12.19.25

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the reading of the Courier Journal for Friday,
December nineteen, twenty twenty five, which is brought to our
Louisville listeners via Louisville Public Media. As a reminder, Radio
I is a reading service intended for people who are
blind or have other disabilities that make it difficult to
read printed material. Your reader today is Mark Webster. We'll

(00:25):
start with the five day forecast, brought to you by
WHAS eleven Weather Impact. Today, the high wall be thirty five,
low twenty nine, breezy and much colder, but mainly clear. Tomorrow,
Saturday high fifty four, low thirty clouds and sun warmer.
Sunday high forty four, low twenty nine, sunny and cooler.

(00:49):
Monday high forty six, low thirty eight, mostly cloudy, Tuesday
high fifty six, low forty five, cloudy with a little rain.
Wednesday high fifty five, low forty six, more clouds than sun.
The local forecast is much cooler today, with breezy conditions
sticking around in the afternoon and in the aftermath of

(01:13):
the cold front that passed through Thursday. This weekend, we'll
see temperatures rise back into the fifties as far as
moon phases. The next new moon is December nineteenth. First
quarter December seventh, next full moon January three, last phase
January ten.

Speaker 2 (01:34):
We'll go to.

Speaker 1 (01:35):
Page one now and read the three articles on page one.
The big article across the top big ticket projects, What
to expect next from the one billion dollar improvement plan
at the Lowsll Airport. There are three photographs with these captions.
The first one shows a excavator. Caption says Local Efficient

(02:00):
hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for a thirty thousand square foot
security expansion at the airport on November seven, twenty four.
Next paragraph shows a drawing of people and the caption
says a rendering shows the new security checkpoint which is
now under construction at the airport. Then the third and

(02:20):
last is another drawing. The caption says a rendering shows
new gate podiums, better lighting, and more charging areas at
Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. Here's the article what to
expect next from the one billion dollar improvement plan at
the Loisville Airport. The SDF Next program which has brought

(02:43):
a new baggage claim area and parking upgrades to the
Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport is entering its latter stages,
with some big ticket projects announced in late twenty nineteen.
The multi year series of capital improvements to the city's
main airport, six hundred terminal Drive, are expected to cost

(03:05):
over one billion dollars, up from the four hundred million
dollars first envision. Approximately seven hundred million dollars of the
total will go toward terminal improvements, with the balance invested
in the airfield. Nearly three hundred and fifty million dollars
was spent via the program through twenty twenty four.

Speaker 2 (03:27):
Some of the.

Speaker 1 (03:27):
Biggest construction projects are lined up for the next three years,
including the construction of an eighty five thousand dollars square
foot Federal Inspection Services facility, which will allow for international travel,
with SDF next expected to wrap by the end of
twenty twenty eight or early twenty twenty nine. Quote this

(03:49):
is what we know is happening, but I'm quite confident
there's going to be a lot of construction work in
various parts of the airport even after that, unquote, said
Dan Mann, executive director of the Loyll Regional Airport Authority.
Quote it's like finishing the marathon and taking a slight
breather and then training for the next one unquote. Here

(04:11):
are six major projects listed by a projected completion date
that remain in the multi year reimagining of the Loisll
Muhammad Ali International Airport. First upgrade to emergency power microgrid
at Loisville Airport cost thirty two million dollars expected completion
fall of twenty twenty six. While not explicitly customer facing,

(04:36):
a new quote micro grid unquote will allow the airport
to stay fully open during a power failure or emergency
for up to seventy two hours. While the new centralized
generator building is already up, the airport is waiting on
generators to utilize the grid. Man said, supply chain challenges

(04:56):
have meant a lead time of almost twelve months.

Speaker 2 (05:00):
Second ticketing area.

Speaker 1 (05:03):
Upgrade at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport cost twenty million
dollars expected completion twenty twenty six. Work in the ticketing
area is set to start sometime in twenty twenty six,
likely in the summer. New ticket counters and this continued
on page six and kiosk are part of the update,

(05:27):
along with a reconfigured Q area to allow for more
space behind the ticket counter walls. The baggage takeaway system
will also be replaced. While the disruption will be very
noticeable given how highly trafficked the ticketing area is, it
is a relatively quicker and smaller project compared to other

(05:50):
components of the SDF next program, Man said. Third security
checkpoint expanding at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport costs forty
five million dollars expected completion spring twenty twenty seven. The
Louisville airport existing security screening space is expanding and adding

(06:13):
lanes to better accommodate increasing passenger traffic. Since twenty nineteen,
the airport has recorded four of its five busiest years,
taking the area from six permanent and one temporary pop
up lane. The new thirty thousand square foot expansion will
allow for ten security lanes with all new equipment. Queuing

(06:34):
space will also double, and there will be more space
for those waiting.

Speaker 2 (06:38):
To greet deplaning passengers. Quote.

Speaker 1 (06:41):
When it's finished, it's going to be open, bright skylights,
better equipment, faster processing unquote, Man said. Quote it is
going to be a complete transformation unquote. Construction started in
late twenty twenty four. Though it was originally projected to
open and fall twenty six, Man said, supply chain and
construction issues have likely pushed its debut to spring of

(07:05):
twenty twenty seven. Much of the work is occurring next
to the current security checkpoints space, meaning disruptions to daily
screening should be minimal. Once completed, the true vision of
what SDF next promise for the airport will more clearly
come into focus. Airport officials said, quote, You'll start to

(07:30):
see that the landside is starting to have a vision
that will have in the long run.

Speaker 2 (07:35):
Unquote.

Speaker 1 (07:35):
Man said, quote that's probably the biggest thing we have
going right now.

Speaker 2 (07:40):
Close the quote.

Speaker 1 (07:42):
Fourth concourse will look almost brand new at.

Speaker 2 (07:45):
The Lowell Airport.

