Corenza Townsend, the hospital’s chief administrative officer, helped plan the hospital from the start. We talk with her about how the first year has gone and how Norton plans to celebrate this milestone.

On this episode of “On Track,” we get the buzz from Dr. Ric Bessin, an extension entomologist and professor at the University of Kentucky.

Guests:

• Jody Meiman, Executive Director of Louisville Metro Emergency Services
• Amber Youngblood, the Regional Director of Communications for the American Red Cross in Kentucky

Guests:

• Jill Nissen, The Proof Photography
• Jessica Couch, XO by Sophia’s

Guests:

• Ja'Nel Johnson-Phillips,Director of Training & Curriculum for the Solutions Journalism Network
• Dr. Christal Badour, co-director of the University of Kentucky Clinic for Emotional Health

Guests:

• Chris Glasser, President of Streets For People, a Louisville-based nonprofit advocating for safe and convenient walking, biking, and transit
• Michael Blackwood, co-manager of the Get on the Bus campaign by the Louisville Democratic Socialists of America

Guests:

• Terry Gibson, a Master Gardener with the Kentucky Extension Master Gardener Program, part of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service at the University of Kentucky
• Jacob Stidham, Director of Horticulture and Facilities at Yew Dell Botanical Gardens

Guests:

• Erin Herbert, Senior Vice President of Operations, Muhammad Ali Center

Guests:

• Keith Waits, curator and operations director at Louisville Visual Art, where he hosts “Artists Talk with LVA” each week on WXOX 97.1 FM
• Tory Parker, director of marketing and communications for Fund for the Arts

Guests:

• Jake Ryan, Managing Editor, LPM’s Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting
• Patricia Weems Gaston, Lacy C. Haynes Professor of Journalism at the University of Kansas’ William Allen White School of Journalism

Host Ayisha Jaffer will talk to public officials, community leaders and everyday people about the challenges we face, and how we can all work together to make things better.

New episodes drop Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 6.

If you have a topic you’d like to hear about on the show, call or text 502-814-TALK, or send an email to ontrack@lpm.org.

Since Rick was co-creator of “In Conversation,” and its only host since it launched in January 2019, we are left with a Rick-sized hole. But he also leaves us inspired to carry on with programming that reflects his passion for examining the news, encouraging community engagement, and contributing to public discourse in a way that makes us better together.

In the spirit of sharing the kind of work you value as an “In Conversation” listener, here is the documentary “Dirty Business,” from the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting. Our journalists uncover the true cost of cleaning up after the eastern Kentucky floods, including how unfinished work can set up more problems the next time there’s extreme weather.

Ever start to look something up and your phone autofills the rest of the word for you? Have you played one of those Facebook games that makes you look like your pet, or a Renaissance painting? Do you ask Siri or Alexa to add something to your grocery list so you won't forget it?

Then you've been using artificial intelligence.

This week on "In Conversation," we talked about how AI works, how it's already become part of many industries, and of course, the ethical implications that accompany its use.

On this week’s “In Conversation,” we unpacked the impact of the Supreme Court’s ruling, what equity goals for higher education look like now, and whether eliminating affirmative action in higher education could foreshadow similar changes in the workplace.

Tourism is big business in Louisville, and this week on “In Conversation,” we’ll meet some of the folks working to make sure business keeps booming.

We took a look at downtown tourism and measures to get more Louisvillians from outlying areas to venture back for museums, dinners and shows. And we checked on the outlook for the rest of 2023, as our hospitality industry still attempts to rebound from the early days of COVID-19.

Experts and journalists joined us to talk through how each of those laws could affect the commonwealth.

It’s an official holiday of celebration — rejoicing in enslaved people being freed as part of the Emancipation Proclamation. It’s also a reminder that many enslaved people were not informed about slavery’s end until years later.

On “In Conversation” this week we talk about the origins of the holiday and what Juneteenth means in a modern context, and let you know about upcoming Juneteenth events in Louisville and in Oldham County.

This week on "In Conversation," guests from the Louisville Free Public Library and Carmichael’s Bookstore helped you make the perfect summer reading list. We got philosophical about what makes a book great for summer. And we asked some young readers what they're excited to page through before school's back in.

This episode was made possible in part by the Jewish Heritage Fund.

With a downward trend in numbers, the World Health Organization has declared that COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency. And national emergency status in the U.S. ends this week thanks to a bipartisan resolution signed by President Joe Biden. That means, for example, your insurance company no longer has to cover diagnostic testing, including at-home testing kits. On this week’s “In Conversation,” we talked with doctors about where we are with a global pandemic that literally changed the world in March, 2020.

And we’ll talk with Louisville author and poet Hannah Drake about her poem “Home,” which was commissioned by the non-profit organization Kentucky to the World as a response to the controversial state song “My Old Kentucky Home.”

Experts helped us untangle this complex health crisis about how to support the young people in your life.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, you can reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by phone at 988, or online at 988lifeline.org.You can also contact the Trevor Project, which provides free, confidential counselors who specialize in helping LGBTQ youth.

This week on “In Conversation,” host Rick Howlett talked to gardening experts about what to plant in your soil. From first-timers trying to begin a begonia, to experts who want to make it rain with vegetables, plants, shrubs and trees, no question is too big or small for our troubleshooters.

And Kentucky’s not the only state grappling with laws like this. Over 120 bills have been introduced across the country this year affecting LGBTQ people—many focused on the rights of transgender children and their parents.

On this week’s “In Conversation,” we discussed legislative measures focused on transgender kids, here in the Commonwealth and across the country.

This week on “In Conversation,” we talked about who can win, who will wither in the first round, and the art of bracketology.If you’re still doing your research, here are the brackets for the men’s NCAA tournament and the women’s NCAA tournament.

On this week’s “In Conversation,” in honor of Sleep Awareness Week starting on March 12, we discussed how to get better sleep, how sleep impacts our health, and how sleep-deprived bodies interact with the world—including children who have to get up at the crack of dawn to stand on a bus stop.

We also unpacked the results of the Department of Justice’s investigation of the Louisville Metro Police Department.

On this week’s “In Conversation,” we talked about the workplace trends and conditions that impact everything from how someone leaves a job to whether your living room has become your permanent home office.

Of course that also means that if the relationship doesn't last, the song might be ruined forever by your lousy ex. Just in time for Valentines Day, "In Conversation" is exploring what makes a great love song... and a great breakup song.

Do you and your sweetheart have a special song that always brings you back together? When you're unlucky in love, do you like to wallow with sad songs, or do you prefer to scream-sing along with angry rock?

But are students still taught civics? And how do teachers approach it in the wake of the Jan. 6th insurrection, continued 2020 election denial, and the protracted vote to make Kevin McCarthy speaker of the House of Representatives?

On this week’s “In Conversation,” we talked to education experts about how threats to democracy influence the way today’s students are being taught civics, and the impact on society when many don’t know how their local, state, and federal governments work.

How do you best prepare for disruptions out of your control, yet not live in a state of fear or paranoia?

On this week’s “In Conversation,” we spoke to experts about how to prepare for the worst, at home and elsewhere. How much food should you store? What items should you keep on hand in case there are community-wide outages? What should you keep in your car in case weather leaves you stranded?

But this winter, we’re worrying not just about avoiding common cold sniffles, but also what public health experts have dubbed a tridemic or tripledemic: a surge of the flu, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (“RSV”) at roughly the same time.

On this week’s “In Conversation,” we spoke to doctors about how the tripledemic is affecting our community and what we can do to avoid it. We also talk about other health risks that increase this time of the year.

Or maybe you’re doing some holiday shopping online, you pay, and your items never show up. The FBI says that’s one of the biggest scams to look out for this time of year.

This week on “In Conversation,” experts told us how scams work, how to spot one, and how to protect yourself from getting a bite in the wallet as you try to shop and celebrate the Winter holidays.

