11.26.25

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning everybody, and happy Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving,
and welcome to the reading of the Lexington Hell Leader.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
For today.

Speaker 1 (00:09):
It is Wednesday, November twenty sixth and your reader is
Rod Brotherton. As reminder, Radio I is a reading service
intended for people who are blind or have other disabilities
that make it difficult to read printed material. Last week
in November, our weather's still looking pretty good. Our seven

(00:29):
day forecast is this Today it will be windy and
cooler with a high of fifty. Tonight much colder and breezy,
with a low of twenty eight, but it'll feel like nineteen,
so bundle up and stay inside if you can. Thursday
it will be sunny and breezy, high of forty, low
twenty three. Friday also sunny but cold, with a high

(00:51):
of only thirty seven and a low of twenty three. Saturday,
cold and rain will come at night, with a higher
forty one and thirty seven. Sunday it'll be cloudy, high
forty seven, low thirty six. Monday low clouds that may
break into sunshine, but the highest forty seven in the
lowest thirty four.

Speaker 2 (01:12):
And Tuesday snow and rain in the morning, and it
will be cloudy.

Speaker 1 (01:18):
Looking at the almanac, Yesterday's high and low fifty seven
and thirty four normal fifty two and thirty four. Last
year it was sixty and thirty three. The record high
in nineteen seventy three was seventy and the record low
in nineteen fifty was three. Precipitation on Monday one hundredth
of an inch. Month to date we've had two point

(01:40):
two eight normal is two point six one. Year to date,
we've had a whopping fifty six point seven inches, while
the normal is only forty four point eight eight. Last
year we were nearly dead on that with forty four
point eight five. The record free yesterday's date was ninety
eight hundreds of an inch in twenty eight. For the
sun and the moon, the sun rose this morning at

(02:02):
seven thirty one. It will set tonight at five point twenty.
The moon came up at twelve thirty earlier this morning,
and it will set at one minute before eleven later today.
And our weather trivia, which United States President was also
an avid weather observer, none other than George Washington himself.

(02:25):
All right, let's take a look at the headlines for
this Wednesday. The first story, nonprofit alleges hostile takeover of
charitable fund. The organizers of an eastern Kentucky charitable fund
are under fire for allegedly hijacking control of the organization
away from the Lexington based nonprofit that owns it shortly

(02:49):
after the death of its wealthy founder last year. An
ongoing dispute over management of the Magoffin County Community Foundation
spilled in federal court last week. Lexington's Bluegrass Community Foundation
filed a suit against the Macgoffin County group and its
chairwoman November seventeenth, claiming local county organizers are infringing on

(03:15):
its trademark, stealing donors, and abandoning fiduciary duties to act
in the best interest of the original fund. Control of
the foundation could determine the fate of millions of dollars
in a wealthy former Magoffin County resident left in his will.
The Macgoffin County Community Foundation grants scholarships to high school

(03:40):
seniors and runs an annual community Day to help prop
up the area's nonprofit food banks, emergency responders, and after
school programs, among other organizations. Recently, it helped fund the
construction of a new Magoffin County Career and Tech Center.
Donna sall president of the Salliersville National Bank, incorporated a

(04:04):
new nonprofit called the Magoffin County Community Foundation incorporated in August,
according to state public records, but an organization going by
that name already exists according to the Bluegrass Foundation legal filing,
and until recently, Sallier also served on its board of directors.

(04:26):
The original fund was set up more than twenty three
years ago by Scotty Patrick, a wealthy retiree who was
born and raised in Mcgoffin County. Patrick partnered with the
bc BGCF to handle the legal, administrative, and financial requirements
associated with creating a charitable organization, he wrote in a

(04:48):
twenty twenty two blog post on the Lexington Foundation's website.
Patrick died in twenty twenty four, and now Silure, the
executor of his estate, is attempting to wrestle away control
of the affiliate fund and redirect money from Patrick's estate
to the new fund she has created. According to the lawsuit,

(05:11):
it appears that Sallier, who exercises control over the new foundation,
intended and intends to divert state assets or other donations
from their intended recipients, and to utilize the goodwill of
the affiliate fund of the Magoffin County community for her
own profit and for that of the new foundation. The

(05:32):
lawsuit reads, the new identically named foundation, Salure incorporated this
summer is intended to improve the lives of the citizens
of Magoffin County through education, support for local initiatives, and
relief for the local disasters. The new fund has the

(05:53):
same objective as the original BGCF fund, and Salor established
it without BGCF knowledge or consent. According to the suit,
the new foundation's articles of incorporation list its mailing address
as the bank where Salure works. BGCF claimed Sallier has
attempted to bring the proceeds of one investment fund under

(06:17):
the control of the estate even though BGCF is the
designated beneficiary. In August, she secured a Magoffin County District
Court order to pay the proceeds of a three million
dollar Fidelity brokerage account to the estate, telling the court
and the BGCF owned fund Patrick set up in name

(06:38):
of his late parents does not exist, according to court
records and the Herald Leader that the Herald Leader obtained
such a fund does exist, and Salier knows that it exists,
the lawsuit reads. Sallier did not respond to multiple hero
Leader requests for comment. The original foundation has been a

(07:00):
staple part of the Salliersville community, helping put hundreds of
local residents through college and raising more than one million
dollars for local nonprofits. Magoffin County Judge Executive Matt Wiseman
said the county organizes an annual community Day that steers
donors to unique county needs and matches their donations. He added,

