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Gov. Andy Beshear delivering a Team Kentucky update. Twitter/GovAndyBeshear

THORN: The Worst Tornado Event In Kentucky History

People dead. Homes destroyed. There’s nothing clever to say about tornadoes that ripped through four states and leveled several Western Kentucky towns. It’s fucking heartbreaking. 

ROSE: The Commonwealth Comes Together

The tornadoes were not good. Period. But, particularly in these politically divided times, it’s been bittersweet to see the state come together to help each other out: to donate money, to load up trucks with supplies, to look for volunteer opportunities (even though there aren’t many yet for the average citizen). We said it throughout the pandemic, but LEO didn’t quite believe it until now: We’re in this together.

THORN: The Bad Tweet

After the devastating tornadoes, writer Nell Scovell — who splits time living on both U.S. coasts — tweeted: “Sorry Kentucky. Maybe if your 2 senators hadn’t spent decades blocking legislation to reduce climate change, you wouldn’t be suffering from climate disasters. If it’s any consolation, McConnell and Rand have f’ed over all of us, too.” As you can imagine, it went viral and people rightfully criticized Scovell, because, you know, trivializing a tragedy to make a political point that contains no nuance from the confines of your wealthy lifestyle makes you a shit person.   

THORN: How Did It Get This Bad?

Earlier this month, three inmates died at Metro Department of Corrections in the span of one week. The jail has requested that the FBI conduct a civil rights investigation into one of the deaths, director Dwayne Clark told Metro Council’s Public Safety Committee. The ACLU is calling for reduced incarceration and ending cash bonds, except in cases where there is a “serious threat to the community.” Daniel Johnson, president of FOP Lodge 77, called the situation “completely unsafe” due to staffing shortages. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer announced that there’s a tentative agreement to bump Metro Department of Corrections pay by 8%. Although the terrible situation is likely a confluence of factors — some decades deep — it’s sad and unacceptable that the city’s leadership and the court system let it get this bad.

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This article appears in December 15, 2021.

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