Speaker 1 (07:47):
Cost forty six million dollars to fifty million dollars expected
completion spring of twenty twenty seven. Some of the most
public facing improvements includes those set for both the A
and B concourses, which you're planned to kick off in
January after the holiday travel season. Travelers can expect to
see ongoing work in these spaces into twenty twenty seven.

(08:10):
The project includes new furniture, repurposing space behind existing walls
into public facing customer space, increase seating with more plug
in stations, new skylights, and added concessions. Quote every aspect
of the concourse is getting touched unquote.

Speaker 2 (08:27):
Man said, quote.

Speaker 1 (08:29):
The concourse is just going to look almost brand new unquote.
Fifth Louis Muhammad Ali International Airport exterior to see changes
costs forty six million dollars, expected completion fall of twenty
twenty eight. The final part of the SDF Next program
is expected to be a refresh of the arrivals and

(08:49):
departures exterior facades that's less concrete heavy and allows for
more light. Roadways will also be shifted and re we
configure to eliminate bins and bottlenecks, allowing vehicle traffic to
better enter and exit when dropping off or.

Speaker 2 (09:07):
Picking up travelers. Quote.

Speaker 1 (09:10):
We know those bottlenecks will get worse as we continue
to have larger aircraft and more people flying. So the
roadway project, while it's not pretty or won't draw a
lot of attention from an operations perspective, it is vital
for our continued growth and capacity.

Speaker 2 (09:27):
Unquote.

Speaker 1 (09:28):
Man said quote I get pretty excited about it because
I just know it's going to be a lot better
and smoother for our customers. It's an upgrade that I
don't think anybody's particularly asking for, but when they get it,
it will be very well received.

Speaker 2 (09:41):
Close the quote.

Speaker 1 (09:43):
Work is expected to begin in the fall of twenty
twenty six or early twenty twenty seven. Seventh and last
commercial flights to international locations at Louisville Muhammad Ali International
Airport cost one hundred and fifty million dollars. Expected completion
early twenty twenty nine. A new three story addition to
the airport will allow for commercial passenger flights to international destinations.

(10:08):
This eighty five thousand square foot Federal inspection service facility
being designed now, will be locally to the east of
the terminal, near the quote exit lane unquote, where deplaning
passengers leave the terminals secure area and approach pre security.
The airport plans to start the two year construction project

(10:29):
in January twenty twenty seven. Adding international flights will help
during Kentucky Derby season, but also strengthened tourism and business development.
Man said, quote, we are highly confident that will have
a leisure service to the Caribbean Mexico destinations almost immediately.
Quote Man said, quote. There are opportunities right now. If

(10:53):
we had a facility today, we would have international service today.
We don't look at the as a high risk proposition.
We are highly confident that if we build it, we
will have international service and.

Speaker 2 (11:05):
It will be very popular and utilized.

Speaker 1 (11:08):
Given the SDF Next program was planned and budgeted in
twenty eighteen.

Speaker 2 (11:13):
In twenty nineteen.

Speaker 1 (11:15):
Inflation and the uncertainty around evolving US terraff policy, particularly
on steel, have raised construction costs on the various projects,
Man said, including the FIS facility. He did not He
did note the increasingly costly nature of projects, and said

(11:36):
the airport would likely incur debt on some future projects,
which it has not had to do on the SDF
Next program. Still, he said, the airport is quote pretty
secure unquote in its funding sources, which include federal grant
funding along with operational revenue such as funding from passenger

(11:58):
facility charges.

Speaker 2 (11:59):
Quote.

Speaker 1 (12:00):
I think we'll know more as we look into the
debt financing piece of this over the next six months,
but we're pretty confident the schedule is going to remain
close and the funding is going to be in place, unquote,
he said, quote, I don't have any qualms about where
we are and the affordability of what we're building. Close

(12:22):
the quote, and that's the end of the article. On
page six, there's another photograph rendering. The caption says, a
rendering shows an exterior view of Louisville Muhammad Ali International
Airport after beautification efforts on both the upper and lower roadways.
All right, that's the end of that. We'll go back

(12:44):
to page one to pick up the second or three articles.

Speaker 2 (12:48):
This one's across the bottom.

Speaker 1 (12:51):
Trump blames Democrats for economy in his primetime address. President
Donald Trump delivered a forceful defense of his first eleven
months in office during a prime time address from the
White House, blaming Democrats for America's economic anxieties in a
combative speech that set the tone for the twenty twenty

(13:12):
six mid term elections. Quote, boy, are we making progress? Unquote,
Trump said December seventeenth, in a speech focused heavily on
the affordability issue that has increased increasingly bedeviled his administration
and threatens his party's electoral chances next year. Trump's highly

(13:32):
political speech quickly turned into a greatest hits of his
favorite attacks.

Speaker 2 (13:37):
Quote. Eleven months ago, I.

Speaker 1 (13:39):
Inherited a mess, and I'm fixing it, unquote, he said
in an opening line and a theme he returned to repeatedly.
The first year of Trump's second term is coming to
a close with challenges looming for the president both at
home and abroad, but he largely steered clear of foreign
policy in the remarks, as domestic concerns increasingly take center stage.

(14:02):
The president also didn't mention several shocking acts of violence
that have riveted the nation in recent days, including a
mass shooting at I've Got to Go to Page five,

(14:23):
a mass shooting at Brown University, and the death of
acclaimed Hollywood director Bob Reiner. Poll's show Americans are increasingly
losing confidence in Trump's economic stewardship, with inflation recently rising
to three percent. The economy is showing signs of weakening,
with unemployment climbing to four point six percent in November,

(14:47):
the highest level since September twenty twenty one. The president's
approval rating on financial matters has dipped, with just thirty
six percent of Americans approving of his econom stewardship according
to a December NPR Marist poll. NBC News reported an
overall forty two percent approval rating in a poll release

(15:09):
December fourteen. However, Trump blamed the economic problems on his
White House predecessor and immigrants without legal status. In the
brief address less than twenty minutes, he mentioned former president
Joe Biden seven.

