10.4.25

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the reading of the Courier Journal for Saturday,
October fourth, twenty twenty five, which is brought to our
Louisville listeners via Louisville Public Media. As a 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. Your reader for today is Melody Ryan.

(00:21):
We'll start with the five day forecast brought to you
by w h a s local forecast. Sunshine will last
throughout the weekend. Spotty showers will arrive late Monday and
last until Wednesday. Fall pattern will arrive Thursday to day
high eighty five, sunny and very warm. Tonight low sixty two, clear,

(00:43):
Sunday high eighty five, low sixty six, mostly sunny and warm.
Monday high eighty two, low sixty eight, a couple of showers.
Tuesday high seventy eight, low sixty three, showers, Wednesday high
seventy two, low fifty nine, a m shower sun later Thursday,
high seventy low fifty two. From the Almanac. Temperature high

(01:08):
eighty five, temperature low sixty one, normal high seventy six,
normal low fifty six, record high ninety seven and twenty
nineteen record low thirty five in nineteen seventy four. Precipitation
Thursday zero month to date zero normal month today zero

(01:28):
point two six inches. Year to date forty three point
one four inches normal year to date thirty seven point
three three inches. Pollen count grass, moderate weeds, high trees,
low molds. Moderate air quality Friday, moderate air quality Today

(01:49):
good sun and moon Saturday sunrise seven forty one am,
sunset seven twenty one pm, moon rise six oh five pm,
moonset four thirty five am. Sunday size sunrise seven forty
two am, sunset seven twenty pm, moon rise six thirty

(02:12):
one pm, moonset five forty seven am. The front page
headlines from today's edition are Trump eyes cuts federal firings,
James to b interim sheriff following death of Aubrey GOP
hopefuls vying to replace bar spar at Forum. The first

(02:35):
article from today's edition is trump eyes cuts federal firings.
Money for democratic cities states targeted by Joey Garrison, Bart
Janssen and Sarah d Weyer USA. Today, the federal government
shut down rolled into its third day, October third, as
President Donald Trump appeared to be moving closer to cutting
programs and firing workers across the federal government. Congressional put

(03:00):
Republicans and Democrats remain dug into their positions as the
day began, with no end in sight to a shutdown
that appeared likely to spill into the weekend and perhaps beyond.
The Senate was scheduled to take two test votes in
the afternoon of October third, related to the competing Democratic
and Republican reposal proposals to temporarily fund the government. Votes

(03:23):
that were procedural, not on the actual bills themselves. Both
were expected to fail to get the sixty votes needed
to break a Democratic filibuster, sending senators home for the weekend.
Republicans are hoping that Democrats will hear enough grumbling from
their constituents about the shutdown that they will come back
with changed minds. The main sticking point remains Democratic demands

(03:45):
to restore funding to Medicaid and Obama Care after cuts
and Trump's omnibus budget law that the Congressional Budget Office
says will leave ten point nine million people without health insurance,
and the guillotine hovered. White House officials signaled the Trump
administration could soon begin firing thousands of federal workers as

(04:05):
the administration uses the shutdown to carry out its government
slashing agenda. Trump said he met October second with Russell Vought,
director of the White House Office of Management and Budget,
to decide which Democratic agencies to close. About seven hundred
fifty thousand non essential federal workers have been placed on
furloughs amid the shutdown, the first closure of the government

(04:28):
since twenty nineteen, but historically federal employees have not been
the targets of mass layoffs during the shutdowns. Trump met
with Vice President J. D. Vance the night of October
second at the Vice President's Naval Observatory residency, where the
two men had dinner alongside their spouses. He also posted
to social media an AI generated video of himself Advance

(04:51):
in a band with Vought as the Green Grim Reaper.
Russ Vott is the Reaper. The video says, to the
tune of the Night Bak eighteen seventy six Blue Oyster
Cult classic Don't fear the Reaper. He wields the pen,
the funds, and the brain, Congressional Republicans say by shutting
down the government, Congressional Democrats have ceded spending authority to

(05:14):
the White House and in turn, Bought. The Trump administration
is targeting money for blue cities and states, among them
a pause in two point one billion dollars in federal
infrastructure money for Chicago. Bot said the frozen dollars had
been allocated to support improvements to Chicago Transit Authority rail lines.
The president was already feuding with Chicago leaders over threats

(05:36):
to deploy the National Guard in the city. Bought earlier
announced that eighteen billion dollars in infrastructure funds for New York,
the home state of Democratic congressional leaders Hakeem Jeffreys and
Chuck Schumer, had been put on hold, and eight billion
dollars in Department of Energy projects in sixteen blue states
was cut. On social media, Senator Pat Murray Democrat Washington,

(05:58):
called the moves mafioso tax tactics. Before joining Trump's second administration,
Vought helped write the policy blueprint known as Project twenty
twenty five. The document pushed expanded executive power in a
radically smaller federal government. The shutdown blame game continued. Official
email accounts of the Department of Education began sending out

(06:21):
of office messages pointing fingers at Democrats for the funding crises.
Thank you for contacting me, said one message. On September nineteen,
twenty twenty five, the House of Representatives passed HR five
three seven to one, a clean continuing resolution. Unfortunately, Democrat
senators are blocking passage of HR five three seven one

(06:43):
in the Senate, which has led to elapse in appropriations.
The automatic response was the latest example of the Trump
administration using the formal levers of government in new controversial
ways to pressure Democrats to end the shutdown. Other federal
agencies crafted similarly partisan messages from typically a political civil service.
Amid the legislative stand off, the White House continued to

(07:07):
troll Jeffries, the House Minority Leader, with AI videos portraying
him in a sombrero and fake mustache. Jeffreys on October
one predicted Trump would come back to the negotiating table
because of public sentiment. The public knows that Donald Trump
and Republicans have shut the federal government down, Jeffreys told
the reporters, and that they're continuing to engage in the

(07:28):
chaos and cruelty and the corruption that we've seen from
the administration from day one of this presidency, Trump and
Republicans have accused Democrats of wanting to provide health care
for immigrants who are in the country illegally. Democrats have
called the claims a lie, noting that undocumented immigrants aren't
eligible for payments from Medicare, Medicaid, or the Affordable Care Act.

