PODCAST · news
Uncovered by WDRB News
by Chris Otts
The former newspaper reporters of WDRB.com in Louisville, Ky. take listeners inside their stories about business, criminal justice, education, government, infrastructure and more. Episodes are released every Tuesday morning.
Episodes
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Pat Mulloy on how to grow Louisville
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg has a new, ambitious economic development plan for the city. Pat Mulloy is the man in charge of making it happen. Mulloy, a lawyer who spent most of his career managing senior living companies, joined Greenberg as deputy mayor for economic development earlier this...
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Rebecca Fleischaker on the state of Downtown Louisville
Downtown Louisville is still recovering from the pandemic, and in some ways, it will never be the same. Rebecca Fleischaker sits down with WDRB's Chris Otts to discuss how Louisville's central business district is evolving in the remote-work era. Fleischaker is the executive director of the...
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A note about the future
WDRB's Chris Otts is headed to Columbia for a fellowship. What does it means for the future of this podcast? He leaves a quick note for subscribers.
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Revisiting the 'Pappygate' bourbon heist
In 2013, the theft of large quantities of coveted Pappy Van Winkle and other bourbon from the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Ky. captured the world's attention. WDRB's Dalton Godbey discusses his recent interview with Toby Curtsinger, the alleged "ringleader" of the bourbon thefts, who...
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Author Alec MacGillis on Amazon and 'winner take all' places
Journalist Alec MacGillis joins the podcast to discuss his recent book, "FULFILLMENT: Winning and Losing in One-Click America," which uses Amazon as a frame to explore regional inequality in the U.S. MacGillis writes that Amazon that has three types of towns: its software development-engineering...
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A year later, Kentucky still not 'caught up' on unemployment claims
One year ago, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said the state would get 'caught up' on a backlog of unemployment claims. It didn't happen. Thousands of Kentuckians still struggle with this frayed social safety net. Have elected officials stop trying to improve the system? WDRB.com business reporter…
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Bozich & Crawford on the shifting landscape of college sports
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is allowing college athletes to profit on endorsement deals, autographs and other "name, image and likeness" opportunities. The Supreme Court undercuts the NCAA's business model. What does it all mean in a state where college sports is king? WDRB sports columnists Rick...
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What's up with that Topgolf?
WDRB.com's Marcus Green takes back to a simpler time, when one of the biggest controversies in Louisville centered on the plan to build a Topgolf. Three years later, Topgolf still isn't here, but it looks to be coming soon. Green explains what's going on with the much-anticipated project.
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A shakeup in the race for Louisville mayor
The presumed frontrunner is suddenly out. Another candidate picks up a key endorsement. A moderate Republican enters the fray. And there are likely more announcements ahead. WDRB political reporter Lawrence Smith discusses recent developments in the 2022 race to succeed Greg Fischer as Louisville...
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The pandemic's toll on mental health
Ashleigh and Brooke Skaggs, sisters from Georgetown, Indiana, hardly recognized their father in the months leading up to his tragic death in July 2020. WDRB.com reporter Marcus Green joins the show to discuss his recent story - the first of a series - examining the pandemic's effect on mental...
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The ripple effects of all those Ford shutdowns
The constant on-again, off-again schedule at Ford's Louisville plants has an economic impact far beyond the automaker itself. This week's show focuses on how automotive supplier plants are also going dark and struggling to keep their workers during a red-hot job market. Sara Wells, a former…
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LG&E one step closer to controversial Bullitt County pipeline
WDRB.com reporter Marcus Green discusses a recent court ruling and other developments in Louisville Gas & Electric's five-year-old plan to build a natural gas pipeline across Bullitt County, an effort opposed by Bernheim Forest and some rural landowners. Recent court documents raise the question:...
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The fight over low-income housing in Prospect
WDRB's Chris Otts and Katrina Helmer discuss the years-long fight over two proposed 'affordable housing' apartment complexes that could provide public housing in the suburb of Prospect, home to Kentucky's second-wealthiest zip code. Background: Judge upholds rejection of low-income housing in...
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'A stain on horseracing' | Bozich & Crawford on Kentucky Derby winner's drug test
WDRB sports columnists Rick Bozich and Eric Crawford discuss the controversy surrounding Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit's positive drug test and the shifting explanations from famed trainer Bob Baffert. Does Baffert have credibility? What does this mean for a sport already marred by past...
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Louisville cops drunk on the job?
