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Friday January 23, 2026
Local Connection
LMPD, ATF, DEA, FBI, US Marshals Join Together for “Operation Trust”
Credit: Louisville Metro Police
As this year’s murder count spikes in Louisville, LMPD Chief Steve Conrad promises that they are addressing the issue which he says “tear[s] at the fabric of our community.” Conrad was joined at a recent press conference by a number of federal agencies including the FBI, DEA, ATF and the U.S. Marshal Service. Together the law enforcement agencies comprise the new task force which will carry out “Operation Trust” to address the violence.
Chief Conrad asked the community to not only trust them but “to help us by becoming part of the solution to the violent crime problems we’re seeing.” That violence includes the 20+ homicides in Louisville so far this year – far above the three at this time last year. Despite the increase in homicide numbers, LMPD personnel point out that the number of shootings is about the same as in previous years although more of the shootings have resulted in deaths.
Conrad promised that the new taskforce would get to the root of the violence. According to the LMPD homicide unit’s Lt. Todd Kessinger, that root is likely one of the common elements in a vast majority of the metro area’s crime and violence: drug activity. At this time, the task force is expected to focus on two neighborhoods in particular – the Russell neighborhood, in LMPD’s 1st division and the Shawnee neighborhood in the 2nd division – which account for three quarters of the shootings so far this year.
LMPD is asking anyone with information about crimes in the metro areas, including the multiple unsolved murders, to call its tip line at 574-LMPD.
Source: Bullitt County EMA Facebook
Bullitt County EMA’s Deputy Director Les Bandy’s vehicle was involved in a single-vehicle rollover accident after one of the Ford Expedition’s tires dropped off the road, sending it airborne. Bandy, 58, was heading home, driving westbound on Highway 44 near West Point when he crashed around 5:30 p.m. yesterday.
Officials report that blinding glare from the sun may have been a factor in the crash.
Emergency crews had to extricate Bandy from the vehicle before transporting him to University Hospital. Bandy had suffered head trauma and was unconscious as he was taken to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries shortly after midnight.
A police escort will accompany the 10 a.m. procession from University Hospital as Bandy’s body is taken to Owen Funeral Home in PRP.
Bandy will be missed by his friends and family – including members of the emergency management and EMS family.
Jefferson County Public Schools bus #0842 was involved in a multi-vehicle crash this morning, sending 18 to the hospital.
Around 8:20 a.m. today the bus, carrying 36 students, was rear-ended by a semi truck at Cane Run Road and Clarinet Drive before the bus, in-turn, collided with the back of a Shively police vehicle. Uninjured students were taken to the bus’s destination of the Lees Lane Bus Compound while 18 people, including the driver of bus 0842, were transported to area hospitals.
Twelve students were taken to Kosair Children’s Hospital while five students and the driver of the bus were taken to Sts. Mary and Elizabeth Hospital.
Miller Transportation bus involved in head-on collision. (photo: Bullitt Central student/parent)
A charter bus taking 29 Bullitt Central cheerleaders and three coaches to the Cheer National Championship competition in Orlando was involved in a head-on collision near exit 259 on interstate 75 near Atlanta overnight.
Early reports indicate that a suspected drunk driver going the wrong direction may have been the cause of the collision, which happened around 2 a.m. this morning. The involved bus was one of four traveling from local schools. After determining that there were no injuries, the Bullitt Central students and coaches were placed on other buses
The Miller Transportation bus was part of a group of four buses from various schools (including Bullitt East and Larue County). Davis says the Bullitt Central students and coaches were checked at the scene for injuries, then placed on the three other buses, which continued on to the Orlando competition.
Reports are that that the unidentified female driver of the car that hit the bus was up and walking following the collision.
Imagine being able to talk to someone across town or on the other side of the planet – without cell phones, internet or any other infrastructure. That is the power of amateur radio and it is a hobby that is going strong in the Kentuckiana area.
Once a year, in September, amateur radio – also called ham radio – enthusiasts from around the region converge on Shepherdsville for the Greater Louisville Hamfest. The annual one-day gathering features radio demonstrations, lectures, license testing, a swap meet and more.