(07:50):
White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt defended Trump's attacks October
second by pointing to millions of immigrants the Biden administration
allowed to enter the United States under humanitarian parole or
under programs for economic or environmental crises in their home countries.
Trump officials have referred to these immigrants as illegal, but

(08:10):
they entered lawfully under formal government programs. Immigrants admitted under
parole of less than a year, those seeking asylum, and
those under temporary protected status are generally barred from Medicaid,
according to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Office, while undocumented immigrants
are barred from receiving federal health benefits. Eligible immigrants who

(08:32):
are in the country legally make up six percent of
the total enrollment in Medicaid and the CHIP child healthcare program,
according to the health policy nonprofit KFF. The next article
from Today's Front page is titled James to be Interim
Sheriff following death of Aubrey. Deputy Mayor will be county's

(08:53):
first black sheriff by Killian Barlar and Lucas Albach. Mayor
Craig Greenberg has appointed Deputy Mayor David James to serve
out the remainder of former Jefferson County Sheriff John Aubrey's
term following his death. Aubrey died peacefully September twenty third.
According to his obituary, he was the county's longest serving

(09:15):
sheriff after first taking office in nineteen ninety nine. As
a public servant who has spent my entire career focused
on protecting and serving the people of this community, it's
been an honor to work alongside Mayor Greenberg, James said
in a press release. I appreciate his faith in me
as I prepare to serve as the first black sheriff
in Jefferson County's history. Sheriff Aubrey was a great friend,

(09:37):
and I will do my best every day for the
rest of his term to work with Mayor Greenberg to
make this community even safer. James is said to be
sworn into his new role October tenth, Greenberg said during
a press conference October third, Executive Director of Governmental Affairs
Julie Carr will take over as deputy mayor in James's place.

(09:58):
She will be the designated replacement for Greenberg should he
be unable to fill his duties, According to the press release,
James has a long track record in law enforcement and
public service. He formerly worked as an officer for the
Louisville Police Department and Louisville Metro Police Department, director of
the Kentucky Bureau of Investigations, and the head of the

(10:20):
University of Louisville Police Department. He also spent years on
the Louisville Metro Council and served as the council's president.
In the wake of the fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor,
which prompted his calls for a swift and transparent investigation,
Greenberg said James does not plan to run for sheriff.
David is not running for sheriff. It is both his
plan and mind that he returns to our administration as

(10:42):
deputy mayor in my second term, Greenberg said, who has
announced a campaign for re election. Aubrey, a Democrat, was
elected to seven terms as Jefferson County Sheriff before his
first win in nineteen ninety nine. He spent twenty eight
years with the Louisville Police Department Louisville's police force prior
to the merger of the city and county government, and

(11:03):
was in the Army Reserves for thirty two years, where
the Kentucky Association of Counties reported he retired as a colonel.
Earlier in the year, he was named Sheriff of the
Year by the National Sheriff's Association, an organization he led
in twenty fourteen fifteen. Aubrey announced in March that he
would not seek re election in twenty twenty six. In May,

(11:25):
Aubrey endorsed former OMPD Colonel Steve Healey to take his
place as sheriff. In a Facebook post September twenty four,
Heally wrote, our community has lost not only a great leader,
but also a man whose integrity, service, and dedication will
never be forgotten. Heally, who now leads Pee Valley Police,
is registered as a Democrat. James said he will become

(11:47):
deputy sheriff in the Sheriff's office. Healely confirmed to The
Courier Journal that he still plans to run for sheriff.
Also currently running in the twenty twenty six primary for
sheriff are Richard Breen, a lawyer and four former mayor
of glen View, and Stephen Yancy, a long term Sheriff's
office employee who ran against Aubrey in the twenty twenty
two primary. Aubrey's death was the second in September that

(12:11):
left an elected county office vacant. Former Jefferson County Clerk
Bobby Holsclaw died September ten at age eighty one. The
Courier General reported hols Claw, a Republican, was elected for
her seventh term in twenty twenty two. At the October
third news conference, Greenberg named Senator David Yates as interim clerk.

(12:33):
The next article from today's front page is GOP hopeful's
vying to replace Barr spar at forum by Hannah Pinske,
Dream committees, free speech, and Israel. Those were all topics
discussed at a forum for Republican candidates running to represent
Kentucky's sixth congressional district. Former State Senator Ralph al Alvardo

(12:56):
and state Representatives Ryan Dodson and Deanna Fraser Gordon participated
in the October one event hosted by the College Republicans
at the University of Kentucky and Transylvania. The congressional district
has an open seat for the first time in about
a dozen years, as incumbent Representative Andy Barr is instead
running to replace outgoing U S Senator Mitch McConnell. Democrats

(13:19):
both in Kentucky and nationally are hoping to flip the seat,
with the Congressional Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee identifying it as
one of thirty five districts nationwide it hopes to flip
in twenty twenty six. So far, the field of Democratic
candidates includes former federal prosecutor Zach Dembo, former Lexingdon Fayette
Urban County Council member David Kolbuyer, businesswoman Aaron Petrie, and

(13:45):
former state Representative Sherilynn Stevenson. Here's what the Republican candidates
had to say. Dotson, a Pentecostal preacher and a businessman
who's been in office since twenty twenty one, said he
wants to be on the House Committee on Appropriations and
be like a Hal Rogers for his district. Dots and
praised Rogers, who was first elected to represent Kentucky's fifth

(14:06):
congressional district in nineteen eighty one, for securing funding for
his district in southern Kentucky and said he wants to
secure similar record funding for central Kentucky. As a state representative.
I secured record funding for Clark County and Fayette County
dots and said, why because I get in there and
fight in the room that matters. Gordon, an audiologist, said
she would like to be on the House Committee on

(14:28):
Energy and Commerce because that's where many health issues come up,
and also mentioned serving on the House Committee on Agriculture.
We have a significant agriculture base, Gordon said, they're suffering
right now, especially are soybean farmers, and so I want
to be able to help our Agriculture committee because it
also impacts our horse industry and those are things that

(14:49):
Central Kentucky is known for. Alvardo, meanwhile, wants to use
his background in healthcare to Washington in Washington, d C.
Which he thinks could make him suited for the House
Committe on Energy and Commerce, the House Committee on Appropriations
and Revenue, or the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Healthcare is a big topic that's coming up, and it's

