This Kentucky General Assembly is going to be very different for the public
This story is by the Kentucky Lantern, which is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. More of Kentucky Lantern’s work can be found at kentuckylantern.com. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter. A big change is in store for lawmakers and the public when the Kentucky…
Last Eastern Kentucky Democrat in statehouse to not seek reelection
This story is by the Kentucky Lantern, which is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. More of Kentucky Lantern’s work can be found at kentuckylantern.com. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter. The General Assembly’s last remaining Democrat from Eastern Kentucky announced she will not seek…
Dinosaur World Live Stomps Into Louisville’s Brown Theatre On January 23
Families in Louisville can travel back in time this winter when Dinosaur World Live comes to the Brown Theatre on Jan. 23. The internationally acclaimed, Olivier Award-winning stage production will take place at 7 p.m. at 315 West Broadway. Designed for audiences of all ages, Dinosaur World Live is an interactive theatrical experience that blends…
Overnight Fire Destroys Cluckers Restaurant On Jeffersonville Riverfront
A popular Jeffersonville riverfront restaurant was destroyed in an overnight fire Tuesday after flames rapidly spread from what was initially reported as a trash fire. According to the Jeffersonville Fire Department, crews were originally summoned about 1:18 a.m. on Dec. 30 to a complaint of a dumpster or trash fire behind the Cluckers restaurant on…
Kentucky blood supply at critically low post-holiday levels
This is a Kentucky Lantern story republished under Creative Commons. See more from Kentucky Lantern here. The Kentucky Blood Center is reporting a “significant strain” on its blood supply following the holiday season. The organization is asking for people, especially those with O type or A- blood, to donate this week “to boost the source of lifesaving…
Top Ten Of 2025: LEO Weekly Film Critic Daniel Cruse’s Favorite Movies Of The Year
Blockbusters, indies, and everything in-between round out the best films of 2025. With such a large, all-encompassing crop of movies, some went unseen, others bounced hard, and some must-see films did not make the list. These titles are strongly recommended in addition to the top ten: Avatar: Fire and Ash, Black Bag, Die My Love,…
‘Marty Supreme’ Review: Timothée Chalamet’s Propulsive Ping-Pong Drama is an Instant American Classic
“I want to be one of the greats,” Timothée Chalamet shared this dream during his 2025 Screen Actors Guild acceptance speech for A Complete Unknown, though it could have just as easily been a covert start to the thunderous press run for Marty Supreme, a movie about dreaming big and chasing greatness at any cost. …
Beef ’O’ Brady’s In Middletown Closes After 22 Years in Business
After more than two decades in business, Beef ’O’ Brady’s in Middletown has officially closed, marking the end of a long-running neighborhood staple. The restaurant, located on Blankenbaker Parkway near Shelbyville Road, announced the closure in a Facebook post on Monday, confirming that December 22 would be its final day of operation. The location had…
Harlem Globetrotters Bring 100 Year Tour To Louisville’s KFC Yum! Center
The Harlem Globetrotters are celebrating a century of basketball entertainment with their 100 Year Tour, stopping at the KFC Yum! Center on January 16, 2026. The tour honors 100 years of gravity-defying dunks, trick shots, and crowd interaction, showcasing the team that redefined basketball as both sport and spectacle. Fans can expect all-new surprises, including…
Viral Comedy Star Trevor Wallace Brings “The Alpha Beta Male Tour” To Louisville
Stand-up comedian, writer, and actor Trevor Wallace brings his “Alpha Beta Male Tour” to Louisville with a stop at the Brown Theatre on January 9. Wallace has amassed a massive digital following, with over 2.5 billion views across social platforms and more than 16 million followers. His work has been featured by Comedy Central, MTV,…
NYE Live! Returns to Fourth Street Live! With Ball Drop, Live Music, and All-Inclusive Packages
Louisville’s downtown New Year’s Eve destination returns with NYE Live! at Fourth Street Live!, offering a high-energy way to close out 2025 and welcome 2026 in the heart of the city. The celebration runs from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. on December 31 and features live entertainment from Soul Circus, the city’s only New York–style…
Kentucky set to pull funding from peer support for recovery, is asked to reconsider
Chris Sudduth sold drugs to support a long addiction to heroin and methamphetamine, netting himself a criminal record. While that resume would put off many employers, it eminently qualifies Sudduth for the job he’s done the last three years — work that he loves and worries he will soon lose because of a change in…
Baxter Avenue Theatres Ends 30-Year Run—Another Major Closure For Mid City Mall
The Highlands’ Mid City Mall, a long-standing neighborhood hub on Bardstown Road, is losing another key tenant as Baxter Avenue Theatres confirms it will close its doors on Dec. 31 after nearly three decades of operation. At the same time, ValuMarket announced plans to leave the mall when its lease expires in June 2026. Baxter…
The Maestro of Louisville Festivals: A Conversation with Event Producer & Entrepreneur Trevor Cravens
This is a republished story from our friends at Audience502. See more from Audience502 here. Louisville’s festival season never really ends — and if you’ve ever wondered who’s behind many of the city’s most energetic, eclectic, and wildly fun community events, look no further than local entrepreneur and event producer Trevor Cravens. As co-owner of HB Productions…
Kentucky Ranks No. 1 Nationwide For Porch Pirate Risk In New 2025 Index
