10.9.25

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the reading of the Courier Journal for Thursday,
October ninth, twenty twenty five, which is brought to our
Louisville listeners via Lousville 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 to day is Cindy Fraser.

(00:22):
Let's start with a five day forecast brought to you
by w h A s to day high sixty six,
plenty of sun to night, low forty six, clear, Friday
high seventy low fifty three, sunny and pleasant. Saturday high

(00:42):
seventy four, low fifty one, sunlit and nice. Sunday high
seventy four, low fifty four, sunny and pleasant. Monday high
seventy three, low fifty seven, mostly sunny, pleasant, Tuesday high

(01:03):
seventy six, low fifty seven sunshine. The local forecast plenty
of sun today, nicest day of the week, clear tonight, pleasant,
tomorrow with plenty of sunshine, Saturday brilliant sunshine, and nice.
Sunday pleasant with sunshine mixing with sun clouds. The almanac

(01:27):
for Louisville on Tuesday, temperature high seventy three, low sixty six,
normal high seventy four, normal low fifty four. The record
high was ninety three in two thousand seven, the record
low thirty in nineteen fifty two. Precipitation Tuesday four point

(01:50):
two two inches month to date four point eight eight
inches normal month to date zero point nine one inches.
Year to date forty eight point zero two inches normal
year to date thirty seven point nine eight inches. The
pollen count from ALLERGYASC dot com grass, moderate weeds, high trees,

(02:17):
low and molds. Moderate. Air quality was good Wednesday and
will be good today. Sun and moon Thursday sunrise seven
forty six a m. Sunset seven fourteen pm, moonrise eight
thirty nine pm, moonset ten fifty two a m. Friday

(02:41):
sunrise seven forty seven a m. Sunset seven twelve pm,
moonrise nine twenty eight pm, moonset twelve eleven pm. The
last quarter of the moon will be October thirteenth, the
new Une October twenty first, the first quarter October twenty ninth,

(03:05):
and the full moon will be November fifth. Weather history.
On October ninth, eighteen o four, a hurricane in New
England caused massive damage Tropical moisture and cold air combined
in central New England. Two to three feet of snow
fell in the Berkshires and Green Mountains. Now let's review

(03:28):
the headlines from today's front page. First, Big disparities in
wat service study Parts of Jefferson County pay three times more.
Our next headline, COMI pleads not guilty to charges defense
seems likely to see case's dismissal. And the final headline

(03:49):
from today's front page, U of l Hire's disgraced former
lmpdee officer involved in crash copp drove and wrecked police
car was indicted resigned from police force. Now let's turn
to our first item from the front page, which is
entitled big Disparities in Waste service Study Parts of Jefferson

(04:10):
County pay three times more by Connor Giffen. A detailed
analysis of waste collection services in Jefferson County found striking
disparities in cost, services and efficiency in outlying communities, and
could spur local officials to completely rework services For more
than one hundred thousand households in unincorporated areas of the county,

(04:35):
residents often pay significantly more for waste collection services from
private companies when compared to public collection. In Louisville's Urban
Services District, a consultant's study found up to two or
three times more for the same level of service. In
some cases, private waste hollers criss crossed these suburban and

(04:55):
exurban communities in a patchwork of waste collection contracts. A
decentralized open market model has resulted in clear inefficiencies in
many of these neighborhoods. It is common from multiple hollers
to service homes on the same street on same or
different days. According to the report, the consequences of an

(05:16):
inefficient waste collection model extend far beyond residence monthly bills.
Neighborhood roads take a beating from excess heavy truck traffic,
and the resulting emissions inflict an environmental toll. Without accessible services,
some households may opt out of recycling or even resort
to illegal dumping and burning of waste. The eighty page

(05:39):
analysis was conducted by Raftellis, a national consulting firm for
the city's waste management district. The Courier Journal reviewed a
draft version of the report, which was presented to the
district's advisory committee in September and could still undergo revisions
to address inefficiencies. The report recommends a complete over transitioning

(06:01):
to a zoned franchise system in Jefferson County's unincorporated areas,
in which companies would bid to provide all waste collection
services across designated zones. These proposed changes would take approval
from the Louisville Metro Council and several years to implement.
The findings were met with pushback from industry voices, who

(06:21):
questioned some of the methodology in the analysis and argued
a franchise system would threaten open market principles and consumer choice.
Jefferson County currently enjoys a robust, efficient, and consumer response
of waste and recycling system, The National Waste and Recycling
Association said in comments on the report, proposals to implement

(06:43):
a single holer franchise model would disrupt this success, introduce
unnecessary bureaucracy, and restrict consumer choice without yielding meaningful environmental,
safety or economic improvements. Morgan McCarthy, project manager for Raftelli,
told the advisory committee the report and recommendations were not

(07:04):
designed to stifle competition. Rather, it aims to structure competition
in a way that secures the best overall value, consistent service,
and universal access for the public. She said, wide disparities
in cost and service. In Lufflle's Urban Services District, waste
collection is handled by public Works and includes trash recycling,

(07:28):
yard waste, and bulky item pick up. This service is
funded by a supplemental property tax within the district, which
comes out to about twenty two dollars and seventy seven
cents per Hassele per month. Raftel is estimated based on
internal Metro budget data. Outside the district, dozens of unincorporated
home rule cities contract independently with private holers, resulting in

(07:51):
wide variability in service levels, rates, and operational oversight. According
to the report, and beyond these areas, unincorporated parts of
Jefferson County have no government managed waste collection services. Instead,
homeowner associations and individual residents subscribe to a licensed hollow,

(08:11):
which may or may not be the same holler as
other neighbours on the same street. Jefferson County's unincorporated communities
include Valley Station, Pleasure Ridge Park, Oklona, Fern Creek, Fisherville,
and many more. More than one hundred thousand homes and
estimated forty percent of Jefferson County households eligible for waste

