10.7.25

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the reading of the Courier Journal for Tuesday,
October seventh, two thousand, twenty five, which is brought to
our Louisville listeners via Louisville Public Media. As a reminder,
RADIOI 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 to day is Angie Mems.

(00:25):
We'll start with the weather section and the forecast through Sunday,
brought to you by w h A s to day
high seventy two, heavy rain and a thunder storm. Tonight,
low fifty eight, cloudy with a shower. Wednesday high seventy three,

(00:47):
low fifty mostly sunny, less humid, Thursday high sixty nine,
low forty eight, plenty of sun. Friday high seventy three,
low fifty two, sunny, unpleasant, Saturday high seventy four, low

(01:09):
fifty four, mostly sunny and nice, and Sunday high seventy four,
low fifty two, mostly sunny. The local forecast from ACU
weather staffed meteorologist humid today with periods of rain, some heavy,
and a thunderstorm. Any thunderstorm can cause flash flooding. Low

(01:32):
clouds this evening with a passing shower, then becoming clear
late mostly sunny, pleasant and less humid. Tomorrow, Thursday plenty
of sun Friday pleasant with plenty of sunshine. The Almanac
for Louisville on Sunday temperature high eighty three, low sixty normal,

(01:55):
high seventy five normal, low fifty four reck high ninety
two in twenty eighteen, record low thirty four in nineteen
sixty eight. Precipitation Sunday zero inches month to date zero
inches normal month to date point sixty five inches year

(02:20):
to date forty three point one four inches normal year
to date thirty seven point seven two inches. The pollen
count from allergyasc dot com grass moderate weeds, high trees,
low molds. Moderate air quality Monday moderate, Today moderate sun

(02:51):
and moon Tuesday sunrise seven forty four a m. Sunset
seven seventeen p M. Moonrise seven twenty six p M,
moonset eight fourteen a M. Wednesday sunrise seven forty five

(03:12):
a m. Sunset seven fifteen p M. Moonrise seven fifty
nine p M moonset nine thirty two a m. Moon
phases last quarter October thirteenth, New Moon October twenty first,

(03:34):
first quarter October twenty ninth and full moon November fifth.
Weather history. On October seventh, nineteen o two, a water
spout was spotted off Cape May, New Jersey. When the
first chilly air masses of fall cross warm bodies of water,
water spouts form. Now I'll preview today's three front page headlines.

(04:00):
Number one, we're here nearly forty percent of bourbon drinkers
are women. They're executives in the industry too. Number two
McGrath to run for McConnell's seat again. She joins three
Democrats in May primary election. And number three food programs
are turning to contingency strategies. Now for today's articles, We're

(04:25):
here nearly forty percent of bourbon drinkers are women. They're
executives in the industry too. By Olivia Evans, Courier Journal,
USA Today Network. Women have been working distilling, tasting, marketing,
and leading bourbon companies for years, from glass sealing breakings

(04:47):
like Elmer Lucille Allen, who became the first black chemist
at Brown Foreman in nineteen sixty six, to Marion McLain,
who made history as one of the earliest documented women
working in American whiskey history. After forgetting to pay taxes
and Elizabeth McCall, the current master distiller at Woodford Reserve.

(05:10):
The list of working women in Kentucky's iconic spirits industry
is endless. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in
twenty twenty four that women accounted for forty seven point
one percent of the total employed workforce across all US industries,
representing a decade high, and in the beverage manufacturing sector, which,

(05:36):
while not a complete representation of all aspects in the
bourbon industry, does include a large portion. Women were thirty
two percent of total employed people in twenty twenty four.
We've always had our place, We've always been there, It's
just not been talked about with regularity. Nicole Beam, operations

(05:59):
manager at Harvest Express, one of the leading transportation services
in the bourbon industry, told The Courier Journal. Women can
run the trucks, or women can make whisky, or women
can order the commodities, or they can do all the things.
While women haven't always been publicly at the forefront of
the male dominated bourbon industry, it was twenty fifteen when

(06:23):
Mary Anne Eves was named Kentucky's first female master distiller
since Prohibition when she took the role at Old Taylor Distillery.
That has evolved in recent years. Drink connoisseurs, whisky people,
they look at women in whiskey with maybe a little
bit more shock in all. But we've always been here

(06:44):
and we will always be here, said Sydney Jones, a
lead distillery technician at heaven Hills Springs Distillery in Bardstown.
We're being pushed into places of prominence now that I
think it's really really cool, and it's opening some new
doors for us that I'm very thankful for. But we've
always been here and it's not just women making bourbon. Today,

(07:09):
nearly forty percent of all bourbon consumers are women, nearly
double where that number sat two decades ago, according to
the Bourbon Women Association, which was formed by Peggy no Stevens,
who was known as the first female master bourbon teaster
in the industry. As women like Beam Kate Latts, the

(07:31):
co president of heaven Hill and others continue to emerge
in high profile jobs across the bourbon industry, they're paving
the way for all the women who will keep being
major players in the spirits industry. We're here and We're
making your favorite bourbon your favorite American whiskey, Jones said.

