Kentucky gives incentives to destroy locally-owned, union-run printers

For just $18.99, Cafe Press will sell you crap like this.

More jobs from the most antiunion company on earth have been lured to  Louisville with state incentives, while locally-owned union-printers are asked to quietly fail.

The incentives offered to Cafe Press are being championed by Governor Steve Beshear, Mayor Greg Fischer, my opponent Senator Denise Harper Angel, Senator Perry Clark, and of course GLI's Eileen Pickett.

Introducing, John T. McGarvey

Morgan McGarvey, who is one of four candidates for Kentucky's 19th District State Senate seat, not my race by the way, is also the son of John T. McGarvey.

Another Tuesday in Louisville: 133 foreclosures

The economy is getting better, eh Greg? On May 1, 2012, there are 133 mortgage liens to be satisfied by the Jefferson County Commissioner's sale. One mortgage, with River City Bank, secures four separate properties: 1813 Rowan, 3409, 3411 and 3413 W. Market. That brings the total to 136 properties that are scheduled for auction.

7102 Covered Cove Way, Prospect, Ky, one of the homes going to Commissioner Sale May 1, 2012.

Louisville - #9 in list of America's most polluted cities!!!!!

This piece was taken from Jackie Green's Facebook page, but hyper-texted links are mine:

"Louisville - #9 in list of America's most polluted cities!!!!!
- We are cutting back on TARC.
- On Friday another pedestrian was hit - pinned against a building - after 2 cars collided.
- We are building more interstate highway bridges - encouraging more driving.
- We are planning more development far from our city center (case in point - VA Hospital)
And we wonder why we are #9 !!!!
Hey, mayor & metro council !!! It is time to change course.
- Invest in public transit
- Calm traffic
- Don't build more automotive infrastructure
- Invest in the city's core.
Let's be #9 in a list of cleanest, safest, healthiest, best public transit.
http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/americas-10-most-polluted-cities-2012.html"

Jackie's right. It is time to change course. Can we do that with our incumbents? Probably not.

Blunt Honey brings the 'progressive bluegrass' to Cherokee Triangle Art Fair

The musical talents of a couple members of Blunt Honey were rocking the 2012 Cherokee Triangle Art Fair with "progressive bluegrass." 

To find out more about the band, visit:

reverbnation.com/BluntHoney and Facebook.com/BluntHoney

LMPD #FAIL

Just found on twitter where a citizen is whistleblowing to Louisville Mayor Fischer via twitter on some LMPD funny business. Wonder if the mayor will respond?

Also, Mayor, the Charlie Sheen-look sported today at Cherokee Art Fair= #WINNING:
http://twitter.com/dukepresley/status/196643341054644224

Dear Ramsi: You have a problem.

KRS 337.065 prohibits a labor practice allegedly going on at Ramsi's

Friday night, I published the complaint made by Ron Liebermann against the Louisville restaurant Ramsi's Cafe on the World. (A dark truth behind quality food)

UNITE Rally's closing speakers

Elizabeth Sawyer, pictured, was the next to last speaker at today's UNITE AGAINST THE WAR ON WOMEN Rally.

Sawyer is with Emerge Kentucky, the premier training program for Democratic women. She gave a shout-out to my friend, Metro Council woman Attica Scott.

Charlie at UNITE WOMEN Rally

Laura's daughter, Charlie, may not have filed for the 2044 presidential primary, but she's still lining up votes at today's UNITE AGAINST THE WAR ON WOMEN RALLY.

Sarah Lynn Cunningham speaking at UNITE AGAINST THE WAR ON WOMEN

Sarah Lynn Cunningham makes Kentucky's second 19th District Senate candidate to speak today at the UNITE rally.

"You can elect an attorney, who is trained to argue, or you can elect an engineer who is trained to solve problems." - Cunningham

Amy Shoemaker speaking at UNITE AGAINST the WAR on WOMEN

Morgan McGarvey has not yet made it to the UNITE-rally. He did call to see what time he was supposed to arrive, a call, to my knowledge, that was not returned.

"I think every woman reaches a tipping point..."- Amy

Fwd: ALEC & smoke free Kentucky legislation.

Harper Angel is getting testy. I am not sure who brought up the "smoke free Kentucky legislation" but she's sensitive about that. One of the courageous signers to the petition canyoudobetterdenise.com apparently, since that is who my opponent sent the email which appears below.

Harper Angel reiterates that she has not attended ALEC meetings in the recent years, but she DOES NOT explain why she was listed as an "alternate" by ALEC in June of last year. Neither does she provide details about those two ALEC events she admits attending, including the costs of the trips she enjoyed. Nor does she give more details about her trip to Myrtle Beach in September compliments of another ALEC-like organization, CALS of the Council of State Governments (CSG).