(07:25):
when an e F three tornado packing winds in excess
of one hundred and sixty miles an hour tour through
Saliersville in twenty twelve, the Community Foundation played an instrumental
role in helping the fund reconstruction efforts and rejuvenate the
city's spirit. Wiseman said the foundation has been really good

(07:45):
to our volunteer fire departments and all of the local nonprofits,
he said. He said he was not aware of a
fight over the foundation's control. Members of the new foundation's
board of directors could not be reached for comment. A
lawyer for BGCF said the foundation's policy is not to
comment on pending litigation. BGCF helps establish and manage the

(08:11):
assets of the charitable funds in the Greater Lexington area
and eastern Kentucky. The organization helps establish local advisory boards
and assists them in awarding grants and funding projects that
meet the needs of their communities, according to the foundation website,
but the advisory board typically exercise significant power and discretion

(08:34):
over the distribution of money from each fund, according to
the lawsuit. The next story, Senator Kelly faces Pentagon probe
after Trump's accusation. The Pentagon says it is reviewing whether
Senator Mark Kelly, an Arizona Democrat and retired Navy captain,

(08:54):
may have violated military law after he appeared in a
video with several other laws makers urging U S service
members to reject unlawful orders. The announcement, posted Monday on
the department's social media accounts, referenced a federal statute that
allows retired military personnel to be recalled to active duty

(09:16):
by the Defense Secretary for potential court martial or other
administrative action. Kelly, a former Navy fighter pilot who later
became a NASA astronaut, retired at the rank of captain.
It is highly unusual for the Pentagon long known for
publicly avoiding partisan disputes before the Trump's second administration to

(09:39):
signal possible legal action toward a sitting member of Congress.
In its statement, the Department suggests Kelley's remarks could have
affected the loyalty, morale, or good order and discipline of
the armed forces, citing a federal law that prohibits efforts
to undermine those standards.

Speaker 2 (10:00):
A thorough review.

Speaker 1 (10:02):
Of these allegations has been initiated to determine further actions,
which may include recall to active duty for court martial
proceedings or administrative measures.

Speaker 2 (10:13):
The statement said.

Speaker 1 (10:15):
Kelly was one of six former military or intelligence officials
in the video released last Tuesday speaking directly to members
of the military. In his comments, Kelly told troops that
you can refuse illegal orders, while others in the group
urged service members to uphold the law and the Constitution.

(10:37):
The Defense Department, which has rebranded itself as the Department
of War, wrote on x the Department of War has
received serious allegations of misconduct against Captain Mark Kelly, USN.
Retired in accordance with the Uniform Code of Military Justice
ten USC Section six eight eight and other applicable regulations.

(11:00):
A thorough review of these allegations has been initiated to
determine further actions, which may include recall to active duty
for court martial proceedings or administrative measures. This matter will
be handled in compliance with military law, ensuring due process
and impartiality. Further official comments will be limited to preserve

(11:24):
the integrity of the proceedings. The Department of War reminds
all individuals that military retirees remain subject to the Uniform
Code of Military Justice for applicable offenses and federal laws
such as eighteen US Code Section two three eight seven,
which prohibits actions intended to infere with the interfere with

(11:45):
a loyalty, morale, or good order and discipline of the
Armed forces. Any violations will be addressed through appropriate legal channels.
All service members are reminded that they have a legal
obligation under the Uniform Code of Military JABS Justice to
obey lawful orders, and that orders are presumed to be lawful.

(12:06):
Service member's personal philosophy does not justify or excuse the
disobedience of an otherwise lawful order. The next story, Trump
allows more foreign ag workers and eases off farm raids
in a tacit admission that US food production requires foreign labor.

(12:29):
The Trump administration is making it easier for farmers to
employ guest workers from other countries. At the same time,
US immigration and Customs enforcement in recent months appear to
be refraining from conducting agricultural workplace raids, even as it
scours democratic led cities for immigrants who were in the

(12:50):
country illegally. We really haven't seen agricultural targeted with work
side enforcement efforts. In early this year, we did, and
said Julia Gillott, Associate director of US Immigration Policy at
the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank. The shifts

(13:11):
come as many Americans are concerned about the rising costs
of food, creating political problems for a president who campaigned
on lowering them.

Speaker 2 (13:22):
This month, the.

Speaker 1 (13:23):
Administration also announced it would lift tariffs on some foreign
food products, including bananas, beef, coffee, and tomatoes, to ease
labor shortages on farms and ranches. The administration last month
made changes to the federal h dash to a Visa program,
which allows employers to hire foreign workers for temporary agricultural

(13:47):
jobs when there aren't enough US born workers available.

Speaker 2 (13:51):
Under the new rule, the Department of Homeland Security will
quickly approve h two A visas.