(07:52):
Here's a look at three women leading the future of
the bourbon industry. Nicole Beam Operations means at Harvest Express.
Beam is not the type of woman to sit still.
On any given day. The legacy bourbon employee can be
found creating schedules for truck drivers, talking with customers to

(08:13):
review their shipments, lending an ear to her five daughters,
and supporting her Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame inducted husband,
Craig Beam. For the past twenty two years, Beam has
made herself a fixture in the bourbon industry, first with
a stint at heaven Hill in the marketing department, and
now most notably with Harvest Express, which handles the shipping

(08:37):
and trucking needs for many companies and suppliers in the
bourbon industry. For Beam, running a trucking company that handles
grain shipments for distillers was never her dream career, But
as her daughters were growing up and her husband was
spending long days at the distillery, she wanted something that
offered more flexibility and kept her in the workforce. That's

(09:00):
why she decided to take the trucking business her husband
ran and grow the company in a matter of years.
She took it from four trucks to twenty seven and
from twelve van trailers to one hundred and ten. But
her success wasn't without challenge right out of the gate.
It was a little bit like do I have a place?

(09:21):
Beam said of entering a sector of the industry where
she rarely saw other women. Through extensive relationship building, earning
the trust of clients who previously worked with her husband,
in making sure she wasn't getting ripped off or being
a woman at the mechanic, Beam found her way. Like
any job, it just takes some maneuvering and you have

(09:44):
to gain some trust within that industry to say I
can do this too, and I'm good at it. Beam,
whose right hand partner at Harvest Express is also a woman,
is confident that the visibility and presence of women in
the American whiskey industry, particularly the transportation and logistics sector,

(10:04):
will continue to grow, and she looks forward to ushering
in the next generation, stepping into something that's not historically
known to be women driven. No pun intended, It actually
gives you a greater sense of accomplishment beam, said Kate Latts,
co president of heaven Hill. Latts, the co president of

(10:29):
heaven Hill, is a prominent force both at her company
and the industry at large. A third generation leader of
the largest independent, family owned and operated producer and maker
of distilled spirits, Latts has arguably been in the bourbon
industry her entire life. She used to joke that being

(10:50):
a woman in this industry, the really great thing is
that there's never a long line for the restroom. But
that's actually not really true because we have so many
ways men that are doing great things, specifically in the
production of American and Bourbon whisky, Lads, told The Courier Journal.
At heaven Hill, women are an ever present part of

(11:11):
the company, found in every aspect of production, marketing, distribution,
quality control, consumer analysis and visitor experiences, something Lass sad
is not surprising. In fact, it's a psychological and biological
truth that women have a better palette for tasting whisky

(11:31):
because they have stronger, more refined taste buds, she said.
Susan Wall, managing director of the whisky portfolio at heaven Hill. Wall,
the vice president and managing director of the whisky portfolio,
at heaven Hill has been in the industry for more
than twenty five years. She started her career under the

(11:52):
tutelage of Parker Beam, a legendary master distiller who helped
heaven Hill launch the Elijah craigbrand. Wall recalls traveling with
Parker Beam for tasting events and seeing what would become
known as the bourbon boom start bubbling up in the
early two thousands. It was in these early years Wall

(12:13):
noticed female consumption of whiskey products was roughly twenty five percent. Today,
the female consumer makes up almost forty percent of the
entire consumer base for whisky. While Wall can't solely take
credit for the expansion of products marketed toward female consumers,
her role has allowed her to see the demographic shift

(12:36):
among the consumers and to help influence it, inviting more
women to take a sip. Wall, who has worked with
iconic brands such as Elijah, Cragg Evan, Williams, Larceny, and
Old Fitzgerald, also works on product innovations such as limited
edition whiskies, bottled in bond expressions, and fun finishing techniques

(12:59):
to continue bringing consumers new ways to enjoy the spirit
they love. This isn't a phenomenon. It might feel that way,
but we have been around and put our stake in
the ground. Wall said of women in Bourbon. We've sometimes
been the woman behind the curtain a lot, and I
think now is the time for us to come to

(13:20):
the front and really be in the front of what's happening.
We're no longer behind the curtain and behind the scenes. Next.
Mc grath to run for McConnell's seat again. She joins
three Democrats in May primary election. By Hannah Pinsky Courier Journal,
USA Today Network, Amy mc grath is returning to Kentucky politics.

