On Track

The Congress for New Urbanism's 27th Annual Convention landed in Louisville this week, and more than a thousand designers, planners and architects showed up to learn about the present and future of urbanism. WFPL's Rick Howlett asked convention speakers how urbanism helps develop Louisville's neighborhoods and the rest of the city. Doug Farr, Architect and Founder of Farr Associates Hazel Borys, P...

Kentucky was one of a few states where the jail population increased last year, and officials have taken notice. The nonprofit Kentucky Center for Economic Policy won a $10,000 grant to research the issue, and national organizations like the Bail Project have landed in Louisville to institute bail reform. WFPL's Rick Howlett talked with jail officials and advocates about Kentucky's incarceration r...

The Louisville Metro Council announced it would close public pools and cut the city budget to address an impending budget shortfall. Those cuts could affect public safety, health, and recreational opportunities offered through Louisville's park system. WFPL's Rick Howlett talked with park representatives about the obstacles they face, and expectations going forward. The guests were: Louisville Par...

Kentucky and the rest of the nation are wrestling with the huge popularity of electronic cigarettes among youth. A survey by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky found the number of youth who use e-cigarettes, an activity referred to as vaping, doubled from 2016 through 2018 for sixth, eighth, 10th and 12th graders. Research has found many non-smoking youth who use e-cigarettes are more likely to...

In April, WFPL published a five-part series about toxic air pollution in Louisville. Energy and Environment Reporter Ryan Van Velzer examined who is responsible for the pollution and who is affected by it. This week on In Conversation, WFPL’s Rick Howlett talked to experts featured in that series about the state of air pollution in Louisville and what the community can do about it. Our guests were...

In an update two weeks ago, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said the recent measles outbreak has led to the most cases of the disease since 2000. Before 1963, in the decade before the measles vaccination was created, an estimated three to four million people were infected, and about 400 to 500 people died of the disease each year. But there's still some push-back against not onl...

The Kentucky Derby tradition has grown and changed over the past 145 years in Louisville, creating epic moments and memorable scenes for people. We hear from Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, the Kentucky Derby Museum's Chris Goodlett and historian Emily Bingham, as well as Louisvillians who celebrate the Derby in their own unique ways.

Earlier this month, a Courier Journal story about a traffic stop involving Tae-Ahn Lea sparked public outrage. Lea, a black teenager, was pulled over for making a wide turn and ended up handcuffed and searched. Is this what's supposed to happen? Are LMPD traffic stops effective, or used as a way to harass and intimidate black drivers? WFPL's Rick Howlett talked with panelists to ask how traffic st...

Much of Louisville’s infrastructure needs repairs, but the city has a long way to go before it can upgrade its aging systems. Meanwhile, residents in some Louisville neighborhoods are experiencing frequent flooding. This Week on In Conversation, we talk infrastructure: where we are, what needs to be done and where we're going. Our guests were: Tony Parrott, Executive Director, Louisville Metropoli...

As Louisville's art scene grows, so too has diversity and representation in the industry. One sign of that is new Actors Theatre of Louisville Artistic Director Robert Barry Fleming, the first non-white artistic director in the company's history. This Week on In Conversation, we talk about diversity in the arts community and what's being done to shine the spotlight on diverse voices both on and of...

Legislators passed several bills during this year's legislative session affecting the state pension system, abortion, felony expungement, school safety and more. The session also brought a new round of protests in Frankfort from public school teachers, with rallies leading Jefferson County Public Schools to close for six days. Guest host Ryland Barton talks with a panel of state lawmakers to revie...

Debate on whether the state should manage the school system is ongoing, and JCPS teachers organized several "sickouts" to protest education-related bills in Frankfort this legislative session. This meant six days of school closures as teachers flooded the Capitol, and created obstacles for families juggling childcare. We'll talk with JCPS Superintendent Marty Pollio about the state of ed...

The 2019 Kentucky Derby Festival expects to attract hundreds of thousands of people to the Louisville area for events like the Thunder Over Louisville fireworks display and the Pegasus Parade. This year's festival will be the last at the helm for its longtime leader: Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO Mike Berry is retiring this year. We talk with Berry about his tenure, and we talk with KD...

Kentucky Congressman John Yarmuth is in a powerful position in his new role as chair of the House Budget Committee where he's now instrumental in determining spending levels for federal dollars. In this episode of In Conversation, we talked about Yarmuth's new position, his thoughts on the Green New Deal, the federal budget's effect on the commonwealth and more.

The neighborhoods of Louisville's west end are undergoing a flurry of investment and development, and it could mean big changes for the area's residents. The city recently finished road improvements at 18th and Broadway. OneWest, a nonprofit created to promote commercial real estate development, bought properties near the site to spur growth. There's also a planned $35 million track and field comp...

Citing soaring state pension obligations over the next four years, budget restrictions and few choices, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer says Metro government faces a serious fiscal shortfall and services and city employees could be casualties. Fischer is asking the Metro Council to increase the insurance premium tax or find a better solution. We talked about whether that proposal will benefit Louisv...

Kentucky lawmakers have discussed medical marijuana bills in recent years, but measures have never gained enough momentum to pass the early stages of the state legislature. But two bills introduced this session, Senate Bill 170 and House BIll 136, would legalize the drug for medicinal use, creating exemptions for dispensaries and rules for how physicians could prescribe it. Both measures have bipa...

Whether it’s the new toll bridges, potholes and construction along Dixie Highway or new electronic fare cards at TARC, transportation — or the lack thereof — plays a big role in many people’s lives in Louisville. In highway projects alone, Jefferson County spent $113 million in 2018, according to data from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. But when it comes to public transportation, people rely...

It’s been 20 years since Louisville became the first Kentucky city to pass an ordinance making it illegal to discriminate in housing, employment and public accommodations based on sexual orientation and gender identity. We discussed the ordinance and how it has -- and has not -- changed things. We also review similar measures approved by 10 other cities across the state, and how these local initia...

Soccer is big in Louisville. College basketball is huge. So why don't we have a major league team here? That's what we talked about this week on In Conversation , with these guests: Dan Issel, president of NBA2LOU , the business group trying to land an NBA team Kent Oyler, president of Greater Louisville Inc. , the Louisville-area chamber of commerce Dr. Patrick Rishe, Founding Director of the Spo...

A state corrective action plan with Jefferson County Public Schools has gone into effect. The plan follows a scathing audit of JCPS — including concerns about security and culture — and helped the district to avoid a state takeover. That takeover was recommended by Dr. Wayne Lewis almost immediately after he was appointed Kentucky Education Commissioner. The move drew condemnation from civil right...

Kentucky’s bourbon boom is showing no sign of fading, with both new and longtime distillers investing hundreds of millions of dollars in expansions and new projects. But the bourbon explosion comes with worries. Producers say escalating trade tensions could hurt the industry. This week, WFPL’s In Conversation with Rick Howlett checked the pulse of the industry with an hour-long talk with bourbon i...

We’ll take calls from listeners and comments from social media, giving the community a platform to have their questions answered and hold elected officials accountable. The show will give people a space to talk — both to each other, and with the larger community. We also want your input on show topics. What are the important issues that aren’t being publicly discussed? Who do you want to hear from...