Speaker 2 (15:25):
Times, at Democrats eight times.

Speaker 1 (15:27):
History suggests the blame the previous guy's strategy rarely works,
and it will become harder to execute the longer Trump
is in the White House. From the White House Diplomatic Room,
which was adorned with festive Christmas decorations, Trump said that
under the Biden administration, life became quote unaffordable for millions

(15:49):
and millions of Americans unquote. He painted a dark picture
of the America he inherited, saying, quote drug dealers, gang members,
and murderers unquote were pouring across the border. He said
the United States had quote men playing in women's sports unquote,
falsely claimed crime was out of quote record high quote,

(16:10):
and said the country previously had the quote worst trade
deals ever made unquote. Quote Our country was laughed at
from all over the world, but they're not laughing anymore unquote.
Trump said, quote we have brought more positive change to
Washington than any administration in American history. There's never been
anything like it, unquote. In remarks leading up to his address,

(16:34):
Trump mocked quote affordability unquote as a campaign issue manufactured
by Democrats, but he took a different route in his
December seventeen speech, instead emphasizing policies aimed at driving down drug, housing,
and energy prices, and touting his administration's tariffs even as
economists saying they are contributing to price increases. Trump said

(16:59):
prices have decreased from the post pandemic high during the
Biden administration, yet he acknowledges acknowledge.

Speaker 2 (17:07):
There's more work ahead.

Speaker 1 (17:09):
Democrats have used the cost of living as their underlying
campaign message en route to over performing in all fewer
elections across the country. Party candidates are set to double
down on affordability in the twenty twenty six midterms, when
they hope to regain control of the House and Senate.
Looking ahead, Trump said there are seasons there are reasons

(17:32):
to be optimistic, saying tax cuts he passed and other
policies would spur economic growth. In one of the few
policy announcements in the speech, Trump said all one point
four to five million members of the military will receive
a bonus of one thousand, seven hundred and seventy six
dollars or seventeen seventy six dollars from money collected from

(17:57):
tariff revenues.

Speaker 2 (17:58):
Quote.

Speaker 1 (17:59):
The checks are ready, They are on the way, unquote,
the president said, referring to the bonuses as quote warrior
dividends unquote. Whether Trump has the power to write the
checks isn't entirely clear co Congress holds the purse power
when it comes to spending public dollars. Moreover, the Supreme
Court will soon decide the fate of his use of

(18:22):
emergency powers to impose the tariffs. If the nation's high
court rules against the president, it would seemingly pop jeopardize
the military bonuses. Trump also teased major changes to housing.

Speaker 2 (18:37):
Policy in twenty twenty six.

Speaker 1 (18:39):
He blamed rising housing costs on immigrants without legal status
and said his deportation efforts will.

Speaker 2 (18:45):
Help bring costs down.

Speaker 1 (18:47):
The focus on economic issues illustrated the biggest political liability
for Trump's administration right now, one that has increasingly consumed
the president's attention even as other high profile issues dominate headlines.
Trump's month long campaign to push Venezuelan leader Nicolas Madura

(19:08):
out of power is reaching an inflection point amid a
series of aggressive maneuvers, including a large military build up
and deadly strikes on alleged drug boats. But in the
December seventeenth speech, Trump didn't mention the military campaign or
the other big foreign policy issues facing his administration, the

(19:31):
war in Ukraine. Trump Trump is accustomed to giving long,
meandering rally style speeches to go off script and touch
on a wide range of topics, but he stuck to
the teleprompter December seventeenth, seeming to barely catch his breath.
It was a different sounding Trump before a primetime audience

(19:52):
than Trump at his campaign rallies. Whether he convinced skeptical
Americans that he's moving the country in the right direction
is debatable, all right.

Speaker 2 (20:02):
The third and last article on page one is.

Speaker 1 (20:07):
Related back to the airport story, top destinations for sdf's
increased holiday traffic. With the holidays approaching, many Kentucky residents
are getting ready to travel out of state, whether to
visit family or escape the cold.

Speaker 2 (20:23):
Louisville Muhammad Ali.

Speaker 1 (20:24):
International Airport spokesperson Natalie Shadowing said the airport is expecting
travel around Christmas and New Year's to be up by
seven percent as far as scheduled capacity by the airlines,
according to AAA data from twenty twenty four, numbers showed
that one hundred and nineteen point three million Americans were

(20:45):
expected to travel over the holidays, with seven point eighty
five million expected to travel by air. For Kentucky travelers
making for a winter getaway, the most popular warm weather
destination during winter is Florida. Last winter, travel to and
from Florida was twenty two percent of sdf's passenger traffic.

Speaker 2 (21:07):
The most popular.

Speaker 1 (21:08):
Destination within Florida in order are Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Miami,
Fort Myers.

Speaker 2 (21:17):
And Sarasota.

Speaker 1 (21:19):
Phoenix is also a popular warm weather getaway for travelers
in our region, too, Unquote, said Shadowan, adding that travelers
also frequent Dallas and Atlanta.

Speaker 2 (21:31):
Louisville.

Speaker 1 (21:31):
Travelers don't just visit warm weather locations during the winter months.

Speaker 2 (21:36):
New York City, Washington, d C.

Speaker 1 (21:38):
And Denver are popular travel destinations during the winter season.
Shadow And said from December twenty one through January four,
twenty twenty six, more than one hundred and four thousand
seats are scheduled to depart from SDF in comparison, shadow
and said more than thirty six two hundred fifty seats
were expected to depart from SDF from November twenty sixth

(21:59):
to the thirtieth, which is comparable to twenty twenty four.
Though many travelers will go through SDF during the holiday season,
it's not the busiest.

Speaker 2 (22:08):
Time for the airport. Quote.

Speaker 1 (22:09):
The single busiest time for SDF specifically is Kentucky Derby season,
the Wednesday through Friday before race day for arriving passengers,
and then the Sunday and Monday after the race day
for departures.