(13:45):
McGrath announced October sixth she's running to replace outgoing US
Senator Mitch McConnell in the twenty twenty sixth Senate race.
She joins three high profile Democratic candidates in the May
primary election, including State House Representative Pamela Stevenson, attorney Logan Forsyth,

(14:07):
and former CIA officer Joel Willett. This isn't mc grath's
first congressional race. McGrath ran against McConnell in twenty twenty,
bringing in record funding to her campaign, though she lost
in the general election in twenty eighteen, McGrath also lost
to Republican Representative Andy Barr in the race for Kentucky's

(14:29):
sixth congressional district in a year that was predicted to
be a Democratic blue wave. In her twenty twenty six
campaign launch video, mc grath touted her background as a
former Marine pilot and the first woman to fly a
combat mission for the U. S. Marine Corps. I know
what courage looks like, McGrath said right now, Way too

(14:51):
many politicians don't, and Americans are being thrown under the
bus by cowards and Washington without the moral backbone to
serve our nation with a McGrath also emphasized Kentuckian's deserve
a senator who acts with decency and patriotism. When she
ran against McConnell in twenty twenty, McGrath had called for

(15:13):
congressional term limits and supported police reform efforts, including the
expanded use of body cameras and lowering drug prices. McGrath
had raised significant money in that race. She brought in
two point five million dollars in the first twenty four
hours after she launched her campaign and brought in another

(15:35):
ninety million by the end of the race. During her
twenty twenty campaign, she courted voters who were fans of
President Donald Trump but not McConnell, a tactic that attracted skepticism,
but she also made it clear she would not be
voting for Trump in that year's presidential race. McGrath also

(15:55):
supported universal health care and said while the government shouldn't
be the deciding factor in abortion, she saw some restrictions
as reasonable. She also focused on healthcare as a priority
when she ran against Barr in twenty eighteen, saying that
instead of repealing the Affordable Care Act, lawmakers should work

(16:19):
to make changes to the law. Barr is running in
the Republican primary for the twenty twenty six Senate race.
His campaign spokesperson Alex Belizi said in a statement that
Barr and Trump beat Amy McGrath once, and they'll do
it again together. They defeated her in what was once
a battleground district despite her millions from coastal elites and

(16:43):
endless airtime from liberal media. Belize said, we can't wait
for another big, beautiful MAGA rally when Andy's the GOP
nominee to make sure Amy McGrath is never a US senator. Next,
food pros are turning to contingency strategies by Mary Walwrith

(17:05):
Holdridge USA Today. As the partial government shut down continues,
more federally funded agencies are turning to contingency plans to
keep lights on and doors open for the millions of
Americans who rely on their services. While some programs are
guaranteed continued funding, such as Social Security, others face greater

(17:28):
uncertainty as Congress and the White House continue to spar
over a budget. Programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, infants, and
children rely on cooperation between states and the federal government,
which may not have the personnel or funds to keep

(17:51):
things moving during a shutdown. SNAP benefits are allocated a
month in advance meeting October will look no different for
people who rely on the program. However, in the face
of an extended shutdown, the process could soon get complicated.
SNAP is a federal program designed to help low income
individuals and families afford nutritious food. It provides monthly benefits

(18:17):
via an Electric Benefits Transfer Card, which works like a
debit card that can be used at authorized retailers including
supermarkets and convenience stores. The US Department of Agriculture, which
oversees SNAP and similar programs through its Food and Nutrition
Service Division, has a contingency plan to maintain its core

(18:40):
services during a government shutdown, at least temporarily. Funds for
October's SNAP benefits were allocated before the month began, meaning
payments are being processed and distributed as usual. If the
shutdown lasts into November, USDA could take up into multi

(19:00):
year contingency funds that can be used for administrative expenses
and or to pay participant benefits directly. According to the
USDA plan, it is unclear how much money is currently
available in that reserve. These measures are a temporary means
of keeping fns running. However, existing continuing resolutions or at

(19:24):
temporary funding measures generally only allow the USDA to disperse
benefits thirty days after a shutdown begins, and funding can
run out. If the shutdown lasts beyond October, it could
exhaust the USDA's contingency plan, and the administration could choose

(19:44):
not to tap into the multi year fund, according to
the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget and the Food
Research and Action Center, at this point, it is unclear
if benefits would be disrupted in November if the shutdown
were to last that long. USA Today has reached out
to the USDA for comment. Keeping SNAP benefits flowing could

(20:09):
become a challenge on a state level as well. The
timeline on which SNAP benefits are processed varies by state,
meaning a disruption on the federal level could so confusion.
Each state must send data about eligible households SNAP benefits
to the EBT vendor each month. This data allows vendors

(20:31):
to load benefits onto EBT cards for the upcoming month,
and if not filed in time, results in delays or
missed payments, according to the USDA. Typically, the USDA coordinates
and authorizes these state transmissions, but its ability to do

(20:52):
so is limited by furloughs and a lack of funding.
Next Louisville forecast predicts lots of rain by Caroline Neil
Courier Journal, USA Today Network. With the cold front moving
into the region, the Louisville metro area can expect rain
through October seventh, according to the National Weather Service in Louisville.

