On Track

Kentucky has begun executing Governor Andy Beshear’s plan for a gradual lifting of coronavirus restrictions. Certain medical practices and procedures were allowed to resume this week, and starting May 11, some business will be able to reopen if they meet state COVID-19 safety requirements. This week on WFPL’s In Conversation, we talked about the reopening process in Kentucky and how it differs fro...

For many people left largely homebound by the coronavirus, pets have been a source of comfort and companionship. More people are adopting or fostering pets as they shelter at home. How are pets adapting to having more time with their human caretakers? How will they react when their guardians return to the workplace? Is this a good time to add a dog, cat or other pet to your household? Friday on WF...

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer has unveiled a three-phase recovery plan for the city as the COVID-19 outbreak begins to show early signs of subsiding. The plan is called “Build Back Better, Together.” Fischer says reopening the economy and lifting restrictions on services will be dependent on meeting various benchmarks. They include a decline in the number and rate of new coronavirus cases, expande...

Governor Andy Beshear has announced that there will be no in-person classes in Kentucky schools for the rest of the academic year because of the coronavirus pandemic.  Students will continue their online classes through their districts’ non-traditional instruction programs. Beshear says Kentucky needs to show a steady decline in new COVID-19 cases and meet other benchmarks before he will ease busi...

There’s no playbook for how to conduct elections during a global pandemic. A few weeks ago, Wisconsin held their primary like normal. In Kentucky, we’ve already delayed ours until June, and we’re still trying to figure out whether in-person voting will be safe by then.  Some states already have absentee voting available on request, while some (like Kentucky) require the voter to have a valid reaso...

For most, if not all of us, life has been completely upended lately. Some of us are stuck in the house with our whole families — maybe for the first time ever. Others are working on the front lines against the coronavirus outbreak, afraid to go home to our loved ones at all. On this episode, we talk about what it’s been like for you. How is your life different now, and how are you coping with the...

More and more Kentuckians are losing their jobs and have less money to spend every day during the coronavirus pandemic. That means there will eventually be a drop in income and sales tax revenue for the state, though Kentucky is slated to receive $1.6 billion in federal aid to help prop up essential services this year. State legislators have attempted to adjust by only passing a one-year budget, w...

The spread of the coronavirus has brought many businesses to a standstill, and forced others to change how they work. Jefferson County Public Schools is giving thousands of Chromebooks to students who don't have guaranteed access to a computer as part of its remote learning plan. The attorney general's office is devoting time to fight scams related to the coronavirus. Most in-person court services...

Kentucky expects to receive $1.7 billion in aid from the federal CARES Act that was signed into law last week. The money will be used to, among other things, provide unemployement benefits, support for businesses, and meet public health needs. Health officials say citizen participation in social distancing and other prevention steps will be critical in the next few weeks in slowing the spread of c...

"As a $2.2 trillion economic rescue package emerges from Washington, people across Kentucky and the rest of the country are trying to adjust to life amid the coronavirus pandemic and more restrictions to control its spread. This week on In Conversation we talk about what’s in the rescue legislation and and the continued impact of the pandemic. Our guests were Congressman John Yarmuth (D-Kentucky),...

The coronavirus and closures ordered in response to it are presenting new challenges for Kentucky youth. Childcare services across the commonwealth have shut down, and the closure of Jefferson County Public Schools and other Kentucky school districts has many youth learning from home. Amid those changes, JCPS has begun distributing laptops to students, and given away thousands of free meals to fam...

The coronavirus has spread quickly since the first case in Kentucky was confirmed March 6, with a sharp rise in positive cases expected as more people are tested. State and local officials have dispelled some rumors and answered questions about the virus through daily briefings, but there is still a lot we do not know. In Conversation asks more questions about the virus and discusses what may be a...

Efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus are taking a toll on Louisville's economy. The Kentucky Derby, with it's $400 million local economic impact, has been delayed until September. Louisville Tourism officials said the city has lost $57.6 million from canceled events, and Governor Andy Beshear's order to stop in-person service at restaurants and bars has led some businesses to lay off empl...

The spreading coronavirus has been labeled a pandemic by the World Health Organization and caused massive disruptions in Kentucky. Governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency after a case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Harrison County on March 6. Since then, events including the NCAA tournament have been canceled and Kentuckians have been advised to distance themselves from others. This week...

Home sales remain strong in the Louisville area and across Kentucky, according to Realtors' groups. In Jefferson County, the Property Valuation Administrator's office has begun its 2020 reassessment of tens of thousands of properties. On In Conversation, guests discussed the state of the housing market in Greater Louisville, how the property assessment process works, and a program to help low and...

Access to high speed internet, which can bring opportunities for economic and educational growth, is lacking in some Kentucky communities and efforts to remedy that have faced challenges. The KentuckyWired project is one of the state's largest internet connectivity efforts, aiming to build more than 3,000 miles of high-speed fiber optic cable in counties across the commonwealth. But the project is...

Recent proposals to arm school security officers in Kentucky have divided constituents. Propoents say that arming school security will keep students safe and could prevent a school shooting similar to Marshall County High School's 2018 incident. Others contend that arming security is ineffective and could traumatize some students, especially students of color. This week In Conversation, we talked...

The Louisville Urban League will publish its new State of Black Louisville report in the coming weeks, documenting issues that affect African-American residents and their livelihoods. The report is expected to address topics like criminal justice, affordable housing and more, and features essays from local leaders who will suggest solutions to issues and barriers faced by residents. This week for...

Recent changes in Louisville's arts scene have drawn attention to the industry. StageOne Family Theatre's artistic director left his job after two years with the company, and nine Actors Theatre employees were laid off as part of "organizational restructuring. News of those layoffs comes just ahead of Actors Theatre's 44th Humana festival, which attracted more than 38,000 people and generated a $5...

Kentucky's 2020 legislative session has thus far included bills on school safety, immigration, abortion and more. With Democratic Governor Andy Beshear's budget address proposing funding changes for education, health care and other areas, WFPL's In Conversation discussed what has happened so far and what may be ahead for the legislature. Our guests were Kentucky Senate Minority Leader Morgan McGar...

Each year before the Kentucky Derby, state and local advocates raise awareness about potential "spikes" in human trafficking. Governor Andy Beshear highlighted the topic last week when he declared January as "Human Trafficking Awareness Month." But major sporting events can present challenges to stopping human trafficking, and the Kentucky Department of Education says the state's location, degree...

Thousands of Kentuckians have expunged their records since a 2016 law made some low-level offenses eligible to be cleared. Greater Louisville Inc. has endorsed expungement as a way to boost Kentucky's workforce development and economy, but the process is still unaffordable and difficult for some to complete. WFPL's In Conversation talked about record expungement, who is eligible for it and what re...

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear says expanded gaming could become a new revenue source which could help fund the state's struggling pension systems. Some lawmakers have proposed bills that support expanded gaming, but two top Republicans say Beshear has overstated potential revenue from casino gambling and say proposals to legalize it are "off the table." WFPL's In Conversation talked about gambling ad...

In Conversation covered a lot in 2019. From homelessness and vaccinations to bourbon and marijuana, more than a hundred guests joined the program this year to talk about dozens of topics. This week, WFPL's In Conversation looked back on some of our favorite shows: our program with the University of Louisville's president and her optimism for the school's future, our show with advocates who said mo...

Eastern High School's principal apologized and the school has changed its policies after girls were turned away from their homecoming dance for violating dress code this fall. Their dresses were measured before some girls were told they cannot enter the dance, sparking controversy from parents and students who alleged such rules are sexist. And Jefferson County Public School data shows that in sch...