Hot Topics
No Picture

Politics, Rick February 2, 2011

Finally-Fischer Boots Zelinsky at Animal Services

Just in — Mayor Greg Fischer has replaced Wayne Zelinsky at the troubled Animal Services department. It’s long overdue. Here’s what the Mayor’s Office just released: LOUISVILLE (Feb. 2, 2011) – Mayor Greg Fischer today named Debbie Fox as the new interim leader of Metro Animal Services, following the resignation of Director Wayne Zelinsky. Fox, currently Deputy Director of MetroSafe, will oversee animal control for the city while the Fischer administration conducts a national search for a new full-time director and completes a top-to-bottom review of Animal Services. Fox will remain in the new role until April, when Fischer plans…

No Picture

Health, Rick February 2, 2011

Will Kentucky Lawmakers Let You Trust Your Nurse?

Did you realize that state lawmakers are digging in for a battle over whether you can get drugs from a licensed nurse practitioner? The controversy, detailed in Steve Shaw’s LEO cover story this week, sounds more like a bunch of physicians protecting their turf than anything involving the safety of patients and their access to quality health services. There’s a shortage of family practitioners, especially out in the state, where the void for basic needs could be filled by licensed nurses. But the law provides a catch — the nurses have to sign a collaborative agreement with a physician —…

No Picture

Media, Politics, Rick February 2, 2011

Groundhogged in Louisville

Up in Punxsatawny, Phil the Groundhog did not see his shadow this morning, so you can count on an early spring.  Yippee! Sometimes it seems like I’m in that Groundhog Day movie with Bill Murray, because every year I go to the same party and they show the movie and all the same people are there. Just kidding. I do have plans to attend the 33rd Annual Groundhog’s Day Celebration, hosted by my cousin Julie Ryan and her husband Kevin, who own the most extensive collection of Groundhog crap this side of Punxsatawny. Fortunately, the location changes every year, and…

No Picture

Business, Culture, Media, Politics February 1, 2011

Exile on Main Street

For a city that should have a sense of place, it appears to be the reverse. This week’s broken, if you will, news about the green light for demolition of Main Street’s historic row, paints us with the burden of being a place with no sense. Oh, the irony? Oh…the Iron Quarter. I waded through the speech from Todd Blue on last night’s newscast, feeling not only waterlogged but also smelling of bullshit and decay. The first odor stemming from money and entitlement and the second stench belongs to the once-glorious city block of commerce and entertainment that greeted highway…

No Picture

Politics February 1, 2011

Beshear Issues Challenges in State Of the Commonwealth-sort of

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear offered up a slew of challenges in his annual State Of The Commonwealth speech Tuesday night. He managed to call out Washington, Wall Street, and The Kentucky State Senate all within 30 minutes, and nary a word on casino gambling! Beshear is normally restrained when giving speeches, but actually managed to call up some fire and brimstone when he called for Washington to “get off our backs” when it comes to regulating the coal industry. More impressive than I’ve seen from him in a while. He also managed to directly challenge the Kentucky State Senate-calling on…

No Picture

Sport February 1, 2011

Twas the Night Before Signing Day…

…and there is a prospect stirring. DeMarcus Smith was considered to be a lock in Coach Charlie Strong’s 2011 recruiting class. Yet today, Smith announced that he would choose between Central Florida and Louisville on Friday and not sign a letter of intent during tomorrow’s National Signing Day as widely expected. There was a little bit of evidence that Smith was wavering ever since the commitment of 5-star All-American Teddy Bridgewater in December, but nothing this major. Smith visited UCF on Jan. 23, and since then has been “reconsidering his future.” Smith was one of the first to commit the Cards in…

No Picture

Culture, LoUnique, Media February 1, 2011

‘Voice Teacher’ on Line Two

The Derby City Film Festival, partnered with the Louisville Jewish Film Festival, are bringing you the documentary film “Voice Teacher.” “Voice Teacher” is about a man who teaches people how to sing –over the phone. Here’s the synopsis: Don Roberts is a construction worker, only he doesn’t build buildings, he build’s throats. Singers of all stripes regularly attend his studio in Oneonta, NY, but rarely in person. Don teaches over the telephone; a bizarre and controversial approach, according to many in the singing world. Day after day, Don teaches voice to world-renowned cantors and up-and-coming opera singers. But to enter…

No Picture

Media, Rick February 1, 2011

No Ticket Teasing, WAVE! and What’s Coming on TV

There was a minor flap over at WAVE’s 725 Live show Friday when the station mistakenly advertised it was giving away tickets to the George Strait show at the Yum Center April 9. It didn’t have the tickets yet. But the station’s Doug Garrett, who posted the message on WAVE’s Facebook page, tells me it was his mistake and that the tickets will be given away this week. The episode gave some viewers a chance to vent publicly about the 725 show, with many commenting that the station should go back to News during the 12:30 hour.  Garrett told me,…

No Picture

Sport February 1, 2011

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

It’s quite ironic that Sunday afternoon, so many were applauding Peyton Siva for being a leader against West Virginia and Connecticut. Yet when the Cardinals needed a leader in D.C. last night,  no one stepped up. Louisville couldn’t muster any magic, and fell to Georgetown 62-59. The turning point was Preston Knowles’ three consecutive missed shots. Chris Smith didn’t help the comeback with an unnecessary foul with less than a minute to go. Cardinal fans shouldn’t be ultra disappointed. Rick Pitino coached a marvelous game, and the Cardiac Cards stuck it out until the very end. A hard-fought loss at #15 Georgetown certainly…

No Picture

Health January 31, 2011

$2.5 Million KIPDA Grant: Fighting Diabetes at the Community Level in Bullitt, Henry and Shelby

Most people would rather pop a pill to feel better, than look at the big picture of their overall healthy living options.  But, that is about to change for our nearby rural counties of Bullitt, Henry and Shelby based on a new grant from the Center for Disease Control that targets community involvement in the fight against diabetes in older adults, particularly minorities, a vulnerable population group nationally. All of us with TV sets, cell phones, and internet access hear messaging from various sources about getting “out there” and exercising, but the barriers to doing just that may be so…