This week, on “In Conversation,” we talked to experts to unpack the legal and business ramifications of engaging in hate speech, and the psychological toll it takes to be on the receiving end of it.

How do you save cash and spend wisely during the holiday season as creeping inflation and higher prices strain budgets?

Host Rick Howlett spoke to financial experts to for an overview of how the economic forecast looks, and get tips and advice on how to financially navigate the start of the winter holidays.

And with a number of school elections, local elections, and state seats up for grabs, this week’s “In Conversation” has you covered.

Host Rick Howlett talked to the Louisville Public Media journalists who have been covering the elections:

• Kentucky Public Radio Capitol Reporter Divya Karthikeyan
• WFPL Education and Learning Reporter Jess Clark
• WFPL City Politics and Government Reporter Roberto Roldan
• WFPL Managing Editor for Collaboratives Ryland Barton
• Justin Hicks, Data Reporter for WFPL and the Ohio Valley ReSource
• 
  

They are among the team who put together the 2022 Voter Guide from LPM.

On this week’s “In Conversation” we talked with Black Kentucky farmers about their experiences and insights.

But first we checked in with WFPL health reporter Aprile Rickert and education reporter Jess Clark, who have been analyzing school immunization data across the city. Turns out, the vast majority of schools fall far below the state's target vaccination rates, leaving many classrooms at risk.

Editor's note: The name of one of the sources of background information for our discussion of Black farmers was inadvertently omitted by the host. We should also credit the online publication The Counter and the article "How USDA distorted data to conceal decades of discrimination against Black farmers." Our apologies for the oversight.

You may know her as president of the Urban League’s Louisville chapter for the past seven years. Maybe you heard her calming civic leadership during the protests over the killing of Breonna Taylor by police and David McAtee by a National Guard bullet. Or maybe you’ve seen stories about the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center, the $53 million athletic facility that opened in the West End in 2021 with Reynolds at the fundraising helm. On issues of justice and equity in Louisville, you probably know of Reynolds’ impact.

This week on “In Conversation,” host Rick Howlett sat down to talk with Sadiqa Reynolds, who exits her Urban League presidency this month. We’ll reflect on her accomplishments, her challenges, her legacy, and her next chapter.

This week on “In Conversation,” we talked about Tree Week in Louisville, which starts Saturday. We talked with people from TreesLouisville, a local organization dedicated to preserving the city's tree canopy. We also checked in with the city’s Urban Forestry department, and learned how to care for the trees on our own property from a tree maintenance expert.

This week on “In Conversation,” we discuss the basics of buying a house, like checking out interest rates, and figuring out how much house your paycheck and credit can afford.

Our panel will tell you how to figure out what’s really important to you in a home—what are your musts, and what are your dealbreakers? We’ll also talk about home maintenance and repair, and learn about programs for first-time homeowners and people who need help making repairs.

It’s part of our month-long focus on home and housing.

This week on “In Conversation,” we discussed home as a part of our personal identity in ways that can comfort us and challenge us. We also talked about how some of us look at Louisville a little differently since the killing of Breonna Taylor in her home by the Louisville Metro Police Department.

It’s part of our month-long focus on home and housing; and we also talked about the new Louisville Magazine issue that focuses on home, produced in collaboration with Louisville Public Media. Visit this link to share how you view home in Louisville.

This week on “In Conversation,” we discussed the good, the bad, and the ugly of renting a house or an apartment in this city. Joining us in this conversation were Adeshina Emmanuel and Jacob Ryan from the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting who are doing a project on rental inequities in Louisville.

This episode is part of our month-long focus on home and housing.

We talked to Louisville refugees about how they came to call Louisville home, and meet advocates whose organizations try to make the transition easier.

It’s part of our month-long focus on what it means to call a place “home.”

This week on “In Conversation” we did our broadcast from the Kentucky State Fair. We talked to people who told us more about the cool things to see, eat, and do at the fair, and hear why the fair remains important to Kentucky’s farmers and the agriculture industry.

On this week’s “In Conversation” we explored solutions to juggling parenting and holding down a job. That included a look at Kentucky House Bill 499, which creates a pilot program that provides incentives for employers to contribute to the child care costs of employees.

This week on “In Conversation” we discussed what’s new with this year’s Fancy Farm, and learned more about the history of the 142 year-old event.

We also got an update on the deadly flooding in Eastern Kentucky and heard more about how recovery and rescue are going.

But today’s students go into this school year after a summer of stressors. Mass shootings, inflation, mutating variants of COVID-19, and the hot impact of climate change combine into an anxiety-producing backdrop.

This week on “In Conversation,” we learned about the upcoming school year at Jefferson County Public Schools, national education and school trends, and how to help students deal with the psychological impact of so much negative news. We also heard from children about what they are looking forward to.

As with most health problems, people of color are affected disproportionately, and CDC data shows racial disparities in pregnancy outcomes are getting worse.

With all this in mind, let's talk solutions. What factors contribute to poor health outcomes during pregnancy, and how can they be mitigated? What can you do to have the healthiest pregnancy and birth outcome possible? And who in our community is stepping up to help?

We explored it this week on "In Conversation," with Dr. Edward Miller, a maternal-fetal medicine physician and high-risk obstetrician with U of L Health, doula Meka Kpoh, who's the executive director and founder of Black Birth Justice, and more.

We dived into it this week on "In Conversation," with folks from local animal rescue organizations. And we had a trainer on hand to answer your questions, in case your pet's behavior has you threatening to add them to the shelter roster (we know you don't mean it).

This week on “In Conversation,” we talked to grief counselors and other experts about the unique aspects of grieving amid the pandemic and beyond.

We also heard from journalists about the local impact of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, the decision that made abortion a federal constitutional right.

This week on “In Conversation,” we talked to journalists who have been covering the tornado destruction and the recovery efforts in their communities.

This week on “In Conversation,” we talked to organizers and activists about LGBTQ representation and equality, and what local organizations are doing to help.

We also looked at some legal challenges that could affect LGBTQ Americans, like Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill, and legislation around transgender athletes here in Kentucky.

This week on “In Conversation,” guests from the Louisville Public Library gave the skinny on which books to tuck into your beach bag or read in your favorite chair. We also talked about the books that might keep children and young adults reading while school’s out for summer.

This week on “In Conversation,” we explored how fighting for equity — in the past and now — is as important to many athletes as competing for awards and accolades.

On “In Conversation,” state and local journalists joined host Rick Howlett in a live voter guide, to sort out the people and positions you’ll be voting on.

Actually, there is, as host Rick Howlett sat down with two handicappers to get the scoop on what bets are good, which horses are long shots, and where the racing industry stands these days.

The Kentucky state song will be performed at this year’s Derby, despite controversy over its racist themes. We talked to Emily Bingham about her book “My Old Kentucky Home: The Astonishing Life and Reckoning Of An Iconic American Song.”

We talked to child development experts and educators, and ask some young people how COVID-19 changed their lives.

This episode was made possible in part by the Jewish Heritage Fund and through funding provided by the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop as part of the Next Gen Public Media Initiative, generously supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

On this Friday’s “In Conversation” host Rick Howlett talked with experts about how growing older doesn’t look quite the same as it used to. And we got their advice on how to stay healthy and happy later in life.

This week on “In Conversation,” we talk to love and relationship experts on the challenges and rewards of dating in the era of apps and masks. And in case your romance didn't survive the pandemic, we get some advice on how to get back out there and find a new boo.

“In Conversation” host Rick Howlett talks to gardeners who work with plants, flowers, trees and vegetables. They answer the questions of first-time gardeners and experienced handlers of soil and seeds.

Have you gotten into the Wordle craze and wondered whether it’s good for you? Rick Howlett asks an expert on brain health.

We also revisited a conversation with visitors from the latest Festival of Faiths, about the intersection of racial justice and religion.

