On Track

The phrase "thoughts and prayers" has become overused almost to the point of cliché, but using faith and prayer as a tool to get through hardship is as old as recorded history. This week on "In Conversation," we explored the role of religion in healing from the traumatic events of 2020 — a particularly poignant question to ponder here in Louisville, where protesters spent a good part of last year fighting for racial justice.

Louisville’s 25th annual Festival of Faiths is underway this weekend, and some of the panelists joined us to explore this year’s theme, faith and race.

The festival is produced by the Center for Interfaith Relations, an organization dedicated to celebrating the city’s diverse faith landscape. But this year, the planning process went beyond the center’s walls, tapping community leaders from Simmons College, Spalding University, the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky, and the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary to help curate.

Here are the guests you’ll hear on our show this week:

• Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson
• Ronda Magee
• Imam Zaid Shakir
• Sarah Kelley

Veterans Day is about honoring our heroes and showing support for our soldiers. There are ceremonies and parades, and special offers for veterans to thank them.

But military service is a tough and sometimes thankless job. And the challenges servicemembers face don’t always end when they return to civilian life.

According to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, on average, about 18 veterans a day take their own lives. If you include active duty soldiers, members of the National Guard and reservists, that number rises to about 20 a day who die by suicide.

On this week’s "In Conversation," we learned more about the mental health challenges that are specific to people who have served in the armed forces. We’ll find out what resources are available in the community to help improve veterans’ mental health and quality of life. And we got an update on the long-awaited new VA Hospital in eastern Jefferson County, and how it might improve vets’ access to health care.

We also talked about recognizing the significance of Black servicemembers on Veterans’ Day. There are more than 2 million Black veterans in the country.

If you are thinking about suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255).

Watch out, bourbon and horse racing, the auto industry is catching up to be one of the things Kentucky is most known for.

More than 500 automotive-related companies reside in Kentucky. And Gov. Andy Beshear announced last month that Ford Motor Company selected Glendale for a $5.8 billion project to build two battery plants, which are expected to create 5,000 jobs.

This week on “In Conversation” with host Rick Howlett, we discussed cars, car parts, supply chain problems, and what all this means for economic development and jobs in Kentucky. And we looked at how Kentucky’s auto industry compares to that of other states.

Auto fun fact: the average car is made up of 30,000 parts — a few more buttons and cranks than the Ford Model T.

When news spread across the city that 16-year-old Tyree Smith was shot and killed in a random shooting while waiting for his school bus, the reality of gun violence shook the city.

Almost daily, it feels as if the Louisville community wakes up or goes to sleep hearing about a new violent crime. And we’re not alone. Gun violence sweeps through all parts of the country.

Hearing so much about violence itself, it’s easy to forget that there are activists, community members and organizations actively working to reduce it.

This week on “In Conversation,” host Rick Howlett talked to people who take different approaches to curb violence, and address the root causes of it.

Our guests included Christopher 2X, Executive Director of the non-profit organization Game Changers, Paul Callanan, Assistant Director at Louisville’s Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods, and Jen Pauliukonis, Director of Policy and Programming at the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence.

Policing and police reform have had a particularly bright spotlight on them in recent years, and the Louisville Metro Police Department has gotten more than its share of attention.

At one point, Louisville aspired to “model city” status when it came to policing. Five years later, the killing of Breonna Taylor and then David McAtee stamped out that hope, as the relationship between LMPD and Louisville’s Black communities became even more fractured.

A new season of Louisville Public Media’s podcast, “Dig,” explores that. In a joint KyCIR/Newsy investigation, insiders and documents reveal the systemic barriers and choices made by city leaders and LMPD that led to its failure to meaningfully change.

This week on “In Conversation” host Rick Howlett talked with those who made the podcast and who are a part of what “Dig” explores.

Abortion, guns, and religious liberty. Few issues are more hot button than these. And in its current term, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear cases involving all three.

Because the topics are complicated but important, on this week’s show two law professors helped us sort through them: Sam Marcosson, Professor at the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law, and Melissa Murray, Professor of Law at NYU School of Law and co-host of the podcast Strict Scrutiny.