Speaker 1 (14:00):
Our immigration system has been broken for decades, and we
finally have a president who is enforcing the law and
prioritizing fixing program. Farmers and ranchers to rely on produce
that's the safest and most productive food supply in the world,
The US Department of Agriculture set in an email to
state Line, but the move to increase the number and

(14:22):
supply of foreign agricultural workers conflicts with the July statement
by the Agricultural Secretary Brook Rawlins that the promise to
America to ensure that we have hundred percent American workforce stands.
Rollins also said the administration was committed to the mass
deportation of immigrants who are here illegally, but that it

(14:46):
would be strategic so as not to compromise our food supply. Ultimately,
she said the solution would be increased automation of agricultural jobs.
The government has issued about four hundred and twenty thousand
H two A visas for agricultural workers every year since
twenty twenty three, which amounts to about half of the

(15:09):
eight hundred and twelve thousand agricultural worker jobs. They are
concentrated in states that grow fruits and vegetables as opposed
to grains, which are increasingly planted and harvested using machines.
The government expects an additional one hundred and nineteen thousand
visas to be issued under the new rule. Almost half

(15:32):
of the H two A visas in the twenty twenty
five fiscal year were in Florida sixty thousand, Georgia forty
four thousand, California thirty seven thousand, Washington State thirty six thousand,
and North Carolina twenty eight thousand. The new H two
A rule also includes new hourly wage guidelines that vary

(15:54):
by state but are lower than previous wages, and allows
employers to charge workers for housing that used to be free.
In North Carolina, for instance, the new rate is eleven
dollars and nine cents for unskilled workers, compared with sixteen
dollars and sixteen cents last year. In California, the rate

(16:15):
is thirteen dollars and forty five cents for unskilled workers,
compared with nineteen dollars in ninety seven cents last year,
though minimum wage laws in California and some other states
would apply to those jobs. According to a Cornell University analysis,
the administration quickly walked back a June directive to avoid

(16:37):
raids on the agriculture and hospitality industries. Nevertheless, Ice raids
on those employers have been more infrequent in the month since.
In June, ICE rated a dairy farm in New Mexico
and a meat packing plant in Nebraska. Since then, the
agency has rated only a handful of food and agriculture employers,

(17:00):
such as a July raid on a California merrill water
grower and an Arizona restaurant chain, and a September raid
to arrest Wisconsin dairy workers, and finally on the front
page fact checking Trump's latest claims on affordability ahead of
Thanksgiving and amid frustration among American consumers or over affordability,

(17:25):
President Trump has recently insisted, often wrongly, that prices and
costs were coming down.

Speaker 2 (17:31):
I want for people to.

Speaker 1 (17:32):
Recognize a great job that I've done on pricing on affordability,
because we brought prices way down, he said at an
event built as the McDonald's Impact Summit on November seventeen.

Speaker 2 (17:45):
But that was false.

Speaker 1 (17:46):
Overall, prices have increased under Trump, with the Consumer Price
Index up three percent in September over the same time
last year. President Trump is just getting started implementing the
policies that created historic economic prosperity in his first term,
and Americans can rest assured that the best is yet
to come.

Speaker 2 (18:06):
Pushed to sigh, a White House.

Speaker 1 (18:08):
Spokesperson said in a statement, here is a fact check
on some of the President's recent claims.

Speaker 2 (18:15):
What he said.

Speaker 1 (18:17):
Walmart just announced that the cost of their standard Thanksgiving
meal has reduced twenty five percent this year from last year,
and a speech at an investment forum on Wednesday, this
is misleading. While it is true that Walmart announced that
this year's Thanksgiving meal, its annual basket of items for

(18:38):
a holiday spread, would cost twenty five percent less than
last year, the contents of thisst this year's basket were
considerably different. Walmart, which began offering the basket in twenty
twenty two, said in a news release last year that
its Thanksgiving meal then included twenty nine items, which total
about fifty five dollars. This year's basket included twenty two items,

(19:02):
totaling just less than forty dollars, a decrease of about
twenty five percent. The baskets also included different items, different
brands and different sizes. For example, the twenty twenty four
basket included a frozen turkey weighing between ten and sixteen
pounds at a cost of eighty eight cents a pound,
while the twenty twenty five basket included a thirteen and

(19:25):
a half pound turkey at a cost of ninety seven
cents per pound. The twenty twenty five basket does not
include nine of the twenty twenty four items.

Speaker 2 (19:34):
But added four new items.

Speaker 1 (19:36):
And among items, and both years baskets, fried onions and
mushroom soup came in smaller amounts this year. The twenty
nine items and Walmart's twenty twenty four basket cost forty
nine dollars on November twenty first, before tax and including
current special deals. That's seven percent lower than last year,

(19:58):
but prices for.

Speaker 2 (19:59):
Many items may vary by location and date.

Speaker 1 (20:02):
FactCheck dot org recreated the basket on November twelfth at
a cost of fifty one dollars. The American Farm Bureau,
which has tracked prices since the nineteen eighties, estimated that
the cost of a Thanksgiving meal is down five percent
from last year, marking the third consecutive year with a

(20:23):
decline since the record high in twenty twenty two. According
to the USDA, turkey is down. Think of what thirty
three percent? In a Wednesday speech, Well that's false. It's
not clear what Trump was referring to, but the Agricultural
Department data shows that the cost of turkey has.

Speaker 2 (20:42):
Risen, not declined.

Speaker 1 (20:44):
For the week ending November twenty first, the most recent
available data, a fresh young hen cost a dollar sixty
six a pound wholesale, and a frozen hen is a
dollar sixty eight per pound wholesale. Those prices are up
up from a dollar eighteen per pound for a fresh
turkey and ninety eight cents a pound for frozen turkeys

(21:05):
in the weekending November fifteenth, twenty twenty four. A recent
report from Purdue University estimated that the wholesale turkey prices
had surged by seventy five percent since last year, driven
by avian flu outbreaks, but the report noted retailer discounts
may cause greater variations.

Speaker 2 (21:24):
And prices at the grocery store.

Speaker 1 (21:26):
In fact, and expensive turkeys are often used as an
enticement known as a loss leader. The farm bureaus survey
estimate that the price of a sixteen pound turkey was
twenty five dollars and sixty seven cents in twenty twenty four,
compared with twenty one dollars and fifty cents this year,
about a sixteen percent decline.