(08:35):
collection services are in unincorporated areas. Each of these homes
generates a few thousand pounds of waste per year on average.
Costs vary widely. In the county's unincorporated communities, Raftelas found
residents often pay significantly more for the same or lower
levels of service compared to the Urban Services District. Rates

(08:58):
for trash pick up alone ranged from twenty four to
forty two dollars per month, and when combining all services,
an average unincorporated households total waste bill has been estimated
at over forty eight dollars and fifty six cents to
eighty eight dollars forty four cents per month. Inaccessible or
fragmented services can contribute to improper waste disposal and dumping,

(09:23):
resulting in environmental harm and clinic costs. Notably in unincorporated
parts of Jefferson County, Raftelas estimated three percent of households,
or more than three thousand homes, do not subscribe to
any waste collection service. Louisville's Waste Management District routinely responds
to reports of illegally dumped household garbage, furniture, mattresses, and

(09:46):
construction debris, particularly in areas without reliable service coverage. Threeport
found while illegal dumping is a county wide issue, the
absence of guaranteed service in unincorporated areas is a country factor.
Broader more consistent services. By bidding out designated franchise zones

(10:07):
to license tollers, Raftelis expects residents in unincorporated areas could
receive broader, more consistent services, including yard waste and bulky
itemd pickup, for roughly the same average costs that many
residents currently pay under the open market system. The exclusive
zones would increase efficiency, mostly through fleet and labor costs

(10:29):
by cleaning up the existing tangle of overlapping truck routes.
Servicing these areas would take fewer trucks and fewer crew hours.
The report also estimates fuel savings from fewer miles driven,
meaning thousands of gallons of fuel saved annually. The analysis
also took into account some of the finer details of
waste collection, like real world street geometry. Automated sideloaders that

(10:53):
service only the right hand side lose efficiency on cul
de sacs and dead ends, for example, US could rise
for some residents under the zoned model, the firm concedes,
particularly those currently paying low prices for garbage pickup only,
but efficiency gains could bring improvements for the average open
market customer, and the results of competitive bidding would also

(11:16):
affect residence costs. Franchise models create competition for the contract itself,
which can lead to a robust bidding process where companies,
including local firms or those partnering with smaller entities, compete
on service, quality, innovation, and price over defined term. McCarthy
said this shifts the focus from the daily street by

(11:38):
street competition to a more strategic, community wide competition for
providing the best public service. In a September meeting of
the one oh nine board, which oversees the Jefferson County
Waste Management District, officials said more time would be necessary
to fully assess the findings of the Raptellis report. Metro
public Works, the city depart carman over Solid waste Management,

(12:02):
also had not arrived at any conclusions yet. Spokesperson Christian
Shanahan said the department was still reviewing his study. As
of September thirtieth, and has not yet taken an official position.
If the Board and Metro Council agreed to explore the
proposed model, public engagement and changes to local ordinances would follow.

(12:23):
Ralph Tellus recommended Louisville bid out just one's own to
begin with as a pilot. If local stakeholders deemed the
pilot of success, the city could move forward with additional
franchise zones across the county's unincorporated areas where the firm
said residents have the most to gain. Our next item

(12:43):
from today's front page is entitled Combing pleads not guilty
to charges. Defense seems likely to see case's dismissal by
Josh Meyer of USA Today from Washington, former FBI Director
James Comby sat stonefaced and staring straight ahead as the
nation's one time lead law enforcement officer, appeared before a

(13:05):
federal judge October eighth as a criminal defendant in a
case with monumental significance. The proceedings in northern Virginia were
routine enough. Over the course of a few minutes, lawyers
for the sixty four year old Comi entered pleas of
not guilty to a pair of federal charges that their
client lied to Congress and obstructed a congressional proceeding in

(13:27):
testimony he gave more than five years ago about his
investigation into twenty sixteen election interference. Comby was released on
his own recognisance, pending a trial scheduled for January fifth,
twenty twenty six, but the underlying case has major ramifications.
President Donald Trump has pushed the bounds of the Justice

(13:47):
Department's historic independence from the White House in publicly calling
for Combi to be prosecuted. The case has raised concerns
about a president using the justice system against his adversaries.
Combe's lawyer Patrick Fitzgerald, a former senior Justice Department official,
outlined a robust offense. He told the court that he

(14:09):
would introduce motions to dismiss the case on the grounds
of selective and vindictive prosecution, abuse of the grand jury process,
and outrageous conduct, and is seeking to have Lindsay Halligan
disqualified because she was not properly seated before she took
the case before a grand jury. Halligan has handled the
case since Trump installed her to replace Eric Siebert, a

(14:32):
long time federal prosecutor who either resigned or was fired
as a U S attorney. For the Eastern District of
Virginia after he reportedly raised concerns about whether there was
enough evidence to go After coming, Halligan was the only
prosecutor to sign off on the grand jury indictment against Comi.
Several constitutional law experts and Democratic lawmakers said ahead of

(14:56):
the arraignment that the indictment could indeed face significantly challenges
and potential dismissal due to questions about how the Trump
administration appointed Halligan. Halligan, a former insurance lawyer with no
prosecutorial background who was previously a personal defense attorney for
Trump and then aid in his White House, got the

(15:17):
job soon after Trump personally took to social media to
demand that Komi be indicted, along with other of his
perceived political enemies. Dwelan, a high ranking Justice Department official
under former President George W. Bush, says there's a fatal
legal flaw in Comby's September twenty fifth indictment because the
Department lacked the legal authority to appoint Halligan as u