MuddledMoogle really gets Curtis Morrison for State Senate

https://twitter.com/#!/MuddledMoogle/status/195854492250546176

He gets me. #FF him!
Also, can you part with $30? Campaigns are not cheap, especially for a watchdog. Everytime I attack ALEC, I can feel my opponent receiving contributions from their corporate member PACS.
Contribute online without getting out of bed here: http://senatorawesome.com

A dark truth behind quality food

Ron Lieberman, a former Ramsi's server, protesting the restaurant.

Ron Liebermann quit his job Thursday as a server at Ramsi's Cafe on the World, an established hip restaurant in Louisville's Highlands neighborhood. I mean REALLY QUIT. While picketing outside the restaurant Thursday and Friday evenings, the LMPD were called to the scene.

According the the LMPD officer responding Friday night, Ramsi's did not make those calls. Of course, the officer didn't need to have his flashing lights on Friday night, either.

GLI uses Denise Harper Angel private email address

2012 GLI Elected Officials Directory

An odd catch.

GLI's 2011 Legislative Agenda P. 14

One member of the Jefferson County Senate Delegation has Greater Louisville, Inc. (GLI) lobbyists contact her only on her private email address. Guess which one?

That would be DHAngel@bellsouth.net.

Eric Burse: National Association of Black Journalists 2012 Student Journalist of the Year

From Courier-Journal: 

"A Louisville native has recently been named the National Association of Black Journalists 2012 Student Journalist of the Year.
Eric Burse, a graduate of duPont Manual High School, will be honored this summer along with other honorees at NABJ’s 37th Annual Convention and Career Fair, the largest annual gathering of minority journalists in the country.
The son of Kim and Raymond Burse, who live in Louisville, Eric is a student at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and is studying broadcast and digital journalism and political science."

 Besides that achievement, Burse has more Facebook friends than me, too.

ALEC Kentucky news

https://twitter.com/#!/ALECwatch/status/194606604526694401

The national organization 'ALEC watch,' an arm of the Center for Media and Democracy,  released the leaked ALEC documents which have led to so much information last July. Today ALEC watch retweeted my petition to my opponent, the incumbent Senator Denise Harper Angel, which is easily found at canyoudobetterdenise.com.

Tommers goes all corporate

The next “Talk with Tom” (the incumbent 8th District Louisville Metro Councilman and candidate) set for Saturday. April 28th from 9am -11am at...oh dear. Panera Bread. Loyal readers know I'm a "Buy Local" kind of guy, and when you can't, at least "Buy Union."  Not Tommers.

McGarvey tries to bump woman speaker at rally for, oh dear...

Candidate Amy Shoemaker may not get to speak, or introduce Representative John Yarmuth this weekend at Saturday's UNITE AGAINST WAR ON WOMEN rally, and you'll never guess why. (Clue: It's not because of a woman)


Morgan McGarvey, who is also a candidate for the same Senate Seat Shoemaker is seeking, is upset. Again. (See February)

KAHCF PAC over-contributes to Harper Angel campaign, and now we know why

In a blog entry Thursday morning (More than 74% of Harper Angel's contributions from PAC's, she struggles on), I referenced a peculiar $250 discrepancy on Senator Harper Angel's election finance report to the KREF. Harper Angel had actually cut a check from her campaign account, to the KY ASSOC OF HEALTH CARE FACILITIES PAC (KAHCF). It turns out there's a rich story.

In 2010, Harper Angel co-sponsored a bill, SB166, with her ALEC-member legislator friend Sen. Julie Denton (disclosure: and recently my Facebook friend) that KAHCF supported. This bill was for Kentucky to develop a 3-year program, and bear the burden, of disposing of unused controlled substances. Probably the one thing I would not trust our state government to do.

Another bill co-sponsored by the same two, and Perry Clark, who is also an ALEC Member. Can I call them the ALEC 3 Musketeers? This bill set up a registry for nursing home employee abuse registry. The KAHCF took a neutral position on that, as long as their amendments were adopted. They also took a neutral position on an exemption for 'Medical Foster Homes' from certification of need requirements. (2010)

In 2011, the ALEC 3 Musketeers co-sponsored SB23, another abuse registry bill that KAHCF supported. And a bill, SB38, also dealing with the abuse registry. KAHCF supported that bill as long as Harper Angel amended it to their liking. (2011)

Psst. KAHCF, your server, no secure it is.

More than 74% of Harper Angel's contributions from PAC's

From kref.state.ky.us/krefsearch/

According to the latest campaign finance report, incumbent candidate for State Senate Denise Harper Angel has raised less than a fifth of the amount of funds in this reporting cycle than she had raised in the same cycle in her 2008 campaign, and only a 1/10th of the amount she raised in the same period of her 2004 race.

