11.30.25

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the reading of the Courier Journal for Sunday,
November thirtieth, twenty twenty five, which is brought to our
Louisville listeners via Louisville Public Media as a reminder Radio
I as a reading service intended for people who are
blind or have other disabilities that make it difficult to

(00:22):
read printed material. Your reader for today is Kathy Cleary.
We'll begin with the weather forecast from Whas Today cloudy,
breezy and cold, with a high of thirty seven degrees. Tonight, low,

(00:43):
clouds and cold, with a low of twenty seven. On Monday,
cloudy and cold, with a high of thirty eight degrees
and a low of thirty one. Tuesday cold with a
bit of snow, high thirty seven, low of twenty four degrees.

(01:03):
Wednesday sunshine and a few clouds, high of forty four
and a low of thirty two. On Thursday mostly cloudy
and cold, with the high of thirty nine degrees and
a low of thirty three. And on Friday, rain and drizzle.
The high will be forty five and the low thirty

(01:25):
four degrees. Turning now to the weather almanac in Louisville.
On Friday, the high was thirty eight degrees, normal high
fifty three. The low was twenty four normal low thirty six.
Record high was seventy three degrees in nineteen o nine,

(01:47):
the record low eight degrees in eighteen eighty seven. Precipitation
on Friday was zero month to date two point zero
one inches, normal month to date three point one six inches,
year to date fifty two point two eight inches, and

(02:09):
normal year to date forty three point nine five inches.
Air quality Saturday and to day in the moderate range.
Sun and moon cycles on Sunday sunrise seven forty a m,
sunset five twenty three p m, moon rise two nineteen

(02:33):
p m, moonset two twenty four a m. On Monday,
sunrise seven forty one a m, sunset five twenty three
p m, moon rise two forty seven p m, moonset
three thirty five a m. The full moon will be

(02:55):
on December fourth, last quarter December eleventh, New moon December nineteenth,
first quarter December twenty seventh. Turning now to front page
News Incentivizing growth, how public dollars are used to spur development,
and why it might not be enough, And there's a

(03:19):
full page rendering of the skyline of Louisville with dollar
signs disguised as carrots hanging from the sky. First, we'll
go to the transparency page with a Q and A

(03:39):
from growth and development reporter Matthew GLOWICKI. There's a large
photo of the KFC YOUM Center and it's just captioned
KFC YOUM Center in Louisville on August eighteenth. A look
at tif's. A particular type of incentive called tax increment

(04:02):
financing or TIF, typically makes headlines a few times a
year in Louisville when developers seek the incentive from local
or state government. The focus is usually on the project
connected to the incentive, be it a large housing complex,
a hotel, or a mixed use development, But the incentive

(04:25):
as a tool itself isn't as often discussed, and the
project by project focus doesn't give a broader view of
tif's impact in Louisville. With the anticipated continued use of
this developmental tool in our area and knowing it can
be a confusing one, the topic felt worth some explanation.

(04:46):
How did this story start? I've written about tax increment
financing for years and always wanted to spend a bit
more time detailing how they work and why they're used.
A Louisville Forum discussion back in the summer was focused
on this topic and further emphasized for me the importance
they play in helping get some projects going vertical in

(05:09):
our city. What is something that surprised you about this story?
I was surprised to learn that a fair number of
TIFs that are approved by our local government are ultimately
not activated and therefore no money ends up flowing to
the developer. So while the public might recall hearing about

(05:30):
a TIF being approved for a given area, it doesn't
mean that project ultimately ended up receiving tax dollars. What
outcome do you hope to achieve with this story? I
mostly wanted to help explain TIFs and highlight their use
here in Jefferson County with an overview story looking at

(05:50):
this particular incentive. The topic is a very interesting one
to me, and there could be many other stories diving
deep into any one of these TIF districts, particularly those
that have proven more controversial. I hope this high level
overview helps demystify TIFs and underscores why we see this

(06:13):
form of public private partnership given these are public tax
dollars that are being used to finance projects. I also
want to offer a reminder that consideration of TIFs is
done in public and that there is an opportunity for
the public to weigh in during the process. There is

(06:35):
a public hearing held before a TIF is considered by
the Louisville Metro Council. The public is allowed to speak
at this meeting whether they are for or against the subsidy.
TIFs two must receive approval by the Louisville Metro Council,
so your council person too has a say. What can

(06:57):
readers expect from you? Next? You have some year end
stories on the horizon that look back at notable developments
from this year and look ahead to projects set to
debut or make significant headway in the new year. If
you have ideas for future growth and Development coverage, please
reach out and you can reach Growth and Development reporter

(07:19):
Matthew Glowiki at Mglowiki at Career Hivan Journal dot com.
Now to the main article, Growth Stimulus. How tax increment
financing or TIF is spurring development in Louisville again by

(07:39):
Matthew Glowiki. A sprawling research park and medical campus, A
new apartment complex along Broadway, a boutique hotel in the
burgeoning Nulu district, and soon construction cranes set to rise
on vacant Louisville lots, building hundreds of millions of dollars