(15:41):
S Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. I think
the appointment is invalid, and therefore the indictment is invalid,
said Whelan. In an October sixth interview. If that's the case,
Wheelan and others said it could knock out the case
before it gets to trial. Lizoi, former Justice Department pardon

(16:01):
attorney under Trump, said she believes there's a strong argument
that she was not lawfully appointed. Oyer also said that
because the statute of limitations to bring these particular charges
against Komi expired September thirty, if this indictment is thrown out,
it cannot be fixed or resubmitted. Justice Department spokesperson Shadgill

(16:23):
Martin had no comment ahead of the arraignment on the
validity of Halligan's appointment and the Komi indictment. Halligan's office
did not respond to requests for comment, and the White
House referred questions about the matter to the Justice Department.
According to Wheeland, the Justice Department cannot lawfully appoint a
second interm u S Attorney after appointing a first one

(16:45):
whose term has expired. He cites Section five forty six
d of Title twenty eight of the United States Code,
which authorizes an Attorney General to appoint an interim United
States Attorney for a term of one hundred twenty days
that only quote the District Court for such district may
appoint a United States attorney to serve until the vacancy

(17:07):
is filled. Siebert was appointed January twenty first by Acting
Attorney General James McHenry. After that interim appointment expired on
or about May twenty first, Eastern District of Virginia judges
appointed Siebert to continue. Wheeland sat. Wheeland also cited as
evidence in November thirteenth, nineteen eighty six memo by Conservative

(17:29):
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, who at the time was
a Senior Office of Legal Council lawyer under President Ronald Reagan.
It would appear that Congress intended to confer on the
Attorney General only the power to make one interim appointment.
A subsequent interim appointment would have to be made by
the district court overseeing that prosecutorial jurisdiction, Alito wrote. However,

(17:54):
pro Trump lawyer Trent mac Cotter disagreed with Wieland's analysis.
He responded to Whelan on x but because Trump fired Sebird,
that makes the office vacant. If you're right, he told Wheeland,
the AG's appointment power would literally never reset once one
hundred twenty days expire. Sebert's appointment by the court reset

(18:14):
the one hundred twenty day clock, argued Macotter a former
Justice Department prosecutor, and upon his removal, the clock starts
ticking once a new person is appointed by ag. Another twist,
it's possible that the Trump administration appointed Halligan as acting
US Attorney rather than interim US Attorney. Wheeland and other

(18:36):
legal experts say the administration has never said so, and
Justice Department spokesperson Gilmartin had no comment on whether the
Trump administration appointed Halligan in that temporary capacity for the
suburban Washington district that hears some of the nation's most
consequential cases. Wheland argued Halligan couldn't have been appointed acting

(18:57):
US Attorney either, because a two thousand three Office of
Legal Council opinion that he wrote requires that she have
served first as a Senate confirmed officer in another position,
and she hadn't been in the Department of Justice at all.
It would be weird if they're now saying she was
appointed as acting US Attorney, Wheeland told USA Today, contributing

(19:20):
Aisha Baktschi, Zach Anderson, and Bart Jansen USA Today, The
final item from Today's front page is entitled U of
l hires disgraced former l mpde officer involved in crash
copp drove and wrecked police car was indicted resigned from
the force by Josh Wood. In the early hours of

(19:44):
November sixteenth, twenty twenty three, a Louisville Metro Police cruiser
accelerated to one hundred six miles per hour before smashing
into a Toyota sedan making a left turn across Preston Highway.
Though officer Caleb Harton had been driving more than twice
speed limit, his emergency lights were not activated. He was

(20:04):
not involved in a pursuit, nor was he responding to
an emergency. The wreck pinned his partner in the crushed,
smoldering cruiser for more than forty minutes as emergency workers
tried to extract her. The crash also seriously injured a
woman in her sixties who was driving the sedan. Half
a year later, Harton would receive paperwork indicating LMPD intended

(20:26):
to fire him for his actions leading up to the crash,
as well as two previous incidents. Her body cam footage
did not match his account of events. On January twenty second,
twenty twenty four, he resigned from LMPD, and two days later,
a grand jury indicted him on felony level charges over
the crash. He is currently being considered for decertification by

(20:50):
the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council, a slow process that could
eventually prevent him from having a law enforcement job in
the state, and is facing lawsuits for his former partner
and the civilian injured in the crash. But despite that
checker track record, Harton twenty six is still patrolling the
streets of Louisville as a police officer. One month after

(21:14):
taking a plea deal on lesson charges that allowed him
to avoid jail time if he commenced no no offenses
for two years, Harton was offered a job by the
University of Louisville Police Department, the armed police force tasked
with keeping u of L faculty, staff, students, and visitors safe.
Recent court records show herten making arrests and traffic stops

(21:36):
both on and off campus this year. The officer's journey
from felony charters and termination to a new job much
like his old one illustrates the limits of police accountability
in Louisville. Even when alla MPD takes action to remove
officers involved in serious misconduct, there are still other avenues

(21:56):
for them to continue policing the community. U of L
Police Department Chief Steve Green did not respond to phone
and email messages seeking comment on the decision to hire Harton.
In a statement email to the Courier Journal, U of
L spokesperson John Carmen said Harton was properly vetted before
his hiring, including U of L having a conversation with

(22:19):
LMPD officer. Harton is a probationary hire of the university
and his conduct will be monitored. Carmen added, ULPD has
every confidence that he will be an asset to the force.
The safety and security of our campuses remade our top priority.
LMPD did not make a representative available for an interview,

(22:40):
but in an email, spokesperson John Bradley said when the
department is contacted about former officers, they will provide confirmation
of previous employment and the dates they were employed. However,
Bradley added LMPD had no record of providing any information
about Harton to any potential employer. The story is based