This Friday on “In Conversation,” we discussed what might happen now that the brackets for this year’s NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments have been set.

This Friday on “In Conversation,” we learned what to recycle, how recycling protects the environment, and how recycling technology has changed.

On this week’s “In Conversation,” we talked about the difficulties of teaching about race in America, particularly with current legislative attempts to limit curriculum about race in the public school system.

Our panel included WFPL's Jess Clark and Stephanie Wolf, who created the documentary "A Critical Moment," and Professor Jamel K. Donner, Associate Professor of Education with The Center for Racial & Social Justice at William & Mary.

This week on “In Conversation” we discussed personal finance and financial literacy. Do you need a budget, and how do you tackle making one? Which debts should you pay off first? And how can you take what you make now and use it to plan for a more financially secure future?

On this week’s “In Conversation,” host Rick Howlett talked to regional college and university leaders about their issues, challenges, and aspirations.

On this week’s “In Conversation,” we talked about how our social norms and behaviors have changed since 2020, and how we can de-escalate the situations in our lives that make our blood boil.

On this week’s “In Conversation,” host Rick Howlett talked to some of the participants from a program at the Louisville Free Public Library on how and why to celebrate failure from various perspectives.

On this week’s “In Conversation,” host Rick Howlett talked to reporters Ryland Barton, Jess Clark and Becca Schimmel, along with Dee Pregliasco with the League of Women Voters of Kentucky, to examine and explain the proposed bills and laws, and discuss their possible implications.

On this week’s “In Conversation,” host Rick Howlett talked with friends and colleagues of bell hooks, and Kentucky poet laureate Crystal Wilkinson reflects on hooks’ influence, her legacy, and their friendship.

Or is it unprecedented? On this week’s “In Conversation” host Rick Howlett talked with historians about how the events of 2020 and 2021 could be viewed and talked about by historians and students of history for years to come.

Also, WFPL Health Reporter April Rickert joined us with an update on COVID-19 and the omicron variant.

Louisville’s 25th annual Festival of Faiths is underway this weekend, and some of the panelists joined us to explore this year’s theme, faith and race.

The festival is produced by the Center for Interfaith Relations, an organization dedicated to celebrating the city’s diverse faith landscape. But this year, the planning process went beyond the center’s walls, tapping community leaders from Simmons College, Spalding University, the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky, and the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary to help curate.

Here are the guests you’ll hear on our show this week:

• Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson
• Ronda Magee
• Imam Zaid Shakir
• Sarah Kelley

But military service is a tough and sometimes thankless job. And the challenges servicemembers face don’t always end when they return to civilian life.

According to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, on average, about 18 veterans a day take their own lives. If you include active duty soldiers, members of the National Guard and reservists, that number rises to about 20 a day who die by suicide.

On this week’s "In Conversation," we learned more about the mental health challenges that are specific to people who have served in the armed forces. We’ll find out what resources are available in the community to help improve veterans’ mental health and quality of life. And we got an update on the long-awaited new VA Hospital in eastern Jefferson County, and how it might improve vets’ access to health care.

We also talked about recognizing the significance of Black servicemembers on Veterans’ Day. There are more than 2 million Black veterans in the country.

If you are thinking about suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255).

More than 500 automotive-related companies reside in Kentucky. And Gov. Andy Beshear announced last month that Ford Motor Company selected Glendale for a $5.8 billion project to build two battery plants, which are expected to create 5,000 jobs.

This week on “In Conversation” with host Rick Howlett, we discussed cars, car parts, supply chain problems, and what all this means for economic development and jobs in Kentucky. And we looked at how Kentucky’s auto industry compares to that of other states.

Auto fun fact: the average car is made up of 30,000 parts — a few more buttons and cranks than the Ford Model T.

Almost daily, it feels as if the Louisville community wakes up or goes to sleep hearing about a new violent crime. And we’re not alone. Gun violence sweeps through all parts of the country.

Hearing so much about violence itself, it’s easy to forget that there are activists, community members and organizations actively working to reduce it.

This week on “In Conversation,” host Rick Howlett talked to people who take different approaches to curb violence, and address the root causes of it.

Our guests included Christopher 2X, Executive Director of the non-profit organization Game Changers, Paul Callanan, Assistant Director at Louisville’s Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods, and Jen Pauliukonis, Director of Policy and Programming at the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence.

At one point, Louisville aspired to “model city” status when it came to policing. Five years later, the killing of Breonna Taylor and then David McAtee stamped out that hope, as the relationship between LMPD and Louisville’s Black communities became even more fractured.

A new season of Louisville Public Media’s podcast, “Dig,” explores that. In a joint KyCIR/Newsy investigation, insiders and documents reveal the systemic barriers and choices made by city leaders and LMPD that led to its failure to meaningfully change.

This week on “In Conversation” host Rick Howlett talked with those who made the podcast and who are a part of what “Dig” explores.

Because the topics are complicated but important, on this week’s show two law professors helped us sort through them: Sam Marcosson, Professor at the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law, and Melissa Murray, Professor of Law at NYU School of Law and co-host of the podcast Strict Scrutiny.

The cases before the Supreme Court have implications for every state and community in America, and Kentucky sits right in the epicenter of national attention as Attorney General Daniel Cameron asks the Supreme Court to allow him to defend a Kentucky abortion law that was struck down by a federal court.

We get an update about a topic truly closer to home - the Sherman Minton Bridge project. We discussed the changes that will extend the life of the bridge for another 30 years, and make it safer and more convenient for the 70,000 or so cars a day that travel between Kentucky and Indiana.

Dementia, in any form, interferes with cognitive function, memory and personality. It can dramatically affect the life of the person with it, and their loved ones who serve as caretakers.

According to the Greater Kentucky and Southern Indiana Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, in Kentucky there were 921 more deaths from dementia than expected in 2020, and researchers think COVID-19 may trigger an increase in Alzheimer's cases down the road.

This week on “In Conversation,” we talked about dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, including new treatment, COVID-19 and its possible impact on the number of dementia cases, and cultural disparities in how dementia is diagnosed and treated.

Our guests were Shannon White, Executive Director of the Greater Kentucky and Southern Indiana chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, Dr. Heehyul Moon, an associate professor at the University of Louisville Kent School of Social Work, and Dr. Greg Cooper, who leads the Norton Neuroscience Institute Memory Center.

This Saturday, the annual Walk To End Alzheimer’s takes place in Louisville, and cities across the country.

The federal moratorium on evictions has ended, and even with financial assistance available, it’s a confusing and stressful time.

On this week’s “In Conversation,” we discussed the current state of evictions and utility shutoffs in Louisville and Kentucky at large.

In August, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the latest moratorium on evictions, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help renters who had income loss because of COVID-19.

There is no longer a state or federal law that prevents evictions because of COVID-19, but there is money residents can apply for to help pay their rent and utilities. We talked about that and unpacked some of the legal tangles tenants and landlords have to wade through.

• Charlene Buckles co-hosts the show. She’s a former teacher turned fundraiser, and is now the development director of the ACLU of Kentucky.
• State Representative Nima Kulkarni is an immigration attorney and advocate. She serves in the state house of representatives, representing District 40 in Louisville - and she’s the first Indian immigrant in the Kentucky legislature.
• Mae Suramek is a reformed non-profit administrator turned social entrepreneur. She owns a small restaurant empire in Berea Kentucky, where her places are known for a commitment to paying living wages and supporting local food providers.

We talk about how the show came about, and why these conversations are more important than ever in light of anti-Asian and anti-immigrant sentiment related to COVID-19.

We also check in with WFPL City Editor Amina Elahi and Education Reporter Jess Clark about a drive-by shooting that shook Louisville this week. 16-year-old Tyree Smith was killed and two other teenagers were wounded while they waited for the bus to take them to school. We talked through the latest in the case, the city's response, and how JCPS and the community are trying to cope with the loss.