Harper Angel's reported raising $8,725 in contributions, as of April 20, 2012. She had raised $45,271 for 32-day reporting period in 2008, and $111,462.00 for the same period in 2004.

Her opponent Curtis Morrison (okay that's weird, switching to first person) had an average contribution of $45,  when taking out his my personal investment.  Comparatively, Harper Angel, had 26 contributors burn like a Lexington couch invest an average contribution of $335.

More than 74% of Harper Angel's contributions, $6,350.00, came from PAC's, two of which are members of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC): 

• $500  A T and T KENTUCKY PAC
• $500  HUMANA PAC 

YMCA of Greater Louisville intellectually molests children with racism, sexism

Screenshot 4/25/12 from Northeast Family YMCA

From the brochure

"We encourage the important tradition of parents teaching values to their children through shared experiences," reads the website of the YMCA of Greater Louisville's Northeast Family YMCA. On the same page appears an image where the Y has dressed up children to ridicule and marginalize the indigenous peoples of our continent.

The image is supposed to illustrate a Y program called "Adventure Guides." The page says the program "is about one parent and one child spending quality time with each other. They participate in a wide variety of fun activities while creating lifelong memories." 

Unfortunately, the Y didn't stop there. Not only does the program enlist children to promote racism, but the Y has a policy that only men are qualified to do it. The program is for men, only. And their sons, and daughters. Ironically, this is the second time this month sexism & racism have been closely linked on Louisville Courant. (See Louisville Gay bar owner fails diversity marketing)

"Adventure Guides is open to kids ages 5-10 years and their dad or an adult male."

While women are prohibited from participating, there is no prohibition against participants being terrorists, convicted rapists, or pedophiles. What is important in the Adventure Guides program is that the adult has, well, a penis.

Granted, there is an important tradition of adults with penises passing down their values, but the Northeast YMCA probably shouldn't be continuing that tradition. This author's mom was unmarried for a period in the late '70's, and as a result, her son and daughters were mostly exposed to the values of a female parent. Thank God. (Love you Mom!)

Just sign the petition: Change.org|Create a Petition


Not ready to sign petition? Keep reading then. Let's get back to racism. The Adventure Guides program is not an isolated incident. The YMCA of Greater Louisville also operates Camp Piomino. The "history" section of the website indicates Camp Piomino was founded in 1938, but gives no clue to the origination of the name.

Saturday: Unite against war on women w/update

Just saw this in Highlands and passing on from my phone. Meeting up Saturday at Fresh Start Growers Supply. Says go to unitewomen.org to find out more.

Update, 8:45 pm: Now I'm home. This is a 4-hour rally, and there's a Facebook event.
From the Facebook event:

Tea Party of Kentucky, Inc. schedules forum for gay haters

Dr. Frank G. Simon's Family Association of Kentucky, now doing business as the Tea Party of Kentucky, Inc., is planning a candidate forum for May 15th, just 7 days prior to the May 22nd primary election.

In 2010, this same organization preferred to be known as "Freedom's Heritage Forum Kentucky State PAC." (LC)

I'm in-need of an informant to attend pro-bono, discretely record media, maybe live tweet, write summary on the state of this organization and the candidates presenting at their forum. Contact me: curtster3@gmail.com to discuss.

Update: 7:30 PM: 
BREAKING:  The Louisville Tea Party has taken the step of distancing themselves from the Tea Party of Kentucky and I appreciate that. From their email:

Public hearing on 'Tolls are good'-study Thursday

logo for No2bridgetolls.org

 Oh, that last economic impact study that said tolls are good, they have to take input on that now. Should be fun. From the Indiana-based No2BridgeTolls.org:

"Please Attend Economic Impact Public Hearing and Share Your Concerns on Thursday, April 26th
 
The Indiana Finance Authority (IFA) has received an Economic Impact Study analyzing the impact of using a public-private financial and project-delivery structure for the East End Crossing portion of the proposed Ohio River Bridges Project. Public comments are being accepted online and a public hearing has been scheduled.

Louisville Orchestra Musicians Association Announce Agreement

(UPDATE: 12:24 pm: Someone at the mayor's office must have really not liked Jim King getting all the credit. A press conference is now taking place at 2:00 pm today at the Kentucky Center for the Arts. Mayor Greg Fisher (who tried and failed to mediate a solution), Council President Jim King, the Musicians Association and the Board of Directors are all expected to be there for pictures.)

So Louisville gets to have music and it's only because of the shear brilliance of Metro Council President Jim King. King has great potential as a 2014 mayoral candidate person who only thinks he's going to get away with co-sponsoring David Yates anti-landmark ordinance.

Back to the Orchestra...Tuesday night press release from ryan hardesty:

"Louisville Orchestra Musicians Association Announce Agreement

Tonight, the Louisville Orchestra Musicians Association voted to accept a contract based on the requirements proposed by Louisville Orchestra, Inc.