(15:09):
going to require people with ideas and concepts, said Alvardo,
who recently stepped down as Tennessee's Health Commissioner. I've had
a chance to meet with most of the physicians who
are currently serving in Congress. He also said he could
see himself serving on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs
because he has unique insight from speaking multiple languages and
traveling the world. Freedom of speech, Alvardo said free speech

(15:34):
on college campuses must be defended and citizens should continue
to have conversations on disagreements. I think it's important for
all of us to be able to be vocal, not
to yell at each other, but to have discussions, and
sometimes you disagree on something and you can still be
friends with somebody. Alvardo said. The topic of free speech,
particularly on college campuses, made recent headlines after con conservative

(15:57):
activist Charlie Kirk was killed during event at Utah State University.
Dotson called Kirk a passionate individual and someone who would
speak out of love and compassion, and said protecting free
speech is student's responsibility too. When it comes to free speech,
those things need to be protected and it needs to
come from the top. Down, Dotson said, when you see

(16:18):
things aren't going the right way, you need to speak up.
As a student, Gordon said she believes campuses should be
a place for free expression and exchange of ideas. I
know the last few years we kind of feel like
stuff was being shoved down our throat, and so now
I think we have the opportunity where we can stand
with confidence a speak about what we believe in and
why it's right, she said. Israel and IAPAC. All three

(16:42):
candidates were supportive of Israel, but their responses differed on
the Pro Israel American Israel Public Affairs Committee and accepting
money from it. Dotson said he would not take money
from AIPAC because he doesn't believe money tied to foreign
entities or country should be used to influence American elections.

(17:03):
AIPAC acts as a conduit to provide funds to individual
campaigns from affiliated political action committees and bundled donations from individuals.
The thing is Israel is an ally, Dotson said. We
need democracy in the Middle East. There are friends, but
at the same time, we need to keep our elections independent.
Alvardo meanwhile said he is supportive of Israel, but did

(17:26):
not specify whether he would accept money from AIPAC. As
far as AIPAC goes, it's an organization of American Jews.
Alvardo said, they've been very clear about that, and people
who are Americans believe in that. Gordon also supported Israel,
saying it has a right to finish the fight and
protect their people. She also did not specify whether she

(17:47):
would accept money from AIPAC. As far as AIPAC goes,
they are an American organization, Gordon said, they're an organization
for the education of Israel and our alliance with them.
The next article from today's edition is titled Kentucky Cappy
Baro causes stir at Ohio Festival by Lillian Metzmeyer. At

(18:11):
Kentucky Capybara recently caused controversy when visitors of a state
renaissance fair wondered if the rodent was receiving proper care
thanks to a viral photo, leading to attention from an
animal welfare agency and even questions for the Louisville Zoo. Gilbert,
a young female capy borrow, was part of a booth
at the twenty twenty five Ohio Renaissance Festival in Waynesville,

(18:34):
Ohio promoting Gilbert the Cranky Capabara Makes a Friend, a
children's book by Louisville based Line by Lyon Publications. After
a photo of Gilbert showing her inside a crate began
to spread online, people reported the vendor to local law enforcement,
prompting an evaluation by Warren County Animal Control. The agency

(18:55):
later stated the animal was in good health, stress free,
and receiving appropriate care from her handlers, according to a
report from the Cincinnati Enquirer. Online discourse about the situation
included a comment that Gilbert was under the veterinary care
of the Louisville Zoo, which employees have since denied. Louisville
Zoo veterinarians are not caring for or working with this

(19:16):
Kapy Barra, Louisville Zoo spokesperson Kyle Shepard said in a statement.
Officials from Line by Lion Publications also took to Facebook
to dispel the rumors and clarify that Gilbert is in
good care. I would very much like this to be
the end of the discussion, so we can go back
to doing what we do best, taking care of our
loved ones of all species, and creating amazing fiction. The

(19:38):
post stated. The larger conversation about caring for capybaras sparked
some legal questions about the exotic animal. Here's what to
know about owning exotic animals in Kentucky. Can you keep
kapy barras as pets in Kentucky. Kapybars, the world's largest rodent,
are native to South America, but the animal is not
on the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Recas sources

(20:00):
list of prohibited species, which include environmentally injurious or inherently
dangerous animals such as jack rabbits. I do not see
capybara on the list of prohibited exotic wildlife, but any
native or exotic wildlife would still be required to obtain
proper transportation permits into or through Kentucky. Kentucky Department of

(20:20):
Fish and Wildlife Resources spokesperson Lisa Jackson told The Courier
Journal via email. Since the kapybara is not a prohibited species,
all Kentuckians have to do to own the large rodent
as a pet is to get the proper license through
the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, as long
as they first check local ordinances to make sure the

(20:41):
animal is allowed in their community. Permits are invalid unless
they are accompanied by a certificate of veterinarian inspection from
an accredited veterinarian indicating that the animal is free of disease.
How do I get a wildlife permit in Kentucky? Anyone
planning to bring an exotic animal into Kentucky as we
required to have transportation permit. Kentuckian's age eighteen or older

(21:05):
are able to apply as long as they pay an
application fee, provide their personal identification information, and describe the
animal they would like to bring into the Commonwealth, including
the purpose for importing the animal and where it came from.
One type of permit offered on the state website is
an individual transportation permit application. The individual permit, which requires

(21:26):
a twenty five dollars fee per shipment, is valid for
a range of dates authorized once issued. The other kind
is an annual transportation permit application, after a two hundred
and fifty dollars fee granted. Permits cover all shipments of
wildlife at the approved locations for a period of one year,
and is appropriate for people in professions that relate to wildlife,

(21:47):
such as wildlife rehabilitation or scientific research. For additional questions,
contact the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources or
your city's metro council for information. Where can kapy barras
be seen in Kentucky. For kapybar lovers who may not
be quite ready to own an exotic pet, the following
are places to visit them in the Commonwealth. One Little

(22:11):
Crooked Creek Safari and Lawrenceburg one four to three zero
Little Crooked Creek Road. The Shelby County Petting Zoo provides
an opportunity to see two copy barros, Coco and Pepper,
while also hosting a sloth anteater and a baby zebra. Two.
Wentz Wildlife Adventure in Carlisle three seven four zero Maysville Road.

