Monday February 2, 2026
Local Connection
Weather
Traffic
@LouisvilleDispatch
@LouisvilleDisp
Subscribe
Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes recognized four Kentucky high school students for winning her office’s 28th annual essay contest. She held a ceremony at Rupp Arena during the Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ Sweet 16 Basketball Tournament.
The winners in their respective grades are:
- 12th grade – Olivia Beecham (St. Henry District High School, Erlanger)
- 11th grade – James Michnya (Trinity High School, Louisville)
- 10th grade – Theodore Ehrenborg (Henry Clay High School, Lexington)
- 9th grade – William Dolan (J. Graham Brown School, Louisville)
Created in 1988, the Secretary of State’s essay contest serves to inspire students to be active and informed citizens, with particular emphasis on election-related issues. High school students are invited to write essays regarding the First Amendment and elections. Entries were judged on research and understanding of voting and the First Amendment, idea development, organization, language and correctness. The University of Kentucky Scripps Howard First Amendment Center judges the anonymous contest entries.
“James, Olivia, Theodore, and William are great representatives of the many young Kentuckians who are already engaged,” said Grimes. “Kentucky’s future will be bright with leaders like them. I am proud of each of the contest participants for taking part, and I encourage all Kentucky high school students to enter next year.”
Each winner received a $1,000 cash scholarship made possible by the Office of Secretary of State and its partners, KEA and KEA Retired, the University of Kentucky Scripps Howard First Amendment Center, the Kentucky Department of Education, and Harp Enterprises, Inc.
Winners of the slogan contest, which is open to students in grades 6 through 8, will be announced separately.
For more information about the Secretary’s annual contests, visit sos.ky.gov.
Attorney General Andy Beshear issued a Scam Alert warning government organizations and small businesses to be cautious of a “business email compromise” scam.
Several reports of the scam have recently been reported in central and eastern Kentucky, with losses totaling more than $8,000.
The scam is carried out when a con artist creates a spoof employee email account or hacks into a legitimate account and sends an email to another employee asking him or her to initiate an emergency wire fund transfer.
Beshear said company leaders, as well as those who oversee spending are most usually the targets of the scam.
“The business email compromise scam is a serious danger to Kentucky businesses and governmental organizations,” Beshear said. “Our office is working to protect Kentuckians every day, and the recent reports we have received on the sophisticated nature of this scam is cause for concern for all business owners and government leaders.”
According to an FBI report, the business email compromise scam is an emerging global threat and from 2013-2016, victims in the United States lost more than $960 million to this scam.
Beshear’s Office offers these tips from the Better Business Bureau to help protect from the scam:
- Avoid free online email accounts by creating a company domain name and establish company email accounts.
- Review IT security procedures and consider implementing a two-step verification process for wire transfers and for spending approvals.
- Warn staff to be suspicious of out-of-the-ordinary emails for a spending request, especially if those emails request confidentiality or insist quick action.
- Be careful about details shared on company websites and social media accounts. Business descriptions, hierarchical information and out-of-office details are sources of information for hackers and scammers.
One of the critical missions of the Office of the Attorney General is to help Kentucky families, seniors and businesses recognize and avoid scams.
Kentuckians who suspect a scam should contact the Office of the Attorney General at 502-696-5300 and fill out an online complaint form. Beshear recently issued a scam alert warning Kentuckians of IRS and tax-related identity theft scams and a Facebook customer service scam.
March 5-11 is National Consumer Protection Week, and Attorney General Beshear is asking Kentuckians to take time this week to stay ahead of scammers by signing up for Scam Alerts.
Scam Alerts provide Kentuckians a direct alert, including tips on how to avoid new and trending scams reported in Kentucky. To enroll, text the words KYOAG Scam to GOV311 (468311), or enroll online at ag.ky.gov/scams and select text message or email alert.
Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) Superintendent Dr. Donna Hargens and McDonald’s® Restaurants of Kentuckiana announced a new partnership that will recognize and reward students and teachers at the district’s eight transformation schools.