It’s about to become bigger with the new eight-part documentary produced by filmmaker Ken Burns that premieres this weekend on PBS. Burns brings his storytelling eye to the life and legacy of Ali, as he has done with a wide variety of subjects over the years, including wars, sports, and music. This week in Louisville there will be a series of events celebrating the series, which runs September 19-22.

On this week’s “In Conversation” we had an all-Ali hour hosted by Rick Howlett. We talked to Burns about the making of this film, and his acclaimed career documenting some of the most important cultural topics and people in history. WHAS-11 reporter and anchor Doug Proffitt told us about the archival footage his station discovered and provided for the Ali documentary. And Laura Douglas, who leads the Ali Center, shared her thoughts about how Ali’s legacy still endures and influences future generations.

But remembering 9/11 is different. Yes, it’s the anniversary of the date on a calendar. But it was also a complicated historical event — an attack on American soil that still resonates two decades later.

This week on “In Conversation,” we talked about what it means to Louisvillians who lived in New York City when the Twin Towers were attacked, and the world as we knew it was changed forever.

We also talked about the backlash and bigotry that followed 9/11 for our Muslim American communities. We unpacked pain and healing and continued bias as it connects to that day, and ongoing international events.

Some are still wrestling with working remotely and staying productive when the commute to work involves passing the television set. Others are working from home while also learning how to homeschool their kids. Many are front-line workers juggling a deadly pandemic, personal politics and PPE mandates. For a few of us, workplace struggles might be as simple as figuring out how to ask about a co-worker’s vaccination status without sounding like a lawyer cross-examining a hostile witness.

On this week’s “In Conversation,” we talked work. With Sarah Jaffe, author of "Work Won't Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keeps Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone", and Jason Bailey of the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, we discuss what’s up with so many people deciding to up and leave their jobs, which some have dubbed “the great resignation.” Women in particular are leaving the workforce in droves, and equity consultant Dr. Kerry Mitchell Brown joins us to discuss what particular challenges have one-in-four women peacing out of corporate America. And Betsy Johnson, president of the Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities/Kentucky Center for Assisted Living, unpacks how the changing tide of COVID-19 concerns impacts the employees of nursing homes and other assisted living facilities.

When COVID-19 first started, many of the most severe cases were in older people. With the delta variant, data shows an increasing number of kids not just testing positive, but more having to go to the hospital. Complicating the issue is that vaccines are not yet available to those 12 and under.

So, while research is still underway on whether the variant itself is more harmful to children, some say the numbers are going up because the variant is just far more transmissible and adults just aren’t being as careful because of vaccines and summer weather.

On this week’s “In Conversation,” host Rick Howlett talked to WFPL Education Reporter Jess Clark and Health/Southern Indiana Reporter John Boyle about how school openings have looked in both Kentucky and Indiana as the delta variant sweeps through school districts.

And we checked in with Dr. Marty Pollio, superintendent of Jefferson County Public Schools, about how the school year kicked off, how the surge of COVID-19 cases has shifted preparation for the school year, and what other issues are shaping the 2021-2022 school year.

On this week’s “In Conversation,” host Rick Howlett talked with Dr. Jon Klein from UofL's School of Medicine about what Louisville and the Ohio Valley Region need to know about the delta variant. How does a variant even compare to the original? Where and when to mask? What’s a breakthrough case? How are those vaccinated against the coronavirus protected or left unprotected? What are the concerns of the unvaccinated? How is testing going?

Right now the state of Kentucky is experiencing the highest number of new cases and highest positivity rate since February. Dr. Klein discussed what that means.

And on a lighter note, we talked about the return of the Kentucky State Fair. Where else can you go to see goats and other animals, peruse award-winning eggs and pies, see goats, ride a carousel, and did I mention goats?

This year’s fair will feature a photo exhibit called “The Ripple Effects: Exploring Water in Louisville.” We’ll meet the exhibit’s organizer and learn more.

The Kentucky State Fair runs from August 19 to Aug. 29, 2021.

The Fancy Farm Picnic is considered the Super Bowl of Kentucky politics. Or as former WFPL Morning Edition host Jonathan Bastian described it in 2013, “enflamed politicians shaking their fists in the air; partisan crowds engulfing each other with heckles and howls; the smell of dead pigs thicker than the humidity; and perhaps the most instructive and inimitable lesson in Kentucky politics an outsider could receive in three hours.”

The picnic has a long history as a fundraiser that goes back to 1881. It is organized by St. Jerome Catholic Church in the western Kentucky town of Fancy Farm, which is in Graves County.

Politicians and those who aspire to hold political office subject themselves to heat and heated verbal barbs the first Saturday in August. People go to Fancy Farm to see political swagger, but they also go to partake in the several thousand pounds of pork and mutton cooked and sold at the picnic.

This year, the Louisville Democratic Party has launched a new event the same day as the Fancy Farm Picnic. It was originally called FancyVille but has now been dubbed FancyVaxx to focus on promoting vaccinations in light of the Delta variant of COVID-19.

Whether you’re interested in hearing more about the Fancy Farm Picnic or the FancyVaxx event, “In Conversation” host Rick Howlett talked with organizers of both events and with Kentucky Public Radio’s Capitol Bureau Chief Ryland Barton.

This week on “In Conversation,” we discussed the state of the thoroughbred horse racing industry. We talked to insiders about what might be next for the sport, and what they think could be improved.

This week, we listened to a few “In Conversation” discussions from earlier this year. Two Louisville librarians recommended summer reads for both adults and children. A panel of gardeners give advice on potting and planting. And First Amendment experts talk about the interplay between free speech rights and social media.

Host Rick Howlett discussed various issues with Yarmuth, who represents the state’s 3rd Congressional District in the House of Representatives and who serves as the chair of the House Budget Committee.

Issues unpacked included working with the Biden administration, the infrastructure plan, the budget process, state election laws and legislation, redistricting in Kentucky, ending the Afghanistan war, and getting things done in Congress amid current political divisions.

But college athletes now get to profit from endorsements, sponsorships, appearances, marketing opportunities or just being able to tutor for extra cash.

Last month, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the National Collegiate Athletic Association (“NCAA”) violated antitrust laws by not allowing student-athletes to leverage their ability to get paid.

The NCAA has since changed its bylaws to allow them to be compensated for use of their name, image and likeness.

We talked to experts who will explain what this decision means, the practical implications of the change and what other ways this is a game changer.

We started off with grilling tips from local BBQ master Chan Nelson who followed his dream of turning his food truck into a restaurant. Host Rick Howlett got some tips on how to make your own pork, beef and chicken stack up at weekend barbecues.

Then we talked to local food writers Robin Garr, Lindsay McClave, and Susan Riegler about places in Louisville to go to get your grub on, even if the grub is fine dining. We also dished about how the local restaurant scene is changing, and how people are cooking up their own food cravings when they don’t go out to eat.

This week on “In Conversation” we talked with Lee Burchfield, director of the Louisville Free Public Library. We discussed the state of the library system — such as finances and government allocations, ongoing negotiations with the library employees, and what new norms are in place for checking out books, using computers and being a community resource now that COVID-19 rates have declined.

We also discussed SummerWorks with its director Chris Locke. SummerWorks connects local youths with employers and jobs. We learned about the program, and how this year’s job market is affecting it.

For the first time this year, Louisville Metro Government employees had Juneteenth off work, to commemorate enslaved people being freed as part of the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth originated in Texas, and has increased in popularity throughout the country. Several citywide events were planned last week in celebration, and we learned more about them on “In Conversation.”

We also celebrate Pride Month, an amplification of LGBTQ communities. We talked with leaders of established and new organizations that put the focus on empowerment and visibility.

Being able to attend shows, performances and other events in person is part of the long-awaited leap from pandemic life to a summer that resembles the old normal.