(22:33):
The Wildlife Park in Nicholas County, Kentucky is home to
more than thirty five species, according to its website, including
a camel emu and red kangaroo. Wentz has an animal
Experience to meet the park sloths and kapy bars up close.
Three Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo in Horse Cave at
exit fifty eight three seven zero zero L and North

(22:55):
Turnpike Road I sixty five, aptly named the zoo has
came Garus and EMUs, as well as a young Kapybara.
According to a Facebook post, The next article in today's
edition is titled Senator Yates supported in appointed intraim County
clerk will oversee twenty sixth election after death of Holsclaw

(23:17):
by Killian Barlar. Mayor Craig Greenberg has appointed State Senator
David Yates to succeed former Jefferson County Clerk Bobby Holsclaw,
he announced October third. Yates will now lead the Jefferson
County Clerk's Office, which has two hundred and seventy five
employees and is responsible for overseeing elections in the country.

(23:38):
The office also manages records for vehicle tags, marriage licenses,
and property deeds. Yate is set to be sworn into
his new office October eight. The mayor said he will
serve in the position on an interim basis through the
twenty twenty sixth election. Both Greenberg and Yates stress the
importance of the clerk's role as the steward of elections

(23:58):
during a news conference on October three. One of the
most sacred responsibilities that we have in democracy, that is
running free, fair and transparent elections Louvillians deserve nothing less,
Yates said, you deserve to have the confidence that every
eligible vote will be accurately counted and that your voice
will truly be heard. Greenberg echoed the sentiment, adding that

(24:20):
fair elections have never been more important than at this time,
right now in Louisville, across our state, and across our country.
Holsclaw died September tenth, at age eighty one, while still
in office. The Courier General reported. The Republican was elected
in twenty twenty two for her seventh term, which would
have ended January twenty twenty seven. Holes Claw was first

(24:41):
elected to lead the office in nineteen ninety eight and
enjoyed a decorated career during which she helped modernize the
Jefferson County Clerk's office by stewarding the transition to online
services and reorganizing departments to improve efficiency. According to the
Jefferson County Clerk website, her goal was to revolution utionized
citizen government interaction while delivering VIP service to customers, and

(25:04):
news release from her office stated. Yates, a Democrat, is
an attorney and former Louisville Metro Council member. He served
on the Council from twenty ten to twenty twenty, a
tenure that included a stint as council president from twenty
sixteen to twenty seventeen. In a press release October three,
Greenberg said Yates is a proven leader from the South

(25:25):
End who has deserved his community in various capacities for
more than a decade. According to Kentucky law, Governor Andy
Bisheer will have to call a special election to fill
Yates Senate seat for the remainder of his term, which
ends in January twenty twenty nine. The Democrat and Republican
parties in his district are responsible for nominating candidates to

(25:46):
run in the election. Yates previously announced he would run
for clerk in the twenty twenty sixth election. Roslin ros Welsh,
vice chair of the Louisville Democratic Party, has also announced
her candidacy. L's Claw is one of two longtime county
officials to die while in office in September. Sheriff John
Aubrey died September twenty third, at age eighty six. Greenberg

(26:09):
announced Deputy Mayor David James will finish his term. The
same day he named Yates interim Clerk. The next article
from today's edition is titled these two Kentucky made Fords
see big Sales by Olivia Evans. Two Kentucky made Ford
vehicles saw massive sales growth in the third quarter of
twenty twenty five. The Ford Expedition and its luxury counterpart,

(26:33):
the Lincoln Navigator, which are both made at the Ford,
Kentucky truck plant, each posted year's best sales figures. The
Ford Expedition saw its third quarter sales for the months
of July, August and September surpass twenty one thy eight
hundred vehicles, a forty seven point four percent increase in
sales when compared to the same quarter in twenty twenty four.

(26:55):
In a press release, Ford said this was Expedition's third
best quarter in two decade. For the year to date, sales,
Expedition has seen an increase of nearly fifteen percent compared
to twenty twenty four. Additionally, the Lincoln Navigator is hitting
its best pace since twenty two thousand and seven. The
release from Ford stated the third quarter saw almost five

(27:16):
thousand of the luxury large SUVs sold bowstring a bolsterring,
a ten point five percent increase compared to the same
quarter of twenty twenty four. In total, Navigator has sold
more than sixteen thousand units year to date, a forty
eight point four percent increase compared to twenty twenty four Earlier.

(27:36):
This year, as part of a five hundred million dollar investment,
Ford launched a new model year of the Expedition and
the Lincoln Navigator out of the Kentucky truck plant. The
twenty twenty five Ford Expedition is stocked with new features,
including a steering wheel that presents more as a squirkel,
a crossover between a circle and a square, plus a

(27:57):
split gate that allows drivers to open just the top portion,
just the tailgate portion, or both positions of the trunk,
and blues crewis Fords hands free driving experience, among other features.
All Ford vehicle sales increased by eight point two percent
for the third quarter, including gains in its F series
trucks and its electrified vehicle portfolio of evs, hybrids and

(28:22):
plug in vehicles in addition to its lovel made vehicles.
This quarter's growth showcases our portfolio's unmatched flexibility and breadth.
Andrew Frick, president Ford, Blue and Model E, said in
a release, we saw a strong performance in gas hybrid
and electrified power trains, while at the same time growing

(28:43):
our paid software solutions all embedded in vehicles such as Explore,
Expedition Explorer and F one P fifty. The next article
in today's edition is titled Bonnieville's Hill of Terror Brings
Halloween Screams. State's largest haunted attraction, is self guided by
Lillian Metzmyer. Have you already seen all the scares Louisville,

(29:07):
a city of ghost tours and home of the Waverly
Hills Sanatorium, has to offer. Just about one hour away
from downtown Louisville, is the Hill of Terror in Bonnieville, Kentucky,
the state's largest haunted attraction. According to its website, Visitors
are invited to explore a self guided haunt fit with
jump scares, limited lines, and even a pre scarce set