(08:00):
in mixed use projects. These are all endeavors that were
in part made possible because of a specific type of
economic development tool called tax increment financing, often referred to
as a TIF. In short, tax increment financing uses possible

(08:21):
new tax revenue generated by a project to help pay
for its construction. This commonly used incentive across the country
aims to spur the development of projects that might otherwise
prove risky or impossible due to their location or scale.
Since the early two thousands, local and state government has

(08:43):
approved more than thirty TIFs in Jefferson County, funneling at
least forty nine million dollars in local tax dollars toward
a slew of projects that helped generate those dollars, according
to Louisville Metro Government. The state of content Uckey would
not release how much it has paid to date into
TIF projects in Jefferson County, citing taxpayer confidentiality rules. Jeff O'Brien,

(09:11):
executive director of the Louisville Metro Cabinet for Economic Development,
said TIFs are a main tool in a limited toolbox
to effectuate redevelopment, one that only pays out to developers
should the project raise new taxes as intended. It really
helps us ensure that developers are not just getting windfalls

(09:33):
from the taxpayers, he said. It really ensures that developers
are providing the improvements that say they're going to provide
and requires them to perform like they say they're going
to perform. These TIF districts range from singular buildings such
as the one twenty one hundred twenty two room Hotel

(09:55):
Genevieve in Nulu, to the two square mile Louisville Arena V,
a TIF district supporting the KFC Young Center. Downtown. Advocates
say TIFs make possible a variety of projects that add
jobs and amenities, raise property values, spur future development, and

(10:16):
contribute to the city's vitality, and while many secure government
approval with little resistance, TIFs can prove controversial, drawing criticism
that such projects, which may have occurred even without the incentive,
leave city coffers lighter than they would have been absent
for the subsidy. Some opponents are also opposed to the

(10:41):
use of public dollars to support private development. Louisville has
seen a handful of recently approved TIF districts, including those
tied to the planned redevelopment of Distillery Commons in the
Irish Hill neighborhood and the former Joe lay Antiques property
on Markets Street in Nulu, as well as the five

(11:02):
hundred fifty four million dollar one Park project. As Louisville
looks to tackle in future, ambitious redevelopment projects such as
the proposed mixed use two hundred fifty million dollar development
near Slugger Field. Here's a look at how this subsidy works,

(11:22):
why it's often used in Louisville, and how it has
helped shape the city. What is a TIF often misunderstood
for their complexity. TIFs in Kentucky are meant to incentivize
development with a promise of future public tax dollars. Nearly

(11:43):
all TIFs are an eighty twenty split, meaning the developer
is entitled to eighty percent of future tax growth for
a set period, typically twenty to thirty years. Most TIFs
capture future rises in property taxes, though some TIFs also
include sales or occupational taxes. Because a TIF is performance based,

(12:10):
there aren't upfront upfront payments, and dollars are credited to
the developer from the local or state government entity on
the back end of a project. Longtime Loville developer and
TIF user Bill Whalin, chief strategy officer of Whalen Ventures,
said his peers are often interested in TIFs as they

(12:33):
help make projects that will move the needle, a reality
that helped pay for public infrastructure improvements. The TIF is
a necessary and really the best tool we currently have
in Kentucky for making urban real estate development occur, he
told The Courier Journal. I think it's important to understand

(12:53):
that we don't have what I would call a full
tool box, and this is one of the best mechanisms
we have. TIS are of particular help when redeveloping blighted
areas or land with environmental issues, where borrowing is more
challenging and redevelopment costs are higher. If you're building in

(13:15):
a market that has some challenges, and urban areas in
downtowns have some challenges, there's a need for the public
and private sector to work together, said Barry Alberts, a
partner and consultant with whaleand Ventures and former head of
the Louisville Development Authority. Developers and city officials noted TIFs

(13:39):
are only one tool that projects that projects often need
to become reality. O'Brien said the city can also use
a tax assessment moratorium for redevelopment projects, though it's limited
to five years, or industrial revenue bonds, a tool that
is targeted at large project. An expanded historic tax credit program,

(14:04):
which went from a five million dollars to a one
hundred million dollar program in twenty twenty three, has been
a recent aid in moving more projects into reality, Whaleen said,
but the current tools Kentucky has to spur redevelopment are
limited compared to some neighboring states, whale and said, noting

(14:25):
Ohio's fifteen year tax abatement program for residential urban housing
in Indiana's Ready program, which among other things, can help
redevelop blighted industrial areas such as the upcoming Jeff Boat
Site project. Do developers receive the full TIF amount when

(14:49):
presenting a tax increment financing request before the Louisville Metro
Council O'Brien always stresses the performance based nature of the subsidy.
If a project doesn't generate the level of tax growth
forecast at the onset of the project, the developer will
received less than the maximum amount approved, called a cap. Take.

(15:13):
For example, the forty plus million dollar Axis on Lexington
Apartments project, when seeking a nearly four point nine million
dollar TIF in twenty fifteen, its developers noted the TIF
area was only valued at three hundred thousand dollars and
generated under four thousand yearly in local real estate taxes.