(23:01):
on records from LMPD, U of L, and the court system.
While Some LMPD records were obtained by the Courier Journal
under Kentucky's open records law. Other records were withheld by
the department and only later provided to the paper by
a private attorney representing the LMPD detective injured in the
crash he was driving like an a hole. Ahead of

(23:25):
the early morning crash. In twenty twenty three, Harton and
Detective Jada Grady drove to an apartment complex off Preston
Highway in South Louisville as part of an effort to
actively police areas known for high violent crime activity. Harton
would tell investigators the area, Harton said had previously been
the site of felony crimes and stolen cars had been

(23:47):
found there. He said it was part of his nightly
routine to swing through there. When they pulled into the
complex's parking lot, Harton said Grady informed him that a
vehicle that he did not see had immediately left, which
which he deemed suspicious. From Grady's description, Harton later told
investigators he thought the car might belong to a suspect

(24:07):
with a warrant out for their arrest he had been
looking for earlier in the month, based on my knowledge
of the area and previous incident, the time of night,
and the vehicle's action. Upon seeing a marked cruiser, I
made a decision to attempt to catch up with the
vehicle to investigate, Harton wrote in a statement to investigators
in January twenty twenty four. Turning on a Preston Highway

(24:29):
to try to find the vehicle, Harton told investigators he
only saw one set of tail lights far to the
north and decided to try to catch up to the vehicle.
I'm just trying to catch up to the tail lights
to see if that's the right car or not, and
to get a plate, just to conduct an investigation, Harton
told internal affairs officers in January of last year. He

(24:50):
said he accelerated to try to close ground. However, roughly
half a mile down the road, Harton's cruiser, with no
emergency lights activated to clear the way, smashed into a
Toyota Sedan turning across Preston Highway's northbound lanes onto East
Indian Trail. Crash data pulled from the vehicle by police
show Harten's cruiser accelerated from ninety eight miles per hour

(25:14):
to one hundred six miles per hour five seconds before
the crash. Immediately preceding the crash, police wrote, Harton hit
the brakes, bringing the speed down to ninety three miles
per hour half a second before impact. The speed limit
on that section Preston Highway was forty five miles per hour.
Surveillance footage from a nearby liquor store showed the woman's

(25:35):
vehicle slowly driving towards the intersection and taking a left
turn before Harton's cruiser surges inter view and crashes into
her in a whirlwind of sparks and smoke. The Courier
Journal obtained the footage from Grady's attorney, some aguion, which
came in a folder that identified it as a video
from an LMPDE internal affairs investigation. The Courier Journal filed

(25:58):
an open record's request to LMP for all video footage
of the incident, including surveillance footage, but mental government said
no surveillance footage was available. When an ALMPD investigator asked
gradye how Harton was driving that night, six days after
the crash while she was still in the hospital, she
said he drove like an a hole. Later, in a lawsuit,

(26:20):
Grady would say Harton's action at the time of the
crash were consistent with horseplay, and asked by LMPD internal
affairs investigators what she meant by that phrase, Grady said
doing things for the purpose of fun or enjoyment. Neither
Heart nor Greedy were wearing seat belts at the time
of the crash. According to a lawsuit filed by Grady

(26:40):
against Harton and the civilian in the Toyota, she was
still confined to a wheelchair and a medical bed in
her living room more than a month after the wreck.
The lawsuit said Grady had to also undergo surgery to
install a plate and screws into her hip and a
metal rod into her femur as a result of the wreck.
Known about the extent of the injuries to the woman

(27:02):
whom Harten struck, who fought her own lawsuit against Harton
and MmpD, Her attorney, Scott Stout, did not respond to
phone and email messages from The Courier Journal, and the
lawsuit did not describe her injuries. The findings report of
an LMPD breach of policy investigation called her injuries serious,
but did not go into further detail. My actions were

(27:25):
safe while LMPD vehicle cameras automatically engage when cruisers hit
eighty miles per hour. Harton told investigators he manually overrode
the system to turn it off. I knew I was
going to be accelerating potentially to that point, and it's
there's really no good reason, he told investigators in an interview.
I just intentionally turned it off because being lazy and

(27:48):
not wanting all these videos stacking up to activate. It's
just quite simply kind of annoying. Sometimes. Harton continually defended
his actions to investigators, saying the roadway was clear, and
claimed seing the sedan he hit was lingering in the
turn lane and turned in front of him at the
last second. Well, I knew I was driving in excess
of the speed limit. I perceived that under these conditions,

(28:10):
my actions were safe, he wrote in his January twenty
twenty four statement to investigators. I knew I had the
right of way and in no way anticipated that the
vehicle would attempt to turn. Jce Martin, the attorney representing
Harton in the civil lawsuit, did not respond to repeated
requests for comment from The Courier Journal. Steve Schuering, the

(28:30):
attorney who represented Harton in his criminal charges, said he
was not involved with other aspects of Harton's situation, adding
neither he nor I have any comments. On July twenty fourth,
twenty twenty four, a grand jury indictedt. Harton on two
counts of first degree wotton engagement over the crash a fellon,
the offense that carries a penalty of between one and

(28:53):
five years in prison if convicted. However, in a plea
agreement last November, those charges were mended down to criminal
mischief in the second degree, a misdemeanor, and speeding fourteen
miles per hour over the speed limit, a traffic offense.
Under the agreement, Harton will serve no jail time for
the misdemeanor if he commits no new violations for two years.

(29:16):
He was fined fifty dollars for the speeding violation. Jefferson
County commonwealths of Turning Office spokesperson Aaron Huber said the
office could not discuss the details of plea agreement considerations,
but said we always work to achieve the best possible
outcome in the interests of justice. Now it's time to
read the obituaries. We will complete this article after the obituaries.