(29:29):
and leisure show by Djrip. What is Hell of Terror?
Jason Strigler created Hill of Terror sixteen years ago with
his wife Amy. The two are huge horror fans and
enjoyed traveling with their niece and nephews to visit haunts
around the state. There's something about scaring somebody that's hard

(29:49):
to beat. Striggler said, you watch them get startled. That's
the funniest thing ever, Amy suggested they start their own.
Once the couple became serious about the idea, Striegler decided
to use family farm on top of a large hill
in Bonneville as their venue. While some told Striggler he'd
never draw people from as far as Louisville to a
small town of roughly three hundred people, he knew he

(30:11):
had something worth the drive. Instead of waiting an hour's
long lines for a fifteen minute walk of scares, Striggler
said visitors are in Hill of Terror for about forty
five minutes to an hour, depending on how fast you walk.
And that ain't talking about lines, that's talking about actually
going through getting scared, he said. Hell of Terror is
made up primarily of volunteers, many of which family or

(30:34):
family friends of Striggler. Though the event venue has around
seventy five actors at one point, the haunt now has
somewhere between forty and fifty. Striggler estimates visitors can expect
to meet lots of clowns and some crazy hillbillies, among
more well known prer icons like Michael marsh of the
Halloween movie franchise. In addition to actors, Hell of Terror

(30:58):
uses animatronics, source costumes, and themed buildings to amplify the scares.
Strigler said. The twenty twenty five Haunt, which has undergone
significant changes, features a set based on the purge. What
does Hill of Terror offer? At Hill of Terror, visitors
briefly wait near the ticket booth at the bottom of
the hill until a party bus comes to transport groups

(31:19):
of thirty to thirty five people at a time to
the top. There's no haunt around that does no line
like we do, Striggler said. We have music playing, and
sometimes we have clowns up on there riding up with you.
You never know. Once they make it up, visitors are
assigned to number and are invited to grab a picnic
table and enjoy a set from Hill of Terror's very

(31:41):
own entertainment DJ Rip, who puts on a spooky music
set and sometimes puts on leisure shows. Strigler says he
wants people to be able to enjoy every element of
the hill, not just the scares. You can't take it
all in at one time. There's so much going on
when you walk through this thing. There's so much des
you won't see it all on the first trip, he said.

(32:03):
When is Hill of Terror open? Hell of Terror is
located at three six sixty six Priceville Road in Bonneyville
in Hart County. The twenty twenty five scare season begins
September nineteen, and the attraction will be open each Friday
and Saturday until November one. The haunt usually starts at dark,
but visitors can arrive to purchase tickets around six thirty

(32:24):
PM or dark thirty to midnight. Visitors will not be
taken through until it's dark outside. If the haunts run
later than midnight, ticket holders will still be taken through.
What is admission cost? Hell of Terror is thirty dollars
a person and tickets are only available to purchase at
the ticket booth. While only cash is accepted. There is

(32:44):
an ATM on site for frequent card users. Visitors can
also buy VIP tickets at sixty dollars per person for
the ability to skip waiting on top of the hill.
There are no refunds for any season, and there is
a designated free parking on the site. Now it is
time to read the obituaries. We read only the name, age,
and location. If you would like further information on any

(33:07):
of the obituaries, please call us during the weekdays at
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(33:31):
The next article from today's edition is titled Kentucky Hopwater
set to launch new THHC beverage by Maggie Menderski. Kentucky
Hopwater is hopping into the THHC beverage market. The company,
which launched in twenty twenty five with its flagship Hop Water,
is now adding a new hemp driven beverage to its

(33:51):
line up. THHC infused Kentucky Hopwater features citra and Amarillo hops,
Kentucky limestone filtered water, and carbonation. The non alcoholic drink
has notes of grapefood and orange peel and is infused
with five milligrams of federally compliant Delta nine THHC derived
from hemp. The drink complies with federal limit under the

(34:14):
twenty eighteen Farm Bill, which makes it eligible for online
and retail sale without the need for dispensary access. Kentucky
has deep historical ties to hemp, Michael Mohler, Kentucky Hopwater's
founders said in a news release. In the eighteen hundreds,
Kentucky was the leading hemp producer in the United States,
accounting for over ninety percent of the national supply. Kentucky

(34:37):
Hopwater is excited to draw on that legacy while addressing
demand for functional, non alcoholic alternatives. The THHC infused Kentucky
Hopwater is sold online at Kentucky Hopwater dot com and
sixteen ounce cans priced at eighteen ninety nine for a
four pack. The beverage will be available in Kentucky retail
stores in coming weeks. The next article from today's edition

(35:03):
is titled Shutdown may challenge President's popularity. President's approval has
remained steady in recent weeks. By Kinsley Crowley and Catherine
Palmer USA Today. Though President Donald Trump's actions are often
unconventional and unprecedented, they have had little impact on his
approval ratings in the first eight months of his second term.

(35:25):
While his approval rating is historically low compared to other presidents,
only his first presidency was worse. It has also mostly
plateaued since he passed his one hundred day mark. Now
he faces another popularity challenge, the government shutdown. Several recent
polls offer information about public opinion on the president as
the closure began. In New York Times, SIENA poll taken

(35:48):
September twenty two to twenty seven among one thousand, three
hundred thirteen registered voters found Trump's approval rating low but steady,
at forty three percent. The margin of error was plus
or minus three point two percentage points. Most voter's opinions
on him have hardened, The New York Times said. The
poll found most US voters surveyed said both parties would

(36:11):
be at fold for a shutdown, at thirty three percent.
Between the two parties, a little more than one quarter
of respondents. Twenty six percent said they would blame congressional
Republicans and Trump, and nineteen percent pointed their fingers at
the Democrats. Another twenty one percent said they had not
heard enough to say who was responsible. A Pew survey
conducted September twenty two to twenty eight among three thy,

(36:34):
four hundred forty five US adults found Trump's approval rating
at forty percent, up slightly since August and on par
with April and June. The poll's margin of error is
plus or minus one point nine percentage points. The poll
also found more Democrats disapproved than approved of their own
party leader's job performances in Congress, with fifty nine percent

(36:56):
disapproving and forty percent approving. The polster said it marks
the first time Democrats held such negative opinions in more
than a decade of Pew surveys. Conversely, Republicans gave their
party's leadership in Congress a much higher approval rating than
in recent years. Sixty nine percent of Republicans approved at
the job that GOP congressional leaders are doing. That's up