(15:39):
As in vision, the property value has risen and now
has an assessed value just shy of sixty three million dollars.
Having improved the property, the developer has been able to
receive nearly one point four million dollars in TIF dollars
as of May twenty twenty five. City record show of

(16:00):
the more than thirty TIF districts approved by local government
in Jefferson County, over one third haven't gone a step
further and been activated, such as the nearly six point
three six million dollar TIF tied to the development of
Hotel Distill and Moxie Louisville Hotels Downtown. Reasons vary and

(16:28):
can include projects never getting built, such as the proposed
hotel Indigo with its two point seven million dollar TIF
at Fifth and Broadway, failure to activate within the required
four year window, developers finding other ways to finance the project,
or projects simply being early on in the construction project process.

(16:52):
In such cases, the city isn't required to pay out
any money on unactivated TIFs. TIFs the do get activated
on completed projects typically do receive some TIF dollars as
there are improvements to the land, thereby increasing the property value,

(17:12):
But just how much the value of the property rises
and how that aligns with projections calculated during the initial
TIF application process can vary. The city does see requests
for increment payments that are notably lower than projections, O'Brien said,
reasons for which can vary, including an incomplete project or

(17:36):
a lower than expected property value assessment. In such cases,
the city is not on the hook for paying the
developer the full cap amount. Exactly how much the city
authorizes the developer to receive over the life of the
TIF agreement is calculated by an analysis of the project's

(17:57):
costs and associated public infrastructure costs such as underground utility
work and public streets and sidewalks. Developers will come to
the city's Economic arm, the Cabinet for Economic Development, with
a project that has a gap in its capital stack

(18:17):
or the mix of funding sources that will make the
project happen. Louisville Metro government contracts annually with Lexington based
Commonwealth Economics to review TIF agreements and analyze the figures
underpinning a TIF application. City staff too reviews applications to

(18:40):
determine the legitimacy of purported gaps and scrutinize developer assumptions
to assess if there's inflated costs or an exorbitant rate
of return. There's a number of things that will analyze
as we have a request for a development project with
a gap, and eventually we will settle on which tool

(19:01):
is appropriate. O'Brien said. TIFs must also meet certain criteria,
such as having conditions of blight, and officials must find
that the project wouldn't happen without the public incentive. In Louisville,
TIFs are subject to Metro Council approval. The Kentucky Economic

(19:21):
Development Finance Authority reviews and approves state level TIFs. Why
TIFs can be controversial. TIF seeking projects have been known
to court controversy, particularly those with high dollar asks or
non traditional perimeters. In recent memory, there was pushback over

(19:47):
the TIF for the in the Works one Park development
along Grinstead Drive and Lexington Road, residential office, retail and
restorure on space, along with a grocery and hotel. Public
hearings drew opponents who questioned subsidizing a private development that

(20:09):
wouldn't be a public asset, while others pressure developers to
include more affordable housing in order to receive public funds. However,
the one hundred fourteen million dollar TIF was ultimately approved
by the Louisville Metro Council in a seventeen to seven vote.

(20:29):
A distinctive TIF district, the West Louisville TIF, was created
by the state legislature in twenty twenty one and covers
Louisville's nine West End neighborhoods. At approximately twelve square miles,
is the largest TIF district in the state. Unlike traditional TIFs,

(20:49):
which finance a specific project, any dollars generated by the
West Louisville TIF goes toward the West End Opportunity Partnership,
a non profit public corporation that is then tasked with
spending those dollars on efforts to promote revitalization and investment
in the district. The TIF is the subject of an

(21:13):
ongoing lawsuit challenging the legality of the expensive district and
has faced scrutiny from the public over how the TIF
dollars will be spent. We are definitely unique, said Laura Douglas,
president and CEO of the Partnership. Our board, particularly the
Finance Committee, regards the TIF as one of the important

(21:35):
financial ingredients in order to keep our organization healthy and relevant.
Where have TIFs been used in Louisville. TIFs have been
used in Kentucky since the early two thousands and can
be found in communities across the state. Local governments can
create their own TIF districts pledging local tax dollars, and

(21:58):
developers can all also seeks state level TIFs. In Louisville,
there are about thirty local TIFs, a few state only TIFs,
and a handful of projects that have secured both. Most
projects are contained within the Waterson Expressway, including various downtown hotels,

(22:20):
though there are some outliers, such as the TIF tied
to ge Appliance Park. Many are only the size of
a few blocks, while others are much larger, such as
the TIF associated with the University of Louisville's Belknap Campus.
One of the oldest TIFs in Jefferson County is the

(22:40):
Renaissance Zone TIF. The district just south of the Louisville
Muhammad Ali International Airport has led to the development of
the six hundred eighty acre Renaissance South Business Park. The
park is now home to thirteen businesses, mostly warehouses, supporting
the logistics industry in over thirty five hundred employees. The

(23:07):
final significant piece of land in the business park is
now being developed for a three hundred twenty thousand square
foot warehouse. I don't believe a developer would have taken
it on because of the risk, and we wouldn't have
focused on it because our primary focus is the airport,
said Dan Mann, executive director of the Louisville Regional Airport Authority.