Speaker 2 (21:49):
Gasoline is way down.

Speaker 1 (21:50):
I think you'll be seeing two dollars gasoline, but we're
now two fifty two forty five.

Speaker 2 (21:55):
Some are lower than that.

Speaker 1 (21:57):
It was four fifty to five dollars, six dollars, three
dollars and fifty cents three dollars seventy five percents under
Biden in a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammad ben Solomon
of Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. Well, this is exaggerated because
the average price of gas hit a record high in
June of twenty twenty two at five dollars a gallon

(22:17):
before declining, and while gas prices have decreased slightly since
Trump took office this year, is overstating the decline and
understating the price under his administration.

Speaker 2 (22:29):
The average price of.

Speaker 1 (22:30):
Gas in the United States hasn't fallen below two dollars
and fifty cents since early of twenty twenty one, when
former President Biden took office. According to data from the
Energy Administration of the government Statistic Agency, the lowest average
gas price of Trump's second term came in the week
of ending October thirtieth, at three dollars and two cents

(22:51):
a gallon, fifty cents more.

Speaker 2 (22:53):
Than Trump had claimed.

Speaker 1 (22:55):
In the weekend of November seventeen, the average price was
three dollars at six six cents a gallon, and that
was a one point six decrease percent decrease from three
dollars and eleven cents for the week ending January twentieth,
and a tiny increase from three dollars and five cents
at the same point last year, although in Lexington, I'm
sure you can find gas cheaper than that. In the

(23:18):
past six months, the price of breakfast items has fallen
fourteen percent. Bread prices are down, dairy prices are down.
The price of eggs has declined eighty six percent since March.
And he said that at the McDonald's smith packed someon
on November seventeen, but this needs context. Trump is correct

(23:38):
that the prices of some breakfast items have declined, but
he's omitting that the prices of other stables have increased.
Trump appeared to be citing a report from the door Dash,
the food delivery company, that estimated a fourteen percent decline
in the company's Breakfast Basics Index, which includes three eggs,
a glass of milk, a bagel, and an avocados spread

(24:00):
at cost five dollars and seven cents in March compared
with four dollars and thirty five cents in September. Based
on data from retailers consistently available on door Dash, the
prices of eggs and avocados declined, driving the dip in
the index, while the prices of bagels and milk were
virtually unchanged. Door Dash's data also tracks with data from

(24:22):
the Bureau of Labor Statistics, would show a forty four
percent decline in the price of eggs from March to
September and a thirty four percent decline in the producer
price index for avocados from April to August. The wholesale
price of eggs has declined even more dramatically, from eight
dollars and seven cents a dozen in late February to

(24:44):
two dollars and twenty two cents a dozen in mid November.
The average price of white bread has declined by three
percent from January to September, while the price of milk
is increased by about two and a half percent. The
cost mists of many other breakfast items were not mentioned
by Trump have increased since he took office, coffee by

(25:06):
thirty percent as of September, macon by three and a
half percent, orgaes by eighteen percent, of potatoes by four
Overall grocery food measures as food at home were up
two point seven percent in September over the same time
last year. And next crews reopened new Circle ramps to

(25:27):
busy Lexington Road in time for holiday travel. The new
Circle Road entrance and exit ramps at Lee'stown Road reopened
Sunday evening, nearly two weeks ahead of schedule. According to
the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, The ramps were supposed to remain
closed until December fifth, while crews sped up the widening

(25:50):
and interchange reconstruction project that has been ongoing in the
area for months. The work was completed ahead of schedule
and drivers are now able to use the ramps to
and from Leestown Road for Thanksgiving holiday travel. The Transportation
Cabinet said the project is part of a larger push

(26:12):
to boost traffic capacity on New Circle Road between Versales
Road and Newtown Pike, converting it to three lanes in
both directions. Construction workers are also converting the Lee's Town
New Circle Road interchange into a double crossover diamond with
interchange with two signalized intersections where traffic crosses over to

(26:38):
the left side of the roadway then back to the
right as it exits. Construction is expected to be completed
in the summer of twenty twenty seven. According to the
Cabinet Transportation Secretary, the project has resulted in a lot
of traffic in the Leestown New Circle Road corridor. On

(27:00):
Umber ninth, the New Circle Road entrance and exit ramps
were blocked off to expedite the project, but crews were
able to open the ramps to turn right turns a
week later ahead of schedule. Lee's Town Road traffic remains
one lane each direction in the right lane, with the

(27:22):
goal of returning the road to two lanes in the
each direction by the end of the year. The Transportation
Cabinet set Updates on when the left lanes will reopen
will be announced as the project progresses and next Estonian
National sentenced in Russian based fraud scheme worth ten billion

(27:43):
dollars and Estonian national was sentenced for participating in a
ten billion dollar international money laundering scheme in Lexington with
ties to Russia. Alexander Lies twenty six was sentenced just
over two years for his involvement in an international health
care fraud and money laundering scheme. Liz pleaded guilty on

(28:07):
January fifteenth to conspiracy to commit Monday laundering after serving
as a nominee nominally owner of two fraudulent medical equipment companies,
one of which was in Northern Kentucky, that he used
to submit to Medicare and insurers. Bliss's attorneys requested that
he receive a sentence of time, sir, because he had
never been convicted of a crime before. And now, after

(28:31):
a short pause, I hope you rejoin us for a
continuation of the reading of the Lexington and Herald Leader
for today. Thank you for listening, and now please stay
tuned for more news right here on radio I Now
we will continue reading from the Lexington Herald for this Wednesday,
November twenty sixth. Your reader is Rod Brotherton, and as

(28:53):
always we start with the obituaries and read only the name, age, and.