(21:15):
National Weather Service Louisville meteorologist Chase Graham said the area
can expect waves of rain through October seventh, as the
cold front pushes in from the northwest. In total, Louisville
could see around one to two inches of rain, with
some areas getting up to three inches. Graham said, nw

(21:37):
S Louisville is not expecting severe storms. A lot of
the rain may not even have thunder with it. The
fuel for thunder storms, or as we call it, the
instability is really lacking, Graham said. We're just expecting typical
garden variety, maybe a few rumbles of thunder here and there,

(21:57):
though there could be some localized minor flooding. Graham said
the area should be able to handle the rain given
the recent dry conditions. In September, nw S Louisville sold
the drought getting worse, but rain during the middle of
the month slightly improved conditions. Graham said. Since then Louisville

(22:18):
began trending back on the dryer side. We had seen
a deterioration in the drought situation over the last week.
This rain will be really helpful to try to slow
that or even potentially lead to an improvement in the
drought status, he said. Louisville weather forecast Tuesday showers and

(22:41):
possibly a thunderstorm. High near seventy five, southwest wind around
seven miles per hour. Chance of precipitation is one hundred percent.
New rainfall amounts between one to two inches possible. In
the evening. There's a fifty percent chance of showers and thunderstorms.
Four two a m. Mostly cloudy with a low around

(23:03):
fifty six, north wind six to nine miles per hour.
New rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of
an inch. Expect higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Wednesday mostly
sunny with a high year seventy one. Northeast wind nine
to eleven miles per hour with gusts as high as

(23:26):
twenty miles per hour. In the evening, it will be
clear with the low around forty six. Thursday sunny with
a high year sixty nine. At night it will be
mostly clear with a low around forty five. Next Court
to Way LGBTQ plus conversion role of First Amendment and

(23:48):
talk therapy at Issue by Maureene Grappie, USA Today, Dateline, Washington.
Growing up in a conservative religious family in Erasza, Matt R.
Salmon was desperate not to be gay. He prayed, fasted,
read scripture, and pleaded with God to change him. Even

(24:12):
at other kid's birthday parties when they were blowing out
their birthday candles. I would try to make my wish
before they could to try and steal it, Salmon, now
thirty seven, recounted. When it didn't work, he agreed at
age eighteen to see a counselor he was told could help.
Not only did his attraction to men not go away,

(24:35):
but Salmon said he absorbed the therapist's message that something
was deeply wrong with him. Although he's worked hard to
undo those two years of what he called psychological abuse,
Salmon said he still feels so hurt and to this
day broken by the experience. So he was stunned when

(24:56):
the Supreme Court said that it would decide whether Colorado's
ban on conversion therapy for LGBTQ plus minors violates a
counselor's free speech rights. Licensed professionals don't have free speech,
said Samon, now a psychiatrist and counselor himself in Washington,
d c. You don't just get to say whatever you want.

(25:20):
In one of their biggest cases of the term, the
Justices will debate October seventh whether the First Amendment allows
states to regulate treatments like talk therapy. Kayleie Chiles, the
licensed counselor challenging Colorado's ban, said the law is preventing
her from communicating messages that some people, including those who

(25:42):
believe they were born in the wrong body, are interested in.
The law, she said allows her to support adolescens who
want to transition to another gender, but not to help
them accept their assigned sex at birth. Clients would like
to hear a message of hope that you you can
have struggles with your body in a variety of ways,

(26:03):
and you can actually grow in peace and comfort with
the body that you're in. Chiles said she views her
work as an outgrowth of her Christian faith. Chiles has
the backing of the Trump administration. The Justice Department has
told the Supreme Court that Colorado is musling one side
of an ongoing debate in the mental health community about

(26:26):
how to discuss questions of gender and sexuality with children.
Colorado argues that states have long had the ability to
protect patients by regulating health care, and the evidence is
clear that trying to change someone's sexual orientation or gender
identity doesn't work and can lead to depression. Anxiety and suicidality.

(26:52):
So called conversion therapy is an inhumane and abusive practice
overwhelmingly shown to harm young peace people. Colorado Attorney General
Phil Weiser said, we have a compelling interest in protecting
children from this dangerous pseudoscience. Childs can use a variety

(27:12):
of therapeutic techniques to help miners, including those who don't
want to act on same sex attractions, the state says,
but counselors can't seek the predetermined outcome of changing a
miner's sexual orientation or gender identity. Having same or multi
gender attractions, behaviors, and desires, as well as transgender, non binary,

(27:36):
and gender diverse identities and expressions, is a healthy feature
found in every society and culture, a coalition of major
medical and psychological professional associations told the Supreme Court in
a brief supporting Colorado's law. Still in twenty twenty three,
the Trevor Project, an advocacy group for LGBTQ plus people,

(28:01):
said it found more than six hundred professional counselors and
hundreds more unlicensed counselors who say they can help alter
someone's sexual orientation or gender identity. There is a myth
out there that conversion therapy is an artifact of history,
said Casey Pick, senior director of Law and Policy at

(28:22):
the Trevor Project. Historically, there were a wide range of interventions.
Those included averse techniques such as using bad smells, electric shocks,
or other negative feedback to try to train the patient
to not have homosexual thoughts. Today, talk therapy is most common,

(28:42):
according to the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law,
a think tank that researches sexual orientation and gender identity issues.
Samon said his counselor suggested his attraction to men was
his father's fault because his job kept him away from home,
causing Salmon to identify more with his mother. He convinced

(29:04):
me that my parents were part of the problem. Salmon said,
he put a wedge between us. More than twenty states
have restricted the practice through laws, including some that were
backed by Republican governors. A handful of other states have
used executive orders or regulatory agencies to attack the issue.