Speaker 2 (22:22):
Unquote, she said.

Speaker 1 (22:24):
To ensure your SDF experience goes smoothly, here's what the
Transportation Security Administration TSA and SDF officials recommend. There are
two First, arrive at the airport early. TSA recommends travelers
get to the airport at least two hours before a
flight's scheduled boarding time for domestic flights and at least

(22:46):
three hours before an international flight. ATTSA security checkpoints open
around ninety minutes before the first flight of the day
and close at nine PM. Travelers with flights after nine
pm are inc to be past security beforehand, and then second,
bring an acceptable IDs such as real ID, a US

(23:08):
passport or a US passport card. Visit the TSA's website
to learn.

Speaker 2 (23:16):
If your ID is acceptable.

Speaker 1 (23:18):
All right, that takes care of all the articles on
page one. We'll now go into the first section, and
from this point on all the articles will be cut
short in the interest of saving time. On page two
under the weather or two articles. First, inflation fell last
month no BLS data for October. Inflation eased its grip

(23:44):
on the American consumer in November, with prices rising two
point seven percent from a year earlier. The Labor Department
said in a December eighteen report the annual inflation rate
had crept as high as three percent in September. The
slightly lower figure for November reflected smaller price increases for

(24:04):
gasoline and new vehicles, among other items. Core inflation, which
excludes volatile food and energy items and is watched closely
by the Federal Reserve, came in at two point six
percent in November, the lowest rate since twenty twenty one.
The new surprised forecasters, many of whom had projected the

(24:24):
upward march of inflation would continue under pressure from President
Donald Trump's campaign of import tariffs. Just as interesting, perhaps,
was what the Bureau of Labor Statistics did not say
what happened to consumer prices in October. There will be
no inflation report for October, owing to the nation's longest

(24:46):
ever government shutdown, leaving a permanent one month.

Speaker 2 (24:50):
Gap in the historical record.

Speaker 1 (24:52):
Some analysts questioned the accuracy of the November inflation data.
The shutdown began on October one and ended on November twelve.
That gap, coupled with Thanksgiving, left the government limited time
to collect data on prices. That lapse also means the
Labor Department could not report any month to month changes
in consumer prices for November. Economists count on monthly price

(25:16):
fluctuations to provide signals on the direction of the economy.
A downward inflation trend would ease the job of the
Federal Reserve, whose leaders must decide whether to continue lowering
interest rates at their.

Speaker 2 (25:30):
Next meeting in January. I'll cut the article off there.

Speaker 1 (25:33):
The second article on this page lawsuit alleges UPS stole
stole seasonal workers' wages. United Parcel Services as being accused
in a lawsuit of short changing seasonal workers by requiring
off the clock labor and failing to count all ours worked.
The suit, filed in New York by Attorney General Letitia

(25:54):
James in December fifteenth, alleged to the company intentionally manipulated
time came keeping systems to reduce the total number of
paid hours for holiday workers and seasonal employees, and to
commit wage theft. The lawsuit argues that UPS violated the
federal fair labour standard tacked in New York labor law quote,

(26:16):
including the state's minimum wage, promised wage, overtime wage statement,
and recording keeping requirements unquote. According to the release, the
Atlanta based company operates as the largest package delivery company
in the world. It brings in approximately ninety billion dollars
annually and employs five hundred thousand people around the world,

(26:39):
according to Attorney Attorney General's Office.

Speaker 2 (26:42):
The twenty one page.

Speaker 1 (26:43):
Complaint says during the peak delivery season from October to January,
UPS hires thousands of temporary workers, including across fifty five
facilities in the state of New York.

Speaker 2 (26:55):
These workers fall into.

Speaker 1 (26:56):
Two categories quote driver helpers unquote and seasonal support drivers.
The former company full time employees to help them deliver
packages faster, while the latter used their own vehicles to
deliver packages on behalf of UPS. These employees may start
shifts by going to an UPS warehouse or by meeting
a driver on their route. An investigation into wages for

(27:20):
these workers was opened in twenty twenty three when Teamster's
Local eight O four labor union reported non payment issues.
James accuses the company of not accurately keeping records of
when seasonal workers start their shifts.

Speaker 2 (27:33):
In some cases, workers waited in the fields.

Speaker 1 (27:36):
To clock in or at warehouses for hours while idle
while trucks were loaded. UPS disputed the allegations.

Speaker 2 (27:45):
I'll just cut it off there.

Speaker 1 (27:47):
This concludes the reading of the first section of the
Curry Journal for Friday, December nineteen, twenty twenty five. Stay
tuned for more news to follow immediately. Your reader has
been and will continue to be Mark Webster. Now to
continue reading from the Curve Journal for Friday, December nineteen,

(28:08):
twenty twenty five. Your readers, Mark Webster. We will start
with 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 weekdays at eight five, nine, four,
two two sixty three nine zero, and we will be
glad to read the entire.

Speaker 2 (28:28):
Obituary for you.

Speaker 1 (28:30):
I hope to remember to repeat that number at the
end of this dictation. There are only about five six obituaries.
The first one is Nancy Williams Robinson passed away on
December fifteen, twenty twenty five, at the age of ninety four.
Sandra Wilde Chardine passed away on December sixteenth.

Speaker 2 (28:53):
At the age of seventy nine.

Speaker 1 (28:55):
James Jim Edward Steadley eighty seven passed away on December sixth,
twenty twenty five.

Speaker 2 (29:05):
Uncle, excuse me.

Speaker 1 (29:08):
Monty Sue Rose eighty one passed away peacefully on December twelfth.
There's a note here that James Patrick pat Bean, seventy
eight of Warner Robbins, Georgia, passed away Friday, December twelfth.

Speaker 2 (29:21):
And I think that's basically all the obituaries.

Speaker 1 (29:29):
Yes, we've read them all, so we'll go back to
pick up where we left off around page page three.