(29:40):
For the obituaries we read only the name, age, and location.
If you would like further information on any of the obituaries,
please call us during the week days at eight five
nine four two two six three nine zero, and we
will be glad to read the entire obituary for you.
I will repeat that number at the end of the listings.

(30:01):
Julia Judy Marie Blair Brown eighty one of Louisville. Joseph B.
Conder Junior, no age given of Louisville, Dixie P. Hibbs
eighty three of Bardstown, Dudley Whush ninety four of Burnside,

(30:21):
Shirley Anne Matthews sixty six, no location given. Dolores Mullins,
no age or location given. Rebecca Lynne Becky Walker sixty
four of Louisville, Ariadne Welch eighty five of Louisville. If
you would like further information about any of the listings today,

(30:45):
call us on the weekdays at eight five nine four
two two six three nine zero, and we will be
glad to read the entire item to you. Now, let's
return to the article we were reading before the obituaries,
entitled U of bell Hires to day disgraced former l
m p D officer involved in crash officer involved in

(31:05):
other misconduct as well. The crash was not Harton's first
brush with trouble at l MPD. In commons concurring with
the findings of a breach of policy investigation, l m
p D Major Mindy Vance wrote, prior to this incident occurring,
I know issues with Officer Harton's driving had been addressed
multiple times in various forms by his commanding officers. However,

(31:30):
despite Vance's statement, Harton's discipline history, documents obtained by The
Courier Journal showed only one reprimand related to driving. A
February twenty twenty four order from then Chief Jacqueline Gwyneville
Royal that Harton take mandatory driver's training regarding an ATFOB
accident in June twenty twenty three, just months before his

(31:51):
Preston Highway wreck. It's unclear whether there were other driving
incidents that were handled more informally without a paper trail.
According to a May sixth, twenty twenty four letter, Gwyville
Royale decided to determinate Harton not only for policy violations
in the Creston Highway wreck, but also for misconduct in
two use of force incidents. In an August twenty first,

(32:15):
twenty twenty three incident, an internal affairs investigation determined Harton
violated several l MPD policies during an encounter where he
aimed a gun at and detained a man while working
off duty at Norton Hospital in Central Rousville's Medical District.
In that episode, Harton described a man as being amped

(32:35):
up and armed with a large bowie knife in an
incident report, while body cam footage showed the knife was
sheathed and the man's arms were raised. Internal affairs determined
Harton accidentally violating the department's evidence policy by only bringing
that man's knife to the evidence unit nearly two months
after he took it instead of on the same day.

(32:57):
He was also cited for refusing to contact a supervisor
at a citizen's request in that incident and being discourtious. Then,
in an August twenty ninth, twenty twenty three incident, Harton
slammed a man headfirst into the pavement after claiming the
man quote bladed his body in what appeared to be
a fighting stance end quote, and that he saw he

(33:19):
had a knife on him. However, l MPD's investigation determined
the man was not a threat to Harton, and that
body camera footage showed a knife tucked in the man's
waistband was only visible after force was used, not before.
Other officers who were at the scene told investigators they
did not view the man as a threat. A new

(33:41):
career at u of L. Last November, less than three
weeks after Harton took a plea deal for the on
duty wreck, he applied for a job with the University
of Louisville Police Department and was soon offered a job.
While u of l's police force is tasked with campus safety,
citations reviewed by The Courier Journal show Harton has operated

(34:01):
off campus, conducting traffic stops and making arrest at locations
near but off u of l's main campus, including the
Arthur Street Hotel, which offers transitional housing, and the intersection
of South seventh Street and West Hill Street. It also
did not take long for Harton to get in trouble
for some of the same stuff he did at l MPDE.

(34:24):
In a June letter, University of Louisville Chief of Police
Stephen Green, issued a written warning to Harton after he
placed an arrested suspect's bag, which contained a PlayStation four
gaming system, in a bush behind the man's apartment complex
instead of in the department's property room. The man was
told that his property would be entered into the ULPD

(34:45):
property room, and officer Harton failed to safeguard the property.
Green wrote. Due to his failure to secure the property
in the property room, it was found to be missing
from the location where officers had left it unattended. The
Kentucky Law Enforcement Council is considering taking away heartened certification
over his conduct at an MPDE, which would prevent him

(35:06):
from working as a police officer going forward, but that
process moves slowly and desertification is not a certainty. In February,
the Council decided to advance Harton's case to a formal
desertification hearing following an investigation, said Morgan Hall, communications director
for the state's Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, in an email. However,

(35:29):
Hall did not provide a timeline for that process or
provide further clarity on where things stand. When the Courier
Journals later asked in a follow up message, she said
Kentucky law enforcement agencies are required to contact the Council
prior to hiring any new officers, which ensures that they
know the current status of any officer and whether they

(35:50):
are under pending investigation by the Council. Now, let's turn
to the interior to day's paper, where our next item
is entitled. ABC brings its special series to Kentucky by
Kirby Adams, ABC's Good Morning America is hitting the road
and broadcasting live from Kentucky this week. On Thursday, the

(36:12):
long running morning show will include multiple live segments from
the Kentucky Equan Adoption Center in Nicholasville, Kentucky. The show
is part of the network's ongoing Fifty States in Fifty
Weeks America the Beautiful series. Since July, the show has
been showcasing the beauty across America by visiting each of
the fifty states in the order in which they join

(36:34):
the United States. The Fifty States and fifty Week tour
will continue until the nation's two hundred fiftieth anniversary on
July fourth, twenty twenty six. This series is a chance
for us to explore the country and share stories that
reflect the heart of each state. Sitsimone Swink, Senior Executive
producer of Good Morning America. We're looking forward to meeting people,

