News

A western Kentucky county has approved changes that will allow a new coal mine to be opened, but there are some restrictions once mining begins.

The Daviess County Fiscal court voted unanimously last night to uphold the rezoning of nearly 700 acres in the southern end of the county. But county officials also placed some limits on what type of equipment could be used at the mine and when the mine could operate.

Here is the rundown for this edition of Byline, hosted by WFPL News Director Gabe Bullard.

0:00 - We talk about the possibility of a local sales tax option for Louisville, championed recently by Mayor Greg Fischer, with WFPL's Phillip M. Bailey, GLI's Carmen Hickerson, and State Representative Steve Riggs.

Two candidates have filed to run for Jefferson County Public School’s District 4 seat, which is being vacated by Joe Hardesty, who has served on the school board since 1990.

Melissa “Missy” Smith and Lloyd “Chip” White are the latest to file for one of the district’s three seats up for grabs this fall. Steve Imhoff's District 2 seat and Larry Hujo's District 7 seat are also up for grabs this fall.

District 4 covers parts of southwest Louisville.

Kentucky environmental attorney Tom FitzGerald has turned down an award from the federal Office of Surface Mining.

FitzGerald--also the head of the Kentucky Resources Council--was to be the first-ever recipient of the ECHO Award, named for the agency's stated principles of Environment, Community, Humanity, and Ownership. The award was given out yesterday in recognition of the 35th anniversary of the passage of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act, or SMCRA.

As expected, Louisville's air was unhealthy yesterday. But there are discrepancies as to exactly how unhealthy.

It’s fine to hit the downtown First Friday Trolley Hop without a plan. Park, wander in and out of galleries, grab a drink or dinner with friends and hop a TARC trolley from one end of downtown to the next and back—you’re sure to find something to catch your eye or ears.

But with so many events and gallery receptions happening at once, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, so every month we take a look at five don’t-miss art events happening during the hop.

The regional compact that oversees water quality in the Ohio River has a new chairman. Kenneth Komoroski is an attorney that often represents the oil and gas industry.

The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission—or ORSANCO—is a regional body that oversees pollution in the Ohio River. It’s governed by a board made up of members from all eight member states, plus up to three federal commissioners appointed by the president. The board appoints its own chair.

“Like a Man” is singer/songwriter Adam Cohen’s first record since 2004. Cohen had some modest success with his band Low Millions ("Ex-Girlfriends"), but after a promising start, his musical career stalled.  

After decades of trying to distance himself from his famous father’s sound (he's the son of famed songwriter and poet Leonard Cohen),  he’s reclaiming his place in the Cohen legacy. “Like a Man” pays deliberate homage to his father’s songs while allowing Cohen to come full circle with a mature and vulnerable sound of his own.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer has vetoed the contentious landmarks ordinance a week after the Metro Council passed the bill.

The legislation amended several provisions of the four decade old law, and allowed a majority vote in the council to overturn a decision made by the city's landmarks commission. Despite stiff opposition from preservationists and outcry from a handful of lawmakers it passed the council by a 16-7 vote.

In a letter to city lawmakers, Fischer agreed with preservationists, who argued the ordinance politicized the process and violated the separation of powers between the council and mayor's office.

"The positive impacts of our current, nationally recognized landmarks law far outweigh the need to change this four decade precedent for our city," he says. "Additionally, the citizens of Louisville have clearly told me that they fear the landmarks process potentially could be politicized through Metro Council involvement.I cannot support a law that allows a simple majority of the Metro Council to overturn the standards based review of the Landmarks Commission."

Kentucky politicians have been lining up to praise a judge’s decision earlier this week to overturn the new way the Environmental Protection Agency has been eval