PODCAST · society
Here Today
by Louisville Public Media
This is a pivotal moment for west Louisville. There's a track & field complex planned, a new YMCA in the works, and the renovation of Beecher Terrace. But as property values rise, so do property taxes, and that can be a hardship for the people already living there. Is this revitalization? Or gentrification? Here Today will track the changes in Louisville's West End, and tell the stories of the people who call it home.
Episodes
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The World Still Goes Around And Round
Earlier this year, we set out to take a deep look at why Louisville's West End is changing -- and how. In this last episode of Here Today, we address the uncertainty that lies ahead, and how that could affect the people who live west of Ninth Street. Here Today is a listener-supported project.…
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A Rose Is Still A Rose
Just as we started working on Here Today, our colleagues on In Conversation, WFPL's weekly talk show, did an episode about the investments coming to west Louisville. After the show aired, the station got this email from a listener: Please stop calling the West End "West Louisville!" There is...
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Let Me Understand Your Plan
After learning about all the ways revitalization could go wrong, we wanted to learn about the city's plan for avoiding the pitfalls that have happened elsewhere. Here's a section of Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer's third inaugural speech, given in January of this year: "[L]ook at what’s happening…
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The House I Live In (I Bought It)
Homeownership has been touted as “the American dream” for decades -- and some advocates say it’s also the way to prevent gentrification in west Louisville. On this episode of Here Today, we take a look at homeownership in the West End, and whether owning your own home really leads to...
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It’s Hard Out Here For A Renter
When you rent a place to live, you’re subject to the whims of your landlord. Whether you’ve lived in your place for a year or 10 years, if your landlord decides to sell, you could be forced out. The changes happening in west Louisville are affecting the people who live there, and most of them are...
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Diggin' on Beecher Terrace
The site where Beecher Terrace was built has a story that's much older than the housing complex itself. Louisville's first black doctor had a home there with his family. The city's first cemetery occupied what's now Baxter Square Park. Before we move on from Beecher Terrace, we spend some time…
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Can't Find My Way Home
Construction of the new Beecher Terrace continues, and fewer than a hundred families are living in what’s left of the old complex. Several hundred others are settling into their new homes throughout the city. While some displaced residents await the new and improved Beecher, others are content to...
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Promise Of A New Day (Again)
When someone makes a promise to you and then doesn’t follow through, would you believe them the next time? And if you trust them a second time and they don’t come through, what about a third time? In recent years, plans for new developments in the West End -- like the FoodPort and a Super Walmart...
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How Did We Get Here? (Nobody's S’posed To Be Here)
What comes to mind when you hear “west Louisville?” Do you picture the families who live there? People coming together for barbecues and neighborhood block parties. Kids playing in the park. Neighborhood churches. Or when you think of the West End, are you reminded of the last thing you heard…
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Introducing... Here Today: Louisville's Changing West
This is a pivotal moment for west Louisville. There's a track & field complex planned, a new YMCA in the works, and the renovation of Beecher Terrace. But as property values rise, so do property taxes, and that can be a hardship for the people already living there. Is this revitalization? Or...
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Where Do We Go From Here?
Over the past six months or so on Recut, we've talked about a little bit of everything, from bedbugs to Bird scooters. The newsroom was our oyster, and we were always on the lookout for those times it seemed like there might be more to the story than what made it into the newscast. We started...
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What Goes Into Rezoning In Louisville?
Last night, Louisville Metro Council approved a zoning change that will pave the way for Unity Place--an affordable housing complex in the Okolona neighborhood that would also include some housing for refugees. Since the project was introduced, nearby property owners have been very vocal about...
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Why Is The Groundwater Polluted Around This Power Plant?
When you flip the switch, the light comes on. It's something we all take for granted, and it's possible because of coal energy. But burning coal for electricity leaves something behind: coal ash, containing things like barium. And arsenic. We burn a lot of coal in this country, producing huge...
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'Tis The Season For Cultural Insensitivity?
If you've ever seen "The Nutcracker," you know a good part of the second act takes place in the beautiful Land of Sweets. Clara and the Prince travel there and meet dancing delicacies from around the world--candy canes from Russia, chocolate from Spain, and the famous Sugar Plum Fairy. But one of...
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Breaking Bourbon
When you open a bottle of bourbon, do you ever stop to think about where it came from? We like to picture an old man, maybe two, filling my bottle by hand after having tasted the recipe over and over to make sure it was just right. Just for us. It may come as no surprise to you that that's pretty...
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Kentucky State Government's Sexual Harassment Problem
The Kentucky Legislature has no official policy against sexual harassment. Yep, you read that right. Despite some pretty big scandals over the years, including news last year that four Republican lawmakers — including former House Speaker Jeff Hoover — secretly paid a former staffer after she...
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Is Louisville Prepared For The Next Great Flood?
You've probably heard of the Great Flood of 1937 — maybe you even have relatives who lived through it. It was late January, and parts of Louisville, including The Point and the West End, were under water. Residents and business owners in the Highlands and parts of the Central Business District…
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Life's Getting Better At Dosker, But Is It Good Enough?