(36:58):
highlighting what makes each state special and proudly keeping the
a in GMA. Good Morning America correspondent Rhan and Ali
will report from Kentucky throughout the morning on Thursday, highlighting
the nonprofit that finds homes for horses in need, and
will speak with executive director Carrie Woziki. This will be

(37:20):
my first trip to Kentucky, and I can't wait to
see its beauty up clothes and give America a look
how it makes this state so special on Good Morning America.
Said Ali, I know horses are a huge part of
the fabric of this community, and I am thrilled to
visit the Kentucky equad Adoption Center and see its beautiful horses.
This week's Kentucky broadcast is part of a year long

(37:43):
series which coincides with the fiftieth anniversary of Good Morning America.
Along the way, GMA is spotlighting the people who make
up America, inviting viewers to share the people in their
neighborhood and state who make it the best place to live.
Catch Good Morning America on a BC from seven to
nine am weekdays. If you missed Thursday's broadcast from Nicholasville, Kentucky.

(38:06):
You can find the fifty States in fifty Days stories
at good Morning America dot com. Our next item is
entitled University Area restaurant has liquor license suspended by Lilian Metzmeyer.
Louisville Metro Alcohol and Beverage Control issued an emergency suspension
order on the liquor license of a pizza restaurant near

(38:29):
the University of Louisville's campus after detectives reportedly identified at
least nine underage drinkers. October second, Fire Up In Pizza,
located in the three hundred block of West Cardinal Boulevard,
was investigated following reports of underage alcohol service. According to
an October six news release, when detectives arrived, they observed

(38:52):
multiple underage patrons consuming alcoholic beverages and some attempting to
flee once they were asked for identification. Officials said nine
individuals were cited for underage drinking October two, including at
least one underage individual investigators said was clearly under the
influence of alcohol. An emergency suspension order was issued on

(39:13):
fire Evan Petz's liquor license after Louisville Metro ABC ruled
the establishment failed to regulate alcohol service responsibly. The order
immediately prohibits the sale or service of alcoholic beverages pending
up full review. Louisville Metro ABC continues to work closely
with the University of Louisville Police Department to ensure the

(39:34):
safety of students and the surrounding community, officials said. Our
next itand is entitled Fort Campbell Fort Knox Schools can
resume activities by Lillian Metzmeyer. Fort Knox and Fort Campbell's
Schools are now allowed to resume extracurricular activities after decision

(39:56):
from the U S Department of Defense. According to a
statement from US Senate Mitch McConnell, the two schools, which
are operated by the Department of Defense, paused athletics and
extracurricular activities as a result of the federal government's shutdown.
Because of the pause, two Kentucky high school football games
scheduled for October three were canceled. McConnell expressed his concern

(40:20):
over the halted activities in a letter to U S
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegsath. This lapse at appropriations, like
all government shutdowns is deeply harmful to government operations, particularly
within the Department of Defense. McConnell wrote, However, we should
not force the children of our service members to pay
the price for Washington's failure to appropriate funds on time,

(40:44):
especially as many of these dependants will choose to serve
and uniform themselves after graduation. In an October seventh statement,
McConnell thanked Hesath and expressed over the Department's decision to
resume school activities, but added the pause and exis your
curriculars was not the real issue at hand. Democrats need
to end the shutdown. O'Connell wrote, as I have warned

(41:07):
every time Congress faces threat, no one wins in a shutdown.
Shutting down the government is harmful to the country and
it never produces positive outcomes on policy or politics. And
what happened at Fort Campbell and Fort Knox is just
one example of the impact its having on our constituents.
Jason Frakes contributed. Next is the Metro page and an

(41:30):
iteman titled Neighbors Oppose Proposed day Care Residents air their
concerns over traffic flooding by Kielli's Doll When Sydney Pennington
moved out of the Germantown neighborhood two years ago. She
was aching for a little corner of land that fell
closer to her native home of South Dakota. She found

(41:51):
it in a home on whips Mill Road, next door
to eighteen acres of trees owned by the University of
Louisville Foundation. Now part of that property could be developed
into a day care center, upsetting neighbors and community members
who've raced concerns about flooding, traffic, and the loss of
green space. Over one hundred fifty people attended a Planning

(42:13):
Commission meeting about the development held in Saint Matthew's in
early October, where the majority asked the commission to not
recommend rezoning to the Linden City Council. Their please went unanswered,
with all but one commissioner voting to move the project forward.
In March, plans were introduced for an eighteen thousand square

(42:34):
foot leaf Spring day care facility on the northeast corner
of Whipsmill and Old Whipsmell Roads. Randy Buffert, a local
entrepreneur and owner of two leaf Spring locations in Jefferson County,
said the spot is ideal for the development. We think
we've got the right location for this new school, Bufford said,

(42:54):
and we think it's going to actually be a community asset.
Neighbors are campaign meaning for the daycare to move to
u of l's nearby Shelby campus instead considering the land
as owned by the University of Louisville Foundation, but Bufford
said that location is not in the cards. Bufford is
a long time supporter and former trustee at u of L,

(43:16):
but said the relationship between leaf Spring and the foundation
is tenant landlord only. We just don't think that would
be right. We would never locate inside an office park,
Bufford said, I would call a more beautiful setting, more
natural setting, and the way we've done the site because
the underground storage that were putting in for the water,

(43:36):
were actually going to be able to preserve a lot
of the landscape and have a really beautiful looking facility
for the children. Bufford said he's taken neighbor's concerns around
traffic and flooding into account through the months of neighborhood
meetings and the rezoning process, changing the side plan to
better fit the neighborhood. We kind of already knew some