Speaker 2 (28:56):
Location, if given.

Speaker 1 (28:58):
If you would like further information on any of the obituaries,
please see the website or call us during the weekdays
at eight five nine four two two sixty three ninety
and we will be glad to read the entire obituary
for you. I'll repeat the number at the end of
the listings. Today's obituary index starts with Cindy Ambrose sixty

(29:20):
seven of Lexington, and Freeman eighty eight of Arvada, Mary
Ann Harper eighty two of Lexington, Andrea McCool forty eight
of Lexington, and Joyce Whitzler Walker eighty five, also of Lexington.

(29:40):
If you would like any further information about any of
the listings today, please visit legacy dot com, slash obituary,
slash Kentucky, or you can call us at our Radio
I studios at eight five nine four two two sixty
three ninety and we will certainly try to read them
to you over the phone. Now, let's return earned to
today's news. Wednesday, November twenty sixth, the day before Thanksgiving

(30:06):
and turning to local politics, Kentucky candidate had a fundraiser
on his own church campus. He says there's no issue.
A fundraiser for Ryan Dotson, a candidate for Congress in
Kentucky's sixth congressional district, was held Thursday on the grounds
of the Winchester Church dots and leeds it's not against

(30:30):
any campaign finance law to host a fundraiser at a church. However,
the event at Lighthouse World Outreach Center, where Dotson is
lead pastor, does raise questions about how the event was
carried out. According to a federal campaign finance expert. Dotson's
campaign emphasized that everything about the event was above board.

(30:52):
No special benefit was conferred to Dotson's campaign by the church,
and it was not held in a sanctuary, and the
venue fairly compensated, the campaign stressed in a statement. A
businessman and pastor who has served as a state representative
based in Winchester since twenty twenty one, Dotson is one
of several people seeking to replace Central Kentucky US Representative

(31:16):
Andy Barr in twenty twenty six, as.

Speaker 2 (31:18):
Barr is running for the US Senate.

Speaker 1 (31:21):
Although the district has been in GOP hands for more
than a decade, candidates from both major parties are campaigning
vigorously as the district is anchored by a solidly blue
Lexington and seen by many as potentially competitive in the
general election.

Speaker 2 (31:38):
The November twentieth event.

Speaker 1 (31:40):
Was hosted by an associate pastor at Lighthouse World Outreach Center,
a pastor at the church in Mount Sterling and dotson
son in law, Jacob Windenstein, and an international evangelist who
has become popular on social media platforms like TikTok. Lighthouse
World Outreach also known as Lighthouse Church of God, made

(32:04):
a post on social media promoting the fundraiser. In response
to questions from The Herald Leader, Nick Nash, Dotson's campaign manager,
wrote that the campaign paid the exact same rate that
every other organizations and state event has paid for the
same amount of time at the venue, and that the
event space is available for rent to all members of

(32:26):
the church community. If a member of the Lighthouse community
would like to host a separate event for any other candidate,
they would be permitted to do so.

Speaker 2 (32:36):
Nash wrote.

Speaker 1 (32:37):
The event space a community room, often hosts birthdays, weddings,
graduation ceremonies, and other events hosted by the church members.
Nash added, friends, family, and volunteers of the Dotson campaign
put on the event and the food was donated. There
are very few venues in Winchester that can host the
types of crowds that Ryan Dotson gets, and we appreciate

(33:01):
the spotlight being placed on that Ryan is blessed to
be running a campaign that has the support of real
members of this community who host events for him and
show up wanting to help him secure a victory for them,
for God, and for our country. Nash wrote, political candidates
and religion have mixed in America for years, though church's

(33:22):
political participation has been limited since nineteen fifties, when former
President Lyndon B. Johnson, as a Senator, pushed to pass
legislation regulating it. Since then, churches are barred from electioneering
or intervening in elections, or else they risk losing their
tax exempt status. However, a recent change from the Internal

(33:45):
Revenue Service under President Trump allowed pastors and houses of
worship to endorse candidates. In an interview with The Herald Leader,
Eric Petrie, Elections Council for the progressive nonprofit the Brennan
Center said that the event would be legal under the
current interpretation of the law as long as certain criteria

(34:07):
were met, and those criteria include the venue being paid
for a fair market rate, that other campaigns could rent
the space under the same terms, and that the church
staff did not provide a special benefit to the campaign.
The campaign responded in the affirmative to all the above.
Federal law bars churches and other nonprofits from donating directly

(34:31):
to campaigns, so they cannot provide discounted space, staff time,
or other benefits beyond a normal rental arrangement.

Speaker 2 (34:42):
Petri said.

Speaker 1 (34:43):
Church staff also cannot volunteer services outside of the ordinary
scope of what a rented venue provides. One wrinkle that
Petrie added is that enforcement of these restrictions is incredibly rare.
The Federal Election Commission lacks a quorum and has long
been a hamstrung by partisan gridlock, making actions rare even

(35:06):
when violations occur. Petrie said that that's a problem that
has encouraged candidates to push boundaries. Having reviewed the dots
and campaign's responses to hair Leader questions, Petrie said that
it seems unlikely to raise an issue under current law,
assuming all provided information is accurate. Dotson is and by large,

(35:29):
the public face the Lighthouse World Outreach Center, according to
records filed with the Kentucky Secretary of State's office. He's
the president of the group. His father is listed as
the vice president. Paul Wyatt, the associate pastor and co
host of the fundraiser, has also been involved in politics.