(29:25):
In twenty fifteen, a division of the US Department of
Health and Human Services made a case for eliminating the
use of conversion therapy among youth. There is limited research
on conversion therapy efforts among children in adolescents. However, none
of the existing research supports the premise that mental or

(29:45):
behavioral health interventions can alter gender identity or sexual orientation.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said in
its report Editor's note, now is the time we usually
read obituaries. Today's paper contains no obituaries. Back to the

(30:08):
previous article, Chiles argues that issues related to sex and
sexuality are not as settled as Colorado claims. Her attorney,
Jim Campbell, said Colorado is pointing to studies that lump
together the kind of counseling Chiles wants to do with
aversive treatments used in the past. Chiles is simply practicing

(30:32):
speech only counseling, said Campbell, chief legal council with Alliance
Defending Freedom, a conservative legal organization. If you go through
the seminole American Psychological Association report that they have included,
it says over and over again that there is no
evidence that this kind of counseling causes harm, he said.

(30:55):
In a brief supporting Colorado's law, the APA says as
childs is mischaracterizing key aspects of the Association's two thousand
and nine report on conversion therapy that found it is
ineffectual and can be harmful. Our finding in two thousand
and nine and subsequently in twenty twenty one is that

(31:18):
these sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts have no
track record of being effective, said Dianne Audoviano, the APA's
General Council, but they do have a good record based
on self reported evidence of causing harm, depression and suicidality

(31:38):
and loneliness and other adverse psychological concerns. Next officer and
Taylor death has request. Hankison is seeking delay and reporting
to prison. By Leo Bertucci, Courier Journal, USA Today Network,
former Louyville Metro police officer Brett Hankison, who fired shots

(32:03):
in the police raid that killed Breonna Taylor, as scheduled
to report to prison October ninth for the thirty three
month sentence he received after he was convicted and Federal
District Court of violating Taylor's civil rights. Hankison, who is
appealing the conviction and sentencing in the U. S. District
Court for the Western District of Kentucky, requested a sixty

(32:27):
to ninety day extension to report to the Federal Bureau
of Prisons. According to a court motion filed October three,
his attorneys stated the additional time is needed to allow
the court to rule on the appeal and, if necessary,
allow Hankison to appeal to a higher court. Western Kentucky

(32:48):
District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings has not decided on whether
to allow the extension. It is unclear which prison Hankison
would be assigned to in the event his request for
an extension is denied. The night Tailor was killed in
March twenty twenty, Hankerson fired a total of ten shots
into her apartment through a sliding glass door and window

(33:12):
that were covered by blinds. None of the shots Hankison
fired hit her, though some passed into a neighboring apartment
where a man, a pregnant woman, and young child were present.
Hankison was fired from LMPD for blindly shooting into Taylor's apartment.
During his sentencing hearing July twenty first, Hankison said he

(33:35):
would have never fired his gun if he had known
all of the facts he later learned. The Department of
Justice under President Donald Trump has scrutinized Hankison's conviction, previously
requesting he be sentenced to one day in prison time
he has already served. The DOJ suggested in a sentencing

(33:56):
memorandum July sixteenth, Hankison should not have been prosecuted on
civil rights charges by former President Joe Biden's administration. Editor's Note.
Reporters Josh Wood, Killian Barlayer, Lucas Albach, and Stephanie Kusidom
contributed to this story. Next Louisville prepares for opening a

(34:19):
free standing birth centers option for women who don't prefer
a hospital by Killian Barlayer, Courier, Journal, USA Today Network.
For years, advocates for expanding childbirth options in Kentucky have
called on lawmakers to reduce barriers to establishing free standing

(34:40):
birthing centers. The commonwealth has been without an operational free
standing birthing center since the nineteen eighties, said Mary Katherine
de Lauter, director of the Kentucky Birth Coalition, a grassroots
organization that led the charge in advocating for legislation loosening
regulation for the facilities. With the twenty twenty five passage

(35:03):
of House Bill ninety, de Lawder and other advocates hope
to see them again sprout up. It's another option for
women who don't want to go to the hospital, said
Representative Jason Nemus, a Louisville Republican who sponsored the bill.
It's something that a lot of mothers in Kentucky want,
so we got that done. With the law now in

(35:26):
the books. Louisville Metro government officials must determine how to
accommodate the newly allowed facilities in the local Land Development Code.
At an October second meeting, Louisville Metro Planning commissioners approved
an Office of Planning staff recommendation with a small tweak
that would allow free standing birthing centers to open in

(35:47):
the downtown area without a conditional use permit and in
other parts of the county on a case by case basis.
Free Standing birthing centers, which have so bord in popularity
around the country in recent years, are separate from hospitals,
providing a midwifery model of care with a focus on labor,

(36:10):
delivery and the immediate postpartum period. Often operated as small businesses,
the facilities are designed to serve women with low risk pregnancies,
offering an option besides a hospital or home birth. The
midwifery model of care is really a patient centered model,
and it focuses primarily on pregnancy, not as an illness.