A 2025 analysis from The Action Network ranks Kentucky as the worst state in the country for package-theft risk, placing it ahead of far larger states with significantly higher raw crime totals. Kentucky ranks No. 1 nationwide, with an implied theft probability of 29.8% — meaning nearly one in three deliveries is considered at risk…
25 For 2025: LEO Weekly Music Writer Jeff Polk’s Favorite Local Songs Of The Year
Like last year and the year before that, I decided that it would be fun to do a write-up of all my favorite local songs of the year. And like the previous couple of years, I quickly found myself overwhelmed. How do you narrow it down to just a handful of songs when there are…
‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Review: James Cameron Delivers Another Spectacular Adventure On Pandora
The world of Pandora goes deeper and darker than ever before in James Cameron’s newest adventure, Avatar: Fire and Ash. The film follows the Sully family, led by Sam Worthington’s Jake Sully and Zoë Saldaña’s Neytiri, thrust into the middle of another conflict with Stephen Lang’s villainous Miles Quaritch, a colonizing military force, and a…
KY Supreme Court changes course, strikes down law singling out Jefferson County schools
This is a Kentucky Lantern story republished under Creative Commons. See more from Kentucky Lantern here. Nearly a year after it upheld a law that would have opened a path for the General Assembly to impose laws on a single Kentucky locale or entity, the Kentucky Supreme Court has reversed itself and declared the law unconstitutional. In a…
‘Shop Where Your Dollar Matters’: How To Shop Sustainably In Louisville This Holiday Season
The holiday season creates a lot of additional waste through gift giving and single use items, but there are several brands working right out of Louisville that use sustainable practices – allowing you to give high-quality gifts with the environment in mind. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the volume of household waste in…
Phantom Family Halo And Duchess Set For Night At Planet Of The Tapes
An eclectic night of live music is lined up for Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, when The Phantom Family Halo and Duchess perform at Planet of the Tapes. The show begins at 8 p.m., with general admission tickets priced at $10. Known for its intimate setting and adventurous booking, Planet of the Tapes provides a low-pressure…
Ford to convert KY battery plant for energy storage business, reportedly laying off 1,500 workers
Ford Motor Co. will lay off about 1,500 workers in Kentucky as it converts a ballyhooed plant in Hardin County from making batteries for electric vehicles to making batteries for a new energy storage business. Ford on Monday also announced that it is taking a $19.5 billion writedown and canceling several electric vehicle models in the face…
Beloved Southern Indiana Ice Creamery Owner Announces Plans To Step Away
A beloved ice cream shop in southern Indiana is entering a period of transition. Widow’s Walk Ice Creamery in Clarksville is officially looking for a new owner, according to a social media announcement from current owner Jill Dodson, who described the decision as “the end of my era” after more than a decade at the…
Fast-Growing Slider Chain Sets Sights On Louisville
As part of a larger Kentucky expansion, a rapidly expanding national slider chain is getting ready to make a push into Louisville. Smalls Sliders, a concept known for serving cheeseburger sliders out of bright-orange shipping container units called “Cans,” has secured a new development agreement that will bring five of those Cans to the metro…
Coastal-Inspired Franny’s Seafood Launches In This Louisville Neighborhood
Franny’s Seafood is officially serving guests in Louisville’s Schnitzelburg neighborhood. Meghan Love, the restaurant’s owner and native of Louisville, debuted it on December 6 at 998 Goss Ave. Fish & chips, fresh oysters, clams casino, shrimp rolls, and other mainstays that can be traced back to the Northeastern coastline are all part of the menu’s…
Lindsey Stirling Brings Her High-Energy “Snow Waltz Tour” to the Yum! Center — and Louisville Fans Are Thrilled
This is a republished story from our friends at Audience502. See more from Audience502 here. International violin sensation Lindsey Stirling is set to bring her electrifying “Snow Waltz Tour” to the KFC Yum! Center on December 19, and Louisville fans are buzzing with excitement. Known for blending virtuosic violin with pop, electronic, and even dubstep influences, Stirling has carved…
Louisville Has One of the Smallest Shares of Immigrant Construction Workers Among Large U.S. Metros, New Analysis Shows
Unlike thriving construction hubs like Miami, Houston, or Los Angeles, Louisville stands out nationally due to its relatively low reliance on immigrant labor. A new analysis from Construction Coverage, which evaluated U.S. Census Bureau statistics, shows the Louisville/Jefferson County metro employs 5,301 foreign-born construction workers, or 13.9% of the local industry workforce. Among large U.S.…
Norton Commons Unveils Holiday Market Lineup, Showcasing Five Local Small Businesses
With a new group of small businesses operating inside its North Village Market Retail Cottages, Norton Commons is getting ready for the holiday season. Through December 31, five rotating retailers will occupy the temporary storefronts at 6301 Moonseed Street, carrying on a tradition that has assisted over a dozen local business owners in making the…
New Data Shows Louisville Near The Bottom For Singles—See Where The City Ranked
Louisville ranked around the middle of WalletHub’s annual Best & Worst Cities for Singles survey, coming in at No. 104 out of 182 cities analyzed for dating-friendliness in 2025. The yearly list analyzes cities across 35 parameters relating to affordability, recreation and dating prospects. Louisville and Indianapolis tied for the same rank with a total…
What’s Your Tolerance, Bruh?