On this week’s show we talked to community arts leaders about what’s new, what’s coming back and what the trends are nationally and locally for reopening the arts. Our guests included Andre Kimo Stone Guess, the new President and CEO of Louisville’s Fund for the Arts.



We also discussed two big issues in the Louisville arts community - leadership turnover at several organizations and how to address and create more equity in the arts.

While the economy has been severely impacted by COVID-19 restrictions, employers are practically begging people to apply for jobs.

On this week’s “In Conversation” we explored with our guests what that's about. Is extra unemployment pay really causing people to not want to work, or did extra unemployment pay just highlight that some employees had not been making a living wage to begin with?

Mayor Greg Fischer joined us this Friday on “In Conversation,” to talk about where we’ve been, where we are, where we’re going as a city.

We discussed his proposed budget for the next fiscal year, and the priorities the budget reflects.

And it was one year ago this week that protests started in Minneapolis against the police killing of George Floyd, and here in Louisville, over the killing of Breonna Taylor. We talked about the investigations into Taylor’s death, and lessons learned about local policing.

Road trips and flights are making a big comeback and we talked to travel agents on “In Conversation” to talk about where people are going and how they plan to get there — and stay safe.

And whether you’re taking a good book to the beach or a state park, or cozying up in your favorite reading spot at home, we’ve got you covered on book recommendations, too.

Here are some of the books recommended by our guests, librarians Jenny Lewis and Yalonda JD Green:

Children’s books

“Outside, Inside” by LeUyen Pham

“When the World Turned Upside Down” by K. Ibura

“The Bad Guy” series by Aaron Blabey

Adult books

“The Premonition: A Pandemic Story” by Michael Lewis

“The Other Black Girl” by Zakiya Dalila Harris

“The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba” by Chanel Cleeton

“Sex and Vanity” by Kevin Kwan

This week on “In Conversation” host Rick Howlett talked about incarceration with experts in the criminal justice field. We talked about policies that impact the people serving time, and what can happen when businesses give a second chance to Kentuckians after they have served their sentences.

May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, so we also took some time to reflect on the contributions and history of the AAPI community, and why acknowledging this month is particularly important in 2021.

And whether you’re a veggie lover or meat eater, what you eat almost always starts on someone’s farm.

Kentucky is home to over 75,000 farms. We unpacked whether the Kentucky farming industry is a growing field or a declining one.

This week on “In Conversation,” we talked about the state of farming in Kentucky — how supply and demand have changed, what agricultural laws are in play, and the complicated role that hemp plays in the farming landscape.

And for the first time in decades, a major demonstration was held outside the grounds of Churchill Downs, demanding racial justice following the police killing of Breonna Taylor.

But in 2021, we’re back to Kentucky Derby as usual — sort of.

This week on “In Conversation,” we talked with Churchill Downs’ Darren Rogers about preparations for this year’s Derby, which has returned to the month of May but will be run with a limited number of fans. We also assess the state of the thoroughbred racing industry and Kentucky’s equine community with Keeneland Vice-President Vince Gabbert, and Sarah Coleman with the Kentucky Horse Council.

We’re still learning about just how much the coronavirus pandemic has affected the incidence of abuse and neglect, but advocates have been worried over the past year, as COVID-19 has caused many children to be isolated with their abusers. Plus the closing of schools, daycares and other safe places for months left many with no place where abuse could be reported or detected.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and this week on “In Conversation”, we’ll discuss the child abuse epidemic, what’s being done to address—and prevent-the problem and how you can help.

Our guests are:

• Shannon Moody, Chief Officer of Strategic Initiatives, Kentucky Youth Advocates

• Jeff Alston, Community Outreach Coordinator, 502 Fathers/Healthy Babies Louisville

• Emily Angel, Staff Attorney and Director, Guardian ad Litem Program at Kids’ Voice of Indiana

What is growing in your garden this year? What challenges are sprouting, and what problems need to be uprooted? Are you still wondering where to start?

This week on “In Conversation,” we talked to gardening experts to get the dirt on what you can do now to keep your garden alive and thriving throughout the year.

On this week’s “In Conversation” we talked with Bendapudi about how the city’s largest college, like every other business and institution in the area, has dealt with the impact of a global pandemic, the city’s racial protests, and the financial impact of a world gone a little topsy-turvy right now.

We discussed nuts and bolts of campus return — graduation, in person classes, disinfection stations and other COVID-19 protocols.

We also caught up with Kentucky Public Radio Capitol Bureau Chief Ryland Barton on the state legislature — including the vetoes by Governor Andy Beshear, bills curtailing his powers, changes to Kentucky elections, spending federal coronavirus relief aid, and the status of no-knock warrants.

COVID-19 has put a huge dent in the economy, with many renters finding out that, despite state eviction relief funding, they can still be kicked out on the streets.



On “In Conversation” this Friday, we talked about the state of housing in Louisville. We looked at the challenges of finding affordable housing, and what relief looks like for those who can’t afford their rent. We also heard more about the history of housing discrimination faced by Black Louisville as part of an oral history project conducted by the Metropolitan Housing Coalition and the University of Louisville Oral History Center.

This comeback will be more about hybrid schedules, social distancing and plentiful bottles of hand sanitizer to mark the reunion. After a year of school shutdowns due to COVID-19, JCPS returns to in person teaching.

This week on “In Conversation,” we talked with JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio about the challenges and benefits of reopening, and how they plan to keep students, teachers and safe from COVID-19.

And because it’s March, we discussed the madness of 2021 NCAA basketball tournaments — men’s and women’s. Louisville sports journalists will give their predictions on how basketball betting pools will shake out.

On March 13th, 2020, Breonna Taylor was killed by Louisville Metro Police officers serving a no-knock warrant related to her ex-boyfriend, already in custody.

Her name has become a national and local battle cry for police reform and accountability. This weekend, activists commemorate Taylor’s death with events and rallies.

And Tamika Palmer will mark the first year without her daughter.

On this week’s “In Conversation,” we talked with Breonna Taylor’s mother about the pace of police reform. We talked with Black women who reflect the legacy of activism that started before Taylor’s death, and continues onward. And we talked about grief, and how the process of grieving has been more difficult this past year because of the coronavirus.

Every aspect of living in Louisville and the surrounding region changed, and the virus has taken a huge human toll. Tens of thousands of people have battled COVID-19 and many are grieving the loss of loved ones

Most activities we once took for granted, like getting nails done, going to see a play, and dining in a restaurant, were disrupted. Normal was no longer normal.

On this week’s In Conversation we talked about what the upcoming year will look like as COVID continues to impact our lives. We’ll talk about the case numbers and the vaccines. We’ll also discuss how COVID and its protocols have affected the arts, the opening and closing of venues, and the impact on the business community. What we can expect to see next?

Cute and cuddly polar bears are more than a trademark animal of a popular soft drink. Some say that polar bears have become the poster child for climate change.

Our own Louisville Zoo is part of the effort to protect polar bears and educate the public about them. The zoo is a designated Arctic Ambassador Center for Polar Bears International, and is home to two polar bears, Qannik and Lee.

What do those adorable animals, and other endangered species, have to tell us about the issue of climate change and how we can be better custodians of planet Earth?

The International Day of the Polar Bear is this Saturday, so this week we talk not just about polar bears, but about climate change in general, the connection to animals in danger of extinction, and how conservation impacts all communities.

But this year’s Black History Month lands differently. It’s the first one after national and local protests following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

It’s happening as hundreds of businesses and organizations make big public statements about equity and how Black Lives Matter.

On this episode, we talk with professors and cultural curators on how to celebrate Black history smack dab in the middle of current historic Black moments.

We also talk about a little known figure in Black Kentucky history: Julia Chinn, an enslaved woman and the common-law wife of Richard Mentor Johnson, who became the ninth vice-president of the United States.

But with the bitter low temperatures and a highly contagious virus running rampant through the whole world, it’s a particularly bad time.