This new program at transformation schools rewards students and teachers for being in class and prepared for learning. Each month (March, April and May), a student and teacher from each of the eight schools with perfect attendance will be randomly selected to win a gift package, valued at $20, courtesy of McDonald’s Restaurants of Kentuckiana. The 16 teachers and students chosen each month will also be recognized on JCPS social media as the McDonald’s Student and Teacher of the Month.
“I would like to thank the local McDonald’s owner/operators for stepping up to support JCPS as we work to finish out the school year strong,” Dr. Hargens said. “These attendance incentives will help reward staff and students who are focused on being present during the last three months of school to maximize student achievement.”
“At McDonald’s, we recognize the importance that education plays in strengthening our community,” said George Saliba, local McDonald’s owner/operator and president of the Kentuckiana Co-op. “We’d like to show our appreciation for local teachers and students who are making a difference through learning.”
Schools participating in the program include:
- Wheatley Elementary
- McFerran Preparatory Academy
- Camp Taylor Elementary
- Wilkerson Elementary
- Blue Lick Elementary
- Coleridge-Taylor Montessori Elementary
- Trunnell Elementary
- Blake Elementary
Be sure to follow JCPS on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @JCPSKY. To learn more about how local McDonald’s owner/operators are making a difference in the Kentuckiana community, follow on Twitter and Instagram @McDKentuckiana or any of the 100 McDonald’s Restaurants of Kentuckiana Facebook pages.
Photo from KDF
February days in the 60s make for crowded boat ramps and golf courses during a time of year usually spent indoors.
Everything, nature wise, seems a couple of weeks ahead of schedule. Buds show on lilac bushes, green grass already grows in bunches and the sound of lawn mowers permeates an afternoon backyard barbecue.
The rare winter temperatures may alter white bass spawning runs as well.
“With the weather pattern so far, I would be looking at the white bass getting going a little earlier than usual,” said Rob Rold, Northwestern Fisheries District biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “When we’ve had consecutive warm days, the white bass run up a bit into the headwaters above Nolin River Lake, but when it cools they go back down in the lake. They will do false runs until it gets right.”
Water temperatures are in the low 50s on Nolin River Lake, while other lakes such as Taylorsville Lake are flirting with water temperatures in the mid 50s.
“It should be getting close,” said David Baker, Central Fisheries District biologist for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. “We are doing a creel survey on Herrington and the white bass are staging in the upper one-third of the lake, waiting for the next temperature spike. A good warm front with water temperatures getting into the upper 50s, they will start moving to the shoals in the upper lake of both Herrington and Taylorsville.”
Baker said Herrington gets the nod for size of white bass. “There are a lot of really big white bass in Herrington, many up to 14 inches long. For catching a big white bass, Herrington is better than Taylorsville,” he said. Taylorsville Lake produces numbers of white bass, but less size.
Anglers may access the upper section of Herrington Lake and Dix River via Bryants Camp Boat Ramp in Garrard County. Bank anglers may access the Salt River above Taylorsville Lake via River Road on the Taylorsville Lake Wildlife Management Area until the opening of spring turkey season April 15. Boaters use Van Buren Boat Ramp on Taylorsville Lake.
Nolin River Lake holds arguably the best white bass population in Kentucky.
Rold said the Cane Run area, known to locals as the “Three Fingers,” in the upper lake upstream to Broad Ford at the KY 1214 Bridge is usually where the white bass runs begin.
“The length of day really dictates when they will run, even if it is not the preferred water temperature,” Rold said. “They start staging around Cane Run. It is a bit early, but they will come on soon.”
Rold said bank anglers use the access at Bacon Creek for productive white bass fishing. “Go to Bacon Creek ramp and walk the bank up or down,” he said. “The Corps property goes all the way up past Broad Ford. At winter pool, Broad Ford is the first shoal on Nolin River upstream of the lake.”
