News

For just the second time in school history, the University of Louisville baseball team is going to the College World Series.

Jeff Thompson pitched seven strong innings in U of L’s 2-1 victory over No. 2 overall seed Vanderbilt in a NCAA super regional today in Nashville.

The Cards have won a school-record 51 games this season. They swept their best-of-three series with the Commodores, who defeated U of L 10-2 back in April.

UPDATE, 10:52 pm: Officials say the Shelter-in-Place has been lifted for residents living within one mile of the DuPont Louisville plant in Rubbertown. 

A tank filled with 400,000 gallons of hydrochloric acid is still leaking, but officials have determined there is no risk to the public or plant workers.

The Environmental Protection Agency, Metropolitan Sewer District, the health and fire departments are on sight working with DuPont to help contain the chemical.

Officials say the situation is stable.

The Eve Theatre company continues its inaugural season this week with the anthology play “Motherhood Out Loud,” a follow-up to November’s “Love, Loss, and What I Wore.” Directed by Nancy Hoover, “Motherhood Out Loud” boasts a writing team of 13 playwrights, including Pulitzer Prize finalist Theresa Rebeck and Pulitzer winner Beth Henley, with the mission of challenging traditional ideas of what it means to be a mother and a family.

Each week, members of the WFPL News team spotlight interesting stories we've read and enjoyed, for your weekend reading pleasure:

The final week of school brings scenes of relief—a culmination of hard work—for Jefferson County Public Schools students and teachers. 

To learn more about what those last days of a school year are like, WFPL gave a recorder to a teacher who describes the relationships that are harvested and earned.

Meet Cherie Edwards, who has taught at Johnson Traditional Middle School for 14 years.

Six TARC routes changed Sunday as the public transit agency attempts to improve service and  save an estimated $1.8 million.

Palace Malice took charge on the turn for home and won the Belmont Stakes today, holding off Preakness winner Oxbow and Kentucky Derby winner Orb.

The win gave Todd Pletcher his second Belmont winner in six years, and vindicated the trainer's support of a 3-year-old who came into the final leg of the Triple Crown with only one win.

Palace Malice, who finished 12th in the Derby and skipped the Preakness, covered the 1½ miles in a slow 2:30.70 on a fast track following a 24-hour downpour.

Matt Helms delivered a two-out, two-run pinch-hit single to lead the University of Louisville baseball team to a 5-3 victory over No. 2 overall seed Vanderbilt in a NCAA super regional opener Saturday.

The Cards need one more victory to advance to the College World Series.

Helms had driven in only three runs all season. But with the bases loaded in the seventh, the senior stepped in and hit a 1-2 pitch from Vanderbilt closer Brian Miller down the third-base line.

A report by the ACLU this week confirmed what many of us already suspected: Although marijuana usage is similar between black and white folks, black people are more likely to be arrested for possession (in some counties, much more likely). 

In the nation as a whole, black people are, on average, 3.73 times more likely to be arrested for pot than white people. Zoom in to Kentucky, and you're six times more likely to be arrested for possession if you're a person of color (Kentucky's disparity is among the largest; only four states and the District of Columbia were worse).

To help make sense of these numbers, we spoke this week with Amber Duke from the Kentucky ACLU. She says the disparity largely has to do with larger police presence in certain parts of town - usually African-American neighborhoods. So although crime rates may be similar, there are more cops around to see them.

Plus, when someone is found with a small amount of marijuana, it's up to the officer's discretion whether to issue a citation or take the person to jail. Any time you have discretion of this kind, officers' own prejudices can come into play.

Given the staggering amount of resources we pour into the "war" on marijuana (Kentucky spent $19.5 million in 2010 on marijuana enforcement) it's fair to wonder whether this is money well spent or money spent on racially biased law enforcement activity. 

Also this week on our Juicy Fruit segment, we talked about the heckler and Michelle Obama, and why a white lady was so "taken aback" when the first lady politely but firmly asked her to stop yelling while Mrs. Obama tried to give a speech at a fundraiser about children. 

And we learned about Louisville's first-ever Derby City Black Pride Weekend, going on this weekend, and co-founded by our very own Jaison Gardner!

A wet track is expected for tomorrow’s running of the Belmont Stakes in New York.  The area has been getting soaked by the remnants of Tropical Storm Andrea.

A field of 14 is entered for the final leg of thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown.

It’s the largest Belmont field since 1996,and as was the case that year, there is no triple crown on the line.

Kentucky Derby winner Orb was set as the early favorite at 3-1.     Preakness champ Oxbow will compete with early odds of 5-1.