WDRB's Jason Riley and Travis Ragsdale discuss their recent story about incidents in which Louisville Metro homicide unit personnel are alleged to have been drunk on the job or at the office, and the police department's lackluster internal investigation of the claims. Background: ATF agent claims...
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Will JCPS go fully back to school in August?
WDRB.com education reporter Kevin Wheatley joins the podcast for an update on Jefferson County Public Schools. Wheatley discusses: - How the district's classroom-virtual hybrid schedule is going - Why some parents feel it shortchanges their children - Whether the Louisville school district will…
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More allegations against LMPD's top warrant cop
Louisville Metro Police first learned of an accusation that narcotics Det. Brian Bailey, one of the department's top cops in obtaining residential search warrants, had abused a female confidential informant in 2016. What did police do with the information? WDRB News and the Kentucky Center for...
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What's with all these Ford shutdowns?
One of the biggest Louisville business stories of 2021 has been the frequent disruption at Ford Motor Co.'s vehicle plants. Louisville Assembly Plant has borne the brunt, missing six weeks of production so far. The impact extends far beyond Ford's two factories to dozens of supplier plants in the...
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U of L's Dr. Jon Klein on the end stage of the pandemic
How close are we to having COVID-19 under control? Will Louisville's public schools go back to normal in the fall? Will COVID-19 shots become an annual ritual? Dr. Jon Klein, vice dean of research at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, says that much of life as we knew it may return…
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Behind the scenes: CNN producer on Kentucky unemployment documentary
CNN Special Reports producer Matthew Reynard joins WDRB's Chris Otts and Gilbert Corsey to discuss the making of the network's recent hourlong special on Kentucky's unemployment insurance failure. Why did CNN chose to focus on Kentucky? How did the team handle the suicide of former unemployment...
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Kentucky piles on more tax breaks
Kentucky doesn't have money for teacher raises, but the GOP-dominated legislature recently passed or advanced several new or expanded tax giveaways. WDRB's Chris Otts and Lawrence Smith discuss a sweetheart deal for the well-connected developer of a Louisville hotel, an effort to lure remote...
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Closing Kentucky's dangerous mental health loophole
An accused child rapist and violent predator in Louisville is on the cusp of being let out of jail once again thanks to a loophole in Kentucky law: one that allows a person to be both mentally incompetent to face criminal prosecution and too mentally ill to be kept in psychiatric treatment. Now,...
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Will workers come back to downtown Louisville?
The pandemic has kept most of Louisville's downtown office workers at home for nearly a year. But even before COVID, the downtown office scene was stagnant despite all the other things happening in the Central Business District -- the Yum! Center, bourbon distilleries, a plethora of new hotels....
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GOP 'power grab' in Louisville? Rep. Jerry Miller on his controversial bill
Republican State Rep. Jerry Miller joins the podcast to explain why he's pushing a bill that would make the Louisville mayor into a nonpartisan position, reduce the mayor's power and make other changes. Miller makes no bones about challenging the Democratic power structure in Louisville. He even...
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The slow, flawed Louisville police investigation into Black teen's traffic stop
Tae-Ahn Lea was a senior at Central High School in 2018 when Louisville police cuffed him, patted him down and searched his car after the teenager made a wide turn in a high-crime neighborhood. Video of the stop went viral. Many in the community were outraged. But despite the attention, and all…
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Kentucky gaming vote: Poverty, morality, economics take center stage
Kentucky's Republican-dominated legislature finally confronted the reality of slot-like gaming in the commonwealth last week. The vote to legalize "historical horse racing" machines showed deep differences among GOP lawmakers about how to help the poor, "trickle down" economics and whether…
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Questionable LMPD search warrants |A KyCIR-WDRB investigation
The Louisville detective who has obtained more residential search warrants than any other during the last 18 months is facing serious questions about his work. Eleanor Klibanoff of the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting and Travis Ragsdale of WDRB explain the latest story in our…
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'In crisis' | Louisville Police audit exposes systemic problems
After the killing of Breonna Taylor, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer ordered a "top-to-bottom" review of the Louisville Metro Police Department. The audit is out, and it isn't flattering. WDRB reporters Chad Mills and Jason Riley break down the key findings, the reaction from the Black community…
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Widening I-64 through Louisville parks...Really?
Kentucky transportation planners are looking at ways to improve Interstate 64 in Louisville, and one of the options is to widen the highway and expand the Cochran Hill tunnel. Is this a realistic plan? Will it happen anytime soon? What about the impact on Cherokee and Seneca parks? WDRB.com...