Speaker 2 (29:39):
Again.

Speaker 1 (29:40):
These articles will be cut short. Police sex harassment suit
is settled. Louislle Metro government agrees to pay two hundred
thousand dollars. Louisll Metro government has agreed to pay two
hundred thousand dollars to settle a lawsuit from a former
Louisville Metro police officer who alleged she was sexual harassed
by two male officers, including one who she said sent

(30:00):
her an unwanted photo of his genitals. As part of
the December three agreement, which was obtained by the Courier
Journal under Kentucky's open records law, the woman, Christine Silk,
agreed to resign from MPD and not seek future employment
with Metro and government. Additionally, Metro government did not admit
liability or fault. In the twenty twenty four lawsuit, Silk

(30:23):
alleged her field training officer, Justin Leman, made unwanted romantic
advances toward her and sent her an unwanted photo of
his genitals. Silk's lawsuit further alleged that a former LMPD
training academic instructor, Del Cottingen made inappropriate remarks to her,
including saying she should quote whore herself out unquote, and

(30:47):
should quote go on a date, take a guy home,
sleep with him, and then she would have childcare unquote.
Lamon was fired by l MPD in April for violating
the department's quote conbecoming unquote policy with his actions, but
the department determined he did not violated sexual harassment policy.

(31:10):
After a separate internal affairs investigation, Cotton Gym received a
letter of reprimand and an involuntary transfer for violating the
Department's conduct, unbecoming and courtesy policies. He was also clear
of violating the sexual harassment policy.

Speaker 2 (31:28):
All right, I'm gonna stop there.

Speaker 1 (31:30):
Below that is an article Well at Humanit jim set
to close well as spelled wl Humana Tower eyes new
life downtown as Humanity continues locating its iconic pink granite
tower in the heart of downtown. The lower excuse me,
the luxury gem Well WL at Human of five twenty

(31:53):
two West Main Street will permanently close December nineteen. The
Humana Tower, five hundred West Main Street, along with Well
At Humana and the exchange, a courtyard area with additional
meeting spaces on the backside of the tower backing up
to Vincenzo's Restaurant, were listed for sale in February. The
Current Journal first reported. Since February twenty twenty four, Humana

(32:17):
has been in the process of consolidating staff into its
other downtown location, human of Waterside and clock Tower, roughly
one mile down Main Street. The health insurance company decided
to consolidate in an effort to better support changing workforce
needs as remote and hybrid work have continued post pandemic.

(32:39):
Company officials previously said there are roughly ten thousand Humana
associates that live in the Louisville metro in many work hybrid.
The Waterside campus is positioned to support an estimated average
of two thousand, eight hundred employees daily, which can fluctuate
as teams decide to hold office meetings, events, or other

(33:02):
things at the facility.

Speaker 2 (33:03):
I'll cut it off. There.

Speaker 1 (33:05):
Another article on page three, Winter Wonderland. There are two photographs.
The first one mustard Seed Hill is a magical destination
for the holidays.

Speaker 2 (33:15):
The light tunnel is a.

Speaker 1 (33:16):
Favorite photo option for family pictures and marriage proposals. Then
the second article. The second photo is a picture of
Mustard Seed Hill, which is located at eleven to twenty
two Main Street in Millersburg. Millersburg, I believe is Bourbon County.
Here's the article Winter Wonderland. Iconic lights and cookie structures

(33:39):
await at Christmas at mustard Seed Hill. Each year, mustard
Seed Hill, a historic event and wedding venue in Millersburg,
turns into a winter wonderland. Formerly the Millersburg Military Institute,
mustard Seed Hill has been part of Kentucky history since
eighteen ninety three. When the military boarding school closed in

(34:01):
two thousand and six, the property was purchased by Community Ventures,
a Kentucky nonprofit that focuses on community development. Roughly a
decade later. Now, Christmas at mustard Seed Hill is part
of a tourist destination that draws new and returning crowds
to Bourbon County in central Kentucky. Unlike some drive through

(34:24):
holiday light displays, visitors are asked to leave their cars
in the parking lot and are invited to enjoy the
lights as they walk through the displays. One of the
most popular is a fourteen foot walk through ornament, commonly
used for family photos and even engagement proposals. Other highlights

(34:46):
include a thirty foot ribbon tree, a thirty two foot
glowing ribbon arch, and a Christmas Slave. Christmas at mustard
Seed Hill also hosts a yearly gingerbread competition presented by
Team Kentucky and l eight one and judged by multiple
celebrity chefs. While entries for the twenty twenty five competition

(35:09):
are now closed, Visitors can view some of the extravagant
exhibits inside of the historical Allen House to Activities not
included with general admission but available to purchase include the
Kentucky Campfire Experience, carriage rides around Millersburg, holiday t inside

(35:31):
the Allen House, and a five dollars Friday Day pass.
To purchase general admission tickets to Christmas at Mustard Tree
Hill or I guess I would say Mustard Sea Hill,
visitors are encouraged to buy a head online. The experience
costs five dollars per person and is free for children ages.

(35:52):
I've got to go over to page six to find it.

Speaker 2 (35:56):
Seven and under.

Speaker 1 (35:57):
The ticket prices covered mission to see the light display,
shop the artisans Market, and visit the Christmas Cafe. With
an extra five dollars, visitors can tour the Historic Allen
House and McIntyre Hall. Mustard Seed Hill is located at
eleven twenty two Main Street in Millsburg. Christmas at Mustard

(36:18):
Seed Hill will open for select dates from November twenty
eight to December twenty three, from five to nine pm.
Friday day passes will be available on December nineteen, today,
a little under three hours from Louisville, Mustardseed Hill offers
nearby accommodations for overnight guests, including eight private suites at

(36:41):
the properties, MacIntyre Hall and other Christmas airbnbs.

Speaker 2 (36:45):
All right, we'll go back to page four.

