to continue to happen. And I don't see any any fix.
You have way too many teams in conferences, you only
play twelve games a year, and you only play nine
moving forward, nine league games. There's going to be teams
that end up at the end of the season where
it's to be determined still if they're actually a legitimate

(15:34):
championship caliber team. A and M was a good team,
but A and M they didn't have any win to
speak of. And it's not because you know, they play
in a week league. It's just they didn't end up
getting any of the elite SEC teams on the schedule.
Their best win was Notre Dame. Notre Dame's best win
was who. So they played a Miami team that it's
clearly talented, good team for sure, but flawed and they

(15:56):
just they you know, they were outmatched. So the next
round of games I'm sure are going to be a
lot better and I'll be into it.

Speaker 3 (16:04):
But uh, New Year's even New Year's Days, Yes, way
to do it.

Speaker 1 (16:07):
Hey, how about this? How about Indiana being a touchdown
favorite over Bama? I saw this one.

Speaker 3 (16:12):
What Alabama's largest point spread as a dog in seventeen season.

Speaker 1 (16:16):
It's the Signette effect. That's what we call it.

Speaker 3 (16:18):
Signetti effect.

Speaker 2 (16:19):
I mean, that's what we call it. And I uh,
I mean, the more I watch the other teams out there,
like if you're still just trying to base it off
of who do you think is going to have the
most success in the playoff based off their conference? I'm
not sure the SEC should be pounding its chest. We'll
see what happens, right, They're gonna get a chance to
play it out. Obviously, Bama beat an SEC team to
get there. But I wouldn't be shocked if the Hoosiers
role here just because they've shown to be that good.

(16:40):
And I still think they bam be excited. Nick, Yeah,
I'm ready, I'm ready. All right, let's get to a
qui update of trafficking weather right here at news Radio
eight forty whas. So, we do have a situation on
I sixty five South. We've got a vehicle fire that
has causing some real traffic issues here. So this is
I sixty five south near University Boulevard there, that's mile

(17:04):
marker one thirty three. Consider it just sixty five south
near the UFL campus near Eastern Parkway. That's where the
camera is right now. And yeah, it does not look good.
You've got the right two lanes that are blocked. Also
the right ramp and right shoulder that is blocked, so
causing some issues there. We'll keep you updated on that
as best we can, Bobby Ellis. We'll be back with

(17:25):
another update coming up here in just just a minute
or so. But yeah, not a great way to get
our Monday started here as Christmas Week gets off to
a traffic nightmare seemingly. I don't want to put it
in too much of a panic, but again, the visual
here from this camera does not look like there's really
much movement going on at all, as those right two
lanes are blocked. But hey, I have seen some mornings

(17:46):
where I would just have thought when that's gonna be,
it's gonna be hours, and they get it cleaned up
and moved out of the way quicker than I would
have expected. So again, we'll keep you updated this morning,
Bobby Ellis, We'll be back in just a moment. Let's
talk real quick about my friends at the louisvill Men's Clinic.
They've been helping gentlemen in the Kentucky and area for
over ten years now, and it's really simple what they do.

(18:06):
They help men when it comes to improving their quality
of life in a variety of ways, and when it
comes to your quality of life not having your testosterone
levels where they need to be, you know, It's not
just about being more of a masculine man. People here testosterone,
they just assume masculinity and and and all that comes
with it. And that's not for an incorrect reason, but

(18:29):
I just think people should know there's way more to
it than that. As far as just you know, your
your your quality of life. You can have fatigue, if
your levels are low, you can you can even have
some mental you know, just you're just your you know
your psyche, your mental health can be impacted. So I
promise you, uh, if you go talk to my friends,

(18:49):
the little of Men's Clinic and you you know, you
do their Q and A that they have with you,
you may end up realizing that you could you could
be better off when it comes to low T maybe
ed even weight loss therapy. They've got options there. So
work on yourself, right, I mean, you never know. I
mean everything in your life can certainly improve if you

(19:10):
as an individual are are in a better place mentally physically.
And I know they've they've been doing that for countless
men in the area. That's how they've been open for
ten years. A lot of so called competitions coming gone,
not the Loisville Men's Clinic They've got a great team there,
and I encourage.

Speaker 1 (19:27):
You just go have a conversation with them.

Speaker 2 (19:29):
Maybe some of the things I've said throughout the mornings
when I talk about what they've done for me, maybe
you realize you could benefit from it too. Well, don't
put it off. Give them a call today. I FABO
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Check them out online at Louisvillemen's Clinic dot com. Quick
update of trafficking weather, and then we'll talk some sports
once again with Scott Fitzgerald on the other

Speaker 1 (19:45):
Side right here at news Radio eight forty whas