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Kentucky's legislative session | What's passed and what's to come
More Republican-dominated than ever, Kentucky's legislature has begun its 2021 session by passing bills curbing Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear's COVID-19 emergency powers, as well as measures relating to abortion. WDRB's Lawrence Smith takes stock of the first couple of weeks of the General…
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The Louisville area's last video store
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.
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Louisville fires two more cops in Breonna Taylor case. What comes next?
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...
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Inside 'Pappyland' with Wright Thompson
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…
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Digital decline: the cost of Louisville's virtual school year
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…
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Pandemic cuts traffic on Louisville's new toll bridges
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...
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Kentucky COVID-19 rules hit bingo harder than 'slots'
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...
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Louisville police shootings | Less transparency after Breonna Taylor?
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…
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Economist on why Kentucky's COVID-19 data is 'wrong'
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...
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Kentucky State Police fights to keep lid on troopers' lawbreaking
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...
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GOP strengthens grip on Kentucky legislature
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...
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Dems on offense in east Louisville suburbs
On Election Day 2020, WDRB political reporter Lawrence Smith talks about a handful of Kentucky House races in which Democrats are trying to gain more ground in the once safely Republican east Louisville suburbs. Smith also shares some insight from an election eve interview with Sen. Maj. Leader...
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Embracing 'anti-racism' at the University of Louisville
University of Louisville President Neeli Bendapudi has elevated the concept of 'anti-racism', even adding the words to U of L's official mandate. But what precisely does anti-racism mean to her? And what will U of L actually do differently to become a 'premier anti-racist metropolitan research...
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Lawrence Smith on McConnell vs. McGrath
Democrat Amy McGrath had a strong Oct. 12 debate performance against U.S. Sen. Maj. Leader Mitch McConnell, but she still faces long odds in her bid to unseat the six-term Kentucky Republican. WDRB political reporter Lawrence Smith breaks down the race, including key points in the debate and how...
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Why Louisville's business lobby supports the JCPS tax hike
Voters in Louisville aren't just a picking a president and U.S. senator. They're also being asked to weigh in on a 9.5% property tax increase for Jefferson County Public Schools. In the this episode, Iris Wilbur Glick of Greater Louisville Inc. explains why the city's main business group is…
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The Breonna Taylor grand jury tapes
WDRB.com reporters Marcus Green and Chris Otts discuss what we learned -- and what we didn't -- from the release of 15 hours of audio from the Jefferson County grand jury that considered charges against police officers in the tragic shooting death Breonna Taylor.
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Louisville's corporate jobs landscape after Papa John's exit
WDRB.com business reporter Chris Otts discusses Louisville-grown Papa John International's decision to decamp for Atlanta and how Louisville has been affected by other corporate moves, mergers and buyouts over the years. What are the lessons of these decisions? What can Louisville do in response?...
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Explaining the Breonna Taylor decision
WDRB.com criminal justice reporter Jason Riley analyzes the Louisville grand jury's decision to charge only one of the three police officers in the Breonna Taylor shooting with wanton endangerment, and the long anticipated investigation by Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron. Plus, Riley...
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Which Louisville judge let police raid that house?
Louisville police could not have burst into Breonna Taylor's apartment, where they fatally shot her in the middle of the night, without a judge's approval. But in Louisville, it's often unclear which judge approved what search warrant. Jake Ryan of the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting...
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Losing confidence in Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer
Under fire for his handling of the Breonna Taylor investigation and the ensuing protests -- and other scandals at the police department and city bus agency -- Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer faces a symbolic 'no confidence' vote at the Metro Council on Sept. 17. Will some Democrats cross party…
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Louisville police's new chief on reform, Breonna Taylor and community healing
WDRB's Stephan Johnson goes one-on-one with Yvette Gentry, a native Louisvillian who is returning to Louisville Metro Police as interim chief during a tumultuous period. Gentry talks about police reform, the Breonna Taylor case, perceived racism in traffic stops and why she doesn't want the job...
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Uncovered by WDRB News have?
Uncovered by WDRB News currently has 102 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Uncovered by WDRB News about?
The former newspaper reporters of WDRB.com in Louisville, Ky. take listeners inside their stories about business, criminal justice, education, government, infrastructure and more. Episodes are released every Tuesday morning.
How often does Uncovered by WDRB News release new episodes?
Uncovered by WDRB News publishes regularly with 102 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Uncovered by WDRB News?
You can listen to Uncovered by WDRB News 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 Uncovered by WDRB News?
Uncovered by WDRB News is created and hosted by Chris Otts.
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