The tailwaters downstream of the locks and dams on the lower Green River also provide excellent white bass fishing. “The water below Lock and Dam 1 at Spottsville, Lock and Dam 2 at Calhoun and Lock and Dam 3 at Rochester all have decent white bass,” Rold said. “The mouth of Pond River downstream of Calhoun at Jewel City has a big white bass fishery. They run up into Pond River.”
Anglers may access the mouth via a public boat ramp at Jewel City. The tailwater below Lock and Dam 2 has a boat ramp and limited bank access at the end of Second Street in Rumsey, across the river from Calhoun. The tailwaters below Lock and Dam 3 at Rochester offer excellent bank access just west of town on Boat Ramp Road via KY 70.
The smaller male white bass make the initial runs. You will catch many fish during this time, but most will be of similar size. You often catch fish on consecutive casts when the males are running.
“By the first weeks of April, the females show up and it is prime,” Baker said. “This is the best fishing of spring runs.”
Running white bass hit anything that resembles baitfish with abandon, one of the keys to their enduring popularity. When the spring white bass runs peak, nothing else compares to the furious fishing.
White, chartreuse or gray in-line spinners are hard to beat during the runs, but 2-inch white curly tailed grubs rigged on 1/16-ounce leadheads also produce many white bass. Anglers also suspend 1/32-ounce white and red, pink or yellow feather jigs from 18 to 24 inches deep under small bobbers and allow them to drift in the current. Some anglers tip the feather jigs with small crappie minnows to make them more attractive to white bass.
As the runs peak, small topwater propeller baits draw vicious strikes, but you get more consistent action with subsurface presentations.
The next long sustained warm front will get the white bass running. It is time for the most exciting fishing of the year. Remember to buy your fishing license. The new license year began March 1.
Mayor Greg Fischer reminded parents today that there are many free or low-cost options for keeping students active and engaged during Spring Break, which starts Friday (March 31) for Jefferson County Public Schools and runs through next week (April 3-7) for JCPS and most private and Catholic schools.
“From Spring Break camps, to family picnics in our parks, to library and recreation center activities like an African Drum and Dance Workshop, there’s no reason for kids to be idle next week,” the Mayor said. “There are lots of options for the kind of experiences that stimulate their brains, get their bodies moving and keep them occupied and engaged.”
JCPS “Literacy &” camps
Families with third- through fifth-graders in Jefferson County Public Schools still have an opportunity to sign their children up for JCPS’ “Literacy &” camps at five locations. The free camps combine reading with character-building activities such as chess, karate, hip-hop, photography and robotics.
Registration is underway, and space is available for up to 30 students at each of the five elementary school locations: Crums Lane, Engelhard, Rangeland, Maupin and Wheatley. The camps will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 3-7. To register a child, families may call (502) 485-3631.
Metro Parks and Recreation
From Monday to Friday, April 3-7, many Louisville Metro Parks and Recreation community centers are offering Spring Break camps, which generally run 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. There are fees, ranging from $20 to $80 a week, which cover field trips, as well as organized games and activities. Find more details at www.bestparksever.com.
In addition, the Parkhill Community Center, 1703 South 13th St., is hosting an African Drum and Dance Workshop from 10 a.m. to noon each day next week. A $30 fee covers the workshop and performance. Call 637-3044 for more information. And the South Louisville Community Center, 2911 Taylor Boulevard, is hosting a free Robby Valentine Spring Break Sports Camp Tuesday and Wednesday, April 4-5, from 1-3 p.m. for ages 8-16. Call 574-3206 for information.
Other Spring Break activities sponsored by the community centers include:
- Family Night Out Parkhill Community Center, 1703 South Thirteenth Street; 637-3044 Friday, April 7, 6-8 p.m. Free kickball, games and movies.
- International Movie Night, Beechmont Community Center, 205 West Wellington Avenue; 361-5484. Friday, April 7, 6:30–8:30 p.m. Fee: $5, includes popcorn, cotton candy and snow cones.