(36:34):
It's a normal part of life. De Latter said, it's
looking at you from the total perspective, from your physical health,
your mental, spiritual well being, your family situation, and it
really encompasses the whole person. House Bill ninety defined the
facilities in state law and tasked the Cabinet for Health

(36:54):
and Family Services with creating licensing regulations for them. Also
removed the need for facilities with fur or less beds
to obtain a certificate of need, a requirement advocates have
long seen as a chief impediment to establishing freestanding birthing centers.
Certificates of need are meant to regulate health care facilities

(37:17):
by requiring entities planning to open one to prove they
meet a need in the community. For decades, De Latter said,
hospitals have quelled the establishment of free standing birthing centers
by arguing against their necessity. It's really hard for small
business owners to win in this process, so to speak,

(37:39):
because when you are going through trying to prove the need,
the competition essentially gets to come forward if they wish
and say why they think there is not a need,
the latter said. The result was that free standing birthing
centers were technically allowed, Nemus said, but it was pretty
much in name only if it wasn't in practice. While

(38:02):
working on the legislation, Nemus heard from several mothers who
had traveled to Indiana to access such facilities. He said,
we went over to one of the facilities in Indiana,
and over fifty percent of the mothers who were having
the babies were Kentuckians, he said. A less minute addition
to House Bill ninety also clarified medical conditions and obstetrical

(38:26):
complications that are not considered an abortion under Kentucky law,
causing some Democrats to vote against its passage. House Bill
ninety does not provide for local zoning rules, which leaves
Louisville Metro officials to determine how the city will handle
the anticipated opening of freestanding birthing centers. They're on the

(38:48):
rise across the country, so this is kind of an
issue that's coming and not necessarily is here at the moment.
Planning and Design Manager Joseph Haberman told the Planning Commission
October two. The state law's sole location requirement is that
the facilities must be within thirty miles of a hospital

(39:09):
to ensure access to a higher level of care in
case the need arises. Haberman said he does not believe
that provision would impact Louisville, since he is not aware
of any parts of the county that do not fall
within thirty miles of a hospital. A Planning Commission staff
report noted parts of Jefferson County, including South Louisville, do

(39:33):
not currently have a birthing facility. A twenty twenty two
study sponsored by the Department of Public Health and Wellness
also found a need for more equitable access to prenatal
care in Louisville and recommended promoting options for births outside
of hospitals. Of the birthing facilities currently operating in Louisville,

(39:56):
all are housed within hospital settings. According to the Place
Commission staff report. Haberman recommended defining free standing birthing centers
in the local land Development Code, pulling the definition from
the new state law, and placing the centers under the
umbrella of medical clinics. He also recommended letting all medical clinics,

(40:20):
including free standing birthing centers be allowed in downtown without
a conditional use permit. Medical clinics, he said, square well
with the area's current land uses, while creating an alternative
to the conditional use permitting process would align with the
state bill's aim to enhance access. Entities looking to build

(40:43):
a free standing birthing center in other parts of the
county would be required to obtain a conditional use permit
under the recommendation. The Planning Commission accepted the recommendation, with
a small modification related to how medical clinics are defined
and the land development code. The recommendation will now go

(41:05):
to the Louisville Metro Council for its consideration. Next Thompson
case to be reviewed in Colorado. Louisville native's death ruled
suicide in two thousand and five by Lillian Metzmeyer, career
journal USA Today Network. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation will

(41:27):
review the death of the Louisville born Gonzo journalist Hunter S.
Thompson nearly two decades after his death, Officials announced September thirtieth.
Thompson's two thousand and five death in his Colorado home
was originally ruled a suicide, but CBI officials said the
bureau is conducting a case review into his death at

(41:50):
the request of his widow, Anita Thompson. According to the release,
no foul play has been identified in the years since
Thompson's death, and the new investigation is meant to answer
any lingering questions. By bringing in a fresh agency, we
understand the profound impact hunter as Thompson had on this

(42:13):
community and beyond. Pitkin County Sheriff Michael Buglioni said in
the release. By bringing in an outside agency for a
fresh look, we hope to provide a definitive and transparent
review that may offer peace of mind to his family
and the public. It is unknown how long the review

(42:35):
will take. Born in Loysville in nineteen thirty seven, Thompson
lived in his family's Highlands home from six years old
until the time he left Loisville. Thompson was arrested as
a high school senior in nineteen fifty five and charged
as an accessory to a robbery in Cherokee Park. After

(42:55):
spending thirty one days in the Jefferson County jail, unable
to take his final examinations or graduate, he left Louiville
and joined the US Air Force, where he covered sports
while writing for other outlets. In the nineteen sixties, Thompson
would write freelance articles for The Courier Journal about his
time in Puerto Rico. Thompson is best known for popularizing

(43:19):
gonzo journalism, a style of reporting that centers the reporter
in the story without claiming objectivity. While present in Thompson's
nineteen seventy one book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,
the Kentuckian's real start to the reporting style was his
nineteen seventy essay that Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved,

(43:42):
written for Scanlan's Monthly in New York publication. In this essay,
he chronicled his first hand experience returning to Louisville for
the Derby, beginning from the moment he landed in the
airport terminal. Though Thompson did not move back to Louisville,
the ties to his hometown remained. Thompson was named a