(23:32):
I can say with some conviction, I don't think this
would have happened without the TIF. The twenty year TIF
expired at the end of twenty twenty three, in total,
delivering nearly eighty one million dollars to the airport. A
recent economic impact study estimates the business park generated about

(23:53):
one hundred twenty six million dollars in tax revenues in
twenty twenty four, so is generating more tax revenue each
year than was spent over the twenty year period. Man said, really,
by any measure, this was a very successful TIF. TIFs

(24:13):
have been used to help finance various hotels, including the
six hundred sixteen room Downtown Marriott to eighty West Jefferson Street,
which was pitched in two thousand two as a way
to help attract trade shows and conventions and to keep
Louisville competitive. It replaced surface parking as well as seven

(24:34):
old buildings. TIFs have gone to support construction, renovation, and
expansion of entertainment venues, including the then closed amusement park
now known as Kentucky Kingdom in twenty thirteen, the KFCM Center,
Lynn Family Stadium in Butchertown, and even Churchill Downs. Residential

(24:58):
projects have also been aided by TIF dollars. Over the
last twenty plus years, more than twenty four hundred units
were created or renovated via TIF projects, with another sixteen
hundred in the pipeline. According to a career Journal count
As for possible future TIF projects, Whyland and Alberts with

(25:22):
Wayland Ventures said they're hopeful a recent law change allowing
carve outs from the downtown Arena TIF district will will
spur more downtown development, particularly on underutilized parking lots the
TIF where it's been used successfully, they've usually been used

(25:43):
to help projects that ultimately are not only good for
that project, but help the surrounding area, Albert said, make
the neighborhood or the downtown or whatever it is a
better place to live and to work and to play.
There are many photos accompanying this article. The first one
shows another view of the KFC Young Center in Louisville

(26:05):
on August eighteenth. The second shows Summer is Tomorrow with
jockey Michael Barcelona up leads the pack into the first
turn of the one hundred and forty eighth running of
the Kentucky Derby and you see the horses coming around

(26:26):
the bend in full race mode. The next photo shows
a scene during Danny Wimmer presents Louder than Life at
the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, and you see the
ferris wheel with a photo taken from below kind of

(26:50):
looks like the people are hanging from their seats. The
next shows the Lynn Family Stadium, home of Loelville City
FC and Racing Louisville, which is pictured January twenty seventh.
It's located in Nulu and Butchertown next Broadway in Louisville

(27:16):
on October twenty fourth. An aerial view, you see homes, buses,
and cars. Then the renovated Joe Lay Antiques building on
East Market Street, along with a new seven story structure
would be home to hotel anomaly as seen in this

(27:36):
twenty twenty three rendering. And the last photo shows the
Marriott Hotel in downtown Louisville on October twenty fourth, and
you see the Louisville skyline with the Marriotte in the foreground.
This concludes readings for the first sections of the Courier

(27:58):
Journal for Sunday, November thirtieth, twenty twenty five. Stay tuned
for more news to follow immediately. Your reader has been
Kathy Cleary. Now to continue reading from the Courier Journal
for Sunday, November thirtieth, twenty twenty five. Your reader is

(28:18):
Kathy Cleary. We'll start with the obituaries. We read only
the name, age and location if given. If you would
like further information on any of the obituaries, please call
us during the weekdays at eight, five, nine, four, two, two,
sixty three ninety and we'll be glad to read the
entire obituary for you. I'll repeat that number at the

(28:41):
end of the listings. Today's death notices Terry Lee Baker
sixty seven, no town given. The next two are from Louisville.
Michael Lee Barnett Senior seventy one, Albert Lee Border's Senior
ninety one, Alice Bauer ninety seven, Carmel, Indiana. Michael Lewis Klein,

(29:08):
no age given. Corydon Edward Anthony Craver known as Tony
ninety five, Louisville. Sandra Hack known as Sandy seventy two, Lanesville, Indiana.
Carolyn Greenwell Hayden and Joseph Albert Jody Hayden, no ages given. Bardstown, Kentucky.

(29:36):
Marilyn gene hillman age eighty, no town given. Robert Eric
Hogan sixty one, no town given. The next group are
all from Louisville. Alfonso L. Lancetta eighty six, Beddy Ann
Gilchrist Lane eighty seven, Marshall Randall Marshall seventy one, all

(30:02):
of Louisville. Eleanor Christine Olds known as Chris ninety one,
no town given. Russell c Rafferty eighty eight Louisville. Joseph
Martin Slack known as Joe sixty two, no town given.