Elizabethtown college sued for sexual orientation discrimination

Screenshot 4/25/12 from elizabethtown.kctcs.edu

The latest argument for a 'Statewide Fairness'- law in Kentucky is being made Wednesday in Hardin County Court with the filing of a lawsuit by Bernice Bennett against her employer. Paperwork was being processed for Bennett's promotion to a supervisor position, until she began active involvement in the Elizabeth Community and Technical College's Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA).

That's when Bennett's employer stopped processing her promotion's paperwork. Her supervisor told her she was "going to hell."

Bennett is not suing a private bigoted business owner, however. Bennett's employer of 14 years is the ECTC, itself, a division of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS). That's the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Our tax dollars at work discriminating and such.

Louisville Courant was provided a digital copy of the complaint before it was filed from THE COMMUNITY LETTER. The 8 page complaint makes 46 points, and can be found here:Bennett vs KCTCS Board of Regents

Lamborghini owner = jerk

While I feel sick there's a website called luxury4play.com, without it we wouldn't have known that the jerk who parked his Lamborghini Gallardo in downtown Louisville over the weekend, well:
In Kentucky, Your Lamborghini Will Get Pissed On

You have a small penis, we get it. A $200,000 car isn't going to change that though. Whoever actually "did the deed," please reach out to me. I want to buy you a few drinks so we can walk up to Saviche and...um, yeah.

Who pays and how much, for Denise Harper Angel's time?

Everyone knows Senator Denise Harper Angel attended a junket in Myrtle Beach last September, paid for by an ALEC- like club called...let me take a breath...'The Southern Legislative Conference of The Council of State Governments' 2011 Center for the Advancement of...' (entity whose name is too damn long)
Here's a link with a picture of her there.

I'm really curious about (entity whose name is too damn long) and their relationship with Senator Harper Angel. So I emailed their Kentucky legislator liaison, Jonathan R. Watts Hull, and their energy program manager Jeremy Williams tonight.

Was particularly hoping their energy dude will explain to us why (name is too damn long...) advocates defunding the EPA. You probably have time to use the restroom while we're waiting for an email back. You might have time to hike the Appalachian trail, especially since the practice of mountain top removal is making Appalachia flatter, not unlike a bunch of Wal-Mart parking lots separated by Mercury-laced streams. Anyway, here's the email.

And if you're a really technologically-savvy unicorn reading from a Starbucks in Atlantis Gannett journalist interested in the same kind of questions, here's their email addresses: jhull@slcatlanta.org, jlwilliams@csg.org.

Go ahead, like Councilman Kramer's Facebook page

Screenshot 4/23/12

Think it's pretty obvious someone wants some attention. I say give it to him.

While Councilman Kevin Kramer may be a Republican, sometimes he does the right thing anyway.

As Democratic Party Metro Council members like David Yates, David James, Jim King, Rick Blackwell, Vicki Welch, Bob Henderson, Marianne Butler, Tom Owen and Tina Ward-Pugh have lined up to co-sponsor pro-developer changes to the landmark ordinance, Councilman Kramer hasn't signed on to co-sponsor any such ordinance. Like his page: HERE.

Considering the Republicanbuilders Homebuilders Association's Executive Director, Chuck Kavanaugh, is one of the four people who have publicly supported changes aimed at making it more difficult to landmark properties (CJ), it speaks to Kramer's courage that he hasn't hopped on the Titanic-like voyage of the Yates ordinance.


But you know what? Republicans Glen Stuckel, Jon Ackerson, Stuart Benson, Robin Engel aren't co-sponsoring anti-landmarks ordinances this Spring either.

Speaking of ALEC, can you do better Denise? (The petition!)

ALEC in Sunday's New York Times: Conservative Nonprofit Acts as a Stealth Business Lobbyist


Go ahead. sign the petition: canyoudobetterdenise.com?

"The right wing has been trying to stop Black people, other people of color, young people, and the elderly from voting — and now some of America’s biggest companies are helping them do it. Demand that these companies stop funding the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)." -colorofchange.org

Change.org|The Proven Petition Site

Louisville.com - a home for homophobia

Thomas A. McAdam, a George Zimmerman-apologist who took the position recently that 'Trayvon got himself shot...', is now chiming in on my race:
Senator Harper Angel gets endorsement from Fairness Campaign [Opinion: The Arena]

Zach Everson, the site's editor-in-chief, relayed via Facebook comment that the only rebuttal space I could have on louisville.com was in the comment section following the article. That's fine. I put one there, but decided to expand on it below.