(44:02):
Kentucky colonel in nineteen ninety six, but would only accept
the title of close friend, and Owensborough native Johnny Depp
received it as well. The journalist was also elected into
the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame in twenty fourteen and
the Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame in twenty fifteen. Editor's
note Josh Wood contributed to this report. If you or

(44:27):
someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text,
or chat with the nine eight eight Suicide and Crisis Lifeline,
or visit nine eight eight Lifeline dot org for twenty
four to seven access to free and confidential services. Next

(44:48):
Mayor names new executive director of Louisville Free Public Library
by Leo Bertucci, Courier Journal, USA Today Network. Mayor Craig
Greenberg appointed Heather low as Louisville Free Public Library's new
executive director, according to a September twenty ninth news release. Lowe,

(45:10):
a former interim director with the Dallas Public Library, will
begin her new role in Louisville November tenth. According to
the release, she will succeed interim executive director Barbara Sexton Smith. Lowe,
who according to her resume, served as interim director in
Dallas from October twenty twenty four to June twenty twenty five,

(45:33):
held other administrative positions for the library in her eleven
years there. Most recently as the Assistant Director of Technology
and Strategic Direction. She holds a master's degree in Library
and Information Services from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Greenberg praised low for her experience in libraries and archives.

(45:57):
In my time as mayor, I've made in our libraries
a top priority, and we're building, rebuilding and improving libraries
across our city, he said in a statement. We're on
the right track and we are so excited to have
Heather join the LFPL team to help us keep this

(46:17):
great work going. In a statement from the Mayor's office,
Lowe said she is honored to join a community that
values its library and a talented library team so passionate
about serving the community. Together, we will strengthen Louisville Free
Public libraries legacy of providing access, learning, and connection for

(46:40):
every Louisvillion, she said. Louisville's public library system consists of
nineteen branches throughout Jefferson County, including a for and Creek
location expect to open in twenty twenty six. Members have
access to a number of services beyond books on the shelves,
such as telleleoscopes and three D printers. Next White House

(47:04):
looking into release of Woodford man convicted in killing of
Kentucky boy by Leo Bertucci, Courier Journal, USA Today Network.
The White House says it intends to intervene after uproar
spread over the release of a man sentenced for the
fatal stabbing of a six year old Kentucky boy in

(47:26):
twenty fifteen. Ronald Exentas, forty two, served seven years of
a twenty year prison sentence in Woodford County after he
was found guilty in twenty eighteen on two counts of
second degree assault and one count of fourth degree assault
in relation to the death of Logan Tipton. A circuit

(47:47):
court jury found Exantus not guilty of murder and first
degree burglary by reason of insanity, according to court records.
Court records show Exantus started super revised parole October first,
and is scheduled to be released from supervision June eighteenth,

(48:07):
twenty twenty six. Reports of Exantus's release from prison drew
outrage on social media. White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt
re shared a post October fourth from conservative media personality
Matt Walsh, adding the Trump administration is looking into this.

(48:27):
It's wholly unacceptable for a child killer to walk free
after just several years in prison, Levitt said in a
series of posts October third, Walsh said Exantus's release is
one of the most heinous miscarriages of justice in American history. Next,
Trump promises raises for all military members by Swampna Venugopaul

(48:51):
Ramaswami USA Today, President Donald Trump hailed the US Navy
during an event commemorating the Navy's to one hundred and
fiftieth anniversary October fifth at the Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia,
saying the America's enemies tremble at the site of a
Navy ship and that military members will receive a pay raise.

(49:16):
The celebration to mark two hundred and fifty years of
maritime dominance in the United States of America, as Trump
described it in a truth Social post, took place. Amit
a government shutdown, as military personnel work without pay and
thousands of federal employees are furloughed. At the event, Trump
blamed the Democrats for the shutdown and promised across the

(49:39):
board pay races for service members. Despite the current Democrat shutdown,
we will get our service members every last penny, he said,
don't worry about it. It's all coming. It's coming, and
even more because I'm supporting the across the board pay
raises for every sailor and service member of the United

(49:59):
States Armed b Forces. Days before the event, Trump called
out Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader
Hakim Jeffries, both of New York by name as people
responsible for the impass and for putting a damper on
the celebrations. Chuck Schumer, Hakim Jeffreys and the other minority

(50:22):
radical left Democrats tried their best through the ridiculous government
shut down to destroy this wonderful celebration of the US
Navy's birthday and to stop our military service members from
celebrating American naval history, Trump posted October third. However, I
believe the show must go on. Trump began his address

(50:44):
aboard the USS Harry S. Truman with the chant of
Bravo Zulu, a military and naval signal meaning well done.
The President was joined by First Lady Milania Trump and
Secretary of War I Pete Hegsath, formerly the Defense Secretary.
Every tyrant and adversary on the planet knows their choices,

(51:08):
he said, very simple. It is leave America in peace
or be blown up in fire and fury never seen before.
Trump also repeated his pledge to commit one trillion dollars
in military spending. Trump also revealed the date for the
White House UFC event in twenty twenty six in honor