Often seen as “old fashioned,” ham radio is anything but. While the basic science behind radio operation has not changed, technological advances have ensured that amateur radio stays in the modern age with computer-controlled radios, digital modes to transmit data, slow-scan television, and GPS location tracking. Radio amateurs even have the ability to communicate with the ultra-high tech International Space Station (ISS). While most of these things can be accomplished without relying on any infrastructure, some of the newest advances allow radio transmissions to be routed through the internet, letting licensed operators converse with others around the world using only a small hand-held radio communicating with a local internet-connected base station.
So, why do people bother with amateur radio in the age of cell phones, instant messaging and email or when unlicensed CB radios or off-the-shelf two-way radios are available? Radio amateurs often cite many reasons, including more flexibility and options for equipment, far greater power (1500 watts versus the 1 or 4 watt limits on FRS and CB radios), and better regulation that greatly cuts down on rude or profane behavior on the air.
Amateur radio is just a hobby for many, serving as an outlet for them to socialize on the airwaves, hone their technical expertise or participate in contests to see how many others they can contact and from how far (a practice called DX-ing). For others, the amateur radio service serves a more practical purpose such as simply navigating around traffic jams. Radio amateurs are often called upon to help coordinate large events such as outdoor races or parking at events like Kentucky Derby festivities.
Sometimes, amateur radio plays an even more important role, providing a lifeline for outdoor enthusiasts who roam far from the nearest cell tower, allowing trained weather spotters to inform the National Weather Service of severe weather through programs like SKYWARN, and to help in emergency situations through outfits like Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) and Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services (RACES). The Military Auxiliary Radio System, or MARS, is a Department of Defense sponsored civilian auxiliary consisting primarily of licensed amateur radio operators who are assist the military with communications on a local, national, and international basis.
Although amateur radio allows licensed operators to connect with others around the world, there is a largely local aspect to it. Local clubs like the Amateur Radio Transmitting Society (ARTS) of Louisville or the Bullitt Amateur Radio Society (BARS) provide opportunities to socialize with others in the hobby while exchanging knowledge and equipment and participating in club events. There are a number local scheduled on-the-air chats, called nets. The Amateur Radio Kentuckiana website lists a number of local nets, repeaters and license training and testing resources – as amateur radio is regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and requires a license.
To learn more about this fun and practical tech hobby, visit the website above, contact a local club, or check out the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL), the national organization for radio amateurs, which is in its 100th year.
Louisville Metro Council President Jim King died at age 63 late Wednesday night after battling an undisclosed illness since last November.
King was just re-elected to his fifth term last week, during a Council meeting which he missed. Council Spokesman Tony Hyatt said that this is the first time that such a situation has occurred, so it is unclear at this point who will succeed King at the helm of the Metro Council.
King was first elected to serve as Councilman for District 10 in November, 2004 and took his oath of office in January, 2005 and was first elected President of the Council in 2008. He was also Chair of the Committee on Committees and the Committee of the Whole and, as President, he served as an ex-officio member of all Metro Council Committees.
King was also head of King Southern Bank as well as the father of 30th District Court judge Katie King.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
The 2015 Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, kicks off this week in Las Vegas
Running from Tuesday, January 6, through Friday, January 9, the 2015 CES showcases the latest tech trends on the market, as well as those that will be coming soon.
More than 160,000 attendees will be walking over 2 million square feet of exhibit space to visit with nearly 4,000 exhibitors and learn about the gadgets that will be making our life easier. This is also the place for product launches – with tens of thousands of new product announcements being made for everything from the biggest, sharpest, and curviest new televisions to the smallest and smartest devices.
Continuing to be a popular category, wearable tech will be big this year, as will be connected tech in the automotive industry. The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has announced that the 2015 International CES will feature the largest ever showcase of products, services and technologies that make up the “Internet of Things” (IoT), with more than 900 exhibitors planning to share innovations that harness the power of the network to connect everyday devices.
“The ‘Internet of Things’ is the hottest topic in tech right now,” said Karen Chupka, senior vice president, International CES and corporate business strategy, CEA. “It’s all about the opportunity to connect everyday items like cars, home security systems and kitchen appliances to networked devices like PCs and smartphones for greater control and management of our everyday lives. We’re excited that the 2015 CES will bring together all of the companies and products that are making this a reality.”
Louisville Dispatch staff will be on hand at the 2015 CES to share the hottest new devices with you.