(37:17):
fifty four percent from fifty four percent approval in twenty
twenty three. Trump perceived about forty percent approval in an
Economist Yugov poll of one thousand, six hundred and fifty
six US adult citizens take in September twenty six to
twenty nine. The pollster said the president hit a term
low two weeks earlier at thirty nine percent approval. The

(37:38):
margin of error for the overall sample is about three
point five percent. The poll found nineteen percent of Americans
think the economy is getting better, while fifty three percent
think it's getting worse. Republicans view of the direction of
the economy also appear to be getting worse, with the
lowest margin in this term. Forty one percent of Republicans
say it's getting better and twenty two percent say it's

(38:00):
getting worse. In a Gallop poll conducted from September two
to sixteen, forty percent approved of Trump's job performance, unchanged
from the previous month. Averages based on Real Clear Politics
poll and New York Times aggregators showed Trump's approval rating
has been trending downwards slightly for nearly two weeks, after
remaining relatively steady for the previous two months. Real Clear

(38:24):
Politics found approval reached a new low on September thirtieth,
the day before the government shut down started, at forty
four point eight percent approving. The New York Times aggregators
showed Trump's approval fell from fifty two percent approval in
January to forty four percent in April and has held
steady since. The Next article in today's edition is titled

(38:46):
political backlash follows approval of abortion pill by Dan Morrison USA. Today,
the Food and Drug Administration has approved a new generic
version of the abortion drug Milfo pristone, as a conservative
slam the decision as a stab in the back to
the anti abortion movement. The new generic Milfa pristone is
manufactured by Elvida Solutions, which says its mission is to

(39:10):
normalize abortion and make it accessible to all. Former Vice
President Mike Pence, a leading evangelical Christian who served in
the first Trump administration, called the decision a complete betrayal
of the pro life movement that elected President Donald Trump
earlier this year. I opposed rfk's nomination because he was
unfit for the role, and particularly over the concern he

(39:32):
would expand access to abortion, as he has done today,
Pence wrote on x on October second, the FDA only
approved a second generic milf pristone tablet because federal law
requires approval when an application approves the generic is identical
to the brand name. Drug Health and Human Services Secretary

(39:53):
Robert F. Kennedy Junior set on October second on social
media after news broke of the approval. Last month, Kennedy
launched a Food and Drug Administration review of mif pristone,
au pill used in nearly two thirds of abortions across
the United States. In his October second post, Kennedy said
Biden administration policies may have endangered patients by waiving a

(40:13):
requirement that they see a doctor before obtaining a miff
pristone prescription. Senator Patty Murphy, Democrat Washington, refutes that claim
on x the data is as clear as ever mif
pristone is safe and effective. Avida Solutions will join gen
Biopro to sell their generic version of dan Coe Laboratory's

(40:33):
mif pristone, which is used to terminate pregnancy. The FDA
approved mif pristone in combination with misoprostle in two thousand.
Miff pristone blocks progesterone, the cormone that helps a woman's
body maintain the lining of the uterus during pregnancy. Missaprostle
is then taken to complete the abortion process. The approval

(40:54):
comes amid heightened scrutiny of abortion drugs, with the FDA
currently reviewing the safety of following pressure from conservative lawmakers
and state attorneys general. Religious activist groups including Inspire Investing
and Alliance Defending Freedom, have campaigned against the pill. In August,
Costco Warehouse that it would not sell mif prostone across

(41:16):
its pharmacy stores in the United States, citing load demand.
The next article in today's edition is titled two synagogue
attack victims likely hit by police gunfire by Janine Santucci
USA Today. Police in England said one of the two
Jewish community members killed and another injured during an attack

(41:38):
at a synagogue on October two are now believed to
have been struck by police gunfire as officers tried to
stop the attacker. One victim had a gunshot injury, a
pathologist provisionally determined. According to Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable
Sir Stephen Watson, the suspect, Jihad al Shami, was not

(41:58):
carrying a firearm and the only shots fired were by
responding law enforcement officers. Watson said it follows therefore that,
subjects to further forensic examination, this injury may sadly have
been sustained as a tragic and unforeseen consequence of the
urgently required action taken by my officers to bring this
vicious attack to an end. Watson said one of the

(42:21):
injured victims in a hospital also has a wound not
considered to be life threatening. Watson said both the victims
with gunshot wounds were standing close together behind the synagogue
door as worshippers acted bravely to prevent the attacker from
gaining entry, he said. Police said the October second attack
unfolded at about nine thirty am at the Heaton Park

(42:41):
Hebrew Congregation in North Manchester, when the suspect drove a
vehicle directly at members of the public and began stabbing people.
Police responded and fatally shot the attacker, later identified as
Al Shami, a British citizen of Syrian descent. British authorities
declared the attack a terrorist incident. Three people were being

(43:02):
treated for injuries as of late October second, including one
who suffered a stab wound and another struck by a car.
Official said three other people, two men in their thirties
and a woman in her sixties, were arrested on suspicion
of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism, the
United Kingdom's Counter Terrorism Policing Force said. Police said a

(43:23):
suspicious device worn by the attacker was deemed not to
be viable. Earlier in the day, Police said the suspect
was wearing a vest that looked like an explosive device,
and a bomb disposal unit was called in. Authority said
they were working to identify the dead victims and provide
support for their families. The next article in today's edition
is titled Trump Hamas must accept deal soon, Warrants of

(43:48):
consequences if October five deadline not met by Swabna Vin
kolbal Ramaswamy USA, Today, President Donald Trump announced he was
giving Hamas a deadline nine of six pm October five
to respond to his proposal to end the Israel Hamas
war before its soldiers are hunted down and killed. If

(44:08):
this last chance agreement is not reached, all hell like
no one has ever seen before will break out against Hamas.
There will be peace in the Middle East, one way
or the other, Trump wrote on truth Social On October third,
Trump asked all innocent Palestinians to immediately leave the area,
saying everyone will be well cared for by those that
are waiting to help. The war began when Hamas militants