(43:56):
of the concerns from meeting with various folks individually prior
to that time, and incorporated those concerns into some of
the side changes. Bufford said. The school, which will serve
around one hundred sixty five students, is larger than many
of its competitors, bufferd said, offering a library, cafeteria, and
get well place for students who are suffering from mild

(44:18):
illnesses or need first aid care. Although it will only
take a small portion of the eighteen acre property, neighbors
are concerned that it could lead to increased development on
the land and the disappearance of the small forested area
they love. One resident told The Courier Journal about a
coyote her family often came across and had aptly named Wylie. Pennington,

(44:42):
who was an expecting mother, said in most cases a
new day care moving into the neighborhood would be cause
for celebration, but she said she'd rather drive to a
facility farther away than risk losing the little bit of forest.
She said. The development plans called to mind that same
as Joni Mitchell lyrics they've paved paradise and put up

(45:03):
a parking lot. We already have so much development and
is just going to make the neighborhood busier and is
also going to take away the natural beauty we love
so much, Pennington said. James Martin, mayor of Bellmead, a
small home rule city that borders the land, said he
hasn't given up hope that the development might be stopped.

(45:25):
He thinks there's a possibility Linden City Council members will
share neighbors concerns about the traffic on Whipsmill Road and
vote the development down. Martin has been a driving force
behind the movement to oppose the development, commissioning yard signs
that urge neighbors to say no to Leaf Spring. Although
the development is not within Bellmead, Whipsmill Road borders the city,

(45:50):
it was just important for me to support the neighbors
that actually live on Whipsmill Road. Martin said that is
part of the city of Bellmead and those neighbors are
going to be directly impacted by the increase in traffic
on that road. Flooding, which has long been a problem
for neighbors around whips Mill Road, is also a concern.

(46:11):
Despite the development's plans for underground water detention storage. Peggy Meyer,
a London resident, gave a presentation on behalf of residence
during the Planning Commission meeting, saying the development was on
the fringes of the flood plain. She is hoping the
development will not only be halted, but that the U
of L Foundation instead uses the land to help residents.

(46:36):
U of L could do a great service to the
people of eastern Jefferson County by opening up that property,
such as it would help alleviate the flooding in our area.
Meyer said. Residents are hoping the Linden City Council will
postpone or deny the rezoning, hoping that property can be
moved to u of l's Shallby Campus or a different location.

(46:57):
I think that if the Linden City Council were to
to tell them even we're to put them on hold
or ask them to pause to get more information. For example,
if I thought there was a traffic concern that needed
to be further addressed, I think it's a good possibility
it could be moved to the Shelby Hurst campus, Martin said,
or even moved further down on the eastern side of

(47:18):
Whipsmill Road, further away from the residential housing. Bufford said
he was surprised by community pushback but is confident the
daycare will be an asset to neighbors and the community.
It's unfortunate, and we try to see both sides of
everything in business, bufferd said, and we understand people may
not like change, but we think we're being responsive and

(47:41):
hopeful as this moves ahead that people will see that
this is going to be a great investment for the community.
Neither Buffer nor Martin were sure of when the final
rezoning voat would appear on the Linden City Council agenda.
Lindon Mayor Bret Hagen said the rezoning case could potentially
be heard on Atober twenty seven, but the council has

(48:02):
not yet officially received the recommendation from the Planning Commission.
Hagen also said that due to increased resident concerns, the
meeting may have to be rescheduled to allow for increased
attendance and parking. Our next autem still from the Metro page,
is entitled Airplane crashes have ties to Kentucky Indiana. Several

(48:24):
took off from airports in both states. By Caroline Neil.
Federal investigators are continuing to investigate multiple small plane crashes
involving flights that have departed from or arrived in Kentucky
and Indiana since October fourth. Two flights taking off from
or arriving at Bowmen Field in Louisville and one from

(48:45):
Indianapolis that later crashed have largely resulted in non life
threatening injuries, but three people were killed after a plane
that took off from a small airport in Springfield and
Washington County crashed in Florida. Here's what we know about
the crashes. Pilot found alive after Southern Indiana plane crash.

(49:07):
A pilot was founded live in southern Indiana after his
plane crashed October fourth, According to a Facebook post from
Indiana State Police is SP responded to a call regarding
a possible downed aircraft near the Orange County and Lawrence
County line around ten p m. October fourth. Official said
the incident involved a Lanquer fixed wing, single engine aircraft

(49:31):
that had taken off from Indianapolis and was headed to Huntingburg. Indiana.
Is SP Sergeant John Davis said first responders searched a
heavily wooded area during the night, and the plane was
found near Old Vincen's Road in Orange County around four
a m. October fifth. Official said the pilot was found
inside the plane with non life threatening injuries and was

(49:53):
carried out on a stretcher due to the dense woods
and hills. The Federal Aviation Administration is leading invas instigation.
Three dead after plane taking off from Kentucky crashes in Florida.
A plane that took off in Kentucky crashed in Florida
October fifth, killing the three passengers who were on board.
According to a report from the Levee County Sheriff's Office,

(50:17):
l CSO Lieutenant Scott Tummond said the plane crashed in
a peanut field southwest of Williston round four thirty p m.
Records from flyaware indicate the plane, a Beach fifty eight p,
took off from Lebanon Springfield Airport round one nineteen pm
and was scheduled to land at Williston Municipal Airport in Williston, Florida,

(50:39):
around four ten p m. The National Transportation Safety Board
and the FAA are leading the investigation. One injured after
plane taking off from Louisville crashes in Bullock County. A
plane flying out of Bowmen Field in Louisville crashed in
the Mount Washington area, Bullet County October sixth. Louisville Regional
Airport Authorities s boatsperson Nalie Shouten confirmed the crash occurred