This week on “In Conversation,” we talk about homelessness and how the numbers and the issues compare to previous years.

Host Rick Howlett talks to leaders of area shelters, and a researcher who tell us how problems with homelessness in Kentucky and Indiana compare on a national level, and how the economic throes of not being able to afford a home intersect with the eviction crisis.

Food insecurity. It’s real. And it’s on the increase during a pandemic, as people with thinner wallets struggle with being able to afford the basics.

Food pantries – the organizations that help provide food to those in need – are seeing historically high numbers of people seeking groceries from food pantries. Research by Feeding America, a national nonprofit network, places Kentucky’s food insecurity rate at more than 18%.

On this show, we talk to leaders of food pantries and food insecurity experts about what they are seeing, what they project about the future, what their needs are, and how we can help our neighbors not have hunger on their plates.

Today on “In Conversation,” we bring you highlights from the event (which was held remotely this year):

• Former State Representative Charles Booker, founder of Hood to the Holler
• Pastor Tyler McKenzie from Northeast Christian Church
• Cynthia Knapek, President of the Leadership Louisville Center
• Reverend David Snardon from Joshua Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church

And even if you get your news from traditional and reliable sources, like WFPL, you probably still recognize how social media is shaping conversations and influencing events.

Is President Donald Trump’s ban from twitter a violation of his right to free speech, like some people say? What role did his Trump’s online rhetoric play in inciting the violent breech of the U.S. Capitol last week?

On this week’s “In Conversation,” we break down First Amendment rights as they apply to social media, and discuss how digital platforms should respond when online speech creates real-world danger.

On this week’s “In Conversation,” we discuss Louisville's new chief of police, the former chief of Atlanta who stepped down in June following the police shooting of Rayshard Brooks. We'll talk with WFPL's Amina Elahi about what we know about the new chief, and how the community is responding.

Capitol reporter Ryland Barton joins us to discuss the start of the new Kentucky legislative session, where a bill would curb Gov. Andy Beshear's powers to close businesses and schools, as part of combating the spread of COVID-19. And we look at Beshear's proposed new spending plan.

We check in with Congressman John Yarmuth, who was in D.C. on Wednesday when pro-Trump extremists stormed the U.S. Capitol. Yarmuth has joined other lawmakers in calling for Trump's removal from office.

And University of Louisville Political Science Professor Dewey Clayton helps us put this week's events into historical context.

As COVID-19 vaccines hit Louisville and the rest of the country this week it’s the topic everywhere you turn. The first light at the end of a still long and dark tunnel brings as many questions as it does hope.

On this week’s “In Conversation” we have experts answering your questions about distribution, access and reliability. Also, we talk about who is skeptical about receiving the vaccines and the timeline of what a new normal may look like in 2021.

Already, health care workers in the area are receiving the Pfizer vaccines with the first 38,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine arriving in Louisville on Sunday. So we’ll talk about what it is like to receive one and what happens next as the country has lost more than 300,000 lives this year to COVID-19.

Louisville’s public school system is part of that history.

For decades, Jefferson County Public Schools has assigned students from Louisville’s majority Black and low-income West End to schools in whiter suburbs. It’s how the district has maintained relatively integrated schools.

But now, JCPS wants families in west Louisville to have more options close to home – a choice families say they want too. This week, WFPL’s Jess Clark hosts a five-part series looking at the history and future of student assignment and racial segregation in Louisville’s schools.

On this show we talk with Clark about what her reporting discovered. JCPS superintendent Marty Pollio joins us to explain how he envisions the new plan working, and we check in with parents and community leaders about their concerns.

On Wednesday, Governor Andy Beshear said Thanksgiving gatherings in Kentucky shouldn't include more than eight people, coming from only two different households. But what if you have family members who still think it's a good idea to gather? How will you communicate with them about why you won't be there?

This week, we're talking about adapting our celebrations to the times we're living in. Childhood development expert Deborah Farmer Kris shares some ideas about making the holidays feel festive for the children in your life, and how to explain to them why things have to be different this year.

Even in the best of years, holidays can turn up the pressure on relationships. So marriage and family therapist Eric Sharp joins us to talk about navigating tricky interpersonal dynamics.

We talk about how to defend against this year's unique flavor of holiday stress, and which harmful coping strategies we should be trying to avoid. More people than usual may be experiencing grief this year, and the holidays can make even old losses feel fresh again. So we look at healthy ways to process those challenging feelings — both for adults and children.

And even though the holidays are weird, we still gotta eat. Lexington Chef Samantha Fore of Tuk Tuk Sri Lankan Bites has some advice for what to put on the table this season. She talks about how to scale down some traditional holiday meals for smaller groups, and shares non-traditional dish ideas for these non-traditional times.

For example, opponents question whether it provides sufficient accountability and transparency when officers are under investigation. The contract also raises the starting salaries of police officers from about $35,000 to $45,000.

It’s a three-year contract that is retroactive to the date the last contract ended — July 1, 2018. This new contract is in effect through June 30, 2021, at a cost of $390 million over the next three fiscal years.

Breonna Taylor’s killing and the continuous racial justice protests that have taken place since May have placed local policing in the spotlight, here and nationally.

On today's show, we talk about the contract and its provisions and implications. Our guests include a representative from the local Fraternal Order of Police and Louisville Metro Council President David James.

Some answers we had right away, such as Republican incumbent Mitch McConnell beating Democratic challenger Amy McGrath soundly for a seat in the U.S. Senate.

Some answers have taken a more circuitous route, with ballots for President Donald Trump and Former Vice President Joe Biden being counted throughout the week by several states to determine which candidate won the Electoral College.

On this week’s show, Rick Howlett talks with a social scientist about polling and how unusual this week is, with Secretary of State Michael Adams to see how the Kentucky election process went, with political reporter Ryland Barton, and with Jefferson County Public Schools Superintendent Marty Pollio about the tax initiative on the ballot.

With this Friday’s “In Conversation” we're just four days from Election Day 2020. COVID-19 has turned voting on its head, with more than 60 million Americans having already voted.

What do all these numbers mean? What do professionals who follow and cover politics think? What do they predict? Is the current climate too unprecedented to calculate? Are there still undecided voters still, and if so, what will sway them?

Like most states, Kentucky is experiencing a dramatic spike in cases, with experts worrying about how much worse the spread will be as we head into holidays and flu season.

On this week’s “In Conversation” experts talk about why cases are spiking, the strain on hospitals, how the growing numbers can be flattened, and what might happen next.

But Taylor isn’t just representative of a cause. In Louisville, she’s one of us.

And many people in the city’s Black community see her death as the continuation of a struggle for racial equity that goes back generations.

Over the course of 2020, Louisville’s Black citizens have tried to process the trauma of the raid on Taylor’s home, the shooting of David McAtee by a member of the National Guard, and the resulting protests and investigations, all while trying to stay safe from a worldwide health pandemic that disproportionately impacts the Black community.

For Louisville in general, and the Black community in particular, there have been few chances to pause and reflect. This Friday, we’re making that time.

WFPL’s Jonese Franklin and Michelle Tyrene Johnson host this special episode of “In Conversation,” where we check in with Louisville’s Black community about coping with dual pandemics and a pivotal upcoming election.

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness month, and no one immune to its impact. The U.S. Department of Justice estimates that 1.3 million women and 835,000 men are victims of physical violence by a partner every year.

This week on “In Conversation” we talk about domestic violence here in Kentucky. Our guests will be Arlene Grullon, director of the Center for Women & Families’ emergency shelter, and Isela Arras, the chief operating officer for the Kentucky Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

We talk about risk factors, how to get help, the challenges faced by specific populations, and how COVID-19 has impacted advocacy work.

If you think you or someone you know may be experiencing domestic violence, help is available on the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799-SAFE.