(30:25):
Ronald K. Sparkman eighty eight, New Albany, Indiana. The remainder
are all from Louisville. Gabriel Starks thirty seven, Christopher Scott
Thurman fifty eight, Priscilla Robards of each ninety David Robert

(30:46):
Walker seventy eight, Stanley Raymond Werner eighty four, Loisuer Wilson
known as Doug seventy eight, all of Louisville. If he
would like further information about any of the listings today,
call us on weekdays at eight, five, nine, four, two, two,

(31:07):
sixty three ninety and will be glad to read the
entire item to you. Turning now to the Metro section
of the Career Journal, Kentucky Opera named CEO after nationwide search.
Kentucky Opera has named Ben Robinson, who has roots in Kentucky,
as its new General director and CEO following a national

(31:31):
search Robinson, who began his professional career as a Kentucky
Opera studio artist, is an accomplished singer, stage director, and
arts executive, and brings a new creative vision, operational expertise,
and a deep commitment to opera to the Kentucky Opera.
He begins November eleven. Most recently, Robinson was general director

(31:58):
of Anchorage Opera and managing director of Lyric Fests in Philadelphia.
In Anchorage, Robinson led a season that expanded community programming,
forged new artistic partnerships, and closed with a six figure
operating surplus. He also launched a regional artist development program,

(32:18):
attracted new audiences through immersive, site specific productions, and secured
one of the largest endowment gifts in company history. According
to a news release announcing his appointment, returning to the
Kentucky Opera is a full circle moment for Robinson, whose
mother is from Kentucky and who has extended family throughout

(32:40):
the region. Robinson and his husband, based baritone Michael Scarcel,
will relocate in Louisville. This company shaped my path as
an artist, and I'm honored to help shape its future,
Robinson said in the release. My husband, Michael and I
are excited to put down roots in Louisville, a city

(33:01):
with tremendous energy and creative spirit. Opera builds bridges and
Foster's dialogue, and Kentucky Opera is uniquely positioned to lead
that work here. Robinson brings more than a decade of
leadership across artistic and administrative roles. His directing work, spanning
traditional and contemporary repertoire, is recognized for emotional depth and

(33:27):
innovative storytelling. At Kentucky Opera, where executive and artistic leadership
are combined, his dual background positions him to lead with
both creative vision and operational strength. Ben brings a new
combination artistic insight paired with organizational acumen, all rooted in

(33:50):
genuine commitment to community. Matthew Hammill, chair of the Board
of Trustees of Kentucky Opera, said in the release his
return is a homecoming for him and an exciting new
chapter for this company and a thriving kentuckyana arts community.

(34:10):
Here is the Kentucky Opera twenty twenty five twenty six
season lineup. All shows take place at the Kentucky Kentucky
Opera Center for Cultural Health seven O eight magazine Street
All is Calm. Backed by popular demand, This a cappella
opera quotes the words of World War One soldiers who

(34:34):
defied their commanders and called an impromptu Christmas truce in
December nineteen fourteen. One act sung in English December twelfth,
eight pm, December fourteenth and twenty first, two pm, December sixteenth,
one thirty pm. December eighteenth and twentieth, seven thirty pm.

(34:58):
Next Songbird. In this adaptation of Jacques Offenbach's classic rom
com La Pericole, two struggling singers and lovers arrive in
Prohibition era in New Orleans to find success. Can they
overcome their adversaries to find happiness? One act, sung in

(35:19):
French and English February thirteenth, eight pm, February fifteenth, two pm,
February seventeenth, seven thirty pm. Scalia, Ginsburg. This hilarious one
act operatic comedy by Derrick Wang explores the unlikely friendship
between US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia.

(35:44):
Their shared love of opera and humor sealed their bond
as friends. One act, sung in English April tenth, eight pm,
April twelfth, two pm, April sixteenth and seventeenth, seven thirty pm.
How to get tickets for the Kentucky Opera twenty twenty
five twenty six Season Ticket prices vary by seat and

(36:08):
show date. For information, you can call five O two
five eight four forty five hundred or visit k y
Opera dot org. For more details, you can reach feature
reporter Kirby Adams at Kadams at Courier hyphen Journal dot com.

(36:30):
And next, the best Thing I ate this week. For
a classic country hymn sandwich, try this favorite Louisville deli.
This piece is by Amanda Hancock. There's a reason Louisville's
favorite rapper loves this place. In Jack Harlowe's twenty twenty
song Rendezvous, he sings the praises of this old school

(36:51):
sandwich shop that's also part liquor store at twenty two
twenty eight Taylorsville Road. Sitting in conspecation, just on the
cusp of the Highland's neighborhood, Harlowe makes his go to
order clear via the lyrics turkey on Chibata from the deli.
Chot to Mark Morris, But the beauty of Morris Delhi

(37:15):
is you can dream up your own creation of meats, cheeses, toppings,
and bread. There are no preset numbers or combos like
you might find at other restaurants, just a list of
all the fixings available, from corned beef and tuna to
a horseeradish cheese and pumpernickel bread. This system allows each

(37:36):
patron to choose their own sandwich adventure. We give you
the freedom to create your own here. Frank Morris, a
co owner, told The Courier Journal he's seen the fun
of this day after day, as customers say, man, my
sandwich is the best one as the holiday season approaches.
Though it seems important to note that country ham is

(37:57):
among the most popular choices at Morris Delhi, which opened
in nineteen eighty seven. Morris, who grew up working here
as a teenager, moved away to study theater at Northern
Arizona University and got a gig at Second City in Chicago.
But when Morris thought about it seriously, he couldn't stay
away from the business his dad and uncle's helped build.