Speaker 1 (36:49):
There's an article bodycam shows man pointing gun before police
open fire. Body warn camera footage released by Losville Police
shows a man point a gun at police officers just
before they fatally shot him. In the footage, officers Michael
Crowe and Austin Taylor are seen running into a courtyard

(37:10):
at the tailor at five h two apartment complex off
Taylorsville Road in Hurstbourne Acres. They see the man, Casey Barnes,
across the yard, and Taylor's shouts dropped the gun. Within milliseconds,
Taylor and Crowe opened fire, hitting Burns at least twice.

(37:31):
In a zoomed in portion of the body cameron footage,
the thirty two year old who died at the scene
is scene pointing a weapon toward the officers. According to police,
the gun in question was A Smith and Weston nine millimeter.
The shooting occurred in the nine thousand block of Red
Deer Circle around one point thirty pm December fourth. Louswell

(37:52):
police were searching the apartment complex for a shirtless man
who had reportedly pointed a gun at a woman.

Speaker 2 (37:59):
A half hour before the shooting, a.

Speaker 1 (38:01):
Hirstborne police officer conducted a welfare check on Barnes, who
lived at the complex. The officers, speaking to Crow, Taylor
and other Global Police officers can be heard on the
footage saying that Barnes hadn't been to work in a
couple of days and that his boss was worried.

Speaker 2 (38:18):
The officer says.

Speaker 1 (38:19):
Barnes told him he was fine, though the officer adds
he didn't get a good look at the man. LMPD
released the body camera footage of the shooting on its
YouTube channel of the business days after the shooting, in
line with its practice of releasing footage within ten business
days of what he calls critical incidents. As of December seventeen,

(38:40):
that was.

Speaker 2 (38:40):
Two days ago.

Speaker 1 (38:41):
There have been nine officer involved shootings in twenty twenty five,
surpassing last year's total of four.

Speaker 2 (38:50):
I think I'll cut the article.

Speaker 1 (38:51):
Off there, We'll go to the next article. FCC chair
grilled on Kimmel clash.

Speaker 2 (38:59):
There's a photograph.

Speaker 1 (39:00):
This caption says Federal Communications Commissioned Chair Brandon Carr said
the agency was not quote formally unquote independent because of
the president's power to fire commissioners.

Speaker 2 (39:12):
Here's the article.

Speaker 1 (39:14):
Lawmakers grilled the chair of the Federal Communications Commission on
December seventeenth over his criticism of ABC and Late night
host Jimmy Kimmel the in the wake of Charlie Kirk's
assassination and his response to President Donald's Trump comments after
the deaths of Rob Reiner and Michelle Singer Reiner. In

(39:36):
his show's opening monologue on September fifteenth, Kimmel said Trump
supporters were desperately trying to characterize Tyler Robinson, the twenty
two year old charged in Kirk's killing, as quote anything
other than one of them.

Speaker 2 (39:50):
Unquote.

Speaker 1 (39:52):
FCC Chair Brendan Carr later made comments interpreted by some
as a threat to pull the ABC station licenses if
Kimmel wasn't fired. Quote this is a very very serious
issue right now for Disney, quote, Carr said at the time.

Speaker 2 (40:08):
Quote we can do it.

Speaker 1 (40:10):
We can do this the easy way or the hard
way unquote. ABC temporarily suspended Kimmel over the comments, though
he later returned to his late night show and signed
an extension to keep his show on the network through
May twenty twenty seven. During the Senate Commerce, Science, and
Transportation Committee hearing, several senators emphasized the bipartisan outrage over

(40:35):
Carr's comments and said his words and actions conflicted with
his pre twenty twenty twenty five social media post championing
the First Amendment. There were tense moments in the hearings
first few hours, including a verbal spat with Senator Ed Markey,
Democratic Massachusetts, and pointed comments from other lawmakers. Quote, You've

(40:55):
become a parrot for President Trump and diminished the independence
of the sect, said Senator Tammy Baldwin, Democratic Wisconsin said.

Speaker 2 (41:04):
At one point.

Speaker 1 (41:05):
Carr maintained throughout the hearing that broadcast television is different
than other mediums because of the policies its licensees are
required to abide by, including those relating to news distortion
and public interest standards. He said the sec actions being
taken under Trump's administration are merely.

Speaker 2 (41:26):
Examples of enforcing the law.

Speaker 1 (41:27):
In ways he said previous administrations failed to do. Senator
Ted Kruse, Republican of Texas, anticipated some of the eventual
themes in his opening comments. He suggested that if his
Democratic colleagues were to quote Hammer unquote car on their
quote newfound religionuote of the First Amendment and its.

Speaker 2 (41:49):
Free speech clause, they would be hypocritical.

Speaker 1 (41:52):
If they had if they had not also condemned actions
former President Joe Biden's administration took to curbs social media misinformation.

Speaker 2 (42:02):
Carr agreed with Cruise's.

Speaker 1 (42:04):
Assessment that the FCC's rules had been quote weaponized against
conservatives in the past unquote. Cruise described chemmel comments as
quote tasteless unquote, but reiterated his previous remarks about his
distaste for federal involvement in such matters. I think I'll
cut it off there. We'll go for looking for another article.

Speaker 2 (42:31):
On page.

Speaker 1 (42:34):
Nine, a article FBI deputy director says he's leaving in January.
Bongino tenure at agency marked by conflict.

Speaker 2 (42:43):
There's a photo.

Speaker 1 (42:44):
FBI Director Deputy Director Dan Bongino announced on December seventeenth
he is leaving the law enforcement agency in January after
less than a year in his position. FBI Director Dan
Bongino announced December seventeenth, leading in January after less than
a year as the number two official at the nation's

(43:05):
premier law enforcement agency, and after reported conflict with Attorney
General Pam Bondi over the release of the Jeffrey Epstein
investigative files. Bongino is a former Secret Service agent, New
York City Police officer and host of the podcast quote
the Dan Bongino Show, unquote, which brought him an audience

(43:26):
of millions of followers and supporters of Trump's quote make
America Great Again unquote movement. Since March, he has helped
lead a shake up of federal law enforcement by Trump loyalists.
With Patel in charge and Bongino as his deputy, The
agency purged top FBI officials, including a former acting director

(43:47):
and other senior leaders, claiming they were too political and
not sufficiently lay to Trump.