* First, McAdam and Louisville.com did not choose the 4 year old picture of me in a pink shirt and a purple hoodie, arbitrarily. I'm not a private person, there are hundreds of images of me on the internet, but this image illustrates the stereotype of an effeminate homosexual. How clever. Now we can all laugh at me for being gay. That's productive.

YUM!, ALEC, CLOUT, Mayor Fischer, Fairness Campaign,Neo-Nazis

(editor's note: sorry for the formatting fail, not sure what caused it- probably climate change)

YUM!
A shout-out to Occupy Louisville who first called out YUM!'s membership in ALEC during a protest in front of the YUM! Arena a couple months ago. We won one! Yay!: LEO Weekly: Yum! Brands ends ALEC ties

CLOUT and Mayor Fischer:

And it looks like my friend Shawn Reilly is on the side of churches, and Mayor Greg Fischer is on that other side:

Why would @louisvillemayor lie to 19 Churches/16,000 people? CLOUT Assembly Today: 970 S. 4th St. 6:30pm @atticascott @kftc @LCourant
— Shawn Reilly (@smarkreilly) April 19, 2012

Fairness Campaign's CFAIR endorses Denise Harper Angel/ Amy Shoemaker

I got the call last night from Dawn Wilson, they will not be endorsing me. Look how gracefully I'm relaying the information. That's the sound of me being a good sport. Dawn Wilson is awesome, by the way. She was very cordial in a call that might have been at least a little awkward. I'm #TEAMDAWN today.

Neo-Nazis 

KENTUCKY YOUTH ADVOCATES - Action Alert

Senators Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell.

Received this plea this evening from Kentucky Youth Advocates. It never ceases to amaze me the PAINFULLY OBVIOUS things we have to convince legislators to support.

So, yes, I'm going to call Senator Mitch McConnell and Senator Rand Paul Thursday to ask them not to let Kentucky families starve. Can't believe we have to do this, but we do.

"KENTUCKY YOUTH ADVOCATES - Action Alert April 18, 2012
Action Alert: Potential Cuts to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
The US Senate Agriculture Committee is poised to release its farm bill over the next several days and we need to make sure that their bill protects and strengthens critical hunger-relief programs. People all across Kentucky are struggling to put food on the table. With unemployment expected to remain above 8 percent this year and long-term unemployment still at record highs, programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) are more important than ever.

Tom Owen: hypocrite

Yesterday Louisville Metro Councilman Tom Owen proposed a faux compromise anti-landmarks ordinance including a provision that required notification by mail of nearby property owners only, but not tenants. Dan Klepal makes a rare mistake in reporting the ordinance was co-written by an attorney representing preservationists, when in fact, the attorney acted alone.

Tonight!- Meeting re Moving VA Hospital

Tonight at Kammeron Middle School from 6-8 pm will be a public meeting regarding the proposed mid-location of the VA Hospital as from homeless veterans as logistically possible. See today's CJ for  some real journalism from Chris Otts- noting the flawed assumption of the traffic study the Feds used to justify the site.

Should Indian Springs get an ALDI?

Also last night, how did the pro-development, anti-neighborhood Louisville Councilman Tom Owen vote when it came to putting an ALDI in Indian Springs subdivision? (Go Dan Johnson!)

Regarding: Drumanard Estate

If you would like the Drumanard Estate removed from the National Register of Historic places, send a non-violent email to Carol_Shull@nps.gov with your input. This is what I got back:

Tom Owen pushing faux landmarks compromise -Preservation Louisville is really a joke

I got a little video of Councilman Tom Owen spinning a new anti-landmarks resolution he's sprung on everyone as the compromise to Councilman David Yates anti-landmarks proposal. It's hard to hear, he mumbles. For a reason.

Owen says the compromise was authored by himself, Councilwoman Tina Ward-Pugh, and attorney Steve Porter.

ALEC backpedals, drops social agenda

Fundraiser went great tonight, and the feedback I got overwhelmingly was "Don't back down."
I wasn't going to, but now I feel good about it.

MSBNC's coverage today of ALEC's ties to 'Stand your ground'-laws: ALEC backpedals, drops social agenda Or as I like to say... Denise Harper Angel's ALEC linked to 'Stand your ground'- law

In 2008, Harper Angel faced a formidable Independent opponent in Scott Ritcher. As you can see from a clip from his old campaign site, he was on the right track. He knew that Harper Angel was connected to big corporate PAC's and their money. He just didn't make the connection to her ALEC membership.

An advertisement used by one of Denise Harper Angel's 2008 opponent's, Scott Ritcher.

University of Louisville Admissions diversity marketing FAIL

Check out the latest University of Louisville Admissions Youtube video called 'The Total Package: UofL and the city of Louisville, in which only 3 African Americans were spotted, none with speaking parts. Or well, I captioned a version to make it more interesting.

