Five Things to Know Today
— Publisher’s Note —
Good morning! I spoke to someone yesterday on the phone, and when they asked what I did, I explained that I ran a web site and media operation focused on politics and government in Kentucky. “Wow, you must be really busy,” they exclaimed.
Uhm, yeah. All of that, and about 20% more.
I’m not complaining, mind you. Our readership is up, we continue to get one or two new paying members each week, and we’re covering our expenses, mostly. And, our contributors are doing amazing work.
It’s just that between the pandemic, the election, the news, and the issues, it’s pretty much a never-ending firehose. And sometimes I worry that we miss things, or that we move on to the next thing too fast.
That is why I want to encourage you to do two things:
- Be sure to scan the story list at the bottom of the Forward Five. There are items there that are important, engaging, smart, and worth your time, but that don’t make it into the top five.
- Go to the website and use the “All Content” choice under the Content menu. There you can see everything we’ve published, in chronological order. It’s a good way to skim quickly to see if you’ve missed anything.
All the work our contributors and I do is worth it, if you get value from it. And you can’t get that value if you don’t know about it. It’s a partnership between all of us and you.
Wear those masks, wash those hands, and pay attention to the news. We’re going to get through this, together. #TeamKentucky
Bruce Maples, publisher
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6/17 update – Beshear says virus is manageable, as long as Kentuckians follow the rules for preventing its spread
“Kentuckians are doing a good job, but we’ve got to remember that what we see around us says it can come back very, very quickly,” Beshear said. (Forward Kentucky)
National Indivisible endorses Booker. Turmoil ensues.
The national Indivisible organization endorsed Charles Booker in the Democratic primary for Senate on Wednesday, setting off a string of charges and counter-explanations between local Indivisible chapters and the umbrella national group. (Forward Kentucky)
Hundreds of people line up outside KY Capitol to speak to a human about unemployment
Hundreds of people came from all over the commonwealth for the chance to speak to a human in hopes of reviving their stalled claims for unemployment benefits during the coronavirus pandemic. The first person arrived around 5:20 a.m. (Herald-Leader)
Kynect is coming back. Beshear plans to revive state health insurance exchange
Gov. Andy Beshear announced Wednesday his administration will revive the state health insurance exchange launched in 2013 by his father, former Gov. Steve Beshear, under the 2010 Affordable Care Act. It was abolished by his successor, former Gov. Matt Bevin.
Beshear said he plans to reopen by 2022 the online health exchange where people can shop for and purchase commercial health plans, as well as sign up for Medicaid, the government health plan for low-income people and those with disabilities. He said while the system Kentucky built is still available, it needs to be updated and tested before it launches. (Courier-Journal)
Lee still rides in Murray, Kentucky
Many in Murray — city council, coach, NBA player — think it’s time for the Robert E. Lee statue to go. But it’s still there. Here’s the story, from Berry Craig. (Forward Kentucky)
Friday’s show
Let’s talk about #DefundThePolice
On Friday’s The State of Kentucky, we talk with Emily Galvin-Almanza about the concept of “defunding the police.” She is the founder and Executive Director of Partners for Justice, an access-to-justice nonprofit, and also serves as Senior Legal Counsel with The Justice Collaborative. She has worked as a public defender in both California and New York.
We also hope to have another well-known person on the show to talk about their experiences and insights, but that person hasn’t confirmed. If they do, we’ll add them to the show blurb tomorrow.
Remember, you can watch live at noon on Facebook or YouTube, and the recorded version later on our site.
Did you miss any of these?
