On Track

The spread of the coronavirus has brought many businesses to a standstill, and forced others to change how they work. Jefferson County Public Schools is giving thousands of Chromebooks to students who don't have guaranteed access to a computer as part of its remote learning plan. The attorney general's office is devoting time to fight scams related to the coronavirus. Most in-person court services in Kentucky have been suspended. In Conversation discussed changes happening across the commonwealth in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our guest were JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio, Consumer Protection Division Director for Kentucky's office of Attorney General Chris Lewis, and Kentucky Chief Justice John Minton.

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Kentucky expects to receive $1.7 billion in aid from the federal CARES Act that was signed into law last week. The money will be used to, among other things, provide unemployement benefits, support for businesses, and meet public health needs. Health officials say citizen participation in social distancing and other prevention steps will be critical in the next few weeks in slowing the spread of coronavirus. For this special In Conversation episode, we answer questions about the coronavirus and how the $2 trillion federal aid bill could impact Kentuckians. Our guests were Dr. Christian Furman from U of L Physicians, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and Kentucky Public Radio Capitol Bureau Chief Ryland Barton.

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"As a $2.2 trillion economic rescue package emerges from Washington, people across Kentucky and the rest of the country are trying to adjust to life amid the coronavirus pandemic and more restrictions to control its spread. This week on In Conversation we talk about what’s in the rescue legislation and and the continued impact of the pandemic. Our guests were Congressman John Yarmuth (D-Kentucky), Personal Counseling Service, Inc. Clinical Director Dr. Jeff Romer, and Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting Investigative Reporter Jacob Ryan.

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The coronavirus and closures ordered in response to it are presenting new challenges for Kentucky youth. Childcare services across the commonwealth have shut down, and the closure of Jefferson County Public Schools and other Kentucky school districts has many youth learning from home. Amid those changes, JCPS has begun distributing laptops to students, and given away thousands of free meals to families affected by the virus. For this special episode, In Conversation discusses how the coronavirus affects youth. Our guests were University of Louisville Child Psychologist and Researcher Dr. Judith Danovitch, Kentucky Youth Advocates Executive Director Terry Brooks and WFPL Education and Learning Reporter Jess Clark.

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The coronavirus has spread quickly since the first case in Kentucky was confirmed March 6, with a sharp rise in positive cases expected as more people are tested. State and local officials have dispelled some rumors and answered questions about the virus through daily briefings, but there is still a lot we do not know. In Conversation asks more questions about the virus and discusses what may be ahead for Kentucky and the region. Our guests were Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, University of Louisville Department of Medicine Vice-Dean for Research Dr. Jon Klein and WFPL News Energy and Environment Reporter Ryan Van Velzer.

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Efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus are taking a toll on Louisville's economy. The Kentucky Derby, with it's $400 million local economic impact, has been delayed until September. Louisville Tourism officials said the city has lost $57.6 million from canceled events, and Governor Andy Beshear's order to stop in-person service at restaurants and bars has led some businesses to lay off employees and change their operations. For this In Conversation special episode, we talk about the economic impact of the coronavirus. Our guests were Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, Greater Louisville, Inc.Senior Vice President of Regional Economic Growth Deana Epperly Karem, U of L Health-Peace Hospital Behavioral Health Outreach Coordinator Greg Oerther and Murray State University Center for Economic and Entrepreneurial Development Director Chris Wooldridge.

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The spreading coronavirus has been labeled a pandemic by the World Health Organization and caused massive disruptions in Kentucky. Governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency after a case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Harrison County on March 6. Since then, events including the NCAA tournament have been canceled and Kentuckians have been advised to distance themselves from others. This week, In Conversation talks about the coronavirus. How has the state responded to the virus? How are residents coping with it? Our guests were Louisville Department of Public Health and Wellness Medical Director Dr. Lori Caloia and Norton Medical Group Chief Medical Administrative Officer Dr. Joshua Honaker.

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Home sales remain strong in the Louisville area and across Kentucky, according to Realtors' groups. In Jefferson County, the Property Valuation Administrator's office has begun its 2020 reassessment of tens of thousands of properties. On In Conversation, guests discussed the state of the housing market in Greater Louisville, how the property assessment process works, and a program to help low and middle-income west Louisville residents become homeowners. They also addressed concerns about gentrification and racial issues in the housing market. Guests included Jefferson County Property Valuation Administrator Colleen Younger, Southern Indiana Realtors Association President Bob Murphy, Greater Louisville Association of Realtors President Kathryn Sotelo and Rebound Inc. Executive Director Kevin Dunlap.

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Access to high speed internet, which can bring opportunities for economic and educational growth, is lacking in some Kentucky communities and efforts to remedy that have faced challenges. The KentuckyWired project is one of the state's largest internet connectivity efforts, aiming to build more than 3,000 miles of high-speed fiber optic cable in counties across the commonwealth. But the project is not expected to generate revenue until 2025, and investigative reports have raised questions about delays and costs to taxpayers. On In Conversation, we talked about internet connectivity, how the commonwealth compares to the rest of the nation, and what new internet technologies may be ahead. Our guests were Courier-Journal Investigative Reporter Alfred Miller and BroadbandNow Editor-In-Chief Tyler Cooper.

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Recent proposals to arm school security officers in Kentucky have divided constituents. Propoents say that arming school security will keep students safe and could prevent a school shooting similar to Marshall County High School's 2018 incident. Others contend that arming security is ineffective and could traumatize some students, especially students of color. This week In Conversation, we talked about school safety and how to ensure Kentucky and Indiana students' security. Our guests were Safety For Our Schools Floyd County PAC Chairwoman Misty Ronau, JCPS Board of Education Member Chris Kolb and Marshall County Sheriff Eddie McGuire.

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