(51:03):
around two fifteen p m. About ten miles southeast of
Bowmen Field. The single seed aircraft, which was not based
out of Bowmen Field, arrived in Louisville October fifth. Shaddon
said the pilot was found injured but alert. Shadden could
not confirm the pilot's condition or whether they were taken
to an area hospital. As the owner and operator Bowmen Field,

(51:26):
the Louisville Regional Airport Authority is offering support to local
and federal agencies as needed, as the aircraft's originating airport.
She said. No injuries reported after small planes skids off
runway at Bowmen Field. A plane landing at Bowmenfield skidded
off the runway October seventh, Louisville Regional Airport Authority spokesperson

(51:47):
Nalie Shouden said, according to a news release, a Cessna
five two five B exited Runway thirty three while landing
around ten fifteen a m. And came to a stop
on the nearby Seneca Golf which is nearly three hundred
seventy feet past the runway's end. The two pilots and
two passengers on the aircraft were alert and speaking with

(52:09):
airport staff after the incident. No injuries were reported. Louisville
Regional Airport Authority, Public Safety Department, Louisville Metro Police, Fire,
and Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene. The aircraft,
which is not based at Bowmenfield, was headed to Louisville
on a scheduled flight. Shouting said. The next autumn on

(52:31):
today's Metro page is a photomontage entitled Damage After Rains.
Heavy rains in Jefferson County and parts of northern Bullock
County on October seventh sparked of flood warning, road closures
and the cancelation of Jefferson County Public schools events. Rain
gages indicated two to three inches of rain already fallen
in Louisville by eleven a m. Officials with the City

(52:54):
of Jeffersontown reported plan side drive in the Jeffersontown Commence
Park was closed between Bunsen Way and Keaton Dry due
to a sinkhole cause by a collapse pipe under the road.
The caption under the first photo reads, workers with Louisville
Gas and Electric, Louisville Water Company and Jeffersontown Public Works

(53:14):
examine the area of a collapsed road in the twenty
four hundred block of Plant Sy Dry on October seventh
in Jeffersontown. Timothy D. Easley in special to the Courier Journal.
The other photo is captioned a vehicle is stranded in
high water on Radiance Road on October seventh. Michael Clevenger,
Courier Journal. The final item from today's metro page is

(53:38):
entitled Comedian partners with Buzzard's Roost on new bourbon release
by Maggie Mandirski and Kirby Adams. Comedian Jim Gaffigan has
partnered with Buzzard's Roosts Distillery on a one of a kind,
single barrel bourbon selection. The special release six year Old
Whiskey features a mash bill of seventy five percent corn,

(53:58):
twenty one percent rye, and four percent malted barley that
underwent secondary maturation in one of Buzzard's roots custom toasted barrels.
Our unique double oak process really shines in this bourbon
with notes of molasses Graham Cracker, ginger snaps, and a
long finish of warm toasted mars of Han. Jason Browner,
co founder and master Blunder at Buzzard's Roost, said in

(54:21):
a news release. Gaffagan is in Louisville October seventh through
ninth for the Bourbon Set Tour, which includes four performances
centered around his observations of bourbon culture and those who
enjoy the spirit. Jim is genuine about his love of
bourbon culture. Kentucky native filmmaker and longtime Gaffikin friend stew
Pollard previously told The Courier Journal he collects bourbon. He's

(54:46):
a sponge when it comes to learning about the history
of different brands. He seeks out local distilleries wherever he
travels and wants to learn more about how they do things.
According to Pollard, the four Louisvil shows will also be
made into a stand up special thanks to the Kentucky
Entertainment Incentive Program. The four live shows that the Bombard

(55:07):
will be filmed and cut together to create a new
program that will be released on a major online platform
to be announced at a later date. Pollard previously shared
with The Courier Journal Buzzard's Roost will be pouring samples
at the after party at the Last Refuge, six hundred
East Market Street after the late performance on October ninth.

(55:28):
Tickets to all four shows can be purchased at Jim
Gaffigan dot com. We had a great time working on
this one, Brownrew said in the news release. Jim Gaffigan
discovered our whiskies about a year ago, and we agree
to create a single barrel in honour of his new show.
Bottles are available exclusively at Buzzard's Roots Distillery and Tasting Room,

(55:49):
six twenty four West Main Street on Whiskey Row in
downtown Louisville. Retail price per bottle, which features a commemorative
Jim Gaffigan label, is one hundred twenty five dollars. Our
next item is entitled Millions could see insurance rates double
Dems seek extension for health care tax credits by Sarah

(56:10):
D Weyer of USA Today. For months, as the expiration
of health insurance subsidies loomed, state health insurance commissioners warrned
Congress that millions of middle class Americans were likely to
see their insurance premiums double or triple. Now Washington is
at a stalemate. The government has closed. Democrats say Congress

(56:32):
needs to permanently extend the credits now before open enrollment
begins November one. Republicans say they will not discuss health
policy as part of a bill to reopen the government
and can deal with the subsidies before they expired in December.
But the reality on the ground is that people are
already being notified of the expected cost increases. Insurance companies

(56:55):
have submitted their rates, and open enrollment begins in less
than a month, leading little time to make adjustments. People
see that December thirty, first day, but it really is
that people are making decisions within weeks from now, said
Devon Trollie, executive director of Penny Pennsylvania's insurance market place.

(57:16):
Charley said it will be chaotic and messy if Congress
waits to act until open enrollment begins, and even works
if they wait until the end of the year. The cleanest's,
most cost effective, most beneficial time to do it is
right now before open enrollment starts, she said. Due to
the constraints of time, we will be unable to complete asidum.

(57:37):
This concludes readings for The Courier Journal for Thursday, October ninth,
twenty twenty five. Stay tuned for more news to follow immediately.
Your reader has been Cindy Fraser