- Fun at the Park, Newburg Park; 456-8122. Wednesday, April 5, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Free activities and cookout; ages 6-18.
- Skating and Gattiland Field Trip, Newburg Community Center , 4810 Exeter Avenue; 456-8122 For ages 10-18. Runs 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.; $10 fee.
- Cornhole Tournament and Brunch Newburg Community Center , 4810 Exeter Avenue; 456-8122. Free for all ages; 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Louisville Free Public Library
The library kicks off Spring Break week with its “Super Silly Saturday” on April 1 at the Southwest Regional Library.
Join special guests Elephant and Piggie for an afternoon of fun activities, learning stations, and all kinds of silliness! The event also features special performances by musical guest Jim Gill and StageOne Family Theatre, and each child attending will receive a free book. This program is funded by the Jefferson County Community Early Childhood Council and Junior League of Louisville, and is suggested for preschool-age children and their families.
Here are some other library events for Spring Break week, planned in addition to regular story times at each of the library’s branches:
Saturday, April 01, 2017
- 10:15 a.m. STEM Saturday Iroquois
- 10:30 a.m. Lego Build Challenge Jeffersontown
- 11 a.m. Preschool Party: Earth Day! Newburg
- 3:30 p.m. Super-Silly Saturday! Southwest
Monday, April 03, 2017
- 2 p.m. Milo and Otis Main Library
- 2 p.m. Everyone Loves Cupcakes Storytime Southwest
- 2 p.m. Money as You Grow Book Club Western
- 2 p.m. Teddy Bear’s Picnic Jeffersontown
- 2:30 p.m. Tween Art Workshop St. Matthews
- 3 p.m. Robotics Throwdown Crescent Hill
- 6 p.m. Family Movie Night Shawnee
- 6:30 p.m. Girls’ STEAM Club Portland
Tuesday, April 04, 217
- 10 a.m. Game Day Middletown
- 2 p.m. Family Movie Time Main Library
- 2 p.m. Movie: The Princess & the Frog Southwest
- 2 p.m. Afternoon Movie: The LEGO Movie Jeffersontown
- 3 p.m. Digital Literacy Event Fern Creek
- 3 p.m. Western Writing Workshop Western
- 3:30 p.m. Guess Who: Book Edition Shawnee
Wednesday, April 05, 217
- 12:30 p.m. Lunch & Learn Fern Creek
- 1 p.m. Nature Camp/ Jeff Memorial Forest Shively
- 2 p.m. Doc McStuffins Dramatic Play Southwest
- 2 p.m. Lego Squad Main Library
- 2:30 p.m. Spy Lab Crescent Hill
- 3:30 PM Robotics Throwdown Shawnee
- 6 p.m. Perler Beads: Pokemon-Style Southwest
Thursday, April 06, 217
- 10:15 a.m. Brightside Kids Crescent Hill
- 10:30 a.m. Puzzle & Lego Day! Middletown
- 11 a.m. Minecraft Middletown
- 2 p.m. Fun in the Spring Day Sun Main Library
- 2 p.m. Money as You Grow Book Club Western
- 6 p.m. Family Fort Night Southwest
- 6 p.m. Thursday Night Theater: Freaky Friday Main Library
Friday, April 07, 217
- 10:30 a.m. Friday Dance Party: Silly Dance! St. Matthews
- 11 a.m. Brown Bag Storytime Main Library
- 11 a.m. Come Play Yoga Crescent Hill
- 1 p.m. Brightside Kids Newburg
- 2 p.m. Stories with Snakes Main Library
- 2:30 p.m. Dogs vs. Cats Family Storytime Crescent Hill
Saturday, April 08, 217
- 10 a.m. Bunnies, Bunnies, Bunnies Family Storytime Southwest
- 10 a.m. English Conversation Club Bon Air
- 10 a.m. Preschool Party Main Library
- 11 a.m. Tell a Story with the Magic Tree House Shawnee
- 1 p.m. Lego Lab & Movie Portland
- 2 p.m. Brightside Kids Main Library
- 2 p.m. Dia! Celebrate Diversity Okolona
The Louisville Zoo
The Louisville Zoo’s spring break camps are full, but families should keep in mind that the Zoo is a living classroom and a perfect place to keep young minds active, while parents get in a little exercise. The best way to visit for families is a membership, and the Zoo has many different packages, including a dual membership with the Kentucky Science Center. Learn more at https://louisvillezoo.org/member-benefits/
Gov. Matt Bevin and First Lady Glenna Bevin hosted a luncheon at the Governor’s Mansion on Saturday, March 11 for the finalists of the First Lady’s Derby Poster Contest.