Featured Content on Forward Kentucky
([new] indicates new since last Forward Five; 🔥 indicates lots of reads)
— News —
🔥 [new] Kentucky cousins both running for House seats this year – Second cousins Corbin and David Snardon look forward to annual family fishing trips to Land Between The Lakes. But they hope to meet in the Capitol come January. (read)
🔥 Carol Barr, wife of Congressman Andy Barr, dies unexpectedly – Carol Leavell Barr, the wife of U.S. Rep. Andy Barr, passed away suddenly Tuesday at the family home in Lexington. (read)
6/16 update – 203 new cases, 7 deaths; pools and gatherings up to 50 allowed June 29 – After announcing 203 new coronavirus cases today, Gov. Andy Beshear reminded Kentuckians in a news release that there are three things they can do to slow the spread of the virus. (read)
🔥 Beshear releases tax returns, challenges others to do the same – As part of his pledge of transparency, Governor Andy Beshear today released his tax returns for 2019, and called on other office holders to do the same. (read)
Does your county’s election site meet this checklist? – With all the changes in this primary, it’s important that the information about voting be clear, concise, and easy to find. Here’s a short checklist to make sure your county clerk’s website passes muster. (read)
— Commentary —
[new] Even when Trump is gone, we’ll still have Trumpism – I don’t mean in the event that — God forbid! — he wins reelection. No, I mean even if Donald Trump loses in November. No matter what, we’ll still have Trumpism. (read)
[new] The virus is winning – If we do not come together as a nation and confront this epidemic with a coherent unified voice and strategy … (read)
🔥 [new] No mask? You’re a bad neighbor. #WearTheDamnMask – I see you when I go to the store. Here you come, down the aisle, no mask in sight, shopping as if it’s January, acting as if you are somehow more special and immune than the rest of us. (read)
Are you a Progressive Puritopian? – Here’s a new word for you: “puritopian.” Have you known one? Are YOU one? Read on to find out! (read)
Why name our U.S. forts for these double losers? – When people argue that we should keep those Army forts named for Confederate generals, here’s your response: Why should our nation’s best be trained at bases named for our worst? Because most of them were TERRIBLE generals. (read)
🔥 Heroes aren’t hard to find – except in the U.S. Senate – At times of crisis, people often step up to be heroes. We are finding heroes among us today – except in the U.S. Senate. (read)
— Policy —
Let’s talk about #DefundThePolice – There is a lot of discussion across the United States about police work, and included in that is the phrase “defund the police.” Because there is so much misinformation out there about it, we thought it would be worthwhile to do an explainer about it. (read)
Police unions are one of the biggest obstacles to transforming policing – Protesters and community organizers are increasingly calling for defunding and disbanding the police as a way to end police violence. But there’s a major, and usually insurmountable, obstacle to reform: police unions. (read)
— Cartoon —
🔥 Junk set-out day in Louisville’s Highlands neighborhood – Aaron Smith notes: “I’m not sure what the Louisville Metro guidelines are for junk set out in Cherokee Triangle, but hopefully they’ll make an exception.” (view)
🔥 DOJ Threat Assessment Guide – Aaron Smith obtained a copy of the classified 2020 Threat Assessment Guide from the DOJ. It’s pretty simple, and they’ve obviously been following it. (view)
— Media —
[show] Our COVID Economy & Universal Basic Income – Our economy is in a nosedive, millions are out of work, and the Fed says the future is bad. What should be done? And is UBI part of the answer? Join us for a discussion with Scott Santens, UBI expert, and Hale Stewart, economic analyst, as we look at how to deal with all of this. (watch)
[podcast] Protests & COVID – plus interview w/ Charles Booker – This week we continue talking about the wave of protests all across Kentucky, and update the status of the COVID-19 outbreak. Then, we interview U.S. Senate candidate Charles Booker, who talked candidly about his campaign and the painful time for his district and city. (listen)
Posts with Most Social Media Shares in Past Fourteen Days
(🔥 indicates post with surge of recent shares)
- 🔥 Kentucky cousins both running for House seats this year (939 shares)
- Why aren’t teachers at the table when it comes to COVID-19 planning? (720 shares)
- Black Lives Matter in Crab Orchard, Kentucky (710 shares)
- Booker receives endorsements from Sanders, AOC, and the Herald-Leader (675 shares)
- Uptick accelerates as Beshear announces 319 new coronavirus cases, most in more than a month, with 65% in Jefferson County (531 shares)