Speaker 2 (43:53):
And his agenda.

Speaker 1 (43:55):
Some of the ousted FBI leaders filed a federal lawsuit
alleging they had been illegally termined. When asked about Bongino
on December seventeen, Trump said.

Speaker 2 (44:04):
Quote Dan did a great job.

Speaker 1 (44:06):
I think he wants to go back to his show unquote,
but Bongino's tenure Deputy FBI Director was marked by conflict,
as he sought to shed his role as a provocative
media personality and establish himself as the agency deputy who
traditionally oversees the vast law enforcement agency and.

Speaker 2 (44:26):
Its day to day operative The role has.

Speaker 1 (44:29):
Previously been held by career FBI agents who were familiar
with its broad portfolio of law enforcement and intelligence work.
Bongino's earlier roles in the Secret Service's Presidential Protection Division
and as a police officer had helped propel him to
a prominent position as a Fox newshost and prominent voice

(44:50):
in conservative media. He used that platform to rail repeatedly
against the FBI and Justice Department for their handling of
the Epstein files, suggesting a cover up intended to protect
influential men who are allegedly part of the late Financiers
sex trafficking ring. One of the FBI Once at the FBI, however,

(45:13):
Bongino declared on the Fox News that he'd reviewed the
FBI files and determined that Epstein did in fact kill
himself and that he didn't keep a client list, as
pro MAGA conservatives had long claimed.

Speaker 2 (45:27):
In July, the.

Speaker 1 (45:28):
FBI and DOJ Feather infuriated Bongino's former followers by announcing that,
after quote an exhaustive review unquote, they were not going
to release the Epstein files after determining quote that no
further disclosure would be.

Speaker 2 (45:43):
Appropriate or warranted unquote.

Speaker 1 (45:45):
That sparked a dispute between Bongino and Bondi, with sources
telling Axios and other media outlets that he was planning
to quit over the announcement. I'll stop right there. We'll
look at page ten. Those are the eventuaries that we've
already read. On page eleven, there are three articles.

Speaker 2 (46:05):
I will cut all of them short.

Speaker 1 (46:07):
First, when Epstein's spotlight and Trump's second term.

Speaker 2 (46:10):
There's a photograph of this caption.

Speaker 1 (46:12):
A protester holds a placard after the House voted four
hundred and twenty seven to one to approve the Epstein
Files Transparency Act and the release of documents.

Speaker 2 (46:21):
And files on November eighteen.

Speaker 1 (46:24):
The release of documents pertaining to Jeffrey Epstein has dominated much.

Speaker 2 (46:28):
Of President Donald Trump's second term. Here's the article.

Speaker 1 (46:31):
The backlash was swift after leading figures in President Donald
Trump's orbit spent years stoking expectations about what might be
revealed in the government's records on Jeffrey Epstein. The second
term Republicans administration over the summer tried to close the
book on the case. MAGA was furious, why is Pam

(46:53):
Bondi's Justice Department covering up Jeffrey Epstein's crimes and murder?

Speaker 2 (46:58):
Closed the quote.

Speaker 1 (46:59):
Conservative commentator Tucker Carlson said of the US Attorney General
on July eighth, invocate a popular conspiracy theory about Epstein,
the sixty six year old wealth manager who in twenty
nineteen committed suicide in jail while awaiting trial on sex
trafficking charges.

Speaker 2 (47:18):
A day earlier, DOJ officials had released a memo reaffirming.

Speaker 1 (47:23):
Epstein killed himself and declaring no more documents would be released.

Speaker 2 (47:28):
In this case.

Speaker 1 (47:29):
It kicked off what has been one of the most
remarkable episodes in Trump's political career, six months of GOP recriminations,
tawdry revelations, and usually unusually staunch resistance from inside MAGA.
The Justice Department's December nineteenth deadline to release the Epstein
files now brings another major milestone. The Trump administration's response

(47:54):
to The Epstein issue has created a rolling drama that
has consumed the Republican president's second term and the GOP
led Congress, said former Michigan GOP representative Fred Upton. Epstein
has also exposed the limits of Trump's considerable sway with
his followers.

Speaker 2 (48:13):
It factored into two.

Speaker 1 (48:14):
Blockbuster riffs between the president and close allies being there
Elon Musk and Representative Marjorie Taylor Green, Republican of Georgia.
And the Epstein files are the one issue where key
Congressional Republicans were poised to defy Trump before he flipped
and endorsed legislation to release the government's records.

Speaker 2 (48:36):
From the case.

Speaker 1 (48:38):
I think we've got the idea we'll stop there. Two
other articles on this page. US admits failures and deadly
crashed near d C. The US government admitted it was
liable in the deadly collision involving a military helicopter and
a passenger jet that killed sixty seven people near Washington,
d C. On January twenty nine, According to court documents

(49:02):
filed on December seventeen. The government's admission is part of
a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the widow of casey
crafton one of the victims killed in the crash in September.
The lawsuit blamed the government, American Airlines, and its regional
partner PSA Airlines for their roles in the mid air collision.

(49:22):
In a two hundred and nine page court filing, the governments,
the government said it is among the defendants liable for
the damages from the crash.

Speaker 2 (49:35):
The filing states that the U. S. Army flight crew
failed to.

Speaker 1 (49:38):
Adequately operate the helicopter, and that Federal Aviation Administration air
traffic controllers quote failed in their two most important priorities,
namely to separate aircraft in airspace and issue safety alerts
when aircraft are in an unsafe proximity to one another
close the quote quote, the defendant's collective figures caused the

(49:59):
mid air collision that resulted in the senseless and tragic
deaths of sixty seven individuals unquote. The filing reviewed by
USA Today states that's all I'm going to do.