U of L Students: Organize for lower tuition

If rising tuition at the University of Louisville is a subject you're sensitive about, maybe it's time you join us in really organizing student participation in U of L's budget hearing, contact Brian Deis on Facebook for more info. He set up a Facebook event just now to meet at the Tulip Tree Cafe at noon today, Monday, April 17, 2012 to discuss this plan. (He's the clean-cut redhead dude.)

U of L's President Jim Ramsey is hosting an open forum this Thursday in the SAC's Floyd Theater at 1 pm. A budget process that typically finds raises for Ramsey, yet tuition raises for students, is of course, not simple. There are, in fact, 34 steps. We are apparently at one of the little red arrows, I'm not sure which one, though.

Phase I and II in a pd.

That's just the first half. Then there's these steps...

Louisville Preservation ALERT! Important Meeting Tuesday

Received the email today from Stephen T. Porter, an attorney and fellow preservationist with Open Louisville, Inc.:

    "A very important meeting of the Metro Council Planning & Zoning Committee will be held this Tuesday at 1:30, April 17, in the Old City Hall third floor Council Chamber. There will be various alternatives proposed and a final vote of this committee could come that day. Whatever the committee votes out is likely to pass the whole council, so this meeting is IMPORTANT...."

Mike Flatt+ Facebook= Royal mess

Cordish to 'Occupy' Founder's Square park soon, no permit necessary

From Courier-Journal, August 4, 2008

One of the reasons IPL Director Jim Mims and Mayor Greg Fischer would not renew Occupy Louisville's permit was because "the property, its interior public sidewalks and benches have not been accessible to the general public." (Denial letter)(LC)

Actually,  that's funny. Because in Metro Louisville is planning on giving the park to Cordish, along with about everything else that doesn't move within a 100 mile radius, for like a $1/year. 

Council members Welch, Yates, and Owen playing games

Honestly, when I submit an open records request in Louisville, I never really know what I'm going to get back. These kids are clever. They try to use their personal email addresses to do their dirtiest work. When they use their .gov's, they still have ways to get around us, like this anti-landmarks ordinance-related nugget from Friday:

"One email to Mr. Poynter is being withheld as exempt due to its preliminary nature consistent with KRS 61.878(1)(i) and (j)." - Dee Q. Allen, Open Records Coordinator

Read more on that here: the 8 emails that were not exempt.

But before Council members Vicki Welch, David Yates, and Tom Owen are going to let their Open Records Coordinator write me a letter outlining which exclusions they're using to reject my request, they're going to need to screw with me first.

"Upon the request of Metro Council Members Welch, Yates, and Owen, I am writing to request your mailing address." -Lisa Franklin Gray, Open Records Coordinator, Office of the President, Jim King, Louisville Metro Council.

Um, my mailing address was on the initial request.(See below)
Let's not play games.

May 5: Climate Impact Day at the Derby

In Louisville, the tentative plan for the event is for one team to walk around, single file, in the area of Churchill Downs, along Central Avenue and in parking lots on both Oaks Day and Derby Day, wearing “connect-the-dots” T-shirts and hats, the designs of which will be consistently themed. 

Another group "will produce an iconic, crowd-visible, photographable 'stunt' in the Churchill Downs vicinity on Derby day."

Behind the curtain look at proposed Anti-landmarks ordinance

Through open records requests, Louisville Courant has obtained eight emails between Mayor Fischer's staff on the topic of Metro Councilman David Yates' proposed anti-landmarks ordinance (link below). Or as the mayor's office likes to call it, the change in landmarks ordinance, because you know, it's a done deal.

One of the triggers of these emails was the panic felt in the mayor's office once they began receiving emails generated from the petition Vote no to amend Louisville Landmarks Ordinance.
 Since the petition now has 369 signatures, the mayor's office has probably received quite a few emails.

Sweetest highlight:

"One email to Mr. Poynter is being withheld as exempt due to its preliminary nature consistent with KRS 61.878(1)(i) and (j)." - Dee Q. Allen, Open Records Coordinator

Contrasting Curtis Morrison and Denise Harper Angel on gay marriage

Should same-sex couples be allowed to marry?  "NO"
That was 35th District Senator Denise Harper Angel's response in an 2008 'political courage test.'

That was over 3 years ago, so let's be fair. Where did Harper Angel's opponent, myself, stand on gay marriage, say on the rainy morning of November 15, 2008?

Louisville Orchestra Musicians close to signing contract

A press conference is set for Friday at noon, when the Louisville Orchestra Musicians Association will discuss how the Louisville Orchestra Board of Directors and its management are "very close" to signing a 1-year bridge agreement. According to the plan, current musicians will immediately return to work and they agree to submit to binding recommendations from a "mutually agreeable orchestra professional." 