(38:21):
There's not really a lot of places like this that
are left, he said. I don't know that I've ever
been into another place that's even remotely like this. Once
you make it past the frogger like parking lot, which
is part of the charm, you'll open the front door
of Morris Delhi, where faded green signs hang over head,

(38:42):
and locations of mc donald's in first watch sit across
the street. At first, you'll see what looks like a
convenience store amid rows of chips and sodas. You'll find
a counter where friendly staffers are ready to take your order.
We treat people differently here, Morris said. We don't treat
people like numbers. We ask them their names. Beyond must

(39:04):
try country Hymn Sandwiches. Options include barbecue soups like vegetable beef,
and grab and go tubs of Mennow cheese or Benedictine's spread.
You'll see other bits of this place's charm, like the
warn paper sign reading if you're angry, irritable, or just
plain mean, there will be a ten dollars charge for

(39:25):
putting up with you. Elsewhere, you'll find a decent collection
of bourbon and an old ice house kept at twenty
eight degrees where packs of beer are for sale and
sitting at a wooden table by the window. There's a
signed photo of Harlow. Morris says they weren't expecting the
embers of spotlight from the levinon Me singers shout out,

(39:48):
but to be featured was an AHA moment. Just as
Harlow is considered a Louisville institution, Morris Delhi is right
up there. That made us proud, he said. Horris Delli
is opened nine am to nine pm Monday through Thursday,
nine am to ten pm Friday and Saturday, and noon
to five on Sunday. We featured Morris Delhi in the

(40:12):
latest installment of our series Best Thing I Ate. This week.
You can follow along by visiting Instagram dot com slash
Courier Journal. You can reach food and Dining reporter Amanda
Hancock at a Hancock at Courier hyphen Journal dot com.

(40:33):
Now we turn to the inspiration page inspired from Kentucky roots.
Louisville native Tauton is a finding success as a screenwriter
writing about stories in his hometown. This piece is by
Kirby Adams, turning to his Kentucky roots for ideas. Tyler

(40:54):
Tauton has taken a new and quite successful detour in
his career as an actor. Native and graduate of Saint
Aloisha's School, Holy Spirit Trinity High School, and the University
of Kentucky. Left the Bluegrass State after graduation with twelve
hundred dollars and a dream of becoming a successful actor.
Today that dream has expanded to include screenwriting, and he's

(41:18):
not telling just any story. Taughton is an award winning
screenwriter for his work that includes Derby City and Hookham Horns.
The television series scripts, both based on true events. Each
one taught prizes at two different Oscar qualifying film festivals.
I was working as an actor in Los Angeles. I

(41:39):
had no experience as a screenwriter, but I also had
this idea about creating a series based on the youngest
black jockey to win the Kentucky Derby, Taughton told The
Career Journal. Every writer I approached to write the script
said no. So finally I decided to write it myself,
and that decision has resulted in me becoming an a

(41:59):
ward winning screenwriter. Derby City tells the story of Alonso Clayton,
the youngest black jockey to win the Kentucky Derby in
eighteen ninety two. Tauton's work won Best Screenplay at the
twenty twenty five Melbourne International Film Festival in Australia, and
garnered nominations at several other festivals, including in Nashville, Vale, Colorado,

(42:26):
and the Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards. As a follow
up to his debut script, Tauton was inspired by another
true story for the spinoff series Hookham Horns, set in
Los Angeles. The story follows two figures in professional bull riding,
including Charlie Sampson, the first African American to win a

(42:47):
world championship in professional rodeo, and his mentor, Myrtis Ditmann,
an established cowboy known as the Jackie Robinson of rodeo.
Hookum Horns is fresh off its win for Best Short
Screenplay at the twenty twenty five Nashville Film Festival and
is continuing to build momentum on the festival circuit. My

(43:10):
dream is to come back to Kentucky to make both
of these series, Tauton told The Career Journal. The tax
incentives are one reason I want to shoot the pilots
in Kentucky, but also because this is home. I grew
up in Peewee Valley and Oldham County, both areas known
for their beautiful horse farms. In small town southern charm

(43:32):
In addition to having written the screenplays, Tauton plans to
act and direct in the pilots and invite one of
the most influential people in his life to the set.
Kathy k Notts is my hero. She lives in Saint
Matthew's and has been like a mother to me, said
the screenwriter. She's been my backbone my entire life. Tauton

(43:53):
has been inspired by Notts throughout his life and found
similarities in that mentor as he was writing the character
based on Dittman in Hookham Horns. She has always believed
in my dreams and encouraged me to be the man
I am today, he said. Tauton first gained attention in

(44:13):
Hollywood as an actor, starring as an FBI swat team
member in the celebrated horror thriller film Conduit. Currently, the
Kentucky bread actor can be seen on the festival circuit
as the star and co producer of the dramatic short
film Numbers and Nonsense, directed by Calvin Cobb. Then, in

(44:36):
twenty twenty four, with no prior experience, Taughton began his
screenwriting journey, which is when he penned Derby City and
Hookham Horns. It's very rare to hear stories about successful
black jockeys or black bull riders, and that's a big
part of why I'm passionate about these projects, said the screenwriter.