The cases before the Supreme Court have implications for every state and community in America, and Kentucky sits right in the epicenter of national attention as Attorney General Daniel Cameron asks the Supreme Court to allow him to defend a Kentucky abortion law that was struck down by a federal court.

We get an update about a topic truly closer to home - the Sherman Minton Bridge project. We discussed the changes that will extend the life of the bridge for another 30 years, and make it safer and more convenient for the 70,000 or so cars a day that travel between Kentucky and Indiana.

More than 6 million Americans over the age of 65 are living with Alzheimer’s Disease, making it the most common form of dementia.

Dementia, in any form, interferes with cognitive function, memory and personality. It can dramatically affect the life of the person with it, and their loved ones who serve as caretakers.

According to the Greater Kentucky and Southern Indiana Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, in Kentucky there were 921 more deaths from dementia than expected in 2020, and researchers think COVID-19 may trigger an increase in Alzheimer's cases down the road.

This week on “In Conversation,” we talked about dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, including new treatment, COVID-19 and its possible impact on the number of dementia cases, and cultural disparities in how dementia is diagnosed and treated.

Our guests were Shannon White, Executive Director of the Greater Kentucky and Southern Indiana chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, Dr. Heehyul Moon, an associate professor at the University of Louisville Kent School of Social Work, and Dr. Greg Cooper, who leads the Norton Neuroscience Institute Memory Center.

This Saturday, the annual Walk To End Alzheimer’s takes place in Louisville, and cities across the country.

If you're a renter trying to keep a roof over your head or a landlord relying on housing income, these last few months have been particularly unsettling.

The federal moratorium on evictions has ended, and even with financial assistance available, it’s a confusing and stressful time.

On this week’s “In Conversation,” we discussed the current state of evictions and utility shutoffs in Louisville and Kentucky at large.

In August, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the latest moratorium on evictions, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help renters who had income loss because of COVID-19.

There is no longer a state or federal law that prevents evictions because of COVID-19, but there is money residents can apply for to help pay their rent and utilities. We talked about that and unpacked some of the legal tangles tenants and landlords have to wade through.

The most recent census numbers show more than seventy-five thousand Asian-American folks live in Kentucky, and a new podcast seeks to share their stories and experiences. “Where Y’all Really From” is the first show to come out of the Louisville Public Media podcast incubator, and three of its four co-creators join us this week to tell us all about it.

• Charlene Buckles co-hosts the show. She’s a former teacher turned fundraiser, and is now the development director of the ACLU of Kentucky.
• State Representative Nima Kulkarni is an immigration attorney and advocate. She serves in the state house of representatives, representing District 40 in Louisville - and she’s the first Indian immigrant in the Kentucky legislature.
• Mae Suramek is a reformed non-profit administrator turned social entrepreneur. She owns a small restaurant empire in Berea Kentucky, where her places are known for a commitment to paying living wages and supporting local food providers.

We talk about how the show came about, and why these conversations are more important than ever in light of anti-Asian and anti-immigrant sentiment related to COVID-19.

We also check in with WFPL City Editor Amina Elahi and Education Reporter Jess Clark about a drive-by shooting that shook Louisville this week. 16-year-old Tyree Smith was killed and two other teenagers were wounded while they waited for the bus to take them to school. We talked through the latest in the case, the city's response, and how JCPS and the community are trying to cope with the loss.

Muhammad Ali, Louisville’s favorite son, left a big footprint on the world.

It’s about to become bigger with the new eight-part documentary produced by filmmaker Ken Burns that premieres this weekend on PBS. Burns brings his storytelling eye to the life and legacy of Ali, as he has done with a wide variety of subjects over the years, including wars, sports, and music. This week in Louisville there will be a series of events celebrating the series, which runs September 19-22.

On this week’s “In Conversation” we had an all-Ali hour hosted by Rick Howlett. We talked to Burns about the making of this film, and his acclaimed career documenting some of the most important cultural topics and people in history. WHAS-11 reporter and anchor Doug Proffitt told us about the archival footage his station discovered and provided for the Ali documentary. And Laura Douglas, who leads the Ali Center, shared her thoughts about how Ali’s legacy still endures and influences future generations.