Cover Story
The Mother Teresa of Mud Creek
Lyndon Johnson grew up poor on a farm in a small Texas town, only to helicopter into Martin County, Ky., decades later as president and promise to end the poverty problem. His ambitious “War on Poverty,” declared 50 years ago, aimed a behemoth of government funding and innovation at stemming the tide for those hardest…
Taste Bud: The sandwich that broke my dog
When I was a kid, my dad and I would go out and do stuff most every Saturday morning, and one of our rituals was to stop by McDonald’s for a sausage biscuit or maybe an Egg McMuffin. I usually eat cereal and fruit for breakfast these days (which may explain why I am still…
My Gay Banjo plays with reckless abandon
Saturday nights often present a dilemma for those looking to get out — do you grab dinner and a movie, or dinner and a concert? The Rudyard Kipling will help you solve that problem Saturday by featuring an event that involves both — a screening of “Out Here,” a documentary about LGBTQ farmers, followed by…
Art: Art sustained
Sustainability has become a buzzword. Propagated by publicists and businesses trying to capitalize off our collective guilt, words like “sustainable” and “green” have been attached to products and ideas by companies without further explanation or proof. Does being a sustainable makeup brand just mean using only natural ingredients? Does it include a commitment to fair…
NamNam’s version of chicken soup is certainly for the soul
“Hack-hack! Ker-CHOO! Cough! Snort!” Aw, kee-rap! Mary’s got a cold, and it sounds like a monster. This can’t be good. Not only do I wish no ill on my dear bride, but also let’s face it: When Momma’s not happy, ain’t nobody happy. What to do? What to do? I know! Chicken noodle soup! Now,…
Unfair housing
In 1954, when Andrew Wade and his wife, Charlotte, wanted to move their family to the booming Louisville suburbs, their race proved too big a barrier to overcome. First, white realtors refused to sell to them because they were black. Then, after a prominent white couple acted as “fronts” and purchased the home for them,…
Completely Obsessed
Chasing a different rabbit I had a minor epiphany last week. It’s hard to call it a real epiphany, because it’s been festering since late last year. One of those moments you can feel creeping in over a long period, but just can’t exactly decide what it is. For me, it was the sudden desire…
Inbox — Feb. 19, 2014
Talented Chef Thank you for acknowledging Siwon Yu (of Maido) in your cover story about Toki Masabuchi’s success (LEO Weekly, Feb. 5). Siwon was a talented chef, a generous employer, a thoughtful friend and a wonderful man. He is remembered with much love. Amadea Schenk, Clifton Go Hide! Today a federal judge said Kentucky must…
John Cumbler and American history’s 238 shades of gray
Recently, I took a break from the sometimes hellish grind of life to have a few strong cherry stouts and some of the best jerk wings in the city at Cumberland Brews with one of my idols — University of Louisville history professor Dr. John Cumbler. During our latest drinking session, Cumbler captivated me with…
Advice: Savage Love
Q: I am a straight male, married to a woman for 25 years. Our marriage started to go sour about 14 years ago. Sex was infrequent and stultifying. Finally, when the kids were old enough, I made plans to separate. When my wife got wind of these plans, she finally agreed to work on our…
Get sprung!
I love winter. Not all of the time, but I love it this year because it has actually been cold and snowy. If we are going to have to suffer through the cold and achy seasons, then it should be pretty. The thing is, despite my love for winter, this one is beginning to hang…
WEB EXCLUSIVE: Vodka Yonic
I’m driving in circles around the park just past dusk. It’s dark outside, but I can make out the familiar figure in the distance. He is waiting, and he is waiting for me. It’s unseasonably cold tonight. If I open my car door, perhaps the bitter air will cripple me or jolt me back to…
B-sides
License to mature Initially formed by Lou Barlow and Eric Gaffney in 1986, Sebadoh began as a bridge between harsher ’80s post-punk and the kinder, gentler ’90s. The group — which added Jason Loewenstein in 1989 — became an indie rock pioneer, known early on for their “lo-fi” home-recording style. Gaffney left in 1993, and…
Full circle and full steam ahead with the Watson Twins
When sisters Chandra Watson and Leigh Watson released their third full-length album, Pioneer Lane, in September, casual fans of their folk/country-inflected group would not have realized it marked the first chapter in their new lives. But for the Louisville born-and-bred twins, it was the first album they recorded in their new home city of Nashville…
Book: Cornerman
‘The Rejected Stone: Al Sharpton and the Path to American Leadership’ By Al Sharpton. Cash Money Content; 272 pgs., $22. The Rev. Al Sharpton has to be one of the most divisive figures of the quarter-century, but his history is more than tracksuits and Tawana Brawley. Those subjects make up but two chapters in a…
Video TapeWorm
THIS WEEK’S TWIN PEEKS: GRAVITY 2014; $29.98; PG-13 This two-man disaster movie works on every level. First off, the special effects are simply unbelievable, taking place in and around orbiting space platforms: You’ll swear they must have been filmed on location — even better in 3-D! Second, the writing is sparse, simple and brilliant; and…
Celebrating Hunter S. Thompson
It’s dangerous to write about Louisville’s most celebrated writer, who died nine years ago tomorrow. “Hunter S. Thompson, the maverick journalist and author whose savage chronicling of the underbelly of American life and politics embodied a new kind of nonfiction writing he called ‘gonzo journalism’ died yesterday in Colorado,” reported The New York Times. “He…
Staffpicks
Thursday, Feb. 20 Robyn Hitchcock Headliners Music Hall 1386 Lexington Road headlinerslouisville.com $18-$20; 8 p.m. If you own Robyn Hitchcock albums, you may not be an active participant in vinyl’s comeback. You probably, like me, bought them when records were the chief form of audio pleasure. Hitchcock fronted the Soft Boys in the 1970s, after…
Plugged In
Readers are strongly encouraged to call ahead to verify these listings. To get your musical act listed, send email to pberkowitz@leoweekly.com with PLUGGED IN in the subject line. The deadline is FRIDAY at NOON the week before the show happens. We do not accept listings via social networking sites. Wed FEB 19 Air Devils Inn:…
The Butchertown battle sizzles once more
Louisville’s Butchertown neighborhood is used to the all-too-familiar odors emanating from the 10,000 hogs meeting their demise daily at the JBS Swift slaughterhouse, nestled between East Main Street and Story Avenue. Now the smell has been joined by another familiar presence, as local residents are battling the company over zoning permits relating to the plant’s…
Art: The Local Speed doesn’t do ‘nice’
For many Louisvillians, mention of the Speed Art Museum calls up memories of school field trips and afternoons with Grandma, taking in the Monets. But with a much-discussed $50 million expansion, a satellite space in oh-so-trendy NuLu and a guest curator who names exhibits after indie pop/punk rockers Beat Happening’s lyrics, something is clearly up…