(51:28):
of America's two hundred and fiftieth birthday, which was announced
in July. The date June fourteenth, which coincides with Trump's birthday,
and on June fourteenth next year, We're going to have
a big UFC fight at the White House, Trump said,
right at the White House. On the grounds of the
White House. Ivanka Trump, the president's daughter, is expected to

(51:52):
be involved in planning the UFC fight. Trump attended a
military parade June fourteenth in Washington to mark the two
hundred fiftieth anniversary of the U. S. Army. The event,
which coincided with Trump's seventy ninth birthday and Flag Day,
included a procession of thousands of soldiers in uniforms, past
and present, military vehicles, musical performances, and fireworks. Next, Write

(52:19):
Aid closes all stores after bankruptcy filing by Michelle del
Rey USA. Today, write Aid, a once national pharmacy chain,
popular for its in store ice cream scoops, has closed
its stores. The company announced all its stores have now
closed in a statement posted to its website. We thank

(52:42):
our loyal customers for their many years of support, the
statement reads. Write Aid announced it filed for Chapter eleven
bankruptcy in May, the second time since October twenty twenty third.
As part of its bankruptcy plan, the chain announced it
would be closing all of its wright Aid CEO Matt

(53:02):
Schroeder said in May that the company experienced financial challenges
that were intensified by the rapidly evolving retail and healthcare landscapes.
According to USA Today reporting at the time, as we
move forward, our key priorities are ensuring uninterrupted pharmacy services

(53:23):
for our customers and preserving jobs for as many associates
as possible, Schroeder said. The company's website is now blank
except for a service that helps former customers find a
new pharmacy and a link to request pharmacy records. On
May fifteen, Wright Aid said it entered into a series

(53:45):
of sale agreements and pharmacy services transitioning agreements that would
transition assets from its nationwide locations to CBS Pharmacy, Walgreens, Albertson's, Kroger,
and Giant Eagle. Additionally, the company said in May that
customers will be able to access pharmacy services and that

(54:08):
it was working to facilitate a smooth transfer of customer
prescriptions to other pharmacies. The company also auctioned off thirty
ice Cream, its in house ice cream brand, to hill
Rod Holdings in June. The transaction was approved on July
first by a federal judge. The company agreed to pay

(54:30):
nineteen point two million dollars for the purchased assets of
thrifty pay Less, Incorporated, which was owned by write Aid
before the bankruptcy. According to court documents, at its peak,
right Aid, which was founded in nineteen sixty two in Scranton, Pennsylvania,
had thousands of stores operating across the country. In May,

(54:54):
it was operating one thousand, two hundred and forty locations
in fifteen states. Next, Illinois joins legal battle against deploying
Guard by Sudik Shakuchi and Swampna Venegopal Ramaswami USA Today
date Line, Washington, a third state, on October sixth joined

(55:17):
a growing legal fight to attempt to prevent President Donald
Trump from sending National Guard troops to blue cities. Illinois
Attorney General Kwami Raoul filed a lawsuit that challenges the
Trump administration's unlawful deployment of National Guard members in Illinois
to perform federal law enforcement functions. According to a news release,

(55:42):
Tromp has announced he is sending three hundred Illinois National
Guard troops to Chicago, which joined in the suit. Raoul
argues that the deployment exceeds the administration's authority and that
Trump has not met the legal requirements to justify it.
A present cident can only deploy those troops under the

(56:03):
following specific limited circumstances, invasion, rebellion, or if the federal
government is unable to enforce federal laws. Raoul said California
and Oregon were already in court fighting Trump's deployment of
National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon. On October fourth, US

(56:23):
District Judge Kieran Immergut ruled that Trump could not deploy
Oregon National Guard troops to the state's largest city. Then,
the Pentagon said it had reassigned two hundred California National
Guard members to Portland on October fifth, Immergut temporarily blocked

(56:44):
that move as well. How could bringing in federalized National
Guard from California not be in direct contravention of the
decision I issued yesterday? Immergut, a Trump appointee, asked a
Trump administration lawyer during a hearing October fifth. The judge
said there was no evidence that recent protests necessitated the

(57:09):
presence of National Guard troops, no matter where they came from.
Earlier on October fifth, California Governor Gavin Newsom said he
was suing Trump over the order to deploy the California
National Guard to Oregon after a federal court blocked his
attempt to federalize the Oregon National Guard. Donald Trump is

(57:31):
deploying three hundred California National Guard personnel into Oregon. They
are on their way there now, Newsom said in a
post on X on October fifth, adding we are taking
this fight back to court. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield
announced an amended lawsuit on October fifth that put California

(57:52):
as a party to its suit. Emmergut's ruling, which will
remain in effect until at least October nineteenth, means the
Trump administration would be blocked from sending any National Guard
troops to Portland, while Oregon in California seek a longer
term ruling in the court. This concludes ratings for the
first sections of the Courier Journal for Tuesday, October seventh,

(58:16):
twenty twenty five. Stay tuned for more news to follow immediately.
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