(35:49):
In twenty twenty two, he was the Republican candidate for
County Jailor and lost a close race to Clark County
Jailer Frank Squattie Doyle and is joined on the Republican
side of the aisle by a few other candidates with
political pasts or resources at their command. Former State Senator

(36:10):
Ralph Alvarado, also of Winchester, is leading the fundraising race
among GOP candidates. He recently served as Commissioner of the
Tennessee Department of Health before stepping down from that role
and launching his run. Deanna Gordon, a state representative from Richmond,
is also running. Gordon and Dotson's total dollars raised figures

(36:32):
aren't too far behind Alvarado's, but unlike Alvarado, they had
to rely largely on personal loans to keep up, according
to records from the third quarter financials reports. Greg Plusinsky,
a retired pharmaceutical executive from Nicholasville, is also running to

(36:54):
fill bar seat as a Republican, Dotson has argued he's
the most conservative of the bunch and hasn't shied away
from religious themes in his campaign. At his campaign launch,
he compared himself to David, who slays the Philistine giant
Goliath in the Bible. Democrats running for the seat include

(37:14):
former federal prosecutor Zach Dembo, former Lexington City councilman David Klober,
businesswoman and Burbon writer Aaron Petree, and state former Representative
Sherilynn Stevenson. Next forget something for Thanksgiving dinner, Six grocery

(37:35):
stores in Lexington.

Speaker 2 (37:36):
Will be closed.

Speaker 1 (37:38):
If you need to run out for the forgotten ingredient
Thanksgiving Day, or just want to stock up before winter
weather arrives in Lexington, it pays to know which grocery
stores are open. The Thanksgiving holiday falls on Thursday, November
twenty seventh. This year, US Postal service offices will be
closed to observe the holidays, with most banks and government

(38:01):
offices from Costco to Kroger Many Central Kentucky grocery stores
are either closed or shutting the doors early for the holiday.
To save you the trouble or calling around or wasting
a trip. We've confirmed hours for Lexington grocery and liquor
stores below if you'd rather avoid cooking altogether. The Herald

(38:26):
Leader also has a local catering guide for Thanksgiving dinner.
Lexington grocery store hours Thanksgiving Day include the following. Aldy
is closed. Costco wholesale warehouses are closed. Good Food's co
Op is open every day from eight am to eight pm.

(38:47):
Kroger stores are closing early at four pm, and most
Kroger pharmacies will also be closed. Meyer stores are open
from six am to five pm.

Speaker 2 (38:59):
Thanksgiving.

Speaker 1 (39:01):
Sam's Club warehouses are closed. Save a Lot is open
from eight am to five pm. Target stores are closed.
Trader Joe's is closed, Walmart is closed.

Speaker 2 (39:17):
Whole Foods is.

Speaker 1 (39:18):
Open on Thanksgiving Day from seven am to one pm.
Major Lexington liquor store hours Thanksgivings Day include Liquor Barn
is open from eight am to eight pm. Total Wine
and More is open from nine am to six pm.
According to its website, Lexington will not offer trash pickup

(39:41):
services on Thursday or Friday, November twenty eighth due to
the holiday, and a notice on the city's website states
the city is also suspending yard waste collection during the
entire week of Thanksgiving. Yard waste collection resumes on your
regular day starting Monday, December on first. Residents and businesses

(40:03):
that normally have their trash picked up Thursday or Friday
will instead receive that service on Wednesday, November twenty sixth, today,
so make sure you place your trash and recycling carts
out on time. The city recommends doing that at four
pm on Tuesday or yesterday evening because trucks will start

(40:23):
pickups early this morning. For businesses with dumpsters for trash
and recycling normally picked up on Thursday or Friday, collection
day is today. The Hailey Pike Waste Management Facility, the
Lexington Recycle Center, and the Electronics Recycling Center will all

(40:44):
be closed between November twenty seventh and Sunday, November thirtieth.
For more information, contact lex Call at three one one
or eight five nine four two five twenty two fifty five.
You can also sign up for text or email alerts
via the city's website. Now Here's where weather may affect

(41:07):
Thanksgiving plans. It's Thanksgiving week, one of the busiest travel
times of the year. Weather forecasters said that a series
of storms sweeping across the country may disrupt travel plans,
with heavy rain and mountain snow expected in the days
before the holiday. Frank Pieria, a meteorologist at the Weather

(41:31):
Prediction Center, said significant snowfall totals were probable because of
lake affect snow following a storm system moving east from
the northern Rockies, especially from Wednesday until early Thursday, somewhere
on the order of four to six inches in the
Dakotas to Minnesota. He said parts of upper Michigan and

(41:54):
northern Wisconsin will also probably see some of the heaviest amounts,
upward of eighteen to twenty four inches in spots. Peeria
added that the snow would be accompanied by strong winds,
potentially leading to white out conditions and snow drifts. Other
storm systems over the southern plains, Peeria sid would also

(42:16):
be one of the biggest concerns leading up to Thanksgiving.
The storm is expected to bring areas of heavy rain
and severe weather to portions of the southeast beginning on Monday,
especially from northeast Texas into parts of Arkansas, northern Louisiana,
and across the Lower Mississippi Valley into Mississippi this week

(42:38):
through Thanksgiving Day, the mid Atlantic is expected to be
affected by a storm moving in from the southern Plains,
bringing two rounds of rain. The first should mostly clear
the region by Wednesday morning. The second should move in
early Wednesday and depart early Thanksgiving morning. Most of the
rainfall is expected to be light. Thanksgiving Day is expected

(43:03):
to be mostly pleasant with dry, bright conditions, though the
weather will probably turn colder as colder air gradually pours
in from the north, with a few snow showers possible
the rest of the week. A sharp drop in temperatures
expected beginning Friday, with highs in the thirties and forties.