(44:30):
attacked Israel on October seven, twenty twenty three, killing one
thy two hundred and taking two hundred and fifty one hostages.
More than sixty six thousand Palestinians have been killed, according
to the Hamas run Gaza Health Ministry. On September twenty nine,
Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin natan Nahu announced the

(44:51):
peace planned during a White House event, warning it's going
to be a very sad end if Hamas rejects the deal.
At the time, Trump said he was giving Hamas three
to four days to respond. The two leaders pitched the
announcement as a major breakthrough in a conflict that has
seen previous sief's fires fall through and regional tension skyrocket
as Israel continues a punishing campaign that has provoked international

(45:15):
outrage over the civilian death toll and humanitarian conditions in Gaza.
Under Trump's proposal, the war would end and Hamas would
release within seventy two hours all the remaining hostages in Gaza.
Trump said the deal spares the lives of all remaining
Hamas fighters. Israel intercepts last Gaza AID boat. The Israeli

(45:36):
military intercepted the last boat in an AID flotilla attempting
to reach the blockaded Gaza strip on October third, a
day after stopping most of the vessels and detaining some
four hundred and fifty activists, including Swedish campaigner Greta Thurnberg.
The organizers of the Global Summad Flotilla and the Marionette
said the Marionette was intercepted some forty two point five

(46:00):
miles from Gaza. Israeli Army radio said the navy had
taken control of the last ship and the flotilla detained
those aboard, and that the vessel was being led to
Ashbad Port in Israel. In a statement, the Global Summit
Flotilla said Israeli naval forces had now illegally intercepted all
forty two of our vessels, each caring humanitarian aid volunteers

(46:22):
in the determination to break Israel's illegal siege on Gaza.
A camera broadcasting from the Marionette showed someone holding up
a note saying we see a ship. It's a warship.
Before a boat is seen approaching and soldier's boarding. A
voice is heard telling the people on board not to
move and to put their hands in the air. An
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson did not immediately respond to a

(46:45):
request for comment about the boat's status. The Ministry said
on October second the flotilla's one remaining vessel would be
prevented from breaching the blockade if it tried to. The flotilla,
which set sail in late August, marked the latest attempt
by activists to challenge Israel's naval blockade of the enclave,
almost two years into Israel's siege of Gaza. Israeli officials

(47:08):
have repeatedly denounced the mission as a stunt. The Foreign
Ministry said the flotilla was previously warned that it was
approaching an active combat zone and violating a lawful naval blockade,
and asked organizers to change course. It had offered to
transfer aid to Gaza. The Israeli Foreign Ministry on October
third said that four Italians had been deported. The rest

(47:29):
are in the process of being deported. Israel is keen
to in this procedure as quickly as possible, it said
in a statement. All the flotilla participants were safe and
in good health. It added, pro Palestinian demonstrators took to
the streets and cities across Europe, as well as in Karachi, Pakistan,
Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Mexico City on October second to

(47:50):
protest the flotilla's interception. On October third, tens of thousands
of Italians demonstrated as part of a day long general
strike called by US unions in support of the flotilla.
Minister calls activist terrorists during a visit to Ashtod, Israel.
On October second, Israel's far right national security Minister itmar

(48:12):
Bin Gavir was filmed calling the activist terrorists as he
stood in front of them. These are the terrorists of
the flotilla, he said, speaking in Hebrew and pointing at
dozens of people sitting on the ground. His spokesperson confirmed
the video was filmed at Ashdod port on October second.
Some activists are heard on the video shouting free Palestine.

(48:34):
Cyprus said one of the flotilla boats had docked in
Cyprus with twenty one foreigners aboard. The vessel had asked
to doc and Larnarca for refueling and humanitarian reasons. Cypri
government spokesperson said. The spokesperson did not identify the boat
or say whether it had among those stop had been
among those stopped by the Israeli military. Israel has faced

(48:55):
widespread global condemnation over the war in Gaza. And is
defending itself against charge of genocide in the International Court
of Justice. The next article in today's edition is titled
Supreme Court to take up strict Hawaii gun law by
Marine GROUPI USA Today. The Supreme Court agreed on October

(49:15):
third to hear a challenge to gun restrictions in Hawaii,
as the justices continued to define what meets the Court's
recently created constitutional test for gun regulations. The justices will
decide whether states can prohibit a person from bringing a
handgun onto private property that is open to the public
without the property owner's express consent. Hawaii and four other

(49:36):
states led by Democrats California, New York, Maryland, and New Jersey,
imposed new rules after the Court in twenty twenty two
made it harder to restrict which individuals may arm themselves
in public. After such states lost most of their control
over who would publicly carry guns, their focus turned to
where in the public sphere they could bring them. While

(49:58):
property owners were always able to strict weapons, Hawaii's law
makes it the default that handguns aren't permitted on private
property open to the public, such as most businesses, unless
a property owner gives express permission. Previously The standard legal
presumption in the state and others was that lawful weapons
could be brought onto private property unless the armed person

(50:18):
was expressly told not to have them. Three gun owners
in Hawaii and the Hawaii Firearms Coalition challenged the law,
saying it averserates the right to carry arms for self
defense that the Supreme Court affirmed in twenty twenty two.
The Trump administration backed an appeal by the Hawaii Firearms advocates.
Someone carrying a firearm for self defense cannot run errands

(50:40):
without fear of criminal sanctions. Solicitor General John Sower wrote
urging the Court to take the case. In the twenty
twenty two decisions striking down a New York law requiring
state residents to have a special need to carry weapons
outside the home, the Court said a gun rule passes
constitutional muster only if it is similar to a history
regulation on weapons from America's past. The San Francisco based

(51:04):
ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals that Hawaii's rule passes
that test, but the New York based Second US Court
Circuit Court of Appeals said that a similar restriction in
New York does not. Both states also ban firearms and
sensitive places in Hawaii that includes beaches and parks, as
well as restaurants and bars that serve alcohol, a prohibition

(51:27):
that is also being challenged. The case is expected to
be argued next year, with a decision by July twenty
twenty six. The next article in Today's edition is titled
two dire Wolves mark first Birthday by Mark Schneider USA
Today Romulus and Remus, two male dire wolves born through
Colossal Biosciences advances, have reached their first birthday. The Dallas