Early this year, the First Lady’s Office offered an opportunity for high school students to design the 2017 Kentucky Derby poster to displayed in the Capitol. Typically, professionals have been chosen to create the annual poster. This year, students throughout the Commonwealth were invited to offer their own rendering of what they think Derby Day looks like. The deadline for submissions was Feb. 20.
Mrs. Bevin, along with help from the Bevin children, chose the finalists and the winner. Students submitted their artwork online anonymously. Once the finalists were selected, their names, ages and schools were revealed. The finalists were presented with a personalized plaque to honor their submitted artwork.
“Matt and I want this to inspire students to be creative and encourage them to achieve their goals,” said Mrs. Bevin. “All of the finalist are winners! They are so incredibly talented, and they made the decision very difficult for me. It was such an honor to host these students and their guests. I had a wonderful time getting to know each of them.”
Jackson Penna, a junior at Pleasure Ridge Park High School in Louisville, was named the winner. He has received other awards and recognition for his artwork. Jackson plans to join the military following graduation.
The other finalists named were Anystin Conner, a freshman at Paul Blazer High School (Ashland); Olivia Nisbet, a senior at Pleasure Ridge Park High School; Vanessa Rodriguez, a senior at Bryan Station High School (Lexington); and Kaylee Thornsberry, a senior at Morgan County High School (West Liberty).
Attorney General Andy Beshear announced that his Office of Rate Intervention is recommending that the Public Service Commission (PSC) hold LG&E and KU to approximately one-third of the increase requested in recently filed rate cases.
The utility companies are asking the PSC for a $210 million increase in annual revenues.
Beshear’s rate proposal incorporates the testimony of five experts, including an engineer, and asks the PSC to reduce the rate request by $142 million.
Beshear’s Office of Rate Intervention serves as a watchdog for consumers in matters relating to health insurance, natural gas, water, sewer, electric and telephone rates. Under Kentucky law, the office is responsible for representing the interests of Kentucky consumers before governmental ratemaking agencies, concentrating on utility cases before PSC.
“My office clearly understands the need for utility companies to maintain their infrastructure to better serve ratepayers,” Beshear said. “In this instance, we view the requested increase by the utility companies to be excessive and are asking the PSC to take the appropriate action so that any cost passed to consumers isn’t crippling.”
Beshear’s office is also recommending that the fixed customer charge remain the same with no additional increase and eliminate the fixed charge “gas line tracker rider.” The charge as originally proposed was for a one-time, short-term recovery for a specific project. Now the companies want to use the tracker for long-term projects to enable them to collect construction expenses from ratepayers between rate cases.
Beshear is also recommending the PSC reject the proposed smart meter deployment, which will cost customers more than $350 million over the life of the meters.
“After careful review of the filings in this case, we find little support that smart meter deployment will benefit the ratepayers in any way,” Beshear said.
Other recommendations by Beshear’s office include:
- Delaying a smart grid project.
- Requesting the PSC reduce proposed transmission spending in an attempt to keep costs for customers down.
- Recommending a much lower authorized return for shareholders than proposed by the company.
A public hearing on the matter is scheduled for May 2 at the PSC in Frankfort.