(44:59):
It's also in important to me that the first part
of Derby City happens to take place in my hometown.
A third script with Kentucky ties is now underway. Tauton
is working on a screenplay based on the early years
of Diane Crump, the first female jockey to raise professionally
in the United States. The following year, she wrote in

(45:22):
the ninety sixth Kentucky Derby aboard Fathom on May second,
nineteen seventy and finished in fifteenth place. Crump's family recently
announced she has been diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer.
I used to attend the Kentucky Oaks and Derby every
year when I was living there, Taughton said. Jennifer Lawrence

(45:44):
inspired me to believe a person from Kentucky could succeed
in acting, and I would love nothing more than to
return to Louisville to make Derby City, Hookham Horns, and
the screenplay based on Diane Crump features reporter Kirby Adams
at Kadams at Courier hyphen Journal dot com. And there

(46:08):
are three photos of Tyler Totten, one with a big grin,
one speaking into a microphone accepting an award, and the
third looking very serious at the camera. And there's a

(46:28):
quote every writer I approached to write the script said no,
So finally I decided to write it myself, and that
decision has resulted in me becoming an award winning screenwriter.
In other news, why ex Ali Center ceo chose not
to run for office? His piece is by Lewis Aulbach Devone.

(46:52):
Holt is still figuring out his next steps after stepping
down last month as president and CEO of the Muhammad
Ali But whatever lies in his immediate future, he told
the Courier Journal, it won't involve a run for office.
I've just recently made the decision that that's not the
direction I'm going, at least right now, he said November

(47:17):
twenty first, after speaking a Creative Morning's Forum. The good
news is there's a lot of other opportunities for me
to do good and to advance work that improves this community. Halt,
a registered Democrat, had hinted in recent weeks he was
considering jumping into politics. The mayoral race and Louisville's seat

(47:38):
in the US House of Representatives are on the ballot
in twenty twenty six. Incumbent Mayor Craig Greenberg and Representative
Morgan mc garvey have both said they planned to run
for reelection, and the race to replace retiring U S
Senator Mitch McConnell has drawn a host of Democrats and
Republicans into campaign mode as well. The Ali Center, a

(48:01):
museum and cultural center in downtown Louisville that celebrates the
iconic boxer and civil rights activist, announced on October fifteenth
that Holt would step down from the role later in
the month after about fifteen months as its president and CEO.
Three days later, he joined Saturday Morning Solutions on WLU

(48:24):
thirteen fifty a m, a historically black radio station, where
he said he had been meeting with advisers to discuss
his next move. Hold, a former co host on the program,
told listeners he felt motivated like a boxer ready to
get in the ring, and promoted his work in economic
development and connections he had built in previous positions as

(48:46):
experience that would help in whatever ring I'm about to
get into. He said he had no announcements to make
that day, but expected to make more information public in November.
At the time, he told the Career Journal he was
exploring running for office, he did not respond to a
couple requests for comment in early November, amid speculation in

(49:08):
Louisville political circles that he may have his eye on
the twenty twenty sixth election cycle, Holt said he changed
course after speaking with some really smart, wise experienced advisors
who have managed campaigns both locally and nationally. Those conversations,
he said, raised some concerns internally about what it would

(49:29):
take to win. The hard work that's required to run
for office didn't bother me. The need to fundraise didn't
bother me. Recognizing that some people who I thought might
support me probably wouldn't that didn't even bother me, he said.
But it was this idea that I might have to
operate in a space that didn't align with my morals, values,

(49:50):
and the level of integrity that I felt like I
wanted to operate with. It was becoming clear to me
that to operate in certain spaces I might have to
compromise some of those things that I value. I just
decided I wanted to continue to look in the mirror
and like the person I saw still. Those who heard
Holt speak at the November twenty first Creative Mornings for

(50:12):
him at Louisville's new mash Up Food Hall could be
forgiven if they came away thinking he was preparing for
a run for office. He frequently touched on politics in
his more than thirty minute speech to a crowd of
about one hundred people, encouraging listeners to push back against
this effort that's growing nationally that undermines our values, our

(50:34):
core beliefs, and even our democracy. He spoke in support
of immigration, which has been upended during President Donald Trump's
second term, and said it's important to push back against
people who believe facts don't matter. Holt, who published a
video on social media confirming his plans not to run
for office about an hour after speaking with The Career Journal,

(50:58):
lives in the West End and has deep ties to
the community. Before his time at the Ali Center, he
worked for several years as Goodwill Industries of Kentucky's chief
external affairs officer, where he was credited by many for
his role in bringing the company's headquarters to a new
complex at Broadway in twenty eighth Street, alongside a new

(51:21):
Norton Healthcare Hospital, the first such facility built west of
ninth Street in more than one hundred fifty years. In
July twenty twenty four, city leaders recognized Holt with an
honorary street sign at the corner of the one hundred
twenty million dollar campus. He wasn't ready to discuss his
next steps, but said he'd been in touch with several