(51:51):
headquartered biotech company revealed in April of this year that
two separate dire wolf litters had been born. Romulus and
Remus were born in October twenty twenty four, and a
female Coli Ce, named after the Game of Thrones character,
was born in January twenty twenty five. We've witnessed their physical, emotional,
and social growth, something no one has seen in twelve thousand,

(52:14):
five hundred years, Matt James, Colossal's chief animal officer, who
was present for their birth a year ago, told USA
Today in an email exchange. Remulus is fearless and bold,
while Romulus is inquisitive, cautious, and confident. Dire Wolves were
actual predators that roam North America alongside sabertoothed tigers and
mastodons for tens of thousands of years before going extinct

(52:37):
some thirteen thousand years ago. Colossal researchers used DNA recovered
from a seventy two thousand year old dire wolf skull
and a thirteen thousand year old tooth to create a
dire wolf genome. Researchers then used that genome to make
edits in the gray wolf genome to express dire wolf
specific traits. Fertilized eggs were implanted into us and born

(53:00):
by surrogate dog mothers. While the dire wolves are not
one hundred percent matches for their prehistoric ancestors, they are
close as the cutting edge biotech advances. According to Colossal,
which firstly gained attention when it announced plans to bring
back the wooly mammoth, the dire wolves are thriving beyond
anything we could have imagined, Beth Shapiro, the company's chief

(53:22):
science officer, set in a statement to USA Today. Over
the past year, we've learned so much from Romulus, Remus
and Cocalousy, most importantly that edits work is expected and
the animals are healthy. You can see it in their size,
strength and their striking white coats. Watching their development has
been extraordinary. For the birthday celebration, the male dire Wolves

(53:44):
were recently presented with a cake created by San Francisco
Luxury Dog Bakery Mishka, which was made of beef, petae, broth, liver,
and other organic ingredients. They also got a special birthday
video with the song Happy Birthday dire Wolf, created by
songwriters Stan Bush and Lenny macalso known for The Touch

(54:04):
from The Transformers the movie and Never Surrender from the
movie Kickboxer, respectively. Romulus is slightly larger than Remus, hovering
around one hundred twenty pounds while Remus is just under
one hundred and fifteen pounds. James wrote, we do not
have heights on them as we have not done their
annual physical exam yet, but we will be doing so shortly.
We expect the boys to end up between one hundred

(54:26):
thirty and one hundred forty pounds. The two male dire
Wolves were introduced to their sister this summer and it
has been an amazing socialization opportunity for all three dire Wolves.
Set Colossal CEO Ben Lamb they've begun to display hunting
instincts and are regularly giving chase to animals within their preserve,
even catching a rabbit for the first time a few

(54:47):
weeks ago. Lamb said they are developing a more clear
social hierarchy, with Remus taking the reins as leader of
the pack and Romulus and Callisee often waiting for Remus
and checking in with him for reassuringarrants and comfort. However,
they will often still jostle for feeding opportunities and test
Remus's status as the first to feed. The male dire

(55:08):
wolves currently eat more than five pounds of meat each day.
They are fed once daily. Their very diet includes ground meat,
stew side chunks, and portions of carcasses such as deer, cattle,
or whole rabbits. According to Colossal, Calisy remains smaller needs
a bit less than Romulus and Remus, who also get
to chew on rib and leg bones. They also get
about a half to one cup of freeze dried beef

(55:30):
liver with porches depending on the daily training regimens. The
wolves also occasionally hunt small rodents on the two thousand
plus acre ecological preserve where they live. At the preserve,
which is certified by the American Humane Society and registered
with the US Department of Agriculture. A team of ten
full time animal care staff members helps care for the

(55:51):
dire wolves. In addition to natural dens for the wolves,
there's an on site veterinary clinic and storm shelter within
the preserve. The wolves are monitored by live cameras, security staff,
and drone tracking to ensure safety and welfare. Eventually, Cossus
plans to create a pack of as many as eight
dire wolves that completes the first section of the Louisville

(56:13):
Courier Journal. For today, we will read one article from
the scenes section with the cool Kids Pets are Waring
for Halloween by Jansen McNair, Canton Repository, USA. Today Network
Americans are expected to spend some serious cash on Halloween
this year. The National Retail Federation's annual consumer survey, conducted

(56:36):
by Prosper Insights and Analytics, predicts Halloween spending will reach
thirteen point one billion dollars this year, up from eleven
point six billion dollars last year. The figure is also
higher than the record twelve point two billion dollars set
in twenty twenty three. Even with concerns about price increases
due to tariffs, Halloween continues to resonate with consumers of

(56:56):
all ages, the federation's Vice president of Industry Consumer Insights,
Catherine Cullens said in a prepared statement, whether it's dressing
in costume or carving a pumpkin, more consumers plan to
take part in Halloween activities and traditions. Retailers are prepared
to ensure the shopping experience is a treat for consumers
this Halloween season. A majority of survey respondents said they

(57:19):
expect to buy candy this year, making up a projected
three point nine billion dollars. Costume purchases are expected to
contribute four point three billion dollars, and decorations tallied about
four point two billion dollars. The remainder is expected to
be recorded in greeting card sales. For consumers looking to
balance their budgets, strategies such as buying early to spread

(57:41):
out purchases, or shopping at discount stores, or just some
ways they're being mindful of cost prosper Executive Vice president
of Strategy Bill Risk said in a prepared statement. Despite
these budget considerations, consumers are committed to prioritizing Halloween celebrations
to create special memories with their loved ones. When is Halloween?

(58:02):
Halloween falls on Friday, October thirty one. When should I
start shopping for Halloween? The National Retail Federation found shoppers
are continuing an early shopping trend this year, with a
large chunk reportedly starting their Halloween shopping this summer. Nearly
half of consumers forty nine percent, begins shopping in September
or earlier, a slight increase from forty seven percent the

(58:23):
year prior. According to the report, leading reasons consumers are
shopping earlier are because they are looking forward to fall
forty four percent, Halloween is one of their favorite holidays
thirty seven percent, they do not want to miss out
on desired items thirty three percent, and they want to
avoid the stress of last minute shopping thirty three percent.

(58:47):
This concludes readings for The Courier Journal for Saturday, October fourth,
twenty twenty five. Stay tuned for more news to follow immediately.
Your reader has been Melody Ryan