Not surprisingly, Metro Council President Jim King, probably our next mayor, brokered the deal. King seems to be the only member of Metro Government that ever  brokers deals. If only he was also an orchestra professional and we'd have another step behind us.


As I wrote last week, I stand with the musicians. (Louisville Orchestra, Inc.'s Board of Directors: impotent)  More from the Louisville Orchestra Musicians Association press release:

GLI-David Yates connection / Dollar General's longterm agenda

Wednesday's Courier-Journal had an editorial from Louisville Councilman David Yates, the sponsor of the anti-landmarks ordinance, that is worthy of inspection: Reader Letter | Proposed changes aren't a war on preservation. To have Yates tell it, he's been involved and engaged in the historic preservation process in the past:

Dea Riley will be in town for Morrison for Senate fundraiser

Then Lt. Gov. Candidate Dea Riley, and Curtis Morrison at Bridges Authority Meeting, June 28, 2011.

I am humbled to confirm that Dea Riley, Gatewood Galbraith's last running mate, will be attending a public fundraiser for the campaign to get me elected into the 35th District State Senate seat.

Louisville Gay bar owner fails diversity marketing

Something about this advertisement is not right. I don't know whether it's because:

LMPD's David Graham slapping suspect in face

WDRB's Gilbert Corsey deserves some kind of Wednesday morning journalism award. My favorite part is when they throw the files down on the desk. I must know whose idea that was. Mark E. Gunn with Connected Voices had this to say on Facebook:

"Thanks to LMPD Chief Steve Conrad for his quick and decisive action in dealing with this matter and to the person who was on it enough to record this as it happened. Our challenge to the rest of you: Don't only use your phones to catch BAD cops in the act. Help GOOD officers by recording any criminal activity you may see as well. Are you up to it ?"

4/11/2012 Related update regarding Chief Conrad's reaction to Beecher Terrace arrest:

Put your couch fire out so we can find Bigfoot before Neo-Nazis get here

Louisville's original: @fairdalebigfoot

Kentucky in the news like all the time now! A couple weeks ago, Lexington made Kentucky famous with couch-burning riots following a basketball game. Then more couch-burning riots, car surfing, and a shooting following another basketball game.

Why Long John Silver's not revealed ALEC membership?

A boycott is organically being waged on the internets against the corporations and legislators who are members of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).  That includes YUM! Brands, but not at least one of it's former subsidiaries.

99 tent- WTH?

Photo by Shawn Reilly

Yes, there's a big 99 on this tent that's been up at the former Showcase Cinemas location since this weekend, and I have no idea why. Is Occupy Louisville doing stuff on the DL I don't know about, or is this for the elephants...I'm so confused. Anyone know anything?
4/10/12 4:02 pm Update, mystery revealed:

How Kentucky's General Assembly invited stupid Neo-Nazis to Thunder

Screenshot from National Socialist Movement website: nsm88.org

Saturday, April 21, 2012 threatens to be an embarrassing day for Kentucky. On that day, Louisville will be celebrating the Kentucky Derby Festival with Thunder over Louisville. In Frankfort, at Kentucky's State Capital, the National Socialist Movement (NSM) will be having a march and a rally called "National Socialist Movement Storms Kentucky State Capital" to address "illegal immigration, crime, the recession, White Civil Rights, and other critical issues facing our nation."

Callers calling the phone number listed on NSM's flyer will hear a one minute, 20 second recording of White America propaganda. "White America's solution to the problem is the National Socialist Movement."..."We refuse to let our nation become one giant Alamo."

One giant Alamo? SMH.

NSM also has a video promoting their rally uploaded to Youtube. CAUTION- The messages contained in video are predictably banal, as in mind-numbingly stupid and of course revolting. But the music, it is really awful. Screamers, the worst kind, too. I warned you:

Fischer's eviction of Occupy Louisville impresses his GOP base

In January, Mayor Greg Fischer spent $9.99 to manually renew the domain name FISCHERFORSENATE.COM. (Senator Greg Fischer?)


This week he's appeasing Kentucky's Bush-apologist Republicans, statewide, with his eviction of Occupy Louisville. (Lexington Herald Leader: Mayor orders Occupy Louisville out of park)

Urban Outfitters contractor FAIL

Bahrain: Shouting in the dark -MUST SEE

The US alliance with Saudi Arabia has reached the end of it's days.

I've told a few people lately that I was "warming up" to Mayor Greg Fischer. Considering his planned eviction of Occupy Louisville, his latest of several attempts to put down dissent, I have changed my mind and I will be stepping up my game. A community is only as strong as it's tolerance of dissent.