(43:23):
Quiet weather holds through Saturday before another system spreads rain
over the region into the new week, with the heaviest
downpours expected starting Monday evening. As the storm moves into
Michigan's Upper Peninsula on Wednesday, it's expected to strengthen before
clearing into Canada by Wednesday night. However, Pieria said lake

(43:47):
snow affects. Snow was expected to develop in northern Wisconsin
and the Upper Peninsula, spreading across the remaining Great Lakes
region starting Thanksgiving morning. Aside from lake effects, snow around
the Great Lakes. Much of the Midwest should have a
dry and chilly Thanksgiving.

Speaker 2 (44:05):
Day the rest of the week.

Speaker 1 (44:07):
Lake Friday snow is expected to once again spread from
the Dakotas into Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, and possibly Wisconsin by
early Sunday. By Thanksgiving Day, the Southeast is expected to
be dry, mild, and pleasant the rest of the week,
though much colder air should arrive on Friday, sharply lowering temperatures. However,

(44:32):
southern Texas will remain warm, while a new storm is
expected to develop north of Texas, spreading further showers and
thunderstorms across parts of the Southeast from Saturday until early
next week. Next the Fayette County Board of Education files
lawsuits to take property for a new school by imminent domain.

(44:58):
The Fayette County Border Education has initiated court action to
take property in a West Lexington neighborhood by eminent domain.
The board is trying to secure a right of way
near the new Rise Stem Academy for Girls, which is
slated to open in the fall of twenty twenty six
at twenty one sixty Versales Road off.

Speaker 2 (45:20):
Mason Headley Road.

Speaker 1 (45:22):
Thursday, the Board filed four separate suits and Fayette Circuit
Court petitioning for condemnation of the property. Each of the
documents says the property is part of a private right
of way created in nineteen forty one, and additionally contend
each of the joint owners.

Speaker 2 (45:41):
Hasn't used it since at least twenty oh six.

Speaker 1 (45:44):
Myron Thompson, chief operating officer in the Fayette County Public
School System, said Monday filing for eminent domain is not
something the district wanted to do. I hope that negotiations
will can continue and that we are able to reach
a compromise before the legal proceedings would occur, Thompson said

(46:05):
in a news conference. School district officials invited local media
outlets Monday to view the property associated with the eminent
domain court filings. The curb already in place acts as
the property line, but the school district is looking to
expand the road by approximately eight feet for maintenance and

(46:28):
security purposes, Thompson said in August, when the board voted
to pursue eminent domain, officials said the land runs along
the backyards of properties on Fair Oaks and Port Royal Drives.
Thompson said the proceedings involved five property owners. The district
maintains the property is needed for expanded bus lanes leading

(46:52):
up to the new school, and it's more cost effective
to take the property by eminent domain than to move
the U utilities and a retention basin On the other
side of the road. There is existing infrastructure that's in
place for drainage. Thompson said, it would require us working

(47:12):
with the state to move all of that over. It
would impact all of this retention area here. The district
previously said it has attempted to negotiate with the owners unsuccessfully.
Four property owners filed a lawsuit against the board, saying
it or its agents were trespassing on, destroying, and unlawful

(47:36):
taking their property. That suit is still pending. I think
bringing in these changes has created some issues and some concerns,
Thompson said Monday. I think it's a project that's going
to be useful for us, but it has definitely had
an impact for them. They had a pretty rural area before,

(48:00):
and as you can imagine, there's going to be a
little bit of bus traffic in the mornings and in
the afternoons. In October of twenty twenty four, the landowner's attorney,
Bruce Simpson, sent a lease and cease and desist letter
to the district saying officials were trespassing on the homeowner's
property along the driveway used by the former owner, Dudley Webb.

Speaker 2 (48:21):
And his family.

Speaker 1 (48:23):
There is no recorded easement or right of way for
this driveway. Simpson wrote, the school board has plenty of
vacant land on which it can construct access to for
sales road without unfairly and impermissibly burdening the lives of
these citizens and their families.

Speaker 2 (48:43):
The legal petitions.

Speaker 1 (48:44):
Filed by the board this week ask for the appointment
of commissioners who would award the amount of compensation the
property owner is due.

Speaker 2 (48:54):
The board also asks.

Speaker 1 (48:55):
A judge to issue an order finding that the board
has the legal right to condemn and take possession of
the property and convey title to the.

Speaker 2 (49:06):
Board and next.

Speaker 1 (49:08):
Uninternational news terrorist label opens door to US actions against Maduro.
The US State Department on Monday formally designated Venzuela's Cartel
de les Solts a foreign terrorist organization, granting the Trump
administration expanded legal authority to take military action against the

(49:29):
Niculas Maduro regime. The move comes as Washington appears poised
to launch a new phase of operations in the coming
days amid rapidly escalating tensions with Caracas. Four US officials
told Reuters the administration is preparing to intensify pressure as

(49:50):
relations deteriorate and American military assets continue to surge into
the Caribbean. While the timing and scope remain unclear, two
officials said covert operations are expected to form the first stage.