A few months ago, we told you about a bedbug infestation in a public housing complex called Dosker Manor — a 700-unit high rise for older people and people with disabilities. Jake Ryan from the Kentucky Center of Investigative Reporting found city records showing that residents in nearly half of...
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Our Neighbors Have Great Stories
One of the things we love most about working in radio is meeting new people and hearing their stories. There aren't too many other jobs where you can meet a stranger in one moment and in the next they're telling you some of the most intimate parts of their life. It's pretty weird when you think...
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You're (Probably) Recycling Wrong
A couple years ago, WFPL launched Curious Louisville, a regular series where listeners ask us questions about the city and we investigate to find the answers. And let me tell you, you have not disappointed. We've gotten some really interesting questions, including what happens to zoo animals when...
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Recut: Is Louisville's Land Bank Working?
Louisville’s Land Bank Authority acquires abandoned properties and then sells them to new owners very cheap, sometimes for as little as a dollar. The new owners have six months to rehab the outside of the house, and 18 months to fix the inside. Last December, a record year for landbank sales,...
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What If You Had To Leave Home To Get Online?
For many of us, having the internet at home is as important as having electricity, or maybe even water. We use it to watch our favorite TV shows, to do homework, to pay bills. But inside 40 percent of Louisville's poorest households, there is no internet access. Those families don't hop on the...
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With Castleman Moving, What's Next?
In early August, Louisville Mayor Greg Fisher announced that the John Breckinridge Castleman statue would be removed from Cherokee Triangle. Debate about the Castleman monument and other controversial works of art was sparked last August when the Castleman statue was vandalized with paint. This...
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There's A Thin Line Between Revitalization And Gentrification
We've seen it before: A neighborhood dealing with high poverty and crime, and offering few economic prospects, is given a boost. State and federal investments for new projects are approved. Maybe a new, trendy restaurant or bar or coffee shop comes in — thanks to the low property costs — and…
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Reporting On The Opioid Crisis In Small Towns
Sitting in our recording studio, we're within about five miles of 15 different drug addiction recovery facilities. From our station, it’s a 17-minute walk to someplace you can get a Hepatitis A vaccine, even if you don’t have health insurance. We're in downtown Louisville. But the opioid and Hep…
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A Long Time Ago, In A School System Not Far Away...
“We should have a scroll at the top of all JCPS coverage, like what happens at the beginning of “Star Wars” movies.” —words of wisdom from producer Laura Ellis. It’s not the worst idea. I don’t know about you but I find it really hard to keep up — even if you work in a newsroom every day. Let’s...
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We Always Hurt The Parks We Love
The Parklands of Floyds Fork is 4,000 acres of undeveloped land in southeast Louisville. It’s one of the last undeveloped regions of Louisville, and it’s home to mammals, aquatic animals, and plants — some of which aren’t found anywhere else in the world. It centers around a 62-mile long waterway...
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Klingons Are Just Like You And Me
Recut host Jonese Franklin says she's seen a handful of Star Trek episodes over the years, but isn't much of a fan. "I’ve also seen a few of the movies and I can see how Trekkies are born," she said. "But when I found out reporter Ashlie Stevens was attending a Klingon convention (and that a...
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Suddenly, Scooters?
They showed up one day, unexpectedly, like a gift from Santa. One hundred small, black, electric scooters, scattered throughout downtown Louisville. And then, 30 hours later... they were gone. It turns out that other cities have experienced the same phenomenon, thanks to a California-based…
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Guess Who's Coming To Derby
Louisville is home to one of the most famous sporting events in the world: The Kentucky Derby. During the first weekend in May, Hollywood celebrities, famous athletes and many other well-to-do put on their best hats and head to Louisville for the first leg of the Triple Crown. I'm not a native...
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A Look At The Real Russell And The People Who Call It Home
When you hear or watch news stories about Louisville's West End, many times it's not positive news. West Louisville neighborhoods like Russell used to be full of thriving businesses, and were destinations for arts and culture. Now, high poverty, low employment and crime are what many people...
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Fancy (Farm) Didn't Let Us Down
Growing up in Louisville, in a not-particularly-politically-engaged family, I had never heard of Fancy Farm until I started working in a newsroom. When I did, I almost thought the reporters were kidding me. It's a church picnic, in Western Kentucky, where some of the most important people in...
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What If You Can't Afford To Retire?
If you’re poor or living paycheck to paycheck, you might not be able to set aside money for retirement. In fact, retiring might not even be a real option for you. If you’re fortunate enough to have some savings or a retirement account, you’ll have to think about how long you can make that money...
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Life Along The Bus Line
When you're looking for a new job, there are lots of things to consider. Does it pay enough? Would you enjoy the work itself? What kind of benefits and time off do you get? And, of course: the commute. If all the other answers are great, you might be willing to overlook some extra time in the car...
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Will The Bourbon Boom Go Bust?