Email from ALEC in 2011 lists Denise Harper Angel in directory as 'Alternate' / More on ALEC reimbursing legislator expenses

Harper Angel's listing in 6/20/11 ALEC membership directory

On June 20, 2011, Courtney O'Brien, the Director of the American Legislative Research Council's (ALEC) Public Safety and Elections, and Commerce, Insurance, and Economic Development Task Forces, sent this email   that included an attachment of the membership directory for her two Task Forces.


Three ALEC members are listed with Louisville addresses, and one incumbent member of the Kentucky General Assembly is listed, as an "alternate," highlighted in yellow below.

Travis Doster, Private Sector Member, Texas Roadhouse, Director of Public Relations

Kevin M. Lundy, Director, Government Relations, YUM! Brands, Inc.,

Matthew P. Lathrop, YUM! Brands, Director of Government Relations, YUM! Brands, Inc.

Senator Denise Harper Angel, Alterate, Kentucky Senator 

NASCAR Wannabe problems

LMPD are taking eyewitness testimony on corner of Jackson and E. Broadway at 4:45 pm, where the driver of #3 was the victim of a passenger side strike by Team Chevrolet pickup.

Denise Harper Angel responds, again.

Fine, traditional media. If you don't want to cover the primary election for 35th District Senate race, I'll cover it myself. Just realize, I am one of the two candidates, so a bias might slip in. I have been bringing awareness to the incumbent Senator Denise Harper Angel's membership in ALEC, as revealed first publicly by the Center for Media and Democracy.

Here is her response:

" Curtis,

The picture you have posted of me in your ALEC commentary is terribly misleading since it was in fact taken , and I am certain that you know this, at a charity event here in Louisville for Health Kentucky which provides health care services for those who cannot afford it.   If you are a fair minded person, you will  not continue to mislead your readers and you will post this email on your site.  Your rants against me are unwarranted.

First of all, I am no longer a member of ALEC as I have opted out of the automatic renewal of membership for legislators.  I attended two meetings in 2005 & 2006,  and my thoughts at the time were that as a newly elected senator I needed to be aware of issues that may come before me since I do have to function within a Republican-controlled Senate.   This response was quoted in the Courier-Journal after my opponent brought the subject to the press.  Legislators are also automatically placed on a committee.

I do not agree with the philosophies of ALEC. My voting record will show that my work in the State Senate over the past 8 years is not aligned whatsoever with the agenda put forth by ALEC. And as I have indicated, I withdrew my membership from this organization and have no intention of attending any future meetings.

Thanks again for the opportunity to address these concerns.

Best regards,

Denise"

I have responded just now:

"Denise,
Thanks for writing.

1)  I had cut the caption short on that picture because blogger wanted to format the image larger if the caption was larger. Can see where that is misleading and  I'll play with that.
2) You have opted out of automatic renewal membership... Like most voters, I do not know exactly what that means.
Did you, or taxpayers, pay an annual membership fee for you to be an ALEC member?
Did they pay your airfare on these trips?
3) How do you feel membership in the Council for State Governments is any different?
Does CSG pay for air, lodging, food for their events? If not, who does?
4) Saying your voting record is not aligned with ALEC when you voted for SB116 last year, as they were championing it, is a little misleading, too. Just a heads up.

Appreciate the discourse.

Curt"

 update 4//7/12 11:20 pm:The picture Harper Angel is referring to, and the latest blog entry I've written about her and ALEC can be found: HERE.

And because it's the weekend and I'm putting off writing two papers, here's a couple other pictures of Harper Angel from her campaign website,  one already contains her captioning. but I'll expand upon the context, because, well, she's mad at me anyway:

On April 5, 2012, Coca-Cola, like Senator Harper Angel, dropped their ALEC membership, too: PR Watch: Breaking News: Coca-Cola Dumps ALEC.  Politico: Coke drops conservative group ALEC

"The decision to 'discontinue its membership' came Wednesday, just a few hours after the black online advocacy group ColorofChange began a boycott of the company (Coca-Cola)."- Politico 

"ALEC brings together state legislators, who pay $100 for a two-year membership, and corporations, which pay between $2,500 and $25,000 for an annual membership. The legislators and corporate representatives draft templates of legislation that can be used by lawmakers and lobbyists as models for state or federal legislation." - Politico

And about the Council for State Governments question I asked above:I'm only curious because the Council has several policy positions that are identical to ALEC's, like their opposition to the EPA regulation of greenhouse gases.
According to this year's General Assembly Directory, Senator Williams, in addition to being proud of his former ALEC legislator of the year award, is also a Chair of the Council for State Governments.

Williams, from the 2012 General Assembly Directory

Williams from the #kyga12 director

Below Harper Angel is pictured at a conference sponsored by the Council for State Governments in Myrtle Beach in September of 20111. 

Harper Angel at CSG-sponsored conference, from her campaign website

Council for State Government legislators are like tribbles, apparently.

From CSG website

Good night. Happy Easter, Denise.