The results of last week’s grand jury proceeding led only to the indictment of former Louisville Metro Police detective Brett Hankison on several charges of wanton endangerment, for bullets that traveled into a neighbor’s apartment. Neither of the other two police officers involved in the shooting, Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, were indicted. Since Hankison was already fired from the force, that left no one in LMDP criminally indicted in Taylor’s death.

With the outcome leaving as many questions as before, rather than bringing finality, we talk this week about the issues left to grapple with, like the psychological impact on Louisville’s black community and how this connects to the future of criminal justice reform.

We also check in with NPR’s Brakkton Booker about how the Taylor case compares on a national level to other notable cases involving the police killings in the Black community, and how protests in other places have continued on while we were focused on our own.

And we hear from U.S. Representative for Kentucky John Yarmuth, who has recently criticized the Louisville Metro Police Department, including its handling of the Taylor case.

This week, the city — and the world — got the answer. The grand jury decided that Brett Hankison would be charged with three counts of wanton endangerment, and with the other two police officers not indicted at all, people began to march.

Because Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who served as the prosecutor in the grand jury proceeding, hasn’t disclosed what he presented to the grand jury, there are still unanswered questions about the outcome.

We talk about the decision and what it means, this week on “In Conversation.”

Dr. Cicely Cottrell is with us — she’s the director of Spalding University’s Criminal Justice Program. We’re also joined by Keturah Herron from the ACLU of Kentucky, and Amina Elahi from the WFPL newsroom.

The letter also asks for an immediate re-evaluation of the 2020-20201 city budget, so a $50 million Black Community Fund can be added.

“The time has come to give us the necessary resources to begin to do the work for ourselves,” the petition reads, “since our elected leaders are reluctant to do what they have been sworn to do for all of our citizens.”

This week on “In Conversation,” we talk to Louisville Urban League CEO and President Sadiqa Reynolds about the petition, and how our city can continue grappling with its racist history, and current inequity, with an eye toward a better future.

Also on this week’s show, we get a status update from our local Census Bureau office ahead of their impending 2020 deadline.

And while there has been an uptick in drinking alcohol during COVID-19, some bourbon distillery tours have closed, and the tourism arm of the industry has taken a hit from the pandemic. We talk with Eric Greogory, president of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, about how the future is looking for Kentucky’s native spirit.

The date will live in the memory of Breonna Taylor’s family, friends, and community.

Her death, at the hands of the Louisville Metro Police Department, has been featured in news stories, television specials, social media, magazine covers, even billboards financed by Oprah Winfrey.

Throughout 2020, there have been sustained international protests for several Black people killed by police, the best known being George Floyd. In Louisville, protests have gone on for more than 100 nights, demanding accountability for Taylor’s death.

Now the world knows her name. But rumors and misinformation continue to circulate about the night she died, and the circumstances that led to it.

This week on “In Conversation,” we speak to journalists who have extensively covered Taylor’s death and the ensuing protests, to help deconstruct the complicated facts and bust a few myths.

Which is why it’s on the first Saturday in September this year, instead of May.

It also means that there will be more jockeys, owners, trainers, staff and media on hand than spectators to watch the famous Run for the Roses because no fans will be allowed in due to COVID-19 concerns.

So, on this week’s In Conversation we’ll be still talking about the Kentucky Derby, just not in the same way.

We’ll hear from listeners on how they are celebrating the most famous two minutes in sports, in non-Churchill Downs settings.

We’ll discuss the racial justice protests that are scheduled to take place on Derby Day despite the lack of visitors and spectators, and the history of civil disobedience at big events like the Derby.

And there will be racing, of course, so we’ll discuss the art of handicapping and which horses are predicted to win, place or show.

The one we’re in now has brought obvious changes — like the impact on businesses, education, and the economy — but no one could anticipate the changes to society beyond the obvious. Like the impact on social services, supply chains and the different ways we have to navigate social interaction.

People have rescheduled medical procedures. Stores are sold out of exercise equipment because gyms were closed. People who read lips can’t do that as easily with so many people wearing masks in public.

What unforeseen effects have you noticed since the pandemic, and subsequent safety measures, have begun?

This week on “In Conversation,” we talk about what you could not have planned for as COVID-19 has changed everything, with these guests:

• Rebecca Hollenbach – Louisville Center for Health Equity
• Sean McMahon – Lister Hill Center for Health Policy at the University of Alabama at Birmingham
• David Lopez- Louisville Metro United Way

One hundred years ago this week, the 19th Amendment was ratified, which gave women the right to vote in America. And even though not all women were given that right, it was a step on the road to equality for women in a country that’s been around for 244 years.

This week on “In Conversation,” we discuss the role of women voters and of elected officials who are women to change and shape the history and growth of the United States.

We talk about why it is important to vote, the importance of women in the electorate, the types of issues that are important to women, and the importance of women leadership. We also discuss how the right to vote for white women was one that other groups of women had to wait longer for, and how voting access continues to affect elections today.

This week is the debut of Louisville Public Media's very first book, "Appalachian Fall," written by Jeff Young, Managing Editor of the Ohio Valley ReSource collaboration, and the rest of that reporting team. The book is a collection of the reporting this team has done on the future of Appalachia — from the Blackjewel coal miners blocking the train tracks in Harlan County to people on the front lines of the opioid crisis and others fighting for a just economic transition for coal country.

Kirkus Reviews says the book is: "Blunt, essential reading on today's Appalachia that is less elegiac and more forward-thinking than most."

This week we talk to Jeff Young, and reporters Brittany Patterson, who covers energy and environment, and Sydney Boles, who covers economic transition in Appalachia.

Donate to support this and future episodes of In Conversation.

Since then, efforts to revitalize downtown have come and gone (remember the Galleria?), but in the last few years, our city center seemed to gain some momentum. The Yum Center brought people downtown for games and concerts, Whiskey Row reopened with restaurants and shops, and some distilleries opened their doors to teach tourists where the good stuff comes from.

Enter 2020.

The coronavirus pandemic shuttered downtown, closing courts and government offices, and sending workers from their high rise cubicles to their dining room tables. Then protests drew opportunistic vandals who broke storefront windows. Buildings are still boarded up. Bars are closed by order of the governor, and restaurants are still operating at limited capacity in the interest of public health.

What does this all mean for the urban center of Louisville? Will the downtown those workers and sports fans and diners and tourists eventually (hopefully?) go back to look anything like the one they left behind?

This Friday on “In Conversation,” we’re talking about the challenges this year has brought to downtown Louisville, and what the future might hold.

How are politicians campaigning differently this summer? And what will Fancy Farm be like without the rhetoric and heckling? This week, we talk about the history and legacy of the Fancy Farm picnic, and how it went from a simple fundraiser for St. Jerome Catholic Church to an important milestone on the Kentucky campaign trail.

Our guests are:

• Cynthia Elder, author, “Fancy Farm Living is the Life for Me,” editor, “The Catholic Settlement: A History of St. Jerome Catholic Church 1836-2011“
• Andy Hayden, Fancy Farm picnic organizer
• Al Cross, veteran Kentucky political journalist

We also have updates on the LMPD's response to Louisville protests, and coronavirus testing availability in Kentucky, from KYCIR's Jake Ryan, and WFPL's Ryan Van Velzer.

On this week’s “In Conversation,” we explore the decisions educators, administrators and parents have to make to keep students and teachers safe. We also talk about how parents are weighing the pros and cons of sending their children back to school versus delaying their return.

WFPL’s Education Reporter Jess Clark joins us with the latest school reopening news, and Jefferson County Public Schools Superintendent Marty Pollio talk about JCPS’s plan. Kerri Massey also join us — she’s a veteran teacher, currently at Smyrna Elementary and has three school aged children herself. And Angie McDonald, a school nurse advisor with the Kentucky Department of Education talks about health and safety protocols in school settings.

Some protesters have taken matters into their own hands, tearing down statues themselves.