Depending on what age range you decided to try cannabis, how often you partook and for how long, you might have stumbled upon a particularly strong session where you just didn’t get ‘that high’. Or, if you start early one day and go all day – it just doesn’t hit as hard. Welcome to Tolerance.…
As KY Republicans mull income tax cut, Beshear warns against crashing fiscal guardrails
This is a Kentucky Lantern story republished under Creative Commons. See more from Kentucky Lantern here. With a little over a month before the GOP-controlled Kentucky legislature begins deciding whether to again reduce the state’s income tax rate, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear is warning lawmakers against disregarding fiscal “guardrails” that they previously established. A big decision facing…
Louisville Hosts Free Performance Of Handel’s Judas Maccabeus for Hanukkah
The Derby City Chamber Music Festival will offer a free performance of Handel’s Judas Maccabeus—a rarely presented oratorio that tells the story of Hanukkah with musical drama. The event will take place at The Temple on U.S. 42 on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. The performance is free to the public, with a…
Louisville Orchestra Launches Buy One, Give One Holiday Campaign
With a December-long program to increase access to live music, the Louisville Orchestra is embracing the spirit of the season. Every ticket purchased between December 1 and December 31 immediately produces a free ticket for a community member who might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend a performance as part of its Buy One,…
‘Wake Up Dead Man’ Review: Another Benoit Blanc Mystery, With A Richer Thematic Core
An impossible crime, a burdened priest, and a befuddled detective drive the narrative of Rian Johnson’s latest Knives Out mystery, Wake Up Dead Man. The third installment in this franchise centering around Daniel Craig as the theatrical and ever-so-charming Detective Benoit Blanc, brings us to a small town in upstate New York where a murder…
Where Does Kentucky Rank Among States For Identity Theft And Fraud Risk?
Kentucky ranks 33rd overall in WalletHub’s latest research of states most vulnerable to identity theft and fraud. Kentucky is firmly in the bottom half of the nation according to the ranking, which reflects a profile that is considerably worse than much of the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic but less terrible than the hardest-hit states. Three components…
Louisville’s Morning Pointe Lantern Hosts 2nd Annual Christmas Cookie Exchange This December
The Lantern at Morning Pointe Louisville Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence is once again rolling out the holiday welcome mat. The event organizers say that the community is encouraged to meet for the 2nd Annual Christmas Cookie Exchange, on Friday, Dec. 19 from 2–4 p.m. at 4701 S. Hurstbourne Parkway in Louisville. What to expect from…
Mark Z. Danielewski Brings His New Novel “Tom’s Crossing” To Louisville
Enigmatic Author for a Winter’s Read Carmichael’s presents Mark Z. Danielewski 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 9 7300 Jefferson Blvd. (South Central Regional Library) Free carmichaelsbookstore.com Welcome back, my friends, to the Western novel that never ends. Or so it might seem, when you first heft Mark Z Danielewski’s latest tome. But if you’re already a…
Slime Kitchen To Open First Kentucky Location At This Louisville Mall
Slime Kitchen is spreading its gooey, hands-on universe to Louisville with a new store at Mall St. Matthews, marking the brand’s first step into Kentucky. On Thursday, December 11, the experience-based franchise, which is well-known for allowing visitors to create their own unique slime masterpieces, will have its grand opening. According to the company, its…
This Favorite Fish Spot Closes Its Doors Across The River—Here’s When They Plan To Come Back
New Albany’s Outcast Fish and Oyster Bar has closed, but a new idea is already being developed. The restaurant will be renovated and reintroduced in early spring 2026 with a broader menu intended to appeal to a wider audience beyond seafood-focused diners, according to BRAND Hospitality Group, which also announced the immediate shutdown. The company…
Louisville Job Growth And Affordability Metrics Climb In 2025
Greater Louisville is seeing positive momentum in its economy, according to the 2025 Regional Economic Dashboard from Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI). The dashboard tracks the Metropolitan Statistical Area’s progress in 28 categories, covering population growth, talent, the economy, labor market, and livability. This year’s update shows particularly strong performance in job growth, affordability, and earnings…
For ‘hidden homeless,’ a resource hub and hopes for a shelter in this rural KY place
This is a Kentucky Lantern story republished under Creative Commons. See more from Kentucky Lantern here. CENTRAL CITY — As Gwen Clements walks through the building where her fledgling nonprofit is making its home, she sees the work that’s still ahead. The corroded electrical wiring inside the small building along Everly Brothers Boulevard needs to be replaced. Ceiling…
