Please help us change this culture of death
White folks: The murder of Rayshard Brooks presents an opportunity for you to ask yourself — To what extent have I been swallowing a needlessly violent cop culture that’s been fed to me for my entire life? The Brooks shooting, and incidents like it, can be more difficult than the straightforward torture and murder of…
Protest for racial justice taken to the Big Four Bridge
The killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor by police brought protests in downtown Louisville and have since spread to other parts of the city, all calling for police reform and demands for racial justice. Peaceful protests continue near the Hall of Justice, and on Saturday, June 13, about 40 protesters marched on the Big…
5 Things To Do This Week In Louisville (6/15)
MONDAY, June 15 World Refugee Day Facebook Free | All day Catholic Charities of Louisville is taking its annual World Refugee Day celebration virtual — and it’ll be recognizing Louisville refugees all week. Watch its Facebook page for international recipes, artistic performances and addresses from 10 Louisville leaders. TUESDAY, June 16 #SavetheStage502 Facebook Live Donation…
How To Support Racial Justice and Diversity This Week In Louisville (6/15)
ALL WEEK 502 Black Business Week Various Locations Prices and times vary During 502 Black Business Week, you can score discounts and deals from over 60 Black-owned businesses in Louisville. Tiandra Robinson created Black Business Week to increase exposure from Louisville’s rich Black business scene. Participating businesses include sweet shops, clothing stores, salons, travel agencies,…
Elections 2020: We need three polling locations for the June 23 primary, not one
Impossible is a word to use with discretion. Yet, the Jefferson County Clerk selected this word to explain why Louisville cannot have more than one primary polling location. After extensive research, I believe it would be more accurate to say three polling locations would not only be doable, but more prudent. Impossible is also the…
Metro Council, mayor ban no-knock search warrants under ‘Breonna’s Law’
The Louisville Metro Council voted unanimously Thursday night to ban police from obtaining no-knock search warrants and set new rules for executing search warrants, under an ordinance called “Breonna’s Law.” Mayor Greg Fischer signed the ordinance into law Friday afternoon. Louisville police shot and killed Breonna Taylor, 26, on March 13 while executing a no-knock…
How To Support Racial Justice And Diversity This Weekend In Louisville (6/12)
ALL WEEKEND Keep Pushing for Police Reform Various locations Free | Times vary Thursday night, Metro City Council unanimously approved an all-out ban on no-knock warrants in response to the police killing of Breonna Taylor. There are still changes to be made in Louisville. Black Lives Matter is pushing to defund the police, fire the…
Searching for a more perfect union: Five years after the marriage equality ruling
Pride Month this year is different than others. Not only is it the fifth anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that legalized same-sex marriage, but it comes just as America has exploded once again with racial tension because of the continued mistreatment of Black people at the hands of police and society in general.…
Fairness Campaign pulls support for Fischer, the mayor responds
The Fairness Campaign, which advocates statewide for LGBTQ+ rights including passage of state and local fairness ordinances, has withdrawn its support for Mayor Greg Fischer. It details its reasons in the op-ed below. Fischer’s response and that of his spokesperson follow. The Fairness Campaign and our political action committee, C-FAIR, grieve the murders of Breonna…
Marriage equality case 5 years later: Can that victory be replicated for racial justice?
One single quill hangs on the wall of my home office. It’s the badge you collect from counsel’s table at the Supreme Court of the United States. A bright, white feather intended to evoke the magnanimity of the high court. A trinket to inspire the awe and respect due the institution. A few cells plucked…
Smoking Good: River House Smoked Chicken Chowder and Schlenkerla Rauchbier
We have all been missing dining in our favorite restaurants. But the good news during the stay-at-home period is that so many of those restaurants offered curbside takeout, and many continue to do so. That goes a long way to giving us a break from the kitchen. And here’s another way to make dinner a highlight…
Dine well at a proper distance on Selena’s patio
I’ve never been tempted to sample fugu, the Japanese pufferfish whose internal organs are filled with poison so powerful that even a speck left in your sashimi by a careless chef can drop you dead after a few horrifying hours of pain. Plenty of Japanese gourmands will pay upwards of $200 for a fugu meal,…
Local record shops reopen… slowly, carefully
Brett Ralph was initially nervous about reopening his record store and book shop Surface Noise on June 4, worrying that we were still too deep in the pandemic. But as the store’s regulars migrate back, with safety and distancing measures in place, it’s been reassuring to Surface Noise’s goal — to be a neighborhood cultural…
Thorns and Roses: The Worst, Best and Most Absurd
Cops told McAtee to get a gun | Thorn One comment made about the fatal police shooting of David McAtee adds a layer of tragic irony. His nephew, Marvin McAtee, told The Courier Journal that “officers, who often ate at the barbecue shop, came in two days before the shooting to eat and advised David…
Debunking five obstacles to moving Castleman
[Ed. note: This week, the statue of John B. Castleman, who had been a Confederate officer, was removed by the city from Cherokee Triangle.] There is so much emotion out there about sculptures and murals being removed and covered. Here is my take, from an art historian who believes in the value and power of…
Charles Booker for U.S. Senate
The old cliche goes: Timing is everything in politics. But, it’s cliche for good reason. When my dad, John Yarmuth, ran for Congress in 2006, he was the right candidate for the time. President George W. Bush was dragging the country through a scandalous second term, including two unpopular wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and…
Savage Love: Streamers
Hey, Everybody: We had our first Savage Love Livestream event last Thursday night, and I had such a blast! A huge crowd of Savage Love readers and Savage Lovecast listeners got together on Zoom for a live online Q&A that raised more than $14,000 for Northwest Harvest, an organization that supports food banks in my…