Speaker 2 (50:10):
I'll cut that off. That's a rather lengthy article.

Speaker 1 (50:12):
The last article prominent case not new to Reiner's defense lawyer.
There's a photo with this caption for defense attorney Alan Jackson,
who is representing Nick Reiner. This isn't his first brush
with Hollywood. Los Angeles based criminal defense attorney Alan Jackson
spent most of the last two years in a Massachusetts

(50:34):
suburb representing the sense acquitted Karen Reid in a murder
case that gripped the nation. Now on the other side
of the country, Jackson, an attorney who has worked on
some of the nation's most high profile cases, faces an
uphill battle. He's representing Nick Reiner, who has been accused
of faily stabbing his parents. The famed Hollywood actor and

(50:56):
director Rob Reiner and his wife Michelleon prosecutors allege Nick
Roynder failies tabbed his parents in their Los Angeles home
on December fourteenth, two days after the Roiners death. Jackson's
involvement in the case became publicly known after he addressed
reporters outside a Los Angeles courthouse the following day. In

(51:19):
brief remarks outside the courthouse on December seventeenth, Jackson described
the Rhiner's death as a quote devastating tragedy. Quote we
all recognize that, unquote, he said. Quote Our hearts go
out to the entire Rhiner family. There are very, very
complex and.

Speaker 2 (51:36):
Serious issues that are associated with this case.

Speaker 1 (51:39):
Things need to be thoroughly but very carefully dealt with
and examined and looked at and analyzed closed the quote.
Nick render faces two counts a first degree murder, and
is expected to be arraigned on January seventh. A veteran
of the US Air Force, attorney Jackson earned a bachelor's
degree from the University of ten X's in nineteen ninety

(52:01):
one and a juris doctorate from Pepperdine University in nineteen
ninety four. Before working in private practice, Jackson worked at
the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office as an assistant
head deputy for the Major Crimes Division.

Speaker 2 (52:17):
According to his firm, He is also.

Speaker 1 (52:19):
An adjunct professor of law at Pepperdine and Loyola for
Jackson a partner at Worksman, Jackson and QUINNLLP.

Speaker 2 (52:28):
This isn't his first brush with Hollywood.

Speaker 1 (52:31):
Before read a Massachusetts woman who was acquitted of charges
related to the death of her Boston Police officer boyfriend,
Jackson previously represented actor Kevin Spacey and producer Harvey Weinstein.
In twenty nineteen, Jackson represented Spacey in a criminal groping case.
The actor was charged with sexually assaulting a teenage busser

(52:54):
at a bar in Nantucket, Massachusetts, in twenty sixteen, but
prosecutors later to drop the case. Jackson also represented Weinstein
in the disgraced Hollywood mogul's second criminal trial in California
in twenty twenty two.

Speaker 2 (53:11):
A jury found Weinstein A.

Speaker 1 (53:13):
Weinstein, guilty of rape and sexual assault in that case.
True crime followers will likely recognize Jackson from his most
recent work on the Read case, which resulted in an
acquittal earlier this year. Reid's first trial in the alleged
murder of her boyfriend John O'Keefe ended in a mistrial
in twenty twenty four. During the readcase, Jackson became known

(53:35):
for his tenth questioning of witnesses, including former Massachusetts State
Police trooper Michael Proctor.

Speaker 2 (53:42):
In a crowded courtroom.

Speaker 1 (53:44):
Jackson recited the CoP's crude text message during cross examination
before rebuking, quote shame on you, sir, unquote. Still, Jackson
remains on Reed's team for her impending civil trial, reported
the Quincy Patriot.

Speaker 2 (53:59):
Ledger, part of the USA Today Network.

Speaker 1 (54:02):
All right, that's the end of that article. And that's
the end of all the articles. In the first section,
we won't read any sports. There's an interesting article about
the upcoming University of Kentucky Saint John's basketball game which
Pitts coach Rick Patino against his former player Mark Pope.

(54:24):
There's an article about the upcoming game of the University
of Louisville Cardinals versus Tennessee.

Speaker 2 (54:34):
Otherwise, I think I'll skip all the sports.

Speaker 1 (54:37):
And then in the third section there's an article that
I can't read because it consists mostly of photos. It's
a look back at downtown Louisville seventy years ago, which
I would sort of remember. In nineteen fifty five, your
grandparents may have brought you, may have bought you a

(54:58):
scrabble game for two dollars a night. Since at two
thirty five West Market in downtown Louisville. Today you might
gnauch on Sicilian meatballs and a slice of New York
cheesecake in that very same building for more than ten
times that price. From eighteen ninety three to nineteen seventy nine,
Louisvill's Levy Brothers department store operated within the iconic Richardsonian

(55:20):
Romanesque style structure with its ornate arched windows and regal
pointed tower. That downtown building still stands today and lives
on as Louisvill's Old Spaghetti Factory. The rise of the
American suburbs in the mid twentieth century bludgeon downtown department
store culture nationwide. For our grandparents, shopping was a social outing,

(55:41):
complete with elaborate window displays, crystal tea rooms, and fleets
of service people eager to elegantly gift wrap your packages.

Speaker 2 (55:50):
Or help you find the perfect fit.

Speaker 1 (55:52):
With the rise of e commerce, it's hard to imagine
that culture of shopping now, but in the days leading
up to Christmas, I tried, and in the article goes
on to compare and contrast the downtown of the fifties
with the missing downtown of the twenty twenties. This concludes
excerpts from the Curry Journal for Friday, December nineteen, twenty

(56:15):
twenty five. Your reader has been Mark Webster. That number
for the obituaries is eight five nine four two two
six' three nine. Zero please stay tuned for continuing programming
ON radioi have a Nice, christmas Even, christmas And i'll
see you again After.

Speaker 2 (56:34):
Christmas