(51:43):
non profit and business leaders in Louisville in recent weeks.
He expects to have more to say in the not
too distant future. And you can reach the writer at
Aubach at hyphen journal dot com. And that name is
spelled Aulbach. And there's a large photo of Muhammad Ali's

(52:10):
Center president and CEO de Vone Holt walking the Muhammad
Ali Humanitarian Awards red carpet on November ninth, twenty twenty
four in Louisville. He's wearing a suit and tie with
a boot neer and a big smile in front of
the Muhammad Ali backdrop. And next from the archives Jefferson

(52:35):
Memorial Forest, dedicated in nineteen forty eight. Its piece is
by Leo Bertucci. Lovo's largest nature preserve, the Jefferson Memorial
Forest has provided an escape from the stresses of life
since nineteen forty eight. The forest's first development was fifteen
hundred acres of space for fishing, boating, horseback riding, hiking,

(52:58):
and a number of other activities. The Courier Journal reported
in October nineteen forty eight, around seven hundred people attended
an opening ceremony for the forest, which was dedicated to
those who had died while serving in the U. S.
Military During the nineteen forties. Jefferson County officials made efforts

(53:19):
to acquire land and envision public uses, though they also
commended longtime Louisville Times editor Tom Wallace with promoting the
preservation of the forest. In fact, the nineteen forty eight
dedication ceremony took place beside a lake named for Wallace.
Fifty years from now, the community will realize what a

(53:41):
valuable thing they have done, Wallace said at the dedication ceremony.
Nearly eighty years after Jefferson Memorial Forest got its start,
the area now features about ten miles of woodlands from
east to west. According to Louisville Parks and Recreation. There
are plans to connect the park to other local green

(54:01):
spaces via the Louisville Loop, with construction efforts continuing through
at least twenty twenty nine. And there are a number
of photos accompanying this article. First one published September one,
nineteen eighty two. The Jefferson County Memorial Forest attracts forty

(54:24):
thousand to sixty thousand visitors a year. Most people visit
Tom Wallace Lake Park shown in the picture. The map
shows the twenty five hundred acres of unconnected land that
the forest takes. In the next photo published November ninth,
nineteen eighty six, the Jefferson County Memorial Forest remains a

(54:48):
hidden treasure for most local residents, and you see the
lake surrounded by forest. Other photo published May twenty first,
nineteen eighty six. James Goodman, James's great uncle Henry Goodman,

(55:09):
James Vester, and Bonnie Goodman, James's wife, all Stoon on
the ramp at Tom Wallace Lake in Jefferson County Memorial
last week. Again that's published in nineteen eighty six, and
you see them on the ramp with fishing poles and
they're all looking over at the lake. The last photo,

(55:35):
published June thirteenth, nineteen eighty three, shows Claire McConnell, aged seven,
and her father, Jefferson County Judge Mitch McConnell, leading a
group of hikers along the Siltstone Trail in the Jefferson
County Memorial Forest. And you see Mitch's daughter and Mitch

(55:57):
followed by several other people walking across the little Bridge.
Photos used in this column were made possible by the
Barry Bingham Junior Photograph Collection, which is maintained by University
of Louisville Archives and Special Collections staff. You can reach

(56:17):
reporter Leo Bertucci at el Bertucci at gannett dot com.
This concludes excerpts from the Courier Journal for Sunday, November thirtieth,
twenty twenty five. Your reader has been Kathy Cleary. Please
stay tuned for continued programming on Radio i Wiktor of

(56:38):
USA Today. Regulators issued an urgent directive to Airbus A
three twenty operators November twenty eighth, warning that the planes
require a software update. An issue with the flight control
software was identified and airlines will be required to correct
the problem before their planes are permitted to fly again.

(57:00):
Because Airbus planes are manufactured by a European company, the
European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued the initial order, with
the Federal Aviation Administration in the US likely to issue
its own version. Subsequently, Airbus found that a recent solar
radiation burst basically a very strong wave of energy from

(57:22):
the Sun, affected the computer data on at least one
Airbus A three twenty series plane. An Airbus A three
twenty aeroplane recently experienced an uncommanded and limited pitch down event.
Eassay's Emergency Airworthiness directive said the autopilot remained engaged throughout

(57:44):
the event with a brief and limited loss of altitude,
and the rest of the flight was uneventful. This type
of radiation contemporarily corrupt the data used by the plane's
flight control computers, which helped pilots steer and inn keep
the aircraft stable. This condition, if not corrected, could lead,

(58:05):
in the worst case scenario, to an uncommanded elevator movement
that may result in exceeding the aircraft's structural capability. The
directive said. The agency's order requires airlines to implement it
before the next flight. Which raised the concern the fix
could lead to disruptions as airlines work to update the

(58:26):
software in their aircraft or replace on board equipment. Airbus
acknowledges situation in a statement. Airbus has worked proactively with
the aviation authorities to request immediate precautionary action from operators
via an Alert operator's transmission or AOT in order to

(58:47):
implement the available software and or hardware protection and ensure
the fleet is safe to fly. The manufacturer warned