I love bourbon. You probably love bourbon and I bet your friends love bourbon, too. Bourbon is as Kentucky as horses, college basketball and Naomi and Wynonna. But believe it or not, some bourbon makers are afraid you and I might one day fall out of love with that delicious, sweet elixir (I...
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If Black Lung Is The Cost Of Doing Business, Is It Worth It?
Mining experts say that black lung disease is 100 percent preventable. But a new study by federal health officials found a recent surge in cases of black lung disease — a surge that is especially concentrated among coal miners in central Appalachia. In the U.S., one in 10 coal miners have black...
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Why Is Louisville's Eviction Rate Double The National Average?
In Jefferson County, an average of 7,500 households are evicted every year, more than double the national average according to data from Princeton University’s Eviction Lab. It should come at no surprise that most evictions occur in the poorest neighborhoods — in west and south Louisville. Jake...
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At Some Hospitals, ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ Is As Clear As Mud
Chances are you've heard of a "do not resuscitate" order, or what is often simply called a "DNR." It's a written directive that lets hospital staff know that in the event a patient's heart or pulse stops, the patient does not want advanced CPR — which in a hospital usually means inserting a...
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Can We 'Re-Imagine' Louisville's Ninth Street Without Considering Its Past?
Ninth Street. The Ninth Street divide. West of Ninth. Mention any of these phrases to just about any Louisvillian and they'll know what you're talking about. In fact, there are people who are new to the city that would already know what you're talking about. The Ninth Street corridor is multiple...
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From Nigeria To The Hilltop: How Charles Bassey Landed At Western Kentucky
At 6-foot-11 and 220 pounds, 17-year-old Charles Bassey is a wonder. According to ESPN, Bassey averaged 19.4 points and 12.8 rebounds last season at Louisville’s Aspire Academy and he got 13 points and 16 rebounds against the United States in the Nike Hoop Summit this past April. He’s already...
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Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin Lost Round 1 In The Medicaid Court Battle. Now What?
Since taking office in late 2015, Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin has been on a mission to roll back the state's Medicaid expansion. And honestly, that shouldn't surprise many people. Bevin campaigned on the issue. He said making changes to the system — including charging some Medicaid recipients…
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Will Louisville Ever Make A Decision About Castleman?
They city of Louisville owns about 400 pieces of public art. One of the most well-known — and most controversial — is the John Breckinridge Castleman statue in the Cherokee Triangle. Castleman was integral in developing Louisville’s park system — and he also served in the Confederacy. Following a...
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Bedbugs Are Part Of Everyday Life At Louisville’s Dosker Manor
Dosker Manor is a three-building public housing complex for older people and people with disabilities on the eastern edge of downtown Louisville. When it was inspected by the federal government last year, the complex scored 39 out of a possible 100. Of 6,924 public housing complexes in the United...
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Why Are Louisville's Black Kids Jailed More Than White Kids?
Black youth make up less than 27 percent of Louisville's population, but more than 75 percent of youth jailed in Louisville last year were black. To put it another way: 3 out of 4 kids in Louisville's detention center are black, but only 1 out of 4 kids in Louisville are black. Over the last…
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'If Your Mother Wouldn't Approve Of It, Don't Do It'
When you're hired by the state of Kentucky, you may have to take anti-harassment training — or you may not, it depends on which agency you work for. Another variable? Whether you're sent to training after you've been accused of harassment on the job....and whether you're forced to repeat the…
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We Check The Coal Ash Data So You Don't Have To
Coal ash is a byproduct of burning coal for electricity. We burn a lot of coal in this country, leaving behind a lot of coal ash, which contains mercury, arsenic, lead, and other dangerous substances. And it all has to go somewhere. For the last several decades, that somewhere has mostly been in...
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Is The Marsy’s Law Ballot Language Too Vague?
On Election Day, Kentucky voters will choose representatives for Congress and the statehouse. And they'll also be asked if they want to change the state constitution to include Marsy’s Law, a constitutional amendment that would give protections to victims of alleged crimes. On today’s episode of...
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It's Hard To Be What You Can't See
Welcome to the debut episode of Recut! After months of planning, we're very excited to finally share this podcast with you. On this episode, host Jonese Franklin speaks with WFPL Education Reporter Roxanne Scott about Jefferson County Public Schools' plan to address teacher diversity. We also…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
This is a pivotal moment for west Louisville. There's a track & field complex planned, a new YMCA in the works, and the renovation of Beecher Terrace. But as property values rise, so do property taxes, and that can be a hardship for the people already living there. Is this revitalization? Or gentrification? Here Today will track the changes in Louisville's West End, and tell the stories of the people who call it home.
HOSTED BY
Louisville Public Media
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Here Today have?
Here Today currently has 48 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Here Today about?
This is a pivotal moment for west Louisville. There's a track & field complex planned, a new YMCA in the works, and the renovation of Beecher Terrace. But as property values rise, so do property taxes, and that can be a hardship for the people already living there. Is this revitalization? Or...
How often does Here Today release new episodes?
Here Today has 48 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Here Today?
You can listen to Here Today on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Here Today?
Here Today is created and hosted by Louisville Public Media.
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