Speaker 2 (50:04):
Of any escalation.

Speaker 1 (50:06):
All spoke on the condition of anonymity given the sensitivity
of the plans. The terrorist designation published Monday in the
Federal Register places Maduro and his top lieutenants in the
same legal category as leaders of al Qaeda and ISIS.
For years, US officials have long cused the Venezuelan president,

(50:30):
Interior Minister Dio Sado Cabello, and Defense Minister Vladimir Patrino
Lopez of transforming Venezuela into a narco state. Analysis say
the implications are sweeping because US officials argue the cartel
is embedded within the Venezuelan state. Labeling it a terrorist

(50:53):
organization effectively treats the entire Maduro government of a part
of a TIS network. President Trump and Secretary of State
Marco Rubio have repeatedly asserted that Maduro heads the cartel,
a step that surpasses even the US approach to the
late at Raki leader Saddam Hussein, whose regime was accused

(51:17):
of supporting terrorism but never formally classified as a terrorist group.
Experts believe the move could be used to unlock a
potential legal tool. By tying Venezuela to terrorism, the administration
could invoke the twenty oh one Authorization for the Use
of Military Force, the law that has enabled US counter

(51:40):
terrorism operations for nearly a quarter century. That authority could
allow Trump to order military strikes without first seeking congressional approval.
Caracas rejected the designation, calling it a false pretext for
foreign intervention. Caracas insists the cartel is a US invention

(52:04):
and says the accusation is part of repeated US aggressions.

Speaker 2 (52:08):
The designation announced by Rubio.

Speaker 1 (52:11):
Follows earlier Treasury sanctions and links the alleged cartel, said
to involve high ranking Venezuelan military and government officials, to
drug trafficking. It is foolish for the Venezuelan government to
waste part of its valuable governing time responding to these
slanders and coluns. Fortunately, the Venezuelan people are more united

(52:35):
and cohesive than ever, tending to national affairs in all
their dimensions, and preparing for the Christmas festivities, the Venezuelan
Foreign Minister said and a press release issued Monday, the
US force build up around Venezuela has been underway for
more than two months. The US aircraft carrier USS Gerald

(52:57):
R Ford, the world's largest and most advanced, arrived in
the Caribbean on November sixteenth, joining at least ten warships,
a nuclear submarine, and F thirty five fighter jets. While
US military commanders insists the deployment supports counter narcotics missions,

(53:17):
the scale of the firepower far exceeds what is typically
used in drug interdiction operations. Concerned about rising tensions in
the Caribbean, six airlines suspended their routes to Venezuela over
the weekend following a US warning about risks to civil
aviation stemming from the increase in military activity in the region.

(53:42):
Iberia of Spain, Portugal's tap Columbia's Avanciancana, Trinidad and Tobago's
Caribbean airlines Brazil's GOL and Chile's La Tom halted their
flights to the country, according to Marciella de la Raza,

(54:03):
president of the Venezuelan Association of Airlines. She did not
specify how long the suspensions would remain in place. The
cancelations came after the Federal Aviation Administration on Friday urged
aircraft transiting Venezuelan airspace to exercise extreme caution because of

(54:25):
the worsening security situation and increased military activity in Venezuela
and its surroundings. The threats could pose a potential risk
to aircraft at all altitudes, including during overflight, arrival, in
departure phases, and two airports and aircraft on the ground.

(54:47):
The FAA said since early September, US forces have carried
out at least twenty one air strikes on suspected drug
trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and the Pacific, leaving at
least eighty three people did Human rights groups call the
killings extra judicial executions, and some regional allies worry the

(55:10):
US may be skirting international law inside Venezuela. Fears of
US actions have intensified. Maduro has long claimed Washington seeks
to overthrow him, and in recent days his government has
issued increasingly urgent calls for a strategy of prolonged resistance

(55:32):
in the event of an invasion. US Defense Secretary Pete
Hegseith said the terrorist designation opens up a lot of
new options. Trump suggested the measures could be allowing US
strikes on Venezuelan assets and infrastructure, even as he says
he remains open to negotiations. News reports confirmed that quiet

(55:57):
talks have taken place between washing Shington, and Caracas in
recent days. Whether diplomacy can influence what come next remains uncertain. Finally,
California lawmakers questioned Neuham over ice detention deaths. Southern California
lawmakers or demanding answers from Homeland Security Secretary Christy Neuham

(56:21):
about twenty five detainees who died in the custody of
Immigrations and Custom Enforcement this year, two of whom were
from Orange County. Policymakers have cited unfit medical care and
system failures in the Aesenlanto Ice Processing Center in San
Bernardino County for a lack of quality care of detainees.

(56:41):
They have questioned whether versatility is capable of processing a
surgeon Immigrants tied to President Trump's push to deport undocumented immigrants.
Representative Dave Men Democratic Irvin and Representative Julie Cheu Democratic
Pasadena wrote a letter to Newham asking the secretary explanation
of the deaths of more than two dozen people while

(57:03):
in ice custody. The number of in death in custody
deaths has set an annual record. A number of officials began tracking.

Speaker 2 (57:12):
In twenty eighteen.

Speaker 1 (57:15):
And this concludes the reading of the Lexington Herald Leader
for today, Wednesday, November twenty sixth. Your reader has been
Rod Brotherton always and again thank you for listening and
now please stay tuned for sports news right here on
Radio I