Uncovered by WDRB News

Remember perusing the new release aisle on Friday nights? WDRB's Gina Glaros joins the show to talk about the final days of Family Video's lone remaining store in Kentuckiana.  

WDRB reporters Jason Riley and Travis Ragsdale explain the recent decision by Louisville Metro police to fire two more officers in the Breonna Taylor case. Why is the agency only now starting the process of terminating the officers, and what questions are still unanswered nearly a year after the tragedy? 

The story of Pappy Van Winkle, the world's most sought-after bourbon, isn't as neat and tidy as you might think. WDRB.com business reporter Chris Otts interviews Wright Thompson, author of the new book,“PAPPYLAND: A Story of Family, Fine Bourbon, and the Things That Last​." The book carries special significance for the podcast audience, as much of it unfolds in Louisville, home of the Van Winkle family and the Stitzel-Weller distillery that Julian 'Pappy' Van Winkle once ran. 

WDRB's Gilbert Corsey talks about his special assignment looking at the long-term impact of Louisville's virtual school year. How are families and teachers navigating online instruction? If grades are any indication, Jefferson County Public Schools students are falling behind. Superintendent Marty Pollio says it will take two or three years to make up for the lost learning. And another looming challenge: Even if JCPS goes back to school in mid-February, as many as a third of teachers will still choose to stay home.

Corsey's story with WDRB.com education reporter Kevin Wheatley: Digital decline | Failing grades soar in JCPS middle, high schools during virtual learning

Kentucky and Indiana finally managed to build two new interstate bridges over the Ohio River in Louisville in 2016 based on the assumption that toll collections would grow every year to help pay for them. But the pandemic has changed commuting patterns, cutting down on toll revenue. WDRB.com reporter Marcus Green explains why state officials aren't "hitting the panic button" yet.

Background: RiverLink crossings down $5 million in 2020

What's the difference between charity bingo and slot-like 'historical horse race' gaming? A lot, at least in the context of Kentucky's fight against COVID-19. Gov. Andy Beshear's rules limit charity bingo 25 people while allowing hundreds or even thousands to play indoor slot-like machines at the state's racetrack-owned gaming venues. WDRB business reporters Chris Otts and Katrina Helmer explain. 

Their story: Beshear restrictions hit charity bingo harder than slot-like gaming

In the wake of the Breonna Taylor tragedy, Louisville implemented a number of police reforms meant to increase public trust and transparency. But a change in how police shootings are investigated has so far had the opposite effect. Police used to release body camera footage of any officer shooting in a day. In the latest shooting, it took more than a week. And Mayor Greg Fischer says his hands are tied. What is going on? WDRB's Travis Ragsdale explains. 

University of Kentucky economist Kenneth Troske joins the show to explain why he thinks Kentucky's COVID-19 restrictions are based on flimsy data, and how the state could obtain more useful information. Troske doesn't dispute the serious of the virus, but he says better data would lead to more effective, less costly policies. Masks, for example, are nothing but a small inconvenience. Closing school classrooms statewide, meanwhile, comes at an 'enormous' cost to children. "It's when we start imposing policies that are extraordinarily costly, that we better have good data behind it to support that that's the most effective policy," he says. 

Related: Troske's Oct. 29, 2020 white paper with Paul Coomes, "Measuring the Spread of COVID-19 in Kentucky: Do We Have the Right Data?"

When the feds informed Kentucky State Police that four of its troopers got caught up in an illegal prescription drug operation emanating from Florida, what did the agency do? WDRB spent thousands of dollars on a two-year legal battle to force state police to release public records that tell the complete story. WDRB's Gilbert Corsey explains. 

The story: INVESTIGATION | 4 KSP troopers caught in illegal steroids operation, agency tries to withhold records

There was no suburban revolt against President Trump in Kentucky. In fact, Republicans further cemented their control by adding to dominant super-majorities in the state legislature. What are the implications for Louisville, the Democrats' remaining stronghold? What policies will the GOP pursue that it hasn't already? Will Democrats figure out a way to appeal to rural Kentuckians, or embrace their role as the urban and progressive minority in a largely white, rural state? WDRB political reporter Lawrence Smith joins the show to break it down.