This week on In Conversation, we jump into the debate over controversial monuments and public art, and we want you to join the discussion.

Our guests include:

• Writer Conner Towne O’Neill, whose forthcoming book Down Along With That Devil’s Bones explores the continuing battle over monuments dedicated to notorious Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest.
• Dr. Anne Bailey, history professor at State University of New York at Binghamton and director of the Harriett Tubman Center for the Study of Freedom and Equality.
• Braylyn Resko Stewart, Louisville-based artist who co-created a large mural featuring Breonna Taylor and others who died at the hands of police.
• WFPL Arts Reporter Stephanie Wolf.

Listen to In Conversation live on 89.3 WFPL, Fridays mornings at 11.<br><br><a rel="payment" href="http://wfpl.org/supportinconversation"> Donate to support this and future episodes of In Conversation.</a>

Meanwhile, folks with serious substance use problems saw their weekly meetings move to Zoom. Opioid-related drug overdoses nearly doubled in Kentucky.

Substance use issues are on the rise, and they require different solutions as shutdowns and social distancing affect the ability to get needed help.

Join us on “In Conversation” this Friday as we talk to experts about the impact of the coronavirus on how we use alcohol and other substances. We’ll talk about people with long time addictions, those dealing with COVID-19 prohibitions in the beginning of their recovery, and how to keep a handle on your own drinking when the cocktail hour seems to have no beginning or end.

We’ll find out how professionals and advocates are finding news ways to offer support, and hear from members of the community about how they are handling alcohol and drug use while isolated, and dealing with the stress of a growing pandemic.<br><br><a rel="payment" href="http://wfpl.org/supportinconversation"> Donate to support this and future episodes of In Conversation.</a>

In Kentucky’s closely watched Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, retired Marine pilot Amy McGrath held off a late charge by state Rep. Charles Booker to win the nomination. She’ll try to unseat Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell this fall.

This week on In Conversation, we’ll analyze Kentucky’s primary election results and look ahead to the November General Election with Capitol Reporter Ryland Barton.

Plus, Education Reporter Jess Clark joins us to talk about Kentucky’s plan to reopen public schools following the coronavirus shutdown.

We also replay our conversation with former Camden, New Jersey Mayor Dana Redd and Rutgers University professor and Camden resident Nyema Watson. The city overhauled its police department during Redd’s administration.<br><br><a rel="payment" href="http://wfpl.org/supportinconversation"> Donate to support this and future seasons of In Conversation.</a>

Gov. Andy Beshear and state health officials say Kentucky remains in a plateau, but the commonwealth continues to record scores of new coronavirus cases daily, with many recent ones tied to out-of-state travel. Health officials say numerous people have returned to Kentucky with COVID-19 after traveling to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Starting Monday, bars across Kentucky can reopen under certain conditions, people can congregate in groups of up to 50, and other activities will be permitted. The state has also released its plan for the reopening of schools this fall, and Churchill Downs says the Kentucky Derby will be held — with spectators — on September 5.

Today on In Conversation, we talk about the coronavirus pandemic in Kentucky and how a surge in cases would affect the state’s reopening plan. Two guests join us for this segment: Mike Berry, Secretary of Kentucky Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet, and Dr. Krutika Kuppalli, Vice Chair off the Infectious Disease Society of America's Global Health Committee.

Plus, this is Pride Month, but amid the coronavirus pandemic and the racial justice demonstrations around the world, the celebration is different this year. We talk about it with Allen Hatchell, outgoing president of Kentuckiana Pride, and DJ Victoria Syimone Taylor.

<a rel="payment" href="http://wfpl.org/supportinconversation"> Donate to support this and future seasons of In Conversation.</a>

The primary was postponed from May to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and for the first time, Kentuckians are being allowed to vote by mail, or vote in person early without providing an excuse.

Most Kentucky counties will have only one voting location, but a federal lawsuit has been filed seeking to add balloting sites in the state’s most populous counties.

This week on In Conversation, we’ll talk about the upcoming election and the balloting process with Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams. Kentucky Public Radio Capitol Reporter Ryland Barton will be here to preview the primary races.

Plus, we’ll have the latest on the demonstrations for racial justice that are entering their fourth week in many cities. Friday is Juneteenth, and we’ll hear some citizens’ thoughts on the day commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S.

As pressure grows in Louisville to make sweeping changes to LMPD, we want to know what drastic police reform actually looks like. So this week, we’re talking to some of the change makers in Camden: Mayor Dana Redd, who was mayor during the police reform and is widely credited with its implementation and success. And Dr. Nyeema Watson, a lifelong Camden resident who’s the associate chancellor for civic engagement at Rutgers University.

Later in the show, we’ll check in with Congressman John Yarmuth, co-sponsor of the Justice in Policing Act of 2020. He’ll explain some of the changes called for in the bill, which has won support from civil rights groups.

We’ll kick things off with an update on local protests and calls for police reform, with WFPL’s Amina Elahi and Ryan Van Velzer.

Those and other incidents have renewed calls for change in the culture of police departments and an end to systemic racism in other institutions.

The government and police response to the protests is also drawing criticism.

In Louisville, the family of David McAtee wants more answers after the popular barbecue stand owner was shot to death this week by law enforcement as they tried to clear a crowd from a parking lot to enforce a curfew. Police say surveillance video appears to show McAtee firing a gun, but his family says the footage just raises more questions.

This week on In Conversation, we talk about the events of the past week, the status of the investigations into the deaths of Breonna Taylor and David McAtee, and what steps are being taken to address the underlying issue of racism in the community.

Guests:

• Louisville Metro Councilwoman Paula McCraney, who’s co-chairing the effort to create a Civilian Review Board to examine police actions and procedures
• State Senator Gerald Neal, who's proposing a package of legislation addressing police oversight, no-knock warrants and the use of police body cameras
• Keturah Herron, Juvenile Justice Policy Strategist with the ACLU of Kentucky
• WFPL City Reporter Amina Elahi

This week we talk about how our long-term care facilities are faring right now, what circumstances that make these facilities so vulnerable to the virus spreading, and what Kentucky is doing to plan for and prevent outbreaks.

Three guests joined us to talk about it: Secretary Eric Friedlander, who heads the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. He’s overseeing Kentucky’s response to coronavirus in long term care facilities. Bob Kramer is the founder of Nexus Insights, a consulting firm focused on the senior care industry. And Jared Bennett has written about some outbreaks for the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting.

At the top of the show, we checked in with Jake Ryan from the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting about protests that happened Thursday night in Louisville. Seven people were shot during a demonstration against the shooting death of Breonna Taylor by LMPD.

This week on “In Conversation,” we talk about restaurants reopening and the challenges they still have ahead of them.

Chef Edward Lee joins us to talk about what the Lee Initiative has done to help restaurants during the shutdown, what they’ve been hearing from restaurant owners, and what they’ll do next. Stacy Roof, President & CEO of the Kentucky Restaurant Association tells what her group has been advocating for, and why.

And Amy McNatt from Doe Anderson shares her research on how the coronavirus pandemic is expected to change consumer behavior going forward.

Will the new ability to have dine-in customers be too little too late for Kentucky restaurants? Or is the reopening too soon? Will you be going out to eat this holiday weekend?

And then we compiled these snapshots from coronavirus, day 47. On this episode, we'll hear the results, and talk to some of the reporters who participated in the project.

This week on WFPL’s In Conversation, we talked about the reopening process in Kentucky and how it differs from those in Kentucky’s border states, and the legal responsibilities businesses have to insure the safety of their employees and patrons.

Guests:

• Ashli Watts, President and CEO, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
• Kevin Brinegar, President and CEO, Indiana Chamber of Commerce
• Attorney Jay Ingle, JacksonKelly PLLC

<br><br><a rel="payment" href="http://wfpl.org/supportinconversation"> Donate to support this and future seasons of In Conversation.</a>