# Shay Informed > Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts. Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`). ## Pages ### How do I sign up? (and why it's worth it) URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/ Last updated: 2026-08-03T23:09:29.000Z *Shay Informed* is all about storytelling that matters- daily updates you need to know, national stories with local ties, and investigative reporting that holds power accountable and elevates perspectives that don’t always get heard. I believe in this work wholeheartedly. But I can’t do it alone. This is a one-woman operation, and to keep it going- and keep it truly independent- I offer a mix of free and subscriber-only content. Some stories will be open to everyone, but others, called *Shay Originals*, will be just for subscribers. *Shay Originals* will include the reporting I am known for, including investigative journalism, in-depth one-on-one interviews, my 10-episode [podcast covering the Crystal Rogers Trials](https://www.shayinformed.com/circumstantial-the-crystal-rogers-trials/), and [my weekly podcast](https://www.shayinformed.com/one-more-question/), going deeper on the big story of the week. I know paying for another subscription is not easy for everyone. Honestly, this wasn't a decision I made lightly. When I went independent, I wrestled with how to make this work- both for readers who have been with me from the beginning and for my family, who depend on this income. I've tried to strike a balance by keeping a lot of content free while having some premium pieces for subscribers. It's what allows me to keep doing the thorough investigative work that cases like the Crystal Rogers case require, rather than having to rush through stories or take on other work to make ends meet. For less than a cup of coffee from your favorite local coffee shop, you can help support independent journalism. A [subscription](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup) to *Shay Informed* will cost you $4.99/month, or you can save 17% and sign up for a year for $50\. What you won't find here are ads. This platform is 100% ad-free because the only people I want to answer to are you- the ones this work is really for. ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. The best way you can support Shay Informed is by investing in our growth with a [subscription](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup)! ### Stories URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/stories/ Last updated: 2025-07-24T17:14:50.000Z _No content available._ ### Get in Touch URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/contact-us/ Last updated: 2025-12-16T18:35:52.000Z We'd love to hear from you! Here's how to reach us: ## Subscription & Membership Support For questions about your subscription or membership, please email: [**membership@shayinformed.com**](mailto:membership@shayinformed.com) ## News Tips & General Inquiries Have a news tip for Shay or just want to say hello? Reach out at: [**shay@shayinformed.com**](mailto:shay@shayinformed.com) ## Want to connect by phone? You can call Shay at ‪(502) 632-3872 --- **Response Time:** You can expect to hear back from us within 48 hours. **Urgent Matters:** If your message is time-sensitive, please include "URGENT" in the subject line. Thank you for connecting with Shay Informed! You can also follow her on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/shaymcalisterTV/), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/shaymcalister/?ref=shayinformed.com) or [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/shaymcalister?ref=shayinformed.com). ### Welcome to Shay Informed- you're part of something special URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/free-member-sign-up/ Last updated: 2026-02-14T17:56:14.000Z _This page is for subscribers only._ ### Welcome to Shay Informed- thank you for believing in me URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed-thank-you-for-believing-in-me/ Last updated: 2026-08-23T20:37:23.000Z _This page is for paying subscribers only._ ### Paid Subscriber Content URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/subscriber-content/ Last updated: 2026-08-06T19:25:36.000Z Here is where you will find in-depth interviews, original stories, and exclusive audio content for our paid subscribers: _This page is for paying subscribers only._ ### Who is Shay McAlister, the journalist behind Shay Informed URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/who-is-shay-mcalister/ Last updated: 2026-04-29T18:03:59.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/shay-.jpg) I've spent the better part of the last decade chasing stories that matter- the kind that stick with you long after the camera stops rolling. I'm Shay McAlister, and journalism isn't just what I do; it's who I am. My career started at KOMU-TV in Columbia, Missouri, where I cut my teeth as a reporter and anchor from 2012 to 2015\. I earned my Bachelor of Journalism in Broadcast News from the Missouri School of Journalism- a program that taught me the fundamentals of ethical, impactful journalism. From there, I moved to WHAS11-TV in Louisville, Kentucky, where I spent a decade as an investigative reporter and anchor until 2025\. For years, I covered it all as a general assignment reporter- local government, schools, crime, health. You name it, I reported on it. But somewhere along the way, I found my calling: victim-centric investigative journalism. I gravitated toward the stories where someone couldn't fight for themselves- cold case investigations, child abuse, animal abuse. These are the stories that demand more than just reporting; they require empathy, persistence, and a willingness to stand in the gap for those who've been silenced. Some stories you report and move on from. Others change you- and hopefully, change the world around you just a little bit. In 2016, I investigated a murder-suicide in Madison, Indiana, that revealed a local judge had refused to sign an arrest warrant for an estranged husband violating an emergency protective order. That judicial failure cost a woman her life and led to the proposal of "Laura's Law" in the Indiana legislature. A year later, my investigation into a homeless camp clean-out in Louisville prompted significant policy changes and the adoption of new city ordinances- proof that shining a light on how we treat our most vulnerable citizens can actually move the needle. In 2018, I saw an opportunity to make my reporting more than pages on paper- I saw I could be a part of something that would make a difference for years to come. When Rose Smith, who lost her son to gun violence in 2014, told me she wanted to turn the abandoned property where he was killed into a community center, I got to work. We applied for grants, recruited volunteers, and officially cut the ribbon on the ACE Place in May of 2019. In 2019, I launched the podcast "Bardstown," which flew to the top of Apple Podcast's true crime charts. Just months later, the FBI took the lead on the cases we'd been covering. Three men were eventually arrested and convicted in connection with a murder that had sat cold for eight years. Seeing justice served after so long- that's the kind of moment that reminds you why this work matters. My 2020 investigation into Wildlife in Need, a so-called animal sanctuary, prompted intervention from the USDA and the Indiana Attorney General. They saved the animals and shut down the non-profit. That reporting was later featured in Netflix's "Tiger King" docu-series in 2021, bringing national attention to the abuse that had been hiding in plain sight. Most recently, in 2025, Dateline featured my reporting on the Crystal Rogers case-a story I've been following for years and one that continues to haunt me and the community affected by it. Over the years, I've been fortunate to receive recognition for this work- six Regional Emmy Awards, two Edward R. Murrow Awards, and numerous local honors, including AP's Best TV Reporter in 2019\. In 2023, I received a Special Congressional Recognition and was named to Louisville's '40 under 40.' But the awards that matter most to me are the ones that don't come with plaques: the policy changes, the arrests, the moments when a family member tells me they finally feel heard. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/shay-speaking-.jpg) I've invested in becoming better at this craft. I've attended conferences with the Kentucky News Photographers Association in 2017 and 2018, and the Investigative Reporters and Editors conference in 2019\. By 2022, IRE invited me back- this time as a speaker. In 2023, I both attended and spoke at the Sound of Life Storytelling Workshop, sharing what I've learned about telling stories that honor victims rather than exploit them. I've also been honored to have been invited as a keynote speaker to several events over the years- including the UofL Health Behavior Health Summit, Bowling Green Women's Leadership Summit, and the Bowling Green Public Library Speaker series. ## Personal life I'm from a little bit of a lot of places. Growing up, my family moved often- Texas, Florida, Germany, Colorado, Missouri- before I eventually landed in Louisville, a city I've grown to love deeply. I met my husband Jimi in Louisville in 2020, we got married on New Year's Eve 2023, and welcomed our first daughter Graham into the world in September 2024\. Her little sister Ellis was born in February of 2026\. These days, our favorite things involve travel, trying local restaurants, and soaking up family time- because at the end of the day, that's what matters most. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/04/7Y2A6533.jpg) ## Why I do this Every story I've told has taught me something about resilience, justice, and the power of giving voice to those who've been silenced. Whether it's a cold case that's been forgotten, an animal suffering behind closed doors, or a family waiting for answers, I believe deeply in the responsibility we have as journalists to fight for truth. This isn't always easy work. It's emotionally exhausting, and some days it feels impossible. But when I think about the families I've met, the lives that have been changed, and the small victories we've won together- I know it's worth it. That's who I am, and that's why I do what I do. ## Here's what makes Shay Informed different: Because I'm 100% ad-free, I have zero incentive to trick you with clickbait or manufacture drama that doesn't exist in our community. I don't need to chase viral moments or craft misleading headlines to keep people on my website. My only obligation is to you- the reader who deserves honest, relevant journalism. This means no "You Won't Believe What Happened Next" headlines about stories that barely affect anyone locally. No fear-mongering about distant events that have little bearing on your daily life. No fluff pieces designed solely to drive traffic. Instead, you get journalism that actually serves your life. Stories about the school board decision that will impact your kids. The city council vote that affects your commute. The local business owner whose innovation could inspire your own dreams. The investigative work that holds local leaders accountable to the community they serve. **This is impactful journalism that respects both your intelligence and your time.** Quick hits when you need to stay informed on a busy day, because I respect your schedule. Deeper dives when complex issues demand thorough explanation, because some stories matter too much for surface-level coverage. National news filtered through a local lens, because understanding how big-picture changes affect your neighborhood is what actually matters. Being a good citizen, a good neighbor, someone who can participate meaningfully in your community- that starts with understanding what's happening around you. Democracy works better when we're all paying attention to what actually impacts our lives, not just what algorithms think will keep us scrolling. That's why I launched **Shay Informed** after a decade in TV news. This isn't just about changing jobs- this is about doing journalism that feels *true*. True to who I am, and true to what I believe our communities actually need. You can expect local stories that impact your daily life, investigative work that creates real change, and introductions to neighbors doing remarkable things in our community. Every story will be written with the understanding that being informed doesn't mean being overwhelmed. This is *honest journalism with compassion and clarity-* and that'snot just my tagline, but my promise to you. ## Ethical standards at Shay Informed American journalism has long been guided by core ethical principles: accuracy, independence, accountability, and transparency. These standards, championed by organizations like the Society of Professional Journalists, call on reporters to verify information before publication, minimize harm while seeking truth, act independently from outside influences, and remain accountable to their audiences. Shay Informed operates firmly within this tradition. I'm committed to rigorous fact-checking and cite my sources so readers can verify my work themselves. I maintain editorial independence- my coverage isn't influenced by advertisers, political affiliations, or personal biases. In an era of declining trust in media, Shay Informed leans into journalism's foundational values: telling the truth, serving the public interest, and earning reader trust through consistent ethical practice. ## The editorial process As an independent journalist, I've created an editorial process with the help of mentors that provides the accuracy and integrity you deserve. **Multi-stage review**: I separate writing from editing, allowing time between drafts to approach stories with a fresh perspective. Each piece gets multiple passes checking for different elements- facts, clarity, and technical accuracy. **Fact verification**: Every story goes through a standardized checklist verifying names, dates, quotes, statistics, and official titles. For accountability journalism, I document all interview attempts and responses. **Trusted readers**: Complex or high-stakes stories are reviewed by subject matter experts and fellow journalists who can spot gaps or concerns I might miss. **Legal consultation**: Stories with potential legal implications receive additional legal review when warranted. This process honors the trust you place in my reporting and respects the families and communities whose stories I tell. No system is perfect, but I'm committed to getting it right. If you ever spot an error, please let me know- I'll correct it promptly and transparently. ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Real Talk for Real Women URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/real-talk-for-real-women/ Last updated: 2026-02-26T14:17:57.000Z Journalist Shay McAlister and maternal-fetal medicine specialist Dr. Tiffany Tonismae have teamed up for a new podcast made by women, for women. Listen at the bottom of the page! --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- We're two working moms with demanding careers - one delivering babies and managing high-risk pregnancies, the other investigating stories and holding systems accountable. We're done with the highlight reel version of women's lives. Each month, we're tackling the topics that matter: women's health, parenting, careers, mental health, loss, fertility, and the reality of balancing it all. We bring medical expertise and journalistic rigor to conversations that are too often sanitized or ignored. Also, we're living it ourselves and are committed to including our own journeys in the conversation. This is for every woman navigating the gap between what we're told life should look like and what it actually is. Whether you're building a family, building a career, or trying to keep your head above water doing both - this is real talk, no filter. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-25-at-8.54.57---AM.png) April 2024 interview on Black maternal health I first met Dr. T during an interview on live television. We were discussing Black maternal health. We had three minutes to cover a crisis that's killing women. Three minutes to discuss systemic failures, racial disparities, and preventable deaths. I remember thinking: this isn't helpful. This podcast is what that conversation should have been. Time to go deep, space to be honest, and room to share not just the data but our own experiences living and working in these systems. --- *We would LOVE to hear from you! You can send us topic ideas, stories, suggestions or generally anything on your mind. Email shay at shay@shayinformed.com or email Dr. T at obwithdrt@gmail.com* --- This podcast is available to all Shay Informed members, regardless of subscription level. I've built this platform on a simple principle: journalism should serve the community, not chase profit. That goes double for health information. No paywalls, no barriers, no filter. The first episode is live now! Listen below ⬇️ If you haven't signed up for Shay Informed, you can join with just an email [here](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup). _This page is for subscribers only._ ### One More Question URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/one-more-question/ Last updated: 2026-07-20T17:38:11.000Z If you've been a Shay Informed reader for any length of time, you already know the drill: I use this site to go deeper. To ask the questions others forget. To stay focused on a story that isn't done being told. That's the inspiration for *One More Question- with Shay McAlister*. *One More Question- with Shay McAlister* is exactly what it sounds like. Independent journalism that doesn't stop when the cameras turn off. The questions officials hope you'll forget. The stories that get buried under the next news cycle. The accountability reporting that takes time, sourcing, and a willingness to keep asking- even when the people in power would rather you didn't. That's the mission. That's always been the mission. But now it has its own home, dropping every Monday morning, wherever you already listen to podcasts. **Paid subscribers- make sure you've added One More Question to your favorite podcast app so you don't miss my new episodes every Monday Morning! Just follow the simple steps below** ⤵️ _This page is for paying subscribers only._ ### Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/circumstantial-the-crystal-rogers-trials/ Last updated: 2026-06-05T14:42:04.000Z This is the story of justice delayed but not denied. Of a family that never stopped fighting. And of the trials that finally brought answers to a case that consumed a community for nearly a decade. This podcast is available exclusively to Shay Informed subscribers. You can now listen to this on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform. But a paid membership to Shay Informed is required. You can sign up [here](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup)! Once you sign up- follow these steps! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-04-at-2.54.31---PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-04-at-2.54.38---PM.png) If you don't want to listen on your own platform, you can listen to every episode below! Right here on Shay Informed. _This page is for paying subscribers only._ ## Posts ### The bridge will carry their names. Sherry Ballard chose who would carry their story. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/the-bridge-will-carry-their-names-sherry-ballard-chose-who-would-carry-their-story/ Last updated: 2026-09-09T00:45:00.000Z As Nelson County prepares to dedicate a bridge to her daughter and husband, Sherry Ballard reflects on the investigators who moved from adversaries- or strangers- to the people she trusts most. --- *I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/henry-county-ems-defibrillator-luke-hinkel-kentucky-supreme-court/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly podcast.* *Want to hear it in her own words? This week's episode of One More Question with Shay McAlister features this interview with Sherry. Access is at the bottom of this page!* --- Not even a minute from Sherry Ballard's front door, the small bridge on Woodlawn Road will soon carry two new signs. Drive toward town, and you'll pass beneath the name of her daughter, Crystal Rogers. Drive home, and it will be her husband, Tommy Ballard's, name that greets you. Or maybe it's the other way around- even Sherry isn't sure yet which sign goes where. What she does know is that she'll be driving past both of them, every single day, for as long as she lives in the house Tommy built for their family on the land she asked him to buy so their kids would always know where home was. Sherry said she wasn't sold when lawmakers first brought the idea to her. "I had to think about it, because I'm gonna look at this going to town, and I'm gonna look at it coming home," Sherry said. "But I put my feelings aside and thought- this is not for me. It's for them." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-01-at-12.30.28---PM-1.png) The bridge on Woodlawn Road, over the Bluegrass Parkway The Tommy Ballard Memorial Bridge and the Crystal Rogers Memorial Bridge will be officially dedicated on September 15 at the Nelson County Courthouse, capping a process that started with a phone call from state Rep. Candy Massaroni and Sen. Jimmy Higdon, and ended with a local resolution passed by the Nelson County Fiscal Court. "Their story is very well known, and it's just a great way to honor that family and what they've been through," Massaroni told me. The road department will unveil the signs at the courthouse before installing them on the bridge itself, which sits too close to a live roadway to safely host a crowd. Higdon will serve as master of ceremonies. But when it came to who would actually stand up and speak about Crystal and Tommy, Massaroni left that decision to one person. "I'm letting Sherry pick out who she wants to speak," Massaroni said. Sherry didn't choose herself, or clergy, or a politician. She chose investigators- three of them, each attached to a different chapter of an investigation that has spanned more than a decade, survived a trial, and is still, in Tommy's case, unresolved. "I've asked Detective Jamie Brooks. I have asked Steve Keary, and I have asked Jon Snow," Sherry told me. She also asked her brother-in-law, Boo Roby, to speak on behalf of the family. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-01-at-12.29.44---PM-1.png) FBI Special Agent Steve Keary, Detective Jamie Brooks and Detective Jon Snow But I had to ask more about the three investigators. Three men who, in Sherry's telling, represent three distinct eras of a case that has tested- and, in her words, eventually rebuilt- her trust in law enforcement. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Former Gov. Matt Bevin arrested on movie set in Bourbon County URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/former-gov-matt-bevin-arrested-on-movie-set-in-bourbon-county/ Last updated: 2026-09-04T13:56:51.000Z Bevin was booked on a Jefferson County contempt warrant tied to his ongoing child-support dispute. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Former Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin was arrested Thursday evening-while working as an extra on a movie set in Bourbon County. According to a press release from the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office, dispatch got a call around 5:30 p.m. saying Bevin was in the county filming a movie and might have an active warrant out for his arrest. Deputies checked and confirmed it: Bevin had an outstanding warrant out of Jefferson County Circuit Court on a contempt charge, with no bail set. Deputies went to the set, took him into custody without incident, and booked him into the Bourbon-Nicholas County Regional Detention Center. The sheriff's office noted Bevin was "very cooperative". The warrant traces back to Bevin's ongoing divorce and child-support dispute in Jefferson Family Court, where Judge Angela Johnson had ordered him to turn over financial documents and appear at hearings related to support for his adopted son, Jonah Bevin. It's the latest twist in a legal saga that's dragged on for months-this same contempt fight led a judge to sentence Bevin to 60 days in jail back in March, over his failure to produce financial records in the case. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Louisville judge orders baby returned to mother convicted of harming her; deportation looms URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/louisville-judge-orders-baby-returned-to-mother-convicted-of-harming-her-deportation-looms/ Last updated: 2026-09-08T13:06:02.000Z A one-year-old U.S. citizen may be sent to Guatemala within days. A state lawmaker calls the lack of oversight "a dereliction of duty." --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- A Jefferson County judge has ordered a one-year-old U.S. citizen returned to the custody of her mother- a woman currently in ICE detention in Louisiana who pleaded guilty to a criminal charge after the infant was found with severe lacerations as a newborn. Once the child is handed over, sources familiar with the case say both will be deported to Guatemala. Multiple sources say the transfer is expected within days. "I really was trying to figure out how we as a state could be turning over a one-year-old to ICE, to be placed with the parent in a detention center, and then sent back to Guatemala," said state Rep. Tina Bojanowski, D-Louisville. "There were too many dynamics that don't have answers, and I still don't have answers." ## What happened to the baby ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/09/Marleny-Reynoso.jpg) According to Jefferson County court records, the child was born at home on August 2, 2025, and brought to Norton Women's & Children's Hospital the same day with lacerations across multiple parts of her body. Pediatric Protection Specialists, the hospital's child abuse assessment team, examined the infant and found her injuries "indicative of child physical abuse," according to the criminal citation. The mother, Marleny Reynoso, was the only person who had been in possession of the child, according to court records. She told investigators she used scissors to cut the umbilical cord- but the citation states her injuries "are not consistent" with that explanation. Reynoso was initially charged with attempted murder, first-degree criminal abuse, and second-degree wanton endangerment. Those charges were later amended, and she pleaded guilty to second-degree wanton endangerment. Reynoso completed her criminal sentence in July and was transferred directly into federal immigration custody. According to ICE's online detainee locator, she is currently held at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center. She has not seen her daughter since the day of the child's birth, under a no-contact order tied to the criminal case. Rep. Bojanowski said she has struggled to square the severity of the original allegations with what's happening now. "Surely the judge would have seen the arrest record of the mother of the child," she said. Though she told me she isn't sure. ## A reunification with no visits, no case plan, and no home study The child has remained with the same foster family for approximately one year, since her discharge from the hospital's NICU as a newborn. That family is now fighting for answers- both from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and from the Jefferson County Attorney's office- both of which are required to work in the best interest of the child. A source with direct knowledge of the investigation and how Kentucky's child welfare cabinet handles reunifications explained that, typically, the cabinet does not reunify children with their parents without moving through a defined process. That process includes lifting any no-contact order, then supervised visits, then unsupervised visits, then a trial home visit, and finally a monitoring period of at least 60 days after a child is returned home. "This is missing everything," the source said. "This mother has never once seen this child since the day she took that baby to the hospital last year. She's never once visited her. She has absolutely no bond with this child." The same source said the cabinet does not agree with the reunification and objected to it in court, but it has no authority once a judge rules. "If they tell us to reunify a child, we have to reunify a child," the source said. "The cabinet is not on board with this. They have objected to this, but ultimately they've lost." Rep. Bojanowski said she pressed the Cabinet for Health and Family Services for documentation and explanation but was given little of either. "It was just kind of the facts that there was a hearing," she said. She said that the cabinet "didn't think that they were going to be able to do anything else." She said she has not been able to identify any process resembling a typical reunification. "I don't think that reunification happens without oversight afterwards," she said. "I think that that's a dereliction of duty." To illustrate her disbelief, Bojanowski compared the case to a hypothetical without immigration enforcement involved. "Would the cabinet and the judge just reunite the baby with the mother without ensuring the mother is a safe parent? I don't think that would ever happen," she said. "But with ICE involved, and it's an immigrant who is undocumented- I don't understand how the judge could have made the decision to give the parent back." ## The judge's decision ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/09/jeff-county-courty-1.jpg) According to those familiar with the proceedings, Jefferson County Family Court Judge Angela Johnson ordered the child returned to the mother because the mother had not been given an adequate opportunity to work toward reunification. The cabinet, in a statement, said the ruling was supported by the county attorney and guardian ad litem assigned to the case. The Jefferson County Attorney's Office disputed that characterization. "The Cabinet for Health and Family Service's description of a confidential court proceeding is inaccurate," a spokesperson for the county attorney's office said. "The County Attorney's Office has no role in post disposition matters in Dependency, Neglect, and Abuse cases. As such, the County Attorney's Office deferred to the Guardian ad Litem who is an attorney appointed by the court to represent the best interests of the child." Family court proceedings involving children are confidential under Kentucky law, which has limited what can be independently verified about the judge's specific reasoning and the case's procedural history. Rep. Bojanowski said that confidentiality has made her own efforts to advocate for the child difficult. "Family court cases are confidential," she said. "I can't just do an open records request and ask for it." Without access to the order itself, Bojanowski said she's left assuming the judge weighed factors she can't see. "From my perspective, there's a child that is going to be sent to an ICE detention center, and then when the mom's deported, the child will go with her- without, from my knowledge, any oversight as to whether that parent is fit to be a parent." Rep. Bojanowski said she has contacted the offices of U.S. Rep. Morgan McGarvey, the Jefferson County Attorney, and the Louisville mayor's office, with mixed results. "From one, I heard that there have been multiple calls regarding this situation," she said. "From another, I heard that they are going to make contact with the cabinet and see what they can find out. And from another, I heard that there are so many things that are confidential that there's nothing I can be told." A spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Morgan McGarvey's office said Thursday: "We are aware of the situation and looking into it." Bojanowski said state government has no jurisdiction over ICE, which limits what she or other Kentucky lawmakers can do directly. So, she's hopeful Kentucky's federal lawmakers will step in. "There needs to be time between the child reunifying with the parent and the child being sent out of the country," she said. ## What's next Rep. Bojanowski said she is hopeful someone will petition the court for a stay before the child is handed over. "I think right now it seems that only the judge could make a change," she said. In a statement, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services said custody decisions are made by the courts, not the cabinet. "Team Kentucky is committed to the health and safety of everyone in the commonwealth, especially vulnerable children under the state's care," the cabinet said. "Custody decisions- like this one- are made by the courts and not CHFS. CHFS must follow any orders issued by the court." The cabinet added that the ruling was "supported by the county attorney and guardian ad litem assigned to the case". Guardian ad litem assignments in Kentucky family court cases are confidential, and I was unable to reach the guardian ad litem for comment. According to my source, the foster family has been asked to hand over the child Monday morning, so she can be taken to the ICE detention center. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### For Childhood Cancer Awareness Month: The children of Eastern Kentucky URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/for-childhood-cancer-awareness-month-the-children-of-eastern-kentucky/ Last updated: 2026-09-04T14:05:01.000Z As Childhood Cancer Awareness Month begins, a look at Eastern Kentucky's DIPG crisis- the families, the year-long delay, and the woman who saw it coming first. --- *I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *I believe some stories are too important to stay behind a paywall. That's why I'm making this piece free to read for everyone. Informed communities make better decisions and that can only happen when people have access to honest, thorough reporting.* *Shay Informed is 100% reader-funded. No ads. No corporate backing. Just journalism that answers to you. If you'd like to help keep this work going, please consider* [*subscribing*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup)*.* --- September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. In most of the country, that means gold ribbons and awareness campaigns. In one corner of Kentucky, it means something much closer to home: a community trying to understand why its children keep getting sick with a cancer that seldom strikes. I began reporting on this story in April 2026, when a cluster of pediatric DIPG diagnoses in Eastern Kentucky first became impossible to ignore. But open records requests and interviews since then have given me a much longer view- a glimpse into a state response that actually began a full year earlier, in May 2025, when one Whitley County woman first raised the alarm. What started as a handful of grieving families comparing notes on social media has become a state-confirmed statistical anomaly, a records-based accountability investigation, and, more recently, a look at where Kentucky's response is actually working. As this awareness month begins, I wanted to bring all of that reporting together in one place- including new, previously unpublished interview material- for anyone just now learning about what's happening in this part of the state. ## The numbers that should stop you cold The Kentucky Department for Public Health, working with the Kentucky Cancer Registry and the University of Kentucky College of Public Health, has confirmed **10 cases** of DIPG/DMG in Eastern Kentucky children and young adults since 2024\. In a typical year, the *entire state* of Kentucky sees only two or three cases of this cancer in that age group- total. Whitley County alone, a rural community of roughly 36,000 people, has had three. Two of those children are dead. One is still fighting. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/09/whitley-county-kids.jpeg) Ayven Dennis (6), Millie Kate Daughtery (7), Waylon Taylor (5) Ten cases in one region in roughly two years is not a statistical blip. State officials have called it "unusual," "concerning," and "devastating." It does not yet meet the technical scientific definition of a "cluster"- that requires a more specific shared location, like a school or neighborhood, which hasn't been identified- but it has triggered a formal "Unusual Pattern of Cancer" investigation, the same process used nationally under CDC and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry guidelines. Behind that number are children with names, families, and stories I've spent this past year documenting. ## The children behind the number ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-05-13-at-4.08.44---PM.png) Ayven Dennis was five years old and, by his mother Ashley Early's description, a completely normal, wild, funny little boy. He had a love of hiking, a habit of "shaking his butt and making vulgar, inappropriate moves" that made his ER-nurse mom laugh despite herself. His first symptom was subtle: an eye that seemed to turn inward. Within days, he was struggling to climb stairs he used to "zoom right up." An MRI found a tumor in his brainstem. He completed thirty rounds of radiation, traveled to Chicago for a clinical trial that gave his family a real stretch of hope, and then, in January 2026, his tumor worsened dramatically. He died March 5, 2026, six years old, ten months after diagnosis. His mother told me the last thing he ever did was reach over and give her a hug. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/09/destiny.jpg) Destiny Miniard was ten days from her ninth birthday when her mother, Marsha, noticed her walking "sort of like Donald Duck" through the kitchen. Within twenty-four hours, what looked like an inner ear infection turned out to be a mass in her brainstem that grew a full centimeter in ten days. Destiny's story has taken a different turn: after standard radiation produced only modest shrinkage, her mother made the difficult decision to add Full Extract Cannabis Oil to her treatment, sourced from a farm in California, with her doctors' support. Her tumor initially showed positive signs of shrinkage. At her most recent MRI, it had grown, and doctors gave her a grave prognosis- of only one or two months to live. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-05-15-at-1.58.52---PM-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-05-15-at-1.57.57---PM.png) Five-year-old Waylon Taylor died the same month as Ayven. Seven-year-old Millie Kate Daughtery was diagnosed a month after that. These are only the cases I've been able to confirm directly with families; both Ashley Early and Marsha Miniard describe knowing other Kentucky mothers fighting the same diagnosis right now, in real time, some watching their children move in the opposite direction from Destiny. ## What is DIPG? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-07-28-at-2.53.04---PM.png) To understand why this disease is so devastating, I spoke with Dr. Mustafa Barbour, a pediatric neuro-oncologist at Norton Children's Hospital. DIPG forms in the pons, a part of the brainstem through which nearly every critical nerve function passes- movement, swallowing, breathing, vision. Unlike most tumors, DIPG doesn't grow as a discrete mass; it infiltrates diffusely between healthy brainstem cells, which is why surgery has never been an option. "It's really hard to tell exactly where the tumor is and where the normal brainstem tissue is," Dr. Barbour told me. The disease moves fast. Most families notice symptoms only one to two weeks before diagnosis- a lazy eye, unsteadiness, a subtle weakness. By the time an MRI is ordered, doctors already know, largely from experience, what they're looking at. Radiation is the only treatment proven to make a meaningful difference, and even then it typically buys months, not years. Traditional chemotherapy, despite decades of trials, has never worked against DIPG. A weekly oral medication approved last year can slow the disease but not stop it. "For some families, they hear the diagnosis and rightfully ask me: if you're telling me I have a limited time to enjoy my child, why would we travel far from home for a trial?" Dr. Barbour said. "There is no one right answer for every child or every family." Only about 4% of federal cancer research funding goes toward pediatric cancers, and DIPG receives a fraction of even that. ## What the state knew, and when ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-07-22-at-11.08.32---AM.png) The most difficult reporting I did this year involved not the disease itself, but the response to it. Through Kentucky Open Records Act requests and an exclusive interview with Whitley County Public Health Director Marcy Rein, I was able to reconstruct a timeline that raises real questions about how long it took the state to act. A Whitley County resident with a public health background first alerted state officials to a possible cluster of pediatric DIPG cases in **May 2025-** nearly a full year before the public learned anything. State officials called the concern credible and opened a review. Then the trail went cold: the names reported couldn't be matched in the state cancer registry, partly because of a spelling error that wasn't resolved for nearly a year. "When they didn't have anywhere to go with it, they didn't go anywhere with it," Rein told me, "because it was sort of like, well, we don't know what else to do." That gap wasn't unforeseen. Records show state epidemiologists had identified this exact weakness- what happens to a community report that can't immediately be verified- in a formal presentation nearly two years before the Whitley County report came in. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-07-22-at-11.05.41---AM.png) Internal Presentation It took mounting public pressure this spring- a letter to Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Steven Stack describing at least six suspected cases, and Rein raising her own alarm after hearing the same fears from her community- before the state moved. When new reports came in this April, officials were finally able to confirm what they couldn't confirm the year before: two of the "new" cases were the very same children reported in 2025, this time with names spelled correctly. Since then, Kentucky's investigation has entered what Rein calls the "in-depth health studies" phase of the CDC's four-phase Unusual Pattern of Cancer protocol- the most resource-intensive stage, with the state's own timeline estimate running ten months or longer. Kentucky has met multiple times with the CDC and its Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, which has agreed to analyze DIPG data across multiple states for possible connections, using data Kentucky has already shared. But as Rein was careful to explain, there is not yet a specific environmental test underway, because there isn't yet a specific hypothesis to test. "We don't know what we're testing for," she told me. Because cancer risk can stem from exposures before conception, investigators have to consider not just where a child grew up, but where their parents lived years before the child was born- a fact that widens the scope of the inquiry considerably, and lengthens the timeline to match. The Cabinet for Health and Family Services declined to make state epidemiology staff available for an interview and has not answered my specific written questions about the delay. ## The woman who first raised the alarm ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-07-22-at-11.02.38---AM.png) Email Erin Maxey sent in 2025 For months, "a Whitley County resident" was the closest I could get to naming who first sounded this warning. She has since agreed to speak with me directly: Erin Maxey, a lifelong Whitley County resident who worked contact tracing at the local health department during COVID. In a new interview, Maxey walked me through her own emails, hour by hour, to reconstruct exactly what happened after she first raised concerns- and what didn't happen after that. Maxey isn't related to any of the affected families. She knew them only the way you know people in a small town- her stepmom worked with Ayven Dennis's father, everybody had gone to school together. When Waylon Taylor was diagnosed with DIPG not long after Ayven, something in her public-health training clicked. "The thing you hear is rare, rare, rare," she told me. "So when the second little boy was diagnosed, my alarm bells kind of started going off." She wrote down the date she started reaching out to officials: May 15, 2025. That day and the next, Maxey emailed nearly everyone she could think of: the nonprofit The Cure Starts Now and its co-founder Brooke Desserich, Kentucky Cancer Registry director Eric Durbin, and Department for Public Health official Douglas Thurman, who looped in Megan Hurst, whose team investigates cancer clusters. Officials responded quickly and, by her account, respectfully- Durbin thanked her for sharing her concern; Thurman told her she was "spot on" for flagging it. Within a day, Hurst's colleague Brandon called to walk through what the state called its "cancer pattern background questionnaire." Maxey told me she spent an entire day combing social media before that call, gathering the affected families' names, parents' names, dates of birth, even the dates symptoms started and diagnoses were made- because, she said, she worried the children might be receiving treatment at different hospitals, which could make it harder for anyone to connect their cases. "That's very hard for somebody to put two and two together," she said. It's a concern state officials have since told me was, in fact, part of what slowed their own review. She also gave investigators a third child's name that spring- a boy she'd learned, through social media, was said to be related to Waylon Taylor, though diagnosed with a different cancer. She told me she was explicit on the call that it wasn't DIPG. "I even spelled it out for him," she said. "I was clear with them." At the end of that call, Maxey says the investigator told her, in her words, "it could be days, it could be weeks, or it could be years before you hear anything." He also asked what she thought might be causing the cases. "It could be any type of, you know, anything environmental. That's why the research needs to start", she told me. Then, she says, the state went quiet. No follow-up call. No request to verify a name or a spelling. No word at all- until April 2026, when Millie Kate Daughtery's diagnosis and the deaths of Ayven Dennis and Waylon Taylor spread across social media and reignited the community's attention. When I first reported that the year-long delay traced back partly to a spelling error in the names Maxey provided, she told me it was the first she'd heard that her original tip had gone anywhere at all- and the explanation didn't sit easily with her. "I could understand if maybe he misunderstood me over the phone," she said. "But then my instant thought was, well, why didn't you call me and verify the spelling?" She points out that a version of the same information was sitting in plain view on social media the whole time. "One of the investigators could have went on Facebook and looked these families up," she said. "I just find it really hard to swallow that a spelling error is what got in the way." Maxey doesn't blame herself for the outcome, but she carries a version of the same weight the families do. She has a seven-year-old daughter of her own- the same age as some of the children diagnosed. "I just kind of assumed they're taking care of it," she said of the year of silence that followed her initial report. "I'm kind of blaming myself for not following up... but we have to learn from our mistakes, or we're going to continue to do the same things over and over again." ## What Kentucky is getting right ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-02-at-12.47.28---PM.png) Alongside the accountability reporting, I also wanted to look honestly at what is working- because something genuinely is. Kentucky has built one of the most well-funded state-level pediatric cancer research programs in the country, and other states have modeled their own legislation on it. The Kentucky Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund, created in 2015, has committed more than $50.5 million since its first $5 million appropriation in 2018\. More than $9.6 million of that has gone specifically toward DIPG and pediatric brain and central nervous system tumor research since July 2024\. The board is chaired by Elizabeth "Liz" Turner, whose own son David died of DIPG in 2021 after a three-year fight. "Our legislation was used to create the legislation in California in 2025," she told me. "We are a national leader in this space." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-02-at-12.48.54---PM.png) That money is funding real science. A University of Louisville lab has engineered a CAR-T therapy- reprogramming a patient's own immune cells to hunt the tumor- that cleared tumors in the majority of treated lab animals, some remaining cancer-free more than a year later; it's still years from reaching a child, but promising enough that researchers are pursuing a patent before publishing. A University of Kentucky lab is working to understand how a genetic mutation helps DIPG resist radiation and, along the way, has built a method for getting a promising drug across the blood-brain barrier- plus fast, low-cost "avatar" zebrafish models that could one day predict how a specific child's tumor will respond to treatment before a doctor has to guess. Researchers are also chasing leads on possible environmental contributors, including links to Kentucky's bourbon industry and a mold-linked genetic mutation seen in other childhood brain tumors, and have applied for federal Department of Defense funding to study environmental risk factors directly. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-02-at-12.49.59---PM.png) On the ground, organizations like Gilda's Club Louisville are trying to close the distance between that research and the families living through diagnosis right now- offering $500 no-strings grants to newly diagnosed families through a trust fund grant that has already helped 67 families and outpaced its own budget. But Gilda's Club runs almost all of its in-person programming within eight miles of Louisville, leaving most Eastern Kentucky families out of reach- a gap its CEO, Karen Morrison, told me she doesn't yet have the resources to close. Two limits came up, unprompted, in separate conversations with both women steering this work: Kentucky's voluntary tax check-off donation for the trust fund has raised just under $124,000 total since 2017- trending downward, and a fraction of what the legislature provides. And no one- not the state, not the researchers, not the nonprofits- has a fully reliable count of how many Kentucky children are actually living with DIPG, because so many families cross state lines for treatment. You cannot fully study a pattern you cannot reliably count. ## Where this stands Ten children. A years-long delay traced back to a spelling error. A federal investigation now finally underway, with no fast answers promised. And, running alongside all of it, one of the best-funded state pediatric cancer research efforts in the country- built, in no small part, by parents who buried their own children and decided to keep working anyway. "We haven't been angry enough," Ashley Early told me earlier this year. Marsha Miniard put a version of the same question a different way: "If it's so rare, why is there a concentration of kids here? Common sense says it has to be an environmental factor." Nobody yet knows the answer. What I do know, after a year of this reporting, is that the families in Whitley County and across southeastern Kentucky are not waiting for a scientific consensus to keep living this crisis, day by day, in real time- and that this Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, their children deserve more than a ribbon. They deserve an answer. Public health officials in Whitley County are coming together to provide the community an opportunity to ask questions at a community forum, detailed below. If you have specific questions or topics you are interested in- community leaders invite you to [submit those ahead of the forum here](https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=CyLO1arJ4kqGN5qsJ3KPNh%5FQpuOfRaFIsGTjVNsg7OdUNzhZNVQ4MVhDQldDQ0tHSjlBSDhHVzhIUC4u&ref=shayinformed.com). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/09/DIPG-community-forum.jpeg) ### Read the full investigative series: - ["Children are dying. Eastern Kentucky deserves answers."](https://www.shayinformed.com/children-are-dying-eastern-kentucky-deserves-answers/) - ["There is no cure": What happens after a DIPG diagnosis and the impossible decisions parents have to make](https://www.shayinformed.com/there-is-no-cure-what-happens-after-a-dipg-diagnosis-and-the-impossible-decisions-parents-have-to-make/) - [What Kentucky knew, and when: Inside the state's response to an unusual pattern of pediatric cancer](https://www.shayinformed.com/what-kentucky-knew-and-when-inside-the-states-response-to-an-unusual-pattern-of-pediatric-cancer/) - [What Kentucky is getting right: Inside the state's fight against childhood cancer](https://www.shayinformed.com/what-kentucky-is-getting-right-inside-the-states-fight-against-childhood-cancer/) *Shay Informed is 100% reader-funded- no ads, no corporate backing. If this reporting matters to you, consider* [*subscribing*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup)*.* ## ### "What an investment": Clarksville Officers credit LifeVac for saving choking 3-month-old URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/what-an-investment-clarksville-officers-credit-lifevac-for-saving-choking-3-month-old/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T16:08:35.000Z The department first outfitted patrol units with LifeVac devices in October 2024\. Last week, one was credited with saving a baby's life. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- A three-month-old is recovering after Clarksville Police Department officers used a department-issued LifeVac device to clear the child's airway during a choking emergency last week- the kind of call Chief Nathan Walls says rarely makes headlines, but one he's not letting go unnoticed. According to a release from CPD, officers were dispatched to a call for service on August 29 at approximately 1:55 p.m. involving a choking infant. Both responding officers went to work immediately, delivering back blows to try to clear the child's airway. When that wasn't enough, one of the officers grabbed the department's LifeVac unit- a suction-based airway clearance device- and used it to dislodge the obstruction. The baby began breathing normally and was transported to the hospital. "These are the calls the public rarely hears about," Chief Walls said in the release. "I am incredibly proud of these officers for how quickly they acted, but I have also come to expect this level of work from my guys." The department is crediting the outcome not just to fast reflexes, but to equipment CPD has been building out for nearly two years- equipment paid for without costing taxpayers a dime. CPD first equipped officers with LifeVac devices in October 2024, according to a department social media post at the time. "The expectation when these were purchased for our officers was that even if it was used once, it would be worth the investment," the department said in its release. "What an investment it turned out to be." ## A tool, not a substitute LifeVac devices work as a manual suction apparatus, designed to be used after back blows and abdominal thrusts fail to clear an obstruction- the same escalation CPD officers followed in this call. They've gained traction with police and fire departments nationally in recent years as a backup tool for choking emergencies involving both children and adults. For now, CPD says the story ends the way departments hope these calls always do: a scared family, a fast response, and a baby breathing normally again. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Stuck in limbo: New Kentucky law leaves hundreds of licensed professionals unable to work URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/stuck-in-limbo-new-kentucky-law-leaves-hundreds-of-licensed-professionals-unable-to-work/ Last updated: 2026-09-02T20:45:27.000Z Hundreds of Kentucky counselors, therapists and other licensed professionals are stuck waiting on a state agency bottleneck with no clear end date. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Macy Bright did everything right. She earned her psychology degree from Bellarmine University. She completed a two-year master's program in clinical mental health counseling at Spalding University. She passed the National Counselor Examination in June. She had a signed job offer from a Louisville mental health practice, waiting to pick back up with the same caseload of children she'd already spent the better part of a year building trust with- some as young as six, some who'd experienced trauma, one who'd only just learned to open up to her. After getting her results back from the National Counselor Examination, she submitted her license application to the Kentucky Board of Licensed Professional Counselors. That was more than a month ago. And she's still waiting for the board to sign off. Macy- along with hundreds of other new graduates across several professions in Kentucky- is now stuck. Not because of anything she did wrong, but because the state agencies responsible for implementing a new Kentucky law haven't built the system needed to comply with it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-08-27-at-9.58.12---AM-1.png) Macy Bright at gradtuation ## A law without a mechanism Kentucky House [Bill 36](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/hb36.html?ref=shayinformed.com) and House [Bill 657](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/hb657.html?ref=shayinformed.com), passed during the 2026 legislative session, added new requirements for certain independent licensing boards: applicants for initial licensure or reinstatement must now undergo an FBI and Kentucky State Police fingerprint-based background check, with the results sent directly from KSP and the FBI to the licensing board. Applicants can no longer submit their own background check results, as they could before. There's just one problem: the portal for KSP and the FBI to submit those results directly to boards doesn't exist yet. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Follow the Fix: who's working to Keep Kentuckiana's kids safe URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/follow-the-fix-whos-working-to-keep-kentuckianas-kids-safe/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T13:22:23.000Z Journalism doesn't only have to highlight the problems. Sometimes, it feels good to highlight the solutions. This week: keeping kids safe. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Here's the thing about accountability journalism: it's almost entirely about what's broken. I've spent almost a decade reporting on Louisville's houseless crisis. Mostly recently, on the Arthur Street Hotel dissolving as a resource for people experiencing homelessness. I've dug into the Kentucky Medicaid funding crisis and what it means for disabled Kentuckians. I've covered how the state handles- and sometimes fails- child welfare cases. That's the job, and it matters. But it also means my reporting rarely tells you where to go if you want to actually *do* something about the problems I'm surfacing. So with Give for Good Louisville- the metro and Southern Indiana's big one-day giving event- happening next month on September 10th I wanted to do something a little different and a little more intentional. I wanted to go back through my own reporting, look at the issues that keep showing up, and find the people working the solutions side of those same problems, right here in Louisville. So that's what this series is: "Follow the fix" showcases a handful of organizations, grouped by the exact issues my reporting has recently revealed. Not a random list. Not only big organizations. Specifically, groups doing the work in the four areas that show up again and again in my reporting- homelessness and housing, child welfare, healthcare access, and crime victim support. If you want to read my first article, focused on homelessness, [you can find it here](https://www.shayinformed.com/follow-the-fix-a-new-series-highlighting-the-change-makers/). You can read my [second article on healthcare access here](https://www.shayinformed.com/follow-the-fix-whos-filling-the-gaps-in-louisville-healthcare/). And you can learn more about [crime victim support here.](https://www.shayinformed.com/follow-the-fix-supporting-crime-victims-in-kentuckiana/) This is the last installment in the series, and it's fitting that it lands on child welfare. I talked to two organizations working from opposite ends of the same problem: one stepping in once a family is already in crisis, the other trying to make sure kids never end up there in the first place. ## Family Ark ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-27-at-2.57.19---PM.png) [Family Ark](https://www.giveforgoodlouisville.org/organization/family-ark-inc?ref=shayinformed.com) has been serving Southern Indiana for more than 50 years, working with families facing addiction, family violence, and other forms of instability- many of them already involved in the child welfare system. "We work with whole families to make them healthy and have an intergenerational impact, so that we can interrupt cycles," said Andrea Walden, describing the organization's approach. The organization runs on four main service lines: a behavioral health center offering individual, couples, and family counseling along with addiction treatment; foster care licensing and placement, including intensive care for kids with special needs; community-based services that provide in-home therapy to keep families together or safely reunite them after a removal; and Lotus House, a five-year-old residential recovery program for mothers with addiction that allows their children to stay with them during treatment. "That's a big motivator for them to stay in treatment," Walden said, "and for kids, they... don't first of all experience the trauma of being separated from their mother, but also get services right along with them." Family Ark is expanding Lotus House this year to offer a higher level of clinical care, so mothers who'd otherwise need a separate 30-day inpatient program — and a month apart from their kids- can get that same treatment while staying together. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-27-at-2.56.48---PM.png) All of this runs out of a 76-acre former dairy farm in Jeffersonville, which also now hosts a new flower farm. The idea, Walden explained, is threefold: it gives women in Lotus House and other programs flexible-wage work with the added benefit of time outdoors, it introduces the community to a campus most people don't know exists, and over time it becomes another source of revenue for the organization's services. Family Ark employs more than 50 clinicians and case managers, so most of its budget goes toward that direct-service staffing. Beyond that, donations right now are funding the Lotus House expansion- the facility upgrades needed to meet state licensure for a higher level of care- and a family assistance fund the organization uses for practical, immediate needs: short-term rental help, replacing a lost birth certificate, diapers, whatever it takes to remove a barrier standing between a family and stability. "Whatever it means for a family to gain stability... we have a fund that we keep that we can help families with things like that," Walden said. ## Exploited Children's Help Organization (ECHO) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Ann-Gotlib.jpg) [Exploited Children's Help Organization](https://www.giveforgoodlouisville.org/organization/exploited-children-s-help-organization?ref=shayinformed.com), known as Echo, was founded in Louisville in 1983, born out of tragedy: the disappearance of 12-year-old Ann Gotlib, who went missing while riding her bike near Bashford Manor Mall and was never found. More than 40 years later, ECHO is one of the only organizations in the region that goes directly into public and private school classrooms to teach kids about body safety and internet safety, and offers parallel training for adults on how to recognize, react to, and report child abuse. The curriculum, called Transforming Our Communities, is built around five safety rules: know what's up (knowing your address, a parent's phone number, emergency contacts), spot red flags (in person and online), make a move (getting away from an unsafe situation, physical or digital), talk it up (having the confidence to tell a safe adult), and no blame, no shame. Executive Director Sonja Grey was deliberate about that fourth rule's language. "We say safe adults and not trusted adults," she said, "because we know that over 90% of children that are abused are abused by someone they know and trust." A child can still trust someone who isn't safe, she explained- Echo's job is helping kids tell the difference. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-27-at-3.06.18---PM.png) Echo runs on a staff of three, and every dollar donated goes directly into programming: the expert staff delivering the curriculum in classrooms and the printed materials kids take home to reinforce it. "This is an investment into our children in this new movement of technology," Grey said, pointing to how quickly the digital landscape kids navigate is changing, often faster than the adults around them can keep up. Kentucky has passed new laws in recent years targeting sextortion and grooming, but Grey is clear that legislation alone isn't enough. "Laws are just laws," she said. "We need to educate our community, backing up these laws that have been passed by our legislation." If any of these resonated with you, all three are participating in Give for Good Louisville on September 10. ## About Give for Good Louisville Give for Good Louisville is a celebration of the people, causes, and nonprofits that make our community better. On Thursday, September 10, [visit the organization's website ](https://www.giveforgoodlouisville.org/?ref=shayinformed.com)to discover 600+ local organizations and support the missions that matter most to you. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## ### "No one is above the law": Southern Indiana deputy charged after Flock camera misuse URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/southern-indiana-dep/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T00:17:25.000Z The Jackson County, Indiana, Sheriff's Office audit flagged 2,055 searches of a single plate with no legitimate justification. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- A former Jackson County Sheriff's deputy is facing criminal charges after an internal audit caught him running the same license plate through a license-plate-reading camera system more than 2,000 times over an eight-month stretch- and allegedly lying about why. Jackson County Prosecutor Lynsey Fleetwood filed charges Monday against Skylar N. Thompson: Official Misconduct, a Level 6 felony, and Fraud, a Class A misdemeanor. [After 2,048 searches went unnoticed, Shively PD adds more oversight to Flock camerasA week after arresting one of its own officers, Shively Police is requiring weekly audits, written documentation and command-level verification for every Flock camera search. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-02042ec1-5b69-477b-ad43-dee009396d7e.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/FLOCK-LPR-b3582be0-8f7a-4795-bc15-3e9ed760dc8e.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/after-2-048-searches-went-unnoticed-shively-pd-adds-more-oversight-to-flock-cameras/) Here's how it came to light. The Sheriff's Office was doing a routine audit of its FLOCK camera system- the kind of automated license-plate-reader network that's become standard in law enforcement- when auditors noticed something odd: one plate, searched 2,055 times between December 31, 2025, and August 2, 2026. Every single time, according to the probable cause affidavit, Thompson logged the same justification: "City Planning/Traffic Analysis." The problem is that Thompson was never assigned any duties related to city planning or traffic pattern analysis. Prosecutors say he had no legitimate reason to be running that search at all- let alone thousands of times. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-08-31-at-8.16.03---PM.png) Once the Sheriff's Office spotted the pattern, they didn't sit on it. They brought in the Indiana State Police to run an independent investigation and looped in the Prosecutor's Office. Thompson was terminated and is now the one facing charges. Prosecutor Fleetwood didn't mince words about what's at stake: officers get access to sensitive systems and investigative tools because the public trusts them to use that access for actual law enforcement work- not for whatever this was. Her office says it has a no-tolerance approach when that trust gets broken, no matter who's wearing the badge. [He had access to every license plate in the city. Police say he used it to stalk the mother of his child.Officer Asad Zahir is accused of using the department’s license plate reader system to monitor a woman he shares a child with- a case now folded into a national reckoning over police misuse of Flock technology. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-19ee97ad-84e8-4fc8-9c14-bdb0ae49e6ac.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-08-26-at-3.00.38---PM-db9bc4fe-881d-4b3a-b923-2d667e990459.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/he-had-access-to-every-license-plate-in-the-city-police-say-he-used-it-to-stalk-the-mother-of-his-child/) As always, these are allegations at this stage. Thompson is presumed innocent unless and until a court says otherwise. What's notable here isn't just the misconduct- it's the audit trail. FLOCK systems and similar license-plate-reader networks log every search, which is exactly how this got caught. It's a reminder that the same surveillance infrastructure raising privacy questions nationally also creates a paper trail when it's misused internally. [Could flock cameras have solved these murders? Nelson County’s sheriff believes soSheriff Ramon Pineiroa says the technology now under fire in Congress might have cracked the Jason Ellis and Kathy and Samantha Netherland cases years ago. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-d7af268b-eeb4-4372-9fb8-f4031edabd31.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-08-12-at-1.30.18---PM-2f27c542-c2ab-479d-ba45-9b16a8b5c41d.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/could-flock-cameras-have-solved-these-murders-nelson-countys-sheriff-believes-so/) *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### After 2,048 searches went unnoticed, Shively PD adds more oversight to Flock cameras URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/after-2-048-searches-went-unnoticed-shively-pd-adds-more-oversight-to-flock-cameras/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T13:11:14.000Z A week after arresting one of its own officers, Shively Police is requiring weekly audits, written documentation and command-level verification for every Flock camera search. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Shively Police Department is admitting its own auditing process failed- and it's now overhauling how it polices the officers who use its Flock license plate camera system, one week after arresting one of its own for allegedly using that same system to track the mother of his child more than 2,000 times. In a release issued Monday, the department said a review it promised [after Officer Asad Zahir's arrest turned up a real problem](https://www.shayinformed.com/he-had-access-to-every-license-plate-in-the-city-police-say-he-used-it-to-stalk-the-mother-of-his-child/): audits of Flock searches were happening, but not consistently, not at the depth department policy required, and not documented the way they were supposed to be. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-26-at-3.00.38---PM-2.png) Asad Zahir "The department did not fully meet its own standard, and we accept responsibility for that," Chief Andre' Bottoms Sr. said in the release. "We told the community we would examine what happened, identify where our oversight fell short and make changes." That's a notable admission from a department that, just last week, was pointing to its new AI auditing tool as proof the system worked- the tool is what flagged Zahir's account in the first place. Now the department is acknowledging that before that tool existed, the human side of oversight wasn't holding up its end. ## What's changing The department laid out a long list of new requirements, but they boil down to a few core shifts. **Every search now needs a case number attached to it.** Before an officer can even browse Flock detections, they have to document a case number tying the search to real, documented police activity. That wasn't optional under the old policy either, technically- but enforcement is getting a lot more teeth. **Supervisors have to check the work- every week.** Sergeants are now required to review flagged Flock activity for everyone on their platoon on a weekly basis, rather than relying mostly on periodic spot checks. And it's not just a rubber stamp: supervisors have to pull the actual police report tied to the case number an officer entered and confirm the search had a legitimate connection to it. **Reviews have to be written down.** Supervisors now have to document what they reviewed, how they verified it, and what they concluded. That paper trail is exactly what was missing before- the old audits weren't being documented the way policy required, which is part of how Zahir's alleged pattern of searches was able to continue for five months before anyone caught it. **Nobody's exempt.** The new process extends oversight to supervisory, investigative, command and administrative personnel- not just patrol officers. And command staff will keep records to verify that supervisors are actually doing the reviews they're supposed to be doing, closing what had essentially been an honor-system gap. **Access gets cut off fast.** If an employee is suspended, separated from the department, reassigned, or otherwise no longer needs system access, their Flock login will now be deactivated- and that deactivation has to be documented too. The department also spelled out what happens when a search doesn't check out: if a supervisor can't validate it, or if it looks inconsistent with the case it's supposedly tied to, it now gets escalated up the chain of command, and can trigger either an administrative investigation, a criminal investigation, or both. ## What the underlying policy already said- and didn't stop Shively also provided the department's full ALPR policy, last revised this month, which spells out in detail what officers are and aren't allowed to do with Flock data- and it's worth noting the policy already prohibited exactly what Zahir is accused of doing. The policy explicitly bans using the ALPR system to "harass and/or intimidate any individual or group" and separately bars any "personal use" of the system outright. It also requires that "every ALPR detection browsing inquiry must be documented by either the associated agency case number or incident number and/or a reason for the inquiry"- and states flatly that "blanket searches absent a bona fide reason and or case number are strictly prohibited." In other words, the rules existed. What the department says was missing was consistent, documented enforcement of those rules- which is exactly what the new weekly-review and written-documentation requirements are designed to fix. The policy also spells out, for the first time in writing, exactly how those audits are supposed to work: designees of the chief use an AI-powered "Audit Assistance" tool inside Flock's platform to review flagged searches by user, license plate and last activity date, then document whether each one checks out against the case file-with any flags of potential misuse required to go straight to the Chief of Police. ## The bigger picture ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/RTCC.jpg) Credit: Flock Safety Shively's overhaul mirrors changes Flock Safety itself has been rolling out under pressure. The company has said that by January 1, all of its law enforcement customers nationwide will be required to use automated auditing tools and tie every search to a case number- essentially making mandatory, company-wide, what Shively is now building into its own policy following Zahir's arrest. Whether these changes are enough to satisfy critics is another question. Civil liberties advocates, including the ACLU, have argued that similar safeguards rolled out elsewhere amount to recycled versions of protections that already existed but weren't enforced- which is close to the exact admission Shively just made about its own audits. For Shively, the test now is whether the new weekly reviews, written documentation and command-level verification actually catch the next case before it runs for five months and 2,048 searches- rather than after. Zahir remains on unpaid administrative leave, facing five counts of Official Misconduct in the First Degree and five counts of Unlawful Access to a Computer in the Fourth Degree. Both the criminal and internal investigations remain active. [He had access to every license plate in the city. Police say he used it to stalk the mother of his child.Officer Asad Zahir is accused of using the department’s license plate reader system to monitor a woman he shares a child with- a case now folded into a national reckoning over police misuse of Flock technology. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-d4e94062-998f-41a2-843c-951eb194e294.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-08-26-at-3.00.38---PM-7a3f1cc0-3912-4fb2-821f-e7016278861e.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/he-had-access-to-every-license-plate-in-the-city-police-say-he-used-it-to-stalk-the-mother-of-his-child/) *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Nick Houck case: What happened in court and an unexpected face in the courtroom URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/nick-houck-case-what-happened-in-court-and-an-unexpected-face-in-the-courtroom/ Last updated: 2026-08-31T18:20:42.000Z A signed venue order, a new filing naming three grand jury dates, and Sherry Ballard's unfiltered reaction- everything from inside the courthouse. --- *I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/henry-county-ems-defibrillator-luke-hinkel-kentucky-supreme-court/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly podcast.* *Want to listen instead of read? I have a new podcast episode waiting for you. Access is at the bottom of this page!* --- When I got to court Friday morning, I was chatting with Till and Betty Ballard, Crystal Rogers' grandparents, and I spotted a familiar face. Someone who has been connected to Crystal's case before... but hasn't been for years. So, I approached him and asked why he was there today. We'll get to that conversation in a bit... first, let's talk about what happened in the courtroom. ## The venue is officially decided ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/IMG_7492.JPG) Judge Simms signed the order confirming Nick Houck's trial will be held in Owen County. There was a small hiccup at the start- Simms said he'd looked for the tendered order the night before and couldn't find it, and had to call both attorneys to the bench to sort it out. Turns out it had been filed, just not yet processed. Once that was cleared up, he signed it: trial in Owen County, but all pretrial proceedings- like today- stay right here in Nelson County. That part is now locked in. What's *not* locked in yet is the November 9th trial date. It wasn't addressed directly today, and honestly, given everything else that got added to the calendar this morning, I wouldn't assume it's safe. ## The bill of particulars ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/IMG_7511.JPG) Nelson County Commonwealth's Attorney Kyle Williamson and Nick Houck's attorney Michael Ferguson You'll remember from earlier this week: Houck's attorney, Michael Ferguson, filed a motion demanding the Commonwealth spell out exactly which statement, out of 33 pieces of evidence, constitutes the "material false statement" behind the perjury charge. "My request to have the Commonwealth own what they are putting up in the indictment, which is very vague. It does nothing but mimic the language of the statute. Exactly what words were spoken that they maintain as a material false statement? Exactly?," Ferguson said to both the judge, and the Commonwealth's Attorney. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### What to expect when Nick Houck is back in court Friday URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/what-to-expect-when-nick-houck-is-back-in-court-friday/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T19:59:58.000Z A venue decision, a possible new trial date, and a defense motion that could finally spell out the lie at the center of this case- all on the docket at 9am. --- *Reminder... Court hearings like this one move fast, and a lot happens in that room that never makes it into local news reports. That's the gap I built Shay Informed to fill- and it's exactly what paid members get on a day like Friday.* *When I walk out of that courtroom, paid subscribers get:* - *A *full post-court breakdown* sent straight to your inbox- the write-up, photos, and behind-the-scenes details from inside the courthouse.* - *A *30-minute podcast episode* walking through my entire day, for subscribers who'd rather listen than read.* - **Exclusive interviews* you won't find anywhere else.* - **Expert analysis* of what the judge's decisions actually mean- and what comes next in the case.* *No ads. No clickbait. Just the reporting, straight from someone who's been in that courtroom for this case for a decade.* *Membership is $4.99/month or $50/year, and you can cancel anytime.* [*Sign up here!*](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup) --- Friday morning, Nick Houck is back in Nelson Circuit Court- and this one could be a pivotal hearing. Two separate things are set to come before Judge Charles Simms, and either one on its own would be worth watching. Together, they could reshape both the timeline and the substance of this case. First: does the November trial date survive the move to Owen County? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/IMG_7440-1.JPG) Nick's Attorney talking to the Commonwealth's Attorney Back in August, defense attorney Michael Ferguson and Commonwealth's Attorney Kyle Williamson agreed to move Houck's trial to Owenton, in Owen County. That agreement went to Judge Simms for his signature not long after. But agreeing on a location and actually locking in logistics are two different things. Judge Simms was clear back in August that the November 9th trial date was not up for negotiation- full stop. The problem is, that date was set with Nelson County's courthouse in mind. Whether Owen County's court can accommodate that same date is still an open question, and Friday, we should find out. If the schedules don't line up, Simms may have no choice but to set an entirely new trial date right there in the courtroom. Second: the defense wants prosecutors to name the lie. This is the part of Friday's hearing I think readers will find most interesting. Earlier this week, Ferguson filed a "Bill of Particulars"- a formal motion asking the Commonwealth to lay out, in specific terms, exactly what it intends to prove at trial. And when you look at the scope of this case, it's a fair question to raise. Discovery in this case includes 33 separate recordings and transcripts, 11 named witnesses, and an unspecified number of "unknown grand jurors." But Houck is charged with just one count of first-degree perjury- built around a single "material false statement" that prosecutors say he made under oath, and that he didn't even believe himself. [Nick Houck’s attorney wants to know: What exactly did he lie about?A new filing asks prosecutors to point to one lie among 33 recordings- before this case reaches a jury. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-38686153-3fd5-4826-8ffc-cbbdb9642ecf.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_7434-2-323558ab-1241-4fdc-bacd-bafe0962b328.JPG)](https://www.shayinformed.com/nick-houcks-attorney-wants-to-know-what-exactly-did-he-lie-about/) So Ferguson wants the Commonwealth to answer, on the record: Which of the 33 pieces of evidence contains that statement? What date, what time, what recording? And separately- what evidence proves Houck didn't believe it was true when he said it? Ferguson's filing also raises a legal argument that could matter well before this case ever reaches a jury: that a judge, not a jury, has to determine as a matter of law whether the alleged false statement was legally "material" in the first place. If Judge Simms agrees to hear that argument Friday, and grants the motion, prosecutors could be given just five days to respond. ## Why this matters ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-27-at-2.07.43---PM.png) Since Houck's arrest back in June, we've known the broad strokes- a first-degree perjury charge, an alleged false statement made sometime between July 2015 and August 2023, and a family name that's been tied to the Crystal Rogers case for over a decade. What we haven't had, at any point in this process, is specificity. Not at the arraignment, not in the indictment, not since. Friday could change that. If Judge Simms grants the bill of particulars, we could be looking at the first real, on-the-record specifics about what Nick Houck is actually accused of lying about- and when. I am working for my paid subscribers on days like this! To all of you- thank you for making this important work possible. To everyone else- feel free to join us! *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Kentucky's Supreme Court just let prosecutors slip in one more argument against Brooks Houck URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentuckys-supreme-court-just-let-prosecutors-slip-in-one-more-argument-against-brooks-houck/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T14:20:23.000Z Months after the last brief was filed, a small procedural filing offers a rare glimpse of the case still in motion. --- *I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Brooks Houck's appeal has been fully briefed for months. Opening brief, response, reply- all filed, all in the record, all supposedly the last word. But last week, the Kentucky Supreme Court let the Commonwealth get in one more hit anyway. If you haven't been following along, here's the shape of things. Houck was convicted in 2025 of murdering Crystal Rogers, the Bardstown mother of five who vanished in 2015 and whose body has never been found. He's appealing that conviction directly to the Kentucky Supreme Court, which is standard for murder cases that receive a life sentence. [Kentucky AG to court: Brooks Houck killed Crystal Rogers, and the evidence proves itThe state’s top prosecutor filed a 103-page brief urging the Kentucky Supreme Court to uphold Houck’s murder conviction- and didn’t mince words about why. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-f37e992d-51a6-4504-8f24-22308b5b4116.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-02-10-at-8.44.17---AM-21e7f188-1758-4194-8b2f-b8411f0537c0.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-ag-to-court-brooks-houck-killed-crystal-rogers-and-the-evidence-proves-it/) Over the winter and spring, his attorneys and the Attorney General's office traded briefs: Houck's team laying out [a long list of alleged trial errors](https://www.shayinformed.com/tainted-jury-biased-judge-improper-evidence-houcks-appeal-attacks-all-aspects-of-trial/), the [AG's office firing back with a 103-page defense](https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-ag-to-court-brooks-houck-killed-crystal-rogers-and-the-evidence-proves-it/) of the conviction, and then Houck's [17-page reply](https://www.shayinformed.com/the-last-document-the-kentucky-supreme-court-will-read-before-deciding-brooks-houcks-appeal-has-been-filed/) getting the final word. That reply, filed in June, was supposed to close the book. The case has been sitting with the justices since. Then, on July 31, the Commonwealth filed something new. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Kentucky measles outbreak hits worst level since 1991 URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-measles-outbreak-hits-worst-level-since-1991/ Last updated: 2026-08-27T17:21:10.000Z More than two dozen confirmed cases prompt state health officials to urge unvaccinated Kentuckians to get the MMR shot. --- *I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Kentucky is now dealing with its worst measles outbreak in more than three decades, but state health officials say there's a silver lining: more people are rolling up their sleeves for the vaccine. Dr. Steven Stack provided an update this week on the outbreak, confirming 25 active cases of measles across the commonwealth, concentrated in communities with low vaccination rates. Add those to earlier cases from earlier in the year, and Kentucky has now logged 29 measles cases in 2026- the highest count the state has seen since 1991. Every single case, Stack noted, has been in someone who wasn't vaccinated against measles. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-27-at-1.20.00---PM.png) Provided by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services ## The good news Despite the concerning spread, Stack pointed to something encouraging: people are listening. Since August 16, more than 250 doses of the MMR vaccine- which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella- have been administered in the Kentucky counties currently dealing with cases. "Although this outbreak raises concerns about the spread of serious illness, public messaging emphasizing the importance and effectiveness of vaccinations appears to be working," Stack said. ## Why the vaccine matters Stack was direct about the numbers: two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97% effective at preventing measles. That's about as close to a guarantee as vaccines get. For families who haven't started or finished the vaccine series, he had a clear message- don't wait. In the U.S., kids typically get their first MMR dose between 12 and 15 months old, and Stack urged parents to get that first shot as early as possible if their child hasn't had it yet. Adults who are unsure of their own vaccination status are encouraged to check in with their healthcare provider or local health department. If you suspect you or a family member has measles, health officials say the priority is keeping your distance from others. Measles is highly contagious and spreads easily in unvaccinated communities, so isolating at home and calling your healthcare provider before showing up in person- at a clinic, ER, or anywhere else- helps prevent further spread. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-27-at-1.20.33---PM.png) Provided by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services ## The bottom line Kentucky hasn't seen numbers like this in over 30 years, and health officials are treating it as a wake-up call rather than a reason to panic. The message from the state is straightforward: if you or your kids aren't vaccinated, now's the time. The shot works, it's proven, and it's the single biggest factor separating who gets sick in this outbreak and who doesn't. If you have questions about your vaccination status or your children's immunization schedule, reach out to your healthcare provider or local health department. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### He had access to every license plate in the city. Police say he used it to stalk the mother of his child. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/he-had-access-to-every-license-plate-in-the-city-police-say-he-used-it-to-stalk-the-mother-of-his-child/ Last updated: 2026-08-26T19:15:51.000Z Officer Asad Zahir is accused of using the department's license plate reader system to monitor a woman he shares a child with- a case now folded into a national reckoning over police misuse of Flock technology. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- A Shively police officer is facing criminal charges after investigators say he abused his access to the department's Flock license plate reader system more than 2,000 times over five months to track the movements of a woman he shares a child with- a case that's landing in the middle of an escalating national reckoning over the surveillance technology. Officer Asad Zahir has been charged with five counts of Official Misconduct in the First Degree and five counts of Unlawful Access to a Computer in the Fourth Degree, according to Shively police and a criminal citation. ## What the citation says The citation lays out a pattern investigators say went well beyond a database glitch or an overzealous cop chasing a lead. Between January 1 and May 2, 2026, the citation alleges Zahir "abused his access to the Flock system and conducted over 2,048 searches in total," repeatedly pulling up two Kentucky vehicle registrations belonging to a woman he has a child with, according to the citation. It gets more serious from there. The citation states that during that five-month window, Zahir "harassed the victim in Indiana" and "made threatening comments" toward her- to the point that she sought and was granted a temporary protective order against him. Investigators say the pattern they uncovered showed Zahir had "continuously accessed this system in order to track the victim's movements in Kentucky and Indiana" over the full five months. In other words: this wasn't a one-time misuse of police technology. According to the sworn citation, it was a sustained surveillance campaign against the mother of his child, carried out with a tool his badge gave him access to. ## How it came to light ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Flock-pic.jpg) According to a press release from the Shively Police Department, the case only surfaced because of a new safeguard. On August 24, 2026, the department activated an AI-powered auditing tool through Flock Safety- software designed to flag potentially improper searches for review by agency administrators. It didn't take long to find something. The audit flagged repeated searches tied to Zahir's account involving the two Kentucky plates. A follow-up review by the department turned up the full scope: 2,048 searches of those two registrations across five months. Once the pattern was identified, Shively Police Chief Col. Andre Bottoms cut off Zahir's access to Flock and ordered a criminal investigation. "Accountability applies to every member of this department," Bottoms said in the release. "No one is above the law or the standards we are sworn to uphold. When this activity was identified, we acted immediately to restrict access, preserve the evidence and begin a criminal investigation." Zahir has been with the Shively Police Department since June 2022 and was assigned to patrol. He's now on unpaid administrative leave pending the outcome of both the criminal case and an internal investigation. The department says it's also reviewing his access to other restricted law enforcement databases and is conducting a broader review of its policies and oversight around Flock technology- including whether it needs more supervisory controls. Because the investigations are active, Shively police say they won't be releasing additional details for now. ## Part of a much bigger story What happened in Shively isn't an isolated incident. It's the latest entry in a fast-growing list of cases where officers around the country have turned automated license plate readers into personal surveillance tools, and it's arriving right as Flock Safety itself is under unprecedented pressure to change how the technology is policed. Flock operates roughly 120,000 cameras nationwide and works with thousands of law enforcement agencies, and reporting this year has documented officer misuse in at least a dozen states- Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin among them. A Newsweek review found allegations that officers improperly accessed license plate data for personal purposes, including tracking romantic partners, relatives or acquaintances, in cases identified through recent criminal filings, internal investigations and disciplinary actions. The volume of cases has pushed Flock itself to act. Facing mounting backlash over privacy and documented police misuse, the company announced that by January 1, 2027, law enforcement customers will be required to use automated auditing, tie every search to a specific case number, and accept a shortened seven-day default data retention period- the same kind of auditing tool that caught Zahir. ## The fight over Flock, right here at home Kentucky has its own version of this fight, and it predates the Shively case. LMPD operates more than 200 Flock cameras and has access to hundreds more owned by private parties or other agencies, but the department has consistently refused to disclose where they're located- even after Kentucky's Republican attorney general, Russell Coleman, sided with the city in denying an open-records request for the locations. In April, Louisville Metro Council took up an ordinance from Councilman J.P. Lyninger, a District 6 Democrat, that would have required the city to publish a public map of camera locations, similar to what Lexington already does. It failed decisively- reported as a 20-4 vote against, with only Lyninger, Shameka Parrish-Wright, Betsy Ruhe and Jennifer Chappell in support. In rural counties, the conversation is different. Flock cameras are beings sold as a necessary crime fighting tool. Nelson County Sheriff Ramon Pineiroa believes that if he'd had this technology years earlier, two of the county's most high-profile unsolved cases- the murder of Bardstown Police Officer Jason Ellis, and the double homicide of Kathy and Samantha Netherland- would already be solved. "We knew we had a black car, and it would have crossed one of those cameras going into the area of the Netherland home. If we had these cameras installed back in 2014, that double homicide would be solved today", Sheriff Pineiroa said, "That's a fact." [Could flock cameras have solved these murders? Nelson County’s sheriff believes soSheriff Ramon Pineiroa says the technology now under fire in Congress might have cracked the Jason Ellis and Kathy and Samantha Netherland cases years ago. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-1115407d-9223-462e-b4d3-12e02f692ae3.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-08-12-at-1.30.18---PM-04459412-18dd-4421-8a5e-e6cf6a375e0e.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/could-flock-cameras-have-solved-these-murders-nelson-countys-sheriff-believes-so/) But its not just community members pressing for less flock cameras- state and federal lawmakers are doing the same. Congressman Thomas Massie recently posted that he plans to sponsor a bill withholding federal money from any municipality or police department that deploys Flock or similar surveillance cameras against "law-abiding citizens." Kentucky State Representative [Savannah Maddox recently told Fox56 ](https://fox56news.com/news/kentucky/kentucky-lawmaker-pushes-to-ban-flock-cameras-as-police-defend-crime-fighting-technology/?ref=shayinformed.com)that she believes the cameras represent government overreach. "In the next General Assembly session, I would like to see Flock cameras outright banned, and to put a stop to this endless government surveillance that we’ve begun to see,” Maddox said in the Fox56 interview. Shively's move to add automated auditing- the very thing that caught Zahir- mirrors what Flock is now making mandatory nationwide by January. Whether that's enough to prevent the next case, in Shively or anywhere else, is likely to remain the central question in this debate for a long time to come. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Nick Houck's attorney wants to know: What exactly did he lie about? URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/nick-houcks-attorney-wants-to-know-what-exactly-did-he-lie-about/ Last updated: 2026-08-27T17:50:00.000Z A new filing asks prosecutors to point to one lie among 33 recordings- before this case reaches a jury. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Nick Houck's defense team just filed something that gets at the heart of the perjury case against him: a demand that prosecutors say, in plain terms, which of the 33 recordings in this case actually contains the lie. Attorney Michael Ferguson filed a "Notice Motion Bill of Particulars" Monday in Nelson Circuit Court on behalf of Houck. In plain English, a bill of particulars is a formal request asking the Commonwealth to spell out the specifics of its case- not just the legal charge, but the who, what, when, and where behind it. Here's what Ferguson is asking Judge Charles Simms to force prosecutors to answer: - Discovery in the case includes 33 separate recordings and transcripts, plus 11 named witnesses and an unspecified number of "unknown grand jurors." Ferguson wants to know exactly which of those 33 pieces of evidence contains the "material false statement" at the center of the charge- down to the date, time, and specific recording. - He's also asking prosecutors to identify what evidence proves Houck didn't believe the statement was true when he made it- a required element of first-degree perjury under Kentucky law. - The filing argues that before this case can even go to a jury, the judge has to first rule, as a matter of law, that the alleged false statement was legally "material"- meaning it mattered to the underlying proceeding. - Ferguson is asking the court to give the Commonwealth five days to respond once the motion is granted. In short: Houck is charged with one Class D felony count of perjury, but the underlying case spans years of evidence, and the defense says it's still not clear which single statement is actually at issue. [Nick Houck Trial Witnesses, Evidence RevealedA new court filing in the Nick Houck perjury case reveals the evidence, three grand jury dates, and a witness list spanning a decade of investigation.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-27522eea-fe2c-442f-8c5d-4ec27d751829.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_7086-2-7746bff0-425b-4807-8370-24f24c7117ce.JPG)](https://www.shayinformed.com/a-rare-look-inside-the-case-against-nick-houck/) _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Follow the fix: supporting crime victims in Kentuckiana URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/follow-the-fix-supporting-crime-victims-in-kentuckiana/ Last updated: 2026-08-25T14:10:43.000Z Journalism doesn't only have to highlight the problems. Sometimes, it feels good to highlight the solutions. This week: supporting victims of crime. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Here's the thing about accountability journalism: it's almost entirely about what's broken. I've spent almost a decade reporting on Louisville's houseless crisis. Mostly recently, on the Arthur Street Hotel dissolving as a resource for people experiencing homelessness. I've dug into the Kentucky Medicaid funding crisis and what it means for disabled Kentuckians. I've covered how the state handles- and sometimes fails- child welfare cases. That's the job, and it matters. But it also means my reporting rarely tells you where to go if you want to actually *do* something about the problems I'm surfacing. So with Give for Good Louisville- the metro and Southern Indiana's big one-day giving event- happening next month on September 10th I wanted to do something a little different and a little more intentional. I wanted to go back through my own reporting, look at the issues that keep showing up, and find the people working the solutions side of those same problems, right here in Louisville. So that's what this series is: "Follow the fix" showcases a handful of organizations, grouped by the exact issues my reporting has recently revealed. Not a random list. Not only big organizations. Specifically, groups doing the work in the four areas that show up again and again in my reporting- homelessness and housing, child welfare, healthcare access, and crime victim support. If you want to read my first article, focused on homelessness, [you can find it here](https://www.shayinformed.com/follow-the-fix-a-new-series-highlighting-the-change-makers/). You can read my [second article on healthcare access here](https://www.shayinformed.com/follow-the-fix-whos-filling-the-gaps-in-louisville-healthcare/). This week, it's crime victim support. I talked to three organizations that show up after the worst has already happened, doing the long, unglamorous work of helping people survive what comes next. One quick disclosure: I serve on the board of The ACE Project, which runs Ace Healing. I'm including them here because their work fits squarely in this beat, but I wanted to be upfront about that connection. ## Comfort House Child Advocacy Center ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-9.54.15---AM.png) [Comfort House ](https://www.giveforgoodlouisville.org/organization/comfort-house-child-advocacy-center?ref=shayinformed.com)is a children's advocacy center serving Southern Indiana, just across the river from Louisville. The model dates back to the 1980s, when a district attorney in Huntsville, Alabama, sat down to talk to a child about an upcoming case and was told by the child's grandparent, in essence, "you're like the tenth person who's talked to this kid." That moment reshaped how communities investigate crimes against children. Comfort House brings law enforcement, the Department of Child Services, prosecutors, victim advocates, and medical professionals together under one roof, so a child who has experienced sexual abuse- or domestic violence, physical abuse, or witnessed a violent crime- tells their story once, to a trained forensic interviewer, in a recorded room, while the rest of the investigative team watches from another room. "The goal is that this kiddo has a one-stop experience," said Donna Lloyd, who leads Comfort House, rather than repeating the same trauma to a string of different officials across a string of different offices. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-9.54.55---AM.png) Most of Comfort House's funding is grant money tied to specific, restricted uses- client services, some salaries, part of the building's costs. Donations fill in exactly where grants can't: snacks and drinks for kids and families who show up at the center, comfort items, and the print materials Comfort House hands out through its school-based prevention program, Play It Safe, which reached almost 6,000 students last year at roughly $3 per child. "Those are the things we have more trouble funding," she said. "Is this something we're going to cut out next year because we don't have the funding for it?" That's the one thing your donation buys most directly: keeping that program, and the basics that make a child's worst day slightly more bearable, funded. ## Her Hope Kentucky ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-9.53.39---AM-1.png) Jennifer Beagle mugshots [Her Hope Kentucky](https://www.giveforgoodlouisville.org/organization/Her-Hope-Kentucky?ref=shayinformed.com) rescues, identifies, and rehabilitates victims of sex trafficking and sex abuse paired with addiction. Founder Jennifer Beagle has lived experience. I did a l[ong-form interview with her earlier this year](https://www.shayinformed.com/from-trafficked-to-trailblazer-the-woman-fighting-to-open-louisvilles-first-home-for-survivors/), walking through her entire story. It is both heartbreaking and inspiring! During our most recent conversation, Beagle laid out why the need in Kentucky is as severe as it is: the state ranks first in the nation for child abuse, third for opioid addiction, and in the top 10 for both familial and sex trafficking. During major events like Thunder Over Louisville or the Kentucky Derby, the number of sex ads posted online in the region can spike from a daily average of 500 to 1,000, up to as many as 20,000. Her Hope works through referrals- law enforcement, CPS, DCBS, and personal referrals- and beyond mentoring and trauma resource healing (including inside the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections), the support is deeply concrete. "We buy them furniture. We buy them household supplies. We pay a bill for them if they have a need for a bill. We just helped buy a car for someone," Beagle said. "We want to give them dignity. We want them to feel beautiful, because they are beautiful." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-10.04.05---AM.png) The organization's current, singular goal is opening its own long-term residential home- something Beagle says doesn't yet exist in a survivor-led model anywhere in Kentucky. "Survivor-led is a big deal, because it takes one to know one," she said. A property is currently under contract for the second time, and Her Hope is holding a gala on Friday, November 6, at the Frazier Museum to help push toward that goal. ## Ace Healing / Voices of Pain ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/survivors-retreat.jpg) Ace Healing, an initiative of [The ACE Project](https://www.giveforgoodlouisville.org/organization/the-ace-project?ref=shayinformed.com), supports survivors who've lost a loved one to gun violence. "We are a support system for the survivor," said Rose Smith, who leads the program. That looks like monthly in-person and virtual support meetings, annual retreats- held as far away as Tennessee and, for the program's 10th anniversary, Jamaica- workshops, and a podcast, Voices of Pain: Mothers with a Message, run by mothers who came through the program themselves. Ace Healing also runs on peer support: people who've lived through the same loss walk alongside newer survivors, some of whom eventually become facilitators themselves. Donations fund the meals served at monthly meetings, materials for retreats and workshops, sponsorships for mothers who can't otherwise afford to attend an outing, and something the organization calls grief wellness baskets- items delivered to someone newly impacted by gun violence, often including a printed keepsake image of their loved one. "Gun violence really affects us all," Smith said. "Even if you don't know someone that's been impacted, it still affects us all, because these people are walking around in your community... we've got to support their healing as well." ## How to help ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-10.10.08---AM.png) A children's advocacy center, a survivor-led anti-trafficking organization, and a peer support network for families who've lost someone to gun violence are all responding to the same basic truth: the system doesn't stop being hard on victims once the immediate crisis is over. It just changes shape. These three organizations are the people showing up for the part that comes after. If any of these resonated with you, all three are participating in Give for Good Louisville on September 10\. ## About Give for Good Louisville Give for Good Louisville is a celebration of the people, causes, and nonprofits that make our community better. On Thursday, September 10, [visit the organization's website ](https://www.giveforgoodlouisville.org/?ref=shayinformed.com)to discover 600+ local organizations and support the missions that matter most to you. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## ## ### Bullitt County school bus crash sends 12 students to local hospitals URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/bullitt-county-school-bus-crash-sends-12-students-to-local-hospitals/ Last updated: 2026-08-26T13:44:31.000Z The Bullitt County Sheriff's Office is investigating the Monday afternoon crash, which sent the driver and several students to area hospitals. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- A Bullitt County Public Schools bus carrying 28 Lebanon Junction Elementary School students was involved in a crash Monday afternoon, sending several children and the driver to area hospitals for treatment. According to a release from BCPS Superintendent Jesse Bacon, the crash happened around 4:45 p.m. on Wilson Creek Road. Emergency crews were notified immediately and responded to the scene, along with BCPS transportation, school safety personnel, and Lebanon Junction school staff, who were on hand to support students, families and first responders. A parent I spoke to told me she found about the crash when she received a frantic call from a neighbor, who told her over screaming children that there had been a bus crash and her children were on the bus. Then she received a series of texts from the district. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-9.33.02---AM.png) The district credited a coordinated response from the Bullitt County Emergency Management Agency, Bullitt County Emergency Medical Service, the Lebanon Junction Fire Department, and the Bullitt County Sheriff's Office. According to the district, EMS transported the bus driver and eight students to area hospitals for evaluation, while parents took another five students to local medical facilities on their own. First responders cleared the remaining students at the scene and released them directly to their families. Norton Children's Hospital confirmed the facility treated seven patients from the crash. The hospital did not release information on the extent of their injuries. The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Bullitt County Sheriff's Department. "The safety of our students and staff remains our highest priority," Bacon wrote in the release. "We sincerely appreciate the Lebanon Junction community's support, patience, and care for our students during this time." BCPS said it continues to work closely with emergency personnel and families as the investigation moves forward. Parents- I want to hear from you! If your child was on this bus, send me an email at shay@shayinformed.com *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Shelby County math teacher facing charges in a child exploitation case URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/a-shelby-county-schools-staff-member-is-facing-charges-in-a-child-exploitation-case/ Last updated: 2026-08-26T13:18:43.000Z Kentucky State Police say James Michael Powell, 41, shared child sexual abuse material online. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Shelby County Public Schools told families and staff that a Collins High School staff member was arrested at the school on August 24- the same day Kentucky State Police announced the arrest of a Shelbyville man on child sexual exploitation charges. The district later confirmed Powell is a math teacher. In a letter sent to families and staff on August 24, the district said it had "learned of the arrest of a Collins staff member at the school." The district said it is cooperating fully with law enforcement and cannot release additional details due to the ongoing investigation. Based on the information available, the district said, there is no reason to believe the allegations are connected to any Shelby County Public School students. In a follow-up statement, the district confirmed the employee has been terminated and is no longer with the district. The district said it took immediate action upon learning of the situation, reiterated it has no reason to believe the allegations are connected to any Shelby County Public Schools students, and said it could not share further details on personnel matters or the ongoing legal process. On Monday, KSP's Electronic Crime Branch announced the arrest of James Powell. Police said the arrest followed an undercover Internet Crimes Against Children investigation that began after investigators discovered Powell sharing images of child sexual exploitation online. That led to a search warrant at a residence in Shelbyville, where investigators seized equipment they say was used to facilitate the crime; it's now at KSP's forensic lab for examination. Powell faces 40 felony counts: ten counts each of distribution and possession of matter portraying a minor in a sexual performance under age 12 (Class C felonies, five to ten years in prison), and ten counts each of distribution and possession of matter portraying a minor in a sexual performance (Class D felonies, one to five years). He is being held at the Shelby County Detention Center. ## About the task force Powell's arrest was made through Kentucky's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a partnership of more than 26 local, state, and federal agencies created by the U.S. Department of Justice and administered by KSP. The task force supports local law enforcement on cyber enticement and child sexual abuse material investigations, including forensic assistance, training, victim services, and prevention education. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Herrington Lake family files second lawsuit- this time over Cody Casey's money URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/herrington-lake-family-files-second-lawsuit-this-time-over-cody-caseys-money/ Last updated: 2026-08-24T23:54:24.000Z A new lawsuit claims Casey moved vehicles into his brother's name less than a week after the deadly Herrington Lake crash- before the family could collect a dime. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Six weeks ago, a family celebrating the Fourth of July on Herrington Lake watched a wake boat come speeding toward their pontoon, waving and screaming for it to stop. It didn't. 25-year-old Nazar Svintozelskiy was thrown into the water and drowned. His father, Alex, was left with a severe brain injury after the boats collided. This week- that family filed a second lawsuit against Cody Casey- the wake boat driver, and this time his brother is also listed. It appears to have little to do with what happened on the water that day, and everything to do with what allegedly happened to Casey's money in the days after it. According to a press release from Peterson Law and Whiteford Taylor & Preston, the family filed the second civil lawsuit in Mercer Circuit Court, this one naming both Cody Casey and his brother, Jesse Casey, as defendants. The complaint alleges that around July 10, less than a week after the crash that killed Nazar, Cody Casey transferred several vehicles to his brother without receiving fair value in return, while the family's claims against him were pending or anticipated. The lawsuit alleges the transfers were made specifically to put those assets out of the family's reach before they could collect anything. The suit brings claims under Kentucky's Uniform Voidable Transactions Act- and asks the court to unwind the transfers, freeze the assets, and hold both brothers financially responsible. "We will not tolerate the wrongful transfer of assets. Period," said attorney Masten Childers. This is a separate filing from the family's original lawsuit against Cody Casey- which alleged negligence, gross negligence, and failure to render aid, and sought punitive damages. That suit is still pending. This new one is narrower and more specific: it's not about what happened on the lake; it's about what allegedly happened with Casey's property in the days after. ## Why this matters ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-1.42.22---PM.png) Nazar and Alex Winning a lawsuit and actually collecting on it are two different things. Even if a jury eventually finds Casey liable and awards the family damages, that judgment is only worth what he has left to pay it with. If assets were moved out of his name before that judgment landed, the family could win in court and still come away with nothing to show for it. That's what Kentucky's Uniform Voidable Transactions Act exists to address- it lets a court claw back property that was transferred specifically to dodge a debt or a pending legal claim, even if the transfer happened between family members and even if no money changed hands to make it look "legitimate" on paper. If the family's allegations hold up, the court could order those vehicles treated as if the transfer never happened, putting them back in reach. [Manslaughter, evidence tampering, fleeing police: The charges against the Herrington Lake wake boat driverCody Casey was arrested Tuesday on nine charges, according to jail records- the same week the family he allegedly struck filed a civil lawsuit accusing him of fleeing the scene without stopping to help. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-71c4f044-22f6-48c1-b8ce-d90115acd8ac.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-08-19-at-9.06.28---AM-fb52eccc-1424-4246-a2a7-3b76c2476eaf.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/manslaughter-evidence-tampering-fleeing-police-the-charges-against-the-herrington-lake-wake-boat-driver/) ## Where the rest of the case stands Last week, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife (KDFW) confirmed that a Mercer County grand jury had returned a 19-count indictment against Cody Casey on August 18, including second-degree manslaughter, first-degree assault, 11 counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, and charges related to fleeing the scene and tampering with evidence. KDFW said the indictment followed 13 executed search warrants and an extensive evidence-collection process, and stressed that Casey is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. So the case now runs on three tracks at once: the criminal case, the original civil suit over the crash itself, and now this asset-transfer suit. The firms say their investigation is ongoing and are asking anyone with information- about the collision or about the handling of Casey's assets afterward- to come forward. *Anyone with information relevant to the civil case is asked to contact Peterson Law at 859-469-6390\. Anyone with information about the July 4 collision who hasn't yet spoken with investigators is asked to contact Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement through Kentucky State Police Post 7 at 859-623-2404.* ### Fear, facts, and a family waiting: Making sense of Kentucky's organ donation fight URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/fear-facts-and-a-family-waiting-making-sense-of-kentuckys-organ-donation-fight/ Last updated: 2026-08-25T13:51:54.000Z One family's years-long wait for a donor heart offers a clearer picture than the headlines- and raises hard questions about how this story has been told. --- *I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *I believe some stories are too important to stay behind a paywall. That's why I'm making this piece free to read for everyone. Informed communities make better decisions, and that can only happen when people have access to honest, thorough reporting.* *Shay Informed is 100% reader-funded. No ads. No corporate backing. Just journalism that answers to you. If you'd like to help keep this work going, please consider* [*subscribing*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup)*.* --- Somewhere in Kentucky, or maybe two states over, there's a family that doesn't know it yet, but they may be about to make a decision that saves seven-year-old Henry Jones' life. Henry has been inpatient at Norton Children's Hospital since July 26, 2025- more than a year now- waiting for a donor heart. He was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a condition where half his heart never developed, and he'd already been through three open-heart surgeries before he could talk in full sentences. He's been on the transplant list since he was four. Some months, his name comes up two or three times. Other times, the family hears nothing for weeks. Twice this July alone, he came up on a match list- and twice, someone else got the heart. "It's a weird mix of excitement and anxiety," his mom, Laura Jones, told me. "There are a lot of unknowns. It's scary, but we know it's the next step, and it could mean so many more years of life for him." I've spent the last several weeks talking with people across this story- policy experts, advocates, a Kentucky nonprofit that spends its days trying to explain how organ donation actually works. That's what brought me to Maurice and Laura Jones. A family. A real-life example of what is at stake. But before I tell you their story, I want to take you back to the podium- to the moment this all became public. On August 5th, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stood in front of cameras in Lexington and announced the decertification of Network for Hope- Kentucky's organ procurement organization. He talked about trust, about the 103,000 Americans waiting for transplants, about the more than 49,000 lives saved last year by donors and the professionals who honor their gift. And then he told a story- about a man named T.J. Hoover, who Kennedy said showed signs of awareness while on the operating table, "about to have his organs removed," before physicians refused to proceed. Kennedy called Network for Hope "a bad apple." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-19-at-10.41.46---AM.png) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr at the press conference The press conference provided a devastating image. It's also, according to multiple people involved in organ donation, not what actually happened. --- *Paid subscribers can LISTEN to this story right now on this week's new episode of One More Question. Instructions at the bottom of the article!* --- ## The organ donation process starts with a phone call Shelley Snyder is executive director of Donate Life Kentucky Trust- the nonprofit that registers donors and educates the public about organ donation. She's also a donor family member. Her father died suddenly when she was 17, and his organs went on to help two people see again and, as she put it, help people "walk and play basketball." Something her father loved. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-19-at-10.46.18---AM.png) Shelley Snyder When HHS announced Network for Hope's decertification, one detail in the federal government's own findings jumped out: in some cases the organ donation process began before a patient had died. Read on its own, that line sounds damning. Snyder told me it's also- without more context- deeply misleading about what "the process starting" actually means. "The organ donation process starts with a phone call," she told me. Not a scalpel. Not an operating room. By law, when someone dies in a hospital in a way that could make them a donor candidate, the hospital is required to call the OPO. In Kentucky, that means calling Network for Hope. That call is the beginning of the process HRSA is referencing. From there comes a phone evaluation, medical chart review, conversations with the family, lab work, and coordination with transplant surgeons- all of it happening before anyone is anywhere near surgery. Snyder walked me through the two legal pathways that organ donation happens, because she believes this is where the federal government's framing- and a lot of the public fear that's followed it- goes wrong. **Brain death donation** happens after a patient has already been legally declared dead, with a ventilator keeping oxygen and blood moving to their organs. Only after death is declared, and only if the family consents or the person was already registered, does the OPO evaluate which organs might be viable. **Donation after cardiac death (DCD)** is the pathway at the center of the dispute, and the one Snyder believes is being badly misrepresented. DCD comes into play only after a family- working with their own doctors, not the OPO- has already made the decision to withdraw life support because there's no meaningful recovery ahead. It's only at that point that the OPO is contacted to talk through whether donation might be possible once the heart actually stops on its own. The patient, Snyder emphasized, is still legally alive when that conversation happens. The ventilator is removed in the operating room, and if the heart doesn't stop within a set window, the patient is returned to their room- not made a donor. "So the person is technically living, but their family has made the decision to withdraw the ventilator," she said. "That's when the OPO is able to talk to the family about- when the heart stops- organ donation may be possible." Her argument isn't that nothing went wrong at Network for Hope. It's that describing a legally routine, tightly regulated conversation as "the organ donation process starting on a still-living patient"- without explaining any of the above- turns something normal into something that sounds like malpractice. She was careful to say she isn't a regulator and hasn't seen the underlying case files HRSA and CMS reviewed, so she can't speak to what happened in any specific one of the 351 cases. But she said the public framing itself, stripped of that context, misrepresents how the process actually works for the vast majority of families who go through it. With that context in hand, let's get back to Maurice and Laura- and what this last month has actually looked like for them. ## "All of this has been for nothing" ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-19-at-10.00.37---AM.png) Laura told me the news of Network for Hope's federal decertification landed like a gut punch. Her first thought: that everything Henry has survived might not matter if the system meant to eventually save him buckled. "If he doesn't get this heart, then he is not going to survive," she said. What scares her isn't the decertification process itself. It's what she's watched happen in the comments sections underneath the news coverage. "There are already so few donors, and especially in the pediatric world, even less donors," she said. "I think the biggest fear is that it's going to cause people who would have been donors- people who would have been willing to give that gift of life- it's going to scare them, and they're going to say no. And then we have less opportunities to save Henry and the other ones who are waiting." Maurice put it more bluntly. When the decertification news first broke, before they understood how the system actually works, "we were mad, we were scared", he told me. It was only after Laura started digging- researching, calling their heart failure team, talking to Norton's surgeons directly- that the fear started to ease. "The further along that we've come from that, and the more we've learned, the less fear we have," he said. "I think that's just the human reaction- any jerk reaction to the unknown is fear." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-19-at-9.56.53---AM-1.png) Talking to the Jones family, I realized how much of the public conversation is happening without some very basic facts about how organ matching actually works- facts that took Laura and Maurice months, and a front-row seat, to learn themselves. Maurice walked me through it. Most people, himself included before Henry was listed, picture a straight, ranked line- kids waiting their turn from top to bottom. It's not that. When a donor organ becomes available, a list is generated fresh, ranked by a combination of factors: distance (a donor heart can't be out of a body more than about four hours before transplant), time on the list, blood type, and antibody compatibility- how likely a recipient's body is to accept the new organ without rejecting it. Whoever gets the call has roughly a 30-minute window to decide whether to take it, at any hour of the day or night. Henry has come up on match lists more than once this year and been passed over- not because something went wrong, but because someone else was a closer match, or because the medical team determined the specific organ wasn't the right fit for him. His parents specifically asked their team to tell them every time this happens, even though it means absorbing disappointment regularly. "We need that hope," Laura said. "There's still a chance out there that he is coming up, that he is being talked about, that there are matches in existence." They also asked hospital staff directly about the kind of scenario that circulates in the darker corners of social media: could someone become a donor who wasn't really gone? A surgeon walked them through the layered, repeated testing hospitals use to confirm brain death before donation is ever discussed, and how those protocols are nearly identical across hospitals regardless of which OPO is involved. "I think even us, it unsettled us a little bit to think, could that happen?" Laura said. "Talking to that doctor really reassured us that there are so many checks and balances, and that when it does come time, it truly will be a gift." I asked Laura and Maurice directly what their care team has told them about the practical impact of decertification. Their answer lined up with what I've heard from every other source in this story: nothing changes yet, and the hospital isn't waiting around to find out what happens next. "The teams told us that they're operating as normal," Maurice said, "and they do have other organizations that do the same thing that they're starting to transition to work with." A surgeon reportedly told them the appeal process alone could take anywhere from six months to two years, and that Norton's is working in parallel with other OPOs as either a backup option or a full transition path- not waiting on the outcome of an appeal to have a plan. That tracks with what Snyder told me. Network for Hope continues to operate exactly as it has through the appeal process. If the decertification does ultimately take effect on November 3, CMS has already indicated another OPO- likely based out of state- would be assigned to take over Kentucky's donation service area. There is no lapse where dying patients aren't evaluated for donation, and no lapse where transplant candidates like Henry stop being eligible to receive. ## The bigger fight for Network for Hope There's a national policy fight tangled up in this story that many people have never heard of- it's called "The CMS Final Rule". OPOs are regulated by the federal government. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) takes the lead on certification and tracking performance. In 2020, CMS a[nnounced a new policy](https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/organ-procurement-organization-opo-conditions-coverage-final-rule-revisions-outcome-measures-opos?ref=shayinformed.com) as part of an executive order from President Donald Trump. When announced, the administration said it was created to help "the almost 109,000 people in the United States currently on the wait list for a lifesaving organ transplant, which far exceeds the number of transplantable organs available." The press release said the goal was to support higher donation rates, help shorten transplant waiting lists, and increase safety. Tenaya Wallace has worked in organ donation policy for more than two decades, including a decade at OneLegacy, the OPO serving Los Angeles. She told me the CMS Final Rule is, in her view, the real backdrop to what's happening in Kentucky. "The CMS final rule created all of these crazy unintended consequences," she explained. "OPOs felt that they had to recover every organ from every donor." She said the rule uses a flawed measurement to rank OPOs into performance tiers by comparing donors against all deaths in a region, rather than deaths where donation was medically possible. Wallace said the metrics can make some OPOs look like they're underperforming for reasons that have nothing to do with how well they're actually run. "I understand that Secretary Kennedy honestly believes that he's doing the right thing, and he's trying to protect patients, but I believe he has been led astray," Wallace said. The Network For Hope [desertification announcement](https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/hhs-decertifies-kentucky-organ-procurement-organization.html?ref=shayinformed.com) specifically pointed to the following findings after a review of 351 cases between 2021 and 2024: - 103 cases (29.3%) showed concerning features, including 73 patients with neurological signs incompatible with organ donation. - Some potential donors may not have been deceased at the time organ procurement was initiated. - Evidence pointed to poor neurologic assessments, lack of coordination with medical teams, questionable consent practices, and misclassification of causes of death, particularly in overdose cases. I asked Wallace if she believes these cases were a result of pressure from the CMS Final Rule, or true failures. She said she couldn't answer that because she hasn't seen the cases. "I understand that these numbers sound very concerning, but I can't say what they mean because there's no transparency about what they mean. What are these numbers? Where are the cases?" she said. What she, Shelley Snyder, and the Jones family all seem to agree on, even from very different vantage points, is this: they believe the public conversation happening right now is being flattened into fear. "There's so much misinformation, and there are so many people that scream one way or the other," Maurice said, "you really have to look into it yourself, and not just fall into one camp or the other." ## What the family waiting wants your family to know ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/629466459_122271114662063697_1521796723365682659_n.jpg) I asked Laura what she'd say directly to someone who has pulled their name off the donor registry, or is thinking about it, because of what they've read this month. "Do your own research. Talk to your medical doctors, your own team, and maybe reach out to these organizations that are for the donors, like Donate Life, and get the facts from them," she said. "If people would just take a pause, take a breath, and really think about it before pulling their name- that's all that we would ask." While they are asking families to think about their situation, their son, these parents are constantly thinking about the other family. The one that will one day lose someone so that Henry can live. "We know that in order for Henry to live, they are going to suffer an unimaginable loss," Maurice said. "Knowing that everything is being done correctly and by the book, and that they are not losing their loved one unnecessarily- I think it will also ease our conscience in receiving that gift of life for Henry." Until that call comes, Henry stays at Norton Children's, playing trains with his favorite nurse, showing off his scars, riding a bike around the cardiac intensive care unit. His parents split their time between his hospital room and home in Salem, Indiana, where his ten-year-old sister Hattie is doing her best to keep things normal. "We've made it this far," Maurice said. "And we're not stopping now. The best is yet to come." If you'd like to learn more about the process for donation, Donate Life has a short video explaining the steps between signing up to become a donor and the the steps taken to find a match. **I have asked both Network for Hope and Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services for interviews and additional information. If you have specific questions for either, please send them my way!** *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Manslaughter, evidence tampering, fleeing police: The charges against the Herrington Lake wake boat driver URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/manslaughter-evidence-tampering-fleeing-police-the-charges-against-the-herrington-lake-wake-boat-driver/ Last updated: 2026-08-19T13:31:49.000Z Cody Casey was arrested Tuesday on nine charges, according to jail records- the same week the family he allegedly struck filed a civil lawsuit accusing him of fleeing the scene without stopping to help. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- More than six weeks after a wake boat plowed into a family's pontoon boat on Herrington Lake, killing 25-year-old Nazar Svintozelskiy and critically injuring his father, the boat's operator is now facing criminal charges- and a civil lawsuit from the family. According to Boyle County Detention Center inmate records, 34-year-old Cody Casey was arrested Tuesday and booked on nine charges: - Manslaughter, 2nd degree - Wanton endangerment, 1st degree - Assault, 1st degree - Assault, 4th degree, minor injury - Failure to render aid - Leaving the scene of an accident / failure to render aid or assistance where death or serious physical injury occurred - Tampering with physical evidence - Fleeing or evading police, 3rd degree - Failure to report an accident involving damage in excess of $500 The arresting agency is listed as Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. I've reached out to the agency for more information on the charges and the circumstances of the arrest and will update as soon as I hear back. This is the first confirmation of criminal charges since the crash on July 4- and it comes with allegations, at least via the tampering and fleeing charges, that go well beyond what's been publicly described up to this point. According to Boyle County Detention Center records, Casey is no longer in custody. ### How we got here ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-1.42.07---PM.png) The crash happened over the July 4 holiday weekend. According to Kentucky Fish and Wildlife's initial press release, a wake boat operated by Casey collided with a pontoon boat operated by 58-year-old Alex Svintozelskiy on Herrington Lake in Mercer County. Nazar Svintozelskiy, a passenger on the pontoon, was ejected into the water and drowned; his body was recovered two days later. I spoke with the family's attorney, Justin Peterson, shortly after the crash. He described a family of 10 on the water that day- Alex and his wife Tonya; their adult children Nazar, Enessa and Lina; Lina's husband Andrew; and four grandchildren ranging from two months to eight years old. Two of the grandchildren were out on a tube nearby and were not struck. Peterson said witnesses described Casey driving at a high rate of speed and performing "donuts" before striking the idle pontoon boat head-on. Alex was life-flighted to UK Hospital and underwent emergency brain surgery after suffering a severe brainstem injury; Tonya suffered a shattered arm. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-1.42.58---PM.png) At the time, Peterson said the family wasn't seeking vengeance- they wanted answers first, then accountability- and that they were holding off on filing a civil suit while the criminal investigation played out. KDFW, for its part, said in a follow-up statement that the investigation was active but that it wouldn't release specific details that could jeopardize the outcome. [The investigation into a death on Herrington LakeKentucky Fish and Wildlife game wardens are investigating a boating incident on Herrington Lake that killed one man and left his father hospitalized with a traumatic brain injury.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-4515f240-6648-47a5-be45-e2f675ed527a.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-1.42.58---PM-6aa69fa7-906e-411c-87ed-f409e30773ee.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/a-family-of-10-a-wake-boat-doing-donuts-and-a-death-on-herrington-lake-what-we-know/) ### The new lawsuit That changed this week. On August 17, the family's attorney filed a civil complaint against Casey in Mercer Circuit Court. The complaint lays out new detail about what allegedly happened on the water. It states Casey was operating a 2017 Axis watercraft with an outboard Monsoon engine, and that in the moments before the crash he was "driving at an excessive rate of speed, performing repeated 'donuts' and other erratic maneuvers in close proximity to other boaters on a crowded Herrington Lake during a busy holiday weekend." The suit alleges Casey accelerated toward the stationary pontoon boat even as several passengers waved and screamed to get his attention, and that his watercraft struck the pontoon "head-on, causing catastrophic damage" and throwing occupants into the water. Perhaps most notably, the complaint alleges that Casey didn't stop. "Rather than stopping to determine whether anyone had been injured or to provide assistance as required by Kentucky law, Defendant Casey fled the scene of the collision without rendering aid or providing the required identifying information," the complaint states. The lawsuit brings four counts: negligence, gross negligence, failure to render aid- citing a Kentucky statute that requires boat operators involved in a collision to stop, help the injured, and exchange identifying information- and a claim for punitive damages. It seeks damages for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and attorneys' fees, and it demands a jury trial. Casey was served through the Mercer County Sheriff's office and has 20 days from being served to respond before the court could enter a default judgment against him. ### What's next With criminal charges now filed, Peterson's earlier framework- hold the civil case while the criminal case develops, since a pending prosecution can complicate what's discoverable in a civil suit- appears to be shifting, since the family filed anyway this week. It's not yet clear how the criminal case and civil case will interact from here, or whether Casey has retained an attorney in either matter. I'll have more as I hear back from Kentucky Fish and Wildlife on the charges and the arrest itself. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### ### Follow the Fix: Who's filling the gaps in Louisville healthcare URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/follow-the-fix-whos-filling-the-gaps-in-louisville-healthcare/ Last updated: 2026-08-18T20:28:16.000Z Journalism doesn't only have to highlight the problems. Sometimes, it feels good to highlight the solutions. This week: healthcare access. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Here's the thing about accountability journalism: it's almost entirely about what's broken. I've spent almost a decade reporting on Louisville's houseless crisis. Mostly recently, on the Arthur Street Hotel dissolving as a resource for people experiencing homelessness. I've dug into the Kentucky Medicaid funding crisis and what it means for disabled Kentuckians. I've covered how the state handles- and sometimes fails- child welfare cases. That's the job, and it matters. But it also means my reporting rarely tells you where to go if you want to actually *do* something about the problems I'm surfacing. So with Give for Good Louisville- the metro and Southern Indiana's big one-day giving event- happening next month on September 10th I wanted to do something a little different and a little more intentional. I wanted to go back through my own reporting, look at the issues that keep showing up, and find the people working the solutions side of those same problems, right here in Louisville. So that's what this series is: "Follow the fix" will showcase a handful of organizations, grouped by the exact issues my reporting has recently revealed. Not a random list. Not only big organizations. Specifically, groups doing the work in the four areas that show up again and again in my reporting- homelessness and housing, child welfare, healthcare access, and crime victim support. If you want to read my first article, focused on homelessness, [you can find it here](https://www.shayinformed.com/follow-the-fix-a-new-series-highlighting-the-change-makers/). This week, it's healthcare access- a natural next stop, given how much of this year I've spent on the Kentucky Medicaid funding crisis and what it means for people who depend on that safety net. I talked to three organizations approaching the same core problem- people falling through the cracks of a healthcare system that isn't built for them- from three completely different angles. ## For Lady's Sake ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-18-at-4.16.55---PM.png) Reina Kempt is the executive director of [For Lady's Sake, a Louisville nonprofit working to end period poverty](https://www.giveforgoodlouisville.org/organization/For-Ladys-Sake?ref=shayinformed.com). The organization was born from a single moment in 2016, when founder Candice Crawford was stopped outside a Dollar Tree on Broadway by an unhoused woman- not asking for money, but asking if Crawford would go in and buy her tampons. Crawford did, and the relief on the woman's face stuck with her. Not long after, she started running period product drives out f her church and handing supplies out under the bridges near Broadway. "What does someone do who is unhoused or facing financial instability do during that time of the month? They can't just switch it off," Kempt told me. Without access to products, she said, people often turn to "old dirty t-shirts, or socks, or paper towels" just to avoid ruining what may be some of the only clothes they own- which can lead to health complications like toxic shock syndrome on top of everything else they're already navigating. The organization has grown since Crawford and Kempt- who are married-formalized it into a 501(c)(3) in 2023\. "My wedding gift to her was a 501c3 status," Kempt said. "I don't know that I really understood the magnitude of what I was gifting" at the time, she admitted, but it's since become a full operation the two of them run alongside their day jobs. Grant funding and product drives now cover most of the actual pads and tampons For Lady's Sake distributes. So if you're looking for where a donation specifically goes right now, it's the infrastructure around the products- the programming that gets supplies into the hands of the people who need them, and the education and legislative advocacy work pushing for period equity in Kentucky. "This is a thing that is under-researched, it is under-supported," Kempt said. "A woman should not have to decide whether they're going to maintain their health and their period over gas, over groceries." ## Beyond 60 Solutions ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/beyond-60.jpg) Erin Lamon is a social worker who spent years connecting seniors to resources- and just as many years running into a wall in Kentucky, which, unlike Indiana, doesn't offer a Medicaid waiver for assisted living. "It just drove me nuts," she told me. Watching seniors fall through the cracks with no one to advocate for them is what led her and a group of colleagues in healthcare to launch [Beyond 60 Solutions, a brand-new, entirely volunteer-run nonprofit](https://www.giveforgoodlouisville.org/organization/Beyond60-Solutions-Resource?ref=shayinformed.com). Their first- and, for now, only- focus is transportation. Specifically, seniors who are missing life-sustaining medical appointments, like dialysis, because they don't have a reliable way to get there. "There are seniors who sometimes miss their dialysis appointments, or just keep returning back to the hospital, because they're unable to obtain a long-term transportation plan," Lamon said. Beyond 60 first works to connect seniors with resources they may already qualify for- Medicaid, VA benefits, a church program- and steps in with funding for rides in the short term while that longer-term plan comes together. They're intentionally starting small: right now, Beyond 60 only accepts referrals from three partner organizations, rather than opening to the public, so a volunteer-run group with a tiny budget doesn't get overwhelmed before it can prove the model works. But the impact of even a small donation is concrete. "That $50 could go towards two round-trip rides for a senior to obtain the life-sustaining treatment they need to maintain a good quality of life," Lamon said. ## Hope Health Clinic ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/492369662_9983519614991989_8267055825436330673_n.jpg) Janet Warren runs [Hope Health Clinic, a charitable healthcare facility](https://www.giveforgoodlouisville.org/organization/hope-health-clinic?ref=shayinformed.com) on the campus of Baptist Health La Grange that sees patients who are uninsured or who simply can't afford their deductibles. The clinic opened in September 2011, after an existing clinic on the same campus closed and a group of community members decided La Grange couldn't be left without a safety net beyond the emergency room. "The emergency room is never intended to be a primary care setting," Warren said. "They're intended to just stabilize and send you on your way." Ninety-seven percent of Hope Health's patients are uninsured, low-wage earners, and the clinic doesn't turn people away based on where they're from or what they can pay- Warren described patients from across the U.S., Latin America, and as far as Croatia. Ninety-two percent of every dollar donated goes directly to patient care: salaries for the clinic's part-time nurse practitioners and nurses, and a pharmacy that provides most basic medications to patients at no cost, all backstopped by a roster of volunteer physicians, nurses, and pharmacists. What sets Hope Health apart isn't just who they see, but how long they spend with each patient. Visits run a full 30 minutes, rather than the 15-minute standard many patients are used to, so staff can actually teach patients how to manage chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension instead of just refilling prescriptions. "We want to improve the patient's life," Warren said, "and by doing that, we hope that we also can prevent some generational issues"- pointing out that when parents' diabetes goes unmanaged, it often becomes a pattern their kids inherit too. Kentucky, she noted, has some of the worst diabetes outcomes in the country. Warren's view on why it matters to fund care for people who can't otherwise access it is straightforward: "Healthcare is not a privilege. It's a right." ## How to help ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-18-at-4.23.44---PM.png) A period product drive, a rides program for seniors, and a full clinic don't look like they belong in the same story at first glance. But all three exist because Louisville's healthcare system- and the systems around it, like transportation and insurance- leave real gaps for real people, and all three groups decided to stop waiting for someone else to close them. If any of these resonated with you, all three are participating in Give for Good Louisville on September 10, if you're deciding where your dollars go this year. I'll have more installments covering child welfare and crime victim support in the coming weeks. ## About Give for Good Louisville Give for Good Louisville is a celebration of the people, causes, and nonprofits that make our community better. On Thursday, September 10, [visit the organization's website ](https://www.giveforgoodlouisville.org/?ref=shayinformed.com)to discover 600+ local organizations and support the missions that matter most to you. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### A year ago, I bet on me and started Shay Informed. Here's what happened. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/a-year-ago-i-bet-on-me-and-started-shay-informed-heres-what-happened/ Last updated: 2026-08-24T12:58:13.000Z The wins, the lessons, and what comes next. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- One year ago, I walked away from a decade in local television news and bet on an idea that was forming in my head as I was building it: a one-woman journalism outlet with no ads, no clickbait, and no one to answer to but the people who read it. On August 18th, 2025, I launched Shay Informed. It simultaneously feels like a lifetime ago and a minute ago. But I can tell you this- I have never looked back. So, I want to use this anniversary to tell you honestly what this year has looked like- the wins, the growth, what I've learned, and where we go from here. ## The why When people ask me *why* I left TV news, I always answer in two parts. My family and my future. Let me explain... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/7Y2A6533-1.jpg) The job I loved had a cost, and it wasn't one I was willing to keep paying. I have two young girls who need to see more of me than my TV schedule allowed- more dinner times, bath times, and bedtimes- moments that don't feel so important until you realize you're missing them. I also have a young marriage I wanted to pour into, not just come home to at the end of a long shift. And somewhere in the middle of all that, I realized something else: I didn't have to work harder to do good journalism. I could work smarter. I spent ten years as an investigative reporter and anchor at a Louisville TV station, and I loved the work. But the model was starting to work against the work itself. According to [Pew Research](https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/news-platform-fact-sheet/?ref=shayinformed.com), 86% of American adults get their news from their phone. Only 32% get it from television. Those of us in the industry know this better than anyone- we know most people aren't watching. And yet we are still producing hours and hours of TV news, every single day. So what does that look like? It means most people in the newsroom spending the day collecting information people don't need, or have already seen, and then building it into a format most people won't watch. Police departments, city council members, schools, and new businesses post the news themselves now, in real time. They don't need us to repeat it back hours later. What people need from journalists isn't a re-read of a press release or b-roll from a ribbon cutting. It's the job we were trained for: asking questions, demanding accountability, giving a voice to the voiceless. And above all else- putting the effort into the place where people are- online. Real journalism was starting to feel like something we only got to when there was time left over- something squeezed in around the need to gather filler content and meet deadlines for newscasts built for a habit fewer and fewer people still have. I want to be clear about something: TV journalists are still doing important work, and we need them. The reporters and anchors who keep showing up for those newscasts every single day, who keep fighting for stories inside a shrinking model, deserve real credit. That job isn't getting easier, and staying in it is its own kind of commitment. But I also believe local news needs more than good people willing to stick it out. It needs a sustainable path forward- one built for how people actually get their news now, not how they got it twenty years ago. I didn't leave TV news because the work stopped mattering. I left because I wanted to help find that path forward. I didn't have a blueprint. I had a belief: people would pay for journalism they trusted, if it was honest, thorough, and free of the pressures that come with chasing ratings or advertisers. No clickbait. No filler. No stories assigned because they're easy to shoot and will fill time, only stories that matter because someone needs them told. It wasn't just my time I was putting on a pedestal; it was the audience's time as well. I called the idea Shay Informed. And on August 18th, 2025, I found out whether that belief held up. ## The big wins When I left traditional media, I wondered if the access I'd built over a decade would leave with it. Would sources still call? Would families still trust me? Would agencies still pick up the phone for a reporter with no network logo behind her name? I'll be honest, not every door opened. LMPD, for one, has been especially difficult to work with. But where it mattered most- with the families, the sources, the people actually living these stories- the opposite happened. They leaned in. They called me. They wanted their story to be told on Shay Informed. Here are just a few examples of that... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/DSC00221.jpg) FBI Special Agent Steve Keary This year, the [FBI special agent who led the Crystal Rogers investigation sat down with me for an exclusive interview](https://www.shayinformed.com/fbi-agent-breaks-silence-takes-us-inside-the-crystal-rogers-investigation/)\- a level of access rarely granted by a federal agency. He only talked to me. Other local outlets asked. They were turned down. The Pennington family trusted me to tell [the story of Staff Sgt. Ben Pennington after he was killed in the Iran conflict](https://www.shayinformed.com/he-always-wanted-to-fight-for-his-country-at-26-he-did/), at the hardest possible moment for them to trust anyone. His sister reached out to me and told me they had received numerous media requests- from local and national outlets- and were hoping I would tell his story. I responded to let her know I was beyond honored, but had just had my baby that week. She told me they would wait. And they did. Weeks before the FBI made an arrest in Morgan Violi's 30-year-old cold case, [her family chose to speak with me first](https://www.shayinformed.com/thirty-years-without-answers-the-morgan-violi-case-still-haunts-bowling-green/). Her sister reached out, telling me after 30 years they were ready to do their first-ever interview as a family, and they only trusted me with the story. To this day, they have only spoken to me. I had the time to dig into Kentucky's welfare system through [open records and interviews with caseworkers the state tried to keep quiet](https://www.shayinformed.com/she-was-eight-months-old-kentuckys-child-welfare-system-lost-her-this-is-how/), reporting that became the Miya Rudd investigation. It took months of waiting for records, requesting additional items, and then pouring through the thousands of documents. That is time I didn't have before. Time is a luxury you aren't granted in an industry that needs to fill hours of TV every single day. And in Eastern Kentucky, I've continued reporting on a pediatric cancer cluster that is both alarming and in need of urgent coverage. I've uncovered failures by the state [through open records requests.](https://www.shayinformed.com/what-kentucky-knew-and-when-inside-the-states-response-to-an-unusual-pattern-of-pediatric-cancer/) I've talked to families, doctors, national experts, public health leaders, and worried community members. I choose where I put my time and effort, and I choose to stay on this story until Kentucky has a clear path forward. One of the biggest surprises of this year had nothing to do with an investigation at all. My most-clicked story wasn't a bombshell- it was[ a voter guide for the U.S. Senate race](https://www.shayinformed.com/before-you-vote-meet-the-kentucky-senate-candidates-you-havent-heard-from/), built from interviews with seven candidates and a fully transparent methodology so readers could see exactly how it was put together. I learned something from that: people aren't just hungry for accountability journalism. They're hungry for *useful* journalism- something that helps them make a decision, right when they need to make it. It wasn't the story I expected to resonate the most. But it taught me that "give a voice to the voiceless" and "help someone fill out their ballot" aren't as different as I once thought. Both are just journalism doing its job. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Cover-Circumstantial--1-.jpg) I also built new ways to tell the stories that matter most. [*Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials*, a 10-episode podcast series](https://www.shayinformed.com/circumstantial-the-crystal-rogers-trials/), took listeners through both Crystal Rogers trials in full. This production took months... pouring through more than 100 hours of trial tapes, collecting fresh interviews, and reviewing my handwritten trial notes. It was a labor of love. But I knew the community that cared so much about this case deserved an easier way to consume the trial. Watching the raw YouTube videos wasn't feasible for everyone. I took the time and care to do it right. And I launched [*One More Question*, my weekly podcast](https://www.shayinformed.com/one-more-question/). The concept behind the podcast is simple- I focus on a story everyone is talking about but ask the questions that get lost in the daily churn. The follow-ups that come up after the press conference, the one thing people keep saying on social media. National media agencies do this well with podcasts like *The Daily.* I want to bring that thoroughness and thought-provoking work to a local level and put it in the place people want to find it- on podcast. This year also opened up new opportunities. For years, *Dateline* asked me to be part of their Crystal Rogers coverage. For years, the answer was no- not because I didn't want to, but because it wasn't my call to make. Going independent meant that, for the first time, it was my choice. I could finally say yes. I worked with producers in the months leading up to the episode and appeared on camera in an interview. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-17-at-4.20.05---PM.png) Behind the scenes during my interview with Dateline I didn't know I would be introduced on the show as "Dateline contributor Shay McAlister", but what a thrill! Between July and November, I met with producers, with victims' families, answered questions, helped make connections, and clarified case details. The producers on the show are incredibly thorough and factual. The irony isn't lost on me- I had to leave traditional TV news to finally work with one of the most respected programs in traditional TV news. The Dateline crew reminded me why I fell in love with this work in the first place- their commitment to thorough, compassionate storytelling aligned perfectly with everything I believe journalism should be. [Behind the scenes; a look at my time working with Dateline“I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. This story is a ‘Shay Original’, which is available to paid subscribers only. You can become a member for $4.99/month and gain access to all of![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-adbdea35-1dac-46f1-a070-028c0785d4f6.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-11-10-at-11.11.39---AM-ac6e77ce-a5b6-41d8-ac13-1676c9a50356.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/behind-the-scenes-a-look-at-my-time-working-with-dateline/) ## The growth I wasn't ready for day one. Within hours of launching, I had to increase my website's capacity- I'd hit my member limit before the day was even over. A week later, I had to raise it again. Since then my membership has grown to more than ten-times what I had anticipated on day one. And I thought I was reaching for the stars. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-17-at-4.02.48---PM.png) I have a photo from that first night: my husband Jimi, holding two glasses and a bottle of non-alcoholic champagne (I was pregnant at the time, and I've never appreciated a gesture more), toasting a launch he somehow wasn't surprised by. He knew this would exceed what I'd let myself expect. Honestly, some days I still find it hard to believe he was right. I like to say I did this alone. That's not true. My husband, my parents, my brothers, my in-laws, my friends- they've sat through the brainstorming sessions, the venting, the middle-of-the-night doubts, the wild ideas that never went anywhere and the ones that became real parts of the website and content. They've celebrated wins that were really *our* wins, even when only my name was on the byline. There's no version of this year's success that happens without every one of them. And how do I measure success? For me, it's the freedom to chase the stories I care about. It's control over my time and my life. It's answering to you- not to ratings, and not to a corporate office that's never set foot in my community. But success shows up in the numbers too. So on this one-year mark, I finally sat down and looked at mine. Here's where we are: - More than **1 million** unique visitors have come to the site this year. - Paid subscribers span **38 states**\- Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, Ohio, and Texas lead the list- plus from as far away as Canada and New Zealand. - I've published more than **400 articles** and **40 podcast episodes.** A year ago, this was one person, a laptop, and a hope that people would show up for my journalism. You didn't just show up. You made this bigger than I ever let myself imagine it could be. I am so grateful. I am also still learning. ## What I've learned ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/IMG_3247.jpeg) Going independent means building everything back from scratch- including trust. A press badge from a TV station used to open doors automatically. On my own, I've had to earn that access story by story, agency by agency. And the results have been a study in contrasts. I'll be specific, because I think specificity is the whole point of what I do. Some agencies have been difficult to work with. LMPD told me I didn't meet their standards to be considered a media outlet- and when I asked to see the policy that laid out those standards, they didn't have one. They had to create it. Months later, when I asked again, they gave me guidelines. Guidelines I meet. I asked how to formally apply for consideration. I never got a response. When I sought comment from the Jefferson County Commonwealth's Attorney's office, their spokesperson questioned whether I was a legitimate news outlet at all. I told him it really didn't matter what he thinks about my platform, I was asking for information that should be provided to any community member who asked. Then he provided an answer. Other agencies did the opposite. A detective with the Winchester Police Department called me directly about a high-profile case- not because he had to, but because he told me he trusted my work, and believed including me was good for the investigation itself. A representative from JCPS's communications office reached out in and asked if I'd start coming to district meetings. They told me local outlets weren't getting the full picture, weren't asking the right questions, and they wanted parents to get the thorough coverage they deserved. Same year. Same journalist. Two completely different answers to the same question: does independent journalism deserve a seat at the table? I think that tells you more about the agencies than it tells you about me- and it's part of why I believe it's a disservice to this community to count independent journalists out. There's a real difference between someone posting on social media, calling themselves a "citizen journalist," and someone with a track record of ethical reporting, a reputation built over a decade, and thousands of readers who've decided that reputation is worth paying for. Treating those two things as the same isn't skepticism. It's laziness. That's part of why I've joined the organizations I have as an independent journalist- including the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), the Kentucky Press Association (KPA), and Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE). I want a seat in the conversations shaping where local journalism goes next, because I believe independent journalists are a necessary part of that future, not a footnote to it. Those organizations have agreed: I've been asked to speak at conferences, mentor other journalists one-on-one, and sit on advisory boards helping build the kind of structure that lets local journalists leave a dying industry model- without leaving journalism itself behind. So here's the trade I didn't fully understand a year ago: independence costs you automatic access with some. It earns you something deeper with others. A year in, I know which side of that trade I'd choose again. ## What's next ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-18-at-10.30.47---AM.png) The same husband who toasted day one with non-alcoholic champagne showed up on day one of year two with flowers. "Can you believe it's been a year?" he asked. I just laughed because I can't, not really. But believing it isn't the point anymore. Building on it is. So, what's next? A lot, actually. I'm working on a new partnership I can't say much about yet- but it's going to allow the work I care most about to reach audiences far beyond what I could reach alone. I'll share more the moment I can. I'm also ready to expand beyond a team of one. A year in, I know this model works- which means it's time to bring on help. Not to change what Shay Informed is, but to lighten the load so I can spend even more of my time on the journalism itself. That includes bringing in help behind the scenes and guest writers I trust- journalists who do this work the way I do, with the same commitment to accountability and to the people at the center of every story. And I'll be watching one case especially closely: the Nick Houck trial. I covered the first Crystal Rogers trials as an employee of the TV station. This time is different. This time, I'm working for you- my subscribers, not a station. I'll build my coverage plan around what you tell me matters most. None of it happens without the people reading this right now. That's not a figure of speech. It's the whole model. A year in, I don't want to guess at what you need from year two. I want to ask you directly. If you're a paid subscriber, you helped build this. I have a short survey below, and I mean it when I say your answers will shape what year two actually looks like. And if you're reading this as a free subscriber or someone not yet signed up- I hope this year showed you what this kind of journalism can do, and I'd love for you to consider joining the people who've made it possible. There's no better time than right now, one year in, to [become part of building what's next](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup). _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Her son's eye tilted slightly. It turned out to be cancer. This Bardstown mom wants every parent to know the signs. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/her-sons-eye-tilted-slightly-it-turned-out-to-be-cancer-this-bardstown-mom-wants-every-parent-to-know-the-signs/ Last updated: 2026-08-17T15:43:10.000Z Hayden Rouse showed almost none of the classic warning signs. As families head back to school, Terra Bockting is urging other parents not to skip the eye exam that caught her son's retinoblastoma. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- When Terra Bockting took her son Hayden in for what she assumed would be a quick, forgettable checkup last May, she wasn't worried. It wasn't even required yet- his preschool in Bardstown had told her she had until fall to get it done. She just happened to already be at the eye doctor's office in E-town for something unrelated and figured she'd knock it out early. "I have the paper," she remembers telling the doctor. "Let's just do it." Doctors now believe that decision caught a fast-growing childhood cancer before it was too late. ## A little underdeveloped ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-17-at-11.23.40---AM.png) Hayden was born eight weeks premature, so when the eye doctor noted that his retina looked underdeveloped, it didn't raise many alarms. Preemies often have vision quirks. The doctor referred Hayden to a specialist in Lexington, mostly, Terra says, "just to check that box." It took nearly four months to get the appointment. When they finally saw the physician at UK Advanced Eye Care in Lexington, the exam took less than a minute before the doctor looked up and said, "I think I see a mass." Imaging confirmed it. It was retinoblastoma- a rare, fast-moving childhood eye cancer. With this particular cancer, doctors don't even biopsy it. If there's a mass, it's cancer. "It was just kind of like a gut punch," Terra said. "I'm sitting here thinking that's a preemie thing... They'll tell us to do this or tell us to do that, and we'll go right back about our business." Instead, she received direction to get to Wisconsin- fast. There was a specialist there who was considered the best in the country for this specific cancer. Within days, the family was driving eight hours north. Hayden started chemotherapy four days later. ## Racing a tumor that could double in two weeks ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-17-at-11.23.31---AM.png) Retinoblastoma tumors can double in size in as little as 14 days. Between the initial exam in May and the diagnosis in September, roughly five months had passed- time Terra now thinks about with a shudder. By the time doctors got a full look, the tumor measured about 9 millimeters, and Hayden also had what doctors described as massive vitreous seeding: cancer cells that had broken off the tumor and spread into the jelly-like substance filling the eye. Because that part of the eye has no blood supply, standard chemotherapy can't reach those cells. So Hayden's treatment became a layered, grueling process. First came intra-arterial chemotherapy- chemo delivered directly through an artery in his leg, threaded up into the vessels of his eye, under anesthesia, followed by four to six hours of mandatory "flat time" so his body could recover from the procedure. He did that every four weeks from September through December. Then came intravitreal injections, chemo delivered straight into the eye itself to chase down the seeded cancer cells- a process complicated by the fact that not all the seeds mature at the same rate, meaning some injections could kill half the visible seeds while others multiplied in the background. It became, as Terra put it, "chasing the cell cycle over and over and over again." By March, progress had stalled, and physicians offered something they'd been developing for a long time: a clinical trial using tiny chemo-releasing plaques glued to the surface of Hayden's eye for eight weeks. The trial worked. But the road to knowing that wasn't simple. Swelling and then bleeding inside the eye made it impossible for doctors to fully confirm the tumor was gone. In July, with the eye visibly unhealthy and shrinking, experts made another suggestion: remove the eye completely. ## A phone call on the way to Wisconsin ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-17-at-11.23.46---AM.png) Results on a final round of testing were still pending when the family drove up for what they expected to be surgery to remove Hayden's eye. Thirty minutes from the Ronald McDonald House, they received a call: the results were back. Hayden was cancer-free. The family chose to move forward with removing the eye anyway. Hayden hadn't been using it for vision in months, and doctors couldn't guarantee the cancer wouldn't resurface behind scar tissue they couldn't see through. "He's four," Terra said. "Just take it out and let him move on with his life." The surgery happened earlier this month. The pathology report came back 100% clear. Hayden will need glasses, mostly to protect his one healthy eye going forward. Terra says he'll still be able to drive and pursue almost any career he wants- with two exceptions doctors flagged: he can't be a school bus driver, and he can't fly for the Air Force. Everything else is open. Here's the part that keeps Terra up at night: there were almost no warning signs. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-17-at-11.24.01---AM-1.png) The most well-known indicator of retinoblastoma is a white glow in a child's pupil in photos, instead of the usual red-eye effect- sometimes called "the glow," and the subject of an [awareness campaign called Know the Glow](https://knowtheglow.org/?ref=shayinformed.com). Hayden never had it, at least not that his family noticed before diagnosis. The only clue, in hindsight, was a slight inward tilt in his eye, a mild strabismus that everyone- including an earlier eye doctor- chalked up to a cosmetic issue, maybe something glasses would fix down the road. Retinoblastoma typically shows up around age two, usually before age five. Hayden was three. "Would have had no idea," Terra said. "He didn't show the super classic signs that something was wrong." The only reason it was caught was a school-required eye exam Hayden almost didn't do. ## Her message for back-to-school season ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-17-at-11.40.56---AM.png) With so many parents currently checking boxes for back-to-school physicals and vision screenings, Terra has one clear ask: don't skip the eye exam, even when it feels unnecessary. "Even if it's not required, just do the eye exam," she said. "It's not invasive. It's a basic eye exam." A doctor found Hayden's tumor with nothing more than a handheld lens. She's also pushing for something less obvious: make sure whatever an eye doctor notices actually follows the child through the referral process. When Hayden was later referred back to the specialist in Lexington for an unrelated concern, she mentioned that if the original note about his underdeveloped retina- not just the eye tilt- had been clearly flagged, she would have gotten him in sooner. "If that had been better communicated in his referral," Terra said, "she would have gotten him in quicker." Hayden starts his next year of preschool this week, a week late because of the surgery. Terra says that after everything, he hasn't missed a beat- proof, she believes, that he'd stopped seeing out of that eye long before anyone removed it. "Your eyes are just as important as the rest of your body, if not more," she said. "That's how you see the world." Hayden's family is raising funds to take him and his younger brother, Parker, to Disney World through a campaign called One at a Time. Their goal is $5,500 to cover a week-long family trip after nearly 11,000 miles of travel to Wisconsin and more than 60 hours under anesthesia over the past 10 months. If you'd like to [learn more or donate, you can do so here](https://www.campaignoaat.org/campaign-program/haydenthehero?ref=shayinformed.com). *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Postpartum psychosis is rare. Postpartum moms falling through the cracks isn't. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/postpartum-psychosis-is-rare-postpartum-moms-falling-through-the-cracks-isnt/ Last updated: 2026-08-18T15:36:14.000Z A conversation about postpartum mental illness, prompted by- but not about- Lindsay Clancy. --- *I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *I believe some stories are too important to stay behind a paywall. That's why I'm making this piece free to read for everyone. Informed communities make better decisions and that can only happen when people have access to honest, thorough reporting.* *Shay Informed is 100% reader-funded. No ads. No corporate backing. Just journalism that answers to you. If you'd like to help keep this work going, please consider* [*subscribing*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup)*.* --- On January 24th, 2023, Lindsay Clancy- a labor and delivery nurse from Massachusetts- killed her three children: 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson, and 7-month-old Callan. Prosecutors say she used exercise bands to strangle them before jumping from a second-floor window in an apparent suicide attempt. The fall left her paralyzed from the chest down. Clancy doesn't deny she killed her children. Neither do her attorneys. But she has pleaded not guilty, using what's known as an insanity defense. Her legal team argues overmedication and postpartum mental illness are to blame. "This is a young woman that, with her husband, tried very hard to get the help she needed," her defense attorney told the courtroom. Later, he laid out the timeline in stark terms: "She told them that she was suicidal. She told them that she had suicidal ideation. And in December, to his and her ever-dying regret, told Patrick, in the presence of her mother, that she was having psychotic thoughts of hurting the children. This is a woman that did not get the medication, did not get the medical treatment that she so deserved." The prosecution tells a different story entirely. "This was not a woman in the throes of psychosis on January 24, 2023," the prosecutor argued. "This was a woman who acted intentionally, rationally, and swiftly to accomplish a very specific goal- to kill." In their telling, Clancy was a high achiever unraveling under the weight of motherhood, who "no longer liked the life she thought she wanted," and who saw an opportunity to escape and took it. The prosecutor was direct about what she wanted the jury to set aside: "This is not a public debate about women's mental health and how the medical system treats women. This case is about this defendant, Lindsey Clancy." Legally, she's right. That's exactly what the case in front of the jury is about, and it should be. Whether Lindsay Clancy is criminally responsible for what happened in that house is a question for twelve people with access to two years of evidence, expert testimony, and medical records the rest of us don't have. But the public debate is happening anyway- in courtrooms, in emergency rooms, in OB offices, in the homes of new mothers who are struggling and don't know who to call. So this week, I called Dr. Tiffany Tonismae, a maternal-fetal medicine physician with additional certification in perinatal mental health, to talk about what that system actually looks like. Not to answer whether it's to blame for what happened to the Clancy children- that's not a question either of us can answer. But to understand what happens, structurally, when a mother tells multiple providers she's having thoughts of hurting her children. Where does that information go? Does anyone connect the dots? If not, why not? Because here's what's hard to sit with: Lindsay Clancy did not suffer in silence. By her attorney's account, she asked for help. Repeatedly. **Paid subscribers can listen to this conversation right now- on this week's new episode of One More Question. Add the podcast to your library!** ## A wider range than most people realize ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-13-at-12.23.50---PM.png) Dr. Tiffany Tonismae Dr. Tonismae is a maternal-fetal medicine physician with additional certification in perinatal mental health. She has studied the system, the women impacted, and the mental illness associated with it. For our conversation, she started with scope. Perinatal mental health disorders, she said, are "the most common complication of pregnancy, which is sad because it's probably talked about the least." They affect roughly one in five women- and one in seven men. "Many to most women will probably have some form of postpartum blues. It's an adjustment period. It's hard. You're exhausted. So all of those hormonal changes really do take over our cortical axis, which can lead to mental health changes", she explained. About 20-percent of women will develop postpartum depression, a number that climbs for women with a prior history of anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder. Psychosis sits at the far end of that spectrum- rare, but when it happens, "it often tends to be life-threatening to either mom, babies, or both", Dr. T explained. What makes it especially dangerous, she said, is how well it hides. "As women, we are very good at hiding our symptoms." Family members might first notice a mother growing averse to her baby, or unable to care for herself- not just "too tired to shower," but disheveled, not eating, unable to function. In the worst cases, women begin hearing voices or seeing things that aren't there, telling them they're worthless, that everyone would be better off without them- thoughts that can escalate toward suicide or homicide. ## Even when the system works, it can still fail This is the part of the conversation that cuts closest to the Clancy case. I asked Dr. T directly: if a mother does everything right- shows up to appointments, answers screening questions honestly, gets flagged by her doctor- does that mean she's safe? Not necessarily, Dr. T told me. The standard tool, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, is typically administered once or twice- before hospital discharge and at a single OB follow-up- and it doesn't fully screen for anxiety. And a flagged score doesn't guarantee fast treatment. "Many obstetricians do not feel comfortable managing mental health disorders," Dr. Tonismae said. "The wait lists for psychiatry can be months, weeks, depending on what area of town you live in." Inpatient treatment, when it's needed, often isn't financially or logistically possible for families without nearby support systems. And even outpatient care is trial and error- medications can take weeks to work, and the first one tried isn't always the right one. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-13-at-11.55.30---AM.png) Dr. Tiffany Tonismae Medication is a central thread in the Clancy case- multiple providers, multiple prescriptions, adjusted repeatedly over time. I asked Dr. Tonismae whether that pattern reflects a broader problem, and whether postpartum psychiatric care needs one clear owner. Ideally, yes, she said. But in practice, "even if I got five different psychiatrists that did five different evaluations on five different days, they may have different nuances in their diagnoses. They may have different medications that they like to try." Add in the fact that psychiatric medications take weeks to show effect and often need to be titrated slowly, and the result is a process that can look, from the outside, chaotic- even when every individual provider is doing their job. "There are a lot of places that things could have slipped through the cracks," she said, "whether that was too many cooks in the kitchen, not giving enough time, or was it that we really needed more of an intensive inpatient treatment too." ## A research gap with real consequences That coordination problem, she said, traces back to a deeper one: women's health- and perinatal mental health specifically- remains under-researched. New medications often carry unknowns about breastfeeding safety. Providers are left weighing incomplete data against a mother's hormones and metabolism, which are actively shifting during the postpartum period. That uncertainty collides with cultural pressure. "Breast is best" messaging, she said, has quietly convinced a lot of mothers that stopping a psychiatric medication is safer than not breastfeeding, even when the opposite is true. "We get women that relapse because they've stopped their medications," she said, a pattern she also sees early in pregnancy, when women discover they're pregnant and immediately stop taking what's keeping them stable. ## What she wants every parent to hear Dr. Tonismae closed with something simple, and something she said applies to men as well as women: don't wait before asking for help. "If you had abdominal pain for three days that didn't go away, we would all seek help. But if you had symptoms of depression or psychosis for three days, we feel like we can't talk to somebody about it." If a provider isn't asking, she said, bring it up anyway. [Postpartum Support International](https://postpartum.net/?ref=shayinformed.com) offers a 24-hour helpline and can connect families with therapists specifically trained in the perinatal period- not just any therapist. "It's okay to ask for help," she said. "It's okay to not be okay." *You can call their toll-free helpline at 1-800-944-4773 or text "HOME" to 741741 to reach experts with Postpartum Support International.* None of this tells us what was in Lindsay Clancy's mind in January 2023\. That's still for a jury to decide, and this reporting doesn't attempt to answer it. But it does tell us that a mother asking for help and still falling through the cracks is not a rare story. It's a common one, playing out in a system built on single screenings, months-long psychiatric wait lists, and providers who often aren't equipped or resourced to manage what those screenings turn up. If you're reading this and something feels off, you don't need a diagnosis to ask for help. And if you know someone who's had a baby in the last twelve months, check in on them. Give them the opening to tell you the truth. They deserve that. --- *If you or someone you know is struggling, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available by call or text. Postpartum Support International offers a 24-hour helpline and resources for finding perinatal-trained therapists.* ### Louisville's most relentless homeless advocate just became homeless herself URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/louisvilles-most-relentless-homeless-advocate-just-became-homeless-herself/ Last updated: 2026-08-17T12:45:25.000Z She's spent years teaching Louisville how to help people in crisis. Now she's living it- and her friends say it's time the city returned the favor. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Tiny Herron has spent more than a decade telling Louisville's unhoused neighbors that they matter- meeting people under bridges and in tent camps, teaching a city how to see people instead of looking away from them. On Tuesday night, in the middle of a violent storm, lightning struck her own house and set it on fire. By Wednesday morning, the woman who has rebuilt so many lives was standing outside her own front door, watching what was left of hers. "I'm having a hard time this morning," Herron told me, her voice quiet and unsteady. --- *I have known Tiny Herron for almost a decade. In that time, I have never once seen her put herself first. She is the fiercest advocate I know for the people this city so often looks past- the first person on scene, the first to offer her coat, her car, her couch, her whole heart, without ever asking for anything in return. She is selfless. She is loving. She has taught me, and so many others in this community, what it actually looks like to show up for someone.* *So writing this story is hard, because the woman who has spent a decade catching everyone else has nothing beneath her right now- and if anyone in Louisville has ever earned the right to be caught, it's Tiny.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-13-at-10.36.17---AM-1.png) Shay McAlister and Tiny Herron during a 2018 interview --- ## A moment of panic 0:00 /1:45 1× Herron wasn't home when the storm hit. She found out her house was burning through a phone notification. Her Ring camera kept going off. When she checked it, she saw firefighters on her front porch, trying to force the door open. Carrie Dorton, a fellow outreach advocate and close friend of Herron's, described the scene captured on that camera. Firefighters were working to breach the door while, Herron screamed that her dogs were still inside. The noise of the rescue effort made it hard for firefighters to hear her- it was neighbors who ultimately told first responders there were two dogs trapped in the house. Both dogs made it out alive. One of them, a French bulldog named Fresh, needed oxygen at the scene. ## Near total loss ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-13-at-11.36.33---AM.png) By Wednesday, Herron and her family were picking through the wreckage, trying to figure out what could still be saved. "What we know so far- it is at least 85% gone," Herron told me. "Which is the entire upstairs. We probably will be able to salvage some of the basement items." A tarp now covers what's left of the roof. The house, everyone involved agrees, is currently not livable. Even so, those close to Herron say she's handled it the way she handles everything- by putting other people first. "She keeps saying, in typical Tiny fashion, 'We're alive, our dogs are alive, everything else can be replaced,'" Tara Bassett, a friend and adovocate, said. "But the irony to me is that the largest homeless advocate, probably in the state of Kentucky, is now homeless. And that just tears me to pieces." To understand why this loss has rippled through Louisville's advocacy community, you have to understand who Tiny Herron is to the people who do this work. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/IMG_7116.JPG) Tiny and one of her clients, recently housed through the Arthur Street Hotel "Tiny's name befits only her physical stature, because everything else about her is big beyond any belief or understanding," Bassett said. "Her reach is phenomenal. Her heart is the size of Montana. Anyone who does outreach in this town has learned from Tiny- and we have learned, most importantly, to meet people where they are, and not to judge anyone based upon their situation, but to give them the decency and the respect that every human deserves." Dorton, who says Herron taught her everything she knows about working with people experiencing homelessness, put it simply: "She's a warrior. I cannot say or put in words how much she means to me and to the community. She goes above and beyond every day." I have covered Herron's work for years- most recently reporting on[ the closure of Arthur Street Hotel](https://www.shayinformed.com/why-cant-louisville-solve-homelessness-ten-years-of-answers-and-starting-over/), the shelter and service-hub for the homeless population that can't find help elsewhere. Herron was an integral piece of the puzzle until it shut down earlier this month. That closure leaves her without a job. [Why can’t Louisville solve homelessness? Ten years of answers- and starting over.The Arthur Street Hotel closes its doors this month. The people who ran it have spent years watching Louisville build solutions, defund them, and start over. This is their story- and the city’s. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-720ab21a-8dce-48b9-8460-f6a9813c012b.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_7133-02a0dde9-b3fb-43b4-a7b9-002f43f964a4.JPG)](https://www.shayinformed.com/why-cant-louisville-solve-homelessness-ten-years-of-answers-and-starting-over/) ## A system that fails people at their most desperate moment ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-13-at-10.58.06---AM.png) Even as she works to salvage her own home, Herron says she can't stop thinking about how broken the process is for people facing disaster- because she's now living what she has spent years watching others go through. The family called the Red Cross the night of the fire and was told help could take 48 to 72 hours, so they searched for a pet-friendly hotel on their own. They found one willing to take them in- until they arrived and were told they'd owe an extra $150 per night for their two dogs, more than the cost of the room itself. "We've had family and friends offer, you can come stay with us, we've got an extra bed- but we have two dogs," Herron said. Traumatized after the fire, the dogs couldn't be left in a garage, and Herron wasn't willing to separate from them. Herron said once she learned Red Cross wouldn't be able to help until Thursday or Friday of this week, a fire department representative suggested family call the Salvation Army or dial 211- the same referral, Herron said, that gets handed to unhoused Louisvillians every day. "I just lost it when he told me that, because I know what it's like for the people on the street to be handed a book that says, well, you can go here, or you can go here," Herron said. "And that's exactly what just happened to me. Because 211 would do nothing for me. I wouldn't call Salvation Army, because I know that's not even how to access a shelter." She said the information she was given simply wasn't accurate. It's a gap she has warned the city about for years from the other side of the process. Herron's guiding principle in outreach work has always been the "warm handoff"- not just pointing someone toward help, but walking them through it, step by step. In the moments after her own home burned, Herron didn't have that. "You want to collapse because you don't know what to do," Herron said of navigating insurance, mitigation crews, and paperwork in the days after the fire. "You need somebody to say, 'let's start here.'" True to form, even in crisis, Herron is already trying to turn her experience into a resource for others. "Now I'm going to be an advocate for people who suffer from disasters, to teach them," Herron said. Adding to the strain: Herron is doing all of this while recovering from a recent shoulder surgery that turned out to be far more extensive than expected- a torn rotator cuff, a fully detached bicep, a bone spur and loose cartilage. "A one-armed homeless outreach advocate with a house fire is not a great combination," Bassett said. ## How to help ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-13-at-11.35.15---AM.png) Herron's sister, Bethany, has set up [a fundraiser to help the family recover](https://giveahand.com/fundraiser/august-11-2026?ref=shayinformed.com). What started as a modest $5,000 goal was met within a single day, and friends are now pushing to raise that goal toward $20,000 to help cover what insurance won't- temporary housing, veterinary care for the dogs, and rebuilding. Both dogs are being treated for smoke inhalation, with a local veterinary office offering free care, and other advocates have stepped up to help cover any remaining costs. For a woman who has spent a decade making sure no one in Louisville faces their worst day alone, her friends say the community now has a chance to return the favor. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Could flock cameras have solved these murders? Nelson County's sheriff believes so URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/could-flock-cameras-have-solved-these-murders-nelson-countys-sheriff-believes-so/ Last updated: 2026-08-13T15:05:30.000Z Sheriff Ramon Pineiroa says the technology now under fire in Congress might have cracked the Jason Ellis and Kathy and Samantha Netherland cases years ago. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Flock cameras are under attack in Washington and at the state level- but law enforcement is fighting back. Now, a local sheriff is putting it in perspective, saying two of Kentucky's most high-profile unsolved murders wouldn't be unsolved had this technology been used sooner. Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie announced he plans to file a bill to withhold federal funding from any police department or municipality that uses Flock- or similar surveillance camera systems to monitor law-abiding citizens. The threat has agencies across the country facing the same question: are these cameras actually worth it? Overwhelmingly, the answer coming back from law enforcement is yes. Not because of politics, but because departments say it's an investigative tool with capabilities nothing else in their arsenal can match. In one Kentucky county, that argument isn't abstract. Nelson County Sheriff Ramon Pineiroa believes that if he'd had this technology years earlier, two of the county's most high-profile unsolved cases- the murder of Bardstown Police Officer Jason Ellis, and the double homicide of Kathy and Samantha Netherland- would already be solved. "We knew we had a black car, and it would have crossed one of those cameras going into the area of the Netherland home. If we had these cameras installed back in 2014, that double homicide would be solved today", Sheriff Pineiroa said, "That's a fact." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/kathy-and-sam-netherland.jpg) Special education teacher Kathy Netherland and her 16-year-old daughter Samantha were killed in April of 2014\. According to Kentucky State Police, they were beaten, stabbed, and tortured inside their home, which was near Bardstown city limits. Their bodies were discovered the next day, after Kathy didn't show up to work. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/netherlands-black-impala-.jpeg) During the initial weeks of the investigation, police released an image of a black car, believed to be an Impala that detectives believed could be linked to the case. Images of that vehicle were made public more than a decade ago. The case is still unsolved. "We would have known whose car that was, because if you entered Nelson County, we would have had you", Pineiroa said. Asked point-blank whether he thought the Flock system could have cracked the Netherland case, he didn't hedge. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Nick Houck's perjury trial is heading to a new county- pending a judge's signature URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/nick-houcks-perjury-trial-is-heading-to-a-new-county-pending-a-judges-signature/ Last updated: 2026-08-12T18:56:31.000Z Both attorneys agreed on a location weeks ahead of the court's deadline. Now it goes back to Judge Simms. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- It took less than a week. Just five days after Judge Charles Simms gave attorneys in the Nick Houck perjury case until August 28th to agree on a trial location, both sides came back with an answer. A proposed Final Order on Change of Venue was tendered to Nelson Circuit Court today- August 11, 2026\. Both defense attorney Michael Ferguson and Commonwealth Attorney Kyle Williamson signed off on it. The named location: **Owenton, Owen County, Kentucky.** The order has been submitted to Judge Simms for his signature. It is not yet official. But if he signs it, Owen County is where Nick Houck will stand trial on a first-degree perjury charge. ## How we got here ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/nick-houck-.jpg) To understand why this matters, let's back up. Nick Houck was arrested June 4th and charged with Perjury in the First Degree- a Class D felony- for allegedly making a material false statement under oath in official proceedings between July 15, 2015 and August 16, 2023\. He is the brother of Brooks Houck, who was convicted of murdering Crystal Rogers last summer and is now serving a life sentence. From the moment Nick Houck was charged, a change of venue was widely expected. The Crystal Rogers case has consumed Bardstown and Nelson County for over a decade. It has been covered nationally. It was the subject of a major television documentary. Brooks Houck's murder trial drew spectators from across the state. Finding twelve jurors in Nelson County who have no prior opinion about the Houck family- or this case- would be, to put it charitably, a challenge. Defense attorney Michael Ferguson filed a change of venue motion, and at last week's pre-trial hearing on August 6th, prosecutor Kyle Williamson told the court he had no objection to the venue change itself. The sticking point was where. [Nick Houck Trial Witnesses, Evidence RevealedA new court filing in the Nick Houck perjury case reveals the evidence, three grand jury dates, and a witness list spanning a decade of investigation.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-03e17162-fc3e-4295-b8b2-fcb0d9324774.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_7086-2-2952bf32-5008-48b2-9d4d-4078f72af2ac.JPG)](https://www.shayinformed.com/a-rare-look-inside-the-case-against-nick-houck/) _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Man with Louisville and Lexington ties added to FBI's Ten Most Wanted list URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/man-with-louisville-and-lexington-ties-added-to-fbis-ten-most-wanted-list/ Last updated: 2026-08-11T20:06:26.000Z Gregory Henderson, Jr. is now the 542nd person ever added to the list, which the FBI created back in 1950 to help track down its most dangerous and elusive fugitives. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- An Indianapolis man accused of running a drug trafficking operation tied to the Sinaloa Cartel- and of leading a dog fighting ring that killed and abused numerous animals- has been named to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, and the agency says he has ties to Louisville and Lexington. The reward for information leading to the arrest of Gregory Henderson just jumped from $5,000 to $1 million. FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O'Malley made the announcement Tuesday alongside U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Tom Wheeler. Their message was blunt: the FBI isn't giving up on this one. "The FBI does not close the book on dangerous fugitives," O'Malley said. "Whether it has been three months or three years, our commitment remains the same." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-3.37.11---PM.png) ### What he's accused of Henderson is one of 31 people indicted out of a Southern District of Indiana investigation into international drug trafficking and dog fighting centered in the Indianapolis area. Investigators say his network- allegedly supplied by the Sinaloa Cartel- moved methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl into Indianapolis and across the surrounding Midwest. He's also accused of leading a violent, neighborhood-based gang in Indianapolis, and of running a dog fighting operation that caused what the FBI describes as severe abuse and death to numerous dogs. A federal warrant went out for his arrest on August 25, 2023\. Six days later, during a large-scale takedown of his alleged organization, Henderson slipped away from law enforcement- and he's been on the run ever since. ### Why this matters here The FBI says Henderson has known ties not just to Chicago, Detroit, Dayton and Cincinnati, but also to Louisville and Lexington, along with St. Louis. That's the piece that puts this case on our radar- investigators believe he could be moving through, or hiding out in, our part of the state. U.S. Attorney Tom Wheeler tied the increased reward directly to the danger he says Henderson still poses. "His ties to violent cartel networks make him a continuing threat to our communities, and the time for him to be held accountable is long overdue," Wheeler said, adding that the victims, the communities harmed by the drug and gambling operations, and the animals subjected to abuse "deserve justice." ### Who to look for ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-4.03.03---PM-1.png) The FBI describes Henderson as a Black male, 6-foot-1, roughly 220 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He may be going by the aliases Grego, Whitey, or Corree Williams. He is considered armed and dangerous. ### If you know something The FBI is asking anyone with information to contact their local field office, the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate, or call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Tips can also be submitted online at tips.fbi.gov. For context: of the 542 fugitives who've made the Ten Most Wanted list since it started, 502 have been caught or located- and 164 of those captures happened because someone in the public picked up the phone. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Follow the fix: a new series highlighting the change-makers URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/follow-the-fix-a-new-series-highlighting-the-change-makers/ Last updated: 2026-08-11T20:20:35.000Z Journalism doesn't only have to highlight the problems. Sometimes, it feels good to highlight the solutions. First up: homelessness and housing. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Here's the thing about accountability journalism: it's almost entirely about what's broken. I've spent almost a decade reporting on Louisville's houseless crisis. Mostly recently, on the Arthur Street Hotel dissolving as a resource for people experiencing homelessness. I've dug into the Kentucky Medicaid funding crisis and what it means for disabled Kentuckians. I've covered how the state handles- and sometimes fails- child welfare cases. That's the job, and it matters. But it also means my reporting rarely tells you where to go if you want to actually *do* something about the problems I'm surfacing. So with Give for Good Louisville- the city's big one-day giving event- happening next month on September 10th I wanted to do something a little different and a little more intentional. I wanted to go back through my own reporting, look at the issues that keep showing up, and find the people working the solutions side of those same problems, right here in Louisville. So that's what this series is: "Follow the fix" will showcase a handful of organizations, grouped by the exact issues my reporting has recently revealed. Not a random list. Not only big organizations. Specifically, groups doing the work in the four areas that show up again and again in my reporting- homelessness and housing, child welfare, healthcare access, and crime victim support. This is the first installment, and it's about homelessness and housing. I talked to three organizations doing very different pieces of this work in Louisville. With that out of the way, let me introduce you. ## L.O.U.- Louisville Outreach for the Unsheltered ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/702144561_18407808760197571_2220537504698622010_n.jpg) If you've read my coverage of Arthur Street Hotel, you already know how thin the safety net is for people experiencing homelessness in this city once a resource disappears. L.O.U. started with a simple goal: feed. Now, what started as a skeleton crew of three people making sack lunches to hand out on Sundays has become something much bigger. "We just saw a need and a gap in services in Louisville's West End, and we took the opportunity to fill that gap," founder David Smilie told me. [L.O.U.](https://www.giveforgoodlouisville.org/organization/Louisville-Outreach-For-The-Unsheltered?ref=shayinformed.com) still runs its original street outreach- about 700 meals a week, all community-provided, plus inclement weather runs during Louisville's worst heat and cold. But in late 2023, the group opened a small office inside The Table in Portland, and later moved into a fully renovated space at 1801 Portland Avenue. Since opening that office, they've had nearly 600 people come through for supportive services: housing navigation, help with IDs and Social Security paperwork, Medicaid and food stamp assistance, connections to treatment. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/566dc1c8-5b27-4fe5-9177-6714e34c2942.jpeg) The detail that stuck with me most was the shower program. It sounds small. It isn't. As L.O.U.'s David Smilie put it to me, "there's definitely the dignity piece"- a shower and a fresh set of clothes give people a reason to come back, and once they're back, they're in the door for everything else. "Providing that access, that basic need that people have, often gives that dopamine kick, where you then say, 'well, that felt good, what's next.'" L.O.U. doesn't take government funding, by choice- too many strings attached, in their experience- which means donations go directly to whatever the sharpest need is that week. "Whatever it is someone needs... whatever that looks like, and whatever they're ready to approach, we will support them in doing that", Smilie said. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/df3a88b7-305d-4d22-9d45-e1d2a552a048.jpeg) If you want one concrete thing your money would go toward, it's the shower program itself: the water, the soap, the towels, and the laundry service they're rolling out alongside it, so people can wash the handful of outfits they own instead of collecting new clothing donations they have nowhere to store. [Why can’t Louisville solve homelessness? Ten years of answers- and starting over.The Arthur Street Hotel closes its doors this month. The people who ran it have spent years watching Louisville build solutions, defund them, and start over. This is their story- and the city’s. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-1525c771-dee3-446a-82c6-5248be93585e.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_7133-164004cb-d6e6-4689-ac6e-b404b822a77a.JPG)](https://www.shayinformed.com/why-cant-louisville-solve-homelessness-ten-years-of-answers-and-starting-over/) ## My Redemption Inc. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/1.jpg) My Redemption works with a different, and often overlooked, piece of the homelessness picture: fathers. The organization runs the Redeemed Fathers Initiative, a 12-week program that connects fathers- many of them transitioning back into the community after incarceration, or simply trying to get back on their feet- with the resources they need to reunify with their families. They also run a transitional housing program specifically for people coming out of incarceration, giving them stable housing while they rebuild. The organization's focus on West Louisville is intentional. "We lock in on West Louisville because there's so much need for resources there," Executive Director Brandon Mullins told me. "We believe in meeting people where they are, and helping them move forward from crisis to stability and independence." It's a piece of the housing and homelessness conversation that doesn't get talked about as much- not shelters or street outreach, but the family structures that keep people from ending up there in the first place, or help them stay housed once they're back. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-10-at-9.38.30---AM.png) [My Redemption](https://www.giveforgoodlouisville.org/organization/My-Redemption-Incorporated?ref=shayinformed.com) doesn't have one single line-item they're raising money for right now- Mullins was upfront that donations mostly go toward keeping the organization "operating at an optimum level," so they can take on more fathers and families instead of turning people away for lack of capacity. If there's one current focus for the money, though, it's the Redeemed Fathers Initiative itself: the 12-week program, run in partnership with the Commonwealth Center for Fathers and Families, that takes 12 to 15 fathers at a time through the resources they need to get back on their feet. ## God's Designs, Inc. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/32.jpg) This one is smaller, and exactly the kind of organization I wanted to make sure wasn't lost in a giving day dominated by bigger names. [God's Designs](https://www.giveforgoodlouisville.org/organization/Gods-Designs?ref=shayinformed.com) started in 2008 almost by accident- founder Jerry Harra, a longtime interior decorator, was left with her late son's furniture and no idea what to do with it. A stranger called out of the blue asking if she had any furniture to give. She did. That was the beginning. Nearly two decades later, God's Designs collects donated household goods, stores them in a warehouse, and works exclusively through referral agencies to furnish homes for people coming out of homelessness- including a number of veterans, who the VA has told the organization are far less likely to end up back on the street once their new place actually feels like a home. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/1-1.jpg) Their biggest recurring expense is mattresses, which they insist on buying new for every family. "Some say you can use gently used, but our motto is we're trying to have new mattresses for everyone," volunteer Jan Shockley told me. But if you're looking for the one thing your donation could tangibly buy right now, it's a used box truck. Right now, God's Designs rents a truck for a single day each week to deliver furniture and pick up new donations- which limits how often they can take on new jobs. A truck of their own would let them expand pickups to weekends, when the younger volunteers they're trying to recruit actually have time to help. "I think right now, whatever we can get is great," Shockley said, of the fundraiser. It's unglamorous work. But if you've ever moved into an empty apartment and understood the difference between a house and a home, you understand exactly what they do. As the organization puts it, their motto is simple: "making a house a home." "We're trying to help those who are trying to help themselves- that's where we are," Shockley explained. ![No photo description available.](https://scontent-atl3-3.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/487271142_9762424060454892_592492441555587327_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_tt6&cstp=mx640x480&ctp=s640x480&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=UZcUSh-2MPAQ7kNvwHsd3K6&_nc_oc=Adq7HHkzL9q3nNoAPzkEVn816bMqS0AQxWoDfpcRO1ZwgsCn5Usx5W9fPLgCagXIYuOLmQjNzrwX-obqxnKcvP54&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-3.xx&_nc_gid=j_UqT4yrV8u0YrgezvNh3Q&_nc_ss=7b2a8&oh=00_AQHa7it4PhU85i4MMS7GoaCiu8mdZkycloik6lCOcZUHMg&oe=6A7FB145) God's Designs volunteers ## How to help ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-10-at-9.37.24---AM.png) None of these organizations are going to fix homelessness in Louisville on their own, and none of them would claim otherwise. But between street outreach, family reunification, and furnishing empty apartments, they're covering different corners of the same problem I've spent a lot of this year reporting on. If any of these resonated with you, all three are participating in [Give for Good Louisville](https://www.giveforgoodlouisville.org/?ref=shayinformed.com) on September 10\. I'll have more installments like this one covering child welfare, healthcare access, and crime victim support in the coming weeks. I don't often get to write about solutions. I'm glad I got the chance here. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Middle School teacher arrested under Kentucky's new grooming law, one day into the new school year URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/middle-school-teacher-arrested-under-kentuckys-new-grooming-law-one-day-into-the-new-school-year/ Last updated: 2026-08-11T20:06:37.000Z Detectives say a Graves County Middle School teacher was charged after an investigation revealed an inappropriate relationship with a minor. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- A Graves County Middle School employee is facing a felony charge after Sheriff's detectives say she was involved in an improper relationship with a minor student- a case that surfaced just one day after students returned to class for the new school year, and one of the first local cases to invoke Kentucky's brand-new grooming statute. Graves County Schools started the 2026-27 school year on August 6th. The next afternoon, August 7th, around 3:30 p.m., 25-year-old Sadie Flores was arrested at the Graves County Sheriff's Office on a charge of Grooming a Minor, a Class D felony. The law itself is barely a month old- it went into effect July 15th of this year. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-10-at-1.44.01---PM.png) According to Sheriff Jon Hayden, the allegation was first reported to the Graves County School District Office, which immediately turned the matter over to the Sheriff's Office for investigation. From there, detectives moved into a full investigation: seizing electronic records, conducting interviews, and working through what Hayden's office described as "other related investigative measures." That work led to an interview with Flores, and her arrest shortly after. She was booked into the Graves County Restricted Custody Center before being transferred to an out-of-county detention center. Hayden said the investigation is continuing, which typically signals more information- or additional charges- could still come. ## What the school district is saying ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-10-at-1.42.39---PM.png) Graves County Schools Superintendent Matt Madding confirmed district administrators were made aware of an allegation involving a teacher at the middle school, and that officials reported it to the Sheriff's Department right away. "We have since been informed that, as a result of that investigation, charges have been filed against this teacher," Madding said in a statement. He acknowledged the district's hands are somewhat tied on details while the case is active: "Because this is an ongoing legal and personnel matter, we are limited in the information we can publicly share. However, we want to assure our families that the safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority." Madding also thanked the Sheriff's Department for its work on the case and reiterated the district's commitment to "providing every student with a safe, supportive, and effective learning environment." ## The new Kentucky law This case is a real-world test of a law I've been tracking since it was still a bill. Grooming- the manipulative, trust-building behavior predators use *before* physical abuse occurs- wasn't its own standalone crime in Kentucky until this year. Prosecutors and lawmakers had long pointed to that as a dangerous gap: cases where the warning signs were obvious, but nothing on the books let law enforcement intervene until things escalated to solicitation or assault. [Kentucky lawmakers push to criminalize child grooming before abuse occursThe legislation would fill a gap in the current law, targeting predatory behavior that leads to sexual abuse. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free weekly![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-c168b957-e57f-4d5e-aa03-30d3b61e1f14.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-01-15-at-9.02.13---AM-2b203241-e534-40df-aeab-e1fca19a9341.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-awmakers-push-to-criminalize-child-grooming-before-abuse-occurs/) State Rep. Marianne Proctor's House Bill 4 changed that, creating a two-tiered system based on the adult's relationship to the child. For adults in a position of authority or special trust- teachers, coaches, and similar roles- grooming behavior directed at any minor under 18 is a Class D felony, or a Class C felony if the child is under 12\. That's the tier that applies to school employees like Flores. Commonwealth's Attorney Louis Kelly, who helped shape the bill, said that he expected cases like this to surface once law enforcement started actively looking for grooming behavior rather than waiting for it to turn into something worse. "My guess is we're going to find out this is a lot more prevalent," he said in January. The law can't be applied retroactively- it only covers behavior that occurred after July 15th- which is likely part of why detectives' timeline and evidence collection will matter a great deal as this case moves forward. Investigators did not provide specifics about the relationship between the teacher and the minor. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Louisville Mayor, Dare to Care sound the alarm as SNAP cuts push Louisville families to the brink URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/louisville-mayor-dare-to-care-sound-the-alarm-as-snap-cuts-push-louisville-families-to-the-brink/ Last updated: 2026-08-10T17:47:34.000Z Dare to Care has served more people in the last two years than in any other stretch of its 50-year history- and CEO Vincent James says the worst may still be ahead. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- More than 10,000 people in Jefferson County- including 3,000 children- have lost SNAP benefits since federal changes took effect last year. And according to Dare to Care Food Bank, the number of Kentuckiana families showing up at food pantries for the first time is climbing at a pace the organization has never seen in its 50-plus-year history. Mayor Craig Greenberg stood with Dare to Care President and CEO Vincent James this week to call for the restoration of SNAP funding, warning that Louisville and its nonprofit partners cannot absorb the loss of federal food assistance on their own. "No child, family, or person in need in Louisville should have to worry about whether they can afford groceries or put food on the table," Greenberg said. "We will continue doing everything we can to support our neighbors, but cities and nonprofit partners like Dare to Care cannot do this work alone. Here in Louisville, we will keep doing our part- but Washington must do theirs." The mayor recently joined more than 200 mayors from across the country in urging federal leaders to fully fund SNAP and protect eligibility for the families who depend on it. ## A crisis reaching people who never expected to need help ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Dare-to-Care.jpeg) Vincent James at a recent press conference During a recent conversation with Dare to Care CEO Vincent James, James told me his organization served more than 200,000 people across its service area over the past two years- a number the organization has never recorded before. Just three years ago, that figure sat around 126,000, a 16% increase. Even more striking, James said, is who's showing up. Nearly 38% of the people coming to Dare to Care are visiting a food pantry for the first time in their lives- and many are working families who are doing everything they're supposed to do and still can't make ends meet. "These are people who are going to work every day, who are budgeting, who are doing all the right things, and they still can't find the means to be able to support their families fully and totally," James said. James pointed to rising gas prices and grocery costs as the most visible drivers, but he believes something bigger is at play in the broader economy- something reflected in the sheer speed of the increase over just the past two years. James also described the emotional toll the crisis is taking. Many first-time visitors arrive feeling embarrassed or ashamed, he said, believing that needing a food pantry somehow means they've failed. Some wait until they have no other option before walking through the door. "They'll come and they'll tell us, 'Thank you for this experience because I was so hesitant to come. I almost didn't come today. I needed to because I need food for my family, but I didn't want to come and I was embarrassed,'" James said. These new findings come from Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap study. According to the research, 203,770 people across Dare to Care's service area are now experiencing food insecurity. That number is up from 186,350 food-insecure individuals reported the previous year and represents a 62% increase since 2021. ## The data is already two years old- and the picture may be worse now ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-10-at-12.55.04---PM.png) Credit: Feeding America James noted that Dare to Care's numbers reflect conditions from roughly two years ago, meaning the true scope of the crisis today, after the most recent SNAP policy changes, is likely worse than what the data shows. He said the organization is already seeing families borrow money, use credit cards, and turn to payday loans just to buy groceries. "I even hate to talk about this, but it's where we are," James said. "People are borrowing money to go to the grocery store. They're putting groceries on credit cards. They're going to payday loans to get food, and that's just digging even a deeper hole for families." Asked to explain the impending SNAP cuts in simple terms, James said families who once received $160 to $200 a month in benefits are now being approved for as little as $20 to $50- for the same household situation. He also pointed to new work requirements and more complicated paperwork, which he said are causing some people to give up on applying altogether. "With the work requirements and the addition in terms of the cumbersomeness of the paperwork, and just remaining eligible for the benefits while you're on them, it's going to become even more challenging," James said. "People don't fully understand what has changed, and even as they are attempting to do things, they just give up." James said he can't predict exactly how many more people will turn to food pantries in the coming months, especially with SNAP administration shifting more responsibility to states- some of which are already operating with budget deficits. "I believe it's going to be staggering," he said. ## Local resources the city is highlighting The federal changes come as Louisville families also navigate other rising costs and policy shifts. Due to recent changes to Medicaid, more than 50,000 adults and 10,000 children in Jefferson County have lost health coverage. In response, Greenberg pointed families toward existing local resources, including: - **Neighborhood Places:** eight locations across Louisville that bring together city, state, and community services, including healthcare enrollment help, rent and utility assistance, food assistance, and childcare resources. - **The Senior Nutrition Program:** provides meals to active seniors at Congregate Meal Sites and delivers to homebound seniors through Meals on Wheels. When federal cuts threatened the program last year, Greenberg allocated city funding to keep the meals coming. Greenberg thanked Dare to Care, community ministries, and other nonprofit partners for their continued work supporting Louisville families, while reiterating that federal action is still needed. ## "We're going to have to rely on our community" James said Dare to Care is bracing for change in how it operates, leaning more heavily on the local community than ever before. "The government can't do it by itself. Even with the cuts, they couldn't do it, and Dare to Care can't do it," James said. "It's really going to take a collective effort in the community to feed people." James also pushed back on the idea that struggling to afford food is always a short-term emergency. Historically, he said, people turned to food pantries temporarily- after a job loss or a medical bill- and moved on. That's changing. "Now today it's no longer temporary. It's a way of life for many people, unfortunately, because they can't afford the cost of living," James said. He also addressed the broader political debate over SNAP eligibility data and concerns about misuse of benefits, saying that while misuse exists in any system involving people, it represents a small percentage of cases- even though it tends to draw outsized attention. "I believe there ought to be higher levels of accountability, but I don't believe that we ought to be so intrusive that we're getting details and misusing the information," James said. "We have to be realistic about what's being reported and what's being asked." Behind every number in the data, James said, is someone's real life. "Behind each one of those numbers, it represents a parent's meals because their children- so their children can eat, or seniors choosing between groceries and medication, and working families who are doing everything right, but they still can't make ends meet," James said. "That's what those numbers represent." You can [donate](https://daretocare.org/donate/?ref=shayinformed.com) to Dare to Care or [sign up to voluntee](https://daretocare.org/get-involved/?ref=shayinformed.com)r. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Nick Houck's trial Is leaving Bardstown- now comes the hard part URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/nick-houcks-trial-is-leaving-bardstown-now-comes-the-hard-part/ Last updated: 2026-08-10T17:08:31.000Z A judge approved a change of venue Thursday, gave attorneys three weeks to agree on a location, and made clear he's not waiting around. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly podcast.* ***Want to listen instead of read? Scroll to the bottom of the page to listen to today's new podcast episode; accessible wherever you listen to podcasts!*** --- Nick Houck walked into Nelson Circuit Court Thursday morning right behind Sherry Ballard. He sat on the opposite side of the courtroom. That image- the mother of the woman his brother was convicted of murdering, and the man now charged with lying about it for a decade, separated by a few rows of wooden benches- is a good summary of where this case stands. Close. Unresolved. Moving forward whether anyone is ready or not. Judge Charles Simms approved a change of venue motion, meaning the trial will not be held in Nelson County. Both sides agreed a venue change was necessary. They did not agree on where. Judge Simms gave attorneys until **August 20th** to reach an agreement- later extended to **August 28th** after a scheduling conflict for the prosecution. If they cannot agree, each side must submit a list of ten counties they believe can provide a fair trial. The judge said he hopes there will be an overlapping county on both lists. If there isn't, he will choose. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/IMG_7434.JPG) The next court date is **August 28th at 9:00 a.m.** in Nelson Circuit Court. The current trial date of **November 9th** remains on the calendar. Prosecutor Kyle Williamson acknowledged it may be difficult to hit given everything that still needs to be worked out. Judge Simms did not move it. The hearing lasted approximately five minutes. The hearing itself was brief. But what came out of it matters. ## Finding a courtroom is harder than it sounds ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/56E1865A-7B0B-46AC-8CB4-418794A2F147_1_102_a.jpeg) After the hearing, I caught up with Nelson County Sheriff Ramon Pineiroa- who was in the courtroom Thursday- and asked him to put this in context. He didn't mince words: for a Class D perjury case, this is extraordinarily unusual. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Kentucky's organ donation network faces federal decertification over safety failures URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentuckys-organ-donation-network-faces-federal-decertification-over-safety-failures/ Last updated: 2026-08-06T01:15:06.000Z Agency cites years of unresolved safety failures; Network for Hope says it will appeal and warns thousands of transplant patients could be affected. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Kentucky's organ procurement organization is losing its federal certification, and the fight over why is already underway. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Wednesday that it's begun decertifying Network for Hope, the organization responsible for coordinating organ donation across Kentucky and parts of Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia. HHS says this isn't a snap decision- it's the result of multiple federal reviews that found the same patient safety problems showing up again and again, even after the organization was given chance after chance to fix them. "Americans who choose to become organ donors deserve a system that honors their gift and protects every patient," HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said, framing the move as part of a bigger push to hold healthcare organizations accountable. So what exactly did federal regulators find? According to HHS, it's not a small thing. The department's Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) dug into 351 cases between 2021 and 2024 where organ donation had been authorized but, for one reason or another, never actually happened. Of those, 103- nearly 30%- had what HHS calls "concerning features." That includes 73 patients who showed neurological signs that should have ruled out organ donation in the first place. And in a detail that's hard to read past, HHS says the review raised questions about whether some potential donors may not have even been deceased yet when the procurement process started. The agency also flagged a broader pattern: shaky neurological assessments, poor coordination with medical teams, questionable consent practices, and causes of death getting misclassified- especially in overdose cases. Here's how HHS says things unfolded from there. In 2025, HRSA raised serious concerns and ordered the organization onto a corrective action plan with active monitoring. From there, HRSA and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ran their own separate reviews- one checking whether the problems had actually been fixed, the other checking whether the organization still met the basic federal bar for Medicare certification. Both landed in the same place: not enough improvement, according to HHS. "HRSA, through its oversight of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), worked closely with Network for Hope over the past year through intensive monitoring and corrective action to address serious patient safety concerns," said HRSA Administrator Tom Engels. "Despite those efforts, the organization did not demonstrate the improvements necessary to meet federal standards." CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz put it more bluntly, saying the decision sends a message well beyond this one organization: "If you can't be trusted to safeguard patients and be responsible stewards of American taxpayer dollars, we'll find organizations that can." HHS says a CMS review wrapped up in May 2026 and found the same quality issues kept popping up in core areas- donor evaluation, how adverse events get reviewed, basic administration. The agency is tying this decertification into a bigger reform push it's been rolling out, including new safeguards against organ allocation "line-skipping," an independently elected national transplant network board, a stronger system for reporting misconduct, and a tool that flags when organs get allocated outside the normal match list. Kennedy has also ordered every Organ Procurement Organization in the country to appoint a dedicated patient safety officer. ## Network for Hope says: not so fast Network for Hope isn't taking this quietly. CEO Barry Massa released a statement saying the organization "strongly disagrees" with Kennedy's decision and plans to appeal it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-05-at-7.55.33---PM.png) Massa says Network for Hope is fully compliant with OPTN policy and actually pioneered something called a "pause in procedure" process- one that's now written into Kentucky law, with Network for Hope's own input shaping both the law and the regulations behind it. Despite that, he says, the federal government is now decertifying an organization that serves seven million people across four states. Massa also pointed to a statistic of his own: organ donation dropped for the first time in 14 years under HRSA's oversight. He warned that more than 3,000 people currently waiting on transplant lists will feel the impact of this decision. So there are two very different stories here- a federal agency pointing to years of documented, repeated safety failures, and an organ procurement organization insisting it followed the rules and was actually making things better. What happens next, and how fast that appeal moves, remains to be seen- as does what this means in the near term for people in the region waiting on a transplant. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Nick Houck expected back in court Thursday: What to expect URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/nick-houck-expected-back-in-court-thursday-what-to-expect/ Last updated: 2026-08-06T19:04:02.000Z A possible motion to change venue, an extraordinary evidence list, and the next chapter in the perjury case against Brooks Houck's brother. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Nick Houck is due back in Nelson Circuit Court on Thursday morning. It will be his first substantive court appearance since his arraignment- and based on what has already been filed in this case, there is a lot to watch for. Here's what we know, and what we're anticipating. ## Where things stand ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-05-at-2.00.31---PM.png) Kentucky State Police detectives arrested Nick Houck on June 4th and charged him with Perjury in the First Degree- a Class D felony- for allegedly making a material false statement under oath in an official proceeding. The charge spans a specific window: July 15, 2015 to August 16, 2023. His attorney is Michael Ferguson. Commonwealth Attorney Kyle Williamson is prosecuting. Judge Charles Simms- the same judge who presided over Brooks Houck's murder trial- is on the bench. Thursday's hearing is a pre-trial conference. These hearings are workhorses- less dramatic than trial days, but critically important. This is where the machinery of the case gets built. Motions get filed and argued, evidence gets discussed, and the shape of what a trial might look like starts to come into focus. ## Watch for: A change of venue motion ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2025-10-07-at-4.28.06---PM.png) One of the most significant things we're anticipating Thursday is a possible motion to change venue. This would not be surprising. In fact, it would be expected. Nick Houck is the brother of Brooks Houck- a man convicted of murder in Nelson County just over a year ago in one of the most high-profile trials this region has seen in decades. The Crystal Rogers case has consumed Bardstown for ten years. It has been the subject of national television documentaries, true crime podcasts, and wall-to-wall local coverage. Finding twelve jurors in Nelson County who have no opinion about the Houck family would be a significant challenge. A change of venue motion argues exactly that- that pretrial publicity has been so extensive that the defendant cannot receive a fair trial in the county where the crime allegedly occurred. Judges take these seriously. If Ferguson files one Thursday, Williamson will have the opportunity to respond, and Judge Simms will ultimately decide whether to move the trial to another county. It is worth noting that Brooks Houck's defense team also sought a change of venue. That motion was granted, and his trial, along with cases against Steve and Joseph Lawson, were all heard in Bowling Green. Whether the same outcome follows here remains to be seen- but the argument is at least as strong now as it was then, given everything that has happened since. ## The evidence list we've already seen Last week, prosecutors filed the Commonwealth's Response to Discovery and Pre-Trial Order of Compliance- a document that gave us an unprecedented look inside the case they are building against Nick Houck. And it is extensive. The filing confirmed the three specific grand jury appearances where prosecutors believe Nick lied under oath- where and when. It also dove into the evidence and the witnesses. You can read my full breakdown here: [Nick Houck Trial Witnesses, Evidence RevealedA new court filing in the Nick Houck perjury case reveals the evidence, three grand jury dates, and a witness list spanning a decade of investigation.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-9502297a-e79d-4daa-8186-32a9ee6febf5.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_7086-2-9d7e1105-4533-408c-9c6d-238cf108f7bf.JPG)](https://www.shayinformed.com/a-rare-look-inside-the-case-against-nick-houck/) ## What Thursday won't be It is worth setting expectations here, because pre-trial hearings can look underwhelming from the outside even when they are significant. Thursday will almost certainly not involve witness testimony. It will not look like a trial. But that's not to say there won't be any dramatic moments- [as we've already seen in this case](https://www.shayinformed.com/nick-houck-appears-in-court-without-a-lawyer-and-no-idea-why-hes-been-charged/). What it will be is a map. A hearing where both sides lay out where this case is going, what they intend to argue, and what obstacles stand between here and a trial date. The change of venue question alone could take up significant time on the docket. But every motion filed, every argument made, every ruling Judge Simms issues on Thursday moves this case forward- and brings us closer to the question that has been hanging over Bardstown for a decade. What did Nick Houck know? And when did he know it? ## A note on coverage I will be in that courtroom Thursday morning. I will have coverage for you as quickly as I can get it out- on Shay Informed and across social media. Don't forget- paid subscribers will be the first to hear what happened. My full post-court analysis- and any interviews I'm able to secure- will go to paid subscribers first, before anything else is published. I will also produce and post a 30 minute podcast episode walking through the day. *If you're not already a paid subscriber, today is a good day to change that. You can* [*sign up right now*](https://www.shayinformed.com/nick-houck-heads-to-court-what-to-know-before-the-arraignment/#/portal/signup) *and make sure you don't miss a thing.* ### Attorney General pushes back on Steve Lawson's bid to overturn Crystal Rogers case conviction URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/attorney-general-pushes-back-on-steve-lawsons-bid-to-overturn-crystal-rogers-case-conviction/ Last updated: 2026-08-04T19:36:36.000Z The Commonwealth's response leans on Lawson's own recorded admissions to argue he- not prosecutors- broke the immunity deal. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly podcast.* --- The Kentucky Attorney General's Office has filed its response to Steve Lawson's appeal of his conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence convictions- and the Commonwealth isn't holding back. Lawson, who was convicted last year in the Crystal Rogers case and sentenced to 17 years, is arguing on appeal that prosecutors never should have been allowed to try him in the first place. His central claim: he had a non-prosecution agreement with the Commonwealth, and the Commonwealth broke it by prosecuting him anyway. The AG's office says that argument has it backwards. Their position, laid out over 43 pages: Lawson is the one who broke the deal- repeatedly- by lying to investigators even after promising to be "100% truthful." ## The "deal" they're talking about, and what it required ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/steve-lawson-interrogation-.jpeg) Both sides agree a non-prosecution agreement existed, and both sides agree what it required: complete honesty from Lawson about what he knew of the plot to kill Crystal Rogers. Where they split is over whether Lawson held up his end. The circuit court didn't think he did. After reviewing more than 15 hours of recorded interviews and grand jury testimony, Nelson County Judge Charles Simms found Lawson had given "wildly inconsistent information about matters that are material to the Commonwealth's investigation and prosecution"- and pointed to five specific examples, including Lawson's shifting accounts of his relationship with Brooks Houck, what he knew about where Joey Lawson was taking Crystal's car, who else was involved in moving that car onto the Bluegrass Parkway, the whereabouts of a skid steer, and the staged midnight phone call to Houck. [Steve Lawson files notice of appeal, looks for conviction to be overturned in Crystal Rogers caseHonest journalism with compassion and clarity![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-6cb44148-e2ef-4fdd-9d56-de273188ba4b.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/lawson-1-bdcfd517-c0d6-4616-bda6-edb10667e3c2.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/steve-lawson-files-notice-of-appeal-looks-for-conviction-to-be-overturned-in-crystal-rogers-case/) _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### JCPS opens its doors Thursday- with a smaller budget and a long road back URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/jcps-opens-its-doors-thursday-with-a-smaller-budget-and-a-long-road-back/ Last updated: 2026-08-04T19:12:57.000Z What families need to know for opening day, and what's still unresolved beneath it. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Jefferson County Public Schools says it's ready for Thursday, the first day of school. Buses are staged, cafeterias are stocked, and roughly 95,000 students are set to walk back into classrooms across the district. But this first day of school arrives against a financial backdrop unlike almost any other in recent JCPS history: a $295 million structural deficit uncovered by a state audit, hundreds of eliminated positions, and a budget-cutting process that has stretched across most of the past year. ## What the district is telling families In a release, JCPS outlined what's new and what families need to know heading into opening day: **Transportation:** The district says it's starting the year with roughly 700 bus drivers covering all 640 routes, serving about 48,000 students. Drivers have run three full route "scrimmages" ahead of opening day using a new routing system, and JCPS has added a second bus-tracking option this year- the My Ride K-12 app- alongside the existing Bus Teller tool. Families with unresolved transportation requests can still submit a Transportation Verification Form, though new stop assignments won't begin processing until August 17, since add-stop requests are paused through August 14 while drivers learn their routes. **Nutrition:** All students will again receive free breakfast and lunch, funded entirely through the USDA. Families not already certified for free meal benefits are being encouraged to complete the Education Benefits Form, which the district says helps preserve federal and state funding tied to participation numbers. [Reading revival; JCPS sees library use soar in response to cell-phone banAccording to the school district, JCPS students have checked out a record number of books in the first two weeks of school. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-62618407-a453-4a1c-9dd2-2d38201e9c5b.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1544640808-32ca72ac7f37-6177cb8a-73a3-4f1d-8c4a-d9c8f6753bf5.jpeg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/reading-revival-jcps-sees-library-use-soar-in-response-to-cell-phone-ban/) **Communication and health:** New this year, staff are required under SB 181 to use approved, traceable platforms- Google Workspace, Thrillshare, Infinite Campus Messenger, and similar tools- for student communication. And the district is reminding families that immunization certificates are due by the second week of school, with free vaccination clinics available for uninsured students. It's a fairly standard first-day rundown. What it doesn't mention is the financial strain the district has spent the better part of a year trying to climb out of- strain that shapes every one of the line items families are reading about this week. ## The numbers behind the routine JCPS's opening-day logistics are unfolding under the weight of a budget crisis local media has covered in depth. A district financial audit found a $295 million structural deficit, the product, according to the independent assessment, of years of insufficient financial oversight. Large purchases, the audit found, were made at the discretion of the previous superintendent with limited involvement from the finance office or the elected board, and monthly budget reporting to the board lapsed for an extended stretch. [State audit finds JCPS, former superintendent may have violated Kentucky lawA 500-page examination found the district’s deficit ballooned from $47 million to $295 million in three years- and that no one stopped it. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-0df2cace-f264-499f-b851-21f28c47570f.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/jcps-fd1c8d36-af89-4ce5-b93d-e6c223a3653e.webp)](https://www.shayinformed.com/state-audit-finds-jcps-former-superintendent-may-have-violated-kentucky-law/) That structural problem translated into real cuts. Superintendent Brian Yearwood's administration has walked back an initially proposed $142 million in reductions to a tentative $115.7 million, with roughly $80 million of that directed toward paying down the deficit. Even with those cuts, district financial officers say JCPS will carry a $40 million deficit into the coming fiscal year- one they project will take until 2030 to fully eliminate. Those aren't abstract numbers. They touch central office staffing, district-wide programs, and school-level flexible funding- the kind of accounts that determine whether a building has a full complement of instructional coaches, multilingual support, or classroom aides. The board isn't scheduled to finalize the working budget until September 30, meaning some of what families see in the first weeks of school could still shift. ## What to watch for The district's opening-week message is, understandably, one of readiness and reassurance. But the more revealing story may be the one that plays out building by building over the next several weeks: whether the positions and programs absorbed by this year's cuts are visible in daily school life, and whether the oversight failures identified in the audit- the lack of board visibility into spending decisions- have actually been corrected, or simply followed by a smaller budget. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### What Kentucky is getting right: Inside the state's fight against childhood cancer URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/what-kentucky-is-getting-right-inside-the-states-fight-against-childhood-cancer/ Last updated: 2026-08-05T18:11:27.000Z --- *I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *I believe some stories are too important to stay behind a paywall. That's why I'm making this piece free to read for everyone. Informed communities make better decisions and that can only happen when people have access to honest, thorough reporting.* *Shay Informed is 100% reader-funded. No ads. No corporate backing. Just journalism that answers to you. If you'd like to help keep this work going, please consider* [*subscribing*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup)*.* --- Ten Eastern Kentucky children. One disease with almost no survivors. And a state now racing against a clock it didn't set. In the last two years, Kentucky has confirmed 10 cases of DIP- always-fatal pediatric brain tumor- in one corner of the state. The entire state typically sees about two cases a year, total. I've spent months reporting on the families living inside that number: the children who have died, the ones still fighting, the impossible choices parents face when a doctor says there's almost nothing left to try. I've reviewed internal state emails and presentations showing officials were alerted to this crisis more than a year before they took any real action- an investigation stalled, in part, by something as small as a spelling error. This story is different. This is what Kentucky is doing right. Because buried inside all of this grief and uncertainty is something genuinely worth being proud of: Kentucky has built one of the most well-funded pediatric cancer research programs in the entire country- a national model other states are now copying. I sat down with the mother steering that money, and one of the organizations working to make sure no family faces this alone. This is the other side of the story. It's still not enough. But it's real, and it's working. --- ## The mother steering the money ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-07-27-at-12.40.57---PM.png) Liz's son David Turner Jr. Elizabeth "Liz" Turner's son David was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, DIPG, in 2018\. He was six years old. He died three years, one month, and four days later. Today, Liz is president of the board of the [Kentucky Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund](https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/dpqi/cdpb/Pages/pcrtf.aspx?ref=shayinformed.com)\- the state entity now directing tens of millions of dollars toward the exact disease that killed her son. "When else do you go to the doctor and you're given a diagnosis, and the burden of deciding what to do falls solely to you as the parent?" she told me, describing the isolation that first pushed her into this work. It's a question she's carried with her ever since- through her son's illness, through his death, and now through years spent sitting on a board that decides which scientists get funded and which don't. I reached out to Liz to understand what Kentucky is actually doing with the tens of millions of dollars it has committed to fighting childhood cancer, and what she's learned watching that work up close, both as a grieving mother and as the person steering the money. ## A national model, built from grief ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/IMG_0262.JPG) Gov. Andy Beshear with the Turner Family Kentucky ranks among the worst states in the country for childhood cancer. A 2024 study published in the journal *Cancer Epidemiology-* led by researchers including Kentucky Cancer Registry Director Eric Durbin- confirmed what the state's own cancer registry data has shown for years: Kentucky's childhood cancer incidence exceeds the national rate in ten of eleven major cancer types. In 2015, the state created the Kentucky Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund to do something about it. Since its first legislative appropriation of $5 million in 2018, Kentucky has now committed more than $50.5 million across successive budget cycles- and Liz says other states have taken notice. "Our legislation was used to create the legislation in California in 2025," she told me. "We are a national leader in this space with our commitment to funding- other states' legislation is being modeled after ours." For fiscal year 2025 alone, the trust fund's board voted to fund 45 separate research projects, totaling $10,732,808\. Total committed funding specifically toward DIPG and pediatric brain and central nervous system tumor research now exceeds $9.6 million since July 2024 alone. Liz sits on the board that approves every one of these grants. Some she watches more closely than others. "One project I'm especially invested in, both professionally and personally, is being led by Dr. Eric Durbin," she said, calling the cancer registry director her fellow board member and, in her words, "my numbers guy." ## What the research is trying to do ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-04-at-9.55.23---AM.png) University of Kentucky Research I requested public records held by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to better understand how the money is being spent. Broadly, it breaks into three efforts happening at once: trying to figure out *why* Kentucky has so many of these cases, trying to *treat* cancers like DIPG once a child is diagnosed, and building the *data systems* needed to understand the scope of the problem in the first place. Within the records provided to me, I found progress reports from researchers explaining how they have spent the money, what they plan to do next, and what, if any, results they are already seeing. On the "why" side, I found Dr. Durbin's research consortium- a partnership connecting five hospitals across Kentucky and Appalachia that treat these young patients. Recently, he applied for federal Department of Defense funding specifically to explore environmental risk factors behind the state's high rates. In the meantime, researchers are already using existing data to chase down a few specific leads, including a possible link between elevated cases and Kentucky's bourbon industry, and a separate genetic mutation tied to mold exposure found in a different childhood brain tumor. "There are higher incident rates in the Appalachia area as well," Liz told me. "That's been a focus area too." On the treatment side, the records revealed there is encouraging news coming out of a University of Louisville lab that has spent years engineering a new version of CAR-T therapy- a treatment that reprograms a patient's own immune cells to hunt the tumor- built specifically for DIPG. In animal testing, the lab reports that the majority of treated subjects saw their tumors disappear completely, with some remaining cancer-free for more than a year. It's still preclinical work, years from reaching an actual child, but it's considered promising enough that the researchers are now pursuing a patent before publishing the full data. A University of Kentucky lab took an unplanned detour into similarly hopeful territory, according to records, after an early research partnership fell apart, the team pivoted toward understanding how a specific genetic mutation helps DIPG resist radiation, and along the way built a method for sneaking a promising drug across the blood-brain barrier, something it can't do on its own. That same lab is also [developing an unusual tool: fast, low-cost "avatar" models using zebrafish](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqFanHKXznI&ref=shayinformed.com) implanted with a patient's own tumor cells, to predict how that specific tumor might respond to treatment before a doctor ever has to guess. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-04-at-9.50.39---AM.png) University of Kentucky Research And underneath all of it sits the quieter, less glamorous work of simply keeping track: building shared genomic and clinical databases so that researchers across different hospitals and universities are working from the same information instead of scattered, disconnected records. I asked Liz what it's like reading updates like these, several times a year, as both a scientific overseer and a mother who already knows how this particular race usually ends. "I had no idea cancer was the leading cause of death by disease in children across the United States," she told me, describing her life before David's diagnosis, when she worked in occupational health and wellness programming. "I had no idea how much higher incident rates were in Kentucky." Now she reads these reports watching the science inch forward- in a race her own son didn't get to see the end of. "It's certainly never going to be enough," she said, "until, one day, our children are diagnosed and there's actually a treatment plan that can result in survivorship. Or if it's something that can be prevented. It's just that we don't know what's causing these tumors. It is unknown." ## Where the money meets a family ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/IMG_7247.JPG) Karen Morrison, President and CEO Guilda's Club Research is only half of what the trust fund does. The other half is what happens to a family in the weeks after diagnosis- long before any lab breakthrough could possibly reach their own child. For that, the fund relies on grantee organizations doing the work on the ground. One of them is Gilda's Club Louisville. Karen Morrison has run Gilda's Club for nearly twenty years. Her own daughter is a 24-year survivor of a rare childhood cancer, and last year Karen spent 101 days living in a residential support facility in Baltimore while her adult daughter underwent a bone marrow transplant- experiencing, for the first time from the other side, exactly the kind of support her own organization tries to provide. "I say thank you for providing us this meal, providing us this opportunity for community," she told me, describing what it meant not to have to think about dinner during the hardest stretch of her daughter's treatment. "I didn't have to give it any thought- because I was so focused on other things." [Fighting for her life shouldn’t mean fighting insurance companiesKinsey’s story exposes how broken our healthcare system has become- and how in this case, Louisville’s love made all the difference. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-9b1b261d-8e5d-4497-8994-25c96f9b420d.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/536271465_25225370807049874_1788554069233896181_n-1-7c8d83b9-1adf-4903-ba79-2be8c76ec55c.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/fighting-for-her-life-shouldnt-mean-fighting-insurance-companies/) Through a trust fund grant, Gilda's Club now offers pediatric families a $500 check, no strings attached, once a diagnosis is confirmed. It's a small piece of what the trsust fund makes possible- and Karen says the need for it has already outpaced what her organization expected. "We have already helped 67 families and spent 89% of the budgeted amount," she told me, describing the response since the program doubled its allotment on July 1st. "They have found us." She doesn't yet know where the money will come from to keep the program running for its full two-year grant cycle. Karen's organization runs about 190 free programs a month for families- but nearly all of it is concentrated within an eight-mile radius of Louisville, which leaves families in Eastern Kentucky largely out of reach. Her team is now working to build partnerships with rural hospitals in places like Corbin, Mount Sterling, and Paducah, but she's candid about the ceiling on that effort. "Without more bricks and mortar, we can't keep building or renting space throughout the state," she said, "because we do not have the financial resources to do that at this point." Karen told me that reading my earlier reporting on Eastern Kentucky families had a direct effect on her. "There was an irrational part of me that wanted to jump in the car and just go sit with them," she said. "Bear witness. Offer a hug. Can I get you a meal? And that's part of the reason we reached out. What can we do that's meaningful, given the lack of proximity to where we are?" It's a version of the same gap Liz sees from the funding side: real resources, real infrastructure, still not reaching every family who needs it. Two limits came up independently in both of my conversations, without me steering either woman there. The first is money- specifically, how thin Kentucky's *voluntary* giving mechanism is next to its legislative funding. Since 2017, Kentuckians have been able to donate to the trust fund through a check-off box on their state tax return. In nine years, that box has raised a total of $123,831- less than $14,000 a year on average, and trending downward. The overwhelming majority of the fund's real money, all $50.5 million of it, comes from the legislature, not the public. The second is simply counting. Both Liz and Karen, independently, raised a problem I've written about before: Kentucky doesn't have a fully reliable count of how many children in the state are actually living with DIPG, or other childhood cancers, because so many families cross state lines for treatment. "I have heard numbers as high as 44 cases of DIPG throughout Kentucky," Karen told me- a figure she's heard, not a confirmed state number. "We know there's a pocket in Eastern Kentucky, where the rest of those kids are, where they're being treated. If the families are getting any support or not, I don't know." Liz runs into the same wall from the research side, which is part of why the data-sharing work matters as much as any single lab's findings. You cannot study a pattern you cannot reliably count. [Inside Kentucky’s Response to a Children’s Cancer ClusterState records show officials were warned about a DIPG cluster in May 2025 — nearly a year before going public. An exclusive interview with the Whitley County Public Health Director reveals what happened next, and what’s being done today.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-1d81878c-76a3-496e-9c5e-bfd6850614a6.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-05-29-at-1.55.10---PM-1caf6166-7ed7-407a-ae24-83667f9bc2b5.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/what-kentucky-knew-and-when-inside-the-states-response-to-an-unusual-pattern-of-pediatric-cancer/) ## What happens next ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-04-at-9.40.38---AM.png) I asked both women, separately, what the Eastern Kentucky cluster has changed inside their own organizations- not in the abstract, but right now, this summer. For Liz, it's sharpened exactly where the trust fund's attention goes next. The board is actively watching the environmental research move from a Letter of Intent toward, hopefully, real federal funding. She's fielding more direct outreach from families and advocates than she has in years, and she's now working to make sure the fund has an informational resource ready specifically for DIPG- something families in crisis can be handed immediately, rather than sent searching. "I feel proud of the work that we've done," she told me. "But it's certainly never going to be enough"- not yet, not while the cause is still unknown, not while children are still being diagnosed with no real treatment plan waiting for them. For Karen, the cluster has forced an urgent, unresolved conversation inside Gilda's Club about reach. The organization is actively trying to figure out how to extend real support- not just virtual programming, but the kind of in-person community Karen herself leaned on in Baltimore- three hours east of anywhere it currently operates. She doesn't have the answer yet. "There are kids like these kids in Eastern Kentucky that we're not doing anything for," she told me. "How do we figure that out? I need help to figure it out. It's certainly bigger than our team, so we need the community's support to do more for these families." Both women, independently, described the same posture: not finished, not certain, but actively working the problem in real time, right now, because of what's happening in Eastern Kentucky. "We're figuring it out," Karen said. "So thank you for helping us figure it out." Liz put it in terms that have stayed with me. Kentucky's $50.5 million commitment is real, and it's a national model. It has already funded a treatment that clears tumors in the majority of treated lab animals, and a heat-adapted zebrafish that might one day predict how a specific child's tumor will respond before a single dose is given. None of it was fast enough for David. Whether it will be fast enough for the children in Whitley County is the question Liz Turner gets up every day and goes back to work on. --- *I believe some stories are too important to stay behind a paywall. That's why I'm making this piece free to read for everyone. Informed communities make better decisions and that can only happen when people have access to honest, thorough reporting.* *Shay Informed is 100% reader-funded. No ads. No corporate backing. Just journalism that answers to you. If you'd like to help keep this work going, please consider* [*subscribing*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) --- ### A rare look inside the case against Nick Houck URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/a-rare-look-inside-the-case-against-nick-houck/ Last updated: 2026-08-04T14:00:06.000Z A new court filing reveals the evidence, the witnesses, and the three specific moments prosecutors say Nick Houck lied under oath. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly podcast.* --- A new document filed in the Nick Houck perjury case just gave us something we rarely get this early in a criminal proceeding: a window into exactly what prosecutors are working with. The Commonwealth's Response to Discovery and Pre-Trial Order of Compliance- filed July 31st by Commonwealth Attorney Kyle Williamson- is a standard pre-trial document. But what's inside it is anything but standard. And I want to walk you through what stands out, because this tells us a lot about where this case is headed. Let me start with something important for context: we did not get anything like this in the Brooks Houck case. We didn't get it in the Lawson cases either. To see this level of detail about the evidence this early is notable. ## We now know exactly when prosecutors say Nick Houck lied ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-06-18-at-1.24.04---PM.png) The indictment told us the alleged perjury happened somewhere between July 15, 2015 and August 16, 2023\. That's an eight-year window. But this document narrows it down considerably. The discovery filing lists three specific grand jury appearances- three specific moments when Nick Houck was under oath. And prosecutors appear to be saying the lies happened in at least one, if not all, of them. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### The Commonwealth's case for keeping Joey Lawson behind bars URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/the-commonwealths-case-for-keeping-joey-lawson-behind-bars/ Last updated: 2026-07-31T18:52:01.000Z A 97-page brief walks through jury selection, joint-trial concerns, and the evidence prosecutors say still holds up on appeal. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly podcast.* --- The Kentucky Attorney General's office has a message for Joey Lawson: the trial was fair, the evidence was enough, and the conviction should stand. That's the gist of a 97-page brief Attorney General Russell Coleman's office filed Thursday with the Kentucky Supreme Court, [answering the appeal Lawson brought this spring after being convicted last year in the Crystal Rogers case](https://www.shayinformed.com/joey-lawson-takes-his-case-to-kentuckys-highest-court/). It's a long, dense document, but it's also the fullest official response we've seen yet to the arguments his attorneys have been making since before he was even sentenced- and it's worth walking through in full, because it touches nearly every corner of that ten-day trial. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-30-at-5.22.43---PM.png) Lawson was convicted last summer, after being tried alongside Brooks Houck, of conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence connected to Crystal Rogers's July 2015 disappearance. He was sentenced to 25 years. His trial-level motion for a new trial, which I covered last July, raised a handful of these issues in broad strokes. His formal appellate brief, filed in April with the Kentucky Supreme Court, expanded that into an 88-page, eight-point argument for why his conviction should be thrown out. Now the Commonwealth has answered, point by point. ## "The Commonwealth simply never proved it" ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2025-12-09-at-10.28.43---AM.png) The FBI during one of the many searches at the Houck family farm This is the heart of Lawson's appeal, and it's where the Commonwealth spends the most ink in response- nearly ten pages. Lawson's team argues, as I noted back in April, that the trial evidence was overwhelmingly about Brooks Houck and his family, not about Joey. Interestingly, the Commonwealth doesn't really fight that framing. "He's right," the brief says flatly, when it comes to Lawson's claim that "the majority of the evidence related to Brooks or the Houck family." Prosecutors even acknowledge Lawson's own language for it- what his brief calls the "Houck Family Conspiracy." But conceding that point doesn't mean conceding the case. The Commonwealth's argument is that conspiracy law was built for exactly this kind of situation: Lawson didn't need to be the one who killed Crystal, or even to have been present when it happened. He only needed to have agreed, in some form, that it would happen- and for any conspirator, not necessarily him, to have taken some act to further that plan. To back that up, prosecutors return to testimony you can hear right now in my ten-episode podcast. Charlie Girdley's account of Joey saying he'd "bury \[Crystal's car\] with a skidsteer and nobody'd ever find it," and that "he'd shave her head and pull her teeth, and the hogs would do the rest." [Circumstantial Episode 6: “Shave her head, pull her teeth and the hogs would do the rest”The most horrific testimony of the trial. The witnesses who corroborated it. And the defense that nearly tore it all apart. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials is available![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-e5c614b4-47a0-44b4-ad6b-414febaded89.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-1.39.25---PM-e5fc17b1-2eaf-49e1-a2e1-8db1cff3b057.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/circumstantial-episode-6-shave-her-head-pull-her-teeth-and-the-hogs-would-do-the-rest/) Rebecca Greer's testimony that when she confronted Joey about $50,000 he and his father, Steve, had allegedly collected for "moving a car," he confirmed it- telling her, "Yeah, but if you wanna know any details, you need to ask Steve." Heather Snellen's testimony that she once overheard Joey and Steve discussing "moving a body at the Houck farm" with a skidsteer. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-30-at-5.29.14---PM.png) Heather Snellen at trial Joey's own grandmother, Barbara Coulter, telling the jury that in 2025, Joey told her "Stevie had killed Crystal." The Commonwealth also argues Kentucky law doesn't require a body to prove murder happened at all- citing a decades-old case holding that "the law does not subscribe to the rigid formula that the body must be found or seen after death"- and that a cadaver dog's alert on a white Buick tied to the Houck family, plus a hair with characteristics similar to Crystal's found in that car's trunk, add to the circumstantial case that she's dead. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-30-at-5.31.12---PM.png) Crystal's car after discovered on the side of the Bluegrass Parkway _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### "We felt like we were in the dark": Prosecutor explains the process behind the Ronald Exantus release URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/we-felt-like-we-were-in-the-dark-prosecutor-explains-the-process-behind-the-ronald-exantus-release/ Last updated: 2026-07-30T21:43:47.000Z Commonwealth's Attorney Kelli Kearney explains the 202A process, the limits of confidentiality law, and why a 20-year sentence rarely means 20 years. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly podcast.* --- For weeks, I asked Commonwealth's Attorney Kelli Kearney the same question, over and over: was Ronald Exantus going to be involuntarily hospitalized instead of released? She couldn't tell me. Legally, she wasn't allowed to. Now that Exantus has been released, Kearney agreed to explain what happened- what the law required, what her office could and couldn't do. She also explained the process behind the confidentiality wall that kept the public guessing for weeks. If you are unfamiliar with this case, [start here for background](https://www.shayinformed.com/is-ronald-exantus-being-released-today-what-we-know/). ## How Kelli Kearney got involved ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Kelli-Kearney.jpg) Kelli Kearney didn't prosecute this case originally. She wasn't the Commonwealth's Attorney back in 2018, when a jury found Exantus not guilty by reason of insanity on the murder charge and guilty but mentally ill on assault charges for attacking Logan Tipton's family. She followed it as a resident of Scott County, the way most people did- through media coverage of what she called "a very brutal murder." Her office's direct involvement started only after Exantus's first release last October- and even then, not right away. [Ronald Exantus arrested in Florida after being released from KY prisonPolice in Florida arrested Ronald Exantus on Thursday, after learning he had left Kentucky and relocated to Marion County, FL. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-ec14abc0-d47f-4392-9722-0100b6d3b873.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-10-09-at-7.23.34---PM-f305922d-81a6-40f2-ab0c-d923f9c7a1c9.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/ronald-exantus-arrested-in-florida-after-being-released-from-ky-prison/) "His initial release, the Department of Corrections did not notify us that he was being released early. I found that out actually through the media," Kearney said. It wasn't until Exantus was back in custody, after his Florida arrest, that her office got pulled directly into the case. That's when general counsel for the Department of Corrections reached out with his release date and outlined the options on the table. ## The proceeding that could have kept him in custody One of those options was a proceeding under KRS Chapter 202A- the law I've referenced repeatedly over the past few weeks without fully explaining what it actually involves. Kearney walked me through it. Because Exantus was found not guilty by reason of insanity, Kentucky law required the court to consider whether he should be involuntarily hospitalized instead of released outright. "If you have such a verdict, the court is required to follow either 202A or 202B proceedings prior to him being released," Kearney said. "That is a confidential proceeding, and we cannot say whether we did or did not \[pursue it\]. But I can say that the statute states that that shall happen, and it's not something that's discretionary." That's a meaningful clarification. This wasn't an option her office could choose to pursue or ignore- the law required the court to at least consider it. With that in mind, it's likely Kearney's office did file the petition, and it was dropped once it was out of her hands. Here's how the process works, according to Kearney: anyone can file a 202A petition against someone they believe is mentally ill and a danger to themselves or others. In a typical case, that's handled in district court. But because of the specific statute that applied here, any petition would have gone to the same court that held the original trial. This trial went in front of a jury in Fayette County. From there, a judge reviews the petition and can sign an order for an evaluation, which must occur within 24 hours. Two medical professionals evaluate the person- Kearney said one is typically a mental health professional and the other a physician, though she cautioned she wasn't certain of the exact credentials required. The evaluators are looking for four specific things, and all four have to be met: 1. The person is mentally ill. 2. They present a danger or threat to themselves, their families, or others as a result of that illness. 3. They can reasonably benefit from treatment. 4. Hospitalization is the least restrictive treatment option available. "If the evaluators find that those factors are met, then you would have a hearing," Kearney explained. "The person would be sent for hospitalization, and you would have a probable cause hearing to determine if that is in fact the case. Now, if those factors are not met, then the petition has to be \[withdrawn\], because there's no cause to hold the person for treatment, and that person would be released." Whether that process was ever initiated in Exantus's case remains something Kearney says she legally cannot confirm. ## When did her office know it was over? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2025-10-30-at-12.09.02---PM-3.png) I asked Kearney at what point her office realized there was no legal path left to keep Exantus in custody. "We knew the steps that we could legally take, and our office knew Wednesday afternoon that Mr. Exantus would no longer be detained by the state," she said. That timeline lines up with when her office's final statement went out- the same afternoon he was released. This is where the interview took an unexpected turn. I asked Kearney directly whether the confidentiality surrounding 202A proceedings makes it harder for victims' families and the public to understand what's happening in high-profile cases like this one. "We have to provide that ethical duty, no matter how egregious we think the crime is," she said. "Thankfully, in the state of Kentucky, we do have what's called Marsy's Law, so the victims do have a constitutional right to know what's going on, and that also includes the 202A proceedings. So our office was able to keep the victim's family up to date, and we were keeping them informed every step of the way of any processes that we were taking with our office." That stopped me. Dean Tipton and his family have told me -repeatedly, on the record- that they felt left in the dark. That they were learning about developments in this case through the news and social media, not through direct contact from the state. I told Kearney that directly. Her response acknowledged the gap, but with an important distinction. "I can't tell you what happened prior to us getting involved, prior to right before his release from custody," she said. "We did make it very clear that this was confidential, and they were not to release any information. So that may have been something that they have said because we had told them that this is confidential and they cannot repeat anything to the media or to the general public about what's going on." In other words: even if the family knew more than they let on publicly, Kearney's office had instructed them not to share it. She added a caveat, though. "That could very well be them being in the dark, because we did feel like we were kind of in the dark too in some of this process, because we don't know everything," Kearney said. "So I don't want to invalidate their feeling that they do not know what was going on, but we didn't inform them of every- all the information that we had- and what steps our office was taking throughout the process, or not taking." Even Kearney's own office, in other words, didn't have full visibility into everything happening in this case. ## "Twenty years doesn't really mean twenty years" ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2025-10-05-at-6.51.05---AM.png) Some of the most striking parts of this conversation had nothing to do with confidentiality at all- they were about how little control anyone, including prosecutors, has over how much time a sentence actually amounts to. I asked Kearney about the penalty Exantus was sentenced to and how it started as 20 years but ended up only being 11, because of "meritorious good time" credit- the discretionary credit that contributed to Exantus' early release. "Once they are sentenced, we have no discretion whatsoever," she said. "We don't know what they'll get good time credit for. We don't know what's considered good time credit... the meritorious credit is awarded at the discretion of the \[Corrections Commissioner\]." She read the relevant statute, KRS 197.045, aloud: credit awarded for "performing exceptionally meritorious service or performing duties of outstanding importance in connection with institutional operations and programs," capped at seven days per month, at the Commissioner's discretion. That led to one of the most quotable moments of the entire interview- Kearney explaining, in plain terms, just how disconnected a jury's sentence can be from the actual time served. "Twenty years doesn't really mean 20 years, and we don't know what it actually means, because they get good time credit while they're incarcerated," she said. "And on top of that, it doesn't even mean that either, because you have a 20% parole eligibility or an 85% parole eligibility. So you have these victims that think, 'we've got the sentence.' In reality, that's not the sentence, and we really don't know what the sentence will actually end up being." I asked whether she believes juries fully understand this when they hand down a sentence. "The juries understand the parole eligibility, because that's part of the penalty phase; we do go over that with them," Kearney said. "But I don't think they would understand the amount of credit that an inmate would get." ## What frustration looks like from inside a prosecutor's office Kearney's public statement, [released the day of Exantus's release, ](https://www.shayinformed.com/is-ronald-exantus-being-released-today-what-we-know/)called the outcome "deeply disappointing and frustrating" for her office. "It's been a little frustrating, because we are bound by the ethical duties- certain things are confidential, and I understand that the public wants to know and they deserve to know, but we're handcuffed in a situation like this where we can't provide all the information," she said. "You just have to trust that the public knows you're doing the most that you can do." She was careful to draw a boundary around what her office was and wasn't responsible for. "We're coming in on the back end of this. Our exposure to this case is very limited. We had nothing to do with the trial, nothing to do with the sentencing or the investigation. I'm not putting any blame or doubt into how those things were done, but we're just coming in on the back end and trying to clean up and do the best we can for the public and for the family", Kearney explained. She grew reflective when the conversation turned to the Tipton family directly. "Our hearts go out to the Tipton family, because I know this is just more that they deal with," she said. "We can close this case in a day, saying that we did the most that we could to keep Mr. Exantus out of the general public- but the pain and the grief that the Tiptons have to go through every day, that's never-ending." [“Deeply disappointing and frustrating”; Ronald Exantus is a free manToday is the day Ronald Exantus, the man once charged with killing 6-year-old Logan Tipton, was expected to walk free and by 3 p.m. a notification from Vine made it official. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-68cb5f9c-d024-492f-87e5-b54a3b739fc7.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-04-28-at-9.41.36---AM-2-48487539-f965-46a3-b974-85195900d31f.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/is-ronald-exantus-being-released-today-what-we-know/) ## What happens now I asked Kearney whether her office has any continued involvement with Exantus now that he's out. "We are finished with that case, unless the Tipton family needs something from us- needs services or any help from our office. Then that would be our only dealings with this case", she explained. I also asked whether this case exposed any legal gaps beyond what [Logan's Law already addressed](https://www.shayinformed.com/logans-law-didnt-come-in-time-to-stop-this-ronald-exantus-set-for-release-at-the-end-of-this-month/)\- legislation Kearney acknowledged doesn't apply retroactively here. "I think the amount of credit an inmate can get while serving needs to be looked at, based on the amount of credit this individual got and how much earlier he was released," she said. "I think that's something that deserves to be looked at, at least in certain types of cases." Kearney's closing thoughts focused on public awareness- the idea that most people don't think about how Kentucky's sentencing and parole system actually works until they're personally affected by it. "Most people don't have exposure to the criminal justice system until you're actually in it, as a victim or a defendant," she said. "I think it's good for the public to be paying attention to things like sentencing laws, what qualifies as a violent offense- because if it's a violent offense, that affects when they can be parole eligible. It'd be 85% rather than 20%. Just the laws that are set in place to help keep our community safe- I think the general public needs to be paying attention to those." *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### "She's declining": Family fights for medical care as Louisville woman sits in ICE custody URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/shes-declining-family-fights-for-medical-care-as-louisville-woman-sits-in-ice-custody/ Last updated: 2026-07-30T02:17:46.000Z A week after her arrest at Louisville's airport, Sarafinah Bukirwa's family says her condition is worsening- and they're still waiting on answers. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Sarafinah Bukirwa walked into the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on July 22 with a suitcase and a plane ticket to Los Angeles, where she was scheduled to speak at a national Sickle Cell Warrior convention. She never made her flight. Instead, ICE agents handcuffed her, walked her out of the terminal, and drove her to the Grayson County Detention Center, where, a week later, her family says her health is getting worse by the day. The allegations prompted U.S. Rep. Morgan McGarvey, D-Louisville, to send a letter this week to David J. Venturella, a senior ICE official in Washington, calling Bukirwa's detention "particularly troubling" given that she entered the country legally, holds valid work authorization, and has a pending asylum claim with no criminal charges pending against her. Bukirwa is the founder of the Sarafinah Sickle Cell Society, a nonprofit that her family says delivers medication and newborn screenings to sickle cell patients across Uganda and, more recently, in the United States. She has lived with sickle cell disease since childhood and had just been discharged from a Louisville hospital after a medical crisis two days before her arrest. She is also a nursing student at Joyce University and has a pending asylum case. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/IMG_7043.JPG) Her brother, Isaac Kabunga, was the one who drove her to the airport that morning. "I see her coming out with the ice agents," Kabunga said, describing the moment agents placed his sister in handcuffs. He said they were running late, so he was waiting on the curb to make sure she made the flight. He told officers she has sickle cell disease and needed her medication. He says he rushed home, grabbed her medical records, and delivered them to ICE agents at the downtown federal building, before Bukirwa was transferred to Grayson County. He was sent home with her luggage. Kabunga and Ashlee Lytlesen, a close family friend who met Bukirwa years ago through a Louisville maternal health nonprofit, say the days since have been agonizing. Visitation for ICE detainees at Grayson County is limited to Fridays and Sundays, and when Kabunga and Lytlesen's wife, a paramedic, were finally able to see Bukirwa, they said her face was swollen, her speech was slow, and her energy was gone- signs, Kabunga said, of a sickle cell crisis he has watched his sister go through since they were children in Uganda. "Somebody who doesn't know her would think she's pretending," Kabunga said. "But if you don't pay attention very closely, it can get bad very fast." Grayson County Detention Center Jailer Jason Woosley provided written answers to questions about Bukirwa's treatment this week, though he said federal HIPAA law limits what he can disclose about her specific medical status. He confirmed Bukirwa arrived at the facility on July 22 and said she has been receiving care from the jail's 24-hour on-site medical staff since her arrival. ## Concerns about her medication The family says for days, Bukirwa's medication was crushed and dissolved into a cup of water rather than given to her as identifiable pills, leaving her unsure whether she was getting her full, correct dose. It wasn't until the following Sunday- days into her detention- that she reported being handed pills directly for the first time. According to the family, Bukirwa was on several medications after recently being released from the hospital because of a sickle cell crisis. Grayson County Jailer Jason Woosley said it is standard protocol at Grayson County for narcotic medications to be crushed before they're dispensed, due to the risk of abuse, and that all medications and dosages are administered as prescribed by a physician. ## Commissary money she isn't allowed to spend Ashlee Lytlesen says Bukirwa's requests to use commissary money to purchase hydrating drinks- something her family says is critical for someone managing sickle cell disease- were denied. "Our priority is medical," Lytlesen said. "We don't want this to be a situation where she passes away there." She also said they are concerned about Bukirwa's nutrition intake. Woosley said every inmate is classified during booking, and Bukirwa's classification placed her in the facility's special housing unit, where only hygiene items- not food or drink items- can be ordered from commissary. He said the jail's menus are reviewed by a state-licensed dietitian and meet state and federal requirements. ## Questions about her religious rights Bukirwa is Muslim and wears a hijab. Lytlesen says that in the letters Bukirwa has sent from Grayson County, she described being made to undress in front of male officers during intake and having her religious head covering removed- the first time, that Lytlesen had ever seen Bukirwa without it was in her mugshot. "It's heartbreaking," Lytlesen said. Woosley provided Grayson County's written policy on religious head coverings, which states that detainees cannot be required to remove a religious head covering for a booking photo as long as it doesn't obstruct a clear view of the face. The policy does require that the covering be removed so the head can be searched for contraband- a search that, per policy, is supposed to be conducted by someone of the same sex- after which the covering is returned. Woosley said Bukirwa was evaluated by female medical staff and searched by female jail staff at intake, and that her head covering was returned to her once medical and security checks were complete. He said she still has it. *I am choosing not to share that mugshot here out of respect for Bukirwa. She was not wearing a head covering in the photo posted on the jail's website on July 28th. That photo was removed from the detention center's website after my inquiry to the Grayson County Jailer.* ## McGarvey demands records, footage ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-29-at-8.27.24---PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-29-at-8.27.30---PM.png) Letter sent from Morgan McGarvey's office U.S. Rep. Morgan McGarvey is demanding a wide range of records, including all body camera and surveillance footage from Bukirwa's intake and first 48 hours in custody, her complete booking file, the names of every officer and medical staffer involved in her intake, and logs documenting her welfare checks, meals, and medication distribution. He's also asking for any incident reports filed against Grayson County staff or medical facilities since March 2025. ## What's next Bukirwa's family says they are working with attorneys to file a bond motion or a habeas corpus petition citing medical neglect on her behalf, but as of this week nothing had been submitted. Kabunga and Lytlesen say they've reached out to multiple lawmakers' offices, including Sen. Rand Paul's, and expect representatives from his office to visit Bukirwa at the detention facility this week. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Beshear demands answers as McConnell's silence stretches to six weeks URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/beshear-demands-answers-as-mcconnells-silence-stretches-to-six-weeks/ Last updated: 2026-08-03T12:54:38.000Z With no direct word from McConnell in 43 days, Governor Andy Beshear tells senator to prove his capacity or step down. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Sen. Mitch McConnell announced Sunday that he would miss this year's Fancy Farm Picnic in western Kentucky. The following day, Gov. Andy Beshear escalated his pressure campaign on the senator, sending a pointed letter demanding McConnell either publicly prove his capacity to serve or step down- a demand that came without any acknowledgment from McConnell's office of the direct, public address Beshear was calling for. ## The letter In a letter dated July 27, Beshear laid out the timeline bluntly: 43 days since news of McConnell's hospitalization first broke, zero votes cast, and no direct communication with constituents beyond two photographs and a handful of carefully worded statements. The governor noted that even the attending physician's written statement stopped short of addressing whether McConnell can speak, reason, or carry out his Senate duties. "I understand anyone's desire for privacy, but when you run for office and serve as one of a state's two U.S. senators, you willingly abdicate much of your personal privacy," Beshear wrote. "That's the deal, and we all know it when we run." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-29-at-12.32.53---PM.png) Beshear addressed the letter to McConnell directly, but built in a fallback: if the senator is truly unable to respond, he called it "a demand for his Senate staff to be honest and transparent with the people of Kentucky." He also confirmed he's sending a copy to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, laying out the mechanics of how a Senate vacancy actually occurs- only through death, resignation, or expulsion by Senate vote- and said that absent voluntary proof of McConnell's capacity, he'll press Thune to investigate and act if warranted. The governor closed by citing McConnell ally Scott Jennings, who said on air July 23 that "truthfully a little transparency on the front here would have saved him a whole lot of grief." ## McConnell's Sunday statement ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-29-at-12.41.01---PM.png) A day before Beshear's letter, McConnell's office released a statement centered on a different piece of news: he won't be attending this year's Fancy Farm Picnic in western Kentucky. *"I'm still working hard to get back to my full schedule of work in the Senate and in Kentucky, keeping up with intense physical therapy per my doctors' orders," the statement read. "Unfortunately, that means I won't be able to make it to Fancy Farm, Kentucky this Saturday."* McConnell reflected on his history with the event, noting he first attended 42 years ago when "Fancy Farm was a pretty lonely place to be a Republican," contrasting that with western Kentucky's current standing as reliably conservative territory. He sent his best wishes to the St. Jerome community and said he's "looking forward to getting back to the Senate and to Kentucky soon." The statement doesn't address the questions at the center of Beshear's letter: what McConnell's actual medical condition is, whether he's capable of resuming his duties, or when- if ever- the public should expect a direct, unfiltered update. Fancy Farm has long served as an unofficial proving ground for Kentucky politicians' vitality and stamina; McConnell's absence, paired with a statement that leans on nostalgia rather than disclosure, is unlikely to quiet the questions Beshear's letter raised. ## Perspective from 50 years covering Kentucky politics ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-29-at-1.13.28---PM.png) Al Cross To make sense of where this fits historically, I spoke with Al Cross, who has covered Kentucky politics for over 50 years- 25 of them at the Courier Journal- and continues writing a political column for the Northern Kentucky Tribune, among other outlets. Cross has covered McConnell since 1989, with some earlier coverage dating back to his first Senate run in 1984. **Is this McConnell's worst health episode?** Cross says the evidence points that way. McConnell has dealt with a compromised left leg since childhood polio, which Cross says has contributed to his history of falls, on top of a triple bypass surgery years ago. Even so, Cross doesn't consider the communication blackout unprecedented on its own, noting other senators have gone silent. "There have been several senators, members of Congress, who've sort of gone to ground for health reasons," he said. What's different here, in his view, comes down to two things: "McConnell is still a huge Democratic bogeyman," and "the governor is running for president, and he's catching heat from a lot of misinformed people about what he ought to do." **Why the silence?** Cross' read is straightforward: this is McConnell being McConnell. "Mitch McConnell has always liked to do things his own way," he said, adding that once McConnell announced he wouldn't seek another leadership post, "he said he would look forward to the independence that he would have as a result, and I think at this point he is relishing his independence. He's going out the way he wants to go out, and he doesn't have to do a video just because Al Cross or Andy Beshear says so." On why McConnell doesn't feel pressure to explain himself: "He does not feel the same obligation to the voters since he's not going to be facing them again." And on who's making the call to keep his health status so close to the chest: "He's the boss. I've always called him the boss. He is the boss." **Did Cross ever doubt McConnell was conscious or capable?** "I've always believed it was him being tight-lipped," Cross said- until last week, when nearly a full week passed without a statement. "I began to have doubts," he admitted. "You always have to be a skeptic if you're a journalist." The Washington Post's report, and McConnell's team providing a new statement, resolved that doubt: "They were basically saying that's our story and we're sticking to it." **On Beshear's motivations to push for answers:** Cross doesn't dismiss Beshear's concern as illegitimate but said there is definitely a political pressure behind it as well. "Polling nationally has shown that people want McConnell to be more forthcoming, and I have no reason to believe that the polls in Kentucky would be any different", Cross told me. He believes Beshear's original social media statement wasn't enough, and when the feedback on social media grew too loud, he responded with formal letters. "When the heat on social media and otherwise became so great that it threatened to undermine his presidential campaign, he felt like he had to do something else." As Cross put it: "People do big things for more than one reason." **Does Beshear actually have any power here?** According to Cross, none. He noted that the Kentucky legislature specifically repealed the law that once allowed governors to appoint interim senators, meaning any vacancy would require a special election- not a gubernatorial pick. Cross was skeptical of Beshear's constitutional argument for greater authority here, noting that the state constitutional provision Beshear points to doesn't appear to reference U.S. Senate seats, and federal law generally overrides state constitutions on federal offices. Practically, Cross said, Beshear "can only talk." **What is Kentucky actually losing?** "It's marginal," Cross said. He pointed to stalled votes- "the farm bill isn't moving, the Defense Authorization Act isn't moving"- but predicted, "we'll see that vote cast before this session of Congress is out." Otherwise, he said, "he's working through the staff, and that's how most of the work in Congress gets done." Asked directly whether Kentucky is losing much by McConnell's absence, Cross's answer was simple: "No." **What happens if McConnell doesn't return?** "I suppose there's always a chance," Cross said of the possibility McConnell never returns to the Senate floor, "but I believe he'll be back." If that changes, he explained, Kentucky law doesn't allow an appointed replacement- only "a special election," which takes 63 days to conduct. His prediction: "I don't see Mitch McConnell resigning before his term is up, unless his health takes a serious turn for the worse." **His advice to the public:** Cut through the noise. "Rely on proven facts, not unsubstantiated opinions," Cross said. "Rely on reliable news media, not social media. Just that simple." Asked why that's so hard for people to do, he didn't hesitate: "People would rather be entertained than informed. That's the problem." As of this writing, McConnell remains at a rehabilitation facility, according to the Office of the Attending Physician, and has not appeared publicly or answered questions directly since his hospitalization began. --- **Paid subscribers can listen to my conversation with Al Cross in this week's episode of One More Question. Add the podcast to your library, wherever you like to listen! Follow directions below.** *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### "Deeply disappointing and frustrating"; Ronald Exantus is a free man URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/is-ronald-exantus-being-released-today-what-we-know/ Last updated: 2026-07-30T21:10:04.000Z Today is the day Ronald Exantus, the man once charged with killing 6-year-old Logan Tipton, was expected to walk free and by 3 p.m. a notification from Vine made it official. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Ronald Exantus, the man once charged with killing 6-year-old Logan Tipton, was released from custody Thursday afternoon- a free man, with no parole, no supervision, and no further legal restrictions holding him. For days, every official I asked declined to confirm what was happening. The prison cited confidentiality law. The prosecutor said she couldn't comment on whether anything had been filed because of the same limitation imposed by Kentucky law. The court pointed to judicial conduct rules. On release day itself, nobody would give a straight answer. Now, Commonwealth's Attorney Kelli Kearney's office has. ## "Deeply disappointing and frustrating" In a statement released after Exantus walked free, Kearney's office confirmed what many had feared: there was no legal mechanism left to stop it. "Unfortunately, Ronald Exantus will be released from custody as a free man this afternoon," the statement reads. "My office has taken every lawful and appropriate action available to keep the public safe from Mr. Exantus." The statement also revealed new details about just how much time was cut from his original sentence. According to Department of Corrections records cited by Kearney's office, Exantus's maximum serve-out date was November 24, 2035\. Under Kentucky law- specifically KRS 197.045- he received nearly nine years of sentence credit, moving his release up by almost a decade. That statute allows for mandatory good time credit for completing certain prison programs, as well as meritorious good time credit, which can be awarded at the discretion of the Commissioner of the Department of Corrections. "As a result of these statutory sentence credits, Mr. Exantus is being released approximately nine years earlier than the sentence the jury recommended he serve," the statement says. Kearney's office was clear on one point: this isn't parole, and it isn't supervised release. Exantus has completed his adjusted sentence, as calculated under state law, and walked out with no conditions attached. ## Where the responsibility lies Kearney's statement draws a clear line between her office's role and the Department of Corrections'. "Our responsibility is to seek justice, uphold the law, and protect the families and communities we serve," the statement reads. "My office has taken every lawful action available to keep the public safe from Mr. Exantus; however, the calculation of sentence credits and the administration of an inmate's release are matters governed by Kentucky law and administered by the Department of Corrections." It's a notable shift in tone from the carefully guarded, confidentiality-bound statements her office gave in the days leading up to the release. This time, there's no hedge about what can or can't be confirmed- just an acknowledgment that everything possible was done, and it wasn't enough to keep him in custody. ## What this means, and what it doesn't To be clear about what we still don't know: Kearney's statement doesn't say whether a petition for involuntary hospitalization under KRS Chapter 202A was ever filed. Court records reviewed as of last week showed no new filings in the case since 2020\. Whether that changed in the final days before release, or whether the option was pursued and simply didn't succeed, remains unclear. What is clear is the outcome. Exantus is out. Free, unsupervised, with no further state oversight tied to his sentence. ## The Tipton family's long wait continues ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-29-at-9.46.41---AM.png) "We recognize the fear, frustration, and concern this release has caused the Tipton family and our community," Kearney's office wrote. "We share those concerns and remain committed to pursuing justice and advocating for victims." For Logan Tipton's family, this closes one chapter of a case that has spanned nearly a decade- from Logan's death in 2015, to Exantus's 2018 trial, to his first release last October, his re-arrest in Florida, his return to Kentucky custody, and now this. Throughout it, the family has consistently told me they've felt left in the dark, learning about developments through the news rather than direct contact from the state. That frustration is part of what led lawmakers to pass Logan's Law this spring- legislation meant to close some of the gaps this case exposed. But as Kearney's office made clear, that law doesn't apply retroactively to Exantus's case. [Logan’s Law didn’t come in time to stop this: Ronald Exantus set for release at the end of this monthThe man convicted in a brutal attack against against a Kentucky family, including 6-year-old Logan Tipton could walk out of prison a free man at the end of this month. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-53af0c45-f70d-468f-8f5d-efe3a1e94c48.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-07-09-at-11.40.43---AM-399d01dd-8984-487e-87ac-4ea1185b3089.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/logans-law-didnt-come-in-time-to-stop-this-ronald-exantus-set-for-release-at-the-end-of-this-month/) *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### A Louisville documentary, a friendship, and a fight that hasn't ended with loss URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/a-louisville-documentary-a-friendship-and-a-fight-that-hasnt-ended-with-loss/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T15:16:31.000Z Two Louisville mothers lost their sons to the same rare, merciless disease. Neither of them stopped there. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* *You can buy a ticket to 499 Days* [*here*](https://louisvillefilmsociety.org/events/screening-of-499-days/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExZHJWQVVCOXZra3FDc0FtRHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR7XS7baNorWKLY4avPIgv%5Fit86LUlqvknnoA%5F7c%5F14Ip1atFsV8nqSspk5Shw%5Faem%5F-dD28V8PC1RNSn3JHDxzuA&ref=shayinformed.com)*.* --- Kristen Mackin's son Kyler died in March of 2021, just over a month shy of his tenth birthday, after 499 days living with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma. Elizabeth "Liz" Turner's son David died two months later, at age nine, after more than three years with the same diagnosis. The two boys, it turns out, had crossed paths at the same Boy Scout camp, in different troops, two kids who loved Pokémon and had no idea what they would come to share. Kristen has spent the years since turning home videos of Kyler's journey into a documentary that premieres in Louisville this August. Liz has spent her years since leading the Kentucky Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund that now directs tens of millions of dollars toward pediatric cancer research in Kentucky. Both women, in their own way, decided that their grief would not simply be something that happened to them- it would be something that made change and honored their sons. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Kyler-2.jpg) Kyler Buckner Kristen Mackin remembers the exact moment she knew something was wrong with her son. It wasn't dramatic. It wasn't even alarming, at first. A doctor looked at eight-year-old Kyler and asked a simple question: "Has he always looked like that?" Kristen hadn't noticed. His face wasn't quite matching on both sides- the kind of subtle asymmetry a mother might chalk up to a kid simply growing into himself. The doctor ran a test. Everything came back fine. Kristen kept an eye on him and moved on with life. The headaches Kyler had complained about got worse. Then a Cub Scout camping trip ended early, because Kyler- normally a spirited, active kid- was whiny and not himself. "I was like, I think he had a stroke," Kristen told me, remembering the moment she rushed him to the emergency department instead of the doctor's office. "They rushed us back, did a scan, and it said that he had a mass and bleeding on his brain." That was the beginning of a story that would consume the next 499 days of the Buckner family's life- and that will now be shared with the world in a documentary premiering this August in Louisville. ## A diagnosis with no good options ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-27-at-12.06.51---PM.png) Kyler and his siblings Kyler was diagnosed with DIPG- Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma- in 2019\. He was eight years old, the middle child of three, with an older brother and a younger half-sister. The doctors were direct with Kristen about what they were facing. There was no cure. One option was to go home and let the disease take its course. The other was to pursue clinical trials, with no guarantee they would extend Kyler's life at all. "I was like, well, that's not really an option," Kristen said of the first choice. So they chose to fight. The family traveled to San Francisco. They traveled to Cincinnati. They chased every trial that might buy Kyler more time, more life, more days. Doctors had told her the average survival after a DIPG diagnosis was around nine months. Kyler lived 499 days. He was nine years old, just a little over a month from his tenth birthday, when he died in 2021. "I don't know if the trials gave us more time, or if his was just a little bit slower to grow," Kristen said. "I'm not a doctor, and no one was really able to give me more specifics." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-27-at-11.58.07---AM.png) The family lived in the Fern Creek area of Jefferson County at the time of Kyler's diagnosis, later moving to Jeffersontown- always within that same corner of Louisville. ## An idea born from isolation After Kyler passed away, Kristen's brother-in-law Jamie Buckner- who works in the movie industry- reached out and asked the question so many people ask when they don't know how else to help: what can I do? Kristen had an answer. Would he consider making a documentary? Throughout Kyler's illness, Kristen had instinctively recorded moments- the kind of footage she thought might someday help tell his story. Jamie began shaping that material into a film starting in earnest in 2024, spending that year filming, fundraising, and gathering additional interviews. By 2025, the project was wrapped. This year, it will finally premiere. But the idea behind the film goes deeper than simply preserving Kyler's memory, though that matters enormously to Kristen too. It comes from a specific kind of loneliness that she says almost no one talks about until they're forced to live inside it. "When he was diagnosed, I know you met Liz," Kristen told me, referring to a fellow DIPG mother who became a crucial source of support. "If I didn't have her, I would have been totally lost. But before her, I felt so alone and isolated- because maybe three children in the state of Kentucky would be diagnosed that year. That's what they told me. It was just bad luck." She remembers being handed a book about DIPG at the hospital. She got two pages in and threw it across the room. "I was like, I can't even read this," she said. "You look it up, and there's just some facts. But there's not a community- not a family to hold on to and help you." That absence is what Kristen hopes the documentary can begin to fill. "I was hoping that by doing this, it would help other people find a community where they don't feel so alone," she said, "and maybe give resources to help them- like Liz was able to help me, and the mom before her helped her." And there's something else, something Kristen describes with a kind of quiet honesty. "On top of it, selfishly, my child gets to live on forever in this story," she said. "And that's the way I try to look at it." ## A Louisville premiere, by design The film is called *499 Days*, named for the length of Kyler's journey. It will have its [world premiere on Saturday, August 1, at 2:00 PM ](https://louisvillefilmsociety.org/events/screening-of-499-days/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExZHJWQVVCOXZra3FDc0FtRHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR7XS7baNorWKLY4avPIgv%5Fit86LUlqvknnoA%5F7c%5F14Ip1atFsV8nqSspk5Shw%5Faem%5F-dD28V8PC1RNSn3JHDxzuA&ref=shayinformed.com)at the Kentucky Science Center, as part of the Flyover Film Festival's "Ideas in Action" program. Jamie Buckner submitted the film to a number of festivals around the country, but he specifically wanted the world premiere to happen here, in the community where Kyler lived- and he worked with the Louisville Film Society to make that a reality. "It's really special to get to do the first one in our community," Kristen said, "and hopefully get a lot of the people that knew Kyler, or heard about Kyler, or were touched by his story, to be able to come." The film doesn't only tell Kyler's story. It also includes the story of David Turner Jr., another Kentucky child who lost his battle with DIPG- the same David Turner Jr. that Kentucky now honors each year with an official state proclamation, alongside DIPG Awareness Day. David's family and community are expected to attend the premiere as well. Also featured in the film is Kinsey Woodson, daughter of Karen Morrison of Gilda's Club- another family Kristen met along her own journey, one of many she says she wanted to make sure had their stories told. "All these people we met along our journey," Kristen said. "I wanted to make sure their stories were told. I'm glad that all of them are in our community, and I'm sad that we have the reason we're connected to each other. But I'm happy that we are connected to each other, and we can support each other." ## The friend who understood ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/20180426_125409_Original.jpg) David Turner Jr. The film's connection to David Turner Jr. is not incidental. It is, in many ways, the reason this documentary exists at all in the form it does- because David and Kyler were friends, and their mothers found in each other something neither had been able to find anywhere else. Elizabeth Turner is the current president of the Kentucky Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund. But before any of that, she was simply David's mom. Her son was diagnosed with DIPG in 2018\. He was six years old, and like so many of these stories, it began with almost nothing at all. "He had one day of symptoms," Elizabeth told me. "My dad picked him up. He told my dad that he hit his head at school. He didn't have the words or understanding of what a headache was. He had a headache. He did not hit his head at school." Within a short time, David was diagnosed. "In one breath, we were told that our child had cancer," she said. "In the very next breath, that he would not survive this type of cancer." At the time, median survival for DIPG was estimated at six to nine months, maybe twelve. David lived with it for three years, one month, and four days. "He responded well to radiation therapy," Elizabeth said, "but he didn't have the most common mutation for the trials that were really being targeted." David had been a typical, active kid- jujitsu, sports, running, laughing. The disease slowly took his gross and fine motor function. He eventually became a wheelchair user. He lost his ability to talk, walk, and swallow. "We did other interventions to communicate with him," Elizabeth told me, "but it got to a point where only his father and I could really understand him." What strikes her most, even now, is the impossible weight placed on parents in a diagnosis like this one. "When else do you go to the doctor and you're given a diagnosis, and the burden of deciding what to do falls solely to you as the parent?" she said. "I think that's what makes it really difficult- and a lot of guilt, too. Because could we have done something different? That's what I hear from other families, where they second-guess themselves." ## Two boys, the same Boy Scout Camp ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-27-at-12.38.25---PM.png) Kyler Buckner and David Turner Jr. When Kyler Buckner was diagnosed in 2019, David had already been living with DIPG for a year. "David and Kyler knew each other, and they have a lot of things in common," Elizabeth told me. "When Kyler was diagnosed, they were both at the same Boy Scout camp." Both boys were the same age. Both loved Pokémon. Both had been in Scouts. "There was just so many things in common between the two of them," she said. "So they were friends, and would send encouraging messages and videos to each other." For two Louisville families living through something almost no one else around them could understand, that friendship mattered enormously. "It was comforting to them both that they knew someone else with DIPG," Elizabeth said, "because we didn't. There was no one else locally at the time during my son's diagnosis." That is precisely the isolation Kristen Mackin has spoken about- the sense of having no community, no roadmap, nothing but a pamphlet thrown across a room. Elizabeth found herself building that community the hard way, in real time, alongside other mothers. "We were going to Facebook and finding families," she said. "Messaging the parents- the moms, I call it the network of the moms, but the dads too. What are you doing? How's this happening? How are things going? What do you think?" That informal network of mothers finding each other in the dark is, in many ways, the same network Kristen hopes *499 Days* will now extend to families who come after her. ## Ice Cream Day, and a boy who wanted to help ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/IMG_0262-2.JPG) David Turner Jr, with his mom Liz, dad David and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear Kentucky now recognizes May 21st as David Turner Jr. Ice Cream Day, alongside the state's annual DIPG Awareness proclamation. The idea came directly from David himself. When he first met Governor Beshear, the governor asked him what he wanted to do. David's answer: make National Ice Cream Day. During the pandemic, David- who had been wearing a face mask since his 2018 diagnosis, long before masks became a matter of public debate- was upset that everything around him was shut down. He told his mother he wanted to help explain to people why they should wear a mask. He ended up doing a live segment with the governor. "I gave him no prep," Elizabeth said, laughing at the memory even now. "I'm like, what are you going to say, David? And he ran through it." She had asked him twice, in the car. "I was like, just make sure you talk loud and clearly. And I didn't give him any other prep at all. He came up with the words. I did have a little bit of fear, because I gave him a live mic. I was like, oh no, I hope we don't say something we shouldn't." He didn't. "He did an amazing job," Elizabeth said. "I'm just so proud of him." ## From grief to a statewide mission ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-27-at-12.40.57---PM.png) David Turner Jr. David passed away just before his tenth birthday. Elizabeth has spent the years since turning her grief into structural, statewide change. She now leads the Kentucky Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund, a state trust established in 2015 through Senate Bill 82, sponsored by state Senator Max Wise-himself a father whose own child has faced a cancer diagnosis. The fund began as little more than a checkoff box on Kentucky tax returns. It received its first legislative appropriation of $5 million in 2018\. Since then, the trust fund has received more than $51.5 million in state appropriations. That funding goes toward peer-reviewed research at the state's two pediatric treating hospitals- Norton in Louisville and UK in Lexington- following a scoring process modeled after the National Institutes of Health, decided by an 18-member board made up of researchers, doctors, survivors, and bereaved parents like Elizabeth. Kentucky's approach has become something other states now look to. "Our legislation was used to create the legislation in California in 2025," Liz told me. "Not only are we a national leader in this space with our commitment to funding- other states' legislation is being modeled after ours." One project Elizabeth is especially invested in, both professionally and personally, is being led by Dr. Eric Durbin- director of the Kentucky Cancer Registry and a fellow board member- whom she calls "my numbers guy." It's called the Accelerate project, and it's asking exactly the question so many Kentucky families are asking right now: what genomic or environmental factors might be connected to the state's unusually high rate of pediatric brain tumors. Kentucky currently ranks sixth in the nation for pediatric brain tumor diagnoses- a ranking that fluctuates between fourth and sixth depending on the year. Brain tumors have now surpassed leukemia as the leading cause of cancer-related death in American children, in part because survival rates for leukemia have improved so dramatically over the past several decades while brain tumor treatment has not kept pace. "I had no idea cancer was the leading cause of death by disease in children across the United States," Elizabeth told me, describing her life before David's diagnosis, when she worked in occupational health and wellness programming. "I had no idea how much higher incident rates were in Kentucky." ## Watching the Eastern Kentucky cases unfold I asked Elizabeth what it was like to watch the recent wave of DIPG diagnoses in Eastern Kentucky begin to surface- cases in communities that, like her own experience years earlier, had no idea what they were facing or where to turn. "I did have some individuals who reached out to me on social media," she said, "and I immediately connected them with Dr. Durbin at the Cancer Registry." Once elevated cases were confirmed, she said, the trust fund began working on ways to respond- including an informational packet specifically about DIPG that's currently moving through an approval process, and internal conversations about whether existing research infrastructure could be pointed toward answering why cases are showing up in a specific region. [Inside Kentucky’s Response to a Children’s Cancer ClusterState records show officials were warned about a DIPG cluster in May 2025 — nearly a year before going public. An exclusive interview with the Whitley County Public Health Director reveals what happened next, and what’s being done today.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-74a2ae6e-cd33-42cf-b60b-5a2b62516b32.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-05-29-at-1.55.10---PM-9da52ac4-0d17-4394-8960-1411f2d44f96.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/what-kentucky-knew-and-when-inside-the-states-response-to-an-unusual-pattern-of-pediatric-cancer/) "There are higher incident rates in the Appalachia area as well," Elizabeth said. "That's been a focus area too." I asked her directly whether she feels Kentucky is doing enough. "I feel proud of the work that we've done," she said. "We've come a really long way with our commitment to state-level funding." But she was equally direct about the limits of pride in the face of an unsolved disease. "It's certainly never going to be enough until, one day, our children are diagnosed and there's actually a treatment plan that can result in survivorship. Or if it's something that can be prevented. It's just that we don't know what's causing these tumors. It is unknown." For Kristen- learning about the new cases in Eastern Kentucky struck a nerve. It's a reminder of the unknown. "I think it's scary," she said, "because it's unknown why we get them in our families. They can't say it's genetic. They can't say it's environmental. Literally, I was told it's just bad luck. So for a community to be impacted in that way, by so many children- it's devastating. And I have no idea how they're handling it, because I know just having one child, or two, in a community is still really hard." Still, she chooses to hold onto hope about what increased attention could mean. "I'm hoping this impacts funding, research, and awareness," Kristen said, "so that the same treatment someone like my child went through in 2020 doesn't continue to be the same thing kids go through." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-27-at-12.05.17---PM.png) Kristen and Kyler I asked Kristen what her greatest hope is for the film- whether it's that the right family finds it when they need it most, or simply that Kyler continues to live on. "I think both of those things would be the right answer," she said. She knows the film won't offer viewers a happy ending. It can't. But she hopes it offers something else: the sense, for a family just entering this nightmare, that they are not the only ones who have ever walked through it. Kristen also spoke about something she says people rarely understand about grief after losing a child: the discomfort other people feel around it, and how much it means when someone is willing to simply let a grieving parent talk. "One of the things people have a hard time with, when you've lost a child, is they don't want to talk to you about it," she said. "But I want to talk about my child, because I won't get to have new stories. I love the stories that I do have, and I want to share them." This film, is a chance to talk all about Kyler and not just his diagnosis, but everything that made him, him. "These are still our children," she said. "And we love them, and we miss them. Being able to talk about them is a way to help us connect with our children- in a way that people who go to sporting events, and get to do fun stuff with their kids still, get to do every day. I only get to do it through saying: these are the things my child loved, and he enjoyed, and he did, and our journey." Toward the end of our conversation, Kristen wanted to make sure I understood something: the community she found after Kyler's diagnosis is real, and it is available to any family who needs it, even if it's not always easy to find at first. She pointed specifically to Liz Turner, who Kristen says has connected countless Kentucky DIPG families to one another. She also named several organizations doing this work directly- Gilda's Club, Kids Cancer Alliance, and Courageous Kids- all of which she says exist to help families feel less alone inside a diagnosis that isolates people by its very nature. "Childhood cancer tends to make you feel that way," she said, "because you don't always know the kid that gets cancer. And then being the one who has a child that gets cancer- it's just like, I don't even know how to do this." All three organizations will have a presence at the August 1 premiere, and Kristen hopes people who attend will consider more than just watching the film. "We really want it to be sold out, obviously," she said. "But we also want people to be able to come and connect with the community. Because Gilda's Club, Kids Cancer Alliance- they're going to be there that day. And people might not be impacted, but they might be able to impact those families, and help find ways of volunteering to support families in need." ## What to know about the premier *499 Days* premieres Saturday, August 1, at 2:00 PM at the Kentucky Science Center, as part of the Flyover Film Festival's "Ideas in Action" program. As of last week, only about 70 of the venue's 200 tickets had been claimed- Kristen and Liz are both hoping the community will help fill the room. Representatives from Gilda's Club, Kids Cancer Alliance, and Courageous Kids will be on site for anyone who wants to learn more, connect with the DIPG community, or find ways to support families currently navigating a diagnosis. Elizabeth Turner and the Kentucky Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund will also be there, alongside David's community. The film will travel beyond Louisville too- it's set to screen at the Brainstorm Summit in Washington, D.C. in the weeks following its Kentucky premiere. Kristen will be at the Science Center. She told me how to find her. "I'll be the one with the pink hat," she said. Pink, it turns out, was Kyler's favorite color. You can buy tickets to watch the film on Saturday in Louisville, [here](https://louisvillefilmsociety.org/events/screening-of-499-days/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExZHJWQVVCOXZra3FDc0FtRHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR7XS7baNorWKLY4avPIgv%5Fit86LUlqvknnoA%5F7c%5F14Ip1atFsV8nqSspk5Shw%5Faem%5F-dD28V8PC1RNSn3JHDxzuA&ref=shayinformed.com). *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Ronald Exantus is set to be released Wednesday. But will It happen? Here's what I know. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/ronald-exantus-is-set-to-be-released-wednesday-but-will-it-happen-heres-what-i-know/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T19:39:05.000Z The man accused of killing seven-year-old Logan Tipton is scheduled to walk out of the Kentucky State Reformatory on Wednesday, July 29\. That much, the state has been clear about. But where will he go? Nobody is saying for. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- In December 2015, Ronald Exantus broke into the Tipton family's Versailles home and stabbed 6-year-old Logan Tipton to death while he slept. He also attacked other family members that night, including Logan's sister, before Logan's father tackled him and held him down until police arrived. A jury later found Exantus not guilty of murder by reason of insanity, but guilty but mentally ill on assault charges for the attacks on the rest of the family. He was sentenced to 20 years. Now, Ronald Exantus is scheduled to walk out of the Kentucky State Reformatory on Wednesday, July 29\. That much, the state has been clear about. Whether he actually will is a different question- and right now, nobody's saying for sure. Here's everything we know as of today. ## The state says his sentence is simply up In a statement released July 9, Department of Corrections spokesperson Morgan Hall laid out the state's position plainly: Exantus has served the sentence handed down by the Woodford Circuit Court, and he's scheduled for release July 29\. The Kentucky Parole Board isn't releasing him, and Hall was clear this isn't an early release. "Juries and courts, not the Department of Corrections, determine if an individual is guilty of a crime and how long he or she must serve," Hall wrote. As of that statement, Exantus had served 11 years, 9 months and 18 days. The Parole Board has never actually released him- every time it had the chance, it recommended he stay in prison, most recently in November, when it revoked his supervision after he was arrested in Florida for failing to register as a felon. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2025-10-28-at-2.00.05---PM.png) Florida press conference, announcing his arrest ## How does a 20-year sentence turn into less than 12 years served? This is probably the most confusing part of the whole case, so it's worth breaking down. Exantus was sentenced to 20 years back in 2018\. But Kentucky law requires the Department of Corrections to apply what's called "sentencing credit"- time that gets subtracted from a sentence for things like good behavior and program participation. According to the Justice Cabinet, applying these credits isn't optional. Once an inmate earns them, the state is required to apply them, which shortens the date an inmate must legally be released- known as the "minimum expiration of sentence" date. "The minimum expiration of sentence date is the date an inmate will be released. This applies to all inmates, including Exantus," the Justice Cabinet statement reads. That's how a 20-year sentence becomes an 11-year, 9-month, 18-day release date. It's also worth noting this is a completely different mechanism than what got Exantus released back in October 2025- that was mandatory reentry supervision, a separate program requiring release before a sentence is fully served. This time, the state says it's simply the natural end of his sentence once standard credits are factored in. [“Unacceptable”;White House condemns early prison release for man accused of killing KY childPress Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Saturday the White House is “looking into” the release of Ronald Exantus. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free newsletter or![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-cb193f9d-34df-454a-a35a-60910a8dbd22.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-10-05-at-6.51.05---AM-1-291cf42e-6851-43f2-8160-f06edf6fbb29.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/unacceptable-white-house-condemns-early-prison-release-for-man-accused-of-killing-ky-child/) One more detail: after Exantus violated his supervision in Florida last October, emergency regulations signed by the Beshear administration blocked him from earning any *additional* sentencing credit going forward. So the clock didn't keep ticking down further during his final stretch back in custody- this is where it landed. ## There's a letter that suggests another option exists ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-04-28-at-9.41.36---AM.png) 6 year old Logan Tipton In June of this year, the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet's general counsel sent a letter to three people: Woodford County Chief Circuit Judge Jeremy Mattox, Commonwealth's Attorney Kelli Kearney, and Department of Public Advocacy attorney Josh Miller. The letter pointed out that Exantus's original 2018 judgment includes a specific line, added by the court at the time: "Prior to the Defendant's release, KRS 504.030 shall apply." That statute requires a hearing to determine whether someone found not guilty by reason of insanity- which Exantus was, on the murder charge- should be involuntarily hospitalized instead of simply released. The letter made clear the Department of Corrections can't start that process itself. It gave the three officials formal notice, more than seven weeks out, to begin those proceedings if they intended to. [The law that could keep Ronald Exantus locked up- and why no one can say if it’s being usedWoodford County Commonwealth’s Attorney Kelli Kearney knows what’s on everyone’s mind. She just can’t tell you the answer. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-fa2b5c69-e3ea-4e69-8b93-537638d6038e.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-07-09-at-11.40.43---AM-1-67ecaa49-2952-48ff-9d91-833099dca86d.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/the-law-that-could-keep-ronald-exantus-locked-up-and-why-no-one-can-say-if-its-being-used/) ## What Kearney's office is saying- then and now Earlier this month, Kearney's office issued a public statement acknowledging the "deep concern, fear, and frustration" in the community, but said Kentucky law keeps civil commitment matters under confidential. Her office said it legally could not confirm or deny whether any petition had been filed. Today, I followed up directly, and got a little more detail- though still no direct answer on filing status. "I can't comment on if anything has or has not been filed," Kearney's office told me. "If a 202A petition were to be filed, the law allows the petition to be filed in the same CR case as the jury trial." That last part matters, because it tells us where to look. I went straight to the court record. ## Here's what the court record shows I checked online court records and confirmed with the Woodford County Clerk's office directly: no new documents have been filed in Exantus's criminal case since 2020. To be clear- that doesn't necessarily mean nothing is happening. It's possible a petition could be filed in the next two days, right up against the deadline. It's also possible confidentiality rules mean something could be filed without immediately showing up in the public docket the way a typical filing would. The Woodford County Circuit Clerk assured me even a sealed document would show up on her end, and she isn't seeing anything new in the file since 2020\. ## The Tipton family is still waiting too I checked in with Logan Tipton's family again this week. They tell me they're in the same position as the rest of us- waiting, watching, hoping for information nobody seems able or willing to give them yet. It's a familiar feeling for them at this point. Dean Tipton has said repeatedly over the past several months that his family learns about developments in this case through the news, not through any direct contact from the state. ## Where things stand Two days before Exantus's scheduled release, here's the honest answer: we don't know if he's walking out Wednesday or not. The Justice Cabinet says by law, he has to be released unless a detainer or court order is in place first. The Commonwealth's Attorney won't say whether that process has started. The public court record shows nothing filed. And the family that has lived this nightmare once already is, once again, waiting for someone to tell them what's next. I'll be watching the docket and following up with all parties between now and Wednesday. [Logan’s Law didn’t come in time to stop this: Ronald Exantus set for release at the end of this monthThe man convicted in a brutal attack against against a Kentucky family, including 6-year-old Logan Tipton could walk out of prison a free man at the end of this month. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-9531dbb2-78bc-496e-96db-d9d5fa4a0c67.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-07-09-at-11.40.43---AM-04ddc991-a596-42e8-ad61-d0b4ca11fa0d.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/logans-law-didnt-come-in-time-to-stop-this-ronald-exantus-set-for-release-at-the-end-of-this-month/) *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Former Taylor County Deputy accused of faking K-9 program to obtain thousands of pills URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/former-taylor-county-deputy-accused-of-faking-k-9-program-to-obtain-thousands-of-pills/ Last updated: 2026-07-30T12:37:16.000Z The Taylor County Sheriff's Department confirms Brian Pickard was suspended after the sheriff noticed discrepancies in an invoice. The evidence was then turned over to Kentucky State Police, and Pickard was fired. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- A federal grand jury has indicted a former Taylor County law enforcement officer on charges that he used his agency's DEA registration to fraudulently obtain thousands of prescription painkillers over a nearly three-year span- allegedly claiming the pills were for K-9 training that never happened. A grand jury indicted Brian Pickard earlier this month on 10 federal charges. The indictment lays out several counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, a felony under federal law, for a series of purchases dating back to April 2022. According to the indictment, Pickard repeatedly used the Taylor County Sheriff's Office DEA registration number to buy large quantities of Oxycodone and Hydrocodone- Schedule II controlled substances- by claiming the pills were for a K-9 training program. Prosecutors allege that program was fake: the pills, according to the indictment, "were never used for training." _This post is for subscribers only._ ### What Kentucky knew, and when: Inside the state's response to an unusual pattern of pediatric cancer URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/what-kentucky-knew-and-when-inside-the-states-response-to-an-unusual-pattern-of-pediatric-cancer/ Last updated: 2026-07-29T14:36:31.000Z Internal records and an exclusive interview with the Whitley County Public Health Director reveal the full timeline- and what's being done about it right now. --- *I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *I believe some stories are too important to stay behind a paywall. That's why I'm making this piece free to read for everyone. Informed communities make better decisions and that can only happen when people have access to honest, thorough reporting.* *Shay Informed is 100% reader-funded. No ads. No corporate backing. Just journalism that answers to you. If you'd like to help keep this work going, please consider* [*subscribing*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup)*.* --- Ayven Dennis hiked two miles to Eagle Falls with his mom just weeks before his first symptom appeared. He was six. Ten months after his diagnosis, he was gone. Destiny Miniard was ten days from her ninth birthday when her mother noticed her walking strangely through the kitchen. Her tumor grew a full centimeter in ten days. She is still fighting- and, against extraordinary odds, she is winning ground no one expected her to win. These are two of the children behind a number the state of Kentucky confirmed this spring: ten cases of Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, a rare and devastating pediatric brain cancer, diagnosed in Eastern Kentucky children since 2024\. The statewide average is two or three cases a year, for the entire state. Whitley County alone- a rural community of roughly 36,000 people- has had three. I have spent months reporting on these children and their families. This article is different. It is about what the government knew, when it knew it, and what has actually been happening behind closed doors since the moment the first alarm was raised. Through documents obtained under the Kentucky Open Records Act, and through an exclusive interview with the public health director at the center of the local response, I can now offer the most complete picture yet of how Kentucky handled this crisis- including new detail on the environmental testing process now finally underway. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/IMG_7373.JPG) Marcy Rein; Whitley County Public Health Director The public health director I talked to is Marcy Rein, and before we get into what she shared with me, I want you to understand who you're hearing from. Marcy isn't a bureaucrat reading from a script. This is someone who ended up in public health because of what she saw as a nurse, working in the NICU. "After a while, I started to see very similar things happening to babies, and thinking there's got to be something we can do upstream. Like there's got to be something to prevent this from happening, and so that's how I found out about public health," she told me. She has a master's in public health and a doctorate of nursing practice. Above her degrees and qualifications, she is mom living in Whitley County, who cares deeply about her community. "It's a very small town kind of place. People know me, my family, and I think that that's really special to have a place where you really feel like you're a piece of that community and that you can have a valuable role in that community." That's why she says she reached out to me earlier this month. She asked if we could meet for coffee to talk through what she knew and find a way to help her community understand a process that has felt, to many of them, like silence. "Just because we're quiet," she told me, "doesn't mean we're not working on it." After multiple conversations with her, I believe that. Wholeheartedly. ## What happened first, in 2025 State records show that a Whitley County resident first alerted Kentucky state officials to a possible cluster of pediatric DIPG cases in May 2025- nearly a full year before the public learned anything from them. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-22-at-11.02.38---AM.png) Email sent to state in 2025 The resident, who had a background in public health, reported concern about children in her community being diagnosed with this exceptionally rare cancer. State officials responded quickly and called her concerns credible. An initial review was opened. And then, according to state records, the trail went cold. The state says the names it was given could not be matched to confirmed cases in the cancer registry- one turned out to reference a different cancer entirely. The others could not be located due to a name-spelling issue that wasn't resolved until nearly a year later. I asked the state directly why that gap happened, and whether it could have been closed sooner. Marcy Rein, who was briefed on this history early in her own involvement this spring, gave me a candid account of it. "When they didn't have anywhere to go with it, they didn't go anywhere with it," she told me, "because it was sort of like, well, we don't know what else to do." It wasn't a cover-up, but a system that had no clear next step once a community report couldn't be immediately confirmed. **And that gap wasn't a surprise.** It had already been identified, in writing, by the state's own cancer surveillance team. Records reveal nearly two years before the Whitley County report came in, state epidemiologists gave a formal presentation acknowledging unresolved questions in exactly this part of the process: what happens once a report comes in that can't be immediately verified? How cases diagnosed outside Kentucky make their way into the registry? And how findings get escalated once a pattern is suspected? Those questions were still unanswered in May 2025. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-22-at-11.05.41---AM.png) Presentation slide from 2023 made by the Kentucky Department for Public Health ## What happened this spring By April 2026, community pressure had reached the level of Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Steven Stack, who received a letter from a distressed parent describing at least six suspected cases in the Corbin community, including a six-year-old diagnosed the day before, and a five-year-old who had recently died. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-22-at-11.14.03---AM.png) Ayven Dennis (6), Millie Kate Daughtery (7), Waylon Taylor (5) 6-year-old Ayven Dennis and 5-year-old Waylon Taylor both died in March of this year from DIPG. 7-year-old Millie Kate Daughtery was diagnosed with the brain tumor one month later. The deaths and diagnoses were all over social media. The fear and uncertainty were spreading, and community members were turning to the state and local health officials for help. It was at that time Whitley County Public Health Director Marcy Rein raised an alarm of her own. She was hearing the same fears from her own community- and reached out to the state. That, and the letter from the community member, appear to be what finally moved the investigation forward. When new reports came in this April, the state says it was able to do what it couldn't do in May 2025: confirm the cases. Two of the five newly reported cases turned out to be the very same children reported a year earlier- this time, with names spelled correctly. "Fast forward to when we started meeting this last April," Marcy told me. "It turns out the spelling was incorrect enough that it wasn't found in the searches of the data. Once they got the correct spelling, they said, 'Oh yes, that was that person.'" A full year. A spelling error. A process with no fallback plan. ## An unusual pattern, not (yet) a "cluster" One thing Marcy was careful to explain to me: the word "cluster" has a precise scientific meaning, and Whitley County's three cases, on their own, don't meet that formal threshold. "I can say with relative confidence that we don't expect to see three in Whitley County, or 10 in Eastern Kentucky as a whole," she told me. "That is concerning... but the three that they have confirmed in Whitley County doesn't meet the definition of a cluster from the county level. It is unusual." A cluster is defined by a location- more specific than a region or a county. It would be a neighborhood, a school, etc. That has not been identified in these cases yet. The official designation is "Unusual Pattern of Cancer"- the trigger that puts a formal, structured investigation process into motion. And that process is *in motion.* ## Inside the investigation, step by step For the first time, I can show Kentucky exactly what that process looks like- because Marcy shared with me the public-facing roadmap her department is using. The investigation follows CDC and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) guidelines for examining unusual cancer patterns, and it moves through four phases: **Phase 1: Start the conversation.** Receive the community report, talk with residents and partners, gather initial case information, and decide whether it meets the bar to look deeper. **Phase 2: Examine data & criteria.** Review cancer registry data, assess environmental concerns, run a statistical evaluation, and determine whether the pattern is genuinely unusual. **Phase 3: In-depth health studies.** Assess whether a full study is feasible- which requires cancer experts, funding, and data. If so, conduct a detailed health investigation, examine how people may have been exposed, and decide which public health steps to take. This is where Kentucky stands right now- the state's own timeline estimate for this phase: **10 months or more.** **Outcome: Response & action.** Communicate findings on an ongoing basis, put solutions in place, continue watching the trends, and document lessons learned. Seeing this laid out changes the conversation. It means Kentucky is not sitting on its hands- it is in the single longest, most resource-intensive phase of a formal, federally modeled investigation process. But it also means families should not expect a fast answer. The state's own estimate suggests this phase alone could stretch toward the middle of 2027. ## What "testing the environment" means This is the question every parent in Eastern Kentucky wants answered directly: is anyone testing the water, the soil, the air? The honest answer, according to Marcy, is more complicated than a simple yes or no. "We don't know what we're testing for," she told me. "What are we testing for, and where should we target our testing first? Those are the questions we don't have answers to." This isn't evasion- it's a genuine scientific constraint. Testing "the environment" without a specific hypothesis about what to look for produces results no one can interpret. So instead, the current work is about building the foundation that would let real testing begin. Marcy described calling the engineer on her local board of health, who also manages a local water utility, just to understand her own county's water systems- what's on public water, what's on private wells, whether private wells are tracked anywhere the way septic systems are. "I can't do the research," she said. "But I can help try to identify data sources and people that can contribute data- so that when we find a researcher, we can hand them a basket of tools." That basket includes local geography: flooding patterns in the mountains, the absence of any Superfund sites in Whitley County, water systems that buy from neighboring systems in a kind of piggyback arrangement, and other details only someone who has lived in the community for over a decade would think to flag. And there is a new, significant development: according to a written statement from the state, Kentucky has now met multiple times with the CDC and its Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to determine whether environmental factors might be connected to the increase in cases. The CDC has agreed to analyze data across multiple states to look for possible connections among DIPG cases nationally, and Kentucky has already shared its data for that analysis. This is federal-level environmental health expertise, actively engaged, right now. It's the movement many have been asking for but Marcy is honest that this will not move quickly. "I think generally they say to expect a year or two, totally," she told me. "It's July. We're still trying to pull together the things that we need to start answering these questions." Marcy walked me through why the scientific question is more complicated than most people assume- and why "it's probably the water" isn't something scientists can respond to without evidence. "With cancer, you're not just looking at that child's life," she said. "You're looking at mom's pregnancy- so prenatal- and you're also potentially having to back up and look at preconception. Mom and dad, before they ever decided they were going to have a child." A child diagnosed at five years old may have been exposed to something years before she was born. That widens what investigators call the "suspect list" enormously- and lengthens the timeline to match. "We can't just say it's the water, or whatever, and proclaim that to be it, and then move on," Marcy said. "That doesn't help anybody. We really want to be as right as we possibly can." ## The human cost while the system works ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-05-13-at-4.08.58---PM.png) Ashley Early and her son Ayven None of this changes what the families of this unusual pattern have already lived through- the reason any of this matters at all. Ayven Dennis was diagnosed May 13, 2025- almost the exact week the very first alarm about Whitley County cases was quietly being raised inside state government. He completed thirty rounds of radiation. He traveled to Chicago for a clinical trial that gave his family a stretch of hope. In January 2026, his tumor worsened. He died March 5, 2026\. He was six years old. His mother Ashley Early, an ER nurse, [told me the last thing he ever did was reach over and try to give her a hug](https://www.shayinformed.com/children-are-dying-eastern-kentucky-deserves-answers/). "We haven't been angry enough," Ashley told me earlier this year. "When I sit back and really think about it- to see some choices our government makes on things we do spend money on versus things we don't- it is infuriating. I am very happy that attention and funding is being brought to this. I think it unfortunately won't save these children. But it might save a child ten years from now. And I think that's very important." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-22-at-12.24.54---PM.png) Marsha Miniard with her daughter Destiny Destiny Miniard's story is different- and it's part of why this fight matters so much. After standard radiation produced only modest results, [her mother made the difficult decision to pursue an additional treatment](https://www.shayinformed.com/there-is-no-cure-what-happens-after-a-dipg-diagnosis-and-the-impossible-decisions-parents-have-to-make/). Destiny has gone from a wheelchair to running. She is still here, more than a year past when doctors expected. These are the children this investigation is for. Whatever the state's process requires- ten months, a year, two years- these families are living every single day of that timeline in real time, without knowing whether their child has that long. ## What Marcy wants her community to know ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/IMG_7370.JPG) Marcy is planning a community forum, and before she books it, she wants to survey residents about what they most want addressed, so she can bring in the right experts to answer real concerns rather than guessing at them. "I don't want to make people more scared," she told me. "But I do want to give people as much information as we have available." She chose to speak with me because she believes her community deserves a clearer window into a process that has felt, from the outside, like nothing was happening. "We know that they are concerned," she said. "We're working on it. We can't guarantee that we're going to have a great, successful, and satisfying answer at the end. But we want to get an answer- so that we can say, here's everything we've done, and here's what we know now." ## What comes next The Cabinet for Health and Family Services declined to make state epidemiology staff available for an interview for this story and did not answer specific written questions, instead providing a general statement confirming the timeline of the 2025 and 2026 reports and describing the state's current work with CDC and ATSDR. I will continue reporting as new information becomes available- including whatever Marcy's community forum surfaces, and whatever my outstanding records request reveals. Marcy Rein is still gathering her toolbox. The federal government is still waiting on answers. And in Whitley County, three families already know what the rest of us are still trying to understand: that some clocks don't pause for process, and some children don't get the years this investigation is asking for. --- **Want to hear Marcy explain all of this in her own words?** Paid Shay Informed subscribers can listen to my conversation with her on this week's episode of *One More Question*. Make sure you've added the weekly podcast to your library. Just follow the instructions below! --- *I believe some stories are too important to stay behind a paywall. That's why I'm making this piece free to read for everyone. Informed communities make better decisions and that can only happen when people have access to honest, thorough reporting.* *Shay Informed is 100% reader-funded. No ads. No corporate backing. Just journalism that answers to you. If you'd like to help keep this work going, please consider* [*subscribing*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup)*.* ### KY Governor cancels 4% Medicaid rate cut, points to unexpected budget surplus URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/ky-governor-cancels-4-medicaid-rate-cut-points-to-unexpected-budget-surplus/ Last updated: 2026-07-23T19:22:42.000Z Governor Andy Beshear has reversed the 4% Medicaid cut set to go into effect August 1st, citing $781 million in unbudgeted surplus. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Gov. Andy Beshear announced Wednesday that Kentucky will not move forward with the 4% Medicaid provider rate cut set to take effect Aug. 1- reversing a reduction that had threatened residential care, day programs, and community-based services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the state. The reversal is being funded by an unbudgeted $476 million budget surplus and more than $350 million in unexpected corporate income tax payments, for a combined $781 million the administration says became available after the state's official December 2025 revenue estimate- which had projected a $156 million shortfall. Of that money, Beshear said he will apply $255 million to close the Medicaid gap and reverse the rate cut, close a separate funding gap for existing Michelle P. Waiver slots, add $4 million to the senior meals program for fiscal year 2027, and deposit the remaining $400-plus million into the state's Budget Reserve Trust Fund. "Thanks to strong fiscal management by my administration and an economic surge for the state late in the fiscal year, we have more than $781 million in surplus funds available right now to correct mistakes made by the General Assembly," Beshear said. The announcement follows months of advocacy from residential providers, including Louisville-based Day Spring and Dreams with Wings, whose leadership had said they could not identify budget language requiring the cut and had pressed both the Governor's office and General Assembly leadership for an explanation. A Kentucky Disability Waiver Town Hall and Capitol rally on July 17 was part of that advocacy push. [“Prove it to us”: Inside the fight over a 4% cut that could reshape life for Kentuckians with disabilitiesLouisville nonprofits serving Kentuckians with intellectual and developmental disabilities say they can’t get a straight answer on who’s really behind the cut- or why it’s their funding on the chopping block. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-37ea6f18-369e-4130-a25c-a4556d5c3cd5.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_7334-9b3f3e9a-3e03-4235-b192-638e734b0aa4.JPG)](https://www.shayinformed.com/prove-it-to-us-inside-the-fight-over-a-4-cut-that-could-reshape-life-for-kentuckians-with-disabilities/) I spent time on the ground with both organizations while this fight was playing out. At Day Spring, that meant walking the campus with CEO Lauren Hays past residents playing Uno and coming home from day programs, and talking with Tim Baird, who's lived in the men's house for 15 years, by his scrap-metal pile out back. When I asked him what he thought about the state possibly pulling funding that supports the place he calls home, he didn't hesitate: "Oh, good grief. They shouldn't." Mary Ford, the daughter of Day Spring's founders and its very first resident more than three decades ago, still lives there too- the reason the organization exists at all. ## How did we get here? The dueling narratives go like this: Gov. Andy Beshear's administration says his original proposed budget fully funded Medicaid, and that changes made later- during the General Assembly's budget process- left a shortfall that forced the administration's hand on rates. Republican legislative leaders say that's not accurate, and that the GA gave the administration flexibility to protect priority services when making reductions elsewhere. Dream With Wings Founder Jenifer Frommeyer read through both sides of the paperwork- a comparison, she said, that a policy staffer at the Kentucky Association of Private Providers put together for member agencies. "There was a stark difference in those," she said. "The legislators recommended the MCO \[Managed Care Organization\] cuts and that there was over a million additional dollars put into Medicaid. That isn't what was implemented, and there might be a good reason for that. I don't know that, but to me, that's confusing." That confusion tracks with what an independent comparison of the two budget documents shows: the enacted budget's Medicaid Benefits appropriation for FY 2026-27 is actually higher than what Beshear's own original executive budget proposed- by roughly $1.4 billion. Buried elsewhere in the budget is a contingency provision that would let the administration draw up to $290 million specifically to maintain Medicaid's "current service levels,"- but only if the administration formally requests it. Day Spring CEO Lauren Hays had come across a version of this same figure on her own. Nobody, she said, had explained to providers why that money wasn't simply flowing through. "It really doesn't matter who's right or wrong. Who cares who's right or wrong, whose budget was better?" Hays said, "The answer is just- how do we continue these services." ## The human cost, in plain terms ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-3.16.42---PM.png) For families, the Medicaid waiver program isn't abstract. It's the answer to a question every parent of a child with IDD eventually asks. "What happens when I'm no longer here to care for my aging son or daughter?" is how Hays frames it. Jenifer Frommeyer, whose 38-year-old son Derek has Down syndrome, lives the other side of that question. Derek still lives at home with her, not because there's no need for a residential slot, but because there isn't one: "We're healthy, so the only way we can get a slot is to have a doctor say we're not capable of caring for him," she explained. The waiver system prioritizes emergency and crisis placements over healthy families who'd simply prefer their adult child have an independent life while everyone is still around to enjoy the transition. Both providers pushed back on the idea that scaling back community-based services saves money by shifting the burden back to families. Frommeyer noted that many parents of people with IDD can only stay in the workforce because day programs and community living supports exist. "We will be taking people out of the workforce," she said. "We could be forcing people into other ways to make a living... or be dependent on governmental benefits that could be working and would rather work." ## Behind the scenes on my coverage of this story Last week, I asked The Cabinet for Safe and Healthy Families for comment on this story. Staff responded. When I referenced that response as coming from "the Governor's office," his press secretary reached out asking me to correct it- that statement, they said, came from the cabinet, not from him. Fair enough. So I asked directly: did the Governor's office have anything to add, or a different answer than the cabinet that ultimately reports directly to him? His press secretary deferred back to the same statement CHFS had already given me. Why the Governor's office wouldn't answer questions directly last week, but stood front and center as the face of the fix this week, I can't say. What I do know is what the people most affected by this told me: they're grateful the money was found. And they feel like political pawns. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Morgan Violi case; 30 years later and a confession on the record URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/morgan-violi-case-30-years-later-and-a-confession-on-the-record/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T13:17:35.000Z Robert Froberg has agreed to plead guilty to kidnapping and killing Morgan Violi-with both sides asking the court for a life sentence. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- A plea agreement is now on the record, and it answers the question that's hung over this case since 1996: Robert Scott Froberg is admitting he kidnapped and killed 7-year-old Morgan Violi and he's agreeing to spend the rest of his life in prison for it. The seven-page agreement, filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, lays out exactly what happened that day in Froberg's own admitted words. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-23-at-8.54.43---AM.png) Text from the court documents ## What he admitted to According to the agreement's factual basis, Froberg abducted Morgan from the Colony Apartments in Bowling Green on July 24, 1996\. He fled south on I-65, exiting at White House, Tennessee, and pulled over near a barn just off the highway. Morgan was screaming. Froberg put his hand over her mouth, then used a handkerchief, pulling on it until she died. He left her body near the barn and ran. He's pleading guilty to one count- kidnapping resulting in death, under federal law. It's a charge that carries a mandatory minimum of life in prison, and, notably, a maximum of death. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-1.17.56---PM-1.png) Robert Froberg This isn't a standard plea- it's what's called a Rule 11(c)(1)(C) agreement, meaning the sentence itself is locked in as part of the deal, not left to the judge's discretion within a range. Both the prosecution and Froberg's defense team are asking the court to impose a sentence of life. If the judge doesn't accept those terms, the whole agreement falls apart and Froberg could withdraw his guilty plea entirely. Froberg is giving up nearly all his rights to appeal the conviction or the sentence, except in narrow circumstances involving ineffective counsel or prosecutorial misconduct. He's also waiving his right to challenge the sentence later through post-conviction motions, and he's agreeing to limit any future request for compassionate release. Froberg signed the agreement on July 16th. His attorney, Patrick Bouldin, signed the same day. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Butler signed on July 22nd- the day of the hearing. There's one more step before this is final: the agreement is conditioned on approval from the U.S. Attorney General. Without that sign-off, the deal is void. For Morgan's family- her mother Stacey, and her sisters Nikki and Heather- this document represents something they weren't sure they'd ever see: a confession, in writing, with a name attached, nearly 30 years after Morgan was taken. ## A case that once seemed unsolvable For the better part of 30 years, no one knew who took Morgan. Witnesses saw a white man grab her from the Colony Apartments parking lot, throw her into a maroon Chevrolet van, and speed away. The van, stolen out of Dayton, Ohio, was recovered two days later at a truck stop south of Nashville. Three months after her abduction, Morgan's remains were found in the woods in White House, Tennessee. Then, in February, everything changed. According to the federal complaint, a hair recovered from the abandoned van decades earlier was retested using advances in forensic DNA technology. It returned an association with Froberg, who was already serving a lengthy sentence in an Alabama prison. Investigators worked backward from there. Froberg had escaped from jail in April 1996\. He was arrested in Pennsylvania, then escaped again. He made his way to Dayton, Ohio, stole a van near his parents' house, and drove south on I-65\. He exited in Bowling Green. He saw Morgan playing outside. He took her. According to the complaint, when investigators recently interviewed Froberg, he confessed- telling them he drove Morgan into Tennessee and strangled her. "Morgan Violi's family never gave up on her, and neither did the Bowling Green community or its law enforcement community," US Attorney Kyle Bumgarner said at the February press conference. "For years, this community has feared that Morgan's abductor lived silently among us and that one of our kids could be next. Investigators in the FBI and the Bowling Green Police Department have worked tirelessly to bring justice for Morgan. They applied new technology, reexamined old evidence, and never stopped searching for the truth." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-01-26-at-10.51.35---AM.png) Morgan and her two sisters I sat down with Morgan's mother, Stacey Pulliam, and her sisters, Nikki Britt and Heather Coleman, for [their first in-depth interview together as a family](https://www.shayinformed.com/thirty-years-without-answers-the-morgan-violi-case-still-haunts-bowling-green/) late last year. They asked for my help bringing awareness to their case. They didn't know an arrest was coming. They only knew that after 30 years of carrying their grief largely in silence, they were finally ready to talk. **They shared what happened that day, and the painful 30-year fight for answers since. Hear their full story now on *One More Question with Shay McAlister*. Paid subscribers can add the podcast to their library now.** *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### A year of searching, a year of waiting: Evelyn Blake's case reaches a grim milestone URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/a-year-of-searching-a-year-of-waiting-evelyn-blakes-case-reaches-a-grim-milestone/ Last updated: 2026-07-22T19:51:29.000Z The Breckinridge County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday that human remains found near Glen Dean on March 9, 2025, have been identified through DNA analysis as missing woman Evelyn Blake. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- After a year of searching and more than a year of uncertainty since then, there's now confirmation in the Evelyn Blake case. The Breckinridge County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday that human remains found near Glen Dean on March 9, 2025, have been identified through DNA analysis. Blake had been missing since July 2024, when authorities first put out the call for help locating her, an elderly woman last known to be in the McQuady area. That search stretched on for eight months before the remains that would ultimately be identified as hers were found in Glen Dean. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-22-at-3.50.03---PM.png) The office said it learned of the DNA match on July 21, but sat on the announcement for 24 hours at the family's request- giving them time to notify loved ones before it became public. The identification came together through a multi-agency effort: the Breckinridge County Coroner's Office, the Kentucky Office of the Medical Examiner, the Kentucky Forensic Laboratory, and the University of Tennessee's Anthropological Research Facility all worked the case. Sheriff William "Billy" Richardson offered condolences to Blake's family and thanked investigators and forensic partners for their persistence in "helping provide answers"- language that reflects just how long this case has dragged on without them. What's notably absent from the release: any mention of manner or cause of death. The sheriff's office says that piece is still under investigation, and the case remains active. That leaves the central question- what happened to Evelyn Blake- still open, even with a name now attached to the remains. Investigators are asking anyone with information to call (270) 756-2361 or use the anonymous tip line at (270) 580-TIPS. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### A family of 10, a wake boat "doing donuts," and a death on Herrington Lake- what we know URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/a-family-of-10-a-wake-boat-doing-donuts-and-a-death-on-herrington-lake-what-we-know/ Last updated: 2026-07-23T17:43:13.000Z Nazar Svintozelskiy died after being ejected from the boat. His father, Alex, remains unresponsive at UK Hospital following emergency brain surgery. The family's attorney describes a religious family more focused on getting answers than seeking revenge- for now. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Kentucky Fish and Wildlife game wardens are investigating a boating incident on Herrington Lake that killed one man and left his father hospitalized with a traumatic brain injury- a case the family's attorney says has been defined not by anger, but by patience. According to a press release from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, the incident happened on Saturday, July 4, when a wake boat collided with a pontoon boat operated by 58-year-old Alex Svintozelskiy of Nicholasville. I am choosing not to release the name of the driver of the wake boat because he has not been charged in the case. A passenger on the pontoon, 25-year-old Nazar Svintozelskiy, was ejected into the water. His body was recovered from Herrington Lake two days later, on Monday, July 6\. The investigation is being led by Kentucky Fish and Wildlife's Law Enforcement Division in collaboration with the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office. Anyone with information is asked to contact Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement through Kentucky State Police Post 7 at 859-623-2404. That's the official version. I wanted to know more about the family behind it, so I talked with attorney Justin Peterson, who's representing the Svintozelskiys. ## A family of 10 on the water ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-1.42.07---PM.png) Peterson laid out who was on the pontoon boat that day: Alex and his wife, Tonya; three of their adult children, Nazar, Enessa and Lina; Lina's husband, Andrew; and the couple's four grandchildren, ranging in age from two months to eight years old. Ten people in total. Two of the grandchildren were out on a tube at the time, away from the boat. "The family saw them coming, was waving and screaming for them not to stop or to avoid the collision, and then ultimately the wake boat made contact at full speed with the pontoon boat," Peterson said, citing eyewitness accounts of the wake boat traveling at a high rate of speed. Peterson pushed back on even calling it a collision. "When I think of a collision, I think of two vehicles moving together somehow," he said. "In this particular instance, the pontoon boat was just run over." He said the pontoon was sitting idle at the time. Nazar was hit by the wake boat, thrown into the water, and drowned, according to Peterson. His father, Alex, was life-flighted to the University of Kentucky Hospital and placed in a medically induced coma after suffering a severe brainstem injury. Two days before our conversation, doctors performed what Peterson called a "very complicated" brain surgery, and he says Alex's vitals have shown improvement since. Tonya, Alex's wife, suffered a shattered arm in the crash and has been staying by his bedside. "He has not yet woken up to the terrible reality that he is going to return to, but he is improving," Peterson said, crediting the medical team at UK along with the community's prayers. Peterson said the two grandchildren who were on the tube witnessed Nazar being hit and thrown into the water, and the family says the kids have been having nightmares since. ## What happened before the crash? Asked what's stood out most from witness accounts, Peterson didn't hedge. "We know there was drinking," he said, adding that witnesses describe the wake boat "doing donuts in a reckless manner" a significant distance from the idle pontoon before it drove full speed into it. Despite that, Peterson described a family that has approached the case differently than most he represents. "This family, they were not seeking vengeance, and understandably, in a lot of these situations, the families that come to me, they are seeking vengeance. I totally understand that," he said. "But this is a very religious family, and the first thing they want is answers. And once we get those answers, then they want accountability." He said the family has been cooperating fully with law enforcement and passing along any relevant information his team has gathered independently. Dozens of witnesses have come forward, he said, some of whom weren't initially comfortable calling police directly but were willing to talk to a private attorney. Peterson said his firm hasn't filed a civil suit and is intentionally holding off while the criminal investigation plays out, even though Kentucky's one-year statute of limitations clock- which starts once a personal representative is appointed for Nazar's estate- is already running. Part of the reasoning is practical: civil cases are often stayed once criminal charges or a criminal investigation are pending, because Fifth Amendment protections limit what can happen on the civil side in the meantime. There's also a difference in tools available. Criminal investigators can get warrants and issue subpoenas before any charges are filed; civil attorneys don't have subpoena power until a lawsuit is actually filed. "We are truly on the ground investigating, meeting with witnesses, talking with witnesses until midnight," Peterson said. "So what we can do is definitely different than what law enforcement does, but it doesn't mean we're not working night and day." As for when- or whether- criminal charges will come, Peterson said he couldn't comment directly on the pending law enforcement investigation, but noted it's not unusual for prosecutors to take their time before seeking an indictment in cases involving a death and serious injuries. "I totally understand the community's outcry for accountability, because we do need accountability here," he said. "But I will say this: let's let law enforcement do their job... It's not about what happens today. It's about having accountability." ### "At a minimum, we owe it to him" ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-1.42.43---PM-1.png) Nazar and Alex Peterson said Alex and Tonya have been married 33 years and have four children and eight grandchildren between them. Right now, the family's focus is squarely on Alex's recovery- but Peterson said they wanted one thing conveyed clearly. "They hope that when Alex wakes up, despite the physical and mental difficulties he's going to have... this man's going to learn that his son is dead, missed a funeral. His grandchildren are suffering," Peterson said. "At a minimum, we owe it to him to have accountability ready to go once he wakes up." No one in the family has spoken publicly yet. Peterson said that could change, but for now their attention is on Alex's recovery. ## A separate case, same agency ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/IMG_2238-1.jpg) While Kentucky Fish and Wildlife works this investigation, the agency is also continuing to investigate the death of Marly Kinney, the 19-year-old Ashland woman whose body was recovered from Grayson Lake on June 28 after she went missing from a rented pontoon boat at Grayson Lake Marina. That case remains open and is unrelated to the Herrington Lake crash beyond both falling under the department's Law Enforcement Division. [A community searched for five days. Marly Kinney has been found.The five-day search for a 19-year-old Ashland woman missing from Grayson Lake has ended in tragedy. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-bf45c118-ca5e-45da-a467-82130174a952.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_2238-1-8ee6a9a3-2392-4913-a3d7-7c374f7f056c.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/a-community-searched-for-five-days-marly-kinney-has-been-found/) *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Robert Froberg expected to plead guilty this week in Morgan Violi's murder URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/robert-froberg-expected-to-plead-guilty-this-week-in-morgan-violis-murder/ Last updated: 2026-07-21T17:44:04.000Z *Nearly 30 years after her kidnapping, a change of plea hearing is set for Wednesday- the case now one step closer to seeing justice.* --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Robert Scott Froberg is expected to plead guilty this week to the kidnapping and murder of seven-year-old Morgan Jade Violi, according to federal court records. Judge Greg N. Stivers has converted a previously scheduled hearing into a change of plea hearing, set for Wednesday, July 22, at 2:30 p.m. in Bowling Green. The order, entered Monday, came just days after attorneys on both sides held a telephonic hearing on July 16. A hearing originally just listed as a "further proceeding"- was converted to a change of plea hearing this week. In federal court, that specific language matters. A change of plea hearing means the defendant intends to withdraw a prior plea and enter a new one- in this case, moving from not guilty to guilty. Courts don't schedule these hearings unless a plea agreement is already in place or expected to be finalized in court. If Froberg does plead guilty this week, it would close the loop on a case that has haunted Bowling Green and much of Kentucky for nearly three decades- and it would come almost exactly 30 years after Morgan was taken from the parking lot of her apartment complex on July 24, 1996. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-1.17.56---PM.png) Robert Froberg ## A case that once seemed unsolvable For the better part of 30 years, no one knew who took Morgan. Witnesses saw a white man grab her from the Colony Apartments parking lot, throw her into a maroon Chevrolet van, and speed away. The van, stolen out of Dayton, Ohio, was recovered two days later at a truck stop south of Nashville. Three months after her abduction, Morgan's remains were found in the woods in White House, Tennessee. Then, in February, everything changed. According to the federal complaint, a hair recovered from the abandoned van decades earlier was retested using advances in forensic DNA technology. It returned an association with Froberg, who was already serving a lengthy sentence in an Alabama prison. Investigators worked backward from there. Froberg had escaped from jail in April 1996\. He was arrested in Pennsylvania, then escaped again. He made his way to Dayton, Ohio, stole a van near his parents' house, and drove south on I-65\. He exited in Bowling Green. He saw Morgan playing outside. He took her. According to the complaint, when investigators recently interviewed Froberg, he confessed- telling them he drove Morgan into Tennessee and strangled her. "Morgan Violi's family never gave up on her, and neither did the Bowling Green community or its law enforcement community," US Attorney Kyle Bumgarner said at the February press conference. "For years, this community has feared that Morgan's abductor lived silently among us and that one of our kids could be next. Investigators in the FBI and the Bowling Green Police Department have worked tirelessly to bring justice for Morgan. They applied new technology, reexamined old evidence, and never stopped searching for the truth." Froberg was charged in February. He pleaded not guilty in April. If Wednesday's hearing goes as the court record suggests, that plea is about to change. ## The family who waited ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-1.22.33---PM.png) What makes this moment especially significant is the timing. Just weeks before Froberg was charged, I sat down with Morgan's mother, Stacey Pulliam, and her sisters, Nikki Britt and Heather Coleman, for [their first in-depth interview together as a family](https://www.shayinformed.com/thirty-years-without-answers-the-morgan-violi-case-still-haunts-bowling-green/). They didn't know an arrest was coming. They only knew that after 30 years of carrying their grief largely in silence, they were finally ready to talk. Nikki was 10 years old the day Morgan was taken. She remembers riding her bike past the van minutes before the abduction- remembers the man waving, and her and her friend waving back, "because we're polite little kids", she told me. She remembers details of the van's interior that would later help investigators: a couch-like bench along the walls, a table in the middle, upholstery like her grandparents' furniture. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-1.24.19---PM.png) Heather, then 11, heard Morgan scream. She looked up in time to see the van door closing- and the man smiling as he drove away. "I look out and there was a man- the door was closing, like closed, and he's just sitting there smiling, you know," Heather told me. "And then he just backs up like he's supposed to and takes off." For three months, the family didn't know if Morgan was alive. Stacey remembers being at work when a detective came to tell her they'd found remains. She remembers the FBI agent's careful, halting delivery of the news. She remembers, weeks later, buying her daughter's casket for what would have been Morgan's eighth birthday. "This person just didn't take Morgan's life," Stacey told me. "The damage this person has done to our lives is unmatched." For nearly 30 years, the family lived with theories but no answers. Nikki believed the abduction wasn't random- that someone had been watching, waiting. "He had been there from the time we were outside," Heather said during our interview. "He was waiting." According to the federal complaint, they were right. Investigators say Froberg had been in Bowling Green, driving through, when he spotted Morgan playing at her apartment complex and decided to take her. Near the end of our conversation, Nikki- who had spent years collecting her own information about the case and now sits on the board of a cold-case advocacy group- told me she hadn't given up hope. "It will happen," she said. "It will." Weeks later, Froberg was arrested. And now, if this week's hearing proceeds as expected, he may formally admit to killing Morgan. ## What comes next A guilty plea would not immediately resolve the question of Froberg's sentence. Kidnapping resulting in death carries only two possible outcomes under federal law: life in prison or the death penalty. A federal judge determines the sentence after considering statutory factors and sentencing guidelines- a process that, even after a guilty plea, can take additional time. The court has already scheduled a telephonic proceeding for September 16, suggesting the case is far from fully closed even if Froberg does change his plea this week. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-1.25.31---PM.png) **Late last year, I sat down with Morgan Violi's family- together, on the record, for the first time ever. They shared what happened that day, and the painful 30-year fight for answers since. Hear their full story now on *One More Question with Shay McAlister*. Paid subscribers can add the podcast to their library now.** *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Records show Henry County EMS knew its defibrillators were failing. A man died. Now the state's highest court is deciding if anyone has to answer for it. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/henry-county-ems-defibrillator-luke-hinkel-kentucky-supreme-court/ Last updated: 2026-07-23T13:06:36.000Z Luke Hinkel died when a Henry County defibrillator failed. Seven years of litigation later, the Kentucky Supreme Court may decide no one has to answer for it. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly podcast.* *Want to hear it in their own words? This week's episode of One More Question with Shay McAlister goes inside the case. Access is at the bottom of this page!* --- When you call 911, you place your life in a system: the crew that shows up, the equipment on the truck, the training behind it, the county budget that pays for all of it. In September 2017, that system failed Luke Hinkel. Nearly nine years later, the Kentucky Supreme Court is weighing a question that sounds like it's about a paper map and a broken defibrillator- but is really about something bigger: when the people we trust to save us don't follow the rules written to save us, who, if anyone, has to answer? The county can't be sued. The crew may be immune- that's what their attorneys argued before the state's highest court last month. And documents show something the courtroom fight over immunity has largely obscured: Henry County knew its cardiac monitors were failing before Luke Hinkel's family ever dialed 911\. It had been pricing replacements for weeks. The paperwork to buy new ones was signed about a week after he died. "We just want the truth, the transparency and the accountability," Kimberly Hinkel, Luke's ex-wife, told me. "And make sure that we can pass policy, so this doesn't have to happen to anyone else." ## The night Luke died ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-11.23.48---AM.png) Kim, Zachary and Luke The call came in at 2:13 a.m. on September 14, 2017\. Charles "Luke" Hinkel was on his living room floor in Eminence, KY, with sudden, ten-out-of-ten chest pain, numbness down his left arm, and dizziness. His ex-wife Kim and his son Zachary were with him. "When I walked in the house, there he was on the living room floor," Kim recalled. "No doubt he was having a heart attack- every symptom that you expect. The cold sweat, I mean, he was soaked, he had chest pain, had the tingling going down his left arm." According to the run report, the ambulance arrived on scene 16 minutes after the 911 call. The crew's own narrative describes what happened next: Hinkel walked to the ambulance because of "limited access to the home." He was in the back of the ambulance when he went into cardiac arrest. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-11.11.55---AM.png) Then the defibrillator failed. The crew's report states it plainly: "monitor failure." The report notes "CPR was provided as best as possible with limited manpower and monitor failure." Hinkel's initial rhythm was ventricular fibrillation- a rhythm defibrillators exist to correct. By the time he reached the hospital, his rhythm was asystole, also known as 'flatline'. The report's timeline shows the cardiac arrest happened at roughly 2:45 a.m.; the ambulance didn't reach Baptist Health La Grange until 3:16 a.m.- more than an hour after the 911 call, on what is normally about a fifteen-minute drive. En route, the crew diverted to obtain a working defibrillator mid-emergency. He was pronounced dead at Baptist Health La Grange. His son Zachary, who had just turned 18, signed the paperwork. Kim and Zachary didn't learn the full picture that night. "We had no idea that he coded in the back of the ambulance," she said. They didn't know the defibrillator on board wasn't working. They didn't know the ambulance and paramedics got lost on the way to them, and diverted routes on the way to the hospital to find a working defibrillator. "Everything came out through discovery", she told me. The defense has since argued in court that even a working defibrillator may not have saved Hinkel given the underlying cardiac event, and that a rural hospital awaited him. Defense attorney Ed Monarch- who is representing the insurance company that represents the paramedic and EMT, told the Supreme Court justices: "We have sort of presumed that Mr. Hinkle may possibly have been saved if the defibrillator had worked. Honestly, you could carry that argument on all the way to the rural hospital where he was taken that didn't have a cardiac cath lab- so how is he going to be saved in this instance at all?" ## The county was already shopping for new monitors ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/08_QuadMed_quote_July25_2017_LP12-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/07_QuadMed_quote_July28_2017_LP15.png) Quotes for new defibrillator requested by Henry County EMS Seven weeks before Luke Hinkel's death, Henry County EMS was already collecting price quotes to replace its aging LifePak 12 cardiac monitors, also known as defibrillators. Two quotes from a Florida equipment vendor, dated in July, priced refurbished and re-certified replacement monitors. A third quote was generated August 1, 2017- six weeks before Hinkel died. Why was Henry County EMS looking for new equipment? A later state investigation answers that. The Kentucky Board of EMS found the defibrillators currently in use were old, had failed repeatedly, and had been serviced "multiple times with the result of the monitor being worn out and in need of replacement." The EMS director at the time told the state investigator the holdup was, in her words as summarized by the investigator, "a financial issue with the Henry County Fiscal Court". She said it took time before the fiscal court would agree to pay for new monitors, according to the investigator's summary of their conversation. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### "That's just an incentive to run": A family's fight for accountability after hit-and-run death URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/thats-just-an-incentive-to-run-a-fathers-fight-for-accountability-after-his-sons-hit-and-run-death/ Last updated: 2026-07-21T15:34:56.000Z The accused hit-and-run driver- Aldwin Jackson- faces two Class D felonies, and up to ten years if convicted and fully penalized on both. The victim's father says that's not enough. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Last week, Jason Troutman got the call he'd been waiting for: police had finally arrested the man they believe hit and killed his 27-year-old son, Adam, then drove away and left him in a ditch. But relief didn't come with it. Instead, Jason Troutman is left with a list of questions- about a three-month delay, a bond he calls too low, and charges he doesn't believe go far enough- that he says no one has adequately answered. Police arrested Aldwin Jackson on Friday and charged him with leaving the scene of an accident/failure to render aid resulting in death or serious physical injury, and tampering with physical evidence- both Class D felonies carrying a sentence range of one to five years each. Jackson was initially held on a $250,000 bond, which was lowered in court to $50,000\. He bonded out with 10-percent of that ($5,000) within 24 hours of his arrest. "He literally only had to pay $5,000 to get out of jail for killing somebody, and that's a joke," Jason Troutman said. ## What happened the night Adam died According to the police complaint, Adam Troutman was walking along Vaughn Mill Road near Briscoe Lane in Highview on the night of April 16th when a vehicle hit him and knocked him into a roadside ditch. The driver did not stop. A passing motorist spotted Adam in the ditch and called police and EMS. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Jason Troutman said his son was starting a new job the next morning and never showed up. His family spent hours trying to reach him before a deputy coroner answered his phone. Adam's mother was on the other end and asked the coroner to call Jason. When Jason picked up, the coroner asked whether Adam had ever had his appendix removed- a detail that told Jason, before anyone said it outright, that his son was dead. "I was like, oh my god, my son's dead," Jason remembered. ## How investigators found the car ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/evidnece.jpg) Police say broken vehicle debris left at the scene- including a headlight assembly- allowed them to narrow the vehicle down to a 2016 or 2017 Chevy Equinox. That detail went out to the public within days. Jason said a tip then came into the family and they quickly called the detective on the case. "Adam's funeral was on April 23rd, which was one week after he died, and that's the day the Detective called me at the funeral home and told me that they had the guy's car impounded and they had his phone," Jason told me. "The detective said he was 99% sure it's him." The police memo states that surveillance camera footage showed Jackson's vehicle without damage the day before the crash, and with a broken headlight and cracked windshield the day after. Investigators say Jackson requested a new windshield through his insurance the same night of the crash, and that he and another person later repaired the headlight- both before police recovered the vehicle and in an effort to "hide" the evidence. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-20-at-3.36.21---PM.png) Aldwin Jackson ## Why vehicular homicide and hit-and-run charges don't apply Many people who saw news of the arrest assumed Jackson would face vehicular homicide or a charge more closely resembling "hit-and-run" as it's commonly understood. Neither applies here, and the reason comes down to how Kentucky's law is written. Kentucky doesn't have a standalone "hit-and-run" statute in the way some states do. What Jackson is charged with- leaving the scene of an accident and failing to render aid resulting in death or serious physical injury- is the state's version of that charge, and it's a Class D felony. Vehicular homicide is different, and far narrower. Under Kentucky law, it generally applies when a death results from someone driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Without evidence of impairment, prosecutors don't have the legal basis to bring that charge- and because Jackson fled the scene rather than staying, no blood alcohol or sobriety test was ever administered. Jason said that gap has weighed on him since he learned about it. "The Kentucky vehicular homicide law can only be applied if you can prove someone was intoxicated," he said. "Well, my gosh, you can never prove it if they flee. Isn't that just an incentive to run? You're basically incentivizing people to leave the scene." Jason told me Detectives said that if the same set of facts had played out in Tennessee or Indiana, Jackson would likely be facing far more serious time. In Kentucky, absent proof of intoxication, prosecutors say the two Class D felonies are what the evidence supports. "It's it's not sitting real well with me," Jason said, "under the best scenario, if he gets convicted with both and gets consecutive sentencing, not concurrent, he could get a 10-year sentence, but he could get a two-year sentence, but he could get a one-year sentence. Yeah, it's not sitting well at all." Jason is right. Under Kentucky sentencing, Class D felonies carry one to five years each. If Jackson is convicted on both charges and a judge orders the sentences to run consecutively, he could face up to 10 years. But if the sentences run concurrently-which is common- he could serve as little as one year. He will get credit for the time he is serving now, on home incarceration. Jason indicated he believes investigators are still working to find additional evidence that could lead to more charges. I asked LMPD to confirm this, and the agency would not answer that question, or any others I sent. Instead, the spokesperson responded with the following statement: > "The investigation is still active and ongoing, and as this matter is before the court, anything additional will need to come from the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office or the Commonwealth." -LMPD Spokesperson Jason said he is still trying to figure out why it took the agency three months to arrest and charge the man the family had identified within a week of Adam's death. He's also raised questions about the bond, which was reduced from $250,000 to $50,000\. "Is it normal that the bond gets dropped from $250,000 to $50,000 and and you can walk away for $5,000 for killing somebody?" he said. Now he's taking his complaints and questions to local and state officials, asking them to make sure the case is handled properly. He said he also intends to push lawmakers to change how Kentucky's vehicular homicide statute is written. "That's going to be my life mission," he said. "I mean, those are the type of people we do not need out on the street with the rest of us." One outcome from the case: Metro Council has approved $182,000 in budget funding for the Vaughn Mill Sidewalk Project, near where Adam was killed. Jason said he hopes the case also draws attention to a broader lack of sidewalks along Outer Loop, where children walk to nearby schools along the road's white line because there is nowhere else to walk. ## Who Adam Troutman was ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Adam-uncle.jpg) Jason described his son as outgoing, easygoing, and devoted to the people and animals around him. Adam had two cats he adored, loved hiking and being outside, and was especially close to his nieces, who called him "Uncle Funkle." He wanted, more than anything, an ordinary life. His dad described it like this: "he always wanted to have kids and get married. I mean, he wanted a simple life." Aldwin Jackson's preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 27 at 9 a.m. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### "Prove it to us": Inside the fight over a 4% cut that could reshape life for Kentuckians with disabilities URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/prove-it-to-us-inside-the-fight-over-a-4-cut-that-could-reshape-life-for-kentuckians-with-disabilities/ Last updated: 2026-07-21T16:38:24.000Z Louisville nonprofits serving Kentuckians with intellectual and developmental disabilities say they can't get a straight answer on who's really behind the cut- or why it's their funding on the chopping block. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- At Day Spring, a 12-acre campus of group homes and supported apartments in Louisville, Tim Baird has lived in the men's house for 15 years. Before that, he lived with his parents for nearly 50\. He scraps metal for extra cash, gets driven to buy lottery tickets by staff he considers friends, and just celebrated a birthday with ostrich meat on his pizza. When I asked if he'd ever live anywhere else, he didn't hesitate. "Nope," he said. "This place is it." That certainty- a home, a routine, a community- is exactly what's on the line in a budget fight that neither the people living it nor the people funding it can fully explain. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/IMG_7293.JPG) Day Spring resident Tim Baird, by his 'scrap' area ## The cut Starting Aug. 1, Kentucky is reducing Medicaid reimbursement rates by 4% for dozens of provider types, including the 1915(c) waiver programs that fund residential and community-based services for Kentuckians with intellectual and developmental disabilities. For nonprofits like Day Spring and Dreams with Wings, that money isn't a line item among many- it's close to the *only* funding stream they have. "We are the only program of all the programs that are being cut that only have a funding stream of Medicaid," said Jenifer Frommeyer, founder and executive director of Dreams with Wings, which provides residential support, day programs, and supported employment to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the Louisville area. "Everybody else has multiple other funding streams they can draw from... 4% is 4%. We have nowhere else to draw from." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/IMG_7321.JPG) Day Spring CEO Lauren Hays with Kim, a resident in the women's home For Day Spring, a 4% cut works out to roughly $130,000- a six-figure loss for an organization that already has to fundraise about $450,000 a year just to break even. CEO Lauren Hays said the money funds frontline staff who earn between $14 and $19 an hour doing what she calls "superhero-level work"- medication management, transportation, help with daily living, all of it around the clock. "Nobody's getting rich off it," Hays told me as we walked the Day Spring campus, past residents playing Uno, walking with their families, and coming home from day programs. "The reimbursement rate- we cut it close." ## A normal summer, with extra help ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/IMG_7348.JPG) Dreams with Wings summer camp I met Jenifer Frommeyer at Dreams with Wings' summer camp, in the middle of what she called "organized chaos." Staff and volunteers were running a summer carnival- face painting, a game of Connect Four, a magic show, and a lot of music. On paper, it looks like any other summer camp. Kids also head out into the community- to the movies, to splash parks and public pools, to putt-putt- ordinary summer stuff that, for a lot of these campers, isn't something they can just show up to on their own. That access doesn't happen by accident. Dreams with Wings hires a seasonal staff- counselors, camp coordinators, one-on-one aides- specifically to make it possible, at ratios as tight as one counselor for every two or three kids for campers who need more support. It's the kind of experience neurotypical teenagers take for granted and one that, without dedicated staffing, would simply be out of reach for a lot of these kids. Medicaid reimbursement is what pays for that staff. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/IMG_7343-1.JPG) Dream With Wings summer camp ## Where the money actually goes It's worth understanding what that reimbursement rate pays for, because both women say the public conversation skips over it. Residential support reimburses at roughly $150 a day per person, and that money covers support workers' wages. It is not, providers stress, a payment that pads administrative budgets. It is the wage of the person who is physically present at 2 a.m. if someone needs help. At Dreams with Wings, that math is complicated further by something few outside the field know exists: the provider tax. Every month, Frommeyer's organization is billed roughly $14,000- a state tax on the Medicaid services it provides, which Kentucky then uses to draw down federal matching dollars at a roughly 70-30 federal-to-state split. "So by cutting programs, they're going to lessen the funding they have to draw down federal dollars," Frommeyer said. In other words, a cut to what providers bill doesn't just shrink the state's obligation- it can shrink the federal match that flows in behind it, a dynamic that complicates any simple "this saves the state money" argument. ## The confusion at the center of it Ask either woman who's responsible for the cut, and you get the same answer: nobody will say, clearly, on paper, why this specific line item was the one that got trimmed. "There's been little to no communication on why," Hays said. When early advocacy around the near-closure of the Lee Specialty Clinic got that funding restored last month, providers assumed a similar reversal was possible for the waiver cut. Instead, silence. "There has been little to zero communication since the advocacy campaign at the Capitol for the Lee Specialty Clinic," Hays said. "That was the last formal time that I have heard any communication about trying to save services." [“He was sent home to die”: A federal law, a state budget, and the fight to save Kentucky’s only specialty clinic for people with disabilitiesA chain of decisions- from Washington to Frankfort- has left more than 1,300 Kentuckians with intellectual and developmental disabilities facing the loss of the only specialty clinic in the state equipped to care for them. Now the governor says he has a temporary fix. “I’m Shay McAlister, and![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-865deb8f-3db5-4819-b9e1-571354664115.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-06-25-at-1.35.00---PM-f91f7b1a-1709-4768-89a6-b095c8af0aac.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/he-was-sent-home-to-die-a-federal-law-a-state-budget-and-the-fight-to-save-kentuckys-only-specialty-clinic-for-people-with-disabilities/) The dueling narratives go like this: Gov. Andy Beshear's administration says his original proposed budget fully funded Medicaid, and that changes made later- during the General Assembly's budget process- left a shortfall that forced the administration's hand on rates. Republican legislative leaders say that's not accurate, and that the GA gave the administration flexibility to protect priority services when making reductions elsewhere. Frommeyer has seen both sides of the paperwork- a comparison, she said, that a policy staffer at the Kentucky Association of Private Providers put together for member agencies. "There was a stark difference in those," she said. "The legislators recommended the MCO \[Managed Care Organization\] cuts and that there was over a million additional dollars put into Medicaid. That isn't what was implemented, and there might be a good reason for that. I don't know that, but to me, that's confusing." That confusion tracks with what an independent comparison of the two budget documents shows: the enacted budget's Medicaid Benefits appropriation for FY 2026-27 is actually higher than what Beshear's own original executive budget proposed- by roughly $1.4 billion. Buried elsewhere in the budget is a contingency provision that would let the administration draw up to $290 million specifically to maintain Medicaid's "current service levels,"- but only if the administration formally requests it. Hays had come across a version of this same figure on her own. Nobody, she said, had explained to providers why that money wasn't simply flowing through. Frommeyer, for her part, isn't interested in litigating who's technically right. "Part of me thinks... we're being used as political pawns." Hays put it more bluntly still: "It really doesn't matter who's right or wrong. Who cares who's right or wrong, whose budget was better? The answer is just- how do we continue these services." ## Andy Beshear's administration responds: Asked directly why the administration believes the cut was necessary, a spokesperson for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services pointed to the gap between what he proposed in January and what the General Assembly ultimately passed: "Team Kentucky believes health care is a basic human right, which is why in January Gov. Beshear put forward a balanced budget that fully funded Medicaid; funded the needs of the Department for Community Based Services; maintained both the full funding and full services for critical providers across Kentucky; expanded the number of Michelle P. Waiver slots for families of children with autism; and provided the dollars needed for senior meals." The administration's account is more specific than the general "he said, they said" framing providers have been getting: it says the General Assembly's budget tied more Medicaid dollars to specific legislative mandates passed between 2020 and 2025- adding up to $6 billion in new costs, by the administration's count- without allocating additional dollars to cover $690 million in state General Fund money the administration says is needed just to continue current services and absorb rising health care costs, inflation, and higher projected service use. The result, per the Governor's office, is a Medicaid budget short by $1 billion. On the contingency fund- the mechanism both Hays and this reporting had identified as a potential source of the missing money- the Governor's office offered a detail that complicates the picture further: "The contingency funds referenced in the legislature's budget total roughly $290 million, but the General Assembly must approve the use of these funds before Medicaid can access them." The administration's bottom line: "Medicaid is left with few options to address the significant shortfall and is forced to implement rate reductions, eliminate optional services, and/or reduce program enrollment... we recognize the pain these required cuts are causing families, which is why Governor Beshear and his administration repeatedly warned the General Assembly about the harm this avoidable shortfall would cause and is encouraging Kentuckians to contact their legislators," who return to session in January. *I also reached out to media contacts for GOP leadership in both the Kentucky House and Senate for comment on the Medicaid Benefits appropriation, the contingency fund, and the administration's claim that $6 billion in unfunded legislative mandates contributed to the shortfall. A spokesperson for Senate leadership said they were not commenting on this story. A spokesperson for House leadership acknowledged the request but had not provided answers as of publication. This story will be updated if that changes.* ## Why the waiver exists at all ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/IMG_7279.JPG) Day Spring Men's Home To understand what's at stake, it helps to understand why community-based waivers exist in the first place- and both women trace it back to the same thing: getting people out of institutions. Day Spring was founded by the Ford family. Their daughter has an intellectual disability, and as they aged, they wanted a different future for her. "We don't want our daughter living in an institution," Hays said, describing the founding philosophy. "That was the whole philosophy behind agencies" like Day Spring. The property gives adults with intellectual disabilities the freedom to live a meaningful and fulfilling life, as independently as possible. Mary Ford still lives at Day Spring today. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/IMG_7332.JPG) Mary Ford, the Day Spring's founders' daughter Frommeyer's own history in the field starts at the same inflection point. She founded Dreams with Wings in 2000, just as Kentucky was closing institutions like Panorama in Bowling Green, moving residents into community homes instead. The legal mechanism that made it possible is literally named for what it does: "They're called waivers because money was waved away from facilities to the community, so people could be served at a lower cost if they were able to be served that way," Frommeyer explained. That "lower cost" framing matters, because it's central to the providers' argument that cutting waiver rates isn't saving the state money. Kentucky still operates some institutions like Hazelwood and Cedar Lake Lodge for people who need more acute medical care than community providers offer- and those facilities are reimbursed at a flat per-person rate regardless of what services a resident actually uses, a more expensive model than the fee-for-service billing community providers use. "If the handwriting that people are projecting- that it's a 4% cut this year, 7% next year- is accurate," Frommeyer said, "there's going to be an explosion of problems that you're probably not ready to deal with." She says a squeezed system pushes people toward crisis-driven placements: hospitals, nursing homes, institutions or the streets. [How Kentucky’s Medicaid crisis actually happened- and what it means for your family“I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. This story is a ‘Shay Original’, which is available to paid subscribers only. You can become a member for $4.99/month and gain access to all of![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-4484ddd3-d72f-4923-9cb7-9e3cc5fe1190.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1746895396781-fa22a20f4f63-9297049e-4b76-48da-9d9f-850a7f6291e7)](https://www.shayinformed.com/how-kentuckys-medicaid-crisis-actually-happened-and-what-it-means-for-your-family/) ## The human cost, in plain terms For families, the waiver isn't abstract. It's the answer to a question every parent of a child with IDD eventually asks. "What happens when I'm no longer here to care for my aging son or daughter?" is how Hays frames it. Jenifer Frommeyer, whose 38-year-old son Derek has Down syndrome, lives the other side of that question. Derek still lives at home with her, not because there's no need for a residential slot, but because there isn't one: "We're healthy, so the only way we can get a slot is to have a doctor say we're not capable of caring for him," she explained. The waiver system prioritizes emergency and crisis placements over healthy families who'd simply prefer their adult child have an independent life while everyone is still around to enjoy the transition. Both providers pushed back on the idea that scaling back community-based services saves money by shifting the burden back to families. Frommeyer noted that many parents of people with IDD can only stay in the workforce because day programs and community living supports exist. "We will be taking people out of the workforce," she said. "We could be forcing people into other ways to make a living... or be dependent on governmental benefits that could be working and would rather work." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/IMG_7364.JPG) Jenifer at Dreams With Wings summer camp For Tim Baird, none of the budget mechanics matter as much as the plain fact of what could be lost. Told the state was considering taking away funding that supports places like Day Spring, his reaction was immediate. "Oh, good grief," he said. "They shouldn't." ## What happens Friday Residential agencies, guardians, and self-advocates are gathering July 17 at the Capitol Annex for a Kentucky Disability Waiver Town Hall, followed by a rally on the Capitol steps- a strategy providers say worked once already, when advocacy pressure helped reverse the threatened closure of the Lee Specialty Clinic. "It's an opportunity for us to make noise," Hays said, "very similar to how we went to the Capitol to shine a light on the potential closure of the Lee Specialty Clinic... We hope that our governor sees that we need him to be a hero, and we need him to recognize that there's another way." Whether Friday changes anything remains to be seen. What's clear from providers on the ground is that the fight over whose budget is at fault has, so far, produced more confusion than answers- and Aug. 1 is coming regardless. --- ## EXPLAINER: What is a "waiver"? **"1915(c)":** is the section of federal Medicaid law that lets states offer home- and community-based services instead of requiring people to live in an institution to get Medicaid-funded long-term care. Kentucky runs several of these waivers; but two matter most for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. **Supports for Community Living (SCL) waiver:** Funds residential services like group homes, staffed residences, supported apartments. This is the waiver Day Springs residents are on. It pays for round-the-clock or as-needed staff support in someone's actual home, at a reimbursement rate of roughly $150 a day per person, covering everything from medication management to transportation to daily living help. **Michelle P. Waiver:** Funds everything *outside* of full residential care: day programs, supported employment, respite care, one-on-one community support. It's named for a Kentucky woman whose family sued the state over how long the SCL waiver's waitlist had grown, which led to this second, more flexible waiver being created as an alternative path to services. People on the Michelle P. waiver typically live at home or in an apartment with family support, and draw down a set number of hours a month- Frommeyer says up to 40- to use however fits their needs: a ride to a doctor's appointment, a day program, an aide for a few hours. --- *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Paid members can listen to my recent podcast on Kentucky's Medicaid crisis. Follow the steps below!* --- ### Berea bank shooting suspect indicted on murder charges, AG will seek death penalty URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/berea-bank-shooting-suspect-indicted-on-murder-charges-ag-will-seek-death-penalty/ Last updated: 2026-07-15T23:50:22.000Z Brailen Weaver now faces capital murder charges in state court, months after the deadly shooting left two U.S. Bank employees dead. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Nearly three months after two U.S. Bank employees were shot and killed in Berea, a Madison County Grand Jury has handed down an indictment against the man accused of pulling the trigger. Attorney General Russell Coleman announced Wednesday that 19-year-old Brailen Weaver has been indicted on two counts of Murder as a Capital Offense, along with one count of Fleeing and Evading, a Class C felony. Coleman says his office will pursue the death penalty, citing what the indictment calls the "heinous nature" of the crime and the loss of life. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/brailen-weaver.jpeg) Brailen Weaver The victims were Breanna Edwards, 35, a teller who had been married for almost a year, and Brian Switzer, 42, a bank manager, husband, and father of three. Both were killed on April 30, when Weaver allegedly opened fire inside the bank before fleeing the scene. He was taken into custody later that night after a car chase, with a firearm recovered from the vehicle he was driving. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-15-at-7.47.01---PM.png) According to a [GoFundMe](https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-rachel-and-her-children-after-tragedy?utm%5Fid=97758%5Fv0%5Fs00%5Fe0%5Ftv1%5Fa1demo0e7zhyqi&fbclid=IwY2xjawRltV9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFVMFNnUmFaWXdyMzdIcDQzc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhL0xNTjnp4NnMtQh0smOo3gSdbU6n3A07NpyYsBQw1AiaTY68kxLjyq%5Fcg7%5Faem%5FkMusQlk3fMUou1g6DHNxcw&ref=shayinformed.com) created to benefit Switzer's family, he leaves behind a wife and their three children. The fundraiser goes on to say, "Brian worked as the sole provider for his family, and Rachel stayed at home to care for their children. Rachel will have to navigate the grief of her three children as well as her own for the foreseeable future." On [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story%5Ffbid=pfbid0va2QuAFed4VGYuwsbwVUWFamcWz7V7eneQid9YAE4FRQEb4oD6fu87NmRjTX9CYkl&id=61577582286136), Edwards husband Sam wrote this, "Breanna loved having her camera in her hand. She radiated light and joy, and was thrilled at every opportunity she had to use her art to help people see the beauty she saw in them. My wife was delightfully obsessive with her dedication to her clients, almost always walking through the front door after a shift and immediately working on finding “sneak peaks” to provide immediately, and then staying up far too late to edit the rest. I am so proud of her, and I hope that everyone that was on the opposite end of her camera can see the love she put into every picture." ## What comes next Weaver has been facing federal charges since shortly after the shooting, and this state indictment now runs alongside that case. The Attorney General's Office has been clear that the two tracks are separate, even as state and federal prosecutors coordinate their work. The Kentucky State Police led the investigation. Because of Kentucky Supreme Court rules limiting what can be said publicly ahead of trial, the AG's office says there's a limit to how much more detail it can share right now. [Accused shooter’s social media helped crack the case- what we know about the fatal KY bank robberyAfter a night that stretched law enforcement across Central Kentucky, Brailen Weaver is behind bars- and expected to face a federal judge Monday. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-21e256b2-3701-48bf-9e7b-7f61ee166bd2.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/berea-robbery-suspect-09376014-fe14-4eba-ab4c-98a116a9eeae.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/accused-shooters-social-media-helped-crack-the-case-what-we-know-about-the-fatal-ky-bank-robbery/) *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Kentucky's new railroad vegetation law takes effect today. One family went to check if it mattered. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentuckys-new-railroad-vegetation-law-takes-effect-today-one-family-went-to-check-if-it-mattered/ Last updated: 2026-07-17T18:53:04.000Z Three years after her son Hunter's death, Tanya Serna returned to the Kraft Road crossing- and found the same overgrowth that made it a "blind spot" in 2020. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Today, for the first time in Kentucky's history, it is against the law for a railroad company to let vegetation grow unchecked at a public crossing. Tanya Serna has waited six years for this day. So this morning, she and her husband Robert drove out to the Kraft Road crossing in Rineyville- the place where their 19-year-old son Hunter was killed in a 2020 collision- to see it for herself. What she found, she described as the same overgrown grass that she said obscured the view the night Hunter died. "I was hoping that I would find something different, but I knew that I wouldn't," Tanya said. "I knew that the trees were going to be overgrown." Serna told me the grass was almost as tall as Hunter's memorial crosses. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-15-at-2.34.08---PM-1.png) Credit: Tanya Sterns, July 2026 ## Three years, three Bills, one Law [House Bill 311 requires railroad companies](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb311/bill.pdf?ref=shayinformed.com) to clear obstructive vegetation within 250 feet of a public crossing in each direction. If a railroad fails to comply, the Transportation Cabinet or local government can send written notice requiring the vegetation be removed within 30 days. If the railroad still doesn't act, the state or local government can clear it themselves and bill the company for the cost. Kentucky is now the 35th state in the country with a statutory vegetation-clearance requirement for railroad crossings. Getting here took three straight years of advocacy from Tanya- she first asked lawmakers for help in 2024\. The bill was proposed that year, the next, and again this year. She told me she retired from her job as a school secretary this year so she could spend more time in Frankfort, talking to lawmakers herself. [She lost her son at a rural railroad crossing; now she’s taking on the industry34 states require railroads to clear vegetation, but Kentucky isn’t one of them. Now, Tanya Serna wants to change that. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-d3020749-207e-4a89-a780-502b4a541ecc.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/hunter--e7d6b411-1524-4a50-9ccb-3fa0b6be5603.jpeg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/she-lost-her-son-at-a-rural-railroad-crossing-now-shes-taking-on-the-industry/) "I literally had to retire this year because I knew that nothing can be really done unless I go up there and personally meet the representatives and the legislators," she said. "Three straight years- making phone calls every day, sending emails out, setting up appointments, going up to Frankfort at least once a week when I could." She said many lawmakers had no idea Kentucky lacked this kind of law until she told them. "There was, I'm going to say, probably 75% of them not even aware that there was no statutory law in the Commonwealth of Kentucky requiring railroad companies to clear vegetation. They were appalled. They were shocked." Tanya's son Hunter was killed in a train crash when the car he was riding in crossed over the track and was hit by an oncoming train. The driver, who survived, said he didn't see the train approaching because overgrown vegetation blocked his view. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-15-at-3.00.43---PM.png) ## A deadline years away The law technically took effect today. But there's an important caveat buried in the bill's text: railroad companies have until January 1, 2029, to come into full compliance. So the overgrown crossing Tanya found this morning isn't necessarily a violation- not yet. That timeline is part of what she's now trying to make sure people understand and don't let slide into the background for the next three years. "Awareness is action," Tanya said. "It falls back onto the local governments and the public works because if you're not aware of it, nothing's going to be done." After today's visit, Tanya said she contacted Hardin County Public Works, which she said clears vegetation at the site roughly once a month. She also said she left a message with the railroad company's toll-free safety line, posted on the blue emergency contact sign at the crossing. The Kraft Road rail crossing is on county property. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-15-at-3.14.58---PM.png) Provided by Tanya Sterns "I'm going to be that proactive person and make sure it is taken care of," she said. "That's step one." Despite finding the crossing unchanged, Tanya said today felt different than every other visit she's made there over the past three years. "It's overwhelming knowing that this law is in effect," she said. "I know all the hard work that my husband and I have put into this, and Representative Callaway and Representative Tate and all of the other sponsors for this bill and all the support that we've received... I've always been told to be cautiously optimistic. Now I can be optimistic. I can do something. I can make those phone calls. They have to follow through. They have to make a change." She's not stopping at Kraft Road. On the drive home, she and Robert passed and photographed several other crossings where she said she found the same visibility problems. Tanya said she's now considering reaching out to judge executives across the state to make sure local officials know the law exists and understand their role in enforcing it. "Unless we, the people, are proactive, it's going to get swept under the rug," she said. "In order for that to happen, awareness has to be \[spread\]." She says the fight now shifts from passing the law to making sure it's actually enforced over the years leading up to the 2029 compliance deadline. "You can't just stop by saying it's passed. Oh yay, joy! No- it's got to go further than that." ### What HB311 Actually Requires: - **What's covered:** Railroad companies must clear obstructive vegetation at every public railroad-highway grade crossing in Kentucky. - **How far:** 250 feet in each direction from the centerline of the road where it crosses the tracks. - **What counts as "obstructive":** Vegetation more than 30 inches and less than 20 feet tall, located within 20 feet of the nearest rail (or the full width of the right-of-way if it's narrower than 20 feet). Vegetation within 5 feet of private property is exempt. - **Private property:** Railroads are not required- or authorized- to enter private property to clear vegetation. - **Waivers:** A railroad can petition the Transportation Cabinet for a waiver if terrain, curves, structures, or other conditions make compliance impossible or impractical. The Cabinet has 60 days to deny or modify the request, or the railroad's proposed plan automatically takes effect. - **Enforcement process:** If a crossing is out of compliance, the Transportation Cabinet or local government can send written notice. The railroad then has 30 days to clear the vegetation. - **What happens if they don't:** The state or local government can remove the vegetation themselves and bill the railroad company for the cost. If the railroad doesn't pay within 30 days, the government can pursue legal action. - **Compliance deadline:** Railroad companies have until **January 1, 2029** to be in full compliance statewide. - **What this doesn't change:** The law does not alter a driver's existing legal responsibilities at railroad crossings. --- **Hardin County Responds** According to officials with Hardin County, Kraft Road and other county-maintained crossing approaches are inspected monthly for signage issues, and the county mows its right-of-way three times a year. The county said it added pavement markings at the Kraft Road crossing in June 2020, following the collision, though it maintains it "was not deficient prior to the additions" and considers the markings "another layer of safety." On enforcement under HB311, the county was direct about where responsibility lies: "The law clarifies the responsibility of the railroad to maintain its property. There is no requirement for the county to inform the railroad if there is an issue." The county noted that while it *may* report vegetation problems to a railroad, it is only obligated to act- clearing vegetation itself and billing the railroad- if a report goes unresolved after 30 days, and even then, only with the railroad's express consent to access its property. For residents who spot an overgrown or obstructed crossing, the county said the responsibility to report it falls on the public to contact the railroad directly. Every crossing has signage posted with the specific railroad company's contact information. Concerns about county-owned property near a crossing can be directed to the Hardin County Road Department at (270) 737-6046.. --- **Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Response:** > Team Kentucky’s top priority is safety. > HB 311 primarily directs railroad companies to clear obstructive vegetation within 250 ft. of public railroad and highway grade crossings. If they do not, the Transportation Cabinet or local government that owns the roadway may provide written notice and if no action is taken within 30 days, the appropriate agency will clear the vegetation and seek reimbursement from the railroad company. > The Transportation Cabinet will also review and process waiver requests from railroad companies. The compliance component of the law takes effect Jan. 1, 2029 and the Cabinet is currently researching and developing procedures to ensure compliance with the law, including details about reporting concerns. Kentuckians may call the railroad’s 800 number posted at the crossing if there is an emergency. --- *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Bardstown Road reaches a truce- but the hard work is just beginning URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/bardstown-road-reaches-a-truce-but-the-hard-work-is-just-beginning/ Last updated: 2026-07-14T18:02:49.000Z After weeks of dueling petitions, public accusations, and fears that beloved Louisville institutions could close, all sides came to the table- and walked away with an agreement. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- The fight over Bardstown Road's future took another turn Tuesday when the residents behind the 'moist petitions' announced they are suspending their effort- and the city, the Louisville Hospitality Association, and neighborhood groups announced a joint plan to address the safety concerns that started it all. The agreement, announced Tuesday by Councilman Ben Reno-Weber's office, brings together the LHA, neighborhood petitioners, the mayor's administration, and neighborhood groups around a shared set of commitments- immediate action on public safety and a longer-term vision for the Highlands as a whole. ## What the deal includes On the immediate side, the parties committed to continuing the multi-agency partnership that has been deployed along Bardstown Road this summer including LMPD, the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections, PARC, and other Metro departments. They also committed to encouraging ABC to weigh public sentiment when issuing and renewing 4 a.m. licenses, particularly for establishments with histories of noncompliance or critical incidents. Councilman Reno-Weber will create a designated District 8 Council Fund dedicated specifically to safety investments along Bardstown Road. And the city will continue working with ABC to proactively address problem establishments. In exchange, the neighborhood petitioners agreed to withdraw the petitions immediately and not submit any signatures for a ballot initiative in 2026\. [The Highlands is at a crossroads. Bar owners say they have a plan- if neighbors will listen.Jack Fry’s could close. So could three gay bars. The Louisville Hospitality Association wants someone to stop it. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-242d58c9-384a-42bc-bfa4-1db2d9b9d520.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_7202-29da90d5-734f-4695-8e4d-b64bdf3f5b3d.JPG)](https://www.shayinformed.com/the-highlands-is-at-a-crossroads-bar-owners-say-they-have-a-plan-if-neighbors-will-listen/) Longer term, the LHA and ABC will partner on Raise the Bar- the new continuing education and training initiative for bar and restaurant owners focused on de-escalation, safety standards, and the role establishments play in maintaining public order. All parties also committed to participating in the creation of a long-term strategic plan for the Highlands, one that, as Reno-Weber put it, "honors the heritage and history of a neighborhood with a wide range of eclectic residents and businesses." Perhaps the most significant public safety announcement came from Mayor Greenberg: the Summer Task Force that has been deployed along Bardstown Road will not simply wind down at the end of the season. It will become a permanent unit under LMPD's Special Operations Division, led by Major Mason Brown- who previously served as commander of the Fifth Division and is already familiar with the businesses and residents along the corridor. ## In their own words Reno-Weber, who spent weeks fielding pressure from both sides, called the agreement a translation of "mutual frustration into a concrete set of steps." He added: "As in every issue, we believe in following the data, listening to the people most impacted, bringing people together, and executing a plan with clear deliverables we hold ourselves accountable to delivering- or, if it does not work, trying something else." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-14-at-2.00.18---PM.png) Sean Vandevander Sean Vandevander of the Louisville Hospitality Association, who spent the past several weeks publicly fighting the petition and calling on Reno-Weber by name to intervene, welcomed the outcome. "We have long been an advocate for focused enforcement efforts, limiting density, clear regulations, and targeting bad actors while supporting the great restaurant and bar partners that make our city a great place to live and a destination for tourists from all over the world," he said. The neighborhood petitioners, who had described themselves as representing "a broad range of voices with a shared goal to ensure that residential voices are heard," said they see that happening now. "Bardstown Road is the backbone of the Highlands," their statement read. "Its success depends on a delicate balance between business and residential interests, but one group can't succeed at the expense of others. That's what balance means." ## How we got here ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-06-24-at-2.52.55---PM-2.png) The agreement caps weeks of escalating tension that began long before any petition was filed. Five shootings occurred along the Bardstown Road corridor since spring, all after 2 a.m. on weekend nights. The city deployed an enforcement task force- tallying more than 200 citations and 100 arrests since May 4th. When residents in precincts L170, L171, and L173 filed notice of their intent to circulate moist petitions on June 26, the Louisville Hospitality Association responded with a counter-petition that gathered thousands of signatures within 24 hours. Business owners- including the owner of Jack Fry's, a 93-year-old Louisville institution- showed up at a press conference last week warning that a moist designation would force 25 businesses to close and eliminate 500 jobs. Atomic bar, which had been hit with an emergency suspension order after a June 23 shooting tied to an altercation that began inside, reached a separate agreement with ABC last week to reopen under new conditions- earlier closing times, additional off-duty police officers, and real-time LMPD access to its security cameras. Through all of it, bar owners argued consistently that the crowds driving the late-night chaos were not their customers- they were people gathering on public streets, many of them teenagers, drawn in part by viral social media videos. Residents countered that the corridor had become unsafe and that their concerns were not being heard. Tuesday, at least, both sides say they were. *Shay Informed has covered the Bardstown Road situation throughout the summer. Read more of my previous reporting* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/shots-fired-bars-blamed-the-battle-over-whos-really-responsible-for-bardstown-road/)*.* *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Why can't Louisville solve homelessness? Ten years of answers- and starting over. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/why-cant-louisville-solve-homelessness-ten-years-of-answers-and-starting-over/ Last updated: 2026-07-15T19:47:30.000Z The Arthur Street Hotel closes its doors this month. The people who ran it have spent years watching Louisville build solutions, defund them, and start over. This is their story- and the city's. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly podcast.* *This story does have a podcast version- find it at the bottom of this page!* --- It's early July, and the heat index is already in the triple digits when I pull into a parking lot just off Interstate 65, south of downtown Louisville. The building in front of me looks exactly like what it used to be- a motel. Rows of doors, all facing a courtyard. I'm here to meet someone I've known for most of the last decade. I met her under a viaduct at a homeless camp clear-out in 2018, handing out food from the trunk of her car. Her name is Christen Herron. Everyone- and I mean everyone- calls her Tiny. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/IMG_7143.JPG) Christen 'Tiny' Herron "We're standing out in the middle of the parking lot, looking over, and it looks like a motel," she says. Inside, the rooms look like a motel too- on purpose. "You have your own bed, your own bathroom, a microwave, a small refrigerator in the room, and a smart TV that has apps, so folks can access the internet. And a phone in the room." This is the Arthur Street Hotel. Since it opened in October 2022, more than four hundred people have walked out of this parking lot and into permanent housing. And by the end of this month, it will be closed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/IMG_7130.JPG) Arthur Street Hotel "It's sad to have empty rooms," Tiny says. "I should not have empty rooms at all- especially when there are people outside on the sidewalks right now that need space." So how did it happen? That depends on who you ask. Because this isn't really a story about one hotel and one budget line. It's a story about the last ten years in Louisville- about a city that keeps building things, and keeps walking away from them. ## What is Arthur Street Hotel? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/IMG_7169-1.JPG) To understand what's being lost, you need to understand what this place actually is. It is not an emergency shelter. And the people who live here are, in many cases, people no other shelter in this city will take. "The majority of individuals that have come through our doors here have been turned away from every other place," Tiny says. Other shelters keep what they call a ban list- and some of those bans are permanent. "We never initiate an infinite ban or bar, because we believe that people can change", Tiny told me with a grin. As she says it, she points to a tattoo on her arm that reads that very phrase: *People can change.* That belief comes down to one reframe. What other places treat as "behaviors," Arthur Street treats as symptoms. "When somebody comes through our lobby and they're angry and aggressive, they might be yelling," Tiny says. "It's not, *oh my gosh, what's wrong with that person?* It's, *oh man, what happened?* We understand you have a right to walk through these doors and be angry, because you've been on the street for ten years and that's unacceptable." Here's how it works in practice. Louisville has always moved people straight from the street- sometimes literally from a tent- into an apartment through the housing voucher program. A caseworker or outreach worker helps with the paperwork, and then: here's your key, good luck. "What we do in this transitional period is something that's never been here in Louisville before," Tiny says. Arthur Street built the thing that was always missing- the in-between. She describes it as reordering the whole sequence. "We used to say *find, house, stabilize-* find is your outreach, house is putting them in an apartment, then you begin to stabilize. What we've been doing here for three and a half years is something incredible. We *find, we stabilize, we house.* And it makes perfect sense", Tiny said. That stabilizing period is the point. People are resting. They're getting counseling and connected to resources. They're learning life skills- and they're doing it in a safe space, with caseworkers right there. You don't have to take Tiny's word for it. I talked to a woman who lived at the hotel after six years of finding a new place to sleep every night. Her name is Kayla Schultz. "We were staying different places- at schools, on tarp benches, just staying wherever we could," Kayla says. "And of course you're not allowed to be on the property of restaurants or anything like that, so we would get kicked out of almost everywhere we went. It was really difficult." When Kayla finally walked through Arthur Street's doors, she wasn't expecting much. She'd learned not to. Instead she was met with kindness, and a safe place to sleep for the first time in years. "Walking through them doors, I was able to feel safe again," she says. "Everybody that works here cares about their job and cares about everybody here. You can tell by the way they work with us, the way they talk to us. They have more patience than I've ever seen anybody have." When Kayla arrived, she had no birth certificate, no Social Security card, no ID- the three documents you cannot get a housing voucher without. Tiny's team helped her secure all three, and the voucher, in a matter of months. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/IMG_7103-1.JPG) Kayla and Tiny That's why the closure lands the way it does for her. "I knew that if I needed something, I could depend on them," Kayla says. "So now, with them closing- whenever I move out, it terrifies me. Because I don't know who to turn to, who I can call for help. If I had the money to save it, I would in a heartbeat." Kayla is one of the roughly four hundred people who arrived at this lobby homeless and left with an apartment of their own. So how does a program with results like these end up closing? To answer that, we have to go back a decade- to where my own reporting on this began, and where I met Tiny. ## The seat at the table ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/IMG_7626.JPG) Shay McAlister and Tiny Herron during and interview in 2019 To understand how we got here, you have to go back to a winter that changed how this city treated its unhoused residents- and it's where my own reporting on this issue began, at the camp clear-outs, where I first met Tiny. "I think back to 2018, and it was a stressful time in our city," Tiny says. "Homelessness was extremely visible. Our streets were lined with folks in tents along the sidewalks. But we had so much momentum. We had a seat at the table with that administration." Let me set the scene. I was a street reporter then, and someone sent me a tip that the city had bulldozed a homeless encampment- that everyone living there had lost everything they owned. When I went to check it out, I met Tiny. The city had come without warning, she explained. And when I asked how people were normally warned, she told me that usually she or another volunteer outreach group would get a heads up. Nothing official- but something. This time, nothing. That's when I learned that most of the homeless services in our city were run by volunteers: people serving food out of their cars, doing pulse checks on cold nights, handing out water on the hottest days. All volunteers, all using their own money. The city had no official services for this. It blew me away. So people like Tiny started nonprofits- like The Forgotten Louisville- to do the work many believed the city should be doing. "I began doing outreach on my own, just out of my car, by myself," Tiny says. "And that evolved into the beautiful Forgotten Louisville that it is today." The Forgotten Louisville is now dozens of volunteers who go out every week in their own cars, filled with food, water, clothing, supplies, harm reduction, and open hearts. They help people survive on the streets and support them when they're ready for a change. So when Tiny learned the city had sent bulldozers to a camp and destroyed the tents her team had provided- thrown away birth certificates they'd worked hard to replace- she was furious. And she made it known. "We had a really big meeting with a lot of local government officials," she says. "And we were demanding changes." In response, Metro Council passed an ordinance requiring 21 days' notice before any encampment could be cleared. Mayor Greg Fischer backed it- and asked for more feedback. How does the city tackle this compassionately and effectively? "I remember being pretty loud in that meeting," Tiny says. "Like, if this was a natural disaster, our city would be opening up the stadium to put folks in. But out of that meeting came solutions." The first was a low-barrier shelter. "It used to be, in our city, if you were under the influence, if you had untreated mental illness, if you had a partner, a pet, or a lot of possessions, you could not access shelter," Tiny says. "That's ridiculous. So we demanded a low-barrier shelter, and we got it." A space that allowed couples, pets, and belongings- a first for Louisville. "That's shown to be effective. It's still being funded to this day," she says. "We then said, we need a safe outdoor space. Other cities were doing this. One advocate even took some local politicians out to Denver to tour one. We got it." The safe outdoor space is a city-owned property where people can live in tents temporarily, store their belongings, and get wraparound services- built for the people who don't trust the shelter system. And after the outdoor space came city-funded outreach: the very thing Tiny had been doing after her nine-to-five for a decade. Now she was recruited to lead it- and she knew exactly what to do. "Outreach is really about building trust, relationships, connection," she says. "You're not going to offer someone services on the street if you don't have rapport because so many of the systems that have already failed them are the same systems out here trying to get them help. It's consistently showing up, meaning what you say and saying what you mean. By the time trust is built, you're able to get somebody connected to services." That same year, the Fischer administration hired a University of Louisville research team to study the whole system. The woman who led it is an occupational therapist with a PhD in public health named Susan Buchino. Her team's finding was stark: the city was handing out money, but nobody was checking whether any of it produced results. Her first recommendation was to bring the groups together- force the conversation, and evaluate the outcomes. "That homeless services initiative actually started to get people together," Buchino says. "All the providers getting money had to come, on a monthly basis, to talk. They hadn't done that before. And it was amazing, because they were learning about each other. They started working more collaboratively. It was very siloed before that." It's worth pausing here, because I didn't understand this when I started reporting on Louisville's homelessness crisis a decade ago. The Coalition for the Homeless is charged with distributing federal money to local groups; it focuses on education and advocacy, and it's supposed to be uniting the small agencies to get everyone working together. Buchino says that, at the time, that wasn't happening. "Quite frankly, I didn't really understand the purpose of the Coalition for the Homeless at the time," she says. "I was like, you all don't actually have a coalition." So her team made it a recommendation. They also recommended the city start evaluating its programs and start paying for outreach- work that had been entirely volunteer until then. She watched things change. Advocates had a seat at the table. Research was turning into programs. She was seeing what happens when the city builds on the people already doing the work. Then she watched what happens when it doesn't. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### He was selling scrap for Christmas money. Now his family is suing Boeing and UPS. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/he-was-selling-scrap-for-christmas-money-now-his-family-is-suing-boeing-and-ups/ Last updated: 2026-07-14T17:00:09.000Z Matthew Sweets survived the initial crash of Flight 2976 with third-degree burns over nearly his entire body. He died two days later. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Matthew Sweets was at Grade A Auto Parts on November 4, 2025, selling scrap metal he'd collected at job sites, trying to make a little extra money for Christmas. His family didn't know it would be the last thing he ever did. Monday, Sweets' family filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Jefferson Circuit Court against The Boeing Company, UPS, UPS Airlines, four UPS executives, General Electric, and VT San Antonio Aerospace- the maintenance contractor that serviced the plane just 17 days before it went down. The complaint doesn't just allege negligence. It alleges that Boeing and UPS knew about the exact structural flaw that doomed Flight 2976, for decades, and chose not to fix it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-13-at-3.09.34---PM.png) UPS Flight 2976, a cargo freighter, crashed just after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on November 4, 2025, killing 15 people and injuring several more. The left engine and pylon separated from the aircraft during its takeoff roll, and the plane went down in an industrial area near the airport, sparking a fire that took more than 30 hours to fully contain. The Sweets family's lawsuit is not the first tied to the crash. Other victims' families have already filed suit. [‘He tried to run with his granddaughter’: New UPS crash lawsuits reveal harrowing details of November disasterFilings describe a grandfather’s final moments, a family business destroyed, and insurance failures compounding the crisis. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free weekly newsletter![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-2a033aa3-7a62-44b6-969d-20e45c56fe49.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-05-07-at-4.12.53---PM-26ec01ea-fa72-40e4-ba0c-15455747682c.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/he-tried-to-run-with-his-granddaughter-new-ups-crash-lawsuits-reveal-harrowing-details-of-november-disaster/) ## Meet Matthew Sweets Matt was 37\. He was Brooke Murray's partner and the father of their two young kids. He was the son of Michael and Pamela Sweets, and the brother of twins Carrie Ryan and Michelle Sweets. At the time of the crash, he was enrolled at Independent Electrical Contractors of Kentuckiana, on track to get his electrician's license in May of this year- something the complaint says he was doing specifically to build a better life for Brooke and their kids. He never got to walk across that stage. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-13-at-2.56.33---PM.png) Brooke and Matthew ## What happened to him The complaint lays out, in painful detail, what Matt went through. He was directly in the path of the crash when UPS Flight 2976 came down near the airport. The fire covered him in third-degree burns over nearly his entire body- so complete that his clothes burned off him; all that was left was his belt, fused to his skin. A Grade A Auto Parts employee named Adam Bowman heard Matt screaming from inside the smoke and flames, found him, and carried him roughly 70 yards to safety on his back. According to Bowman's affidavit, attached as an exhibit to the complaint, Matt was alive, conscious, and asking for water the entire time. When Bowman and a coworker finally got Matt onto a truck bed to find help, the first police officer they approached reportedly froze, unable to give directions "after seeing his condition." Matt was transferred to UofL Hospital's care at 5:54 p.m.- 41 minutes after the crash- still awake and alert. Doctors performed multiple escharotomies, emergency incisions to relieve pressure from his burns. He went into multi-system organ failure. His heart stopped the next morning, and the medical team resuscitated him after an extended round of chest compressions that broke a rib and punctured a lung- all witnessed by his family, who had gathered around his bed. He died on November 6, 2025. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-13-at-3.07.51---PM.png) Part of Adam Bowman's affadavit ## The allegation at the center of it all: Boeing knew The lawsuit centers on a specific part: the spherical bearing race assembly in the MD-11's wing pylon, the piece that helps hold the engine to the wing. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-13-at-3.24.47---PM-1.png) According to the complaint- and to sworn NTSB hearing testimony quoted at length in the filing- Boeing knew this component had a documented history of cracking and failing going back to at least 2002\. The lawsuit cites a chart presented at a May 2026 NTSB investigative hearing showing reported bearing race fractures in 2002, 2007 (twice), 2008, and 2009, well before the plane involved in this crash had even reached the cycle count where inspections were required. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-13-at-3.25.02---PM-1.png) Boeing's response, per the complaint, wasn't to mandate a fix. In 2015, Boeing asked the FAA to *extend* the inspection interval for that exact component- from 19,900 flight cycles to 29,260- and, according to testimony from NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy at the hearing, did so using data from the aircraft's original 1990 certification rather than the actual in-service failure reports Boeing had on hand. The FAA approved the extension in about a month, according to the lawsuit. The complaint alleges Boeing never reported any of the ten known bearing race failures across the MD-11 fleet to the FAA- including a 2007 report that an aft lug had actually cracked as a result of one of these bearing failures. The only failures the FAA ever learned about, according to the complaint, came from FedEx's safety reporting, not Boeing's. The plane that crashed in Louisville had accumulated 21,043 pressurization cycles at the time of the crash. Had the original, tighter inspection interval stayed in place, the lawsuit argues, this aircraft would have been due for the very inspection that would have caught the problem- before it ever left the ground on November 4. There's a specific line in the complaint that's hard to read as anything but the case's thesis, stated plainly: "Matthew Hagan Sweets would be alive. His children would still have their father." I have reached out to Boeing for a comment and will update this story when I hear back. > **A UPS Spokesperson provided the following statement:** > We remain deeply saddened by Flight 2976\. Our focus continues to be on supporting those affected and working closely with the National Transportation Safety Board as the investigation continues. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### The law that could keep Ronald Exantus locked up- and why no one can say if it's being used URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/the-law-that-could-keep-ronald-exantus-locked-up-and-why-no-one-can-say-if-its-being-used/ Last updated: 2026-07-13T19:38:42.000Z Woodford County Commonwealth's Attorney Kelli Kearney knows what's on everyone's mind. She just can't tell you the answer. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- The Commonwealth's Attorney for Kentucky's 14th Judicial Circuit released a statement Friday addressing the looming July 29 release of Ronald Exantus, the man convicted in the 2015 killing of 6-year-old Logan Tipton. But if you were hoping for a straight answer on whether her office is trying to keep him locked up through involuntary hospitalization instead, you won't find it here- and there's a legal reason why. "My Office recognizes the deep concern, fear, and frustration that many members of our community feel regarding the anticipated release of Ronald Exantus," Kearney wrote. "We understand that this matter has profoundly impacted the family, as well as the broader community. The safety of the people we serve remains our highest priority." But then comes the part that actually matters right now: Kearney says her hands are tied when it comes to saying anything more specific. "Under Kentucky law, the Commonwealth's ability to comment publicly on matters involving civil commitment proceedings under KRS Chapter 202A is significantly limited by statutory confidentiality requirements and the Kentucky Rules of Professional Conduct," she wrote. "As a result, we are unable to confirm, deny, or discuss whether any petition has been filed, and we cannot comment on any proceedings that may or may not be pending." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-11-at-9.27.04---AM.png) ## Why this matters Here's the backstory. Back on June 5, the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet's general counsel, Ann Blaylock, sent a letter to three people: Woodford County Chief Circuit Judge Jeremy Mattox, Kearney, and Department of Public Advocacy attorney Josh Miller. The letter pointed to something buried in Exantus's original 2018 judgment. Because a jury found him not guilty by reason of insanity on the murder charge, the judge at the time added a specific line to the paperwork: "Prior to the Defendant's release, KRS 504.030 shall apply." That statute lays out that when someone is found not guilty by reason of insanity, the court is supposed to hold an involuntary hospitalization proceeding- essentially, a hearing to determine whether that person should be committed for treatment instead of simply walking free. The state's letter made clear the Department of Corrections can't start that process itself, and can't hold Exantus past his sentence expiration date without a judge's order in place first. She gave the three officials formal notice, with more than a month and a half of lead time, to begin those proceedings if they wanted to. That was five weeks ago. Exantus is set to be released in less than three weeks. [Logan’s Law didn’t come in time to stop this: Ronald Exantus set for release at the end of this monthThe man convicted in a brutal attack against against a Kentucky family, including 6-year-old Logan Tipton could walk out of prison a free man at the end of this month. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-3e10f1e6-059c-41db-8801-8db4c6f00bb6.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-07-09-at-11.40.43---AM-2ae3c89b-127e-4d20-9fcb-ee477fd21960.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/logans-law-didnt-come-in-time-to-stop-this-ronald-exantus-set-for-release-at-the-end-of-this-month/) ## So did anyone actually file anything? That's the question I put directly to the prosecutor's office this week. And per her statement, that's exactly the question she's not allowed to answer- at least not publicly, not right now. Civil commitment proceedings under KRS Chapter 202A come with built-in confidentiality protections, similar to a lot of mental health and medical proceedings. Kearney says that statute, combined with professional conduct rules attorneys have to follow, means she legally cannot say whether a petition has been filed, whether a hearing is scheduled, or anything else about where things stand. What she will say is that her office has "taken every lawful and appropriate action available to promote public safety" within those legal limits. "My Office will provide additional information when we are legally and ethically authorized to do so," she wrote. ## What this means for the Tipton family- and everyone else waiting ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-09-at-2.33.19---PM-2.png) For a family that has spent months saying they feel left in the dark, this latest development probably won't feel like much of an answer. And that's not necessarily Kearney's fault- the confidentiality rules around civil commitment exist to protect due process and privacy in a legal proceeding that, notably, isn't a criminal case. It's a civil one, with different rules entirely. But it does mean the public may not know whether an involuntary hospitalization petition has been filed until either a hearing happens in open court, or officials are legally cleared to say more. With Exantus's release date now less than three weeks away, that leaves a narrow-and increasingly tight- window for anyone hoping this ends with him remaining in state custody rather than walking free on July 29. I've reached out again for any additional clarity officials are able to provide as the date approaches, and will update as soon as I hear back. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Logan's Law didn't come in time to stop this: Ronald Exantus set for release at the end of this month URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/logans-law-didnt-come-in-time-to-stop-this-ronald-exantus-set-for-release-at-the-end-of-this-month/ Last updated: 2026-07-09T18:40:45.000Z The man convicted in a brutal attack against against a Kentucky family, including 6-year-old Logan Tipton could walk out of prison a free man at the end of this month. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Ronald Exantus is expected to walk out of the Kentucky State Reformatory on July 29- again. It's the second time in less than a year that the man convicted in the 2015 killing of 6-year-old Logan Tipton has been released from prison, according to Kentucky's online offender database. This time, though, there's no mandatory reentry supervision loophole to blame. According to The Kentucky Department of Corrections, Exantus is being released because he's reached his expiration of sentence date, the last day he's legally required to remain behind bars. ## A brief history of how we got here ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-09-at-2.33.19---PM.png) Logan Tipton was killed in December 2015 when Exantus broke into the Tipton family's home in Versailles while Logan slept. Police say he attacked Logan, Logan's sister and Logan's dad when he woke up and tried to stop the attack. Both the defense and prosecution agreed on the basic facts of what happened that night- the only question at trial was Exantus's mental state. A jury acquitted Exantus of murder and first-degree burglary by reason of insanity, but convicted him of second-degree assault for attacking other family members, including Logan's sister, who survived being stabbed. He was sentenced to 20 years. Because Kentucky law didn't classify his assault convictions as violent offenses, Exantus qualified for early release. He walked out of prison in October 2025 after serving roughly seven years- despite the parole board voting unanimously, every time it had the chance, to keep him locked up. Dean Tipton, Logan's father, learned about the release largely through news coverage and social media. In an interview at the time, he described the family's frustration. "We're the victims of this whole thing, and we're left in the dark," Dean told me. "That's wrong." Eight days after his release, Exantus was arrested in Marion County, Florida, for failing to register as a convicted felon- a requirement under state law. Florida deputies discovered he'd been living in a home near an elementary school, blocks from a second school, without registering. He was extradited back to Kentucky and booked into the Kentucky State Reformatory. [“We do not want him here”; Florida officials talk about Ronald Exantus arrestFlorida officials say they’re ‘not taking any chances’, they want to send Ronald Exantus back to Kentucky. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free newsletter![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-cc7940e7-0d1c-4298-8d79-b1da903d2d3a.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-9.17.15---AM-86e2c5dd-d773-419e-8040-f69e76b39927.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/we-do-not-want-him-here-florida-officials-talk-about-ronald-exantus-arrest/) Multiple Kentucky lawmakers signed a letter urging the parole board to find him ineligible for re-release. In November, the board revoked his mandatory reentry supervision, writing that his violation "constituted a significant risk to prior victims or the community at large" and that reoffending within days of release "further proves that he is not suitable for release." ## The law named for Logan ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-09-at-2.36.36---PM.png) The case became the catalyst for legislative change. In January, Kentucky lawmakers filed House Bill 422- "Logan's Law"- with more than half the House signing on as co-sponsors. Gov. Andy Beshear signed the bill into law on April 2\. It makes several significant changes to how Kentucky handles sentencing and parole for violent offenders: - It raises the parole eligibility threshold for those with life sentences from 25 to 35 years- unless a violent offender receives a sentence of at least 35 years without probation, they must now serve at least 30 years before parole eligibility. - It bars anyone convicted of a Class B felony or a violent felony from qualifying for mandatory reentry supervision- closing the exact loophole that led to Exantus's first release. - It prohibits juries from splitting insanity verdicts- meaning a jury can no longer find someone not guilty by reason of insanity on one charge while convicting them on a related charge, as happened in the Exantus case. - It requires a treating professional to file a petition for involuntary hospitalization for defendants found guilty but mentally ill. State Rep. TJ Roberts, R-Burlington, who helped push the bill, noted its bipartisan momentum. "When you kill a six year old, you forfeit your right to live among civil society for the rest of your life, plain and simple," Roberts told me when he was working on the bill. "We have an obligation as a society to protect children. We need to protect the very young. We need to protect the very old. We need to protect the frail. These are vulnerable populations." ## Why the new law doesn't change what happens in this case Logan's Law closes the mandatory reentry supervision loophole going forward. But it isn't retroactive- and more importantly, this second release isn't happening because of that loophole. Exantus is being released because his sentence, as originally handed down in 2018, is simply up. He's serving out the full 20 years, and July 29 is that date. For the Tipton family, it means the fight that began nearly a decade ago, and reignited last October, is entering yet another chapter- this time with no parole board left to appeal to, and no more legal levers to pull on this sentence. [The KY justice system failed the Tipton family twice, now they’re hoping there isn’t a strike threeNine years after Logan’s death, the Tipton family is being “re-victimized” by a system that won’t even return their calls. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-fac6c506-ff0e-409a-95ae-3743c29d7407.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/2948915993849595113-f80a5add-d4bd-4998-929b-6cdfd64cd04a.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/the-ky-justice-system-failed-the-tipton-family-twice-now-theyre-hoping-there-isnt-a-strike-three/) Kentucky's Logan's Law may prevent another family from living through what the Tiptons have endured. It came too late to change what happens to Exantus on July 29. I have been in touch with sources close to the case who have informed me there are discussions underway about exactly where Exantus will go when he gets out of prison. I'll keep you updates as I learn more. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### The Indiana Supreme Court just settled it: an abortion is not a public record URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/the-indiana-supreme-court-just-settled-it-an-abortion-is-not-a-public-record/ Last updated: 2026-07-10T17:36:51.000Z The Indiana Supreme Court voted to keep terminated pregnancy reports private and confidential after a year of courtroom battles. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- The fight for access to, and on the other side protection of, abortion records has been playing out in Indiana courtrooms for more than a year, but last week it ended quietly- on a single page, with no explanation at all. On June 29, all five justices on the Indiana Supreme Court voted to let stand a Court of Appeals ruling that terminated pregnancy reports, or TPRs, are confidential patient medical records. No dissent. No opinion. Just a one-line order declining to take up the state's appeal. That's how the Indiana Supreme Court often handles these denials, and it means the real legal reasoning- the actual "why"- lives in the Court of Appeals decision from back in December, not in anything the Supreme Court wrote itself. ## What's in these records Every time a doctor performs an abortion in Indiana, state law requires them to file a report with the Department of Health. Since the state's near-total abortion ban took effect in August 2023, those reports got more detailed- not just aggregate numbers, but a patient's age, race and ethnicity, county and state of residence, education and marital status, the date and location of the abortion, gestational age, and the medical reasoning behind why the abortion was performed. Doctors and hospitals also documented that Indiana's abortion counts fell 99% between 2022 and 2025, from 9,529 procedures down to 126- which means in a lot of counties, a TPR isn't really anonymous. It's identifiable, especially once someone pairs it with a public record request. That's exactly what an anti-abortion group called Voices for Life, based in South Bend, had been doing since 2022- requesting individual reports and using them to file complaints against doctors, more than 700 by one count. ## How we got here The Department of Health stopped releasing individual TPRs in December 2023, worried the records could be "reverse engineered" to identify patients. Voices for Life sued to force disclosure. A Marion County judge dismissed that suit in September 2024, ruling TPRs were exempt as medical records- the third time a trial court reached that conclusion. Voices for Life appealed, but while that was pending, something changed: after Gov. Mike Braun took office in January 2025, the Attorney General's office- representing the Health Department on appeal- negotiated a settlement agreeing to hand over the reports with some redactions. That settlement is what pulled Dr. Caitlin Bernard and Dr. Caroline Rouse, two Indianapolis OB-GYNs, into the case directly. They sued in February 2025 to block release, arguing the redactions wouldn't actually protect anyone. A Marion County judge granted them a temporary restraining order, then a preliminary injunction in March 2025, and the state appealed that. Bernard's own history sits right at the center of the legal reasoning here. She's the doctor who, in 2022, publicly disclosed she'd provided an abortion for a 10-year-old rape victim- and she was formally reprimanded by Indiana's Medical Licensing Board for it in 2023\. The information in that disclosure- age, state of residence, gestational age, approximate treatment date- is functionally the same category of information a TPR contains. The Court of Appeals leaned on that directly: the state disciplined a doctor for sharing exactly the kind of details it was simultaneously trying to make public through TPRs. The panel called that a genuine, concrete injury, not a hypothetical one. ## What the Court of Appeals decided In a 35-page, unanimous opinion issued December 5, 2025,, a three-judge panel affirmed the injunction on every front the state contested: - TPRs count as "patient medical records" under Indiana's public records law even without a patient's name attached. The court's own comparison: a driving record doesn't stop being a driving record just because the driver's name is missing. - The injunction properly applies statewide- not just to Bernard and Rouse's own patients- because limiting it narrower would let identical records from other physicians leak out while the underlying case continues. - The Department of Health still keeps full access to TPRs for its own enforcement purposes, and the quarterly aggregate reports the law also requires remain public. Nothing about this ruling blocks oversight- it blocks public release of identifiable individual reports. ## Why the Supreme Court's silence matters The state's attorney general's office pushed for the Indiana Supreme Court to take the case up, arguing the appeals court's reasoning distorted standing requirements and amounted to letting private parties block government transparency without a real, personal injury. The Supreme Court didn't bite- and, as is typical practice for these transfer denials, gave no reasoning of its own. All five justices were appointed by Republican governors, which is worth noting given how directly this cuts against the position of Attorney General Todd Rokita, who has pushed since 2024 for TPRs to be treated as public records. That silence is functionally the end of the case. The injunction stands, statewide, indefinitely- unless the Republican-controlled legislature decides to rewrite the statute. A bill that would have made TPRs unambiguously public, Senate Bill 240, didn't get taken up this session. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### The Highlands is at a crossroads. Bar owners say they have a plan- if neighbors will listen. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/the-highlands-is-at-a-crossroads-bar-owners-say-they-have-a-plan-if-neighbors-will-listen/ Last updated: 2026-07-11T13:30:06.000Z Jack Fry's could close. So could three gay bars. The Louisville Hospitality Association wants someone to stop it. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- The Louisville Hospitality Association held a press conference Thursday at Mid City Mall- the site of the Highlands' most talked-about redevelopment project- to announce a package of new commitments aimed at cooling tensions on Bardstown Road and, more urgently, to call on District 8 Councilman Ben Reno-Weber to step in and broker a deal between bar owners and the residents pushing a petition that could dramatically restrict alcohol sales in the neighborhood. I have reached out to Councilman Reno-Weber for comment and will update this story when he responds. ## What they announced The Louisville Hospitality Association, LHA, came to Thursday's press conference with three concrete commitments- some previously discussed with neighbors, one brand new. First, a moratorium on new 4 a.m. liquor licenses in the Highlands. Any establishment already operating with a 4 a.m. license would be grandfathered in, but no new ones would be issued going forward. Sean Vandevander- spokesperson for the LHA- said the organization committed to this over a year ago and is now making it official and public. Second, the LHA said it will work with Reno-Weber to reinstate a 2017 ordinance that restricted the stacking of bars and restaurants on top of one another- a practice that neighbors have long complained about. Vandevander said the LHA is prepared to actively support legislation to bring that restriction back. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/IMG_7188.JPG) Sean Vandevander Third- is an initiative called Raise the Bar, a citywide annual training program developed in partnership with ABC Director Brad Silveria. The program would provide continued education for bar and restaurant owners and staff on safety standards, de-escalation techniques, how to handle disorderly patrons, and how to identify and prevent over-serving. "We want to make it 100% known that we are not responsible for what takes place on the streets of Louisville," Vandevander said. "But we are working in partnership with ABC, LMPD, the mayor's office, and Ben Reno-Weber to make sure there's adequate police presence in the Highlands." They also announced a longer-term vision: a new nonprofit called Highlands United, already filed and formed, that would bring together the LHA and five or six existing Highlands neighborhood associations- including Cherokee Triangle, Original Highlands, and the Tyler Park Neighborhood Association- to develop a joint three, five, and ten-year plan for the corridor. The goal, Vandevander said, is to tackle the roughly 30 to 40 dilapidated or vacant buildings in the Highlands, address homelessness and safety concerns, and bring the neighborhood in line with other thriving Louisville entertainment districts. "It won't be run by me," he said. "It'll be a joint partnership with the neighborhood associations." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-09-at-2.09.42---PM.png) Precincts initiating formal petition; provided by Jefferson County Clerk David Yates ## The ask: pull the petition The announcements came with a direct appeal. Vandevander called on Reno-Weber to facilitate negotiations between the LHA and the residents who initiated the petition process, and asked those residents to withdraw their signatures and not submit the petitions to the county clerk. He said he believes a deal is possible- and potentially imminent. "I expect that to be announced within the next 48 hours, perhaps," he said. "I'm going to leave that up to Councilman Reno-Weber and the mayor." He described recent email correspondence with one of the petitioners as constructive, and said the LHA remains willing to negotiate in good faith. "Cool down the temperature," he said, "and let's get to work." The stakes, he argued, are enormous. The LHA estimates the moist designation would force 25 businesses to close and eliminate roughly 500 jobs. Business owners who showed up to stand alongside the LHA on Thursday included the owner of Jack Fry's- a 93-year-old Highlands institution- as well as owners of Neat Bourbon Bar, Flanagan's, Garage Bar, Big Bar, Joe's Older Than Dirt, Hillcrest Tavern and others from across the city. Cres Bride, president of the Louisville Hospitality Association and owner of Joe's Older Than Dirt and Our Place Pub, put it simply: "There is no way my places could stay open if I had to adhere to that 70% food threshold. It breaks my heart to think that this law will run 25 restaurants and bars out of business." ## Why they chose Mid City Mall ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-09-at-2.08.56---PM.png) The press conference location was not accidental. The LHA has raised pointed questions about why the three precincts subject to the petition- L170, L171, and L173- are drawn on the east side of Bardstown Road, while the Mid City Mall redevelopment project, which includes a planned Publix and the Bellwether Hotel, sits in precinct L169 and is not included. Vandevander made the argument directly: if bars and restaurants are the problem, why should the businesses coming to Mid City Mall be exempt from the same standard? "If you're going to vote out 25 businesses, why is it fair for them to operate?" he said. "If bars and restaurants are the problem, which we know they're not, then why would they not be beholden to the same standard?" He also flagged the practical consequence for the redevelopment itself: if precinct L169 were ever included in a moist vote, Publix would lose the ability to sell alcohol by the bottle- a significant business consideration that could, he suggested, give the developer reason to pause or reconsider the project entirely. ## The broader backdrop Thursday's press conference is the latest chapter in a months-long crisis that has put the Highlands at the center of Louisville's biggest public safety debate. Five shootings have occurred along the Bardstown Road corridor since spring, all after 2 a.m. on weekend nights. The city has deployed significant enforcement resources- LMPD's 5th Division and Summer Task Force, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Jefferson County Corrections, ABC enforcement, mounted patrol, and more- with cumulative totals exceeding 200 citations and 100 arrests since May 4th. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-06-24-at-2.52.43---PM-1.png) Emergency Suspension issued to Atomic in June 2026 Most recently, [Atomic bar reached an agreement ](https://www.shayinformed.com/atomic-can-reopen-but-under-new-rules-heres-what-the-city-is-requiring/)with Louisville Metro ABC to lift its emergency suspension under new conditions: an earlier closing time, additional off-duty police officers on site, and real-time LMPD access to its security cameras. Bar owners have consistently argued throughout that the crowds driving the late-night chaos are not their customers- they are people, many of them teenagers, gathering on public streets. The LHA has repeatedly pushed for a 10 p.m. curfew for minors, an ask that has gone unmet. "We've asked for a 10 p.m. curfew to be enacted for years," Vandevander said Thursday. "I will go on record and say that Mayor Greenberg has been great in working with both businesses and neighbors- but yes, 100%, we feel attacked. This isn't our fault." [Bar owners launch counter-petition as battle over Bardstown Road’s future intensifiesMore than 20 Highlands businesses could be forced to close if a “moist” vote passes. Now, bar and restaurant owners are fighting back. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-2cdd60f1-ce85-4552-ae9e-7b769a4001e9.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-06-24-at-2.53.11---PM-2-0a3dd528-6238-4d72-9218-1f6e7118d269.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/bar-owners-launch-counter-petition-as-battle-over-bardstown-roads-future-intensifies/) Residents in precincts L170, L171, and L173 have until August 11 to gather enough signatures to force a vote. The LHA's counter-petition, launched last week, gathered thousands of signatures within its first 24 hours, according to the organizers. > "The issues facing Bardstown Road are far more complex than a bar or a petition. The root causes of these conflicts must be acknowledged and addressed. The District 8 Advisory Board urges everyone, including those posting on social media, to listen and respect all sides." \- Chair Honi Marleen Goldman, District Eight Advisory Board A public town hall hosted by the LHA is scheduled for next Thursday at The Hub at 7 p.m. and is open to all residents, business owners, and anyone who wants to weigh in. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Cases of stomach bug, "explosive diarrhea" climbing in Kentuckiana URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/cases-of-stomach-bug-explosive-diarrhea-climbing-in-kentuckiana/ Last updated: 2026-07-09T15:19:25.000Z If you've noticed more people around you dealing with a stomach bug that just won't quit, you're not imagining things. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Cyclosporiasis- a parasitic infection that causes diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms- is on the rise in several states, and Kentucky is among them. Norton Healthcare has diagnosed 16 adult patients with Cyclosporiasis over the past three weeks, including seven positive tests just this week alone. For comparison, the health system only saw 13 cases in all of 2025. "I want to emphasize that this is not a new germ," said Dr. Kris Bryant, a pediatric infectious diseases physician with Norton Healthcare. Cases of cyclosporiasis typically tick up every summer. What's different this year, Bryant said, is that some Midwest states- including Michigan and Ohio- are reporting hundreds of cases. Bryant noted that Norton Healthcare's numbers reflect patients treated across its service area in Kentucky and Indiana, not just Louisville, and that official case counts for Jefferson County or the state will come from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. ## What exactly is cyclospora? Cyclospora is a tiny parasite that causes diarrhea. People are usually exposed through contaminated food or water, and past U.S. outbreaks have typically been linked to contaminated produce. ## What are the symptoms? The hallmark symptom is diarrhea- and it can be intense. "The diarrhea can be explosive, and it can last for days to weeks," Bryant said. Some people improve, then relapse, cycling through better and worse spells multiple times. Other symptoms can include: - Abdominal cramping - Nausea and vomiting - Bloating - Poor appetite - Fatigue - Low-grade fever People with healthy immune systems may eventually get better on their own, but Bryant said the illness can drag on. The good news: it can be treated with an antibiotic, which may shorten how long symptoms last. ## When should you see a doctor? Most viral stomach bugs clear up in a couple of days. If your diarrhea is sticking around longer than that, it's worth checking in with a healthcare provider- especially if you have a compromised immune system, which puts you at higher risk of getting sicker. Signs of dehydration- think excessive thirst, dizziness, or reduced urination- should always prompt a visit to a provider, Bryant said. ## Is there a specific food behind this? Not yet identified. Public health investigators are still working to determine whether there's a common food source linking the rising case counts, and Dr. Bryant said that process is genuinely difficult. Part of the challenge: the incubation period between exposure and getting sick can range from two days to two weeks or longer, so the food that made someone sick often isn't what they ate the night before symptoms started. Investigators have to ask patients to recall everything they've eaten over a two-week window- a tall order for most people. "I'm not trying to implicate one particular food item," Dr. Bryant said, noting that produce covers a huge range of items, from cantaloupe to herbs like parsley and basil that show up as ingredients in many dishes. Cyclosporiasis is a reportable disease, meaning anyone who tests positive will be contacted by their local health department. Bryant encouraged people not to ignore that call- investigators will ask detailed questions about what someone ate, which helps identify potential sources and stop further spread. ## How can you protect yourself? Dr. Bryant offered a few practical steps: - Wash your hands well with soap and water before and after handling fresh fruits and vegetables - Rinse all produce thoroughly under running water before eating, cooking, or serving it - Scrub firm produce like cantaloupe or cucumbers with a produce brush - Refrigerate leftovers within two hours - Cooking fruits and veggies can kill the parasite, though Bryant acknowledged that's not always practical- "people want a good salad now and again" ## Should people be alarmed? CDC has not labeled this an official outbreak, and Dr. Bryant was careful not to overstate the risk. Still, she acknowledged the illness can be genuinely disruptive- even without hospitalization, weeks of waxing-and-waning diarrhea take a toll on daily life, work, and family. Anyone can be exposed if they come into contact with contaminated food or water, regardless of age. If you develop prolonged diarrhea, don't just wait it out- call your primary care provider. There's a test for cyclosporiasis, and if you test positive, there's a treatment that can help you feel better sooner. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Atomic can reopen- but under new rules. Here's what the city is requiring. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/atomic-can-reopen-but-under-new-rules-heres-what-the-city-is-requiring/ Last updated: 2026-07-09T18:10:28.000Z The bar at the center of Louisville's Bardstown Road debate is back. But it's not business as usual. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Atomic, the Bardstown Road bar that has become the flashpoint of Louisville's months-long debate over late-night violence in the Highlands, is allowed to reopen after the city lifted its emergency suspension- but with a new set of mandatory requirements the bar must follow to stay open. Louisville Metro ABC announced the conditions Tuesday, nearly two weeks after issuing an Emergency Suspension Order against Atomic on June 23\. At the time, the city said the bar lacked adequate security to manage its crowd and failed to appropriately respond to an altercation that started inside the building and ended in a shooting on the sidewalk outside. Under the agreement to lift that suspension, Atomic must now close earlier, beef up security, and give police direct access to its cameras. Here's what's required: **Earlier closing time.** Atomic will now stop letting people in at 2:15 a.m., call last call at 3:15 a.m., and close entirely by 3:30 a.m. **More security.** The bar is required to bring in additional off-duty police officers to strengthen its security presence on site. **Camera access.** LMPD will have real-time access to Atomic's onsite security cameras- a significant step that gives law enforcement eyes inside the building without having to request footage after the fact. ABC Director Brad Silveria framed the agreement as a model for how the city intends to handle accountability going forward. "This agreement demonstrates that public safety comes first," he said. "Atomic will operate under enhanced safety requirements designed to better protect patrons, employees, and the surrounding neighborhood." [Bar owners launch counter-petition as battle over Bardstown Road’s future intensifiesMore than 20 Highlands businesses could be forced to close if a “moist” vote passes. Now, bar and restaurant owners are fighting back. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-7ac0e9e1-9695-4129-b61a-4d9b1b2dcee1.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-06-24-at-2.53.11---PM-2-58f1f831-7cbf-4430-8e9f-7022a4f07be4.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/bar-owners-launch-counter-petition-as-battle-over-bardstown-roads-future-intensifies/) The city also signaled it isn't done with the broader safety picture around Atomic. Louisville Metro Government said it will take steps to improve safety on the surrounding sidewalks and is working with the Fire Marshal to address capacity concerns with Atomic's outdoor patio space- two pressure points that have factored into past incidents near the bar. The administrative penalty process that typically follows an emergency suspension has been put on hold while ABC monitors whether Atomic follows through on the agreement. If the bar complies, that process stays paused. If it doesn't, the city can move quickly. The development adds another layer to a debate that has been escalating all summer. Five shootings have occurred along the Bardstown Road corridor since spring, all after 2:00 a.m. on weekend nights. Atomic's owner, Dustin Hensley, pushed back hard on the suspension when it was issued, publicly accusing city officials of racial bias in how enforcement has been applied along the corridor- a charge that drew widespread attention and added a sharp edge to an already complicated situation. [Shots fired, bars blamed: The battle over who’s really responsible for Bardstown RoadTwo people were shot, dozens of people were arrested, and one business was penalized. But now that business is pushing back, pointing to a bigger problem. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-0462e535-33fe-4a4b-8c57-f2430ec7ecea.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-06-24-at-2.52.55---PM-dc51830b-8b58-4047-989d-e9a278902d27.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/shots-fired-bars-blamed-the-battle-over-whos-really-responsible-for-bardstown-road/) Meanwhile, r[esidents in three Highlands precincts are circulating petitions](https://www.shayinformed.com/bars-bullets-and-now-ballots-highlands-residents-move-to-restrict-alcohol-on-bardstown-road/) that could lead to a vote on restricting alcohol sales in the corridor, and the Louisville Hospitality Association has launched its own counter-petition, warning that a so-called "moist" designation could force 24 to 26 businesses to close. A press conference from the LHA is expected later this week. For now, Atomic's doors can open again- just not quite as late, and not without Louisville Metro Police watching. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Day 23: McConnell's longest known hospitalization comes with few answers URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/day-23-mcconnells-longest-known-hospitalization-comes-with-few-answers/ Last updated: 2026-07-08T16:06:04.000Z Multiple McConnell allies have confirmed conversations with the Kentucky Senator, while information about his current health status remains unclear. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- It has now been more than three weeks since Sen. Mitch McConnell was admitted to the hospital- the same morning dispatch audio captured paramedics responding to a "cardiac arrest" call at his Washington, D.C. address, with a medic reporting "CPR in progress." In all that time, his office has never said why he was hospitalized. And as of today, it still won't directly confirm whether he remains hospitalized at all. What his office did provide was its latest statement: "Senator McConnell appreciates the outpouring of support he's receiving while he continues his recovery in the hospital. The Senator continues to improve, and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session." It's the same statement that was provided last week. [“CPR in progress”: Dispatch audio raises new questions about Sen. Mitch McConnell’s hospitalizationMcConnell’s team has said very little about his recent hospitalization, but newly obtained EMS records are adding context. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-c46f1de2-7489-4952-8fd2-d995d69b1b81.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/mitch-mcconnell-2ae31c4a-e2af-490c-94e7-cc88d047d7fd.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/cpr-in-progress-dispatch-audio-raises-new-questions-about-sen-mitch-mcconnells-hospitalization/) ## The push to show he's engaged What the office did want us to see was a series of posts describing recent phone calls with the senator- a clear effort to counter the picture painted by that June 14 dispatch audio. Conservative commentator Scott Jennings, a longtime McConnell ally, posted that he spoke with the senator by phone for just shy of 20 minutes and said McConnell is "still recovering in the hospital." Jennings said they discussed Iran, Ukraine, the unfolding situation in Maine, his visit to the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, "and even a little bit of Senate history." > I spoke to my old friend Mitch McConnell this morning, the senior Senator from Kentucky. He’s still recovering in the hospital. We talked for just shy of 20 minutes … about IRAN, UKRAINE, the unfolding situation in MAINE, my visit to the TR Presidential Library, and even a… > > — Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) [July 7, 2026](https://x.com/ScottJenningsKY/status/2074537046752845872?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=shayinformed.com) And Senate Whip John Barrasso spoke with McConnell by phone for roughly 20 minutes, according to New York Times reporter, covering topics including the Graham Platner scandal and the recent Supreme Court ruling on coordinated spending limits. > Senate Whip John Barrasso spoke by phone with McConnell this afternoon for “roughly 20 minutes,” per a Barrasso spokeswoman, including on “the Graham Platner scandal, and the recent Supreme Court ruling on coordinated spending limits.” > > — Catie Edmondson (@CatieEdmondson) [July 7, 2026](https://x.com/CatieEdmondson/status/2074545625933267114?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=shayinformed.com) Multiple accounts of a senator who is alert, engaged, and tracking the news. ## What still hasn't been answered But let's be clear about what all of this does- and doesn't- tell us. We still don't know why McConnell was admitted on June 14\. His office has never addressed [the dispatch audio from that morning](https://www.shayinformed.com/cpr-in-progress-dispatch-audio-raises-new-questions-about-sen-mitch-mcconnells-hospitalization/), in which a dispatcher called in a "cardiac arrest" and described someone at his address as "unconscious." We don't have direct confirmation of where he is recovering today- in the hospital or somewhere else. And we have no timeline for when Kentucky's senior senator- who last voted June 11- might return to work. The Senate is on recess for the Fourth of July until July 13th. A recovery stretching past three weeks is significant for anyone, let alone an 84-year-old senator with a string of recent health scares. His office's statement notes he's working with staff "while the Senate is out of session"- but the Senate won't be out forever, and when it returns, Kentucky will still be down a vote until he's back. McConnell has already announced he won't seek re-election, and his term runs through January. Until then, the questions stay the same: What happened on the morning of June 14? What is he being treated for? Where is he now and when will he be able to do the job Kentuckians elected him to do? *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Bar owners launch counter-petition as battle over Bardstown Road's future intensifies URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/bar-owners-launch-counter-petition-as-battle-over-bardstown-roads-future-intensifies/ Last updated: 2026-07-06T13:08:56.000Z More than 20 Highlands businesses could be forced to close if a "moist" vote passes. Now, bar and restaurant owners are fighting back. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Bar and restaurant owners along Bardstown Road are pushing back against a petition that could dramatically reshape- or, they say, devastate- the Highlands' entertainment corridor. Residents in three Highlands precincts- L170, L171, and L173- filed paperwork on June 26 initiating a process that could lead to a vote on making the area "moist," a designation that would limit alcohol sales primarily to restaurants meeting strict food revenue requirements. The Louisville Hospitality Association, which represents more than 50 bars and restaurants across Louisville, says the consequences would be catastrophic- and largely misunderstood by the people pushing for it. "This is the nuclear option," said Sean Vandevander, co-founder and spokesperson for the Louisville Hospitality Association. "You're going to wipe out the entire neighborhood." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/highlands-precints-2.jpeg) Precincts initiating formal petition; provided by Jefferson County Clerk David Yates ## What "moist" actually means- and why bar owners say it's a death sentence Under a moist designation, alcohol sales would be limited primarily to restaurants that seat at least 50 patrons and generate at least 70% of their revenue from food. Bar owners say the math is brutal. The Louisville Hospitality Association estimates that 24 to 26 businesses along Bardstown Road would be forced to close or relocate under the moist designation, arguing that the vast majority of establishments on the corridor- bars, bourbon bars, and cocktail-forward restaurants- would be unable to meet the 70% food revenue threshold. Neat Bourbon Bar's owner, circulating the opposition petition, contends that only a handful of restaurants in the entire city currently qualify, citing places like Jeff Ruby's. "A solution to crime is not a solution if it doesn't solve the problem- especially if it creates even more problems," he wrote in a public statement accompanying the petition. [Bars, bullets, and now ballots: Highlands residents move to restrict alcohol on Bardstown RoadThree Louisville precincts have started the petition process that could lead to a vote on “moist” status- limiting where and how alcohol is sold in the heart of the Highlands. It’s the latest development in a months-long crisis that has divided residents, bar owners, and city officials. “I’![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-0ed0fee8-bc4c-41cc-88b5-73045ecbf305.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-06-24-at-2.53.11---PM-e1ce7d29-3356-432c-94e7-d5f8d0e471f2.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/bars-bullets-and-now-ballots-highlands-residents-move-to-restrict-alcohol-on-bardstown-road/) Vandevander says most people don't realize what the moist designation was actually created to do. The statute behind it- KRS 242- was originally designed to move Kentucky counties from completely dry to moist, as a first step toward becoming fully wet. It was never intended to restrict alcohol sales in an area that has operated as a thriving entertainment corridor for decades. "This is reversing decades and decades of law here in Jefferson County," Vandevander said. ## The ripple effects bar owners are warning about The opposition isn't just arguing about their own survival. They're making a broader economic case about what losing the bar and restaurant industry would do to the Highlands as a whole. The Neat Bourbon Bar owner laid out a cascade of potential consequences: commercial vacancies rising, residential property values falling, and the neighborhood becoming less desirable overall. He also raised the specter of the Mid City Mall redevelopment- a major project anchored by a planned Publix- potentially stalling or stopping altogether if investors decide the neighborhood's trajectory is too uncertain. "If I were the developer or Publix, I would be delaying the project until this issue is resolved," he wrote. He also pointed to his own business as a case study in why the 70% food rule is unworkable for many establishments. Around 80% of Neat Bourbon Bar's customers are tourists. The bar has no kitchen and no space to build one. Every day, customers ask where to eat nearby and end up at places like Jack Fry's. Take the bars away, he argues, and those diners follow. "Take the bars away, and they will choose a different neighborhood for both food and drinks. The passage of the moist vote would shut down Jack Fry's and Neat Bourbon Bar." Beyond the businesses themselves, Vandevander says the human cost would be substantial. The LHA estimates around 500 jobs tied to the affected establishments — single parents working second shifts, college students paying down debt, career hospitality workers with decades of experience. ## The backdrop: months of violence and frustration on all sides Both petitions are rooted in the same frustrating reality: nothing tried so far has fully worked. Five shootings have occurred along the Bardstown Road corridor over the last year, all after 2:00 a.m. on weekend nights. The Cherokee Triangle Association detailed the pattern in a letter to members last week, noting the incidents follow a string of violent weekends that have left neighbors frustrated and frightened. The city has deployed significant resources in response- LMPD's 5th Division and Summer Task Force, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Jefferson County Corrections, ABC enforcement, mounted patrol, temporary lighting, and more. The cumulative enforcement numbers since May 4th stand at more than 200 citations and over 100 arrests. And still, District 8 Councilman Ben Reno-Weber has acknowledged it isn't enough. "Many people causing problems don't seem deterred, which suggests this is bigger than local enforcement alone can address," he said. Bar owners have made a consistent argument throughout: the crowds driving the late-night chaos aren't their customers. Multiple business owners- including the owners of The Hub and the Highlands Taproom- said publicly that the people gathering on Bardstown Road late on weekend nights are primarily teenagers who aren't patronizing any establishment. Restricting liquor licenses, they argue, does nothing to address that. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-06-24-at-2.52.43---PM.png) That tension reached a boiling point last month when Atomic bar owner Dustin Hensley, whose bar was hit with an emergency license suspension after the June shootings, publicly accused city officials of pressuring him to change his music to attract a whiter clientele- a charge that added a sharp racial dimension to an already complicated debate. ## Where things stand Vandevander says the LHA has repeatedly pushed for a stronger curfew as a more targeted solution. Louisville currently has a 1 a.m. curfew, but the LHA has asked for a 10 p.m. curfew for minors. "We keep hearing they can't enforce it," he said. "But there's already a 1 a.m. curfew they can't enforce. If 30% of the problem is teens, let's take care of that 30% and see what happens." He was also careful to draw a clear distinction between his frustration with the petition and his view of law enforcement's role. "LMPD and ABC have gone above and beyond," he said. "They are putting their lives on the line every night to protect this neighborhood. They are not at fault here." The clock is ticking on both fronts. Those pushing for the moist designation have until August 11 to gather enough signatures in precincts L170, L171, and L173 to force a vote. Bar owners are working to build their own opposition signature count before that deadline. What's clear is that both sides agree on one thing: the status quo isn't working. How to fix it- and who bears the cost of fixing it- is where the battle lines are drawn. *Editor's note: A previous version of this article included an unverified claim that only approximately five restaurants in Louisville currently meet the 70% food sales threshold required under a moist designation. That figure originated with sources who oppose the petition and has not been independently verified.* ### "CPR in progress": Dispatch audio raises new questions about Sen. Mitch McConnell's hospitalization URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/cpr-in-progress-dispatch-audio-raises-new-questions-about-sen-mitch-mcconnells-hospitalization/ Last updated: 2026-07-03T12:45:52.000Z McConnell's team has said very little about his recent hospitalization, but newly obtained EMS records are adding context. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- For more than two weeks, we've known almost nothing about why Sen. Mitch McConnell was hospitalized. His office shared he was admitted the morning of June 14 and was "receiving excellent care." That was it. No diagnosis. No details. No timeline for his return. Now, newly surfaced emergency dispatch audio suggests that morning may have been far more serious than anyone let on. ## What the audio reveals According to police scanner audio [obtained by NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/paramedics-responded-cardiac-arrest-mcconnells-home-day-hospitalizatio-rcna352660?ref=shayinformed.com), paramedics responded to a report of a "cardiac arrest" at a known address for McConnell on June 14- the same day his office disclosed his hospitalization. Per the dispatch audio, the first medic on the scene began performing CPR before a second EMS team arrived at the same address. [CBS News](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mcconnell-home-ems-call-unconscious-cardiac-arrest-hospitalized/?ref=shayinformed.com), which also reviewed the public dispatch call, reported that a dispatcher called in a "cardiac arrest," a medic on scene confirmed "CPR in progress," and the dispatcher described someone as "unconscious." The call came in before 9 a.m. that Sunday morning. [ABC News](https://abcnews.com/Politics/ems-personnel-attended-unconscious-person-mitch-mcconnells-home/story?id=134412030&ref=shayinformed.com) pinned down the timeline further: at 8:43 a.m., the dispatcher directed EMS to respond "for cardiac arrest" and repeated McConnell's address- his Capitol Hill townhome near the Hart Senate Office Building. One important caveat, and I want to be upfront about it: McConnell's name is never spoken in the audio, and no outlet has independently confirmed the identity of the person paramedics treated. What we know is that the address matches, the date matches, and the timing lines up with his office's announcement hours later. ## What his office is- and isn't- saying When NBC News asked McConnell's office about the audio, they didn't answer questions about it. Instead, they pointed back to a June 22 statement from spokesman David Popp: "Senator McConnell is still working closely with staff on Senate business and Kentucky matters as he continues his recovery. However, he will not be voting this week." A spokesperson also declined to comment on the audio to ABC News and offered no update on the senator's current condition. So here's what remains unanswered, more than two weeks later: Why was he hospitalized? His office has never said. Is he still in the hospital? His office won't say that either. When did he last cast a vote? June 11- three days before the ambulance call- according to CBS News. ## Why this matters for Kentucky I've covered McConnell's health episodes for years, and I know some of you are tired of hearing about them. But this is different, and here's why: McConnell is still a sitting United States senator representing Kentucky. He holds one of our two votes in the chamber. And right now, that seat isn't voting. The 84-year-old is a childhood polio survivor who has faced a string of health scares in recent years. In February, he checked himself into the hospital with flu-like symptoms and stayed more than a week. He fell before a Senate vote in October 2025\. He fell during a Republican lunch in December 2024, spraining his wrist. In 2023, he was hospitalized with a concussion after a fall and later froze mid-sentence in two separate public appearances. In 2019, he fractured his shoulder in a fall at his Kentucky home. He's already announced he won't seek re-election, and the race to replace him is underway- Republican Rep. Andy Barr, who has President Trump's endorsement, will face Democratic former state lawmaker Charles Booker in November. But the transition doesn't happen until January. Until then, Kentuckians deserve straight answers about whether their senior senator is able to do the job- and if a cardiac arrest happened inside his home last month, that's not a private matter. It's a matter of public accountability. > Sen. McConnell's spokesperson released the following statemet: > “Senator McConnell appreciates the outpouring of support he’s receiving while he continues his recovery in the hospital. The Senator continues to improve, and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session.” I'll keep asking. As always, I'll bring you what I find. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### "A lot of nerve": Nick Houck sits in front of Sherry Ballard as trial date is set in perjury case URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/a-lot-of-nerve-nick-houck-sits-in-front-of-sherry-ballard-as-trial-date-is-set-in-perjury-case/ Last updated: 2026-07-07T19:14:33.000Z Nick Houck will stand trial November 9\. But the moment everyone in that Nelson County courtroom will remember happened before the judge said a word. --- *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. At the bottom of this page, subscribers will find an audio episode walking through the entire day and a link to a behind-the-scenes photo gallery. Enjoy 😊* --- Eleven years ago this weekend, Crystal Rogers vanished. On Thursday morning, her mother sat in a Nelson County courtroom- again- waiting for another hearing in another case connected to her daughter's death. Then Nick Houck walked in and sat down directly in front of her. "I don't even know how to react to that," Sherry Ballard told me outside the courtroom. "A lot of nerve he has to come and sit by me." We'll get to everything that happened in front of Judge Charles Simms- and there was real news, including a November trial date and the first hints of a possible change of venue. But first, let's talk about what happened in the gallery. ## "I'm not sitting beside him" ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/IMG_7054.JPG) Sherry and her family were already seated when Nick Houck, a former Bardstown police officer and brother of convicted murderer Brooks Houck, came in and took the seat right in front of them. His own family sat elsewhere in the courtroom. Sherry got up and moved. "I thought about not moving, because I don't want him to control what I do," she told me. "But at the same time, I'm not sitting behind my husband's murderer. I'm not going to do that. I have my limits too, and that's one of them." _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Behind the scenes: What I saw at the Nick Houck hearing URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/behind-the-scenes-what-i-saw-at-the-nick-houck-hearing/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T16:59:29.000Z For paid subscribers: the moments before, during, and after Thursday's hearing that didn't make the main article- in photos. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. At the bottom of this page, subscribers will find an audio episode walking through the entire day. Plus- the full court breakdown. Enjoy!* --- The hearing itself lasted about three minutes. I was at the Nelson County courthouse for closer to 90 minutes, and as is so often true in this case, the story was in everything happening *around* the courtroom, not just in it. You've read the main article. Here's the morning as I actually experienced it. ## The arrivals ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/IMG_7030.JPG) After checking court documents yesterday, I knew the name of the attorney who had filed on behalf of Nick Houck and after a quick Google search I knew what he looked like, too. When I saw him walking into the courthouse, I stopped him and introduced myself. He was cordial but wasn't especially interested in talking to me. I asked him what he was expecting today in the proceeding, and he said, "we'll see". I also asked him if he planned to make any statements to the media after court on behalf of his client and he said "I hope not." This isn't completely unusual for a defense attorney- oftentimes they aren't interested in talking to the media until a case is done (and usually on then if they won). Mr. Ferguson was the first person to arrive in connection to this case. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-02-at-11.05.12---AM.png) _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Nick Houck heads back to court Thursday- and this time, he has a lawyer URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/nick-houck-heads-back-to-court-thursday-and-this-time-he-has-a-lawyer/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T17:21:30.000Z The last time Nick Houck walked into a Nelson County courtroom, he didn't have an attorney- and he told the judge he had "no idea" why he'd been charged. Thursday morning, that changes, at least in part. --- *I'll be in the courthouse, and when I walk out, paid subscribers will be the first to hear what happened. My full post-court analysis- and any interviews I'm able to secure- will go to paid subscribers first, before anything else is published.* *If you're not already a paid subscriber, today is a good day to change that. You can* [*sign up right now*](https://www.shayinformed.com/nick-houck-heads-to-court-what-to-know-before-the-arraignment/#/portal/signup) *and make sure you don't miss a thing.* --- Nick Houck is due back before Judge Charles Simms at 9 a.m. for a hearing Thursday that could move several pieces of this perjury case forward at once. Attorney Michael Ferguson, whose office is based right in Bardstown, filed his entry of appearance as Houck's attorney six days after the chaotic arraignment where Houck showed up alone, pleaded not guilty, and left a courtroom full of questions. The primary item on the docket is a motion filed by Commonwealth's Attorney Kyle Williamson to amend the indictment- specifically, to correct the dates listed in Count 1\. According to court records, the Commonwealth is asking the court to change the offense window to reflect that the alleged perjury occurred between **July 15, 2015 and August 16, 2023**. The motion describes it as correcting a clerical error to align with what the prosecuting witness told the grand jury. Those dates are worth sitting with for a moment. July 15, 2015 is right around the time Crystal Rogers disappeared. August 2023 corresponds to a later official proceeding. Perjury cases are built on precision- what was said, when, and under what oath- so getting those dates right in the charging document isn't a footnote. It's foundational. Beyond the amendment, Thursday's hearing could surface questions about bond conditions, the state of evidence and discovery, and what the overall timeline for this case looks like going forward. With Ferguson now officially on record, expect the defense to start staking out its position more clearly than Houck was able to do on his own last month. [Nick Houck appears in court- without a lawyer and ‘no idea’ why he’s been chargedA chaotic arraignment, a missing attorney, and a motion to correct a key date set the stage for a July 2nd hearing. I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. This story is available to paid![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-307b3201-ae8e-4a80-89cc-d8c365fd31e0.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_6956-a8cfa6d5-65b0-459e-905b-fc9abcba5e9e.JPG)](https://www.shayinformed.com/nick-houck-appears-in-court-without-a-lawyer-and-no-idea-why-hes-been-charged/) For those just catching up: Nick Houck, the brother of convicted murderer Brooks Houck, was arrested and charged with first-degree perjury in June- stemming from a statement he gave while under oath. Sherry Ballard- Crystal Rogers' mom- confirmed the charge is is connection to comments Nick Houck made during the investigation into her missing daughter. Crystal Rogers vanished in July 2015\. Her body has never been found. The hearing is set for 9 a.m. in Nelson Circuit Court. I'll be there. [Eleven years, three convictions, and now this: everything I know about the Nick Houck arrestBreaking down the perjury charge, the court documents, what Nick Houck told KSP in 2015- and what to expect at next week’s arraignment. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-6c4484b5-c60b-402d-bb6b-e5f32d15e45a.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-06-08-at-10.13.01---AM-5ace1e02-e0bc-4a75-b22f-86631cf45b86.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/eleven-years-three-convictions-and-now-this-everything-i-know-about-the-nick-houck-arrest/) *Don't forget- paid subscribers will be the first to hear what happened. My full post-court analysis- and any interviews I'm able to secure- will go to paid subscribers first, before anything else is published.* *If you're not already a paid subscriber, today is a good day to change that. You can* [*sign up right now*](https://www.shayinformed.com/nick-houck-heads-to-court-what-to-know-before-the-arraignment/#/portal/signup) *and make sure you don't miss a thing.* ### This week's Supreme Court decisions- and what they mean for Kentuckians URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/this-weeks-supreme-court-decisions-and-what-they-mean-for-kentuckians/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T00:39:22.000Z If your eyes glazed over trying to track the headlines from Washington, here's what actually happened- and why it matters if you live in Kentucky. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- The Supreme Court closed out its 2025-26 term this week with a flurry of major rulings, and not just the procedural kind. Birthright citizenship. Transgender athletes in schools. The privacy of your cellphone's location data. Who the president can fire. What counts as a valid mail-in ballot. These weren't small cases and the decisions don't all point in the same political direction. So what does it mean for you? Here's a breakdown... ## Birthright citizenship: Trump lost this one Let's start with the biggest headline. The Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship- the principle that children born in the United States are automatically U.S. citizens, regardless of their parents' immigration status- and rejected an executive order by President Trump that sought to end that long-standing constitutional principle for children born to many immigrants. In *Trump v. Barbara*, the majority held that the Fourteenth Amendment's Citizenship Clause guarantees U.S. citizenship to nearly all individuals born in the United States, regardless of their parents' immigration status. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote [the majority opinion](https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/25-365%5Fnew%5F5if6.pdf?ref=shayinformed.com). The [ACLU's executive director called it](https://www.aclu.org/news/immigrants-rights/supreme-court-rules-to-protect-birthright-citizenship-in-landmark-case?ref=shayinformed.com) "one of the most important constitutional cases of the past 100 years," noting that Trump had attended oral arguments in person- the first sitting president ever to do so- and still lost. Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, both Trump appointees, agreed with the decision to strike down the order. What does this mean for Kentucky? The state has a growing immigrant population, particularly in Louisville and Lexington, where communities from Latin America, East Africa, and Southeast Asia have established deep roots. Had Trump's order been upheld, it would only have applied to babies born after it took effect- but some legal experts had warned that any reasoning upholding the order could potentially be used by a future administration to pursue efforts to strip citizenship from some people. That door is now closed, at least for now. Trump responded on Truth Social, saying the ruling was "too bad for our Country" and calling on Congress to end birthright citizenship through legislation instead. ## Transgender athletes: Kentucky's law gets constitutional validation This one hits closer to home in a direct way. T[he Supreme Court upheld laws](https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-43%5F2b35.pdf?ref=shayinformed.com) from West Virginia and Idaho that restrict transgender athletes' participation in school sports, ruling that under Title IX and the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause, schools can base eligibility for women's and girls' sports teams on biological sex. Here's the Kentucky connection: Kentucky already has a similar law in place, passed in 2022\. "I fundamentally view this as a victory for truth. It was a victory for the rule of law, and certainly a victory for female athletes," David Walls, executive director of The Family Foundation, said. Walls was at the Supreme Court in January, for the "Save Women's Sports" rally. He said this was a decision he was anxiously waiting for. "We fundamentally believe that the law should be aligned with what's what's true, and there are distinctions between men and women and boys and girls, and it's of fundamental importance that we, that we recognize those, and obviously the sports is front and center," he said. But the ruling has nuances worth noting. The majority opinion, written by Justice Kavanaugh, is a narrow one. The Court held that states *may* exclude transgender girls from girls' sports teams- not that they *must*. The decision removes a constitutional obstacle to the bans; it does not impose them on states that have chosen not to discriminate against transgender athletes. The Court also declined to settle the underlying science. It described the question of whether transgender athletes who have taken puberty blockers or hormones have any competitive advantage as "the subject of ongoing medical and scientific debate" and "not settled" at this time. Advocates for transgender youth were disappointed, but not surprised. Chris Hartman with the Fairness Campaign in Louisville said, "Unfortunately, it's nothing new for transgender kids and their families who have had to deal with now far worse attacks on their safety, their livelihood, on where they are able to call home and be able to live their full and authentic lives." Hartman said while the ruling puts weight behind the discrimination that was already passed at a local level, it went short of ruling on the 'big picture'- a win for his team. "Given how conservative the court is, as narrow ruling as possible was the best case scenario," Hartman said. ## Your phone's location data now has more privacy protection This one flew under the radar but could matter for Kentuckians who've ever been near a crime scene, a protest, or anywhere else law enforcement might be curious about. The Supreme Court ruled that when law enforcement used a "geofence warrant"- a warrant that instructed Google to provide location data for cellphone users who were near a particular place during a specific time period- they conducted a "search" for purposes of the Fourth Amendment. To explain what a geofence warrant is: imagine police don't have a suspect after a robbery. They can draw a virtual perimeter around the crime scene and demand that Google hand over the location data of every phone that was in that area at that time. Then they narrow it down. In the case before the Court, officers narrowed down device owners to a specific suspect list without criteria set by an independent magistrate- pulling location data of 16 people who were never cited as suspects, including trips to their homes, schools, and a hospital, before narrowing to three. Justice Elena Kagan, [writing for the majority, said](https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/25-112%5F0am4.pdf?ref=shayinformed.com) that location data "is the automatic price of conventional cell-phone usage"- you don't really choose to give it to Google, it just happens- and that giving that data to a company doesn't mean you've surrendered your privacy rights to the government. The case was sent back to a lower court to determine whether the specific warrant met Fourth Amendment standards, so Chatrie's conviction hasn't been automatically overturned. But the ruling sets a significant precedent going forward. For Kentucky law enforcement agencies that have used or considered geofence warrants- and federal investigators working cases here- this means the bar just got higher. ## The President can now fire FTC members This is the most abstract ruling of the bunch, but it has the most sweeping long-term implications. The Supreme Court overturned a 91-year-old precedent and gave the president significantly greater authority to remove leaders of independent federal agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission. The 6-3 ruling found that Trump's firing of FTC Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter without cause was lawful. The FTC is the agency that investigates scams, takes on anticompetitive business practices, enforces consumer privacy rules, and pursues major antitrust cases. The ruling risks "turning independent consumer protection agencies into political pawns," said Emily Peterson-Cassin of the Consumer Federation of America. "When the experts charged with policing fraud, protecting competition, and standing up to powerful corporations can be removed at will, consumers lose an important safeguard against abuse." The ruling could have implications well beyond the FTC, including agencies such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and Merit Systems Protection Board- all of which had historically operated with some insulation from White House influence. In the same breath, the Court drew a firm line at the Federal Reserve, ruling 5-4 that Trump could *not* fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook while her legal challenge plays out. Economists widely see the Fed's independence as critical to keeping interest rates and inflation from becoming political football- a concern that would affect every Kentucky family with a mortgage, car payment, or credit card. Justice Sotomayor warned in dissent that the Slaughter ruling means bipartisan commissions can be gutted simply by firing all members of the opposing party. "Just look at the FTC today," she wrote. ## Mail-in ballots: The rules you know still stand With midterms coming in November, this one matters at the ballot box. The Supreme Court ruled in a surprising 5-4 decision that states can count mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day, as long as they are properly postmarked by Election Day. Kentucky requires absentee ballots to be received by Election Day- so this ruling doesn't change anything in the commonwealth right now. But it does prevent a Republican attempt to force all states to adopt that stricter rule, preserving the right of other states to have grace periods. The ruling crossed ideological lines, with conservatives Barrett and Chief Justice Roberts joining the three liberal justices in the majority. Justice Barrett wrote that federal law sets the day voters must make their choice but says nothing about when ballots must be physically received. Trump called it a "tremendous loss" and urged Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which would impose stricter requirements for mail voting nationally. That fight is now moving to Capitol Hill. ## The bottom line It was a consequential term, and the decisions don't all point in the same political direction- which is itself worth noting. Birthright citizenship survived. The Federal Reserve's independence held. Your phone's location data got stronger constitutional protection. At the same time, transgender girls in Kentucky school sports face a court-validated ban, the federal agencies that protect consumers and workers have less structural independence than they did a week ago, and the presidency is more powerful than it's been in nearly a century. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Bars, bullets, and now ballots: Highlands residents move to restrict alcohol on Bardstown Road URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/bars-bullets-and-now-ballots-highlands-residents-move-to-restrict-alcohol-on-bardstown-road/ Last updated: 2026-07-01T15:39:31.000Z Three Louisville precincts have started the petition process that could lead to a vote on "moist" status- limiting where and how alcohol is sold in the heart of the Highlands. It's the latest development in a months-long crisis that has divided residents, bar owners, and city officials. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Residents in three Highlands precincts have taken a formal step toward restricting alcohol sales in the neighborhood, a move that comes after months of shootings and street takeovers along the Bardstown Road corridor. Jefferson County Clerk David Yates confirmed that precincts L170, L171 and L173 notified the Jefferson County Election Center on June 26 that they plan to circulate petitions. If enough signatures are gathered by the August 11 deadline, residents in those precincts could vote on whether to go "moist"- a designation that would limit alcohol sales primarily to restaurants that can seat at least 50 people and generate at least 70% of their revenue from food. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/highlands-precints.jpeg) The three precincts, mapped by David Yates The push comes after what neighbors and community leaders describe as an escalating pattern of late-night violence. The Cherokee Triangle Association, which represents one of the neighborhoods bordering the corridor, wrote in a letter to members last week that five shootings have occurred in the area over the past several months, all of them after 2:00 a.m. on weekend nights. "The behavior we've witnessed over the past year is unacceptable and threatens the quality of life that makes the entire Highlands community special," Cherokee Triangle Association President Rob Willy wrote. Willy noted that the CTA board has spent nearly a year working with LMPD's Fifth Division, the city's Alcohol Beverage Control agency, and Mayor Greenberg's administration, and that he participates in bi-weekly strategy meetings with the mayor, LMPD Chief Humphrey, ABC Director Brad Silveria, Director of Public Safety Misty Wright, and others. [Shots fired, bars blamed: The battle over who’s really responsible for Bardstown RoadTwo people were shot, dozens of people were arrested, and one business was penalized. But now that business is pushing back, pointing to a bigger problem. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-9dde3080-8c8c-4212-8eb4-7786ffb4e833.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-06-24-at-2.52.55---PM-a993ec09-8441-4643-ac50-b8e073bf86ce.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/shots-fired-bars-blamed-the-battle-over-whos-really-responsible-for-bardstown-road/) But the crisis has been building well before this week's petition announcement. The most recent flashpoint came on the weekend of June 19th, when two people were shot near Bardstown Road and Grinstead Drive after fights broke out in the area. LMPD reported 37 adult citations, 18 adult arrests, 3 juvenile arrests, and 2 vehicles towed from that weekend alone. In the aftermath, Louisville Metro ABC issued an Emergency Suspension Order for Atomic, a bar near the scene, citing the shooting and a prior enforcement action. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-06-24-at-2.52.55---PM.png) That suspension set off a firestorm. Atomic's owner, Dustin Hensley, responded with a detailed public statement making serious accusations- including that city officials had pressured him to change his music to attract a whiter clientele. "I was even asked by a Metro Council representative and LMPD to work on attracting the same crowd that was around for the St. Patrick's Day parade rather than our predominant crowd in order to get more support from the neighborhood," Hensley wrote. He argued the city was targeting bars that serve Black patrons rather than holding individual bad actors accountable. Other nearby businesses, including the Highlands Taproom and The Hub- a Latino- and LGBTQ-owned bar- also pushed back publicly, with the Tap Room saying the mayor was "pointing his finger the wrong direction" and The Hub acknowledging it was weighing whether to close voluntarily because the burden of safety had fallen disproportionately on bar owners. Central to that debate is who is actually driving the street takeovers. As multiple business owners noted in the wake of the June shootings, the large crowds gathering on Bardstown Road late on weekend nights are primarily teenagers who aren't patronizing any bar or restaurant. The Louisville Hospitality Association similarly noted that those crowds "impede traffic and block entrances and exits- and that the vast majority are not paying customers of any establishment. District 8 Councilman Ben Reno-Weber, whose district includes Bardstown Road, said the frustration is shared- and that significant resources have already been deployed without producing the results anyone wants. "Bardstown Road is one of the things that makes District 8 special- a place where on any given day, you'll see the full diversity of Louisville out eating, shopping, enjoying live music, or just walking with their families and dogs," Reno-Weber said. "Very late at night on summer weekends, some people behave very differently, and I know neighbors and businesses are frustrated. So am I." Reno-Weber said that since May 4th, the city has deployed LMPD's 5th Division and Summer Task Force, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Jefferson County Corrections, ABC enforcement, mounted patrol, temporary lighting, and blocked parking lots. Still, Reno-Weber acknowledged the efforts haven't been enough. "Many people causing problems don't seem deterred, which suggests this is bigger than local enforcement alone can address," he said. "So, we keep doing what we've always done: follow the data, listen to the people closest to the problem, strategize and act together, and adjust until something works." Whether the petition drive gains enough momentum remains to be seen. Organizers in each of the three precincts have until August 11 to collect the required number of signatures to force a vote. But even if it succeeds, a "moist" designation would do little to address what business owners and law enforcement have both acknowledged: the crowds at the center of this problem aren't inside any bar. They're on the street- and that's a problem no liquor license restriction alone is equipped to solve. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### State audit finds JCPS, former superintendent may have violated Kentucky law URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/state-audit-finds-jcps-former-superintendent-may-have-violated-kentucky-law/ Last updated: 2026-07-01T15:20:23.000Z A 500-page examination found the district's deficit ballooned from $47 million to $295 million in three years- and that no one stopped it. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Jefferson County Public Schools didn't just run a budget deficit for four straight years. According to a 500-plus-page special examination released this week by Republican state Auditor Allison Ball, the district may have broken state law doing it. The audit, ordered by the Kentucky General Assembly in 2024 legislation and covering fiscal years 2022 through 2025, lands on a finding that goes well beyond the usual "needs improvement" language of a government audit: JCPS Superintendent Marty Pollio and the Jefferson County Board of Education "may have been out of compliance" with KRS 160.550, the state statute that prohibits a superintendent from recommending- or board members from knowingly voting fo- a budget where spending exceeds revenue. "No superintendent shall recommend and no board member shall knowingly vote for an expenditure in excess of the income and revenue of any year, as shown by the budget adopted by the board," the statute reads, as cited in the audit. Auditors say that's effectively what happened, year after year. ## The deficit, by the numbers JCPS carried a budget deficit of nearly $47 million in fiscal year 2022\. By FY25, that gap between what the district spent and what it brought in had ballooned to $295 million- the largest of the examination period. The district's FY26 working budget projected the deficit would narrow to $188 million, the figure JCPS has cited publicly over the past year. How did a district keep approving budgets like that without the lights going out? According to the audit, the district covered the gap by spending down its fund balance- money built up from property tax increases and a one-time infusion of $500 million in federal COVID relief (ESSER) funds. That cushion is now nearly gone. Auditors project the district's contingency fund, which state law requires to stay at a minimum 2% of the total budget, could drop into negative territory by FY28 unless JCPS makes major cuts to its FY27 and FY28 budgets. "JCPS has been in a budget deficit since FY22," the audit states. "District planned expenditures have exceeded New Year Revenues in every formal iteration of the budget developed by JCPS administration and approved by the Board between FY22-26." ## "You are now the future board" The audit paints a picture of a district that had the cash on hand to avoid hard choices- until it didn't. Auditors note that under Pollio, "a 'budget plan' did not exist for use of unassigned funds beyond the state-required minimum contingency," which led to a practice of dipping into reserves to cover both one-time and recurring expenses well beyond what the district was bringing in. The audit includes a striking moment from a September 16, 2025 board meeting, when a Finance staffer leveled with board members about how the district got here: "The law requires us to have a balanced budget… the challenge is we've engaged in a practice because we had the cash flow to do it to have larger and larger deficits every year," the staffer said, according to the audit. "So that's why we are in the situation where we are kicking the can down the road and a future Board is going to have to make hard decisions. You are now the future Board." ## Where the breakdown happened Auditors describe a pattern in which financial commitments were made by Marty Pollio "without the involvement of the CFO or against the advice of the CFO"- a dynamic multiple finance staff said played out across his tenure and across multiple chief financial officers. The audit also says Pollio had final editorial control over budget reports before they went to the board, and cites examples of revisions staff say minimized the appearance of the deficit- including, in one case, categorizing recurring expenses like positions, curriculum, and contract services as "one-time" costs. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Two young Kentucky mothers' children will grow up without them. Their killer just got life. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/two-young-kentucky-mothers-children-will-grow-up-without-them-their-killer-just-got-life/ Last updated: 2026-06-30T16:44:30.000Z A Boyd County man will spend decades behind bars for killing two young mothers in a 2022 shooting that left their children without parents. --- This week- the Kentucky Attorney General announced a plea deal in a double-murder case involving two young mothers from Boyd County, KY. John Tooson was sentenced to two life terms after pleading guilty on murder charges connected to 20-year-old Selina Easter and 18-year-old Summer Algarakhuly. He also pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, wanton endangerment, and being a persistent felony offender. According to officials, Tooson had been in a relationship with Easter and turned violent inside her apartment in June 2022, shooting both women while Algarakhuly's newborn daughter was in another room. He ran from the scene and was eventually caught by authorities in Ohio. Both victims left behind young children, and the court hearing centered heavily on that loss, according to the Attorney General. In a victim impact statement, one family member described stepping into a mother's role for one of the girls left behind: "I was only ever supposed to be her aunt." She went on to describe the everyday moments the child will never get back with Summer- never running into her arms after a hard day, never having her hair braided, never picking out nail polish together, never getting comfort after a first heartbreak. Boyd County Commonwealth’s Attorney Rhonda Copley said the plea brings a measure of accountability, even though nothing can undo what the family lost. "Nothing can bring Selina and Summer back to their young children and family, but our office hopes that this plea and sentencing can bring peace to the family," she said, also thanking the Ashland Police Department for its investigative work. AG Russell Coleman echoed that sentiment in his own statement: "A mother can never be replaced. The sentences delivered do not heal the emptiness left behind, but, we hope, provide justice for all those who loved these two young women." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-30-at-12.33.04---PM.png) John Tooson Tooson will be eligible for parole after 25 years. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### How Kentucky's Medicaid crisis actually happened- and what it means for your family URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/how-kentuckys-medicaid-crisis-actually-happened-and-what-it-means-for-your-family/ Last updated: 2026-07-01T18:21:21.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly podcast.* *Paid subscribers- you can also LISTEN to this story. This was the topic of this week's episode of One More Question. Link at the bottom of the page.* --- If you've been paying attention to the Medicaid story in Kentucky over the past few months, you've probably felt the whiplash. The federal government cuts Medicaid. Then the state cuts it further- but lawmakers insist it wasn't really a cut. The governor says there's no money. Then he finds money in a parking garage. Republicans point at Beshear. Beshear points at Republicans. Families show up in Frankfort by the hundreds, and nobody in a position of power seems to be able to give them a straight answer. I've been covering pieces of this story for a while now. But after a packed Medicaid oversight hearing in Frankfort and a last-minute funding announcement that raised as many questions as it answered, I wanted to try to put it all together- the federal picture, the state picture, and what it actually means for the 1.3 million Kentuckians who rely on Medicaid to live. So I called someone who reads state budgets for a living. Dustin Pugel is the Policy Director at the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, a nonpartisan research organization that has spent 15 years tracking how budget decisions land on real people. I asked him to help me untangle this- in plain language- and then I talked to three Kentucky families who are living inside the consequences right now. Here's what I learned. ## The federal piece: The One Big Beautiful Bill Let's start at the top, because the federal changes and the state changes are two separate things- with different timelines, different mechanisms, and different impacts- and conflating them is part of why this is so hard to follow. The One Big Beautiful Bill is the federal budget reconciliation act that passed Congress last year. Its impact on Medicaid is substantial, and most of it hasn't hit yet. The headline most people heard was the work requirement. Starting next year, people who gained Medicaid coverage through the Affordable Care Act expansion- there are more than 400,000 of them in Kentucky alone- will have to prove they are working at least 80 hours a month. They'll also have to re-prove their eligibility every six months instead of once a year. Policy expert Dustin Pugel explained something that most people don't know: the state actually projects that the more frequent eligibility checks will knock more people off Medicaid than the work requirement itself. "Back a few years ago when we restarted eligibility determinations after COVID, 60% of the people who lost their benefits lost it because of procedural errors," he told me. Not because they didn't qualify. Because the paperwork didn't go through. This is called administrative burden, and it is, as Pugel put it, "a pretty effective way of knocking people off." But the work requirement and the eligibility churn are not even the part of the federal bill that worries healthcare economists most. The bigger long-term threat is what happens to hospital funding. Right now, states can make supplemental payments to hospitals that serve a lot of Medicaid patients- essentially bridging the gap between the very low Medicaid reimbursement rate and what it actually costs to run a hospital. Kentucky has leaned heavily on this tool. Those payments currently total around $5.5 billion a year in Kentucky. The One Big Beautiful Bill cuts that dramatically. "The punchline is that we're going to have these supplemental payments to providers go from around 5.5 billion per year to around 500 million per year when they're fully implemented about a decade from now," Pugel said. Five and a half billion to five hundred million. That's why you're already hearing about birthing centers being closed or scrapped. Pugel mentioned two in Kentucky that have either been dropped or abandoned at the planning stage. As those cuts phase in toward 2028, hospitals that rely heavily on Medicaid patients will face a math problem they cannot solve- their reimbursement goes down, but their costs don't. Some, particularly in rural Kentucky, may not survive it. And this matters even if you are not on Medicaid yourself. In Eastern Kentucky- already economically depressed after the decline of coal- Medicaid payments to providers make up 13.5% of the regional GDP. When the hospital in a rural county closes, everyone in that county drives further for a colonoscopy, for chemo, for a baby. "The way that Medicaid acts as a stabilizer in the healthcare sector is really profound," Pugel said. ## The state piece: House Bill 500 and the cut that didn't look like a cut Here's where it gets complicated- and where I think a lot of people, including a lot of journalists, have not told the full story. The One Big Beautiful Bill's cuts have not fully taken effect yet. What Kentucky families are feeling right now- today- is primarily the result of decisions the Kentucky General Assembly made this session when it passed House Bill 500, the state budget. These are two separate funding policies. The federal law is a future threat, still phasing in. The state budget is a present crisis, already in motion. The state budget shorted Medicaid by approximately $690 million over the two-year biennium- about $260 million in the first year and the remainder in the second. That sounds large, but it understates the real impact, because of how the federal match works. For every dollar Kentucky puts into Medicaid for the expansion population, the federal government contributes nine. So when the state reduces its contribution, the total reduction to the program is far larger. "When the state reduces the amount of money that it puts in, that reduces the amount of money that the federal government matches- even more so," Pugel explained. "There's a real significant impact that happens to the overall budget." One result of that shortfall: a 4% reduction in Medicaid provider reimbursement rates beginning in 2027, with an additional 3% cut possible in 2028\. To understand why families are alarmed by this, you have to understand that those rates were already extremely low. Kentucky already reimburses Medicaid providers about 40% less than neighboring states. Cutting another 4% on top of that creates a real risk that some providers- therapists, home health workers, waiver service providers- will decide they simply cannot afford to keep seeing Medicaid patients. "Some service providers may have to lay people off, or they may choose to just exit the Medicaid market altogether," Pugel said. "And that is really scary." Meanwhile, nearly 20,000 Kentuckians with disabilities are currently on the waitlist for home and community-based waiver services- the programs that fund in-home care, respite workers, therapists, and community living supports. This session, the General Assembly added 400 new slots. Four hundred. Against twenty thousand waiting. ## How Lee Specialty Clinic got caught in the squeeze ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-25-at-1.35.00---PM-2.png) TaNaa Griffin and her brother, a Lee Specialty Clinic patient Lee Specialty Clinic- the only comprehensive care facility in Kentucky designed specifically for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities- didn't lose its funding in a simple, straightforward cut. What happened is more complicated than that, and understanding it matters. Most people assumed Lee was primarily a Medicaid billing operation. It is not. Its funding came largely through the Department for Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disabilities, the state agency that contracts with facilities like Lee directly. And the way that agency got squeezed is something Pugel explained using a simple analogy. Imagine the General Assembly gives an agency $100\. Last year they got $101, so on the surface, that's only a 1% cut- no big deal. But buried in the budget document, the legislature also requires that agency to spend $5 on this program, $5 on that one, $20 on another. When you add up all the mandated spending and compare it to previous years, the agency is now left with $60 in discretionary funds instead of $70\. The top-line number barely moved. The base- the money they actually have flexibility over- shrank by much more. "What the mandated spending does is create a de facto cut to the base budget," Pugel said. And the number that really puts Lee's situation in focus: 89% of what the Department for Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disabilities spends is already required by state law. Eighty-nine percent. The discretionary remainder- the money that funded Lee's operating contract- was a small slice to begin with. When that slice got cut, Lee didn't have enough to keep going. More than 1,100 patients lost their care. ## The surprise funding announcement, explained Last week, Governor Beshear announced a last-minute funding commitment for Lee Specialty Clinic- pulled from a fund that had been set aside for renovations to the Capitol Annex building where lawmakers have their offices. The immediate public reaction was: if the money was there all along, why weren't you using it? It's a fair question, and Pugel explained it simply: money isn't new. Using it for Lee means not using it for something else. And the something else, in this case, is a project that happens to benefit the legislators who passed the budget that created this problem in the first place. "That's not a long-term solution," Pugel said. "That's just a recipe for more fights." He also pointed out that the legislature put more than $300 million into its savings account this session- money that could have been spent on these priorities but wasn't. "What do we do with the money that we're not spending that we could be putting toward these priorities? That's a real question mark." On the broader question of who is responsible- the governor or the legislature- Pugel was careful but clear. Both play a role. The legislature holds the power of the purse. They passed a budget with $690 million less in it for Medicaid, and they were explicit about that. The governor controls how those cuts are implemented. Both branches have been doing more blaming than solving. "I really wish they could drop the finger pointing and try to come up with a solution together," Pugel said. "From my read of the budget, the solution really has to come with an adequate budget that serves everyone. There's no way to efficiency our way out of care for people with disabilities or care for people in hospitals. At the end of the day, a lot of it just requires that we appropriate more money." And there is a larger question sitting underneath all of this that the General Assembly will have to confront when they return in January. Kentucky has cut its state income tax by roughly $2 billion a year over recent years. The state's general fund has been roughly flat as a result. Pugel put the tradeoff plainly: most Kentuckians saw their take-home pay increase by about 1.5% from those cuts. "Is it worth it," he asked, "to these thousand families at Lee Specialty Clinic, or to the 1.3 million Kentuckians who are cared for through Medicaid, or the 700,000 students who go to our public schools?" That question doesn't have a politically easy answer. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Dangerous heat settles over Kentucky this week- here's what you need to know URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/dangerous-heat-settles-over-kentucky-this-week-heres-what-you-need-to-know/ Last updated: 2026-06-29T17:26:52.000Z A dangerous stretch of heat is bearing down on Kentucky, and forecasters are warning it could last most of the week. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- The National Weather Service out of Louisville is flagging potentially dangerous conditions from Monday, June 29 through at least Saturday, July 4- meaning this heat will be with us straight through the holiday weekend. Daily highs are expected to reach the low to mid-90s across the region, but the real danger lies in the heat index, which measures what temperatures actually feel like when you factor in humidity. That number is forecast to hit between 100 and 110 degrees in many areas. For Louisville specifically, forecasters are projecting max temperatures climbing to 96°F by Wednesday, with a heat index reaching as high as 111°F by Thursday. That's not just uncomfortable- that's dangerous territory, even for healthy adults. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-1.20.23---PM.png) ## Louisville Metro has activated Operation White Flag In response to the forecast, Louisville Metro Government has activated Operation White Flag. Anytime the heat index hits 95°F or higher, participating shelters across the city will display a white flag at their entrance- that's your signal that anyone who needs to get out of the heat is welcome to come inside and stay as long as extreme conditions persist. No questions asked. Beyond Operation White Flag shelters, the city has a number of cooling centers available during their regular business hours: All **17 Louisville Free Public Library** branches are open and available as a place to cool off. You can find hours and locations [here](https://www.shayinformed.com/two-weeks-in-mitch-mcconnells-office-offers-no-updates-on-senators-condition/). The **Louisville Metro Senior Nutrition Program** is also operating its 14 congregate sites for seniors 60 and older. These air-conditioned facilities offer a nutritious lunch and activities- you can find hours and reservation information at the program's website. ## Warning signs ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-1.26.34---PM.png) Heat-related illness can sneak up on you, and it can escalate quickly. Here's what to watch for: *Heat cramps* are often the first sign your body is struggling- muscular pain and spasms, usually brought on by heavy physical activity in the heat. *Heat exhaustion* can bring on fainting, fatigue, nausea, and clammy or moist skin. If you or someone around you is experiencing these symptoms, get inside and cool down immediately. *Heat stroke* is life-threatening. Watch for hot, dry skin, an absence of sweat, nausea, confusion, or loss of consciousness. Call 911 immediately if you see these signs. If someone is showing signs of heat-related illness short of stroke, move them to a cool environment right away, circulate air around them, and place cold, wet cloths or ice on the head, neck, armpits, and groin. Get emergency help if symptoms don't improve quickly. Don't forget! Check on your neighbors, especially elderly residents or anyone you know who may not have reliable air conditioning. This week is the kind of week that can turn deadly for the most vulnerable, and a simple knock on the door or phone call could save a life. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Two weeks in, Mitch McConnell's office offers no updates on senator's condition URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/two-weeks-in-mitch-mcconnells-office-offers-no-updates-on-senators-condition/ Last updated: 2026-06-29T16:20:18.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- It's been more than two weeks since Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell was admitted to the hospital, and his office still hasn't said why. McConnell was hospitalized on June 14\. His spokesperson confirmed the admission in a brief statement, saying only that he was "receiving excellent care." No details about his condition or the reason for the hospitalization were provided. I reached out to his press team Monday morning asking for an update. The response I got included the statement his office released on June 22: "Senator McConnell is still working closely with staff on Senate business and Kentucky matters as he continues his recovery. However, he will not be voting this week." That's it. No new information. No timeline. No explanation of what's keeping Kentucky's senior senator in the hospital going on three weeks. The lack of transparency is notable- but not surprising given recent patterns. McConnell has been using a wheelchair in the U.S. Capitol in recent months. In February, he spent roughly eight days in the hospital for "flu-like symptoms." Before that, a string of public incidents raised serious questions about his health: in 2023, he froze while speaking to reporters, staring ahead for roughly 20 seconds before being escorted away by aides, and earlier that same year he tripped and fell at a Washington hotel, leaving with a concussion and a fractured rib that kept him away from the Senate for six weeks. In October 2025, he fell again while walking through the Capitol. Just days before this most recent hospitalization, McConnell presided over a Senate Appropriations Defense subcommittee hearing on June 9 and was on the Senate floor for an all-night vote-a-rama that stretched from June 4 into the early hours of June 5, according to [CBS News](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mitch-mcconnell-hospitalized-spokesperson-says/?ref=shayinformed.com). At 84 years old, McConnell is the longest-serving Senate party leader in American history and has represented Kentucky in the U.S. Senate since 1985\. He announced last year that he would not seek re-election, with his seventh and final term ending in January 2027. A man who has served this state for more than 40 years deserves transparency- and so do the Kentuckians he still represents. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### A community searched for five days. Marly Kinney has been found. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/a-community-searched-for-five-days-marly-kinney-has-been-found/ Last updated: 2026-06-30T15:22:22.000Z The five-day search for a 19-year-old Ashland woman missing from Grayson Lake has ended in tragedy. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- A five-day search for a missing Kentucky boater has drawn national attention and a slew of misinformation. For Marly Kinney's friends and family, this has been devastating. So I am going to focus on the facts and what I can confirm. On Sunday, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources confirmed that a body recovered from Grayson Lake in Carter County at 3:45 p.m. had been identified as Marly Kinney. The Carter County Coroner responded to the scene, and the cause of death will be determined by the State Medical Examiner's Office in Frankfort. Kinney had been missing since Wednesday, June 24, after she failed to return with a group of friends on a rented pontoon boat from Grayson Lake Marina. Court records show that on the evening Kinney was reported missing, Cameron Conley was arrested at the boat ramp at 5:30 p.m.- less than two hours after Kinney was last seen. According to his arrest citation, he was operating the boat and a trooper responding to the marina smelled alcohol on Conley and observed bloodshot, glassy eyes. Conley told troopers he had consumed alcoholic beverages while operating the boat. He consented to a preliminary breath test, which returned a result of .137\. A subsequent intoxilyzer test at the Carter County Detention Center returned a result of .135\. Conley faces one charge of operating a boat or watercraft while intoxicated or under the influence, a first-degree offense. The trooper noted that body camera footage documented the entire interaction. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-11.01.14---AM.png) Conley's arrest citation Over the five days Kinney was missing, Kentucky game wardens led the search. It brought together an extraordinary number of agencies and community members. Boats, sonar equipment, helicopters from Kentucky State Police, drones, ATVs and UTVs, K9 units, and cadaver dogs were all deployed to search the water and shoreline. Ashland Fire Department divers were also part of the effort. More than 50 local volunteers joined alongside agencies including Kentucky State Police, Ashland and Grayson Fire Departments, Carter, Boyd, and Elliott County emergency management teams, the Elliott County Sheriff's Office, US Army Corps of Engineers, Kentucky State Parks rangers, and fire departments from Lexington, Sandy Hook, and England Hill. Smokin' J's Rib and Brewhouse released the following statement on Kinney's death: > "The Smoking J’s Family is saddened by the loss of one of our own, Marly Kinney.Marly was a model employee loved by all. Always with a friendly smile and a kind word. She was loved by her fellow co-workers and friends, Many who have been volunteering over these last few days.We are making arrangements to provide grief counseling to our staff starting tomorrow. Our love and prayers go out to Marlys family and friends through this tragic loss. We are closed today & tommorow to allow our team time to mourn the loss of a loved friend." The case remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement at **800-25-ALERT (800-252-5378)** or Kentucky State Police Post 14 at **606-928-6421**. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Kentucky flooding kills four, forces evacuations as governor declares emergency URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-flooding-kills-four-forces-evacuations-as-governor-declares-emergency/ Last updated: 2026-06-29T15:17:57.000Z Kentucky is dealing with a serious flooding emergency Friday, and Governor Andy Beshear is asking people to stay home- especially once the sun goes down. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency Saturday as heavy rain continues to pound most of the state. Some areas could see up to seven inches of rain before the storms are expected to taper off around 11 p.m. tonight. The situation is already dangerous. Water rescue teams have been pulled into action across the commonwealth, pulling people from flooded vehicles and homes. Five counties- Bullitt, Madison, Meade, Mercer and Spencer- have declared their own local states of emergency. And lives have been lost. Governor Beshear confirmed four flood-related deaths Friday- three in Madison County and one in Jackson County. "This is a serious flooding event," Beshear said. "We need everyone to stay alert and do what's needed to keep each other safe." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-27-at-8.06.52---PM.png) KY 411 (Rabbit Flat Road) in Grayson County is closed due to a culvert washout (Credit: KY Transportation Cabinet) In Bullitt County, flooding concerns have taken on an added dimension. A landslide compromised part of the embankment at the Bullitt County Rod & Gun Club dam, prompting emergency officials to order precautionary evacuations for residents on Cedar Springs Drive. As of Saturday afternoon, the dam was still holding with no signs of imminent failure- but Bullitt County Emergency Management said it is actively monitoring the situation with engineers and emergency responders on scene. "Out of an abundance of caution," the agency said in a statement, officials conducted the evacuations "in the event conditions change." Residents are being asked to avoid the area so emergency personnel can work safely. Updates will be posted to [Bullitt County Emergency Management's official social media pages.](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064793468137) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-27-at-8.05.37---PM.png) Governor Beshear's biggest ask right now: stay off the roads. That warning gets more urgent after dark, when flooding combined with limited visibility makes driving especially treacherous. Kentucky Emergency Management, Kentucky State Police and swift water rescue teams are on the ground responding to calls across the state. But 911 lines are getting overwhelmed. The governor is urging Kentuckians to reserve those lines for life-threatening emergencies only. If you need help with something that isn't immediately life-threatening, you can call the State Warning Point line at 1-800-255-2587. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/flood3.jpg) Richmond, KY area (Credit: Kentucky State Police) Stay safe out there- and stay put if you can. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Part of I-65 is reopening early- here's what that means for your commute URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/part-of-i-65-is-reopening-early-heres-what-that-means-for-your-commute/ Last updated: 2026-06-26T18:26:36.000Z Good news for Louisville drivers who've been navigating detours since June 1: a two-mile stretch of southbound I-65 is set to reopen ahead of schedule. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet announced that southbound I-65 from University Boulevard to the Watterson Expressway (I-264) should be open to two lanes of traffic by 6 a.m. Monday, June 29- beating the original deadline by at least two days. Along with that stretch of highway, four ramps will reopen: both the on- and off-ramps at Crittenden Drive, and the on-ramps from Eastern Parkway and University Boulevard. "It's great to see that we're not just meeting this key milestone but on track to beat it by at least a couple of days," Transportation Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Goodman said in a statement. "We know how many drivers rely on I-65 every day, and crews are working hard to hit all deadlines." ## What's still closed Don't pack up the detour route just yet. Southbound I-65 between downtown Louisville (Jefferson Street) and University Boulevard remains closed while construction continues. Drivers heading through- not just to those areas- should still use the official signed detour via I-264 west (the Georgia Davis Powers Expressway) and I-64. [“It’s going to be tricky”: Louisville needs to be ready for I-65 closure- right nowFive miles of Louisville’s busiest interstate will be shut down for two months. If you don’t have a plan, you need one. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-887b09f9-0a0f-4c48-b670-2147efbc208d.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-05-26-at-3.57.20---PM-d12eed7c-724d-4c85-88dd-2b83ab91e334.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/its-going-to-be-tricky-louisville-needs-to-be-ready-for-i-65-closure-right-now/) ## Why is it opening early Crews have been working around the clock since the full closure began June 1, and demolition work wrapped up last week. Workers are now setting beams and precast deck panels for the new bridges- essentially building the foundation of the future roadway. The early progress at the Bradley Avenue bridge specifically is what's making the Monday reopening possible. Three bridges are being replaced as part of this project: the I-65 bridges over Kentucky Street/Brook Street, Hill Street/CSX Railroad/Burnett Avenue, and Bradley Avenue near the fairgrounds. All three were at the end of their service life. ## The bigger picture District 5 Chief Engineer Matt Bullock said Monday's milestone should give commuters confidence in the overall timeline. The goal remains reopening the full five-mile section of I-65 to two lanes in both directions by Saturday, August 1. "That's a deadline we feel very confident in this fourth week of the I-65 closure," Bullock said. ## Plan ahead for the Fourth of July The Independence Day holiday weekend is less than two weeks away, and traffic on detour routes and local streets is expected to be heavy. Crews aren't taking a break- but if you're having out-of-town guests come in for the holiday, make sure they know the closure is still in place and plan their routes accordingly. The broader I-65 Central Corridor project- which involves replacing or rehabilitating nine bridges total- is expected to run through the end of 2027. [I-65 is closed- and here’s what you actually need to knowIt was easy to know this day was coming and still not fully believe it until it arrived. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free weekly![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-c83f7033-8d1b-4419-ad1d-e0277e6add1f.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/I-65-project-underway-31c4d2be-9d78-43b6-8214-ea245d51e151.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/i-65-is-closed-and-heres-what-you-actually-need-to-know/) *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### "He was sent home to die": A federal law, a state budget, and the fight to save Kentucky's only specialty clinic for people with disabilities URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/he-was-sent-home-to-die-a-federal-law-a-state-budget-and-the-fight-to-save-kentuckys-only-specialty-clinic-for-people-with-disabilities/ Last updated: 2026-06-28T00:09:14.000Z A chain of decisions- from Washington to Frankfort- has left more than 1,300 Kentuckians with intellectual and developmental disabilities facing the loss of the only specialty clinic in the state equipped to care for them. Now the governor says he has a temporary fix. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- When Bruce Perfect's son Greg was placed in hospice care in 2015, doctors told his family there was nothing more they could do. Greg had been in and out of hospitals for years- vomiting, wasting away, struggling with severe behavioral issues that no physician could explain or treat. He was sent home to die. Then, through what Bruce describes as God's grace, the Perfect family found the Lee Specialty Clinic in Louisville. "When we finally found the specialty clinic, it was our last hope," Bruce told Kentucky lawmakers at a Medicaid Oversight Advisory Board hearing this week. Within a short time, Greg was diagnosed with Phelan-McDermid syndrome- a rare genetic condition whose hallmarks include severe vomiting and autism. Today, Bruce says, his son is not only alive but in great health, with a quality of life his family always prayed for. Greg Perfect is one of more than 1,300 Kentuckians who rely on the Lee Specialty Clinic for care they simply cannot get anywhere else. Now, because of a chain of decisions that runs from Washington to Frankfort to a cabinet conference room, that clinic is facing the most severe cuts in its history- and the families who depend on it are fighting back. Wednesday's Medicaid Oversight Advisory Board hearing drew what observers described as the largest crowd ever to attend an interim committee hearing at the Capitol- and among the largest gatherings in the building's history. The people who filled that room were not lobbyists or political operatives. They were parents, caregivers, and advocates for some of Kentucky's most medically complex residents, many of whom cannot speak for themselves. ## The federal law To understand what is happening to the Lee Specialty Clinic, the story begins in Washington. On July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law. The sweeping tax and spending legislation reduced federal Medicaid funding by nearly $1 trillion over the next decade- the largest single reduction to the federal health safety net in American history, exceeding all previous Medicaid cuts combined. The law makes changes across several areas: it creates new work and community engagement reporting requirements for certain Medicaid enrollees; moves eligibility redeterminations from annually to every six months; introduces new out-of-pocket cost-sharing for some expansion enrollees; and restricts the provider tax arrangements that states have long used to help fund their share of Medicaid costs. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated the law would result in approximately 11.8 million Americans losing health coverage by 2034\. Combined with the expiration of enhanced ACA premium subsidies and other policy changes, that number could reach 17 million. For Kentucky, where nearly one in three residents is covered by Medicaid, the projected impact is significant. Analysts at the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy estimate Kentucky stands to lose $38 billion in federal Medicaid funding over the next decade, with approximately 210,000 Kentuckians losing coverage. An independent analysis projected Kentucky would see the largest reduction in rural Medicaid payments of any state- a $12.3 billion decline that puts 35 rural hospitals at risk of closure. Most of the law's financial reductions are phased in between 2027 and 2029\. The new administrative requirements- more frequent eligibility checks, work reporting documentation- begin earlier. ## What Kentucky did next With the federal framework in place, the Kentucky General Assembly acted during its 2026 legislative session. House Bill 2 aligned Kentucky's Medicaid program with the new federal requirements. The legislation imposed community engagement requirements on expansion enrollees, mandated eligibility redeterminations every six months, and introduced copays for Medicaid services beginning in 2028\. Governor Andy Beshear vetoed several provisions- arguing the copay structure would cost the state federal matching dollars and that requiring three months of documented work compliance before enrollment would create barriers for otherwise-eligible people. The Republican supermajority overrode those vetoes on party-line votes. Separately, the General Assembly passed a state budget that reduced funding to the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental, and Intellectual Disabilities- known as DBHDID- by 4% in State Fiscal Year 2027 and 7% in SFY 2028. ## How the cuts reached Lee Specialty Clinic That state budget reduction, when translated into specific allocations by the Beshear administration's cabinet, resulted in a $4.5 million total cut to the Lee Specialty Clinic. The clinic's outpatient budget was set at $720,000 in FY27 and $697,500 in FY28- a reduction of approximately 89% from its prior funding level. The Beshear administration said outpatient services "will unfortunately be scaled back significantly due to the cruel and senseless budget cuts enacted by the state legislature," adding that "the Governor is currently taking steps to prevent the worst, and his administration repeatedly warned the General Assembly about the painful impacts of these cuts." The statement also cited "chronic defunding from the federal government" as a contributing factor. At Wednesday's hearing, a co-chair of the Medicaid Oversight Advisory Board offered a different lens on the situation. He noted that the operating contract for Lee Specialty Clinic had been eliminated by the administration, but that the services the clinic provides remain required covered benefits under the Kentucky Medicaid program. He further noted that the General Assembly had actually increased Medicaid benefit funding in the budget overall. His question to the administration: what is the plan to ensure patients can still access these covered services? Bill Kinneil, president of the board of the Council on Developmental Disabilities and a Lee Clinic patient family member since 2014, made the numbers plain: "The cabinet has decided to cut our outpatient budget by 89%. We are a licensed outpatient clinic. Ninety-plus percent of the patients treated there are outpatient. So we will be basically taken away. I've had no explanation for why this was done to the clinic- just that it was done." The question of who bears responsibility for that 89% figure has become a central point of dispute between the two branches of government. Legislative leaders have argued they gave the cabinet a budget and the cabinet made its own choices about how to allocate it- framing the Lee Specialty Clinic cuts as an executive branch decision, not a legislative one. Governor Beshear pushed back on that framing Thursday with a pointed clarification: 89% of the relevant budget line is mandated by law, leaving the cabinet discretion over only the remaining 11%. In other words, the legislature's appropriation didn't leave enough room for the cabinet to protect the clinic even if it had wanted to. By Beshear's accounting, the only way to permanently fix Lee Specialty Clinic's funding is for the General Assembly to change the appropriation itself- not simply instruct the cabinet to spend differently. ## What the clinic does that no one else can Lee Specialty Clinic is not a general medical practice that also sees patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It is the only facility in Kentucky specifically designed and staffed to provide comprehensive care- medical, psychiatric, behavioral, dental, ophthalmology- to this population under one roof. That distinction matters more than most people understand, families told lawmakers Wednesday. Amy Cutter has a 25-year-old daughter named Kennedy who has profound autism and Primrose syndrome- a rare genetic condition so uncommon that Kennedy is one of only 136 known cases in the world. In 2021, Kennedy's behavioral crises escalated severely. She was attacking herself and family members. Amy took her to doctors, specialists, and emergency rooms across Kentucky. Nobody could help. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-24-at-3.00.17---PM.png) Amy Cutter (center) "Every hospital here- nobody could tell me what was happening. Nobody knows about Primrose," Amy said. Then Kennedy had a grand mal seizure at her favorite restaurant. Lee Clinic accepted them as a crisis case. "When we went to the Lee Center, we weren't trying to convince people that Kennedy's needs were different," Amy said. "They already got it. For the first time, we had access to medical care, psychiatry, behavioral support, therapies, and dental care- all under one roof. For our kids, that's huge, because they're scared to go to doctors. Every waiting room can be overwhelming. Every unfamiliar environment can trigger behaviors. Most people have never had to walk into a medical office wondering whether their child might hurt themselves, hurt someone else, or be judged. At Lee, we were understood the moment we walked through the door." A mother of a patient named Jillian described a similarly years-long search- a daughter on 23 routine medications managing gastroparesis, apraxia of speech, and intellectual disability, with the complexity that standard medical practices are not set up to handle. "It will be extremely difficult for her to find a doctor that can handle her, much less help her," she said. ## The warning about what comes next Several speakers at Wednesday's hearing raised a concern that extended beyond their own family situations: once Lee Specialty Clinic's specialized staff disperses, rebuilding will be extraordinarily difficult. "Once staff at the clinic begins to leave for other positions- which they will have to do by necessity, because they have paychecks that need to be received- it's going to be very, very hard to reconstitute the operations of the clinic," said one long-time parent advocate. "It will not happen overnight. It will take a long period of time, and in the meantime, these 1,300 individuals and families are going to suffer severe hardship." Kinneil was direct about where those patients would go- and what they would find: "There will be more than 1,000 people who will descend upon an unwilling and unprepared medical and dental treatment system. Hospitals turn away our people. They're turned away at Central State because they have dual diagnoses. This has gone on for decades." ## A short-term fix- and a longer fight ahead ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-25-at-2.59.43---PM.png) Governor Andy Beshear Thursday during his Team Kentucky press conference The hearing concluded with a signal that something was coming. Dr. Steven Stack, secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, acknowledged Wednesday that the budget as passed did not contain sufficient resources for all of the cabinet's work- and that movement was imminent. On Thursday, Governor Beshear delivered. Beshear announced he is moving funding from the $400 million state Capitol annex renovation- a project not set to begin until 2029- to cover Lee Specialty Clinic through the first fiscal year. The move was made possible by the renovation's timeline: because that money would not have been spent this year, redirecting it now frees up dollars for the clinic without cutting anything currently in use. Beshear was pointed in his framing of the decision. "Legislators have claimed I have flexibility to move funds to cover essential services, so I've taken those words as legislative intent, and I'm doing what's needed to help the families who rely on this clinic," he said. But he was equally direct about the limits of what he'd just done. "Let me be clear, this will be a Band-Aid solution. It would not permanently fix this problem, which we will face again if the legislature does not take action. So, Kentuckians need to call their legislators and ask them to provide the proper funding when they return in January." Dr. Stack echoed that framing. "I want to thank Gov. Beshear for his work to take exceptional steps to find additional resources and we look forward to restoring the funding for Lee Specialty Clinic to its fiscal year 2026 level," he said. "But Kentuckians' advocacy remains critical." The Beshear administration also released a broader accounting of what its original January budget proposal had included- and what the General Assembly cut. According to the administration, the governor's budget had fully funded Medicaid, maintained full funding for providers, expanded Michelle P. Waiver slots for families of children with autism, and provided dollars for senior meals. The General Assembly passed its own budget with what the administration described as more than $1.2 billion less than what essential services require. "We don't need building projects nearly as much as disabled Kentuckians and their families need Lee Specialty Clinic to remain open, to have the CHFS cuts reversed and Kentucky's Medicaid program fully funded. The people who came to Frankfort yesterday weren't asking for special treatment. They were asking us to honor our commitments and protect services that allow their loved ones to live with dignity with people who love them", State Representative Lindsey Burk said. For families, the one-year reprieve is relief- but not resolution. The federal funding reductions are still phasing in. The state budget cycle will return. And the long-term question of whether Kentucky will permanently sustain the only specialized care facility for its most medically complex Medicaid recipients remains in the hands of the General Assembly, which returns in January. "The clinic is not a convenience," Amy Cutter told the board Wednesday. "It's a lifeline. And today that lifeline feels like it's being ripped away from all of us." Bruce Perfect closed with a plea that the record crowd in that hearing room had come to echo. "Please don't take our family's hope away by pushing our son out into a health care system that left him for dead- and could do the same to the over 1,000 patients who will no longer have access to care at Lee Specialty Clinic." *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## ### Shots fired, bars blamed: The battle over who's really responsible for Bardstown Road URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/shots-fired-bars-blamed-the-battle-over-whos-really-responsible-for-bardstown-road/ Last updated: 2026-06-25T19:06:04.000Z Two people were shot, dozens of people were arrested, and one business was penalized. But now that business is pushing back, pointing to a bigger problem. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Another weekend on Bardstown Road. Another shooting. And now- another bar shuttered, at least for the moment. But this time, the business owner isn't staying quiet. And he's not just pushing back on the suspension. He's making accusations about racism inside Louisville's own city government that are impossible to ignore. ## What happened over the weekend Louisville Metro Police reported two separate shootings early Sunday morning near Bardstown Road and Grinstead Drive after fights broke out in the area. Both victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Police also reported multiple arrests and recovered several firearms during enforcement efforts over the weekend. The numbers from LMPD- just from June 19th through June 22- tell a story of their own: 37 adult citations, 18 adult arrests, 3 juvenile arrests, 1 juvenile citation, and 2 vehicles towed. In a statement, LMPD said its officers responded quickly and assisted those injured. "Enforcement matters and our task force did an outstanding job. But these situations ultimately come down to individual choices and behavior, and we all share a role in keeping our community safe." According to widespread reporting, police also told local media the shootings stemmed from fights that broke out near Atomic and The Hub. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-24-at-2.24.19---PM.png) ## The suspension Two days later, Louisville Metro ABC issued an Emergency Suspension Order for Atomic. The order took effect immediately and halted alcohol sales while the case works through the administrative process. ABC Director Brad Silveria explained the city's reasoning with a public statement. He said, "Atomic's staff were closing and clearing patrons. During that process, two people got into an altercation inside the building- one that escalated into a shooting on a public sidewalk." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-24-at-2.52.43---PM.png) Silveria made clear the decision wasn't based solely on Sunday. It also factored in a prior enforcement action from earlier this year, which involved multiple fights, overcrowding concerns, violations related to disorderly premises, and the injury of an LMPD officer. "This constitutes a disorderly premises," Silveria said. Mayor Greenberg echoed that message directly. "When businesses don't follow the rules, we will take action," he said Tuesday. He also put the broader LMPD task force numbers on the table: since the Summer Task Force launched, the cumulative count stands at 216 citations, 101 arrests, 18 juvenile citations, 12 juvenile arrests, 23 towed vehicles, and 49 parking tickets, according to Greenberg. ## Atomic's owner fires back ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-24-at-2.53.03---PM.png) Dustin Hensley, Atomic's owner, [posted a lengthy personal statement ](https://www.facebook.com/AtomicLouisville/posts/pfbid02BPD7adU9ZFy9pUsnG9wRSMbv8vhYyZnD8MEtRkoZ4MPrD8bfQaSr5bYq8K1uBqTLl)to social media Tuesday that is extraordinary in its detail and its accusations. He didn't just dispute the suspension. He described what he says is a pattern of racially motivated pressure- from neighbors, from city officials, and from LMPD- stretching back more than a year. Hensley opened by framing the moment as two simultaneous problems: the lawlessness on the streets, and what he calls the rise of racism being used to combat it. He wrote that many of the teens involved in the street takeovers happen to be Black, and that Atomic is welcoming to everyone, including the Black community. "That racism is now leading to the closure of bars where people go who happen to be of the same race as the people causing the lawlessness in the neighborhood," he wrote. "This very much seems like an effort to push an entire race out of the bar district by removing places for them to go lawfully, rather than holding the individual bad actors accountable for their own actions. The Highlands is being racist." He goes on to describe pressure from city leaders, including demands that Atomic change its music to attract a different- and he specified, White- clientele. "I was even asked by a Metro Council representative and LMPD to work on attracting the same crowd that was around for the St. Patrick's Day parade (White) rather than our predominant crowd (Black) in order to get more support from the neighborhood," he wrote. "As a resident of the Highlands, living in the same district, I'm ashamed that my Metro Council representative would even make such a suggestion." On the April enforcement action - one the city cited as a partial basis for Tuesday's suspension- Hensley offered a detailed counter-narrative. He said ABC praised Atomic for its security and even asked it to help another bar owner improve their own procedures. Then, two weeks later, ABC cited Atomic for a disorderly premises because an LMPD officer who voluntarily came onto the property to assist with removing a customer got his foot caught in crowd fencing and sprained his ankle. On the security front, Hensley pushed back hard on any suggestion that Atomic is lax. He wrote that Atomic has three times as many security guards as LMPD has officers assigned to the entire division- all for a 9,000-square-foot venue. ID scanners retain every name ever scanned. Metal detectors and pat-downs screen for weapons and drugs. He said his off-duty officers have identified people with outstanding warrants in line and arrested them before they ever entered. "Whether you're part of the 0.05% of people we remove for being disrespectful, fighting, or engaging in behavior that threatens the safety of others, you will be stopped, questioned, detained, and held accountable." His closing was pointed: "Are we about to become another bar shut down forever? People are not just going to go home. You might as well work with the good operators and address the actual problems." ## Other bars: stop blaming us ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-24-at-2.53.23---PM.png) Atomic isn't the only Highlands business frustrated with how this situation has been handled. The Highlands Taproom [posted its own statement](https://www.facebook.com/HighlandsTaproomGrill/posts/pfbid02obsDGBSCayB3YbdYF9beuHftQRwWyt8oHvwFLx4QaXp66VBaQD4bAbFazzTdmhqkl) calling out what it sees as scapegoating. "ATOMIC is being targeted and doesn't deserve the treatment they're getting," the Tap Room wrote. "The Hub shouldn't feel the need to close temporarily. None of us are responsible for the street takeovers or the violence that happens off our properties." The Tap Room took direct aim at the mayor: "The Mayor is looking for a scapegoat and he's pointing his finger the wrong direction. LMPD stands around in nearby parking lots until the crowds are too big to control and then blames the bars for allowing people to gather. They are reactive rather than proactive and their 'enforcement' of laws is comical." The Tap Room also described its own compliance efforts, saying it has done nearly everything asked- hiring off-duty LMPD, closing early, and increasing security personnel. "Nothing changed the street takeovers. Because the bars aren't the problem", the statement said. The [Hub's statement took a different tone](https://www.facebook.com/thehubpm/posts/pfbid02SUJwzcAEarz78MRrMhuSrmoJcMtKTgNcZp9xAgviApc6GeEJRtxtrqNMD4hWbsFxl)\- quieter, but no less firm. The Hub is a Latino- and LGBTQ-owned space on Bardstown Road, and its owners were clear: they had nothing to do with the weekend violence. An off-duty officer working for The Hub helped break up a fight near but not on their property on Saturday night. The group involved then moved down the street, and the shooting occurred at least two blocks away. By the time the second shooting happened, The Hub had already closed for the night, and all guests were out of the building. The Hub also acknowledged the larger reality- and it's one that cuts to the heart of the problem. "What we are facing is bigger than one night. For months, large crowds have been gathering in the Highlands. It is obvious that these crowds are primarily teenagers, and that they are not patronizing any of the bars and restaurants on Bardstown Road." The Hub said it has been working directly with ABC, LMPD, its Metro Councilmember, and the Mayor's Office throughout. And then it disclosed something remarkable: it is seriously considering temporarily shutting its own doors until the city gets this under control. "That is not a decision any business wants to make, especially a Latino and LGBTQ-owned space that exists to give our community somewhere to gather safely. But the safety of our staff, our patrons, and our neighbors has to come first, and the burden of keeping them safe cannot continue to fall on us alone." ## What's actually being proposed ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-24-at-2.53.11---PM.png) The city's current approach is enforcement- more officers, more patrols, floodlights, towing, and license suspensions when the evidence supports it. LMPD's statement this week acknowledged the limits of that approach even as it defended it, noting that the situation ultimately comes down to individual choices and that the whole community shares responsibility. That framing is unlikely to satisfy bar owners who say they've done everything asked of them and still find themselves blamed. The crowds driving the street takeovers, multiple owners say, are primarily teenagers who aren't patronizing any bar. They're gathering on public streets, and no liquor license suspension changes that. The Louisville Hospitality Association said the crowd size has "negatively impacted multiple businesses on the corridor, as they impede traffic and block entrances and exits," and that "the large majority of these crowds are not bar or restaurant patrons." ## The bigger picture What's playing out on Bardstown Road is a collision of things that don't have easy answers: a neighborhood entertainment corridor drawing large, late-night crowds; a city government under public pressure to show results; bar owners who say they've complied with every demand and still end up in the crosshairs; and now, serious allegations about racial bias inside Louisville's own city government. Atomic is closed pending its administrative proceedings. The Hub is weighing whether to close voluntarily. And somewhere in the gap between the city's enforcement numbers and the bar owners' grievances is a neighborhood that's been dealing with this for nearly a year- and running out of patience with answers that aren't working. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Former LMPD officer charged in shooting of unarmed man pleads not guilty URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/former-lmpd-officer-charged-in-shooting-of-unarmed-man-pleads-not-guilty/ Last updated: 2026-06-22T17:48:27.000Z Nathan Stotts appeared in court Monday morning for his arraignment hearing. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- The former LMPD officer charged in the fatal shooting of a naked, unarmed man appeared in Jefferson County Circuit Court Monday morning, where he entered a not guilty plea. Nathan Stotts, who was booked into Metro Corrections, was released after a judge set his bond at $10,000\. His attorney, Steve Shroering, said his client intended to post it the same day- and he did. Shroering is a familiar face in high-profile Louisville-area cases. He most recently represented Brooks Houck at trial last summer in the Crystal Rogers murder case. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-22-at-1.38.02---PM-1.png) Martin Nitzken Stotts faces one count of second-degree manslaughter and one count of reckless homicide in connection with the May 30 shooting death of 27-year-old Martin Nitzken on Cromarty Way in Southwest Louisville. A Jefferson County grand jury indicted him last week, finding no true bill on the more serious murder charge prosecutors also presented. ## What happened on May 30 When officers were called to Cromarty Way that night, it was not a quiet scene. Nitzken's girlfriend had called 911 saying he became suddenly and violently agitated while the group watched a basketball game. He allegedly attacked her, then attacked two of her friends when they tried to intervene. ![audio-thumbnail](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/media/2026/06/911-call--martin-netzkin_thumb.png) 911 call provided by LMPD 0:00 /776.186304 1× By the time police arrived, Nitzken had removed all of his clothing, ripped a shutter off a nearby home, and chased a passing car with it. A neighbor who tried to intervene ended up with a dislocated shoulder. Stotts was the only officer on scene when he arrived. Body camera footage showed Nitzken- naked, stumbling, and unarmed- walking toward him. Stotts gave verbal commands. Nitzken kept moving. Stotts fired once. Nitzken went down. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-22-at-1.46.18---PM.png) View from the LMPD helicopter, as Nitzken walks toward Stotts LMPD Chief Paul Humphrey did not mince words at a news conference shortly after the shooting. "This is not what we teach, and it does not meet our values," he said. When asked what Stotts should have done differently, Humphrey pointed specifically to less-lethal options- a Taser or similar intermediate tool- saying he would have "liked to have seen something besides deadly force being used." "Sometimes we have to make decisions to take people's lives," Humphrey said. "And this was not one of them." The woman who called 911 had mentioned that Nitzken was bipolar and had not previously been violent, raising questions about whether the situation should have been recognized and handled as a mental health crisis. Every LMPD officer receives 40 hours of crisis intervention training, including how to identify signs of a mental health episode- things like being unclothed or unresponsive to commands. Humphrey said investigators would be examining why those signs may not have been acted on. A toxicology report was still pending at the time of the press conference. Pre-termination paperwork was served to Stotts just three days after the shooting. He resigned a few days after that and was officially charged last week. His next court date is set for July 22 at 10:30 a.m. [Martin Nitzken was naked and unarmed. An LMPD officer shot and killed him anyway.LMPD Chief of Police Paul Humphrey says Martin Nitzken was showing classic signs of a mental health crisis. Signs his officers are trained to recognize. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-0ceb304d-0176-45c5-9a77-9017b3e79de6.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-06-03-at-8.24.11---AM-31c1d77c-ea6a-4a5d-bdba-32b29cd7ab39.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/martin-nitzken-was-naked-and-unarmed-an-lmpd-officer-shot-and-killed-him-anyway/) *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Kentucky's child welfare watchdog says the system has 'a culture of secrecy' URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentuckys-child-welfare-watchdog-says-the-system-has-a-culture-of-secrecy/ Last updated: 2026-06-24T19:04:12.000Z Kentucky's State Auditor says the state failed Miya Rudd- and that only one person has the power to force real change. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- When I published [my investigation into the death of Miya Rudd](https://www.shayinformed.com/she-was-eight-months-old-kentuckys-child-welfare-system-lost-her-this-is-how/) last month, one of the central questions I couldn't fully answer was this: if the Child Fatality Review Panel can only make recommendations, and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services can simply choose not to follow them- who actually has the power to force change? I went looking for that answer. It led me to Kentucky State Auditor Allison Ball. What I found in that conversation was more than I expected. Auditor Ball didn't just confirm what my investigation had found. She expanded it- with information about her own office's battles to access records, a frank assessment of the culture inside the cabinet, and an answer to that central question that names one person, and one person only, as the decision-maker who can force Kentucky's child welfare system to change. That person is the governor. I'll get to that. But first, there are some things Auditor Ball told me- and a document her office provided- that I think every Kentuckian needs to see. --- ***Paid subscribers- you can LISTEN to this report now. My new podcast episode covers the case, and my conversation with the auditor. Find that link at the bottom of this page.*** --- ## They had to sue ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-19-at-9.29.32---AM-1.png) When Miya Rudd's death first became public, the Office of the Ombudsman- the oversight body specifically designed to investigate the Cabinet for Health and Family Services- didn't have access to the information it needed. At the time, the Ombudsman's office was still housed within CHFS itself, which created an obvious conflict of interest. When Auditor Ball brought the office under her authority, she expected to inherit the data access that came with it. Specifically, access to iTWIST- the state's case management database that contains records on every child involved with DCBS-Department of Community Based Services- Kentucky's CPS branch. The Cabinet said no. "The Ombudsman had historically always had access to iTWIST, but that access was turned off when it was switched over to the auditor's office," Ball told me. "We had several meetings and tried to get access to it, and we weren't able to reach an agreement." So the office that is legally charged with overseeing Kentucky's child welfare system had to file a lawsuit against that system to see CPS records. They won. Through a settlement, Ball's office now has access to iTWIST- and Miya Rudd's case was specifically cited as the reason they needed it. "We referred to Baby Miya's death as a reason why we needed to have access to it," Ball said. "It's helpful to have a concrete example, and unfortunately, hers was a very good example of why we needed to have access." Let that sit for a moment. An oversight body had to take the Cabinet to court to do its job. And a dead eight-month-old was the argument they used to win. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-20-at-9.32.22---AM.png) ## "A culture of secrecy" Readers of my [original investigation](https://www.shayinformed.com/she-was-eight-months-old-kentuckys-child-welfare-system-lost-her-this-is-how/) will remember that the Cabinet for Health and Family Services refused to answer multiple specific questions I submitted before publication- including whether anything had changed after Miya's death and whether workers would face retaliation for speaking with me. Their response to four direct questions was a statement that didn't address a single one of them. When I described that sequence to Auditor Ball, she wasn't surprised. ![Forms response chart. Question title:  Have you ever witnessed or experienced retaliation — formal or informal — for raising concerns about case decisions, workload, or agency practices?. Number of responses: 34 responses.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/data-src-image-c3de3c28-6b3f-42c2-b293-f335f5c401aa.png) Data from my survey of current and former social workers "We have legal authority to be able to have access to information, and we also have trouble getting information from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services," she told me. "Your experience is in line with our experience. There is a culture of secrecy, I think, over there, and it's very difficult to get information." The state's own oversight office- with legal authority and subpoena power-describes the Cabinet for Health and Family Services as operating with a culture of secrecy. That is not my characterization. It is the characterization of the elected official whose job it is to keep the cabinet accountable. Ball was careful to acknowledge that some of what the Cabinet protects is legitimately confidential- locations of children, personal identifying information. But she drew a clear line between appropriate confidentiality and what she's seen in practice. "When you get very vague answers or very general answers, it just leads to uncertainty that they're doing what they're supposed to do," she said. "There is a way to make sure there's accountability. There's still a way to make sure the public is informed. And unfortunately, when you get vague answers, that's not being achieved." [She was eight months old. Kentucky’s child welfare system lost her. This is how.The system didn’t fail Miya Rudd all at once. It failed her one decision at a time. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. This story is a ‘Shay Original’, which is available to![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-06f3c61d-e243-4ce4-919d-04421bdc55b2.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/miya-rudd-1-c8c72963-a2c8-4b9d-a398-207fe9214c47.webp)](https://www.shayinformed.com/she-was-eight-months-old-kentuckys-child-welfare-system-lost-her-this-is-how/) ## What they found in the records Once Ball's office gained access to iTWIST, they began doing something they called deeper dives- focused investigations into specific patterns of failure rather than broad, surface-level audits of the entire cabinet. Child fatalities became one of those deeper dives. They hired a retired Kentucky State Police detective specifically to focus on cases involving children who died while interacting with the system- someone who, as Ball put it, "knows what leads to a child fatality and what we need to be looking for." What they found was not reassuring. "The breakdowns that you've mentioned- those are breakdowns that even with the access that we have, we've been able to see recurring in other child fatality instances," Ball told me. She specifically highlighted a documentation failure that went beyond what I had reported. "Documents don't often show up until months later," she said. "You can have a child fatality and three months later the documents show up in iTWIST showing what the progress was in that case. That raises all kinds of concerns. You don't know when those documents were created. You don't know how accurate they are." And worse: she said her office has reviewed multiple cases that had partial documentation, or no documentation at all. I now have a document that shows exactly what this looked like in Miya's case. The Ombudsman's office provided me with the Corrective Action Plan (CAP) issued in connection with her case. What it reveals goes beyond what appeared in the state's own report- and it raises new questions about the integrity of the records that now exist in iTWIST about what happened to her. ## The records that were created after she died The Office of the Ombudsman issued the CAP on June 24, 2024\. Ten days after Miya's body was found. The complaint that triggered it had been received by the Ombudsman's office on June 17, 2024\. Three days after her remains were discovered. The Ombudsman determined the complaint was **justified** on three grounds: service recordings did not reflect all contact attempts or attempts to locate the family before the case was closed on February 21, 2024\. The only documentation was a vague notation that "multiple attempts were made"- with no dates. The safety plan completion was not documented in service recordings. And there was no record of who was supervising contact between the child and the mother. In other words: the file that existed for Miya's case showed almost nothing about what had actually happened during the search for her. On June 26, 2024- twelve days after Miya's body was found- the supervisor on the case sat down and entered all of the missing contacts into iTWIST. Using the caseworker's handwritten notes, because the caseworker was on leave, according to the CAP. The records about what happened during the search for Miya Rudd were being written- and entered into the state's official system- after she was already dead. This is precisely what Auditor Ball described to me. Documents appearing months after events they were supposed to record. No way to verify when they were created. No way to verify how accurate they are. Now there is a specific document proving it happened in Miya's case. But the CAP reveals something else. Something that doesn't appear in the state's SARS report. That's the report workers create after a child fatality. The CAP states: *"Although the safety plan uploaded in iTWIST states 'signed in person' it should have stated 'verbally agreed.'"* The SARS report describes a handwritten safety plan that was accidentally shredded and replaced with a generic version. But this document reveals that the plan actually uploaded to iTWIST was recorded as "signed in person" when it was only verbally agreed to over the phone. That is two separate documentation failures on the same safety plan. The original was destroyed. And the replacement record was inaccurate about how the agreement was even reached. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-22-at-8.59.36---AM.png) The safety plan provided in Miya's case file ## What passing a CAP actually looks like Auditor Ball explained the Corrective Action Plan process to me in our interview. The cabinet is required to respond. Required to document what steps they took. Required to explain what they will do to prevent the same failure from happening again. Here is what the response to Miya's CAP said. Regional administrators held meetings. Teams calls were conducted. An email was sent to the supervisor and a regional coordinator about how a CAP works and providing a link to a Standard of Practice document. The missing contacts were entered into iTWIST. And the policy violation would be discussed at a staff meeting. To prevent this from happening again: supervisors will talk with their teams to ensure service recordings are detailed and properly entered. Supervisors will review service recordings and send them back to workers if information is missing. That is the corrective action for a case that ended with an eight-month-old found dead in a duffle bag. A reminder to document better. There is no mention in the CAP response of caseload conditions. No mention of the absence of law enforcement contact during 45 days of searching for a missing infant. No mention of a gap in training on what to do when a newborn that screened positive for meth goes missing. The state identified one failure- inadequate documentation- and the fix was a staff meeting reminder and a link to a policy document. The SARS report identified four learning points. The corrective action addressed one. Partially. ## The attitude that keeps appearing When I asked whether what happened to Miya was an aberration or a pattern, she confirmed what I feared- that her office has seen similar breakdowns repeatedly across multiple child fatality cases. But then she described something specific that her office has encountered in their investigations. An attitude. "There's been an attitude from supervisors that, 'Well, you know, this is a family that has problems, so if we don't do a good job here, if we forget to file a document, it's okay, because they're just going to be back again, and we can address it later.'" That phrase- *they're just going to be back again-* is a version of the same logic documented in the SARS report on Miya's case. Workers and supervisors believed that closing the file on a repeat client was acceptable because another referral would eventually come in. The mother was a repeat client. Something else would come in. The CAP document makes that attitude visible in a new way. The records that were supposed to document what happened during the search for Miya didn't exist until after she was dead. They were created- by her supervisor, from handwritten notes- after her body was found. As if the documentation could be completed later. As if there would always be more time. There wasn't. "In Baby Miya's case, there wasn't another time. Because she had died. And that just underscores the importance of doing it right the first time. Don't have the attitude that you're going to get a second chance. You may not get a second chance," she said. ## Did the state fail Miya? I asked Auditor Ball directly. I wanted it on the record from the person whose office exists to hold this cabinet accountable. "Do you believe the cabinet and the state of Kentucky as a whole failed this baby?" Her answer was immediate. "Oh, I do. I really do." She went on: "It's one of the reasons why I'm in the job that I'm in. Because I believe that there are children like Baby Miya all over the Commonwealth of Kentucky that need to be protected. And my job is to make sure the cabinet is doing what it's supposed to do." She told me that within her office, Miya is referred to by name. That she and a few other children have become what Ball described as sources of motivation- children who are named in meetings, children whose cases remind the staff why the work matters. "She's a beautiful baby," Ball said. "And she should definitely still be here." ## Where the teeth are- and aren't Auditor Ball's office has real authority that the Child Fatality Review Panel does not. She has subpoena power. She can impose Corrective Action Plans that the cabinet is legally required to respond to. She can make findings public. A CAP was in fact issued in Miya's case. I now have that document. The cabinet responded. And that response- a staff meeting, a reminder to document better, a link to a policy page- is the accountability that exists on paper for what happened to Miya Rudd. When I asked Ball whether her office could actually compel the cabinet to change- not just respond, but actually change- the answer carried a limitation she was candid about. "Other than the CAP, which does have an accountability mechanism to it- we don't have a lot of teeth," Ball acknowledged. "We can't impose fines. We can't put somebody in jail. There aren't a lot of tools to enforce and make sure that people are doing what they're supposed to do." A required response is not the same as required action. And a corrective action plan whose fix is a staff meeting reminder has consequences that are, ultimately, reputational rather than legal. Which brings me to what I consider the most important exchange in our entire conversation. ## The only person who can force change I told Ball w[hat Dr. Melissa Currie had told me](https://www.shayinformed.com/she-was-eight-months-old-kentuckys-child-welfare-system-lost-her-this-is-how/)\- that the Child Fatality Review Panel has no statutory authority to compel anyone to act. I told her that from the outside, it seemed like every oversight mechanism in Kentucky was advisory. That findings could be issued and recommendations made, but nothing could ultimately be forced. I asked: does anyone have the power to force change? "Yes, absolutely," Ball said. "You have to remember- this is a governor's cabinet. The governor is your primary person who's tasked with dealing with these situations. He hires and fires the people that he appoints, can set policies and training and requirements in place. Ultimately these kinds of fixes happen when you have leadership who does the right thing. And that's the governor. The governor's appointees. That's your ultimate decision maker, right there." I pushed. I wanted to make sure I was hearing her correctly. "So at the end of the day, the governor is the only one who's in a position today to to force a change", I asked her. "Yes," she said. "Yes. I think that's the most accurate way to say that." The child fatality panel makes recommendations. The auditor makes recommendations and can impose corrective action plans. The legislature can call hearings and pass laws. But the Cabinet for Health and Family Services is the governor's cabinet. The people running it serve at his pleasure. The policies governing how Kentucky's social workers operate- what they're trained to do, what tools they have, what caseloads they carry- are ultimately set and enforced by people who answer to one person. Governor Andy Beshear. I have requested an interview with the governor's office. As of Monday morning, I have not heard back. ## What comes next Ball's office is continuing its investigation into child fatalities in Kentucky- including Miya's case. She told me they have done all they can with the information currently available to them, but that they are working to gain access to additional records, including autopsy reports and complete police investigations, that they don't yet have. She ended our conversation with a message for the public: the Office of the Ombudsman exists, it is independent from the cabinet, it protects confidentiality absolutely, and it wants to hear from Kentuckians who have concerns about how the Cabinet for Health and Family Services is treating people in its care. "If people have a concern, we're here," Ball said. "We want to listen. You can provide a tip, and we will make sure it stays confidential." The number for the Kentucky Office of the Ombudsman is 1-800-372-2973\. You can also submit a complaint online at auditor.ky.gov. ***This story is available to LISTEN to at the link below. Paid subscribers have full access to all of my podcasts, wherever you like to listen! Just click on "One More Question" and follow the steps you see below.*** ### Superintendent breaks his silence on the Gaither settlement- lays out the legal risks URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/superintendent-breaks-his-silence-on-the-gaither-settlement-lays-out-the-legal-risks/ Last updated: 2026-06-19T13:08:00.000Z Dr. Joshua Matthews has a lot he says he can't talk about. This morning, he tried to explain what he can. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- In a letter sent to the Shelby County community, the superintendent addressed- for the first time at length- why the district settled with former Martha Layne Collins basketball coach Chris Gaither rather than letting his case go to a tribunal. It's a question I've been asked repeatedly since reporting on the settlement earlier this month, and it's one the district has mostly declined to answer until now. The timing isn't an accident. Just three days ago, [I reported that Kentucky State Police confirmed an open, active criminal investigation into Gaither](https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-state-police-confirm-active-investigation-into-former-shelby-county-coach/)\- one that's been running since January, separate entirely from the district's own personnel process. Today's letter doesn't mention KSP by name. But it lands in the middle of a community trying to reconcile a settlement that paid Gaither nearly $43,000 to resign, with the knowledge that state police now consider him worth investigating. [Kentucky State Police confirm active investigation into former Shelby County coachKentucky State Police are asking for the public’s help with an active investigation into a high school basketball coach accused of sexual misconduct. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-59880faf-ee5b-4303-9f25-e9e01e5fc383.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-06-16-at-7.59.17---AM-17355922-6bef-4773-b3cf-fd32295085aa.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-state-police-confirm-active-investigation-into-former-shelby-county-coach/) ## What Matthews says- and why The superintendent's central argument is about certainty. A settlement, he writes, was "the only way for the District to guarantee the immediate and permanent separation from the certified employee." A tribunal, by contrast, carries real risk: if the three-member panel overturns a superintendent's termination decision, the employee is reinstated- full stop. That's not a hypothetical Matthews invented for this letter. Under Kentucky law, when a certified employee appeals a termination, the case goes before a tribunal of three people from outside the district, appointed through the Attorney General's office. Gaither exercised that right in January. According to the settlement agreement I obtained last week, the hearing never happened- the parties went to mediation instead, and that mediation produced the deal that closed the case. Matthews also points to cost. The district or its insurer covers the expense of a tribunal, on top of legal fees. That tracks with what the settlement itself shows: Gaither's $5,000 lump-sum payment came from the district's insurer, Liberty Mutual, while his $37,907.72 salary payout ran through regular district payroll. A tribunal- and then any possible legal action that came after it- would run the district a tab much higher. Then there's the Education Professional Standards Board, known as EPSB. Matthews writes that state investigations- like the one the Education Professional Standards Board could pursue against a teaching certificate- are typically held in abeyance until a tribunal wraps up, and that a tribunal's outcome can still be appealed to circuit court afterward, with the employee retaining certification throughout. By settling instead, Matthews argues, the district "empowers state agencies to proceed with their reviews immediately." The settlement agreement does require that the document and related information be submitted to EPSB, as Kentucky law mandates. I reached out to EPSB about Gaither's status when I reported on the settlement; the agency said it can't comment on pending investigations. [Shelby County Coach accused of sexual misconduct wasn’t fired after all. A settlement quietly rewrote the ending.A settlement agreement shows the district voided the termination, paid out his salary, and closed the case before it ever reached a tribunal- the hearing that serves as an appeals option for fired teachers. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-14d0e2ee-a0a4-45c2-bec1-fcb6689d9bb9.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-06-11-at-8.41.25---AM-61860a56-83ef-4da5-b356-900a10f25985.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/shelby-county-coach-accused-of-sexual-misconduct-wasnt-fired-after-all-a-settlement-quietly-rewrote-the-ending/) ## Witness protection Matthews also frames the settlement as protective- specifically of the people who came forward. He notes that out-of-state witnesses can't be compelled to testify in an administrative hearing, and that even local witnesses are sometimes reluctant. The settlement, he says, included provisions shielding those individuals from disparagement and retaliation. That detail lines up with what I reported in the settlement itself: a mutual non-disparagement clause barring either side from disparaging comments about Gaither, the superintendent, the board, or district employees- though the clause explicitly doesn't stop anyone from testifying truthfully or cooperating with an investigation. ## On confidentiality, mediation, and the personnel file Matthews closes by drawing a distinction between confidentiality and a non-disclosure agreement, asserting the settlement is neither, since it can be- and has been- obtained through an open records request. He also says mediation is a standard part of the tribunal process, run through the Attorney General's office, and reiterates that nothing has been or will be removed from any personnel file. That last point is worth sitting with, because it's not quite what the settlement agreement says. As I reported, the document I obtained shows the district agreed to void Gaither's termination and *withdraw* the termination letter from his personnel file- replacing it with an accepted resignation. Whether "withdraw" amounts to "removal" may be the kind of distinction lawyers can defend, and the public still finds hard to square. You can read Matthews' statement in full [here](https://www.facebook.com/shelbycountysch/posts/pfbid0y4yMzY2P9Q39fhdMLxHZ2UAgffMdGj69YHbuDCfsSMvytJRucHWFZCbHGKJinZCgl). ## A call I received this week Earlier this week, a member of leadership with direct knowledge of the closed-door meetings called me directly. They told me they were concerned the public was misreading the district's intentions, and wanted a chance to explain- though they were candid that there's only so much they're legally permitted to say on the record. We first spoke on background- meaning nothing they told me could be reported. I then shared the reality of journalism- I can't report on background, I need someone on the record. They agreed, under the condition of anonymity. Much of what they told me tracks closely with what's in Matthews' letter, but with a few additional layers of detail. They confirmed that mediation is overseen specifically by the Tribunal Administrative Hearing Judge through the Attorney General's office, and that the AG's office also handles tribunal dismissals and agreement reviews. On the tribunal itself, they were more specific than the superintendent's letter: each panel consists of three people appointed by the Attorney General from outside Shelby County, and the employee can choose whether the hearing is public or private. If the panel sides with the employee, reinstatement comes with back pay. On the financial picture, they added a detail Matthews' letter didn't include- that even when insurance covers part of a tribunal's cost, claims can drive up the district's future premiums. They were also more direct about shielding Hayley Weddle- the woman whose public statement launched the investigation into Chris Gaither last December. She's a former Shelby County Schools employee, and the settlement specifically protects any current or former employees from retaliation or disparaging remarks. Where this source was most insistent was on the personnel file question. "I understand that the settlement is written in legal jargon," they told me, "but we do not remove anything from a personnel file. Our attorneys have advised us not to remove anything from a personnel file." It's the same assurance Matthews makes in his letter- and it runs into the same tension with the word "withdraw" in the settlement document itself. ## What's still unanswered Matthews' letter explains a legal strategy. It doesn't resolve the tension at the center of this story: a settlement built, by his own account, to let state investigations move forward immediately- arriving the same week the public learned Kentucky State Police had already been investigating Gaither since January, quietly, this whole time. If you have information relevant to the Kentucky State Police investigation into Chris Gaither, you're encouraged to contact KSP Post 12 in Frankfort at 502-227-2221. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Nick Houck appears in court- without a lawyer and 'no idea' why he's been charged URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/nick-houck-appears-in-court-without-a-lawyer-and-no-idea-why-hes-been-charged/ Last updated: 2026-06-22T13:13:34.000Z A chaotic arraignment, a missing attorney, and a motion to correct a key date set the stage for a July 2nd hearing. --- *I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/%5C) *and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my podcasts.* *Don't want to read? Listen to me talk through my notes, observations, and lingering questions in a 20-minute podcast episode available at the bottom of this page!* --- For Sherry Ballard, Wednesday was a day she had been waiting years for. For Nick Houck, it was a day he apparently hadn't fully prepared for. The man Crystal Rogers' family believes knows what happened to her walked into a Nelson County courtroom without a lawyer. He told the judge, "I have no idea why you guys have charged me." Houck appeared before Judge Charles Simms for his arraignment on a first-degree perjury charge, a felony. It should have been a routine court appearance, but like most things in this case, there were surprises along the way. He pleaded not guilty and has another court date set for 9 a.m. July 2nd. Now for the rest of the story... ## What happened before court ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/IMG_6928.JPG) The Houck family outside of the courtroom Nick Houck himself was the first to arrive at the courthouse for this case (outside of reporters). On the way through the metal detector, he said he was "feeling good" when asked how he was feeling today. He didn't answer any questions about his pending perjury charge. His sister Rhonda and mother Rosemary weren't too far behind him. Rosemary attempted to cover her face while passing reporters. She has been named an un-indicted co-conspirator in the murder of Crystal Rogers. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/View-recent-photos.png) Rosemary Houck and her boyfriend walk up the stairs at the courthouse _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Nick Houck heads to court: what to know before the arraignment URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/nick-houck-heads-to-court-what-to-know-before-the-arraignment/ Last updated: 2026-06-18T18:42:12.000Z Arraignment is set for 9 a.m. in Nelson Circuit Court. Here's where things stand. --- *I'll be in the courthouse, and when I walk out, paid subscribers will be the first to hear what happened. My full post-court analysis- and any interviews I'm able to secure- will go to paid subscribers first, before anything else is published.* *If you're not already a paid subscriber, today is a good day to change that. You can* [*sign up right now*](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup) *and make sure you don't miss a thing.* --- Nick Houck will walk into a Nelson County courtroom this morning for the first time since his June 4th arrest on a first-degree perjury charge- a Class D felony that carries one to five years in prison if he is convicted. His arraignment is scheduled for 9 a.m. before Judge Charles Simms in Nelson Circuit Court. I'll be there. Here's what you need to know going in. ## A quick recap ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/nick-houck-pic-5.jpg) Credit: Kentucky State Police Kentucky State Police arrested Nick Houck- the brother of convicted murderer Brooks Houck- just after 1:30 p.m. on June 4th. He was booked into the Hardin County Detention Center and bonded out the same day. His mother, Rosemary Houck, posted the $25,000 cash-only bond. The indictment, handed down by a Nelson County grand jury on June 3rd, alleges that between July 15, 2015 and August 16, 2023, Houck made a material false statement- one he did not believe to be true- while under oath in an official proceeding. He has never been charged with anything directly connected to the disappearance of Crystal Rogers. But those dates, that location, and that timeline tell a story all their own. July 15th was the day he was interviewed by Kentucky State Police and agreed to take a polygraph test. [‘A gift from heaven’: Sherry Ballard calls Nick Houck’s arrest the best birthday present she’s ever receivedCrystal Rogers’ mother called Thursday’s arrest the best gift she’s ever received- and says she pushed for it every step of the way. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. This story is![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-6ec74096-7b68-46d9-a72c-19222daf0c8d.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-06-05-at-9.47.33---AM-bf68fadf-a9f4-4ebc-a5c4-b1199edbb511.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/a-gift-from-heaven-sherry-ballard-calls-nick-houcks-arrest-the-best-birthday-present-shes-ever-received/) ## Why today matters An arraignment is the formal reading of charges in open court. Houck will enter a plea- almost certainly not guilty, as is standard at this stage- and the judge will address bond conditions and set a schedule for what comes next. His current bond conditions include a dusk-to-dawn curfew, no drug or alcohol use, and a no-contact order with an unnamed individual. What comes out of this morning's hearing will shape the road ahead: whether the case moves toward trial, how quickly things progress, and whether any new information surfaces in open court. ## The charge and what it means The indictment's date range is notable. We know from recordings that KSP interviewed Houck on that exact date. Investigators confronted him about surveillance footage showing his police cruiser following Brooks' truck toward the Houck family farm the same evening Brooks had been questioned by police. They also asked him about a blanket found in his cruiser and told him a cadaver dog had alerted to the vehicle. Nick told investigators he couldn't remember why he and Brooks were on camera heading to the farm together. He also took a polygraph that day. He failed it. [Nick Houck’s former boss says he always knew this day would comeRick McCubbin fired Nick Houck from the Bardstown Police Department over a decade ago. On Thursday, he was vindicated. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. This story is a ‘Shay Original’, which is available![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-eb4ed260-baaf-4714-957a-e9a10b4add40.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-06-05-at-10.40.05---AM-1bd13295-ba08-4529-9e92-9343beece8db.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/nick-houcks-former-boss-says-he-always-knew-this-day-would-come/) FBI Special Agent Mike Shafer told him directly: "It's no longer a matter of wondering if you know what happened- we're past that now." That was eleven years ago. This morning, Nick Houck answers to a grand jury's findings in open court. **I'll be in the courtroom and updating this article as soon as I can.** [The last document the Kentucky Supreme Court will read before deciding Brooks Houck’s appeal has been filedBrooks Houck’s attorneys get the last word, and they are swinging hard. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-631f8421-c394-4e34-966d-fc7b7da8acb6.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-04-23-at-3.44.11---PM-1-73e7cd64-ff12-4532-b1e2-a9443238d2a4.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/the-last-document-the-kentucky-supreme-court-will-read-before-deciding-brooks-houcks-appeal-has-been-filed/) *Don't forget- paid subscribers will be the first to hear what happened. My full post-court analysis- and any interviews I'm able to secure- will go to paid subscribers first, before anything else is published.* *If you're not already a paid subscriber, today is a good day to change that. You can* [*sign up right now*](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup) *and make sure you don't miss a thing.* ### Kentucky State Police confirm active investigation into former Shelby County coach URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-state-police-confirm-active-investigation-into-former-shelby-county-coach/ Last updated: 2026-06-18T17:57:25.000Z Kentucky State Police are asking for the public's help with an active investigation into a high school basketball coach accused of sexual misconduct. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Kentucky State Police have confirmed there is an open and active criminal investigation into former Shelby County Schools basketball coach Chris Gaither- and they need your help. KSP Post 12 out of Frankfort says the investigation has been underway since January of this year. Anyone with information is encouraged to call 502-227-2221. For those of you who have been following this story since the beginning, this is a significant development. For those just catching up, here's where we are and how we got here. ## How it started ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-16-at-8.08.03---AM-1.png) Hayley's public statement It began in December 2025, when Hayley Weddle- a 2014 graduate of Martha Layne Collins High School- filed a written complaint with Shelby County Schools detailing what she described as an inappropriate relationship that began when she was 16 years old and serving as a team manager on Gaither's basketball team. The district opened an investigation the next day. But five days later, Gaither was still in the building- and still on the sidelines coaching a game. When Weddle saw that, she made a decision. She posted her statement publicly. "I had tried to go through the appropriate channels, but it did not feel like they were going to do anything," she told me at the time. "It felt like it would be swept under the rug, as it has been before." Within hours of her post, multiple people contacted the district with additional information. Gaither was suspended December 10th. The community packed a school board meeting two days later, demanding accountability and concrete policy reform. "I blamed myself for years," Weddle said. "But he had been grooming me since I was 16." It's also worth noting: this was not the first time Gaither had been investigated. A prior investigation had been launched and closed after board attorneys said they found no evidence of wrongdoing. Weddle's complaint reopened it. [‘He has been able to hide for so long’; Shelby Co. Schools suspends coach after sexual misconduct allegationsA former team manager told me her relationship with Chris Gaither began while she was a student at Martha Layne Collins High School. “He has been able to hide for so long under the assumption that he is a good Christian pillar of this community, and I think it was![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-ed86d8a6-035b-4322-957f-49a1f5af0b40.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-12-11-at-10.00.29---AM-1bec467b-1605-44a0-8dda-7e897291d393.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/he-has-been-able-to-hide-for-so-long-shelby-co-schools-suspends-coach-after-sexual-misconduct-allegations/) ## The termination- and then the settlement ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-11-at-8.41.11---AM-1.png) In January 2026, Superintendent Dr. Joshua Matthews terminated Gaither, citing violations of multiple Board of Education policies. I told you at the time that the termination wasn't necessarily final- and it wasn't. Under Kentucky law, Gaither had the right to appeal to an independent three-member tribunal. He exercised that right. But the hearing never happened. Instead, both sides went to mediation through the Attorney General's office, and a settlement was reached this spring. [Shelby County Coach accused of sexual misconduct wasn’t fired after all. A settlement quietly rewrote the ending.A settlement agreement shows the district voided the termination, paid out his salary, and closed the case before it ever reached a tribunal- the hearing that serves as an appeals option for fired teachers. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-96e4d704-acbf-4626-83c9-16b44e584ebe.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-06-11-at-8.41.25---AM-5e2ead15-b8cc-40aa-bd39-95751cbc36c1.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/shelby-county-coach-accused-of-sexual-misconduct-wasnt-fired-after-all-a-settlement-quietly-rewrote-the-ending/) Under the terms of that agreement, which I obtained through an open records request, the district voided Gaither's termination letter and accepted his resignation instead, effective June 30, 2026\. He was paid his remaining salary through the end of the school year- $37,907.72- plus a $5,000 lump sum from the district's insurance carrier. Nearly $43,000 total to walk away. No sworn testimony was ever heard. No independent ruling was ever made on whether the termination was justified. The settlement stated plainly that neither party admits fault or misconduct. Gaither agreed he will never seek re-employment with Shelby County Schools. But the agreement also required the documents to be submitted to the Education Professional Standards Board- the state body that has the power to suspend or revoke a teaching certificate. That review remains pending. I reached out to EPSB; they cannot comment on open investigations. ## Now, KSP The Kentucky State Police investigation has been running parallel to all of this since January. Their announcement this week is the first public confirmation that a criminal inquiry exists. I actually asked the agency about a possible investigation in January and did not receive a response. I asked again this week and this time, investigators confirmed it. KSP Post 12 in Frankfort is seeking further information and is asking anyone who knows anything to reach out: **502-227-2221**. I want to be clear about what this means and what it doesn't. A KSP investigation is not a charge. It is not a conviction. But it does mean that law enforcement has found enough reason to keep looking- for six months now- and that they believe there are people out there who may have information they haven't yet shared. If you're one of those people, now is the time. [‘You should be ashamed’; parents demand action at Shelby County School Board meetingA school board meeting turned tense on Thursday night, as the room, filled with parents, staff, and former students, demanded answers in an ongoing sexual misconduct investigation. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-8e86d54c-0763-4146-9dda-e2631d09c940.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-12-11-at-6.36.16---PM-1-3740ac40-2ba5-4049-ae51-e4ea71eae05e.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/yo/) ## The bigger picture The district has since implemented some of the policy changes it promised the community. Shelby County Schools is now under contract with Case IQ for an anonymous reporting system. A board attorney receives complaints and secures independent third-party investigators for misconduct cases. All certified staff received training this year, with annual training going forward and student trainings planned for the coming school year. Those are real changes. They came because Hayley Weddle decided to speak up- even when it wasn't easy, even when the process felt slow, even when it seemed like nothing would happen. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Introducing One More Question- Kentucky journalism that goes deeper URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/introducing-one-more-question-kentucky-journalism-that-goes-deeper/ Last updated: 2026-06-15T17:44:19.000Z If you've been a Shay Informed reader for any length of time, you already know the drill: I use this site to go deeper. To ask the questions others forget. To stay focused on a story that isn't done being told. That's the inspiration for my new weekly podcast. *One More Question- with Shay McAlister* is officially here, and it's exactly what it sounds like. Independent journalism that doesn't stop when the cameras turn off. The questions officials hope you'll forget. The stories that get buried under the next news cycle. The accountability reporting that takes time, sourcing, and a willingness to keep asking- even when the people in power would rather you didn't. That's the mission. That's always been the mission. But now it has its own home, dropping every Monday morning, wherever you already listen to podcasts. And yes- that part is new, and I'm so excited about it! For a while, listening to my podcasts required a few extra steps that I know frustrated some of you. You asked for a better experience. I heard you. Now, a few one-time steps and every new episode shows up automatically in your library each Monday. No hunting, no remembering to check- just your weekly deep dive, ready when you are. Here's how to add it to your library: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-15-at-1.34.21---PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-15-at-1.34.26---PM.png) *One More Question* covers Kentucky- and occasionally southern Indiana- with the same approach that's driven my journalism for over a decade: honest, compassionate, and clear. No advertisers. No corporate pressure. No incentive to soften the edges. Just the story. And then one more question. New episodes drop Mondays. Paid subscribers can find *One More Question- with Shay McAlister* wherever you get your podcasts. If you aren't a subscriber yet, but want to be, c[heck out the options here](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/)! ### Families speak out as fight to save Lee Specialty Clinic grows: 'People are going to die' URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/families-speak-out-as-fight-to-save-lee-specialty-clinic-grows-people-are-going-to-die/ Last updated: 2026-06-22T12:25:47.000Z A retired couple. A sister turned activist. And a rally in Frankfort that's growing by the hour. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- When I first reported on the funding cuts threatening to gut Lee Specialty Clinic last week, I ended with an invitation: if you or a loved one is a patient, I want to hear from you. You answered. Here is what I've learned. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Cecil-family.jpeg) Cecil Family Susan and Jim Cecil have been navigating the healthcare system with their daughter Gini for more than five decades. Gini is 54 years old and has Dubowitz syndrome- a rare condition that went undiagnosed until she was four, and unrecognized for insurance purposes until her 20s, when doctors placed her under the autism umbrella, and more services became available. She now lives in a group home with a caregiver, and her parents- who are approaching 80- have spent years doing the painstaking, exhausting work of figuring out what comes next for her. What they found at Lee Specialty Clinic was, in their words, a godsend. "She now feels safe in that place," Jim told me. "From the time she hits the door to check in, it's a lot different." Before Lee, finding a primary care doctor willing to keep Gini as a patient was a challenge. Keeping her there was even harder. Her diabetes complicated things- and when she wasn't compliant with treatment recommendations, her doctor ran out of patience. "He finally just threw up his hands and said, 'Do not bring her back here,'" Susan recalled. "We didn't know what to do." That kind of rejection isn't unusual for families in the IDD (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities) community. Before they found Lee, Susan and Jim once took Gini to the University of Louisville emergency room when she needed psychiatric services- the only option they'd been given. She was kept for about five hours. "We were told to come and get her," Susan said. "Even they could not handle her." At Lee, Gini sees a primary care doctor, a psychiatrist, an endocrinologist for her diabetes, a dentist, an eye doctor, and an audiologist- all in one place, all delivered by staff trained specifically to work with her. Her caregiver handles about half the appointments. The Cecils handle the rest. "It makes life so much more cohesive for her, and for us," Jim said. When I asked what he'd say to decision makers, Jim didn't reach for emotion- he went straight to dollars and cents. "These people are still going to need services, and more of them are going to get sicker. They're not going to go to wellness checks, they're not going to go get their teeth checked, they're not going to go get their eyes checked. The list goes on and on," he said. "There is no way that this is not going to cost them more money than they're saving. It just seems impossible. I don't know if they don't understand that, or if they just don't know anyone who has a disabled person in their home." Susan added something that stuck with me. "There's just a lot of things with the adult population of this problem that have not been addressed," she said. And Lee, she believes, is one of the few places in this state even trying to address them. The Cecils found out about the funding cuts through my Facebook post- not from the clinic. As of Monday morning, they still hadn't received any official communication. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/tanaa-griffin-family-2.jpg) TaNaa Griffin and her two brothers Tanaa Griffin didn't need a Facebook post to know something was wrong. She knew before most people did. Griffin is the executive director of Flowers Blooming Events Incorporated, an organization that provides self-care events for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She worked at Lee Specialty Clinic for about two and a half years. And her brother, Terrence Davis, has been a patient there since the clinic opened. She's not just a family member or a former employee. She's become one of the central organizers of the growing push to save Lee- channeling something very personal into something very public. "This is literally the only highly specialized medical, dental, and therapeutic care for individuals with IDD in the state of Kentucky," she told me. "There are really no equivalent alternative providers in our state." Her brother has autism. She describes what the clinic offers him- and patients like him- as something a standard primary care office simply can't replicate. "They have specialized equipment, restraint equipment to help those that have intense behavioral issues," she said. "They are able to work with them to calm them down so they can get their dental work done, so they can get the medical needs they need. A lot of your standard or regular healthcare facilities are going to have extreme difficulty meeting multiple clients with those needs." But Griffin's vision for Lee has always extended beyond what it is today. She'd hoped it would expand- to more locations, to serve children, to grow into something the state could replicate rather than dismantle. "My prayer was that this could be in multiple areas of Kentucky," she told me. "I was hoping for this to expand even further for children, because children with IDD would greatly benefit from this model." Instead, she's fighting to keep the doors open at all. She also made a point to mention if the clinic's outpatient side collapses, the impact won't just fall on its current patients. It will ripple outward. "We're talking about UofL, Baptist, and Norton getting flooded with a lot of families that need complex and specialized care," she said. "That's going to overwhelm the healthcare system in Kentucky on a different level that no one has seen before." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-12-at-4.27.27---PM-1.png) As I reported last week, the Beshear administration has confirmed the cuts- a $4.5 million total reduction driven by the General Assembly's budget, which trimmed the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental, and Intellectual Disabilities by 4% in FY27 and 7% in FY28\. The outpatient clinic is set to operate on roughly $720,000 next fiscal year- down from approximately $7 million. Discharge notices for more than 1,000 patients started going out last Thursday night. The administration has pointed the finger at the legislature. Legislative Republicans have said the governor has the flexibility to protect essential services. And a one-time transition allocation has been promised to extend the timeline, though how much money and how much time remain unspecified. What I keep coming back to is this: there is a two-year wait list to get into this clinic. A dental program with more than 200 people waiting. Families driving from every corner of Kentucky, some staying overnight just to make a morning appointment. And not a single alternative provider in the state is equipped to absorb them. How is the importance of this agency lost in the bureaucratic red tape of Frankfort? [‘They have nobody’: Louisville clinic serving Kentuckians with disabilities facing deep cutsLee Specialty Clinic a one-of-a-kind facility that offers something no one else does- compassionate health care for people with intellectual and physical disabilities. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-913e77ff-f005-47ed-8aa4-d558fa558fd8.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-06-12-at-4.08.26---PM-4944b6dc-3bba-4d34-b233-a7ed2b102549.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/le/) I spoke with three clinic employees who agreed to share what they know. All three were emotional but clear-eyed about why they were talking to me. "If our clinic closes, I'll be fine, but my patients won't be," one said. According to staff, entire departments are being eliminated- dental, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech, and the crisis center that serves patients in psychiatric emergencies. One employee, a 10-year veteran of the clinic, told me she fears as few as eight staff members could be left. "You can't operate with eight people to run a dental clinic, a medical primary care, and a psychiatry," she said. "You need a team." What frustrated them most: nobody would tell them why. Staff said the explanation they received was vague- the cuts were attributed to Medicaid and Medicare funding, and decisions made "from the top." "We need to know where to start, and we're not getting any information whatsoever," one staff member told me. She wants to fight back. She wants to ask for the funding to be returned. She doesn't know where to start. **If you want to do something about it, here's where to show up.** A rally is being organized for Wednesday, June 24th at 1 p.m. at the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort. Advocates are gathering to attend the Medical Oversight Advisory Board (MOAB) meeting and make their voices heard on Medicaid reimbursement cuts and their impact on specialty providers like Lee Clinic. Families, caregivers, self-advocates, and providers are all encouraged to come. Public comment matters- especially at a meeting like this one. TaNaa Griffin is one of the people helping make this happen. The Cecils are thinking about going. And from what I can tell, more people are finding out about it every hour. You can learn more about the rally [here](https://www.facebook.com/events/2016794999713210/). *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### From trafficked to trailblazer: the woman fighting to open Louisville's first home for survivors URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/from-trafficked-to-trailblazer-the-woman-fighting-to-open-louisvilles-first-home-for-survivors/ Last updated: 2026-06-16T12:12:49.000Z Jennifer Beagle spent nearly eight years on the streets. Today, 24 years sober, she's one signature away from opening Louisville's first long-term residential home for survivors of human trafficking. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly podcast.* --- Jennifer Beagle has a habit of saying her story out loud- all of it- and then waiting to see if you flinch. "I have a big story," she told me, sitting in the conference room of a church just off Tucker Station Road. "If it could happen, it did happen. And that's why I help people today the way that I do." She isn't exaggerating. Beagle's story begins in a chaotic Florida childhood- the youngest of seven kids, a home marked by alcoholism and extreme domestic violence, sexual abuse by a family member around age seven. She was sneaking sips of her dad's beer by nine. By 11, she says, she was a full-blown alcoholic. By 13, an addict. At 14, after getting caught with marijuana at school, she landed in foster care- where her foster father raped her and then spent the next year trading her to his farm hands for drugs. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-10-at-1.37.37---PM.png) "That's trafficking by definition," she said. "We didn't know it was trafficking at all decades ago. But it was." It's a word she uses deliberately, because for most of her life, nobody else did. She was just "the problem child"- the delinquent in the system. "No one looked at why at home," she said. "And that's still a big deal today. The child's still blamed." ## Eight years on the streets ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-10-at-1.37.01---PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-10-at-1.36.54---PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-10-at-1.37.16---PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-10-at-1.36.27---PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-10-at-1.36.48---PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-10-at-1.36.41---PM.png) What followed was decades of the same pattern wearing different faces. A marriage at 19- her first husband was a Kentucky truck driver, her first tie to this state. A second marriage to a man as violent as her father. A sister-in-law who introduced her to crack cocaine and, Beagle later realized, had arranged for the dealer to demand sex as payment. Within months, she was being sold for drugs. She lost custody of her son. And for nearly eight years, she lived homeless on the streets of Gainesville, Florida- accumulating arrests for prostitution, possession, and paraphernalia, and surviving violence she recounts with unsettling steadiness: beatings, gang rapes, and being left for dead. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### 'They have nobody': Louisville clinic serving Kentuckians with disabilities facing deep cuts URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/le/ Last updated: 2026-06-12T20:21:54.000Z Lee Specialty Clinic a one-of-a-kind facility that offers something no one else does- compassionate health care for people with intellectual and physical disabilities. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- More than 1,000 of Kentucky's most medically complex patients are set to lose their healthcare home, after staff at Louisville's Lee Specialty Clinic were told the facility is losing the vast majority of its funding- a cut the Beshear administration now confirms, and blames on the General Assembly's budget. The Louisville clinic is a one-stop medical home for Kentuckians with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Dental care, primary care, psychiatry, OB-GYN, audiology, physical and occupational therapy, speech, behavioral health, a crisis center- all under one roof, all delivered by staff trained specifically to care for patients that most doctors' offices, frankly, turn away. The New York Times profiled the clinic back in 2014, shortly after it opened, calling it an oasis of care for people with intellectual disabilities. The clinic's own mission statement doesn't mince words about why it exists: for years, physicians, dentists, hospitals, and emergency rooms have quietly told patients with IDD and their families to find care elsewhere. Now, staff members tell me that oasis is on the brink of disappearing. They told me the source of the funding cut was unclear. But today I learned what's behind it- at least according to the Beshear administration. ## What staff were told On Thursday, employees were called into a meeting and told the clinic is losing roughly 80% of its funding- from about $7 million down to $2 million, according to one staff member I spoke with. The fallout, as it was described to them: more than half the staff will lose their jobs, and upwards of 1,000 patients will be discharged. Discharge notices started going out Thursday night. Patients were told discharges would begin on Monday. "With nowhere, nowhere to go," one staff member told me. I spoke with three clinic employees who agreed to share what they know. All three were emotional but clear-eyed about why they were talking to me. "If our clinic closes, I'll be fine, but my patients won't be," one said. According to staff, entire departments are being eliminated- dental, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech, and the crisis center that serves patients in psychiatric emergencies. One employee, a 10-year veteran of the clinic, told me she fears as few as eight staff members could be left. "You can't operate with eight people to run a dental clinic, a medical primary care, and a psychiatry," she said. "You need a team." What frustrated them most: nobody would tell them why. Staff said the explanation they received was vague- the cuts were attributed to Medicaid and Medicare funding, and decisions made "from the top." "We need to know where to start, and we're not getting any information whatsoever," one staff member told me. She wants to fight back. She wants to ask for the funding to be returned. She doesn't know where to start. So I asked the state. And the state answered. ## The state's explanation In a statement, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services confirmed the cuts- and pointed the finger squarely at the General Assembly's budget. According to the Cabinet, the legislature reduced the budget for the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental, and Intellectual Disabilities by 4% in state fiscal year 2027 and 7% in fiscal year 2028\. That, the Cabinet says, forces a $4.5 million total reduction for the Lee Specialty Clinic. "While the Lee Specialty Clinic will continue providing services to residents at Bingham Gardens Intermediate Care Facility, its outpatient services will unfortunately be scaled back significantly due to the cruel and senseless budget cuts enacted by the state legislature," the statement reads. A few important details from the Cabinet's response: The clinic is not closing entirely. It will keep serving residents of Bingham Gardens, the intermediate care facility it's connected to. The outpatient side- the dental program with its 200-person wait list, the specialty care that draws families from every corner of Kentucky- is what's being gutted. Outpatient services will remain open, but on a fraction of the funding: $720,000 in FY27 and $697,500 in FY28, per the budget bill appropriation. The Cabinet acknowledged plainly that "significantly fewer Kentuckians will be served" beginning in FY27, which starts July 1st. There is a small reprieve. The Cabinet says a one-time allocation is being provided to extend the transition timeline for patients and staff, though it did not specify how much money or how much time. And the clinic's future isn't entirely written. The Cabinet says it is actively working with IDD Health, the provider contracted to operate the clinic, "to evaluate the potential for future sustainability." "Team Kentucky believes healthcare is a basic human right that all of our people deserve access to," the statement said, adding that the administration "repeatedly warned the General Assembly about the painful impacts of these cuts" and is "now forced to bear the outcome of these shortsighted decisions and the chronic defunding from the federal government." ## The political backdrop If that language sounds familiar, it should. Last week, Gov. Andy Beshear announced that painful cuts were coming to state services- the result, he says, of a legislative budget that underfunded the Department for Community Based Services by about $76 million, shorted Medicaid by a billion dollars, and imposed those same 4% and 7% reductions across cabinets. Republican legislative leaders have pushed back hard, saying the budget gave the governor flexibility to protect essential services and prioritize funding where it's needed most. Then on Thursday- the same day Lee Specialty Clinic staff were called into that meeting- Beshear announced he would take them up on that claimed flexibility, moving $186 million in debt service savings and $30 million from stalled projects to blunt some of the damage. He said the move could offset about half of the Medicaid cuts and protect foster care rates and TANF eligibility. What that announcement did not appear to include: the Lee Specialty Clinic. The one-time transition allocation referenced in the Cabinet's statement extends the timeline- it does not restore the funding. So here's where things stand. The administration says the legislature cut the money. Legislators say the administration has the flexibility to manage it. And caught in the middle are roughly 1,000 of Kentucky's most medically complex patients, many of whom have nowhere else to go. ## A two-year wait list Here's what struck me most in my conversations with staff: this is not a clinic struggling to find patients. It has a two-year wait list. The dental program alone has more than 200 people waiting, from every corner of Kentucky. Some patients drive to Louisville and spend the night just to get a teeth cleaning the next morning- a couple of times a year- because no one else in the state will see them. And the care looks different here. One staffer described a new patient who didn't want to leave after his appointment. He wasn't being aggressive; he just wasn't ready. His mother braced for the response she'd gotten everywhere else- threats of trespassing, even police. Instead, staff told her he could stay until he was ready to go. "She's kind of like, 'What is going on here?'" the employee recalled. For some patients, staff will schedule dozens of visits just to get them comfortable walking through the door, then sitting in the chair, then letting someone look in their mouth. At a typical office, a patient who doesn't cooperate gets discharged. Here, they get invited back next week. The clinic is also a teaching facility, training future dentists and nurse practitioners on how to care for this population- knowledge that walks out the door with them and multiplies across the state. That pipeline would be cut off, too. ## 'Where's your humanity?' When I asked one staff member what she would say to whoever made this decision, she didn't hesitate. "Where's your humanity?" she said. "Look at these people as people, not numbers. They're not money signs, they're people- people that might actually die because they're not getting healthcare services. They're so fragile, they're so medically complex. They now have nobody. They have nobody." The day staff learned the news, a husband and wife who have been bringing their loved one to the clinic for a decade showed up with donuts and hugs and one question: How do we fight this? Staff tell me they didn't have answers then. We now know who made the cut, who's blaming whom, and that a transition window is coming. What we don't know yet is whether anyone- in Frankfort or anywhere else- will step up to keep the doors of the outpatient clinic fully open. **I'll update this story as I learn more. If you or a loved one is a patient at the Lee Specialty Clinic and want to share your story, you know where to find me.** *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## ### Shelby County Coach accused of sexual misconduct wasn't fired after all. A settlement quietly rewrote the ending. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/shelby-county-coach-accused-of-sexual-misconduct-wasnt-fired-after-all-a-settlement-quietly-rewrote-the-ending/ Last updated: 2026-06-11T18:24:27.000Z A settlement agreement shows the district voided the termination, paid out his salary, and closed the case before it ever reached a tribunal- the hearing that serves as an appeals option for fired teachers. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- When I reported in January that Chris Gaither had been fired by Shelby County Schools, I told you something important: the termination wasn't necessarily final. It wasn't. A Release and Settlement Agreement shows the former Martha Layne Collins High School basketball coach and the district quietly resolved his case this spring- and the terms change his employment record entirely. Gaither was not fired. On paper, he resigned. ## What the settlement says Under the agreement, signed by Gaither and Superintendent Dr. Joshua Matthews, the district agreed to void Gaither's termination and withdraw the termination letter from his personnel file. In its place, the district accepted his resignation, effective June 30, 2026. In exchange, Gaither withdrew his appeal- dismissing it with prejudice, meaning it can never be refiled- and agreed to submit a motion dismissing the tribunal hearing as settled. He also got paid. The district agreed to pay Gaither his salary through June 30th: $37,907.72, covering 103 contract days, processed through regular payroll. On top of that, the district's insurance company, Liberty Mutual, agreed to pay him a $5,000 lump sum. That's nearly $43,000 to walk away. ## The tribunal that never happened Remember the due process I explained in January? Under Kentucky law, Gaither had the right to appeal his termination to an independent three-member tribunal- a teacher, an administrator, and an attorney serving as hearing officer, none of them from Shelby County. That tribunal would have heard sworn testimony before issuing a ruling. Gaither exercised that right. He appealed. But according to the agreement, the hearing never took place. Instead, the parties agreed to mediation with the Attorney General's office- and that mediation produced this settlement. The agreement states plainly that "neither party admits fault or misconduct." Sworn testimony was never heard. No independent ruling was ever made on whether the termination was justified. The case simply ended. [Shelby County Schools fires basketball coach, sets timeline for policy reformsAnonymous reporting system, outside investigators, and required training all have scheduled timelines. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-766485ce-4ed6-4fe0-b5bf-33dc926d75a5.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-01-08-at-10.15.53---AM-2-605ae909-b35c-41d5-bcbc-e4a285253ff4.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/shelby-county-schools-fires-basketball-coach-sets-timeline-for-policy-reforms/) ## The confidentiality clause- and why you're reading this anyway Here's where the agreement gets interesting. Gaither agreed to keep the settlement "absolutely and forever confidential"- barred from disclosing it to anyone beyond his spouse, attorneys, and financial advisors. He even agreed not to directly or indirectly cause an open records request to be made for it. But the agreement itself acknowledges what Kentucky law makes clear: this is a public document. Citing the Kentucky Open Records Act and the Kentucky Supreme Court's 2010 decision in *Central Kentucky News-Journal v. George*, the settlement concedes the district would have to provide it upon request. The agreement also includes a mutual non-disparagement clause: neither side can say anything, written or verbal, that disparages Gaither, the superintendent, the board, or any district employee. The provision does not prevent anyone from truthfully providing information to an administrative agency or testifying truthfully in court. [‘He has been able to hide for so long’; Shelby Co. Schools suspends coach after sexual misconduct allegationsA former team manager told me her relationship with Chris Gaither began while she was a student at Martha Layne Collins High School. “He has been able to hide for so long under the assumption that he is a good Christian pillar of this community, and I think it was![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-3b495f55-c8a4-4c98-ad7c-eaf6577bb641.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-12-11-at-10.00.29---AM-130e60c4-7ac4-4105-a391-09b633485a4a.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/he-has-been-able-to-hide-for-so-long-shelby-co-schools-suspends-coach-after-sexual-misconduct-allegations/) ## What it means for his future Two provisions matter most going forward. First, Gaither agreed he will never apply for re-employment in Shelby County Schools- and if he does, the district has no obligation to consider him. Second- and this is significant- the agreement requires the document and related information to be submitted to the Education Professional Standards Board, as mandated by Kentucky law. The EPSB is the state body with the power to suspend or revoke a teaching certificate. The settlement resolved Gaither's employment with Shelby County. It did not resolve whatever review the EPSB may conduct. That means the question of whether Gaither can teach or coach anywhere else in Kentucky remains open. I did reach out to EPSB to confirm the status of that investigation- the agency is unable to comment on pending investigations. ## How we got here ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-11-at-8.47.06---AM.png) This settlement closes a chapter that began in December, when 2014 graduate Hayley Weddle filed a written complaint to Shelby County Schools, detailing what she described as an inappropriate relationship that began when she was 16 and a team manager on Gaither's basketball team. When the district's response stalled- Gaither was still coaching five days after her complaint- Weddle posted her statement publicly. Within hours, multiple people contacted the district with additional information. Gaither was suspended December 10th and terminated January 15th, with the district citing violations of "multiple Board of Education policies." "I blamed myself for years," Weddle told me then. "But he had been grooming me since I was 16." Her decision to come forward sparked weeks of community pressure, a packed December school board meeting, and ultimately a district commitment to concrete policy reforms: a new anonymous reporting system, third-party investigators for sexual misconduct allegations, and required staff training. ## The bottom line For the district, this settlement ends the matter without further litigation, without a public hearing, and without sworn testimony. For Gaither, it converts a firing into a resignation, withdraws the termination letter from his file, and pays him through the end of the school year- all while admitting no fault. And for the community that demanded transparency back in December, it's worth sitting with this: the only reason these terms are public is because Kentucky's open records law says they have to be. The EPSB review is the next chapter. I'll be watching it. I've also asked for an update on the three policy changes Shelby County Schools promised to unveil this spring. Those steps include: 1\. Anonymous reporting system 2\. Third-party investigator policy 3\. Required staff training The district confirmed Thursday morning they are under contract with Case IQ, the anonymous reporting system. Teresa Combs, one of the Board Attorneys, receives the complaint and will secure an independent 3rd party investigator for complaints. All certified staff were trained this year, and there will be yearly training moving forward. There will also be student trainings this school year. --- **EDIT: This story has been updated to include the wording "withdraw" the termination letter.** --- *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### She was eight months old. Kentucky's child welfare system lost her. This is how. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/she-was-eight-months-old-kentuckys-child-welfare-system-lost-her-this-is-how/ Last updated: 2026-06-15T13:51:48.000Z The system didn't fail Miya Rudd all at once. It failed her one decision at a time. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly podcast.* --- When I put out a call asking current and former Kentucky child welfare workers to share their experiences, I didn't know what kind of response I'd get. What came back floored me. Within hours, dozens of people reached out. Social workers. Supervisors. People who had spent years inside the state's Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) and left. People who were still there. People who had things they'd clearly been waiting a long time to say. Then something else happened. I received a call from a representative of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services asking for background on the nature of my inquiry. And shortly after that conversation, an all-staff communication went out from the DCBS Commissioner's Office to Kentucky's child welfare workforce. The message reminded employees that all media inquiries must go through the Office of Public Relations- and asked that all staff remember not to speak with media outlets, reporters, or news stations without prior approval. I obtained a copy of that email. I sent four questions to the Cabinet in response. I asked whether the all-staff communication had been sent in response to my outreach. I asked whether DCBS employees were permitted to speak with journalists about their professional experiences and systemic concerns. I asked if employees would face disciplinary action for speaking with me. And I asked whether completing an anonymous survey about working conditions would be considered a policy violation. The Cabinet's response did not answer a single one of them. What it said, in full, was this: *"The Cabinet for Health and Family Services values clear and accurate communication with the public. The Cabinet has policies in place to ensure transparency while maintaining the requirements under the law for privacy and security to protect confidential and sensitive information of those we serve. As noted online and in communications to media, inquiries and information requests should be routed through the Office of Public Affairs."* Several workers who had already reached out told me the all-staff email had frightened them. Some pulled back. Others decided to keep talking anyway. One wrote to me: *"Majority of the time in cases that have a tragic ending, the SSW tried. They are either met with unimaginable caseload, lack of training, lack of resources, lack of law enforcement help, or lack of support from upper management."* They weren't talking about a hypothetical case. They were talking about Miya Rudd. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/miya-rudd-3.webp) Miya Rudd; photo provided by KSP after the infant was reporting missing ## What I set out to find Her name was Miya Rudd. She was eight months old. And she died in a home so contaminated with fentanyl that Kentucky State Police had to call in a decontamination team before they could search it. Miya was known to the state's child welfare system from the moment she was born. Social workers were called to the hospital the day she arrived. A safety plan was created. Boxes were checked. And then she disappeared. How? I've spent months inside this case. I read Miya's complete file- more than 1,300 pages. I obtained the state's internal Systems Analysis Review report, the document produced after a child fatality. I surveyed current and former DCBS workers. I sat down with Dr. Melissa Currie, a board-certified child abuse pediatrician who has served on Kentucky's Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Panel since its founding in 2012\. And I talked at length with Shannon Moody, Chief Policy and Strategy Officer at Kentucky Youth Advocates, who has spent fifteen years studying child welfare policy in this state. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-02-at-12.37.55---PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-02-at-12.38.25---PM.png) Shannon Moody (left); Dr. Melissa Currie (right) What emerged from all of that wasn't a story about bad caseworkers. It was a story about people operating inside a system that gave them impossible caseloads, inadequate tools, unclear protocols, and no real safety net when things started to go wrong. And then that system watched an eight-month-old girl disappear. ## Before we get to Miya I want to tell you something the Cabinet's non-answer made very clear to me. The people I needed most to talk to for this story- the workers who were inside this system- were afraid. Not just afraid in an abstract way. Afraid of losing their jobs. Afraid of retaliation. Afraid that speaking honestly about what they had seen and experienced would cost them something. That fear, it turns out, is well-documented. In the survey I conducted for this investigation, 88 percent of respondents said they had either directly experienced retaliation for raising concerns about case decisions, workload, or agency practices- or had witnessed it happen to a colleague. Only four of 34 people said it had never happened to them or anyone they knew. *"My whole office was pulled into the regional office to discuss our supervisor. They were looking for reasons to get rid of her because she would question their decisions for the betterment of our staff and families,"* one worker wrote. *"A coworker raised an ethics concern about documentation practices and was slapped with insubordination and threatened with major disciplinary action. He was young and didn't know what to do, so he resigned. They lost an amazing worker,"* wrote another. The all-staff email didn't create that culture. It just revealed it- in real time, to me, while I was in the middle of reporting this story. ## The morning Miya was born ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-01-at-4.11.15---PM.png) Image from Miya's 1300-page case file Miya Rudd came into the world on October 12, 2023, at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital. A Kentucky social services worker was called before the baby had left the delivery room. This was not unusual. Tesla Tucker, Miya's mother, was what workers call a repeat client. Her three older children- ages one, two, and six- were already living in the permanent custody of their maternal grandmother, Taletha Tucker. A prior substantiated case from 2022 had documented Tesla delivering a baby at home with no prenatal care, that child's cord blood testing positive for amphetamines, THC, and opiates. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/taletha.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/tedla.gif) Taletha Tucker (left); Tesla Tucker (right) Now Tesla had given birth again. Her urine screen on the day of delivery came back positive for amphetamines and cannabinoids. Miya's urine screen was positive for cannabinoids. Cord results were still pending. When I read through the 1,300 pages of this case file, one thing stopped me completely. The generational depth of this family's history with Kentucky CPS system didn't begin with Tesla. It stretched back decades- to her mother. Taletha Tucker, the woman who would be named as the supervising adult in Miya's safety plan, had her own history with the cabinet. She was now holding permanent custody of four of her daughter's children. Shannon Moody at Kentucky Youth Advocates put it plainly when I described this to her. "When you look at something like that- her mom being involved with DCBS, and she's the child- it's just so sad," she told me. "Their history with DCBS goes back literal decades. Generational." At the hospital that October morning, the social worker sat down with Tesla and negotiated a safety plan. Taletha would supervise. Tesla signed it on paper. Taletha agreed to the terms over the phone. At least, that's according to the social worker. The worker didn't have a tablet to create a digital record in the field. The handwritten plan was given to an aide to scan into TWIST- the state's case management system- and then shred, because DCBS no longer keeps paper files. The aide shredded it before it was scanned. What was uploaded in its place was, in the words of the state's own internal review, a generic version with generic language. It did not reflect what had actually been agreed to. The document that was supposed to protect Miya existed nowhere. My survey found this was not an isolated failure. When I asked current and former workers whether they had reliable access to tablets for field documentation, only six of 34 said yes- always. Thirteen said sometimes, but not reliably. Eleven said they had no tablet access at all and worked on paper only in the field. Twenty-one respondents said safety plans had been lost, destroyed, or not properly uploaded to TWIST either regularly or occasionally during their time at the agency. ## The cord results ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-01-at-4.12.01---PM.png) Image from the 1300-page case file Miya and Tesla were discharged from the hospital before the cord results were back. When the results came back the following week, they changed everything. Miya had methamphetamine in her system at birth. By then, she and her mother were gone. Miya would never be seen again. The caseworker began making contact attempts. Home visits. Phone calls. Visits to Taletha's address. The home appeared abandoned. At the grandmother's house, workers could sometimes hear people inside, but no one came to the door. Eventually, Taletha called back long enough to say Tesla had left with the baby, and she hadn't seen them. Then Taletha stopped communicating, too. For approximately 45 days, the caseworker tried to find Miya. She was, as far as anyone in an official capacity knew, last seen at eight days old. --- *This investigation continues below for Shay Informed subscribers. What follows is the story of what happened next- the decision to close Miya's case, what the state's own records reveal about why, and what 34 current and former DCBS workers told me about the system they were working inside. If you're not yet a subscriber,* [*you can join here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup)*. This reporting is made possible entirely by readers like you.* --- _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Up to 8 inches of rain triggers flood emergencies in Southern Indiana URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/up-to-8-inches-of-rain-triggers-flood-emergencies-in-southern-indiana/ Last updated: 2026-06-11T12:28:16.000Z Much of the area was under flood watch on Tuesday, but in Southern Indiana- that warning quickly turned into an emergency. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Harrison County is drying out today after a round of heavy rain triggered two significant flood emergencies within hours of each other- first in Lanesville, then in Corydon- and kept first responders busy across the county with flooded vehicles, washed-out roads, and storm damage. And when I say heavy rain, I mean it. The National Weather Service in Louisville is estimating that the Lanesville area saw at least 6 to 8 inches of rainfall. That much water, that fast, doesn't have anywhere to go. By the time it was over, the county was dealing with significant property damage, numerous vehicles caught in floodwaters, roadway damage scattered throughout the area, and several minor injuries. Thankfully, no serious injuries have been reported. ## A massive, multi-agency response ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/flooding-harrison-county.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/flooding-harrison-county2.jpg) Credit: Harrison County Sheriff The scale of the response tells you just how serious this was. In Lanesville, incident command was set up at Lanesville Junior-Senior High School, where Harrison County EMA Director Mike Kurz and Floyd County EMA Director Kent Barrow worked side by side to coordinate operations. Crews from the Harrison Township, Lanesville, and Ramsey fire departments responded along with Harrison County EMS- and they had backup from the Floyd County Sheriff's Department, Georgetown Police, the Lanesville Town Marshal's Office, Corydon Police, Indiana Conservation Officers, and the Indiana State Police. That work included evacuations, water rescues, emergency medical care, traffic control, road closures, and vehicle recoveries- all happening at the same time, in rapidly changing conditions, in multiple parts of the county. Indiana State Police out of the Sellersburg post told me they had their helicopter and troopers both in the sky and on the ground, ready to respond. The good news: they didn't have to make any rescues, and once the water receded- which took about two hours- they were able to pull back. ## "Nothing short of exceptional" ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/indiana-state-police.jpg) Credit: Indiana State Police Harrison County Sheriff Nick Smith released a lengthy statement thanking the agencies, organizations, and everyday citizens who stepped up. "It was truly impressive to witness so many agencies come together so quickly and effectively to manage multiple emergency incidents occurring simultaneously across different areas of our county," Smith said. He gave a special shoutout to Lanesville Superintendent Ryan Apple and his staff for opening up the school as a staging area for emergency crews, and to Harrison County Emergency 911 Dispatch, where dispatchers fielded what he described as an overwhelming volume of calls while keeping communication flowing to first responders all day. Smith also credited the people you don't always think about in moments like this- the towing companies, highway department personnel, street crews, and utility providers who got to work restoring safety and services as quickly as possible. "These are the days that test us, but they are also the days that remind us why training, preparation, and teamwork matter," Smith said. "Citizens and first responders alike came together to help one another during a difficult day."  ## Harrison county flooding article · MD Copy # "These Are the Days That Test Us": Harrison County Cleaning Up After Flash Flooding Swamps Lanesville and Corydon Harrison County is drying out today after a round of heavy rain triggered two significant flood emergencies within hours of each other — first in Lanesville, then in Corydon — and kept first responders busy across the county with flooded vehicles, washed-out roads, and storm damage. And when I say heavy rain, I mean it. The National Weather Service in Louisville told me the Lanesville area was "hit hard" with at least 6 to 8 inches of rainfall. That much water, that fast, doesn't have anywhere to go. By the time it was over, the county was dealing with significant property damage, numerous vehicles caught in floodwaters, roadway damage scattered throughout the area, and several minor injuries. Thankfully, no serious injuries have been reported. ## A Massive, Multi-Agency Response The scale of the response tells you just how serious this was. In Lanesville, incident command was set up at Lanesville Junior-Senior High School, where Harrison County EMA Director Mike Kurz and Floyd County EMA Director Kent Barrow worked side by side to coordinate operations. Crews from the Harrison Township, Lanesville, and Ramsey fire departments responded along with Harrison County EMS — and they had backup from the Floyd County Sheriff's Department, Georgetown Police, the Lanesville Town Marshal's Office, Corydon Police, Indiana Conservation Officers, and the Indiana State Police. That work included evacuations, water rescues, emergency medical care, traffic control, road closures, and vehicle recoveries — all happening at the same time, in rapidly changing conditions, in multiple parts of the county. Indiana State Police out of the Sellersburg post told me they had their helicopter and troopers both in the sky and on the ground, ready to respond. The good news: they didn't have to make any rescues, and once the water receded — which took about two hours — they were able to pull back. ## "Nothing short of exceptional" Harrison County Sheriff Nick Smith released a lengthy statement thanking the agencies, organizations, and everyday citizens who stepped up. "It was truly impressive to witness so many agencies come together so quickly and effectively to manage multiple emergency incidents occurring simultaneously across different areas of our county," Smith said. He gave a special shoutout to Lanesville Superintendent Ryan Apple and his staff for opening up the school as a staging area for emergency crews, and to Harrison County Emergency 911 Dispatch, where dispatchers fielded what he described as an overwhelming volume of calls while keeping communication flowing to first responders all day. Smith also credited the people you don't always think about in moments like this — the towing companies, highway department personnel, street crews, and utility providers who got to work restoring safety and services as quickly as possible. "These are the days that test us, but they are also the days that remind us why training, preparation, and teamwork matter," Smith said. "Citizens and first responders alike came together to help one another during a difficult day." ## What's next ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/isp-flooding.jpg) Credit: Indiana State Police Now comes the hard part for the Lanesville and Corydon communities: the cleanup. Residents are left with the mess floodwaters leave behind- mud, debris, damaged property, and roads that took a beating. And Mother Nature isn't making it any easier. The National Weather Service says hot and humid conditions today and Thursday will push afternoon heat index values into the 100 to 105 degree range, with temperatures in the upper 80s and low 90s combining with high humidity. That's a dangerous combination for anyone spending hours outside hauling debris and cleaning up flood damage. The NWS warns that early-season stretches of heat and humidity can catch people off guard- so if you're working outdoors, drink plenty of water, wear light and loose clothing, and take frequent breaks. If you were impacted by the flooding and want to share your story, you know where to find me. Shoot me an email at shay@shayinformed.com ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The last document the Kentucky Supreme Court will read before deciding Brooks Houck's appeal has been filed URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/the-last-document-the-kentucky-supreme-court-will-read-before-deciding-brooks-houcks-appeal-has-been-filed/ Last updated: 2026-06-08T21:14:35.000Z Brooks Houck's attorneys get the last word, and they are swinging hard. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Brooks Houck's legal team filed a reply brief with the Kentucky Supreme Court this week, and the message is straightforward: the Commonwealth didn't prove its case, and the conviction needs to go. If you've been following this appeal, here's where we are. In January, [Houck's attorneys filed their opening brief](https://www.shayinformed.com/tainted-jury-biased-judge-improper-evidence-houcks-appeal-attacks-all-aspects-of-trial/) laying out their arguments for why his murder conviction should be reversed- challenging everything from the sufficiency of the evidence to the fairness of the jury. In May, [the Kentucky Attorney General's office fired back](https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-ag-to-court-brooks-houck-killed-crystal-rogers-and-the-evidence-proves-it/) with a 103-page brief arguing the jury got it right, and the conviction should stand. This most recent filing is called a reply brief- an optional document that gives the appellant, in this case Houck, the last word in writing before the court makes its decision. It's his attorneys' opportunity to respond to the state's arguments, punch holes in the Commonwealth's reasoning, and sharpen the points they've already raised. The Kentucky Supreme Court will now have all three documents as it considers whether to uphold Houck's conviction, reverse it, or order a new trial. The reply brief clocks in at just 17 pages- lean compared to the AG's sprawling response- but it's pointed. ## "Only raised suspicions" The brief opens by zeroing in on something the Commonwealth admitted at trial: prosecutors acknowledged they couldn't prove who killed Crystal Rogers. Houck's attorneys argue that the state then asked the jury to fill that gap with inference piled on top of inference- and that under Kentucky law, that's not enough to sustain a murder conviction. "The Commonwealth failed to meet its onerous burden of proving Brooks was guilty of murder and instead only raised suspicions of Brooks's guilt," the brief states. "That is not enough to sustain a conviction." This goes directly at one of the AG's core arguments- that the circumstantial evidence, taken together, formed a compelling web pointing to Houck. The defense says each piece of that web, examined closely, doesn't hold. [Kentucky AG to court: Brooks Houck killed Crystal Rogers, and the evidence proves itThe state’s top prosecutor filed a 103-page brief urging the Kentucky Supreme Court to uphold Houck’s murder conviction- and didn’t mince words about why. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-cdb8f3db-c399-452e-b978-9411d59bf9ba.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-02-10-at-8.44.17---AM-546ff450-74fe-4f55-8476-a024a4a2be07.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-ag-to-court-brooks-houck-killed-crystal-rogers-and-the-evidence-proves-it/) ## Taking the evidence apart, piece by piece The bulk of the brief works through the specific evidence the Commonwealth highlighted in its response and argues that each item was either ambiguous, unreliable, or simply didn't connect to Brooks Houck- according to defense attorneys. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-08-at-4.40.38---PM.png) _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Eleven years, three convictions, and now this: everything I know about the Nick Houck arrest URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/eleven-years-three-convictions-and-now-this-everything-i-know-about-the-nick-houck-arrest/ Last updated: 2026-06-10T13:49:39.000Z Breaking down the perjury charge, the court documents, what Nick Houck told KSP in 2015- and what to expect at next week's arraignment. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- For years, people have asked me the same question: is anyone else in the Houck family ever going to be held accountable? On Thursday, we got the first answer. Kentucky State Police arrested Nicholas "Nick" Houck just after 1:30 p.m. on a first-degree perjury charge- a Class D felony carrying one to five years in prison if he is convicted. Houck, the brother of convicted murderer Brooks Houck, was taken into custody without incident, booked into the Hardin County Detention Center, and bonded out around 6:00 p.m. the same day. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-04-at-4.54.44---PM-2.png) Credit: Hardin County Detention Center He has never been charged with anything connected to the Crystal Rogers investigation. And technically, we don't know that this charge is connected to her case. But all signs point to him being the latest arrest. ## What the court documents tell us The Kentucky State Police press release was sparse. But court documents I obtained fill in some gaps. The Nelson County grand jury handed down the indictment on June 3rd- one day before the arrest. The charge alleges that between July 15, 2015 and April 16, 2023, Houck "made a material false statement, which he did not believe, in an official proceeding, while under oath required or authorized by law." The case is being prosecuted by Nelson County Commonwealth Attorney Kyle Williamson and was investigated by a Kentucky State Police Post 4 Detective. The prosecutor and detective are new to the Crystal Rogers case, suggesting a fresh set of eyes. Bond was set at $25,000 cash only. Conditions include a dusk-to-dawn curfew, no drug or alcohol use, and- notably- a no-contact order prohibiting Houck from communicating directly or indirectly with an unnamed individual. That bond was posted by someone listed in court records as Rose Ballard Houck. That's Rosemary Houck. Brooks' and Nick's mother. The same Rosemary Houck whose name came up repeatedly at Brooks' murder trial- including testimony that she asked someone whether they knew anyone who could "get rid of" Crystal Rogers. [Circumstantial Episode 4: The family conspiracyHidden audio devices. Coordinated phone calls. A brother who vanished for 24 hours. This wasn’t one person committing murder. This was a family conspiracy. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials is![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-03707b2b-9e2b-4304-8d33-76771c00e687.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-12.27.57---PM-5e2dbeb0-cd6f-4035-82b1-9b41069ccae4.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/circumstantial-episode-4-the-family-conspiracy/) She posted her son Nick's bond within hours of his arrest. His arraignment is set for June 18th at 9:00 a.m. in Nelson Circuit Court before Judge Charles Simms. ## Why those dates matter Criminal defense attorney and legal analyst Nick Mudd was one of the first people I called after the arrest. He zeroed in immediately on the same thing we have all questioned- the dates of the alleged crimes. "She disappeared July 3rd, 4th, 5th, around that time period of 2015, and then we have this indictment starting July 15," Mudd told me. "He had to have made some sort of statement under oath within 10 days of the disappearance. I think that's important to note." Crystal Rogers vanishes, and ten days later, Nick Houck is apparently already saying something under oath that a grand jury believes wasn't true. Here's what we now know happened on July 15, 2015- because we have the tape. ## What Nick Houck told the Kentucky State Police on that day ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-08-at-10.16.54---AM.png) Nick's 2015 KSP interview tape A recording of Nick Houck's interview with Kentucky State Police on July 15, 2015 reveals just how much investigators already suspected- and how carefully Nick navigated their questions. Detectives confronted him with a surveillance camera that captured his police cruiser following directly behind Brooks' truck on the way to the Houck family farm on Paschal Ballard Road- on the same evening Brooks had been interviewed by police. Nick had spoken to Brooks by phone before his brother came in to talk to investigators. Within two hours of that phone call, both men were on camera heading to the farm together. Nick told investigators he couldn't remember why. "It's possible we were at the farm that night," he said. "I just don't remember." Detectives weren't buying it. "You're the only one that was on the phone line with him at that time," one investigator pressed. "Just you and him. And you can't remember anything that was said?" Nick maintained he couldn't. Investigators also confronted him about a blanket found in the trunk of his police cruiser- one he'd picked up and used to haul items from a property he was moving out of, in the days following Crystal's disappearance. A cadaver dog had alerted on his cruiser. Investigators told him luminol testing at the lab came back positive for biological material in the trunk. "There's no blood in my cruiser," Nick insisted. "I can guarantee you that." When investigators laid out the theory- that a police cruiser would be the perfect cover to stop a woman with a flat tire on a dark stretch of road, or transport something without drawing attention. "What better way to go undetected? Who's gonna stop a police car?" the detectives asked. Nick pushed back but couldn't fully deflect. "I disagree, man, I just disagree with that," he said. He also told investigators that day that Brooks had "nothing to hide" and was "not capable" of harming Crystal. And he said this, in a moment that reads very differently a decade later: "Anybody that could have anything to do with her disappearance or possibly kill somebody- they need to be dealt with", Nick said on tape. When asked whether that applied to Brooks, he said: "Most definitely. I wouldn't have another thing to do with him. I mean, anybody that is that despicable and can just disregard the kids, and I mean, that's a pretty nasty person." Nick agreed that day to take a polygraph test. He failed it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-08-at-9.57.25---AM.png) Mike Shafer and Nick Houck, after the polygraph test FBI Special Agent Mike Shafer delivered the results directly: "Nick, I've had a chance to review your charts and both your tests. You did not pass." Shafer told him the questions he was struggling with were specifically about Crystal- and whether he knew where she was. "It's no longer a matter of wondering if you know what happened- we're past that now," Shafer said. "I'm no longer asking you if you know. You do." And then came a warning that proved prophetic: "Once the FBI gets involved, once you get on the radar- we're not going away." Eleven years later, Nick Houck was arrested. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Nick Houck's former boss says he always knew this day would come URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/nick-houcks-former-boss-says-he-always-knew-this-day-would-come/ Last updated: 2026-06-08T20:11:11.000Z Rick McCubbin fired Nick Houck from the Bardstown Police Department over a decade ago. On Thursday, he was vindicated. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly podcast.* --- Rick McCubbin has been waiting for this for a long time. The former Bardstown Police Chief- the man who fired Nick Houck from the department back in 2015- says Thursday's perjury arrest was a long time coming, even if the specific charge caught him slightly off guard. "It's bittersweet to some degree," McCubbin told me. "I'm glad I made the decision that I made. Of all the things I thought they would get him on, I was a little surprised it was perjury. I think we're all hoping for more- and perhaps more will come." _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### 'A gift from heaven': Sherry Ballard calls Nick Houck's arrest the best birthday present she's ever received URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/a-gift-from-heaven-sherry-ballard-calls-nick-houcks-arrest-the-best-birthday-present-shes-ever-received/ Last updated: 2026-06-07T01:53:19.000Z Crystal Rogers' mother called Thursday's arrest the best gift she's ever received- and says she pushed for it every step of the way. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly podcast.* --- Thursday is Sherry Ballard's birthday. And when her phone rang on Wednesday with news that Nick Houck had been taken into custody, she did something she hasn't had much reason to do over the last decade. She cried happy tears. "The minute I get the phone call saying he's in custody, I couldn't help but tear up, choke up," Ballard told me Thursday. "It's to finally see that." Her son had texted her earlier in the day with a message that stopped her in her tracks: "Mom, Dad's sending you an early birthday present." "Yes, he is," she said. "Him and Crystal both." [Nick Houck arrested on perjury chargeThe brother of convicted murderer Brooks Houck was taken into custody Thursday afternoon “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-9e21a72b-4f79-454e-a57c-d495a6e2aa6c.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/nick-houck-pic-1-f26aa61f-d3aa-451f-b459-f5a64ddae062.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/nick-houck-arrested-on-perjury-charge/) Sherry Ballard, the mother of Crystal Rogers and wife of Tommy Ballard- has been one of the most persistent voices demanding accountability from the Houck family for over a decade. Brooks Houck, Crystal's boyfriend at the time of her disappearance in July 2015, was convicted of her murder last summer and is now serving a life sentence. But for Sherry, the fight has never been only about Brooks. Nick Houck, Brooks' brother and a former Bardstown police officer, has loomed over this case for years. He was never charged in connection with Crystal's disappearance or death, but testimony at Brooks' trial painted a damning picture- Nick was unreachable for the entire 24-hour window surrounding Crystal's disappearance, his then-girlfriend calling 15 times with no answer, telling her only that he was "helping Brooks." He was fired from the Bardstown Police Department in 2015. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-04-at-2.16.43---PM-1.png) On Thursday, he was finally arrested- for perjury. The charge, a Class D felony, alleges Nick made a material false statement under oath in an official proceeding between July 15, 2015 and April 16, 2023\. The indictment does not explicitly name Crystal Rogers' case, but Ballard says she's confident about what it relates to. "He's got a perjury charge for the lies he's told on my daughter's case," she said. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Nick Houck arrested on perjury charge URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/nick-houck-arrested-on-perjury-charge/ Last updated: 2026-06-05T14:41:02.000Z The brother of convicted murderer Brooks Houck was taken into custody Thursday afternoon --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Nick Houck- the brother of Brooks Houck, the man convicted of murdering Crystal Rogers- was arrested Thursday afternoon by Kentucky State Police on a perjury charge. KSP Post 4 detectives took Nick Houck into custody just after 1:30 p.m. on a Nelson County indictment warrant. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/nick.jpg) CREDIT: Nelson County Correctional Center He faces one count of Perjury in the First Degree, a Class D felony that carries a sentence of one to five years in prison upon conviction. According to the release, the alleged perjury occurred between 2015 and 2023\. KSP says the investigation is ongoing and declined to provide further details- including what the perjury allegation relates to. That's an important caveat. At this point, we don't know whether this charge is connected to the Crystal Rogers investigation, or whether it stems from something else entirely. [Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers TrialsThis is the story of justice delayed but not denied. Of a family that never stopped fighting. And of the trials that finally brought answers to a case that consumed a community for nearly a decade. This podcast is available exclusively to Shay Informed subscribers. You can now listen to![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-ee334ab4-ea79-438b-a25b-43b7bcbd3e28.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Cover-Circumstantial--1--70487db8-5ad5-44e9-a5cf-7f0fbeb0f6e7.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/circumstantial-the-crystal-rogers-trials/) What we do know is the background. Nick Houck has been a figure in the Bardstown true crime universe for years. At the time Crystal Rogers disappeared on July 4th weekend, 2015, Nick was a Bardstown police officer. His then-girlfriend testified during Brooks' 2025 murder trial that Nick went completely dark for the 24-hour window surrounding Crystal's disappearance- phone off, unavailable, only telling her he was "helping Brooks." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-04-at-2.16.43---PM.png) Nick was fired from the Bardstown Police Department in 2015\. Former Chief Rick McCubbin, asked about it years later, said simply: "I made the right call." Despite the cloud that has followed him throughout this case, Nick Houck had never been charged with anything connected to Crystal Rogers or her disappearance- until Thursday's perjury arrest. Whether those dots connect remains unknown. [Thirteen years. No answers. No justice. Officer Jason Ellis deserves better.Thirteen years ago today, Officer Jason Ellis left the Bardstown jail in the early morning hours, headed home after a late shift. He never made it. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. This story is a![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-4e48e259-33f4-4df4-af80-f3e37d62964d.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/jason-ellis-884a9e19-1a76-4b57-aa77-d3a6c2f377fe.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/thirteen-years-no-answers-no-justice-officer-jason-ellis-deserves-better/) ## What I learned from the court documents ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-04-at-2.40.27---PM.png) Court documents obtained by Shay Informed shed additional light on the case. The Nelson County grand jury handed down the indictment on June 3rd- just one day before his arrest. The indictment narrows the perjury window to between **July 15, 2015 and April 16, 2023**, and charges that Houck made "a material false statement, which he did not believe, in an official proceeding, while under oath required or authorized by law." [Kentucky AG to court: Brooks Houck killed Crystal Rogers, and the evidence proves itThe state’s top prosecutor filed a 103-page brief urging the Kentucky Supreme Court to uphold Houck’s murder conviction- and didn’t mince words about why. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-0542eb85-7e76-4488-b9ed-72498322a4e5.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-02-10-at-8.44.17---AM-e8fa999d-1e87-46e1-9c0e-606e5b6d1cef.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-ag-to-court-brooks-houck-killed-crystal-rogers-and-the-evidence-proves-it/) The case was investigated by KSP Post 4 Detective Casey Keown and is being prosecuted by Kyle W. Williamson. Houck was released on a $25,000 cash bond with conditions that include a dusk-to-dawn curfew, no drug or alcohol use, and a no-contact order prohibiting him from communicating- directly or indirectly- with an unnamed individual. His arraignment is scheduled for June 18th at 9:00 a.m. in Nelson Circuit Court. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Martin Nitzken was naked and unarmed. An LMPD officer shot and killed him anyway. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/martin-nitzken-was-naked-and-unarmed-an-lmpd-officer-shot-and-killed-him-anyway/ Last updated: 2026-06-04T19:18:00.000Z LMPD Chief of Police Paul Humphrey says Martin Nitzken was showing classic signs of a mental health crisis. Signs his officers are trained to recognize. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- A Louisville Metro Police officer is facing termination after body camera footage showed him fatally shooting a naked, unarmed man who was stumbling toward him on a Southwest Louisville street. LMPD Chief Paul Humphrey announced Tuesday that he has begun the pre-termination process for Officer Nathan Stotts, saying plainly that what happened on May 30 on Cromarty Way did not meet department standards- and that it never should have ended the way it did. "This is not what we teach, and it does not meet our values," Humphrey said at a news conference where LMPD released 911 call audio, radio dispatch recordings, aerial footage, and Stotts' own body camera video. The man who was killed was 27-year-old Martin Nitzken. ## What the 911 calls show The night started with a 911 call from Nitzken's girlfriend, who told dispatchers he had become suddenly and violently agitated while the group was watching a basketball game together. She said he attacked her, then attacked her two female friends when they tried to intervene. All three women fled to a neighbor's house. All reported minor injuries. But things escalated fast from there. Before police arrived, Nitzken removed all of his clothes in the street, ripped a shutter off a nearby home, and chased a passing car with it. A neighbor- apparently trying to help calm the situation- got into a physical altercation with Nitzken and dislocated his shoulder in the process. At one point, callers on the 911 line can be heard describing Nitzken on all fours in the street, naked. Neighbors describe Nitzken as walking toward police, and then you hear the gunshot. ![audio-thumbnail](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/media/2026/06/911-call--martin-netzkin_thumb.png) 911 call provided by LMPD 0:00 /776.186304 1× Because of the level of danger, LMPD said EMS was held back and a behavioral health response was deemed inappropriate for the situation. By the time Stotts pulled up, he was the only officer on scene. ## What the body camera shows ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-03-at-8.31.33---AM.png) Deputy Chief Emily McKinley, who walked reporters through the roughly 24-minute video presentation, described what the footage captures: Nitzken naked, stumbling, and unarmed, approaching Stotts. The officer fired once. Nitzken went down. Stotts can be heard on the recording giving commands before the shot- "Stop. Stop walking towards me"- but Nitzken continued to approach. After the shot, Stotts radioed in: "One Baker, shots fired. I have one male down." Humphrey did not mince words when asked what the officer should have done differently. "We see officers every day that encounter extremely dangerous situations, and you don't see this," he said. "Sometimes we have to make decisions to take people's lives, and this was not one of them." When pressed on what alternatives existed, Humphrey pointed specifically to less-lethal force- a Taser or similar intermediate option- saying he would have "liked to have seen something besides deadly force being used." ## The termination process and what comes next ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-03-at-8.33.34---AM.png) Officer Nathan Stotts Pre-termination paperwork was served to Stotts on June 2, just three days after the shooting. Humphrey said he moved quickly and deliberately- after reviewing 911 calls, dispatch records, and the body camera footage- because when leadership knows what action needs to be taken, they should take it. "I think it's important that the community knows that we're going to act on these types of decisions swiftly," he said. Stotts, hired in February 2024, was assigned to the Sixth Division. This is still an active investigation, which limits what LMPD can say publicly right now. The Public Integrity Unit is conducting a criminal investigation that will go to the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office. Kentucky State Police will conduct a peer review, and the Office of Inspector General will also review the case. Separately, LMPD's Professional Standards Unit is running its own administrative investigation. ## Questions about mental health response A reporter asked whether a mental health professional could have helped, noting that callers mentioned Nitzken was bipolar and had not previously been violent. Humphrey acknowledged the call was initially dispatched as an assault run- not a mental health call- but said the department will be looking at how Metro Safe dispatched the run and whether mental health crisis indicators were recognized in the field. Every LMPD officer receives 40 hours of crisis intervention training, he noted, including how to recognize signs of a mental health episode- things like being unclothed or unresponsive to commands. Humphrey said he expects investigators to examine why those signs may not have been acted on. He also indicated there may have been substances involved, though the toxicology report is still pending. Chief Humphrey said he has reached out to Nitzken's family to express his condolences, though he has not yet spoken with them directly. "I can't imagine that level of pain," he said. "My prayers continue to go out to the family of Martin Nitzken." You can watch the body camera footage of the shooting [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHkAFAmBCfc&t=410s&ref=shayinformed.com). Warning- it is graphic. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### I-65 is closed- and here's what you actually need to know URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/i-65-is-closed-and-heres-what-you-actually-need-to-know/ Last updated: 2026-06-03T13:03:22.000Z It was easy to know this day was coming and still not fully believe it until it arrived. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- As of Monday morning, June 1st, a five-mile stretch of I-65 is closed- from the Watterson Expressway all the way down to downtown Louisville and it's not reopening until August. I sat down last week with Mindy Peterson, the spokesperson for the I-65 Central Corridor Project, to get ahead of this for you. And I want to share what she told me, because some of it surprised even me. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/06/work-underway.jpg) CREDITL: KYTC ## This affects you even if you never touch I-65 That was the first thing Mindy wanted to make clear, and she said it directly. "This message is equally as important for drivers who do not take I-65," she told me. "This closure is going to impact commutes throughout Louisville." Here's why. Every single day, 125,000 drivers use this stretch of interstate. Starting today, every one of them is looking for somewhere else to go. "Some of that is through traffic- people originating outside of Louisville and heading outside of Louisville- and the signed detour is designed to swing them to the west, to I-264, the Georgia Davis Powers Expressway, and keep them out of the construction zone and off local roads and surface streets." That sounds orderly on paper. In practice, Mindy was honest: it's going to be messy, especially at first. ## There's no magic route. Here's what to do instead. I pushed Mindy on the question everyone's asking- just tell me the best way to go. "Everybody is starting at a different spot," she said. "Whether that's your home, your work, the kids' soccer game- everybody is going to a different spot, and they're going to have a lot of different routes available." Her actual advice? Try something. See what happens. Try again. "It's going to take some adjusting. You might try something one day and find out that did not work well, and you try something else the next day. And just keep in mind- a solution that didn't work on day one, two, or three doesn't mean it's not a good solution. That means it did not work in the height of the opening days of the closure, when we are all in the thick of it all." Give yourself grace this week. Give yourself extra time. This is going to be a process. ## The one thing she said you need to do: use your mapping app. When I asked Mindy for her single best piece of practical advice, she didn't hesitate. "Mapping apps will be your best friend during this closure," she said. She specifically mentioned Waze, which has partnered with the project and will be updated in real time as conditions change. ## Why a full closure instead of a phased one? This was the question I wanted to ask on your behalf. Two months with no I-65 is a big ask of a mid-sized city. So why not a phased approach? The answer, in short, is efficiency. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says a full closure allows contractors to work faster and more safely, and ultimately shortens the total disruption compared to years of partial lane restrictions. The goal is to get it done and get it open- not to drag it out. And what's being built is worth it. This is a $150 million project replacing three aging bridges designed to last more than 75 years. As Mindy framed it, the alternative is risking emergency closures down the road that could be far more sudden and far more disruptive. ## The reopening date and what comes next. The plan is to reopen to two lanes in each direction by August 1st- about two months from today. There will be a partial southbound reopening around July 1st. Some impacts will stretch into mid-2027 as additional work continues, but the worst of it- the full closure- ends in early August if the project stays on schedule. And when it's done? Louisville gets a fundamentally better I-65. Governor Beshear has weighed in on the project, and even he acknowledged the reality of what this means for everyday drivers. "As a Kentuckian who worked for many years in downtown Louisville, I have driven this I-65 corridor countless times," he said, "and I understand the significance of this project." That's a polite way of saying: yes, this is going to be hard. It's also necessary. [“It’s going to be tricky”: Louisville needs to be ready for I-65 closure- right nowFive miles of Louisville’s busiest interstate will be shut down for two months. If you don’t have a plan, you need one. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/size/w1200/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-26-at-3.57.20---PM.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/its-going-to-be-tricky-louisville-needs-to-be-ready-for-i-65-closure-right-now/) ## Bottom line The closure is no longer coming- it's here. Give yourself extra time. Open Waze. Try a route, adjust if it doesn't work, and don't give up on it after one rough morning. And remember: every Louisvillian is figuring this out at the same time you are. We'll be tracking how this unfolds through the summer. If you've got a commute story, a detour tip, or something that's working- let me know. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Kentucky kids are dying from a rare and always fatal brain tumor; I'm trying to help find out why URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-cant-answer-its-biggest-dipg-question-yet-heres-the-missing-piece/ Last updated: 2026-06-01T19:46:41.000Z --- *I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *I believe some stories are too important to stay behind a paywall. That's why I'm making this piece free to read for everyone. Informed communities make better decisions and that can only happen when people have access to honest, thorough reporting.* *Shay Informed is 100% reader-funded. No ads. No corporate backing. Just journalism that answers to you. If you'd like to help keep this work going, please consider* [*subscribing*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup)*.* --- A rare and always-fatal brain cancer is hitting one corner of Kentucky at a rate that state health officials are calling "unusual," and families are demanding to know why. Since concerns began mounting about an unusual number of DIPG cases in Eastern Kentucky, the question I've heard from families, readers, and community members has been the same: Is this a cluster? Could something be causing this? It's the right question. But getting the answer requires a step that, it turns out, hasn't happened yet. This week I spent some time talking with Keith Desserich, one of the people best positioned in the country to explain why. He's the co-founder of [The Cure Starts Now](https://thecurestartsnow.org/?ref=shayinformed.com), a non-profit that serves as the primary funder of the International DIPG/DMG Registry. That registry is the foremost research tool in the world for tracking this disease. He didn't come to this work as a scientist or a government official. He came to it as a father. ## "There was no one doing anything for these children" ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-29-at-2.12.18---PM.png) Keith and Brooke Desserich Twenty years ago, Keith and his wife were told their six-year-old daughter, Elena, had DIPG. The doctor walked into their hospital room in tears. She told them there was no chance of survival- that they had, with jarring specificity, about 135 days. "Within two weeks she lost the ability to eat, she lost the ability to see, she lost the ability to speak, and she lost the ability to walk," Keith told me. "That's how fast it goes." He described watching his daughter understand, even at five or six years old, what she was about to lose. "It's the hardest cancer that you're ever going to face." When Keith and his wife began searching for research, clinical trials, or organizations dedicated to fighting DIPG, they found almost nothing. One expert in the world. No trials designed specifically for DIPG. No coordinated research community. So they started one. What began as a private blog entry- an emotional, late-night piece about the need to rethink how we fight cancer- accidentally went viral. People found their business address and started mailing checks to something called "The Cure Starts Now," the final line Keith had written. He didn't even remember writing it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-29-at-1.57.04---PM.png) Credit: The Cure Starts Now Facebook "My wife called me up and said, 'What did you do?' She goes, 'I have a pile of checks that were mailed to our offices that say The Cure Starts Now. What the heck is The Cure Starts Now?'" That accidental fundraiser became a foundation. That foundation has now invested more than $45 million, funded over 200 trials in 29 countries, and built a coalition of 60 chapters across four countries. More importantly, for the question at the center of this story, they built the registry. ## What the registry is, and why it matters The International DIPG/DMG Registry was funded primarily by The Cure Starts Now beginning around 2011\. It's a roughly $7 million initiative designed specifically to do what no other data collection system was: capture everything about a DIPG patient, from the moment of diagnosis through the entirety of their journey. "Most registries out there are designed to collect data during the course of another trial," Keith explained. "They only have so much money, so if they're just looking at a certain chemotherapy drug, they're only going to collect the stuff that they actually care about for that trial. What you get is a lot of disconnected data on a lot of patients, but nothing you can draw a pattern from." The DIPG Registry was built differently- enrolling patients at diagnosis, collecting more than 670 data panels per patient, including full MRI histories, genetic information, birth history, and geographic data. More than 100 hospitals work together on it. It currently holds records on roughly 1,600 patients in the U.S. And critically, when states or government agencies want to know if they might be looking at a cluster of cases- this is the tool they're supposed to use. "About 80%, maybe even as many as 90%, of any clustering questions that have come up in the last 15 years typically came to my email box," Keith told me. [Children are dying. Eastern Kentucky deserves answers.A rare and always-fatal brain cancer is hitting one corner of Kentucky at a rate that state health officials are calling “unusual,” and families are demanding to know why. I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. I![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/size/w1200/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-13-at-4.08.31---PM.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/children-are-dying-eastern-kentucky-deserves-answers/) ## The gap nobody is talking about When concerns about Eastern Kentucky DIPG cases began drawing attention, state officials did what you'd expect- they reached out to the registry. Keith was looped in, as he typically is when a potential cluster emerges. What they found when they looked at the registry data for Eastern Kentucky stopped the process before it could begin. The cases making headlines- the ones families have been talking about, the ones journalists including me have been pressing the state to analyze- were not in the registry, Keith told me. "When we looked at it, we could not find at least what we can assume is any of those patients actually in that registry," Keith said. "As of three weeks ago, when this first started to happen and we started getting calls from the state of Kentucky and families and our chapters- we didn't have anybody that I could estimate was in that group." He's heard that as many as 10 cases have been referenced in news coverage. But the registry couldn't identify them. "Sometimes I've heard 10 cases, but we can't seem to identify the specific ones. That's part of our problem here." This is the gap. And without filling it, there is no cluster analysis- not a real one. "This is the foremost authority on that first step of the clustering discussion," Keith said. "If we don't have the data there, it just gets ignored. I've probably seen about four clustering cases per year that we're asked to get involved with, and in each one of those, if we don't have the data there, it just gets ignored." [“There is no cure”: What happens after a DIPG diagnosis and the impossible decisions parents have to makeA pediatric cancer expert explains the disease that’s claiming children’s lives in Eastern Kentucky. And one mother is rewriting the odds. I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. I believe some stories are too important to stay![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/size/w1200/2026/05/destiny.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/there-is-no-cure-what-happens-after-a-dipg-diagnosis-and-the-impossible-decisions-parents-have-to-make/) ## What the Kentucky state officials say After speaking with Keith, I went back to the Kentucky Department for Public Health to ask directly about what he had described. In a statement, a spokesperson confirmed that the state has been working with the Kentucky Cancer Registry- the state's legally mandated cancer reporting system- and said that review confirmed "an unusual increase in cases of brain tumors called Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) / Diffuse Midline Glioma (DMG) in the region." On the question of the International Registry specifically, the state acknowledged the distinction Keith raised: *"While the International DIPG/DMG Registry would not necessarily have access to the cases and information provided to Kentucky Department of Public Health (KDPH) through the Kentucky Cancer Registry given that healthcare providers are not legally required to report cases to them, they are an invaluable partner. KDPH and its partners are in communication and working with the DIPG Registry, we encourage families affected by DIPG/DMG to contact the International DIPG/DMG Registry to learn more about studies and resources that may be available to them, and we are committed to continuing our collaboration with them to ensure we protect as many Kentucky families as possible from this devastating disease."* That statement confirms what Keith laid out: under Kentucky law, new cancer diagnoses must be reported to the state's Kentucky Cancer Registry- but there is no legal requirement to report to the International DIPG Registry. The two systems are separate. State-level data does not automatically flow to the international research tool. That means when researchers go looking for patterns- genetic, geographic, diagnostic- they may be working with incomplete information. ## "You're playing a giant game of clue" Keith was careful not to point fingers. He genuinely believes state officials are trying to do the right thing, and he said so directly. "I'm going to be a very strong opponent if I felt that the state was not doing the right thing. But I would tell you, they're trying to do everything they can from what I've seen thus far." He also doesn't want anyone to assume the worst- either about state intentions or about what the missing data means for the cases themselves. "I don't want to have anything ruled as a cluster unless it genuinely is," he said. "Because that just wastes all of the time, all the effort. We all have a vested interest in doing this. It's just a question of how do you do it. And there is a right way." The right way, he explained, starts with confirmation- making sure every case is accurately diagnosed- and then systematically building the data picture before drawing any conclusions. "You're playing a giant game of Clue," he said. "If you just pull a card out of the deck and make a guess, you're never going to get there. You have to set the stage, put the data in the right place, so that it identifies the patterns." Without those patterns established first, he said, any environmental or genetic investigation amounts to guesswork. ## What families can do right now The [enrollment process for the International DIPG/DMG Registry](https://www.dipgregistry.org/enrollment/?ref=shayinformed.com) is, by design, straightforward. It requires a one-page signature from the child's legal guardian. From there, the registry- operating through a network of more than 100 partner hospitals- contacts the treating facility directly to gather the medical records. It's free. And it's the step that has to happen before any of the analysis everyone is waiting for can actually begin. "It's got to happen," Keith said, "because if it doesn't, we're not going to get this question answered." He also made a point of emphasizing who the registry is- and isn't. "It's an independent registry that has been founded, this being one of our main purposes, back in 2011, and represents the combined efforts of over 80 different families and foundations working together to accomplish it. We're not after capturing it for data. We're not trying to use it for industry. We're not trying to represent a particular state or government. We're a bunch of parents that so much want to cure this, we will break through every single barrier we can possibly do to get there", Keith explained. Families affected by DIPG/DMG in Eastern Kentucky- or anywhere in the state- can learn more and begin the enrollment process [here](https://www.dipgregistry.org/enrollment/?ref=shayinformed.com). *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### A grassroots group in rural Kentucky is trying to fill a gap that's already cost five lives URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/a-grassroots-group-in-rural-kentucky-is-trying-to-fill-a-gap-thats-already-cost-five-lives/ Last updated: 2026-06-02T15:15:09.000Z Silent Cry Inc. is building something Clark County has never had- and they're doing it from scratch. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Ashley Kimbleton from Winchester, KY, sent me an email earlier this year that I couldn't stop thinking about. She wasn't pitching a story in the traditional sense. She was taking a long shot- her words- after nearly a year of hitting walls. She'd reached out to the courthouse. To local officials. To state representatives. Nobody, she said, cared enough to listen. So she reached out to me. "Kentucky is the 2nd highest state in America for domestic violence," she wrote. "In 11 years, Clark County has had 5 murders directly tied to domestic violence." She went on to explain something that sounds almost impossible in 2025: there is essentially nowhere close for a domestic violence victim in Clark County to go. According to zerov.org, there are just 15 domestic violence shelters in the entire state of Kentucky. The closest one to Clark County is GreenHouse17 in Lexington- a shelter that serves 17 counties. Because of that demand, it is frequently full and not accepting new clients. Ashley didn't just see this as a statistics problem. She'd lived it alongside a friend. "When she went to the hospital, an officer didn't wait with her," Ashley told me recently. "So I waited with her. When we went to court, the only resource they gave her was information for the Vine system"- the notification service that tells victims when a perpetrator has been arrested or released- "and that was it. And that bothered me." It should bother all of us. ## What happens when there's nowhere to go In her email to me, Ashley laid out the practical reality of what a lack of local shelter means for victims- and it's a cascade of losses. If you've been beaten and you have no means of transportation, you can't get to Lexington. If you do somehow get there, you likely can't commute back to a job in Clark County. So you lose the job. And if you have children, they lose their school, their friends, the stability of what little normal life they had left. "That isn't a reasonable solution whenever you've been beaten half to death, and you've lost everything," she wrote. She's right. And she decided she was done waiting for someone else to fix it. ## Enter Silent Cry Inc. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-29-at-1.20.43---PM.png) Since that email, Ashley has connected with Brenda Marstella- a Casey's Law advocate, licensed hairdresser, and former therapeutic foster parent with a decade of experience working alongside women and children in crisis. Together, along with a growing circle of volunteers, they've formed Silent Cry Inc. The name itself is intentional. As Brenda explained it: "We have to listen to what they're not saying." In roughly 12 weeks of meetings, what this group has built is remarkable for a volunteer organization just finding its footing. They have their EIN. Their 501(c)3 status is in process. They've already held fundraisers. They've connected with local businesses and the housing authority- having the conversations they need to have to put their big plan into motion. "We've got a sober living place on every corner," Brenda said, "but we don't have one place for women and kids. So we're going to make our own resources." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/IMG_4189.jpg) ## The end goal: a shelter with transitional housing What Silent Cry is ultimately working toward is a shelter in Clark County with 30 to 90 days of transitional housing for women and children fleeing dangerous situations. They envision a separate facility for meetings, support groups, and programming- kept apart from the residential space for safety. Down the road: an emergency response team, dedicated rooms for sex trafficking survivors, and eventually an expansion to neighboring communities. Brenda wants to work on the inside and the outside. "They may come in beat down," she said, "but when they walk out, they're going to have some self-confidence and know who they are." One detail that struck me: they're also developing their own curriculum around what Brenda calls "grieving the living"- the specific, complicated grief that comes with leaving an abusive relationship with someone who is still alive. "You always hear of grieving the dead," she said. "What about grieving the living? You can't hardly find any material on that at all." Financing is the missing piece. Grants are available, but the process is slow and requires the 501(c)3 designation they're actively pursuing. In the meantime, they're building community, momentum, and the kind of goodwill that makes big things possible. ## Five names. Twelve years. 13,000 people. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-29-at-1.29.31---PM.png) Ava Brantley Winchester, the seat of Clark County, has a population of roughly 13,000 people. In the last 12 years, five women in that community have been killed in incidents directly tied to domestic violence- women who, Ashley was careful to note, had done everything they were told to do to keep themselves safe. They were **Sheila Smith**, 34, who died in May 2021\. **Esther Meza**, 22, who died just two months later in March of that same year. **Mary Ann Bishop**, 38, killed in August 2013\. **Melanie Gabbard**, 54, who died in December 2015\. And most recently, **Ava Brantley**, 35, who was killed in October of last year. Ava's mother plans to speak at the rally. Her daughter's name- and the names of the four women before her- are part of why Silent Cry exists. "When it happens, they report it for a few days," Ashley said, "and then it's on to the next story." That ends here. ## A rally, and a way to help ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/rally-poster.jpeg) Silent Cry Inc. is holding a community rally on Saturday, June 6th at 15 Wheeler Ave, in Winchester, to raise awareness and begin connecting with the people they hope to serve. It will be a full community event- local bands, food, and even the Clark County Fire Department will be there to spray water for kids to play in. At the end of the rally, they plan to release white ribbon balloons bearing the names of the five women Clark County has lost in recent years. "Even if just one person at the rally needs help," Ashley said, "if we can connect with them and get them resources- we've done what our goal is." For those outside of Clark County who want to support Silent Cry's work: donations can be made via Cash App, and their PayPal is coming soon. Sharing their story, Ashley says, is just as valuable."If every person who sees it shares it, we may reach that many more people." Those interested in contacting Silent Cry may call Marstella at 859−771−2726 or write to Silent Cry, P.O. Box 301, Winchester, KY 40392. --- If you or someone you know is in a domestic violence situation in Kentucky, GreenHouse17 serves Clark County and can be reached at 800-544-2022 or 859-233-0657. --- *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### "Nothing went our way": A KY mother's fight for justice after drunk driver killed her son URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/nothing-went-our-way-a-ky-mothers-fight-for-justice-after-drunk-driver-killed-her-son/ Last updated: 2026-05-29T18:14:44.000Z Four and a half years after Joseph Siami killed Chase Lawson, a Jefferson County judge gave him six months in jail and probation. His family calls it a failure of justice from the very first night. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Susan Lawson doesn't sleep well when her kids aren't home. It was that restlessness- a mother's instinct- that first told her something was wrong in the early hours of November 2021\. She'd woken up around 2:30 a.m., noticed her son Chase wasn't back yet, checked his phone location, and saw he was somewhere on La Grange Road. *Probably heading home*, she thought. She dozed back off. By 3 a.m., his location showed University of Louisville Hospital. She woke her husband. They called the ER. A hospital employee told them three people had been brought in from a crash site. Susan texted Chase and pinged his Apple Watch- the hospital wanted to confirm it was him. It came back. It was him. Critical condition. Come immediately. "We headed down to University Hospital," Susan told me. "He was in surgery." A chaplain met them in the waiting room. The surgeon came out shortly after. Chase had been wearing his seatbelt, but the impact had been so violent that the belt tore through his midsection, causing catastrophic internal damage. He was bleeding out. "He probably had a one to two percent chance to make it through the night," Susan said. "He had coded, I think, twice during surgery." They called Chase's oldest sister, Chelsea- then doing her medical residency in Denver- and she and her husband got on the next available flight home. His other sister, Hayley, was already there. The family gathered in recovery, Hayley needing to be tended to by hospital staff, Chelsea saying goodbye over FaceTime as her medical training forced her to understand what the injuries meant. Chase died at U of L Hospital that night. He was 20 years old. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-27-at-3.34.31---PM.png) Chase with his two sisters ## The boy they lost Chase Lawson grew up in Crestwood, the youngest of three children and the only son. He graduated from South Oldham High School with a 4.0 GPA and broke a school record in the 300-meter hurdles that had stood for nearly 20 years. He was a Governor Scholar. He had dreamed of walking onto the University of Kentucky track team. When COVID derailed his senior track season- canceling the meets where he'd planned to hit the times he needed- he pivoted. He went to UK, made the men's club volleyball team, and threw himself into a new dream. He was a neuroscience major in the Honors College, doing research with a professor in Lexington, working as a pharmacy tech at the Walmart in Crestwood to build his resume for medical school. His older sister, Chelsea was a physician. He wanted to follow her. "He kind of knew what Chelsea had to do to get into med school, and so he was working really hard on that," Susan said. "He was very, very driven. He knew what he had to do." He was home for Thanksgiving break when he died. He and his childhood best friend Nathan had spent Black Friday shopping at the outlet mall together, as was their tradition. That evening, Nathan called and invited Chase to meet some of his college teammates for a night out. Chase said yes. On the way home, on La Grange Road near the North Hurstbourne Parkway ramp, a BMW hit their Honda head-on. ## 97 miles per hour. A 45 mile per hour road. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-28-at-2.19.16---PM.png) Joseph Siami with his attorney Steve Romines The driver of that BMW was Joseph Williams Siami, then 28 years old. According to the police report from that night, Siami told the responding officer he had consumed three alcoholic beverages. He had glassy, bloodshot eyes and slurred speech. He failed all three field sobriety tests- the horizontal gaze nystagmus test, the walk-and-turn, and the one-legged stance. A breathalyzer at the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections registered a blood alcohol level of .137- well above the legal limit of .08. Miranda and Nathan, seated in the front of the Honda, were badly hurt. Nathan suffered a broken back, a fractured ankle, and a lacerated spleen. Miranda sustained broken wrists, a mild brain injury, and a back fracture. Both survived. Chase, in the back seat, did not. The black box from Siami's BMW would later reveal something that, according to the family, explained everything: at the moment of impact, Siami was traveling at approximately 97 miles per hour, on a 45 mph road. He had barely touched his brakes- until a fraction of a second before the collision, according to the Lawson family. "I'm truly amazed that all of them didn't die," Susan told me. "He walked away with no injuries." ## Only one charge. No jail. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-28-at-2.58.32---PM.png) Joseph Siami mugshot What happened after the crash is, in some ways, its own story. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### "It's going to be tricky": Louisville needs to be ready for I-65 closure- right now URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/its-going-to-be-tricky-louisville-needs-to-be-ready-for-i-65-closure-right-now/ Last updated: 2026-05-28T19:13:52.000Z Five miles of Louisville's busiest interstate will be shut down for two months. If you don't have a plan, you need one. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Less than a week. That's all the time Louisville drivers have left before one of the biggest infrastructure disruptions this city has seen in years becomes reality. I spent some time on Tuesday chatting with the team behind the I-65 Central Corridor Project to talk through what's coming. The short version: if you drive in Louisville, this affects you. Period. ## 125,000 drivers have to go somewhere The closure itself is five miles of I-65, from the Watterson Expressway down to downtown Louisville, starting Monday, June 1st. But Mindy Peterson- the spokesperson for the project- wants every Louisville driver to understand what that actually means. "This message is equally as important for drivers who do not take I-65," she told me. "This closure is going to impact commutes throughout Louisville." The reason? Volume. Peterson says 125,000 drivers rely on this stretch of I-65 every single day. Come June 1st, every single one of them will be looking for another way. "We have 125,000 drivers who are looking for other routes," she said. "Some of that is through traffic- people originating outside of Louisville and heading outside of Louisville- and the signed detour is designed to swing them to the west, to I-264, the Georgia Davis Powers Expressway, and keep them out of the construction zone and off local roads and surface streets." For the rest- the people with actual Louisville destinations- it gets more complicated. Peterson was candid about the fact that there is no magic answer. "Everybody is starting at a different spot," she said. "Whether that's your home, your work, the kids' soccer game, and everybody is going to a different spot, and they're going to have a lot of different routes available." Her advice? Plan something. Try it. Adjust. "It's going to take some adjusting," she said. "You might try something one day and find out that did not work well, and you try something else the next day. And just keep in mind- a solution that didn't work on day one, two, or three doesn't mean it's not a good solution. That means it did not work in the height of the opening days of the closure, when we are all in the thick of it all." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-26-at-10.33.23---AM-1.png) ## Your best friend this summer: your mapping app When I asked Mindy what her single best piece of advice was for drivers, she didn't hesitate. "Mapping apps will be your best friend during this closure," she said. "No matter which one you use- the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has a partnership with Waze, but that doesn't mean Waze is the only one- all of the mapping apps will have the closure information, associated restrictions, and real-time traffic data." She was also honest that even the best-laid alternate routes aren't going to be smooth sailing every day. "We can't believe that all of those alternate routes are going to be flowing freely and smoothly all the time," she said. "Something is going to happen. Life is going to happen. Those mapping apps will provide the most up-to-date, real-time information for you and your commute." ## What about emergency responders? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-26-at-3.56.22---PM.png) This was the part of our conversation that I think people aren't thinking about enough. When I asked about coordination with police, fire, and ambulance services- the people for whom every second counts- Peterson said that planning has been extensive and ongoing. "There has been a lot of coordination, and it's continuing coordination," she said. "We have to make sure that emergency responders have confidence in reaching the downtown hospitals. That's vitally important. We need to make sure that people who are going to appointments, or to the downtown hospitals, have confidence whether they're in an ambulance or transporting themselves, that they know they can get there." She also pointed to incident management as a key piece of the plan. When there's a crash on an alternate route, and there will be, the goal is to clear it as fast as possible to keep traffic from compounding. The contractor has steps in place to help make that happen. ## Is the August 1st reopening real? The two-month timeline is the question I hear most from readers, so I pushed on it. Is August 1st a real reopening date, or is that the optimistic version? Peterson was confident- and had the receipts to back it up. "That should be when we have traffic on I-65 again," she said. "I have a lot of confidence in that date." Her reasoning: the prep work is already done. The substructures, which is everything below the bridge deck, are more than 95% complete. New piers, new abutments, and new support systems are already in place. And in three laydown yards across the city, pre-assembled concrete deck panels are already waiting to be set. "We have the crew in place. We have the supplies in place," she said. "A lot of those supplies have been pre-assembled and are ready to go as soon as possible." When I mentioned seeing large cranes on the highway this past weekend, she confirmed exactly what they're for- lifting beams into place, each one weighing roughly 50,000 pounds, one at a time. The goal during the two-month closure isn't to fully finish the bridges. It's to get enough of each new deck in place to safely reopen I-65 to two lanes of traffic in each direction. Work will continue alongside traffic after that. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-26-at-3.57.29---PM.png) ## Brace for the first week Mindy Peterson is optimistic about where this project lands. But she was candid with me about the opening days. "The drivers who have prepared are going to be driving alongside some of the drivers who are going to be surprised," she said, "and that is going to be a tricky situation." She said there will be eyes- from the project team, from partners, from emergency responders- watching traffic patterns closely from the start, looking for trends and information that can help ease the adjustment. "I do believe the opening days are going to be tricky. They are going to be challenging," she said. "But I think everything will settle down in a matter of days. Even come Monday, June 8th, I think it's going to be better than what it was on June 1st." ## The bottom line When I asked Mindy what a better I-65 actually means for Louisville when all of this is done, she put it simply. "It's very easy to take for granted what we have and use each and every day," she said. "But we have heard and seen the terrifying stories when bridges fail. These three bridges have served our community very, very well- but they've done so since the late 1950s. A bridge will reach the end of its service life, and these three bridges are at the end of their service life." The new bridges will carry a 75-year service life. And this closure- as painful as it's going to be- saves more than a year of additional restrictions and delays that would have come with a slower, phased approach. "It doesn't make it easy," she said. "It's going to be hard for people to keep that in mind come June 1st. But the work has to happen. We need to be able to rely on the roads and bridges that we use every day." It's just gotta be done. And now, it's almost here. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-26-at-3.57.40---PM.png) For detour maps, ramp closure information, key destination guides, and text and email alerts, head to [the project website.](https://i65centralcorridor.com/?ref=shayinformed.com#maps) *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Thirteen years. No answers. No justice. Officer Jason Ellis deserves better. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/thirteen-years-no-answers-no-justice-officer-jason-ellis-deserves-better/ Last updated: 2026-05-26T19:59:12.000Z Thirteen years ago today, Officer Jason Ellis left the Bardstown jail in the early morning hours, headed home after a late shift. He never made it. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly podcast.* --- Around 2:30 a.m. on May 25, 2013, Ellis took Exit 34 off the Blue Grass Highway- a route he knew well. But when he reached the ramp, something was wrong. Tree limbs were scattered across the road, blocking the way. Ellis did what any officer would do. He turned on his overhead lights. He positioned his patrol car to block the ramp. And he got out to clear the debris. Bent over the tree limbs, shotgun blasts erupted from the embankment above him. Pellets tore into his arm, his side, his neck, his head- the areas his ballistic vest couldn't protect. It wasn't an accident. It wasn't random. Someone had put those limbs there. Someone was waiting. For years, people in Bardstown have whispered about a connection between these cases. They've felt it. They've suspected it. Now, the people who have actually seen the evidence are saying it out loud. And yet: no arrests. No charges. No justice for Jason Ellis. ## The investigation The Kentucky State Police has led the investigation into Jason's death since the beginning. And I'll be direct with you about where that investigation stands today: I don't know. Because KSP won't say. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Woman who kidnapped her own daughter from Louisville in 1983 pleads guilty- 42 years later URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/woman-who-kidnapped-her-own-daughter-from-louisville-in-1983-pleads-guilty-42-years-later/ Last updated: 2026-05-21T18:08:53.000Z The woman at the center of one of Louisville's most unusual cold cases has accepted a plea deal. Her daughter, now 45, was in the courtroom. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- The Louisville woman charged with taking her young daughter across state lines and vanishing for more than four decades has pleaded guilty- bringing a legal close to a case that stunned a Jefferson Circuit Court judge when it first appeared on his docket last December. Debra Newton entered a guilty plea to Criminal Attempt Custodial Interference, a Class A Misdemeanor in court last week. The charge was amended down from the original Custodial Interference charge she faced at her December arraignment. A Jefferson County judge accepted the plea and sentenced Newton to twelve months, giving her credit for eleven days already served. The sentence is conditionally discharged for two years, meaning Newton will not serve additional jail time as long as she does not commit any new criminal offenses. She was also ordered to pay $165 in court costs within 30 days. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-21-at-1.54.29---PM.png) Newton's daughter Michelle at her December arraingment Victims were present at the proceeding and addressed the court before sentencing. I've been in touch with Newton's daughter Michelle- now 45 and living under a different name- who reconnected with her father after her mother's arrest. She told me she just learned about this portion of her life for the first time in December. For 42 years, she had no idea she'd been taken from Louisville as a toddler. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Federal investigators just spent two days picking apart the UPS plane crash- here's what we learned URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/federal-investigators-just-spent-two-days-picking-apart-the-ups-plane-crash-heres-what-we-learned/ Last updated: 2026-05-24T22:36:50.000Z Six months after a UPS cargo jet fell out of the sky above Louisville and killed 15 people, federal investigators gathered in Washington this week to start answering the hardest question: how does something like this happen? --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- The National Transportation Safety Board wrapped up two days of public hearings on Wednesday, taking testimony from witnesses at UPS, Boeing, and the FAA. What came out of those hearings paints a troubling picture- not just of what went wrong on November 4th, but of a system that had warning signs for years and didn't act on them. Here's what you need to know. ## The plane that crashed wasn't supposed to be the plane ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2025-11-04-at-6.23.46---PM.png) This detail got somewhat buried in the flood of technical testimony, but it matters. The crew of UPS Flight 2976 didn't originally board the MD-11 that went down. They switched planes shortly before takeoff because their original aircraft had a fuel leak. That last-minute swap cleared by maintenance and operations put them on a plane heading to Honolulu with a full tank of fuel- and, as we now know, a critical structural flaw that nobody caught. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Primary night in Kentucky: the big winners, losers, and what comes next URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/primary-night-in-kentucky-the-big-winners-losers-and-what-comes-next/ Last updated: 2026-05-21T14:29:52.000Z Tuesday was a big night for Donald Trump's influence in Kentucky- and a rough one for scandal-plagued incumbents. Here's what you need to know about the races that matter most. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- The nation's eyes were on Kentucky Tuesday, when voters went to the polls to weigh in on who they want to see lead their communities in the years to come. ## The big story: The US Senate race ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-20-at-9.42.41---AM.png) The most-watched race in the state was never really a race by the end. Rep. Andy Barr won the GOP nomination for Senate in Kentucky, defeating former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron. The Associated Press called the race at 7 p.m. ET, with Barr leading Cameron 64% to 28% with just 5% of the vote in. Trump's fingerprints were all over this one. Trump made his choice known earlier this month when he backed Barr and urged Nate Morris, a businessman with strong ties to his MAGA movement, to end his campaign for the GOP nomination and instead accept an unspecified role in his administration. Morris obliged, and the race was essentially over before it started. Cameron- who was once seen as a rising star in Kentucky Republican politics- never found his footing after that. He conceded gracefully. "Tonight didn't exactly turn out how we wanted it to," Cameron said in his concession speech. He called the campaign and the support he received the honor of a lifetime. On the Democratic side, Charles Booker and Amy McGrath were neck and neck much of the night before Booker took the lead, and the race was called. Booker has lost two U.S. Senate bids against Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell. Now he hopes to end a more than 30-year drought since the last time Kentucky sent a democrat to the US Senate with Wendell Ford in 1992\. ## Louisville Mayor: Greenberg cruises, Parrish-Wright earns her spot ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-19-at-9.30.56---PM.png) The Louisville mayor's race played out exactly as most people expected- but the new rules made it historic. This primary marked the first nonpartisan election for mayor in Louisville's history. Incumbent Mayor Craig Greenberg had 51.7% of the vote, with Shameka Parrish-Wright finishing second at 27.7%. Both advance to the general election in November. The result of the mayoral primary gives Louisville voters a choice between two candidates who both ran as Democrats in 2022, when the city's mayoral elections were still partisan. It also puts Greenberg in a one-on-one contest with the candidate who came closest to beating him four years ago. The stakes couldn't be higher for Parrish-Wright personally: if she wins in November, she would become the first Black person or woman elected as Louisville's mayor. [](https://www.lpm.org/news/2026-05-19/mayor-metro-council-incumbents-win-big-in-louisville-primary?ref=shayinformed.com) ## Louisville State House: voters clean house ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-20-at-10.07.32---AM.png) If there was a theme in Louisville's state legislative races Tuesday, it was accountability- and voters delivered it decisively. Mitra Subedi won the Democratic primary for the Kentucky House's 30th District, nearly doubling the vote total for incumbent Daniel Grossberg, who faced numerous sexual harassment and assault allegations. Seeking a third term in Frankfort, Grossberg received just 23%. Subedi- a Bhutanese refugee- won the Democratic nomination with nearly double Grossberg's vote total. Meanwhile, across town, another Louisville Democrat found out just how thin her margins were. Rep. Beverly Chester-Burton of Louisville lost her primary by just to Kenya Wade, a non-profit founder. Chester-Burton had faced scrutiny over a DUI conviction. Five votes. That one may not be fully certified for a while. ## The Massie earthquake (yes, it matters for Kentucky) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-20-at-10.13.09---AM.png) It wasn't a statewide race, but no Kentucky primary recap would be complete without mentioning the biggest upset of the night nationally. Trump-endorsed Ed Gallrein defeated Rep. Thomas Massie in the GOP House primary. Trump and his political operation made unseating Massie their mission in 2026, turning his 4th District primary into the most expensive House race ever in terms of advertising. Massie, one of the most fiercely independent libertarian voices in Congress, is out after 14 years in Congress. "They used a lot of dirty tricks, but we stayed the course, we didn't bend a knee, we didn't throw a foul ball, we didn't do any of those things," Massie said during his concession speech, "we had lots of opportunities and we never did it, we ran a clean race." Gallrein kept his acceptance speech tight saying, "now my focus is on advancing the president's and the party's agenda to put America first and Kentucky always." ## What comes next The biggest race to watch heading into November is the U.S. Senate. Barr is favored heavily, but the national environment for Republicans- and the unusual dynamics of replacing Mitch McConnell -could make it more interesting than it looks on paper. Booker has shown he knows how to build coalitions, and he's running the kind of values-based campaign that occasionally surprises people. In Louisville, Greenberg vs. Parrish-Wright Part Two is going to be a very different race than 2022\. This time it's nonpartisan, it's one-on-one from the start, and Parrish-Wright has four more years of organizing and a Metro Council seat under her belt. Greenberg remains the favorite, but don't count on a blowout. And keep an eye on those two Louisville House seats. The Chester-Burton race in particular- decided by five votes- is almost certain to face a recount request. That one isn't over yet. The general election for all offices will be held on November 3, 2026. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### "There is no cure": What happens after a DIPG diagnosis and the impossible decisions parents have to make URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/there-is-no-cure-what-happens-after-a-dipg-diagnosis-and-the-impossible-decisions-parents-have-to-make/ Last updated: 2026-05-20T14:23:31.000Z A pediatric cancer expert explains the disease that's claiming children's lives in Eastern Kentucky. And one mother is rewriting the odds. --- *I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *I believe some stories are too important to stay behind a paywall. That's why I'm making this piece free to read for everyone. Informed communities make better decisions and that can only happen when people have access to honest, thorough reporting.* *Shay Informed is 100% reader-funded. No ads. No corporate backing. Just journalism that answers to you. If you'd like to help keep this work going, please consider* [*subscribing*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup)*.* --- Marsha Miniard was doing dishes when she noticed something was off about the way her daughter was walking. "She was walking sort of like Donald Duck," Marsha told me. "Just off-centered, like she was going through high water. I was like, hey, sissy, what are you doing? Stop acting silly. And she said, 'Mommy, I'm not meaning to.'" That was the moment everything changed. Within days, Destiny Miniard- 10 days from her ninth birthday- was airlifted to Lexington after doctors at a Corbin hospital found a mass in her brainstem. The diagnosis: Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma. DIPG. The doctors told Marsha what doctors always tell parents in that moment. There is no cure. Go home, get your things, and come back for radiation. After that- make memories. Marsha nodded. She absorbed it. And then she decided she wasn't going to accept it. The Kentucky Department for Public Health, in coordination with the Kentucky Cancer Registry and the University of Kentucky College of Public Health, has officially confirmed **10 cases** of DIPG/DMG in Eastern Kentucky in people under the age of 21 since 2024. To understand why that number should stop you cold: in a typical year, the *entire state* of Kentucky sees only two or three cases of this cancer in that age group. Total. All of Kentucky. Ten cases in one region in roughly two years is not a statistical blip. It is not a coincidence. It is a cluster- and it is happening to children. ## What DIPG actually is and why it's so hard to fight To understand why DIPG is so devastating, you have to understand where it lives and how it grows. Dr. Mustafa Barbour is a pediatric neuro-oncologist at Norton Children's Hospital. He works alongside surgeons, radiation oncologists, and neuroradiologists to care for children with brain and spine tumors. He was kind enough to spend time with me this week and help explain this disease in plain terms- because families in Kentucky, and across this country, deserve to understand what we're dealing with. "It is a very aggressive type of cancer," Dr. Barbour told me. "The tumor doesn't grow as a discrete mass. It grows between normal brainstem cells. The way they grow makes surgical intervention very challenging." The tumor forms in the pons- a critical part of the brainstem. Every nerve fiber that allows us to move, to swallow, to breathe, to see passes through this region. Even if a surgeon wanted to attempt a removal, Dr. Barbour explained, the tumor is nearly indistinguishable from healthy tissue. "It's really hard to tell exactly where the tumor is and where the normal brainstem tissue is," he said. "They're very infiltrative- that's the name for it. Diffuse. It grows diffusely within the pons." That infiltrative pattern is also why surgery isn't an option. You cannot remove what you cannot separate. ## The warning signs and how fast it moves One of the most terrifying things about DIPG is how quickly it announces itself. There is no slow build. One day, a child is fine. A week or two later, everything has changed. "Usually, it's one to two weeks of symptoms," Dr. Barbour said. "That's what catches the attention of parents, sometimes teachers. Then the MRI is done." The earliest signs are often subtle- a lazy eye, a slight weakness on one side of the body, a child who suddenly seems unsteady. The eye deviation is particularly common because the nerve that controls eye movement passes directly through the brainstem. All of those symptoms will lead practitioners to recommend an MRI to evaluate the brain. And if DIPG is present, doctors like Dr. Barbour see it immediately. "The MRI will show you the classic, textbook-type findings that allow you to make the diagnosis," he told me. "Usually, you know what you're dealing with." Dr. Barbour told me that after he sees an MRI indicating a child has DIPG, he has to take some time to cope with the news. "I typically cannot just talk to the family right after I look at the MRI. Honestly, usually I look at the MRI, I have to take a couple of hours just for me to be able to absorb it, and then I talk to them," he shared. Because what can you say to a parent who is about to learn their child is very sick, with something even science can't completely explain? "I wish I could just be positive and not give such a bad prognosis, but that doesn't help anyone. It doesn't help them in the long term. In the short term, they need to understand the prognosis as parents making decisions, advocating for their kids, so they can do the right thing for the kid," Dr. Barbour said on his approach to discuss the diagnosis with the heartbreaking honesty parents deserve. He also said every minute counts once the diagnosis is made. Marsha Miniard experienced exactly this. What she thought was an inner ear infection turned out, within twenty-four hours, to be a massive brain tumor. And in the ten days between Destiny's initial release from the hospital and her return, the tumor grew one centimeter. "Ten days," Marsha told me, "DIPG is so aggressive that it grew one centimeter in ten days." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/IMG_6178-2.jpeg) Destiny Miniard ## The treatment options- and what "limited options" really means When a family sits down with their doctor after a DIPG diagnosis, they are given one real option that has proven to make a difference: radiation. And even that is not a cure. "Radiation therapy is the one and only proven treatment to make a significant difference in terms of delaying the progress of the tumor," Dr. Barbour told me. "Most of the time, we talk about available clinical trials afterwards." He walked me through what those trials look like- immunotherapy that attempts to engineer the body's own immune cells to recognize and attack the tumor; oral medications that may slow progression; treatments targeted at specific genetic abnormalities found within each child's unique tumor biology. Last year, the FDA approved an oral medication taken weekly specifically for DIPG and diffuse midline gliomas. It doesn't cure the cancer. It can slow it down. Traditional chemotherapy, Dr. Barbour was direct about this, does not work for DIPG. Decades of research have confirmed it. "We tried conventional chemotherapy and different combinations for tens of years as a community," he said. "Nothing really works." When I asked him about the gut-wrenching reality of sitting across from a family and presenting these options- knowing what you know- he didn't sugarcoat it. "For some families, they hear the diagnosis and rightfully ask me: if you're telling me I have a limited time to enjoy my child, why would we travel far from home for a trial?" he said. "That's a very good question. And there is no one right answer for every child or every family." It is the cruelest kind of decision. Every option comes with a trade-off. Every hour spent in a hospital is an hour not spent at home. Every trial is an unknown. Every choice- and there are very few- belongs to the family. ## One mother's impossible choice and what happened next ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/IMG_5382.JPG) Marsha and Destiny Destiny Miniard completed 30 rounds of radiation- five days a week for nearly three months. In that stretch, she also had an emergency shunt placed in her brain on her ninth birthday because the tumor had caused such severe pressure that without intervention, she would have died that day. The radiation gave them about 10% shrinkage. Not enough. Not nearly enough for a tumor that had started the size of a baseball. On the last day of radiation, Marsha Miniard made a decision. "I had a conversation with the doctors, basically saying, you're telling me there's no cure, only these failed trials," Marsha told me. "I said, I'm seeing a lot on social media about how brain cancers are responding well to alternative treatment. We're going to try that." The treatment she chose is called Full Extract Cannabis Oil- known as FECO- which uses the entire cannabis plant rather than just the flower and buds. She sourced it from a farm in Big Sur, California. Her doctors, she said, were supportive. "We had no options. They allowed me to pick an option," Marsha said. "I cannot thank my baby's doctors enough for that- for just believing in what I said. You don't see that often." What has happened since has stunned even Marsha herself. After starting the FECO, Marsha shared that Destiny's first scan showed 21% additional shrinkage. The second scan, in January of this year, showed 38% total shrinkage. A tumor that was the size of a baseball is now the size of a large grape. Destiny- who six months ago was confined to a wheelchair- is now running. She's regaining strength in her left arm and leg. She's regulating body temperature on her left side, something that almost never returns in DIPG patients, Marsha told me. "38% shrinkage," Marsha said. "That is basically unheard of in DIPG tumors." Destiny is now one year and five months post-diagnosis. She was told she'd likely have less than three months without radiation. She has passed the six-month mark that doctors said she would not reach. Her next scan is July 26th. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/IMG_5383.JPG) ## "We don't have time" Marsha is not under any illusions about what DIPG is, or what it's capable of. She told me that living with a child who has this disease means living entirely in the present- because the disease doesn't allow for anything else. "With DIPG, we don't have time," she said. "We have now. Our decisions are based in the now, because Destiny might be doing good right now, but in a week and a half, there's always that potential fear that she won't be. That's how aggressive this is." Destiny's case is one of at least ten in children, in Eastern Kentucky, in the last two and a half years. Marsha told me she talks to other Kentucky moms battling DIPG diagnoses several times a week. She knows families who are not as fortunate as hers, families watching their children move in the opposite direction. It makes her furious- not at fate, but at a system that has let these children down. "If it's so rare, why is there a concentration of kids here?" she said. "Common sense says it has to be an environmental factor. It's just too close. Too many children." She started the Faith Like Destiny Foundation to help other families afford the FECO treatment, which runs about $1,000 a month for maintenance, a cost that is out of reach for many Eastern Kentucky families. She said she works with fourteen families weekly, helping them navigate an impossible situation with whatever information and grace she can offer. "I was anointed for this," Marsha said. "God knew I wouldn't be silent. And He knew I wouldn't only work hard for my baby, but for their babies too." Like all DIPG treatments, outside of radiation, FECO is not FDA-approved, and results are not guaranteed. ## "We're closer- but not close enough" I ended my conversation with Dr. Barbour by asking him for something that felt almost unfair to ask: hope. Is the research getting anywhere? Are we closer than we were ten years ago? "I do believe we're closer," he said. "Not close enough. But we're certainly closer. There is data showing that some treatments are prolonging survival. Not curing a good number of kids- but they are prolonging the time they have." He believes the path forward is understanding the biology of each individual tumor and targeting the specific genetic mutations that are driving the cancer, rather than applying the same treatments across the board. "Every DIPG may be treated differently," he said. "That makes it harder and more challenging. But it should be more effective." He also said something that I think everyone who has followed this story needs to hear- something aimed directly at anyone with a hand on the funding levers. "The fact that it is a rare entity does not mean that it deserves less attention," Dr. Barbour said. "These kids affect our community everywhere in this world. We definitely need to do more and use the resources we have to support research- and support these families directly." Only about 4% of federal cancer research funding goes toward pediatric cancers, and only a small percentage of that goes to DIPG. The reason? It's so rare. But it's getting more common in Kentucky. That's why pushing for answers is so important right now. [Children are dying. Eastern Kentucky deserves answers.A rare and always-fatal brain cancer is hitting one corner of Kentucky at a rate that state health officials are calling “unusual,” and families are demanding to know why. I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. I![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-d5261e1051eb7eedc3ff314a6e3496babf742468f45c7363f416687f9bedabe2.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-05-13-at-4.08.31---PM-a4b553bc2167ef29cfbe32b7364c0ae819f33c22ab64b843dbde9ad34ba2618e.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/children-are-dying-eastern-kentucky-deserves-answers/) The Kentucky Department for Public Health has confirmed the cluster publicly, calling the increase "concerning and devastating." The statement acknowledged the state is taking steps: partnering with the Kentucky Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund, coordinating with local health departments, and reaching out to UK and other hospitals about research opportunities. What the state's statement did not include: any announcement of an environmental investigation. No mention of testing water sources, soil, air quality. No formal designation of this as a cancer cluster triggering a specific investigative protocol. That gap matters. I asked if that testing was taking place, but have not yet heard back. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Who's on your Louisville Mayor ballot tomorrow? Here's what I found URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/whos-on-your-louisville-mayor-ballot-tomorrow-heres-what-i-found/ Last updated: 2026-05-19T17:45:11.000Z Primary Election Day is Tuesday, May 19th- and if you haven't done your homework yet, I did it for you. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Louisville voters are heading to the polls tomorrow in what is, by several measures, a historic election. For the first time ever, the mayor's race is nonpartisan- meaning no party labels next to anyone's name, and every registered voter, regardless of party, gets to weigh in. The top two vote-getters advance to the general election in November. There are 11 names on the ballot for Louisville Mayor. But here's what you need to know before you even get there: **two of them don't count.** Both **Jeffrey Yocum** and **Bill Wells** withdrew from the race after the ballot was already finalized- which means their names are still printed, but any votes cast for them will not be counted. Yocum, who was an outspoken critic of incumbent Mayor Craig Greenberg, endorsed Tina Burnell on his way out. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-18-at-12.15.20---PM.png) That leaves nine candidates who are actually in the running. Here's what I found online on each of them, in alphabetical order. --- ## Matthew Bailey ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/matthew-bailey.jpg) Credit: Matthew Bailey Facebook Bailey is 21 years old, making him the youngest candidate in the race. [According to LPM](https://www.lpm.org/news/2026-04-27/louisville-mayoral-candidate-is-young-but-eager-to-serve?fbclid=IwY2xjawR4D-VleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEezQBh1ra-pfnd7XAAvSGZVPp-4zVNvR0aAj6COmEtsGbraujyzUHwlipAZTY%5Faem%5FTStraQlFw77sdLnTJwxGfQ&ref=shayinformed.com), he graduated from Shawnee High School in 2022 and currently volunteers at the La Grange Railroad Museum. He's upfront about his lack of experience- [the Courier Journal voter guide](https://www.courier-journal.com/story/News/politics/elections/2026/04/16/louisville-mayoral-candidates-2026-primary-election/89053656007/?ref=shayinformed.com#matthew-solomon-bailey) quotes him saying he's "a blank slate that is eager to improve." His key issues are expanding public transit and pushing back on federal immigration enforcement. ## Tina Burnell ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-18-at-11.36.07---AM.png) Tina Burnell founded the Louisville Metro Watchdog Alliance, a civic group focused on government transparency and accountability. [According to her campaign website](https://www.burnellformayor.com/about?ref=shayinformed.com), she has been pushing for open government and responsible use of public funds. She has spent seven years volunteering with LMPD's Volunteers in Police Service program. She's also picked up the endorsement of the now-withdrawn Yocum, which may help her with conservative voters in the new nonpartisan format. ## S. "The D" Dattilo ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/datillo.jpg) Credit: Stephen Dattilo Facebook According to Wikipedia's entry on the race, Dattilo is a repair technician who previously ran for Metro Council in 2022\. He has a[ limited public profile online](https://www.facebook.com/stephen.dattilo), and no campaign website or detailed platform. ## Bob DeVore ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-18-at-11.54.10---AM.png) Credit: Robert DeVore Facebook DeVore is a retired U.S. Navy veteran with 24 years of service. According to Wikipedia's race entry, he's a former McCreary County Board of Education member and has run for office before. [The Courier Journal voter guide ](https://www.courier-journal.com/story/News/politics/elections/2026/04/16/louisville-mayoral-candidates-2026-primary-election/89053656007/?ref=shayinformed.com#matthew-solomon-bailey)describes his background as spanning logistics, UPS, and civil service. He leads a veterans and youth outreach program called FRA Derby 177, and his campaign focuses on public safety and economic affordability. ## Craig Greenberg ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-18-at-11.54.55---AM.png) Credit: Craig Greenberg Facebook The incumbent is running for a second term and, if he wins, won't be eligible for a third- a change made by state law. [According to his campaign website](https://www.greenbergformayor.com/about-craig?ref=shayinformed.com), before becoming mayor, Greenberg was an attorney and entrepreneur. His site says he prioritizes improving public safety, driving economic growth, and expanding opportunities across every neighborhood. ## Lisa Holliday Harris ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-18-at-11.57.56---AM.png) Credit: Lisa4louky.com Lisa Holliday Harris is a Portland neighborhood resident, and running a campaign she calls "Power of One Voice." [According to her campaign website](https://lisa4louky.com/issues?ref=shayinformed.com), she is focused on public safety, and the use of 'Safety Hubs', housing and families, and promises to ensure every child has a safe place to go. She calls it "Lisa's 4 pm promise". She also believes small businesses are, "being choked by red tape" and wants to improve the permitting process. ## Jody Hurt ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/jody-hurt-.jpg) Credit: Jody Hurt Facebook Hurt is a Louisville-based musician, educator, and father of four who grew up the son of a coal miner in Prestonsburg. According to his Ballotpedia profile, he holds an MBA in Design Strategy and has a background in mechanical engineering. He's also affiliated with the Libertarian Party of Louisville. His platform, [covered in depth by LPM](https://www.lpm.org/news/2026-04-01/louisville-mayoral-candidate-wants-to-undo-city-county-merger?ref=shayinformed.com), is built around one bold premise: reversing the 2003 city-county merger. He argues the merger created "blurred authority, diluted voter representation, and misaligned spending priorities." He also wants to make TARC buses entirely fare-free and build 10,000 city-owned apartments rented at 80% of market rate- at, he claims, through no added tax. ## Douglas Lattimore ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-18-at-12.05.04---PM.png) Credit: Douglas Edward Lattimore Facebook Lattimore is a University of Louisville graduate with a background as a business owner and broker, according to his Ballotpedia profile. His platform is largely unknown based on publicly available information. ## Shameka Parrish-Wright ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-18-at-12.06.22---PM.png) Credit: [shamekaforlouisville.com](https://shamekaforlouisville.com/?ref=shayinformed.com) Shameka Parrish-Wright is the other well-funded, well-known name in the race and widely seen as Greenberg's top challenger. She currently represents District 3 on Metro Council and serves as executive director of the nonprofit VOCAL-KY. This is her second run for mayor- she came in second to Greenberg in the 2022 Democratic primary. [According to her campaign website](https://shamekaforlouisville.com/?ref=shayinformed.com#about-shameka), she running for mayor with a simple promise: responsibility comes first, and serving the people always. She points to public safety as a top priority and says it should include fixing roads, investing in mental health, and making sure every neighborhood and the business community, "feel seen and supported." ## Other races on the Louisville ballot: Republican voters will see United States Representative for the 3rd Congressional District on their ballot. David Nichter, Maria Rodriguez, Daniel Cobble and Donald Pay are vying for your vote to face Democrat and incumbent Morgan McGarvey. Also on the ballot in Louisville are the sheriff and county clerk races. Both seats were vacated when the officeholders passed away before the end of their terms. Sheriff David James is not running for the spot. Richard Breen, Steve Healey and Stephen Yancey are looking to win the spot. Jefferson County Clerk David Yates is hoping to hold on to his appointed position. He is being challenged by Rosalind 'Roz' Welch. Democrats will vote on a new County Attorney after Mike O'Connell's decision to retire. Sarah Martin and Karl Price are on the ballot. Polls open tomorrow, May 19\. You'll need a valid photo ID to vote. Find your [polling place here](https://jeffersoncountyclerk.org/wheredoivote/?ref=shayinformed.com). *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Fifteen people died in the UPS plane crash. Tomorrow, someone has to explain why. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/fifteen-people-died-in-the-ups-plane-crash-tomorrow-someone-has-to-explain-why/ Last updated: 2026-05-18T16:16:20.000Z Two days of NTSB hearings start on Tuesday in Washington D.C., where officials are expected to explore everything from maintenance issues, to emails, and witness accounts of the November crash. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Six months after a UPS cargo jet tore through Grade Lane and killed 15 people, the first formal public reckoning begins Tuesday morning in Washington. The two-day NTSB investigative hearing opens May 19 at the NTSB Boardroom in Washington- and for the first time since the crash, Boeing, the FAA, and UPS will all be in the same room. The hearing runs Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern time. It will also be [livestreamed](https://windrosemedia.com/livewebcast/version9/WebcastPortal/webcastlist.php?rpath=/clients/ntsb/public&ref=shayinformed.com). This isn't a trial. No verdict comes out of this week. But for the families, the business owners, and the community along Grade Lane who have been waiting six months for answers- it's something. It's the first time investigators, manufacturers, and the company whose plane fell from the sky will have to answer questions publicly, under oath, in front of each other. ## What investigators already know ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2025-11-20-at-11.38.11---AM-1.png) Credit: NTSB preliminary report The NTSB's preliminary report found the plane's left engine caught fire and detached during takeoff after fatigue cracks caused the failure of a critical spherical bearing inside the pylon- the structural arm connecting the engine to the wing. The UPS jet barely climbed 30 feet off the ground before crashing and bursting into flames, hitting several businesses just south of the airport along Grade Lane. What makes this especially damning is what Boeing already knew. A Boeing service letter dated February 7, 2011- 14 years before the crash- told operators the company was aware of four previous bearing race failures on three different MD-11 airplanes. Boeing recommended an updated design. The FAA never made it mandatory. The plane that crashed in Louisville never got the upgrade. It had logged nearly 93,000 hours of flight time. ## Day one: who knew what and when did they report it Tuesday's panel is titled "Fleet Safety Processes", but the real question underneath all of it is simpler: how does a known problem fail to get fixed? _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Children are dying. Eastern Kentucky deserves answers. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/children-are-dying-eastern-kentucky-deserves-answers/ Last updated: 2026-05-18T14:30:06.000Z A rare and always-fatal brain cancer is hitting one corner of Kentucky at a rate that state health officials are calling "unusual," and families are demanding to know why. --- *I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *I believe some stories are too important to stay behind a paywall. That's why I'm making this piece free to read for everyone. Informed communities make better decisions and that can only happen when people have access to honest, thorough reporting.* *Shay Informed is 100% reader-funded. No ads. No corporate backing. Just journalism that answers to you. If you'd like to help keep this work going, please consider* [*subscribing*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup)*.* --- One year ago this week, Ashley Early got the worst news a mother can receive. Her five-year-old son, Ayven Dennis, had just been diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma- DIPG- a brain cancer so aggressive, so merciless, that from the moment doctors confirmed it, there was essentially no hope. "When they told me what it was, I knew at that moment it was literally the worst," Ashley told me, her voice steady in the way that only comes from a grief you've already lived all the way through. "Very little hope. No hope, essentially." Ayven died on March 5, 2026\. He was six years old. He had been sick for less than a year. This week marks exactly twelve months since that diagnosis. And now, the state of Kentucky has confirmed what families in the southeastern part of this state have quietly feared for some time: children here are being diagnosed with this rare, incurable brain cancer at a rate that is staggering, alarming, and demands an answer. ## The numbers are terrifying The Kentucky Department for Public Health, in coordination with the Kentucky Cancer Registry and the University of Kentucky College of Public Health, has now officially confirmed **10 cases** of DIPG/DMG in Eastern Kentucky in people under the age of 21 since 2024. To understand why that number should stop you cold: in a typical year, the *entire state* of Kentucky sees only two or three cases of this cancer in that age group. Total. All of Kentucky. Ten cases in one region in roughly two years is not a statistical blip. It is not a coincidence. It is a cluster- and it is happening to children. I have spoken directly with the mothers of two young girls who are currently fighting this diagnosis right now, today, in this region. I have confirmed through those families that a fourth child- a boy- also died from DIPG earlier this year. Ayven was not alone. He was not an anomaly. He was part of a pattern that this community has been living through while the rest of the state wasn't paying attention. Now it's something none of us can ignore. ## "He was a normal little boy" ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-13-at-4.08.44---PM.png) Ashley Early is a nurse. She works in the emergency room at Baptist Health Corbin. She is someone who knows how disease works, who understands statistics and odds, who has held her clinical knowledge like a lantern in the dark of the worst year of her life. And even she didn't see it coming. Ayven's first symptom was subtle- his eye seemed to be turning inward slightly. Ashley thought it might be a lazy eye, like his older brother had dealt with years before. She planned to call the eye doctor. Days later, his dad sent her a video. Ayven was having trouble walking up the stairs. "He normally zooms right up them," Ashley said. "He was very active." They went to the ER. The next morning, Ayven had an MRI. There was a large tumor in his brainstem. That was May of 2025\. "Easter before that, he was running around like crazy," Ashley told me. "Him and I had hiked to Eagle Falls a few weeks before- that's a ton of stairs, in and out, two miles. He had no problem. The symptoms, once he started showing any kind of symptoms, progressed very quickly." The diagnosis was confirmed by Cincinnati Children's Hospital and a DIPG tumor board. The news was exactly what Ashley had feared from her own midnight research in the hospital waiting room the night before. There were no treatment options. There were no cures. They could do radiation. They could try a clinical trial. And they were given nine to eleven months. "In the back of your mind, you know," she said. "I think I knew he wouldn't survive. I just could not imagine it would be as quick as it was." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-13-at-4.08.58---PM.png) Ayven and Ashley What followed was ten months of love and desperation in equal measure. Ayven completed thirty rounds of radiation- five days a week for six weeks. His older brother Mason, who turned 18 just four days after Ayven's diagnosis, dropped his college classes to stay home and help care for his little brother. When Ayven would rage from steroid side effects, Mason was usually the one who could bring him back down. "He was right there for all of it," Ashley said. After radiation, Ayven developed fluid on the brain and required an emergency VP shunt- a complication that limited which clinical trials he could qualify for. Ashley spent every day she wasn't working scanning clinicaltrials.gov, looking for any open door. They found one at Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago- a heat shock protein vaccine combined with immunotherapy. They traveled back and forth for months. Ayven did well. He played. He wasn't nauseous. There was a stretch of time that felt, cautiously, like something. That was in September. Then, in January, his MRI showed the tumor had dramatically worsened. By late January, Ayven entered hospice. He died six weeks later. "The very last thing he ever did," Ashley said quietly, "was reach over to give me a hug. Even though it was a little hug. I'll forever be grateful for that. The last effort his little body made was to reach for his mom." She paused. "He was so loved", she said through tears. ## A funny, wild, stubborn little boy ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-13-at-4.08.51---PM.png) Before all of this- before the diagnosis and the clinical trials and the hospice and the grief- Ayven Dennis was just a kid. He was, by his mother's description, a handful. Stubborn and opinionated and hilarious. He had a blue heeler named Frank, and the two of them were always getting into something together. He had favorite restaurants: the Wrigley and Folktale coffee shop in Corbin. He loved to hike. He loved to dance. "He was always shaking his butt and making vulgar, inappropriate moves," Ashley laughed. "I couldn't help but laugh. He just cussed a lot, honestly, and I did not care. It was so entertaining." He was beloved by his classmates. The children in that school are now six and seven years old, trying to understand something no child should have to understand. "I can't imagine trying to understand that at that age," Ashley said. "That a six-year-old can die." ## "People have been asking this question for years" Ashley is careful. She is a nurse. She doesn't like to speculate without data. But she also lives and works in this community, and she has seen things that stay with her. "For years, people have talked about how in Knox County, Whitley County, Laurel County- this area- there seems to be a higher prevalence of pediatric cancers in general," she told me. "I can remember the last couple of decades, there are several children that pop into my brain with different types of cancer. It's not the first time people have been like, why is there so much cancer here?" She works in an emergency room. She sees the health of this region up close, every shift- the high rates of diabetes, COPD, cancer. She knows this is a community that has long struggled with poverty and its downstream effects on health. But pediatric brain cancer is different. Children are not getting DIPG because of cigarettes or diet. "My gut does tell me that there are absolutely environmental factors that cause this area to have a higher incidence of cancer," she said. "I don't know if DIPG specifically is caused by an environmental factor. I think that's going to take a long time to sort out. But we do need to look at it." She was also firm about one thing she's been asked too many times: no, Ayven had not received the COVID vaccine, and she finds it deeply hurtful when people suggest a parental health choice caused her son's cancer. "That's essentially what you're saying," she said. "That a decision I made killed my child." ## What the state is- and isn't- doing This week, the Kentucky Department for Public Health confirmed the cluster publicly, calling the increase "concerning and devastating." The statement acknowledged the state is taking steps: partnering with the Kentucky Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund, coordinating with local health departments, and reaching out to UK and other hospitals about research opportunities. Under Governor Beshear's administration, more than $45 million has been invested in the Kentucky Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund. Since July 2024, over $9.6 million of that has gone specifically toward DIPG/DMG and other pediatric brain tumor research, according to the state. But- notably- the statement I received from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services also acknowledged this: getting support from the CDC "has been more difficult due to significant funding cuts that have occurred under the current administration." In plain language: at the exact moment Kentucky needs federal public health infrastructure, that infrastructure has been gutted. What the state's statement did not include: any announcement of an environmental investigation. No mention of testing water sources, soil, air quality. No formal designation of this as a cancer cluster triggering a specific investigative protocol. That gap matters. I asked if that testing was taking place, but have not yet heard back. ## A community petition. A mother's anger. A call to action. A [petition](https://www.change.org/p/request-for-investigation-into-possible-pediatric-brain-cancer-cluster-in-southeastern-ky?ref=shayinformed.com) has been circulating, started by a community member, calling for a formal public health investigation into a possible pediatric brain cancer cluster in southeastern Kentucky. Ashley says all of these are steps in the right direction. Efforts she appreciates and is happy to see. She also has a message for anyone who isn't convinced this is a crisis. "We haven't been angry enough," she said. "When I sit back and really think about it- to see some choices our government makes on things we do spend money on versus things we don't- it is infuriating. I am very happy that attention and funding is being brought to this. I think it unfortunately won't save these children. But it might save a child ten years from now. And I think that's very important." She paused again, then said, "I wish that something had been done two decades ago so that we would have answers for my own child." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-13-at-4.08.39---PM.png) ## What you can do right now **Sign the petition.** A community member has started a formal request for an investigation into the possible pediatric brain cancer cluster in southeastern Kentucky. **Demand answers from your representatives.** Ask your state legislators, your county health officials, and your federal representatives: Is an environmental investigation underway? What is being tested? Who is responsible for finding out why this is happening here? **Contact the International DIPG/DMG Registry.** If your family has been affected by this diagnosis, the Kentucky Department for Public Health is encouraging you to reach out to the International DIPG/DMG Registry to learn about studies and resources that may be available. **Support pediatric cancer research.** Only 4% of cancer research funding in the United States goes toward pediatric cancers. DIPG gets a fraction of that- despite the fact that every single child diagnosed with it will almost certainly be dead within a year. That is not acceptable, and it does not have to be permanent. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Before you vote: meet the Kentucky Senate Candidates you haven't heard from URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/before-you-vote-meet-the-kentucky-senate-candidates-you-havent-heard-from/ Last updated: 2026-05-14T19:02:54.000Z I asked every candidate vying for Mitch McConnell's seat to spend 15 minutes with me on Zoom. I didn't want a campaign staffer to copy and paste an answer- I wanted to hear from the people themselves. This is who said yes. --- *I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *I believe some stories are too important to stay behind a paywall. That's why I'm making this piece free to read for everyone today. Informed communities make better decisions and that can only happen when people have access to honest, thorough reporting.* *Shay Informed is 100% reader-funded. No ads. No corporate backing. Just journalism that answers to you. If you'd like to help keep this work going, please consider* [*subscribing*](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup)*.* --- With the May 19 primary just days away, I wanted to do something a little different. Every candidate on the ballot deserves a chance to speak directly to voters- not just the ones with the biggest ad budgets or the most TV appearances. I reached out to every candidate in the Kentucky U.S. Senate primary, on both sides of the aisle, and offered each of them the same thing: the same seven questions, the same format, and the same platform. Not everyone responded. You'll find a full accounting of who participated and who didn't at the end of this piece- because transparency is part of the job. The candidates who agreed to answer questions gave thoughtful, candid answers. What follows is a summary of what they said, organized by party since these are separate primaries. Within each party, candidates appear alphabetically. ***Note: This week's 'The Weekly Wrap' podcast episode will be dedicated to these conversations, if you would rather listen than read. The Weekly Wrap is emailed out on Sunday mornings.*** --- ## Democratic Primary ### Charles Booker ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/charles-booker.jpg) Charles Booker is not a new name in Kentucky politics. He ran for this same Senate seat in 2020, nearly beating Amy McGrath in the Democratic primary. In 2022 he won the Democratic primary and faced Rand Paul in the general. Now he's back, and he says the urgency has only grown. "I like to call myself a good troublemaker," Booker said with a laugh. A lifelong Kentuckian whose family has lived in Louisville's west end for generations, he is a father of three daughters he calls his bosses, a former state legislator, and someone who has spent years organizing across what he describes as Kentucky's "hood to the holler." Booker frames his entire candidacy around a single animating mission: ending generational poverty as a policy choice. He argues the federal government has a critical role in making that happen- and that the Senate, specifically, is the lever. "I want to take notes from Mitch McConnell on how he built infrastructure and leveraged his role in the Senate," he said, "but do it for the people." His signature issue is Medicare for All- which he describes not just as a healthcare policy but as an economic and justice policy. "In the wealthiest country in the world, no one should have to choose between a prescription and food for their family," he said, "while Elon Musk gets every tax break he can ask for." He is direct that he believes a Medicare for All system is achievable at the federal level. On why Kentucky is ready for a Democratic senator, Booker pushes back on the premise. "It's less about being a Democrat and more about being a leader who has a vision to meet the needs Kentuckians are calling out for," he said. He points to voters who put Booker signs next to Trump signs in their yards as proof that Kentuckians vote on connection and conviction, not just party. He also notes that Kentucky is already home to Rand Paul, Thomas Massie, and Andy Beshear- ideologically distinct figures who each won statewide- as evidence that the state defies simple partisan categories. His breaks from the Democratic Party are among the most pointed of any candidate in this series. Booker said he opposes big money in politics flatly and has run against Chuck Schumer's leadership before. He supports universal basic income, Medicare for All, and fully funding public education- positions he acknowledges get him called "radical" by members of his own party. He said he doesn't run from those labels. "I'm not running for a title. I genuinely want to end generational poverty because it is a policy choice." On McConnell, Booker offered a nuanced take: he credits the longtime senator with understanding how to build political power and deliver resources to Kentucky- early in his career- while arguing that McConnell long ago stopped working for everyday Kentuckians. "The Mitch McConnell of today wouldn't recognize the Mitch McConnell who was elected when I was born," he said. "They'd probably call him a radical progressive too." Booker's own agenda- the Working People's Bill of Rights- would center housing and healthcare as human rights and restore voting rights protections. His closing message was a call to action: "I don't come from politics, and I don't trust politicians. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired, and I know we can't afford excuses. If you're ready for real change, stand with me." ### Logan Forsythe ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-12-at-2.51.17---PM.png) Logan Forsythe is an attorney specializing in workers' rights and civil rights litigation- and a former Secret Service agent who served under three presidents. He is quick to say he never wanted to be a politician. In some ways, that's the whole point. "I was around politicians on both sides," he said of his time in the Secret Service. "If anything, my disdain for politicians just grew during that time. I don't like most of their character. I don't like what they talk about behind closed doors." So why run? The answer, for Forsythe, is intensely personal. He grew up in poverty in rural Kentucky- the youngest of four children whose father left when he was three. His mother worked two full-time jobs, sometimes a third, logging close to 100 hours a week just to keep the family afloat. He watched Mitch McConnell spend decades in the Senate voting against nearly everything that might have helped families like his. Now his own son is 14 and his daughter is 10, and Forsythe said he looks at the world they're inheriting and feels he has no choice but to act. "My daughter has fewer rights today than the day she was born," he said. "What are we doing?" His core issues are affordability, healthcare, and education- and he's direct about where he stands, even when he knows it invites pushback. He supports moving from a minimum wage to a living wage standard, arguing that if you have a job in any Kentucky town, you should be able to pay your bills in that same town on that income alone. On healthcare, he describes himself as a Medicare for All supporter, but said he'd pursue a public option on day one as a practical first step. On education, he wants federal funding to ensure every Kentucky child- rural or urban- has access to quality schools and well-paid teachers. On why a Democrat can win in 2026, Forsythe points to special elections and primaries across the country where Democrats have been outperforming expectations in unlikely places. "People are breaking," he said, arguing that Trump's first term felt novel to some voters, but the second has removed any remaining guardrails. "There's no safeguards. There's no rails keeping him in check." His sharpest break from his own party may be the most candid answer in this entire series. Forsythe said Democrats "quit very soon or early into a fight, or they don't fight at all," and that Congress has become a stepping stone to celebrity status in both parties. He said his Secret Service training instilled in him something close to the opposite instinct- an inability to stop fighting regardless of odds. "Our party does it just as much, if not more, than the Republican Party," he said. "And I have no interest in that." On McConnell, he didn't hesitate: "I promise that before I do anything- before I propose a bill, before I support a bill- I'll ask myself: what would Mitch McConnell do? And I'll do the exact opposite." What does he want voters to know? That he is more like them than they might expect from a Senate candidate. "I relied on Medicaid. I relied on food stamps. I faced homelessness multiple times growing up," he said. "I want voters to know that we can get back to a country where a child in poverty has a firm belief that they can do more with their life, regardless of their circumstances. Because without that hope, you don't survive those days." --- ### Amy McGrath ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/amy.jpg) Amy McGrath is a retired Marine Colonel, a mother of three, and a two-time Kentucky Democratic nominee who came close before- first for Congress in 2018, then against Mitch McConnell himself in 2020\. She's back, and she says the urgency is different this time. "When I think about the core of who I am, what motivates me- I'm a patriot," McGrath said. "I love this country. Since I was a little girl, I wanted to serve it, and I did that my whole life." But McGrath doesn't just lead with her military resume. She's equally emphatic about being a mother, and uses it to make a policy point. She said the hardest moment of her entire military career- harder than three combat tours, harder than the Marine Corps version of Top Gun- was when she couldn't find daycare for her first child while the military moved her family from station to station. "I feel like we need more people in the Senate who get it," she said. On the issues, McGrath is laser-focused on what she calls the affordability crisis. She argues the average Kentucky family is spending $5,000 more this year than last- a figure she breaks down as roughly $2,500 from tariffs hitting everything from bourbon to groceries, $750 from rising gas prices tied to the conflict in Iran, and $1,500 from what she describes as healthcare cuts passed in last year's federal legislation. "I'm going to go where the money is," she said, promising to fight to roll back tariffs, restore Affordable Care Act subsidies, and push for a diplomatic resolution to the Iran conflict. On the long-standing question of whether a Democrat can win a Senate seat in Kentucky, McGrath points to Andy Beshear's back-to-back gubernatorial victories as proof it's possible. "Many Kentuckians do not want a lapdog in the United States Senate," she said, adding that her slogan- *Country Over Party-* is meant to signal independence, not partisanship. She's not without distinctions from her own party, either. McGrath said she will not vote for Chuck Schumer as Senate Democratic leader, calling for generational change. She also supports term limits for both Congress and the Supreme Court, a ban on stock trading by members of Congress, and an end to dark money in politics. On Mitch McConnell's legacy, she was pointed: she called the blocking of Merrick Garland's Supreme Court confirmation "ethically wrong," saying it made Americans stop believing in their government. What does she want voters to know before May 19? "I want people to know that I'm a lot like them- that I have struggles with family and motherhood, and I'm just somebody that loves her country and is willing to step out and try to do the hard thing." --- ### Dale Romans ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/dale-romans.jpg) Dale Romans has spent his career not in politics, but under the spotlight of a different kind: the racetrack. He's one of thoroughbred racing's most recognizable trainers, a president of his industry's horsemen's group, and a member of the Kentucky Racing and Gaming Corporation. Now he's running for U.S. Senate. "I think I'm a person that cares about people," Romans said when asked who he is beyond his resume. "I know I care about Kentucky. And I think it's time for someone outside of politics to go to Washington and do some pragmatic things that can really affect Kentucky people." Romans speaks directly and doesn't shy away from the unusual nature of his candidacy. He said he called Governor Andy Beshear before getting in the race to ask if Beshear thought it was a crazy idea- and said Beshear's response reinforced his case: Kentucky Democrats need a candidate with deep roots, no voting record to attack from the right, and genuine independence from Washington. His top issue is healthcare. Romans argues that cuts to Medicaid and the rollback of ACA subsidies will hit Kentucky's rural communities hardest, threatening small and regional hospitals that many Kentuckians depend on. "If you're having a heart attack and you have to travel an extra half hour, that matters," he said. "Even if rural hospitals survive, they can't keep up services if they're not getting paid." On the question of why a Democrat can win this cycle, Romans offers a reframe of the "40 years" talking point that Republicans lean on. He points out that most of those four decades were dominated by the same two long-serving Republican incumbents- McConnell and Jim Bunning- who simply weren't going to be voted out. "There wasn't an opportunity for Democrats since Wendell Ford," he said. "I'd love to go up there and be a Wendell Ford Democrat." His breaks from the national party are substantive. He is flatly opposed to shutting down the government- calling it "holding people's paychecks hostage during a political dispute"- and he's against pursuing another impeachment of President Trump. "You're never going to get 60 senators to vote to remove him," he said. "Impeaching him is just show. I don't want to go up there and do show." On McConnell, Romans said he would have confirmed Merrick Garland and would not have supported the tax cuts he argues predominantly benefited the wealthy. "Tell me all the voters that didn't get a tax cut, and I'll win this race," he said- pointing out that whatever small cuts voters received were largely wiped out by rising insurance costs and inflation. His closing message to voters who may not know him beyond the paddock: "I'm not just a horse trainer. I've sat on boards, I've been a political junkie my whole life, and I'm tired of all the fighting in Washington. I want to go up there and fix things. The journey of a thousand miles starts with one step- but divided, we fall." ### Vincent Thompson ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/vincent-thompson.jpg) Vincent Thompson's reason for running is rooted in one of the most personal stories in this race. In 2015, his wife- a retired special needs schoolteacher- was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Her doctors told her she needed a heart transplant at Vanderbilt. Her insurance said no. Because she was on Kentucky state insurance, the plan required exhausting in-state options first, which meant UK Medical Center. She survived complications while in a medically induced coma for four months in early 2020, eventually made it home just in time for their daughter's birthday that August- and then passed away in October 2020 after contracting E. coli during a subsequent hospitalization. "Her doctors told her she needed to go to Vanderbilt," Thompson said. "Insurance said no. And I don't feel like that's right." That experience, combined with his work as chairman of the Hardin County Conservation District- a nonpartisan role he's held for years- forms the backbone of his campaign. Thompson is also a farmer who raises beef cattle and goats, a widower, and the father of a daughter with autism. He studied philosophy, theology, and anthropology at the University of Louisville, and his family's roots in Kentucky predate statehood. His biggest issue is the high cost of living, which he describes as having cascading effects across every income level. He talks about tariffs driving up food costs, conflict in the Middle East adding to fuel prices, and corporations buying up housing stock to use as assets on publicly traded balance sheets. He was struck, he said, by judging scholarship applications and seeing families earning close to $200,000 unable to afford college tuition- a marker of just how far up the income ladder affordability pressure has climbed. Thompson's argument for why a Democrat can win in 2026 is also his differentiator: he has spent fifteen years working in a nonpartisan role alongside Republicans, and believes he can be a genuine bridge. "I have the ability to at least connect with the conservative mindset while also having my own core values," he said. "It's going to take somebody who can do that." His break from the Democratic Party came on the question of Israel and Gaza. Thompson said he believes the U.S. should not be supplying Israel with offensive military capability for what it is doing in Gaza, but he stopped short of calling for cutting all aid- arguing that Israel remains a key regional ally and that defensive support should remain intact. It was a careful, measured answer that he acknowledged is still evolving. On McConnell, Thompson had a specific story. In 2024, as part of a national conservation leadership program, he traveled twice to Washington to lobby for $45 billion in conservation and agriculture funding. He met with eight senators- none of them from Kentucky. McConnell and Rand Paul declined to meet with him both times, their staff engaging in their place. "I felt like $45 billion deserved at least a couple minutes of my senator's time," he said. It was that experience that convinced him to run. "I'm going to represent everyone," he said. "Not just the wealthy donors." What does he want voters to know? That Kentucky is his home in every sense. His ancestors were founding members of Kentucky counties. His family has farmed this land for generations. "America is in my blood. Kentucky is 100% in my blood," he said. "At my core, I am for Kentucky to be a better place, and I feel like I've shown that time and time again." --- ## Republican Primary ### James Duncan ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-12-at-2.52.35---PM.png) James Duncan may be the most unconventional candidate in this race. By trade, he's a farrier- a blacksmith who shoes horses- working alongside his wife, an equine veterinarian, in the heart of Bluegrass country. He was raised in New England, holds a master's degree in liberal arts from St. John's College in Annapolis, and he describes his education as a "Founding Fathers kind of experience" steeped in classical texts, philosophy, and constitutional thinking. "I feel like I relate to our Founding Fathers," Duncan said. "They wanted to create something wonderful and enduring. And once founders lose their vision, things fall apart." That philosophy shapes his critique of the current political moment. Duncan is deeply skeptical of what he calls the "professional politician" class- people who, in his view, campaign effectively but govern by marketing directive and donor pressure rather than conviction. He said shortly after entering the race, his inbox was flooded with consultants offering talking points. Term limits, for example- a popular rallying cry he said he found in almost every solicitation- is something he actually disagrees with. If a representative is truly excellent, he asked, why should they be forced out? His signature policy issue is energy, and he goes deep on it. Duncan argues that the future of everything from Kentucky agriculture to affordable housing comes down to energy costs. He is specifically critical of politicians in both parties who he says mislead Eastern Kentucky coal communities by promising a return to the industry's peak productivity- an era when energy return on investment was roughly 100 to one- when modern coal extraction no longer delivers those returns. "The golden days of Eastern Kentucky coal are gone," he said bluntly. "And the only energy source that exists that's 100-to-one going forward is next-gen nuclear." What does he offer that the frontrunners don't? Genuine independence, he argues. He said candidates like Andy Barr are skilled at raising money and running campaigns, but that money creates obligations- and those obligations eventually override constituents' interests when the two conflict. Duncan says he doesn't have that problem. He holds Kentucky's own Thomas Massie up as a model for the kind of independent thinking the Senate needs- someone willing to dissent even when it draws fire from within his own party. On Mitch McConnell, Duncan had complicated feelings- crediting McConnell's deep institutional knowledge while noting that hemp farmers in Woodford County are still sitting on unprocessed inventory because of what he views as McConnell's reversal on the issue. His bottom line: "We're just ready for new leadership." His message to voters: Stop accepting the "lesser of two evils." He argued that when voters settle rather than demand the best candidate, they give parties permission to slide as close to their least favorite outcome as possible without fully crossing the line. "Your vote, according to the Declaration of Independence, is your consent," he said. "Treat it that way." --- ### Jonathan Holliday ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/jonathan-hollidauy.jpg) Jonathan Holliday's resume reads unlike any other candidate in this race. He is a 25-year military veteran still serving in the Kentucky National Guard, with 17 years of active federal service. He is a law enforcement officer. He is a Purple Heart recipient and two-time Bronze Star awardee. He served as a credentialed diplomat at the U.S. Embassy in Djibouti as an Army attaché and humanitarian, spending two years in Africa during the COVID pandemic. His most recent active duty assignment was as the Chief of Anti-Terrorism and Force Protection for U.S. Army Central. "I'm a Christian. I'm a husband, a father, a soldier," he said. "I have a firm appreciation for the law, and I know its many flaws- and I think that gives me a unique stance on how to fix some of our problems." Holliday says he entered the race because he looked at the field and didn't see himself- or most Kentuckians- reflected in it. "I saw two career politician lawyers and a millionaire," he said. "The Republican Party is especially failing the middle class." His most urgent issue is foreign policy honesty. Drawing on years of intelligence work and high-level military experience, Holliday said the American public is not being told the truth about the conflict in Ukraine- specifically, that Ukraine cannot defeat Russia without NATO forces on the ground, and that NATO forces on the ground risk nuclear conflict. "We are inching toward nuclear conflict," he said. "You're not hearing that from the press. You're not hearing it from politicians." What does he offer that the frontrunners don't? Experience that, he argues, simply can't be replicated in a briefing room. He said senators without military and foreign policy backgrounds require large staffs just to understand what they're voting on. He already knows- and more importantly, he says he knows what he doesn't know, which he views as equally essential. On where he breaks from the Republican Party, Holliday was direct: he's not interested in the theater. He said debates about issues that have clear answers- debates he suggests are manufactured to generate fundraising and media attention- distract from the actual work of representing families. "I don't need anybody to tell me what's right and wrong," he said. "I need to know what I can do to make America a better place for families." On McConnell, Holliday was plain: "I think he enriched himself. I would represent the voter better." He also offered a broader warning to voters: the politicians who disappoint you in office were the same people before they got elected. "Don't be fooled," he said. His closing pitch leans heavily on his roots. His grandfather on his mother's side was a Kentucky farmer. His grandfather on his father's side was a West Virginia coal miner. His father, an Air Force officer, is buried at Camp Nelson in Jessamine County. His wife is from Eastern Kentucky. All of his children were born in Kentucky. "I represent Kentuckians," he said. "Not some strange political machine." --- ## Who didn't participate Every candidate in the May 19 primary was contacted and offered the same opportunity to participate in this series. The following candidates did not respond by the deadline: **Democratic Primary:** Joshua Blanton Sr., Pamela Stevenson **Republican Primary:** Andy Barr, Daniel Cameron, Michael Faris, Valeria Fredrick **Additional notes:** - Jimmy Leon (R) declined to participate. - George Washington (R) declined to participate. - Anissa Catlett (R) declined to participate. - Nate Morris (R) withdrew from the race. - Andrew Nick Shelley (R)- no contact information could be located. - Donald Wenzel (R)- no contact information could be located. The decision not to participate, or to not respond, belongs to each candidate and their campaigns. This series was designed to give every voter access to every candidate. That offer stands. Louisville voters- you can see your ballot [here](https://elections.jeffersoncountyclerk.org/MyBallot/?ref=shayinformed.com). *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### 'This is not COVID': A Louisville doctor's message on the Hantavirus outbreak URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/this-is-not-covid-a-louisville-doctors-message-on-the-hantavirus-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-05-14T13:15:22.000Z What is Hantavirus and should Kentuckians be worried? According to a Louisville doctor- no. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- You've probably seen the headlines this week- hantavirus on a cruise ship. And if you're like most people, your first reaction was probably something like: *wait, what exactly is hantavirus again, and should I be worried?* According to Dr. Daniel Blatt- a pediatric infectious disease physician at Norton Children's Hospital- this is not another pandemic. "Hantavirus is a virus that is normally found in rats or rodents," Dr. Blatt said. "It's been around for a very long time." The outbreak was reported on May 2nd. The World Health Organization has confirmed the strain involved is Andes virus, which can lead to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, or HPS- a severe and potentially deadly disease that affects the lungs. But before the alarm bells go off, Dr. Blatt has a message for Kentuckians. **This is not COVID.** "As an infectious disease doctor, I'm always scared about another pandemic," Dr. Blatt said. "But this is not COVID. This is different." He explained why. COVID was a novel virus that spread easily with minimal contact. Andes virus doesn't work that way. "It requires very close, intimate contact for one human to get it from another human," he said. "And to get it from an animal, you have to be around an animal that's infected- and that's only in South America currently for this particular strain." His bottom line: "I don't want people to think this is going to turn into another pandemic. It's a public health risk, and that's why we need to monitor people who do have this infection. But it is very different than COVID." ## How does it spread? People usually get hantavirus from contact with rodents- specifically through exposure to their urine, droppings, and saliva. Dr. Blatt explained it further: if that feces or urine gets stirred up, it can become airborne. "You could breathe it in. Or if you touch it and then touch your face, you can get infected that way. But it's not extremely easy to get infected by hantavirus." What makes the Andes strain notable- and what makes the cruise ship situation particularly unusual- is that it's the one hantavirus strain that can spread person-to-person. The Andes virus is the only type of hantavirus known to spread this way, and that spread is typically limited to people in very close contact- through direct physical contact, prolonged time in enclosed spaces, or exposure to an infected person's saliva or respiratory secretions. "That's not the main mode of transmission," Dr. Blatt said, "and it's not extremely easy to transmit human to human. You need a lot of very close contact between humans for it to transmit." He also offered his read on how the cruise ship outbreak likely started. "I would imagine it came from a singular source, not transmitting from person to person to person on the cruise ship," he said. "Knowing how this virus spreads, it probably was a small source of infection that spread to a number of people, rather than one person spreading it to another person spreading it to another." ## What does it do to your body? This is where things can get serious- but context matters. Early symptoms include fatigue, fever, and muscle aches, especially in the large muscle groups. About half of all patients also experience headaches, dizziness, chills, and gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. And here's the part that complicates things: symptoms can appear anywhere between 4 and 42 days after exposure- a long window that makes tracking cases more difficult. Dr. Blatt was clear that the majority of cases are going to look more like a bad flu. "Most of those cases are going to be mild," he said. "A smaller amount of those cases will progress to severe disease, but the vast majority are going to be more mild illnesses." That context is critical when you see the mortality number that's been circulating. The CDC says 38% of people who develop respiratory symptoms may die from the disease. That number is alarming- but Dr. Blatt says it needs to be read carefully. "That is not 30-something percent of people that get hantavirus who will die," he explained. "It's of the people that have progressed to *severe* disease that is the mortality rate they're quoting. A lot of people will have more mild symptoms." ## What about treatment? There's no silver bullet here. There is no specific treatment for hantavirus infection. Patients receive supportive care- rest, hydration, and treatment of symptoms. For severe cases, that means respiratory support. HPS can cause serious breathing difficulties, and some patients may need intubation to help get oxygen to the lungs, according to the CDC. "The people that get ill, if they need treatment, they need that supportive care early to improve their chances of doing well," Dr. Blatt said. ## Should Kentuckians be worried? The short answer: no- unless you were on that ship. The Kentucky Department for Public Health says it is actively monitoring the outbreak and is not aware of any Kentuckians who have been exposed. The department says it maintains a Disease Outbreak Support Plan that specifically covers hantavirus, and that if a case were identified here, public health staff would follow up with the individual, assess risk, identify contacts, and implement quarantine and symptom monitoring protocols. It's worth noting just how rare hantavirus is in Kentucky: only one case has been recorded in the state since 1995. Some passengers did disembark the ship before the outbreak was identified. The CDC has notified state health departments where those passengers live and is providing guidance on how to protect those passengers, their families, and their communities. Dr. Blatt noted that all exposed passengers and their contacts are being monitored by public health authorities. "I think each of those cases is probably different because they each have different public health investigations surrounding them," he said. "But I would imagine that the public health systems locally for all those individual patients are doing their best to make sure this doesn't spread in the community." ## What to remember... One final point from Dr. Blatt that I think is worth sitting with: unlike COVID, this isn't a mystery. "We know what hantavirus is. We've known about this for a while," he said. "It's a known illness, and we're tracking it like every other known illness." That said- he was also careful to leave room for the unknown. "Like any infection, things can change," he said. "We do need to keep an eye out for what the public health authorities say in terms of the progression of this, because like any other public health outbreak, the data changes. And that's how medicine and science work, especially in infectious diseases." The CDC says routine travel can continue as normal. But if you have concerns about potential exposure or feel like something's off, don't wait- call your doctor. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### 'They left us no choice': Grade A Recycling owner says UPS forced his hand after six months of waiting URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/they-left-us-no-choice-grade-a-recycling-owner-says-ups-forced-his-hand-after-six-months-of-waiting/ Last updated: 2026-05-13T15:14:38.000Z Owner of Grade A Recycling Sean Garber says the company that destroyed his business has failed the community it claims to care about. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Sean Garber was boarding a plane in Jacksonville when his CFO called on Noveber 4th of last year. He knew immediately something was wrong. "She was in a horrible panic- a state I'd never seen her in before," Garber said. "She was crying, telling me there was an earthquake, the power was out. Things that just didn't make sense." He asked her to go outside. That's when the plane rolled onto the property. He had her FaceTime him. "I saw just a huge, huge ball of fire. People screaming and panicking." Six months later, Garber is talking- not just about that day, but about what has happened since. Specifically, about UPS. "We hear these generic statements that come from UPS on how deeply saddened they are and how they're here to help the impacted families. Well, I haven't, and nor has anybody else who has been impacted seen any of that," Garber said. ## He waited. He says UPS didn't show up. Garber has been vocal about the crash itself and its impact on his business and employees since November. What's different now is the lawsuit filed last week in Jefferson Circuit Court- and the frustration behind it. This was not where he wanted to be. That point came through clearly in my conversation with him and his attorneys, Masten Childers III and Justin Peterson. "There were plenty of lawsuits filed before we filed ours- months before," Garber said. "It was my intention to give UPS the ability to be a good corporate citizen." Childers said he and Peterson started working the evening of November 4, and spent the following six months trying to get a resolution without going to court. Kentucky law gives them a one-year window to file. They waited as long as they could, the attorneys told me. "We said: if UPS wants to do what is right, as they've said from the get-go, let's see if we can find closure sooner rather than later," Childers said. "The only thing I can say is that the breakdown of that effort has been established by the fact that we needed to file the lawsuits." The attorneys could not reveal details from their conversations with UPS over the last six months. Only confirming they ultimately weren't going anywhere. ## 'I'd like to know where that fictitious act is occurring' UPS has said publicly- repeatedly- that it is doing everything it can to help impacted families and businesses. Garber is done being polite about that. "I haven't seen any of it. Nor has anybody else that has been impacted," he said. "So wherever that fictitious act is occurring, I would like to know where it is." He said over 90 businesses were impacted by the crash. Part of Grade Lane is still closed. And through six months of what he describes as one-sided efforts to find resolution, UPS has continued to put out what he called "generic statements" and "frivolous statements" about how deeply saddened they are and how they're there to help. "They continue to mislead the public, and they've left us no choice but to take this next step", Garger said. 15 lawsuits filed last week on behalf of victims of the UPS plane crash allege that Allianz- the insurance group covering UPS- encouraged victims to submit documentation and delay filing suit, then failed to negotiate meaningfully when it came time to settle. According to the complaints, Allianz representatives told the attorneys their standard position is that cases like these take three to six years to resolve. [‘He tried to run with his granddaughter’: New UPS crash lawsuits reveal harrowing details of November disasterFilings describe a grandfather’s final moments, a family business destroyed, and insurance failures compounding the crisis. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-07-at-4.12.53---PM.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/he-tried-to-run-with-his-granddaughter-new-ups-crash-lawsuits-reveal-harrowing-details-of-november-disaster/) ## What they say UPS knew Garber's criticism of UPS goes beyond the response after the crash. He believes the company knew the risks before the plane ever left the ground. "This is conscious negligence," he said. "They knew what they did. It's not just UPS leadership- the company is full of people that know what was happening that day and what was wrong with those airplanes." He said UPS employees- people he's known in the community for years- have approached him on their own to acknowledge problems with the MD-11 fleet. "I can't tell you how many people have come up to us and made mention of the issues that were out there about these MD-11 airplanes." The lawsuits back that up with specifics. According to the filings, Boeing issued a service letter as far back as 2011 warning MD-11 operators, including UPS, of known risks with the pylon assembly bearing races. UPS is alleged to have kept the planes on a standard maintenance schedule anyway, because the cost of more rigorous inspections would have made the aircraft too expensive to operate. According to the NTSB's preliminary report, fatigue cracks on the engine pylon assembly caused the left engine to separate from the wing during takeoff, sending the plane into the businesses along Grade Lane. The aircraft had logged nearly 93,000 hours of flight time. ## A business and a community that hasn't recovered Grade A's main facility is still not operational. The fuselage, cockpit, landing gear, and tail of UPS Flight 2976 came to rest directly on the property. Environmental testing from the jet fuel contamination still isn't complete. And the site sits directly beneath Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport's flight paths- meaning 20 to 100 UPS planes fly directly overhead every single day. "You can just feel the tension from those airplanes," Garber said. Fifteen people died on that property. There's a makeshift memorial around the facility's old ATM machine- burned but still standing - where community members have left wreaths and flags. Even some UPS employees have come out to pay their respects. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/atm.jpg) Credit: Grade A Recycling Despite all of it, Garber said, they haven't laid off a single employee. Attorney Justin Peterson described what the Garber family built at Grade A as something beyond a business. "Very quickly we realized that what the Garber family had produced was a very close-knit family of employees and customers. The ones who lived absolutely have survivors remorse to a very disturbing degree." Childers talked about the people who were on the ground that day- including multiple employees, customers and a three-year-old named Kimberly Asa, who was there with her grandfather Louisnes Fedon when the plane came down. Fedon survived the initial impact and tried to run with his granddaughter to safety, according to the wrongful death lawsuit filed by his family. He didn't make it. "Not one of them thought only about themselves," Childers said. "They thought about the community, their family, their co-workers, their customers. It is one of the greatest honors I've ever had- to represent these people." ## The door is still open Garber said he hopes it doesn't go to trial. Childers noted that 99% of civil cases settle. The attorneys say the filing of a lawsuit doesn't end UPS's legal obligation to negotiate in good faith and they're counting on that. "UPS still has a really good opportunity to do the right thing," Garber said. "That's all any of us are hoping for." But he was clear about what doing the right thing actually means- not just compensation, but acknowledgment and accountability, and a commitment that the conditions that caused this crash never exist again. "Being good yesterday does not get you a pass for today," he said. "When people don't take responsibility, that tragedy is likely to happen again. No other businesses destroyed. No other people die. That is our sheer focus." ## Where the NTSB investigation stands today The lawsuits filed this week rely heavily on the NTSB's preliminary report, which found that fatigue cracks in a critical engine-mounting hardware led to the catastrophic failure of UPS Flight 2976 on November 4, 2025. According to the[ NTSB report](https://www.ntsb.gov/Documents/Prelimiary%20Report%20DCA26MA024.pdf?ref=shayinformed.com), the left engine separated from the wing of the MD-11F shortly after the plane rotated for takeoff from runway 17R around 5:14 p.m. "A fire ignited near the area of the left pylon attachment to the wing, which continued until ground impact," the report states. The plane managed to clear the blast fence at the end of the runway but never climbed higher than about 30 feet above ground level, according to data from the flight data recorder. The left landing gear struck the roof of a UPS Supply Chain Solutions warehouse at the southern edge of the airport. The aircraft then hit a storage yard and two other buildings, including a petroleum recycling facility. All three crew members aboard the plane were killed, along with 12 people on the ground. Another 22 people on the ground were injured. The NTSB has not released a final report or cause. The final investigative findings could take up to two years to complete. > **A UPS spokesperson provided the following statement:** > *We remain deeply saddened by Flight 2976\. Our focus continues to be on supporting those affected and working closely with the National Transportation Safety Board as the investigation continues.* *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Kentucky's primary is eight days away- here's what's on the ballot URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentuckys-primary-is-eight-days-away-heres-whats-on-the-ballot/ Last updated: 2026-05-14T17:07:51.000Z May 19 is coming up fast. Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 6 p.m., and there's a lot to pay attention to this cycle. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- The biggest race on the ballot statewide is the open U.S. Senate seat. After more than 40 years in office, Mitch McConnell is not running again, and that alone makes this one of the most significant elections Kentucky has seen in a long time. There's no shortage of options - 12 Republicans, 7 Democrats, and a write-in candidate have all thrown their hats in the ring. On the Republican side, U.S. Rep. Andy Barr- who now has former President Trump's endorsement- and former Attorney General Daniel Cameron are considered the frontrunners. Kentucky businessman Nate Morris dropped out of the race in early May after Trump asked him to step aside and join the administration as an ambassador. Democrats are choosing between Charles Booker, Amy McGrath, Louisville horse trainer Dale Romans, and state Rep. Pamela Stevenson, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, among others. --- ***You've already heard about the frontrunners and seen them in debates- but I wanted to do something different. I reached out to every Senate candidate on the ballot and asked for an interview. Because Kentucky voters deserve to know who's asking for their vote and what they would do with it.*** [Before you vote: meet the Kentucky Senate Candidates you haven’t heard fromI asked every candidate vying for Mitch McConnell’s seat to spend 15 minutes with me on Zoom. I didn’t want a campaign staffer to copy and paste an answer- I wanted to hear from the people themselves. This is who said yes. I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed:![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-208.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1626836014893-37663794dca7-1)](https://www.shayinformed.com/before-you-vote-meet-the-kentucky-senate-candidates-you-havent-heard-from/) --- There's also a closely watched congressional race in the 4th District. Trump endorsed farmer and veteran Ed Gallrein to replace Rep. Thomas Massie, who has repeatedly clashed with the Trump agenda- most notably by blocking parts of the 'Big Beautiful Bill'. Two Democrats, Jesse Brewer and Melissa Strange, are also running for the seat. For **Louisville voters-** this May 19th primary will actually be a historic one. It's the city's first nonpartisan mayoral primary, following a change in state law in 2024\. Incumbent Craig Greenberg is seeking a second term, joined by eleven other candidates on the ballot. The top two vote-getters advance to November. Republican voters will see United States Representative for the 3rd Congressional District on their ballot. David Nichter, Maria Rodriguez, Daniel Cobble and Donald Pay are vying for your vote to face Democrat and incumbent Morgan McGarvey. Also on the ballot in Louisville are the sheriff and county clerk races. Both seats were vacated when the officeholders passed away before the end of their terms. [Louisville gets new sheriff and county clerk after loss of two longtime public servantsTwo experienced Louisville leaders step into crucial roles left vacant by beloved public servants. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-10-03-at-9.11.52---AM.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/louisville-gets-new-sheriff-and-county-clerk-after-loss-of-two-longtime-public-servants/) Sheriff David James is not running for the spot. Richard Breen, Steve Healey and Stephen Yancey are looking to win the spot. Jefferson County Clerk David Yates is hoping to hold on to his appointed position. He is being challenged by Rosalind 'Roz' Welch. Democrats will vote on a new County Attorney after Mike O'Connell's decision to retire. Sarah Martin and Karl Price are on the ballot. **In Lexington**, the mayor's race is drawing a crowded field. Seven candidates are running for mayor, including current Mayor Linda Gorton, C.E. Huffman, Darnell Tagaloa, Greg O'Neal, Ramazanie Asmani, Raquel Carter, and Skip Horine. Gorton has served as mayor since 2019 and is running for a third term. Like Louisville, it's a nonpartisan race- the top two vote-getters advance to November. Lexington voters will also see a lot of new faces this year, with seven Urban County Council incumbents not seeking re-election. **At the statehouse level**, all 100 Kentucky House seats and half of the state Senate are on the ballot. More than 230 candidates filed to run for the House, with Republicans widely expected to maintain their dominant supermajority in both chambers. One race to keep an eye on: Louisville Democratic Rep. Daniel Grossberg is facing multiple primary opponents after an ethics investigation and criticism from within his own party over the past two years. Sample ballots for Democrats and Republicans in Louisville: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-11-at-10.51.20---AM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-11-at-10.51.09---AM.png) Louisville voters- you can find your sample ballot [here](https://elections.jeffersoncountyclerk.org/MyBallot/?ref=shayinformed.com)! *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Six months later, UofL Burn Unit nurses get the recognition they deserve URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/six-months-later-uofl-burn-unit-nurses-get-the-recognition-they-deserve/ Last updated: 2026-05-08T20:07:46.000Z A team of healthcare workers was honored Friday with a surprise award for showing up during one of Louisville's toughest weeks. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- It's been six months since a UPS cargo plane crashed near Louisville International Airport, killing 15 people and leaving others with serious, life-altering injuries. For the nurses on the 6 East Burn Unit at UofL Hospital, that day never really ended- not when the last patient was discharged, and not now. This week, those nurses were surprised with a DAISY Team Award- one of the highest honors in nursing- recognizing their response on November 4th and in the weeks that followed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/ULH_6176.jpg) Credit: UofL health The DAISY Award is typically given to individual nurses for extraordinary compassion and skill. The team version acknowledges something a little different: that some moments are too big for any one person to carry alone. That was certainly true that day. According to nominations submitted for the award, Burn Unit nurses moved with "remarkable speed, coordination and purpose" as they prepared the unit for incoming crash victims- while simultaneously continuing to care for their existing patients. Some came in on their day off without being asked. Others simply stepped forward and said, *what do you need?* But what stood out in those nominations wasn't just the clinical response. It was everything else. "Beyond clinical excellence, the Burn Unit became a source of emotional strength for devastated families," one nomination read. Nurses helped identify patients, kept anxious loved ones informed, and guided families through some of the most devastating decisions a person can face. They offered, as the nomination put it, "comfort, presence, and dignity during the darkest of moments." That's not in a job description. That's a calling. UofL Health was clear in its recognition that November 4th didn't reveal something new about these nurses- it simply put a spotlight on what they bring to work every single day. Congratulations to these amazing healthcare heroes! We are proud to have you in our community. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### 'He tried to run with his granddaughter': New UPS crash lawsuits reveal harrowing details of November disaster URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/he-tried-to-run-with-his-granddaughter-new-ups-crash-lawsuits-reveal-harrowing-details-of-november-disaster/ Last updated: 2026-05-11T16:12:08.000Z Filings describe a grandfather's final moments, a family business destroyed, and insurance failures compounding the crisis. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Six months after UPS Flight 2976 crashed and burned near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, two of the fifteen lawsuits filed this week in Jefferson Circuit Court are painting the most detailed picture yet of what happened on the ground- and what has happened since. One case belongs to the family of Louisnes Fedon. The other belongs to the owners of Grade A Recycling, the scrap metal business at 7301 Grade Lane where the plane came down. Together, they tell a story that extends far beyond the crash itself. ## A grandfather who survived the impact ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-07-at-4.12.53---PM-1.png) Kimberly Asa and Louisnes Fedon According to the wrongful death complaint filed on behalf of Fedon's estate, Louisnes Fedon was at Grade A Recycling as a customer that afternoon, alongside his granddaughter, Kimberly Asa. The lawsuit says he survived the initial impact of the aircraft. What followed is described in clinical but devastating detail. Fedon attempted to flee the scene with his granddaughter, away from what the filing describes as smothering smoke and intense flames fed by nearly 220,000 pounds of jet fuel. His autopsy, cited in the complaint, found that he suffered thermal injuries so severe they resulted in what the lawsuit characterizes as the baking of his brain and right lung, as well as fractures and amputations of his extremities. His cause of death was determined to be carbon monoxide intoxication, smoke inhalation, and thermal injuries. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2025-11-20-at-11.38.11---AM.png) Images provided by NTSB ## What the NTSB found and what the lawsuit says was already known Both suits rely heavily on the NTSB's preliminary report, which found that fatigue cracks in a critical engine-mounting hardware led to the catastrophic failure of UPS Flight 2976 on November 4, 2025. According to the[ NTSB report](https://www.ntsb.gov/Documents/Prelimiary%20Report%20DCA26MA024.pdf?ref=shayinformed.com), the left engine separated from the wing of the MD-11F shortly after the plane rotated for takeoff from runway 17R around 5:14 p.m. "A fire ignited near the area of the left pylon attachment to the wing, which continued until ground impact," the report states. The plane managed to clear the blast fence at the end of the runway but never climbed higher than about 30 feet above ground level, according to data from the flight data recorder. The left landing gear struck the roof of a UPS Supply Chain Solutions warehouse at the southern edge of the airport. The aircraft then hit a storage yard and two other buildings, including a petroleum recycling facility. All three crew members aboard the plane were killed, along with 12 people on the ground. Another 22 people on the ground were injured. [NTSB: Fatigue cracks found in UPS Plane that crashed in LouisvilleFederal investigators have released preliminary findings on what caused a UPS cargo plane to crash moments after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, killing 14 people. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/size/w1200/2025/11/plane-crash-1.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/ntsb-fatigue-cracks-found-in-ups-plane-that-crashed-in-louisville/) The lawsuits allege this type of failure was not unforeseeable. According to both filings, defendants were aware the MD-11 was susceptible to exactly this kind of pylon assembly breakdown- pointing to the 1979 American Airlines Flight 191 disaster in Chicago, which killed all 273 people aboard and was caused by a catastrophic failure of the left pylon mount assembly on a predecessor aircraft. Both that plane and the one that crashed in November were McDonnell Douglas designs; Boeing absorbed McDonnell Douglas in 1997. The suits further allege that Boeing issued a service letter in 2011 warning MD-11 operators, including UPS, of the risk of bearing race failures, but did not change the inspection interval for the relevant components. According to the lawsuit, UPS knew more frequent inspections were needed but chose not to implement them because of cost, electing to keep the aircraft type on a standard maintenance schedule anyway. At the time of the crash, the aircraft had logged 92,992 hours of flight time across 21,043 cycles. The Fedon complaint also notes that according to the NTSB, an alarm bell was repeatedly sounding in the cockpit during takeoff roll, and alleges that the pilot, Richard Wartenberg- who also died in the crash- failed to respond appropriately to that warning. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2025-11-07-at-10.11.53---AM.png) UPS Pilots: Lee Truitt, Richard Wartenberg, Dana Diamond ## Grade A Autoparts: a business that hasn't reopened The second lawsuit adds a business dimension to the devastation. The Garber family- who own Grade A Autoparts has not been able to reopen any aspect of their operation since November 4th. The complaint details how the crash destroyed structures and equipment, rendered other materials unusable due to jet fuel contamination and damage from the explosion, and cut off access to the property entirely during the extended investigation period. Joseph Garber, the family member who was on-site when the plane came down, suffered physical and psychological injuries in the crash. Despite those injuries, the lawsuit says, he stayed and helped others until first responders arrived. But the filing reveals a second crisis that compounded the first: an alleged failure by the Garbers' own insurance agent. According to the complaint, the family had a longstanding relationship with Douglas Gordon, from Assured NL Insurance Services in Louisville, whom they trusted to advise them on their coverage. A proposal for their insurance policy, covering March 2025 to March 2026, included business interruption coverage. When they filed their claims after the crash, that coverage wasn't there, the lawsuit alleges. The lawsuit says Gordon admitted the omission was his error. The complaint also alleges that Gordon incorrectly communicated the insured values on three of the completely destroyed buildings to the insurer, Berkley Specialty Insurance Company, resulting in the Garbers receiving less than the policy limits they believed they had. Gordon, the lawsuit says, admitted this as well. Assured NL Insurance Services is also accused of interfering with the Garbers' compensation efforts in a separate way: the suit alleges the company contacted UPS directly to assert subrogation claims on losses it hadn't yet paid to its own clients, and accessed the crash site on the Garbers' property without their knowledge or consent. ## Insurers told victims: expect 3 to 6 years Both lawsuits name the Allianz insurance group- which provides coverage for the UPS defendants- for alleged bad faith. According to both complaints, Allianz representatives told plaintiffs' attorneys the company's standard position is that cases like these will take three to six years to resolve. The lawsuits allege this was communicated even after Allianz had previously encouraged victims to submit documentation and delay filing suit in exchange for meaningful settlement talks. The plaintiffs went through mediation, the filings say, and Allianz made no good faith offers. All fifteen lawsuits name United Parcel Service Co. (Air), United Parcel Service Inc., Boeing, General Electric, maintenance firm VT San Antonio Aerospace, the estate of pilot Richard R. Wartenberg, and multiple Allianz insurance entities as defendants. The Grade A Recycling case adds Assured NL Insurance Services and Douglas Steven Gordon. > **A UPS spokesperson provided the following statement:** > *We remain deeply saddened by Flight 2976\. Our focus continues to be on supporting those affected and working closely with the National Transportation Safety Board as the investigation continues.* There are not yet any court dates set in this case. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### After 30+ years, Louisville voters are getting their "I Voted" stickers back URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/after-30-years-louisville-voters-are-getting-their-i-voted-stickers-back/ Last updated: 2026-05-07T14:24:24.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- If you've ever felt a little sticker envy scrolling through social media on Election Day, Jefferson County Clerk David Yates has some good news for you. "I Voted" stickers are officially coming back to Louisville polling locations for the May 19 primary. So why did they disappear in the first place? Turns out, stickers and temporary polling locations don't always mix. Churches, schools, and fire stations that doubled as precincts were dealing with stickers ending up on walls, floors, and pews, and the election center was on the hook for any damage. The Board of Elections eventually called it: stickers out. But Yates says the calculus has changed. "We've listened to the voters. People love these stickers. They're a small but meaningful way to celebrate participating in our democracy," he said in Wednesday's announcement. The stickers will be available at all in-person excused absentee voting sites, early voting locations, and Election Day precincts. Whether you see them as a genuine civic tradition or a glorified piece of adhesive paper probably says something about your relationship with voting culture- but Yates is firmly in the believer camp. "Voting should feel good," he said. "If a sticker helps someone feel proud of casting their ballot or encourages a friend to vote, then it's worth bringing back." For Jefferson County voters, here's what's left on the calendar: - **May 6-8 and May 11-13:** In-person excused absentee voting - **May 14-16:** In-person early voting, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. - **May 19:** Primary Election Day, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. ## Something coming soon... I'm launching a candidate spotlight series focused on the political candidates who aren't getting invited to the big TV debates- on both sides of the aisle. Every candidate who has officially filed and is actively running will be offered the same opportunity: the same questions, the same format, the same platform. No favoritism, no gatekeeping. This is independent journalism doing what corporate media often can't- making sure Kentucky voters know who is actually on their ballot before they cast a vote. I'll start releasing these next week! *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Kentucky AG to court: Brooks Houck killed Crystal Rogers, and the evidence proves it URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-ag-to-court-brooks-houck-killed-crystal-rogers-and-the-evidence-proves-it/ Last updated: 2026-05-07T20:37:23.000Z The state's top prosecutor filed a 103-page brief urging the Kentucky Supreme Court to uphold Houck's murder conviction- and didn't mince words about why. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- The Kentucky Attorney General's office wants the state's highest court to know exactly where it stands on Brooks Houck's appeal: he killed Crystal Rogers, and the jury got it right. The Commonwealth's response brief to Houck's appeal pulls no punches from its opening paragraph. Attorney General Russell Coleman's office writes that Houck, "whether he did it himself or through others", killed Crystal, the mother of his child and four others, then "disappeared her body, leaving her family in unsettled agony for almost a decade." The brief asks the Kentucky Supreme Court to reject Houck's appeal and affirm his conviction and life sentence. ## What Houck is arguing Houck's [appeal raises several legal challenges](https://www.shayinformed.com/tainted-jury-biased-judge-improper-evidence-houcks-appeal-attacks-all-aspects-of-trial/) to his conviction for Crystal's murder and tampering with physical evidence. His central argument is that the Commonwealth never proved *corpus delicti-* essentially, that a crime even occurred- because Crystal's body has never been found. He also argues there wasn't enough evidence to show he was personally responsible for her death, either as the person who killed her or as an accomplice. On top of that, he raises issues with jury selection, claims the trial judge should have recused himself, argues he shouldn't have been tried alongside co-defendant Joey Lawson, and challenges several evidentiary rulings from trial. [Tainted jury, biased judge, improper evidence: Houck’s appeal attacks all aspects of trialBrooks Houck’s attorneys have officially filed his appeal brief with the Kentucky Supreme Court. This gives us our first look at his request for a new trial. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/size/w1200/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-21-at-2.32.32---PM.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/tainted-jury-biased-judge-improper-evidence-houcks-appeal-attacks-all-aspects-of-trial/) ## The AG's answer on the no-body accusation The Attorney General's office spends considerable time dismantling Houck's argument that without a body, the Commonwealth couldn't prove murder. Kentucky law, the brief notes, has never required a body - and has said so for well over a century. The brief points to a strikingly similar Kentucky case called *Phillips v. Commonwealth* where a conviction was upheld with no body, no crime scene, and no physical evidence of death or injury. What *did* exist were the same kinds of circumstances present here: a loving mother who "disappeared without a trace," leaving behind her children. The brief argues that a mother of five who was actively making plans to move furniture, borrow a baby swing, help plan a birthday party simply does not walk away from her life. That, the AG's office says, carries the same evidentiary weight as bloodstains. And in this case, there was more than just Crystal's disappearance. A cadaver dog performed a blind search of a vehicle impound lot and gave what handlers described as his "trained final alert" for human remains on a white Buick belonging to Houck's grandmother- the same car that two witnesses reported seeing near the Houck farm in the early morning hours of July 4, 2015\. In the trunk of that Buick, investigators found a hair "microscopically similar" to Crystal's. The car was sold to a Louisville dealership just two days after Crystal's father publicly posted on Facebook asking for information about a white Buick connected to his daughter's disappearance. This evidence was first revealed in trial last summer and I dive into extensively on episode five of [my podcast 'Circumstantial; the Crystal Rogers Trials'](https://www.shayinformed.com/circumstantial-the-crystal-rogers-trials/). You can listen to the entire 10 episode series right now. [Circumstantial Episode 5: The white carHair similar to Crystal’s. A cadaver dog hit. And the moment I learned the Houck family was talking about me on their jail calls, officials feared for my safety. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Circumstantial:![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-1.09.27---PM.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/circumstantial-episode-5-the-white-car/) ## A web of circumstances The brief methodically walks through what it calls "a veritable web" of evidence placing Houck at the center of Crystal's disappearance. Cell phone data put Houck's phone traveling north on KY 49- past the Bluegrass Parkway where Crystal's car was later found- just after midnight on July 4\. Steve Lawson called Houck at 12:07 a.m., just one minute after receiving a call from his own son, Joey. Steve's phone, according to expert testimony, was "in the general area of the Bluegrass Parkway" and "near Crystal Rogers's car" that same night. Witness Charlie Girdley testified that before Crystal disappeared, Steve told him directly that "Brooks wanted to get rid of his old lady." Another witness, Stacy Cranmer, said Steve bragged to her- just before Crystal went missing- that he and Houck had been talking about "a girl that they had to take care of," a woman with five kids who "wasn't doing very well." When Cranmer suggested rehab, Steve said, "I wish that was the case." [Circumstantial Episode 6: “Shave her head, pull her teeth and the hogs would do the rest”The most horrific testimony of the trial. The witnesses who corroborated it. And the defense that nearly tore it all apart. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials is available to paid![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/size/w1200/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-1.39.25---PM.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/circumstantial-episode-6-shave-her-head-pull-her-teeth-and-the-hogs-would-do-the-rest/) Rebecca Greer, Steve Lawson's ex-wife, testified that she overheard Joey tell family members that he and Steve had been paid $50,000 to move a car and when confronted, Joey confirmed it, telling her, "if you wanna know any details, you need to ask Steve." And then there were Houck's own recorded conversations. Police found digital recorders at the Houck family farm containing recordings Houck and family members had made of their interactions with investigators. In one, just after Nick Houck's police cruiser was seized, Rosemary Houck asked whether a blanket in the trunk had "anything on it." Brooks answered: "Huh-uh." In another, Brooks told Rosemary that "a bad tip's jacked them all up"- referring to an unverified witness account police hadn't yet debunked. The problem, the AG's brief points out, is that police hadn't told Houck the tip was bad yet. He had only one way to know. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-07-at-9.12.37---AM.png) Pictures shared with juror, showing where the recorders were found in Rosemary Houck's home ## Houck's story didn't hold up Much of the brief is devoted to cataloguing how Houck's own account of July 3, 2015 fell apart under investigation. He claimed he'd spent the day conducting business- visiting a lumberyard, working evictions, hauling trash to a landfill, mowing vacant lots, coordinating with a local electric company. Investigators checked. The circuit clerk's office was closed that day. So was Salt River Electric. The landfill had no record of his visit. The HOA had actually texted him that day saying his properties needed to be mowed "ASAP." Workers he claimed were on the job said they weren't. [Circumstantial Episode 3: The alibi destroyedBrooks Houck’s eight-page alibi fell apart witness by witness. Then the FBI revealed the technology that tracked Brooks’ every move- even with location services turned off. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-11.47.28---AM.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/circumstantial-episode-3-the-alibi-destroyed/) His alibi for the night Crystal disappeared was equally shaky. He claimed the two of them took their son Eli to the family farm around 7:30 p.m. to feed cows, walking a mile down a gravel road in the rain. His phone data showed he never strayed beyond about 1,000 feet from the barn the entire evening. He also claimed Crystal was home playing games on her phone when he went to bed. Phone records showed Crystal's phone was manually shut off just before midnight and never turned back on until it was in police custody. ## Most of his legal arguments weren't preserved A recurring theme in the AG's response is that Houck failed to properly raise many of these issues at trial, which limits- or eliminates- his ability to raise them on appeal. His argument that the Commonwealth didn't prove he was the principal or accomplice in Crystal's death, for example, wasn't made in his directed verdict motion at trial. Same with his challenge to the evidence-tampering conviction. [Circumstantial Episode 8: “This man is guilty of murder”The judge laid out the entire case against Brooks Houck. The defense asked the jury to send him home to his son. And behind the scenes, attorneys debated whether to dismiss a juror who slept through the evidence. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-07-at-2.19.33---PM.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/circumstantial-episode-8-this-man-is-guilty-of-murder/) For the legal challenges that were preserved, the AG's office argues the trial court acted well within its discretion. Those arguments included jury selection, evidentiary rulings, and the decision to try Houck alongside Joey Lawson. Even the jurors who'd heard about the case from news coverage, the brief argues, each confirmed under questioning that they could set that aside and decide based solely on what was presented in court. ## The bottom line The AG's brief closes simply: "This Court should affirm." The filing frames the appeal as an attempt to re-litigate a case that was carefully and thoroughly tried, including ten days of testimony, more than forty prosecution witnesses, and a unanimous jury that heard all of it. The Commonwealth's message to the Kentucky Supreme Court is that the verdict wasn't just legally sound. It was right. Crystal Rogers disappeared on July 3, 2015\. She has never been found. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Crystal-PIC.jpg) *You can now listen to the entire 10 episode podcast 'Circumstantial; the Crystal Rogers Trials.' This is the story of justice delayed but not denied. Of a family that never stopped fighting. And of the trials that finally brought answers to a case that consumed a community for nearly a decade.* *This podcast is available exclusively to Shay Informed subscribers.* *You won't find this on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It's only here, on shayinformed.com, because this is independent journalism funded directly by people who believe this work matters. You can sign up* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/circumstantial-the-crystal-rogers-trials/#/portal/signup)*.* ### Zoos across the country are being threatened. Louisville was one of them. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/zoos-across-the-country-are-being-threatened-louisville-was-one-of-them/ Last updated: 2026-05-06T14:16:57.000Z The calls come in as immediate threats to human life, bring in a massive law enforcement response, and then are deemed a hoax and a waste of valuable resources. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- It started on a Friday morning at the Louisville Zoo. Around 9:30 a.m., a bomb threat came in. Visitors were asked to evacuate to a nearby park. Animals were secured. Louisville Metro Police responded. And for more than an hour, one of the city's most beloved family destinations was treated as a potential crime scene. By 10:30, the threat had been addressed. By 11 o'clock, the gates were back open. It was a hoax- but that doesn't mean it was harmless. LMPD is actively investigating. And Louisville, it turns out, wasn't the end of it. ## A pattern emerges In the days since the Louisville Zoo incident, similar threats have been called in to zoos in Ohio, Tennessee, Florida, and Arizona. What looked at first like an isolated, bizarre incident is starting to look like something more coordinated- or at minimum, copycat behavior spreading quickly. This is swatting. And it's a serious federal crime dressed up as a prank. ## What swatting actually is The U.S. Attorney's Office defines a swatting call as a hoax made to emergency services, typically reporting an immediate threat to human life. The goal is to trigger a law enforcement response- ideally a SWAT team- to wherever the caller has targeted. In the worst cases, callers report active violence or an imminent attack, sending heavily armed officers rushing to a location where no threat actually exists. Why would someone do this? According to federal prosecutors, the motivations usually come down to harassment or clout. Perpetrators use swatting calls to go after rivals, or to build a reputation in online communities by proving they can cause chaos on demand. Zoos full of families on a Friday morning apparently qualify as a target now. ## The real cost Here's what gets lost when we call something a "hoax" and move on: the response was completely real. Every officer who responded to the Louisville Zoo on Friday morning was an officer not available somewhere else in the city. Every minute spent clearing a fabricated bomb threat is a minute pulled away from actual emergencies- the calls where someone's life genuinely hangs in the balance. First responders operate on finite resources. LMPD, like every metro police department in the country, is constantly triaging. Swatting calls don't just waste time- they create gaps in coverage that real emergencies fall into. That's not a hypothetical concern. That's the math of how emergency response works. ## What Comes Next According to the Louisville Zoo spokesperson, LMPD's investigation into the Louisville Zoo threat is ongoing. Whether this is one person working their way across the country or a loose pattern of copycats, the incidents at zoos in multiple states will almost certainly draw federal attention- swatting is prosecuted at the federal level, and cases that cross state lines tend to move that direction quickly. For now, the Louisville Zoo is open. The animals are fine. Visitors who were there Friday experienced something scary and strange before their morning was returned to normal. But normal has a cost. And whoever made that call is counting on everyone forgetting that by the time the gates reopened. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### 'We're still floating': Big Nita's owners reflect on life-changing Derby weekend URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/it-doesnt-feel-real-big-nitas-owners-on-their-surreal-derby-weekend/ Last updated: 2026-05-07T13:27:34.000Z When Churchill Downs came calling, Big Nita's said yes, and then Louisville showed up to support them. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Nicole Burks and her fiancé and business partner, Roberto 'Berto' Davila, are still floating. Days after serving their signature cheesecakes at the Kentucky Derby- and walking the actual red carpet at Churchill Downs- the co-owners of Big Nita Cheesecake's in Butchertown are trying to wrap their heads around what just happened. "It genuinely doesn't feel real," Nicole told me this week, her voice still raspy from the whirlwind weekend. "You get up every day, and you wonder- is today going to be the day it all just dies down because it's kind of just too good to be true? And then things just keep happening and keep escalating." ## The deal that almost wasn't The path to Derby weekend started with what looked like a missed opportunity. Someone from the hospitality group that handles catering for Churchill Downs reached out about Big Nita's becoming the official dessert of the Kentucky Derby. "We were planning to make thousands of cheesecakes. It was a big deal," Nicole said. But budget negotiations fell through, and that seemed to be that. Except it wasn't. A couple days later, Brandon Fullen, from Churchill Downs, called with a different proposition. Churchill Downs was launching several new experiences for Derby 2026, and they wanted Big Nita's to be part of them. The result- Big Nita's created cheesecakes for Derby sponsors like Woodford Reserve (including a special collaboration with the brand for their new bourbon release) and made mini cheesecakes to accompany dishes from celebrity chefs at exclusive private events. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/woodford-cheesecakes.jpg) Woodford Reserve mini cheesecakes ## Royal treatment From the moment Nicole and Berto arrived at Churchill Downs, they were treated like VIPs- because, well, they were. "They literally treated us like royalty," Nicole said. "We got to see all of the back stuff of the Derby, like where they bring in the celebrities and the red carpet." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-06-at-9.10.41---AM-1.png) Nicole and Berto on the Red Carpet They received badges that gave them access to every level of Churchill Downs- from Millionaires Row, to Matt Winn's Steakhouse. They were given all of the food and drinks they wanted. Nicole said they didn't just deliver the cheesecakes and leave- they received introductions to celebrities like Bobby Flay and Damaris Phillips. "He made sure our experience was a great opportunity for our business," Nicole said. "He made sure we met a bunch of different people." For a couple who'd never really experienced the Derby together (Berto went to the infield once in college years ago), it was surreal. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/celebrity-chef.jpg) Bobby Flay, Nicole Burks, and Roberto Davila ## The imposter syndrome is real Nicole's candor about how it feels to live this moment is refreshing. She talks openly about imposter syndrome, about waiting for the other shoe to drop, about struggling to accept that this is actually their life now. "When these kinds of things happen to you, you're like, what? Like, how?" she said. "It's very much like imposter syndrome." But here's the thing: they've earned every bit of it. Nicole and Berto work relentlessly. Louisville has watched them build this business from the ground up, one cheesecake at a time, from their own kitchen to the Main Street storefront. The community has rallied around them not just because the cheesecakes are exceptional (though they absolutely are), but because their story is genuine. And this Derby weekend? The whole city seemed to want to be part of it. "It was truly incredible to see so many people reach out and want to make the experience for us the most memorable," Nicole said. Local businesses helped them get Derby-ready, social media lit up with excitement, and the support was overwhelming. "We're still just like, oh my God, that was just so amazing," she said. "We genuinely don't feel like it could have been any better." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/gala.jpg) Berto and Nicole at the Unbrindled Eve Derby Gala ## What's next Right now, the owners of Big Nita's are fielding multiple news interviews and podcast requests. But beyond the media attention, Nicole and Berto are thinking strategically about the future. Their lease is up within the next year, and their landlord has bigger buildings available if they want to expand. First priority: hiring another round of staff. "Berto and I are ready to bring some more people in so we are able to take a step back a little bit to do more opportunities like going to the Derby," Nicole explained. [Sweat, sacrifice & sweet success; the story behind Louisville’s top dessert shopBig Nita’s Cheesecakes sells out every day they’re open. The business has gone “viral” more than once, bringing in customers from across the country. But this business was born out of desperation and the owners never forget that. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/size/w1200/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-21-at-6.47.41---PM-1.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/sweat-sacrifice-sweet-success-the-story-behind-louisvilles-top-dessert-shop/) That doesn't mean they're leaving the business- Nicole was quick to clarify that. But they need to be able to keep the storefront open when major opportunities come knocking. This Derby weekend, their team managed to handle both the Churchill Downs order *and* keep the shop open for regular customers. It worked, but it was tight. "If Jennifer Hudson calls and we need to fly wherever she's at"- Nicole is manifesting a Jennifer Hudson Show appearance, and honestly, same- "we want to be able to keep our storefront open." They're also focusing more energy on social media, which has been taking off. And that requires time Nicole doesn't have when she's decorating cheesecakes all day. ## Staying rooted in Louisville When we talked last fall, franchising wasn't on the table. After this Derby weekend and all the attention that's followed, I had to ask: has that changed? "Definitely no to the franchising," Nicole said firmly. "It's just not something we're very interested in at the moment." But they are open to a bigger location- everything still under one roof, she and Berto still heavily involve- but multiple locations or franchising? Not right now. "Louisville is our home, Butchertown is our home, and that's just kind of where we're at with it," she said. I'll admit, I was one of the people who panicked a bit when Nicole posted they were moving the business to Nashville on April Fools Day. She laughed and said people are still messaging her about it and she's never doing that again. But the truth is, Big Nita's doesn't need to expand to Nashville or franchise across the country to be successful. They already are successful. Wildly so. They're Louisville's most sought-after dessert, the cheesecake you can't get unless you plan ahead, the business everyone wants a piece of. And now they're the local shop that served cheesecakes at the Kentucky Derby and walked the red carpet. Nicole keeps saying she and Berto don't take one second of it for granted. That they're humble and grateful and sometimes can't quite believe it's all happening. But watching this unfold from the outside- it makes perfect sense. Good things happen to good people who work hard and stay true to who they are. And in Louisville, we love seeing our own shine. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/derby-day-.jpg) Nicole Burks at Churchill Downs on Derby Day PS- An in-depth interview with Nicole and Berto was one of my very first stories on Shay Informed. You can[ read that story or listen to the interview](https://www.shayinformed.com/sweat-sacrifice-sweet-success-the-story-behind-louisvilles-top-dessert-shop/) now! *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Kentuckians could see 10 cents off at the pump. But something else has to happen first. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentuckians-could-see-10-cents-off-at-the-pump-but-something-else-has-to-happen-first/ Last updated: 2026-05-05T18:34:43.000Z Governor Andy Beshear announced several steps he wants to take to improve affordability for Kentuckians- but he can't act alone. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced a series of steps Tuesday aimed at easing the pain at the pump for Kentucky families, including an emergency move to cut the state gas tax by 10 cents per gallon- but there's a catch. The reduction can't happen without sign-off from Kentucky's Attorney General Russell Coleman. "Reducing the gas tax and implementing it quickly requires the AG sign-off," Beshear said, citing a Kentucky Supreme Court decision that requires freezing certain statutes currently on the books. "My hope is the AG sees it the same way that I do- that saving families 10 cents a gallon at the pump right now is the right thing to do." If the AG approves, the cut would take effect as soon as May 11, applying to both regular and diesel fuel. Beshear said the reduction has the potential to save Kentuckians $26.8 million every month it's in effect. The governor is also activating the state's price gouging statute, making clear he expects that 10-cent savings to actually reach drivers- not get absorbed by stations or wholesalers. Separate from the AG-dependent cut, Beshear signed an emergency regulation Tuesday to freeze the current gas tax at 26.4 cents per gallon, blocking a planned July 1 increase to roughly 27 cents. That freeze alone would save Kentuckians a combined $1.7 million per month, he said. Beshear also sent letters to congressional leaders Tuesday urging a suspension of the federal gas tax through the end of the year, which he said would shave another 18.4 cents off the price at the pump if Congress acts. And looking ahead to next year, he signed a separate executive order freezing the motor vehicle assessment rate, meaning Kentuckians won't pay more in vehicle property taxes in 2027 than they do this year. The governor framed his announcement against the backdrop of gas prices that spiked more than 20% in a single month, pushing inflation to a nearly three-year high. He said families are being forced to choose between food and medication. Beshear also made a pointed push to keep the issue out of partisan territory. He noted that Republican Governor [Mike Braun of Indiana recently took similar executive action](https://www.shayinformed.com/no-gas-tax-for-30-days-heres-what-indiana-drivers-need-to-know/) and was praised by Senate Republicans for it. [No gas tax for 30 days- here’s what Indiana drivers need to knowIndiana Governor Mike Braun is giving drivers a break- at least for now. Braun announced a 30-day suspension of the state’s 7% usage tax on fuel, framing it as emergency relief for Hoosiers struggling with high gas prices. The governor issued an emergency declaration to trigger the holiday, and left![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1635627026254-b652e62d1d07)](https://www.shayinformed.com/no-gas-tax-for-30-days-heres-what-indiana-drivers-need-to-know/) "The price of gas isn't partisan. It's not Democrat or Republican. It's just too high," Beshear said. "It would be pretty ironic if our state Republicans opposed it, and Kentucky Republicans and California Democrats somehow had the same opinion on something." Also of note- Beshear reminded Louisville-area drivers of a win already in the pipeline: his earlier request to remove Jefferson, Bullitt, and Oldham counties from the federal reformulated gasoline program was approved. That change takes effect May 27 and is expected to save drivers in those communities an average of $137 million per year, with gas prices dropping 10 to 25 cents per gallon in the region. I reached out to Attorney General Russell Coleman's team about the request, and his team sent the following statement: > "Of course Kentuckians should have lower gas prices. But Governor Beshear has vetoed almost every tax cut that’s come to his desk. Now, he’s just playing politics and running for President. Kentuckians stand with President Trump, and they’re not buying what the Governor is selling" -Attorney General Russell Coleman *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Indiana's primary is today. Here's what's actually at stake. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/indianas-primary-is-today-heres-whats-actually-at-stake/ Last updated: 2026-05-05T14:58:14.000Z Polls are open right now- here's what you need to know before 6 p.m. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- If you've been paying attention to Indiana politics lately, you know today is bigger than a typical primary. There's a lot on the ballot- from county sheriff races you can feel in your own backyard to a national political showdown that's drawing eyes from Washington all the way to your polling place. Let's break it down. ## The big story: Trump vs. his own party The headline story in today's Indiana primary isn't a Democrat vs. Republican fight. It's Republicans vs. Republicans and it starts with a vote that happened last December. [Indiana Senators overwhelmingly vote down a Trump-backed redistricting planIn a huge vote Thursday afternoon, Indiana’s Republican-led Senate rejected a redrawn congressional map. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1600396022185-1f316bc65fdd)](https://www.shayinformed.com/indiana-senators-overwhelmingly-vote-down-a-trump-backed-redistricting-plan/) Last December, a majority of Republicans in the Indiana State Senate voted down a congressional redistricting attempt that President Trump had pushed hard- it would have overhauled two Democratic-held districts to bolster the GOP's chances of keeping control of the U.S. House in this fall's midterm elections. Trump did not take it quietly. He posted on Truth Social that "every one of these people should be primaried". That threat became reality. Of the 21 Republican senators who voted against redistricting, eight are running for reelection this year. Trump has endorsed primary challengers against seven of them, and his allies have spent millions of dollars on races that rarely get much attention from Washington, according to reporting by [the Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/indiana-trump-redistricting-primary-senate-9bf5b270d77714e1149ab6a6567071a0?ref=shayinformed.com). The senators who voted no say they were listening to their constituents- not Washington. Tonight's results will tell us a lot about whether Trump's grip on his own party is holding- or starting to slip. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Accused shooter's social media helped crack the case- what we know about the fatal KY bank robbery URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/accused-shooters-social-media-helped-crack-the-case-what-we-know-about-the-fatal-ky-bank-robbery/ Last updated: 2026-05-04T17:33:52.000Z After a night that stretched law enforcement across Central Kentucky, Brailen Weaver is behind bars- and expected to face a federal judge Monday. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- A deadly bank robbery that left two people dead in Berea last Thursday has triggered one of the most aggressive joint law enforcement responses in recent Kentucky history- and the man accused of pulling the trigger is expected to appear in federal court this afternoon. Brailen Weaver is scheduled for his initial appearance in the Eastern District of Kentucky federal court in Lexington at 2 p.m. Monday. He is facing multiple federal charges- including armed bank robbery and using and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Because two people died, he also faces the possibility of a death sentence under federal law. The Kentucky Attorney General's Office has separately announced it will pursue state murder charges. ## What happened inside the bank According to a federal criminal complaint filed by an FBI Special Agent, the robbery unfolded with brutal speed. Court documents allege a suspect walked through the front door of the US Bank in Berea right before 2 p.m. on Thursday. Bank surveillance shows a person wearing a cream-colored hoodie, black mask, black gloves, grey pants, and white sneakers. The moment he entered, he shot and killed a bank employee. He then shot and killed a bank teller. After both victims were down, he checked multiple drawers and walked out. Two people were dead. The whole thing happened in minutes. ## How investigators identified him Investigators say the getaway vehicle- a silver BMW sedan with an Alabama license plate- was captured on surveillance footage near the Davis & Powell Funeral Home, close to the bank. That plate led agents to a Facebook Marketplace listing. The BMW was for sale, posted by an account under the name Brailen Weaver. Investigators served an emergency disclosure to Facebook, which confirmed the account belonged to Weaver, born in June 2007. From there, the case against him built quickly. Weaver's own social media accounts contained photos of him wearing what agents identified as the same shoes and pants visible in the bank's surveillance footage. He matched the suspect's physical build. And weeks before the robbery, investigators say he was captured on gas station surveillance driving that same silver BMW. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/berea-robbery-suspect-1.jpg) ## Still posting while two people lay dead One of the most striking details in the federal complaint: around 8 p.m. on the evening of the shooting- hours after two people were killed inside that bank- investigators allege Weaver was still actively posting on social media. ## A chase that endangered an entire region Location data placed Weaver in Somerset that evening before showing him heading toward Interstate 75, according to court documents. FBI agents spotted the silver BMW on the interstate, and law enforcement moved in. What followed was a dangerous pursuit through Central Kentucky. Weaver exceeded 100 miles per hour, successfully avoided spike strips on the interstate, then exited and raced toward downtown Lexington on Newtown Pike- where investigators say he pushed the vehicle to approximately 130 miles per hour before crashing. Then he ran. According to court documents, investigators found a gun in the car. ## The charges he now faces Federal prosecutors have charged Weaver with armed bank robbery, use of a firearm in a crime of violence, and causing death with a firearm in the course of a crime of violence. Under federal law, that last charge carries the possibility of death or life in prison. Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman announced his office will also pursue state murder charges. "The Kentucky Attorney General's Office is working collaboratively with federal authorities, and we will pursue state murder charges following the shootings in Berea," Coleman said. "For the families of the two Kentuckians killed, we will do everything possible to deliver justice." ## What US leaders are saying about it The response from law enforcement leadership was swift and pointed. "As alleged, this deplorable act of violence in broad daylight has left two families in Kentucky with unthinkable loss," said Acting United States Attorney General Todd Blanche. "Thanks to the relentless pursuit of law enforcement, Brailen Weaver is off the street and behind bars, and he will now face justice for his alleged heinous actions." FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau would work around the clock. "In the days ahead, we will work 24/7 with our partners to conduct a full investigation and see to it that the individual responsible is held accountable to the fullest extent of the law." First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Parman, whose office will prosecute the case, said the community deserves justice. "Two innocent people lost their lives due to greed and a complete disregard for the value of life. We will do everything within our power to vindicate this terrible loss." FBI Louisville Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson was direct in her assessment. "A coward with zero regard for human life allegedly murdered two bank employees and then led law enforcement on a dangerous pursuit throughout the eastern Kentucky region. We will stop at nothing to ensure this alleged murderer is held accountable to the fullest extent of the law." Kentucky State Police Commissioner Phillip J. Burnett Jr. acknowledged the gravity of what the region lost while expressing relief at how the night ended. "While I recognize that we've tragically lost two fellow Kentuckians and send our most heartfelt condolences to their families, I'm grateful this incident was brought to this conclusion — apprehension of the suspect with no further harm to our communities and law enforcement." ## What we know about the victims ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-1.22.57---PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-1.22.53---PM.png) CREDIT: Spurlin Funeral Home of Lancaster and wildflower and whimsy photography The identities of the two victims have not yet been officially released. But the families have identified them as Breanna Edwards and Brian Switzer. According to a [GoFundMe](https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-rachel-and-her-children-after-tragedy?utm%5Fid=97758%5Fv0%5Fs00%5Fe0%5Ftv1%5Fa1demo0e7zhyqi&fbclid=IwY2xjawRltV9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFVMFNnUmFaWXdyMzdIcDQzc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhL0xNTjnp4NnMtQh0smOo3gSdbU6n3A07NpyYsBQw1AiaTY68kxLjyq%5Fcg7%5Faem%5FkMusQlk3fMUou1g6DHNxcw&ref=shayinformed.com) created to benefit Switzer's family, he leaves behind a wife and their three children. The fundraiser goes on to say, "Brian worked as the sole provider for his family, and Rachel stayed at home to care for their children. Rachel will have to navigate the grief of her three children as well as her own for the foreseeable future." On [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story%5Ffbid=pfbid0va2QuAFed4VGYuwsbwVUWFamcWz7V7eneQid9YAE4FRQEb4oD6fu87NmRjTX9CYkl&id=61577582286136), Edwards husband Sam wrote this, "Breanna loved having her camera in her hand. She radiated light and joy, and was thrilled at every opportunity she had to use her art to help people see the beauty she saw in them. My wife was delightfully obsessive with her dedication to her clients, almost always walking through the front door after a shift and immediately working on finding “sneak peaks” to provide immediately, and then staying up far too late to edit the rest. I am so proud of her, and I hope that everyone that was on the opposite end of her camera can see the love she put into every picture." ## What comes next The case is being investigated by the FBI, ATF, Kentucky State Police, and Lexington Police Department. Monday's 2 p.m. initial appearance in Lexington federal court is just the beginning. Weaver will hear the formal charges, and given the severity of the allegations, federal prosecutors are expected to seek detention. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### "I don't regret anything I've said": Misty Noel speaks out in first interview since prison URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/i-dont-regret-anything-ive-said-misty-noel-speaks-out-in-first-interview-since-prison/ Last updated: 2026-05-06T13:39:13.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly podcast.* --- Misty Noel has had ten months to think. Ten months inside Indiana's correctional system- away from her daughters, away from her newborn granddaughter, and away from the community that watched her family's implosion play out on Court TV and on local news. She's out now. She's changed her name. And she's ready to talk- though carefully, and with one eye still on the judge who sentenced her. "I have to be very careful of how I speak about the case," she said, settling into our conversation just four days after her release from Madison Correctional Facility. "He's overseeing my probation. I don't want to make him mad again." It was the first of many moments in this interview where the woman once known as the wife of Clark County's most powerful man would reveal just how much has changed- and how much hasn't. ## She's not Misty Noel anymore ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-9.52.47---AM.png) Misty Noel's mugshot 2024 The first thing she wanted to establish: the name. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Before the roses, there's a swearing In: the Derby week tradition most people never see URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/before-the-roses-theres-a-swearing-in-the-derby-week-tradition-most-people-never-see/ Last updated: 2026-04-30T17:08:13.000Z There's a moment every Derby week that happens far from the fanfare of Churchill Downs- no big hats, no blanket of roses, no roaring crowd. Just a horse farm in Goshen, a sheriff, and a handful of deputies raising their right hands. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- On Wednesday, Jefferson County Sheriff David James traveled to a farm in Goshen to swear in out-of-state law enforcement officers who have made the trip to Kentucky to join in on the festivities in a very specific way. These deputies are trained in mounted patrol, meaning they will be working on horseback. They travel with their horses, patrol from their horses, and, for the duration of Derby week, carry the full authority of a Jefferson County deputy sheriff. "The whole world's coming to Louisville, Kentucky," James said. "And so this is our way of helping and making sure that they are successful and making sure that people stay safe." This year, deputies from Ohio joined officers from other parts of Kentucky to fill out the mounted patrol ranks. The number can vary year to year -James noted it often depends on which agencies can financially afford to send people- but the tradition itself is consistent. These are volunteers in spirit, even if they're paid by their home agencies. They're covering their own travel costs to be here. Once sworn in, they're not outsiders anymore. They're part of a law enforcement operation that James says involves at least 15 different agencies- LMPD, Kentucky State Police, the National Guard, Secret Service, FBI, ATF and more- all working from a shared command post throughout the weekend. The mounted patrol serves a dual purpose. There's the obvious security function- officers on horseback have visibility and mobility in large crowds that foot patrol simply can't match. But James also acknowledged something that anyone who's watched a crowd react to a horse knows instinctively. "It's a great PR tool," he said. "The horses are specifically trained to be friendly with people, and so they're used to that. It doesn't cause them disturbance." The deputies riding them, James added, are chosen in part because of that same quality- community-oriented officers who are comfortable engaging with the public. For his department, Derby week is all hands on deck. Every deputy will be doing something. It's what James called a "rinse and repeat" operation- years of muscle memory, relationships and preparation that quietly make one of the world's most-watched sporting events run safely. But it starts, like so many Kentucky traditions, on a horse farm. With a handshake, a badge, and a raised right hand. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### A mother, a baby, and a brother's promise: Glasgow family speaks out after domestic violence tragedy URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/a-mother-a-baby-and-a-brothers-promise-glasgow-family-speaks-out-after-domestic-violence-tragedy/ Last updated: 2026-05-04T15:35:13.000Z Ava Woodstock was killed at the beginning of April in what her family describes as a domestic violence incident. Now, her younger brother is stepping up to raise her daughter. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Alisha Carter was sitting at her kitchen table with her two-year-old granddaughter Chloe in her lap when the news started trickling in. A shooting. Near Annie's restaurant in Glasgow. Her daughter-in-law's phone lit up with a Facebook post. Then Carter's own phone rang- it was Ava's father. "He said, 'The one who did the shooting is Brandon,'" Carter recalled. "And I said, 'Well, where's Ava?' And he said, 'I don't know.' So I hung up and started calling Ava." She never got through. On April 6th, 25-year-old Brandon Lee Bond shot 22-year-old Ava Woodcock while she sat inside her car on Cleveland Avenue in Glasgow, according to the Glasgow Police Department. Ava was nine months pregnant- due May 19th. The baby she was carrying, Nevaeh Marie, was fully developed, weighing five pounds, two ounces, her family told me. Bond ran from the scene armed and was later found in a wooded area, where he was taken into custody. He has been charged with murder- domestic violence, fetal homicide, and fleeing or evading police. Ava did not survive. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Guilty. Joshua Cottrell will spend the rest of his life in prison for killing Kayla and Kennedi. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/guilty-joshua-cottrell-will-spend-the-rest-of-his-life-in-prison-for-killing-kayla-and-kennedi/ Last updated: 2026-04-30T12:37:41.000Z The man accused of killing a mother and daughter in Morehead has admitted guilt and been given a life sentence. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- He will never see the outside of a prison again. Joshua Cottrell appeared in Rowan County Circuit Court Tuesday afternoon and pleaded guilty to the murders of 37-year-old Kayla Blake and her 13-year-old daughter Kennedi McWhorter- the Morehead mother and daughter found dead in their home in September 2025\. Judge Kim Green sentenced him on the spot to life in prison without the possibility of parole on each murder count, plus five years on a charge of tampering with physical evidence. There will be no trial. No appeals process dragging this out for years. For a community that has carried this grief for seven months, Tuesday brought something they've been waiting for: accountability. [‘We knew this would happen’: family of Kentucky double murder suspect speaks outWhen Joshua Cottrell’s family saw his face on the news last week, charged with the double murder of his girlfriend and her 13-year-old daughter, their first thought wasn’t shock- it was confirmation of their worst fears. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-7.49.15---PM-1.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/we-knew-this-would-happen-family-of-morehead-double-murder-suspect-speaks-out/) Cottrell appeared in open court with counsel and withdrew his previous not guilty plea, entering guilty pleas to two counts of murder and one count of tampering with physical evidence. Court costs were waived. He will be transferred to the custody of the Kentucky Department of Corrections. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-29-at-9.02.11---AM.png) For the people who loved Kayla and Kennedi, the verdict was never really in question- what mattered was that the world kept saying their names. Kayla was a registered nurse at a residential treatment facility for women, remembered by her coworkers as someone who brought light into every room she walked into. "You couldn't have a bad day around her," her friend and colleague Amanda Music-Stepp told me after the indictment last fall. Her daughter Kennedi, 13, was a student at Rowan County Middle School- passionate about softball, full of life, and by every account, every bit her mother's daughter. Kayla also had a young son, Ollie, who was not harmed in the attack. When Cottrell was first indicted in October 2025, Amanda and Kayla's friends made one thing clear to me: they weren't showing up to these court dates for him. "We don't show up for him," Amanda said. "We show up for them- to let him know that they are loved, and this is not going to just be forgotten." It wasn't. And now, with two life sentences handed down, the man who took them is gone- and what remains is the community that never stopped showing up, and the tagline that emerged from their grief: [“We need to be talking about them”: honoring the Eastern KY mother and daughter brutally killed at homeTheir names deserve to be front and center. Their love deserves to be remembered. Kayla Blake’s friends reached out to me and asked me to make their story the one in the headlines, instead of their accused killer. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/unnamed--8--2.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/we-need-to-be-talking-about-them-honoring-the-eastern-ky-mother-and-daughter-brutally-killed-at-home/) *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### They lost their children. Then they changed Kentucky law. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/they-lost-their-children-then-they-changed-kentucky-law/ Last updated: 2026-04-29T13:03:41.000Z Several parents took part in the 2026 legislative process- turning their grief into Kentucky law. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- There's a version of grief that goes quiet. And then there's another kind- the kind that walks into the Capitol, sits down with a lawmaker, and refuses to leave until something changes. This year, four Kentucky families showed up with that second kind. They came carrying the names of children they lost- a 19-year-old student, a young mother, a 6-year-old boy, an 8-year-old third-grader- and they pushed the General Assembly to reckon with the gaps in the law that made their losses worse. Three of them walked away with bills signed into law. One didn't- not yet. ## Hunter's Purpose: clearing the path at the crossing ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-28-at-9.41.55---AM.png) On the evening of April 28, 2020, Tanya Serna had just finished mowing the yard when her phone rang. Her nephew- a 911 dispatcher- had taken a call that would change everything. Her 19-year-old son Hunter had been hit by a train at a rural crossing in Hardin County. He was being airlifted to Louisville. Hunter didn't survive. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Joshua Cottrell set to enter plea in Kayla and Kennedi's deaths URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/joshua-cottrell-set-to-enter-plea-in-kayla-and-kennedis-deaths/ Last updated: 2026-04-27T17:14:46.000Z The man accused of killing a mother and daughter in the small community of Morehead, KY, last year plans to face a judge an enter a plea on Tuesday. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Rowan County has carried a heavy weight since September 2025, when a mother and her teenage daughter were [found dead in their Morehead home](https://www.shayinformed.com/ky-man-arrested-charged-with-the-double-murder-of-his-girlfriend-her-daughter/). Tuesday, there's a new chapter in the case- and once again, the people who loved Kayla Blake and Kennedi McWhorter plan to show up for them. Joshua Cottrell is scheduled to appear in Rowan County at 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 28, for a plea hearing. Cottrell was indicted by a grand jury in October 2025 on murder charges and tampering with physical evidence in connection with the deaths of 37-year-old Kayla and her 13-year-old daughter Kennedi. For the people who loved them, Tuesday's hearing is another moment to make sure Kayla and Kennedi aren't forgotten. "We don't show up for him," Kayla's friend Amanda Music-Stepp told me shortly after the indictment last fall. "We show up for them- to let him know that they are loved, and this is not going to just be forgotten." And it hasn't been. [“We need to be talking about them”: honoring the Eastern KY mother and daughter brutally killed at homeTheir names deserve to be front and center. Their love deserves to be remembered. Kayla Blake’s friends reached out to me and asked me to make their story the one in the headlines, instead of their accused killer. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/unnamed--8--2.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/we-need-to-be-talking-about-them-honoring-the-eastern-ky-mother-and-daughter-brutally-killed-at-home/) Kayla was a registered nurse at a residential treatment facility for women, the kind of person her coworkers describe as pure light. "She was beautiful, and she was always laughing and would meet you with a hug," Amanda told me. "Always let us know how grateful she was to have us around." Fellow coworker Lacy Stacy put it simply: "You couldn't have a bad day around her." Kennedi, 13, was described as every bit her mother's daughter- full of life, always looking out for others. She was a student at Rowan County Middle School with a passion for softball, thriving on competition and the bonds she built with her teammates. Together, they left a mark on everyone who knew them. The tagline that emerged from this community's grief says it all: **Love like Kayla, live like Kennedi.** Kayla also had a young son, Ollie, who was not harmed. The community rallied around him in the aftermath, collecting toys and showing up in every way they could. When Cottrell's own family heard the news of his arrest, they weren't shocked- they told me they feared something like this would happen. That interview, which you can [read on Shay Informed](https://www.shayinformed.com/we-knew-this-would-happen-family-of-morehead-double-murder-suspect-speaks-out/), painted a complicated portrait of a man his relatives had been watching with dread for years. [‘We knew this would happen’: family of Kentucky double murder suspect speaks outWhen Joshua Cottrell’s family saw his face on the news last week, charged with the double murder of his girlfriend and her 13-year-old daughter, their first thought wasn’t shock- it was confirmation of their worst fears. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-7.49.15---PM-1.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/we-knew-this-would-happen-family-of-morehead-double-murder-suspect-speaks-out/) As for what happens Tuesday- we'll know more once Cottrell appears before the judge. What won't change is this: the people who filled those bleachers for Kennedi, who worked beside Kayla, who wore purple in their honor- they'll be watching, and they'll keep saying their names. I'll have updates following the hearing. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Severe storms possible Monday night into early Tuesday across Kentucky URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/severe-storms-possible-monday-night-into-early-tuesday-across-kentucky/ Last updated: 2026-04-28T14:15:17.000Z Time to pull out the weather radios, turn on push alerts, and charge those phones! --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Most of Kentucky will want to keep a close eye on the sky tonight- and make sure your weather alerts are turned on before you go to bed. The National Weather Service in Louisville is warning that strong to severe storms are expected to roll in from the west Monday evening, with the greatest threat arriving between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. EDT (6 p.m. to 4 a.m. CDT). Timing could shift slightly, forecasters say, so staying weather-aware throughout the night is important. The biggest concern is damaging wind gusts, though tornadoes and large hail are also on the table. The NWS rates confidence for all three threats at medium-to-high levels- particularly for areas along and west of I-65, which includes communities like Owensboro, Bowling Green, Madisonville, and Elizabethtown. Looking at the Storm Prediction Center's outlook map, a Level 3 "Enhanced Risk" zone covers much of western Kentucky and the Evansville, Indiana area. A Level 2 "Slight Risk" extends east toward Louisville and the surrounding region. Eastern Kentucky falls in a lower risk category, and here's why: the NWS notes that a lack of daytime heating east of I-65 should cause storms to weaken as they push eastward through the night. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-27-at-12.12.43---PM.png) That brings up one of the most critical points forecasters are emphasizing- this is a **nighttime event**. Severe weather is always more dangerous when people are asleep and potentially unaware. Make sure your phone's wireless emergency alerts are enabled, and consider having a backup way to receive warnings, like a weather radio, especially if you're in the higher-risk western part of the state. Storms are expected to clear by early Tuesday morning. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Flight makes emergency landing at Louisville airport moments after take off URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/flight-makes-emergency-landing-at-louisville-airport-moments-after-take-off/ Last updated: 2026-04-27T15:17:20.000Z No injuries were reported after an emergency landing at the Louisville airport on Sunday. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- A Delta flight out of Louisville made a quick turnaround Sunday morning after the pilot reported a mechanical issue shortly after takeoff- and passengers on board say they knew something was wrong before the announcement came. Delta Flight 2801, bound for Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, took off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport just before 11:30 a.m. Sunday, when the pilot noticed a problem and turned the plane around. One passenger described the moment things felt off. "We heard loud shaking noises on the runway during takeoff, and then the pilot announced there was a problem and we're heading back to Louisville," he said. The aircraft, which had 101 people on board including passengers and crew, landed safely on the East Runway- Runway 35R- with emergency responders waiting on the tarmac as a precaution. The cause turned out to be something relatively straightforward: a flat tire. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-27-at-11.11.07---AM.png) Emergency responders waiting as the plane landed "After landing safely, we learned it was a flat tire on the plane," the passenger said. According to a spokesperson for Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, the East Runway was closed from approximately 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. while crews relocated the aircraft from the runway to the terminal ramp and conducted an airfield inspection. The airport said operations were only minimally impacted, with four flights diverting to other airports during that window. No injuries were reported. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Derby week brings heightened alert for sex trafficking at Louisville hospitals URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/derby-week-brings-heightened-alert-for-sex-trafficking-at-louisville-hospitals/ Last updated: 2026-04-27T16:27:20.000Z All eyes are on Louisville this week- both for the big race- and for the risks that come with it. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to flood Louisville this week for Kentucky Derby festivities- and while most will come for the races, the parties, and the pageantry, local health officials are warning that the surge in population creates something else: opportunity for exploitation. UofL Health says its SAFE (Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner) and SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners) teams are on heightened alert, watching for signs that patients who walk through their doors may be victims of sex trafficking or other forms of abuse. "It's like with any area that you overpopulate," said Vicki Yazel, Director of SAFE/SANE Services at UofL Health. "When you have hundreds of thousands of people come into the city like we do during this time, it is going to increase the opportunity for victimization." The program operates 24/7 out of UofL Hospital and serves victims of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, domestic violence, family violence, human trafficking, and child sexual abuse. Nurse examiners collect and preserve evidence, document injuries, and can testify in legal proceedings. Yazel says her team uses a formal screening tool developed specifically for human trafficking- and there are telltale red flags they're trained to spot. Physical injuries, particularly around the head, face, neck, arms, and wrists, are one indicator. So is a companion who refuses to let the patient speak for themselves. "If they are not making eye contact, if they look like they have been physically harmed… if they have a companion with them that will not let them speak, if they are ESL and the companion is aggressive about interpreting for them- those are big red flags," Yazel said. Other warning signs include signs of malnourishment, poor hygiene, and what Yazel described as "branding"- tattoos or markings that raise concern. One of the most significant indicators, she says, is age. "A big one we see in Louisville is that the patient appears to be younger than what they're telling us," Yazel said. "The average age to enter into sex trafficking is 12 to 14, and typically they will lie about their age." According to experts, 87% of sex trafficking victims are under age 25, and 72% are women or girls. But experts emphasize that victims can be anyone- regardless of age, sex, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background. For patients who come in reporting sexual assault, a SANE nurse is called and the patient is taken to a private exam room. From there, they're given options: a forensic medical exam, the opportunity to report to law enforcement, a connection with the Center for Women and Families, and medications to treat potential STIs. UofL Health also screens every patient who comes into the hospital for domestic violence- every visit, no exceptions. "We are asking every patient every time: has anyone hurt you in your household? Are you afraid of a previous relationship? Have you been hit, kicked, punched, or strangled in the last year?" Yazel explained. "When we ask those questions, it gives them the opportunity to say yes- that's why I'm here." For people out and about in Louisville this week, Yazel has simple advice: stay in groups, stay aware, and say something if something feels off. "Keep your head on a swivel," she said. "If you see somebody that appears to be younger with someone quite a bit older and it looks like they're not in a great situation- alert law enforcement." *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Federal government moves to reclassify marijuana, easing decades-old restrictions URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/federal-government-moves-to-reclassify-marijuana-easing-decades-old-restrictions/ Last updated: 2026-04-23T13:15:05.000Z The Department of Justice is taking steps to loosen federal restrictions on marijuana. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced Thursday the Department of Justice is immediately rescheduling FDA-approved marijuana and state-licensed marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. That's a significant change- Schedule I drugs are classified as having no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse, putting marijuana in the same category as heroin. Schedule III includes drugs like ketamine and certain anabolic steroids, which are considered to have moderate to low potential for dependence. Blanche framed the decision as a healthcare move, not just a drug policy one. His post on social media pointed to expanding patient access to treatment and giving doctors better information to guide care. > Under the decisive leadership of [@POTUS](https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=shayinformed.com), this Department of Justice is delivering on his promise to improve American healthcare. This includes: > > • Immediately rescheduling FDA-approved marijuana and state-licensed marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule IIl > > • Ordering a new,… [pic.twitter.com/DUtqKQgavl](https://t.co/DUtqKQgavl?ref=shayinformed.com) > > — Acting AG Todd Blanche (@DAGToddBlanche) [April 23, 2026](https://twitter.com/DAGToddBlanche/status/2047291538653241488?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=shayinformed.com) The DOJ is also ordering a new, expedited hearing with set deadlines to pursue full rescheduling of marijuana- meaning this may just be the first step in a longer process. The announcement is notable given the source. Rescheduling efforts under the Biden administration stalled and faced significant political headwinds. Now, under a Republican administration, the push is being framed around healthcare access and research- a reframe that could give it more staying power politically. The practical implications are wide-ranging. Rescheduling to Schedule III would open the door to more federally sanctioned research on marijuana's safety and effectiveness, something scientists and doctors have long said is needed. It could also ease some of the financial and legal burdens on state-licensed cannabis businesses that currently operate in a legal gray zone. ## What does it mean for Kentucky? Kentucky's medical cannabis program is barely off the ground- first sales began in December 2025\. Only a few dispensaries are actually open across the state. ### Business perks But those business could see some financial benefits from this move. Under current federal law, cannabis businesses- even state-legal ones- can't deduct normal business expenses on federal taxes because of a tax code provision tied to Schedule I status. Moving to Schedule III would likely eliminate that burden, potentially making Kentucky dispensaries significantly more profitable and viable. ### More access for patients Cannabis consumption outside of the medical cannabis program remains illegal in Kentucky, and that doesn't change with this federal move. But for the thousands of Kentuckians who are registered medical cannabis patients, rescheduling could matter in meaningful ways. It signals federal legitimacy for what doctors are already recommending, and it could push more physicians to get comfortable certifying patients. There are currently over 500 practitioners recommending cannabis in Kentucky and that number could grow. ### More research Rescheduling would open the door to federally sanctioned clinical research that simply hasn't been possible under Schedule I. That's significant for Kentucky, which has its own qualifying conditions framework that the state is already being asked to expand. The Office of Medical Cannabis sent a recommendation to legislative leadership in February 2026 to expand qualifying medical conditions. Better federal research could accelerate and strengthen that process. ### **What it doesn't change** Recreational marijuana remains fully illegal in Kentucky, and this federal action doesn't touch that. Employers can continue enforcing drug-free workplace policies, and employees may still face discipline or termination for cannabis use even if they are legal cardholders. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Nearly 30 years later, Morgan Violi's accused killer faces a federal judge URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/nearly-30-years-later-morgan-violis-accused-killer-faces-a-federal-judge/ Last updated: 2026-04-23T12:10:31.000Z Nearly three decades after Morgan Violi disappeared, the man accused of taking her life stood before a federal judge — and entered a plea of not guilty. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Robert Scott Froberg appeared in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky in Bowling Green this week for his initial appearance and arraignment on a federal indictment. He's been charged with kidnapping in the 30-year-old murder mystery of seven-year-old Morgan Violi. According to court records, Violi was abducted July 24, 1996, while playing with her sisters and friends at the Colony Apartments in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Witnesses saw a white man grab Morgan, put her in a maroon Chevrolet van and drive away. Two days later, the van suspected to be involved in the abduction was found south of Nashville, Tennessee, and searched for evidence. Morgan’s body was found on October 20, 1996- three months after her abduction- in the woods in White House, Tennessee. [Justice 30 years in the making: man charged in Morgan Violi’s kidnapping and murderAfter decades of staying silent, Morgan’s mother and two sisters reached out to me to open up about the day Morgan was taken, the decades of grief that followed, and their determination to find justice. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-26-at-10.01.30---AM.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/thirty-years-without-answers-the-morgan-violi-case-still-haunts-bowling-green/) Froberg arrived in federal court in FBI custody, having been brought to Kentucky on a writ from the State of Alabama. His defense attorneys waived the formal arraignment process, and a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-21-at-1.48.49---PM.png) Froberg told the court he could not afford to hire his own attorney, and after questioning him under oath about his finances, the judge agreed- appointing Assistant Federal Public Defenders Patrick J. Bouldin and Aaron M. Dyke to represent him. The government wasted no time signaling its intentions: prosecutors immediately moved to keep Froberg locked up pending trial. His attorneys did not fight it- at least not yet. Because Froberg came to court from Alabama custody, his defense team formally waived the detention hearing for now, though they preserved his right to revisit that issue down the road. For now, he's in the hands of the U.S. Marshal Service. Both sides have seven days to begin exchanging discovery- evidence, statements, records, and any prior criminal history the government has on file. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-01-26-at-10.51.35---AM.png) Morgan and her two sisters Morgan Violi's family has waited a very long time for this moment. They were in the courtroom on Tuesday. They faced their sister's and daughter's killer for the very first time. I spoke with the family at the end of last year, before they got the call about Froberg's arrest. The major update came in February of this year, when the US Attorney's Office announced advancements in forensic DNA testing had allowed them to connect a hair found in the abandoned van to Froberg. They followed the lead, learning Froberg had been escaped from jail at the time of Morgan's kidnapping. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-01-26-at-10.02.24---AM.png) Investigators talked to Froberg with this information, where, according to court documents, he admitted to driving Morgan to Tennessee and strangling her, causing her death. The next hearing is set for **May 12, 2026, at 2:05 p.m.** *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### "The bar is now on the ground": Mid City Market approved despite design criticism URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/the-bar-is-now-on-the-ground-mid-city-market-approved-despite-design-criticism/ Last updated: 2026-04-22T18:18:43.000Z Mid City Market took a major step forward Tuesday when a city design committee voted to approve demolition of the existing Mid City Mall and construction of the new development. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- The Bardstown Road/Baxter Avenue Review Overlay District Committee met Tuesday morning to consider Branch Properties' request to demolish the commercial building and construct five new commercial buildings on the site- the project now known as Mid City Market. But the approval didn't come without some back-and-forth over design and at least one vocal opponent. ## "The bar is now on the ground" Deborah Harlan, a Bonnycastle neighborhood resident, showed up to speak against the project, calling it a "missed opportunity." Harlan rattled off a list of concerns: the lack of red brick, what she described as a major problem for pedestrians because of the distance between Bardstown Road and the entrance to the grocery store, a lack of housing, and a color palette that doesn't match the neighborhood. "We set the bar high for many, many years. The bar is now on the ground and being stepped on," she told the committee. ## The brick debate Harlan wasn't alone in wanting more red brick. It was one of the committee's own requests for the design. But Jesse Shannon, president of Branch Properties, didn't mince words in his response. "We're not going to put our name on the line for a project that we don't feel is best in class and design," Shannon told the committee, calling the red brick suggestion "not good design." Shannon explained that the building design is based on a specific color pattern, with the architect drawing inspiration from Bardstown Road and the Highlands. It's the same approach Shannon mentioned at a Tyler Park Neighborhood Association meeting earlier this year, when he said the company had sent an architect to photograph "significant architectural properties" around Louisville to make the development "feel native" to the area. You can see the design renderings [here](https://htv-prod-media.s3.amazonaws.com/files/26-overlay-0004-final-birds-eye-renderings-041426-69e7e1be527f8.pdf?ref=shayinformed.com). [Say goodbye to Mid City Mall, hello to Mid City MarketDeveloper ‘Branch Properties’ revealed the new vision for Mid City Mall, which includes a Publix, public library, and retail space that hopes to attract local and national businesses. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/MidCityMarket_Jan2026.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/say-goodbye-to-mid-city-mall-hello-to-mid-city-market/) ## The parking vs. green space tension There was also significant discussion about adding more green spaces and potentially removing buildings or parking. The committee said those were two priorities for them. But the developer pushed back, warning that eliminating any more parking could have serious consequences: losing the grocery tenant. While Branch Properties has been coy about officially naming the grocer, Shannon's comment all but confirms what neighbors have suspected- it's Publix. And apparently, Publix has parking requirements that can't be negotiated away. The exchange highlights the delicate balancing act developers face when trying to satisfy both community desires for green space and the practical demands of major retail tenants. ## "34 neighborhood meetings" Cliff Ashburner, the attorney representing Branch Properties, made the closing argument for approval, pointing to the extensive community engagement process. After three public hearings and 34 neighborhood meetings, Ashburner said, "all of the organizations decided to support the plan." He asked the committee to take that into consideration, along with modifications the developer agreed to make- including adding a mural to the back wall of the grocery store. ## Balancing design and economic reality One committee member seemed to capture the tension in the room, acknowledging the need to balance aesthetics with economic vitality. "Our purpose is to enhance the appearance and economic vitality of one of the city's most appealing neighborhoods, so we do have that economic vitality to be kept in mind," the committee member said. "Mid City Mall has not been the spot in town for a while now, so this is an opportunity that we do need to take seriously from an economic standpoint. Not just the color of the bricks." Shannon had made a similar point earlier, acknowledging that Branch Properties has navigated a flood of feedback over the past few months. "We have dealt with tons of opinions throughout the dozens of neighborhood meetings," Shannon said, adding that the company has had to weigh the pros and cons of each suggestion. ## What's next With the design committee's approval secured, Mid City Market moves closer to reality. The project includes a 50,000-square-foot grocery store- now all but confirmed as Publix- along with retail buildings, outdoor patio spaces, and potentially a public library. The development is a joint venture between Branch Properties and the Metz family, who currently own the Mid City Mall property. The existing structure is slated for demolition by the end of 2024, with the new Mid City Market expected to open in the first quarter of 2028. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Roads reopen, but the work isn't over: what to know about the wildfire in Daniel Boone National Forrest URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/roads-reopen-but-the-work-isnt-over-what-to-know-about-the-wildfire-in-daniel-boone-national-forrest/ Last updated: 2026-04-22T18:12:18.000Z Multiple agencies are still working to fully suppress a fire in McCreary County that is now estimated at 1,100 acres. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- If you've been watching the smoke rise near Yahoo Falls over the past several days, here's where things stand. The Alum Fire in McCreary County is now estimated at 1,100 acres and is 90% contained. That's meaningful progress. State Highway 700- that's Alum Road- along with Yahoo Falls Road and the recreation areas connected to them reopened Monday after fire crews spent time clearing hazardous trees, called snags, and confirming the roads were safe for the public. If you've been waiting to get back out to one of Kentucky's most beloved natural areas, that wait is over. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-22-at-1.28.45---PM.png) But don't mistake "reopened roads" for "all clear." The Daniel Boone National Forest and Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area are still jointly managing this fire under what's called a Unified Command- meaning multiple agencies are working together with one shared strategy: full suppression. Firefighters are still out there monitoring control lines and doing what's known as "mop up" work, which means hunting down hot spots and extinguishing them before they have a chance to reignite. That process continues until the fire is completely out. Alum Trail and a portion of the Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail remain closed. Please respect those closures and give crews the space to finish the job safely. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/04/USDA-Forest-Service-photo-by-Mike-McMillan.jpg) USDA Forest Service photo by Mike McMillan One more thing worth mentioning: there is a helicopter actively supporting suppression efforts from the air. If a drone is spotted anywhere near the fire operation, crews are required to ground that aircraft immediately. It's not a suggestion. Flying a drone near this fire, and you are putting firefighters at risk. The Forest Service is asking everyone to treat the entire fire area as a no-drone zone. ## Burn restrictions According to the [incident status website](https://www.fs.usda.gov/r08/danielboone/alerts/active-wildfire-near-yahoo-falls-big-south-fork-nrra-alum-wildfire?fbclid=IwY2xjawRV1%5F5leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFOdVluREZucTdkUFJ0bEpqc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHsBqZ-CXKscVYGgHHmbqPBLjHPJhTulThUuE6SnwNVRIVqvZ1XrLgqnA0iOr%5Faem%5FG9L8eNdxwP4N6gWBCsbKwg&ref=shayinformed.com), the fire was human-caused. That detail matters, because it's exactly why the U.S. Forest Service has now stepped in with restrictions aimed at making sure it doesn't happen again somewhere else on the Daniel Boone National Forest. In effect, right now, all open burning and campfires are prohibited outside of developed recreation areas across the entire forest. That means no building, maintaining, or using an open fire, campfire, or stove fire unless you're in a designated developed area using a Forest Service-provided grill, metal fire ring, or fire pit. The Forest Service is pointing to elevated fire danger across Kentucky as the driving factor. If you're planning a camping trip, you're not entirely out of options. Commercially available fuel stoves- think portable propane camp stoves or covered charcoal grills- are still permitted forestwide. But an open flame on the ground? That's off the table for now. The burn restrictions will stay in place until fire danger conditions improve. There's no set end date. The Alum Fire is a reminder of how fast things can escalate- and how one person's decision in the woods can mean hundreds of firefighters, aircraft, and weeks of work for everyone else. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/04/674162276_1393910912764628_3883966297091562014_n.jpg) USDA Forest Service photo by Mike McMillan *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Circumstantial Episode 10: The rest of my life URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/circumstantial-episode-10-the-rest-of-my-life/ Last updated: 2026-04-27T15:17:51.000Z The appeals. The unsolved Bardstown murders. A family's renewed push to find Tommy's killer. And Sherry Ballard's promise to never stop fighting. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly news podcast.* --- "He should be here." That's what kept running through Sherry Ballard's mind when the guilty verdicts came down. When the courtroom erupted. When her family hugged and cried and finally exhaled after ten years of fighting. Tommy Ballard. Crystal's father. The man who searched every field and farm looking for his daughter. The man who posted on Facebook about a white Buick. The man who was murdered six months later. He should have been there to see it. The Crystal Rogers case ended with guilty verdicts. Brooks Houck is in prison for life. Joseph Lawson got 25 years. Steve Lawson got 17. But the Ballard family's fight for justice? That's far from over. Episode 10 of "Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trial" is live now. It's the final episode of this series. And it's about everything that comes next. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/50k-reward-2-1.jpg) --- You won't find this on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It's only here, on shayinformed.com, because this is independent journalism funded directly by people who believe this work matters. You can sign up [here](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup). _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Kentucky Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman is running for Governor- and she's shooting her shot URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-lt-governor-jacqueline-coleman-is-running-for-governor-and-shes-shooting-her-shot/ Last updated: 2026-04-20T15:20:15.000Z Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman made it official Monday morning: she's running for governor in 2027. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Jacqueline Coleman made the announcement at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History in Frankfort, surrounded by supporters, volunteers, community leaders, friends, and family- and she didn't hold back. In a social media post ahead of the event, she laid out her case in the plainspoken way that's become her trademark: *"I've had a few jobs in my life. Farm hand. Teacher. Assistant principal. Basketball coach. Mom. And for the past six years, your Lieutenant Governor. Which means I know when it's time to shoot my shot."* It's a line that's classic Coleman- grounded in her roots, unapologetic, and just a little bit basketball. The 43-year-old Centre College graduate played college ball as a shooting guard before spending years teaching social studies and coaching girls' basketball in central Kentucky. That biography has always been central to her identity, and it's front and center in how she's framing her campaign. Coleman has served alongside Gov. Andy Beshear as Kentucky's 58th lieutenant governor. Over the past six years, she's championed public education, student mental health, and rural economic development as her signature priorities within the Beshear administration. Her announcement comes as no surprise to political observers. With Gov. Beshear term-limited and increasingly flirting with a presidential run, Coleman has long been viewed as the natural top contender for governor on the Democratic side. On the Republican side, potential names include Kentucky Congressman James Comer, Secretary of State Michael Adams, and former GOP Senate Floor Leader Damon Thayer. ## Another voice enters the race Coleman isn't the only one who has officially announced a bid. Rick Hardin, the Commonwealth's Attorney for Grayson County, announced his candidacy for governor earlier this year, and his message was a sharp departure from typical campaign rhetoric. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-20-at-11.17.03---AM.png) Hardin didn't mince words about where he thinks Kentucky stands. He pointed to more than two million Kentuckians who have stopped voting, over 700,000 living in poverty, and what he described as a broken education system and a neglected Department of Corrections. He took direct aim at corporate access to government, the state's new tax policy, and Kentucky's looming investment in nuclear energy- calling it a generational debt burden paired with a waste problem that will outlast our grandchildren. His platform is sweeping and unconventional. Hardin is calling for the end of taxes on individual and corporate income and real property, replacing them with a transaction-based tax system. He wants a formal separation of corporations from state government, an overhaul of corrections focused on individual accountability and inmate-earned wages, and a restructuring of education that he says would honor the teacher-student relationship over standardized testing and administrative overhead. He closed his announcement with a direct call to action- challenging Kentuckians to find the two million voters who have given up and bring them back. "When Kentuckians rise," he wrote, "this Commonwealth will rise." ### The Beshear factor Coleman's path to the Governor's Mansion is, in no small part, shaped by what her current boss decides to do next. Gov. Beshear has publicly acknowledged he is considering a run for president in 2028, though he has said he won't make a decision until after his term ends in late 2027\. Beshear has been methodically raising his national profile- visiting New Hampshire, taking on the role of chair of the Democratic Governors Association, publishing a book, and telling a Politico interviewer that his record of winning three straight statewide elections in a Trump-plus-30 state makes him among the most electable Democrats in the country. That creates an interesting dynamic for Coleman. If Beshear sets his sights on the White House, it clears the lane for her to carry the Democratic torch in Kentucky- but it also means she'd be running without the most popular Democrat in the state actively at her side. In a state where Donald Trump carried the vote by more than 30 points in 2024, that's a real consideration. For now, though, Coleman is focused on her own shot- and she's made clear she intends to take it. "Every Kentuckian, regardless of zip code, deserves a fair shot at a better tomorrow," she wrote. "Especially our kids and grandkids." The media has historically played a role in shaping who gets attention- and that's a legitimate concern. So if you see a candidate announce their bid for governor, please send it my way. I will be watching, but I don't want to miss anything. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Joey Lawson takes his case to Kentucky's highest court URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/joey-lawson-takes-his-case-to-kentuckys-highest-court/ Last updated: 2026-04-16T20:22:23.000Z Joseph "Joey" Lawson is asking the Kentucky Supreme Court to throw out his conviction in the Crystal Rogers case, and his attorney is making multiple arguments for why that should happen. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Joseph Lawson's appellate brief, filed this week, lays out a sweeping challenge to the 25-year sentence he received after being convicted alongside Brooks Houck last summer for conspiracy to commit murder and complicity to tampering with physical evidence in connection with the 2015 disappearance of Crystal Rogers. The 88-page appeal is detailed, and from the very first page, the defense frames Lawson's conviction as the product of coercive tactics, a media circus, a tainted jury, and a case the Commonwealth simply never proved. ## The core argument: the Commonwealth didn't prove it ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/04/Joseph-Lawson-MUG.jpg) The most foundational argument in the brief is that the evidence against Joey Lawson was never sufficient to convict him of anything. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### He always wanted to fight for his country. At 26, he did. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/he-always-wanted-to-fight-for-his-country-at-26-he-did/ Last updated: 2026-05-25T13:06:02.000Z The Pennington family opens up about Ben- the soldier, the son, the man they're still learning about. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my podcasts.* --- The Pennington house in Glendale, KY, is quiet in the way that houses get when they're holding something too big for words. On the coffee table, hundreds of cards are carefully placed in a basket- most of them from people the Penningtons have never met. Military memorabilia and challenge coins are arranged on display throughout the living room. Framed photographs of Ben line the walls, a whole life in still images: a blonde-headed little boy, a teenager in a Boy Scout uniform, a young man in Army dress greens, grinning after jumping out of a plane. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-13-at-2.27.25---PM.png) Tim, Carrie, and Mackenzie Pennington invited me into their home on a recent spring afternoon. National outlets had called. They turned them down. They chose to tell Ben's story here, in Kentucky, to a Kentucky audience- because they wanted it told with integrity. That trust is not something I take lightly. What follows is their story of Army Staff Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington. The 26-year-old was the seventh American service member killed in the Iran war. But more than that, it's a story about a boy who drew pictures of tanks when he was five years old, and lived out every word of it. ## "I love America because I want to fight for my country" ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-13-at-2.28.18---PM.png) There is a piece of paper somewhere in this house that tells you everything you need to know about Ben Pennington. He was in kindergarten when his teacher gave the class a prompt: *I love America because...* Most kids probably wrote something about fireworks or their moms. Ben drew tanks. He drew army men. He drew machine guns. And he filled in the blank with ten words that would define the next twenty years of his life: *because I want to fight for my country.* "He did that when he was five," says his older sister Mackenzie, shaking her head with a look caught somewhere between a laugh and a grief she can't quite name. "So that's just- I mean, he had it on his heart at an early age. That's exactly what he wanted to do." Carrie Pennington, Ben's mother, remembers a toddler obsessed with the History Channel. Tim, his father, remembers buying every toy gun, every tank, every GI Joe he asked for. The backyard was a battlefield. The neighbors were his unit. And as he grew, the dream never wavered. When Ben was old enough, he joined the Cub Scouts, then the Boy Scouts, eventually earning the rank of Eagle Scout. His scoutmasters included retired military men, and Tim says the troop had a formality and structure that prepared Ben for what came next in ways a typical childhood couldn't. Many of the boys who earned Eagle Scout alongside Ben eventually joined the military themselves. They became the core of what Ben would later call, with complete seriousness, "the Brotherhood"- a group of twelve friends who have shown up for each other ever since. "When he came home on leave," Mackenzie says, "he always had to see the Brotherhood." At 18, Ben walked into a recruiting office and signed the papers. "As a dad, I was very proud, you know, you know when he came back and said I've joined the service," Tim told me. But Carrie had a different reaction. "I cried the whole first year. Seeing his dream was a lot harder," she told me. Carrie finishes the thought quietly: "He's gone at 26\. That's what I thought of. That's what was going through my mind." _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Louisville will host 2028 Olympic Gymnastics Trials URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/louisville-will-host-2028-olympic-gymnastics-trials/ Last updated: 2026-04-15T19:08:32.000Z It's a huge win for the city- and the state. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Louisville is getting a piece of the Olympic spotlight. Governor Andy Beshear, along with city leaders and Olympic champions of the past, made it official today- the KFC Yum! Center will host the 2028 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team Trials, bringing one of the most-watched events in American sports directly to Kentucky's largest city. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-15-at-10.51.29---AM.png) The timing is significant. The 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles will be the first Summer Games held on U.S. soil in more than 30 years. And for Kentucky, the gymnastics trials will mark another first- it will be the first time the Olympic rings have ever been displayed in the state. Governor Beshear was in Louisville to make the announcement and didn't shy away from the economic pitch that comes with landing an event like this. "This is a major win for this city and our entire commonwealth and we worked hard to make it happen," he said. "In 2028, the tourism dollars spent here, as well as media coverage, will make a big impact." That economic impact is expected to ripple well beyond the Yum! Center floor. Hotels, restaurants and local businesses across Louisville- and throughout the state- stand to benefit as gymnastics fans travel in for the trials, which typically draw massive crowds and significant national media attention. "Our New Kentucky Home is beating record after record," Beshear added, "and this is yet another step into the future." The trials are expected to determine which athletes will represent the United States in artistic gymnastics when the LA Games open in the summer of 2028. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### The Crystal Rogers Act is now Kentucky law URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/the-crystal-rogers-act-is-now-kentucky-law/ Last updated: 2026-04-14T17:05:20.000Z Governor Andy Beshear signed House Bill 305 on Monday, putting his signature on legislation that began with one mother's refusal to let a legal loophole be the final insult after a decade of unimaginable loss. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- For Sherry Ballard, the road to this moment started long before the bill was ever filed. Her daughter, Crystal Rogers, disappeared on July 4, 2015\. She lost her husband Tommy in 2016, shot and killed while on a hunting trip in a crime that remains unsolved. And then, after ten years of fighting for answers, she finally watched Brooks Houck get convicted of murdering Crystal. Even that victory came with a gut punch. During the investigation, FBI agents searching the Houck family property found tape recorders hidden in pants pockets and a bag full of bingo stamps. Brooks Houck, his mother Rosemary, his brother Nick, his sister Rhonda, and Rosemary's live-in boyfriend had all secretly recorded their grand jury testimony- a serious violation of one of the most protected legal processes in Kentucky. When Sherry found out, she went to prosecutors expecting consequences. [Sherry Ballard won’t stop fighting: her push to close the legal loophole that let Houck family off the hookThey broke the law, they faced no consequences, and now Sherry Ballard is fighting to change that. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/size/w1200/2026/01/Screenshot-2025-10-07-at-12.29.02---PM.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/sherry-ballard-wont-stop-fighting-her-push-to-close-the-legal-loophole-that-let-houck-family-off-the-hook/) There were none. Kentucky's statute of limitations for secretly recording grand jury proceedings was just one year, and by the time the recordings were discovered, that window had long since closed. "It was so frustrating for me as a mother to go through what I had been through," Sherry told me. "You think a grand jury, that's a huge thing, and then you hear that they can't even use that against them. It was a shock to me." So instead of resting after a hard-won conviction, Sherry picked up another fight. She reached out to Rep. Candy Massaroni (R-Bardstown), who didn't hesitate. "We all saw the injustice of the Crystal Rogers case," Massaroni told me, "and I think it's something that needed to be looked at and changed in the Kentucky statutes." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/04/sherry-and-candy.jpg) Sherry Ballard with Rep. Candy Massaroni while testifying in Frankfort [House Bill 305](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/hb305.html/?ref=shayinformed.com)\- officially named the Crystal Rogers Act- does three things. It extends the statute of limitations for secretly recording grand jury testimony from one year to ten. It makes that violation a Class A misdemeanor for regular citizens, and a Class D felony for public servants. And it makes sharing grand jury information a Class D felony as well, with exceptions carved out for Commonwealth's attorneys, their staff, and law enforcement officers acting in an official capacity. Sherry testified in Frankfort in February, and the bill moved with rare speed and unanimity. It passed the House Judiciary Committee 17-0, cleared the full House 93-0, worked through the Senate, and landed on the governor's desk April 1. The ten-year window wasn't an accident. "I just look at it like that's a sign," Sherry told me. "Maybe that's a good sign that this is gonna pass, and I can change that for other people." It took exactly ten years- from 2015 to 2025- to get justice for Crystal. Sherry was clear-eyed about what this law cannot do. It won't reach back to hold the Houck family accountable for what they did. She'll still see them around Bardstown, knowing what they got away with. "It's so hard, because you've heard everything that happened in court, and I walk around and I still see these people out sometimes," she said. "To think they did what they did and didn't get reprimanded... it's like they just broke the law and just got by with it, and it's very hard." But that's exactly why she fought for it. [Circumstantial Episode 9: Tell us where she isLife in prison for Brooks Houck. 25 years for Joseph Lawson. And the chance for the Ballard family to look them in the eye and speak their mind. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Circumstantial: The![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-02-10-at-8.49.37---AM.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/circumstantial-episode-9-tell-us-where-she-is/) "It's too late for me. I can't go back and use that for my family, but if I can for somebody else's and make that difference in what they might go through in life, it's worth me fighting with everything I have to get this passed," she said. And there's another message she hopes the law sends- to anyone who thinks they can interfere with a criminal investigation and face no consequences. "People like that think they can just get by with something," Sherry said. "And if they think people are literally, actually going to stand up and fight for what's right, maybe it'll make them think twice before they do something like that." Ten years after Crystal Rogers disappeared, her mother is still fighting for her- and now, for every family that comes after. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Circumstantial Episode 9: Tell us where she is URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/circumstantial-episode-9-tell-us-where-she-is/ Last updated: 2026-04-16T12:38:32.000Z Life in prison for Brooks Houck. 25 years for Joseph Lawson. And the chance for the Ballard family to look them in the eye and speak their mind. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly news podcast.* --- The morning of deliberations, the sun rose over Bowling Green in shades of orange and pink. I ran into Sherry Ballard before we walked into the courthouse. She was smiling. Not the nervous kind of smile you put on when you're trying to hold it together. A real one. She told me she had peace. That she'd prayed, looked for little signs, and felt something she hadn't felt in ten years. "This is it," she said. "I'm here for a reason." Inside the courtroom, the judge reminded everyone what was about to happen. Twelve jurors would decide if the prosecution had proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Brooks Houck killed Crystal Rogers and that Joseph Lawson helped. Three bailiffs were sworn in to watch over deliberations. The jury walked out just before 9 a.m. And then we waited. The hallway got crowded fast. Media, family members, attorneys- nobody wanted to stray too far. The Houck family eventually moved to a different floor. The Ballard family and Crystal's supporters spread out along the hallway, sitting on the floor, leaning against walls. You could feel the tension. The hope. The weight of not knowing. Two hours in, the jury came back. Too quick for a verdict- and it was. They had a request. They wanted to rewatch the testimony of Charlie Girdley, Brooks Houck's former employee, who had delivered some of the most disturbing testimony of the trial. The jury watched about 20 minutes, handed the judge a note saying they didn't need to see any more, and went back to deliberating. Two more hours passed. Then someone shouted, "We have a verdict!" Episode 9 of "Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials" is live now. It's the verdict. The jail calls. The homecoming that brought a small Kentucky town to tears. And the sentencing- when the Ballard family was finally able to speak their mind. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-10-at-8.49.37---AM-1.png) --- You won't find this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It's only here, on shayinformed.com, because this is independent journalism funded directly by people who believe this work matters. You can sign up [here](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup). _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Your tax dollars, their final vote: what's in Kentucky's $32 Billion budget URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/your-tax-dollars-their-final-vote-whats-in-kentuckys-32-billion-budget/ Last updated: 2026-04-13T17:19:42.000Z As Tax Day approaches, Kentucky lawmakers face a big deadline of their own: deciding how to spend your money. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Wednesday is Tax Day- the federal and state deadline to file your 2025 income tax return. And while you're squaring up with the government, Kentucky's lawmakers will be doing the same thing on the other end of the equation: wrapping up the final day of the 2026 legislative session, with a $32 billion budget for your tax dollars already on the table. This year's session produced House Bill 500- a two-year spending plan that directs the spending of $32 billion of state tax revenue by executive branch agencies over the next two fiscal years. Republicans who control the legislature have called it fiscally disciplined. Governor Beshear has called it insufficient. Both are partly right- and here's what that means for you. ## What's in the budget The final budget fully funds pension obligations, provides 2% pay raises for state employees in both fiscal years, and maintains the Dolly Parton Imagination Library with a total allocation of $5 million over the biennium. It also includes a $1.7 billion one-time appropriations bill funding more than 300 individual local projects- water and sewer systems, airports, economic development, and affordable housing. The budget invests more than $1 billion in Louisville specifically, which Mayor Craig Greenberg says will be used on downtown revitalization projects, local non-profits like Dare to Care and the Kentucky Center for Performing Arts, and re-opening the Metro's youth detention center. ## What's not The final version of HB 500 appropriates nearly $700 million less for Medicaid benefits than what Beshear requested, though lawmakers did set aside a reserve fund as a potential backstop. And the budget increased the K-12 per-pupil spending formula by two percent over the biennium, but ignored requests from the governor to set aside money for mandated raises for public K-12 school employees and an expanded pre-K program. That last point matters. Kentucky currently ranks 48th among states in starting teacher pay at roughly $40,000 annually, while those same teachers make $50,000 in West Virginia and $55,000 in Tennessee. ## What's still being decided this week The session doesn't end until lawmakers gavel out April 15th. They return with the power to override any Beshear vetoes and pass any remaining legislation. That means the Medicaid overhaul, JCPS governance changes, and several other bills your family may be directly affected by could still move- or get blocked. The budget fight happening in Frankfort right now is, at its core, a conversation about your money: how much the state takes, how much it spends, and who benefits. Wednesday is a good day to pay attention to both sides of that equation. You can track Wednesday's final session proceedings live through [KET's legislature stream](https://ket.org/legislature?ref=shayinformed.com) or the [LRC YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@KYLRCCommitteeMeetings?ref=shayinformed.com). --- *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Major I-65 closure is 50 days away- here's what Louisville drivers need to know URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/major-i-65-closure-is-50-days-away-heres-what-louisville-drivers-need-to-know/ Last updated: 2026-04-13T14:55:38.000Z If you haven't started thinking about how the I-65 closure this summer is going to affect your daily commute, now is the time. We're exactly 50 days out, and this is going to be a big deal for anyone driving through, in, or around Louisville. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- 50 days from now, a five-mile stretch of Louisville's busiest interstate will be closed to traffic- meaning not only will I-65 be inaccessible, Louisville's other highways will become even more crowded. The closure is from the Watterson Expressway (I-264) all the way into downtown Louisville at Jefferson Street and it's scheduled to close at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, June 1\. The state expects it to reopen on Saturday, August 1\. That's two full months with one of Louisville's most heavily traveled interstates completely shut down. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-13-at-10.49.24---AM.png) ## Why is this happening? Three bridges on that corridor- over Kentucky Street/Brook Street, Hill Street/CSX Railroad/Burnett Avenue, and Bradley Avenue near the fairgrounds-need to be replaced. All three were built in the late 1950s as part of the original interstate construction. They're old, and they need to go. The state says doing a full closure, rather than trying to squeeze construction around live traffic, will actually save at least a year of delays and restrictions overall. Crews have already been working since last September building the foundations for the three new bridges- that work is about 80% done- so when the closure hits, they'll be ready to move fast. There is a small bit of good news tucked in here: a two-mile section of *southbound* I-65, from University Boulevard to the Watterson, is expected to reopen to two lanes by July 1- a full month before the full reopening. That will also bring back four ramps: Crittenden Drive on and off ramps and the on ramps from Eastern Parkway and University Boulevard. ## So where do you go instead? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-13-at-10.49.37---AM-1.png) The official detour routes through traffic to I-264- the Georgia Davis Powers Expressway- on the west side of Louisville. State officials say it's the shortest alternate route with the most available capacity, and some ramps along I-264 are actually being temporarily widened ahead of the closure to help handle the extra load. For people heading into or out of downtown Louisville specifically, southbound I-65 traffic can exit at Jefferson Street to get downtown, and I-64 is also an option. If you're leaving downtown, headed north on I-65, you'll use the ramp from East Liberty Street, or you can use the I-64 ramps at Third Street and Ninth Street. KYTC has also partnered with Waze, so the app should be updated with real-time closure information to help route you around backups as they develop. If you use it regularly, make sure your app is up to date before June 1. ## The bigger picture This closure is part of a much larger project- nine total bridges on the I-65 corridor are being replaced or rehabilitated. The first three are in the worst shape, which is why they're being tackled first. The remaining six bridges span Liberty Street, Floyd Street, Chestnut Street, Jacob Street/Broadway/Gray Street, Muhammad Ali Boulevard/Brook Street, and the Muhammad Ali Boulevard on-ramp. The full project is expected to wrap up in late 2027. Bottom line: plan, add extra time to your commute, and start building your alternate routes now- before June 1 sneaks up on you. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Kentucky leaders pass new law aimed at lowering your utility and mortgage costs URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-leaders-pass-new-law-aimed-at-lowering-your-utility-and-mortgage-costs/ Last updated: 2026-04-09T16:48:13.000Z Governor Andy Beshear signed two new pieces of legislation this week that could put more money back in Kentuckians' pockets. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Governor Andy Beshear signed two new pieces of legislation this week that could put more money back in Kentuckians' pockets- one targeting long-term energy costs, the other making homeownership a little more attainable. Senate Bill 57 creates what's being called the Nuclear Reactor Site Readiness Pilot Program. In plain terms, it sets aside grant funding to help develop and license sites for nuclear energy in Kentucky. The idea is that bringing nuclear power online, eventually, could drive down utility costs for residents. It's a long game, and the governor's office is framing it exactly that way: a potential long-term fix, not an overnight solution. The second bill, Senate Bill 157, is more immediately practical for a lot of families. It allows Kentuckians to buy down their mortgage interest rates using discount points- a common tool in the mortgage world that hasn't always been clearly accessible here. The bill also includes new protections against predatory lending practices, which is a quiet but meaningful addition for buyers who are most vulnerable when navigating the homebuying process. Beshear, in remarks accompanying the signings, pointed directly at federal economic pressures as part of his reasoning. "Decisions at the federal level are causing costs to rise, and Americans across the country are feeling it at the grocery, gas pump and when their bills come at the end of the month," he said. "In Kentucky, we're doing what we can to help our families." The signings are part of a busy stretch of legislative action out of Frankfort. Earlier this week, Beshear also signed bills covering Alzheimer's care planning, organ donation safeguards, and prosthetics and orthotics coverage under health benefit plans. A bill to streamline college admissions and another expanding earning limits for retired teachers returning to the classroom also got his signature. Going back further this session, the governor has signed legislation on school administrator pay, student transportation safety, a storm shelter rebate program, and utility cost relief- the latter echoing similar goals to what he signed Tuesday. The throughline in all of it, at least according to the governor's office: trying to offset rising costs at the state level while federal economic pressures continue to squeeze Kentucky families. [Kentucky passed a lot of laws this session. Here’s what actually matters.Kentucky lawmakers are currently on a break while Governor Andy Beshear signs or vetoes bills sent to his desk. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free weekly newsletter![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-201.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/beshear-bill-signing-2.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-passed-a-lot-of-laws-this-session-heres-what-actually-matters/) *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### No gas tax for 30 days- here's what Indiana drivers need to know URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/no-gas-tax-for-30-days-heres-what-indiana-drivers-need-to-know/ Last updated: 2026-04-08T17:33:29.000Z --- Indiana Governor Mike Braun is giving drivers a break- at least for now. Braun announced a 30-day suspension of the state's 7% usage tax on fuel, framing it as emergency relief for Hoosiers struggling with high gas prices. The governor issued an emergency declaration to trigger the holiday, and left the door open for an extension if conditions don't improve. "I am declaring a gas tax holiday to give Hoosiers relief from the pain at the pump from high gas prices," Braun said in the announcement. "Affordability is my top priority." On Wednesday, AAA reported the national average jumped two-cents to $4.16 per gallon. Southern Indiana is seeing some of the highest gas prices in the state, according to AAA. With Crawford and Harrison County prices above the national average at $4.22 per gallon. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-1.32.26---PM.png) But the governor didn't stop at just suspending the gas tax- he's also putting retailers on notice. Braun called on gas station owners to actually pass the savings along to customers rather than pocket the difference, and said the state will be "patrolling the pumps" to make sure that happens. He also asked the state's Attorney General to crack down on any price gouging in the meantime. The move is notable because it puts both a carrot and a stick on the table: lower taxes on one end, and enforcement pressure on the other. Whether drivers actually see a difference at the pump will depend largely on how quickly and honestly retailers respond. The suspension is subject to review at the 30-day mark, with the possibility of extension depending on whether the underlying emergency- high fuel prices- persists. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Circumstantial Episode 8: "This man is guilty of murder" URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/circumstantial-episode-8-this-man-is-guilty-of-murder/ Last updated: 2026-04-14T14:45:02.000Z The judge laid out the entire case against Brooks Houck. The defense asked the jury to send him home to his son. And behind the scenes, attorneys debated whether to dismiss a juror who slept through the evidence. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly news podcast.* --- Before closing arguments could begin, the defense had one last move. It's called a motion for directed verdict- essentially asking the judge to throw out the case before it ever reaches the jury. It's a high bar. Judges rarely grant them. But Brooks Houck's attorney, Brian Butler, had to try. "There's three things that have been identified to support a homicide," Butler told the judge. "Proof of a body, proof of a crime scene, or a confession. And none of those exist in this case." He wasn't wrong. After two weeks of testimony, the prosecution had presented no body. No crime scene. No confession. No DNA. No murder weapon. So Judge Simms took a moment. Read over his notes. The courtroom waited in silence. And then he started talking. What came next was remarkable- the judge essentially laid out the prosecution's entire case, point by point. Episode 8 of "Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials" is live now. And it's the episode where closing arguments finally happen- and where everything comes down to twelve strangers. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-07-at-2.19.33---PM-1.png) --- You won't find this on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It's only here, on shayinformed.com, because this is independent journalism funded directly by people who believe this work matters. You can sign up [here](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup). _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Kentucky passed a lot of laws this session. Here's what actually matters. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-passed-a-lot-of-laws-this-session-heres-what-actually-matters/ Last updated: 2026-04-07T12:58:46.000Z Kentucky lawmakers are currently on a break while Governor Andy Beshear signs or vetoes bills sent to his desk. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- The Kentucky General Assembly sent nearly 80 bills to final passage in the final hours before the governor's veto period began. Now, lawmakers are on a ten-day break- but don't let the quiet fool you. What happens between now and April 14th could shape Kentucky's laws, its health care system, and even its courts for years to come. Here's your guide to what passed, what's already been vetoed, what got overridden, and what's still hanging in the balance. ## The clock, explained The way Kentucky's legislative process works, bills that cleared both chambers before the veto period started on April 3rd are considered "veto-proof"- meaning if Governor Andy Beshear vetoes them, the Republican supermajority can override him when they return for the final two days of the session on April 14th and 15th. That's not a small thing. Republicans hold at least 80% of the seats in both chambers, and overriding a veto only requires a simple majority. So for most of what passed, Beshear's pen is more symbolic than decisive. Bills passed after April 14th, however, are a different story. If Beshear vetoes those, the veto sticks. There's no time to override. ## What passed Lawmakers have been busy- sending more than 100 bills to Beshear's desk. But here are some of the big ones I think you should know about. ### The budget The biggest lift of any session is the state budget, and this year lawmakers got it done- just barely. According to [Louisville Public Media](https://www.lpm.org/news/2026-04-02/kentucky-lawmakers-pass-32b-state-budget-send-to-gov-beshear/?ref=shayinformed.com), the GOP supermajority passed the two-year executive branch spending plan, House Bill 500, on the final day before the veto period, allocating more than $31 billion in General Fund revenues. Republicans framed it as restrained and disciplined. Beshear framed it differently, criticizing the final version for underfunding Medicaid and other essential services. There's also the judicial branch budget, House Bill 504, which is drawing its own attention- and not in a good way. According to [Louisville Public Media](https://www.lpm.org/news/2026-04-03/gambling-medicaid-ksu-heres-what-passed-and-didnt-in-kentucky-ahead-of-veto-period?ref=shayinformed.com), despite pleas from Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice Debra Lambert, the legislature passed the judicial branch budget without the funds Lambert said the courts need to maintain services. Lambert said she is "deeply disappointed" by the final budget and that significant layoffs are coming. ### Medicaid requirements Then there's House Bill 2, the Medicaid overhaul that Republicans made a top priority this session. The legislature passed House Bill 2, putting parts of the new federal Medicaid law into Kentucky statute- including work reporting requirements and co-payments. The bill went through significant changes on its way to passage. According to Louisville Public Media, the amended version that passed lowered co-pays to $5 for health care services and $1 for prescription drugs, pushed back implementation dates (to 2028), and preserved hardship waivers for poorer counties. These waivers allow states to exempt certain areas from standard federal rules. The Medicaid bill matters beyond the numbers. Critics warn that work requirements and stricter eligibility checks- even with the Senate's softening amendments- will create paperwork barriers that knock eligible Kentuckians off their coverage. Supporters say the bill simply aligns Kentucky with federal law and adds necessary program oversight. ### Changes to gambling laws And then there was a flurry of activity around gambling. According to Louisville Public Media, House Bill 904 was a late-amended bill among the last to clear both chambers, carrying 150 pages of changes to Kentucky's gambling statutes. One of the major changes raises the legal age for sports wagering from 18 to 21\. The bill also, for the first time, regulates and taxes fantasy sports, while moving oversight of charitable gaming into the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation. The bill also takes aim at prediction markets where people bet on future events- by preventing companies with horse racing or sports betting licenses from affiliating with them ## What Beshear has already vetoed Even before the veto period officially began, Beshear was sending bills back. He's vetoed several high-profile measures, though whether those vetoes hold depends on whether Republicans choose to take them up on April 14th. ### Changes to gun law On guns, Beshear vetoed two bills. House Bill 78 would have expanded liability protections for gun manufacturers and dealers- and would have punished people who sued gun-related businesses in violation of those shields. The bill came as a Louisville lawsuit over the 2023 Old National Bank mass shooting remains active. In his veto message, Beshear wrote that the legislation "prioritizes immunity for gun dealers over the safety of the Commonwealth's citizens." He also vetoed House Bill 312, which would have lowered the concealed carry age from 21 to 18\. Beshear pointed out that Kentuckians under 21 can't rent a car, buy alcohol, or even serve in the state legislature- yet this bill would have let them carry concealed deadly weapons. ### Pesticide regulations The pesticide liability bill, Senate Bill 199, also drew a Beshear veto- but that one didn't stick. The bill blocks failure-to-warn lawsuits against pesticide makers, stating federal warning labels are sufficient. Critics pointed to ongoing national litigation over Roundup and its links to cancer. Beshear wrote that the bill "tries to shield makers of dangerous pesticides from being held accountable for the harm their products cause Kentuckians." The Senate voted to override his veto, and according to the [Kentucky Lantern](https://kentuckylantern.com/briefs/beshear-vetoes-bill-blocking-kentuckians-from-suing-pesticide-makers/?ref=shayinformed.com), the House followed. ### Education tax credits House Bill 1, the education school choice bill, also saw its veto overridden quickly. The bill opts Kentucky into a federal tax credit program that lets people donate to scholarship organizations for private or public schools and receive up to $1,700 back on their federal taxes. Beshear argued public tax dollars should go only to public schools. The Republican supermajority disagreed, and the override moved fast. ## What Beshear has signed Not everything coming out of this session has been a fight. Beshear has also signed a number of bills into law- including a package his office highlighted on Good Friday focused on children with special needs. Senate Bill 69 establishes the Autism Spectrum Disorder Trust Fund to help fuel research and support for Kentuckians living with autism. Senate Bill 85 creates a special needs trust within the Kentucky state retirement system, giving families a way to financially plan for children or other family members with special needs. And House Bill 562 requires the Kentucky Department of Education to create a diploma for students with special needs who otherwise would not have received one. "These are children of God, and they deserve all the opportunities Kentucky has to offer," Beshear said in a statement from his office. Earlier in the session, Beshear signed several education and safety bills in March, including a measure directing school districts not to increase administrator pay by a higher percentage than classroom teachers receive, a bill encouraging schools to purchase locally grown food, and a student transportation safety measure. He also signed House Bill 657, requiring national and state background checks for specialty providers. In February, Beshear signed Senate Bill 172 to help lower utility costs for Kentucky families. And earlier this year, he signed Senate Bill 11, which establishes a residential safe room rebate program to help protect eligible Kentuckians from severe weather. He also signed "Logan's Law" in honor of Logan Tipton, with the child's father by his side. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/04/Beshear-signing-logan-s-law.jpg) CREDIT: Gov. Andy Beshear Facebook Beshear shared the above image on social media, writing, "Logan Tipton was a six-year-old whose life was cut short through a senseless and violent act. His family has worked in his honor to ensure no family has to suffer like they have. Today, with Logan's dad by my side, I signed Logan's Law. This will strengthen Kentucky's sentencing and parole laws to make our commonwealth safer and ensure Logan's legacy lives on forever." [The KY justice system failed the Tipton family twice, now they’re hoping there isn’t a strike threeNine years after Logan’s death, the Tipton family is being “re-victimized” by a system that won’t even return their calls. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free newsletter![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-194.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/2948915993849595113-2.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/the-ky-justice-system-failed-the-tipton-family-twice-now-theyre-hoping-there-isnt-a-strike-three/) ## Bills that still have a chance- and some that don't A handful of bills didn't make it through before the veto period but aren't technically dead yet. They could still pass in the final two days- they just couldn't survive a veto if Beshear chose to use one. Senate Bill 156 would end child marriage in Kentucky entirely, drawing a clear line at 18\. Despite a 2018 law that was supposed to address the issue, some children are still getting married in the state- some in direct violation of that law. Beshear would be unlikely to veto this one if it passes. House Bill 658, which would have shifted driver's license issuance back to counties and away from the Transportation Cabinet, fell short- though the broader frustration that inspired it (long wait times at regional offices) did result in funding for three new offices in the transportation budget. And House Bill 593, which would have put regulatory guardrails on energy-intensive data centers to protect existing utility customers from absorbing their costs, also didn't make it. The bill made it to the Senate floor but was never taken up, and an attempt to attach its language to another bill in the House also went nowhere. Louisville Gas & Electric and Kentucky Utilities lobbied hard against it. [Big tech meets small town Kentucky; data centers want land while communities want answersFrom outright rejections to development moratoriums, rural communities are saying ‘not so fast’ to big tech’s expansion plans. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. This story is a ‘Shay Original’, which is available to paid subscribers![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-195.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1666033402224-32e982c253f7-1)](https://www.shayinformed.com/big-tech-meets-small-town-kentucky-data-centers-want-land-while-communities-want-answers-2/) ## Why all of this matters This is one of the more consequential sessions in recent memory- and not just because of the budget. The Medicaid changes could affect hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians who rely on the program. The gambling overhaul reshapes a rapidly evolving industry. The judicial budget fight is raising real alarms about the courts' ability to function. And the vetoes still pending- on gun liability and concealed carry age- will tell us something about whether Republicans choose to spend their final two days in Frankfort putting those fights on the record. The session isn't over. But we now know most of the shape of it. The question left is what Beshear does between now and April 14th, and what Republicans decide is worth fighting for when they return. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### You're not overreacting- Louisville has some of the worst allergies in the country URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/youre-not-overreacting-louisville-has-some-of-the-worst-allergies-in-the-country/ Last updated: 2026-04-06T13:33:54.000Z Allergies in Kentuckiana are no joke. Here's what a Louisville doctor says you should actually do to help it. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Spring is here, and if you're sneezing your way through it, you're not imagining things. Louisville consistently ranks among the worst cities in the country for seasonal allergies, and there's a very specific reason for that. "Louisville sits in a bowl, or a basin- the Ohio River Valley," said Kari Kirk, an Ear Nose & Throat nurse practitioner with UofL Health. "With that, we collect lots of pollen and dust that's unable to blow through. On top of that, we have really high humidity, our beautiful Kentucky bluegrass, lots of flowering plants- setting us up for the perfect storm for allergies." In other words, we're geographically trapped with all of it. The typical symptoms- congestion, sneezing, runny nose, itchy and watery eyes- can range from annoying to genuinely debilitating. Kirk says she's had patients miss work entirely because they were so congested and uncomfortable. It can also disrupt sleep and, if left untreated, can weaken your immune system and worsen asthma over time. And for those thinking they get a break in winter? Not so fast. Kirk says Louisville's allergy season essentially never stops: tree pollen kicks off around February, grasses carry through summer, ragweed hits in the fall, and dust and pet dander fill in the gaps all winter long. ## So what can you actually do about it? Kirk's first line of defense is what she calls environmental control- and some of it is surprisingly simple. Keep your windows and doors closed to block pollen from drifting in. Shower immediately after being outdoors. Take your shoes off as soon as you come inside. Wash your sheets in hot water regularly, and consider an air purifier for your home. She also recommends keeping nasal saline spray near your toothbrush or shower so it becomes part of your daily routine. "Our nose works like a filter, so you're constantly breathing in pollen, pet dander, dust- it collects," she said. "If you can rinse that out every day and use a nasal steroid, that's really helpful." If over-the-counter medications aren't cutting it, though, Kirk says it's time to see a specialist, especially if you're dealing with recurring sinus infections or symptoms that just won't quit. ENTs can do comprehensive allergy testing, where small amounts of allergens are injected under the skin to measure your body's reaction. From there, they can determine whether environmental adjustments are enough or whether allergy shots are the better path forward. Her biggest piece of advice? Don't wait. "At the very start of allergy symptoms, start treating them," Kirk said. "And after a couple of weeks, if you're not feeling your best, go ahead and make an appointment." *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Circumstantial Episode 7: The defense strikes back URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/circumstantial-episode-7-the-defense-strikes-back/ Last updated: 2026-04-06T16:45:30.000Z A cell phone expert says Steve and Joey weren't on the Bluegrass Parkway. A psychologist identifies 300+ coercive police tactics, calling witness testimony 'useless' and Brooks' sister takes the stand in her family's defense. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly news podcast.* --- In 2015, Rhonda McIlvoy packed up her house. Pulled her kids out of school. Said goodbye to Kentucky. And moved her family out of state. Not because she wanted to. But because she said she was afraid. Her brother, Brooks Houck, had been named the main suspect in Crystal Rogers' disappearance. And suddenly, Rhonda's family was receiving threats. So many threats that she felt she had no choice but to leave. For years, we'd heard about the Houck family as the villains. As the people accused of killing Crystal Rogers and covering it up. But now, for the first time, we were about to hear their side of the story. Episode 7 of "Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials" is live now. And it's the episode where you have to ask yourself: What if there's reasonable doubt? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/houcks-attorneys-1.JPG) Brooks Houck's attorney Steve Schroering and Brian Butler --- You won't find this on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It's only here, on shayinformed.com, because this is independent journalism funded directly by people who believe this work matters. You can sign up [here](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup). _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Vanished: Kentucky's hidden crisis of missing children in state custody URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/vanished-kentuckys-hidden-crisis-of-missing-children-in-state-custody/ Last updated: 2026-03-26T12:00:56.000Z When the state promises to protect vulnerable kids but can't keep track of where they are, families are left searching- and the system offers few answers. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly podcast.* --- On any given day in Kentucky, dozens of children in state custody are missing. Not kidnapped by strangers. Not snatched from schoolyards. These are children the Commonwealth pledged to protect- kids the Cabinet for Health and Family Services took in because their own families couldn't keep them safe. Kids who have slipped through the cracks of a child welfare system struggling to hold onto its most vulnerable. State data shows that in 2025, between 49 and 74 children were reported missing from state custody in any given month. In 2024, that number reached as high as 89 in January. The monthly totals have fluctuated across three years, but the pattern is unmistakable: children are disappearing from the state's care at an alarming, persistent rate. What the state won't provide is the data that might tell us why. Information on the age and gender of these children, the type of placement they went missing from, the counties involved, how long they remained missing, and whether they were eventually recovered- or worse- is listed simply as "data unavailable." _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Circumstantial Episode 6: "Shave her head, pull her teeth and the hogs would do the rest" URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/circumstantial-episode-6-shave-her-head-pull-her-teeth-and-the-hogs-would-do-the-rest/ Last updated: 2026-03-30T14:34:52.000Z The most horrific testimony of the trial. The witnesses who corroborated it. And the defense that nearly tore it all apart. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly news podcast.* --- I turned around and looked at Sherry Ballard. Her head was in her hands. Her daughter and son were crying on either side of her. Casey- Crystal's brother- looked heartbroken and furious. Then Sherry got up and walked out. I stayed in my seat. I had to. But I understood why she couldn't. Because the man on the witness stand had just told the jury what Joseph Lawson said about Crystal Rogers: "He said he would shave her head, pull her teeth, and the hogs would do the rest." The courtroom went quiet. The kind of quiet where you can hear people breathing. Where nobody moves. Where the weight of what was just said settles over every person in the room. Episode 6 of "Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials" is live now. And it's the most disturbing episode of this series. It's also the most complicated- because the man who delivered this devastating testimony had been lying to police for years. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-1.39.25---PM-1.png) Charlie Girdley is sworn in to testify under oath --- *You won't find this on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It's only here, on shayinformed.com because this is independent journalism funded directly by people who believe this work matters. You can sign up* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup)*.* _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### The danger Kentucky parents don't see coming this spring break URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/the-danger-kentucky-parents-dont-see-coming-this-spring-break/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T12:00:43.000Z A Louisville-area mother's mission to save lives after losing her son in 30 silent seconds --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Ashley's family was doing everything right four years ago, this month. They were visiting relatives in Florida, the kids had finished swimming for the day, and 2-and-a-half-year-old Vinny was changed into his pajamas and ready for the drive back to their Airbnb. Adults were inside chatting, kids were running around playing with cousins, and the pool door was closed. But in the time it takes to look down and close a button on another child's PJs, Vinny slipped back outside to the pool. "We believe that because we had him in a puddle jumper, that he thought when he got back to the pool that he would float like he had been doing," Ashley told me. "So we believe he had no clue what his water competency was, which was nothing." There were people eating on the pool deck. There were older kids still in the pool. No one noticed. Because drowning is silent. "It's not like the movies. It's not splashing around," Ashley said. "It can happen in 30 seconds for a child 30 pounds or more, and it's silent." By the time they pulled Vinny from the water, it was too late. Ashley's mother performed CPR. His heart restarted briefly at the local hospital, but two days later at Orlando's Arnold Palmer Hospital, Vinny was pronounced brain dead. Now, as Kentucky families pack for spring break trips to Florida and other warm-weather destinations, Ashley wants every parent to understand what she learned 24 hours too late. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-20-at-1.58.36---PM.png) ## The threat hiding in plain sight Here's what keeps Ashley up at night: Most Kentucky parents have no idea how big of a threat pools pose to their children. We don't live in Florida where pools are in every backyard and survival swim lessons are common knowledge. We live in Kentucky, where swimming is a summer treat, a vacation activity, something we do once a week at the community pool if we're lucky. "I have so many friends who are like Fourth of July backyard barbecues, we're always around the pool, and it's just not something that is top of mind," Ashley said. "So we need to talk about it. We need to transform the way people see pools and their children." The statistics are staggering. Drowning is the number one cause of death for children ages one through four. It's the second leading cause of death for children under 14\. And here's the kicker that might change how you think about pool safety: 70% of drownings happen when you're not even swimming. It can happen in 20 seconds for a child under 30 pounds. Thirty seconds for a child over that weight. Silent. No splashing. No screaming. Just gone. "I think about if I had just known that the pool was this big of a threat to my child's life, would I have paid more attention," Ashley said. "And now, in retrospect, it seems obvious." ## The puddle jumper problem ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-20-at-2.13.24---PM.png) Ashley's family did what so many of us do. They put Vinny in a puddle jumper, those flotation devices with arm floaties attached. He loved the water. They loved that he loved the water. They thought they were doing the right thing. But puddle jumpers create a false sense of security, not just for parents, but for kids too. Children who always float don't learn what water actually feels like without help. They don't develop any water competency. And when they find themselves in the pool without that device, they have no survival skills. "It wasn't on our radar at that point," Ashley said about survival swim lessons. "We live in Kentucky, and I had no clue that survival swim lessons existed." That's the gap that's killing kids. In Florida, survival swim is common knowledge. Instructors teach children as young as six months old to roll onto their backs, float, and breathe air while awaiting help. As they get older and can walk, they learn to swim to safety, to the side of the pool, to the steps. These aren't traditional swim lessons where kids learn strokes and techniques. These are survival skills. And they work. Ashley learned about them from a nurse at the hospital, 24 hours after Vinny's accident. "That caused us to kind of do our own research," she said. "And while we were in the hospital, I was looking for other people who advocate water safety, to educate myself and to reach out to other moms who have experienced similar just for that common ground." The nurse told Ashley everything that would have saved Vinny's life. But they were 24 hours too late. ## Turning grief into action ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-20-at-1.58.24---PM-1.png) Some families would crumble under this kind of loss. Ashley's family built something instead. In April 2022, just weeks after Vinny's death, they started [Swim for Vinn](https://www.swimforvinny.org/?ref=shayinformed.com)y, a nonprofit that offers scholarships for survival swim lessons. Ashley's mother left her nursing job in the Chicago area to become an ISR (Infant Swimming Resource) instructor in Elizabethtown, teaching kids the exact skills that would have saved her grandson's life. "We had not previously had survival swim in E-town before she came down to do that," Ashley said. They now have a pool house where those lessons are taught. Ashley's husband, a home builder, opened Lifesaver Pool Fence of Greater Louisville, installing four-sided pool fences that are mesh, non-climbable, self-closing, and self-latching. They service Louisville, Elizabethtown, Bardstown, Lexington, and beyond. "Any water safety advocate will tell you that you need a four-sided pool fence," Ashley explained. "That is an added layer of protection between your child and the pool." These aren't side hustles or hobbies. This is a family mission to make sure no other parent feels what they felt. "We knew right away that we didn't want another set of parents to feel the way that we did," Ashley said. ## The Emily Kaiser effect ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/emily-and-trigg.webp) If Ashley's story sounds familiar, you might be thinking of Emily Kaiser, the popular mom influencer whose son Trigg drowned in a backyard pool last year. The case drew massive attention on social media, with many people quick to blame Trigg's father, who was watching him at the time. Ashley sees the judgment differently. "I think they want to blame the father, and I get where people are coming from, but I think they don't understand how prevalent it is and how people mean well," she said. "We have met so many parents on this journey, and they're all well-meaning, good parents, and you just don't think that it will happen to you." She understands why people look for a "disqualifier" in someone else's story, some reason why it happened to them, but won't happen to you. Maybe they weren't watching closely enough. Maybe they shouldn't have been on their phone. Maybe, maybe, maybe. "This drowning doesn't just happen to other people," Ashley said. "Just because it hasn't happened to you doesn't mean you have this lock-solid drowning prevention strategy. You've just been lucky." The blunt truth stings: "Unless you're putting as many layers of protection in place, you don't have a great drowning prevention strategy for your family", Ashley said. ## What Kentucky parents need to know right now With spring break around the corner, Kentucky families are booking flights to Florida, reserving beach houses, and planning pool days. Ashley has a message for every single one of them: The pool is the biggest threat to your child's life on that vacation. Period. Not the plane ride. Not the rental car. Not even the ocean, statistically speaking. The pool. Here's what you can do: Start with awareness. Just knowing that drowning is silent, that it happens in seconds, that it often occurs when you're not even swimming- that knowledge alone can shift how you supervise around water. Consider survival swim lessons, even if you don't have a pool, even if you live in Kentucky, where water isn't a daily concern. These lessons teach life-saving skills that kick in during aquatic emergencies. If you have a pool or are visiting someone who does, insist on proper barriers. A four-sided fence that's self-closing and self-latching creates distance between kids and water. Never rely on flotation devices like puddle jumpers to keep your child safe. They're not life jackets, and they create dangerous false confidence in children who don't actually know how to swim. Designate a "water watcher" who isn't on their phone, isn't chatting, isn't distracted. Their only job is to watch the kids in and around the water. Set a timer and rotate that responsibility every 15 minutes so no one loses focus. ## A beautiful boy, a lasting legacy ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-20-at-2.13.14---PM.png) When Ashley talks about Vinny, you can hear the love in her voice. He was a beautiful little boy with a bright smile who loved the water and loved his family. "I tell people to say his name, show them his beautiful picture, and connect to the hearts of people," Ashley said. "That's how we're going to incite change, is through pulling on people's heartstrings." She's right. When you see Vinny's face, you can't help but think of your own child. It could be any of them. That's the point. Ashley isn't sharing her story to scare parents. She's sharing it because she wishes someone had scared her a little bit before that March day in 2022\. She wishes someone had told her that the pool was dangerous even when you're not swimming, that puddle jumpers aren't enough, that drowning doesn't look like the movies. "I just think about if I had just known that that was the biggest threat to his life, had I developed some sort of strategy," she said. "Is it just the awareness that people need that can save lives possibly?" As you pack for spring break, as you slather on sunscreen and load up the beach toys, take a moment to think about Vinny. Think about Ashley's family. Think about what they learned too late and what they're trying to teach the rest of us in time. Because 30 seconds is all it takes. And silence doesn't mean safety. You can find an Infant Swim Instructor near you [here](https://locator.infantswim.com/?ref=shayinformed.com). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-20-at-2.13.32---PM.png) --- *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* --- ### Circumstantial Episode 5: The white car URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/circumstantial-episode-5-the-white-car/ Last updated: 2026-03-24T16:15:11.000Z Hair similar to Crystal's. A cadaver dog hit. And the moment I learned the Houck family was talking about me on their jail calls, officials feared for my safety. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly news podcast.* --- April 28, 2016\. Tommy Ballard posted on Facebook. It was a simple post. Just a few sentences asking if anybody had knowledge about a white Buick in the Bardstown area. He included a photo of the type of car he was looking for. "If you know anything," he wrote, "please message me." Tommy had been searching for his daughter for almost a year. Following every lead. Chasing every tip. Refusing to give up. What he didn't know: That Facebook post would become critical evidence in his daughter's murder trial nearly ten years later. Four days after Tommy made that post, Nick Houck rushed to sell his grandmother's white Buick. And when investigators finally tracked down that car, they found hair similar to Crystal's in the trunk. And a cadaver dog hit indicating the scent of human remains. Episode 5 of "Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials" is live now. And it's the episode about Tommy Ballard's investigation- and the moment this case became personal for me in a way I never expected. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-1.09.27---PM-1.png) --- You won't find this on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It's only here, on shayinformed.com, because this is independent journalism funded directly by people who believe this work matters. You can sign up [here](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup). _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### She lost her son at a rural railroad crossing; now she's taking on the industry URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/she-lost-her-son-at-a-rural-railroad-crossing-now-shes-taking-on-the-industry/ Last updated: 2026-07-15T23:41:45.000Z 34 states require railroads to clear vegetation, but Kentucky isn't one of them. Now, Tanya Serna wants to change that. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Tanya Serna remembers April 28, 2020, in vivid detail. It was a beautiful evening. She'd just finished mowing the yard. Her husband Robert was building a raised garden bed in the backyard. Their 19-year-old son Hunter had left about 45 minutes earlier to meet up with his longtime friend. They were planning to hit the gym. Around 8 o'clock, the sun was setting when her phone rang. Her nephew, a 911 dispatcher, had taken a call that would shatter her family. Hunter had been in a collision with a train at a rural crossing in Hardin County. He was being airlifted to Louisville. "We're in such disbelief," Tanya recalled. "He had just left our house." Because of COVID-19 restrictions, the family waited outside the hospital. When staff finally brought them into a private room, Tanya knew. Hunter didn't make it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/20-A-144-1.png) Credit: Hardin County Sheriff's Office In the days that followed, Tanya learned details that transformed her grief into something else entirely: a mission. Hunter wasn't driving. He was a passenger. The person behind the wheel, who survived, said he didn't see the train approaching because overgrown vegetation blocked his view. The train couldn't see the car either. "My sister went out to that site. My sister-in-law also went out to the site," Tanya said. "You couldn't see if a train was approaching. You literally had to go right up to the tracks to be able to see anything." The police report stated the driver failed to yield. But according to Tanya, even the yield sign was obscured by vegetation. Through the litigation process that followed- which has since been settled with a confidentiality agreement- Tanya discovered something that still stuns her: Kentucky has no law requiring railroad companies to clear vegetation at their crossings. "Kentucky does not have a statutory law requiring railroad companies to clear vegetation at their lines of sight at all," Tanya said. "There are 34 states that have some sort of statutory law. Tennessee, Indiana, and Ohio- states all around us have something. Kentucky doesn't." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/DSC02378.JPG) Credit: Hardin County Sheriff's Office ## Hunter's Purpose That realization sparked what Tanya calls "Hunter's Purpose"- a years-long campaign to change Kentucky law. Now in its third year, the effort has produced [House Bill 311](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb311/orig%5Fbill.pdf?ref=shayinformed.com), sponsored by Representative Josh Callaway with Representative Nancy Tate as co-sponsor. The bill is straightforward: railroad companies would be required to remove trees, brush, and other obstructive vegetation for a distance of 250 feet from any intersection with a public road- as long as it's not on private property. If they fail to do so, state or local officials can send a written notice giving the railroad 10 days to comply. If the vegetation still isn't cleared, officials can remove it themselves and bill the railroad company for the cost. The railroad company would have the opportunity to petition to waive or modify the removal requirements if they believe removal of vegetation is impossible, impractical, or unnecessary. "It's a common-sense bill for the Commonwealth," Tanya said. "They're not losing anything. Railroad companies are allocated funding for safety. This isn't coming out of their profits." After initial pushback in previous legislative sessions, Tanya says railroad company lobbyists have indicated they'll remain neutral on this version- so long as the language aligns with Federal Railroad Administration guidelines. "To me, that's acceptable," she said. "If they're not going to do it, the Transportation Cabinet can do it, or public works can do it, and send the railroad company the bill." ## Fighting for change Tanya recently retired from her job as a school secretary to focus on this fight full-time. She's spending her weeks at the Capitol, meeting with lawmakers- sometimes seven or eight in a single day. "I have to fight," she said. "I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that no other parent has to go through what we're going through because of a law that should have already been implemented." Hunter was a University of Louisville student studying to become a chemical engineer, following in the footsteps of his older brother. He worked at Walmart alongside his father. His favorite breakfast was a bacon, egg, and cheese bagel- something Tanya made for him every time he came home from college on weekends. He would have turned 25 last August. "I always told him he came out roaring like a lion, and he never stopped," Tanya said, holding a small lion figurine she keeps close. "He's my lion. And I'm not going to give up." During a September meeting with the Transportation Committee, Tanya was told not to lose hope- that it might take five years, but to keep fighting. Several legislators have privately told her they support the bill. ## What's next House Bill 311 was filed in early January and was assigned to the Transportation Committee in early February. This week, the bill passed a first reading and is scheduled for a second in the House of Representatives. It could still face an uphill battle in the Senate. Tanya is cautiously optimistic but realistic about the road ahead. "We are dealing with a huge entity that's had a lot of control for, gosh, centuries," she acknowledged. "Kentucky's constitution regarding railroad companies hasn't really been revised since the 1920s." But she's not backing down. Not when the alternative means another family might get a phone call like the one she received that April evening. "I promise myself, and I promised Hunter- he wouldn't die in vain," Tanya said. "I want to make sure that nobody else has to go through what we're going through because of something that should have been prevented." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/hunter--1.jpeg) *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## ### Circumstantial Episode 4: The family conspiracy URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/circumstantial-episode-4-the-family-conspiracy/ Last updated: 2026-03-20T23:49:49.000Z Hidden audio devices. Coordinated phone calls. A brother who vanished for 24 hours. This wasn't one person committing murder. This was a family conspiracy. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly news podcast.* --- In 2020, an IRS Special Agent searched Rosemary Houck's house. He was looking for financial records, documents, anything that might help build the case against her son Brooks. What he found instead were audio recorders. Hidden throughout the house. And those recorders had been running. On the recordings, you can hear Brooks and Rosemary whispering about Nick's police cruiser being searched. You can hear Brooks teaching family members how to use the devices before going in for police interviews and grand jury testimony. You can hear them discussing the case- what police knew, which searches were happening, which tips came in. And sometimes- you can hear them laughing. Laughing when investigators seemed to be on the wrong trail. Laughing while Crystal Rogers' family was organizing volunteer searches, putting up flyers, hoping for answers. Episode 4 of "Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials" is live now. And it's the episode where you realize Brooks Houck didn't act alone. This was a family affair. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-12.27.57---PM-1.png) --- You won't find this on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It's only here, on shayinformed.com, because this is independent journalism funded directly by people who believe this work matters. You can sign up [here](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup). _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Circumstantial Episode 3: The alibi destroyed URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/circumstantial-episode-3-the-alibi-destroyed/ Last updated: 2026-03-09T14:35:44.000Z Brooks Houck's eight-page alibi fell apart witness by witness. Then the FBI revealed the technology that tracked Brooks' every move- even with location services turned off. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly news podcast.* --- Brooks Houck wrote an eight-page alibi. He listed everywhere he went on July 3rd, 2015—the day Crystal Rogers disappeared. The businesses he visited. The people he saw. The tasks he completed. He thought if he gave police enough detail, they'd believe him. Instead, he gave them a roadmap to destroy his entire defense. Episode 3 of "Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trial" is live now. And it's the episode where you watch Brooks Houck's story collapse- one witness, one phone record, one piece of technology at a time. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-11.47.28---AM-1.png) The prosecution printed off 15 copies of Brooks Houck handwritten alibi so each juror could have one for reference --- You won't find this on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It's only here, on shayinformed.com, because this is independent journalism funded directly by people who believe this work matters. You can sign up [here](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup). _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Justice 30 years in the making: man charged in Morgan Violi's kidnapping and murder URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/thirty-years-without-answers-the-morgan-violi-case-still-haunts-bowling-green/ Last updated: 2026-03-02T15:21:00.000Z After decades of staying silent, Morgan's mother and two sisters reached out to me to open up about the day Morgan was taken, the decades of grief that followed, and their determination to find justice. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly podcast.* --- The screech of tires. A maroon van speeding away. A seven-year-old girl gone. For three decades, those sounds and images have echoed through the Bowling Green community, marking one of Kentucky's most haunting unsolved cases. This July will mark 30 years since Morgan Jade Violi was kidnapped from her apartment complex parking lot in broad daylight- snatched away in seconds while playing outside on what should have been an ordinary summer afternoon. Now, there are finally answers. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/IMG_1095.jpeg) Stacey Pulliam with her daughters, Nikki, Morgan and Heather ## The break in the case At a press conference on February 27, 2026, U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner announced that Robert Scott Froberg had been charged with Morgan's kidnapping and death. "Morgan Violi's family never gave up on her, and neither did the Bowling Green community or its law enforcement community," Bumgarner said. "For years, this community has feared that Morgan's abductor lived silently among us and that one of our kids could be next. Investigators in the FBI and the Bowling Green Police Department have worked tirelessly to bring justice for Morgan. They applied new technology, reexamined old evidence, and never stopped searching for the truth." According to the federal complaint, the breakthrough came through recent advancements in forensic DNA testing. A hair found in the abandoned maroon van- the same van that 10-year-old Nikki Britt had waved at minutes before her sister was taken- was tested by the FBI laboratory and returned an association with Froberg. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-02-at-9.44.59---AM.png) At the time of the match, Froberg was already serving a lengthy sentence in the Alabama Department of Corrections. Investigators pieced together Froberg's movements in the summer of 1996\. He had escaped from jail in April of that year, traveled to Pennsylvania where he was arrested, and then escaped again. He made his way to Dayton, Ohio, where he stole a maroon Chevrolet van approximately half a mile from his parents' house. From there, he traveled south on I-65. He exited in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He spotted Morgan playing at her apartment complex. He took her. According to the complaint, Froberg was recently interviewed by law enforcement and confessed to driving Morgan into Tennessee and strangling her. For the family who waited nearly 30 years- and for the community that never forgot Morgan- the news is the answer to prayers they'd nearly given up on. *After decades of staying silent, Morgan's mother and two sisters reached out to me to open up about the day Morgan was taken, the decades of grief that followed, and their determination to find justice.* --- ## The day everything changed July 24, 1996, started like any other day at the Colony Apartments. Stacey Pulliam had just returned home from court, exhausted from work and an early morning custody hearing regarding Morgan. She told her older daughters, Nikki and Heather, that they could go outside to play. But she asked seven-year-old Morgan to stay inside with her while she rested on the couch. They were watching "Pocahontas." "I did tell Heather and Nikki that they could go outside to play, and I wanted Morgan to stay inside," Stacey recalls. But Morgan, like most seven-year-olds, was drawn to the summer afternoon and the sounds of other children playing. Nikki Britt, who was 10 at the time, and her sister Heather Coleman, then 11, were behind one of the apartment buildings in a wooded area the neighborhood kids called "Thistle Haven." They were cleaning up trash with friends, just being kids on a hot July day. At one point, Nikki and another girl rode their bikes back to get water in a milk jug. That's when they passed him- the man in the van. "We actually rode past the guy in the van. He drove past us," Nikki remembers. "He waved. So we waved, you know, because we're polite little kids." The van door was open, and something about what Nikki saw inside stuck with her- details that would later prove crucial. "Instead of it being rows of seats, it was like the back wall and the side walls had kind of this couch-looking thing, and then like a table in the middle," she says. "It had some sort of material on it that would remind me of my grandparents' couch or something, a tweed-ish type of material." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-26-at-10.42.00---AM.png) Suspect van; CREDIT: FBI She went inside briefly. Morgan asked if she could go outside. Nikki said no. Their mom had said no. But somehow, Morgan ended up outside anyway. "I think Destiny may have talked her into coming outside," Nikki says, referring to a five-year-old neighbor who was playing with Morgan. "She was a bit rebellious." Minutes later, everything changed. Heather heard it first- Morgan's scream. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### New episode: the #1 killer of women (that nobody's talking about) URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/new-episode-the-1-killer-of-women-that-nobodys-talking-about/ Last updated: 2026-02-26T13:00:36.000Z Heart disease is the number 1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year. It’s a third of our mothers, sisters, friends, neighbors, coworkers- a third of the women we can’t bear to live without. So why don't we talk about this more? --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in America. Not breast cancer. Not complications from pregnancy. Heart disease. And yet most women don't know the symptoms. Most doctors don't recognize them. And women are dying because of it. In this episode of Real Talk for Real Women, Dr. T and I sit down with Dr. Mrin Shetty, a cardiologist specializing in women's heart health, to talk about what's being missed- and what could save your life. Here's what most people don't know: the "classic" heart attack symptoms- crushing chest pain, pain radiating down the left arm- are male symptoms. Women's heart attacks look different: sweating, fatigue, nausea, maybe some back pain. But they are symptoms that get dismissed as anxiety or stress. Symptoms that pregnant women feel pretty regularly. We talk about risk factors women don't know they have- like depression, pregnancy, menopause, and what red flags to never ignore. This conversation could literally save your life. --- *We would LOVE to hear from you! You can send us topic ideas, stories, suggestions, or generally anything on your mind. Email Shay at shay@shayinformed.com or email Dr. T at obwithdrt@gmail.com* --- This podcast is available to all Shay Informed members, regardless of subscription level. I've built this platform on a simple principle: journalism should serve the community, not chase profit. That goes double for health information. You can listen to all episodes [here](https://www.shayinformed.com/real-talk-for-real-women/). No paywalls, no barriers, no filter. The new episode is live now! Listen below ⬇️ _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Circumstantial Episode 2: The jury pool URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/circumstantial-episode-2-the-jury-pool/ Last updated: 2026-03-09T14:35:52.000Z Finding an impartial jury for Brooks Houck's trial proved nearly impossible- and that's just where the story begins. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly news podcast.* --- Episode 2 of "Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials" is live now. And it starts with a number that tells you everything about how big this case became: 33. Out of 132 potential jurors called to the Warren County Courthouse for Brooks Houck's trial, only 33 people had never heard of Crystal Rogers or Brooks Houck. Let that sink in. The trial had been moved 90 minutes away from Bardstown specifically because of pretrial publicity. The hope was that jurors in Bowling Green might be less familiar with the case. But 99 out of 132 people already knew about it. They'd seen it on the news. On social media. On YouTube. Some had even listened to my podcast. That's what happens when a case consumes a community- and a commonwealth- for ten years. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-10.51.13---AM.png) More than 100 people reported for jury duty, this was the packed courtroom --- You won't find this on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It's only here, on shayinformed.com, because this is independent journalism funded directly by people who believe this work matters. You can sign up [here](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup). _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### When every second counts: how one mother's loss could save Kentucky kids URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/when-every-second-counts-how-one-mothers-loss-could-save-kentucky-kids/ Last updated: 2026-02-19T13:00:56.000Z Eight-year-old Landon McCubbin choked to death at school while firefighters and nurses stood helpless without the one tool that might have saved him. Now his mother is fighting to put anti-choking devices in every Kentucky classroom. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Lauren Bagshaw's 8-year-old son Landon was the kind of kid teachers dream about. The third-grader at Boston Elementary would finish his work early, then help struggling classmates with their math instead of playing. He saved up his school reward points to give his entire class extra game time. When he saw a crying child on the playground, he'd stop what he was doing, put his arm around them, and walk them around until they felt better. "His teachers told me that when Landon's in their class, they wish they had 24 students just like him," Lauren said. "He just loved everyone." Landon died on November 21st, 2022\. On that awful day, the fire department happened to be at Boston Elementary doing fire drills. School nurses were there. The Nelson County Sheriff's Office quickly responded. Trained professionals acted immediately when Landon started choking on a small bouncy ball. They performed the Heimlich maneuver multiple times. They tried everything they could think of. But the ball was too deeply lodged in his throat. "They literally sat there and watched him die," Lauren said. "There was nothing possible for us to do. And it just made me feel helpless." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-20-at-1.40.02---PM.png) _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Circumstantial Episode 1: Fatal drive to the farm URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/episode-1-is-live-inside-the-courtroom-where-steve-lawson-was-convicted/ Last updated: 2026-02-24T13:48:30.000Z I filled three notebooks covering these trials- now I'm sharing my coverage in podcast form so you can experience every moment from Kentucky's most high profile trial in decades. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly news podcast.* --- It's here! After months of production- after sitting in those courtrooms every single day, filling notebooks with testimony, watching a decade-long mystery finally unfold in front of a jury- I'm ready to share it with you. **"Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials"** launches today. Episode 1 is live right now, exclusively for Shay Informed subscribers. And we're starting with a guilty verdict. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-8.58.04---AM.png) The moment the jury verdict was read. Steve Lawson is standing in the front row, red shirt. --- *You won't find this on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It's only here, on shayinformed.com because this is independent journalism funded directly by people who believe this work matters. You can sign up* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup)*.* _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Tyler Childers speaks out against birthing center closure: "We were intending on going here" URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/tyler-childers-speaks-out-against-birthing-center-closure-we-were-intending-on-going-here/ Last updated: 2026-02-14T13:51:13.000Z The country music star and his wife Senora welcomed their first child at Fort Logan in 2022\. They were planning to deliver their second baby there this summer. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Country music star Tyler Childers is adding his voice to the growing opposition against the closure of Fort Logan Hospital's birthing center in Stanford, Kentucky. In a statement posted to Instagram, the Kentucky native revealed that he and his wife, singer-songwriter Senora May, welcomed their first child at the facility in September 2022- and had planned to return for the birth of their second baby, due later this summer. "Saddened to hear about the impending closure of the birthing center at Ephraim McDowell," Childers wrote. "In Sept of 2022, Senora gave birth to our baby boy here. We were intending on going here for the birth of our second baby, who we are expecting later this summer." Childers, who grew up in Lawrence County in eastern Kentucky and now lives in the state, called the facility "a vital part of maternal care in the Stanford area" and "a top-notch medical facility that Kentucky should be proud of." He also highlighted a concern that mothers fighting the closure have been raising for weeks: the impact on local Amish communities. "It would greatly affect the Amish community surrounding the birthing center as well," Childers wrote. ## The planned closure Ephraim McDowell Health announced on January 16 that inpatient labor and delivery services at Fort Logan Hospital would move to their regional medical center in Danville, effective February 16- giving the community just 30 days' notice. The birthing center was founded 40 years ago by Dr. Jay Miller, a family physician who arrived in Lincoln County to find four surrounding counties with zero obstetric services. He has since delivered more than 10,000 babies at the facility. Fort Logan's approach to childbirth- emphasizing natural labor support, water birth options, private garden patios for laboring mothers, and nurses extensively trained in comfort measures- has earned it recognition as one of the best maternity facilities in the state. The hospital has consistently maintained one of Kentucky's lowest cesarean section rates. U.S. News & World Report recently named Fort Logan one of only six "Best Hospitals for Maternity Care" in Kentucky- the only small rural hospital on the list- and one of just two "Maternity Access Hospitals" in the state, a designation indicating its critical role in keeping care accessible. ## "Kentucky should be proud" Childers' public support comes as mothers affected by the closure have been reaching out to legislators, board members, and media outlets in an effort to either stop the closure or push for policy changes that would require longer notice periods in the future. Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has found that when rural communities lose OB services, infant mortality rates rise by approximately 14 percent. For Childers and Senora May, the closure means finding a new plan for their second child's birth- joining the approximately 300 patients currently under care at the facility who are now scrambling to make alternative arrangements. Ephraim McDowell Health has stated that the Danville facility offers access to neonatologists and a Level II Special Care Nursery, calling the move an opportunity to "elevate the level of care" for mothers and babies. The hospital is approximately 11 miles- or a 15-20 minute drive- from Fort Logan. Dr. Miller and other providers have expressed concerns that the added distance poses safety risks for obstetric emergencies, where minutes can be critical. [In rural Kentucky, a 40 year old lifeline for mothers is about to disappearThe doctor who founded Fort Logan’s birthing spa says the closure breaks a promise. The mothers counting on it say it could put lives at risk. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-190.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/image1--1--1.jpeg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/in-rural-kentucky-a-40-year-lifeline-for-mothers-is-about-to-disappear/) ### Yes, you really can die from a broken heart- here's what a Louisville cardiologist wants you to know URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/yes-you-really-can-die-from-a-broken-heart-heres-what-a-louisville-cardiologist-wants-you-to-know-2/ Last updated: 2026-02-12T14:34:12.000Z With Valentine's Day right around the corner, love is in the air for a lot of people. But for those dealing with heartbreak, grief, or overwhelming stress? Not so much. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Here's something most people don't realize: "broken heart syndrome" is a real, diagnosable medical condition- and in rare cases, it can actually kill you. "In very rare cases, it can be life-threatening, so you can actually die from a broken heart," said Dr. Mrin Shetty, a cardiologist at UofL Health- Heart Hospital and Director of the Women's Heart Program. It's not just a figure of speech. And it's not something Dr. Shetty sees once in a blue moon- she says she encounters it regularly. "Usually when I'm on service, I will see at least one or two cases every week, so it's not something that's uncommon," she said. ## So what exactly is 'Broken Heart Syndrome'? The medical name is stress-induced cardiomyopathy, or Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. The name actually comes from the Japanese word for octopus trap- because of what happens to the heart during an episode. "It's a phenomenon where the heart suddenly weakens because of exposure to sudden stress. That may be emotional or physical," Dr. Shetty explained. "When we look at the heart at that time, it actually looks like it's ballooning out." When someone is diagnosed, part of their heart stops pumping the way it should, while the rest continues to function normally or even contracts more forcefully to compensate. ## It feels exactly like a heart attack One of the scariest things about broken heart syndrome is that there's no way to tell it apart from a heart attack on your own. "Crushing chest pain, shortness of breath, feeling like your heart is racing, or you feel weak, like you might pass out because your blood pressure may drop," Dr. Shetty said. "All of these things could be stress cardiomyopathy or a heart attack." That's why she says doctors have to rule out a heart attack first- by checking for blockages in the blood vessels that supply the heart - before looking for other causes. And her message is clear: don't try to tough it out. "All of these things are your heart telling you that something is going on. We don't want you to ignore it- call 911." ## Who's most at risk? Here's a detail that might surprise you: 90% of people who come in with broken heart syndrome are post-menopausal women. "There's something about the hormone shifts that lead to this kind of event," Dr. Shetty said. Other risk factors include anxiety, depression, and a susceptibility to migraines. ## It doesn't just come from heartbreak While losing a loved one or going through a breakup are common triggers, broken heart syndrome doesn't only strike during sad moments. Sometimes, it's the opposite. "The holidays can be emotionally loaded, but we don't have data to support those trends," Dr. Shetty said when asked whether Valentine's Day might cause a spike in cases. "What we do know is that it's acute stress stages, like losing a loved one or a breakup. Sometimes it could be a happy stress. There was a case of a woman who won the lottery, and that's when she experienced it. We called it happy heart syndrome." The timing is usually immediate- right after the emotional trigger hits. "It usually happens right after you hear the news, so it's that small window when there's that surge in hormones or adrenaline," she said. "But the risk declines as time spaces out." ## The good news: most people recover Treatment is usually straightforward- medication like beta blockers- and Dr. Shetty says most patients see a full recovery in a few weeks to months. But she wants people to take a bigger lesson from all of this. "I think people need to know that the mind-body axis is a real thing," she said. "We need to emphasize stress reduction and start prioritizing it more. Stress reduction and maintaining a healthy lifestyle overall." Broken heart syndrome is a powerful reminder that our emotional health and our physical health are deeply connected. Whether it's a breakup, the loss of a loved one, or even an unexpected windfall, extreme stress can have real, physical consequences for your heart. If you're experiencing chest pain, shortness of breath, or other heart-related symptoms during a time of extreme stress- don't brush it off. Call 911. Your heart is worth protecting in every sense of the word. *PS- Dr. Shetty is our special guest on this month's episode of* [*'Real Talk for Real Women'.*](https://www.shayinformed.com/real-talk-for-real-women/) *In this episode of Real Talk for Real Women, Dr. T and I sit down with Dr. Shetty to talk about why heart disease is the #1 killer of women, what's being missed- and what could save your life.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-12-at-9.32.22---AM.png) *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Crystal Rogers Act passes Kentucky House unanimously, heads to Senate URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/crystal-rogers-act-passes-kentucky-house-unanimously-heads-to-senate/ Last updated: 2026-02-13T14:32:33.000Z Sherry Ballard's fight in Frankfort is full steam ahead, with the Kentucky House passing her proposed change to grand jury proceeding policy without any pushback. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- The Crystal Rogers Act cleared another hurdle this week. House Bill 305 passed the Kentucky House with a unanimous 93-0 vote, sending the legislation to the Senate for consideration. The bill, which extends the statute of limitations for secretly recording grand jury testimony, sailed through without a single vote against it. The legislation is named for Crystal Rogers, the Bardstown mother of five who disappeared on July 4, 2015\. It took a decade to bring her killer and his accomplices to justice- and along the way, investigators discovered a problem in Kentucky law that this bill aims to fix. During the FBI's investigation into Crystal's disappearance, agents searching the Houck farm found recordings. Brooks Houck, his mother, his brother, his sister, and his mother's boyfriend had all secretly recorded their grand jury testimony. But by the time the FBI discovered those recordings, the one-year statute of limitations had expired. Prosecutors couldn't do anything about it. Crystal's mother, Sherry Ballard, traveled to Frankfort earlier this month to testify before the House Judiciary Committee, asking lawmakers to close that loophole- not for her family, but for the next one. [Sherry Ballard won’t stop fighting: her push to close the legal loophole that let Houck family off the hookThey broke the law, they faced no consequences, and now Sherry Ballard is fighting to change that. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-185.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-10-07-at-12.29.02---PM-2.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/sherry-ballard-wont-stop-fighting-her-push-to-close-the-legal-loophole-that-let-houck-family-off-the-hook/) "I know this will not help my family, but hopefully it will help another family, and they will not feel the pain that my family has had to go through," Ballard told the committee. The bill passed out of committee 17-0 and picked up a floor amendment before Wednesday's House vote. Grand jury secrecy exists for good reason. It prevents witnesses from coordinating their stories, protects jurors from retaliation- especially in small communities where they may be hearing cases involving their neighbors- and keeps sensitive information about ongoing investigations from leaking to targets. When someone secretly records that process, it undermines the entire system. Committee Chair Rep. Daniel Elliott (R), who shepherded the bill through his committee, called it what it is: obstruction of justice. The Crystal Rogers Act now moves to the Senate. If it passes there and is signed by the governor, Kentucky will have stronger protections for the integrity of its grand jury proceedings- a change that came because one mother refused to stop fighting, even after ten years. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### In rural Kentucky, a 40 year old lifeline for mothers is about to disappear URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/in-rural-kentucky-a-40-year-lifeline-for-mothers-is-about-to-disappear/ Last updated: 2026-02-12T14:07:41.000Z *The doctor who founded Fort Logan's birthing spa says the closure breaks a promise. The mothers counting on it say it could put lives at risk.* --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- When Dr. Jay Miller arrived in Lincoln County, Kentucky, 40 years ago, four surrounding counties had zero obstetric services. Pregnant women in Garrard, Rockcastle, Casey, and Lincoln counties had nowhere nearby to deliver their babies. So Miller, a family physician with a passion for childbirth, asked Fort Logan Hospital in Stanford if they'd be interested in opening a birthing service. "Right away they said they would do that," he told me. "That was the start." They gave him three hospital rooms. He chopped the middle one in half to create two delivery rooms sharing a bathroom, with the other half serving as a nurse's station. "Very quaint," Miller admits. But the first thing they did? They put in a whirlpool tub. That was January 1, 1986. In the four decades since, Miller and his team have delivered more than 10,000 babies in what became one of the most unusual birthing centers in the country- a rural hospital that consistently ranked among Kentucky's safest, with the lowest cesarean section rates in the state and, most recently, designations as a "Best Hospital for Maternity Care" and a "Maternity Access Hospital" by U.S. News & World Report. Now, it's closing. On January 16, Ephraim McDowell Health- the regional health system that has owned Fort Logan Hospital for more than 20 years- announced that inpatient labor and delivery services would move to their regional medical center in Danville, effective February 16, 2026\. Jordan Hamm, a mother of three who is due with her fourth child in early April, found out from a friend who saw it on social media. She said the healthcare group has promised to provide some of the same amenities available at Ft Logan Hospital, but without a timeline. "When are all of these things that you're saying you're going to have, but you don't have timelines for, when are they going to be available? I think having those questions answered before the announcement would have really put a lot of moms at ease, and it's just not happening the way that it's going so fast," Jordan said. ## A promise made, a promise broken For Dr. Miller, the closure isn't just disappointing. It's a betrayal. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-04-at-1.44.17---PM.png) Dr. Jay Miller When Ephraim McDowell acquired Fort Logan Hospital in 2002, Dr. Miller said the health system made public pledges to the community. He was there. "I was at that meeting,'" Miller recounted. "'I remember them pledging they would be committed to keep open OB and surgery and the ER services at Fort Logan Hospital.'" Miller said the local paper reported at the time that the Lincoln County Fiscal Court- the technical owner of the land and building- demanded the right of first refusal to buy back the hospital if Ephraim McDowell quit offering hospital and ER services. According to Miller, everyone present understood that those services explicitly included obstetrics. "We're trying to locate the actual document that was signed," Miller said. His son-in-law, an attorney, has advised that without legal language in the contract, courts may not pay attention to verbal pledges. But the archives are slow, and the closure is fast. "They only gave us 30 days' notice," Miller said. ## "The best seat in the house" To understand what's being lost, you have to understand what Miller and his partners built. From the beginning, their approach was different. The Birthing Center specializes in natural births, using movement, water, and fathers in the delivery room to "drive the drugs out". He calls it "family-centered" birth. It starts before the baby is born, with prenatal care at the family practice across the street from the hospital- Bates, Miller, Sims. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-04-at-2.02.05---PM.png) "We think women deserve to know who's going to be there delivering their baby," Miller explained. For 40 years, he has been on call every night, every day, for his patients. His two partners- Dr. Simms and midwife Jamie- do the same. "If I've been through a woman through one or two births, she trusts me a lot to be there with her next birth. We want to be there." Women know that the doctor who saw them for OB prenatal care will be the one to deliver their baby, and after their baby is born, they will return to the same office to see the same doctors for pediatrician care for the newborn. The approach extends to everything about how the maternity unit across the street operates. The birthing rooms open onto private garden patios where laboring mothers can walk outside. Every room has a jetted tub for water labor, which research shows can speed up delivery by helping mothers relax. The beds move into multiple positions to help with labor mechanics. The nurses are trained extensively in comfort measures for natural childbirth. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-04-at-1.50.25---PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-04-at-1.50.40---PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-04-at-1.51.04---PM.png) Credit: The Birthing Spa "One study showed just standing during labor, as opposed to laying down, saved a third of the labor time," Miller said. The whole design is built around that research- getting mothers out of bed, keeping them moving, supporting them through the process without rushing to intervention. The results speak for themselves. Dr. Miller says The Birthing Center has maintained one of, if not the lowest, C-section rate in the state for decades. He said that was born out of necessity because for the first 12 years, epidurals weren't available at the facility and both doctors and nurses became well-equipped to help women through a natural birth. "We were the only hospital in the state between Louisville, Lexington, and all around here that offered women private rooms the entire time they're in the hospital for their birth," Miller said of those early years. The Birthing Center has received numerous recognitions and awards over the years and has a long list of current and former patients who vow it is unlike any other maternity unit in the state. For Miller, though, it comes down to something simpler than awards and testimonials. "The joy in my life is to have a baby come into my hands and be able to give it back to mom," he said. "I could get behind home plate or the 50-yard line at the Super Bowl coming up this week, and I wouldn't have a better seat than sitting right there by mom, holding her baby and giving it back." Dr. Miller's passion for babies and mothers is palpable, and his work is at the heart of The Birthing Center. But there is another group of people who are feeling the impacts of the closure just as deeply- the mothers who planned to give birth there. ## "I don't feel like it would be safe" ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/0G7A0493-3.jpg) Jordan Hamm and her family Jordan chose Fort Logan for a specific reason: she's allergic to fentanyl, which is in most epidurals. A previous reaction to anesthesia was life-threatening. Natural childbirth wasn't just a preference- it was a medical necessity. "Going to another hospital was very worrisome, because I had to call around and try to figure out which places were safe," she said. When she found Fort Logan, she discovered a facility specifically designed for mothers like her. The tubs, the nitrous oxide (which most hospitals don't offer), the nurses trained in comfort measures- all of it made natural childbirth not just possible, but supported. "With my last one, I was able to successfully do a natural childbirth," she said. "Didn't have to worry about the epidural." Now, with her fourth baby due in eight weeks, she's scrambling. The Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center in Danville has one room with a tub- first-come, first-served. They say they'll offer nitrous, but they can't say when. And their only epidural option contains fentanyl. "If I was to go and try to do natural childbirth and then labor stalled," Jordan said, "I would be terrified knowing that was the only option as a backup plan." She's trying to find alternatives, but at this stage of pregnancy, most providers aren't taking new patients. "It very well may look like me having to deliver at a hospital I've never been to, with a provider I've never seen before who's completely unaware and does not know my medical history." She's not alone. Another mother in the group working to fight the closure was planning a VBAC- vaginal birth after cesarean- which few hospitals in the area will even attempt. She had consulted with the doctors at Fort Logan before even getting pregnant to confirm it was possible. Now she doesn't know what she'll do. "There's so many people in similar situations," Jordan said. "Having that choice completely taken away from them has been devastating." ## The 20-minute problem The health system's press release frames the move as an upgrade: mothers will have "immediate access to neonatologists and a Level II Special Care Nursery" in Danville, should complications arise. The regional medical center has 18 beds compared to Fort Logan's smaller unit. It's only 11 miles away- "about a 15-minute drive," the FAQ states. "Moving OB services from Fort Logan Hospital enables us to elevate the level of care provided to our OB mothers and babies and serve our community’s healthcare needs more efficiently," the statement read. But for Miller and his partners, that 15-20 minutes is the heart of the problem. All three providers at the Fort Logan birthing center live within five minutes of the hospital. "There's many times five minutes should have been quicker," Miller said. When complications arise- a cord prolapse, an emergency C-section- minutes matter. "If you got a cord hanging out," Miller explained, "especially if the mom has to go 20 minutes first, and then the nurse finds out, 'Oh, you got a cord hanging out,' then they call us, and it's 20 more minutes. That is just not acceptable for emergencies." He pointed to a 2018 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association that examined what happens when rural communities lose OB services. Three things increase: babies born outside hospitals, babies born in hospitals that aren't prepared to care for them (because women in crisis will stop at the nearest facility regardless), and premature deliveries. A follow-up study published in JAMA in November 2025 found that infant mortality rates rise by 14% in counties that lose OB services. "Our infant mortality rate in our little rural county has been lower than the state average," Miller said. "It's because we provide accessible health care." Jordan's own experience illustrates the time pressure. Her last labor, from waking up to delivery, was four hours. After accounting for the time to confirm it was real labor, arrange childcare, pack the car, and drive through icy conditions, she wasn't at the hospital long before the baby arrived. Adding another 20 minutes could mean delivering on the side of the road- or in an ER that isn't equipped for it. ## What happens now The mothers fighting the closure aren't optimistic about stopping it. They've reached out to board members, administrators, state representatives, senators and are planning to contact the Attorney General's office to explore an injunction. They've also started an [online petition](https://www.change.org/p/a-community-s-plea-to-keep-fort-logan-s-birthing-unit-open?recruiter=1399595273&recruited%5Fby%5Fid=c8ffb960-f3c3-11f0-82cf-7faa2062fb2b&utm%5Fsource=share%5Fpetition&utm%5Fcampaign=psf%5Fpromote%5For%5Fshare&utm%5Fterm=psf&utm%5Fmedium=instagram&fbclid=IwY2xjawPbmY5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEewrAvZRTZxVOvCbJ2zSepBASJoL5zfhpk3s-uZYxq2370y4Yyris96fGU-14%5Faem%5FDcFKgrQckDSlj6CfdUHw5w), hoping to stop the consolidation. But the timeline is brutal. Even if legislators were sympathetic, policy changes wouldn't take effect in time. The closure is February 16th. "I don't think personally that it's going to affect me in the next eight weeks," Jordan acknowledged. "Unless the Attorney General can issue an immediate injunction... it's beyond me. It's beyond the moms that are unfortunately having to deal with this right now." Instead, they're focused on the future- pushing for legislation that would require longer notice periods for maternity unit closures (they're proposing 60-90 days minimum, ideally nine months) and formal notification requirements so communities aren't left in the dark. "We fear this is just the first in a very long string of closures," Jordan said. She cited research suggesting 35 rural hospitals across Kentucky are at risk. "It's going to cause a ripple effect for the entire health and safety of people all across the state." ## "God will provide" As for Dr. Miller, he's praying. Literally. "I'm trying to come up with 10 reasons every day why I'm thankful that I'm going through this," he said. "And it's challenging." But he is leaning on faith and the belief that something good will be on the other side. Also, he's not giving up obstetrics- he and his partners plan to continue delivering babies at the Danville facility, even though the commute will impact their patients' wait times and they believe the distance creates genuine safety risks. He's also exploring other options. Kentucky approved freestanding birthing centers last year, and the regulations are still being finalized. But Dr. Miller is looking into whether they could open one. His daughter, an interior designer, has suggested converting their historic 1890s home- with its cherry wood floors and fireplaces- into a birthing center. Dr. Miller said he's in the very early stages of consideration, but is open to the idea. "We're going to call it the Baby Bed and Breakfast," Miller said, laughing. But a freestanding center can't do emergency C-sections or epidurals, which limits who it can serve. The hospital, Miller maintains, offered the best of both worlds: the natural, supportive environment of a birthing center with the safety net of a full surgical team. "My daughter searched all Philadelphia over and couldn't find a place like we have in Stanford to have her baby," he said. "We can't either. It's pretty unique, what we do." He paused. "The joy in my life is to have a baby come into my hands and give it back to mom. That never grows old. We won't miss that. And our women won't miss the care we give. But the safety that goes around it- we feel very safe in our small hospital. I will not feel safe 20 minutes away." *Ephraim McDowell Health provided me with the following statement:* > After careful consideration, Ephraim McDowell Health has made the decision to move inpatient obstetric services at Ephraim McDowell Fort Logan Hospital (EMFLH) to Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center (EMRMC) effective February 16\. This consolidation will best serve the needs of mothers and babies in our community, provide higher acuity services and reduce the need to transfer fragile newborns shortly after birth. > By concentrating our resources and services, Ephraim McDowell Health can strengthen and elevate obstetric care at its flagship facility—enhancing clinical capabilities while reinforcing long-term sustainability. Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center’s high acuity, 18-bed unit offers the latest advances in obstetrics and neonatology care including a Level II Special Care Nursery. > The short, 15-minute distance between EMRMC and EMFLH preserves local access to high-quality obstetric care while strengthening the availability of advanced emergency interventions for patients and newborns. ### A Kentucky girl at heart: what to know about Nancy Guthrie's ties to the commonwealth URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/a-kentucky-girl-at-heart-what-to-know-about-nancy-guthries-ties-to-the-commonwealth/ Last updated: 2026-02-09T13:31:06.000Z Nancy grew up in Fort Wright, a small city in Kenton County just south of Cincinnati. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- By now, you've likely seen the headlines. Nancy Guthrie- the 84-year-old mother of Today Show anchor Savannah Guthrie- has been missing from her home outside Tucson, Arizona since the early morning hours of February 1st. Investigators believe she was taken in the middle of the night and did not leave on her own. But what many people may not realize is that Nancy Guthrie is one of ours. She's a Kentucky girl- born and raised. Nancy grew up in Fort Wright, a small city in Kenton County just south of Cincinnati. She attended elementary school at St. Agnes before enrolling at Notre Dame Academy, the well-known Catholic all-girls school in nearby Park Hills, graduating with the Class of 1959. This week, the Notre Dame Academy Alumnae Facebook page posted a prayer request that has since been shared more than 80 times: *"We ask our community to join us in prayer for the safety and protection of our 1959 alumna, Nancy Long Guthrie, who is missing in Arizona. May God surround her and her family with His presence, grant wisdom to those working on her behalf, and bring reassurance in this time of uncertainty. We trust in His care and lift Nancy up in prayer."* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-05-at-1.00.10---PM.png) It's clear the Northern Kentucky community hasn't forgotten her- even though Nancy has called Arizona home for decades. After graduating from Notre Dame Academy, Nancy headed to Lexington, where she attended the University of Kentucky. And in true Kentucky fashion, her love story started with basketball. According to Savannah, Nancy met her late husband Charles Guthrie on a blind date to a UK basketball game. During a tribute on the Today Show, Savannah shared one of her favorite details from her parents' story: "My mom said my dad walked up to the door of her sorority and she looked at him and said, 'That's the man I'm going to marry.'" ## What we know about her disappearance ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-05-at-1.00.00---PM.png) Nancy was reported missing on Sunday, February 1st, after she failed to show up for church that morning. A fellow church member called her family, who went to check on her and found concerning evidence at the home. They called 911 around noon. Nancy was last seen the night before- Saturday, January 31st- by family members at her home in the Catalina Foothills area outside Tucson. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has said investigators believe Nancy was taken from her home against her will. She has limited mobility and cannot walk more than 50 yards on her own. She left behind her wallet, cell phone, and vital medication that authorities say could be fatal to go without. "She didn't walk from there. She didn't go willingly," Nanos told CBS News. The sheriff has emphasized that Nancy is of sound mind. "This is not dementia-related," Nanos said. "She is as sharp as a tack. The family wants everybody to know this isn't somebody who just wandered off." The FBI is assisting with the investigation, and President Trump said Wednesday he has directed all federal law enforcement to assist in the search. ## Her children's emotional plea ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-05-at-1.10.18---PM.png) On Wednesday evening, Nancy's three children- Savannah, her sister Annie, and their brother Camron- [released an emotional video on social media](https://www.facebook.com/reel/1547543483211949) directed at whoever may have taken their mother. "We need to know without a doubt that she is alive, and that you have her," Savannah said. "We want to hear from you, and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to us." They also had a message for Nancy herself: "Everyone is looking for you, Mommy, everywhere. We will not rest. Your children will not rest until we are together again." Multiple media outlets have reported receiving what appear to be ransom notes demanding millions of dollars in bitcoin for Nancy's safe return. Investigators have said they are taking all tips and leads seriously. No suspects or persons of interest have been identified at this time. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### 'Crystal Rogers Act' clears committee, heads to house floor URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/crystal-rogers-act-clears-committee-heads-to-house-floor/ Last updated: 2026-02-04T18:04:39.000Z A bill inspired by failures in the Crystal Rogers investigation is one step closer to becoming law. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- House Bill 305- now officially named the Crystal Rogers Act- passed unanimously out of committee Wednesday. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Candy Massaroni (R) from Nelson County, would extend the statute of limitations for secretly recording grand jury testimony, a problem that hit painfully close to home for the Rogers family. Sherry Ballard, Crystal's mother, traveled to Frankfort to speak directly to lawmakers about why this legislation matters. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-04-at-12.32.54---PM.png) Credit: KET "During the investigation of my daughter's disappearance, the FBI discovered some recordings found during a search at the Houck farm," Ballard told the committee. "Brooks Houck, his mother Rosemary, his brother Nick, his sister Rhonda, and his mother's live-in boyfriend Larry Mock all secretly recorded their grand jury hearing." The recordings were discovered years after Crystal vanished on July 4, 2015- well past the one-year statute of limitations that would have allowed prosecutors to pursue charges. Ballard described the family's devastation at learning an entire family had recorded their testimonies and nothing could be done about it. [Sherry Ballard won’t stop fighting: her push to close the legal loophole that let Houck family off the hookThey broke the law, they faced no consequences, and now Sherry Ballard is fighting to change that. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-177.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-10-07-at-12.29.02---PM-1.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/sherry-ballard-wont-stop-fighting-her-push-to-close-the-legal-loophole-that-let-houck-family-off-the-hook/) "I just feel that the one-year statute of limitation is not compatible with something as important as a grand jury hearing," she said. The bill is straightforward in its purpose: protect the integrity of the grand jury process by giving prosecutors more time to discover and act on violations. Jackie Steele, Commonwealth Attorney for the 27th Judicial Circuit, testified in support of the bill while requesting a technical amendment to ensure prosecutors aren't inadvertently penalized for doing their jobs- like sharing grand jury information with officers conducting follow-up interviews. Committee Chair Rep. Daniel Elliott disagreed that an amendment was necessary, noting the bill's language already includes an exception for actions allowed under Kentucky's Rules of Criminal Procedure. Steele also highlighted why grand jury secrecy matters beyond the Rogers case. Recordings could be used by drug trafficking organizations to stay ahead of investigations, he said, and there's even a black market for child abuse material discussed in grand jury proceedings. "When you get to the smaller jurisdictions... you're hearing cases about your neighbor," Steele explained. "If you can't deliberate in honesty about what's going on in your community because you're afraid somebody's recording it and playing it to your neighbors... that's an obstruction of justice." Committee members were visibly moved by Ballard's testimony. Chair Elliott praised her composure through years of national attention on her daughter's case. "You're making a difference," Elliott told her. "Your persistence has worked out for your daughter." Ballard acknowledged this bill won't change what her family experienced, but she hopes it prevents others from facing the same frustration. "I know this will not help my family, but hopefully it will help another family, and they will not feel the pain that my family has had to go through," she said. HB 305 now moves to the full House for a vote. Rep. Massaroni told me she expects that vote to happen next week. If it passes on the house floor, it will move on to the Senate. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Ethan’s Law was supposed to protect Kentucky’s animals. So why isn’t it being used? URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/ethans-law-was-supposed-to-protect-kentuckys-animals-so-why-isnt-it-being-used/ Last updated: 2026-02-04T18:36:58.000Z One year after Kentucky made the intentional torture of a dog or cat a felony, the man who fought for the law says the real battle is just beginning. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- On January 29, 2021, someone left a dog in the parking lot of a Louisville animal shelter. He was barely alive- covered in urine and feces, unable to move, his body wrecked by starvation and neglect. The staff who found him didn't even think he was still alive. Jeff Callaway, then the shelter’s facility director at the time, got a call: *Can you check the camera? Someone dropped a dead dog off in the parking lot.* But the dog wasn’t dead. Not yet. A family dropping off donations had spotted him in the lot after a 12-year-old boy named Tatum saw him from the car window. They called it in, and staff rushed the dog inside. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/ethan-at-drop-off.jpg) Jeff popped his head into the vet services area to see for himself. What he saw changed the course of his life. “They told me he’s probably not going to live- less than a 10% chance,” Jeff said. “And I said, I don’t care. That dog is going to know that someone cares about him before he dies.” The dog seized that night. He spent days unable to walk. For two weeks, Jeff came back to the shelter every evening to clean him up, change his bandages, give him medication, and take him outside. Even then, the dog would just wander aimlessly- his mind not right, his body broken. But eventually, Jeff brought him home to be around his five other dogs. And slowly, something shifted. The dog started to play. He barked for the first time. They named him Ethan. ## A dog becomes a movement Jeff started a social media page to update the thousands of people who had sent prayers, donations, and support. But as Ethan’s following grew, Jeff saw an opportunity to do something bigger than tell a feel-good rescue story. “I thought, okay, we can use this story,” he said. “We can use his face and his story to make a much bigger difference.” At the time, Kentucky had no felony charge for torturing a dog or cat- unless it involved dog fighting. People who committed horrific acts of abuse were typically charged with second-degree animal cruelty, a misdemeanor that often resulted in little to no real punishment. Even those charges could get knocked down further. So Jeff, along with a network of advocates he calls Ethan’s “extended family,” launched a three-year campaign to change the law. They organized email and phone campaigns, visited the Capitol so many times that security started waving them through, and spent an entire summer meeting with state senators one by one to ask what it would take to get a bill through. Other animal advocates had been working toward the same goal for the better part of a decade before Jeff and Ethan joined in. On April 4, 2024, Governor Andy Beshear signed [House Bill 258 ](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/acts/24RS/documents/0081.pdf?ref=shayinformed.com)into law. Known as Ethan’s Law, it makes the intentional torture of a cat or dog a Class D felony on the first offense- no longer requiring a prior conviction to elevate the charge. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/signed-into-law-better.jpg) The law defines “torture” broadly: it covers the intentional infliction of extreme physical pain, serious injury, or death, whether through direct violence or through restraint- locking an animal in a cage, sealing it in a bag, chaining it without food or water, or abandoning it in a building for three or more days without provisions. For Jeff, the day it passed was euphoric. “You immediately are overjoyed,” he said. “And you think, this is really going to help animals in Kentucky.” Then they sat back and waited. And nothing happened. ## The law nobody’s using “No one was being charged with it,” Jeff said. “And the biggest excuse we got was: *no one knew about it.*” That part stunned him. A brand-new felony statute was on the books, and across the state, county attorneys and Commonwealth attorneys simply hadn’t heard of it- or hadn’t bothered to read the page-and-a-half law. So Jeff and his team started doing the education themselves. They set up booths at the county attorney conference and the Commonwealth attorney conference in Lexington, handing out copies of the statute, explaining its language, and bringing Ethan along to draw attention. But awareness alone hasn’t solved the problem. Even in cases that seem tailor-made for Ethan’s Law, Jeff says he keeps watching prosecutors settle with lower penalties, and offenders skirting jail time. The law makes the torture of a cat or dog a Class D felony, which in Kentucky is punishable by a one to five-year prison sentence. Jeff rattled off several cases from memory, happening all across the state, where the crime he believes prosecutors failed to hold abusers accountable. “They’re almost perfect examples of why that law was needed,” he said. “And they’re not using it.” In Boyle County, Kenneth Wingard was charged with torture of a dog or cat and tampering with physical evidence in September of 2024 after police say he killed a beagle. According to court documents, he "shot the dog while being very intoxicated," and after killing it, he hid it in the floorboard of his truck and left the area. Wingard was sentenced to diversion. In Christian County, Martin Hartwig pleaded guilty to animal torture charges, along with animal cruelty, after police say he slammed a small dog, killing it. According to court documents, he was angry because the dog had peed on the couch. The prosecutor in this case settled on a plea deal that included three years of probation, and no jail. ## Property, politics, and path of least resistance So what’s behind the gap? Jeff sees three main problems. First, there was the initial ignorance- prosecutors who genuinely didn’t know the law existed. That’s gotten better with the education efforts, but hasn’t disappeared. Second, there’s the property issue. In Kentucky, dogs and cats are legally considered property. And Jeff says that mindset runs deep- not just among pet owners, but among some of the people tasked with prosecuting these crimes. “I’m okay with having a discussion about that,” Jeff said, “as long as they can agree that your dog and your car are two different things. They’re both your property. I can go outside and beat the crap out of my car with a baseball bat, and that’s not a crime. I do it to my dog- that should be a crime.” He recalled sitting in a Pulaski County courtroom where a man was accused of biting the ears completely off a cat. The defense attorney stood up and asked the court: *Who are we to tell him how to discipline his cat?* Third- and Jeff suspects this is the biggest factor- is convenience. Pursuing a felony charge takes more work. If prosecutors keep it as a misdemeanor, they can offer a quick plea, avoid circuit court, and move on. “Some people are just lazy,” Jeff said plainly. “If we just keep this as a misdemeanor, I can offer them this, they’ll definitely agree to it because there’s no jail time. We move on. It takes a little bit more work to do that.” ## 60 courtrooms and counting Jeff and his board didn’t stop at getting the law passed. They’ve become something Kentucky’s animal welfare system doesn’t have: a watchdog. He and a fellow board member from the Ethan Almighty Foundation now travel the state tracking active animal cruelty cases. Ethan has been inside roughly 60 Kentucky courtrooms. Sometimes Jeff drives three hours each way for a two-minute arraignment. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/judge-chambers-ethan-.jpg) “Some of these cases- I can honestly say they would have been dropped or lowered if they didn’t know there were eyes watching it,” he said. Jeff has also begun filing motions to serve as a court-appointed animal advocate in active cases- modeled after CASA, the court-appointed special advocates who represent children. The results have been mixed. In Scott County, a judge dismissed the motion without letting him speak. In Jefferson County, it was denied on the grounds that because the dog was dead, there was no animal to advocate for. “That doesn’t make any sense,” Jeff said. “Especially now- let’s say the animal could speak. Well, it’s dead. It can’t speak for itself. Someone’s got to be there.” ## What comes next Jeff is now pushing for Kentucky to recognize animal victims under the state’s violent offender statute. As written, if a felony results in a victim being killed or seriously injured, the offender falls into violent offender status- meaning no diversion, no probation, and a requirement to serve 85% of the sentence. “Kentucky has now said there is an animal victim in these cases,” Jeff argued. “So I’ve spoken with several prosecutors about putting these people in violent offender status. Everyone thinks it’s interesting. No one can give me a reason why not.” He also continues to push for a formal court-appointed animal advocacy system, similar to what exists in parts of the Northeast, and he’s connected with a national animal defense team out of Washington, D.C. that has offered to train Kentucky attorneys, judges, and advocates for free. Meanwhile, the Ethan Almighty’s Blessings Foundation- the nonprofit Jeff started in Ethan’s name- helps pay vet bills for people who can’t afford them, so no family has to choose between euthanizing or surrendering a pet because of money. The foundation also partners with Louisville Metro Animal Services to provide free spay and neuter services on the last Sunday of every month. Ethan was named the American Humane Hero Dog of the Year in 2022\. He has an exhibit at the Frazier History Museum in Louisville and a banner on the Marriott downtown. He’s a long way from the parking lot where they weren’t sure he was breathing. But for Jeff, the banner and the trophy were never the point. “It was never good enough to just get his name on a law,” Jeff said. “We had to follow through.” He paused. “All we’ve ever asked is: if it falls within this statute, let it go to a grand jury and let the people in that county decide whether it’s acceptable to them or not. That’s it. That’s all we’re asking.” *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### From Bardstown to Bowling Green: my new podcast covering the Crystal Rogers trials URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/from-bardstown-to-bowling-green-my-new-podcast-covering-the-crystal-rogers-trials/ Last updated: 2026-02-19T12:46:57.000Z New podcast *Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials*\- launches exclusively for Shay Informed subscribers February 17th. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- It's finally time. After years of covering the Crystal Rogers case, I'm sharing a new podcast that tells the complete story of the Crystal Rogers murder trials. This podcast picks up where my others left off- the final chapter- justice. It's called *Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials*. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/Portfolio-PodcastCover--2--1.jpg) ## Here's what you need to know: **What it is:** A 10-episode podcast series covering the 2025 trials of Steve Lawson, Joseph Lawson, and Brooks Houck- the three men convicted in connection with Crystal Rogers' disappearance and murder. **What makes it unique:** I was there. In those courtrooms. Every single day. I heard every witness, saw every piece of evidence, and watched as a decade-long mystery finally unraveled in front of a jury. Afterwards, I got the interviews that no one else got. And for the last several months, I've had the time to pour through the trial tapes, jail phone calls, and my notes to build something special. **Where you can hear it:** This podcast is different from most podcasts you're used to because it is available exclusively to Shay Informed subscribers. You won't find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or other public podcast platforms. It lives behind the subscription wall at shayinformed.com, and here's why: the only way this work exists is because subscribers support it. It wouldn't be fair for them to pay for a project that is then open to the public. **What to expect:** The podcast is based on my notes taken during trial, recorded trial tapes, interviews after trial, and jail calls between Brooks Houck and his family members- telling a side of the story we haven't heard. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-01-at-9.05.26---PM.png) ## Why this podcast exists When the Crystal Rogers trials finally happened in 2025, I made a decision: I was going to be in that courtroom every single day. No matter what. I was pregnant. I had a eight month old I had to bring with me. But I was going to be there. And I was- even though it meant moving my family to Bowling Green for a few weeks to make it happen. I sat through jury selection. I heard opening statements. I watched Sherry Ballard take the stand and describe the worst weekend of her life. I listened as Steve Lawson admitted what he'd done. I was there when all three guilty verdicts were read. I spent months producing this podcast- conducting exclusive interviews, going through trial transcripts, and editing hundreds of hours of courtroom audio. This is the complete story of how three men were finally held accountable for what happened to Crystal Rogers. And it's told the way it should be: with no sensationalism, just the truth. ## What you'll hear Over 10 episodes, I'm taking you inside both trials with actual courtroom audio, exclusive interviews, and the evidence that finally cracked this case. You'll hear from: - **Sherry Ballard**, Crystal's mother, on what it was like to testify and finally see justice - **Former Detective Jon Snow**, the lead investigator who spent years chasing leads in this case - **FBI Special Agent Steve Keary**, who took over the investigation in 2020 - **Crystal's grandparents**, Till and Betty Ballard, on what these convictions mean for their family - **The Houck family,** from recorded jail phone calls made every night after court ended for the day And you'll hear the evidence that convicted three men. The phone records. The alibis that fell apart. The witnesses who finally came forward. The confession that stunned the courtroom. All of it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-01-at-9.05.14---PM.png) ## The day everything changed for me Halfway through Brooks Houck's trial, something happened. A woman approached me in the courthouse hallway. She said she was a fan of my work and asked for a hug. I said, of course. Then she leaned in and whispered, "You need to follow me to a room down the hall. There are some people who need to talk to you. We need to be discreet." I followed her into a side room where two officials were waiting. After that conversation, I ended up with 24/7 security for the rest of the trial. I sent my mom and daughter home. And I kept working- because Crystal's family deserved nothing less. I tell the full story in the podcast. ## What's in the podcast **Episode 1: Fatal Drive to the Farm** The Steve Lawson trial. Sherry's testimony. The midnight phone call. The confession. And the first guilty verdict. **Episode 2: The Jury Pool** Brooks Houck's trial begins. Only 33 out of 130 potential jurors hadn't heard of this case. What does that tell you? And the beginning of the evidence that would start to build against Brooks Houck. **Episode 3: The Alibi** Prosecutors systematically destroy Brooks Houck's alibi by calling every single person he claimed could clear him. And you hear from Brooks Houck- as trial gets underway. **Episode 4: The Family Conspiracy** Evidence that this wasn't just Brooks- it was Rosemary, it was Nick, it was the whole family covering it up. People who were closest to them at the time are called to the witness stand. **Episode 5: The White Car** How Tommy Ballard's Facebook post led investigators to a crucial piece of evidence. And right as things are heating up, I get a warning I wasn't expecting. **Episode 6: Shave her head and pull her teeth** The testimony about hogs and teeth and concrete- the moment that shocked everyone in that courtroom, and the first time we hear why Joseph Lawson agreed to move the car. **Episode 7: The Defense Attacks** Why Brooks Houck's lawyers thought they could win, how they tried to dismantle the prosecution's case, and Brooks' sister Rhonda paints a picture of fear, intimidation and threats against her family. **Episode 8: Closing Arguments** Both sides make their final case to the jury. Everything comes down to this. When the defense asks the judge for a directed verdict, the judge lays out the evidence piece by piece and says there is enough to convict. **Episode 9: Guilty** The verdicts. The reactions. What it felt like in that courtroom when justice was finally served, and the special homecoming the Ballard family received. **Episode 10: Where is Crystal?** What happens next? What do we know about Crystal's body? Could there be more charges? And what about the other Bardstown cases? ## How to listen This podcast is available exclusively to Shay Informed subscribers at shayinformed.com. Not on Spotify. Not on Apple Podcasts. Just here. If you think this work is worth supporting, subscribe [here](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup). If not, I get it. No hard feelings! ## Why this matters Crystal Rogers disappeared 3,868 days ago. For nearly a decade, her family searched. They organized volunteer searches across Nelson County. They put up billboards. They kept her face on the news. They refused to let anyone forget her name. And they never gave up. When I sat in those courtrooms last year, watching Sherry Ballard testify, watching Brooks Houck sit silently as witness after witness detailed the evidence against him, I thought about all those years. All those searches. All those nights the Ballard family went to bed not knowing what happened to Crystal. This podcast is for them. It's the complete story of how justice finally came. How investigators connected the dots. How prosecutors built their case. How a jury heard the evidence and said: guilty. ## This is independent journalism When I left television news to start Shay Informed, people asked if I could really make it work. If people would actually pay for local journalism. Here's what I know- *Circumstantial: The Crystal Rogers Trials* wouldn't exist without subscribers who believe in this work. This podcast has no ads, no corporate backing, no one telling me what I can or can't say. It's just me, telling the truth about what happened in those courtrooms. If you believe stories like Crystal's deserve to be told properly- if you think accountability journalism matters- I hope you'll subscribe and support this work. Thank you for being here. Thank you for caring about Crystal Rogers. And thank you for supporting independent journalism. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/02/IMG_0236.jpeg) *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Immigration policy creates confusion for Kentucky families in the midst of international adoption URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/immigration-policy-creates-confusion-for-kentucky-families-in-the-midst-of-international-adoption/ Last updated: 2026-02-03T13:35:43.000Z Adoption is timely, stressful and almost always requires a stroke of luck. But now families are facing a new hurdle- mixed messages from the White House about who is allowed in the country. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Joseph and Kennedy Abdelghany have spent the past year navigating mountains of paperwork, government approvals, and endless waiting to bring their daughter home from Colombia. They've done everything right, checked every box, submitted every form. Now, with nothing left to do but wait for Colombia's final approval to match them with their future daughter, a presidential proclamation that went into effect January 21st has thrown their adoption into limbo. "At first, I think we're really hopeful, because we thought, this has happened before, but the administration has always put in an exception for adoptions internationally. So we were hopeful. And then when we got the news that the administration was not going to put an exception out for adoptions," Kennedy explained. The proclamation paused immigrant visa processing from 84 countries, including Colombia. Historically, international adoptions have been exempted from immigration restrictions- adopted children aren't immigrating as potential public charges but as members of American families. But the[ White House announcement](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/immigrant-visa-processing-updates-for-nationalities-at-high-risk-of-public-benefits-usage.html?ref=shayinformed.com) made no mention of any exemption for adoptions, stating flatly that "no immigrant visas" would be issued to nationals from the affected countries. "It's frustrating to see a government not working towards the good of families," Kenned told me. Two weeks later, adoption agencies received updated guidance from the State Department suggesting adoptions might qualify for exceptions on a "case-by-case basis." But the guidance uses conditional language- children "may qualify" for exceptions, not "will qualify"- offering uncertainty at a time when these families desperately need clarity. "When you're dealing with adoption, if you start celebrating when no one's made any promises, you're liable to get your heart broken," Joseph told me. The La Grange family already has five biological children. Adoption was something that had been on their hearts for years, inspired by their faith community's commitment to caring for orphans from around the world. When they saw a picture of their future daughter, a medically complex child waiting for a family in Colombia, they knew it was time. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Eileen--adoption-story-1.jpg) "When it comes down to it, there's a child that needs a home, we have a home that's healthy and stable," Joseph said. Kennedy, who has shepherded the family through the intensive adoption process over the past year, worked tirelessly to complete every requirement. A few months ago, they had submitted everything needed on their end. All that remained was waiting for the Colombian government to approve the match. Then came the news about the immigration pause. ## The policy and the problem Historically, international adoption visas have been exempted from immigration restrictions- precisely because adopted children are immigrating as members of American families who have already proven their financial ability to care for them. But the White House announcement made no such distinction this time. The contradiction is stark: The White House says no immigrant visas will be issued. The State Department says adoptions may qualify for exceptions on a case-by-case basis. It's that conditional language- "may qualify" rather than "will qualify"- and the case-by-case determination that's keeping the Abdelghanys up at night. "It says parents of adopted children may qualify for an exception," Joseph explained, emphasizing the word "may." "They're certainly not saying they do qualify, but they might. What does that look like? What is the application process for an exception? I don't know." The State Department guidance attempts to offer reassurance, stating that "no additional steps are required to request consideration under the National Interest Exception" and that "President Trump and his Administration support families and intercountry adoption." It encourages families to "continue the normal adoption process, including submitting visa applications and attending consular interviews." But for families trying to parse government communications, the mixed messaging is maddening. The White House FAQ section explicitly states there are no exceptions beyond dual nationals. The State Department tells adoption agencies adoptions "may qualify" for exceptions but offers no guarantees. One says the door is closed. The other says keep knocking- maybe it will open. For families who have invested years of their lives and tens of thousands of dollars into these adoptions, the uncertainty is agonizing. The irony isn't lost on them either: The White House framed this pause as preventing immigrants from becoming "a financial burden to Americans," yet international adoption requires prospective parents to prove extensive financial stability as part of the approval process. Adoptive families must demonstrate they can support their children without any public assistance. For the children waiting for families- many of them medically complex and in need of specialized care available in the United States- every day matters. "The majority of kids being adopted are medically complex," Kennedy noted. "Several countries only allow you to adopt kids with medical conditions. Every day really does count." The child Joseph and Kennedy are adopting has been diagnosed with spina bifida, hydrocephalus, hip dysplasia, and a club foot. All medical issues they know they can treat once they get her to the US. But right now, in Colombia, she is living in a small village, without access to the kind of physical therapy she needs. "The Lord has uniquely equipped our community and our lives to where we feel prepared," Kennedy said. Her husband Joseph added, "we have a great medical plan, and she would be able to get much better care here but time is of the essence." ## A community issue The Abdelghanys are quick to clarify this isn't just about their family. Multiple families are caught in this same uncertainty, and they're asking their community to speak up. "When it affects something close to home like this, it really sobers you up," Joseph told me. The National Council for Adoption has created [an easy template](https://adoptioncouncil.org/advocacy/action-center/?fbclid=IwY2xjawPp5eNleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFsWFhVaHg1amZ4ZU9ZaU5Wc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHgY5cdJM4W-KGmLVAt4WhUuh-Sye7H8jbYPJZb4TNEJ0Ed8fSvQ9VWcqgyGQ%5Faem%5FxFWHI15iO5zCSnabBW8FXw&ref=shayinformed.com#/31) people can fill out to send their lawmakers in Congress a note, requesting they ask President Trump to exempt adoptees from the travel ban. He sees it as a clarifying moment in the broader national conversation about immigration. "We need to figure out whether we're America and we welcome the stranger-that's part of our core identity as a country- or whether we are going to isolate under nationalism," Joseph said. "This has all been happening in the ether for a lot of people, but when it happens in an issue like this, it really clarifies things." ## What happens next The Abdelghanys remain cautiously hopeful but realistic. The State Department guidance only came out on Wednesday, and their adoption agency forwarded it with no additional clarification, Kennedy noted, "because I think they're in the same spot. They're like, we don't know either." The State Department guidance notes that "because overall visa volumes have decreased following the proclamation, many consular offices now have increased capacity to assist with adoption cases"- an ironic silver lining to the immigration pause that's created this uncertainty in the first place. Joseph described the current administration's decision-making as "pretty erratic," making it hard to predict what will actually happen versus what's promised in guidance memos. "Our adoption agency seems really pleased with the guidance, but I don't know- there seems to be a lot of language in the update that doesn't really make any promises to anybody," Joseph said. "I'm just not willing to start celebrating." The fundamental question remains unanswered: When the White House says no immigrant visas will be issued and the State Department says adoptions are eligible for case-by-case exceptions, which policy actually governs? And who decides? They're continuing to wait for Colombia's approval while simultaneously trying to understand whether their adoption will ultimately be treated as an exception under the current policy. In the meantime, they're asking their community for support in voicing opposition to the policy. For families like the Abdelghanys, this isn't an abstract policy debate. It's about a child who needs medical care, a family that's ready to provide it, and a bureaucratic pause that could cost precious time. "We will never stop," Joseph said with quiet determination. "We're going to get her here at some point." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-30-at-3.05.29---PM.png) *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Kentucky Senator demands independent investigation into fatal federal shooting in Minneapolis URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-senator-demands-independent-investigation-into-fatal-federal-shooting-in-minneapolis/ Last updated: 2026-02-02T13:42:58.000Z Sen. Rand Paul said during a Wednesday interview that nobody who has watched the videos believes the protester was assaulting police when the shooting happened. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Kentucky Senator Rand Paul is calling for an independent investigation after federal agents fatally shot an ICU nurse in Minneapolis over the weekend- the second deadly shooting by federal agents in the city in recent days. Paul said during a Wednesday [interview](https://www.shayinformed.com/lo/), "when the government tells them well he was assaulting the police officers, no party with any objectivity believes that is what's happening." The senator, who chairs the Senate Homeland Security Committee, has requested officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection to testify before Congress next month about the shooting of Alex Pretti. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/alex-pretti.jpg) What's raising alarm is the stark difference between what officials are saying happened and what videos of the encounter appear to show. ## The White House narrative vs. what the video shows After the shooting, senior officials in President Donald Trump's administration branded Pretti as a domestic terrorist, claiming he assaulted federal officers. But Paul says anyone watching the videos with objectivity can see that's not what happened. "When people watch that video, and the government tells them, 'Well, he was assaulting the police officers,' no party with objectivity believes that is what is happening," Paul said during a Fox Business interview Wednesday. "The man retreats with each altercation, retreats. The woman thrown violently to ground, he is thrown to the ground. No American believes he was assaulting the officers. In fact, the opposite appears true." The Department of Homeland Security has described Pretti as an "assassin," a "would-be assassin," and a "domestic terrorist" who assaulted police- characterizations Paul strongly disputes based on available video evidence. ## "We have to get the rules straight" Paul acknowledged that removing violent people from cities is broadly supported across the political spectrum and represents one of Trump's key initiatives. But he emphasized that immigration enforcement "can't be done with no rules." The senator also pushed back on suggestions that Pretti shouldn't have been armed, calling that notion contrary to Second Amendment rights. "I have been to dozens, dozens of rallies and/or protests where people are visibly armed or have concealed carry," Paul said. "The people saying this, we need to get this straight so we have awareness. People go to protest, they know what the rules of the game are." He added: "If videoing somebody is assault- most people don't believe it is, but if that is assault- then people need to know that. That if you video someone, you could be shot. We need clarification on all of this." ## Who can conduct an independent investigation? Paul is withholding judgment on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for now, but says there must be an independent investigation- and crucially, not one conducted by DHS itself. "If this happened on a police force, officers, whether or not they committed anything wrong, would immediately be put on administrative leave. There would be an investigation," Paul explained. "But I don't know who trusts an investigation done by DHS when they call this person an assassin, a would-be assassin, a domestic terrorist, saying he assaulted police. How can they be in charge of an independent investigation?" The senator suggested this appears to be a tragedy involving a gun drawn prematurely, possibly after someone shouted "gun, gun, gun," creating confusion about whether the perpetrator or one of their own agents had a weapon. "If we don't see it as a mistake and say, 'Jolly well and good, he was a terrorist'- people aren't going to accept that," Paul said. "You want Minnesota to calm down? Show a just, independent investigation." ## What happens next Several officials are scheduled to testify before Congress: - **February 10**: Rodney Scott (former Border Patrol Chief) and Joseph Edlow (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director) will appear before the House - **March 3**: Secretary Kristi Noem is scheduled to testify Lawmakers from both parties have been calling for accountability, with some demanding Noem's resignation and threatening impeachment if she remains in office. Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman called on President Trump to fire Noem, writing she is "trashing your legacy." President Trump told reporters Tuesday that the Secretary would not be stepping down. The shooting has also created friction over DHS funding, with Senate Democrats pushing to separate homeland security funding from a larger government spending package. The administration has reportedly told Senate Democrats they will manage changes to enforcement operations and remove certain officials from Minneapolis operations. But Paul noted that ICE already has substantial funding- approximately $10 billion in annual appropriations, plus an extra $18-19 billion per year from additional funding approved last summer. "There is so much money running around this place," Paul said, adding he wants to see rules established and an independent investigation before Congress considers providing additional billions to the agency. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Louisville International Airport announces three new non-stop flights URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/lo/ Last updated: 2026-01-28T19:49:12.000Z Breeze Airways is expanding service to include three new cities, making non-stop flights to 41 destinations. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Louisville International Airport announced Wednesday that it's adding three new nonstop routes starting this May, connecting Louisville travelers to Pittsburgh, Hartford, and Los Angeles. The expansion is a big deal for Louisville's airport, which now offers a record 41 nonstop destinations. Two of these routes-Pittsburgh and Hartford- are brand new markets that weren't previously served nonstop from Louisville. "This is a huge win for Louisville," Mayor Craig Greenberg said in Tuesday's announcement. He pointed out that new nonstop routes signal economic momentum and make the city more attractive to businesses considering expanding here. Here's what you need to know about the new flights: **Pittsburgh** will have service on Thursdays and Sundays starting May 7, with introductory fares from $39 one way. This route fills a significant gap- nearly 200 people travel between Louisville and Pittsburgh each day, making it one of the largest visitor markets for our region. **Hartford** gets Monday and Friday flights starting May 29, with fares from $49 one way. Located between Boston and New York City, Hartford serves a metropolitan area of more than three million people. Airport officials say it was the largest population center in the eastern U.S. that Louisville didn't already serve nonstop. **Los Angeles** rounds out the additions with Wednesday and Saturday service beginning May 6, starting at $99 one way. This gives Louisville travelers another West Coast option beyond Breeze's existing San Francisco route. All three routes are summer seasonal, running through mid-September. The promotional fares are available for booking through February 3, so if you're planning a trip, you'll want to act relatively quickly. Dan Mann, executive director of the Louisville Regional Airport Authority, credited Breeze with recognizing Louisville's market strength. Since Breeze first came to Louisville in 2021, the airline has steadily expanded its presence here. With today's announcement, Breeze now connects Louisville to nine cities, including Charleston, Fort Myers, New Orleans, Raleigh/Durham, San Francisco, and Tampa. David Neeleman, Breeze's founder and CEO, said the new routes reflect the airline's commitment to Louisville and its strategy of adding nonstop service that delivers value to travelers. For Louisville, it's another sign that the city's aviation connections continue to grow- something that matters whether you're planning a vacation, visiting family, or traveling for business. [Louisville’s airports are having a record year – and here’s how that affects your walletA new economic impact study has revealed that our Louisville airports generated a record-breaking $12.8 billion last year.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-172.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/louisville-airport.jpeg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/louisvilles-airports-are-having-a-record-year-making-international-travel-a-real-possibility/) *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Animal abusers in Kentucky face almost no consequences. Advocates head to Frankfort to demand better. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/animal-abusers-in-kentucky-face-almost-no-consequences-advocates-head-to-frankfort-to-demand-better/ Last updated: 2026-01-28T20:24:37.000Z Kentucky ranks 47th for animal protection laws, allowing abuse and neglect to fester across the commonwealth. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- When Penny was found in December 2020, thrown from a car in a plastic bag on the side of the Pennyrile Parkway, three of her four legs had been broken from sustained human abuse. Multiple veterinarians recommended euthanizing the small white dog with spotted ears. They didn't think she'd have any quality of life. But Penny had other plans. "She had this fighting spirit," said Lindsey Peetz, who along with her husband eventually adopted Penny after fostering her through the Arrow Fund. "She loved every single person that came to her rescue. She was licking them. She was trying to walk on mangled legs." Five years later, Penny is a therapy dog who travels the country spreading joy. She's also become the face of a harsh reality: Kentucky has some of the weakest animal protection laws in the nation, ranking 47th out of 50 states. And the person who nearly killed her? They wouldn't have even gotten a parking ticket under Kentucky's laws at the time. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-26-at-11.51.04---AM.png) Penny at intake, after being thrown from a car That's why on February 4th, more than 100 animal advocates- including Peetz, Penny, and a group of high school students from Assumption High School- will gather at the Kentucky State Capitol for Kentucky Animal Action Day. It's the sixth year for the grassroots event, which gives everyday Kentuckians a chance to look their legislators in the eye and ask them to do better for the state's most vulnerable residents. "Legislators are put in place by the voters, and they are put there to represent us, but they can only properly represent us if they know it's important to us," said Mychell Lawson, who founded Kentucky Animal Action Day in 2020\. "If animals are important to you, you need to come help us tell them respectfully how important they are to you, so they can make decisions for us for the animals." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Penny.jpeg) The statistics paint a grim picture. Most animal abusers in Kentucky never face consequences for their actions, and many continue to own animals even after abuse has been reported. The cycle perpetuates, costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to care for impounded animals during lengthy court cases. Sheila Joneleit sees the worst of it. As executive director of the Arrow Fund, a Louisville-based rescue that takes in animals who have been tortured, severely injured or horribly neglected, she's witnessed horrors: a dog stabbed 20 times by its owner, another that appeared to have been de-gloved on its arm, and a dog was found so emaciated it took a full year to get that way, with pressure sores from being caged. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-26-at-11.57.38---AM.png) CREDIT: The Arrow Fund Even when abusers are caught, Kentucky's laws have little bite. Someone can be prohibited from owning animals for two years, but after that, they can have as many as they want again. This year, advocates are pushing two specific pieces of legislation. The first is a "Cost of Care" bill that would require people whose animals are impounded- whether for abuse cases or simply repeat offenders who treat animal control like daycare- to pay for their care or relinquish them immediately. Currently, taxpayers foot the bill, which can reach into the hundreds of thousands of dollars for hoarding cases that drag through the courts for years. The second bill would add two spay and neuter advocates to the Animal Control Advisory Board, which handles state spay and neuter funding from specialty license plates. Lawson says spaying and neutering is one of the most important tools for reducing animal suffering across the board. "If we lower overpopulation, we lower all the other problems that face companion animals. We lower abuse, neglect, abandonment, starvation," she explained. But fighting for animal protection can be an uphill battle in Kentucky. Lobbying groups will often fight hard to oppose bills that could impact hunting, breeding or agriculture. Still, there have been some wins. In 2022, Kentucky Animal Action Day helped pass an extreme weather ordinance in Louisville that requires people to bring pets indoors during dangerous conditions. Just this week, as temperatures plummeted and snow blanketed the region, Louisville Metro Animal Services, LMPD, and Mayor Greenberg all referenced the ordinance to remind residents of their obligations. "Huge win. I'm super excited about that, and hope that we prevent some suffering and horrible death by that ordinance," Lawson said. But progress has been slow. Lawson says conversations are happening that never happened before, and legislators from both sides of the aisle are showing interest. Still, year after year, Kentucky remains near the bottom nationally for animal protection. That's why Peetz keeps going back to Frankfort with Penny by her side. When lawmakers see Penny- not as a statistic on a spreadsheet, but as a living, breathing survivor- it drives the message home in a way nothing else can. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/penny-family.jpeg) Lindsey, Penny and her husband "She wears a little bandana that says, 'If I sit for you, will you stand up for me?'" Peetz said. "I think there's layers of power to that." Peetz also brings students from Assumption High School, members of the school's Humane Action Team, to give young people a voice in the legislative process. This will be their fourth year making the trip. "We can't give up. The more we show up, the more we bring our issues to the table, the more youth we get involved, those changes will happen," Peetz said. "Unfortunately, we're slow to that happening, but they will, and I think there's hope in that." Joneleit echoed that sentiment, noting that a Louisville Metro Police chief recently became emotional during a press conference about a dog named Halo who was found emaciated and tied to a stairwell after his owner moved. "He said, 'No dog should ever be treated like this, because they give us unmitigated and devoted attention. Why do we treat animals like this?' And he almost started to cry," Joneleit recalled. "I was thinking, man, if a police chief can do that, all police chiefs, all county sheriffs, should feel that way." Kentucky Animal Action Day begins at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, February 4th, at the Capitol Education Center in Frankfort. Speakers will address the current state of animal welfare in Kentucky, explain how the legislative process works, and discuss the importance of the bills being proposed. After the presentations, participants will meet directly with legislators in the Capitol Annex. No experience is necessary. Lawson encourages anyone who cares about animal welfare to register at the Kentucky Animal Action website, bring an ID to check in, and wear purple as a symbol of animal advocacy. As for Penny? She'll be there too, sitting politely beside the students who love her, asking lawmakers one simple question: Will you stand up for me? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-26-at-12.03.34---PM.png) *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Dangerous cold grips Kentucky, as thousands remain without power URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/dangerous-cold-grips-kentucky-as-thousands-remain-without-power/ Last updated: 2026-01-28T13:57:35.000Z The snow and ice are done moving through our area, but the bitter air left behind can pose even bigger threats. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- If you're reading this from under a pile of blankets, you're making the right call. Kentucky is facing dangerously cold conditions that the National Weather Service isn't mincing words about. The agency issued an Extreme Cold Warning that kicked in at 7 p.m. Monday evening and runs through 11 a.m. Tuesday morning. We're talking wind chills dropping to 18 below zero- the kind of cold that can cause frostbite and hypothermia in minutes if you're not protected. This comes on the heels of a Cold Weather Advisory that was in effect through Monday evening, with wind chills dipping to 13 below. The bottom line from forecasters: if you don't have to go outside, don't. If you do, layer up with a hat, face mask, and gloves. And keep those trips as short as possible. ## Power outages are complicating an already dangerous situation The extreme cold wouldn't be manageable for most people if they could just stay inside with the heat on. But that's not the reality for tens of thousands of Kentuckians right now. As of Sunday afternoon, Gov. Andy Beshear reported 68,654 power outages across the state. His office has been coordinating emergency responses in multiple counties: At Barren River State Park, guests were evacuated after losing power and transported to a YMCA where the Red Cross set up an emergency shelter. In London, hotels went dark, and the Kentucky National Guard stepped in to move 150 guests to warming centers. A hospital in Greenberg lost power and its backup generator failed, but power has since been restored and patients no longer need to be transported. Gov. Beshear emphasized that roadways remain slick and dangerous, urging Kentuckians to stay off the roads if at all possible. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-26-at-8.48.19---AM.png) ## Jefferson County halts evictions through February 2 Recognizing the life-threatening nature of these conditions, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office announced Sunday it's temporarily suspending all residential evictions and set-outs through February 2. The decision will keep approximately 30 families in their homes while the dangerous cold persists. "This is a public safety decision- plain and simple," said Chief Deputy Col. Steve Healey. "Extreme cold can be deadly. No family should be forced out of their home when conditions put their health or their life at risk." The court orders aren't being cancelled- just delayed until it's safe to enforce them. "We're using common sense and discretion to make sure enforcement happens safely," Healey explained. It's the kind of decision that recognizes what we're dealing with here: conditions that can genuinely kill people who don't have shelter. ## What you need to know Check on your elderly family members, friends, and neighbors- especially those who might be without power. A wellness check could be lifesaving in conditions like these. If you're using space heaters, follow the safety guidelines. And this should go without saying, but it bears repeating every time temperatures drop like this: never use generators or grills indoors. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a real and deadly risk. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-26-at-8.48.30---AM.png) If you've lost power and can't stay warm at home, warming centers are open across the state. You can find locations through your local emergency management office or by calling 211. This cold snap should ease by late Tuesday morning, but until then, take these warnings seriously. Stay warm, stay safe, and look out for each other. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### What the JCPS Superintendent told me about the new budget (and what he couldn't answer) URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/what-the-jcps-superintendent-told-me-about-the-new-budget-and-what-he-couldnt-answer/ Last updated: 2026-01-26T13:57:46.000Z Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood says it's "still not very clear" how the district got into this mess. But he is making sweeping changes in an effort to prevent the district from going broke. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Three days after one of the most emotional board meetings in recent JCPS history, Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood sat down to answer questions about what comes next. And his message was clear: this process isn't over, and he's still figuring things out himself. ## "I need to meet with them more" Tuesday night, principal after principal testified that they felt shut out of the budget process. Dr. Yearwood acknowledged they have a point. "During this process, I met with principals about three times, and what I've learned is that I need to meet with them more, and I plan to do that even more," he said. When pressed on whether principals' feedback- which came too late to change Tuesday's draft budget- would actually matter going forward, he was cautious: "The budget is a process, and we will continue to listen, continue to have discussions. So again, there's a possibility that there might be changes." But he added a reality check: "Not everything that is put forth \[will happen\]. Because ultimately, the board has the ultimate decision on what we do." For parents wondering if their principal's concerns will be heard, (or theirs for that matter), the answer seems to be "maybe." ## The central office shuffle: fewer chiefs, but new high-paid positions too Dr. Yearwood is making a big deal about cutting central office staff- eliminating 300 positions and reorganizing the chief roles. That sounds significant. But look closer at what's actually happening, and the picture gets murkier. **Positions being eliminated:** - Chief Information Officer - Chief of Human Resources - Chief Communications and Community Relations Officer - Chief of Schools - Chief Finance Officer - Chief of Accountability, Research and Systems Improvement - Chief of Staff - Chief of Exceptional Child Education **New positions being created:** - Chief Business Officer - Chief of Strategy & Innovation - Chief Opportunity & Access Officer (renamed from Chief Equity Officer) - Executive Officer of Communications and Community Relations - Executive Officer of Student Support & Community Engagement - Executive Officer of Accountability, Research and Systems Improvement ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-23-at-1.53.42---PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-23-at-1.54.15---PM.png) Current Cabinet Org Chat (left); Proposed Cabinet Org Chart (right) According to the organizational charts, he proposed eliminating 8 chief positions but creating 6 new leadership positions. Some with slightly different titles like "Executive Officer" instead of "Chief". And here's where it gets interesting: The board approved a new "Special Assistant to the Superintendent" position last fall. The position's salary is being funded by part of the $20M donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. When first announced in 2022, the donation was touted as an investment in educational equity- that it would support students in low-income areas, and fund projects like playgrounds, athletics, music rooms, and college visits. Now, it's being used in part to pay for a position whose only duty is to advise the superintendent. I asked Dr. Yearwood to explain why he created the role. "I don't have institutional knowledge, I'm new to the area," he said, "I needed someone with that expertise. Someone that actually knows what's happening within our schools was very, very important." The position- held by Dr. Lynn Reynolds- gets paid at a chief-level salary but doesn't oversee any positions or have any direct reports, aside from a "secretary to the board". That position is responsible for preparing printed materials related to board meetings and maintaining official records of board meetings. Yearwood told me the lack of direct reports is intentional. "While not having any additional duties, one can truly help me focus on making JCPS continue to thrive and be even more successful," Yearwood explained. I asked him why he felt he couldn't lean on his chiefs for that institutional knowledge. "Well, chiefs have a whole division to focus on. And you know, there's a lot going on with these different divisions. I wanted someone that had a greater laser focus to be able to help me understand and maneuver through the district." This particular position was the only one on the cabinet to get a proposed pay raise. All others were eliminated, demoted, or stayed the same. At Tuesday's board meeting, Principal Sariena Sampson, called this out directly, asking: "Why are there no clear explanations regarding how the proposed cabinet changes are going to save money while adding new positions and giving promotions to others?" She didn't get an answer. During the interview Friday, Dr. Yearwood said all current chiefs have been told about the changes, and they'll be re-interviewing for the new positions- even the "downgrades" from chief to executive officer status. Board member Taylor Everett asked for a "zero-cost accounting exercise" to see exactly how much these changes actually save versus just moving people around. He specifically requested this data before the February 10th meeting. The question many are asking: Is this really cutting bureaucracy, or just reorganizing it? ## What's happening with instructional coaches? This was one of the most confusing parts of Tuesday's meeting, so let's clear it up. After the board voted to save mental health practitioners, they shifted the burden of funding Academic Instructional Coaches (AICs) to individual school budgets. But Dr. Yearwood says it's more complicated than that. Here's his plan: - **Some AICs will be centralized** at the district level with more professional development and research-based training - These centralized coaches will be **deployed to schools that need help-** not just schools that can't afford their own - **Principals can hire "AIC-like" positions** from their school budgets (though they won't technically be called AICs) - Some current AICs may move to classroom teaching positions So schools that can't afford to hire their own coach won't necessarily be left without support. But the district gets to decide which schools "really need help" rather than letting every school keep a dedicated coach. When asked why he didn't just give schools their full budgets and let them decide what positions to keep, Dr. Yearwood pushed back: "These items that we're dealing with are above and beyond. Schools get their budget and that still maintains, and they can control their budget however they want to. But a lot of these extra positions or add-ons- the key here is they're great initiatives, great add-ons, but what can we truly afford?" ## February 10th: when we'll know who's losing their job Right now, staff across central office are in limbo. They know 300 positions are being eliminated, but not which 300\. Dr. Yearwood says they'll have answers by **February 10th** at the next board meeting. "Everything is in process because there are lots of pieces that we have to work with HR through. But by February 10, we'll have all of that information," he said, confirming it will be a detailed list of which specific jobs are being cut. His communications later clarified that February 10th is a goal, not a promise. Every single department at central office is being impacted. Yearwood confirmed he asked every current chief to propose cuts that would make up 50% of their staff. He said not every division will be impacted by 50%. ## The question he can't answer: How did this happen? One of the most striking moments in the interview came when asked how JCPS let a $142 million deficit build up without anyone noticing. "That is a very difficult question, because I've been asking myself that repeatedly. What happened, when and why? And I'm not very clear on that. I'm not. Because I just am not", Yearwood said. He says they're waiting on auditors to provide answers. There's currently "a massive audit" underway that should explain what went wrong. But when pressed on whether the community will ever get explicit answers about who and what got JCPS here, he was vague: "The audits will tell us what explicit things have gotten us here." Here's the uncomfortable reality: Dr. Yearwood is being asked to make devastating cuts based on financial information provided by the same team that was here when this deficit built up. When asked about his level of trust in the information he's getting, he said they're "asking deeper questions and probing even further than we had before." They're also hiring a new chief business officer- and eliminating the role of Chief Financial Officer. ## Bad News for the Choice Zone Remember three years ago when JCPS created the new student assignment plan with big promises about finally addressing decades of neglect in West Louisville schools? Part of that promise was extra money- stipends to attract teachers to the hardest-to-staff schools and equity funds to give those schools more resources. Here's a refresher if you forgot: Now those stipends are on the chopping block in budget negotiations. Dr. Yearwood's explanation was blunt: "We had a lot of great ideas that we couldn't afford or we can't afford. That's the bottom line." When asked what his commitment is to reversing decades of neglect if the district is pulling back the money meant to do exactly that, he pivoted to talking about better data, more transparency, and "realigning and strengthening." But he also admitted something important: "Throwing money at the problem, although is a great idea... it's not quite giving us the outcomes that we want." So the choice zone investment is being declared unsuccessful after just three years. And the solution seems to be... less money and better planning. ## Hiring a nationals search firm (yes, that costs money too While cutting 300 central office jobs, JCPS is hiring a national search firm to recruit for the new chief positions. Dr. Yearwood defended this: "National firms dig in deep. They are deeper rooted throughout the country, and they have greater and more knowledgeable access... I want to pick the best of the best. I don't want to pick someone that's just good." The firm hasn't been selected yet, but names on the table include firms that typically charge six figures for executive searches. As for the people currently holding eliminated positions- including those "downgraded" from chief to executive officer- they will be required to apply and re-interview if they want a spot on the new cabinet. You might see some familiar faces in new roles, but nobody's job is safe. ## What parents should know **Timeline:** - **Now through February 10:** Central office staff wait to find out if they have jobs - **February 10 board meeting:** Detailed list of position cuts released, plus data on central office reorganization costs/savings - **Between now and May:** Budget continues to be refined (maybe) - **May:** Final budget vote **What's still uncertain:** - Exactly how the centralized coach model will work - Which 300 central office positions are being eliminated - How much money the cabinet reorganization actually saves - Whether the Special Assistant to the Superintendent position is necessary - Whether principals' feedback will actually change anything - How schools without money will afford "AIC-like" positions - What happens to choice zone schools without stipends and with reduced equity funds **What Dr. Yearwood promises:** - More engagement with principals - Audits will eventually explain how this happened - Long-term financial stability so "the next superintendent, the next board, \[doesn't\] ever have to deal with this again" ## The bottom line: Dr. Yearwood inherited a financial disaster. He's being forced to make cuts in record time with information from the same people who were here when the problem developed. He's promising more collaboration going forward but acknowledging that not every concern can be addressed. But some of the solutions- like reorganizing central office with new high-paid positions while cutting school-level support- are raising as many questions as they answer. For parents, the message is: stay engaged. This draft budget isn't final. The board meets again February 10th with more details, and the final vote isn't until May. If you don't like what you're seeing, now is still the time to speak up. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Kentucky braces for major winter storm as Beshear declares State of Emergency URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-braces-for-major-winter-storm-as-beshear-declares-state-of-emergency/ Last updated: 2026-01-23T21:37:15.000Z The National Weather Service is predicting widespread snowfall and ice across the state. Southern Kentucky is also bracing for significant ice accumulations. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Governor Andy Beshear isn't taking any chances with the significant winter storm headed our way this weekend. The governor declared a state of emergency Friday ahead of what forecasters are calling a serious winter weather system that could dump heavy snow, sleet, and ice across central Kentucky starting overnight Friday. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the Louisville area and much of central Kentucky from 1 a.m. Saturday through 7 a.m. Monday. "This is a serious storm that will likely cause dangerous conditions on our roads and potential power outages, which is why we are doing everything we can to keep Kentuckians safe," Beshear said in a statement. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/winter-storm-warning--1.png) CREDIT: National Weather Service ## What to expect The NWS Louisville office is expressing high confidence in this system, which is never a phrase you want to hear before a winter storm. Forecasters are warning about widespread heavy snowfall combined with ice, and they've specifically noted that chances for significant ice accumulation have increased across southern Kentucky. That ice is the real concern here. We're looking at potential power outages, impassable roads, impacts to utilities, and downed trees. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-23-at-9.13.42---AM.png) CREDIT: National Weather Service ## What the state is doing The state of emergency declaration means Kentucky Emergency Management and the National Guard can be activated to help communities prepare and respond. Here's what's already in motion: - The state's Emergency Operations Center will activate at Level 3 starting 7 a.m. Saturday and stay fully staffed through Monday - Water is being pre-positioned around the state in case of water outages - Local counties are working with state officials to set up warming centers - National Guard armories will be fully staffed - Generator and wrecker service contracts are ready to go Beshear has also activated the state's price gouging laws, so if you see anyone trying to charge outrageous prices for necessities, you can report it to the Attorney General's office. ## What you should do now The governor's advice is straightforward: prepare now, not later. Run any errands you need to take care of today, avoid traveling once conditions deteriorate, and make sure you have weather alerts turned on for your phone. Louisville Metro Health Department is emphasizing that waiting until a watch or warning is issued to stock up could leave you out of luck if stores run out or close early. Here's what they recommend having on hand: - Disposable dishware (plates, bowls, utensils) - Extra medications and infant formula if needed - Portable AM/FM radio and extra batteries - Warm clothing: hats, mittens, parkas, boots - Extra blankets - Matches for candles and gas fireplaces - Flashlights with extra batteries - First-aid kit - Fully charged cellphone - Firewood if you have a wood-burning fireplace Metro Health also suggests checking your shovel or snow blower now to make sure it's in working order. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-23-at-9.13.15---AM.png) ## Additional preparedness steps Beyond stocking up, there are a few other things you should take care of today: - Sign up for LENSAlert to receive weather alerts and emergency notifications - Test your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors - Check your home's chimney, insulate any exposed pipes, and clear your gutters - Winterize your vehicle by checking tires, oil, battery, and antifreeze, and keep an emergency kit in your car With arctic temperatures also expected to follow the precipitation, this could be a multi-day event that keeps road crews busy well into early next week. Better to be over-prepared than caught off guard. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Say goodbye to Mid City Mall, hello to Mid City Market URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/say-goodbye-to-mid-city-mall-hello-to-mid-city-market/ Last updated: 2026-01-23T14:34:13.000Z Developer 'Branch Properties' revealed the new vision for Mid City Mall, which includes a Publix, public library, and retail space that hopes to attract local and national businesses. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- The curtain was finally pulled back Thursday night on what's coming to the Mid City Mall property and neighbors got their first real look at a project that's been months in the making. Branch Properties representatives presented to the Tyler Park Neighborhood Association, revealing plans for what will soon be known as "Mid City Market." And it turns out this isn't an outright sale of the property- it's a joint venture with the Metts family, who currently own the Bardstown Road shopping center. "The Metts family is staying in this property with us," Jesse Shannon, president of Branch Properties, told neighbors. "Sandy chose us for our plan, not for our price." The centerpiece of the redevelopment? A 50,000-square-foot grocery store. While Branch Properties didn't name the retailer, Shannon noted they are based in Florida, the logo is green and called it a "first class" grocery store. That description, combined with Branch Properties' existing Publix locations, has neighbors connecting the dots. ## Saving the public library The grocery store isn't the only major addition being discussed. Branch Properties confirmed they're in "active discussion" with Metro Louisville regarding keeping a public library on the property. It would be a standalone building that the city owns, and would include renovations to Beechwood Park that could allow library activities to spill into the adjacent green space. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/MidCityMarket_Jan2026_1.jpg) The goal, Shannon explained, is to potentially sell or transfer the library space and Beechwood Park to Metro Louisville, creating a hybrid between city and private development that serves the community. ## What it will look like? The design will feature modern architecture while trying to honor Louisville's aesthetic. Shannon said they sent an architect to photograph "significant architectural properties" around the Highlands so the development would "feel native to Louisville." Every building will include patio spaces, large sidewalks, and added landscaping- what Shannon described as "critical for community engagement." The two front buildings, facing Bardstown Road, will be two stories, while everything else will be single-story. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-22-at-10.20.06---PM-1.png) The view from the grocery store, looking back toward Bardstown Road The alley behind Beechwood would be paved and converted to a two-way road. The alley behind Rosewood would remain a one-way thoroughfare. Shannon initially said both alleys would be paved, though one neighbor suggested the historic nature of the bricks behind Rosewood should be preserved. The developers took several questions about parking concerns, assuring neighbors there would be plenty of on-site parking and it would be unlikely spill over onto nearby streets. Businesses at the front of the shopping center now- like Heine Brothers Coffee and Raising Canes are not part of the project, but the developers have included them in the plan as existing structures that wouldn't change. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-22-at-10.43.43---PM-1.png) The view from above Bardstown Road- with Heine Bro's Coffee front left ## What won't be there Branch Properties was clear about what they're not bringing to Mid City Market: no nightclubs, no gun stores, no vape shops. They're trying to avoid what they call "nuisance uses" that can attract crime. The focus will be on national, regional, and local tenants, though Shannon said they're not currently in discussions with any specific businesses- it's too early in the process. There also won't be any zoning changes needed. Only site plan approval is required- a process that will be underway as soon as March. ## Timeline and construction If all goes according to plan, demolition of the existing structure could happen by the end of 2026, with the new development opening in the first quarter of 2028\. Construction crews will come and go through the Bardstown Road entrance, and Shannon noted the whole site will be blocked off with construction fences during that process. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-22-at-10.43.52---PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-22-at-10.20.32---PM.png) ## A long-term vision Shannon told neighbors that Branch Properties has been working on this project for six months behind the scenes. The company specializes in grocery-anchored mixed-use properties and already operates two different developments in other parts of the state. "At the end of the day, we really want to give this property some life," Shannon said, "it needs that." He also promised that neighborhood sponsorships for events like the annual Tyler Park Easter Egg Hunt or Winter Festival will happen at Mid City Market. He said those are common when working with Branch Properties. "We need community buy-in, we need community support, we need you to shop here." ## Neighborhood feedback The presentation was well-received at the Tyler Park Neighborhood Association meeting. Neighbors said, "I'm really excited about this" and "I love the effort to retain the library and focus on trees." Some neighbors did have questions that couldn't be answered just yet- like how will the company vet businesses? Will they prioritize local over national chains? Other neighbors had suggestions that the developer could already say wouldn't be possible- like adding a back entrance to the Publix, allowing pedestrian access from Baxter Avenue. Shannon explained that grocery stores being built today typically only allow one entry point for safety reasons. He also said the back of the building will be used for trucks and loading space. The developer also plans to create what they're calling "Rosewood Park"- a green space on the corner of Baxter and the alley behind Rosewood. They hope to include community art, such as a mural on the back of the Publix building. Shannon said that would be a decision he left to the neighborhood. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-22-at-10.50.55---PM-1.png) Rosewood Park Branch Properties plans to present at several upcoming neighborhood meetings and is welcoming feedback, ideas, and questions. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### He fled the country to avoid prison. Kentucky brought him back. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/he-fled-the-country-to-avoid-prison-kentucky-brought-him-back/ Last updated: 2026-01-23T03:10:17.000Z A Grayson County child sex offender who disappeared before his September sentencing has been captured and brought back to Kentucky to face justice. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- William Lee "Scott" Carter was arrested and returned to the commonwealth this week, more than four months after he failed to show up for his scheduled sentencing hearing and fled the country. Carter pleaded guilty in July 2025 to one count of second-degree rape, four counts of third-degree rape, and one count of first-degree sexual abuse. During the investigation, he confessed to the allegations. But when his sentencing date arrived on September 2, 2025, Carter never showed up to court. A judge issued a warrant for his arrest, and investigators say he had left the United States entirely. ## Captured with help from federal partners Carter was eventually located by former Kentucky State Trooper Ken Borders, who now works with a federal law enforcement agency. With assistance from federal authorities, Carter was taken into custody and temporarily held in Chicago. This week, two KSP troopers traveled to Chicago to bring the convicted rapist back to Grayson County. He has now been booked into the Grayson County Detention Center, where he'll remain while awaiting sentencing. "This case demonstrates our continued commitment to protecting children and holding offenders accountable, regardless of how far they attempt to run," said Detective Isaac Atwell, the lead investigator in the case. "We will not stop pursuing justice for victims, and we are grateful for the cooperation of our federal partners in ensuring this offender was returned to face sentencing." ## 'The system has failed' The victim's mother, Chelsea Baird, spoke out in September after Carter disappeared, calling him "a monster on the run." "Our family has endured the unthinkable," Baird told me at the time. "The system has failed to protect our daughter or deliver real justice." According to court records, Carter was accused of having a sexual relationship with a girl who was less than 14 years old when the abuse started in June 2023\. The relationship continued for about eight months. Baird said Carter manipulated her daughter, promising "vacations, gifts, and convincing her she was in a 'relationship' with him." The abuse came to light in February 2024 when the child disclosed what had been happening during a school conference. "She said she was 'in love' with her grandfather and that he was planning to run away with her," Baird explained. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-22-at-10.03.23---PM.png) CREDIT: Kentucky State Police Baird immediately reported the abuse to Kentucky State Police, and Carter was indicted three months later. But the judicial process proved difficult for the family. Carter was released on bail shortly after his arrest, forcing Baird to take her daughter's protection into her own hands- even pulling her from school, where she had been communicating with him through school technology. After more than a year working through the court system, the family was encouraged to engage in mediation. That July 2025 session resulted in a 13-year prison sentence through a plea agreement. Carter was supposed to begin serving that sentence in September. Instead, he ran. Now, he's back in Kentucky custody, waiting to finally face the consequences he tried to escape. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### From foster mom to fighting for change: a Louisville mom's battle to reform Kentucky's child protection system URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/from-foster-mom-to-fighting-for-change-a-louisville-moms-battle-to-reform-kentuckys-child-protection-system/ Last updated: 2026-01-23T04:02:13.000Z Armed with child fatality records, a lawsuit, and a proposed bill Jen Mortenson is demanding accountability from Kentucky's child protection system. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- For a decade, Jen Mortenson opened her Louisville home to children who needed safety. Dozens of foster children came through her doors, each one carrying trauma she worked to heal. But after years of watching the same failures repeat themselves, of seeing kids returned to dangerous situations in the name of keeping families together, Mortenson made a decision that changed everything. She's put her foster license on hold and picked up a different kind of fight. "I've done the individual starfish and picked them up," Mortenson said. "I changed lives, hopefully, of many kids. But I think we have the potential here to make some systemic change that'll change the lives of countless kids. We can stop kids from dying." ## Who is Jen Mortenson? To understand why this fight matters so deeply to this mom, you have to understand her family. She has 12 children- six biological and six adopted. Five of her adopted children came into her home as foster children. She has seen the system from the inside out. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/MortensonFamily4.JPEG) Mortenson is a co-founder of [Hope's Closet](https://www.hopesclosetky.com/faq?ref=shayinformed.com), joining fellow foster mom Angela Bischoff's mission to help foster children get better access to basic essentials like clothing and school supplies. And she was just named Kentucky Mom of the Year, by American Mothers. Something she called "an honor and very humbling." Now, Mortenson is suing the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, armed with child fatality records that she says reveal disturbing patterns the state has failed to address. She's identified what she believes are critical gaps in the system meant to protect Kentucky's most vulnerable children, gaps she says are costing lives. She's also working with lawmakers to propose new legislation, she says would address at least one of those gaps. ## When "prevention" becomes the problem At the heart of Mortenson's concerns is what she sees as a fundamental misunderstanding of what protecting children should mean. "The cabinet's definition of prevention is preventing a child from entering foster care, whereas my definition of prevention is preventing a child from being abused or neglected," she explained. "Those are very different things." That difference, she argues, has deadly consequences. Earlier this year, Mortenson filed an open records request with the state of Kentucky, asking to review fatality and near-fatality case files from the last two years. According to the Kentucky Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Panel, there were 219 cases in 2024, 70 of which were fatal. The organization has not yet released its report for 2025\. Mortenson received thousands of documents in response to her request. Though she noticed documents were missing. Documents that should be included in these kinds of cases. So she went back to the state and started asking questions. Sometimes they told her she had everything, sometimes they provided more. That's where her lawsuit comes in... more on that later. But first- what she found. Through reviewing multiple child fatality records, Mortenson says she discovered a troubling pattern: social workers making the same decisions, the same errors, and the same excuses again and again. ## Four critical failures Mortenson has identified four specific areas where she believes Kentucky's child protection system is failing: 1. **Plans of Safe Care falling short** Federal law requires that when babies are born exposed to drugs, social workers must create a "plan of safe care." But Mortenson says records show these plans aren't working, or aren't being created at all. In one case, a baby born in October of 2023 tested positive for methamphetamine at birth, but was able to leave the hospital with her mom, because the test results came back a couple of days after discharge. According to documents provided to Mortenson from the state, the 'plan of safe care' was for the maternal grandmother to provide supervision of the mom and the infant, even though they did not live in the same house. The social worker reported that, despite multiple trips to the house, she could not locate the mother or the infant, and the maternal grandmother was unaware of their whereabouts. State Police troopers found the infant dead, buried under debris in the home months later. 1. **Child deaths not preventing future placements** Perhaps most disturbing, Mortenson says gaps in policy allow a child's death to be overlooked when determining whether other children should remain with the same caregivers or family members. "They haven't died, we have to be able to protect them still," she said, referring to surviving siblings and other children in a family system where one child has already been lost. Another case Mortenson reviewed was a baby born prematurely at just 23 weeks in July of 2023\. The infant spent four months in the NICU, and during that time, hospital staff reported the parents only visited one time. They would go weeks without being able to reach the infant's parents and feared the child had been abandoned. They called the social worker on the case, and she was able to get the mom to go to the hospital when it was time for discharge. The infant was on oxygen, which required special medical training. The mother needed to stay at the hospital to pass a 48-hour training before the baby could be discharged. According to state documents, the mom did not pass the training, failing to wake for care on three occasions. The social worker asked the hospital to give her another chance. There was no record of her passing the second test, but she was allowed to leave with the infant. Within weeks of bringing the baby home, the child was dead. The autopsy ruled the death "consistent with complications of prematurity." According to documents, the mother told investigators she laid him down for an afternoon nap, and when she checked on him after three hours, she found the oxygen mask was off his face, he was blue, and not breathing. Documents noted the baby's "fingernails and toenails were black with dirt. He also had green and black fungus on his penis. The mother admitted to drinking three bottles of alcohol on this date while she was in the caretaking role of the children." Two other children were also in the home the day the baby died. Staff noted one of the children had a lice infection so extreme that she had blisters on her scalp. The other had a live flea on his body. According to documents, the home, "was found to be in horrific conditions", including "a large number of roaches and fleas". The other two children were placed with family members after the infant's passing and then reunited with the mother months later. She relocated to West Virginia, and the case was turned over to social services in that state. 1. **Family over safety** Time and again, Mortenson says she's seen children placed with relatives who have their own histories of substance abuse or who enable dangerous behaviors by the child's parents. "The cabinet often doesn't identify or recognize the familial cycle of abuse and neglect, especially when it comes to substance abuse," she said. Mortenson showed me a case file from a child fatality in July of 2024\. The child was supposed to be with his grandmother, only seeing his parents during supervised visitations. But on the day of his death, he was at his parents' house. Documents from the case filed noted, "it appeared the child was living with the parents, not just visiting." The documents also specified that the child was not supposed to be around the father. The mother and father took the child to the hospital after discovering he was unresponsive and seeing blood on the pillow he was lying on, according to the documents. The father left the hospital and "refused to return despite requests from police", according to the documents. The child's legal guardian at the time, his grandmother, was described as "under the influence and uncooperative" while at the hospital. In this case, the child shouldn't have been alone with the parents, according to the documents. Mortenson says she hears of situations like this one all the time, with grandparents putting children back in harm's way. 1. **Law enforcement left out** Mortenson has found that while the cabinet notifies law enforcement at the beginning of a case when there's a fatality or near fatality, there appears to be no requirement to loop them back in at the end with findings from the investigation. "Maybe if prosecutors recognized the domino effect that lack of prosecution has on protecting other children, they'd be a little more likely to get involved," she said. "When they're not prosecuting, there's no legal recourse to help protect other kids." ## Writing the law she wishes existed ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/IMG_3088.jpeg) Mortenson isn't just identifying problems, she's drafting solutions. She's written proposed legislation she calls the "Fatality Gap Bill" that would fundamentally change how Kentucky handles high-risk births. The bill would require hospitals to check a centralized abuse and neglect registry when a baby is born. If either parent has a history of a prior child's death, near-death, or has had parental rights terminated, the birth would automatically trigger a mandatory investigation. "Right now, there's no requirement to notify law enforcement at the end of a case," Mortenson explained. "We need our law enforcement and child protective services to make friends again. They need to start working together to help protect kids." Under current law, babies born exposed to drugs should receive "plans of safe care," but Mortenson says those plans aren't effective. She points to Kentucky Moms Matter, a state-funded organization in every county specifically designed to help implement these plans, but told me they're barely getting referrals from the people who are supposed to be making them. Her proposed legislation would make the process automatic rather than discretionary. No more cases falling through the cracks because someone forgot to make a call or check a box. The bill includes safeguards, she's careful to note. A registry hit wouldn't create a presumption of abuse or change the burden of proof in court. Parents would be notified and given the right to challenge registry information. But it would ensure that high-risk situations are actually investigated rather than overlooked. "We don't want to prevent after abuse and neglect," she said. "We want to prevent abuse and neglect from happening." She's working with someone connected to legislators to get the bill introduced, though she's realistic about the timeline. "I doubt it'll pass this session, but at least we can get eyes on it and start the process." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/IMG_0637.jpeg) Jen Mortenson on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic; she says this trip inspired her to open her home to foster children ## Suing for transparency While writing legislation for the future, Mortenson is also fighting a legal battle over access to the past. On December 23, she filed a lawsuit against the Cabinet for Health and Family Services in Franklin Circuit Court, alleging the agency has systematically violated Kentucky's Open Records Act in responding to her request for child fatality and near-fatality records. The lawsuit paints a damning picture of delay and obstruction. After requesting all child fatality and near-fatality records from January 2024 to present, Mortenson says the cabinet failed to respond within the required five business days. Then came what she calls eight unauthorized extensions, pushing deadlines repeatedly, with the cabinet sometimes requesting more time just before a deadline expired. When the records finally arrived, she said they were heavily redacted, sometimes entire pages blacked out or removed completely. "There was one point where they literally produced pages that were completely white," Mortenson said. "Not redacted, just blank. The content was entirely removed." Even after multiple productions totaling thousands of pages, Mortenson says the cabinet is still withholding entire categories of records, things like full case files, internal fatality reviews, quality assurance reports, and communications between supervisors. She's calculated that based on publicly available data from the state's External Review Board, there should be records for at least 410 fatality and near-fatality cases within her request timeframe. She said the cabinet has produced records for only 99 cases. The lawsuit asks the court to order the cabinet to comply with previous court rulings, including a 2015 Kentucky Court of Appeals decision that specifically outlined what fatality-related records must be disclosed. That case, brought by the Courier-Journal, resulted in substantial penalties against the cabinet for willful withholding. Mortenson is requesting similar penalties, up to $25 per day per withheld record, using the same calculation method the courts approved in the Courier-Journal case. "This isn't about money," she's clear to emphasize in the petition. "But Kentucky courts have recognized that meaningful sanctions are often the only effective mechanism to secure compliance. The Courier-Journal case shows that the cabinet didn't achieve meaningful compliance until after the court imposed monetary sanctions." She notes the irony that the same records she's struggling to obtain through open records requests are supposedly already being compiled and provided to the state's External Review Board. If the cabinet can't consistently produce complete records to a public requester, she wonders, how can anyone be certain the oversight board is getting complete information? "The harm extends to the integrity of Kentucky's child welfare oversight system itself," she wrote in her petition. ## The cost of speaking out Mortenson's decision to fight publicly hasn't come without risk. She's experienced retaliation before and sees it regularly among other foster parents who raise concerns. That's why she put her foster license on hold, she can't afford to worry that speaking out might affect the care children in her home would receive. "I feel this battle's bigger, and I can't be fearful of retaliation," she told me. After ten years in the system, why did Mortenson choose now to step back from direct care and into advocacy? "I don't know how we've missed these gaps for so long," she said. "And why are people so hesitant to try to make these changes?" She believes the only way to force real reform is through public pressure. The cabinet doesn't respond to concerns raised privately, she says. They respond when the public is watching. "I can't do it all on my own," Mortenson said. "Getting it out there publicly is going to be a key component to making any changes. That's where the cabinet feels pressure." For Mortenson, the math is simple: she helped dozens of children in her home over the last ten years of foster care. If she can change the system, she could help protect countless more. The children who might have come to her home will have to find safety elsewhere. For now, she's fighting to make sure that when they do, the system designed to protect them actually works. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/IMG_0634-1.jpeg) --- A spokesperson with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services provided the following statement: > The Cabinet for Health and Family Services’ top priority is the health and safety of the Kentuckians we serve - especially children - and we remain committed to doing that work transparently and in accordance with our state laws. > Following its commitment to transparency, the Cabinet has provided extensive records in response to the open records request and has continually informed the requester of its ongoing review of records and the time needed to complete the review. > The Cabinet has provided reviewed records on a rolling basis so that the requester receives records as the process continues. In each of its responses with records provided, the cabinet has informed the requester of necessary redactions to protect the privacy of individuals, including children, and to comply with statutory mandates of confidentiality. At this time, the Cabinet has provided about 8,800 pages or records with necessary redactions and is reviewing between 12,000 to 14,000 additional records. > The Cabinet will respond to the complaint according to all the rules of the court. --- > *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Tainted jury, biased judge, improper evidence: Houck's appeal attacks all aspects of trial URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/tainted-jury-biased-judge-improper-evidence-houcks-appeal-attacks-all-aspects-of-trial/ Last updated: 2026-01-22T13:32:51.000Z Brooks Houck's attorneys have officially filed his appeal brief with the Kentucky Supreme Court. This gives us our first look at his request for a new trial. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Brooks Houck's defense attorneys are pulling out all the stops in their appeal to the Kentucky Supreme Court, filing a 69-page brief that attacks virtually every aspect of his murder conviction from multiple angles. The appeal, filed this week, argues that Houck's conviction in the disappearance of Crystal Rogers should either be thrown out entirely or he should get a new trial. His legal team is essentially saying: if you don't believe the evidence was insufficient, then at least agree the trial was unfair. ## The "no body, no crime" argument The centerpiece of Houck's appeal is a bold challenge to the most fundamental question: Did Crystal Rogers actually die? _This post is for subscribers only._ ### JCPS Board accepts historic budget cuts, saves mental health staff after marathon meeting URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/jcps-board-accepts-historic-budget-cuts-saves-mental-health-staff-after-marathon-meeting/ Last updated: 2026-01-21T19:31:50.000Z What happened at last night's meeting, and what it means for your child's school. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- If you tried to stay up for last night's Jefferson County Board of Education meeting, you probably gave up before it ended at 11 p.m. Don't worry- here's what you need to know about the major decisions that will affect your child's school next year. ## The big picture: a $142 million problem JCPS is facing a financial crisis. The district needs to cut $142 million from next year's budget to avoid running out of money. Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood repeatedly called it urgent, saying the district can't keep "kicking the can down the road." The meeting lasted more than 7 hours, with dozens of community members, teachers, principals, and mental health workers speaking during public comment. The emotion in the room was intense- at times, speakers broke down in tears talking about the students they serve. ## What the board decided It's important to note- last night's vote wasn't a final say on this budget. It was just the first step with the board agreeing to accept the budget. The board will now review the budget, created by the superintendent and other district leaders, and make a final vote later this spring. ### Mental health staff are safe (for now) In a surprise move that came early in the meeting, Vice Chair James Craig proposed keeping all mental health practitioners in schools. The board voted 5-2 to approve this change, drawing cheers and applause from the packed room. Here's the trade-off: Instead of eliminating mental health practitioners, principals will now have the option to purchase Academic Instructional Coaches (AICs) from their school budgets- if they can afford them. The district will save roughly the same amount of money ($7.3 million), but individual schools will decide whether to hire these coaching positions. Board member Taylor Everett questioned why the board was giving schools autonomy over one position but not others, asking: "If we're saying every school is unique, why are we not just saying here's your budget, you purchase what your school needs?" ### Two elementary schools will close The board voted to close King Elementary and Zachary Taylor Elementary. This was one of the most contentious decisions of the night. **For King Elementary families:** Your students will have priority in the school choice process and can apply to magnet schools. The district says you'll have options beyond just one assigned school. **For Zachary Taylor families:** Same process- priority status for school choice and magnet applications. Board member Corrie Strange voted against both closures, saying the decisions were being made "on the backs of the most vulnerable people with the least amount of resources." She noted that King serves one of the lowest-income areas in the county, and closing it would create a "school desert" in the Shawnee area, which already faces a food desert. The vote was 5-2 for the closures, with Miss Strange and Miss Lister voting no, and Mr. Bass abstaining. ### Where else are cuts happening? **Central office:** About 300 positions are being eliminated, reducing the cabinet from 13 chiefs to 7\. Dr. Yearwood emphasized that the central office is taking the biggest hit. It still isn't clear exactly what positions within the central office are on the chopping block. Dr. Yearwood said impacted staff would be notified by May. **School-level changes:** - Equity funds (which help high-need schools) cut from $36 million to $18 million - Middle school teaming was reduced by about half - Some elementary schools will lose their safety administrators (they'll share them with other schools) - Elementary bookkeepers will be centralized- these are the people who held school-based office jobs and kept up with finances. The district is now moving to an online district-wide system **What's staying:** The district maintains that your child's classroom teacher positions are protected. However, it appears some schools may lose intervention specialists and counselors. ## What parents asked about **"How will this affect my child's classroom?"** Despite assurances that "classroom cuts" were being avoided, several principals testified that they'll lose 1-7 teachers per school depending on their funding. Brown School, for example, could lose 30% of its middle school teaching staff. In an online post, a representative from J. Graham Brown said, "Brown school has a unique staffing and resource model, not to mention the smallest middle school across all of JCPS. Blanket cuts have a bigger impact here, yet Brown school leadership does not have a say in how funds are cut." **"Why weren't principals involved earlier?"** Multiple principals spoke during public comment about feeling shut out of the process until the last minute. Principal Courtney Grace said, "We stand before you asking you to vote no on a proposed budget that excludes school leadership's voices." Dr. Yearwood acknowledged that input from principals is important, but said the crisis requires urgent action: "We can't wait." A source close to the situation told me the Principals' Communication Committee, which includes about 15 principals from all levels of the district, has historically had a seat at the table before big decisions like this are made. But the committee was "shut out" of the budget conversation, with the monthly meeting cancelled in January. ## The process isn't over This was the "draft budget" vote, which the district must submit to the state by January 31\. The board will continue refining the budget before the final vote in May. Board member Chris Kolb emphasized that "this is not a final budget" and promised continued conversations about the cuts between now and May. ## What experts said about the crisis The meeting included a report from Alvarez and Marsal, a consulting firm hired to review JCPS's finances. Their conclusion? The crisis is real. The district has been spending more than it brings in, depleting its savings account (called "fund balance"). Without changes, JCPS would run out of money. However, they also found that JCPS's budgeting process needs improvement, with some spending categories consistently overestimated. ## The emotion in the room More than 40 people spoke during public comment, many fighting back tears: - Mental health practitioners shared stories of supporting students through trauma, domestic violence, and suicidal ideation - Teachers from Zachary Taylor said students with special needs depend on the small, structured environment their school provides - Parents talked about their children finally reaching grade level thanks to intervention specialists who might be cut - A community leader called closing King Elementary a betrayal of promises made to West Louisville One mental health practitioner, Tracy Roberts, told the board: "On Friday evening, I went from preparing to enjoy our three-day weekend to finding out that our jobs were in jeopardy. Y'all threw me for a loop." ## What board members said **James Craig** (who proposed saving mental health staff): "I'm not going to let 160 schools go without their mental health professional with only two days of deliberation on the topic." **Corrie Shull** (board chair): The board has been pressured to defer to leadership for years, and they've "only recently regained" their authority to make these decisions after a Supreme Court case. **Chris Kolb**: "We have a fiduciary obligation to this district to deliver a budget that is viable." He said he'll vote yes but wants to ensure all decisions are made with dignity and integrity. **Dr. Yearwood's response**: "This kind of deficit should never have been allowed to exist anywhere. But I'm faced with it. I'm going to deal with it. I'm going to head it on." ## What happens next - The district submits this draft budget to the state by January 31 - Transition teams will form for families at King and Zachary Taylor - School choice applications open for affected families - The board continues working on the budget through May - Final budget vote happens in May - Impacted jobs will be notified in May ## Questions? If your child attends King or Zachary Taylor, watch for communication from your school about the transition process and school choice options. All families from these schools will get priority status in choosing their next school. For everyone else, start asking your principal how these cuts might affect your specific school. Every school's situation is different based on its funding sources and student needs. If you work in a JCPS building and see an impact that isn't being talked about- I want to hear from you! Email me at shay@shayinformed.com The full meeting video is available [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Pjq0FET03Q&ref=shayinformed.com). *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### New episode: why your New Year's resolutions are failing (and what to do instead) URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/real-talk-for-real-women-new-episode-out-now-2/ Last updated: 2026-01-20T13:00:34.000Z Something like 80% of New Year's resolutions fail by February. Why? Because we're making promises to impress other people instead of changes that actually serve us. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Another January, another resolution to lose weight, get in shape, or finally become the "perfect" version of yourself. And another February, where 80% of us have already given up. In this week's episode of *Real Talk for Real Women*, Dr. T and I are talking about why New Year's resolutions fail - and it's not because you lack willpower. It's because most resolutions are focused on how others perceive us, not on what actually makes us feel better. We're chasing appearance, performance, or productivity- external measures that leave us feeling empty even when we achieve them. Dr. T breaks down what actually improves health (spoiler: it's not the number on the scale). I talk about how social media plays a role. And we both get honest about the internal changes that actually matter. What if instead of "lose 20 pounds," your resolution was "sleep 7 hours a night"? What if instead of "be more productive," it was "protect one hour a week for rest"? What if the most radical thing you did this year was decide you're already enough? --- *We would LOVE to hear from you! You can send us topic ideas, stories, suggestions, or generally anything on your mind. Email Shay at shay@shayinformed.com or email Dr. T at obwithdrt@gmail.com* --- This podcast is available to all Shay Informed members, regardless of subscription level. I've built this platform on a simple principle: journalism should serve the community, not chase profit. That goes double for health information. You can listen to all episodes [here](https://www.shayinformed.com/real-talk-for-real-women/). No paywalls, no barriers, no filter. The new episode is live now! Listen below ⬇️ _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Shelby County Schools fires basketball coach, sets timeline for policy reforms URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/shelby-county-schools-fires-basketball-coach-sets-timeline-for-policy-reforms/ Last updated: 2026-01-19T17:41:01.000Z Anonymous reporting system, outside investigators, and required training all have scheduled timelines. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Chris Gaither is no longer employed by Shelby County Schools. The former Martha Layne Collins High School basketball coach was terminated effective January 15th by Superintendent Dr. Joshua Matthews, citing "multiple Board of Education policies," according to a district statement released this week. But here's something important to understand: The termination isn't necessarily final. ## Due process continues Under Kentucky law, certified employees have the right to appeal, and request a hearing, also known as a tribunal. If Gaither exercises that right, the Kentucky Commissioner of Education will appoint an independent three-member tribunal to hear his case and make a ruling. The tribunal will include a teacher, an administrator, and an attorney who serves as hearing officer. None of the tribunal members will be from Shelby County. That tribunal hears sworn testimony from witnesses, then issues a recommendation to either uphold or overturn the superintendent's decision. The hearing officer then issues a final order. If the decision is overturned, Gaither would be reinstated and entitled to full back pay. If upheld, he could still appeal to a court. Gaither has 10 days to request the tribunal, and it will be up to him if the hearing is private or public. ## Policy changes- with actual dates More than a month after the community demanded reforms at a contentious December 12th school board meeting, the district is now providing concrete timelines for policy changes. Here's what they're committing to: **1\. New anonymous reporting system - March 2026** The district already has a tip line, but they're adding another reporting option with a projected launch date of March 2026\. This new system would provide an additional avenue for students, staff, and parents to report concerns. **2\. Third-party investigators - Policy coming this month** The district says it will present a policy to the Board of Education "at a meeting later this month" that would establish third-party investigation processes for "all student and staff sexual misconduct allegations, as well as other complex cases." This is significant. It means outside investigators would handle these cases going forward- not district personnel. The district notes that the Education Professional Standards Board and Child Protective Services already conduct independent investigations when cases meet their criteria. This policy would formalize the use of third-party investigators more broadly. **3\. Required staff training - Starting February 17th** All staff will be required to attend professional development sessions led by Ali Parham from Homeland Security. The sessions are scheduled for February 17th, February 24th, March 13th, and April 24th. ## How we got here These policy changes come after weeks of community pressure following allegations against Gaither. On December 4th, Hayley Weddle- a 2014 graduate- filed a written complaint detailing what she said was an inappropriate relationship that began when she was 16 and a team manager on his basketball team. The district opened an investigation the next day. But five days later, Gaither was still teaching and coaching. When Weddle saw him on the sidelines December 9th, she posted her statement publicly on social media. "I had tried to go through the appropriate channels, but it did not feel like they were going to do anything," Weddle told me. "It felt like it would be swept under the rug, as it has been before." Within hours of her post, multiple people contacted the district with additional information. That's when Gaither was suspended- December 10th. Weddle described a pattern of behavior that started during her junior year: late-night messages on Snapchat, comments about her appearance, being pulled out of class, and questions about her relationships and sexual history. Two weeks after graduation, she said she was babysitting Gaither's children when he kissed her. The next day, they had sex. She was 18\. He was her former coach. "I blamed myself for years," Weddle said. "But he had been grooming me since I was 16." ## The community demands action Two days after Gaither's suspension, on December 12th, parents, former students, and staff packed a school board meeting with specific demands: - Independent investigation of how past allegations were handled - Close post-graduation loopholes - Explicitly define grooming behaviors - Require annual public reporting of misconduct investigations "Secrecy is what allows abuse to thrive," former student Laura Wills-Coppelman told the board. "Choose to act before another student is harmed." ## From proposals to timeline On January 7th- nearly a month after Weddle filed her complaint- Superintendent Matthews sent a letter outlining proposed policy changes. But that letter provided no timeline, no implementation dates, just promises that the district was "working on" recommendations. This week's statement is different. It includes actual dates. March for the new reporting system. February for the first training session. A policy presentation to the board "later this month." It's still not everything the community asked for. There's no mention of an independent review of how past allegations were handled. No commitment to annual public reporting of misconduct investigations. But it's more concrete than what came before. ## Supporting the proposed grooming law The district also announced support for HB4, a bill introduced last Tuesday by Representative Marianna Proctor. The legislation would fill a gap in the current law, targeting predatory behavior that leads to sexual abuse. [Kentucky lawmakers push to criminalize child grooming before abuse occursThe legislation would fill a gap in the current law, targeting predatory behavior that leads to sexual abuse. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free weekly newsletter or![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-165.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-01-15-at-9.02.13---AM-1.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-awmakers-push-to-criminalize-child-grooming-before-abuse-occurs/) The Shelby County investigation into Chris Gaither illustrates exactly what prosecutors say House Bill 4 could address- behavior that may not rise to the level of criminal sexual solicitation or assault under current law, but is "nevertheless clearly inappropriate and clearly designed to lead to such things," as Boone County Commonwealth Attorney Louis Kelly put it. ## What comes next For Hayley Weddle, who carried this secret for a decade before coming forward, Gaither's termination represents accountability- even if the due process could potentially reverse it. For the community that walked out of that December meeting feeling unheard, these policy timelines represent progress- even if questions remain about implementation and enforcement. And for the district trying to rebuild trust, these commitments will be measured not by announcements but by follow-through. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Sherry Ballard won't stop fighting: her push to close the legal loophole that let Houck family off the hook URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/sherry-ballard-wont-stop-fighting-her-push-to-close-the-legal-loophole-that-let-houck-family-off-the-hook/ Last updated: 2026-01-21T12:28:02.000Z **They broke the law, they faced no consequences, and now Sherry Ballard is fighting to change that.** --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Sherry Ballard has spent the last ten years fighting for answers about her daughter Crystal Rogers' 2015 disappearance. She's endured unimaginable loss- both Crystal and her own husband, Tommy Ballard, who was killed in 2016\. Last year, she finally saw justice when Brooks Houck was convicted of murdering Crystal. But even with that conviction, Sherry discovered something that still haunts her: Brooks and his family had secretly recorded grand jury proceedings years earlier, violating the sanctity of one of the most protected legal processes in Kentucky. When investigators found the tape recorders while executing a search warrant at his mother, Rosemary Houck's home, prosecutors told Sherry there was nothing they could do about it. The reason? Kentucky's statute of limitations for this violation is just one year. "It was so frustrating for me as a mother to go through what I had been through," Sherry told me. "You think a grand jury, that's a huge thing, and then you hear that they can't even use that against them. It was a shock to me." So instead of taking a break after her hard-won victory in court, Sherry has picked up another fight- this time, to change Kentucky law so no other family has to experience what she did. ## The proposed law change [House Bill 305](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb305/orig%5Fbill.pdf?ref=shayinformed.com), sponsored by State Representative Candy Massaroni (R), and co-sponsors Representative Josh Calloway (R), and Representative TJ Roberts (R), would change how Kentucky handles violations of grand jury secrecy by creating new penalties for recording or disclosing grand jury proceedings. Here's what the bill would do: _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Shelby County Schools fires basketball coach after sexual misconduct investigation URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/shelby-county-schools-fires-basketball-coach-after-sexual-misconduct-investigation/ Last updated: 2026-01-19T13:35:27.000Z **Chris Gaither has been terminated from Shelby County Schools.** --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Chris Gaither- the former Martha Layne Collins High School basketball coach- was fired this week, following an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and inappropriate communication with current and/or former students, according to district officials. The termination marks a tipping point in an investigation that sparked community outrage, a contentious school board meeting, and promises of policy reform. ## How we got here This story began more than a month ago, on December 4th, when Hayley Weddle walked into Shelby County Schools' central office with a written statement. Weddle, a 2014 graduate of Martha Layne Collins, detailed what she said was an inappropriate relationship with Gaither that began when she was 17 and a team manager on his basketball team. The district opened an investigation the next day- December 5th. This was actually the second investigation into Gaither within 30 days. The first had been closed after board attorneys found no evidence of wrongdoing, according to district officials. But then days went by. And Gaither remained in the building. ## 'Swept under the rug' On December 9th- five days after filing her complaint- Weddle learned Gaither was still teaching. That night, he was on the sidelines coaching a basketball game. That's when she made a decision that would change everything. Weddle posted her written statement publicly on social media. "I had tried to go through the appropriate channels, but it did not feel like they were going to do anything," she told me. "It felt like it would be swept under the rug, as it has been before." In her statement, Weddle described a pattern of behavior that started during her junior year. Late-night messages on Snapchat. Comments about her appearance. Being pulled out of class to spend time alone in his classroom. Questions about her relationships with boys and her sexual history. Two weeks after her May 2014 graduation, Weddle said she was babysitting Gaither's children while his wife was out of town. When he got home that evening, she said he kissed her. She left, she told me, "very confused and uncomfortable." The next day, Gaither invited her over again. That's when they had sex. She was 18\. He was her former coach and teacher. "I blamed myself for years," Weddle said. "But he had been grooming me since I was 16." ## Social media changed everything Within hours of Weddle's public post, multiple people contacted Shelby County Schools' central office with additional information. That's when Gaither was suspended- December 10th, with pay, pending investigation. ## The community responds Two days later, on December 12th, the Shelby County School Board held a regularly scheduled meeting. And the room was packed. Parents, former students, and staff came with more than just frustration. They came with specific policy recommendations: Commission an independent investigation into how past allegations were handled. Close the post-graduation loophole. Explicitly define grooming behaviors. Require annual public reporting of misconduct investigations. "Secrecy is what allows abuse to thrive," former student Laura Wills-Coppelman told the board. "Choose to act before another student is harmed." When the 15-minute public comment period ended, Board Member Joanna Freels tried to move on. [‘You should be ashamed’; parents demand action at Shelby County School Board meetingA school board meeting turned tense on Thursday night, as the room, filled with parents, staff, and former students, demanded answers in an ongoing sexual misconduct investigation. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-164.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-12-11-at-6.36.16---PM-1-3.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/yo/) "We appreciate you all voicing your opinion," Freels said. "We don't ever answer questions. After we meet, we'll discuss things after the meeting." The room erupted. Superintendent Dr. Joshua Matthews tried to say they would be transparent when possible, but was drowned out by outbursts from the crowd. "You just said you're not answering questions, how is that transparent?" one woman shouted. When Freels said "Ok, we'll just move," trying to proceed with the agenda, parents shouted back: "We're not moving on!" "You can't just move on from this!" About 40 minutes into the meeting, much of the crowd got up and walked out. "No one cares about anything else you have to say," one woman said on her way out the door. ## Board members stayed silent The next morning, I reached out to all five school board members asking about their perspective on the community's response, what the board could and couldn't share during an investigation, the timeline moving forward, and how the district planned to address community concerns. Only two responded- neither would answer questions. [Shelby County School Board goes silent after community demands answersParents proposed policy changes and asked about process; most board members won’t respond “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-163.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-12-12-at-1.38.33---PM-1.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/shelby-county-school-board-goes-silent-after-community-demands-answers/) Board member Andrew Cline cited legal restrictions on commenting about personnel matters. Board member Brenda Jackson said she didn't feel comfortable speaking because "the trust factor, in my opinion was broken" at the meeting. Three board members- Joanna Freels, Sarah Reed, and Sonya Blackburn- didn't respond at all. ## Policy changes proposed Nearly a month after Weddle first filed her complaint, on January 7th, Superintendent Matthews sent a letter to the community outlining three proposed initiatives: - A new anonymous reporting system using QR codes that would allow two-way communication - Third-party investigators for allegations of sexual misconduct "and other complex cases" - Partnership with local law enforcement for prevention education and staff training The letter emphasized these were recommendations the district was working to develop before formally presenting them to the board for approval. No timeline was provided. The proposals directly mirrored what community members had demanded at that December meeting. ## The investigation Now, more than a month after Hayley Weddle filed her complaint, the Gaither's paid suspension has ended with the termination of his contract. He has 10 days to file an appeal. The district has not provided details about the investigation's findings or confirmed how many people ultimately came forward with allegations. Officials have not said whether the investigation was conducted by district personnel or outside investigators. Gaither had already been removed from his coaching position earlier this month while the investigation continued. Now he's been fired from the district entirely. ## Why Hayley came forward For Weddle, this was never about revenge. It was about protection. "I have a daughter now," she told me. "And I kept thinking about all the girls in that building. If something happened to one of them and I never said anything, I couldn't live with that." She carried this secret for a decade, wrestling with shame and self-blame. But she reached a point where she couldn't stay silent anymore-not when Gaither still had access to students. "I just want to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else," she said. Going public wasn't easy. But it was necessary. "I hope that if there are other girls out there, they know they're not alone. And they know it's not their fault." ## What happens now Gaither's termination closes one chapter. But questions remain about the others. The district proposed policy changes but hasn't implemented them. The community demanded an independent review of how past allegations were handled- that hasn't happened. And the proposed annual reporting of misconduct investigations hasn't been formalized. The trust that was broken at that December 12th meeting? That's going to take more than proposals to rebuild. For the parents who walked out of that meeting. For the former students who found the courage to come forward. For Hayley Weddle, who tried to do everything right through proper channels and had to go public to get action. They're watching to see if this is meaningful change or just a resolution to one case. The difference matters. I'll continue following this story- tracking whether proposals become policies, whether those policies make students safer, and whether the district follows through on its promise of transparency. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### He chose family over Hollywood. Then Hollywood came to Louisville. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/he-chose-family-over-hollywood-then-hollywood-came-to-louisville/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T14:06:33.000Z How Kentucky's film tax incentive brought a major motion picture- and local dreams- to life. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- When Neil Mulac wakes up some mornings, he still worries it was all a dream. The Louisville native and owner of Everything Cinema Productions landed a supporting lead role in "Dead Man's Wire," a major motion picture directed by legendary filmmaker Gus Van Sant that hits theaters nationwide today. And for Mulac, who's spent years building Kentucky's acting community, it feels almost too good to be true. "It's probably the only time in my life that I worry that I'm somehow going to wake up and it's all going to have been this one wonderful dream," Mulac told me. "I mean, no way this has happened to me." But it did happen. And Mulac says it happened because of something Kentucky got right: the film tax incentive program. ## A true story comes to Louisville "Dead Man's Wire" tells the story of Tony Kiritsis, who on February 8, 1977, entered the office of Richard Hall, president of the Meridian Mortgage Company in Indianapolis, and took him hostage. Kiritsis used a sawed-off shotgun wired with a "dead man's wire" from the trigger to his own neck. The intense drama, which also stars Al Pacino, was filmed almost entirely in Louisville over just 19 days last year. For Mulac, working with Van Sant- whose filmography includes "Good Will Hunting," "Milk," and "My Own Private Idaho"- was surreal. "I was obsessed with his films in college," he said. "To be a part of his filmography... I mean, I would have been happy just having a single line. I'm very glad for the role that I had, but even if it was just a background opportunity, I would have seized on it. When will I ever get to work with Gus again?" The experience exceeded every expectation. No egos. Warm, collaborative energy on set. Cast members showed up on their days off just to hang around. Mulac has seen the finished film twice now- once at the Toronto International Film Festival and again at the LA premiere last week- and says that joy comes through on screen. "It looked like the actors were having a good time, you know? And we were," he said. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/6421737584492399718.jpg) Mulac at the LA Film Premiere ## How Kentucky made this possible But here's the thing Mulac wants everyone to know: without Kentucky's film tax incentive, this opportunity wouldn't have existed. The Kentucky Entertainment Incentive (KEI) program offers refundable tax credits to productions that film in the state. The program was revived a few years ago under Governor Andy Beshear, thanks in large part to advocates like Soozie Eastman with 502 Film. "Governor Beshear welcomed it with open arms, and it has had such an impact, not only on folks like me, actors, but these incredible behind-the-camera crew that we have here," Mulac said. "It's also impacted small businesses- all the restaurants, the hotels, boutique stores." For Mulac, who fell in love with acting in eighth grade and has spent years coaching other Kentucky actors through his company Everything Cinema Productions, the tax incentive represents something bigger: the ability to pursue a film career without leaving home. "For me, what was right was staying in Kentucky and having a family and supporting the community here," he said. "But regardless of where you ultimately end up, Kentucky is continuing to turn itself into a major hub for film." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/1099661660656728133.png) Mulac directing a custom demo for a client ## Louisville's Big Screen Moment Mulac believes "Dead Man's Wire" will be a watershed moment for Kentucky filmmaking. Even though the movie is set in Indianapolis, Louisville plays itself as a character in the film. "Louisville looks amazing in Dead Man's Wire," he said. "The texture that it brings to the film is incredible." That diversity of locations- the fact that you can drive 20 minutes in different directions from Louisville and find completely different environments- makes the city particularly attractive to filmmakers working on tight shooting schedules. "When you're on 20-day shoots... you don't have a lot of time, and if you can limit the amount of travel and still get all of these perfect locations to communicate the emotional tones of whatever script you're creating, then why would you go elsewhere?" Mulac said. "Kentucky has what you need." When the film opens in wide release today, Mulac expects producers, set designers, cinematographers and directors to take notice. "I think they're going to say, 'Oh, I want to make something there. Look at the texture, look at the variety of images that are coming out of this town,'" he said. There's another Louisville connection worth celebrating: Daniel R Hill, also a South End kid who attended UofL's drama school with Mulac in the early 2000s, plays a significant role in the film as well. Hill moved to LA about a decade ago, but getting to work together on a project of this caliber made the experience even more special. "So many of us are still in the industry and thriving," Mulac said of his drama school classmates. "It was a wonderful opportunity to get to collaborate with him again." ## A win worth celebrating As someone who covers a lot of what goes wrong in Kentucky, I have to admit: this was a refreshing conversation. Mulac's gratitude was genuine, his excitement contagious. "There are a lot of things that are going in a wrong direction, but this truly is one that is going in the right direction," he told me. "It's a happy story, and I am forever grateful." "Dead Man's Wire" opens in theaters nationwide today, Friday, January 16. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## ### Kentucky lawmakers push to criminalize child grooming before abuse occurs URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-awmakers-push-to-criminalize-child-grooming-before-abuse-occurs/ Last updated: 2026-01-16T13:54:31.000Z **The legislation would fill a gap in the current law, targeting predatory behavior that leads to sexual abuse.** --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Kentucky lawmakers are taking aim at a gap in state law that currently leaves children vulnerable to predatory grooming behavior- the manipulative process predators use to build trust before sexual abuse occurs. State Representative Marianne Proctor (R) filed House Bill 4 on Tuesday, legislation that would make it a crime for adults to engage in grooming behavior directed at minors. The bill has already garnered strong support from law enforcement and prosecutors who say they've watched cases unfold where warning signs were clear, but their hands were tied until physical abuse occurred. "Right now, we do not have any statutes that protect our children from this predatory behavior that occurs prior to physical sexual abuse," Proctor told reporters at a Tuesday press conference. "With House Bill 4, not only will we criminalize it, but we will hold the offenders accountable." ## A local example of the Gap The need for such legislation became painfully clear to some Shelby County community members last month. In December, Hayley Weddle, a 2014 Martha Layne Collins High School graduate, filed a written complaint with Shelby County Schools detailing what she described as an inappropriate relationship that began when she was 17 and serving as a team manager for basketball coach Chris Gaither. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2025-12-11-at-10.00.29---AM-2.png) Weddle told me she had carried this for a decade before coming forward. When she filed her complaint on December 4th, the district opened an investigation—but five days later, Gaither was still teaching and coaching. Frustrated that it seemed her complaint would be "swept under the rug," Weddle posted her statement publicly on social media. Within hours, multiple people contacted the district with additional information. Only then was Gaither suspended. He is no longer coaching but remains on paid suspension while the investigation continues. At a contentious December 12th school board meeting, community members packed the room with specific demands, including one that speaks directly to House Bill 4: "explicitly defining grooming behaviors, and staff and student training on them." Former student Laura Wills-Coppelman told the board that night: "Secrecy is what allows abuse to thrive. Choose to act before another student is harmed." [‘You should be ashamed’; parents demand action at Shelby County School Board meetingA school board meeting turned tense on Thursday night, as the room, filled with parents, staff, and former students, demanded answers in an ongoing sexual misconduct investigation. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-158.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-12-11-at-6.36.16---PM-1-2.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/yo/) The case illustrates exactly what prosecutors say House Bill 4 could address- behavior that may not rise to the level of criminal sexual solicitation or assault under current law, but is "nevertheless clearly inappropriate and clearly designed to lead to such things," as Commonwealth Attorney Louis Kelly put it. ## Filling the gap The legislation creates a two-tiered approach based on age and the relationship between the adult and child. For adults who are **not in positions of authority-** grooming behavior directed at children under 14 would be a Class A misdemeanor, escalating to a Class D felony if the victim is under 12. For adults **in positions of authority or special trust**, the law would apply to any minor under 18\. Those violations would be Class D felonies, or Class C felonies if the victim is under 12. Commonwealth Attorney Louis Kelly said his office just sentenced someone to 15 years in prison for sexual assault who had engaged in grooming behavior for years beforehand. "Had we known, and had we had these laws, we could have maybe prevented that or stopped that," Kelly said. "We find ourselves with a lot of gaps, and recently, we have found ourselves a big gap in behavior that doesn't rise to the level of an actual sexual solicitation or doesn't result in a sexual touch or assault, but is nevertheless clearly inappropriate and clearly designed to lead to such things." When asked about the scope of the problem, Proctor said she's hearing stories "from all over the place" across Kentucky. "Those are the people who are brave enough to reach out to me," she said. ## What counts as grooming? The bill defines "grooming behavior" as a pattern of conduct directed at a minor that's intended to establish an emotional connection through manipulation, trust-building, or influence to facilitate future sexual acts or to normalize sexual conduct. The behavior can occur online or in person, and doesn't require an in-person meeting or sexual act to be completed. But proving it will require a high bar. Prosecutors must demonstrate both intent and a pattern of behavior. Kelly emphasized the bill has been carefully crafted to avoid criminalizing innocent conversations. "This has a high burden on law enforcement and a high burden on prosecution to make sure we are targeting people who should know better, who shouldn't be doing this, and are clearly doing it for inappropriate reasons," he said. The legislation includes specific exemptions for lawful communications, including sex education curriculum, communications by healthcare providers, job-related duties, and age-appropriate conversations between parents and children about puberty. ## Why the different age thresholds? The bill's two-tiered approach reflects both the vulnerability of younger children and the reality of existing relationships. For people not in positions of trust, the under-14 threshold accounts for scenarios like a 19-year-old texting a 17-year-old who might have been in school together. "That's not necessarily what we're looking at," Kelly explained. "But if you are in a position of trust, it's any minor." Boone County Attorney Jordan Turner highlighted what makes grooming particularly insidious: "What makes quote, unquote grooming difficult is it looks so different when we're talking about victims who are children versus victims who are adults," she said. "Grooming toward children looks like building relationships, being kind, making children trust you." ## Building on recent school safety laws The legislation builds on existing Kentucky law that restricts how teachers can communicate with students electronically. Senate Bill 188, passed last year, established specific channels for school-related communications. "What happens in my communication with superintendents and teachers is many times people go outside of those channels, and that's where a lot of this activity begins," Proctor said. "So we're trying to eliminate that." But the law extends beyond schools to any adult in a position of authority or trust with children. ## Looking forward The bill cannot be applied retroactively- prosecutors could only charge grooming behavior that occurs after the law takes effect if passed. Kelly compared the legislation to Kentucky's strangulation law passed in 2019, noting that once law enforcement began looking for that specific behavior, they found it was far more prevalent than initially thought. "I'm guessing that we haven't really been looking at the grooming behavior, because at this point, our main tool is once it got to the point of solicitation or assault," Kelly said. "My guess is we're going to find out this is a lot more prevalent." ## What it could mean for cases like Shelby County For communities like Shelby County, House Bill 4 could provide both legal recourse and institutional clarity when concerning behavior is identified. Under the proposed law, adults in positions of authority or special trust- like coaches- who engage in grooming behavior with students under 18 could face criminal charges, even if no sexual solicitation or assault occurs. That would give law enforcement and school districts a tool to intervene earlier. Weddle, reflecting on her experience, told me [the recent policy changes proposed by Shelby County Schools](https://www.shayinformed.com/shelby-county-schools-announces-policy-changes-following-sexual-misconduct-allegations/) are "a really good start," but she's still waiting for more details on timelines and implementation. The district has proposed adding an anonymous reporting system with two-way communication, using third-party investigators for sexual misconduct cases, and partnering with law enforcement for prevention education- all direct responses to community demands at a recent school board meeting. But those are still just proposed recommendations, not implemented policies. House Bill 4 wouldn't solve every problem highlighted by the Shelby County case, but it would give prosecutors and school officials legal grounds to act on grooming behavior before it escalates- potentially preventing situations where victims carry trauma for years before coming forward. The bill is modeled after legislation Ohio passed last year. Proctor said the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. "I've yet to meet a person who doesn't like it," she said. "The first person that is in opposition to it will be the first one that I've met." When asked about potentially expanding the legislation to include other vulnerable populations like adults with disabilities, Proctor said the focus for now is on getting this "well-crafted legislation" passed. "This is relatively new," she said. "Let's define it. Let's address it, and then if we find that this is an issue, certainly be happy to look at that." The bill also amends multiple sections of Kentucky law related to professional licensing boards, requiring that grooming violations be included among the grounds for disciplinary action against teachers, healthcare providers, massage therapists, social workers, and other licensed professionals who work with vulnerable populations. You can read the proposed legislation [here](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb4/orig%5Fbill.pdf?ref=shayinformed.com). *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Federal trial delayed for so called 'Kentucky Serial Killer' URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/so-called-kentucky-serial-killer-requests-delay-in-federal-trial/ Last updated: 2026-01-16T14:59:03.000Z Attorneys for Brian Epperson requested that the judge grant a motion for a trial continuance, postponing a trial scheduled to begin on February 2nd. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- The federal trial for Brian Phillip Epperson, who faces charges in connection with two fatal methamphetamine overdoses, has been delayed after his defense attorney requested additional time to review what she describes as "significant" and "complex" discovery materials. Epperson's trial was scheduled to begin February 2, 2026, but his attorney, Rachel Yavelak of Baldani Law Group, filed a motion on January 12 requesting at least a 90-day continuance. The judge granted the motion, and rescheduled the trial for May 6th at the federal courthouse in Lexington. In the motion, Yavelak cited the extensive amount of evidence that needs to be reviewed, including numerous audio and video files, Cellbrite data from mobile devices, and complex medical and forensic information. She emphasized that Epperson needs adequate time "to fully review and to comprehend the evidence, his options and the consequences/benefits of any decision he makes." "With the amount of discovery to review, especially with medical information, it would be a miscarriage of justice for such a continuance not to be granted as Mr. Epperson's understanding is vital to justice being served," Yavelak wrote in the filing. ## Plea discussions underway The motion also revealed that preliminary discussions about a potential plea agreement are taking place between the defense and federal prosecutors. Yavelak indicated that if the parties can resolve the matter without trial, she doesn't want her client to lose any sentencing reductions for acceptance of responsibility under federal guidelines. "It is possible, once everything has been reviewed, that the parties may be able to resolve the matter without the need for trial," the motion stated. The defense attorney also noted that some witnesses still need to be located, with at least one appearing to be in another state. Additionally, some evidence may require testing, and an expert witness may need to be retained. Yavelak confirmed that she discussed the continuance request with Epperson during a visit, and he agreed to the delay. She also consulted with the Assistant U.S. Attorney handling the case before filing the motion. [Federal charges filed against Brian Epperson- the man some are calling “the Kentucky serial killer”A Kentucky man is now tied to the deaths of multiple local women, and investigators say he used the same chilling technique on all. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-157.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-10-17-at-7.11.06---AM-3.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/federal-charges-filed-against-brian-epperson-the-man-some-are-calling-the-kentucky-serial-killer/) _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Feds pick Indiana as one of two new National Drone Test Sites URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/feds-pick-indiana-as-one-of-two-new-national-drone-test-sites/ Last updated: 2026-01-14T13:48:58.000Z The move is being celebrated by Indiana's Congressional delegation, which pushed for designation, citing state's manufacturing base and military testing infrastructure --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- The Trump Administration has selected Indiana as one of two new national drone test sites, marking what state officials describe as a significant step in expanding domestic drone development and manufacturing. The Federal Aviation Administration designation came after Indiana's entire congressional delegation- both U.S. Senators and all nine House members- [signed a letter in December](https://www.young.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/FINAL%5FIndiana-Delegation-Letter-in-Support-of-FAA-UAS-Test-Site3.pdf?ref=shayinformed.com) making the case for why the state should be chosen. The joint application was submitted by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and the Applied Research Institute. "This is a major win for Indiana and for America," Congresswoman Erin Houchin said in a statement. The Republican, who represents Southern Indiana, said the test site would create jobs and investment while helping the U.S. maintain its position in drone innovation. The move aligns with two executive orders President Trump issued focused on drone technology: "Unleashing American Drone Dominance" and "Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty." The orders signal a push to expand domestic drone testing, development, and manufacturing as an alternative to foreign-made systems. Indiana's pitch emphasized its manufacturing heritage and existing infrastructure. The delegation's letter highlighted Purdue University's assets, including the first university-owned airport in the country and what it described as the world's largest indoor motion capture facility. The university's faculty has been working on challenges related to integrating drones into the national airspace. The state also pointed to its military testing infrastructure. Camp Atterbury hosts the Technology Readiness and Experimentation initiative, which in August 2025 demonstrated technology that neutralized a 49-drone swarm with a single electromagnetic pulse. The Indiana National Guard operates testing facilities at Muscatatuck Urban Training Center, and Naval Surface Warfare Center-Crane has been developing counter-drone capabilities. Governor Mike Braun signed an executive order in October creating a task force to coordinate drone development across industry, academia, military, and public safety sectors. The delegation's letter emphasized that the task force would help implement lessons learned from operating the FAA test site. "Drones are no longer just emerging technology- they're now essential for national security, agriculture, public safety, and more," Houchin said. "We must ensure these systems are developed and built in the United States, not overseas." The announcement didn't specify which other state received a designation or provide a timeline for when testing operations might begin. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### She credits this medication with saving her life. Kentucky makes it nearly impossible to get. URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/she-credits-this-medication-with-saving-her-life-kentucky-makes-it-nearly-impossible-to-get/ Last updated: 2026-01-15T14:09:15.000Z A new bipartisan bill aims to eliminate regulations that make it harder to get treatment for opioid addiction than it is to get opioids. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Amanda Hall remembers what it was like trying to get help for her opioid addiction in rural Eastern Kentucky more than a decade ago. Options were limited. Support was scarce. But when she finally accessed buprenorphine- a medication used to treat opioid use disorder- everything changed. "I was really able to stabilize myself," Hall told me. "I was able to take my dose and feel normal. I was able to go to work. I was able to be present with my family." The medication, commonly known by the brand name Suboxone, quite literally saved her life. "Without it, I don't know if I would even still be here," she said. Now Hall works as a social worker with a national organization focused on criminal justice and addiction policy. And she's watching closely as Kentucky lawmakers file a bill that could make it significantly easier for people struggling with opioid addiction to access the same treatment that helped her. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### New plans for Mid City Mall revealed, as developer prepares to meet with neighbors URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/new-plans-for-mid-city-mall-revealed-as-developer-prepares-to-meet-with-neighbors/ Last updated: 2026-01-14T13:24:10.000Z A developer eying the Mid City Mall property on Bardstown Road in the Highlands has ties to major grocery chains like Publix, Whole Foods and Kroger. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- A zoning certification filing offers the first concrete glimpse at what could be coming to the Mid City Mall property on Bardstown Road- and a new developer appears to be eyeing the site. Documents filed with Louisville Metro show plans for a significant overhaul of the shopping center, including a new 54,000-square-foot grocery store and six standalone retail buildings totaling 53,000 square feet. The applicant listed is Christian Olteanu with Gaskins + LeCraw, Inc., out of Duluth, GA. Branch Properties, a developer considering investing in the property, confirmed it's evaluating the site but isn't ready to reveal specifics yet. > "Branch Properties is evaluating potential improvements at Mid City Mall. The team is reviewing a range of options at this stage, and no final plans have been determined," the company said in a statement. The company added that it "looks forward to sharing more information and engaging with neighbors and city leaders at the appropriate time." That engagement appears to be starting soon. Branch Properties representatives are scheduled to appear at upcoming neighborhood meetings to discuss possible plans for the property, giving nearby residents their first chance to hear directly from the company and ask questions. The development filing comes as the Mid City Mall has been on the market since November 2024, and as several longtime tenants have already departed. Ramen House relocated to Spring Street. The Nearly New Shop closed its doors in September. And perhaps most notably, the iconic Back Door Bar closed in May 2024 following the passing of longtime owner John Dant, marking the end of an era for the beloved neighborhood watering hole. Most recently, the Baxter Avenue Theatre had its final showing after nearly 30 years in the neighborhood. [Another loss for Mid City Mall: Baxter Avenue Theater to close after decadesIf you’ve been through Mid City Mall lately, you might have noticed it’s starting to feel a little emptier. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free weekly newsletter![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-156.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/baxter-avenue-theater.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/another-loss-for-mid-city-mall-baxter-avenue-theater-to-close-after-decades/) ## What could be coming According to the zoning certificate filed with Metro Louisville government, the proposal is for new construction on the 11 acre property, which would include a new grocery store and multiple stand alone retail buildings. The 54,000-square-foot grocery store would be a significant addition to the Highlands corridor, though it remains unclear which retailer might fill that space. Branch Properties- the developer eying the site- has a [large grocery portfolio](https://www.branchprop.com/properties?ref=shayinformed.com) which includes Publix, Whole Foods, and Kroger. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-13-at-2.44.09---PM.png) Branch Properties is expected to present and answer questions at an upcoming neighborhood meeting in Tyler Park. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Hours after story published, Metro Louisville EMS zeros out fraudulent bills for identity theft victim URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/hours-after-story-published-metro-louisville-ems-zeros-out-fraudulent-bills-for-identity-theft-victim/ Last updated: 2026-01-09T14:04:55.000Z Within hours of our investigation, Metro Louisville EMS zeroed out David Hathaway's balance. But his criminal record still needs expunging, and the man who stole his identity remains at large. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- In what David Hathaway calls "a victory," Metro Louisville EMS has officially zeroed out his balance, dropping the $859.40 in bills he received for an ambulance ride he never took. The notice came within hours of my investigation into how Hathaway's identity was stolen during a Louisville Metro Police SWAT raid, leading to months of bills, an arrest, and legal fees. '"I'd like to be an example for them to look at and say, this is what happens when you don't take the extra five or 10 minutes to verify somebody in front of you," Hathaway told me. [‘Open investigation’: LMPD won’t explain identity theft that led to the wrong man’s arrestA LaRue County man’s identity was stolen during a police encounter in Louisville, and the department won’t explain how it happened or how they’ll prevent it from happening again. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-154.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/LMPD-credit-FB-1.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/open-investigation-lmpd-wont-explain-identity-theft-that-led-to-the-wrong-mans-arrest/) ## What changed- and what hasn't The EMS charges were just one piece of Hathaway's nightmare. On August 20, 2025, during a SWAT raid at a house on Melvin Court, a man with no identification gave LMPD officers Hathaway's name and birthdate. Officers wrote a citation under Hathaway's identity without verifying it. The man was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he again used Hathaway's information. Metro Louisville EMS billed Hathaway repeatedly for the ambulance ride, despite his proof he was at work an hour away that day. Even after Hathaway disputed the charges and filed identity theft reports, the bills kept coming. Then, on November 20, Hathaway was arrested on his way to work on a warrant for failure to appear. Despite the fact that Hathaway is 6 feet 2 inches and 230 pounds- and the warrant described someone 5 feet 8 inches and 185 pounds- the Bardstown Police officer arrested him anyway. He spent hours in jail and had to post a $500 bond. Now, Metro Louisville EMS has dropped the charges. But Hathaway's criminal record is still in question and LMPD has not confirmed whether an expungement order has been filed or when his record will be cleared. The department also has not provided any information about the status of charges against the man who allegedly stole Hathaway's identity. ## An update from Metro Louisville EMS In September, Hathaway received his first bill from Metro Louisville EMS: $859.40 for an ambulance ride he never took. He called to dispute it, explaining he was at work at the time and had proof. The billing representative told him it had to be him- the records showed his name and birthday. He said he asked about his options- who did he need to talk to? What did he need to prove? According to Hathaway, the representative suggested that he file an Identity Theft report. Hathaway then went to the Hodgenville Police Department, his hometown agency, to file an identity theft report. According to the Metro Louisville Office of Management and Budget, which handles billing for Metro Louisville EMS, the billing office never received a copy of that police report. When a Hodgenville Police Officer called the billing office directly, they advised that they could not speak to him without a signed patient release form, which they didn't have. Despite following the proper steps and making the right calls, Hathaway's dispute was tied up in the system. This week, I called Louisville Metro EMS and started asking questions about the bills, the appeal process and what David needed to do to resolve the issue. They provided a direct contact for David. That person told him exactly what documents he needed to provide, and he sent them right away. Within hours, the balance was zeroed out. ## What's still unresolved While the dropped EMS charges bring some relief, Hathaway faces ongoing challenges: **The Expungement-** LMPD told me the lead detective is "working with the Commonwealth Attorney to have an order to expunge his case before the court to clear his name." But Hathaway says he hasn't seen any paperwork confirming an expungement motion has been filed. He doesn't have a timeline for when his record will be cleared. I also contacted the Commonwealth's Attorney's office myself and the public information officer said, "I do not have any indication at this time from the information available that our office ever received the case you mentioned to review." Until that happens, his arrest record remains. Background checks will show he was arrested and charged with fleeing and evading. Any future interaction with law enforcement could be complicated by this record. "You always believe that you're not going to jail. Nothing's going to happen to you because you're not doing anything wrong. That's not true. That is not true," Hathaway said. **The Actual Offender-** LMPD has not confirmed whether charges have been filed against the man who allegedly used Hathaway's identity. There is no publicly available court case against him. Hathaway believes he knows who the person is- someone from his past- but I have not been able to confirm this with police because LMPD says the investigation is "open and active" and won't provide details. Without charges against the actual offender, Hathaway worries it could happen again. This frustrates Hathaway, and makes him worry about what could happen next. "He's running free, and you can't tell me when you'll catch him. He's got to mess up in order for you to catch him, because you don't have an address on him. You don't know a location," Hathaway said,"and if the next cop is no better than this cop, then he can still be free, and I can be dealing with this all over again." **The System Failure** The most significant unresolved issue is the one LMPD continues to avoid: How did this happen in the first place, and what has changed to prevent it from happening again? For more than three weeks, LMPD has declined to answer questions about: - What is the process for officers when arresting/citing someone who does not have an ID? How is identity verified? - What can be shared about this particular case? How did this happen? - What is the status of the case for the actual offender? - What is LMPD's message to David and others who wonder how the wrong person can be cited- and then face the consequences of another person's actions? ## A victory, but not justice Hathaway is grateful the EMS bills are resolved. His wife, Michelle McMunn, expressed relief that at least one piece of this nightmare is over. But the couple remains frustrated by how long it took- and what it took- to make it happen. Hathaway still carries the paperwork from his jail release everywhere he goes. He still fears being pulled over and arrested again. He's still out hundreds of dollars in bond money and legal fees. And he still doesn't know if or when his record will be expunged. ## The bigger picture This case reveals critical gaps in how identity is verified during police encounters and how victims of identity theft are treated by the criminal justice system. David Hathaway did everything right. He disputed the charges immediately. He provided proof he was at work. He filed multiple identity theft reports. He hired a lawyer. He went to court. But it took a published investigation to get movement in the case. How many other people are in similar situations but don't have the platform of a news investigation to amplify their story? When systems fail, someone needs to take responsibility. Someone needs to explain what went wrong and what's being fixed. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### How one woman's questions may have reopened a 34-year-old cold case URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/how-one-womans-questions-may-have-reopened-a-34-year-old-cold-case/ Last updated: 2026-01-08T19:20:22.000Z Holly Lovings was looking for more information about cold cases from her hometown when she discovered a particularly disturbing case was sitting in KSP archives. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- When Holly Lovings started asking questions about a decades-old cold case in 2022, she had no idea that her inquiry might be the spark that would finally bring an arrest. But emails suggest that's exactly what happened. This week, Kentucky State Police announced the arrest of 55-year-old Jennifer Cummins from Virginia, in connection with the 1991 death of an infant known as Baby Jane Doe. The baby was discovered at the Richmond Landfill in Madison County after being placed in a dumpster on the Eastern Kentucky University campus. [34 years later: woman arrested in connection with baby’s death at Kentucky landfillMore than three decades after an infant’s body was discovered at a Richmond landfill, Kentucky State Police have made an arrest. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-148.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-01-07-at-7.36.36---PM.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/34-years-later-woman-arrested-in-connection-with-babys-death-at-kentucky-landfill/) What makes this story even more remarkable is the role a former child abuse investigator played in bringing the case back into investigators' focus. In May 2022, Holly Lovings filed a formal open records request with Kentucky State Police Post 7\. She'd been browsing the KSP cold case website and stumbled across the Baby Jane Doe case, and something about it wouldn't let her go. Holly had spent nearly a decade conducting child abuse investigations for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. She knew what it meant when a case went cold. She knew officers, much like social workers, were stretched thin with high case loads and little time. Still, she was surprised when she learned the status of this particular investigation. According to an email she shared with me, the case file wasn't even at the post. It was sitting in archives- and had been since 2007. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Shelby County Schools announces policy changes following sexual misconduct allegations URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/shelby-county-schools-announces-policy-changes-following-sexual-misconduct-allegations/ Last updated: 2026-01-08T15:40:36.000Z Parents are calling it "a step in the right direction." --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Nearly a month after sexual misconduct allegations surfaced against a Martha Layne Collins basketball coach, Shelby County Schools is announcing plans for new policies and procedures. In a letter sent to the community Wednesday evening, Superintendent Dr. Joshua Matthews outlined three key initiatives the district is working to implement- all directly responding to concerns raised by parents and former students at a contentious December school board meeting. ## What's being proposed The district says it's working on three main changes: **1\. A new anonymous reporting system:** Shelby County Schools already has a tip line, but Matthews says they're adding another option- one that would allow two-way communication while keeping reporters anonymous. Parents, students, and staff would all have access. **2\. Third-party investigators for sexual misconduct cases:** The district is recommending that outside investigators handle allegations of sexual misconduct and other complex cases going forward. **3\. Partnership with law enforcement for prevention education:** The district wants to strengthen its partnership with local law enforcement and other experts to provide staff training and age-appropriate education in middle and high schools. The focus, Matthews wrote, would be "safety, prevention, and awareness of alleged student or staff misconduct." Matthews emphasized these are still recommendations. The district is currently "identifying vendors and solidifying partnerships" before formally presenting the proposals to the school board for consideration. "We will provide more information as we move forward," he wrote. ## Where this comes from These proposed changes appear to have been inspired by community demands at the December 12th school board meeting. [‘You should be ashamed’; parents demand action at Shelby County School Board meetingA school board meeting turned tense on Thursday night, as the room, filled with parents, staff, and former students, demanded answers in an ongoing sexual misconduct investigation. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-146.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-12-11-at-6.36.16---PM-1-1.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/yo/) That night, the room was packed with parents, former students, and staff who came with specific policy suggestions after learning that basketball coach Chris Gaither had remained in the building and on the sidelines for days after a former student filed sexual misconduct allegations against him. Community members that night called for: - An independent investigation into how allegations have been handled - Closing post-graduation loopholes - Explicitly defining grooming behaviors, and staff and student training on them - Annual public reporting of misconduct investigations Former student Laura Wills-Coppelman told the board: "Secrecy is what allows abuse to thrive. Choose to act before another student is harmed." The meeting erupted in frustration when Board Member Joanna Freels told the crowd "we don't ever answer questions." About 40 minutes in, much of the crowd walked out. ## The timeline that led here ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2025-12-11-at-10.00.29---AM-1.png) The community outcry stemmed from how the district handled allegations against Chris Gaither. Hayley Weddle, a 2014 graduate, filed a written complaint on December 4th detailing what she said was an inappropriate relationship that began when she was 17 and a team manager on Gaither's basketball team. The district opened an investigation the next day. But five days later, Gaither was still teaching and coaching. When Weddle saw him on the sidelines December 9th, she posted her statement publicly on social media. [‘He has been able to hide for so long’; Shelby Co. Schools suspends coach after sexual misconduct allegationsA former team manager told me her relationship with Chris Gaither began while she was a student at Martha Layne Collins High School. “He has been able to hide for so long under the assumption that he is a good Christian pillar of this community, and I think it was![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-147.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-12-11-at-10.00.29---AM-3.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/he-has-been-able-to-hide-for-so-long-shelby-co-schools-suspends-coach-after-sexual-misconduct-allegations/) "I had tried to go through the appropriate channels, but it did not feel like they were going to do anything," Weddle told me. "It felt like it would be swept under the rug, as it has been before." Within hours of her post, multiple people contacted the district with additional information. That's when Gaither was suspended- December 10th. The district confirmed Monday that Gaither is no longer the basketball coach at Martha Layne Collins, though he remains on paid suspension while the investigation continues. ## What's still unclear Matthews' letter doesn't address several questions the community has been asking: - How many people have come forward with allegations? - What is the timeline for concluding the current investigation? - Will there be an independent review of how past allegations were handled? - When will these policy changes actually be implemented? The letter says the district is "actively addressing issues raised from previous years" but doesn't specify what those issues are or what "addressing" means beyond the three proposed initiatives. And while the letter mentions third-party investigators for future cases, it doesn't say whether the current investigation into Gaither will be handled by an outside investigator. ## What happens next The district says once they've identified vendors and finalized partnerships, they'll formally present these recommendations to the school board for approval. There's no timeline for when that might happen. For the community members who walked out of that December meeting feeling unheard, this letter is a start. But it's still just proposed recommendations- not implemented policies. And for Hayley Weddle, who says she carried this for a decade before coming forward, she calls this a "really good start." She said she's still interested to hear more about the timeline. She hopes some of that information may be released tonight at a school board meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. in Shelby County. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### 'Open investigation': LMPD won't explain identity theft that led to the wrong man's arrest URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/open-investigation-lmpd-wont-explain-identity-theft-that-led-to-the-wrong-mans-arrest/ Last updated: 2026-01-13T19:52:33.000Z A LaRue County man's identity was stolen during a police encounter in Louisville, and the department won't explain how it happened or how they'll prevent it from happening again. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- David Hathaway was heading to work at 3 a.m. on November 20 when he saw police lights in his rearview mirror. The 60-year-old pulled into the gas station where he stops for coffee every morning, figuring it was a routine traffic stop. Instead, a Bardstown police officer placed him in handcuffs and told him he was being arrested for failure to appear on a fleeing and evading warrant. "Buddy, I'm 60 years old. I don't do any of this, I can promise you," Hathaway remembers telling the officer. The officer looked at the citation that listed the suspect's description: 5 feet 8 inches, 185 pounds. Hathaway stands 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 230 pounds. "He said, 'You're a big boy,'" Hathaway recalled. "I said, 'I know it. I said there's a big difference in five foot eight.'" The officer agreed. But he arrested Hathaway anyway. "He said, 'Well, I still have your information, so you're going to jail,'" Hathaway told me. Bardstown Police confirmed the officer was following protocol- using available information when he made the arrest. This encounter wasn't the problem... it was a citation that had happened months earlier. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### 34 years later: woman arrested in connection with baby's death at Kentucky landfill URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/34-years-later-woman-arrested-in-connection-with-babys-death-at-kentucky-landfill/ Last updated: 2026-01-08T14:48:49.000Z More than three decades after an infant's body was discovered at a Richmond landfill, Kentucky State Police have made an arrest. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- More than three decades after an infant's body was discovered at a Richmond landfill, Kentucky State Police have made an arrest in the case that haunted investigators for years. 55-year-old Jennifer Cummins from Fairfax, Virginia, was taken into custody this week by the Fairfax County Police Fugitive Tracking and Apprehension Team. She's charged with murder in connection with the death of a newborn known only as Baby Jane Doe. The case dates back to 1991, when a sanitation worker at the former Richmond Landfill in Madison County made the devastating discovery. According to Kentucky State Police Post 7 detectives, the investigation determined the infant had been born alive and healthy before being placed in a dumpster on the Eastern Kentucky University campus. Despite investigative efforts at the time, the case eventually went cold with the baby's identity and the circumstances of her death remaining a mystery. But in recent years, detectives took another look at the case- this time armed with advancements in forensic science and investigative technology that weren't available in the early 1990s. Working with DESI East, KSP Intelligence Branch, and the KSP Forensic Laboratory, investigators developed new leads that identified Cummins as a person of interest. Detectives traveled to Virginia, where information obtained during the investigation was corroborated, according to the state police. In late 2025, the case was presented to a Madison County Grand Jury, which returned an indictment charging Cummins with murder. Cummins is currently being held at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center as she awaits extradition back to Kentucky to face the charges. The arrest marks a significant development in a case that has remained open for 34 years, offering a potential resolution in the death of an infant who never got the chance to be identified or known beyond the name investigators gave her. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### What parents need to know about the CDC's new childhood vaccine schedule URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/what-parents-need-to-know-about-the-cdcs-new-childhood-vaccine-schedule/ Last updated: 2026-01-08T20:41:49.000Z This week the US Department of Health and Human Services announced the CDC has adopted a revised childhood vaccine schedule. The announcement was met with criticism from major medical voices, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, which opposes the changes, calling them “dangerous and unnecessary.” --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- If you're a parent scrolling through social media right now, you've probably seen something about changes to childhood vaccine recommendations. I've read through the [official documents](https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/cdc-acts-presidential-memorandum-update-childhood-immunization-schedule.html?ref=shayinformed.com) from the Department of Health and Human Services, and here's what's actually changing and what it means for your family. ## The big picture On January 5, the CDC adopted a revised childhood immunization schedule following a directive from President Trump to review how other developed countries handle childhood vaccinations. The result? A new set of recommendations from the federal government about what vaccines children should get, and when. According to the documents provided by the White House, the new schedule wasn’t driven by any new evidence on the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. It was created to give parents "more flexibility and choice." The new recommendations group vaccine recommendations into three categories: **Category 1: Recommended for all children** These are what the decision memo calls "consensus vaccines"- the ones where there's broad international agreement. This list includes measles, mumps, rubella, polio, whooping cough (pertussis), tetanus, diphtheria, Hib, pneumococcal disease, HPV, and chickenpox (varicella). **Category 2: Recommended for certain high-risk groups** According to the CDC, some vaccines that were previously recommended for all children are now being labeled as only necessary for kids with specific health conditions or circumstances. This includes RSV, and vaccines for hepatitis A and B (depending on risk factors), meningococcal disease, and dengue. **Category 3: Shared clinical decision-making** This is the new language you'll hear at your pediatrician's office. It means vaccines for hepatitis A and B, rotavirus, meningococcal disease, flu, and COVID-19 are available and covered by insurance, but the recommendation is now that parents and doctors should talk through whether they make sense for each individual child based on their specific situation. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-07-at-8.58.28---AM.png) ## Why the change? According to the documents provided by the White House, the U.S. currently recommends vaccines for more diseases than any of the 20 peer nations reviewed. The decision memo notes that many countries with fewer recommended vaccines still maintain high vaccination rates and good child health outcomes. But it is important to note that these claims have been challenged by US health officials. ## What this means for your family right now If your child is already vaccinated or on the current schedule, nothing changes immediately. If you have a well-child visit coming up, expect your pediatrician to have more detailed conversations with you about vaccines in that third category. As for cost, according to the memo from the White House, you won't be charged for any of them, and insurers will still have to cover all vaccines recommended by the CDC. ## What pediatricians are dealing with Your child's doctor is likely still processing what this means for their practice. The CDC says it will work with state health agencies and physician groups on implementation and education. Experts say now it is more important than ever to have conversations with your trusted pediatrician about what is best for your family. ## Concern from medical experts The American Academy of Pediatrics is still publishing its own recommended childhood vaccine schedule, which is much broader than the government's list. AAP President Dr. Andrew Racine opposes the changes, calling them “dangerous and unnecessary.” Dr. Mandy Cohen, former director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the “shift in vaccine recommendations from HHS adds confusion and unnecessary obstacles for families who want their kids protected from serious illness. I am saddened to see our country take a step backwards in its efforts to protect the health of children and families.” The Infectious Diseases Society of America called the changes “reckless” and characterized the decision as an “assault on the national vaccine infrastructure that has saved millions of lives.” ## The bottom line The childhood vaccine schedule is being reorganized, not eliminated. All vaccines remain available and covered. Some vaccines will now require more discussion between you and your child's doctor rather than being universally recommended. Conversations with a trusted medical provider are considered more important than ever. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Crystal Rogers appeals begin- and the expected delays are already taking form URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/crystal-rogers-appeals-begin-and-the-expected-delays-are-already-taking-form/ Last updated: 2026-01-05T17:53:45.000Z Both Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson have requested extensions to file the official appeal briefs. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- The Crystal Rogers case may be closed in the trial court, but the legal proceedings are far from over, and they're already showing signs of the delays legal experts predicted. Joseph Lawson, Steve Lawson, and Brooks Houck have all indicated their intent to appeal their convictions to the Kentucky Court of Appeals, though none have officially filed their appeals yet. Houck filed his notice of intent to appeal on October 13th, while both Lawsons have indicated in previous court filings that they plan to appeal. Now, Houck and Joseph Lawson have requested extensions to file their appeal briefs- the first formal step in what could be a years-long appeals process. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Shelby County basketball coach no longer leading team as sexual misconduct investigation continues URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/shelby-county-basketball-coach-no-longer-leading-team-as-sexual-misconduct-investigation-continues/ Last updated: 2026-01-07T14:11:19.000Z Chris Gaither is no longer the basketball coach at Martha Layne Collins High School, according to district officials. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Chris Gaither is no longer the basketball coach at Martha Layne Collins High School, according to district officials. The change comes as Gaither remains on paid suspension while Shelby County Schools investigates allegations of sexual misconduct and inappropriate communication with current or former students. District spokesperson Josh Rhodes confirmed Monday that while the investigation continues, Gaither has been removed from his coaching position. He did not provide additional details about whether this is a temporary or permanent change, or who will replace Gaither as head coach. ## The Investigation The district reopened its investigation into Gaither on December 5th, the day after Hayley Weddle, a 2014 graduate, submitted a written statement detailing what she says was an inappropriate relationship that began when she was 16 and a team manager on his basketball team. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Remembering Diane Crump; first woman to ride in Kentucky Derby URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/remembering-diane-crump-first-woman-to-ride-in-kentucky-derby/ Last updated: 2026-01-05T14:23:40.000Z She was a trailblazer on the track, remembered for a long list of 'firsts' in the thoroughbred racing industry. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Diane Crump died last week, just months after being diagnosed with glioblastoma. She was 77 years old. Crump is remembered for making history in the horse racing industry. She was the first female professional jockey to ride at a major Thoroughbred racetrack in 1969 and then became the first woman to race in the Kentucky Derby one year year, in 1970\. *"Diane Crump was an iconic trailblazer who admirably fulfilled her childhood dreams," Churchill Downs Racetrack President Mike Anderson said Friday. "The entire Churchill Downs family extends our condolences to her family and friends."* Anderson went on to say she will forever be respected and fondly remembered in horse racing after winning more than 70 races at Churchill Downs throughout her 15-year career in the sport. Once her time on horses was done, Crump leaned into her love of the animal and worked in equine sales and training. Crump's legacy in horse racing is on full display at the Kentucky Derby Museum, within the Right to Ride Exhibit. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-05-at-9.21.19---AM.png) *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Kentucky politicians divided on U.S. military action in Venezuela URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-politicians-divided-on-u-s-military-action-in-venezuela/ Last updated: 2026-01-05T14:53:01.000Z Kentucky politicians are sharply divided on the U.S. military strike on Venezuela that captured President Nicolás Maduro on January 3rd. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- The U.S. military strike on Venezuela that captured President Nicolás Maduro early Saturday morning has drawn sharply divided reactions from Kentucky's congressional delegation, with support largely breaking along party lines. Republican representatives largely praised President Trump's decision to authorize the operation, which resulted in Maduro and his wife being flown to New York to face criminal charges. The administration announced it would 'run' Venezuela until a transition of power can take place. Rep. Andy Barr applauded the president's action, characterizing it as protecting Americans from narco-terrorists. Barr argued Trump was acting within his constitutional authority as Commander in Chief and emphasized the drug crisis's impact on Kentucky families. He described Maduro as the leader of a narco-terrorist organization indicted in New York's Southern District for drug-related crimes. Attorney General Russell Coleman issued a statement to LEX18 supporting the operation, saying the U.S. must cut off fentanyl flows and send a message to Mexican cartels. Sen. Rand Paul offered a more nuanced take, suggesting few will mourn Maduro's removal while using it as an opportunity to criticize socialism. However, Paul also raised constitutional concerns on the social media platform X, writing that the founders limited executive war powers for good reason and that such actions should be defensive in nature. > [https://t.co/znlasdfAZe](https://t.co/znlasdfAZe?ref=shayinformed.com) > > — Rand Paul (@RandPaul) [January 3, 2026](https://twitter.com/RandPaul/status/2007506348481585267?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=shayinformed.com) The strongest opposition came from Rep. Thomas Massie, who took to the House floor to challenge the operation's legality. NPR reported that Massie questioned whether Congress should have authorized military action first and expressed skepticism about regime change, asking how similar interventions worked out in Cuba, Libya, Iraq, or Syria. Massie also suggested on social media that the operation was motivated by oil interests rather than drug enforcement, pointing out that Trump recently pardoned a major narco-trafficker. > Wake up MAGA. VENEZUELA is not about drugs; it’s about OIL and REGIME CHANGE. This is not what we voted for. [pic.twitter.com/myxr979BqU](https://t.co/myxr979BqU?ref=shayinformed.com) > > — Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) [January 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/RepThomasMassie/status/2007855570447913358?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=shayinformed.com) The operation has sparked broader debate about executive authority, constitutional war powers, and America's role in regime change. The situation remains fluid, with Trump saying aboard Air Force One Sunday evening that Venezuela's acting leader, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, is cooperating with the U.S., though he hasn't spoken with her directly. Both Nicolás Maduro and his wife are expected to appear in federal court on Monday. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Your paycheck just got bigger: what else changed in Kentucky on New Year's Day URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/your-paycheck-just-got-bigger-what-else-changed-in-kentucky-on-new-years-day/ Last updated: 2026-01-05T13:53:05.000Z Several new laws took effect in Kentucky on January 1, 2026\. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Kentucky residents have several new laws to consider as we enter a new year- including everything from our paychecks to how companies handle our personal information. The changes, passed during the 2025 legislative session and signed by Governor Andy Beshear, have wide-ranging impacts. ## New state income tax rate Kentucky's individual income tax rate dropped from 4% to 3.5% on January 1, marking another step in Republican lawmakers' goal to eventually eliminate the state income tax entirely. State Representative Jason Nemes, R-Louisville, expressed confidence that complete elimination could happen within eight to 10 years through incremental cuts. However, Governor Beshear has pointed to the half-percentage point cut as a contributor to the state's 2026 budget deficit. Earlier in 2025, Beshear estimated the reduction would decrease the state's general fund revenues by $718 million annually once fully implemented. The general fund pays for most state services, including education, health care, and public safety. In addition to the general tax cut, income earned by minors is now exempt from state income tax. The law aims to encourage early workforce participation and help young people build savings or contribute to educational expenses. The change is expected to benefit families with teenagers working part-time jobs, participating in apprenticeships, or earning income during summer months. ## Tobacco and vaping product licensing Senate Bill 100, signed into law by Governor Beshear in March 2025, created the Division of Tobacco, Nicotine, and Vapor Product Licensing. Any retailer in Kentucky that sells alternative nicotine products, tobacco products, or vapor products must now obtain a state license. The licensing requirement, which had a January 1 deadline, carries stiff penalties and fines for businesses that don't comply. State officials say the law responds to growing concerns from parents, teachers, and youth advocates about how easily young people can access nicotine and vaping products. The law also allows Kentucky's Alcoholic Beverage Control agency to conduct unannounced visits to smoke shops to ensure they are not selling to anyone under 21 and are only selling FDA-approved vape products. ## Consumer data privacy regulations Kentucky joined 18 other states in establishing comprehensive consumer data privacy protections with the Kentucky Consumer Data Protection Act. The law grants Kentucky residents five key rights: accessing their personal data, correcting inaccurate information, deleting personal data, obtaining portable copies of their data, and opting out of targeted advertising, data sales, and certain profiling activities. Businesses operating in Kentucky must now provide accessible methods for consumers to submit data requests without requiring new account creation. Companies have 45 days to respond to requests, with one possible 45-day extension, and must provide up to two free responses per year. ## THC-infused drink regulations In Kentucky, THC-infused drinks are now banned at fairs, festivals, bars, and restaurants, with sales limited to licensed liquor stores only. Senate Bill 202, which banned the beverages from bars and restaurants in June 2025, also caps seltzers to 5 milligrams of THC per container and requires liquor stores to get an additional license to sell them. The law allows ABC to regulate the sale of hemp seltzers, and single can sales have been banned at bars and restaurants. However, people can still purchase the hemp seltzers at Kentucky liquor stores, and purchasers must be at least 21 years old. ## Looking ahead As lawmakers return to Frankfort next week to write a budget for 2026-28, the fiscal impact of these new laws will be a central concern. The Kentucky Center for Economic Policy has warned that with the income tax cut taking effect and federal stimulus dollars waning, the state faces "serious budget crunches" ahead. The center urged officials to consider the distributional and fiscal consequences of further permanent tax reductions as they balance competing priorities for education, healthcare, and public safety funding. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## ### Looking back: the stories that defined my first months with Shay Informed URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/looking-back-the-stories-that-defined-my-first-months-with-shay-informed/ Last updated: 2026-01-02T16:29:39.000Z When I launched Shay Informed four months ago, I knew I wanted to do journalism differently. What I didn't know was how much *I* would change in the process. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- This year brought some of the most meaningful storytelling of my career- stories I got to tell on my own terms, without the constraints of traditional broadcast news. That means spending three weeks on one story instead of three days because it deserves that time. It means having conversations that run longer than a two-minute segment allows. It means I don't have to cut an interview short because we're losing daylight or the photographer has another assignment. It means when Sherry Ballard needs a moment to collect herself, we can take that moment- I'm not watching the clock or worrying about the next newscast. It means I get to decide what matters based on what *you* need to know, not what might trend on social media or boost ratings. No managers telling me to move on from a story because "we covered that last week." No pressure to sensationalize a headline for clicks. Just me, you, and the truth we're uncovering together. That's the difference. And it's changed everything about how I approach this work. Here's a look back at what we covered together. ## The Crystal Rogers case: exclusive access This case has been close to my heart for years, and 2025 brought unprecedented access. I sat down with FBI Special Agent Steve Keary, who walked me through the investigation that changed Bardstown forever. [FBI Agent breaks silence: takes us inside the Crystal Rogers investigationExclusive sit-down reveals FBI took over case years earlier than publicly known, breakthrough technologies cracked it open, and made the connection between Bardstown’s biggest cases clearer than ever before. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. This![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-134.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/DSC00221-3.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/fbi-agent-breaks-silence-takes-us-inside-the-crystal-rogers-investigation/) Then came the interview I'll never forget- Sherry Ballard, Crystal's mom, sharing her journey through grief, determination, and finally, some answers. Sherry couldn't do interviews for the last several years, to protect the integrity of the case. Finally... after years of waiting... she didn't have to hold anything back. [From silence to sentencing: Sherry Ballard’s first interview since Crystal’s case was solvedIn her first interview since 2023, Sherry Ballard opens up about the silence that scared her, the testimony that broke her, and the guilty verdicts that finally brought justice for Crystal. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-135.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-10-07-at-12.23.26---PM-6.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/from-silence-to-sentencing-sherry-ballards-first-interview-since-crystals-case-was-solved/) Former lead detective Jon Snow rounded out our exclusive coverage, giving readers an inside look at the years of work that went into bringing justice for Crystal. The people who stood in his way. The things he wish went differently. No question was off limits. [After a decade of waiting, Crystal Rogers’ lead detective reveals: ‘We could have prosecuted in 2016’After years of declining interviews, the lead detective in Kentucky’s most notorious missing persons case reveals what really happened behind the scenes. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. This story is a ‘Shay Original’, which is![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-136.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-10-04-at-4.09.54---PM-5.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/after-a-decade-of-waiting-crystal-rogers-lead-detective-reveals-we-could-have-prosecuted-in-2016/) These weren't just interviews- they were conversations about resilience, truth, and never giving up on the people we love. ## 30 years of questions: the Heather Teague mystery Three decades. That's how long Heather Teague's family has waited for answers. Revisiting this case reminded me why I got into journalism in the first place- to give voice to those who've been waiting in the silence, to keep asking questions when others have moved on. [KY mother fights for truth in daughter’s disappearance caseNearly 30 years after 23-year-old Heather Teague vanished from an Ohio River beachfront, her mother, Sarah, continues an unwavering fight for truth.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-137.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_1843-1-1-2.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/30-years-later-ky-mother-fights-for-truth-in-daughters-disappearance-case/) ## Beyond crime: The sweet success story Not every story I tell involves tragedy. One of my favorites this year took me inside Louisville's top dessert shop, where I discovered that success isn't just about what you serve- it's about the sweat, sacrifice, and sheer determination that happens behind the counter. It reminded me why I love this job: real people, real stories, real impact. [Sweat, sacrifice & sweet success; the story behind Louisville’s top dessert shopBig Nita’s Cheesecakes sells out every day they’re open. The business has gone “viral” more than once, bringing in customers from across the country. But this business was born out of desperation and the owners never forget that. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-138.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-08-21-at-6.47.41---PM-1-2.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/sweat-sacrifice-sweet-success-the-story-behind-louisvilles-top-dessert-shop/) ## Pulling back the curtain Your response to my behind-the-scenes blog posts has been incredible. Letting you into the messiness of reporting- the moments of doubt, the breakthroughs, the emotional weight of covering difficult stories- has created something I never had in television: a genuine conversation with the people I serve. I can't wait to do more of these as we head into 2026! [Behind the scenes; a look at my time working with Dateline“I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. This story is a ‘Shay Original’, which is available to paid subscribers only. You can become a member for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work,![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-139.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-11-10-at-11.11.39---AM-2.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/behind-the-scenes-a-look-at-my-time-working-with-dateline/) ## Breaking news- done differently In a traditional newsroom, every click matters. TV stations, newspapers and radio run on advertisements. It's what keeps your local news free but it can also lead to clutter on websites... confusing or misleading headlines... and false urgency created for engagement. This was something I was SO GLAD to leave behind. When breaking news hit Louisville- with the UPS Plane Crash- I didn't have to worry about writing hundreds of small updates littered with ads, in an attempt to get clicks. I focused on one story, one link, with thoughtful, fact-checked updates. [UPDATES: UPS plane crashes at Louisville International Airport, multiple people deadThe crash happened around 5:15 p.m. Tuesday evening, while a UPS plane was taking off from the airport. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free newsletter![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-140.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-11-04-at-6.23.46---PM.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/lmpd-reporting-injuries-after-plane-crash-near-louisville-airport/) ## What I've learned Here's what independence has taught me: clickbait is easy. Impactful storytelling is hard. And it's absolutely worth it. I'm growing in ways I never imagined- not just as a journalist, but in how I think about what matters. Without the pressure to chase viral moments or inflate numbers, I can focus on what actually serves you: accountability, depth, and stories that deserve to be told right, not fast. Thank you for being part of this journey. For subscribing, for engaging, for trusting me with the stories that matter to you. Here's to whatever comes next. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Brooks Houck booked into Oldham County prison processing center URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/brooks-houck-booked-into-oldham-county-prison-processing-center/ Last updated: 2025-12-31T00:14:11.000Z Houck had been in an Eastern Kentucky jail before being transferred to the Roederer Assessment Center this week. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Brooks Houck has been transferred yet again within the Kentucky prison system- this time closer to home. He was booked into the Roederer Assessment Center this week. Houck will soon be assigned to a state prison to serve his life sentence for the 2015 murder of Crystal Rogers. A jury found him guilty on all charges over the summer and sentenced him to life. Do to Kentucky law, there is no 'life without parole' penalty in the state so he will be up for parole after serving 20 years. With two years served waiting for trial, he was 18 more years before his case goes before the parole board. [FBI Agent breaks silence: takes us inside the Crystal Rogers investigationExclusive sit-down reveals FBI took over case years earlier than publicly known, breakthrough technologies cracked it open, and made the connection between Bardstown’s biggest cases clearer than ever before. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. This![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-132.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/DSC00221-2.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/fbi-agent-breaks-silence-takes-us-inside-the-crystal-rogers-investigation/) ## Brooks Houck's appeal For now, the Crystal Rogers case is closed, and complete in the court system. Both Joseph Lawson and S[teve Lawson have indicated ](https://www.shayinformed.com/steve-lawson-files-notice-of-appeal-looks-for-conviction-to-be-overturned-in-crystal-rogers-case/)in previous court filings they intend to file appeals with the Kentucky Court of Appeals but neither have officially filed at this time. Houck has also filed a notice that he intends to appeal his conviction. The initial paperwork was filed on October 13th. The official appeal has not yet been filed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-04-at-10.14.06---AM.png) ## The appeals process Louisville Attorney Nick Mudd has followed the Rogers case closely and was able to identify several potential grounds for appeal that appeal attorneys are likely to pursue. He has had discussions with the criminal defense attorneys who worked on the Lawsons' cases, so he knows where they will point to get the appeals attorneys started. **For Steven Lawson:** The strongest issue appears to be what Mudd calls the "workman issue"- essentially arguing that prosecutors made a deal with Lawson that they later revoked. Mudd imagines the attorneys saying, "Look, you know, we relied on that. That's why we talked, and then it was played in court, obviously used against him." There's also the matter of hair follicle testing that was discussed but never completed, which defense attorneys believe could be significant. Steve Lawson's attorneys wanted to test hairs that were found in Crystal Rogers' vehicle, and not similar in characteristic to Crystal, Joseph Lawson, Steve Lawson, or Brooks Houck. Judge Charles Simms did not allow the testing because he argued there was no sample to compare it to, and it would have significantly delayed the trial. **For Joseph Lawson:** Defense attorneys for Joseph Lawson maintain his innocence. They have told me personally they believe in their heart of hearts he was not involved in the death of Crystal Rogers. Of course, their personal feelings won't be part of the appeal; instead, Mudd said they are focusing heavily on cell phone tower data and a belief that the expert testimony used at trial was inaccurate. Mudd also admitted he is skeptical about this approach: "When you're just arguing the evidence or a piece of the evidence, that's not a really strong appeal issue, usually." Joseph Lawson's case will bypass the Kentucky Court of Appeals entirely and go straight to the Kentucky Supreme Court, Mudd explained. He is facing more than 20 years in prison, which is the threshold for this move. [From silence to sentencing: Sherry Ballard’s first interview since Crystal’s case was solvedIn her first interview since 2023, Sherry Ballard opens up about the silence that scared her, the testimony that broke her, and the guilty verdicts that finally brought justice for Crystal. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-133.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-10-07-at-12.23.26---PM-5.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/from-silence-to-sentencing-sherry-ballards-first-interview-since-crystals-case-was-solved/) While appeals wind their way through the courts, the question of parole looms large for the families of victims and the convicted men themselves. Mudd's analysis of parole prospects is particularly stark. **Steven Lawson (sentenced to 17 years):** Must serve 85% of his sentence, making him eligible for parole in approximately 14.5 years, accounting for time already served. **Joseph Lawson (sentenced to 25 years):** Will serve 20 years before becoming eligible for parole- the standard for any sentence of 24 years or more in Kentucky. Lawson was serving time on another crime when he was first arrested in the Rogers' case, so it's unclear how much 'time served' he has under his belt. **Brooks Houck (sentenced to life):** Eligible for parole after 20 years, and with two years served, it will be 18 years from now. But Mudd's assessment is blunt: "He's not getting out in 20 years. That's just not going to happen." ### "Nobody told us": how an obscure Louisville ordinance is putting pets at risk URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/nobody-told-us-how-an-obscure-louisville-ordinance-is-putting-pets-at-risk/ Last updated: 2026-01-01T16:06:51.000Z The controversy centers on updated language in Louisville Metro's Code of Ordinances, which now requires ponies, miniature horses, goats, and sheep to be kept on larger properties. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- If you saw her walking her pets down Frankfort Avenue, it isn't a sight you'd soon forget. Bri Frederick and her family have had two goats, Boon and Betty, living in their backyard in the Clifton neighborhood for years. Neighbors smile when they see the goats walking on the sidewalk, leashed just like dogs. Now, an ordinance quietly passed in October could force her to give them up. "I contacted all my goat friends, and was like, did you know what this was going on?", Frederick said, "We organized pretty quickly, because suddenly, after years and years and years of perfectly fine, we're all in violation." Frederick is one of many Louisville residents caught in the crosshairs of recent changes to the city's animal control ordinances- changes that some animal owners say came without warning and could devastate families whose lives include their livestock. She also says she still hasn't received an explanation for what's behind the ordinance adjustment. "I've literally never heard anything negative. They're overwhelmingly loved and supported," she told me. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-30-at-2.39.41---PM.png) Boon and Betty The controversy centers on updated language in Chapter 91 of Louisville Metro's Code of Ordinances. It was intended to combat shelter overcrowding with new microchip requirements, but also slipped in language that requires certain livestock to be kept on properties of at least one acre of land. "Pigs are allowed on a smaller amount of land. Chickens are allowed. But goats and sheep are not," Frederick said, frustration evident in her voice. "It just doesn't make sense to me." ## The case of Bandit The issue exploded into public view when Metro Animal Services warned of enforcement actions against the owner of Bandit, a miniature horse who lives in his owner's backyard in the Meriwether neighborhood. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-30-at-4.13.56---PM.png) Neighbors took to an [online petition](https://www.change.org/p/keep-bandit-the-mini-horse-in-his-loving-germantown-home?ref=shayinformed.com) to show support for the mini horse, calling him a "community treasure." On Monday, Councilwoman Jennifer Chappell (D-15), who is one of the sponsors of the ordinance, issued a statement promising to fix the problem. She said the language affecting ponies and miniature horses was added inadvertently when the city was trying to clarify earlier animal control ordinances. "This was simply meant to add clarification, not to target a specific animal or community member," Chappell said in the release. Chappell announced that Metro Animal Services will recommend grandfathering in Bandit, and she's initiated the process to extend that protection to all animals affected by the October legislation. "Bandit has not caused issues with Metro Animal Services in the past, and my goal is to ensure the law is applied thoughtfully and fairly while protecting both animals and neighbors," she said. But that promise isn't easing Frederick's concerns just yet. ## "These are not just animals." For Frederick and others like her, the stakes go far beyond property rights or regulatory compliance. These animals are important parts of their lives. Boone and Betty are used in educational events about urban farming and food insecurity. They're also part of her business- Bri Weaves. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-30-at-2.52.10---PM.png) "They're definitely a big face of my business", Frederick said, "I have a small weaving business. So I make wearables, scarves, cowls, neckerchiefs, and I use the cashmere inline that I harvest from the goats every spring." She mentioned goat rescues in the area, and questioned if they would be able to continue taking in animals that weren't part of the 'grandfathering in' process. "I think a lot of what we're concerned about is people making decisions about things they don't understand," Frederick said. ## A pattern of unintended consequences The issue highlights a broader problem with how animal control ordinances are sometimes drafted and implemented. Frederick said the October changes came without adequate notice to affected residents. "None of us were told about any of this," she said. "We didn't know that they were working on changing the legislation. And so that was something that we would have liked to have known about prior to it actually being voted on and passed." Under the current language in the ordinance, chickens can be kept on properties smaller than half an acre (up to five non-crowing birds), and pigs can too (up to three animals). But goats, sheep, and horses have no such exemption- even though, as Frederick points out, goats are generally quieter and easier to manage than many other types of livestock. "People love their animals," Frederick said simply. "These are not just animals to us. They're family members. And to try to take that away from people- it's hard." ## What happens next? Councilwoman Chappell's commitment to adding grandfathering language offers hope to some owners, but questions remain about the timeline and scope of the fix. Will the grandfathering apply only to current owners? What happens if someone moves and wants to bring their goats to a new property? And will the city reconsider the underlying logic of exempting some livestock but not others? For now, Frederick is cautiously optimistic- and grateful for the community support that brought attention to the issue. She said her council representative- Andrew Owen- called her directly and reassured her no one is trying to take away her goats. "I so appreciate everything that he's doing and has done, and I do think he honestly wants to make this work and be right for everyone. Still- I'm nervous about what is actually going to happen," Frederick said. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-30-at-4.19.26---PM.png) *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Hazmat on scene after train derailment in Southern Kentucky URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/hazmat-on-scene-after-train-derailment-in-southern-kentucky/ Last updated: 2025-12-30T16:56:46.000Z According to Governor Andy Beshear, a shelter-in-place order is in effect for the city of Trenton. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Tuesday morning, Emergency Management officials responded to a train derailment in Todd County- that's about 2.5 hours southwest of Louisville, near the Tennessee border. Todd County Emergency Management told journalists on site that more than 30 train cars derailed, and at least two were carrying molten sulfur. Molten sulfur is used to make sulfuric acid- used in fertilizers, construction, and rubber; it's a flammable, corrosive liquid that can produce toxic gases. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-30-at-11.38.43---AM.png) CREDIT: John Godsey, WEKT Radio There is a shelter in place for the city of Trenton while clean-up is underway. No injuries have been reported at this time, and hazmat is on scene. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### "Come get me": How a phone call led to a missing teen's recovery URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/come-get-me-how-a-christmas-day-phone-call-led-to-a-missing-teens-recovery/ Last updated: 2025-12-30T21:28:33.000Z After 73 days, Wynter Wagoner's aunt describes the moment everything changed- and the uncertainty that remains. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Haley Whitehead was doing laundry the evening after Christmas when her phone rang with what looked like a spam number. She almost didn't answer it. "It rang immediately back," Whitehead told me. "And when I answered it, I heard crying- like sobbing and sniffling. And I just knew. I knew when it called back, it had something to do with Wynter." On the other end was her 13-year-old niece, Wynter Wagoner, who had been missing from Rockcastle County since October 14th- 73 days earlier. "I said, Wynter? And she said, yes. And God, thank God you're calling me. Are you okay? And she said, Yes. And I said, Are you really okay? And she said, Yes, Haley, I'm okay." While staying on the phone with Wynter, Whitehead immediately began texting the U.S. Marshals Service with location information. She didn't want to take any chances. "I said, 'Do you want me to come get you?' And of course she's bawling. And she said, 'Yeah, come get me,'" Whitehead recalled. "And I said, 'Okay, tell me where you are. I'll come get you. I don't care.' She said, 'I'm a long way away.'" _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Real Talk for Real Women- new episode out now! URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/real-talk-for-real-women-new-episode-out-now/ Last updated: 2026-01-16T18:16:16.000Z This week, we tackle non-traditional families and bring on a special guest who shares her perspective on what it means to build a family on your own terms. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- What even counts as "traditional" anymore? On the new episode of *Real Talk for Real Women*, Dr. Tiffany Tonismae and I tackle family structures that don't fit the mold: stay-at-home dads, single mothers by choice, working moms who want to work, and everything in between. Dr. T opens up about the conversation she and her husband had when they decided it was best for him to stay home and take care of their daughter. I share some moments of guilt where I feel like I'm not showing up as my best self-, both as a mom and an entrepreneur. The balancing act is TOUGH! So we talk about. Also, we brought in my friend Hayley Minogue, 99.7 DJX radio host, corporate leader, and a mom doing it differently, to share her perspective on what it really looks like to build a family on your own terms. --- *We would LOVE to hear from you! You can send us topic ideas, stories, suggestions, or generally anything on your mind. Email Shay at shay@shayinformed.com or email Dr. T at obwithdrt@gmail.com* --- This podcast is available to all Shay Informed members, regardless of subscription level. I've built this platform on a simple principle: journalism should serve the community, not chase profit. That goes double for health information. No paywalls, no barriers, no filter. The new episode is live now! Listen below ⬇️ If you haven't signed up for Shay Informed, you can join with just an email [here](https://www.shayinformed.com/real-talk-for-real-women/#/portal/signup). And if you missed Episode 1, you can still listen [here](https://www.shayinformed.com/real-talk-for-real-women/)! _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Missing Kentucky teen found hundreds of miles away in Maryland URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/missing-kentucky-teen-found-hundreds-of-miles-away-in-maryland/ Last updated: 2025-12-29T18:26:06.000Z After more than two months of searching, a 13-year-old Rockcastle County girl has been found safe in Maryland. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Wynter Wagoner, who had been missing from Rockcastle County since October 14, was located Friday evening inside a home in Silver Spring, Maryland- about 600 miles away. Here's what happened: Montgomery County Police received a tip Friday afternoon that Wynter might be in their area. Officers, working with the U.S. Marshals Service, responded to a home in Gaithersburg, MD, around 5:52 p.m. and found Wynter inside with 37-year-old Christian Alexander Delgado. Delgado was arrested without incident. The Rockcastle Sheriff's Office- in Kentucky- had already obtained a warrant charging him with kidnapping. Wynter was taken to a local hospital for evaluation- a standard step in cases like this to make sure she's physically okay and to provide any necessary medical care. Delgado is currently being held at the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit while he awaits extradition back to Kentucky to face the kidnapping charge. **What we don't know yet:** Authorities haven't released details about the circumstances of Wynter's disappearance, how she ended up in Maryland, or what led to the tip that helped locate her. Those details will likely emerge as the case moves forward. For now, what matters most is that after 73 days, Wynter has been found and is getting the care she needs. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### In LaRue County, every single student matters- and now they all have hoodies to prove it URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/in-larue-county-every-single-student-matters-and-now-they-all-have-hoodies-to-prove-it/ Last updated: 2025-12-26T20:13:20.000Z Sometimes the best gifts are the ones you didn't see coming. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Every student at LaRue County High School walked away with a brand new Hawks hoodie going into holiday break, thanks to a group of local businesses and community members who decided the holidays were a perfect time to show these kids they matter. The surprise unfolded during the school day, with students finding out they'd each be getting their own hoodie- no strings attached, nobody left out. And while the students were surprised, so were the teachers, who received custom art pieces made by students as a thank-you for what they do. "Thanks to the generosity of our community, every student in our building received a LaRue County Hawks hoodie," said Whitney Choate, the high school's principal. "It's a reminder of how deeply this community cares about our kids. Test scores, activities, and athletics are important- but our students knowing they belong and are valued for who they are, that's our highest priority." Behind the scenes, local business owners Jimmy Shaw and Bobby Dobson helped pull the whole thing together, working alongside other donors to make sure no student was overlooked. "We're always glad to give back to our community," Shaw said. "When we were approached with the idea of making sure every student at LaRue County High School had a great Christmas, it was an easy yes." Dobson kept it simple: "Our goal was simple- to make sure every student felt included and had a wonderful Christmas here at LaRue County High School." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/holiday-giveaway.jpg) The list of donors reads like a roll call of LaRue County's backbone: Will Harris Homes, Heartland Mini Golf, Nall's Specialized Hauling, Parkway Baptist Church, Brooks Fencing, Lewis Auction Company, Zion Solutions Group, and one anonymous donor who chose to help without fanfare. Riverbrook Realty and South Fork Baptist Church provided refreshments for the event. School leaders say this wasn't just about hoodies or holiday cheer- it's about something bigger. In LaRue County Schools, they call it the Hawk Family, and it's built on the idea that when you take care of each other, nobody has to go it alone. On a day when students walked the halls wearing their new gear, that message came through loud and clear: in LaRue County, being part of the Hawk Family means you're seen, you're valued, and you belong. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### UPS Flight 2976 claims 15th victim on Christmas day URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/ups-flight-2976-claims-15th-victim-on-christmas-day/ Last updated: 2025-12-28T02:45:51.000Z Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg announced a 15th death connected to the UPS Plane Crash. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg announced heartbreaking news on Christmas Day: Alain Rodriguez Colina has become the 15th fatality from the UPS Flight 2976 crash that devastated the community nearly two months ago. "It is with great sadness that I just learned Alain Rodriguez Colina has passed," Greenberg said in a statement. "Alain is the 15th victim of the UPS Flight 2976 accident. He suffered severe injuries at the time of the crash and passed earlier this Christmas Day." Rodriguez Colina had been fighting for his life since November 4, when the UPS cargo plane's left engine separated during takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. The MD-11F crashed shortly after 5:14 p.m., impacting multiple buildings, including a UPS warehouse, a petroleum recycling facility, and Grade A Auto-parts. The crash initially killed 14 people- three crew members aboard the aircraft and 11 people on the ground. Twenty-three others were injured, including Rodriguez Colina, who sustained severe injuries that he ultimately could not overcome. According to the National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary report, fatigue cracks in the left engine pylon's mounting components caused the catastrophic separation. The aircraft never climbed higher than about 30 feet above ground level before crashing, with wreckage spreading approximately 3,000 feet from the initial impact. The tragedy has deeply affected Louisville, where UPS operates its massive Worldport hub. The Louisville Orchestra held a tribute concert last month honoring the victims, first responders, and UPS employees who supported the response efforts. The NTSB investigation into the crash remains ongoing. ### KSU shooting case dismissed: Grand jury rules father acted in self-defense URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/ksu-shooting-case-dismissed-grand-jury-rules-father-acted-in-self-defense-bard-faced-murder-charges-after-december-incident-outside-dorm-defense-argued-he-protected-family-from-violent-/ Last updated: 2025-12-26T19:10:13.000Z Jacob Bard faced murder charges after shooting two students outside of a Kentucky State University dorm. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- A Franklin County grand jury has decided not to indict Jacob Bard in the December shooting on Kentucky State University's campus that left one student dead and another critically injured. The grand jury ruled Bard acted in self-defense, effectively ending the criminal case against him. Bard had been arrested on murder and assault charges following the incident but his defense team argued he had "no option but to use necessary deadly force" to protect his family during what they described as a violent attack. According to his attorney, Bard's son was being assaulted, and he had to intervene, doing what they say any parent would do to protect their child. The grand jury returned a no true bill on all charges, meaning they found insufficient evidence to proceed with prosecution under Kentucky's self-defense laws. Bard's family had posted bond before the grand jury announced its decision. [Shooting near Kentucky State University dorm leaves one dead, suspect in custody“I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission. Kentucky State University canceled all classes, exams and activities through the end of the![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-128.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-12-09-at-7.19.45---PM.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/shooting-near-kentucky-state-university-dorm-leaves-one-dead-suspect-in-custody/) *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### After 90 years of bourbon, Jim Beam's Clermont distillery goes silent in 2026 URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/after-90-years-of-bourbon-jim-beams-clermont-distillery-goes-silent-in-2026/ Last updated: 2025-12-23T20:44:05.000Z Production will continue at other facilities as Kentucky's bourbon industry grapples with too much whiskey and too few buyers. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- One of Kentucky's most iconic bourbon producers is hitting pause. Jim Beam announced this week it will halt distillation at its campus in Clermont throughout 2026, marking a significant shift for a distillery that's been producing bourbon at that location for over 90 years. The company says it's using the opportunity to invest in "site enhancements" while adjusting to changing market realities. "We are always assessing production levels to best meet consumer demand and recently met with our team to discuss our volumes for 2026," the company said in a statement. Production will continue at Jim Beam's Fred B. Noe craft distillery in Clermont and its larger Booker Noe facility in Boston, Kentucky. The visitor center at the James B. Beam campus will remain open for tours and dining. What the company *didn't* say in its statement speaks volumes about where the bourbon industry finds itself heading into 2026. ## A historic surplus Kentucky is currently sitting on more bourbon than it has at any point since Prohibition ended. The Kentucky Distillers' Association reported in October that the state's warehouses are now aging a record 16.1 million barrels- more than triple the amount held just 15 years ago. That's roughly three barrels for every person living in Kentucky. The math is straightforward: bourbon production increased by 475% between 1999 and 2022, but sales only grew about 300% during that same period. For years, the industry bet big on bourbon's boom continuing indefinitely. Now, those chickens are coming home to roost. "Through August, whiskey distillers had produced 55 million fewer proof gallons this year than a year ago, a decline of 28%," according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. Jim Beam isn't the only one pumping the brakes- Diageo pulled back production at a Kentucky distillery in March, and several smaller distilleries have filed for bankruptcy this year as the oversupply crisis intensifies. ## What changed? The bourbon boom that defined the last two decades was powered by a perfect storm of factors: craft cocktail culture, international demand, and bourbon tourism that turned Kentucky's distilleries into destination experiences. During the pandemic, Americans stuck at home experimented with cocktails, many of them bourbon-based, driving sales even higher. But the party seems to be winding down. U.S. whiskey volumes fell 4.1% in 2024, the first sustained decline in over 20 years. Younger consumers, particularly Gen Z, are gravitating toward lower-proof spirits, tequila, and ready-to-drink cocktails. There's also growing interest in low and no-alcohol options, with some younger drinkers opting for cannabis instead. Add to that the tariff situation. Canada began boycotting American spirits in March in response to the Trump administration's trade policies, causing U.S. spirits exports to Canada to plummet 85% in the second quarter of 2025\. The European Union has threatened to reinstate a 50% tariff on American whiskey if trade disputes aren't resolved. For an industry that exports nearly 30% of its bourbon, these aren't minor headaches. And then there's the tax burden. Kentucky distillers pay taxes on aging barrels- and with 16 million barrels sitting in warehouses, that bill has become crushing. The Kentucky Distillers' Association says state barrel taxes will cost distillers $75 million this year, a 163% increase over the past five years. ## The challenge of planning years ahead Here's the unique problem bourbon makers face: they have to make production decisions today based on what they think consumers will want four, eight, or even twelve years from now. Jim Beam's flagship bourbon requires at least four years of aging before it hits shelves. Premium offerings take much longer. Kentucky Distillers' Association President Eric Gregory put it bluntly in October: "Long-term planning for a product that won't be ready for years is already tough enough. We need the certainty of tariff-free trade for America's only native spirit to flourish." Right now, distillers are trying to course-correct after two decades of aggressive expansion. The industry built new facilities, expanded existing ones, and invested billions based on projections of endless growth. When the growth didn't materialize as expected, the result was predictable: too much bourbon chasing too few buyers. ## Not all doom and gloom Before bourbon lovers panic about shortages, it's worth noting that the premium segment is actually thriving. High-end bourbon like age-stated bottles and limited releases saw sales grow 18% in 2024\. Brands like Pappy Van Winkle and Blanton's remain as sought-after as ever. And bourbon tourism continues to boom. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail welcomed 2.5 million visitors in 2024, generating over $400 million in tourism revenue and helping sustain small towns across the state. ## What's next? Jim Beam says conversations with the union representing its workers are ongoing, and the company hasn't announced layoffs in connection with the production shift. The pause at one of bourbon's most historic production sites is a clear signal that the industry is recalibrating after years of growth. Whether 2026 marks a brief breather or the beginning of a longer correction remains to be seen. What's certain is that bourbon isn't going anywhere- Kentucky's warehouses are full, tourist visits are strong, and global interest in American whiskey remains robust. The industry is just learning, once again, that what goes up must eventually level out. And when you're dealing with a product that takes years to age, you'd better get your timing right. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Another loss for Mid City Mall: Baxter Avenue Theater to close after decades URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/another-loss-for-mid-city-mall-baxter-avenue-theater-to-close-after-decades/ Last updated: 2025-12-23T15:18:32.000Z If you've been through Mid City Mall lately, you might have noticed it's starting to feel a little emptier. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- If you've been through Mid City Mall lately, you might have noticed it's starting to feel a little emptier. And now, there's more disappointing news for Louisville moviegoers and longtime fans of the Highlands neighborhood. Baxter Avenue Theater announced this week that it will close its doors for good on December 31\. The theater broke the news on social media, inviting customers to visit one last time and share their favorite memories. > "Baxter Avenue Theatre's final curtain call will be on December 31," the post read. "As we say goodbye, we hope you will take this opportunity to visit us one last time to catch a show. And please take a moment to share your favorite Baxter memory with us. Thank you, Louisville, for all of your love and support!" The closure is just the latest in a string of losses for the Mid City Mall, which has been struggling to keep tenants in recent years. ## A pattern of closures The theater's announcement comes after several other beloved businesses have already left or shuttered- including Ramen House, the Nearly New Shop, and the iconic Back Door Bar, which closed following the passing of its longtime owner, John Dant. There is one bit of good news: the Highlands-Shelby Park Library at Mid City Mall reached an agreement to stay open through June 2026, giving the community a little more time with that resource. But the overall picture isn't encouraging. Mid City Mall itself has been on the market since November 2024, adding uncertainty about what comes next for the property and any remaining tenants. For now, if you want one last chance to catch a movie at Baxter Avenue Theater, you've got until the end of the year. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Kentucky Appeals Court revives murder case after judge's dismissal called fraught with legal errors URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-appeals-court-revives-murder-case-after-judges-dismissal-called-fraught-with-legal-errors/ Last updated: 2025-12-21T15:54:03.000Z A Lexington murder case that was thrown out by a circuit court judge last year is headed back to trial. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- A Lexington murder case that was thrown out last year is headed to trial after Kentucky's Court of Appeals issued a scathing rebuke of the dismissal, calling it riddled with legal errors and suggesting the judge should recuse himself from the case going forward. The unanimous ruling, announced Friday by Attorney General Russell Coleman, reinstates charges against Cornell Thomas, II, who had been indicted for wanton murder and leaving the scene in connection with a 2020 crash that killed Tammy Botkin. According to the Attorney General's office, Thomas was driving nearly 100 miles per hour in July 2020 when he maneuvered around stopped traffic, ran a red light, and T-boned Botkin's vehicle. Prosecutors allege Thomas didn't apply his brakes before the violent collision that killed Botkin, then attempted to run before police apprehended him. But in 2024, a Fayette Circuit Court judge dismissed the wanton murder indictment, citing lack of evidence and claiming Thomas had been unfairly prosecuted. The Attorney General's office, working with Fayette County Commonwealth's Attorney Kimberly Baird, appealed that decision. The Court of Appeals didn't just reverse the dismissal- it delivered a 108-page opinion that pulled no punches. Written by a Lexington appellate judge, the ruling said the circuit judge dismissed the case in a way "fraught with legal errors and abuses of both its discretion and its authority." The decision identified "legal fallacies" in what it called the court's "errant rulings" and stated that the circuit judge's "recusal appears the only reasonable and appropriate solution" going forward. "In our legal system, it's up to a jury to decide guilt," Coleman said in a statement. "In a major victory for the rule of law, the Court of Appeals forcefully identified the problems in the Fayette Circuit courtroom that denied the Botkin family the justice they deserve." Baird, whose office will now prosecute the case, addressed accusations that apparently came from the bench during the original proceedings. "As a prosecutor and a Black woman, I was shocked when the judge accused my office, and me specifically, of a racially motivated prosecution," she said. "I swore an oath to uphold the law, and to treat every individual fairly and with respect. That's exactly what I do every day." Baird thanked Coleman's office for their work on the appeal and said her team looks forward, "to prosecuting this case as quickly as possible in front of an impartial judge and delivering long-awaited justice." The Lexington Police Department investigated the original case. Assistant Solicitor General and Director of Capital Litigation Chris Henry handled the appeal for the Attorney General's office. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### "They made us feel like they had our backs": Inside Ford's sudden abandonment of 1,600 Kentucky workers URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/they-made-us-feel-like-they-had-our-backs-inside-fords-sudden-abandonment-of-1-600-kentucky-workers/ Last updated: 2025-12-22T19:08:10.000Z Melissa thought the Glendale battery plant job would be her family's future. Then she found out on the news she was laid off. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Melissa's voice cracks as she recounts the moment her world turned upside down. It was supposed to be just another shift at the BlueOval SK battery plant in Glendale- holiday chatter with coworkers, plans for time off, the ordinary rhythm of a job she'd uprooted her entire life for less than a year ago. Instead, just hours after leaving work, she learned that shift would be her last. "Most of us found out on the news. It was pretty shocking," she says, her words tumbling out between tears. Even her supervisors didn't know, according to Melissa. They first heard about the layoffs on the news, and then received an email from the CEO hours later, confirming they were part of the "mass termination." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-19-at-9.24.30---AM.png) Ford Motor Company confirmed this week that approximately 1,600 workers at the Glendale battery plant will be impacted as the automaker abandons its original plans for the facility. The workers, who were part of what was supposed to be a transformative partnership between Ford and BlueOval SK, will be laid off but can reapply for positions as Ford repurposes the Kentucky plant for an entirely different mission: manufacturing large-scale battery storage systems for data centers and electrical grids instead of EV batteries. It's a stunning reversal for a project that state and local leaders had celebrated as a game-changer for the region. ## What was promised vs. what's happening The 1,600 workers now facing layoffs at the Glendale facility weren't just employees- they were believers. They'd bought into Ford's promise of a transformative EV future, a vision that Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear had championed as a leader in EV battery production. For Melissa, who asked to be identified only by her first name, that belief came with a steep price. She and her husband both worked at the plant. They moved from Bullitt County to Elizabethtown. Their two kids changed schools. It was all part of betting on what seemed like a sure thing. "I thought it would be good for us, we could grow with this company," she says. "Never imagined this would happen." When Ford and SK On announced the BlueOval SK partnership, the promise was clear: thousands of good-paying jobs manufacturing batteries for Ford's electric vehicle future. The Glendale facility in Hardin County was supposed to be humming with activity, churning out batteries to power Ford's electric truck lineup and brimming with opportunity for people willing to work hard. "We thought this was our future. I feel dumb for that now," Melissa told me. Instead, several factors, including changes in White House administration, have left the plant failing to meet expectations. Ford is now dissolving the BlueOval SK joint venture entirely. Under a new agreement, Ford subsidiaries will independently own and operate the Kentucky battery plants. "This is a customer-driven shift to create a stronger, more resilient, and more profitable Ford," CEO Jim Farley said in announcing the changes. ## The human cost Melissa had started at BlueOval SK in January 2025- barely a year ago. The job felt thrilling, she says. She was excited to learn. She was even learning some Korean. During that last shift, her coworkers were talking about the holidays, making exciting plans. Now they're worried. "It's not a great job market right now," Melissa says. "Just not knowing- it's scary." The way Ford handled the layoffs has left her feeling not only unemployed but also betrayed. "They could have done this better," she says. Workers were warned not to speak to the media- and then that's how they found out they'd lost their jobs. "Just sending emails is so cold, impersonal." She still hasn't been able to retrieve her belongings from her locker. They were supposed to go back to collect their things, but then the supervisors told them not to report. "They made us feel like they had our backs," Melissa says. For the 1,600 workers facing layoffs, the ability to reapply for positions under the new battery storage operation offers a lifeline- but not necessarily a guarantee. The skills required for manufacturing large-scale grid storage systems may differ from EV battery production, and there's no assurance that all 1,600 positions will be replaced. Governor Beshear's office has confirmed the job impact numbers but hasn't yet detailed what support might be available for affected workers or how many positions the retooled facility might ultimately employ. He did say his office is working with those impacted to find new employment opportunities. ## What happens next Melissa is working on her resume. She expects her pay to run through February 14th, according to an email she received from Blue Oval SK. But she won't be applying for another job with Ford. "I am too scared to trust them ever again," she says. She's one of 1,600 workers now facing that same fear- people who moved their families, changed their kids' schools, and believed in a promise that Ford has now walked away from. The company says the battery storage business could be operational within 18 months, but for workers like Melissa, the damage is already done. She's still trying to figure out how to explain to her children why they might have to move again. And she's still grappling with a question that has no good answer: How do you trust again when a billion-dollar company makes you feel this small? *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Historic Ten Commandments Monument back at Kentucky capitol URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/historic-ten-commandments-monument-back-at-kentucky-capitol/ Last updated: 2025-12-18T19:20:54.000Z After more than two decades in storage, a Ten Commandments monument has been returned to the Kentucky Capitol grounds. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- The 10 Commandments monument, which originally stood at the Capitol in 1971, has been reinstalled following a February legal opinion from Attorney General Russell Coleman's office that found displaying the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms and on Capitol grounds would not violate the First Amendment. "The Ten Commandments are at the heart of America's history and founding, so it is only right that they also sit at the heart of our Commonwealth's Capitol grounds," Coleman said. "After several decades, we have returned this monument to its rightful place, and I'm grateful to Representative Baker and the entire General Assembly for taking this important step to uphold our history." The monument's return follows passage of House Joint Resolution 15, sponsored by Representative Shane Baker, a Somerset Republican. According to the press Coleman, the resolution directed that the monument could be moved back to the Capitol grounds after Coleman's legal opinion cleared the way. "I am pleased to see this historic Ten Commandments monument returned to its rightful place," Baker said in the release. "The Ten Commandments have widely recognized historical significance in the history of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the nation. This monument is part of an old tradition of public monuments and displays that acknowledge the Ten Commandments' role in our heritage." The monument had been removed following a 2000 ACLU lawsuit that successfully challenged its display. According to the press release, the judge in that case relied on the "Lemon test"- a legal standard the U.S. Supreme Court overturned in 2022, ultimately allowing for the monument's return. Coleman credited his Solicitor General Matt Kuhn "for not only locating this monument but also for working for years to bring it back to Frankfort." *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### A federal jury said he stole from veterans, he says he saved them URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/a-federal-jury-said-he-stole-from-veterans-he-says-he-saved-them/ Last updated: 2025-12-19T14:37:16.000Z In his first interview since completing his sentence, Jeremy Harrell says he did nothing criminal- and he's asking President Trump to agree. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Jeremy Harrell isn't backing down. Fresh off completing six months of home confinement following his federal conviction for theft of government benefits, the founder of Veterans Club Inc. sat down for his first interview- and made one thing clear: he believes he was wrongfully convicted. "I don't think there's anything worse than being wrongfully convicted," Harrell told me this week, after formally requesting a presidential pardon from President Donald Trump. "The hardest part was to see where it said the United States of America versus Jeremy Harrell. I've given so much for this country... it felt strange to be considered an enemy of the very country that you swore to defend." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Jeremy12.jpg) It's a stark contrast to how federal prosecutors described the case. They said Harrell "intentionally stole money from the United States"- more than $128,000 in disability payments meant for veterans unable to work- all while actively running a thriving nonprofit with a budget exceeding $400,000 and managing some 6,000 volunteers. But Harrell's story- and his conviction- reveals something more complicated than a simple case of fraud. It's a collision between a rigid benefits system, a veteran trying to rebuild his life through service, and questions about what "work" really means. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Taylor County teacher surprised with $25,000 award known as the 'Oscars of Teaching' URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/taylor-county-teacher-surprised-with-25-000-award-known-as-the-oscars-of-teaching/ Last updated: 2025-12-17T14:04:02.000Z Sydney Newton just won the highest honor that an educator can receive. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Sydney Newton thought she was attending just another school assembly Monday morning at Taylor County High School. Then she heard her name called as Kentucky's latest Milken Educator Award winner- and the English teacher was stunned. "Right before I heard my name, I thought we have a million outstanding educators here in our district," Newton said after the surprise ceremony. "And then I was just in shock." The prestigious award, often called the "Oscars of Teaching," comes with an unrestricted $25,000 prize. Kentucky Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher, Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman and Milken Educator Awards Senior Vice President Jane Foley were all on hand to present the honor in front of Newton's students, colleagues and community members. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/taylor-county-teacher.jpg) **Photo by Joe Ragusa, Kentucky Department of Education, Dec. 16, 2025.* Newton has taught English at Taylor County High School since she started her teaching career in 2016\. In that time, she's made her mark by revamping the English II curriculum to make it more rigorous while adding support systems for struggling students. She also launched a pilot program allowing sophomores to take AP Language and Composition- typically a junior or senior level course-designing it so younger students could handle the advanced material. Her work has helped boost Taylor County High School's state assessment scores, particularly with the 10th graders she teaches who take those tests each year. But Newton's impact extends well beyond her classroom. She mentors new teachers, serves on the school-based decision making council, and greets students every morning as part of the security team. She's also sponsored Beta Club, coached digital learning, and advised the yearbook. "Sydney Newton is an exceptional role model for the students and staff of Taylor County High School," Foley said. "Her dedication is unmatched. Whether leading in the classroom, implementing exciting programs, mentoring colleagues or guiding student clubs to championships, Sydney is constantly raising the bar." Lt. Gov. Coleman called the Milken Award "the highest honor that an educator can receive," noting it recognizes both teaching excellence and dedication to students. "That certainly sums up Sydney Newton," she said. "All of Kentucky is proud of you, Sydney." Newton can use her $25,000 prize however she chooses- no strings attached. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Democrat Gary Clemons wins south Louisville state senate seat in special election URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/democrat-gary-clemons-wins-south-louisville-state-senate-seat-in-special-election/ Last updated: 2025-12-17T13:54:26.000Z Clemons decisively won Tuesday's special election for Kentucky's 37th Senate District, capturing 73 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Calvin Leach. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- South Louisville has a new state Senator- Democrat Gary Clemons has been elected to fill the seat left vacant when David Yates departed to serve as interim Jefferson County clerk. Clemons, president of the local United Steelworkers Union, will now represent the district covering Shively, PRP, Valley Station, and the surrounding south Louisville neighborhoods. Approximately 5,000 voters cast ballots in Tuesday's contest- a turnout figure consistent with special elections, which typically draw fewer voters than regularly scheduled races. The victory gives Clemons a platform to bring his labor leadership experience to the state legislature as he takes on issues affecting working families in one of Louisville's most established communities. Clemons will be sworn in to begin serving the remainder of Yates' term in the Kentucky Senate. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Doorbell cam captures Kentucky DoorDash driver pepper-spraying food URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/doorbell-cam-captures-kentucky-doordash-driver-pepper-spraying-food/ Last updated: 2025-12-16T14:59:42.000Z A DoorDash delivery that left two customers sick has resulted in felony charges against a Kentucky woman who allegedly sprayed their food with pepper spray. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Did a DoorDash driver pepper-spray a customer's food? She told police no, that she was targeting a spider. But investigators find that story to be unlikely. The McCracken County Sheriff's Office arrested Kourtney Stevenson last week, after finding evidence she tampered with the food. She now faces multiple felony charges, including battery and consumer product tampering, stemming from a December 7th incident in Indiana. Here's what happened: Just after midnight, a couple in Evansville, Indiana ordered food through DoorDash. After eating, both experienced burning sensations in their mouths, noses, throats and stomachs. They started vomiting. Concerned that something was wrong, they checked their doorbell camera footage. The video showed their DoorDash driver placing the food just out of the camera's view, snapping the required delivery photo, then pulling out a small aerosol can attached to her keychain and spraying something in the direction of their order before leaving, according to the Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office. Detectives with the Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office subpoenaed records from DoorDash, which identified Stevenson as the driver. When investigators contacted her, she initially agreed to an in-person interview and offered an unusual explanation: she said she'd been visiting her father in Evansville and was working DoorDash deliveries during her stay. She claimed she used pepper spray not on the food, but to kill a spider she saw during the delivery, explaining she's terrified of spiders. There's one problem with that story. The overnight temperature that night was 35 degrees- cold enough that outdoor spiders in Indiana wouldn't be active or capable of crawling on exposed surfaces, according to investigators. Stevenson later called back and said she wouldn't be coming in for the scheduled interview after all. Detectives moved forward with an arrest warrant charging her with multiple felonies. She was arrested in McCracken County, Kentucky, near Paducah. Vanderburgh County Sheriff Noah Robinson emphasized the seriousness of the case, saying, "Residents should be able to trust that the food they order for their families is safe. When someone violates that trust and endangers others, we will respond with urgency, and we will pursue charges." *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Ford's EV battery reset leaves 1,600 Kentucky jobs in limbo URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/fords-ev-battery-reset-leaves-1-600-kentucky-jobs-in-limbo/ Last updated: 2025-12-16T14:44:58.000Z Ford Motor Company announced Monday, it is converting its brand new electric vehicle battery plant into a manufacturing facility for large-scale battery storage systems. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Ford Motor Company is changing course at the Glendale EV battery plant and leaving more than 1,000 Kentucky workers in limbo. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear confirmed that approximately 1,600 workers at the Glendale battery plant will be impacted as the automaker abandons its original plans for the facility. The workers, who were part of what was supposed to be a transformative partnership between Ford and BlueOval SK, will be laid off but can reapply for positions as Ford repurposes the Kentucky plant for an entirely different mission: manufacturing large-scale battery storage systems for data centers and electrical grids instead of EV batteries. It's a stunning reversal for a project that state and local leaders had celebrated as a game-changer for the region. ## What was promised vs. what's happening When Ford and SK On announced the BlueOval SK partnership, the promise was clear: thousands of good-paying jobs manufacturing batteries for Ford's electric vehicle future. At the time, Governor Andy Beshear said the investment would make Kentucky a leader in EV battery production. The Glendale facility in Hardin County was supposed to be humming with activity, churning out batteries to power Ford's electric truck lineup. Instead, several factors, including changes in White House administration, have left the plant failing to meet expectations. Now, Ford is fundamentally changing course, announcing it is dissolving the BlueOval SK joint venture entirely. Under a new agreement, Ford subsidiaries will independently own and operate the Kentucky battery plants. "This is a customer-driven shift to create a stronger, more resilient, and more profitable Ford," CEO Jim Farley said in announcing the changes, though that reasoning likely offers little comfort to workers now facing uncertainty. ## The human cost For the 1,600 workers facing layoffs, the ability to reapply for positions under the new battery storage operation offers a lifeline- but not necessarily a guarantee. The skills required for manufacturing large-scale grid storage systems may differ from EV battery production, and there's no assurance that all 1,600 positions will be replaced. Governor Beshear's office has confirmed the job impact numbers but hasn't yet detailed what support might be available for affected workers or how many positions the retooled facility might ultimately employ. He did say his office is working with those impacted to find new employment opportunities. ## What happens next Ford says the Kentucky battery storage business could be operational within 18 months. The message is clear: Ford is retreating to its comfort zone, building what customers are actually buying today rather than betting big on an electric future that hasn't arrived on schedule. For Kentucky workers, community leaders, and state officials who bought into that electric vehicle vision, Monday's announcement represents not just a corporate strategy shift but a fundamental reshaping of what they were promised- and a reminder that in the rapidly changing auto industry, even billion-dollar commitments can evaporate when market realities don't cooperate. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie calls Trump's Rob Reiner comments "inappropriate and disrespectful" URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-rep-thomas-massie-calls-trumps-rob-reiner-comments-inappropriate-and-disrespectful/ Last updated: 2025-12-16T00:06:51.000Z The Kentucky Congressman- who represents Kentucky's 4th Congressional District- responded on X Monday afternoon. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie is pushing back against President Donald Trump over comments the president made about the murders of Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner. The couple was found dead Sunday at their home in Los Angeles. Police say they believe the victims suffered stab wounds. Their son, 32-year-old Nick Reiner, has been arrested and is being held without bail in connection with their deaths. On Monday morning, Trump posted on Truth Social, suggesting the deaths were linked to what he called Rob Reiner's "TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME." "A very sad thing happened last night in Hollywood. Rob Reiner, a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star, has passed away, together with his wife, Michele, reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, sometimes referred to as TDS," Trump wrote. The president went on to say Reiner "was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump, with his obvious paranoia reaching new heights as the Trump Administration surpassed all goals and expectations of greatness." Police have not released any motive in the case. > Regardless of how you felt about Rob Reiner, this is inappropriate and disrespectful discourse about a man who was just brutally murdered. I guess my elected GOP colleagues, the VP, and White House staff will just ignore it because they’re afraid? I challenge anyone to defend it. [pic.twitter.com/j3dvzRxLQJ](https://t.co/j3dvzRxLQJ?ref=shayinformed.com) > > — Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) [December 15, 2025](https://twitter.com/RepThomasMassie/status/2000597616674193616?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=shayinformed.com) "Regardless of how you felt about Rob Reiner, this is inappropriate and disrespectful discourse about a man who was just brutally murdered," Massie wrote. "I guess my elected GOP colleagues, the VP, and White House staff will just ignore it because they're afraid? I challenge anyone to defend it." When asked by reporters later if he stood by his post, Trump doubled down. "He was a deranged person," Trump said. "I was not a fan of Rob Reiner at all. I thought he was very bad for our country." Massie wasn't the only Republican to criticize the president's comments. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who has also fallen out with Trump in recent months, wrote that the Reiners' deaths are "a family tragedy, not about politics or political enemies." > Rob Reiner and his wife were tragically killed at the hands of their own son, who reportedly had drug addiction and other issues, and their remaining children are left in serious mourning and heartbreak. > > This is a family tragedy, not about politics or political enemies. > > Many… [pic.twitter.com/uVd3lGVEgm](https://t.co/uVd3lGVEgm?ref=shayinformed.com) > > — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) [December 15, 2025](https://twitter.com/RepMTG/status/2000597575901327850?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=shayinformed.com) Rep. Mike Lawler of New York called Trump's statement "wrong," saying no one should be subjected to violence "let alone at the hands of their own son." "It's a horrible tragedy that should engender sympathy and compassion from everyone in our country, period," Lawler wrote. Rep. Stephanie Bice of Oklahoma said, "We should be lifting the family up in prayer, not making this about politics." Reiner was a longtime Democratic activist and fundraiser who had been openly critical of Trump, once calling him "mentally unfit" to be president. He's best known for directing films including "The Princess Bride," "When Harry Met Sally," "Stand by Me," "Misery," and "A Few Good Men." His son Nick had struggled with drug addiction for years and co-wrote the 2015 film "Being Charlie," which was inspired by his own experiences with addiction, homelessness, and rehab stays. Massie has been at odds with Trump on various issues this year, including leading efforts to release federal investigation files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Trump has endorsed a primary challenger against Massie in the 4th Congressional District. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Shelby County School Board goes silent after community demands answers URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/shelby-county-school-board-goes-silent-after-community-demands-answers/ Last updated: 2025-12-15T14:07:34.000Z Parents proposed policy changes and asked about process; most board members won't respond --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- Days after a packed school board meeting [erupted in frustration](https://www.shayinformed.com/yo/) over how sexual misconduct allegations were handled, most board members are staying silent. I reached out to [all five Shelby County School Board members](https://www.shelby.kyschools.us/page/boardmembers?ref=shelbykydemocrats.org) Friday morning, asking for their perspective on Thursday night's meeting and what comes next for the district. By Monday morning, only two responded. And neither agreed to an interview. ## What I asked My questions to each board member were straightforward: - Your perspective on the community's response and concerns - What the board can and cannot share at this stage of the investigation - The timeline moving forward - How the district plans to communicate with families and address community concerns These aren't questions about the specifics of the investigation into basketball coach Chris Gaither. They're questions about process, transparency, and how elected officials plan to address a community in crisis. [‘He has been able to hide for so long’; Shelby Co. Schools suspends coach after sexual misconduct allegationsA former team manager told me her relationship with Chris Gaither began while she was a student at Martha Layne Collins High School. “He has been able to hide for so long under the assumption that he is a good Christian pillar of this community, and I think it was![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-123.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-12-11-at-10.00.29---AM-1.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/he-has-been-able-to-hide-for-so-long-shelby-co-schools-suspends-coach-after-sexual-misconduct-allegations/) ## The responses Board member Andrew Cline cited the ongoing investigation and statutory limitations. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-8.59.54---AM.png) Andrew Cline; CREDIT: Shelby County School District "Sorry, this is an ongoing investigation and the Board, by statute, does not have jurisdiction over personnel matters and cannot comment on personnel matters," Cline wrote. "As an elected school board member I can not and will not give personal opinions that would risk breaking the law or the oath I took." _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Bundle up: National Weather Service issues Winter Weather Warnings for Kentucky and southern Indiana URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/bundle-up-national-weather-service-issues-winter-weather-warnings-for-kentucky-and-southern-indiana/ Last updated: 2025-12-13T18:04:33.000Z The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory and and Cold Weather Advisory across our area. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- If you're planning to head out this weekend, you'll want to grab your warmest coat- and maybe reconsider those plans altogether. The National Weather Service has issued two warnings affecting parts of Kentucky and southern Indiana that will make this a weekend to stay indoors if you can. ## Snow Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning First up: snow. A Winter Weather Advisory goes into effect at 1 p.m. Saturday afternoon and lasts through 7 a.m. Sunday morning for portions of south central Indiana and east central, and north central Kentucky. According to the National Weather Service, we're looking at 1 to 3 inches of accumulation in Louisville, which means slippery road conditions are expected. If you have to drive, plan for extra time and take it slow. ## Dangerous wind chills overnight But the bigger concern might be what happens after midnight. A Cold Weather Advisory kicks in at 1 a.m. EST (midnight CST) Sunday and runs through 1 p.m. EST (noon CST) Sunday afternoon. The National Weather Service warns that wind chills could plummet as low as 11 below zero across portions of south central Indiana and east central, north central, northwest, and south central Kentucky. Some areas could see wind chills as low as 10 below. That's not just uncomfortable- it's dangerous. The National Weather Service cautions that these conditions could result in hypothermia if precautions aren't taken, and that frostbite and hypothermia will occur if unprotected skin is exposed to these temperatures. ## What you should do ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-12-at-7.27.12---PM-1.png) The National Weather Service recommends using caution while traveling outside and wearing appropriate clothing, a hat, and gloves. They're also asking people to make frequent checks on older family members, friends, and neighbors during this cold snap. If you're using portable heaters, make sure you're using them correctly. And this is important: do not use generators or grills inside- ever. Stay safe and stay warm out there, Kentucky and Indiana. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### 'You should be ashamed'; parents demand action at Shelby County School Board meeting URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/yo/ Last updated: 2025-12-12T18:51:43.000Z A school board meeting turned tense on Thursday night, as the room, filled with parents, staff, and former students, demanded answers in an ongoing sexual misconduct investigation. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- On the same day of Martha Layne Collins Basketball Coach Chris Gaither's suspension, the Shelby County Public School Board met for a regularly scheduled meeting. And the board was met with major pushback from parents, former students, and staff. "I am here today because I am absolutely horrified by the way this has been handled by this district," one parent said to the board. After the 15-minute public comment period ended, the Board Member Joanna Freels attempted to wrap up the subject by saying, "We appreciate you all voicing your opinion. We don't ever answer questions. After we meet, we'll discuss things after the meeting." Superintendent Dr. Joshua Matthews also tried to weigh in, saying they would be transparent when possible, but was cut off by outbursts from the crowd. "You just said you're not answering questions, how is that transparent?" one woman shouted. Freels said, "ok, we'll just move", which was then met with even louder contempt. Parents shouting, "We're not moving on", and "You can't just move on from this." The frustration comes after parents learned a teacher and coach who was under investigation for sexual misconduct and inappropriate communication with students was not immediately removed from having contact with students. [‘He has been able to hide for so long’; Shelby Co. Schools suspends coach after sexual misconduct allegationsA former team manager told me her relationship with Chris Gaither began while she was a student at Martha Layne Collins High School. “He has been able to hide for so long under the assumption that he is a good Christian pillar of this community, and I think it was![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-119.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-12-11-at-10.00.29---AM.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/he-has-been-able-to-hide-for-so-long-shelby-co-schools-suspends-coach-after-sexual-misconduct-allegations/) This is the second time Gaither has been under investigation for these kinds of allegations in the last 30 days; the first investigation was closed after board attorneys found no evidence of wrongdoing, according to a district spokesperson. The investigation was "reopened", according to district officials, on December 5th, the day after Hayley Weddle, a 2014 graduate of the school, submitted a written statement to district leaders detailing her interactions with Gaither when she was a student and team manager. She waited for for five days, for an update from the school district. But when she learned Gaither was coaching a basketball game Tuesday night, she decided to share her written statement public publicly. "I had tried to go through the appropriate channels, but it did not feel like they were going to do anything. It felt like it would be swept under the rug, as it has been before", she told me. That's when things changed. Within hours, Gaither was put on suspension. --- Thursday night, hours after the suspension went into effect, parents wanted to hear from the school board about the investigative process. They wanted to weigh in on the policy and even suggested changes. Some of those suggestions include: commission an independent investigation into how past and recent allegations have been handled, publicly close the post-graduation loop-hole like other districts have done, explicitly define grooming behaviors to include more than just sexual misconduct, require annual public reporting of all misconduct investigations, including the district's timelines. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-12-at-1.38.33---PM.png) Former Student Laura Wills-Coppelman "Secrecy is what allows abuse to thrive," Wills-Coppelman said as a speaker in front of the board, "choose to act before another student is harmed." The board would not engage with the speakers by answering questions or providing any explanations. "We have to go on," Board Member Freels said when the meeting derailed again about 40 minutes into it. At this point much of the crowd left the meeting, while the board continued. "No one cares about anything else you have to say, " one woman said on the way out. Shelby County Schools confirmed Gaither is suspended with pay pending the outcome of their investigation. Officials have not provided a timeline for when that investigation might conclude or what specific allegations they're examining beyond Weddle's statement. I have reached out to each of the board members since the meeting ending asking for more information on - the community's response and concerns - What the board can and cannot share at this stage of the investigation - The timeline moving forward - How the district plans to communicate with families and address community concerns If you have specific questions for the board- please send them my way! You can email me at shay@shayinformed.com *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Louisville mail delays continue despite USPS promises URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/louisville-mail-delays-continue-despite-usps-promises/ Last updated: 2025-12-12T17:05:34.000Z 'Tis the season the busy shipping season- and unfortunately, it appears USPS is already behind. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- If you've been waiting days- or even weeks- for bills, medications, or packages to arrive, you're not alone. Congressman Morgan McGarvey is once again pushing the U.S. Postal Service for answers after his office was flooded with complaints from frustrated Louisville residents. In a letter sent to Postmaster General David Steiner this week, McGarvey didn't mince words: the mail delays plaguing Louisville aren't getting better, and excuses about winter weather don't hold up. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-12-at-12.01.06---PM.png) According to McGarvey's office, dozens of reports have come in about mail and packages sitting untouched at the Gardiner Lane facility- sometimes for days, sometimes for weeks. Even more concerning: USPS trucks have reportedly shown up at Louisville facilities only to be delayed or turned away entirely. "My constituents and I are grateful for the hard work and dedication of the sorters, letter carriers, and other rank-and-file postal employees who work hard to get Americans their mail on time," McGarvey wrote. "But we are deeply frustrated that USPS has not made progress on giving those workers everything they need to move the mail on time." ## This isn't new- and winter isn't to blame McGarvey has been pressing USPS on these issues all year. Back in February, he toured the Gardiner Lane facility himself and saw structural problems firsthand. Now, nearly a year later, the same issues persist. When USPS tried to blame recent delays on winter storms, McGarvey wasn't buying it. His letter points to "renewed reports of broken equipment, resource mismanagement, and staffing shortages" that existed long before any snow started falling. ## Apparently, the issues are known, so why aren't they fixed? What makes this even more frustrating is that a USPS inspector general audit already took a detailed look at Louisville's postal facilities, identified the problems, and recommended fixes. Yet here we are, still waiting. "It is unacceptable that structural issues continue to significantly plague operations at USPS facilities in Louisville despite a USPS inspector general audit providing a detailed look into the facilities' problems and recommending multiple fixes," McGarvey wrote. ## What happens next? McGarvey is urging the Postmaster General to take immediate action- giving postal workers the resources they need and fixing the operational breakdowns that keep causing these delays. "Our community depends on reliable, timely mail service, and they deserve better," he concluded. For Louisville residents waiting on essential medication, bills that affect their credit, or packages that never seem to arrive, that's an understatement. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Indiana Senators overwhelmingly vote down a Trump-backed redistricting plan URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/indiana-senators-overwhelmingly-vote-down-a-trump-backed-redistricting-plan/ Last updated: 2025-12-12T16:51:02.000Z In a huge vote Thursday afternoon, Indiana's Republican-led Senate rejected a redrawn congressional map. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free weekly newsletter or subscribe to support our mission and access behind-the-scenes content, podcasts, and in-depth stories reserved for paid subscribers.* --- The Indiana Senate has rejected a redistricting plan designed to oust the state's two Democratic representatives and put Republicans in control of all nine congressional districts. The vote was 31-19\. Twenty-one Republican Senators and all 10 Democratic Senators voted 'no' on the proposal. Inside Senate chambers, Democratic lawmakers were outspoken against the plan. Sen. Fady Qaddoura chalked the move up to cutting competition, saying, "Any political party on earth that cannot run and win based on the merits of its ideas is unworthy of governing.” There were also protesters outside of the building, in the hallways, and even waiting outside of the chambers holding signs that encouraged "fair maps". After the vote, Governor Mike Braun released a statement, writing: "*I am very disappointed that a small group of misguided State Senators have partnered with Democrats to reject this opportunity to protect Hoosiers with fair maps and to reject the leadership of President Trump. Ultimately, decisions like this carry political consequences. I will be working with the President to challenge these people who do not represent the best interests of Hoosiers.”* ## Details of the failed proposal ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-12-at-11.32.46---AM-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-12-at-11.32.04---AM-1.png) Left: Current map; Right: Proposed map CREDIT: Dan Kempton, AP News The proposed map would have erased Indiana's two Democratic-held districts by breaking Indianapolis into four districts that extend into rural Indiana, and eliminating the northwest Indiana district, right outside of Chicago. This kind of change is typically made once every ten years, in response to new data from the Census Bureau. But President Donald Trump has been urging Republicans nationwide to redraw their congressional maps in an attempt to maintain a majority in the House of Representatives. The president said anyone who voted against the plan should lose their seats. Half of Indiana senators are up for reelection next year, and the conservative organization Turning Point Action had pledged to fund campaigns against them, [according to AP News](https://apnews.com/article/indiana-lawmakers-redistricting-final-vote-80e3e546fc7acec4a7bd7cd110787375?ref=shayinformed.com). ## How Southern Indiana Senators voted Southern Indiana is covered by several different state senators. - **Eric Bassler** (District 39- Washington): **NAY** - **Gary Byrne** (District 47- Salem): **YEA** - **Chris Garten** (District 45- Scottsburg): **YEA** - **Eric Koch** (District 44- Bedford): **YEA** - **Daryl Schmitt** (District 48- Jasper): **YEA** - **Jim Tomes** (District 49- Evansville): **YEA** - **Vaneta Becker** (District 50- Evansville): **NAY** Southern Indiana voters will not face new congressional districts in 2016 after the rejection of the new plan. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### High-profile child murder case transferred from Southern Indiana to Louisville URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/high-profile-child-murder-case-transferred-from-southern-indiana-to-louisville/ Last updated: 2025-12-12T15:41:22.000Z A southern Indiana murder case that's haunted two communities for years is now moving to Louisville. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- A case that has stunned the entire Kentuckiana region is getting a new venue. Washington County, IN, Prosecutor Tara Coats Hunt announced that Jefferson County KY's Commonwealth's Attorney Gerina Whethers will prosecute Dejaune Anderson in the death of her son, Cairo Jordan. A Jefferson County grand jury indicted Anderson on charges of murder, first-degree manslaughter, first-degree criminal abuse, and abuse of a corpse. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-12-at-10.30.42---AM.png) 5-year-old Cairo Jordan The case began when Cairo's body was found in a suitcase in a rural wooded area of Washington County, Indiana, in April of 2022. "When his body was discovered in a suitcase in a rural wooded area of Washington County, our entire community was shaken," Hunt said in a statement. "From that moment forward, the people of Washington County surrounded him with love- through vigils, memorials, and ultimately ensuring he received a dignified burial. He became a child Washington County claimed as its own." Anderson was arrested in California in March of 2024, ending a years-long nationwide manhunt. ## Why the jurisdictional shift? Hunt said the decision to request Kentucky take over prosecution wasn't made lightly. The case involves facts and evidence spanning both Indiana and Kentucky, requiring extensive legal analysis about which jurisdiction was most appropriate. "Although Washington County has been fully prepared to prosecute this case, shifting jurisdiction ensures the strongest legal foundation and prevents any future appellate ruling from overturning a conviction due to a technicality," Hunt explained. The prosecutor emphasized that this move was about securing justice rather than any inability to handle the case locally. Washington County was ready to prosecute, but Hunt said determining subject matter jurisdiction, evidentiary considerations, and statutory authority pointed toward Kentucky as the stronger venue. This is likely attributed to comments from the co-defendant in the case, Dawn Coleman, who has since pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against Anderson at trial. Coleman told officials she found Anderson on top of Cairo, who was face down on a bed. Coleman told authorities that Anderson killed Cairo in their Louisville apartment, and Coleman helped cover it up by putting his body in a suitcase and dumping it in Southern Indiana. ## Previous conviction in the case Coleman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and received a 30-year sentence with five years suspended to probation. Hunt praised the collaboration between Indiana and Kentucky authorities throughout the investigation and thanked Whethers and her team for taking on the prosecution. "Their professionalism and compassion have been unwavering," she said. "We are grateful for their partnership and their willingness to pursue this case with the seriousness it deserves." Anderson has two arraignments scheduled for Jefferson County Circuit Court- on Friday, December 12th, and Monday December 15th. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### 'He has been able to hide for so long'; Shelby Co. Schools suspends coach after sexual misconduct allegations URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/he-has-been-able-to-hide-for-so-long-shelby-co-schools-suspends-coach-after-sexual-misconduct-allegations/ Last updated: 2025-12-11T18:02:00.000Z A former team manager told me her relationship with Chris Gaither began while she was a student at Martha Layne Collins High School. "He has been able to hide for so long under the assumption that he is a good Christian pillar of this community, and I think it was important to say something" --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- A men's basketball coach at Martha Layne Collins High School has been suspended with pay following allegations of sexual misconduct and inappropriate communication with current or former students. Chris Gaither, who coaches the school's basketball team, was suspended Thursday morning after multiple people came forward with concerns to Shelby County Schools officials this week, according to the district spokesperson. This is the second time Gaither has been under investigation for these kinds of allegations; the first investigation was launched last month and closed after board attorneys found no evidence of wrongdoing, according to a district spokesperson. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-11-at-12.04.02---PM.png) ## The new case against him The investigation was "reopened", according to district officials, on December 5th, the day after Hayley Weddle, a 2014 graduate of the school, submitted a written statement to district leaders detailing her interactions with Gaither when she was a student and team manager. But days later, on December 9th, Gaither was still allowed in the school- and still on the sidelines coaching a game that night. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### FBI Agent breaks silence: takes us inside the Crystal Rogers investigation URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/fbi-agent-breaks-silence-takes-us-inside-the-crystal-rogers-investigation/ Last updated: 2025-12-18T14:11:34.000Z Exclusive sit-down reveals FBI took over case years earlier than publicly known, breakthrough technologies cracked it open, and made the connection between Bardstown's biggest cases clearer than ever before. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly podcast.* *This weekend's 'Weekly Wrap' podcast episode will be dedicated to this interview!* --- Getting an FBI agent to talk on the record about an investigation is nearly impossible. Getting the lead investigator on one of Kentucky's most high-profile cases to sit down and walk through the entire investigation? That's something I never thought would happen. But Special Agent Steve Keary did just that- marking only the second time I've interviewed the FBI about Crystal Rogers' disappearance in the ten years I've been covering it, and the first time I had the chance to interview the case agent. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-08-at-7.25.30---PM.png) What he revealed changes everything we thought we knew about when the FBI got involved, how they broke the case open, and why they believe the Jason Ellis case is without a doubt connected to the murders of Crystal Rogers and Tommy Ballard. The FBI named this investigation "Operation Justice Rising." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/October-2022-Farm-Search.jpg) Credit: FBI; 2022 search for Crystal's remains at Brooks Houck's family farm ## The secret meeting that changed everything The FBI's involvement actually began in late 2017- almost three years before the public knew the FBI had taken over the case. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### 'It's not your place to decide a villain': Woman at center of 42-year missing child case speaks out URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/its-not-your-place-to-decide-a-villain-woman-at-center-of-42-year-missing-child-case-speaks-out/ Last updated: 2025-12-11T13:58:46.000Z When I talked to Michelle Newton after court on Monday, she was still in shock. She told me she wasn't ready to do an interview. We had a much longer conversation later that day over the phone. She still isn't ready to tell the full story, but there are some things she wants you to know. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- When Debra Newton walked into a Kentucky courtroom Monday to face custodial interference charges for allegedly taking her three-year-old daughter from Louisville in 1983, social media erupted with opinions, judgments, and assumptions about a case most people only learned about days earlier. Behind the defendant sat her daughter- the child at the center of this decades-old mystery, now 45 years old and grappling with a truth she only recently discovered. She's lived her entire life under a different name, unaware she'd been taken from her father and an extended family who never stopped searching. Since my initial reporting on this case last week, I've been in contact with the victim, who asked to remain anonymous as she navigates this overwhelming chapter of her life. After watching the story go viral and reading hundreds of comments dissecting her family, her parents, and the choices made more than four decades ago, she felt compelled to speak. "Reading some of these comments about my parents has been devastating. There is so much that people don't know," she told me. What follows is her statement- unedited and in her own words. It's a reminder that behind every headline, every mug shot, and every court appearance are real people processing trauma, grief, and complicated truths that don't fit neatly into the narratives strangers create online. You can read the original story [here](https://www.shayinformed.com/i-didnt-realize-i-was-a-victim-woman-discovers-she-was-kidnapped-from-louisville-42-years-later/). [‘I didn’t realize I was a victim’: Woman discovers she was kidnapped from Louisville, 42 years laterDebra Newton appeared in court Monday on a custodial interference case from the 1980s. She pleaded not guilty. But the most interesting storyline was unfolding behind her- where her now 45-year-old daughter sat stunned. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-116.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/2.JPG)](https://www.shayinformed.com/i-didnt-realize-i-was-a-victim-woman-discovers-she-was-kidnapped-from-louisville-42-years-later/) > "To everyone who has spoken with kindness and without assumptions—thank you. The world needs more of that. For those who feel confident judging a situation without facts or ever standing in my family’s shoes, I hope you never have to experience anything this painful or complicated. As much as I intended to stay silent, reading some of these comments about my parents has been crushing and damaging. > Here’s what I can share: I’ve had a good life. I love my mom. She is not a drug addict. I’m not ready to explain the circumstances that led her to leave with me, but I can say this: it was not because of my father or family. > I’ve now seen clear evidence that he—and my entire family—never stopped looking for us. I wasn’t abused or abandoned. You can’t find someone living under a different identity, especially when they aren't aware themselves. I am loved deeply by both parents and a huge extended family. For the first time, I finally have answers to a lifelong puzzle. > These past two weeks have turned my world upside down. It’s incredibly hard to be caught between the only parent you’ve ever known and an entire part of yourself you’ve always wondered about but never knew. There is so much to process, and while people may want more details, those belong to my family right now as we heal privately on both sides. > I chose to sit with my dad in court as we’ve both missed out on 43 years together, and I will stand by him as we navigate what comes next. He and my family have offered nothing but grace and forgiveness. I’m also choosing to stay connected to and supportive of my mom as everything unfolds. People make choices sometimes that feel impossible to undo, and nothing I say can rewrite the decisions that were made. The burden of that choice is heavier than you can ever imagine and she deserves a chance to set it down and heal. > What I can do is hold onto the good, stay grateful for this new chapter, and offer forgiveness as we navigate all of this together. My perspective may not resonate with everyone—and that’s okay. It's not your story or your place to decide a villain. Thank you to the anonymous person who solved this, and people like Shay who are doing their best to bring it to the public. I am eternally grateful." This case has captured attention because of its extraordinary circumstances- 42 years of separation, a Crime Stoppers tip that solved a cold case, and a daughter discovering she was at the center of a missing child investigation she never knew existed. But as this young woman's statement makes clear, the internet's rush to judgment often ignores the messy, painful reality of the people living through these situations. She loves both her parents. She's grateful to finally have answers. And she's asking for space to process a life-altering revelation while the world watches. As journalists, we have a responsibility to report the facts. As human beings consuming these stories, we have a responsibility to remember that behind every case file is a person whose pain is real- even when we don't understand their choices. Debra Newton's next court date is January 23, 2026. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Behind the scenes: Covering Kentucky's deadliest tornado URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/behind-the-scenes-covering-kentuckys-deadliest-tornado/ Last updated: 2025-12-10T21:19:01.000Z At 5 a.m., I packed a bag and drove toward the tornado. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly podcast.* --- I watched it happen from my living room in Louisville. It was just after 10 p.m. on December 10th, 2021, and the radar on the TV glowed an ominous red- the kind of red that makes your stomach drop. The rotation was unmistakable. A monster was tearing across western Kentucky, and for a terrifying moment, we wondered if it was heading our way. I was on standby, ready to rush into the TV station if Louisville became the target. But after ripping through Mayfield, then Dawson Springs, then Bowling Green, the storm lost its grip and fizzled out before reaching us. Relief washed over me. For just a minute. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-10-at-9.53.15---AM-1.png) By 11:30 p.m., the first images started trickling in. Mayfield's city hall- gone. The clock tower in the heart of downtown had been knocked from its foundation and was surrounded by red lights and rubble. That's when I knew. This was catastrophic. By midnight, I was on the phone with my news director. "I'm ready to go," I told him. "I want to go." _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Four years ago today an EF-4 tornado ripped across Western Kentucky, claiming lives and buildings in its wake URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/four-years-ago-today-an-ef-4-tornado-ripped-across-western-kentucky-claiming-lives-and-buildings-in-its-wake/ Last updated: 2025-12-10T15:19:28.000Z December 10th marks a dark day for many communities in Western Kentucky. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- December 10th is the day an overnight tornado killed 57 people across Western Kentucky. The trail of destruction included thousands of homes, businesses, and churches ripped apart and left for scrap. The process to rebuild has been difficult and is still ongoing, even four years later. In Graves County, including the Mayfield community, 24 people were killed. The local candle factory collapsed with dozens of workers inside. Many made it out safe, but not everyone. City hall, the county courthouse, and the police department were all damaged beyond repair and had to be rebuilt. Hundreds of people lost their homes. Many were renters without backup plans. Non-profits and state response teams came together to try to help these people find homes. That work continues still today. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-10-at-8.38.04---AM.png) Other areas, including Bowling Green and Dawson Springs, were also hit hard. In these communities, much of the focus was on building new structures to house families who lost their homes. Many have lived in a camper or temporary shelter since the tornado hit, waiting for their chance to move into a permanent home again. The resilience of these communities has been nothing short of remarkable. ## New radio system One day ahead of the dark anniversary, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear was in Mayfield to announce a new technology he hopes will help first responders feel more supported while on the job. The Statewide Emergency Responder Voice System, or SERVS, is essentially giving Kentucky's emergency services a major communications upgrade. Think of it like moving from a spotty cell phone connection to a reliable network that works everywhere you need it. "To stay safe while on duty, our first responders and law enforcement officers must be able to communicate with local dispatch and one another when backup or critical information is needed," Beshear said during the launch event. "This new radio system is another step in ensuring they return home to their families after protecting our communities." The system is already up and running across 18 western Kentucky counties served by Kentucky State Police Posts 1 and 2\. As of this week, the Graves County Sheriff's Office, Mayfield Police Department, and Mayfield Fire and EMS have transitioned onto the network- meaning everyone's literally on the same wavelength now. For Mayfield Police Chief Nathan Kent, the timing couldn't be better. "Our local, existing radio infrastructure is ailing, with coverage gaps and periodic failures," Kent explained. "It's reassuring for our first responders, their families, and the citizens we serve that this new radio system will alleviate those concerns." Here's the part local agencies will really appreciate: the state system is free to use if their equipment is compatible. That means departments can stop paying to maintain their own aging radio infrastructure and redirect those dollars elsewhere- back to their communities. "By bringing our partner agencies onto this state-of-the-art system, we ensure that help can be sent where it is needed most- when seconds count- while also returning valuable funds to those agencies," said KSP Major David Archer. The western Kentucky portion wrapped up in April 2025, and by spring 2026, KSP Posts 3 and 16 will be ready to support local users. But there's still work to do in Eastern Kentucky. State police are requesting $107 million from the General Assembly to complete the statewide buildout, covering engineering, construction, equipment, and project management. For the hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians these first responders serve, the benefit is simple: when they call 911, everyone responding to that call can talk to each other without gaps or dead zones getting in the way. It's also meaningful- because these first responders have lived through tragedy while at work. Now, they hope to be even better prepared should disaster strike their community again. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Shooting near Kentucky State University dorm leaves one dead, suspect in custody URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/shooting-near-kentucky-state-university-dorm-leaves-one-dead-suspect-in-custody/ Last updated: 2025-12-10T14:00:28.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Kentucky State University canceled all classes, exams and activities through the end of the week following a shooting near Whitney M. Young Jr. Hall that left one person dead and another hospitalized. Frankfort Police confirm both victims are KSU students and the suspect, who is not a student, remains in custody. "The shooting that took place today at Kentucky State University appears to be an isolated incident - not a mass shooting," Governor Andy Beshear said on social media. "The suspect has been arrested, and there is no ongoing threat." Assistant Chief Scott Tracy with Frankfort Police said officers arrived within minutes of the 911 call to find campus police had already detained a suspect. Three people total were involved in the incident, including the suspect. "Our thoughts are with them, their families as well as the entire Kentucky State University community," Tracy said. "We understand how unsettling incidents like this can be. Please know safety for our students and residents remains our top priority." Multiple agencies responded, including the ATF, Kentucky Homeland Security, and several area police departments. The university told students they may return home if they choose and said counseling and support services remain available for students, faculty and staff. The school will provide additional guidance as soon as possible. The investigation is ongoing. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### JCPS board leadership hits brakes on Tuesday's school closure vote URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/jcps-board-leadership-hits-brakes-on-tuesdays-school-closure-vote/ Last updated: 2025-12-09T14:27:42.000Z Just days before the Jefferson County Board of Education was set to vote on a controversial plan to close, consolidate, and realign multiple schools, board leadership threw the brakes on. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- JCPS parents, students, and staff will have to wait a little longer before finding out what major changes could be on the way for their schools. JCPS Board Chair Dr. Corrie Shull and Vice Chair James Craig announced Friday of last week that they'll formally move to pause consideration of Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio's recommendations at tonight's 6 p.m. meeting at the VanHoose Education Center. The meeting was supposed to be the culmination of weeks of community input sessions- and the moment the board would vote on several highly controversial changes. "We have heard the voices of our community; the concern, apprehension, and passionate engagement regarding the proposed changes to our JCPS schools," Shull said in a statement. "Your feedback, delivered through community forums, emails, and phone calls, has been heard loud and clear." The board leadership emphasized this isn't about rejecting change altogether. Instead, they're asking Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood and his team to go back and provide more detailed justification for each proposed closure and consolidation- specifically the academic, fiscal, and logistical benefits. "We recognize that our schools are the heart of our communities, and any change must be approached with the utmost care, transparency, and a focus on the best interests of our students," Shull said. The proposed changes have sparked intense pushback from parents, teachers, and community members across Jefferson County. Among the most contested recommendations is the proposed closure of Liberty High School, where teachers say district leadership fundamentally misunderstands what the school does. [“They don’t know what happens here”: Liberty High School teacher calls proposed school closure a huge mistakeDays after JCPS district leaders proposed closing Liberty High School to battle a major budget deficit, students walked out of class in protest. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-111.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-11-24-at-1.39.48---PM-1.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/they-dont-know-what-happens-here-liberty-high-school-teacher-calls-proposed-school-closure-a-huge-mistake/) "I feel like they've never stepped foot in our school," Liberty teacher Ashley Sidebottom said. "They don't know what happens here." The district characterized Liberty as primarily a credit recovery school and said those programs are now available across JCPS, making the standalone school unnecessary. But Sidebottom says that's a myth. Liberty operates using the Big Picture Learning model, a research-based approach focused on individualized learning. Students design their own schedules, participate in internships for work-based learning credit, and attend small workshops rather than traditional full-period classes. The school serves around 100 students who weren't successful in traditional settings, many dealing with anxiety and other challenges that make large classrooms overwhelming. "All of our students were not successful at their other schools for a variety of reasons," Sidebottom explained. "Having these smaller classes and the ability to kind of design their learning in a way that makes sense for them has really led to some great success." Liberty students organized a walkout last month to protest the closure proposal, and alumni quickly mobilized on social media. A Change.org petition gathered around 700 signatures, with former students sharing testimonials about how the school helped them succeed. Board leadership is encouraging the community to keep the feedback coming during this pause. "Your passion is essential, and your perspective is invaluable to this deliberative process," Shull said. It's unclear how long the pause will last or when we can expect to see that additional information the board is requesting from the superintendent. Tonight's meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the VanHoose Education Center. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### 'I didn't realize I was a victim': Woman discovers she was kidnapped from Louisville, 42 years later URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/i-didnt-realize-i-was-a-victim-woman-discovers-she-was-kidnapped-from-louisville-42-years-later/ Last updated: 2025-12-10T00:22:05.000Z Debra Newton appeared in court Monday on a custodial interference case from the 1980s. She pleaded not guilty. But the most interesting storyline was unfolding behind her- where her now 45-year-old daughter sat stunned. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- After more than four decades, a Louisville missing child case reached a Kentucky courtroom, and the woman at the center of it walked out on bond. Meanwhile, her daughter sat in the courtroom gallery, obviously still in shock over the entire situation. Debra Leigh Curry Newton reported to court for her arraignment on a custodial interference charge stemming from the 1983 disappearance of her then-three-year-old daughter, Michelle. The judge called the case "very unusual," noting that court documents from the original case were not easily accessible, and he believed he was missing documents. Newton was released on a $35,000 full cash bond, which the judge held. Her next court date is set for January 23, 2026. But perhaps the most poignant moment of the day happened in the gallery, where Michelle- now 45 years old and living under a different name- sat alongside her father and other family members she'd only recently met for the first time. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/3.JPG) _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Indiana soldiers head to Washington D.C. as National Guard street presence draws scrutiny URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/indiana-soldiers-head-to-washington-d-c-as-national-guard-street-presence-draws-scrutiny/ Last updated: 2025-12-08T18:50:57.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- About 300 Indiana National Guard soldiers arrived in Washington, D.C. this weekend for what officials are calling the "D.C. Safe and Beautiful" mission. President Trump has said the deployments are necessary to fight crime, but Democratic leaders and federal judges have questioned their legality. Members of the 113th Engineer Battalion and 2-150th Field Artillery Battalion will conduct patrols, manage traffic control, and maintain a visible presence throughout the nation's capital, working alongside local and federal partners. "Our mission is simple," Lt. Col. Derek Sutton told troops during their departure ceremony. "We will help create a safer environment for the people who live, work and visit there." But the deployment raises questions that have dogged similar missions for years: When does a "visible presence" become an uncomfortable reminder of military authority in civilian spaces? And what does it say about local law enforcement capacity when troops are called in for routine community safety? The soldiers spent weeks training at Camp Atterbury before heading east and will continue working with Joint Task Force District of Columbia. Guard officials emphasize their troops' professionalism and preparation for the evolving mission. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-08-at-8.58.30---AM.png) CREDIT: Indiana National Guard While National Guard deployments have become more common in recent years, particularly following major events and periods of unrest, critics argue that normalizing military presence in cities blurs important lines between civilian policing and military operations. Supporters counter that Guard members, who often serve their own communities as police officers, firefighters, and neighbors, bring a stabilizing presence without the heavy-handed approach of federal forces. For now, these Hoosier Guardsmen will patrol streets in the nation's capital, a visible symbol of either security or overreach, depending on who you ask. The mission is under heavy scrutiny after the shooting that killed Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and injured Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, both soldiers were sent from West Virginia. They were patrolling the White House at the time of the shooting. More than 2,000 troops are currently deployed to Washington D.C. The length of the Indiana National Guard's deployment has not been made public. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### New deer hunting rules hit nine Kentucky counties after disease detection URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/new-deer-hunting-rules-hit-nine-kentucky-counties-after-disease-detection/ Last updated: 2025-12-08T14:10:10.000Z If you hunt deer in south-central Kentucky, there are some new rules you need to know about. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission just expanded its Chronic Wasting Disease surveillance zone to include nine counties: Casey, Laurel, Lincoln, McCreary, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Russell, Wayne and Whitley. The expansion comes after a deer harvested in Pulaski County back in September tested positive for CWD. This isn't the first time Kentucky has dealt with chronic wasting disease. The state already had a surveillance zone covering 14 western Kentucky counties, and earlier this year, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife made the difficult decision to [euthanize 20 captive deer at the Broadbent Wildlife Sanctuary in Meade Coun](https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-fish-and-wildlife-euthanizes-20-deer-at-meade-co-wildlife-center/)ty after CWD was detected there. That incident highlighted just how serious wildlife officials are about containing this disease. [Kentucky Fish and Wildlife euthanizes 20+ deer at Meade Co. wildlife centerThe agency confirmed late Tuesday that the animals were euthanized at the Broadbent Wildlife Sanctuary to prevent the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-110.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/broadbent-wildlife-1.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-fish-and-wildlife-euthanizes-20-deer-at-meade-co-wildlife-center/) So what exactly is chronic wasting disease? It's an always-fatal illness caused by abnormal proteins called prions that attack the brains of deer and elk. There's no cure, and infected animals will eventually die. The good news is that it's not known to spread to humans, though the CDC still recommends not eating meat from any deer that tests positive. ## Here's what the new rules mean for hunters: The biggest change involves what you can and can't transport out of those nine counties. If you harvest a deer in the surveillance zone, you cannot take the whole carcass or high-risk parts (like the brain or spinal cord) outside the county where you killed it. But you can transport de-boned meat, clean skulls, antlers, hides and finished taxidermy mounts. Interestingly, if you hunt outside the zone, you're allowed to bring carcasses into these counties. You also can no longer rehabilitate deer within the surveillance zone. The baiting rules are a bit more nuanced. You can still bait in these counties, but you can't use contact feeders like troughs or gravity feeders. The reasoning makes sense: baiting causes deer to congregate unnaturally, which increases the risk of spreading CWD through saliva, urine and feces. Wildlife officials are essentially saying "you can do it, but maybe think twice about whether you should." ## What hunters should do: Kentucky Fish and Wildlife has been testing deer for CWD since 2002, analyzing more than 70,000 samples from across the state. If you harvest a deer anywhere in Kentucky, you're encouraged to submit a sample at one of their drop-off sites or through a mail-in kit. The test is free, and you'll get your results back in about 4-6 weeks. And as always, if a deer looks sick or is in poor condition, don't eat it. Trust your instincts on that one. You can report sick or dead deer by calling 800-858-1549 or emailing [info.center@ky.gov](mailto:info.center@ky.gov). *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### So called"Kentucky serial killer" case set to go to trial URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/so-called-kentucky-serial-killer-case-set-to-go-to-trial/ Last updated: 2025-12-08T13:40:55.000Z Brian Epperson- the man some are calling "the Kentucky serial killer" - has been ordered to appear for trial on his federal charges in February of next year. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Brian Epperson is set to face a jury just two months from now on federal drug charges, linked to the deaths of two women. A federal judge has scheduled the trial for 8 a.m. on February 2nd, 2026\. The trial is expected to take 7 days. Epperson is facing two federal drug charges for knowingly and intentionally distributing methamphetamine that resulted in the overdose deaths of two victims- Reacheal Dawson and Kristen Morris. "There's a lot of physical evidence, and there's a lot of electronic evidence. Sergeant Reed and the DEA Task Force officer, as well as some others in our staff, have had to comb through hundreds of 1000s of pictures and videos," Winchester Police Chief Travis Thompson said, "I think there's about 20 terabytes of electronic digital media that they've had to comb through." Epperson faces 20 years to life in prison on each federal charge if convicted. ## What we know about the victims ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-10-17-at-7.10.56---AM.png) 32-year-old Kristen Morris, 29-year-old Reacheal Dawson, 42-year-old Hilory Davis According to Chief Thompson, the women named in the federal indictment were in a consensual, romantic relationship with Epperson. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Kentucky faces worst whooping cough outbreak in over a decade URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-faces-worst-whooping-cough-outbreak-in-over-a-decade/ Last updated: 2025-12-05T14:35:29.000Z Kentucky is seeing its worst outbreak of whooping cough in more than a decade, with health officials reporting three infant deaths so far this year- a tragic reminder of how dangerous this disease can be for the youngest among us. The state has logged 566 pertussis cases across 93 counties in 2025, the highest count since 2012\. Here in Jefferson County, the numbers tell a concerning story. We went from just 2 cases in 2023 to 47 last year, and we're already at 41 this year. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-05-at-9.27.55---AM.png) Dr. Kris Bryant, a pediatric infectious disease specialist with Louisville Metro Public Health, says those three deaths this year should get everyone's attention. All three babies hadn't been vaccinated yet, and neither had their mothers during pregnancy. "When pertussis cases go up, we expect to see cases in the most vulnerable people and that's really infants," Dr. Bryant explained. "These young infants who died had not been immunized, and their mothers had not been immunized." Pertussis starts off looking like a regular cold, but it quickly turns into severe coughing fits that can last for weeks or even months. It's especially dangerous for babies too young to be fully vaccinated. The good news? There's a highly effective vaccine. Kids get the DTaP shot starting at 2 months old, with boosters continuing through early elementary school. Teens and adults need the Tdap booster, and here's something crucial- pregnant women should get vaccinated during every pregnancy to protect their babies in those vulnerable first weeks of life. Dr. Bryant emphasizes this isn't just about individual protection. "When children receive all recommended immunizations on time, our whole community benefits," she said. "High childhood vaccination rates help to create community immunity, which offers widespread protection against contagious diseases." If you don't have health insurance and need to get your child vaccinated, Louisville Metro Public Health can help. You can call them at 574-5380 or visit their [immunizations webpage](https://louisvilleky.gov/government/health-wellness/services/immunizations?utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fsource=govdelivery) to schedule an appointment. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Decades-old missing child case from Louisville takes new turn with Florida arrest URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/decades-old-missing-child-case-from-louisville-takes-new-turn-with-florida-arrest/ Last updated: 2025-12-05T15:52:38.000Z A missing child case that's been open for more than 40 years just saw an unexpected development. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- After 42 years of silence, a missing child case from Louisville has suddenly come back to life with an arrest in Florida that raises more questions than it answers. Debra Leigh Curry Newton was taken into custody in Marion County, Florida, on November 24, 2025, on a custodial interference warrant issued out of Kentucky in 2016. According to Lt. Col. Mike Littlefield with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Debra Newton is being extradited back to Kentucky this week, where she will be booked into Metro Corrections. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-03-at-9.02.43---AM.png) CREDIT: Marion County Sheriff's Department But the story behind that arrest reaches back to April 2, 1983, when three-year-old Michelle Newton disappeared from Louisville. ## What we know about Michelle's disappearance According to the Missing People in America network, Michelle was taken by her non-custodial mother, Debra Newton, when she was just three years old. She was living with her father at the time, who had full custody. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### 1,381 days and counting: the excruciating wait for justice after a daughter's murder URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/1-381-days-and-counting-the-excruciating-wait-for-justice-after-a-daughters-murder/ Last updated: 2025-12-04T14:05:18.000Z Police say Shannon Gilday broke into Wesley Morgan's home and killed his daughter Jordan in 2022\. The trial keeps getting delayed, and Wesley says "it opens the wounds over and over and over." --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly podcast.* --- Wesley Morgan can tell you exactly what time he wakes up every morning. Somewhere between 3 and 4 a.m., his eyes open in the darkness. It's been that way since February 22, 2022- the night a man with a rifle broke into his Richmond home and murdered his daughter Jordan as she slept in her upstairs bedroom. "I just wake up," he says. "I just wake up." It's the same time the doorbell rang that night. The same doorbell that had been shorting out, giving false alarms when it rained. Wesley assumed it was nothing when he got up to check at 3:30 a.m., never opening the front door where Shannon Gilday was hiding behind a column, waiting to kill him, he said. The former Kentucky State Representative has spent the last four years fighting for justice for his daughter, fighting a court system that seems designed to protect the defendant, not the victim. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-03-at-3.31.57---PM.png) Wesley Morgan Fighting, while his daughter's body "lays up in the ground rotting," as he puts it with the bluntness of a man who has run out of patience for euphemisms. The trial, currently scheduled for May 2026, just got delayed again. This time, it's a change of venue motion- filed after nearly four years, when such motions are typically handled early in a case. To Wesley, it's just another in a long line of delays that have kept him trapped in a cycle of reopened wounds and renewed trauma. "What it does is it opens the wounds over and over and over," Wesley says. "And there's no, absolutely no reason for this to be in the situation it is." ## A confession that didn't matter The facts of the case aren't in dispute. According to Wesley, Gilday confessed to killing Jordan and shooting at Wesley. Gilday was arrested about a week after the shooting, when KSP troopers found him walking alone on the side of the road in the middle of the night. He was charged with Murder, Burglary 1st Degree, Criminal Mischief 1st Degree, Assault 1st Degree, and two counts of Attempted Murder. According to Wesley, Kentucky State Police told him that Gilday had been to the property before, that he'd watched Jordan walk past her bedroom window during a week when Wesley, his wife Lindsay, and their youngest daughter had been out of town. That's why he went to that particular bedroom- he thought it was the master bedroom, thought he was assassinating Wesley Morgan. Instead, he shot Wesley's 32-year-old daughter at least 11 times as she lay in her bed. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### First wrongful death lawsuits filed in Louisville UPS cargo jet crash URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/first-wrongful-death-lawsuits-filed-in-louisville-ups-cargo-jet-crash/ Last updated: 2025-12-04T13:27:17.000Z Two of the families who lost loved ones in last month's devastating UPS cargo jet crash are taking their first steps toward getting answers. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Two Chicago aviation law firms announced they're filing the first wrongful death lawsuits connected to the November 4th disaster that killed 14 people near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. Clifford Law Offices and local attorney Sam Aguiar are representing the families of Angela Anderson and Trinadette "Trina" Chavez- two mothers who were simply going about their day when tragedy struck. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-03-at-8.47.21---AM.png) Left: Trina Chavez; Right: Angela Anderson Angela, 45, was a customer at a local business when the MD-11 cargo jet lost its left engine shortly after takeoff and crashed into a nearby industrial park. Trina, 37, was a mother of two working at Grade A Auto Parts, one of several businesses destroyed in the massive explosion. At least 23 others were injured in the crash. The lawsuits name several defendants: UPS, UPS AIR, engine manufacturer GE, Boeing (which acquired the MD-11's original manufacturer McDonnell Douglas), and VT San Antonio Aerospace, Inc., the company responsible for certain inspections and maintenance before the crash. "When an engine detaches from a large cargo jet during takeoff, and the aircraft bursts into a fireball visible for miles, an entire community is affected," said Bradley Cosgrove, a partner at Clifford Law Offices. "Innocent lives are lost, leaving deep holes in families." The attorneys are holding a press conference today at noon at Aguiar's Louisville office to discuss what comes next. ## Troubling similarities to a historic crash For veteran aviation attorney Robert Clifford, this disaster brought back painful memories. When he heard about an engine detaching from a cargo jet, he immediately thought of the 1979 American Airlines Flight 191 crash at Chicago's O'Hare Airport- a tragedy that killed 273 people when a left engine separated shortly after takeoff. "I worked on those very sad cases for years, and we got answers for families who deserved justice," Clifford said. The similarities between the two crashes are striking. The NTSB's preliminary report from November 20th found fatigue fractures in bolts and locking devices on the 34-year-old aircraft, raising serious questions about whether the plane was simply too old to be flying safely. "What is new about this case is the age of the aircraft suggests that this plane was old, tired, and well beyond its useful life," Clifford noted, "certainly triggering questions about profit over safety." ## A fleet grounded indefinitely The ripple effects of this crash extend far beyond Louisville. According to an internal statement from UPS Airlines President Bill Moore, the entire UPS MD-11 fleet is grounded for months, not weeks. Investigators found fatigue cracks in structural components, prompting fleet-wide inspections that may also affect FedEx's MD-11 aircraft. The FAA grounded all MD-11s on November 8th, issuing an Airworthiness Directive because officials determined "the unsafe condition is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design." There are approximately 82 MD-11s operating worldwide, with 70 based in the United States. ## What happens next The three pilots aboard UPS Flight 2976 were among those killed when the plane crashed around 5:15 p.m. on that Tuesday evening, on what should have been a routine flight to Honolulu. The resulting fire and smoke plumes stretched nearly a mile around the airport. NTSB investigators are examining debris scattered across a one-mile area. The plane's black boxes have been recovered, but Todd Inman, an NTSB member, cautioned that determining the probable cause will likely take up to a year. For the families left behind, that's a year of waiting for answers to impossible questions: Why did this happen? Could it have been prevented? Who's responsible? "Through these lawsuits, we aim to get the answers that these family members deserve for their heartbreaking losses," Aguiar said. The central question haunting this investigation: Were key components kept in service too long, and why did the systems designed to prevent such disasters fail? "The aviation industry needs to learn not to repeat its mistakes," Clifford said. "Families who lost loved ones in this crash deserve the truth and full accountability." *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### McGarvey to EPA: don't take your eyes off UPS crash site URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/mcgarvey-to-epa-dont-take-your-eyes-off-ups-crash-site/ Last updated: 2025-12-02T19:00:41.000Z Cleanup efforts have recovered 880,000 gallons of oil-water mixture, but federal oversight is shifting to an advisory role and the congressman wants the EPA to stay involved. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Nearly a month after a UPS cargo plane crashed near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, killing 14 people and spilling hundreds of thousands of gallons of jet fuel, Congressman Morgan McGarvey is asking federal environmental officials to keep a close watch on the cleanup. In a letter dated December 1st to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and Regional Administrator Kevin McOmber, McGarvey thanked the agency for its rapid response while expressing concern about the long-term public health implications of the November 4th crash. "Our community is heartbroken by the immediate loss of life, and we mourn for and with our friends and neighbors," McGarvey wrote. "We are also concerned with the long-term public health implications of this accident." The scale of the environmental response has been massive. Flight 2976 was carrying approximately 220,000 pounds of jet fuel when it caught fire during departure. Since the crash, cleanup crews have recovered close to 95 percent of the oil- around 880,000 gallons of oil-water mixture- and contained the spill within the impacted waterway. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-02-at-1.46.10---PM.png) McGarvey noted that Louisville's public drinking water has remained safe for consumption, crediting the EPA's quick work. But his letter comes at a crucial transition point: the EPA has formally handed further cleanup efforts to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection and moved into an advisory role. That shift is what prompted McGarvey's request. He's asking the federal agency to "continue to oversee this site with utmost care" and keep his office informed about any updates regarding public health and safety. The congressman also highlighted an additional complication- while the plane itself wasn't carrying hazardous materials, several businesses near the crash site that do store hazardous materials on-site were affected by the incident. The crash left wreckage spread over a wide area, with the plane significantly fragmented and burned. Three crew members on board and 11 people on the ground were killed, with over a dozen more injured. [NTSB: Fatigue cracks found in UPS Plane that crashed in LouisvilleFederal investigators have released preliminary findings on what caused a UPS cargo plane to crash moments after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, killing 14 people. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-105.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/plane-crash-1-1.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/ntsb-fatigue-cracks-found-in-ups-plane-that-crashed-in-louisville/) *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### New trial date set in Amber Spradlin case URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/new-trial-date-set-in-amber-spradlin-case/ Last updated: 2025-12-03T13:52:28.000Z A judge has set a new 2026 trial date for Michael "M.K." McKinney III, accused of killing Amber Spradlin in 2023. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Eastern Kentucky's most notable murder case his set to go to trial in the Spring of 2026\. The Amber Spradlin case is set to go in front of a jury on May 11th of next year. The trial was initially scheduled for December of 2025, but was delayed after the commonwealth asked for more time to finish DNA testing at the KSP crime lab. The judge ruled, "the absence of available DNA evidence would be the equivalent to a missing witness in this case." ## What happened to Amber Spradlin The 38-year-old was found stabbed to death at a home in Prestonsburg on June 18th, 2023\. Police believe she was killed overnight on June 17th. MK McKinney is accused of stabbing Spradlin multiple times with a knife. His father, Dr. Michael McKinney II, and Josh Mullins also face charges, accused of helping cover up the homicide by destroying evidence, cleaning blood from a kitchen sink, and hiding or destroying surveillance video that prosecutors say would have captured the murder. ## Judge agrees to reduce the accused killer's bond ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-11-03-at-3.57.20---PM.png) McKinney has been held in jail on $5 million bond since his July 2024 arrest in connection with Spradlin's death. But his attorneys have been fighting for a bond reduction. During Monday's pre-trial hearing, that reduction was granted, though it's unclear if it's enough to get McKinney out of jail. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Kentucky parts ways with Mark Stoops after 13 Seasons URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-parts-ways-with-mark-stoops-after-13-seasons/ Last updated: 2025-12-01T18:38:51.000Z The University of Kentucky has decided to move on from head football coach Mark Stoops, ending a tenure that transformed the program but ultimately fell short of championship expectations. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- UK Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart announced the decision to fire Mark Stoops on Monday, thanking him for his dedication while signaling the university's ambitions for something more. "I have informed Coach Mark Stoops that we have decided to go in a new direction at head coach," Barnhart said in a statement on social media. "I want to thank Mark for his dedication and leadership over the past 13 years, and as importantly, the friendship that is marked by walking these journeys together." Stoops' departure marks the end of the longest head coaching tenure in UK football history. He arrived in Lexington in 2013 and gradually rebuilt a program that had long been overshadowed by the school's legendary basketball tradition. Under Stoops, Kentucky made a historic run of consecutive bowl appearances and achieved what Barnhart called "memorable victories." The program went from perennial SEC bottom-dweller to respectable competitor, occasionally pulling off signature wins against ranked opponents. But respectable wasn't enough. Despite the progress, Kentucky never quite broke through to compete for SEC championships or reach the college football playoff conversation. The Wildcats' ceiling under Stoops seemed to be a good, not great, program in college football's toughest conference. Barnhart's statement made clear that Kentucky is raising its expectations. The school has already begun a national search for "someone with proven coaching results and a vision for success for Kentucky." "We move forward committed to build upon the strong foundation that has been laid and to pursue excellence relentlessly," Barnhart said. The athletic director emphasized Kentucky's commitment to making "necessary investments" in the program, including fully funding revenue-sharing and NIL opportunities, providing state-of-the-art facilities, and ensuring student-athletes have every resource to thrive. "Our mission is clear: to build a championship program for the people of Kentucky," Barnhart said. "We embrace this moment with optimism and determination, confident that the next chapter will see Kentucky Football reach new heights and achieve great success." For Stoops, the legacy is complicated. He stabilized a historically struggling program and gave Kentucky football credibility. But in the modern era of college football- with expanded playoff formats and massive financial investments-stability alone doesn't cut it anymore. The search for Kentucky's next coach begins now, with Big Blue Nation hoping the next hire can take the program from respectable to elite. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Snow on the way! Winter Weather Advisory issued for much of Kentucky URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/snow-on-the-way-winter-weather-advisory-issued-for-much-of-kentucky/ Last updated: 2025-12-01T18:33:30.000Z The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Monday evening into Tuesday morning. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Winter is on Kentuckiana's doorstep! The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for portions of east central and south central Kentucky, effective from 9 p.m. EST (8 p.m. CST) Monday evening through 10 a.m. EST (9 a.m. CST) Tuesday. According to the National Weather Service, mixed precipitation is expected across the region. Total snow accumulations could reach up to two inches, with ice accumulations around a light glaze. The agency warns that slippery road conditions are anticipated, which could impact Tuesday morning's commute. The National Weather Service advises residents to slow down and use caution while traveling. Kentucky road conditions are available [here](http://goky.ky.gov./?ref=shayinformed.com). *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Three minutes wasn't enough; launching 'Real Talk for Real Women' URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/three-minutes-wasnt-enough-launching-real-talk-for-real-women/ Last updated: 2025-12-02T15:43:10.000Z Journalist Shay McAlister and maternal-fetal medicine specialist Dr. Tiffany Tonismae are teaming up for a new podcast made by women, for women. Listen at the bottom of the page! --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- We're two working moms with demanding careers - one delivering babies and managing high-risk pregnancies, the other investigating stories and holding systems accountable. We're done with the highlight reel version of women's lives. Each month, we plan to tackle the topics that matter: women's health, parenting, careers, mental health, loss, fertility, and the reality of balancing it all. We bring medical expertise and journalistic rigor to conversations that are too often sanitized or ignored. Also, we're living it ourselves and are committed to including our own journeys in the conversation. This is for every woman navigating the gap between what we're told life should look like and what it actually is. Whether you're building a family, building a career, or trying to keep your head above water doing both - this is real talk, no filter. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-25-at-8.54.57---AM.png) April 2024 interview on Black maternal health I first met Dr. T during an interview on live television. We were discussing Black maternal health. We had three minutes to cover a crisis that's killing women. Three minutes to discuss systemic failures, racial disparities, and preventable deaths. I remember thinking: this isn't helpful. This podcast is what that conversation should have been. Time to go deep, space to be honest, and room to share not just the data but our own experiences living and working in these systems. This podcast will be available to all Shay Informed members, regardless of subscription level. I've built this platform on a simple principle: journalism should serve the community, not chase profit. That goes double for health information. No paywalls, no barriers, no filter. The first episode is live now! Listen below ⬇️ If you haven't signed up for Shay Informed, you can join with just an email [here](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup). _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Health officials warn of severe flu season as cases rise in Jefferson County URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/health-officials-warn-of-severe-flu-season-as-cases-rise-in-jefferson-county/ Last updated: 2025-12-01T12:11:55.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- If you've been putting off getting your flu shot, now might be the time to roll up your sleeve. A mutated strain of Influenza A H3N2 is making its way across the United States and other countries, and health experts are warning this could shape up to be a particularly rough flu season. The strain first emerged over the summer in the Southern Hemisphere and has now triggered outbreaks in multiple countries across the Northern Hemisphere. Here in Jefferson County, we're seeing the impact firsthand. According to the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness, flu cases are on the rise locally based on their [flu data dashboard](https://communicable-diseases-lojic.hub.arcgis.com/pages/flu-data-2025-2026?utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fsource=govdelivery). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-28-at-9.48.03---AM.png) If you're feeling under the weather, it's worth getting tested. The good news? The health department says free rapid flu tests are available at all Louisville Metro Parks Community Centers while supplies last. You can also grab them at local pharmacies and grocery stores. While many viral illnesses simply need to run their course, the flu is different- there are antiviral medications that can help. The catch is timing: they work best when you start them within the first two days of symptoms appearing. This is especially crucial if you're someone at higher risk for flu complications. And yes, the flu vaccine still matters, even with this mutated strain circulating. Getting vaccinated can reduce how sick you get, help prevent hospitalizations, and protect you against multiple strains of the virus. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-28-at-9.47.53---AM.png) Health officials say this is an important year to get your flu shot if you haven't already. Keep in mind that once you're vaccinated, your immune system needs about 10 to 14 days to develop the antibodies that will protect you against infection- so the sooner you get it, the better. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Finding your way through grief this holiday season URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/finding-your-way-through-grief-this-holiday-season/ Last updated: 2025-12-03T14:14:31.000Z The twinkling lights are up, holiday music fills the stores, and festive gatherings crowd the calendar. But for many people navigating loss, this season of joy can feel impossibly heavy. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- This holiday season, whether you're grieving or supporting someone who is, remember that there's no "right" way to feel. The empty chair at the table is real, the missing voice in the conversation is felt- and acknowledging that pain doesn't diminish the possibility of still finding moments of light. "For people experiencing loss, it can be very painful, because that person they love is no longer with them," says Lisa Prewitt, Director of Behavioral Health Outreach at UofL Health Peace Hospital. "This holiday may look a little different for them." It's a reality more common than social media's highlight reel might suggest. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, three in five Americans say the holidays negatively impact their mental health. When you're grieving, that pressure to match everyone else's merry expectations can feel crushing. ## When sadness and joy share the table Prewitt, who has experienced two significant losses in the past year and a half, offers a perspective that comes from both professional expertise and personal experience. "It's okay to feel sad, especially during the holiday season, but it's also okay to be joyful," she explains. "The two can co-exist together. Don't judge yourself, give yourself moments of grace and time to grieve." That permission to feel whatever you're feeling- without forcing cheerfulness or wallowing in sorrow- might be the most important gift you give yourself this season. ## The basics still matter When grief feels overwhelming, Prewitt recommends starting with the fundamentals. "Take care of yourself," she says. "Especially eat nutritious food, get some form of exercise even if it's just a walk, get enough sleep because if you take care of yourself physically, it can help manage your grief emotionally." She speaks from experience about practical help during difficult times: "People showing up with food was so helpful, because at that time, I didn't feel like cooking, but I still needed to nourish my body." ## How to help someone who's hurting If someone you care about is grieving, you might worry about saying the wrong thing or intruding. Prewitt's advice is simple: "Always reach out, whether you're concerned or not. If you know someone who experienced a loss, pick up the phone, reach out- they would so appreciate it." But there are warning signs that suggest someone might need additional support. Watch for isolation, intense yearning for their loved one, dramatic changes in sleep or eating patterns, increased depression or anxiety, or withdrawal from activities they used to enjoy. ## Redefining grief Prewitt offers a broader definition than many people realize: "Grief really is the conflicting feelings that arise due to the end of or change in a familiar pattern of behavior." That means grief isn't just about death- it can follow any significant loss or change. Her advice for coping? "Look at the coping skills you currently have. What are the positives? Increase those positive coping skills. Reach out to friends, ask for help. One of the hardest things to do is ask for help, but know it's okay." She adds, "If you really need something, reach out to friends and family because they probably want to help you, but don't know what to do." Sometimes the most helpful thing is to think about what would comfort you, then offer that to someone else. A meal delivered, a phone call, an invitation with no pressure attached- these small gestures can mean everything to someone who's struggling. For those looking for structured support in their grief journey, Peace Hospital facilitates a [Grief Recovery Method Support Group](https://uoflhealth.org/locations/peace-hospital/patients-visitors/support-groups/?ref=shayinformed.com) beginning in January. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### "Wrong and dangerous"; KY Governor joins lawsuit against Trump administration over housing cuts URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/wrong-and-dangerous-ky-governor-joins-lawsuit-against-trump-administration-over-housing-cuts/ Last updated: 2025-11-26T13:40:57.000Z Gov. Andy Beshear says the Trump administration is making "illegal and cruel" changes to federal housing programs that could push hundreds of Kentuckians into homelessness. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- This week Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear joined governors from 19 other states and the District of Columbia in a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's decision to dramatically scale back support from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. According to Beshear, the policy changes would eliminate more than $15 million in federal funding to Kentucky, putting 700 households at risk of returning to homelessness and threatening housing for 1,200 Kentuckians. "These illegal and cruel policy changes will cause more people- like veterans and families- to go homeless and make our communities less safe, with more people forced to live on the streets," Beshear said. "We should be helping people get back on their feet through a safe place to call home, not barring them from any chance of success." The governor says the changes target the Continuum of Care program, which directs federal dollars to keep families with children, seniors, veterans and disabled people housed. Under the new policy, Beshear says states would face a 30% cap on funding for permanent supportive housing projects and would have to reapply for money that Congress already approved and awarded in 2024. Kentucky had been expecting to receive over $21 million total to keep people housed and provide homeless services, according to Beshear. With the 30% cap, he says the state would lose 70% of the more than $15 million currently approved that supports permanent supportive housing in 118 of Kentucky's 120 counties. Beshear says the cap would also impact more than $20 million in federal funding for rental assistance and supportive services for homeless Kentuckians. Eight grants currently awarded specifically support Permanent Supportive Housing, serving around 324 Kentuckians, including 69 survivors of domestic violence and 205 individuals with at least one disability, according to the governor. Amanda Couch, CEO of Welcome House Inc., which provides housing services across Northern Kentucky, described what's at stake if the funding ends. "In 2025, Welcome House has already served 99 households, 122 adults and 69 children through our two Rapid Re-Housing grants and six Permanent Supportive Housing programs," Couch said. "These grants, totaling nearly $2.4 million, are the backbone of housing stability across multiple rural regions in the Kentucky Balance of State." Couch said every number represents a real family- parents trying to keep their children safe, individuals living with chronic health conditions, and people who need a stable home to begin rebuilding. "If this funding disappears, these households will be pushed back into homelessness, and communities will lose the very programs proven to reduce crisis system costs and improve long-term outcomes," she said. Beshear says none of these requirements received Congressional approval, and they contradict previous guidance. The lawsuit includes Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Beshear called the policy changes "wrong and dangerous," saying they "will set our commonwealth and country back." *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Kentucky loses third baby to whooping cough, urges parents to vaccinate URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-loses-third-baby-to-whooping-cough-urges-parents-to-vaccinate/ Last updated: 2025-11-26T13:55:45.000Z According to state officials, none of the infants who died had been vaccinated, nor had their mothers. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Kentucky health officials announced heartbreaking news today: another infant has died from pertussis- more commonly known as whooping cough- marking the third such death in the state in the last 12 months. The Kentucky Department for Public Health confirmed that none of the three infants who died had received the whooping cough vaccine, and neither had their mothers. These are Kentucky's first pertussis deaths since 2018, making the recent cluster particularly alarming for public health officials. "We are deeply saddened to learn of another infant death in Kentucky due to pertussis," said Dr. Steven Stack, secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. He stressed that the volume of cases across the commonwealth has officials concerned and pushing harder for vaccination. The numbers paint a troubling picture. As of November 19, Kentucky has reported 566 whooping cough cases, the largest spike since 2012\. Health officials expect that number to climb in the final weeks of the year. ## Why this matters Pertussis is highly contagious and particularly dangerous for the most vulnerable: babies under one year old face the greatest risk. The disease has been increasing across the United States, driven in part by declining vaccination rates. The vaccine data from Kentucky schools underscores the problem. Only 86% of kindergarteners and 85% of seventh graders are current on their required whooping cough vaccines, according to the 2024-2025 school immunization survey. ## Protection starts early The Tdap or DTaP vaccine protects against three bacterial infections: diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. Infants can start receiving the DTaP vaccine at just two months old, but there's an even earlier line of defense. Pregnant women are strongly encouraged to get the Tdap vaccine during each pregnancy. This provides crucial early protection for babies before they're old enough to be vaccinated themselves-a recommendation that could have made a difference in these three tragic cases. ## What parents need to watch for Whooping cough often starts with symptoms that resemble a common cold, like a runny or congested nose and mild coughing. But after one to two weeks, the cough can escalate dramatically into rapid, violent coughing fits. These may produce the characteristic "whooping" sound as the person gasps for air, and can be severe enough to cause vomiting or labored breathing. Beyond vaccination, basic prevention measures remain important: frequent handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home when sick. ## A preventable tragedy The fact that these three deaths were entirely preventable makes them all the more devastating. With vaccination rates lagging and cases surging, Kentucky health officials continue urging families to ensure everyone- from pregnant women to school-age children to adults- stays up to date on their pertussis immunizations. For parents and caregivers, the message is clear: protecting the youngest and most vulnerable starts with vaccination. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### "They don't know what happens here": Liberty High School teacher calls proposed school closure a huge mistake URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/they-dont-know-what-happens-here-liberty-high-school-teacher-calls-proposed-school-closure-a-huge-mistake/ Last updated: 2025-11-25T14:59:09.000Z Days after JCPS district leaders proposed closing Liberty High School to battle a major budget deficit, students walked out of class in protest. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- When Ashley Sidebottom heard Jefferson County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood was recommending her school for closure, she wasn't just upset- she was angry. "I feel like they've never stepped foot in our school," the Liberty High School teacher told me. "They don't know what happens here." Yearwood has recommended closing and consolidating several schools across the district in response to a major budget shortfall discovered earlier this fall. The deficit stems from the expiration of temporary funding sources- including prior budget surpluses and federal COVID-19 relief funds- that sustained district operations in recent years. Among the schools proposed for closure is Liberty High School, which the district characterized as primarily a credit recovery school. Officials say credit recovery programs are now available across JCPS, making the standalone school unnecessary, and that students would return to their resident schools with personalized learning plans. But Sidebottom says that description fundamentally misunderstands what Liberty does. "When they called us a credit recovery school, that really was frustrating because that's not what we are at all," she said. "It's really a myth that we're a credit recovery school. We do so much more than that." [JCPS proposes school closures and consolidations: what families need to knowJefferson County Public Schools is confronting a $188 million budget deficit and today for the first time announced school closures could be part of the solution. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-100.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/jcps-1.webp)](https://www.shayinformed.com/jcps-propose-school-closures-and-consolidations-what-families-need-to-know/) ## What makes Liberty different Liberty High School operates using the Big Picture Learning model, a research-based approach that originated in Providence, Rhode Island, and has spread to schools worldwide. The school adopted the program in 2019, implementing it even as the pandemic forced education online. The approach focuses on getting to know each student individually, learning their interests, and connecting learning opportunities to what motivates them. Many students participate in internships with local businesses for work-based learning credit. In daily advisory periods, students design their own schedules based on their needs and interests. Teachers offer workshops on specific standards- like literary reading for English credit- rather than traditional full-period classes. Class sizes are small, typically far smaller than the 30-student rosters common at traditional high schools. "All of our students were not successful at their other schools for a variety of reasons," Sidebottom explained. "Having these smaller classes and the ability to kind of design their learning in a way that makes sense for them has really led to some great success." The school serves around 100 of what Sidebottom calls "the most underserved, most vulnerable students in the county," many dealing with anxiety and other challenges that make large classroom environments overwhelming. "We've just seen the first wave of the kids that started high school during COVID," she said. "They really need the one-on-one relationships that we can have in the classroom." ## Students walk out in protest ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-24-at-1.40.23---PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-24-at-1.40.12---PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-24-at-1.40.03---PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-24-at-1.39.40---PM.png) On Monday morning, Liberty students organized a walkout to protest the closure proposal- an action Sidebottom said teachers couldn't participate in during the school day but supervised for student safety. Current and former students quickly mobilized on social media, creating hashtags and a "Save Liberty" Facebook page. A Change.org petition gathered around 700 signatures, with former students sharing testimonials about how the school helped them succeed. "One of my favorite things about that petition is all of the testimonies from former students about how Liberty really helped them," Sidebottom said. ## What closure would mean for staff For Sidebottom and roughly 30 other staff members at Liberty, the proposal creates significant uncertainty. If the school closes, they would be considered "overstaffed" and need to transfer elsewhere in the district- a process Sidebottom has experienced three times before. "It's a very stressful process," she said. "You apply for the openings, you go to the interviews, but you may or may not be chosen." Her first year teaching, she was overstaffed from Western High School and interviewed at nearly every high school in the district. She didn't find out where she'd been placed- at Valley High School- until the day before school started. Many Liberty staff members have only ever worked at that school, potentially putting them at a disadvantage when competing for positions at other schools where they lack connections, she explained. She also said the transition from Liberty's small, family-like environment could be challenging. "You know, for a number of people, I would say it would be a big challenge to go from this environment to, say, a class or a roster of 150 students," Sidebottom said. ## Fighting for the school's future Sidebottom and others plan to attend the December 2nd public forum on the proposed changes, which will be held at the JCPS Center for Professional Learning. They're encouraging current students, families, and alumni to attend any or all of the forums the district is holding. While she acknowledges that historically, when teachers have spoken out against district decisions, it hasn't changed the decision, she believes student and family voices could make the difference. "In this case, I feel like if the students and their families make enough noise, then the district will have to listen," she said. The best-case scenario is that Liberty stays open. But if the district insists on changes, Sidebottom says the school has survived moves before- this would be the fourth relocation in six years- and they'll persevere again. "We feel like we're an important school. We do great things," she said. "They just need to give us the opportunity." What's at stake, she argues, isn't just a building or a program- it's an approach that works for students who haven't found success anywhere else. "It's really a myth that we're a credit recovery school," Sidebottom emphasized. "Alternative schools are really necessary to improve graduation rates and lower dropout rates. Having that opportunity for our students that really need it- it's going to be a detriment if the district decides to close our school." The JCPS School Board will ultimately decide whether to approve the superintendent's recommendations. You can ask questions about the JCPS proposal or give your feedback at one of three in person forums, or by using the [Proposed Facility Changes Form](https://forms.gle/uxv6eUaACtCaA16x6?ref=shayinformed.com). - **Forum 1:** Monday, Dec. 1, from 5–6 p.m. at Kammerer Middle School. Address: 7315 Wesboro Rd. - **Forum 2**: Tuesday, Dec. 2, from 5–6 p.m. at the JCPS Center for Professional Learning. Address: 3903 Atkinson Square Dr. - **Forum 3**: Wednesday, Dec. 3, from 5–6 p.m. at Academy @ Shawnee. Address: 4001 Herman St. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### “We are not hiding anything"; Shirley's Way founder defends charity after state alleges theft ring URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/we-are-not-hiding-anything-shirleys-way-founder-defends-charity-after-state-alleges-theft-ring/ Last updated: 2025-11-24T19:38:04.000Z Mike Mulrooney founded Shirley's Way in honor of his late mother, who died from cancer in 2013\. Now he's taking to social media to defend the charity amid accusations of theft. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- If you've noticed your local electronic pulltab machines suddenly going dark, there's a reason for that- and some charities want you to know they're not the bad guys here. Kentucky gambling regulators just ordered an immediate shutdown of these devices across the state after discovering thieves have been running an elaborate scheme that's already stolen tens of thousands of dollars. Now those same charities are finding themselves having to defend their reputations on social media. "This shutdown was not, and I repeat, was not just Shirley's Way," said Mike Mulrooney, founder of the charity Shirley's Way, pushing back against what he describes as attacks online. The Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Office of Charitable Gaming (KHRG) states that the theft problem has become so severe that they had no choice but to order all machines manufactured by LNW Gaming, Inc. and Creative Game Technologies, LLC at locations other than a charitable organization’s office location, the location where a charitable organization is licensed to conduct bingo, and a location where pre-approved charitable fundraising events, be disabled. ## So what exactly were these thieves doing? It's called "fishing," and it's as sketchy as it sounds. Here's how it works: Thieves use plastic lines to insert money into a machine, then pull it back out before the machine fully registers the deposit. The machine thinks it received more money than it actually did. Then the thief cashes out a big payout without ever playing a single game. According to KHRG, this whole process can take hours to pull off, but it's been effective enough to divert serious money away from the charities these machines are supposed to benefit. ## Who's to blame? KHRG says while the thieves are obviously the main culprits, plenty of other people dropped the ball here. The oversight agency alleges facility operators failed to stop the criminal activity, and charitable organizations weren't properly supervising their gaming operations or making sure someone was actually watching over things. The agency also said the game system manufacturers didn't build adequate security into their machines to prevent this kind of theft in the first place. The agency says all of this has damaged public confidence in charitable gaming, which is why they're taking such drastic action. ## "We are not being shut down for illegal activity." For charities like [Shirley's Way](https://www.shirleysway.org/?ref=shayinformed.com), the statewide shutdown has meant having to fight off accusations that they did something wrong. Mulrooney says his charity has a spotless record with regulators. "Shirley's Way follows all of the rules. We endure countless inspections and haven't had an issue…. We have passed every inspection, at every location, no issues, no investigations, no violations at all. Every penny is accounted for." [The charity founder took to social media](https://www.facebook.com/mike.mulrooney.5/videos/855081210252952) to defend his organization and the money it raises. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-24-at-9.24.30---AM.png) Mike Mulrooney on Facebook live Sunday evening "We are not being shut down for illegal activity," he emphasized. "We are not hiding anything, despite what people are saying." He's also worried about the broader fallout from the order. "It saddens me to think about the economic impact this is having across the board. The people we support and our partners that allowed us to put games in their place of business and trusted us with that opportunity." Mulrooney said accusations that his charity doesn't use the money for good are simply not true. He said since his mom died, Shirley's Way- which was founded in her memory- has given away $12 million. That money is spent in many different ways. He said they give away about $250,000 a month to people who are sick with cancer, to help them pay bills and buy groceries. He said they feed about 3,500 kids weekly, which costs about $100,000 a month. He said they have donated money to build playgrounds, buy new technology for schools, pay for Little League sports equipment for families that couldn't afford to play otherwise, sponsored Baby Boxes at multiple fire departments, and the list goes on. Beyond accusations coming from the public and social media, Mulrooney is also defending how Shirley's Way used the machines. He said they've been in use since 2019, and have been overseen by bartenders and waitstaff as "chairperson", which followed the rules laid out by the state. ## What it takes to turn the machines back on Getting these machines up and running again won't be quick or easy. KHRG has laid out a long list of requirements that manufacturers, charities, and facility operators all have to meet. Charitable organizations need to guarantee an unpaid chairperson will be physically present anytime the machines are operating. Facilities have to restrict access to people 21 and older. And here's a big one: facilities must install complete surveillance systems that monitor every machine and every person using them, with recordings kept for at least 30 days. The manufacturers also have to submit detailed reports explaining what went wrong and how they've fixed the security vulnerabilities in their machines. Only after all of that is done can a facility request an audit from KHRG. And only after passing that audit and getting written approval from the Director of Charitable Gaming Kim Sutherland can the machines be turned back on. There are some exemptions- machines at a charitable organization's office, licensed bingo locations, and pre-approved fundraising events can keep operating. But for everyone else? KHRG warns that failing to comply immediately will bring even more disciplinary action. For organizations like Shirley's Way, it's a big hit. Mulrooney says they cannot keep helping the way they have been without charitable gaming. While of those efforts are now on pause, Mulrooney says they're adapting to the new requirements. "We are in the process of making some adjustments, but we are not shut down." *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Kentucky ranks worst in nation for lung cancer: how we got here and the test you should take now URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-ranks-worst-in-nation-for-lung-cancer-how-we-got-here-and-the-test-you-should-take-now/ Last updated: 2025-11-24T14:12:08.000Z Kentucky's ranking, as worst in the country is an alarming statistic, but hope exists through early detection and advancing treatments. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Kentucky has earned an unfortunate distinction this year: the worst state in the country for lung cancer. It's a ranking that's both sobering and deeply personal for thousands of families across the Commonwealth. According to UofL Health, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths among both men and women nationwide. But Kentucky's numbers are particularly stark. The American Lung Association reports that Kentucky's rate of new lung cancer cases stands at 84.1- significantly higher than the national rate of 52.8. "Kentucky has had a problem with lung cancer for a long time, and this year, again, we are on the bottom of the list among the worst of all states in terms of deaths of lung cancer, especially in men," says Dr. Goetz Kloecker, M.D., M.B.A., M.S.P.H., from UofL Health's Brown Cancer Center. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-24-at-9.11.20---AM.png) Dr. Goetz Kloecker ## Why Kentucky? The reasons behind Kentucky's lung cancer crisis are complex, but several factors stand out clearly. Smoking rates tell much of the story- Kentucky's adult smoking rate of 17.4% far exceeds the national average of 11.4%. "We lead the nation with West Virginia on the number of adult smokers," Dr. Kloecker explains. "It's 50% more than the U.S. average, so smoking is a big problem, causing lung cancer." But tobacco isn't the only culprit. Kentucky's geology plays a role too. "The other problem in Kentucky is that Radon is relatively common because of the limestone ground… that's adding to the risk of lung cancer in Kentucky," Dr. Kloecker notes. Mining and nutrition issues further compound the problem. ## The silent threat What makes lung cancer particularly dangerous is its stealth nature. "You can have it, but you don't feel it, it doesn't cause any symptoms initially," says Dr. Kloecker. "You would not have any cough, chest pains or breathing problems, but you may already have it in your lungs and to find it, you have to get screened." This is where the numbers become even more troubling. Of those considered high-risk who should be getting screened, only 21.4% actually are. That's a gap that could mean the difference between life and death. The guidelines are straightforward: if you're between 50 and 80 years old and have smoked a pack a day for at least 20 years, you should get screened annually. Early detection can find cancer when it's "as small as a dime," Dr. Kloecker says, at a stage where "it can be removed, and you're cured." Without that early catch, lung cancer's second dangerous feature kicks in- it spreads fast. "If you don't find it early to where you can easily cure it, then it spreads to other parts of your body, it becomes for the most part, incurable," he explains. ## Kentucky must do better The screening gap represents a critical opportunity. "Unfortunately, only a minority between 9 and 20 percent who would be eligible get the CT screening," Dr. Kloecker says. "Kentucky, unfortunately, is falling behind. Other states for screening is more practiced. Kentucky has to do better at finding it at an early stage." The difference between stages is dramatic. Stage 1 lung cancer offers "the best chance," according to Dr. Kloecker. But once cancer spreads beyond the lung to the brain, liver, or bones, "it's going to be hard without treatment to live longer than a year." ## Reasons for hope Despite these sobering statistics, there's genuine reason for optimism. Treatment advances and clinical trials at Brown Cancer Center are offering new possibilities for patients. Dr. Kloecker points out an almost unbelievable shift in medical history: "Lung cancer, 150 years ago was a very rare disease. Just in the last 100 years of smoking, it became the most common cancer killer, and I dream of a future with modern medicine that we make it go away." That dream is being pursued through clinical trials that offer cutting-edge treatments, according to UofL Health. "We have clinical trials and this is a way to move forward," says Dr. Kloecker. "We hope we have more patients enrolling in clinical trials to take advantage of the new treatments that we have." ## The bottom line As November marks Lung Cancer Awareness Month, the message from UofL Health is clear and urgent: "We have to educate everybody that by finding it early with a screening, it can be cured." For Kentuckians, that means taking screening seriously, understanding your risk factors, and talking to your doctor if you meet the criteria. In a state facing the worst lung cancer rates in the nation, early detection isn't just good advice- it could save your life. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Only days remain to ensure every veteran at Zachary Taylor Cemetery gets a wreath URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/only-days-remain-to-ensure-every-veteran-at-zachary-taylor-cemetery-gets-a-wreath/ Last updated: 2025-11-24T15:02:02.000Z Time is running out to honor veterans at Zachary Taylor Cemetery. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The push is on to place wreaths on every veteran's grave at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery this December, and organizers say they're close- but not quite there yet. With just one week left before the deadline, about 2,500 more wreaths are needed to reach the goal of honoring all 11,400 veterans buried at the Louisville cemetery. So far, roughly 8,900 wreaths have been sponsored, which is encouraging, but the clock is ticking. "All of the wreaths placed on the graves at Zachary Taylor come from donations," said Susan Kalmey, co-location coordinator for the Corn Island Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. "We rely on private and corporate donations to make this happen. We were fortunate last year to reach our goal. Now, we need everyone's involvement this year to make it happen again." The deadline to sponsor a wreath is December 1st- that's next Monday. After that, there won't be enough time to get the wreaths made, shipped, and in place for the ceremony on December 14, according to Brownsboro Hardware. Doug Carroll, owner of Brownsboro Hardware & Paint, which is helping collect sponsorships, issued a challenge to the community: "With community support, we can still reach that lofty goal of 11,400 wreaths. I challenge every business, every club and organization, and every church to adopt this campaign as a mission." If you'd like to sponsor a wreath, it costs $17\. You can do so online at LouKYWreaths.org or stop by either Brownsboro Hardware & Paint location in person. The live Maine Balsam wreaths will be placed during a public ceremony at Zachary Taylor on [Saturday, December 13th at noon](https://wreathsacrossamerica.org/pages/164844/Overview/?relatedId=14839&ref=shayinformed.com). Everyone's invited to attend and help lay the wreaths. This effort is part of Wreaths Across America, a national organization that started in 2007 with a simple but powerful mission: Remember the fallen, honor those who serve, and teach the next generation about the value of freedom. Last year, the organization placed more than three million wreaths at over 5,200 locations nationwide. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### USDA monitoring highly contagious bird flu outbreak in Indiana URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/usda-monitoring-highly-contagious-bird-flu-outbreak-in-indiana/ Last updated: 2025-11-21T16:49:35.000Z The virus has impacted more than half a million birds since this outbreak began in 2022\. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The USDA and CDC are keeping tabs on the bird flu situation across the country. But Indiana is now leading the nation in at least one count. The Hoosier state has seen the most bird flu cases in the nation in the last 30 days, according to data from the [USDA](https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/commercial-backyard-flocks?ref=shayinformed.com). The agency reports there have been 21 impacted commercial flocks and 18 backyard flocks. The total birds affected since the beginning of the outbreak is 511,710\. Recently, birds have been impacted in Elkhart County, Lagrange County, and Johnson County, Indiana. The map below, created and updated by the USDA, shows where the bird flu has been detected in commercial flocks in the last 30 days. California, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, North Carolina and Georgia are also dealing with the outbreak. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-21-at-11.47.13---AM.png) ## Why this matters While rare, bird flu viruses can jump from infected birds to humans, especially people who work closely with poultry. The H5N1 strain circulating now has caused serious illness and deaths globally when transmitted to humans. Each human infection gives the virus another chance to mutate in ways that might make human-to-human transmission easier. There are currently no confirmed cases in humans in Indiana or Kentucky. There is also the risk of food supply disruption, which drives up egg and poultry prices and can create temporary shortages. Beyond consumer prices, these outbreaks devastate farming communities. Producers lose entire flocks, processing plants shut down, and workers lose jobs. The ripple effects touch feed suppliers, veterinarians, and rural economies that depend on poultry farming. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### JCPS proposes school closures and consolidations: what families need to know URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/jcps-propose-school-closures-and-consolidations-what-families-need-to-know/ Last updated: 2025-11-20T22:48:25.000Z Jefferson County Public Schools is confronting a $188 million budget deficit and today for the first time announced school closures could be part of the solution. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Jefferson County Public Schools is asking families to prepare for significant changes next school year, with Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood recommending closures and consolidations affecting several schools across the district. The recommendation comes in response to a [major budget shortfall discovered earlier this fall](https://www.shayinformed.com/jcps-budget-crisis-what-the-district-is-protecting-and-whats-on-the-chopping-block/). The deficit stems from the expiration of temporary funding sources that sustained district operations in recent years, including prior budget surpluses and federal COVID-19 relief funds. With those one-time resources now depleted, JCPS is facing a major budget deficit that seemingly came as a shock. Now, the district is proposing major changes to several schools driven by a combination of declining enrollment and mounting facility costs. Ultimately, it will be up to the JCPS School Board to approve the recommendations. ## Which schools are affected? The recommendations hit both elementary and high school levels. **Zachary Taylor Elementary** would close entirely, with students reapplying to other elementary schools in the Ballard High zone. The school is currently operating at less than half its capacity. **King Elementary** would merge into **Maupin Elementary** under the proposal. While King is at 70% capacity, it's costing the district more than $10,000 above the average per student. Maupin, meanwhile, is only at 53% capacity but operates more cost-effectively, making it the target location for the consolidated school. **Liberty High School**, which was created specifically for credit recovery, would also close. District officials say credit recovery programs are now available across JCPS, making the standalone school unnecessary. Students would return to their resident schools with personalized learning plans. Two specialized programs would relocate rather than close. **Waller-Williams Environmental School** would move to a facility in the Fairdale neighborhood better suited to its size. The school is currently at just 39% capacity and costs about $111,000 per student- nearly double what other JCPS specialized schools spend. **The Georgia Chaffee Teenage Parent Program** would move from its current building to the Gheens Early Childhood Center at Male High School's campus, where enrollment has dropped to just 21% of capacity. ## New school, school move updates It's not all closures. JCPS also announced several building projects moving forward, including a new campus for W.E.B. DuBois Academy behind Thomas Jefferson Middle School, with Grace James Academy moving into DuBois's former building. A new early childhood center near Watterson Elementary is expected to open in August 2026, and Atherton High School's major renovation should wrap up around the same time. Echo Trail Middle School will see boundary adjustments for new students living north of I-64 and west of Valhalla Golf Club to address overcrowding, though current students won't be affected. ## What happens next? JCPS is holding three community forums in early December for families to ask questions and share feedback. The district is collecting written comments through an online form as well. All that input will be compiled and shared with the school board before they vote on December 9. Yearwood acknowledged these aren't easy decisions. "These are difficult but necessary steps," he said in the announcement, adding that the recommendations came after examining both facility conditions and educational models across the district. For families in affected schools, the next few weeks will be crucial for understanding what these changes mean for where their kids will go to school next fall. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Shelby County basketball coach sues parents for defamation, now unexpectedly off the job URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/shelby-county-basketball-coach-sues-parents-for-defamation-now-unexpectedly-off-the-job/ Last updated: 2025-11-20T19:59:30.000Z The lawsuit was filed against four parents, including Radio Personalities Amy Nic and Kelly K, earlier this year. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- A defamation lawsuit filed by a Shelby County high school basketball coach against four parents has taken a dramatic turn, with the coach now away from his position. According to court documents, Chris Gaither, the head boys basketball coach at Martha Layne Collins High School, filed suit in June against Amy and Andrew Ballard and Kelly and Michael Higdon, claiming they spread false and malicious statements about him that damaged his reputation in the community and threatened his career, according to his complaint. Since then, the Ballards haven't just denied the defamation claims- they launched counterclaims alleging Gaither ran a years-long scheme to collect unnecessary payments from parents through a personal Venmo account. Shelby County Schools would not confirm the reason the coach is now off the job, only saying Coach Chris George would be stepping in, in Gaither's absence. ## The coach's lawsuit According to Gaither's complaint, Amy Ballard sent an email in January of this year to school administrators, which he says contained "defamatory, malicious, reckless, negligent, and/or false statements" about Gaither's actions, reputation, and character. The email suggested Gaither had "misappropriated and/or stolen monies related to the basketball program at Collins High School", according to the court document. About a month later, on February 20, Andrew Ballard sent an open records request to school officials seeking "all MLCHS financial records connected to the basketball program," specifically requesting records related to a "Titans Basketball" Venmo account operated by Gaither, according to the lawsuit. Then in April, according to the complaint, Kelly Higdon sent an email to the athletic director at Christian Academy of Louisville, where Gaither was reportedly in discussions about a possible coaching position. Gaither alleges the email contained "reckless, false and defamatory statements" about Gaither's coaching skills, teaching abilities, and made allegations about misappropriation of funds, bullying and abusing players, and "fishing/grooming" of young girls and sexually inappropriate behavior toward minors, the complaint states. That email was forwarded to other coaches and eventually made its way back to Gaither, according to his lawsuit. Gaither claims the defendants also made similar statements on social media, through text messages, and in conversations with members of the school and basketball communities. He alleges none of the defendants attempted to meet with him about their concerns before publishing these statements. The coach is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, an injunction to stop further defamatory statements, and attorney's fees. ## The Ballards' story The Ballards' response, filed in court documents, tells a very different story. In their counterclaims, the Ballards allege that for three consecutive years- 2022, 2023, and 2024- Gaither directed them and other parents to send $175 annually to a Venmo account named "Titans Basketball" supposedly for their sons to attend Western Kentucky University basketball camps. "The contact information for the Venmo Account at the time of the payments was Gaither's personal email address and phone number," the document states. The account was also connected to KY Titans Corporation, a Kentucky nonprofit corporation listing Gaither as the registered agent, officer, director, and incorporator, with his home address as the principal place of business, according to the court filing. Here's the key allegation: "Martha Layne Collins High School informed the Ballards that parents did not and should not have paid for the Camps, because the school paid for them," the counterclaim states. "Martha Layne Collins High School (via its booster club) paid for the Camps." The Ballards claim Gaither never informed parents that the camps were already covered by the school, and instead "represented to the parents that the funds were needed and used directly as enrollment fees for their sons' attendance at the Camps." "The Venmo Account is not an account of Shelby County Public Schools," their filing emphasizes, alleging it was controlled by Gaither and/or KY Titans Corporation. The Ballards are seeking to turn their counterclaims into a class action lawsuit on behalf of all parents who paid money to Gaither or the Venmo account "that were not utilized for the represented purpose." They're also alleging that Gaither's defamation lawsuit itself was filed to harass and silence their family. ## The other family involved The other two defendants, Kelly and Michael Higdon, have not filed a separate counterclaim, but did deny the allegations in Gaither's lawsuit and asked that the claims against them be dismissed. ## The radio personalities Kelly, known on the radio as Kelly K, hosts the morning show on 99.7 DJX. Amy, known on the radio as Amy Nic, hosts the morning show on 102.3 The Rose. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/ben-and-kelly-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Amy-Nic.jpg) The lawsuit has a hearing set for December 5th in Shelby County. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### NTSB: Fatigue cracks found in UPS Plane that crashed in Louisville URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/ntsb-fatigue-cracks-found-in-ups-plane-that-crashed-in-louisville/ Last updated: 2025-11-21T15:09:29.000Z Federal investigators have released preliminary findings on what caused a UPS cargo plane to crash moments after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, killing 14 people. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary report on Flight 2976 just days after wrapping up the on-site investigation. The new report reveals that fatigue cracks in a critical engine mounting hardware led to the catastrophic failure of UPS Flight 2976 on November 4, 2025. According to the[ NTSB report](https://www.ntsb.gov/Documents/Prelimiary%20Report%20DCA26MA024.pdf?ref=shayinformed.com), the left engine separated from the wing of the MD-11F shortly after the plane rotated for takeoff from runway 17R around 5:14 p.m. Airport surveillance video captured the engine breaking away and catching fire before hitting the ground. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-20-at-11.38.11---AM.png) Credit: NTSB "A fire ignited near the area of the left pylon attachment to the wing, which continued until ground impact," the report states. The plane managed to clear the blast fence at the end of the runway but never climbed higher than about 30 feet above ground level, according to data from the flight data recorder. The left landing gear struck the roof of a UPS Supply Chain Solutions warehouse at the southern edge of the airport. The aircraft then hit a storage yard and two other buildings, including a petroleum recycling facility. All three crew members aboard the plane were killed, along with 11 people on the ground. Another 23 people on the ground were injured, two of them seriously. ## The critical failure According to the report, NTSB investigators found evidence of fatigue cracking in the left pylon's aft mount, which is one of three connection points securing the engine to the wing. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-20-at-12.11.23---PM-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-20-at-12.12.08---PM.png) Credit: NTSB "After initial cleaning of the fracture surfaces, examination of the left pylon aft mount lug fractures found evidence of fatigue cracks in addition to areas of overstress failure," the report states. The aft mount assembly includes forward and aft lugs that house a spherical bearing connecting to the wing. Both lugs fractured, and the spherical bearing's outer race also broke apart. The fractured upper portions of both lugs were found on the runway, while the wing clevis, bearing, and attachment hardware were recovered at the main crash site about 3,000 feet away. ## Maintenance history The aircraft had accumulated about 92,992 flight hours and 21,043 cycles at the time of the crash, according to the report. The last detailed visual inspection of the left pylon aft mount was completed on October 28, 2021- nearly four years before the accident. The NTSB notes that two special detailed inspections were not yet due. A lubrication task for the pylon bearings had been completed just weeks before the crash, on October 18, 2025, the report states. ## Experienced Crew ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-07-at-10.11.53---AM-3.png) The three pilots aboard Flight 2976 were all experienced aviators, according to the NTSB. The captain, who was pilot monitoring, had about 8,613 total flight hours, including nearly 5,000 hours in the MD-11\. The first officer, who was flying the aircraft, had about 9,200 total hours with nearly 1,000 in the MD-11\. The relief officer had logged about 15,250 total hours, with more than 8,700 in the MD-11. Both the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were successfully recovered and downloaded, with the CVR capturing the entire accident flight. ## Similarities to another crash The NTSB report notes similarities to American Airlines Flight 191, which crashed on May 25, 1979, shortly after takeoff from Chicago O'Hare International Airport. In that accident, the left engine and pylon separated from a DC-10 during takeoff rotation, causing the plane to roll left and crash, killing 271 people aboard and two on the ground. The DC-10 was the predecessor to the MD-11, which was developed from that earlier design. The NTSB emphasizes that its investigation of UPS Flight 2976 remains ongoing and that the information in this preliminary report is subject to change. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### The KY justice system failed the Tipton family twice, now they're hoping there isn't a strike three URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/the-ky-justice-system-failed-the-tipton-family-twice-now-theyre-hoping-there-isnt-a-strike-three/ Last updated: 2025-11-24T14:12:41.000Z Nine years after Logan's death, the Tipton family is being "re-victimized" by a system that won't even return their calls. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Dean Tipton learns about developments in his son's case the same way you do- through news reports, social media, and TikTok personalities. Nine years after his 6-year-old son Logan was stabbed to death in their Versailles home, Tipton finds himself in an unthinkable position: waiting to see if Kentucky officials will keep his son's killer behind bars. "We're the victims of this whole thing, and we're left in the dark," Tipton told me. "That's wrong. I don't know what to do." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-10-16-at-10.02.05---AM.png) Ronald Exantus On October 1st, Ronald Exantus walked out of a Kentucky prison despite the state parole board voting unanimously to keep him locked up. A Kentucky law requiring mandatory supervision forced his release after just seven years- even though he'd been sentenced to 20. The reason? The assault charges Exantus was convicted of aren't considered "violent offenses" under Kentucky law, meaning he didn't have to serve the majority of his sentence. This despite the fact that in 2015, Exantus broke into the Tipton home and attacked the family in what Dean describes as "a random act of violence." Logan died from his injuries. Dean's oldest daughter, Coral, fought Exantus off until her father could get upstairs. "The kids are having a rough time with it. They're scared, you know? They're scared that he's going to come back and finish what he told them that he was going to do," Dean said. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Nine years, no arrests: the unanswered questions in Tommy Ballard's murder URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/nine-years-no-arrests-the-unanswered-questions-in-tommy-ballards-murder/ Last updated: 2025-11-20T13:32:17.000Z Tommy Ballard's family hopes forensic advances will bring justice. They know they need something to crack the case. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my weekly podcast.* --- For the last two years, Tommy Ballard's murder investigation seemed to take a backseat. One he would approve of. While his daughter Crystal Rogers' case dominated headlines, moving through arrests, trials, and ultimately convictions, there were fewer questions about Tommy's. But with Brooks Houck, Steve Lawson, and his son Joseph Lawson convicted in Crystal's death, the focus is shifting back to the hunting property that backs up to the Bluegrass Parkway, where Tommy was shot and killed on November 19, 2016. The timing feels significant. The attention, the resources, the determination that finally brought Crystal's killers to justice- all of it could now turn toward Tommy's case. But there's a catch. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Two weeks later; an update on the UPS plane crash URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/two-weeks-later-an-update-on-the-ups-plane-crash/ Last updated: 2025-11-19T12:14:10.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- It was two weeks ago today that 14 people were killed, and several others were hurt when UPS Flight 2976 crashed moments after takeoff from the Louisville International Airport. The NTSB has completed the organization's on-site investigation and released the scene back to Metro Louisville. The organization is still working on the preliminary report, which is typically released about 30 days after a disaster. A more thorough report revealing cause, failures, and recommendations could take up to a full year to complete. UPS has stated a commitment to covering the financial burden of the crash both for the city of Louisville and the people impacted. When asked what that process will look like, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg could not provide details but said they are gathering expenses to hand over to UPS. UPS Airlines President Bill Moore was in Louisville for the two-week update. This is our first time hearing from him. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-18-at-11.40.34---AM.png) UPS Airlines President Bill Moore "Words cannot describe how painful the last two weeks have been," Moore said, "I can only imagine how painful it's been for the families." Moore said they have provided financial support every step of the way- including travel expenses, funeral expenses. He said UPS remains committed to supporting the victim's families and understanding exactly what occurred. "It's been tough, to be candid. It's been very difficult," Moore said when describing the last two weeks. [14 people dead after Louisville plane crash; what we know about the victimsUPS has identified the three-person crew that was killed in the crash. The Jefferson County Coroner is still working to identify the 10 victims killed on the ground. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-90.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-11-07-at-10.11.53---AM-1.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/13-people-dead-after-louisville-plane-crash-what-we-know-about-the-victims/) Moore said UPS made the decision to ground the MD-11 aircraft immediately following the crash. Since then, the FAA has mandated the grounding of all MD-11 planes, and MD-11F planes. ## Latest on the crash site Mayor Craig Greenberg said there are still many agencies and first responders working on and near the scene of the crash to restore public access and make sure it is safe. LG&E is one of the agencies that has been working 'non-stop' at the site for the last two weeks. Lizz Pratt, with LG&E and KU, said over the last two weeks they have been replacing utility poles, damaged equipment, and downed wires. They have been assessing equipment to find out what needs to happen to get gas and electricity restored to the 90+ customers who do not have access to gas right now. Much of the focus for LG&E has been on Grade Lane and nearby streets. "We are making every effort to restore service safely and as quickly as possible", Pratt said. MSD has also been on scene since day one. MSD Executive Director Tony Parrott said about 95 percent of the oil and fuel runoff from the site has been captured. Parrott called it a complex operation that could be complicated by incoming weather this week, but they are monitoring multiple locations in South Louisville very closely. The most impacted areas are Pond Creek- northern and southern ditches. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-18-at-11.52.55---AM-1.png) Executive Director of Louisville Metro Emergency Services Jody Meiman said more than 100 workers on still on site every single day working to get people back into their businesses, and back to life as usual. But they are facing challenges. One of the most time-consuming parts of recovery has been collecting pieces of the aircraft, sealing them up, and sending them to the NTSB as evidence. "There are a lot of people out there that are working very hard", Meiman said. Meiman is encouraging people who need help in any way connected to the site to take advantage of the community resource center. You can call a hotline at 502-473-5271, or you can visit the community resource center at 200 High Rise Drive. Call the number above to make an appointment. ## Concert of Remembrance and Healing ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-18-at-11.36.37---AM.png) Louisville Orchestra Music Director Teddy Abrams Mayor Craig Greenberg and the Louisville Orchestra are hosting a free tribute concert this Thursday evening to honor those lost in the UPS Airlines Flight 2976 crash and to give the community a space to grieve together. Louisville Orchestra Music Director Teddy Abrams said that after a tragedy like this, he believes it falls on the entire community to use the resources they have to help the community heal. For him, that is music. The Concert of Remembrance and Healing will take place on November 20 at 7 p.m. in Whitney Hall at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts. Doors open at 6 p.m., and anyone in the community is welcome to attend. "This has been an incredibly difficult time for our community, and nobody should have to go through it alone," Mayor Greenberg said. "We're grateful to Teddy Abrams and the Louisville Orchestra for this opportunity to honor those we've lost, recognize the bravery of our first responders, and mourn together as one community." The concert will feature pieces chosen specifically for reflection and healing- from the quiet sorrow of Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings" to the uplifting strength of Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man." The program also includes the timeless "Amazing Grace," arranged for full orchestra. Abrams said the entire region has felt the impact of this loss. "Music brings comfort, healing, community, and belonging when it is most needed," Abrams said. "The Louisville Orchestra felt compelled to offer our music as a gesture of support to the city of Louisville, the UPS community, and to the first responders who acted with such bravery. We hope this program provides a moment of reflection and solidarity." The evening will also recognize the first responders who answered the call and the UPS employees who supported the company's response efforts. The concert is free to attend, and the city is providing complimentary parking in the PARC Riverfront Parking Garage at 141 North Sixth Street. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Louisville Airport honors UPS pilot in emotional ceremony on the tarmac URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/louisville-airport-honors-ups-pilot-in-emotional-ceremony-on-the-tarmac/ Last updated: 2025-11-18T17:05:28.000Z A solemn ceremony unfolded on the tarmac at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport earlier this month, as the aviation community said goodbye to one of their own. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Passengers aboard a Dallas-bound flight witnessed an unexpected and moving tribute over the weekend, when they learned their departure delay was to accommodate a final journey home. One of the UPS pilots killed in the recent plane crash was being returned to Texas, accompanied by his grieving family. Cynthia Hyre Jones, who was traveling with her mother to visit family in Arizona, described the powerful scene from the terminal. UPS pilots, standing at attention in their dress uniforms, formed an honor guard on the tarmac as they escorted their fallen colleague's casket onto the commercial aircraft. "Lots of UPS pilots in dress uniforms showed up to escort the casket onto our plane as we were able to watch from the window," Jones wrote on Facebook. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/ups-pilot-to-dallas.jpg) Credit: Cynthia Hyre Jones The respect continued even after the flight touched down in Dallas. Every passenger remained seated in silence, allowing the pilot's family to depart first- a small gesture of solidarity during an unimaginable time. "Many voiced prayers for them as they passed by," Jones shared, noting how strangers became united in compassion during those quiet moments. The tribute reflects the tight-knit nature of the aviation community, particularly in Louisville, where UPS operates its Worldport hub- one of the largest package sorting facilities in the world. For the pilots who work these skies daily, losing a colleague isn't just a professional tragedy; it's personal. Jones's prayers extend to all the victims and families affected by the crash, a reminder that behind every aviation incident are real people with families, friends, and communities who loved them. International Relief Officer Captain Dana Diamond was from Caldwell, TX, according to reporting from KBTX. [14 people dead after Louisville plane crash; what we know about the victimsUPS has identified the three-person crew that was killed in the crash. The Jefferson County Coroner is still working to identify the 10 victims killed on the ground. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-89.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-11-07-at-10.11.53---AM.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/13-people-dead-after-louisville-plane-crash-what-we-know-about-the-victims/) *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### The government shutdown is ending, but when will things be back to normal? URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/the-government-shutdown-is-ending-but-when-will-things-be-back-to-normal/ Last updated: 2025-11-13T15:08:26.000Z The two biggest impacts in the wake of the shutdown were the lapse in SNAP benefits and massive delays and cancellations for air travel. Now the question is, how fast can they recover? --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The longest government shutdown in history came to an end Wednesday night, after the House approved the Senate's funding package and President Donald Trump signed the bill into law. The funding bill will keep the government open through January 30th, 2026, with some specific parts of the government funded through the next year. But repairing the chaos the shutdown cost us won't happen overnight. During the six-week shutdown, thousands of federal workers went without paychecks, access to food was stripped from millions of families, and air travel was disrupted across the country. This big question now- how long will it take for everything to go back to normal? ## Getting air travel back on track US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy pumped the brakes on air travel in response to growing numbers of air traffic controllers and TSA agents calling out of work. Last week, 40 major airports across the country cancelled more than 2-thousand flights in an attempt to prioritize safety. Louisville International Airport was included on the list. Now, airline leadership say they are confident the industry will bounce back quickly. Delta CEO Ed Bastian told CBS News he's expecting a return to normal in the coming days. "By the weekend, we're pretty much going to be full steam ahead," Bastian said. He said air traffic control staff are expected to be paid in the next day or so, and once they receive paychecks, he anticipates the system will recover quickly. Good news for everyone thinking about Thanksgiving travel- two weeks from today! ## Funding SNAP benefits The funding bill signed by President Trump will fully restore funding to the USDA, which in turn funds SNAP until the end of the 2026 fiscal year. But it won't be simple getting the money to recipients due to a series of legal challenges and funding disruptions facing the program since the shutdown started. The USDA is anticipating that payments will resume to states within the next 24 hours, and then states will use the processes in place to reload individual EBT cards. That is a process that could take days or up to a week, depending on the state. But some could see complications. Roughly 29 states already released full or partial SNAP payments over the weekend. For these states, it could time weeks or even months to reprogram their systems to account for previous payments and then enable additional partial payments. In Kentucky, state leaders anticipate the 600,000 people who receive SNAP benefits will see at least partial funding this week. ## Other shutdown impacts will take time to recover One of the less talked-about impacts from the 43-day shutdown was a pause on federal funding for research grants. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a major funder of university research, has warned universities about what could be a several-month delay in reviewing grant applications and then processing funding. This is especially troubling for the country's major research institutes, which have already been hit hard by this administration's mass grant cancellations earlier in the year. The shutdown has also added to the economy's existing challenges, which include high inflation, tariff uncertainty, and a stalled housing market. Still, few economists are predicting an impending recession. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Big tech meets small town Kentucky; data centers want land while communities want answers URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/big-tech-meets-small-town-kentucky-data-centers-want-land-while-communities-want-answers-2/ Last updated: 2025-11-17T15:31:30.000Z From outright rejections to development moratoriums, rural communities are saying 'not so fast' to big tech's expansion plans. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and a new podcast.* --- Across rural Kentucky, a new kind of gold rush is unfolding- but instead of miners, it's tech companies searching for land. And instead of welcome wagons, they're increasingly finding resistance. So far this year, three Kentucky counties have grappled with proposals to transform farmland into massive data centers. Each story has played out differently, revealing a growing tension between economic promises and community concerns about what these facilities might bring to rural life. ## Counties fighting back The quickest [rejection](https://www.shayinformed.com/its-not-the-place-hundreds-turn-out-to-oppose-proposed-meade-county-data-center/) came in Meade County, where residents showed up by the hundreds to oppose a data center planned for approximately 140 acres of farmland off Joe Prather Highway, near Brandenburg. "I have not heard a single person in favor of this... if this passes, something is going on," one lifelong resident of Meade County said to the commission. "We should be investing in our local folks- farmers, businesses. Once we can do that, then we can start having conversations about additional industrial zones." The public input was loud and steadfast- they did not want the project coming to their town. And commissioners listened. "I'm not afraid to vote against the opposition if the opposition is being close-minded about something, but these people had legitimate concerns," Tim LaTondress, a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission, said after the meeting. The commission voted unanimously against the rezoning at a special meeting last month, and the fiscal court finalized the decision, effectively killing the deal. Oldham County took a different route. After a $6 billion project was proposed for 267 acres of farmland, local opposition mounted quickly. The developer eventually pulled out, and in July, county leaders passed a 150-day moratorium on all data center development during a special meeting- essentially hitting the pause button on the entire industry. But in Mason County, the story is still unfolding, shrouded in an unusual level of secrecy that has residents like Max Moran deeply concerned. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/max-moran.jpg) Max Moran, lifelong Mason County resident _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Judge rules to delay Amber Spradlin murder trial, allow more time for testing URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/judge-rules-to-delay-amber-spradlin-murder-trial-allow-more-time-for-testing/ Last updated: 2025-11-11T15:16:54.000Z The December trial for Michael "M.K." McKinney III, accused of killing Amber Spradlin in 2023, won't be happening as scheduled. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The Court granted the prosecution's request to postpone the trial, citing the need to complete outstanding DNA evidence testing. The decision marks the first continuance in the case, and it's a significant one for both sides. Special Judge Eddy Coleman leaned on a recent Kentucky Supreme Court ruling to justify the delay, writing that "the absence of available DNA evidence would be the equivalent to a missing witness in this case." _This post is for subscribers only._ ### More than just a day off: why we honor our veterans (and where they can find gratitude today) URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/more-than-just-a-day-off-why-we-honor-our-veterans-and-where-they-can-find-gratitude-today/ Last updated: 2025-11-11T14:44:14.000Z Every November 11, we pause. Schools close, banks shut their doors, and mail doesn't run. But Veterans Day is so much more than a day off work. It's a moment when our entire nation stops to say two simple but powerful words: "Thank you." --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Veterans Day started as Armistice Day, marking the end of World War I on November 11, 1918, at 11 a.m.. It was the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. In 1954, after World War II and the Korean War, President Eisenhower signed legislation changing the name to Veterans Day, expanding it to honor all American veterans, not just those who served in World War I. Unlike Memorial Day, which honors those who died in service, Veterans Day celebrates every person who has worn our nation's uniform. It's for the 19-year-old just finishing basic training and the 90-year-old who stormed the beaches of Normandy. It's for those who served in combat and those who served in peacetime. It's for everyone who raised their right hand and took an oath to defend our country. ## Why this matters The men and women who serve in our military make sacrifices most of us will never fully understand. They spend months or years away from their families. They miss birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays. They put their lives on hold- and sometimes at risk- so the rest of us can sleep soundly at night. When they come home, many face challenges reintegrating into civilian life. Some carry visible and invisible wounds. All of them carry the weight of their service. Veterans Day is our chance to acknowledge that weight and let them know we see them, we appreciate them, and we haven't forgotten. It's also a day to educate younger generations about the meaning of service. In a time when fewer Americans have direct connections to the military, Veterans Day helps bridge that gap and keeps the conversation about service alive. ## Gratitude in action: Where veterans can find appreciation today While our thanks should never be limited to one day a year, communities across the country are showing their appreciation for veterans through free meals and special discounts today. Restaurants of all sizes are opening their doors to honor those who served. Whether you're a veteran looking for a place to grab lunch or someone wanting to treat a veteran in your life, here's where you can find genuine appreciation served up alongside great food. ### Free meals for veterans Dozens of restaurants are offering completely free meals to veterans and active-duty military members today. Some highlights include: **Classic American Fare:** - Applebee's, Chili's, and IHOP are serving free meals from special Veterans Day menus - Red Robin is offering their Big Tavern Burger with bottomless sides - Denny's has free Original Grand Slams from 5 a.m. to noon - Texas Roadhouse is providing meals for dine-in or giving out vouchers valid through May 2025 **BBQ and Comfort Food:** - Mission BBQ, Dickey's, and Famous Dave's are dishing out free sandwiches - Golden Corral hosts their annual Military Appreciation Night from 4 p.m. to close - Bob Evans and Cracker Barrel are serving free breakfast options **Pizza and Italian:** - Olive Garden has complimentary entrées from a special menu - California Pizza Kitchen is offering free meals plus a BOGO offer for a future visit - Little Caesars is serving free lunch combos from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. **Fast Casual Options:** - Chipotle (through their Heroes Code promotion) - Qdoba, Moe's Southwest Grill, and other quick-service favorites - Starbucks is offering free tall brewed coffee to veterans and military spouses **Steakhouses:** - Outback Steakhouse (free Bloomin' Onion and beverage with entrée purchase) - Logan's Roadhouse and LongHorn Steakhouse have special Veterans Day offerings - Perry's Steakhouse is serving their signature pork chop ### What You Need to Know Before heading out, keep a few things in mind: **Bring your ID:** Nearly every offer requires proof of military service. This can be a military ID, VA card, DD214, or sometimes simply wearing your uniform. **Check participation:** Not all franchise locations participate in chain-wide promotions. It's worth calling ahead to confirm your local restaurant is taking part. **Timing matters:** Many offers are only available during specific hours, typically lunch service (11 a.m. to 2 or 4 p.m.). Some extend all day. **Dine-in often required:** While some restaurants offer their Veterans Day specials for takeout, many are dine-in only. ## Paying it forward If you're a civilian reading this, consider these ways to honor veterans today: - Buy a veteran's meal if you see them at a restaurant - Thank a veteran when you encounter them, but keep it simple and sincere - Attend a local Veterans Day ceremony or parade - Support veteran-owned businesses year-round - Volunteer with organizations that serve veterans - Most importantly, remember their service not just today, but every day At the end of the day, free meals and discounts are wonderful gestures, but they're not why veterans served. They didn't sign up for the perks or the recognition. They did it out of a sense of duty, patriotism, and a desire to protect something bigger than themselves. So today, if you're a veteran, please accept our nation's gratitude- and maybe a free meal or two. You've earned it. And if you're not a veteran, take a moment to recognize the men and women around you who answered the call to serve. They didn't do it for the thanks, but they deserve it anyway. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Behind the scenes; a look at my time working with Dateline URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/behind-the-scenes-a-look-at-my-time-working-with-dateline/ Last updated: 2025-11-12T16:33:56.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and (eventually) a new podcast.* --- Producers with the legendary true crime show Dateline first reached out to me years ago. The Crystal Rogers case was one they had been following, but they really started diving in once there was an arrest. The first time I met a member of the team was at Brooks Houck's arraignment in September of 2023\. One of the producers introduced herself and told me she had seen my work on the case and was interested in talking with me about appearing in an upcoming episode on Crystal. Everybody knows Dateline, and the show's reputation for excellence, so an opportunity to be part of that was thrilling for me! But the excitement didn't last. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Monday update: Clean up, search continues at site of UPS plane crash URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/monday-update-clean-up-search-continues-at-site-of-ups-plane-crash/ Last updated: 2025-11-10T20:51:06.000Z Mayor Craig Greenberg and other city leaders provided an update on the plane crash investigation on Monday afternoon. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- City and state leaders gathered at Metro Hall on Monday afternoon to give an update on the plane crash investigation. They are now seven days into the cleanup and search at the site. Greenberg said he and other state and city leaders met with employees from Grade A Autoparts on Sunday evening. He said the meeting included family members of the missing, employees who were there that night, and customers who heard the explosions and ran for their lives. "It's so important for all of us to continue lifting each other up. If you need help, ask for it," Congressman Morgan McGarvey said. Louisville EMA Director Jody Meiman says search and recovery continue at the site of the crash. ## The latest on the investigation The NTSB investigation is still underway at the scene of the crash. Right now, they are focused on removing the heaviest pieces of equipment so first responders can continue searching. "It is still an incredibly dangerous place to be," Greenberg said. The first injury to a first responder occurred on Sunday. It was a minor knee injury to an Okolona Fire Department member. The firefighter was treated and is now recovering at home. The EPA is also on the ground and involved in the clean-up process. There were massive oil and fuel spills around the site of the crash. MSD is also on scene and has played an important role in the clean-up process. Greenberg said the team has helped stop 30,000 gallons of oil from going into the ground and the Louisville waterways. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/crash-site--4.jpg) ## Resources for business, people impacted by the crash Meiman says his agency is contacting business owners who were not involved directly in the crash, but were impacted in some way. They are starting escorted trips to businesses to help business owners see the state of their businesses. They are contacting business owners when this is available. They are also working on setting up a hotline that will be available by Tuesday and a community resource center that will be up and running by the end of the week. ## An update on the victims The Jefferson County Coroner worked throughout the weekend and continues working on Monday to identify the victims. Greenberg said identifying the victims has been incredibly difficult due to the nature of the crash, including the fires. They will be formally notifying families as soon as possible and notifications to the public will come after that. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### US Supreme Court denies Kentucky clerk's request to overturn same-sex marriage URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/us-supreme-court-denies-kentucky-clerks-request-to-overturn-same-sex-marriage/ Last updated: 2025-11-10T15:14:05.000Z Ten years after the Supreme Court extended marriage rights to same-sex couples nationwide, the high court is doubling down, denying Kim Davis' request to take her case. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Kim Davis, the former Kentucky county clerk who was put in jail in 2015 after refusing to issue marriage licenses to a gay couple, asked the supreme court to take on her case and Monday morning, the court said no. As is generally the case when it denies petitions for review, the court did not provide any explanation for its decision not to hear Davis’ case. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-10-at-10.11.23---AM.png) Kim Davis was held in the **Carter County Detention Center* for six days on contempt of court charges. Davis had asked the high court to overturn the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges landmark ruling, calling it "egregiously wrong." She also argued First Amendment protection for free exercise of religion immunizes her from personal liability for the denial of marriage licenses, according to [ABC News.](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/supreme-court-formally-asked-overturn-landmark-same-sex/story?id=124465302&ref=shayinformed.com) In the petition to the Supreme Court, which was filed in July, Davis' attorney Mathew Staver wrote, "if there ever was a case of exceptional importance, the first individual in the Republic's history who was jailed for following her religious convictions regarding the historic definition of marriage, this should be it." This is not the first time Davis has tried to appeal the ruling, and lower courts have dismissed her claims. "Not a single judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals showed any interest in Davis's rehearing petition, and we are confident the Supreme Court will likewise agree that Davis's arguments do not merit further attention," said William Powell, attorney for David Ermold and David Moore, the now-married Kentucky couple that sued Davis for damages, in a statement to [ABC News.](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/supreme-court-formally-asked-overturn-landmark-same-sex/story?id=124465302&ref=shayinformed.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-10-at-10.12.00---AM.png) **Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States* **Historical Context**: At the time Obergefell was decided in 2015, 35 states had statutory or constitutional bans on same-sex marriages, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Kentucky was among those states with a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. **Current Legislative Activity**: So far in 2025, at least nine states have either introduced legislation aimed at blocking new marriage licenses for LGBTQ people or passed resolutions urging the Supreme Court to reverse Obergefell at the earliest opportunity, according to the advocacy group Lambda Legal. Because the court has denied her request, nothing changes for same sex couples of the constitutionality of their marriages. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Shelbyville's coldest case? The unsolved murder of Jim Duckett URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/shelbyvilles-coldest-case-the-unsolved-murder-of-jim-duckett/ Last updated: 2025-11-11T00:51:36.000Z A sister's search for justice continues as the anniversary of a brutal killing approaches. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and (eventually) a new podcast.* --- Katherine Nichols doesn't sleep well in the fall. Every Halloween, the memories come flooding back. That's when her brother Jim called in the middle of the night, upset after being robbed. Nine days later, on November 9, 2008, she found him murdered in his own home. This Sunday marks 17 years since Jim Duckett's death. Seventeen years of unanswered questions. Seventeen years of a sister reliving the worst day of her life, over and over again. "Some years are better, some years are worse," Katherine said in a recent interview, her voice steady but heavy with the weight of nearly two decades of grief. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-03-at-12.44.46---PM.png) Katherine Nichols and her brother Jim Duckett ## A day that started normal The day before Jim's murder was supposed to be ordinary. It was 'Light Up Shelbyville', a beloved local holiday event, and Katherine and Jim spent the day Christmas shopping together. She's a retired postal worker- and likes to get things done early. When Jim dropped her off at home, she called him back. He hadn't said goodbye. "I did the 'bye sis, I love you,'" Katherine recalled. "And he laughed. He goes, 'Bye sis, I love you.' And I said I had a good time today. And he said, 'So did I.'" It was the last conversation they would ever have. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-03-at-12.48.10---PM.png) The crime scene 2008 _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Kentuckiana kids are hungry; the reality of the stall in SNAP benefits URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentuckiana-kids-are-hungry-the-reality-of-the-stall-in-snap-benefits/ Last updated: 2025-11-08T11:57:05.000Z A local food program serving children added 750 families in four days. This is what hunger really looks like in our community. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Ten years ago, Tracy Patton watched a school counselor hand out small Walmart bags to about twenty children at a local elementary school. When she asked what was in those bags, the answer changed her life: "That's the food we give them to get them through the weekend." That moment of recognition- the sudden awareness that children in her own hometown were going hungry- led Patton to start [REACH Food Program](https://reachfoodprogram.com/?ref=shayinformed.com). She printed a simple flyer with her cell phone number and a promise: if you need food this summer, call. The next morning, the sweetest little voice she'd ever heard called to order a cheese sandwich. Today, that same cell phone number is printed on delivery vans and volunteer shirts. It rings constantly. And this past week, it rang more than Patton could have ever imagined. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-07-at-11.52.54---AM.png) ## When every 30 seconds brings a new child "This past week, our new intakes were coming in like every 30 seconds," Patton tells me, her voice carrying the weight of what she's witnessed. "I kid you not." In just four days, 750 new children entered the program. The shelves that volunteers stock each morning are empty by day's end. Patton and her team are shopping every single day, loading vans with whatever they can find at Walmart, rushing to keep up with a need that's growing faster than donations can come in. "The food goes out much faster than it comes in," she says simply. ## The faces behind the statistics There's a perception about people who use food assistance- a narrative that some are gaming the system, taking advantage of programs meant for those in true need. But REACH delivers food directly to doorsteps. Patton sees these families. She knows their stories. She says it's grandparents on fixed incomes who've taken in four or five grandchildren to keep them out of foster care. Their Social Security checks stretch impossibly thin, covering kids they never expected to raise again. Their situations won't change. The need won't go away. There's the single dad with four teenage boys, working full time but calling REACH with apologies in his voice. "By the time I pay my mortgage and the electric bill and all these other bills, food is always last," he told Patton. "Have you ever tried to feed four teenage boys? I'm sorry. I hate to use you, but I wouldn't call if I didn't need you." These aren't people looking for a handout. At one elementary school, a little boy was having an especially difficult day. He was out of control, running around, acting unlike himself. When they finally got him to the principal's office, he broke down crying. "I'm hungry," he said. All of the behavior problems traced back to an empty stomach. This is what hunger looks like in our community. It's not people wanting handouts or trying to beat the system. They are people making impossible choices between keeping the lights on and feeding their children. ## The help that hasn't come Kentucky declared a state of emergency and sent $5 million to local food banks after SNAP benefits were cut. REACH, despite serving children across southern Indiana, Louisville, and receiving calls from as far as Tennessee and Arkansas, hasn't received any of that funding. They're doing this the old-fashioned way: food drives, donation boxes in local businesses, volunteers shopping with their own money, and generous individual donors handing over personal checks. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-07-at-11.55.36---AM.png) When I ask Patton what gives her hope, she doesn't mention the government or the system or any expectation that things will get better. "My hope comes from the people who keep our organization going," she says. "The volunteers, the donors. I think things are going to get worse, but my hope is that we will just pull together as a team and get these kids fed no matter what." ## Where do SNAP benefits stand right now? The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which operates SNAP, told states Friday afternoon that it was working toward paying full November SNAP benefits. This came after a judge ordered the Trump administration to fully fund the SNAP program during the government shutdown. But the White House has pushed back, arguing the money is needed to pay for child nutrition programs known as WIC. The legal battle happening behind the scenes is complicating families' access to a simple necessity- food. ## How you can help **Volunteers** to drive deliveries to children in southern Indiana and the Louisville area. Sign up [here](https://reachfoodprogram.com/donate-%2F-volunteer?ref=shayinformed.com)! **Food donations** of any kind- every can of corn, every jar of peanut butter, goes directly to a child's table. There are drop off locations across Southern Indiana and Louisville. Find your closest one [here](https://reachfoodprogram.com/donate-%2F-volunteer?ref=shayinformed.com)! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-08-at-6.55.49---AM.png) **Amazon purchases** from their wish list (search "REACH Food Program") for those who want to help but don't have time to shop. **Monetary donations** to allow Tracy and her team to keep shopping every single day when the shelves are bare. Find the nonprofit's Venmo [here](https://account.venmo.com/u/REACHFoodProgram4Kids?ref=shayinformed.com). The need isn't going away. If anything, it's accelerating. Every thirty seconds, another family reaches out for help. The question isn't whether children in our community are hungry. We know they are. It's how we as a community, stand together and help! *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Case update on Jayden Spicer; KY boy found buried in a shallow grave URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/case-update-on-jayden-spicer-ky-boy-found-buried-in-a-shallow-grave/ Last updated: 2025-11-07T16:34:08.000Z The 10-year-old from Breathitt County, KY, was discovered in a shallow grave not far from his home in August. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Jayden Spicer's case has captured the commonwealth's attention after a multi-day search led to a [horrific discovery](https://www.shayinformed.com/jayden-spicer-case-what-we-know-about-the-10-year-olds-death/). The 10-year-old's body was found buried near his home, and his mom admitted to police that she buried him there. Felicia Gross, and her husband Joshua Gross, are both indicted in connection to his death. F. Gross' charges have been upgraded to include murder. J. Gross has been charged with complicity to murder, complicity to report an incident, tampering with physical evidence, abuse of a corpse, and complicity to tamper with witnesses. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/felicia-and-joshua-gross.jpg) The parents appeared in court Friday morning for another pre-trial hearing in the case. Gross was initially charged with making a false report, manslaughter, tampering with physical evidence, and abuse of a corpse. That manslaughter charge has been upgraded. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### 14 people dead after Louisville plane crash; what we know about the victims URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/13-people-dead-after-louisville-plane-crash-what-we-know-about-the-victims/ Last updated: 2025-11-13T15:13:58.000Z UPS has identified the three-person crew that was killed in the crash. The Jefferson County Coroner is still working to identify the 10 victims killed on the ground. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- All 14 victims from the UPS plane crash have been identified, and the families have been given confirmation. The official identification process ended about 24 hours ago. Jefferson County Coroner Jo-Ann Farmer said DNA records identified some, and some were identified by DNA and dental records. **Here is the full list:** 1\. Dana Diamond 2\. Richard Wartenberg 3\. Lee Truitt 4\. Angela Anderson 5\. John Loucks 6\. Carlos Fernandez 7\. Trina Chavez 8\. Tony Crain 9\. John Spray 10\. Matthew Sweets 11\. Louisnes Fedon 12\. Kimberly Asa 13\. Ella Petty Whorton 14\. Megan Washburn UPS has identified the three crew members who were killed in the crash as First Officer Lee Truitt, Captain Richard Wartenberg, and International Relief Officer Captain Dana Diamond. These are people who leave behind loved ones and entire lives. As always, it's important to me to share more than just the name of a victim. I will be working hard to learn about these men while respecting their families' privacy. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-07-at-10.11.53---AM-1.png) First Officer Lee Truitt, Captain Richard Wartenberg, International Relief Officer Captain Dana Diamond **First Officer Lee Truitt:** Truitt was based in New Mexico and leaves behind a wife and children, according to multiple reports. "We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support that has come forward from the community. Lee is a beloved father, husband, son, brother, friend, and pilot. As we process this tragedy, we ask that the public and press respect our privacy"- family statement sent to [KOAT](https://www.koat.com/article/louisville-plane-crash-crew-lee-truitt-albuquerque/69279839?ref=shayinformed.com) **Captain Richard Wartenberg:** Wartenberg appears to be from Northern Kentucky, according to reporting from [the Cincinnati Inquirer](https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2025/11/06/nky-pilot-was-one-of-three-killed-in-deadly-louisville-plane-crash/87134758007/?ref=shayinformed.com). The newspaper reports the 58-year-old appeared to be a car enthusiast. **International Relief Officer Captain Dana Diamond:** Diamond was from Caldwell, TX, according to reporting from [KBTX](https://www.kbtx.com/2025/11/07/burleson-county-man-among-flight-crew-killed-ups-plane-crash/?ref=shayinformed.com). Captain Diamond served as the international relief officer on the flight, which is an extra crew member available to allow pilots to rest. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/UPS-statement-on-victims.jpg) --- ## Victims from the ground ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/matt-sweets.jpg) **Matt Sweets:** UofL has identified one of the victims of the plane crash as Matt Sweets- a 2011 BSBA in Marketing graduate of the University of Louisville College of Business. He succumbed to his injuries days after the crash in the burn unit ICU. Matt leaves behind two children and a partner. --- We are still waiting to learn more about the victims of the crash who were killed on he ground. We believe these people to be employees and customers at the two businesses where the plane crashed and eventually exploded. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Amber Spradlin murder trial in limbo as court weighs forensic testing delay URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/amber-spradlin-murder-trial-in-limbo-as-court-weighs-forensic-testing-delay/ Last updated: 2025-11-07T16:00:08.000Z According to the prosecutor on the case, the DNA testing won't be complete by the December trial date. But defense attorneys are pushing to take the case to court on time. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- A Pike Circuit Court hearing Thursday will decide whether the December trial of Michael "M.K." McKinney III should be postponed while forensic testing continues- a request the defense is vigorously fighting. The case has been marked by tension between the prosecution's need to complete DNA analysis and the defendant's constitutional right to a speedy trial. McKinney has been held on $5 million bond since his July 2024 arrest in connection with the 2023 death of Amber Spradlin. ## What happened to Amber Spradlin According to Kentucky State Police, 38-year-old Amber Spradlin was found dead at a home in Eastern Kentucky on June 18th, 2023\. Police believe she was killed overnight on June 17th. The State Medical Examiner confirmed Spradlin died due to multiple stab wounds. Despite obvious foul play, police did not make any arrests for more than a year. In 2024, Michael 'MK' McKinney III was arrested and charged with her murder. He is accused of stabbing Spradlin several times with a knife at a home in Prestonburg in June 2023\. He is also accused of destroying or hiding the broken knife handle, according to court documents. McKinney's father, Dr. Michael McKinney II, and Josh Mullins were also arrested and charged, accused of helping MK McKinney cover up the brutal homicide. The indictment accuses McKinney and the two other men of an elaborate cover-up. According to court documents, they hid or destroyed the clothing they were wearing when the murder happened, cleaned Spradlin's blood from a kitchen sink, and then hid or destroyed the surveillance video, camera, and computer that police allege would have captured the murder in the room where she was killed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-03-at-3.57.20---PM.png) MK McKinney mugshot _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Governor Andy Beshear directs National Guard to help staff food banks URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/governor-andy-beshear-directs-national-guard-to-help-staff-food-banks/ Last updated: 2025-11-05T16:59:38.000Z Beshear says this will allow donations to go to feeding families, instead of hiring additional staff during the unprecedented demand at local food banks. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Governor Andy Beshear has directed the Kentucky National Guard to assist at local food banks, as demand for food assistance continues to increase across the state. He said the troops will work as staff at the facilities to allow monetary donations to go to food instead of additional staffing. On Monday, White House staff told a federal judge the administration would partially fund SNAP, using money from a contingency fund. According to the memo filed in the court record, it will be up to the states to calculate how the money for families and then distribute the money. The memo did note it was unclear how quickly the process would work and when SNAP benefit cards, known as EBT cards, would be reloaded. Beshear said he has directed state-level staff to prepare to fund EBT cards with the partial funding allotment when it is received, but again, it is unclear when that money will come through to the state for processing. In the meantime, he has directed an initial $5 million from the budget reserve trust fund to Feeding Kentucky food banks. Feeding Kentucky has a network in place to divide the funding across all 120 Kentucky counties. Dare to Care will be receiving about $1 million from Feeding Kentucky to bolster local supplies. ## Demand on a local level ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-04-at-12.35.26---PM-1.png) Dare to Care, Kentuckiana's largest food bank, is reporting a massive increase in demand. According to Alexus Richardson, spokesperson for Dare to Care, the need is intensifying every day in our community. She shared that the non-profit's warehouse on Fern Valley Road had a line out the door on Tuesday. At a spot where they typically feed about 40 families per day, they have already handed out food boxes to 117 families today. Richardson said Dare to Care partner agencies- the food banks and pantries that are provided food by Dare to Care- are reporting a 40% increase in demand this week. ## How can you help? On a local level, the most effective way to help people who may lose access to food stamps is to donate money to credible organizations like Dare to Care. James said, while his organization is not turning down food or volunteers, they are equipped to do a lot with a little when it comes to cash. For example, you will spend $1.09 in the grocery store on one can of soup. But Dare to Care can feed two people with your $1 donation. You can donate [here](https://donate.daretocare.org/for/2025awarenesscampaign?gad%5Fsource=1&gad%5Fcampaignid=23197385035&gbraid=0AAAABB3%5FkaOfCidNKTirYiY32mtZq1aLD&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvJHIBhCgARIsAEQnWlA2ryQI7vhf%5F7lVQ2EWzPJhR6E5H190KD9huZMgzZhJWUvFeXynogEaApW2EALw%5FwcB&ref=shayinformed.com). If you or someone you know needs help finding access to food, you can find a list of Dare to Care partners [here](https://daretocare.org/partner-agencies-list/?ref=shayinformed.com). *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### UPDATES: UPS plane crashes at Louisville International Airport, multiple people dead URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/lmpd-reporting-injuries-after-plane-crash-near-louisville-airport/ Last updated: 2025-11-06T20:16:32.000Z The crash happened around 5:15 p.m. Tuesday evening, while a UPS plane was taking off from the airport. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- A UPS plane crashed near the Louisville International Airport shortly after 5 p.m. Tuesday. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg is reporting that 12 victims have been discovered at the scene of the crash, and several others are hurt. Those numbers are expected to grow. Governor Andy Beshear said 9 different families have reported loved ones unaccounted for. "A significant search and rescue mission was underway overnight, which is continuing this morning," Beshear shared on social media Wednesday morning. The FAA confirms UPS Flight 2976 was headed to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, with three crew members on board, when it crashed shortly after take-off. There has been no word from UPS on the condition of the crew members. The fatalities are believed to be people on the ground, according to Greenberg. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/PRP--2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/PRP-fire--1.jpg) Credit: PRP Fire **Thursday 3:00pm update from the NTSB. Here's what we learned:** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-06-at-3.05.18---PM.png) Todd Inman says recovering missing people and bringing answers to families is still the top priority for everyone on scene. The FAA, UPS, IPA (Independent Pilots Association), the Teamsters, Boeing Corporation, and GE Aircraft Engines are all considered parties in the investigation. "We have no issue bringing in any resource that we need to make sure we have the right people here," Inman said. **What investigators have learned from the flight data recorder:** \-both recorders were recovered and disassembled at the Washington DC headquarters \-The downloads were successful and included about 60 hours of information, from multiple flights, including this one \-The voice recorder from the cockpit had about two hours of audio that included the crash flight \-It will take experts a few days to analyze the information and validate it There have been reports about the engine being worked on before the flight, but UPS is reporting that there was no maintenance issue before the flight. **Thursday, 10:00 a.m. update from Louisville leaders. Here's what we learned:** 12 people are dead, and their bodies have been removed from the scene. The coroner is currently working to identify them. 9 people are considered still missing. There could be more, and Mayor Craig Greenberg encouraged families who have not been in touch with a loved to report them as missing. First responders say the search will continue as they have only just started working underneath the debris. LG&E is working to restore power to the area however, with so many wires down, it is not safe at this time. They said they are working to do this as soon as possible. Opening roads around Grade Lane is also a work in progress. Officials are making a plan to do this in the coming days. There will be a vigil tonight at the Teamsters Local 89 for those lost, injured, or affected by the tragic crash of UPS Flight 2976\. The vigil will take place at Union Hall 3813 Taylor Blvd at 5:00 p.m. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/candlelit-vigil.jpg) **Wednesday 4:00pm update from the Kentucky, Louisville leaders. Here's what we learned:** 11 people have now died, and Governor Andy Beshear confirms one of those 11 people is a child. First responders are officially switching from a rescue mission to a recovery mission to protect the health of the crews on scene. Beshear said oftentimes, this kind of search operation will take a toll on first responders, and he doesn't want to cause a heart attack. Mayor Greenberg, Gov Beshear and Congressman McGarvey have toured the debris field and are describing it as absolutely devastating. It is about half a mile long and not safe for firefighters and first responders overnight. The FBI will take over debris investigation so if you reported debris in your yard, the FBI will likely be in touch. JCPS schools will be back in session Thursday. The coroner is still on site and removing bodies at this time. The coroner will be confirming the identities of the victims. The child was likely killed while at Grade A Autoparts with their family. **Wednesday 3:00pm update from the NTSB. Here's what we learned:** NTSB Member Todd Inman provided new information about the agency's investigation and early findings after the crash. The plane involved in Tuesday's crash was manufactured in 1991. "After being cleared for take off, a large plume of fire in the area of the left wing occurred during the take off roll. The plane lifted off and gained enough altitude to clear the fence at the end of Runway 17R", Inman explained. He said after take off, the plane made intake with structure and terrain off of the airport property, which then lead to a post impact fire, which covers about half of a mile. Surveillance video shows the left engine detaching from the wing during take off. He said this videos and others are very valuable in determining exactly what happened. They are being sent to the NTSB lab in Washington D.C. Inman said they have recovered the black box from the crash site. It has suffered some heat damage, but he said that is expected and the technology can handle that. They will form several groups to examine different parts of the incident, which include: \-**Operations** will review the history of the accident flight and crew member duties for as many days before the flight as seem relevant \-**Structures** will document the accident scene, calculate impact angles **\-Power plants** will examine the engine and engine accessories **\-Systems** will study the components of the plane's systems \-**Maintenance** will look at Maintenance records and any work that has been done on the plane They are also bringing in specialists in air traffic control and human performance. Wednesday night they will be having a meeting to establish what all outside groups needs to be brought in to assist in the NTSB investigation. "Our mission is to not only understand what happened but why it happened and to recommend changes to prevent it from happening again," Inman explained. He expects NTSB investigators to be on scene for the next week. **Wednesday 2:45pm update from UofL Health. Here's what we learned:** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-3.35.00---PM.png) Dr. Jason Smith, CEO Of UofL Health; Credit: UofL Health There are still two people in the hospital, in critical condition, in connection to the plane crash. He could not go into details on their injuries but said they are working hard to save them. "This is obviously a huge tragedy in our community", Dr. Jason Smith, CEO of UofL Health, said, "Our hearts go out to our friends and colleagues at UPS... and to all of those who were affected by the incident yesterday." Smith said they have treated burns, blast injuries, shrapnel injuries, and smoke inhalation injuries related to the fire. Smith said they activated 'code yellow' Tuesday night before they knew what kind of incident they were dealing with. For example, if it were a passenger plane, they would have expected hundreds and hundreds of injuries. "When something like this occurs and you don't know the extent of the injuries, you prepare for everything possible," Dr. Smith said. He said they had multiple other hospitals on stand-by and ready to go into disaster mode, if needed. **Wednesday, 12 p.m. update from Louisville leaders. Here's what we learned:** The Louisville International Airport has partially reopened. One runway is operational. Airport CEO Dan Mann confirms some flights are still being delayed and cancelled. Mayor Craig Greenberg said everyone's water is safe to drink unless you have been specifically contacted by emergency management personnel. Greenberg has asked everyone to stop flying drones within the no-fly zone above the flight crash. "Please do not be that person that's getting in the way of our recovery efforts", he said. He said if they find drones violating this request, the owners risk the drones being confiscated and facing prosecution. The NTSB is on site and providing updates to local leaders. Congressman Morgan McGarvey and Greenberg met with NTSB investigators on Wednesday morning. McGarvey said they are going over everything that has to do with this crash with "a fine-tooth comb". He said the NTSB has partnered with the Red Cross to make sure victims' families are getting the resources and information they need. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.24.57---PM.png) Okolona Fire Chief Okolona Fire Chief Mark Little said his department did a training just two weeks ago with the airport and Louisville fire to prepare for an emergency like this one. "You hope that's training you never have to use," he said. Little said there are currently four engines, four trucks, two ambulances, 30-40 firefighters, and a search and rescue team still on scene Wednesday afternoon. He said they are expecting to be on scene for at least a week, working through the 'debris zone'. They are still battling hot spots near the scene of the crash and working with NTSB to help the investigating agency gain access to what will soon be considered evidence. The Jefferson County Coroner was at the scene last night and is back at the scene today. The agency is working to confirm identities and notify family members. *The next briefing is expected later this afternoon.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.18.09---PM.png) Congressman Morgan McGarvey **Wednesday 11:30 a.m. update from Governor Andy Beshear. Here's what we learned:** Governor Andy Beshear has declared a State of Emergency in response to the plane crash. He said this is the best way to quickly gain access to resources and funding. According to Beshear, the efforts on scene have transitioned from search and rescue to search and recovery. As of early this morning, 16 families were still looking for a missing loved one. He is enacting the Team Kentucky Relief Fund to help the victims' families and the survivors. He said the first thing the fund will pay for will be victims' funerals. There is a concern about the safety of water in an area near the crash site. Beshear believes this is a heavily industrialized area and not a residential area. We are expecting more information from local Louisville officials. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-11.31.19---AM-1.png) **Wednesday 7 a.m. update:** The airport closed on Tuesday evening, but many of the flights were rescheduled for Wednesday. At this time, airport officials say they do expect passenger planes to begin flying this morning. You can keep an eye on flight status [here](https://www.flylouisville.com/flight-status/?flight-search=&flight-type=D&ref=shayinformed.com). The NTSB is sending a crew of 28 investigators, according to Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg. That team is expected to be on the ground in Louisville by 10 a.m. this morning. UofL Health said ten patients are being treated in its hospital system Tuesday night, including two patients in critical condition at the UofL Hospital Burn Unit. Two workers are missing from Grade A Autoparts and Kentucky Petroleum Recycling- the two businesses that were directly impacted by the crash. Greenberg and Beshear have said there could be more people unaccounted for, as the businesses did not have clear numbers on customers. At least 16 families are looking for their loved ones at this time. The shelter-in-place has been reduced to those within a quarter-mile radius of the airport. At one point Tuesday evening, that shelter-in-place stretched from the Outer Loop north into Southern Indiana. JCPS schools are closed on Wednesday. UPS's Second Day Air sort has been cancelled on Wednesday. Hub and Ramp employees who work in this sector have been asked not to report to work. Family and friends are asked to report to the LMPD Training Academy at 2911 Taylor Blvd for reunification and to get the latest information about victims. --- *You can watch a video of the moment the plane attempts to take off, and then crashes on my Facebook* [*page*](https://www.facebook.com/reel/1197325322319752)*. I do want to let you know, the video is graphic. It appears to have been recorded by a passenger in another plane.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-7.15.38---AM.png) --- **Mayor Craig Greenberg provided an update at 10:35 pm Tuesday. Here's what we learned:** \-The number of fatalities has increased to 7 people, expected to rise again, according to Gov Beshear \-First responders are still actively searching the scene, including more than 100 firefighters \-NTSB sending 28 investigators, expected to be in Louisville by 10am Wednesday \-Fire crews still monitoring “hot spots” near the crash site \-Do not touch any debris that might have landed in your property- take pics. This could be used by NTSB when they work to recreate the crash. \-Families can report missing people, get patient updates at 2911 Taylor Boulevard ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-04-at-7.41.23---PM.png) **Governor Andy Beshear provided an update at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Here's what we learned:** \-At least 3 fatalities, and that is expected to get larger \-At least 11 injuries, and that number is expected to get larger \-No hazardous material on board the flight \-Two businesses impacted: Kentucky Petroleum Recycling and Grade A Autoparts \-All but two employees have been accounted for, we are waiting to learn more about them \-Other surrounding businesses, like the Ford Plant and Expo Center, are sheltering in place \-NTSB is leading the investigation and expected on scene at any moment \-Firefighters from departments across Louisville, Lexington ,and surrounding counties are on scene helping to battle the blaze ## Shelter in place updates The shelter-in-place has been reduced to a 1/4 mile radius around the Airport. An emergency 'shelter in place' alert was issued around 5:40 p.m. for people within five miles of the airport. That includes downtown Louisville, the University of Louisville campus, and several neighborhoods, including Newburg, Okolona, Shively, Highlands, and Camp Taylor. The shelter-in-place was revised around 7:20 p.m. to include everyone from the Outer Loop northbound to the Ohio River. The shelter in place is for smoke from the plane crash. The Health Department is urging homes and businesses within the shelter-in-place area to turn off air intake systems and close windows as soon as possible because of the smoke. Due to the shelter-in-place order, TARC services have been suspended on Tuesday night. Those within one mile of the airport may notice an odor in the air, but at this time, it is not harmful; air monitoring is in effect. ## UofL Hospital updates ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-7.16.22---AM.png) UofL Hospital is no longer under a ‘code yellow,’ which means the disaster plan had been activated in response to the plane crash near Louisville International Airport. **Wednesday morning update:** UofL Health received 15 patients across several hospitals and medical centers. 13 of those patients have been discharged and two patients remain in critical condition in the ICU at UofL Health- UofL Hospital. Here's more information on where the patients were taken Tuesday night after the crash: • Two are at UofL Health – UofL Hospital in the Burn Center in critical condition, two additional were treated with non-life-threatening injuries. • Three patients with non-life-threatening injuries were treated at UofL Health – Mary & Elizabeth Hospital. • Two patients with non-life-threatening injuries were treated at UofL Health – South Hospital. • One patient with non-life-threatening injuries was treated at UofL Health – Jewish Hospital. Family and friends are asked to report to the LMPD Training Academy at 2911 Taylor Blvd for reunification and to get the latest information about victims. These families are asked NOT to go to local hospitals at this time. ## Louisville Airport updates All arriving and departing flights at SDF were suspended around 5:30 p.m. The airfield was closed shortly after the crash. The airport is urging passengers to monitor flight status updates via the [website](https://www.flylouisville.com/flight-status/?flight-search=&flight-type=D&ref=shayinformed.com). According to a 7:30 p.m. check, several flights slated for Wednesday morning were already cancelled. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-04-at-7.25.07---PM.png) Flight statuses as of 7:30 p.m. November 4th ## Crash investigation updates Flight 2976 department The NTSB and FAA are both investigating the crash. The NTSB is leading the investigation and will be providing updates. 28 investigators with NTSB expected to arrive in Louisville by 10 a.m. Wednesday. > UPS Flight 2976 crashed around 5:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Nov. 4, after departing from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky. The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 was headed to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu. The FAA and NTSB will investigate.… > > — The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) [November 4, 2025](https://twitter.com/FAANews/status/1985846235803062781?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=shayinformed.com) ## UPS released the following statement: "We are terribly saddened by the accident tonight in Louisville. Our heartfelt thoughts are with everyone involved. UPS is committed to the safety of our employees, our customers and the communities we serve. This is particularly true in Louisville, home to our airline and thousands of UPSers. "We are engaged with the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation of the accident and are staying in close contact with the Federal Aviation Administration. We will work tirelessly with state and local authorities on response efforts. "As a result of the accident, we are halting operations tonight at Worldport. The Next Day Air sort has been cancelled and employees should not report to work tonight." ## More Louisville updates JCPS has cancelled school on Wednesday in response to the shelter in place order from the health department. *This is a developing story that will be updated as I learn more.* ### Kentucky food bank reports 40% increase in demand as message from White House sparks confusion URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-food-bank-reports-40-increase-in-demand-as-message-from-white-house-sparks-confusion/ Last updated: 2025-11-04T20:49:13.000Z Dare to Care, Kentuckiana's largest food bank, is reporting a massive increase in demand while Americans wait to see how and when food assistance cards will be reloaded. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Local food banks are reporting both good and bad news on Tuesday- the good news is the community has stepped up, and the supply is there. The bad news is that the demand is even higher. According to Alexus Richardson, spokesperson for Dare to Care, the need is intensifying every day in our community. She shared that the non-profit's warehouse on Fern Valley Road had a line out the door on Tuesday. At a spot where they typically feed about 40 families per day, they have already handed out food boxes to 117 families today. Richardson said Dare to Care partner agencies- the food banks and pantries that are provided food by Dare to Care- are reporting a 40% increase in demand this week. ## Confusion from the top down On Tuesday, President Trump said that federal food benefits provided through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will go out only when the government shutdown ends. He shared the update on social media. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-04-at-12.52.04---PM.png) The announcement comes one day after his administration told a federal judge that it would partially fund SNAP, using money from a contingency fund. According to the memo filed in the court record, the USDA planned to notify states of the partial funding on Monday, and it would then be up to states to calculate how the amounts for families and distribute the money. The memo did note it was unclear how quickly the process would work and when SNAP benefit cards, known as EBT card, would be reloaded. After Trump's post stirred confusion, the White House press secretary confirmed they will be following the court order and using the contingency funds to partially fund SNAP benefits this month. ## How Kentucky leaders are responding On Friday, Governor Andy Beshear signed an [executive order](https://governor.ky.gov/attachments/20251031%5FExecutive-Order%5F2025-740%5FState-of-Emergency%5FLapse-SNAP-Funding.pdf?ref=shayinformed.com) declaring a state of emergency and directing an initial $5 million from the budget reserve trust fund to Feeding Kentucky food banks. About $1 million is being directed to the Kentuckiana area food banks through Dare to Care, according to Richardson. We also learned on Tuesday that JCPS will be working with Dare to Care to feed students facing food insecurity. Superintendent Brian Yearwood said on a typical day, the district gives out over 100,000 meals each day to students. The district will be accepting donations at every JCPS school, the Van Hoose Education Center, the Stober building, and the CB Young Service Center. Those donations will then be given to Dare to Care, to help stock local pantries that JCPS families have access to. ## How can you help? On a local level, the most effective way to help people who may lose access to food stamps is to donate money to credible organizations like Dare to Care. James said, while his organization is not turning down food or volunteers, they are equipped to do a lot with a little when it comes to cash. For example, you will spend $1.09 in the grocery store on one can of soup. But Dare to Care can feed two people with your $1 donation. You can donate [here](https://donate.daretocare.org/for/2025awarenesscampaign?gad%5Fsource=1&gad%5Fcampaignid=23197385035&gbraid=0AAAABB3%5FkaOfCidNKTirYiY32mtZq1aLD&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvJHIBhCgARIsAEQnWlA2ryQI7vhf%5F7lVQ2EWzPJhR6E5H190KD9huZMgzZhJWUvFeXynogEaApW2EALw%5FwcB&ref=shayinformed.com). If you or someone you know needs help finding access to food, you can find a list of Dare to Care partners [here](https://daretocare.org/partner-agencies-list/?ref=shayinformed.com). *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### A toddler died because a driver wasn't paying attention, now Kentucky might finally do something about it URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/a-toddler-died-because-a-driver-wasnt-paying-attention-now-kentucky-might-finally-do-something-about-it/ Last updated: 2025-11-05T16:16:59.000Z KY Senator Jimmy Higdon presented the Phone-Down Kentucky Act Tuesday; legislation that could bring Kentucky's distracted driving laws into the 21st century. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- I've been following this story for months now, and watching it come to this point feels both hopeful and heartbreaking. Kentucky legislators are set to consider new restrictions on cell phone use behind the wheel- legislation many other states have already passed and frankly, our state has been ignoring for way too long. Senate Transportation Chair Jimmy Higdon will present the Phone-Down Kentucky Act, a comprehensive hands-free driving bill that would bring Kentucky in line with all seven of its neighboring states. Earlier this year, when I sat down with the Lebanon Republican to talk about distracted driving, he was already working on this legislation. What he needed was a way to make lawmakers- and Kentuckians- understand why it matters. That's when I introduced him to Alyssa Burns. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-04-at-8.37.36---AM.png) Alyssa Burn and her daughter Camberleigh On an October afternoon in 2022, Alyssa's 2-year-old daughter Camberleigh was riding in her car seat when a white F-350 pickup truck slammed into the back of their vehicle near the Gene Snyder exit on I-70 in Louisville. The little girl died from her injuries. Alyssa suffered a traumatic brain injury, four broken ribs, and nerve damage. Her fiancé faced a fractured neck, broken ribs, and a collapsed lung. The driver of the truck? He walked away without a scratch. What happened next might be the most frustrating part- and it's something Alyssa and I have talked about extensively. According to the Louisville Metro Police investigation, the truck driver was "not properly watching the roadway ahead." The collision report listed just one contributing factor: "inattention." By the time he noticed traffic had slowed, the driver told police, it was too late to stop. A witness who watched the crash unfold in her rearview mirror described the terrifying moment to police: "I look up and I see this truck just barreling. I had one second to react so I tried to get over, as far as I could. Then he hit them... like he never even hit the brakes." The coroner's report revealed Camberleigh was nearly decapitated in the crash. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-04-at-8.37.00---AM.png) Credit: LMPD When you hear "inattention" as the only explanation for why a toddler died, it's hard not to feel like something is deeply broken in our system. And that's exactly what supporters of the Phone-Down Kentucky Act are trying to fix. The proposed legislation would require drivers to use hands-free technology for cell phones, closing loopholes in Kentucky's current distracted driving laws that are too weak and too easily ignored. Kentucky has actually become an outlier on this issue. Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, Missouri, and Illinois- every single state that borders us- has enacted comprehensive hand-held phone bans. Meanwhile, we've been dragging our feet even as distracted driving fatalities keep climbing. Since Camberleigh died in 2022, at least 400 other people have been killed in crashes caused by “inattention” in Kentucky, according to data from Kentucky State Police. The committee presentation today marks a crucial first step in what advocates hope will finally be the year Kentucky catches up. For Alyssa Burns and other families who've lost loved ones to distracted drivers, this legislation represents more than just policy. It's about making sure no other parent has to bury their child because someone wasn't paying attention behind the wheel. When you're driving down the interstate, "inattention" isn't just a mistake. It's a choice. And it can be deadly. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Brooks Houck moved from Oldham County to Eastern Kentucky jail URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/brooks-houck-moved-from-oldham-county-to-eastern-kentucky-jail/ Last updated: 2025-11-04T23:01:17.000Z Brooks Houck was moved from the Oldham County Detention Center to the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center, according to the Department of Corrections. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Brooks Houck is now being held in the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center, as he awaits prison classification. According to an employee at the facility, the jail houses about 220-250 inmates. It is not typically a feeder into the federal facility known as Big Sandy Prison. Houck was sentenced to life in prison, with the possibility of parole in September, after being found guilty of the murder of Crystal Rogers earlier this year. [‘You’re a sick individual’; Ballard family sounds off to Brooks Houck at sentencingBrooks Houck and Joseph Lawson were sentenced to prison time for their roles in the death and disappearance of Crystal Rogers on Wednesday. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-76.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/brooks-houck--3.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/youre-a-sick-individual-ballard-family-sounds-off-to-brooks-houck-at-sentencing/) He has been held in the Oldham County Jail since his arrest in September 2023 but was moved for the first time to a regional jail in Eastern Kentucky in November. The regional jail is located in the same county as Big Sandy Prison, which is described online as a 'high-security United States federal prison for male inmates.' It is still unclear if Houck will be transferred to Big Sandy Prison. ## Brooks Houck's appeal For now, the Crystal Rogers case is closed, and complete in the court system. Both Joseph Lawson and S[teve Lawson have indicated ](https://www.shayinformed.com/steve-lawson-files-notice-of-appeal-looks-for-conviction-to-be-overturned-in-crystal-rogers-case/)in previous court filings they intend to file appeals with the Kentucky Court of Appeals but neither have officially filed at this time. Houck has also filed a notice that he intends to appeal his conviction. The initial paperwork was filed on October 13th. The official appeal has not yet been filed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-04-at-10.14.06---AM.png) ## What the appeals could look like I talked to legal expert Nick Mudd about the issues appeals are likely to touch on in this case. He has relationships with both attorneys and is able to shed light on what the official appeal documents might look like. **For Steven Lawson:** The strongest issue appears to be what Mudd calls the "workman issue"- essentially arguing that prosecutors made a deal with Lawson that they later revoked. Mudd imagines the attorneys saying, "Look, you know, we relied on that. That's why we talked, and then it was played in court, obviously used against him." There's also the matter of hair follicle testing that was discussed but never completed, which defense attorneys believe could be significant. Steve Lawson's attorneys wanted to test hairs that were found in Crystal Rogers' vehicle, and not similar in characteristic to Crystal, Joseph Lawson, Steve Lawson, or Brooks Houck. Judge Charles Simms did not allow the testing because he argued there was no sample to compare it to, and it would have significantly delayed the trial. **For Joseph Lawson:** Defense attorneys for Joseph Lawson maintain his innocence. They have told me personally they believe in their heart of hearts he was not involved in the death of Crystal Rogers. Of course, their personal feelings won't be part of the appeal; instead, Mudd said they are focusing heavily on cell phone tower data and a belief that the expert testimony used at trial was inaccurate. Mudd also admitted he is skeptical about this approach: "When you're just arguing the evidence or a piece of the evidence, that's not a really strong appeal issue, usually." Joseph Lawson's case will bypass the Kentucky Court of Appeals entirely and go straight to the Kentucky Supreme Court, Mudd explained. He is facing more than 20 years in prison, which is the threshold for this move. [What’s next in the Crystal Rogers case: the expert deep diveWhile the sentencing hearing in the Crystal Rogers case brings some finality to the investigation, you and I both know there are still a lot of questions. I worked with a legal analyst and law enforcement expert who’s connected to the case to find some answers. “I’m Shay McAlister, and![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-77.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/three-cases-1-6.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/whats-next-in-the-crystal-rogers-case-the-expert-deep-dive/) While appeals wind their way through the courts, the question of parole looms large for the families of victims and the convicted men themselves. Mudd's analysis of parole prospects is particularly stark. **Steven Lawson (sentenced to 17 years):** Must serve 85% of his sentence, making him eligible for parole in approximately 14.5 years, accounting for time already served. **Joseph Lawson (sentenced to 25 years):** Will serve 20 years before becoming eligible for parole- the standard for any sentence of 24 years or more in Kentucky. Lawson was serving time on another crime when he was first arrested in the Rogers' case, so it's unclear how much 'time served' he has under his belt. **Brooks Houck (sentenced to life):** Eligible for parole after 20 years, and with two years served, it will be 18 years from now. But Mudd's assessment is blunt: "He's not getting out in 20 years. That's just not going to happen." *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### DNA breakthrough solves a 30-year-old Indiana cold case URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/dna-breakthrough-solves-a-30-year-old-indiana-cold-case/ Last updated: 2025-11-03T14:39:13.000Z The Indiana State Police Cold Case Unit and a forensic lab worked together to identify the suspect nearly 30 years after the crime. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Nearly three decades after a woman reported being raped in Scott County, Indiana State Police say they've arrested a suspect thanks to advances in DNA technology. 53-year-old Sammy Riley, who now lives in Tennessee, was taken into custody Saturday in connection with a sexual assault that dates back to September 1996\. He's facing one count of rape, a Level 1 felony, and is currently being held at the Scott County Jail. ## Case details Back in 1996, the victim told then-Detective Delmar Gross, who is now a lieutenant, that she'd been raped after leaving the former Austin Lounge in Austin, Indiana, with two men. She gave investigators a name she thought belonged to her attacker, but DNA testing later ruled that person out. Fast forward to June of this year, when an Indiana State Police forensic scientist brought new hope to the case. Using advanced DNA technology, the lab identified a close genetic relative of the original suspect profile. That breakthrough gave Cold Case Detective Matt Busick the lead he needed. Busick followed up with interviews and eventually identified Riley, a former Scott County, resident who had moved to Tennessee. Working closely with the Scott County Prosecutor's Office, the detective gathered additional DNA samples to build the case and requested an arrest warrant. ## A timeline trip back to Indiana The timing worked in the investigators' favor. When Riley returned to Indiana for a family matter, Detective Busick coordinated with the Scott County Sheriff's Department, and Riley was arrested without incident on Saturday, November 1. The investigation brought together multiple agencies, including the ISP Cold Case Unit, the Indiana State Police Laboratory in Indianapolis, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations, and the Scott County Prosecutor's Office. Riley has a court date set for Monday at 2 p.m. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Food assistance stops for half a million Kentuckians as White House faces funding deadline URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/food-assistance-stops-for-half-a-million-kentuckians-as-white-house-faces-funding-deadline/ Last updated: 2025-11-04T15:27:24.000Z Over the weekend, a federal judge gave President Donald Trump until Monday at noon to respond to a ruling that requires the release of SNAP funding. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- **UPDATE 12:24 pm EST:** The U.S. Department of Agriculture told a federal court that it will tap into a contingency fund to allow states to issue partial November benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program during the government shutdown. Here's how that will work: \-The USDA will be notifying states today about the partial funding \-It will be up to states to calculate the benefits each family will receive (it will be less than a normal month) \-Once states determine the adjusted allotments, those numbers will be sent to the EBT processors to reload cards The court document suggests some states have very old systems that won't be able to calculate the changes automatically, which could lead to payment errors or significant delays. After using this money, "no funds will remain for new SNAP applicants certified in November, disaster assistance, or as a cushion against the potential catastrophic consequences of shutting down SNAP entirely," according to court documents. **ORIGINAL STORY:** A federal judge is awaiting a response from the White House on Monday morning as millions of Americans go without their November SNAP benefits. U.S. District Judge John McConnell of Rhode Island ordered the Trump administration to make a full SNAP payment by the end of the day Monday or a partial payment by Wednesday. The ruling came after multiple state leaders, including Governor Andy Beshear filed a lawsuit trying to force the Department of Agriculture to use contingency funds to keep the program operating as the government shutdown continues. In response to the lawsuit, White House staff said that contingency funds were "not legally available" and were reserved for natural disasters. Over the weekend, President Trump told reporters he would follow the judge's order to make the funding available for SNAP, once the judge provided further guidance on how to do that. Judge McConnell wrote in the ruling, “There is no question that the congressionally approved contingency funds must be used now..." He ordered the administration to report by noon Monday how the plan to "comply with this Court's Order." ## What does this mean for Kentucky? On Friday, Governor Andy Beshear signed an [executive order](https://governor.ky.gov/attachments/20251031%5FExecutive-Order%5F2025-740%5FState-of-Emergency%5FLapse-SNAP-Funding.pdf?ref=shayinformed.com) declaring a state of emergency and directing an initial $5 million from the budget reserve trust fund to Feeding Kentucky food banks. “While the Trump administration said it couldn’t fund SNAP during the shutdown, two federal judges just said it can and should,” said Gov. Beshear. According to the executive order, the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management has been asked to work with the Office of the State Budget Director to identify, allocate, and transfer funds. The money will then be given to [Feeding Kentucky](https://feedingky.org/?ref=shayinformed.com), which has a network of seven food banks that can provide food to Kentuckians in all 120 counties. ## How can you help? On a local level, the most effective way to help people who may lose access to food stamps is to donate money to credible organizations like Dare to Care. James said, while his organization is not turning down food or volunteers, they are equipped to do a lot with a little when it comes to cash. For example, you will spend $1.09 in the grocery store on one can of soup. But Dare to Care can feed two people with your $1 donation. You can donate [here](https://donate.daretocare.org/for/2025awarenesscampaign?gad%5Fsource=1&gad%5Fcampaignid=23197385035&gbraid=0AAAABB3%5FkaOfCidNKTirYiY32mtZq1aLD&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvJHIBhCgARIsAEQnWlA2ryQI7vhf%5F7lVQ2EWzPJhR6E5H190KD9huZMgzZhJWUvFeXynogEaApW2EALw%5FwcB&ref=shayinformed.com). If you or someone you know needs help finding access to food, you can find a list of Dare to Care partners [here](https://daretocare.org/partner-agencies-list/?ref=shayinformed.com). *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Case update on former Kentucky cheerleader charged in baby's death URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/case-update-on-uk-cheerleader-charged-in-babys-death/ Last updated: 2025-10-31T15:37:38.000Z Laken Snelling has been ordered to where an electronic monitoring device while on home incarceration in Tennessee. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Laken Snelling, the former UK student who was taken into custody after the death of her infant, has now been ordered to wear an electronic monitor, according to new court documents. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-31-at-11.19.18---AM.png) According to the documents, Snelling is on home incarceration in Tennessee, at her father's house. She is only allowed to leave the house for medical, legal and other approved purposes. ## The charges against her Snelling is charged with concealing the birthday of an infant, tampering with physical evidence, and abuse of a corpse. The charges were filed in August, after Snelling's roommate called police reporting a deceased infant that was found in a closet. On scene, police said Snelling admitted to giving birth and concealing the birth by placing any evidence and cleaning items inside a black trash bag. The infant was wrapped in a towel, and also placed in the trash bag. ## Disturbing discovery Additional records from the Lexington Police Department revealed the baby "appeared to be full term" and that Snelling heard the baby make a whimper and believed it was alive when born. She then told police that she passed out on top of the baby, and when she woke, she thought the baby was blue and purple. Snelling then wrapped the baby in a towel, believing he was dead, according to the document. This happened around 4 a.m. on the same day as the arrest. There is currently no additional court dates set in the case. Snelling is on home incarceration. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Kentucky food banks prepare for biggest hunger crisis since COVID URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-food-banks-prepare-for-biggest-hunger-crisis-since-covid/ Last updated: 2025-11-03T14:26:54.000Z The government shutdown is on track to become the longest shutdown in history… and the ripple effects continue to spread. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- As the federal shutdown drags on, and SNAP benefits hang in the balance, Dare to Care leaders say they cannot fill the gap on their own. CEO Vincent James told me Friday morning he is seriously concerned about what the need will look like in the coming days, as the non-profit is already stretched thin. In the last several weeks, James said the agency's partners- local food pantries- have seen an uptick in first-time users. When asked if this is something he thinks can be attributed to federal workers missing paychecks, he said yes. He also said the loss of USDA funding earlier this year is just now hitting the food bank, as the money would have purchased food for this fall. Dare to Care serves 13 counties in Kentucky and Indiana: Washington, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Clark, Jefferson, Oldham, Trimble, Carroll, Bullitt, Spencer, Shelby and Henry. The non-profit gathers and buys mass quantities of food and then distributes it to local agencies such as food pantries, shelters, and emergency kitchens. The food comes from retailers, donors and government agencies. It is sorted at the Dare to Care warehouse or cooked on site, before being transported to hundreds of smaller partners. ## Who does SNAP serve? SNAP- delivered on EBT cards- provides food assistance to about 41 million people in America. In Louisville alone, it's about $16 million worth of food subsidies every month, Vincent explained. A recent study from [Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap](https://www.feedingamerica.org/sites/default/files/2025-05/Map%20the%20Meal%20Gap%202025%20Technical%20Brief.pdf?ref=shayinformed.com), estimates nearly 190,000 Kentuckiana residents are struggling with food insecurity. That was before thousands of federal workers lost their paychecks. To receive SNAP benefits, you must be either a U.S. citizen or have a lawful immigration status, such as a green card. That's the law. Most people who receive SNAP are children, working families, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities. In Kentucky specifically, here are the requirements: Benefits are only available to US citizens and immigrants who meet specific legal requirements, adults between the ages of 18 and 64 who participate in work registration programs, and households with no more than $2,750 in cash and assets. ## Will Kentucky leaders help? Last week, Governor Andy Beshear said he was hopeful that either the shutdown would end or the federal government would find a way to fund SNAP. Unfortunately, that hasn't happened. Now, Beshear says his administration is weighing its options. “What we can't do, though, is we can't use the existing platform of snap and simply put state dollars through it. We've got some very clear instruction from the federal government that that is not allowed," Beshear said. Other governors are considering state of emergencies or special sessions to help with funding, but Beshear said while he’s considering everything, he doesn't think that’s the best option for our state. "I'm trying to be clear that we want to help in any way we can, and we're looking at all those options, but the federal government needs to step up, otherwise, we lose about $100 million in food assistance to our people, affecting about 600,000 Kentuckians," Beshear said, "So we shouldn't lessen the pressure whatsoever on Washington DC.” Beshear was one of 25 states to file a lawsuit against President Trump this week, hoping to force the federal government to fund SNAP. According to the lawsuit, the administration has the power to tap into emergency USDA funding and keep food aid flowing. “All Donald Trump has to do is say, I don't want people to go hungry, authorize the snap payments to go out, and our people will be okay," Beshear said Thursday. White House staff have repeatedly denied this claim. The Trump administration has insisted that the emergency fund is reserved for emergencies such as natural disasters and does not have enough money to supply the roughly $8 billion needed for benefits next month. They have also said partially funding the program would be "disastrous" as it could lead to massive confusion with states forced to figure out how to partially distribute benefits. ## A federal judge could force funding During a Thursday hearing for the lawsuit, Federal Judge Indira Talwani said she was planning to issue a ruling on the matter. “It’s hard for me to understand how this isn’t an emergency when there’s no money and a lot of people need their SNAP benefits,” Talwani said, according to reporting from [Politico](https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/30/trump-administration-snap-food-aid-lawsuit-shutdown-00630133?ref=shayinformed.com). As of 10:30 a.m. on Friday, her ruling has not been made public. ## How can you help? On a local level, the most effective way to help people who may lose access to food stamps is to donate money to credible organizations like Dare to Care. James said, while his organization is not turning down food or volunteers, they are equipped to do a lot with a little when it comes to cash. For example, you will spend $1.09 in the grocery store on one can of soup. But Dare to Care can feed two people with your $1 donation. You can donate [here](https://donate.daretocare.org/for/2025awarenesscampaign?gad%5Fsource=1&gad%5Fcampaignid=23197385035&gbraid=0AAAABB3%5FkaOfCidNKTirYiY32mtZq1aLD&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvJHIBhCgARIsAEQnWlA2ryQI7vhf%5F7lVQ2EWzPJhR6E5H190KD9huZMgzZhJWUvFeXynogEaApW2EALw%5FwcB&ref=shayinformed.com). If you or someone you know needs help finding access to food, you can find a list of Dare to Care partners [here](https://daretocare.org/partner-agencies-list/?ref=shayinformed.com). *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Ronald Exantus is being extradited back to Kentucky URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/ronald-exantus-is-being-extradited-back-to-kentucky/ Last updated: 2025-10-31T14:29:16.000Z Florida officials announce Ronald Exantus is being extradited back to Kentucky. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The man convicted in the death of a 6-year-old Kentucky boy, who was arrested in Florida is now headed back to Kentucky. "10:55 his ass was out of my jail, and probably right now if I was to guess- it's one o'clock- he's probably about to cross the Florida Georgia line and continue his way to Kentucky, where he should be", Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-28-at-2.00.05---PM.png) Press conference in Marion County, FL In a press conference on Tuesday that included Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, officials announced Exantus was being moved back to the state where he was released. Exantus was charged with stabbing and killing Logan Tipton in 2015\. In 2018, Exantus was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity. The jury found him guilty but mentally ill of assaulting members of the Tipton family in the attack. But those assault charges are not considered "violent offenses" in Kentucky, so he was not required to serve the majority of his prison sentence and was released after serving seven years. The Kentucky Parole Board voted unanimously to keep him in prison, but Kentucky law required the Department of Corrections to release the inmate on Mandatory Reentry Supervision. "The parole board in Kentucky did the right thing," Sheriff Woods said, "and because of some stupid, obscure law that Kentucky has that murderer came here, that was his mistake". Exantus was taken into custody by the Marion County Sheriff's Office Intel Unit earlier this month, after being arrested at a home investigators say sits immediately adjacent to two schools. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-28-at-2.03.57---PM-1.png) Picture shows where Exantus was living, compared to a nearby school "An individual who had already killed a 6-year-old, stabbed his sister and if it hadn't been for his father, probably would've went either further... next to one of my schools... I won't tolerate it," Woods said. The Marion County Sheriff's Office received a tip that Exantus had relocated from Kentucky to Florida and might be living in their jurisdiction. Deputies with the Intel Unit quickly investigated and confirmed his presence in Marion County. He was arrested and charged with failing to register as a convicted felon. Now, he's being sent back to Kentucky to face probation violation charges. During that Tuesday press conference, the Florida sheriff had a message for Kentucky: "Kentucky, if you're listening, keep their asses in your state. Do not allow them to come to Florida," Woods said. It's still unclear where exactly Exantus is being moved to within Kentucky, and what will happen next in his case. I have reached out to the Kentucky Justice Cabinet for more information. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Text messages and home visits help JCPS tackle the absenteeism crisis URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/text-messages-and-home-visits-help-jcps-tackle-the-absenteeism-crisis/ Last updated: 2025-10-28T17:25:42.000Z The state's largest school district reports sending 4.5 million texts to families as part of a comprehensive attendance strategy. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Jefferson County Public Schools announced some encouraging news this week: they've managed to bring down their chronic absenteeism rate by 5% over the past two years. According to JCPS, the district's chronic absenteeism rate now stands at 33%, down from 38% two years ago. Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood acknowledged that while one-third of students being chronically absent is still far too high, the trend is moving in the right direction. So how did they do it? JCPS says its approach combines three main strategies: communication, support, and accountability. On the communication front, the numbers are staggering. The district sent more than 4.5 million text messages to families about attendance during the last school year alone. They're also working to address practical barriers that keep kids out of school, like transportation issues and health concerns, by deploying dedicated teams to make phone calls and home visits. The district has also partnered with organizations like Evolve502 and the Jefferson County Attorney's Office to expand its truancy diversion program, offering families resources and support as alternatives to legal action. But there is a legal component when other interventions fail. Under Kentucky state law, schools must report guardians to the County Attorney when a child racks up 15 or more unexcused absences. Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Connell, speaking at a joint press conference with JCPS, emphasized that education is crucial for breaking cycles of poverty. His office focuses particularly on elementary students in grades K-5, recognizing that younger children need adult help to get to school consistently. The County Attorney's office reviewed more than 4,000 referrals for K-5 students with excessive absences last year, JCPS reported. They sent warning letters to 1,236 families. In the most severe cases- 32 guardians whose children averaged 47 unexcused absences and who didn't respond to interventions- criminal charges have been filed. Dr. Yearwood's message to parents was clear: "If you are struggling with attendance, please reach out. We are ready to help remove the obstacles." *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Hardin County republican chair getting national attention after racist post URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/hardin-county-republican-chair-getting-national-attention-after-racist-post/ Last updated: 2025-10-28T14:00:13.000Z Chairwoman of the Hardin County Republican Party Bobbie Coleman has deleted a social media post some in her own party are calling “vile and reprehensible”. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- A Hardin County woman is now getting national attention after sharing a social media video depicting former President Barack Obama and his wife as apes. The Kentucky Republican Party said they are now investigating the matter and will take the harshest action available. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-28-at-9.46.33---AM.png) State GOP Chairman Robert J. Benvenuti III condemned the post. “The Republican Party of Kentucky condemns hate in all its forms,” he said in a statement Saturday. Bobbie Coleman deleted the video after posting it, writing she shared it to celebrate President Trump's successful policy achievements and "as someone who does not engage with racist tropes, I did not consider the underlying meaning that this video may have had." The video depicted the Obamas as monkeys dancing to a song from “The Lion King.” It depicted other Democrats as animals and Republican President Donald Trump as a lion. Associating Black people with animals, particularly apes, has deep historical roots in promoting and enforcing the idea of Black people being subhuman. It has been used to justify violence, oppression, and discriminatory treatment against them. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-28-at-9.54.36---AM.png) Now, national media outlets, including the [Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/10/27/kentucky-republican-party-barack-obama/0ff710a8-b372-11f0-88c1-4e2f98984a34%5Fstory.html?ref=shayinformed.com), are reporting on the incident. The Kentucky Republican Party didn't say specifically what actions it might take against Coleman, or anyone else who was involved, but only that they were investigating it. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### USDA announces 'the well has run dry', SNAP benefits won't go out in November URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/usda-announces-the-well-has-run-dry-snap-benefits-wont-go-out-in-november/ Last updated: 2025-10-27T14:39:54.000Z More than 600,000 Kentuckians rely on food stamps, according to Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- If the government shutdown continues through Saturday, more than half a million Kentuckians will lose access to food stamps. The USDA posted this announcement on its [website](https://www.usda.gov/?ref=shayinformed.com) on Monday morning, confirming that the government shutdown will impact next month's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-27-at-10.31.26---AM.png) "Bottom line, the well has run dry. At this time, there will be no benefits issued on November 01", the notice reads. Last week, Governor Andy Beshear said he was hopeful either the shutdown would end or the federal government would find a way to fund SNAP. But that doesn't seem to be happening, meaning it will be up to Kentucky food banks to carry the load. Many local food banks are already feeling the strain, with federal workers missing paychecks and starting to turn to pantries to feed their families. **Here are the requirements to receive SNAP benefits in Kentucky:** \-Only available to US citizens and immigrants who meet requirements \-Adults between the ages of 18 and 64 must participate in work registration \-A household may have no more than $2,750 in cash and assets For families needing help, you can find resources [here](https://kynect.ky.gov/resources/s/?language=en%5FUS&ref=shayinformed.com). *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### "I will not stop": Friend demands justice in unsolved death linked to alleged KY serial killer URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/i-will-not-stop-friend-demands-justice-in-unsolved-death-linked-to-alleged-ky-serial-killer/ Last updated: 2025-10-28T18:15:15.000Z As charges continue to mount against Brian Epperson, one woman is fighting to ensure her best friend's case doesn't fall through the cracks. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and my new podcast.* --- Brian Epperson, the so-called Kentucky serial killer, has been indicted on charges connected to the overdose deaths of two Kentucky women. But there is a third name that keeps being mentioned, a third case waiting for justice. Her name is Hilory Davis, and she was the first woman to die. April Stamper remembers the exact day she met Hilory Davis: April 20, 2023, at the Hope Center, a rehabilitation facility for women in Lexington, Kentucky. It was April's first day there, and she was scared. She said Hilory was one of the first people to greet her. "I thought she was really pretty and she was very kind and very helpful and very friendly," April recalled. "That meant a lot for somebody coming in who was kind of scared." The two women became fast friends, bonding over their shared journey toward recovery. They stayed close after leaving the facility, and Hilory thrived, April told me, nearly three years clean, working as a waitress, beloved by customers and coworkers alike. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-27-at-8.59.47---AM.png) "She was very outgoing," April said. "Everybody loved her." But in November 2024, Hilory was found dead in her Lexington hotel room. Investigators ruled it a methamphetamine overdose. To April, nothing about that made sense. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Kentucky Supreme Court overturns murder conviction in case of Louisville father, daughter URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-supreme-court-overturns-murder-conviction-in-case-of-louisville-father-daughter/ Last updated: 2025-10-27T13:07:05.000Z Kevon Lawless was convicted of two counts of murder in 2022, after a jury found him guilty of shooting and killing Brandon Waddles and his three-year-old daughter, Trinity Randolph. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- In a striking decision that underscores the delicate balance of jury impartiality, the Kentucky Supreme Court has reversed the murder convictions of Kevon Lawless, ruling that his right to a fair trial was violated when jurors learned that the judge had arrested a prosecution witness for lying on the stand. The October 23, 2025 ruling centers on a dramatic courtroom moment that would ultimately unravel a capital murder case: a trial judge ordering a witness taken into custody for perjury while media cameras rolled- and jurors later finding out about it through a television news report. Lawless was convicted in September 2022 of murdering Brandon Waddles and Waddles's three-year-old daughter, Trinity Randolph, during what prosecutors described as an ambush at their Louisville home in August 2020\. The jury sentenced him to life without parole on both murder counts. The Commonwealth's theory was that Lawless enlisted his teenage girlfriend to lure Waddles into a trap, then had a friend drive him to the scene where he opened fire, hitting and killing the father and daughter. ## A pivotal moment in trial The pivotal moment came after testimony from Evan Ross, a friend who had driven Lawless to the scene. Ross had a plea deal requiring him to testify truthfully, but his testimony proved evasive and contradictory. According to court documents, he claimed he'd been playing music so loud in his car that he never heard gunshots- a claim that strained credulity. After Ross finished testifying on September 19, 2022, the jury was excused for a break. But members of the media- including at least one television camera- remained in the courtroom. That's when Judge A.C. McKay Chauvin made his move. With reporters watching, the judge announced Ross would be taken into custody, stating there was "no doubt" Ross had perjured himself and that he "clearly lied", court documents said. At least one TV station reported the arrest, and at least one juror watched the coverage at home. ## The note that changed everything Two days later, during deliberations, the jury sent an alarming note to the judge: "While in deliberation it was mentioned that there was a statement that Evan Ross was arrested for lying on the stand. This statement has caused a juror to feel they can no longer make a decision truthfully after having heard this. Before having heard this, the juror was thinking one way but is now feeling differently." Defense counsel immediately moved for a mistrial. The request was denied. Instead, the trial court questioned the jury, replaced one juror who said she couldn't decide based solely on trial evidence, brought in an alternate, and instructed the newly composed jury to start deliberations over. That evening, the jury convicted Lawless. ## The supreme court's reasoning Writing for the majority, Justice Thompson didn't mince words about what had gone wrong. The court found that when jurors learned the trial judge had not only arrested a key witness but accused him of perjury, it created "a patent structural defect" in the trial. "Matters of a witness's credibility and of the weight to be given to a witness's testimony are solely within the province of the jury," the court emphasized, citing a 2015 precedent. A trial judge cannot- through words or actions- substitute their judgment of witness credibility for the jury's. The problem was compounded by uncertainty about what the jury actually learned and believed. Which parts of Ross's testimony did they think the judge found false? Did they think Ross was lying to help or hurt Lawless? These critical questions were never answered because the trial court's inquiry was insufficient. "There is no need to presume prejudice in this case as prejudice is obvious and self-evident," Justice Thompson wrote. The court noted that denying a defendant's right to an impartial jury is a "structural error"- the kind of fundamental flaw that defies harmless error analysis and requires automatic reversal when raised on direct appeal. ## The dissent's view Two justices dissented, with Justice Angela McCormick Bisig arguing the conviction should stand given the "remedial steps immediately taken by the court and the totality of evidence presented at trial." Justice Bisig pointed out that defense counsel had already been hammering Ross's credibility, calling him a liar in closing arguments. The defense had essentially told jurors it was "self-evident" Ross was lying and that he "lied straight to your face." The dissent also noted the substantial other evidence in the case: Instagram video of Lawless and the victim arguing before the murder, surveillance footage of Ross's vehicle at the scene, text messages between Lawless and his girlfriend setting up the ambush, cell phone data placing Lawless at the scene, and the fact that both accomplices had pleaded guilty. Given all this, Justice Bisig concluded there was no "reasonable possibility" the jury's knowledge about Ross's arrest contributed to the conviction, making any error harmless. ## What happens next? The case now returns to Jefferson Circuit Court for a new trial. It is up to the prosecutor to decide to retry the case or not. Attorney General Russell Coleman released the following statement on it: “The slaying of three-year-old Trinity Randolph is personal for me. I stood with her mother at her Disney ‘Frozen’ coffin, and I’ll never forget the princess shoes she wore. I’m determined to bring Trinity’s killer to justice. It’s heartbreaking that her family and this community are forced to re-live that awful day and the painful trial. “The Office of the Attorney General will keep supporting Commonwealth’s Attorney Gerina Whethers and her team as they continue to prosecute this case and deliver justice for Trinity.” The Commonwealth's Attorney released the following statement: “This is far from the end of our efforts to fight for three-year-old Trinity Randolph and her father, Brandon Waddles. Our prosecutors will proactively pursue a conviction based on the evidence and ensure accountability. A father and his daughter should still be with us, but are not. We will make sure that their family gets proper justice and our community stays safe. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### They didn't hesitate: how four Kentuckians saved a State Trooper's life URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/they-didnt-hesitate-how-four-kentuckians-saved-a-state-troopers-life/ Last updated: 2025-10-24T14:17:00.000Z The Kentucky State Police recognized four Kentuckians, whose quick actions helped save the life of a trooper shot in the line of duty this summer. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- It was an emotional reunion at the Capitol this week when Kentucky State Trooper Jude Remilien finally got to meet the four people who saved his life. Back on July 13, Remilien was shot while responding to a call outside Blue Grass Airport. What happened next was something straight out of a movie- but it was real, and it was terrifying. Jimmy Alexander, Jessica Alexander, Taylor Hall and Adam Arnold were arriving at the airport when they saw the incident unfold. They didn't freeze. They didn't hesitate. They ran straight toward the danger. "We immediately ran to Trooper Remilien's aid," Jimmy Alexander recalled. Jessica and Taylor, both nurses, jumped into action and did what they do best- they started providing medical care. Soon after, Officer Adam Arnold arrived on scene and pitched in to help. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-24-at-10.11.55---AM.png) The rescue was caught on body cam video "We were all in the right place at the right time," Jimmy said, "and we are so thankful that he is okay." Governor Andy Beshear and Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman presented all four with the Citation for Meritorious Achievement- the highest honor the Kentucky State Police can give to civilians. "Today we honor Kentuckians who are heroes in every sense of the word," Coleman said. "Your actions saved a life and renewed hope in humanity for many." For Trooper Remilien, meeting his rescuers face-to-face was powerful. "It's so great to finally meet this team of heroes," he said. "They didn't hesitate to come on scene and assist me... All four of you will forever hold a special place in my heart." KSP Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr. put it simply: "Because of them, Trooper Remilien is alive today." The four lifesavers were also named Team Kentucky All-Stars and commissioned as Kentucky Colonels- the commonwealth's highest honor- back in July. As for Trooper Remilien? He's recovering well, standing alongside the people who refused to be bystanders when it mattered most. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Rabies-positive bats found in two Louisville neighborhoods URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/rabies-positive-bats-found-in-two-louisville-neighborhoods/ Last updated: 2025-10-24T13:15:56.000Z Louisville residents are being reminded to stay vigilant after two bats tested positive for rabies in the Prospect and Germantown areas. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The Louisville Metro Public Health & Wellness department reported this week that bats in the 40059 and 40217 areas of Jefferson County have contracted the virus. While officials say there's no evidence of human contact in these recent cases, they're using the opportunity to educate the community about rabies prevention. "Bats are actually really beneficial to have around," health officials note, pointing out that the flying mammals help control insect populations- including those annoying mosquitoes. According to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, bats are currently in their mating season and will soon be hibernating for the winter. The problem is that bats sometimes take up residence in less-than-ideal spots: attics, garages, barns, or tucked behind shutters and gutters. And if you spot one, experts have one simple message: don't touch it. ## Warning signs A bat that's active during daylight hours or can't fly properly could potentially have rabies. The virus attacks the central nervous system and, without immediate medical intervention, is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. The good news? Rabies is preventable with prompt treatment after exposure, which includes immune globulin and a vaccine series. In the United States, bats, skunks, raccoons, and foxes are the most common carriers of rabies. Here in Kentucky, bats and skunks top that list. ## A close call In one of the recent Louisville cases, a family dog encountered an infected bat. Fortunately, the pet was current on its rabies vaccinations- a reminder of why those shots matter. If your pet does come into contact with a bat, the Louisville health department asks that you call them immediately at 502-574-6650\. Your animal may need to be quarantined to ensure they haven't contracted the virus. And here's an important note: Louisville law requires all dog, cat, and ferret owners to license their pets with Metro Animal Services and keep their rabies vaccinations up to date. Health officials emphasize three key prevention steps: vaccinate your pets, steer clear of wildlife, and seek medical attention right away if you think you've been exposed. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Three Louisville moms beat the odds after life-threatening pregnancy complication URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/three-louisville-moms-beat-the-odds-after-life-threatening-pregnancy-complication/ Last updated: 2025-10-24T14:35:51.000Z As their babies approach their first birthdays, three local women are raising awareness about a rare condition most expectant mothers have never heard of. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- When Shelby Walcott went in for a routine ultrasound at 18 weeks pregnant last year, she expected to hear everything was fine with her baby boy. Instead, she was introduced to a term that would change her life: placenta accreta spectrum. "I have 20 nieces and nephews- lots and lots of babies and pregnancies around me," says the 34-year-old Louisville realtor and mother of four. "Never, ever have I heard of it." She wasn't alone in her confusion. Amanda Burch, another Louisville mother carrying her sixth child, had never heard of placenta accreta either- until doctors at Cincinnati's Fetal Care Center spotted it on an MRI at 19 weeks. Morgan Darius received her diagnosis in September at UofL Hospital, where doctors carefully explained what lay ahead. "The risk of death is high. It's 10 to 15% and that sounds like a low number to anyone who does statistics, but when I talk about the risk of death in general, in pregnancy, it's less than 1%. So that's, that's a huge increase," Dr. Tiffany Tonismae, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at UofL Hospital, explained. The three women were in the hospital at the same time in 2024, preparing for an unknown road ahead and leaning on each other. Now, as their babies celebrate their first birthdays, they're using Placenta Accreta Awareness Month to share their stories, their gratitude, and potentially save other mothers' lives. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-22-at-12.59.44---PM-1.png) Shelby Leigh (left) and Amanda Burch (right) *This story is free for all subscribers. Sign up with your email* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup)*!* _This post is for subscribers only._ ### "We don't tolerate hate": Kentucky police respond to KKK flyers found in neighborhoods URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/we-dont-tolerate-hate-kentucky-police-respond-to-kkk-flyers-found-in-neighborhoods/ Last updated: 2025-10-22T15:44:23.000Z The Frankfort Police Department is asking for the public's help after disturbing flyers were reported in neighborhoods across the city. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Residents in several Frankfort neighborhoods woke up Wednesday morning to discover white supremacist propaganda had been distributed throughout their community overnight. The Frankfort Police Department is calling the incident an "appalling act of littering" and is asking anyone with doorbell camera or security footage to come forward. "The Frankfort Police Department does not tolerate hate in any form," officials said in a statement released Wednesday. "This behavior goes against the values of our community, and the Frankfort Police Department is taking this matter very seriously." Police are particularly interested in reviewing footage from residents in affected areas who may have captured video of individuals distributing the materials. Anyone with relevant security camera footage is urged to contact the department's non-emergency line at 502-875-8582. Investigators hope the footage could help them identify those responsible for what they're describing as a "hateful act." The police department emphasized its ongoing commitment to maintaining a safe environment for all residents. "The Frankfort Police Department remains committed to the safety of the Frankfort community and continues to support a thriving and diverse community," the statement concluded. Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact authorities. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Lost hiker rescued from Red River Gorge cliff line- and it's happened before URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/lost-hiker-rescued-from-red-river-gorge-cliff-line-and-its-happened-before/ Last updated: 2025-10-23T13:23:41.000Z The Wolfe County Search and Rescue Team is stumped by repeat rescues at the same spot. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- When darkness began settling over the Red River Gorge Tuesday evening, a woman who'd been hiking since early afternoon found herself stranded on a cliff line- cold, unprepared, and running out of daylight. The Wolfe County Search and Rescue Team (WCSART) got the 911 call at 5:30 p.m. The hiker had entered the trail system around 12:30 p.m., expecting a few hours in the Kentucky wilderness. Nearly five hours later, she was stuck above the Sheltowee Trace and Gladie Creek with no clear way out. Rescuers quickly sent the woman a locator link to pinpoint her exact position, then mapped out their approach. The team decided the safest route was via Klaber Ridge, taking UTVs as far as possible before hiking about a mile to reach her. By the time they arrived, temperatures were dropping fast and night had fully fallen. The good news? She was found uninjured and in good spirits- though extremely relieved to see her rescuers. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-22-at-10.38.12---AM.png) Credit: Wolfe County Search & Rescue Facebook ## A familiar problem But here's where the story gets interesting: this is the second time in the past year that WCSART has rescued a lost hiker at almost this exact location. "We are curious to hear public comment on how this might be occurring," the rescue team wrote in their incident report. The hiker told rescuers she'd turned left on the Sheltowee Trace at the Bison Way intersection, but couldn't explain much beyond that about how she ended up where she did. Her clothing and shoes showed no signs of bushwhacking, suggesting she'd stayed on some kind of trail the entire time. WCSART has a theory. They believe the hiker may have gotten off course near Indian Arch. Instead of turning south on the Sheltowee Trace, she likely turned north- toward the Frogs Head loop- and ended up on one of the unofficial "user trails" that crisscross the area. There's a 1.4-mile section of trail heading north toward Klaber Ridge that could easily confuse hikers. The rescue team suspects that when the woman realized she was lost, she turned around and headed back south- but ended up on the wrong ridge entirely, essentially following the same route the rescue UTVs would later take to find her. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-22-at-10.34.54---AM.png) Credit: Wolfe County Search & Rescue Facebook ## A call for input With two nearly identical rescues in the same spot within a year, WCSART is reaching out to the hiking community for insight. Is there confusing signage? An unmarked junction? A user trail that looks deceptively official? "Let us know what you think," the team says. For now, the hiker is safe and sound- a reminder that even experienced outdoors enthusiasts can find themselves turned around in the winding trails of the Red River Gorge, especially as daylight fades and temperatures drop. If you're planning to hike in the area, make sure you're prepared for unexpected delays, carry navigation tools, and let someone know your plans. And if you have insights about this puzzling trouble spot, the rescue team would love to hear from you. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Missing juvenile leads to felony sex charges against Indiana man, search for more victims URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/missing-juvenile-leads-to-felony-sex-charges-against-indiana-man-search-for-more-victims/ Last updated: 2025-10-22T14:19:23.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Police in Southern Indiana are investigating a man with a long list of felony sex charges against him- and unfortunately, they believe there could be more victims. Jonathan Lee Rodewig Jr. has been charged with multiple counts, including rape, child exploitation, and promotion of child sexual trafficking, according to the Charlestown Police Department. The case began in late August when officers responded to a report of a missing juvenile from a Charlestown home. The investigation took an unexpected turn when the missing juvenile arrived at the police department in a vehicle driven by Rodewig. During that encounter, officers said they smelled marijuana and found evidence of drugs in the vehicle, leading to Rodewig's initial arrest on charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and marijuana possession. But detectives say that was just the beginning. As they dug deeper into the case, they uncovered evidence pointing to more serious crimes. Search warrants executed during the investigation reportedly revealed sexually explicit communications and videos involving the juvenile victim. The charges Rodewig now faces are significant: six counts of Level 3 felony rape, promotion of child sexual trafficking, child exploitation, possession of child sexual abuse material, and several misdemeanor offenses. He's currently being held in Floyd County on similar charges in separate, unrelated cases. Detective Sergeant Trey A. Crace, who submitted the probable cause affidavit to the Clark County Prosecutor's Office, emphasized the broader implications of the case. "This case demonstrates the ongoing dangers posed by online exploitation and the importance of swift reporting and cooperation between families, law enforcement, and our partner agencies," he said. Authorities are concerned there may be additional victims who haven't yet come forward, and they're urging anyone who believes they may have been victimized by Rodewig to contact their local law enforcement agency. The case serves as a reminder for parents to stay vigilant about their children's online activities. The Charlestown Police Department is encouraging anyone who suspects exploitation to report it to law enforcement immediately. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### LMPD wasn't looking for dogs- but found 19 that desperately needed help URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/lmpd-wasnt-looking-for-dogs-but-found-19-that-desperately-needed-help/ Last updated: 2025-10-22T13:48:43.000Z Louisville Metro Police discovered nearly 2 dozen neglected dogs during a search warrant that was executed in the Portland neighborhood Tuesday. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- What started as a routine police operation in Portland turned into an animal rescue mission Tuesday when officers discovered nearly two dozen dogs living in horrible conditions. LMPD detectives were serving a search warrant at a home near 25th and Rowan Street when they discovered 19 dogs that had clearly been neglected for an extended period. Police say the animals were covered in fleas, some had visible tumors, and many looked malnourished. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/1111.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/2222.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/3333.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/4444.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/6666.jpg) Pictures provided by LMPD Interestingly, the warrant that brought police to the home had nothing to do with animals. But police knew there were dogs at the house, so they brought along Louisville Metro Animal Services and LMPD's Animal Cruelty Enforcement Unit just in case the dogs needed help. Turns out, they definitely did. "The dogs were living in extremely poor conditions," police said in a statement. Three people were arrested at the scene: 48-year-old Tymane Harris, 59-year-old Lamont Harris, and 31-year-old Diajion Barnett. One of them is now facing 19 animal cruelty charges- one for each dog. According to court records, Tymane Harris is charged with 19 counts of animal cruelty, drug trafficking, and gun charges. Lamont Harris is charged with possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, and Diajion Barnett is charged with tampering with physical evidence. The good news? All 19 dogs are now safe and being cared for by Louisville Metro Animal Services. If you're interested in adopting one of these pups once they're ready, you can reach out to LMAS for more information. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Nelson County family's home destroyed by landslide- then their insurance company dropped them URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/we-paid-for-20-years-nelson-county-family-loses-home-and-insurance-after-landslide/ Last updated: 2025-10-22T14:59:30.000Z After spring flooding triggered a landslide, the Traxler family was told "we're not even going to send an adjuster." --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Lauren Traxler thought she was doing everything right. She'd been paying Kentucky Farm Bureau for home insurance for over 20 years- since she was 18 years old, she told me. But when her family returned from spring break in April earlier this year to find their Nelson County home collapsing from a landslide triggered by heavy flooding, she learned a devastating lesson about what her policy actually covered. "You just think, gosh, you're never gonna go through that," Traxler said. "You hear crazy stories of insurance and all these fires in California, or just different situations. You're like, oh, that'll never happen to me. But then it happens to you, and it's like real life, and you're like, this is horrible." The nightmare began when the family noticed something was wrong the night they returned home. Traxler could hear loud cracks and pops throughout the night. The next morning, she discovered a massive crack across her youngest son's ceiling. Her husband had noticed their TV above the fireplace slowly sliding. One room in their home had shifted 14 inches. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-20-at-9.07.29---AM.png) "I went in to get my youngest son up, and like, across his whole ceiling was this huge crack, and I told my husband, I was like, I think something's wrong," Traxler recalled. An engineer they called advised them to get out immediately. The family moved out of their home two days later and cannot move back in. *This story is available to all Shay Informed subscribers. You can* [*sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup) *for free, with your email address, and gain access to this story plus the free weekly newsletter!* _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Federal shutdown hits Kentucky tables; leaders scramble to feed seniors, families URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/federal-shutdown-hits-kentucky-tables-leaders-scramble-to-feed-seniors-families/ Last updated: 2025-10-21T13:33:14.000Z Governor Andy Beshear announced Monday that his administration has re-allocated money to keep senior meal programs running. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- With the federal government shutdown dragging into its third week, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced Monday that his administration is shuffling $9.1 million to keep senior meals on the table and pledging state funds to temporarily cover federal assistance programs that have run dry. The moves come as the 20-day shutdown begins hitting Kentucky families where it hurts most: their dinner plates. "No Kentuckian should ever face hunger," Beshear said, explaining why his administration moved quickly to redirect funding after learning areas across the state reported they'd burned through their entire Senior Meals budget. The $9.1 million is being pulled from a Medicaid appropriation that was sitting unused after the General Assembly never approved the proposal it was tied to. Beshear, who has the authority to transfer funds under House Bill 6, said legislative leadership has agreed to retroactively sign off on the move. Before making the announcement public, the governor hopped on a call with Area Development District (ADD) leaders statewide to deliver the news personally. But he also made clear this is a band-aid, not a cure. "Just like our Kentucky families, our state must work within a balanced budget," Beshear said, noting that Kentucky is staring down a potential $305 million budget shortfall, the end of one-time federal pandemic relief funds, and mounting costs from the federal shutdown. To make sure senior meal funding doesn't crater again, the governor said he's asking the Finance Cabinet to conduct a full review of the program- looking at everything from cost-per-meal differences across ADDs to eligibility rules and whether funding is being used appropriately. "While I am glad that we have found a temporary solution, our state faces real challenges," Beshear acknowledged. ## November covered, December unknown The shutdown's ripple effects extend beyond seniors. Beshear announced the state will temporarily cover the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program through November after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services failed to send Kentucky its usual funding. "The federal shutdown is having real impacts across our country and our commonwealth," he said. "As a state, we're doing what we can to help cover the support our Kentucky families rely on." But there's a catch: "While we are able to cover this for November, we cannot- at this time- make that assurance for December." ## SNAP benefits in limbo Perhaps most alarming for Kentucky families is what's happening with SNAP- the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps. According to Beshear, more than 600,000 Kentuckians rely on SNAP benefits. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has prohibited funding for November SNAP benefits due to the shutdown, leaving one in eight Kentuckians- many of them children- in a precarious position. "I know this is a scary and stressful time for our families," Beshear said, "and we are committed to processing benefits the moment the federal shutdown ends and funding becomes available." For now, recipients can continue using their current benefits as normal and should watch for updates through the Department for Community Based Services website, their Self-Service Portal accounts, or official DCBS notifications. It's a wait-and-see situation that offers little comfort as the shutdown clock keeps ticking and Kentucky's most vulnerable residents wonder where their next meal is coming from. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Still waiting for answers: inside Till and Betty Ballard's long history of grief and determination URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/still-waiting-for-answers-inside-till-and-betty-ballards-long-history-of-grief-and-determination/ Last updated: 2025-10-21T15:05:05.000Z Till and Betty Ballard have buried their son Tommy and their daughter Sherry, but their granddaughter Crystal still has no grave. They visit two cemeteries every Sunday and wait for answers. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and (eventually) a new podcast.* --- In the warm kitchen of their Bardstown home, Till and Betty Ballard sit with the weight of nearly five decades of grief etched across their faces. On the table between them are memories of three people they've lost to violence: their daughter Sherry Ballard Barnes, murdered by her estranged husband in 1979 while pregnant with their first grandchild; their granddaughter Crystal Rogers, who disappeared in 2015; and their son Tommy Ballard, murdered in 2016 while hunting on family property. "Not very good," Till says quietly when asked how they're doing. "We're just waiting till they get the rest of them- Rosemary and Nick and Rhonda and whoever else is involved- and find Crystal." Earlier this year, three people were convicted in Crystal's case: her boyfriend Brooks Houck received a life sentence. Two of his former employees, Steve Lawson and Joseph, were also convicted in the case. But for Till and Betty, the convictions brought only partial relief. Crystal's remains have never been found, and no one has been arrested in Tommy's murder. The couple visits two cemeteries every Sunday- and sometimes more often than that. They go to St. Thomas to see Tommy, and to another cemetery for Sherry, their daughter. But there's no grave for Crystal to visit. Till believes Brooks Houck knows exactly where Crystal is but refuses to tell out of spite. "I think he hates Sherry so much, he's not gonna tell where Crystal is," Till explains, referring to Crystal's mother, who pleaded with Brooks from the witness stand during the sentencing phase of the trial. "He just sat there, you know, just staring straight ahead, you know, like 'heck with you.'" The pain of not knowing cuts deep. "We could find her and have a proper burial," Till says. "That's all her kids need to know- where their mother's at." "And those kids deserve to know," Betty added. **For paid subscribers:** *The interview with the Ballards is available in audio form! I know you all are busy and don't always have time to sit down and read, so I'm hoping this makes staying informed a little easier.* *Check it out below and let me know what you think! If you prefer the read, just keep scrolling* 😊 _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Federal charges filed against Brian Epperson- the man some are calling "the Kentucky serial killer" URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/federal-charges-filed-against-brian-epperson-the-man-some-are-calling-the-kentucky-serial-killer/ Last updated: 2025-10-20T12:37:37.000Z A Kentucky man is now tied to the deaths of multiple local women, and investigators say he used the same chilling technique on all. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Brian Epperson- who is already facing a murder charge- now faces federal drug charges after being indicted on two counts related to fatal methamphetamine overdoses. The Winchester Police Department announced Friday that Epperson has been indicted by a federal grand jury for knowingly and intentionally distributing methamphetamine that resulted in the overdose deaths of two victims- Reacheal Dawson and Kristen Morris. Epperson has been in custody and under investigation for months, and this case wasn't simple... investigators told me they have been running tests, collecting and reviewing evidence since July. "There's a lot of physical evidence, and there's a lot of electronic evidence. Sergeant Reed and the DEA Task Force officer, as well as some others in our staff, have had to comb through hundreds of 1000s of pictures and videos," Winchester Police Chief Travis Thompson said, "I think there's about 20 terabytes of electronic digital media that they've had to comb through." Chief Thompson explained if it wasn't for Detective Sergeant Matt Reed and his knowledge of a case that was out of their jurisdiction, this entire investigation could have looked different. "It's very likely that it could have been written up as an overdose, because that's how the scene was. The scene was staged for it to be", Thompson said of the Reacheal Dawson case. "But Sergeant Reed was aware of the Powell County case and Mr. Epperson's involvement in it, which raised a red flag for him, and he took it quite a few steps further, which is a good thing he did, because it snowballed quickly into a major case." ## What we know about the victims According to Chief Thompson, the women named in the federal indictment were in a consensual, romantic relationship with Epperson. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-17-at-7.10.56---AM.png) 32-year-old Kristen Morris, 29-year-old Reacheal Dawson, 42-year-old Hilory Davis _This post is for subscribers only._ ### "When you kill a six year old, you forfeit your right to live free"; lawmaker plans to propose new laws after controversial release URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/when-you-kill-a-six-year-old-you-forfeit-your-right-to-live-free-lawmaker-plans-to-propose-new-laws-after-controversial-release/ Last updated: 2025-10-16T19:36:45.000Z The two new bills aim to prevent another Ronald Exantus case from happening again in Kentucky. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- When State Representative TJ Roberts first heard that Ronald Exantus had been released after serving just seven years for killing 6-year-old Logan Tipton, he didn't just get mad. He got to work. "When you kill a six year old, you forfeit your right to live among civil society for the rest of your life, plain and simple," Roberts told me this week. "I found it to be an egregious miscarriage of justice." But Roberts, a Republican who represents District 66 in Northern Kentucky, knew that outrage alone wouldn't fix the broken system that led to Exantus walking free. So he did what lawmakers are supposed to do- he drafted legislation to make sure it never happens again. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-16-at-2.28.15---PM.png) Rep. TJ Roberts ## Two bills, one goal Roberts has filed two bill requests that he says will be introduced on day one of Kentucky's 2026 legislative session, and both directly address the failures that allowed Exantus to be released. **Bill Request 1050** would completely abolish Kentucky's mandatory reentry program. That's the very program that required the Department of Corrections to release Exantus even though the [Parole Board had unanimously voted](https://www.shayinformed.com/controversial-release-triggers-threats-against-kentucky-parole-board/) to keep him in prison. [Controversial release triggers threats against Kentucky Parole BoardKentucky State Police confirm the agency is investigating after members of the state’s Parole Board received violent threats and had their personal information posted online in recent days, authorities announced. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-66.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-10-05-at-9.31.57---AM-1-1-1.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/controversial-release-triggers-threats-against-kentucky-parole-board/) "It would make it to where, if you are an inmate and you are seeking release and you are eligible for parole, you must go before the parole board, and the vote of the parole board is binding," Roberts explained. His reasoning? The Parole Board is made up of actual human beings who can look an inmate in the eye, evaluate their remorse, review their behavior behind bars, and ask themselves a simple question: Would I be comfortable living with this person in my neighborhood? "I think that is much more logical than just putting up whether or not criminals are released to mere words on paper," Roberts said. And this isn't just about the Exantus case. "This isn't just a one off, it's a broken program that is putting some of the most vile criminals imaginable back on our streets," he said. **Bill Request 1051** tackles another glaring issue in the Exantus case- the insanity defense. During his trial, Exantus was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity, but somehow convicted of assault for attacking Logan's father and sister. All of these crimes happened within minutes of each other, in the same house, during the same rampage. "That didn't make any sense to me," Roberts said. "The only explanation I could think of is jury misconduct, where they came to a bargain verdict, which is illegal already." His second bill would require juries to apply the insanity defense to all charges arising from the same incident. In other words, you're either insane for the whole crime spree or you're sane for the whole crime spree. No more cherry-picking. If Exantus truly was insane enough to kill a child, Roberts asks, why wasn't he immediately committed to a mental institution for life after his prison sentence? "That's beyond me," he said. "If you truly were insane to the point that you kill someone, I think you should be institutionalized for the rest of your life, just plain and simple." ## Why this matters Exantus broke into Logan Tipton's family's Versailles home in December 2015 and stabbed 6-year-old Logan to death with a knife from their own kitchen while the child slept. The attack was completely random- Exantus had no connection to the family whatsoever. In 2018, Exantus was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity. The jury found him guilty but mentally ill of assaulting members of the Tipton family in the attack. But those assault charges are not considered "violent offenses" in Kentucky, so he was not required to serve the majority of his prison sentence and released after serving seven years. The Kentucky Parole Board voted unanimously to keep him in prison, but Kentucky law required the Department of Corrections to release the inmate on Mandatory Reentry Supervision. Roberts's bills would fix that. They would put human judgment back into the parole process and close the loophole that allowed a split verdict on insanity. As Roberts put it: "We have an obligation as a society to protect children. We need to protect the very young. We need to protect the very old. We need to protect the frail. These are vulnerable populations." If these bills pass- and it sounds like they will- Kentucky will have taken a concrete step toward honoring that obligation. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Gov Andy Beshear fights federal cuts that could cost Kentucky more than 700 jobs URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/gov-andy-beshear-fights-federal-cuts-that-could-cost-kentucky-more-than-700-jobs/ Last updated: 2025-10-16T18:21:09.000Z Governor Andy Beshear is pushing back against proposed federal funding cuts that he says would devastate Kentucky's manufacturing revival and cost the state hundreds of good-paying jobs. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- In a letter to President Donald Trump this week, Beshear urged the administration to reconsider $24 billion in cuts to the U.S. Department of Energy- cuts that he said would slash $537 million already awarded to five Kentucky projects. "The projects at risk of losing this funding are helping reshore American manufacturing and jobs from China, and these cuts jeopardize that progress for our commonwealth and our country," Beshear wrote in the letter. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-16-at-2.16.12---PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-16-at-2.16.19---PM.png) Letter sent to President Trump The governor's concerns aren't abstract. These are real facilities in real Kentucky towns, many of them in rural communities that have been hungry for economic opportunity. Take Maysville, for instance. Mitsubishi Electric was awarded $50 million to transform an old automotive parts plant into a heat pump compressor factory that would employ 300 Kentuckians. Right now, China makes nearly 95% of these compressors- the kind of dependency that both parties have said they want to end. At full capacity, the Maysville plant would crank out over a million compressors a year. The biggest project at risk is in Hopkinsville, where Ascend Elements was counting on more than $316 million for an electric vehicle battery recycling facility. That project alone would create 400 jobs and help America produce more of the critical materials needed for EV batteries, materials we currently import because we simply don't make enough domestically. Other threatened projects, according to Beshear, include $75 million for Diageo's operations in Shelbyville, $72 million for a research project at PPL's natural gas facility in Louisville, and nearly $24 million for energy research at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. For Beshear, the irony is hard to miss: these are exactly the kind of manufacturing jobs and China-independence initiatives that Washington has been promising for years. Now, with shovels ready to hit the ground, the funding could disappear. "These cuts will only set back economic development and job opportunities in Kentucky and hurt our country's international competitiveness and progress on reshoring domestic manufacturing," the governor said. Whether the administration will heed Beshear's plea remains to be seen. But for the communities of Maysville, Hopkinsville, and others across Kentucky, the stakes couldn't be higher. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### UPS is destroying packages coming into the Louisville facility- here's why URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/ups-is-destroying-packages-coming-into-the-louisville-facility-heres-why/ Last updated: 2025-10-16T13:14:06.000Z Imagine checking your tracking number and seeing this: "Your package is being disposed of." That's exactly what happened to Sloan Dickey, and he's far from alone. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- When Dickey first saw the notification, he thought it had to be a mistake. "I was a little bit in disbelief," he told me. "I had never heard of anything like that before and didn't even know that was something a shipping company could do." But it wasn't a mistake. His package was actually being disposed of by UPS- and according to posts flooding the UPS subreddit, hundreds or possibly thousands of other customers are experiencing the same nightmare. Sloan Dickey lives in Denver, CO, but contacted me- a Louisville journalist- after seeing his package's last known location was the Louisville WorldPort facility. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/package-delivery-1.jpg) Screenshot provided by Dickey, showing his package's tracking information ## What's going on? UPS says the issue stems from new U.S. import regulations that require more detailed customs information. Not only is it more information, it's constantly changing information, a spokesperson explained. Each round of new tariffs being imposed by the Trump administration change the requirements for packages to enter the United States. In a statement, the company explained that they're "seeing many packages that are unable to clear customs due to missing or incomplete information about the shipment required for customs clearance." The company insists they're doing everything they can, claiming their brokerage team clears more than 90% of packages on the first day and that they make "more than three contacts per package" to get the necessary information. ## The customer experience: a bureaucratic nightmare "Saying it was difficult to get information from UPS is an understatement," Dickey said. "I probably spent 12 hours waiting on hold to speak with anyone who could tell me what the hell was going on." What followed was a frustrating game of telephone. Representatives would transfer him between departments, each call requiring another hour-long wait. Nobody could actually explain why his package was being destroyed. Even worse? UPS gave conflicting information to Dickey and the international seller, where he bought the glassware. "UPS would tell me that the shipper was to blame because they had not provided crucial information," Dickey explained. "Then when the shipper would call UPS, they would explain that I had not provided the information." When they finally managed to get on a call together with a UPS representative, they were told the matter was "under investigation"- but still received no real explanation. ## The human cost The emotional toll goes beyond inconvenience. Dickey described the experience as "extremely invalidating having my belongings simply thrown away, and the company that disposed of those items telling me it was my fault." On Reddit, customers report losing irreplaceable items- family heirlooms, memorabilia, valuable purchases- all discarded without adequate warning or explanation. According to UPS's statement, packages are only disposed of when they "cannot obtain the necessary information to clear the package" and the customer doesn't respond, making the package "abandoned." They say disposal happens "in compliance with U.S. customs regulations." But would not elaborate on where or how disposal takes place. Many customers say they never received any indication that UPS needed information from them before getting the disposal notification, making it impossible to respond to requests they never knew existed. ## What happens next? For Dickey, the damage is done. "As far as UPS is concerned, I will be going out of my way to avoid shipping with UPS ever again," he said. "They have shown complete disregard for both the packages being shipped and the customers shipping and receiving those packages." He's also reconsidering international purchases altogether. "Given the current political situation in the United States with tariffs, I am hesitant to purchase any more goods from overseas." UPS maintains they're "committed to serving our customers" and working to "bridge the gap of understanding tied to the new requirements." But with packages being destroyed and customers spending hours on hold without answers, that commitment is being seriously tested. If you're expecting an international package through UPS, the company recommends proactively contacting the seller to ensure all [customs information](https://about.ups.com/us/en/our-stories/customer-first/3-ways-ups-helps-businesses-navigate-global-trade-and-tariffs.html?ref=shayinformed.com) is complete- before your tracking status takes a turn for the worse. ### KY's smallest county experiencing "trauma" after sheriff turmoil URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kys-smallest-county-experiencing-trauma-after-sheriff-turmoil/ Last updated: 2025-10-15T14:18:29.000Z Governor Andy Beshear asked Sheriff Terry Gray to step down from his position as top law enforcement officer for Robertson County after his third DUI arrest in less than two years. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The sheriff leading Kentucky's smallest county has resigned after a third DUI arrest in less than two years. Now the Robertson County Judge Executive has appointed a new leader to take over during what she is calling a "critical time." "Currently, our county is experiencing what I can only describe as trauma," Judge Executive Valerie Grigson Miley wrote on [social media.](https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story%5Ffbid=pfbid0xFDbEriJGfUueWfJ6xAM2mQsr3nAwtimoCGYJJy6cdsgxfDDameuHf7ZH33MMewKl&id=100089333122516) ## What happened with the sheriff? According to the arrest citation, Sheriff Terry Gray was spotted driving 110 miles per hour, with a flashing blue light on top of his pickup truck in nearby Mason County on October 7th. A Mason County Deputy thought the sheriff was either in pursuit of a vehicle or being pursued, but he couldn't tell which one for sure. The officer noted Sheriff Gray was speeding, crossing the center line and even at one point almost overturned into an embankment. Mason County officials said they initiated a "high risk" traffic stop due to the recklessness and found Gray inside the truck wearing a sheriff's uniform with a gun and handcuffs on his waist. Gray told officers he was looking for a vehicle he had lost and he "was not drunk." The officers noted a bottle of Fireball in his pocket. He was charged with DUI, reckless driving, wanton endangerment, and official misconduct. He is set to be arraigned on October 24 in Mason County. ## Governor Andy Beshear asks him to resign ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-15-at-10.03.39---AM.png) Governor Andy Beshear asked Gray to step down as sheriff within five days or said he would remove him from the position. In a letter to the sheriff, Beshear stated that the grounds for removal included habitual drunkenness in office, gross immorality, and neglect of duty. He also mentioned the sheriff's criminal history, to include a DUI charge in December of 2023 and another one nine months later in October of 2024\. Gray did turn in a letter of resignation to the Robertson County Judge Executive. ## A new sheriff is appointed Robertson County Judge Executive Valerie Grigson Miley appointed Former Sheriff Randy Insko to serve the remainder of Gray's term. In a lengthy social media post, Miley explained her decision. She said more than thirty people reached out to her office to express interest in the position, both in finishing Gray's term and running for sheriff next year. But to keep an "even playing field" for next year's election, Miley wanted to put someone in the position who is not interested in running for sheriff in next year's election. She also said Inkso, who served in the position for 21 years before retirement, can step into the sheriff role at a critical time- property tax season. She said there is no time for a learning curve, and there was reason to appoint someone with experience right away. "We have everything firmly under control, and can successfully continue the important work of the Sheriff’s Office," Miley wrote on social media. ### 'It's not the place"; hundreds turn out to oppose proposed Meade County data center URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/its-not-the-place-hundreds-turn-out-to-oppose-proposed-meade-county-data-center/ Last updated: 2025-10-15T13:04:20.000Z There was a line of cars outside the fairgrounds waiting to get in ahead of Tuesday's special meeting, where passionate community members were anxious to make their voices heard. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Hundreds of passionate Meade County residents showed up to a public meeting at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday to make sure their opposition to a newly proposed data center was loud and clear. Tim LaTondress, a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission, told me they had to move to a bigger building because of the size of the crowd. LaTondress told me he was expecting 20-30 people to be there, and did not expect the hundreds that arrived at the fairgrounds. It was a contentious meeting, filled with yelling, clapping, interruptions, and accusations. Residents accused the Meade County Fiscal Court of allowing this project to develop under a cloak of secrecy, including the timing of the public input session, which was scheduled for the middle of a workday. The 11:30 a.m. meeting was an opportunity for the Planning Zoning Commission to approve a rezoning request before sending the decision to the full Fiscal Court. Ultimately, the commission voted to deny the request after more than two hours of public comment vehemently against it. "I'm not afraid to vote against the opposition if the opposition is being close-minded about something, but these people had legitimate concerns," LaTondress said after the meeting. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-14-at-3.47.42---PM.png) The Planning and Zoning Commission; Credit: WVIH Newsroom ## About the project The proposed AI data center would be located off of Joe Prather Highway, near Brandenburg on nearly 140 acres of what is currently farmland. The property has not yet been sold to the developer, as it would require a zoning change. ## Public feedback "I have not heard a single person in favor of this... if this passes, there is something going on," one lifelong resident of Meade County said to the commission. Residents raised numerous concerns- from the noise the facility would bring, to the environmental impacts. There were concerns about the county's electric grid and water supply- would it be capable of handling this change? Meade County Resident Samantha Campbell said, "We do not have electrical and water resources to work on this." She went on to talk about where she believes the county should be investing... and it's not in industrial growth. "We should be investing in our local folks- farmers, businesses. Once we can do that, then we can start having conversations about additional industrial zones." That suggestion was echoed by several farmers. "This is a rural county. Farming is how it started", Lucas said, "I'm all about growth, but it has to fit what our community needs." He references other industrial projects like Nucor Steel, which were initially opposed, but pointed out that the factory provided hundreds of local jobs. "What's Meade County going to get out of this?" The public comment was just that- an opportunity for public comment. The commissioners were not answering questions. "We want to hear everyone's opinion, we do, but we are not here to debate back and forth", one member of the fiscal court said. Another resident who is new to the area explained how she believes the project undermines the root of why people choose to live in Meade County. "I do not feel like this will be beneficial to my family, who moved here to have space, and quiet and a 'down-home country feel,'" Campbell said,"I do not feel that this will help build community and build relationships." ## Similar proposal scrapped in Oldham County Earlier this year, plans for a large data center in Oldham County were scrapped by the developer, Western Hospitality Partners, after significant local opposition. The project faced backlash over its size, power consumption, and environmental impact. The project was first announced in March, with the developer detailing a massive 600-megawatt data center that would be one of the most powerful in the world. Within in months, the company was changing plans for a smaller operation before eventually pulling the project altogether. ## What comes next The Meade County Fiscal Court agreed with the county's planning and zoning commission's vote against a proposal, after nearly three hours of hearing from the community. LaTondress told me the Meade County Fiscal Court does not have to vote in line with the Planning and Zoning Committee and has voted in a different direction, although he didn't expect that on this subject. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### U.S. measles cases continue to climb, here's what the situation looks like in KY URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/u-s-measles-cases-continue-to-climb-heres-what-the-situation-looks-like-in-ky/ Last updated: 2025-10-14T13:40:44.000Z According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. has confirmed more than 1,500 cases so far this year, the highest annual number in more than 30 years. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Communities across the United States are reporting an uptick in measles cases as the highly contagious disease continues to spread across the country. Right now, 150 unvaccinated school children in South Carolina are quarantining after being exposed to measles. There are also large outbreaks being reported in Arizona and southwestern Utah, according to[ reporting by NPR.](https://www.npr.org/2025/10/12/nx-s1-5572507/us-measles-outbreaks-texas-south-carolina-utah-minnesota?ref=shayinformed.com) Measles is one of the most [contagious diseases](https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/02/28/nx-s1-5312088/measles-texas-outbreak-contagious-spread?ref=shayinformed.com) known to humans. On average, an infected person will infect as many as 18 other unvaccinated people. A person with measles can emit infectious particles that linger in the air for up to two hours, long after they've left a room. That's why it's so highly transmissible. ## What does it look like in Kentucky? The Kentucky Department for Public Health has reported 14 total cases of measles in 2025\. One of those cases came from an international visitor earlier this year, meaning only 13 cases have been reported in Kentucky residents. In June of this year, Kentucky health officials confirmed a measles outbreak that started in Woodford County and spread to Fayette County. Four cases were connected to this outbreak. There have been six cases reported in Fayette County, one in Franklin County, two in Jefferson County, one in Todd County, and three in Woodford County. The majority of the cases were reported in children between 5 and 17 years old. “Measles can be very serious, but it is avoidable through vaccination. We urge all parents to have their children vaccinated to ensure they are protected from preventable diseases like measles," Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Dr. Steven Stack said in June of 2025\. Of the 13 confirmed cases in Kentucky residents in 2025, two people were hospitalized. There have been no deaths reported, according to the [Measles Case Data](https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/dehp/idb/Pages/measles.aspx?ref=shayinformed.com) kept by the Kentucky Department of Health. The most recent case was reported in July. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-14-at-9.39.39---AM.png) The Kentucky Department for Public Health ## Kentucky vaccination rates According to the Kentucky Department for Public Health, immunization rates among Kentucky’s kindergartners have declined. Results from the most recent school immunization survey for the 2024-2025 school year revealed that only 86.9% of Kentucky kindergarteners are fully vaccinated against measles, which is lower than the national average of 93%. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are required for school attendance in Kentucky. The measles vaccine is widely considered incredibly safe and effective. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### From silence to sentencing: Sherry Ballard's first interview since Crystal's case was solved URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/from-silence-to-sentencing-sherry-ballards-first-interview-since-crystals-case-was-solved/ Last updated: 2025-10-17T11:36:57.000Z In her first interview since 2023, Sherry Ballard opens up about the silence that scared her, the testimony that broke her, and the guilty verdicts that finally brought justice for Crystal. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and (eventually) a new podcast.* --- I checked my notes before sitting down with Sherry Ballard, and I realized it had been about three years since we had recorded an interview on Crystal's case. Three years. Before that, we were doing interviews at least twice a year. Keeping Crystal's name in the public eye was important to Sherry, and important to me. To be clear, we've talked plenty between then and now- phone calls, text messages, quick conversations in the courthouse halls- but it was hard for Sherry to go silent publicly. So the first thing I asked was simple: How are you doing? "I'm hanging in there. I'm trying," Sherry tells me with a smile. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-07-at-12.40.38---PM.png) A lot has changed since we last spoke on the record. Earlier this year, Brooks Houck-Crystal's boyfriend at the time of her disappearance in July 2015 and the man Sherry believed was responsible from day one- was convicted of her murder along with two co-defendants: Steven Lawson and his son, Joseph Lawson. Houck received a life sentence. After a decade of fighting, of keeping Crystal's story alive through countless interviews and public pleas, Sherry finally has some measure of justice. But getting here required sacrifices I know were incredibly difficult for her. We'll dive into that in a moment. First, the community means everything to Sherry, and I know that giving them some closure was actually part of her reasoning for agreeing to do this interview with me. So I ask her what she wants them to know. And this is when she gets emotional. "This one always gets me," she says, her voice breaking. "I am where I'm at today because of all the support that I've had. Like I told you before, if I had to get up every morning and think no one supported me, I couldn't do it. I couldn't. All the encouragement I get from people when I see them, it helps me. It helps me to keep moving and keep this going. And knowing how friendly people are to me and just... I think they're rooting for me to get closure for this, and that helps me a lot. So I just want to thank them for that. They do more than they think they do." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/liberty-tax.jpg) Liberty Tax painted windows in support of Crystal right after the guilty verdict She said she has strangers come up to her and tell her they're praying for her. They pick up her tab at restaurants. It's a daily thing for her... a gesture of love from the community she calls home. "I don't go anywhere without someone coming up to me and congratulating me, or still saying, 'I'm praying for you and your family.' And just to know that... even with the Houcks out there running around, I still have all that support." While she feels the love, it hasn't been an easy three years. Not in the least. One of the scarier moments for her was a request from Special Prosecutor Shane Young to stay silent. **For paid subscribers:** *The full interview with Sherry Ballard is now available in audio and video form! I know you all are busy and don't always have time to sit down and read, so I'm hoping this makes staying informed a little easier.* *Whether you're driving, doing dishes, or just need a break from staring at screens, now you can listen instead. You can also WATCH the full interview at the bottom of this story. Check it out below and let me know what you think! If you prefer the read, just keep scrolling* 😊 _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana facing budget crisis, as volunteers rally to save camps URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/girl-scouts-of-kentuckiana-facing-budget-crisis-as-volunteers-rally-to-save-camps/ Last updated: 2025-10-13T12:24:56.000Z Passionate volunteers are pushing back against potential camp closures as the organization navigates financial challenges. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana is at a crossroads. Facing a significant budget deficit driven largely by disappointing cookie sales, the organization that serves 9,000 girls across 54 Kentucky counties and 10 Indiana counties is grappling with tough decisions about its future- including the possibility of "resting" some of its seven camp properties. For CEO Maggie Elder, who grew up in Girl Scouts and now leads a troop herself, these aren't just business decisions. They're deeply personal. "This job is such a privilege," Elder said. "I am so deeply passionate about the work that we do every day. I grew up in it. I have daughters that are Girl Scouts... is this hard? Absolutely, it's hard, it's heart-wrenching." ## The perfect storm The financial troubles stem primarily from the 2025 cookie season, which fell dramatically short of projections. Cookies represent a staggering 70% of the organization's revenue, and when those sales don't materialize, the impact reverberates throughout the entire operation. Elder pointed to multiple factors: a price increase in 2024, a brutal winter with the region's biggest snowstorm in recent memory, a severe flu season that kept girls home during critical selling periods, and broader economic pressures affecting families' discretionary spending. "We went live on January 1, and then we had this horrific, or actually, depending on who you ask, amazing snowstorm," Elder explained. "When you start a program and then everybody has to stay home for an entire week, school doesn't start, and all the things that they were planning to do to make their cookie experience go- that all got disrupted." The organization has already taken painful steps to address the shortfall, including a 10% reduction in staff and plans to use board reserves to help navigate the transition. But more changes are still needed, Elder explained, to sustain the program moving forward. ## "I'm going down with a fight" For volunteers like Connie Bell, the very suggestion of closing camps feels like an existential threat to everything Girl Scouts represents. Bell has been a leader for 18 years, watching her older daughter complete the program from kindergarten through 12th grade, with her younger daughter now a high school sophomore. She's also a camp director who leads a volunteer-run camp twice a year, serving 100-120 kids each session. She's also the site team chair for Camp Whippoorwill- one of the camps she says was initially discussed for closure. When Elder and board chair Terri Massey sat her down for dinner to discuss the financial situation, Bell said closing camps was presented as a done deal. "I told everybody about the private conversation," Bell said, her voice reflecting the urgency she felt. "I really just thought it felt to me like a done deal... and so I just thought, well, if it's a done deal, then I'm going down with a fight." What followed was a grassroots campaign that saw volunteers mobilizing across the region, turning out in unprecedented numbers to fall forums- 60 people in southern Indiana alone, far exceeding the typical three or four attendees, Bell said. "I threw a fit," Bell said simply. "I gave them a bunch of ideas on how to improve the situation, and then it's like they didn't do anything... no action was taken." ## Why camp matters ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Trust-Fall-at-Camp.jpg) Credit: Girls Scouts of Kentuckiana For Bell, camps aren't just properties on a balance sheet. They're transformative spaces where girls build confidence in real time. "You can physically see the girls build confidence right in front of your eyes," she said, describing girls kayaking for the first time on Wishing Star Lake at Camp Penny Royal, or conquering high ropes courses in the trees. "You see girls say, 'this is my first time ever in a kayak,' and it's just fun. You get to put on the vest, and you show them how to paddle, and you push them out." She paused, then continued with emotion: "These are memories that aren't made if camps close. Then what's next? There are some councils that have no properties left, and it's like, what then?" She sees camp closures as the beginning of an organizational death spiral: "When you close camps, you upset girls. The girls leave. Those girls don't sell cookies, and then you have less money, and then you have to close more camps, which affects more girls. It's the beginning of the end." Just recently, another nearby council announced the closure and sale of Camp Ada in Indiana. The camp had been serving girls since 1971 on 78 acres in Henry County, about 45 minutes outside of Indianapolis. Leadership with Girl Scouts of Central Indiana said the decision was difficult, but important to increase occupancy at the remaining Girl Scout camps and streamline efficiency. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-9.57.06---AM.png) Camp Ada aerial photo from CBRE listing According to Bell, the organization's stance has evolved significantly since that initial dinner conversation earlier this year and she believes that is largely because of volunteer pushback. Elder confirmed that the conversation has shifted. While the board initially asked the properties committee to look at resting at least two camps with specific cost savings in mind, that directive has been reconsidered. "Since that time, the properties committee has said, 'Well, really, is that exactly right?' And the board is trying to kind of listen to the properties committee and have a dialog," Elder explained. "Nobody wants to close a camp. That's true." The organization held seven in-person sessions in May and June, two virtual sessions in July, and seven more fall forums in September- crisscrossing their service area to engage volunteers and families in dialogue about solutions. "No decisions have been made," Elder emphasized, though she acknowledged that hard questions still need to be asked. "We're really looking for all the solutions possible." ## Looking for solutions together The organization is now exploring sustainability plans for the camps, including new fundraising streams and different ways to resource the properties. Of the seven camps, Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana owns only four- the three largest camps plus Camp Whippoorwill. The other three are leased at minimal or no cost. Elder stressed that Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana isn't unique in facing these challenges. "This is 2025 for most nonprofits," she said. "We're asking hard questions. It's real, but we're not unique, and this is just something that organizations have to go through. This is disruption, and our country is in disruption." She's calling on families and community members to help in three specific ways: prioritize the cookie program when it launches in January (featuring a new cookie called the [Exploremores](https://www.girlscouts.org/en/cookies/cookie-flavors/exploremores-cookies.html?ref=shayinformed.com)), invite more girls to join Girl Scouts, and make financial donations beyond cookie purchases to help diversify revenue. "We need revenue diversification," Elder said. "The cookie program was never meant to fully fund the organization." ## The heart of the matter For Bell, the message to leadership is simple: listen to volunteers and let them help. "There's a lot of things that people love to help when times are tough," she said. "If you ask for help, you shall receive. People want to help." She pointed to the resourcefulness of Girl Scout leaders who teach themselves new skills- from sewing to car maintenance- just to pass those skills on to their girls. "Girl Scout leaders are some awesome, awesome people that do amazing things," Bell said. "We all feel like this is so important for girls, and especially like camp opportunities and overnights... It's an all-girl environment where they can laugh and giggle, and there's no stress of the outside world. Maybe this is a safe place for them." Her voice grew quiet but determined: "If I have to stand in the cold an extra weekend and help my daughter sell cookies to help save camp, whatever it takes, we're going to do it. If I have to recruit and put 50 new girls in my troop, then I will, because this is important forever." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Swimming-Pool-Edge-Closeup.jpg) Credit: Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana Despite the challenges, Elder remains hopeful that the organization can harness the passion of its volunteers to create a sustainable future. "If you believe, and you also know that you have all these other amazing people who believe... we are this movement of people committed to the future of female leaders, and there's so many of us," she said. "If I can harness that energy for the opportunity, that's what I'm after." Community members interested in supporting Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana can donate or learn how to volunteer on the [organization's website](https://www.gskentuckiana.org/en/support-us/donate.html?ref=shayinformed.com). And don't forget to buy your cookies when the program launches in January of 2026! *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### "We do not want him here"; Florida officials talk about Ronald Exantus arrest URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/we-do-not-want-him-here-florida-officials-talk-about-ronald-exantus-arrest/ Last updated: 2025-10-10T14:19:30.000Z Florida officials say they're 'not taking any chances', they want to send Ronald Exantus back to Kentucky. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- A man who served less than half of his sentence for killing a 6-year-old Kentucky boy has been arrested in Florida after authorities discovered he was living directly next to an elementary school and had failed to register as a convicted felon. "We the people here in Florida, do not want this type of person out on our streets,"Marion County Lt. Paul Bloom siad. 42-year-old Ronald Exantus was taken into custody by the Marion County Sheriff's Office Intel Unit on Thursday at a home investigators say sits immediately adjacent to two schools. Bloom said once they received information that he might be living in the county, they began surveying his home. When they noticed he shared a fence with an elementary school, Bloom said they put detectives between the house and the school. "We aren't taking any chances." Investigators elaborated on the arrest on Friday morning, explaining Exantus had checked in with the Department of Corrections after moving to the area. Bloom said he was given paperwork and was told he had 48 hours to register at the Marion County Sheriff's Office, but failed to complete the registration process. "Our hope here is that he is sent right back to Kentucky, where he came from as a violation of his probation and taken off of our streets," Bloom said. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/ronald-and-logan.jpg) Florida officials said they have received an outpouring of support from not only their local community, but also people from Kentucky, including Logan Tipton's parents who apparently told the sheriff's department they were very grateful for the arrest. The arrest comes just weeks after Exantus's controversial release from a Kentucky prison sparked public outrage and even threats against state parole board members. In December 2015, Exantus broke into a home in Versailles, Kentucky, and stabbed 6-year-old Logan Tipton to death while the child slept. The attack was completely random, according to court documents. Exantus had no connection to the Tipton family. Using a knife from their own kitchen, he also attacked Logan's father and sister during the invasion. While Exantus was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity, he was convicted on assault charges and sentenced to 20 years in prison. ## Why was he released in Kentucky? Despite widespread criticism of the Kentucky Parole Board, the members actually aren't responsible for releasing Exantus. Kentucky's Parole Board voted unanimously to keep Exantus behind bars. But under Kentucky law, the Department of Corrections was required to release him anyway as part of a mandatory reentry supervision program. "Despite repeatedly voting for Ronald Exantus to remain in prison, Parole Board members have faced significant threats over the last several days," said Ladeidra N. Jones, chair of the Kentucky Parole Board. The confusion over who was responsible for the release led to parole board members and their families receiving death threats and having their personal information posted online. ## What happens next? Bloom confirmed Kentucky's probation and parole department has been notified of Exantus' arrest in Florida. He said conversations "will happen about him being extradited back to Kentucky." His charge in Florida, failing to register as a convicted felon, is considered a misdemeanor offense, but a probation violation could carry more significant weight. Bloom confirmed there is no timeline for a possible extradition back to Kentucky, and that even if that plan was put in place, it would not be announced publicly. But said, "We want that to happen. We do not want him here." *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Missing Madison mom Sasha Borman found dead, sheriff's office confirms URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/missing-madison-mom-sasha-borman-found-dead-sheriffs-office-confirms/ Last updated: 2025-10-10T13:40:11.000Z The search for 36-year-old Sasha Borman has come to a heartbreaking end. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office announced Thursday that Sasha Borman, who was reported missing over the weekend and hasn't been seen for more than a week, has been found deceased. "Due to the ongoing investigation, no further details regarding the circumstances of Ms. Borman's death are being released at this time," the sheriff's office stated. "Additional information will be made available as the investigation progresses and when it is appropriate to do so." ## A mother who Was "getting her life back on track" Just days ago, Sasha's family members were organizing search parties and desperately trying to piece together what happened to her. They described a woman who was excited about her future, working night shifts at Arvin Sango in Madison, and looking forward to spending time with her daughter. "The last time I spoke with Sasha was last Monday, and she was at work," her cousin Savannah Bruners told me earlier this week. "She was talking about how excited she was for the weekend so that she could spend time with her daughter. She was talking about how close she was to getting her own space, just very excited with life." The last time anyone could confirm seeing Sasha was when she clocked out of work on Wednesday of last week, October 1st. ## Family had been searching on their own In the days since Sasha's disappearance, her family and friends had taken matters into their own hands, organizing search parties that met at a local church before fanning out across Madison, Milton, and Carrollton. "If you have time, go," Bruners had said. "If I'm off work, I'll be looking while I'm off work. I come to work, I do what I got to do, I go back out, and I start searching. And that's what we're all doing." The family had expressed frustration with what they felt was an inadequate response from law enforcement, though the sheriff's office did conduct at least one K-9 search of a property earlier this week. The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Indiana State Police, Kentucky State Police, City of Madison Police Department, Jennings County Sheriff's Office, Jefferson County Prosecutor's Office, Jefferson County Coroner's Office, and the Jefferson County Emergency Management Office. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office extended its "deepest condolences to Ms. Borman's family and loved ones during this difficult time." As the investigation continues, authorities have not released any information about where Sasha was found or the circumstances surrounding her death. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Ronald Exantus arrested in Florida after being released from KY prison URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/ronald-exantus-arrested-in-florida-after-being-released-from-ky-prison/ Last updated: 2025-10-10T12:44:32.000Z Police in Florida arrested Ronald Exantus on Thursday, after learning he had left Kentucky and relocated to Marion County, FL. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- A man who served less than half of his sentence for killing a 6-year-old Kentucky boy has been arrested in Florida after authorities discovered he was living directly next to an elementary school and had failed to register as a convicted felon. 42-year-old Ronald Exantus was taken into custody by the Marion County Sheriff's Office Intel Unit on Thursday at a home investigators say sits immediately adjacent to two schools. "The fact that he was living right next to an elementary school is even more repulsive," said Sheriff Billy Woods. "I am proud of the quick response by my deputies and the inter-agency teamwork that helped locate and arrest this disgusting individual. I have no tolerance for this type of dangerous person flaunting our laws and thinking he would hide out in our county." The arrest comes just weeks after Exantus's controversial release from a Kentucky prison sparked public outrage and even threats against state parole board members. In December 2015, Exantus broke into a home in Versailles, Kentucky, and stabbed 6-year-old Logan Tipton to death while the child slept. The attack was completely random, according to court documents. Exantus had no connection to the Tipton family. Using a knife from their own kitchen, he also attacked Logan's father and sister during the invasion. While Exantus was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity, he was convicted on assault charges and sentenced to 20 years in prison. After serving only seven years of his sentence, Exantus was released last month under what Kentucky officials say was mandatory supervision required by state law. The release triggered a firestorm of criticism, with even the White House weighing in on the case. Here's where things got complicated: Kentucky's Parole Board actually voted unanimously to keep Exantus behind bars. But under Kentucky law, the Department of Corrections was required to release him anyway as part of a mandatory reentry supervision program. "Despite repeatedly voting for Ronald Exantus to remain in prison, Parole Board members have faced significant threats over the last several days," said Ladeidra N. Jones, chair of the Kentucky Parole Board. The confusion over who was responsible for the release led to parole board members and their families receiving death threats and having their personal information posted online. ### Discovery in Florida The Marion County Sheriff's Office received a tip that Exantus had relocated from Kentucky to Florida and might be living in their jurisdiction. Deputies with the Intel Unit quickly investigated and confirmed his presence in Marion County. There was a problem: Exantus had failed to register as a convicted felon with the sheriff's office within 48 hours as required by Florida law. When deputies arrived at the Marion Oaks address, they found Exantus and arrested him without incident. But the location raised immediate red flags. Exantus is now being held in the Marion County Jail with no bond. According to Kentucky Department of Corrections records, Exantus was scheduled to remain on supervised parole until June of next year. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Disoriented deer wanders into Kentucky school, prompting warning from sheriff URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/disoriented-deer-wanders-into-kentucky-school-prompting-warning-from-sheriff/ Last updated: 2025-10-09T23:33:16.000Z Something strange is happening with deer in Graves County, Kentucky, and local authorities are taking notice. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The Graves County Sheriff's Office has responded to two separate incidents in the past two weeks involving deer behaving oddly- stumbling around disoriented, getting too close to people, and in one case, actually wandering into a school building. The first incident happened on September 29th along Kentucky Highway 80 just east of Mayfield, where a deer was spotted acting strangely near a business. According to Sheriff Jon Hayden, the animal was collected by a Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist for testing. Then Wednesday, around noon, another deer caught the agency's attention- and not in a good way. The animal was first reported acting unusually near Central Elementary School on Kentucky Highway 121 North in Mayfield. But things took an unexpected turn when the deer actually made its way inside the school building. Fortunately, students were away on fall break, so no one was in danger. Sheriff's deputies and a Kentucky State Police trooper worked together to corral the confused animal and get it back outside. The deer was later euthanized and removed from the property. What's striking about both incidents is how the deer were behaving. Sheriff Hayden noted that neither animal acted aggressively- instead, they appeared "confused, dazed" and seemed to be wandering aimlessly. The latest incident has been reported to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife for review. While officials haven't speculated on what might be causing this unusual behavior, such symptoms in deer can sometimes be associated with diseases like chronic wasting disease or other neurological conditions. For now, Graves County residents are being advised to keep their distance if they spot deer acting strangely and to report any sightings to local authorities. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### "This just isn't like her"; Family desperately searching for missing Southern Indiana mom URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/this-just-isnt-like-her-family-desperately-searching-for-missing-southern-indiana-mom/ Last updated: 2025-10-09T12:39:27.000Z Sasha Borman was reported missing by her family over the weekend. She was last seen on October 1st. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- When Savannah Bruners last talked to her cousin Sasha Borman, everything seemed normal. Actually, better than normal. "She was at work, and she was talking about how excited she was for the weekend so that she could spend time with her daughter," Bruners recalled. "She was talking about how close she was to getting her own space, just very excited with life." That was last Monday. Now, Sasha is missing, and her family is scrambling to find answers. The Jefferson County, Indiana Sheriff's Office is asking anyone with information to come forward. Sasha Borman is 36 years old, white, 5'7" and about 235 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes. She was last seen on October 1st around 4:30 PM wearing a black tank top, blue jeans, brown boots, and a black head wrap. She has numerous tattoos and piercings. According to her family, Borman clocked out of work at Arvin Sango- a factory in Madison, IN- on Wednesday morning after working the night shift, and that was the last anyone saw her. ### A mom who wouldn't just disappear The family told me they're worried and confused. They said, 'this isn't Sasha.' "She was a mother. She was working at Arvin Sango. She was trying to get her life back on track. We were all extremely proud of her," Bruners said. The idea that Sasha would just take off doesn't add up, her cousin told me, especially because she left behind a son who was sick. "She has had moments where she doesn't want to be around people, but she would message at least one of us," Bruners explained, "Completely just taking off and leaving her son, who was sick, like really sick, is not in her character at all." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Sasha.jpg) ### Taking matters into their own hands Feeling like they're not getting the help they need from law enforcement, the family has organized their own search parties. They've been meeting at a church and combing through different parts of Jefferson County- including Madison, Milton, and Carrollton- all places where Sasha was known to hang out. Bruners told me the sheriff's office has been doing searches of its own, using K-9 investigators and equipment, but they haven't heard the results of those searches. I have also tried to get in touch with someone from the sheriff's office, but was told all of the detectives were out handling the situation and no one could give me an update. ### If you know anything Right now, Sasha's family just wants answers. They want to know she's okay. They want to bring her home. If you have any information about Sasha Borman's whereabouts, please contact the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office immediately. Every tip, no matter how small it might seem, could help bring Sasha home. You can contact the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office at +1 812-265-2648\. ### Launching pumpkins, fighting cancer: a husband's mission to give back URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/launching-pumpkins-fighting-cancer-a-husbands-mission-to-give-back/ Last updated: 2025-10-08T17:54:30.000Z After breast cancer organizations supported his wife, Andrew Masterson found a unique way to return the favor. Chunkin Pumpkins returns to Captain's Quarters this weekend! --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- When Andrew Masterson's wife Melissa was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, two things became crystal clear: she wasn't fighting alone, and he needed to find a way to help the people helping her. "These two local organizations, Twisted Pink and Hope Scarves, throughout Melissa's initial shock of what was happening and what she was going through, they were always a phone call away," Masterson recalls. "Always reaching out to Melissa, offering encouragement, scarves, letters of support, sending flowers. They really helped Melissa and I through that initial shock period." As fall approached that year, Masterson knew he had to do something. As the owner of Captain's Quarters, he had a venue. He just needed an idea- and not just any fundraiser would do. "I didn't want just another chili cook-off, another tasting, another walk," he said. "I wanted to come up with a fun family event." His solution? Giant catapults launching pumpkins into the Ohio River. ## From humble beginnings to $100,000 This Sunday, October 12th, that quirky idea returns for another year of[ Chunkin' Pumpkins](https://www.chunkinpumpkins.com/?ref=shayinformed.com), running from noon to 6 p.m. at Captain's Quarters. What started as a modest effort that raised $1,500 in its first year has evolved into something Masterson never imagined. This year they are hoping to hit $100,000. Last year, the event raised $68,000\. This year, they've already brought in $65,000 before the first pumpkin flies through the air on Sunday. "The support from the boating community, the support from Captain's Quarters customers, from the public in general, has just been overwhelming," Masterson said. "It's been fun. It's been inspirational. It's been very emotional." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/facepaiting.jpg) Credit: Chunkin Pumpkins Facebook ## Now it matters more than ever The event took on new meaning in 2020 when Melissa's cancer returned- this time as metastatic breast cancer, which spread throughout her body. Unlike other forms of breast cancer, metastatic has no cure. For a while, Masterson admits, the event was losing steam. "It wasn't dying, but I didn't have quite the motivation to continue it," he said. But when Melissa's diagnosis changed, so did everything else. "At that point, my entire family, my partners in the business, everybody jumped on board and said, 'Let's continue this event. Let's make it bigger. Let's keep it growing.'" And Masterson believes it's working. The medication keeping Melissa stable today didn't exist five or six years ago. "It's my personal belief that the money we're helping raise for these groups that fund research for metastatic breast cancer- I really feel like we're making an impact," he said. "I trust these organizations are funding the right research projects, and what they're finding and what they're developing is helping Melissa stay alive." When asked how Melissa's doing today, his answer is simple and profound: "It's stable, and that's what we want." ## A day of pumpkins and purpose The event itself has become a spectacle. Three massive trebuchets, which look like medieval-style catapults, launch pumpkins into the river, trying to hit floating targets. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/catapults.jpg) Credit: Chunkin Pumpkins Facebook Even with three catapults firing, they can barely keep up with the crowds wanting to launch pumpkins, all purchased as donations to the cause. Sunday's event is free to attend, and Masterson expects close to 2,000 people throughout the day. Besides pumpkin launching, there will be helicopter rides, live music, face painting, games, local vendors, and fireworks to cap off the evening. "We're asking for donations. If you buy a pumpkin, that all goes to charity. We're doing helicopter rides, which all goes to charity," he explained. "I feel like everybody's getting some value for their donation, if nothing more than pulling on their heartstrings." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/water-pumpkins.jpg) Credit: Chunkin Pumpkins Facebook ## It takes a village- and a family Masterson is quick to point out this isn't a one-man show. As a third-generation operator who also runs Masterson's Catering and The Olmstead, he says the event wouldn't exist at this scale without his entire family pitching in. His son Will sat beside him during the interview, part of the family effort that makes Chunkin' Pumpkins possible year after year. "It would not have grown as big as it has without everybody's involvement, all the family's involvement," Masterson said. "And we're not just focused on Melissa, but all survivors and all metastatic breast cancer patients. We want to help keep them alive." All proceeds are split evenly between Hope Scarves and Twisted Pink, the same organizations that were there for Melissa when she needed them most. Captain's Quarters is located at 5700 Captain's Quarters Road in Louisville. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Ex-Louisville Metro Police detective ordered to report to prison URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/ex-louisville-metro-police-detective-ordered-to-report-to-prison/ Last updated: 2025-10-08T13:00:09.000Z Brett Hankison has been ordered to report to prison on Thursday in connection with his federal conviction for violating Breonna Taylor’s civil rights. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- One of the detectives federally charged in connection to the death of Breonna Taylor has been ordered to report to prison this week to serve his 33-month sentence. Brett Hankison was free from custody while his attorneys filed months to appeal is conviction and penalty, but it appears the Bureau of Prisons is not waiting for that process to play out. Hankison’s attorneys said he received a date of Oct. 9 to report to the Bureau of Prisons. His attorneys asked for a 60 to 90-day extension before requiring him to turn himself him. Writing to the court, “Additional time is necessary to permit this court to rule on the Motion for Bond." A judge denied that request on Tuesday. ### What else is happening in this case? Two other former Louisville detectives are facing charges for allegedly lying on the warrant application used to access Taylor's home, though the most serious civil rights charges were recently dismissed. A third detective pleaded guilty and has a sentencing hearing set for next year. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Controversial release triggers threats against Kentucky Parole Board URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/controversial-release-triggers-threats-against-kentucky-parole-board/ Last updated: 2025-10-08T18:48:39.000Z Kentucky State Police confirm the agency is investigating after members of the state's Parole Board received violent threats and had their personal information posted online in recent days, authorities announced. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Kentucky State Police are investigating violent threats and the release of personal information targeting Parole Board members following public outrage over the early release of a man who served only seven years of a 20-year sentence for killing a 6-year-old boy. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-05-at-9.34.51---AM.png) The threats come amid public outrage over the release of Ronald Exantus, who was convicted in connection with the 2015 stabbing death of 6-year-old Logan Tipton and freed last week after serving just seven years of a 20-year sentence. According to KSP, board members and their families have been threatened with violence and death over the past several days. The agency is warning that making such threats is a crime under Kentucky law, punishable by jail time. "KSP is urging individuals to stop the threats against Board members," the agency stated. "For those who continue to participate in this criminal activity, an investigation will be opened and charges may be issued." But this is important- while threats are never ok- in this case, they are being directed to the wrong people. The Kentucky Parole Board did not release Exantus- it actually voted unanimously for him to remain in prison. Kentucky law required the Department of Corrections to release the inmate on Mandatory Reentry Supervision. “Despite repeatedly voting for Ronald Exantus to remain in prison, Parole Board members have faced significant threats over the last several days, even having their personal addresses released publicly,” said Ladeidra N. Jones, chair of the Kentucky Parole Board, “We are encouraging individuals to take these threats seriously and to prioritize factual information, which is that the board did not release Exantus- instead, a law passed by the General Assembly did.” The case that sparked the backlash has drawn attention from the highest levels of government. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt condemned the release on social media, calling it "wholly unacceptable for a child killer to walk free after just several years in prison," and confirmed the White House is looking into the matter. Exantus broke into the Tipton family's Versailles home in December 2015 and used a knife from their kitchen to fatally stab Logan while he slept. The attack was completely random, with no connection between Exantus and the family. While he was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity, he was convicted on assault charges for attacks against Logan's father and sister. Exantus is now on supervised parole until June of next year, according to the Kentucky Department of Corrections. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Amy McGrath announces new campaign for Mitch McConnell's Senate seat URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/amy-mcgrath-announces-new-campaign-for-mitch-mcconnells-senate-seat/ Last updated: 2025-10-12T14:30:42.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Democrat Amy McGrath announced Monday she is running for Mitch McConnell's Senate seat, once again. ### Who is Amy McGrath? McGrath is a decorated Marine Corps veteran, who, after her retirement, started a non-profit focused on "leadership development for women with a service background and encouraging those women to run for elected office", according to her [website](https://amymcgrath.com/about/?ref=shayinformed.com). Here's how she summarizes her campaign on her website: > Kentuckians know how to work hard. We get up early, put in the hours, and provide for our families. But Washington insiders created chaos, and that chaos is costing us. > Chaotic trade wars and across-the-board tariffs are hidden taxes, raising grocery bills, energy costs, and crushing Kentucky farms and our bourbon industry. Wages haven’t kept up with the cost of living, and corporations post record profits while families fall behind. Politicians point fingers, but the bills keep coming due at the end of the month. > That is no way to run a country. In the Marines, chaos meant lives were at risk. You don’t succeed without clear objectives, accountability, and results. Government should work the same way: set the mission, measure the outcomes, fix what isn’t working. That’s the discipline Amy will bring to the U.S. Senate. ### Not her first time running She first ran in 2019, that time against Mitch McConnell. According to campaign reports, that race was one of the most expensive Senate races in Kentucky's campaign history. She also tried to run for the US House in 2018\. The Democrat narrowly lost that race to Republican Andy Barr. ### A look at the 2025 Senate run Amy McGrath will face state Rep. Pamela Stevenson, attorney and former Secret Service agent Logan Forsythe, and Joel Willett, an ex-CIA and military, in the Democratic primary in May. Rep. Andy Barr, former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, Michael Farris from E-town and businessperson Nate Morris will face off in the Republican primary. *This story has been updated to add Michael Farris to the list of republicans running for Senate.* *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### "We need to be talking about them": honoring the Eastern KY mother and daughter brutally killed at home URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/we-need-to-be-talking-about-them-honoring-the-eastern-ky-mother-and-daughter-brutally-killed-at-home/ Last updated: 2025-10-07T12:46:52.000Z Their names deserve to be front and center. Their love deserves to be remembered. Kayla Blake's friends reached out to me and asked me to make their story the one in the headlines, instead of their accused killer. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- This is the story of Kayla Blake and Kennedi McWhorter, a mother and daughter whose light continues to shine through a heartbroken community. When Amanda Music-Stepp heard the news about Kayla Blake and her daughter Kennedi, she was leaving Walmart with groceries in her car. Her best friend called with information so shocking that Amanda had to ask her to repeat it three or four times. "I was just in total shock," Amanda recalls. Her first instinct was to reach out to her people- the tight-knit group of women who worked alongside Kayla at a women's recovery facility. "I needed to say, hey, like, I love you guys. Like, something really bad has happened, and I need to make sure that you hear it, not from the news." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/unnamed-1.jpg) Because this story- the story of 37-year-old Kayla and 13-year-old Kennedi, who were found dead in their Morehead home last month- deserves to be told by people who loved them. Not defined by the man accused of taking their lives. ### "The most beautiful souls in the whole wide world" That's how Amanda describes Kayla and Kennedi. "We all worked with Kayla, and we were a giant family." Kayla was a registered nurse at a residential treatment facility for women. She started in early January 2022, according to Amanda, and from day one, she brought something special to the team. "She truly, truly was just light," Amanda remembers. "She was beautiful, and she was always laughing and would meet you with a hug, and 'I love you so much.' And just always let us know how grateful she was to have us around." Lacy Stacy, a therapist who worked with Kayla, adds, "She was so bright. You would be having a bad day, and she'd be like, 'How are you doing?' And she'd start to sing to you or dance to the office." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/unnamed--6-.jpg) Even on the hardest days- and working in residential treatment meant there were plenty of those- Kayla kept everyone laughing. "You couldn't have a bad day around her," Amanda says. ### Her kids were her world If you knew Kayla, you knew about Kennedi and Ollie. Her two children. Ollie was not involved in the attack that ended Kennedi and Kayla's lives. "Those kids are her world," Amanda says. "She's always bragging about them, always just sharing stories about them." Lacy Stacy remembers Kayla's unwavering dedication: "Her kids were her world. She was at games, she was at tournaments. She was anything they needed. She was there. She would take off work just to go travel six hours away if she had to. She always showed up no matter what." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/unnamed--7-.jpg) Kennedi and Kayla But Kayla didn't just show up for her own kids. Chassity Risner, a case manager at the facility, recalls how Kayla made sure no one felt alone. "You weren't sitting in the bleachers alone at your own kids' games," Chassity says. "She would send you, like when signups were coming up, if she knew that your kid was into something, or if maybe they'd be interested, and just made sure you stayed in the loop and that you weren't sitting alone on the bleachers. She made sure that your kids were a priority in her life, just as much as her own kids were." ### Kennedi: just like her mom The last time Amanda saw Kayla was when she stopped by to borrow crutches after spraining her ankle. Kayla, Kennedi, and Kennedi's boyfriend came out to the car. "They were just oohing and awing over my little girl, and we were just chatting and cutting up," Amanda remembers. "You know, said, I love you, see you later, and we've got to get together. And you know, all of those things that you always say to your friends, and time just gets away from you. And I cherish that memory." For Chassity, Kennedi became part of her life through both stories and small kindnesses. "We have daughters that are close in age, but then it became like Kennedy would grow out of a size of clothes, and she would pass them down to my kid." "Hearing stories of Kennedi, she sounded just like Kayla," Lacy says. "Full of life, always putting someone else first, always making sure everybody's needs were met, always reaching out to lend a helping hand." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-04-at-9.10.26---PM.png) Kennedi McWhorter Kennedi attended Rowan County Middle School and was passionate about softball. According to her obituary, she was a talented academic and athlete whose "love for softball shone through in her performances on both her school and travel teams, where she thrived on the competition and cherished the friendships she built with her teammates." ### A community united in grief The impact of these losses has rippled through Morehead and far beyond. "It gives me chills just thinking about it," Amanda says about the community response. "It's a small town, tight-knit community. And then it really took off on social media too, of like, hey, let's make sure that we're not alone in this, and let's remind everybody that we can support each other." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-04-at-9.14.24---PM.png) Kennedi's school wore purple in her honor. So did surrounding school districts. Kennedi's softball team is putting on a tournament on the 25th and 26th. On Sunday, Rowan County Overdose Awareness Group held a walk of remembrance in honor of Kayla and Kennedi. They asked participants to wear purple and bring new toys for Ollie, Kayla's son. "Their light is so beautiful that we have to make sure that it does not dim ever," Amanda says. Chassity's daughter missed several days of school in the immediate aftermath. The schools brought in counselors because so many kids were and still are- grieving hard. "Even if they didn't know her intimately, I think it's put like a fear in them, because it's so close to home," Chassity explains. "You don't ever think at that age about losing the people around you, especially so suddenly." The community's response also speaks to something Kayla was passionate about: recovery and connection. "That's the whole thing in recovery, is that you don't recover alone. It's support, it's connection, it's community," Amanda says. "And that's definitely what we saw, and we still see." ### No warning signs When I asked if there were any warning signs of what was to come, the answer was unanimous: No. "I think that we were all just shocked," Amanda says. "Anytime we talked to her about it, she was just happy and she looked genuinely happy." Kayla had even been feeling better about herself. "She was able to gain a little bit of weight, and she would talk about how happy she was," Amanda remembers. "That's the scary thing with domestic violence," Amanda continues. "You don't know. A lot of the time, it's not what you see on Lifetime or anything like that, where everybody knows, and it's the deep, dark secret. Like it was truly not that." [‘We knew this would happen’: family of Kentucky double murder suspect speaks outWhen Joshua Cottrell’s family saw his face on the news last week, charged with the double murder of his girlfriend and her 13-year-old daughter, their first thought wasn’t shock- it was confirmation of their worst fears. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-46.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-7.49.15---PM-1-1.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/we-knew-this-would-happen-family-of-morehead-double-murder-suspect-speaks-out/) ### Why their names matter When Amanda and her friends reached out to me, they had one clear message: Stop making the accused killer the headline. "You know, he doesn't deserve our attention," Amanda says firmly. "Whenever he's the headline picture, whenever he's there and in everybody's face, like, that's what he's getting everyone's attention, and he's getting the clicks, when, in reality, we need to be talking about them." She made an excellent point. All too often, it's easy to focus on the person at the center of the investigation- the person accused of the crime. But the victims' stories are too important to be overlooked. "We need to be looking at them and remembering that they have lived, and that they've lived so much in such a small amount of time, and that they deserve to keep having that attention," she continues. "And as long as I'm here, I'm going to continue to speak their names and keep them here." The tagline that's emerged from this tragedy is simple but powerful: **Love like Kayla, live like Kennedi.** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/unnamed--8--1.jpg) "As long as we're still talking about them, as long as we're putting them out there and we're showing up for them, and we're showing up for each other, they will continue to live on through us," Amanda says. The friends told me they plan to show up to court hearings- not for the accused, but for Kayla and Kennedi. "We don't show up for him," Amanda clarifies. "We show up for them to let him know that they are loved, and this is not going to just be forgotten." And they're thinking of Ollie, Kayla's young son and Kennedi's little brother. "Keeping them alive for him too, and just letting him know, and letting her immediate family just know how much we love them and how much they matter to us," Amanda says. Lacy adds: "I think it's so important that people are sitting with their names, sitting with who they were and who they are going to continue to be through us." The man accused of killing the mother and daughter- Joshua Cottrell- was indicted by a grand jury on October 3rd on murder charges, and tampering with physical evidence. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### "Unacceptable";White House condemns early prison release for man accused of killing KY child URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/unacceptable-white-house-condemns-early-prison-release-for-man-accused-of-killing-ky-child/ Last updated: 2025-10-05T13:33:39.000Z Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Saturday the White House is "looking into" the release of Ronald Exantus. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Ronald Exantus was released from prison earlier this week, after serving seven years of a 20-year sentence in connection with the murder of a 6-year-old boy. Now, the White House is asking questions about the release. Karoline Leavitt wrote on social media, "It's wholly unacceptable for a child killer to walk free." > I can confirm the White House is looking into this. It’s wholly unacceptable for a child killer to walk free after just several years in prison. [https://t.co/pOjKxvmrZV](https://t.co/pOjKxvmrZV?ref=shayinformed.com) > > — Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) [October 4, 2025](https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1974448781715525642?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=shayinformed.com) According to court documents, Exantus broke into a Versailles family's home in 2015, and, using a knife from their kitchen, fatally stabbed 6-year-old Logan Tipton. He had been asleep when the attack started. Exantus was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity, but he was convicted on assault charges. A judge sentenced him to 20 years in prison, but after serving just a fraction of that time, he was released, according to the Kentucky Department of Corrections. He is now on supervised parole until June of next year. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-05-at-9.31.57---AM.png) Credit: Kentucky Department of Corrections The killing happened on Dec. 7, 2015, when Exantus drove from Indianapolis to the Tiptons’ home. According to court documents, it was completely random and he had no connection to the family. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### After a decade of waiting, Crystal Rogers' lead detective reveals: 'We could have prosecuted in 2016' URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/after-a-decade-of-waiting-crystal-rogers-lead-detective-reveals-we-could-have-prosecuted-in-2016/ Last updated: 2025-10-06T12:49:10.000Z After years of declining interviews, the lead detective in Kentucky's most notorious missing persons case reveals what really happened behind the scenes. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and (eventually) a new podcast.* --- For nearly a decade, Detective Jon Snow carried the weight of one of Kentucky's most heartbreaking mysteries. As the lead investigator in the Crystal Rogers case, he worked 80-hour weeks, slept on a cot in his office, and ultimately made a career-ending sacrifice to give the investigation its best chance at justice. Now, with three convictions secured and Brooks Houck facing life in prison, Snow is finally ready to talk. "I've been asking you for an interview for a couple of years," I told him as we sat down in his living room, "just knowing you're kind of the man at the center of this investigation." His response was characteristically measured. "I know I put you off a few times. But you know, you have to be very, very careful about what you say. And I think that gets misconstrued as I don't want to say anything." Over the course of our 90-minute conversation, Snow opened up about the frustrations, the breakthroughs, and the painful decisions that defined this case. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-04-at-4.03.32---PM-1.png) Snow wiping his eyes minutes after Steve Lawson is convicted **For paid subscribers:** *The full interview with Detective Jon Snow is now available in audio form! I know you all are busy and don't always have time to sit down and read, so I'm hoping this makes staying informed a little easier.* *Whether you're driving, doing dishes, or just need a break from staring at screens, now you can listen instead. Check it out below and let me know what you think! If you prefer the read, just keep scrolling* 😊 _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Government shutdown interrupts Kentucky high school sports URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/government-shutdown-interrupts-kentucky-high-school-sports/ Last updated: 2025-10-05T10:52:49.000Z Football teams at Fort Campbell and Fort Knox high schools were sidelined Friday after the government shutdown paused extracurricular activities at the schools for military families. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- McLean County High School started their homecoming dance a few hours earlier than expected on Friday, after their opponent, Ft Knox, had to cancel the game. The western Kentucky high school shared the updates on Facebook this week, first pausing the game and then announcing Friday that it was officially postponed until an unknown date. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-04-at-1.37.53---PM.png) McLean County High School's football team will be back to business as usual next week, but for the student athletes at Fort Campbell High School and Fort Knox, there is only uncertainty about if or when they'll be able to play again. [The Department of Defense Education Activity](https://www.dodea.edu/about/about-dodea/government-shutdown-what-you-need-know?ref=shayinformed.com), known as DoDEA, provides educational program oversight for schools on military sites. It said Friday that its schools will remain open for normal instructional operations during the government shutdown, but that all extracurricular activities will be paused for the duration of the government shutdown. ### More than just football According to[ reporting from AP News,](https://apnews.com/article/federal-shutdown-fort-campbell-fort-knox-f385de209e16f0f0f2855bee2bd615f1?ref=shayinformed.com) the Fort Campbell High girls volleyball team was on a historic run, having compiled an 11-2 record for a school without a winning season for 15 years in the sport. The squad's senior night game was called off Thursday and two other upcoming games could be as well if the federal shutdown continues. Mary Hughes, the volleyball team's coach, said Friday that her players have shown “so much grit and tenacity” but for now have no control over how their season ends up. ### What happens next? Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell reportedly reached out to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, asking that athletics and extracurriculars at the schools be designated as activities allowed to proceed despite the shutdown. For now, the student athletes are left in limbo, not knowing when they may start practicing or participating in competition again. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Norton Healthcare and Cigna reach last-minute agreement, ending dispute that threatened care for thousands URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/norton-healthcare-and-cigna-reach-last-minute-agreement-ending-dispute-that-threatened-care-for-thousands/ Last updated: 2025-10-03T20:18:13.000Z Norton Healthcare and Cigna Healthcare announced Thursday they have reached a new agreement, effective Oct. 1. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- A new agreement between Norton Healthcare and Cigna Healthcare averted what could have been a healthcare crisis for thousands of patients across the Louisville area. The agreement ensures that patients with Cigna insurance will remain in-network when receiving care at Norton Healthcare facilities and Norton Children's Hospital, ending a contentious contract dispute that had left families- particularly those with medically complex children- facing an uncertain future. "We appreciate the community's patience throughout this process," Norton Healthcare said in a statement. "Our focus remains on providing uninterrupted access to high-quality care." [Norton-Cigna contract dispute leaves families of medically complex children in limboA Louisville mother of a heart transplant recipient fears losing access to the only pediatric hospital in the area, as the battle over rates continues. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-44.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-09-16-at-11.36.29---AM.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/norton-cigna-contract-dispute-leaves-families-of-medically-complex-children-in-limbo/) ## What was at risk The contract dispute had created significant anxiety for families who rely on Norton's specialized care. Parents of medically complex children were caught in limbo as the deadline approached, forced to weigh whether to switch insurance plans, find new healthcare providers, or face potentially thousands of dollars in out-of-network costs. Many families had established long-term relationships with Norton specialists who understood their children's complex medical histories. The prospect of starting over with new providers- or paying prohibitive out-of-network fees- had left parents scrambling for solutions in the weeks leading up to the Oct. 1 deadline. ### What do patients need to know Norton Healthcare emphasized that patients who received prior notices about potential changes to their coverage do not need to take any action. Coverage will continue as usual under the new agreement. The resolution comes as welcome news for the Louisville community, where Norton Healthcare serves as one of the region's largest healthcare providers. The system includes five hospitals and numerous outpatient facilities across Kentucky and Southern Indiana. Details of the agreement's terms were not disclosed by either party. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Louisville gets new sheriff and county clerk after loss of two longtime public servants URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/louisville-gets-new-sheriff-and-county-clerk-after-loss-of-two-longtime-public-servants/ Last updated: 2025-10-04T17:55:04.000Z Two experienced Louisville leaders step into crucial roles left vacant by beloved public servants. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Louisville is turning the page on a difficult chapter with Mayor Craig Greenberg announcing who will fill two crucial positions left vacant by the recent deaths of beloved public officials. Jefferson County Sheriff John Aubrey and County Clerk Bobbie Holsclaw each served the community for nearly three decades, and their passing left big shoes to fill. On Friday, Mayor Greenberg named their successors, choosing two experienced leaders with deep ties to Louisville. ### A historic appointment for the sheriff Deputy Mayor David James will become Jefferson County's first Black sheriff when he's sworn in on October 10\. For Louisville, this is a significant milestone in a role that's all about keeping the community safe. If James' name sounds familiar, there's a reason. He's been around Louisville law enforcement and government for decades- as a police officer, head of the Kentucky Bureau of Investigations, chief of UofL's police department, and even Metro Council President before joining the Greenberg administration. "David has been a leader in law enforcement his entire adult life," Mayor Greenberg said, noting that James will continue implementing the city's Safe Louisville plan to reduce crime and build stronger neighborhoods. James made it clear this appointment is temporary- he'll serve out the remainder of Sheriff Aubrey's term and then return to his deputy mayor role once voters elect a new sheriff in 2026\. But he's taking the responsibility seriously, calling Sheriff Aubrey "a great friend" and promising to honor his legacy. ### Veteran politician takes over elections For County Clerk, Mayor Greenberg tapped State Senator David Yates, who will be sworn in on October 8th. Yates is a South End native who's served on Metro Council and as Council President, so he knows Louisville government inside and out. Why does this matter? The County Clerk's office runs elections- all of them. From registering voters to counting ballots, this office is the backbone of Louisville's democracy. "At the heart of the County Clerk's office is one of the most sacred responsibilities we have in a democracy: running free, fair and transparent elections," Yates said. Translation: he gets how important this job is, especially with elections for both positions coming up in 2026. ### What this means for Louisville Both appointments are temporary. Louisville voters will choose permanent replacements in primary elections next May and general elections in November 2026, so residents will ultimately decide who leads these offices long-term. In the meantime, the city gets continuity and experience. James brings decades of law enforcement know-how at a time when public safety remains a top concern for many Louisvillians. Yates brings government experience to an office that needs to run smoothly as election season approaches. Mayor Greenberg also shuffled his own team, promoting Julie Carr to Deputy Mayor- making her the official second-in-command while James serves as sheriff-and elevating Chan Kemper to Deputy Mayor and Deputy General Counsel. The bottom line? Louisville lost two public servants who gave almost 60 combined years to the community. Now, the city moves forward with experienced hands at the wheel, at least until voters have their say next year. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### Joseph Lawson starts prison sentence at eastern Kentucky penitentiary URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/joseph-lawson-starts-prison-sentence-at-eastern-kentucky-penitentiary/ Last updated: 2025-10-03T13:21:51.000Z Joseph Lawson has been transferred to the Little Sandy Correctional Complex, where he will serve his 25-year prison sentence. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Joseph Lawson has moved from the Nelson County Jail to the Little Sandy Correctional Complex, where he will serve his sentence for his role in the death of Crystal Rogers. J. Lawson was sentenced to 25 years in prison after being convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence at trial in July. He will be required to serve 20 years before becoming eligible for parole- the standard for any sentence of 24 years or more in Kentucky. Lawson was serving time on another crime when he was first arrested in the Rogers' case, so it's unclear how much 'time served' he has under his belt. ### About Little Sandy Correctional Complex Little Sandy Correctional Complex holds prisoners ranging from minimum to maximum-security. It is located in Elliott County, Kentucky, near Sandy Hook, which is about two hours east of Lexington. The facility is operated by the Kentucky Department of Corrections and is considered the newest prison in the state, having opened in 2005. ### What comes next in Joseph Lawson's case? Both Steve Lawson, who was [sentenced in August](https://www.shayinformed.com/steve-lawson-sentenced-to-prison-time-after-emotional-testimony-in-court/), and Joseph Lawson, who was [sentenced earlier this month](https://www.shayinformed.com/youre-a-sick-individual-ballard-family-sounds-off-to-brooks-houck-at-sentencing/), have signaled their intent to appeal their convictions. But the appeals process is a marathon, not a sprint, and the timing on this next leg of the judicial journey could take years. Defense attorneys for Joseph Lawson maintain his innocence. They have told me personally they believe in their heart of hearts he was not involved in the death of Crystal Rogers. Of course, their personal feelings won't be part of the appeal; instead, they are likely to rely heavily on cell phone tower data and a belief that the expert testimony used at trial was inaccurate. Joseph Lawson's case will bypass the Kentucky Court of Appeals entirely and go straight to the Kentucky Supreme Court because he is facing more than 20 years in prison, which is the threshold for this move. [What’s next in the Crystal Rogers case: the expert deep diveWhile the sentencing hearing in the Crystal Rogers case brings some finality to the investigation, you and I both know there are still a lot of questions. I worked with a legal analyst and law enforcement expert who’s connected to the case to find some answers. “I’m Shay McAlister, and![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-41.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/three-cases-1-3.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/whats-next-in-the-crystal-rogers-case-the-expert-deep-dive/) Neither Joseph Lawson or Steve Lawson have officially filed appeals- remember, that will take months. But they have both filed the initial paperwork in the lower court to indicate they intend to do so. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Who pays the price when the government shuts down? Two local women share their stories URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/who-pays-the-price-when-the-government-shuts-down-two-local-women-share-their-stories/ Last updated: 2025-10-02T15:16:28.000Z The federal government shutdown has left Hoosiers like Census Bureau worker Shea Norton without a paycheck and Kentuckians like disabled patient Tammy Chittenden without access to life-saving telehealth services through Medicare. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- As the federal government shutdown entered its first full day Wednesday, Kentuckians and Hoosiers are beginning to feel the real-world impact of the political impasse in Washington. For some, like Shea Norton of Jeffersonville, it meant walking out of work after 14 years on the job with nothing but a two-sentence email and uncertainty about when she'll return. For others, like Tammy Chittenden of Russellville, it meant waking up without access to the medical care she says is critical to keep her alive. ### "Cease most activities" Shea Norton went to work at the U.S. Census Bureau's National Processing Center in Jeffersonville on Wednesday, expecting to sign the standard furlough paperwork. She told me she's been through this twice before during previous shutdowns. But this time felt different. "They had us print off our pay stubs and our W-2 and our SF-50, which is like our government contract to work, and then they didn't really tell us why," Norton said. "We've never done that before." _This post is for subscribers only._ ### First government shutdown in seven years now in effect URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/first-government-shutdown-in-six-years-now-in-effect/ Last updated: 2025-10-01T19:21:53.000Z Senate Democrats voted down a Republican measure to fund the government, 55-45, sending the federal government into a shutdown at midnight Wednesday. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The U.S. government has shut down as of 12:01 AM today, Wednesday, October 1, 2025\. This shutdown came after Senate Democrats voted down a Republican funding bill that would keep the government open for another seven weeks. After the vote, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget released a memo saying that “affected agencies should now execute their plans for an orderly shutdown.” Democrats are making good on their threat to close the government if President Donald Trump and Republicans do not agree to their health care demands. ### Key sticking points: - Democrats are demanding that any funding bill include an extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act premium subsidies and other health care policies - Republicans argue Democrats are trying to reverse spending cuts and undo portions of the GOP tax bill passed earlier this year ### Who's affected: - Military members, including active duty, National Guard, and reserves (over 2 million service members), must continue working but won't be paid during the shutdown. This could include the 26,000 people living at Ft. Knox, which includes soldiers, civilian workers and their families. - Hundreds of thousands of federal workers face furloughs, while others deemed essential must work without pay. Kentucky has 23,449 federal civilian employees (not including military personnel or contractors) who could be affected by furloughs or required to work without pay during a shutdown. - Mammoth Cave National Park and Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Park could see closures. - WIC will quickly run out of funding, and SNAP benefits may be affected ### What's not affected Social Security benefits, Medicare, Medicaid, mail delivery through USPS, and TSA/air traffic control will continue operating, though possibly not as efficiently, with staff refusing to work without getting paid. ### How did we get here? Government shutdowns occur when Congress fails to agree on a federal funding plan, and typically, deep partisan disagreements underlie them. Republicans want Congress to pass a short-term funding bill without additional provisions, keeping the government funded at current levels through November 20th. Democrats are demanding that any funding package include extensions of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year, as well as reversals of Medicaid cuts enacted in earlier Republican legislation President Trump has said a shutdown is likely unless top democrats back down from their negotiating position. The last government shutdown in 2018 lasted 35 days, making it the longest government shutdown in more than four decades. It cost the United States $3 billion in lost GDP, according to the [Congressional Budget Office](https://www.cbo.gov/publication/54937?ref=shayinformed.com). *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### JCPS budget crisis: what the district is protecting, and what's on the chopping block URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/jcps-budget-crisis-what-the-district-is-protecting-and-whats-on-the-chopping-block/ Last updated: 2025-10-01T08:43:31.000Z JCPS Superintendent Brian Yearwood put it simply: "This is not a situation we should be in". --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Jefferson County Public Schools is confronting a $188 million budget deficit and implementing immediate cost-cutting measures, Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood announced Tuesday in a letter to the district community. "I'm not going to point fingers at my predecessor", Yearwood said during a media briefing, "we have to look forward, we have to solve this financial cliff for the students that rely on us." The deficit stems from the expiration of temporary funding sources that sustained district operations in recent years, including prior budget surpluses and federal COVID-19 relief funds. With those one-time resources now depleted, JCPS is facing a major budget deficit that seemingly came as a shock. "As a school district of our size, with a responsibility to serve our students, we should not be here," Yearwood said. ### Immediate actions and priorities Dr. Yearwood announced three key principles that will guide the district's decision-making moving forward: minimizing impact on school-based staff salaries, prioritizing central office reductions, and preserving the student experience. 1. **Minimizing impact on school-based staff salaries:** There will be no reductions in the base daily pay for staff working in schools 2. **Prioritizing central office reductions:** Budget cuts will begin with the central office, which will bear a large share of the reductions 3. **Preserve the student experience:** the quality of instruction and learning in the classroom will be safeguarded "There will be no reductions in base daily pay for staff working directly in schools," Yearwood emphasized in the letter sent out to the district, though he noted that stipends, incentive pay, and extra-duty compensation will be under review. The district has also implemented a temporary purchasing freeze in five categories: educational consultants, other professional services, equipment, technology hardware, and furniture. This freeze will remain in effect until the district finalizes a new review process to approve these purchases, which the district expects to happen within the next few weeks. ### Can we expect tax increases? As of today, JCPS district leaders are saying a resounding no to tax increases. Dr. Yearwood told reporters Tuesday, "We are not looking at tax increases right now because we must first balance our checkbook. We have an obligation to have a fiscally sound budget." He said the financial changes will start internally, and right now they are not considering tax increases but instead focusing on budget cuts. ### A focus on transparency When asked how parents and taxpayers can trust the district to right this wrong, after seemingly mishandling a budget to allow for such a crisis, Dr. Yearwood said he will be prioritizing transparency. He wants parents, staff members, and the public to know how the district is handling money moving forward. "This is not a situation we should be in," he said. To maintain transparency throughout the budget process, JCPS is launching a [Financial Stability web page](https://www.jefferson.kyschools.us/o/jcps/page/financial-stability?ref=shayinformed.com) where the district plans to provide regular updates, key documents, and frequently asked questions. They are also seeking an external review, calling a special meeting with the JCPS School Board to approve an external audit. ### How did we get here? Think of it like a family budget that got out of control. Over the past five years, JCPS spent big on things parents wanted- better teacher pay, safer schools, and programs to help struggling students. But they kept spending money they didn't really have. Here's where the money went: - **Teacher raises** - **School improvements**: sound systems, athletic fields, and metal detectors - **Helping struggling schools**: racial equity programs - **School safety**: police officers, safety administrators, and security systems - **Transportation fixes**: millions to solve the bus driver shortage All of these were things the community asked for. The problem? They were living off savings while spending way more than they earned. Much of that money came from federal funding boosts during COVID, or one-time grants. It wasn't money the district could afford to allocate year after year. ### What this means for your child's school The district leaders made some promises about what they WON'T cut: - **No teacher pay cuts**: they're committed to keeping salaries where they are - **Schools protected first**: the central office will take the biggest cuts before schools lose resources - **Classroom focus**: they want to protect what directly affects your child's learning But realistically, some things will probably change: - **Fewer central office staff**: less administrative support (though this shouldn't directly affect classrooms) - **Program reviews**: some extra programs might get reduced or eliminated - **Tighter spending**: no more "nice to have" purchases ### Will your child's school close? Board members were very clear: this won't lead to school closures. The cuts are focused on administrative costs and non-essential spending, not shutting down schools. Dr. Yearwood also reiterated this point Tuesday, explaining there are no current plans to stop construction on schools that are currently being built. ### What happens next? The critical moment comes in January when the school board has to approve next year's budget with all the cuts identified. Between now and then, district leaders are: - Reviewing every department for possible cuts - Looking at contracts to see if they can renegotiate - Putting new controls in place so this never happens again *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### "He was doing what he loved": Kentucky mom mourns son lost in fishing tragedy URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/he-was-doing-what-he-loved-kentucky-mom-mourns-son-lost-in-fishing-tragedy/ Last updated: 2025-09-30T16:46:51.000Z Sara Hughes reached out to me to share more about her son Peyton and the incredible legacy he leaves behind. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- For Peyton Hughes, fishing wasn't just a hobby- it was his passion. His mom Sara Hughes told me her son died doing what he loved, though that doesn't ease the pain. The 21-year-old Campbellsville University student died in a fishing accident in Texas last week. Peyton Hughes' body was recovered Friday morning from Toledo Bend Reservoir near Hemphill, Texas, three days after he went missing while participating in a kayak fishing tournament. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-29-at-4.45.46---PM.png) "My son Peyton was full of life, loved fishing more than anything, and was doing what he loved when this tragedy happened," his mother, Sara, shared with me. "He was a kind soul who cared deeply about his family and friends, and he will always be remembered for his big smile and passion for the outdoors." Hughes, who was on the Campbellsville University Kayak Fishing Team, had traveled to Texas to compete in the Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series. He was last seen around 8 p.m. on September 24 during pre-fishing activities before the tournament was set to begin. When his fishing coach reported him missing, authorities from Texas and Louisiana launched a massive three-day search involving dive teams, game wardens, fire departments, drone operators, and countless volunteers. Searchers found Hughes' kayak on an island in an area known as Alligator Cove, along with his baseball cap and a flip-flop. On Friday morning, dive teams from the Sabine Parish Sheriff's Office discovered his body about 200 yards from where the kayak was found. "Fishing was his greatest passion- he was on the Campbellsville University Kayak Fishing Team and spent every chance he had on the water," Sara said. "He worked hard, played sports all through high school, and cared deeply for his family and friends." She said her family is heartbroken but wants people to remember Peyton for who he was. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-29-at-4.45.54---PM.png) "Peyton was doing what he loved when this accident happened, and while our hearts are broken, we want people to remember him for his kindness, his love for the outdoors, and the joy he brought to everyone around him," she said. Peyton lost his father, Jonathan Adam Hughes, as an infant when he was serving our country in Iraq. He was a graduate of Washington County High School, where he was a member of the fishing and basketball teams. He was a senior at Campbellsville University and employed with Paradise Pools in Bardstown. The Sabine County Sheriff's Office extended condolences to Hughes' family, his teammates, and the entire Campbellsville University community. "We would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Hughes, as well as to his teammates, coaching staff, students, and the facility of the Campbellsville University, during this difficult time," Sheriff George Griffith said. An autopsy has been ordered to determine the cause of death. The investigation is ongoing. For the Hughes family back in Kentucky, the loss of Peyton leaves a hole that can never be filled- a young man taken too soon while pursuing the passion that defined him. "We're heartbroken, but we want people to know how much he meant to us and how much he'll be missed," his mother said. *Funeral services for Peyton Gage Hughes will be conducted at 2:00 pm Monday, October 6, 2025 at River of Life Community Church. Visitation will be from 10:00 am till time of services at 2:00 pm on Monday, October 6, 2025 at River of Life Community Church, 1250 Highway 555 in Springfield.* --- *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Both Steve and Joseph Lawson have filed a notice of appeal; so, what happens now? URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/both-steve-and-joseph-lawson-have-filed-a-notice-of-appeal-so-what-happens-now/ Last updated: 2025-09-29T20:50:17.000Z Two of the three men convicted in the death of Crystal Rogers have filed court documents telling the court they intend to appeal their convictions. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Both Steve Lawson, who was [sentenced in August](https://www.shayinformed.com/steve-lawson-sentenced-to-prison-time-after-emotional-testimony-in-court/), and Joseph Lawson, who was [sentenced earlier this month](https://www.shayinformed.com/youre-a-sick-individual-ballard-family-sounds-off-to-brooks-houck-at-sentencing/), have signaled their intent to appeal their convictions. But the appeals process is a marathon, not a sprint, and the timing on this next leg of the judicial journey could take years. The defendants will likely take different approaches to their appeals. I talked with a Louisville criminal defense attorney who is connected to both cases and has some idea how the Lawsons will frame the appeal. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Execution date set for Indiana death row inmate convicted of brutal rape and murder of teen URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/execution-date-set-for-indiana-death-row-inmate-convicted-of-brutal-rape-and-murder-of-teen/ Last updated: 2025-09-29T18:45:29.000Z Governor Mike Braun has followed the recommendation of the Indiana Parole Board, allowing the execution Roy Lee Ward. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Roy Lee Ward is staying on death row. The Indiana Parole Board told Governor Mike Braun that Ward doesn't deserve clemency for the 2001 rape and murder of 15-year-old Stacy Payne- and their decision was unanimous. What makes this case particularly unusual? Ward wouldn't even talk to them. Governor Mike Braun had the final say in the request and announced his decision Monday with a short statement that read: > “After carefully reviewing the unanimous recommendation from the State Parole Board, I have decided to allow the execution of Roy Lee Ward to proceed as planned for October 10." ### An unusual parole hearing The board had everything set up. They were going to meet with Ward at Indiana State Prison on September 19 to hear his side of the story, like they typically do in these cases. But just days before, Ward sent them an email saying thanks, but no thanks- he'd skip the interview but still wanted clemency. The board went ahead with public hearings, listening to Ward's lawyers and state prosecutors duke it out. They reviewed stacks of paperwork- trial transcripts, appeals, psychological reports, letters of support. The whole nine yards. But here's the thing: they never got to ask Ward the questions they really wanted answered. Board Chair Gwendolyn M. Horth laid it out pretty clearly in her letter to the governor. They look at four main things when someone asks for clemency: what happened, the person's criminal past, how they've behaved in prison, and what's best for everyone else. On all counts, Ward didn't make a compelling case. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-29-at-2.11.44---PM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-29-at-2.12.05---PM.png) Letter from the Indiana Parole Board to Gov. Mike Braun ### Why they said no **What happened to Stacy Payne was horrific.** The board didn't go into details in their letter- they didn't need to. But they did mention something that clearly stuck with them: Stacy was conscious the whole time during the attack. She knew what was happening to her. "This Board reviews thousands of cases a year, many with gruesome facts," they wrote, "but the victimization of Stacy Payne stood out to us." **Ward's rap sheet goes way back.** We're talking juvenile arrests for public indecency and harassment, followed by an adult record spanning Indiana, Kentucky, and Missouri- battery, theft, burglary, and drugs. And a lot- and the board emphasized *a lot-* of indecent exposure charges. He'd been given chances at probation and community supervision. He blew them. The board also noted something disturbing: Ward had relationships with children when he was a teenager and young adult, though he was never charged for those. **Prison didn't reform him.** Ward racked up 14 conduct reports while locked up-sexual misconduct, drug use, and assaulting other inmates. The board saw it as more of the same behavior that got him there in the first place. Without being able to sit down with Ward, they said, all they could go on was the paperwork. And the paperwork told a pretty clear story. ### What happened to Stacy Payne ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-29-at-2.16.58---PM.png) 15-year-old Stacy Payne was home with her younger sister in Dale, Indiana, when police say Ward broke into the house and attacked the teen with a knife. Her younger sister, who was napping at the time, woke when she heard Stacy's screams. She told police she saw him on top of Stacy and called 911\. When police got to the scene, they reported Ward was still there, covered in blood, holding a knife. The attack was so gruesome, Stacy's torso was nearly cut in half, he throat was slashed, and her wrists had been cut to the bone. Police said she was conscious through the attack and lived until just minutes after first responders arrived. ### What happens next ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-29-at-2.24.15---PM.png) Credit: Indiana Department of Corrections Ward's execution is set for Friday October 10th. Indiana uses lethal injection as its primary execution method. The most recent execution in Indiana was December 2024, when Joseph Corcoran was executed in connection to a 1997 quadruple homicide. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### What Kentucky lawmakers are saying about a possible government shutdown URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/what-kentucky-lawmakers-are-saying-about-a-possible-government-shutdown/ Last updated: 2025-09-30T16:09:40.000Z As of midday Tuesday, politicians in Washington are still sparring over details of how to fund the US government. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- If leaders in Congress can't come to an agreement with President Donald Trump, America could be facing a government shutdown. That would mean millions of federal employees could go without paychecks, and many, such as airport security officers, air traffic controllers, and members of the military, are told to come to work anyway without pay. If a new funding plan isn't agreed on by Wednesday, October 1st at 12:01 AM, government funding will essentially expire and all nonessential government agencies will be put on hold. ### How did we get here? Government shutdowns occur when Congress fails to agree on a federal funding plan, and typically, deep partisan disagreements underlie them. Republicans want Congress to pass a short-term funding bill without additional provisions, keeping the government funded at current levels through November 20th. Democrats are demanding that any funding package include extensions of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year, as well as reversals of Medicaid cuts enacted in earlier Republican legislation President Trump has said a shutdown is likely unless top democrats back down from their negotiating position. The last government shutdown in 2018 lasted 35 days, making it the longest government shutdown in more than four decades. It cost the United States $3 billion in lost GDP, according to the [Congressional Budget Office](https://www.cbo.gov/publication/54937?ref=shayinformed.com). ### What are Kentucky Congress members saying about it? Rand Paul and Thomas Massie have maintained their fiscally conservative positions even when it puts them at odds with their party leadership, while Mitch McConnell is calling for negotiations to avoid a shutdown. **Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY):** Paul said he would support a plan to reduce spending and reduce deficit spending, stating that both sides need to consider proposals and decide what's best for the country, according to [reporting from KYMA](https://kyma.com/decision-2024/national-politics/2025/09/28/kentucky-senator-on-government-shutdown-deadline-troops-being-sent-to-portland-and-more/?ref=shayinformed.com). He also voted against the Republican short-term funding bill in the Senate, staying consistent with his typical position as a fiscal conservative who often opposes spending measures. When asked about potential mass firings if a shutdown occurs, Paul defended the president's authority to hire and fire within the executive branch, citing court decisions that have upheld this power. **Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY):** Massie was one of only two House Republicans who voted against the GOP's short-term funding bill. Both Massie and Paul have been outliers within their party on spending and government shutdown issues, maintaining their Tea Party-era fiscal conservative positions. **Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY):** McConnell called for both sides to communicate and reach an agreement, saying "The president and the Democrats are not even talking. They need to be talking and they need to be talking soon", McConnell said during a [recent interview with WDRB.](https://www.wdrb.com/news/politics/mcconnell-calls-on-both-sides-to-communicate-reach-agreement-as-government-shutdown-looms/article%5F384b3396-fdd6-4dca-94a0-2f0139040787.html?ref=shayinformed.com) ### What could this mean for Kentucky? Kentucky has 23,449 federal civilian employees (not including military personnel or contractors) who could be affected by furloughs or required to work without pay during a shutdown. Kentucky's two major national park sites would face significant disruptions: - Mammoth Cave National Park would remain only partially accessible with no cave tours, limited emergency services, and closed facilities that require staffing like picnic areas and restrooms. - Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Park in Hodgenville would have limited access that could change without notice. This is particularly concerning since communities like Bowling Green, Cave City, Park City, and Edmonson County build their entire identity around Mammoth Cave National Park, so reduced personnel means fewer visitors and less economic activity for these areas. The Kentucky office of the U.S. Small Business Administration in Louisville would close and be unable to accept, review, or approve new business loans during a shutdown. The USDA Farm Service Agency in Kentucky could furlough workers at 64 local offices, disrupting services that farmers rely on. Like everywhere else, Social Security benefits, Medicare, Medicaid, mail delivery through USPS, and TSA/air traffic control would continue operating, though possibly not as efficiently with staff refusing to work without getting paid. President Trump met with top Congressional leaders on Monday afternoon, but nothing productive was reported after the meeting. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### A garden to remember Jessica, a place to save others URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/a-garden-to-remember-jessica-a-place-to-save-others/ Last updated: 2025-09-30T13:05:56.000Z What started as an idea on a drive home from work has become a mission: a memorial garden that remembers Jessica Dishon while quietly offering a lifeline to others facing abuse. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Sometimes the most beautiful tributes grow from the deepest pain. This fall, a special memorial garden will break ground at Shepherdsville City Park, honoring Jessica Dishon while creating a safe space for others facing domestic violence and abuse. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5842.jpeg) DeAnna O'Connell, Jessica's cousin, came up with the idea on her drive home from work one day. A member of National Women in Agriculture since 2023, she was inspired by a challenge from the national chapter to use agriculture to serve her community. "I just thought, man, a garden that could provide resources for people, could provide peace and beauty and just a place to reflect for their loved one," O'Connell said. "But also it's a place that is non-threatening." ### Jessica's story 17-year-old Jessica Dishon went missing on September 10, 1999, in Bullitt County. Her body was found 10 days later, beaten to death, not far from her Shepherdsville home. Two brothers were initially indicted in connection with her murder two years after she was found dead, but were later found to have no connection to her death. Her case remained unsolved for 15 years before her uncle, Stanley Dishon, took a plea deal and is now serving time for her death. The investigation also revealed a history of child molestation and abuse between Dishon and his niece. For Jessica's mother, Edna, and the rest of the family, the pain remains fresh decades later. O'Connell sees it in her aunt's face every May on Jessica's birthday, every September on the anniversary of her disappearance, and every October when her body was found. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6084.jpeg) Jessica Dishon "Those things she will repeat for the rest of her life," O'Connell said. "That will never go away." ### More than just a memorial Now, Jessica's cousin DeAnna, is honoring her with a vision that goes beyond remembrance. She hopes the garden will serve as a lifeline for people in dangerous situations. "If there is a person that is in the park that is suffering from domestic violence, or any kind of abuse, and they're with their children, or they're by themselves, and they see this garden, and there's resource phone numbers on there, then it may spark a sense of bravery and hope and courage," she explained. The garden will feature a four-by-four circle planter, featuring native Kentucky plants, a commemorative plaque, and a seated bench. Resource information for domestic violence support will be displayed throughout the space. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/IMG_1856.jpeg) "In domestic violence situations, especially, the act of leaving can be the most dangerous time," O'Connell said. "This is something that's just a beautiful alternative in a community place that would be, hopefully, a safe place for someone." O'Connell told me the mayor of Shepherdsville has embraced the project, offering to host walks at the garden to bring together families who have experienced similar tragedies. She said her long-term vision including a growing garden, to include the stories of other victims and survivors. "There's more than just Jessica out there. There's more families that have suffered through this," she said. "It'll be a place the community can gather together and heal and get resources from one another and gain strength to maybe reach back and help someone else out of that situation." ### How you can help A workday is scheduled for **October 12** to break ground and begin planting. Fall is the ideal time to plant native species in Kentucky, allowing them to establish roots before frost and bloom beautifully come spring. Most of the native plants have been covered through donations from the agricultural community. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5843.jpeg) This is a current look at the spot where the memorial garden will be But more help is needed! The project is currently self-funded, and organizers are looking for donations of landscaping pavers to create a border around the garden. "I know that it's going to happen. I know the community is interested, and we're going to make it work one way or the other," O'Connell said. When I asked what Jessica might think about the memorial, O'Connell believes her cousin would be proud. "I think that she would be extremely proud of anyone who chose to be involved in giving other victims voices. Unfortunately, her voice was cut short. But through this, and other projects that we could reach out and change the life of someone else, we can carry that voice on." The memorial garden at Shepherdsville City Park will stand as both a tribute to a life lost and a beacon of hope for those still fighting to break free. If you'd like to help out, or can donate landscape pavers, you can get in touch with DeAnna on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556829560799&mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=FsZcjbDiYvTIQPqQ&share%5Furl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F175PUihdND%2F%3Fmibextid%3DwwXIfr#) or by email at [deannaoconnellnwiaa@gmail.com](mailto:deannaoconnellnwiaa@gmail.com). --- *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 'We knew this would happen': family of Kentucky double murder suspect speaks out URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/we-knew-this-would-happen-family-of-morehead-double-murder-suspect-speaks-out/ Last updated: 2025-09-29T13:21:40.000Z When Joshua Cottrell's family saw his face on the news last week, charged with the double murder of his girlfriend and her 13-year-old daughter, their first thought wasn't shock- it was confirmation of their worst fears. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The text message came with a news article attached: Joshua Cottrell, arrested for the double murder of his girlfriend and her 13-year-old daughter. For his family member reading it, there was no shock- only the sinking realization that their worst nightmare had finally come true. c For his family, this tragedy felt grimly inevitable- the result of a justice system they believe failed everyone involved more than two decades ago. "He shouldn't have been out of jail. He's a scary person, and he should have never been out of prison," the family member told me, speaking on condition of anonymity. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-7.40.03---PM.png) Kayla Blake and her daughter Kennedi McWhorter; Credit: Malone Funeral Home ### A pattern that started young Cottrell's troubles began early, according to his family member. Born with fetal alcohol syndrome to a young mother struggling with addiction, Cottrell came into their family when he was adopted around two or three years old. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Humana billing dispute blocks access to vision surgery for Kentucky seniors across the state URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/humana-billing-dispute-blocks-access-to-vision-surgery-for-kentucky-seniors-across-the-state/ Last updated: 2025-10-12T15:16:16.000Z The impact has been swift and severe, according to the Kentucky Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons, with dozens of ophthalmology practices impacted across the state. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Some Kentucky ophthalmologists say they've been forced to deny patients critical cataract surgery after Humana Medicare Advantage stopped paying for the procedures months ago, leaving practices across the state scrambling and patients without access to one of the most common surgeries in the country. Dr. Ryan Smith, a cataract and glaucoma surgeon at Eye Consultants Kentucky in Lexington and president-elect of the Kentucky Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons, says his practice hasn't received payment for a single cataract surgery or related laser procedure from Humana since the beginning of July. "100% of those codes have not been paid since July 1," Smith said during an interview. "Our typical routine for these type of cases is when we submit the bill to the insurance company, they pay us somewhere between 10 to 14 days later. That's the routine. And in our instance, obviously that's not occurring." Smith says he has been forced to tell Humana patients he can't schedule their surgeries until the company pays outstanding claims. "I started that last week," Smith said. "Actually, I had a Humana patient who has cataracts, who I told them, I can't schedule your surgery until I'm paid." ### Statewide problem affecting vulnerable patients What initially appeared to be an isolated billing issue has grown into a statewide crisis, according to Dr. John Franklin, current president of the Kentucky Academy of Eye Physicians. Since the organization began reaching out to members, they've heard from practices in Georgetown, Lexington, Louisville, Campbellsville, Ashland, Somerset, London and Hazard- all reporting the same problem. "From what I can tell, I don't know of a single practice that has been paid since July 1 for any of these procedures," Smith said. The timing couldn't be worse for patients who need the surgery. Cataract surgery primarily affects older adults- exactly the demographic most likely to have Medicare Advantage plans like Humana. "Most of the time, but you can have cataracts from complications from diabetes or from trauma," Franklin explained about who needs the surgery. "The majority of them are going to be people above 60." ### Why cataract surgery matters For patients who need cataract surgery, delays can have serious consequences beyond just poor vision. Franklin explains that a cataract is simply a clouding of the lens inside the eye that becomes more opaque with age. "The reason that you'd want to have the cataract removed is just to be able to have better vision again," Franklin said. But for older patients, especially, the stakes are higher than just clearer sight. "The vision impairment can lead to falls. It can lead to potential loss of their driver's license, it can lead to loss of autonomy," Smith said. "Worldwide, cataracts are probably the leading cause of blindness." ### Limited options for patients Patients caught in the middle have few alternatives. Franklin says academic medical centers like the University of Kentucky appear to still be getting paid by Humana, but that would require patients to switch from their established private practice doctors to enter a healthcare system they might not already be part of. For now, Smith tells affected patients they'll have to wait. "I tell them right now, we're on pause. I want to take care of you when I get the surgery done. I can't continue to do this for free, and so we're going to pause until we figure this out with Humana," Smith said. ### Doctors turn to elected officials Frustrated by what they describe as stonewalling from Humana representatives, Kentucky ophthalmologists have taken their concerns to federal lawmakers. Both Senator Rand Paul's and Senator Mitch McConnell's offices have been contacted, according to Smith. "Senator Rand Paul's office obviously, being an ophthalmologist, is acutely aware of what's going on, which has been helpful," Smith said. Representatives Andy Barr and Brett Guthrie have also been contacted about the issue. "We have reached out multiple times to multiple different individuals" at Humana, Smith said. "The problem is when you start getting into their phone tree, then the next time you're on call with someone, they don't know what has gone on before, and so you're just constantly dealing with a morass of people not sure what's happening." ### Not the first time While the scale of the current problem is unprecedented, Smith says there have been warning signs. In December 2024, his practice experienced similar payment delays from Humana for different procedure codes. "It was not for this code, but it was for something similar, where they just decided not to pay for a certain code," Smith said. That issue was resolved within about a month, he said, but "nothing to this length or this egregious or this widespread." The Kentucky Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons is directing both patients and providers to file reports with the Kentucky Department of Insurance while continuing to advocate for a resolution. For Smith, the situation feels personal. "I just feel very let down that a Kentucky-based organization has somehow managed to affect essentially every Kentucky ophthalmologist and their constituents," he said. "It really bothers me that from what I can tell, there's no recourse other than reaching out to a federal legislator to fix the issue, because internally, there does not seem to be a way to do it with the company." ### Humana's response I reached out to Humana directly to find out more about the explanation behind the denials. A spokesperson shared the following statement with me: *We are committed to ensuring our members receive the care they need. While we cannot discuss the specifics of this situation due to HIPAA and other privacy laws, Humana is proactively working with the provider to resolve the matter.* The statement didn't explain what had happened or why. But within hours of my communication with Humana, Dr. Smith said he was able to connect with the healthcare giant and get an explanation for the first time in the three months since this started. Smith said, "Their representative confirmed with me that they used a third-party AI claims processing service, which is what caused the issue. She also stated that they would be paying out claims that have been in the system." But they gave no time frame for those payouts, and Smith said he has not been paid as of Thursday morning. "I do not want these multi-billion dollar corporations to get away with activities that are 'AI' generated when leading to delay in care for the constituents of Kentucky," Smith said. The Kentucky Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons recommends that patients and providers reach out to the [Kentucky Department of Insurance](https://insurance.ky.gov/ppc/new%5Fdefault.aspx?ref=shayinformed.com) to file a report if they are being impacted. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Norton-Cigna contract dispute leaves families of medically complex children in limbo URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/norton-cigna-contract-dispute-leaves-families-of-medically-complex-children-in-limbo/ Last updated: 2025-09-25T13:05:57.000Z A Louisville mother of a heart transplant recipient fears losing access to the only pediatric hospital in the area, as the battle over rates continues. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The ongoing contract dispute between Norton Healthcare and Cigna has taken on deeply personal dimensions for Louisville-area families dealing with serious pediatric medical conditions. As [negotiations continue](https://www.shayinformed.com/norton-and-cigna-buy-more-time-contract-extension-gives-patients-breathing-room/) between the healthcare giant and insurance provider, parents like Kristin Worthen are caught in an agonizing waiting game that could dramatically impact their children's access to specialized care. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-16-at-10.54.51---AM.png) Kristin Worthen Kristin's seven-year-old son underwent a heart transplant in January after being born with a complex congenital heart defect. Over his short life, he has endured five open-heart surgeries and required care from multiple pediatric specialists at Norton, including cardiology, infectious disease, pulmonology, and gastroenterology teams. "These are children's lives that we're messing with," Kristin said during our interview. "This isn't just a contracted rate. These are small children, and these are families who have been through hell and back trying to fight for their children's lives." ### Norton's pediatric monopoly creates high stakes The dispute carries particular weight because Norton has effectively cornered Louisville's pediatric specialty market. According to Kristin, Norton owns virtually all pediatric specialty practices in the area, meaning families with children requiring specialized care beyond general pediatrics have few alternatives. "Pretty much in Louisville, if your child needs to see a specialty other than maybe orthopedics, you're going to go downtown to the Novak Center. And that's all Norton," Kristin explained. "Right now, if your child has an issue beyond pediatrics, most likely they will be seeing a Norton doctor." This consolidation means that for families like Kristin's, Norton Children's Hospital isn't just preferred- it's essential. Her son received his transplant at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, not at a Norton facility. But her fear lies in his need for immediate care here at home, should a simple fever arise. Her son's compromised immune system following his transplant makes even a simple fever a medical emergency requiring immediate hospitalization. "There is no option for him to go to an adult hospital," she said. "The Children's Hospital here is all that we have." ### Financial fears mount For families already stretching to cover extensive medical costs, the prospect of losing in-network coverage represents a potential financial catastrophe. Kristin's family, like many dealing with medically complex children, reaches their insurance out-of-pocket maximum every year. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-16-at-11.36.13---AM.png) Credit: Kristin Worthen "My family met ours very early on this year, and so then to pay the premiums, to pay the entire out of pocket max, and then to be told, 'Oh, well, your children's hospital is no longer going to be in network,' so now we're going to have to pay out of network prices and basically start all over with a new deductible and out of pocket max- it's really scary," she said. The uncertainty is compounded by what Kristin describes as a pattern of both Norton and Cigna sending "threatening letters" to families during contract disputes, with each side encouraging patients to pressure the other party. "It feels like families like ours are being used as pawns in this really unfortunate game with some potentially scary outcomes," she said. It's a common tactic that experts call "egregious". ### Living in constant vigilance Beyond the financial concerns lies an emotional toll that's difficult to quantify. Kristin describes the mental state of parents with medically complex children as one of constant alertness. "A parent who has gone through the kind of things that we have gone through- it's a struggle not to live in fight or flight constantly. It's waiting for the other shoe to drop at all times," she said. "So to then have our insurance coverage be threatened, to be taken away, is no small deal." Despite the challenges, Kristin's son is thriving six months after his successful transplant. He's taking piano lessons, attending school, and enjoying normal childhood activities like playing Minecraft and telling jokes with friends in the neighborhood. "He's just such a bright light in our lives," Kristin said. "We have fought so hard to get him to a stable place, and it has been worth every single second tenfold to see him thrive." ### A call for corporate responsibility As negotiations continue, Kristin believes both parties- but especially Norton- bear a responsibility to Louisville's most vulnerable families. "I do feel like when Norton purchased the only children's hospital in our area, the main children's hospital for our state, that they took on an obligation to care for kids and to make something work for families," she said. Norton released this statement on September 7th, "We are honored to be part of your health journey and remain committed to providing the safe, high-quality, and compassionate care you deserve." Her message to both Norton and Cigna is direct: "I think both parties have an obligation to figure something out so that our children can receive the care that they need. And I think that Norton has an especially big responsibility to make something work for the children in our community." ### A professional weighs in Caitlin Donovan with the [Patient Advocate Foundation](https://www.patientadvocate.org/?ref=shayinformed.com), a national nonprofit that provides case management and financial assistance to Americans with chronic conditions, says such contract disputes have become increasingly common as hospital consolidation accelerates. "I get asked this question at least once a month at this point," Donovan said, noting she's been with the organization for over 12 years. "I don't think I got this question at all in the first seven years." The root cause, according to Donovan, is unchecked hospital consolidation that has created massive healthcare systems with enormous bargaining power against insurers. "Every study ever said this is bad for patients," she explained. "The hospitals claim that it would help them lower costs, and maybe it's lowering their costs, but there hasn't been a single study showing that it lowered patient costs." For families caught in the middle, Donovan describes an "impossible" planning situation, particularly for those who aren't wealthy. The root cause, according to Donovan, is unchecked hospital consolidation that has created massive healthcare systems with enormous bargaining power against insurers. "Every study ever said this is bad for patients," she explained. "The hospitals claim that it would help them lower costs, and maybe it's lowering their costs, but there hasn't been a single study showing that it lowered patient costs." For families caught in the middle, Donovan describes an "impossible" planning situation, particularly for those who aren't wealthy. "You are sitting there being like, what kind of gamble am I taking here? Do I keep this child whom I love more than my own life, in this hospital and gamble that they're going to resolve it?" she said. The contract dispute continues as families across the Louisville area wait to learn whether their children's access to specialized pediatric care will remain secure. For parents like Kristin, who have already fought so hard for their children's lives, the uncertainty adds another layer of stress to an already challenging journey. **Norton sent the following statement:** > Following Cigna Healthcare’s decision to terminate its contract with Norton Healthcare, an extension of Cigna’s termination notice is in place until **Wednesday Oct. 1, 2025**. Patients with Cigna coverage will continue to receive in-network benefits when choosing Norton Healthcare for their health needs until that date. While the extension is in place, we are hopeful to finalize a long-term agreement. > We remain committed to providing the safe, high-quality and compassionate care families deserve. For questions about medical care, patients can email [CignaOONQuestions@nortonhealthcare.org](mailto:CignaOONQuestions@nortonhealthcare.org). **Cigna sent the following statement:** > “We have mutually agreed to extend our contracts until at least October 1 as we finalize details on our new long-term agreement to keep Norton Healthcare in Cigna’s networks. Together we will continue providing uninterrupted in-network access to quality care for the communities we both serve.” --- *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### KY man arrested charged with the double murder of his girlfriend, her daughter URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/ky-man-arrested-charged-with-the-double-murder-of-his-girlfriend-her-daughter/ Last updated: 2025-09-24T13:00:00.000Z Kentucky State Police arrested Joshua Cottrell hours after finding his girlfriend and her daughter dead in their home. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Kentucky State Police are investigating a double homicide, while the tight-knit community of Rowan County mourns the loss of a mother and daughter. 37-year-old Kayla Blake and her 13-year-old daughter Kennedi McWhorter have been identified as the victims in the case. ### What we know about the victims [According to her obituary](https://www.malonefuneralhome.com/obituaries/Kayla-Danielle-Blake?obId=45513391&ref=shayinformed.com), Kayla was a registered nurse at the Addiction Recovery Institute of America, where "her compassion and commitment made a profound impact on the lives of her patients." She is remembered for her big heart. Her daughter, Kennedi is being remembered as a talented academic and passionate athlete. "Her love for softball shone through in her performances on both her school and travel teams, where she thrived on the competition and cherished the friendships she built with her teammates", [according to her obituary](https://www.malonefuneralhome.com/obituaries/Kennedi-Grace-McWhorter?obId=45513350&source=fb0&fbclid=IwZnRzaAM-wppleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHtE9Qla-91kI5jzvDrWPQb3kQJ%5FgnZqRLWU4mi0MwgKWY9HCx0c0adkE0b4v%5Faem%5FKNz6QJYhdzRDG5oYX5Azig). Kennedi attended Rowan County Middle School, which has been rocked by the news of her passing. Earlier this week the school, and other area school wore purple in honor of Kennedi's memory. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-24-at-7.32.16---AM.png) ### The police investigation The investigation started when the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office responded to a welfare check on Friday morning at a home in Morehead, according to Kentucky State Police. When they got there, deputies found two victims deceased in the home. Kentucky State Police troopers then got involved and determined 44-year-old Joshua Cottrell was the suspect in the double homicide. He was found about four hours later at a hospital near Paducah and after being treated, he was arrested and charged in the case. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-24-at-7.38.02---AM.png) Details from the arrest citation Cottrell is currently being held in the McCracken County Jail. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-7.49.15---PM.png) Credit: McCracken County Jail. ### A criminal history This isn't Cottrell's first murder charge. He was convicted of manslaughter in 2003, after police say he killed a 36-year-old man, stuffed his body in a suitcase and then dumped the suitcase in Rough River Lake. More than a week after the victim in that case, Richie Phelps, was reported missing, a fisherman found the suitcase with his body inside. Cottrell was initially charged with murder, but he was convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 20 years in prison and was parole-eligible just two years later. Today- Cottrell is charged with two counts of murder and tampering with physical evidence. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Court puts the brakes on Brooks Houck's property deals in Crystal Rogers civil case URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/court-puts-the-brakes-on-brooks-houcks-property-deals-in-crystal-rogers-civil-case/ Last updated: 2025-09-25T15:55:44.000Z In a new order, the judge has forbidden Brooks Houck from selling or buying any new properties with one exception. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- A Nelson County judge just put serious restrictions on Brooks Houck's ability to buy, sell, or mortgage property while the wrongful death lawsuit Sherry Ballard filed against him works its way through the court system. Ballard is suing Houck on behalf of Crystal Rogers and four of her children, accusing Houck of "wrongfully and intentionally" causing the death of Rogers. Ballard filed the lawsuit in 2023, in the weeks after Houck was arrested and charged with Rogers' murder. The lawsuit largely sat until earlier this year, after Houck was convicted of the crime and sentenced to life in prison. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-23-at-6.54.16---PM.png) According to court records, on the same day he was convicted of murder, Houck started calling his family from jail. The transcribed conversations included in court documents record him asking them to start selling properties and other items, saying, "it all needs to go. All of it needs to go." In response to those phone calls, Ballard asked for a temporary injunction to stop Houck from moving around his real estate assets while they awaited trial in the civil case. ### What does the new order mean? It forbids Houck from doing pretty much anything involving real estate. The judge's order says Houck can't: - Sell or transfer any property he personally owns - Move property owned by his businesses (that's Houck Rentals, Select Quality Homes, and Central Kentucky Real Estate Rentals) - Take out any new mortgages or loans against his properties He does get to keep paying his existing mortgages, which includes dozens and dozens of rental properties across Nelson County. The order also does not mention anything about other assets- like heavy machinery or construction gear, which Houck was heard asking his sister to sell on those recorded jail phone calls. ### The one big exception Houck can still sell lots in a subdivision called the Copperfield because he had a deal in place with Hatfield Homebuilders way back in March 2022\. The court specifically noted this was "before the defendant's indictment, conviction, or the filing of this lawsuit." Basically, since that deal was already cooking before all this legal saga started, it gets to continue. ### What happens next? There was supposed to be a big hearing on October 8th, on the subject of Houck selling properties but that's been called off because everyone agreed to these terms. If Houck really needs to do something with his property down the road, he can ask the judge for permission. But for now, most of his real estate dealings are on ice until this wrongful death case gets resolved. There are no court dates currently set in this case. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Key witness in Miami murder case found alive in Louisville, after prosecutors said he was dead URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/key-witness-in-miami-murder-case-found-alive-in-louisville-after-prosecutors-said-he-was-dead/ Last updated: 2025-09-22T16:10:59.000Z Prosecutors in the Florida case have repeatedly claimed the witness was dead until ESPN reporters knocked on his door in Louisville and found him alive. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- A crucial witness in a 2006 murder case involving former Miami Hurricanes football players has been found alive, living in an apartment in Louisville, [according to ESPN](https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/%5F/id/46305236/witness-long-delayed-u-murder-not-dead?ref=shayinformed.com). 81-year-old Paul Conner was located by ESPN reporters at his Louisville apartment just weeks before the scheduled trial of Rashaun Jones, who is accused of killing teammate Bryan Pata in November 2006. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/hurricane-.webp) Al Diaz/Miami Herald via AP Prosecutors told a Florida judge as recently as July that Conner was dead, [according to reporting from ESPN](https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/%5F/id/46305236/witness-long-delayed-u-murder-not-dead?ref=shayinformed.com), leading the court to allow his previous testimony to be used at trial. However, ESPN reporters found Conner alive and unaware that anyone from Miami was looking for him. ### The case background Bryan Pata, a defensive lineman expected to be drafted into the NFL, was shot once in the head at his apartment complex in 2006\. Conner heard a "pop" he told investigators at the time, and saw someone leaving the area, later picking Jones out of a police lineup. Jones was arrested in 2021, 15 years after the murder, despite being an early suspect. He has been in custody for four years and faces a potential life sentence if convicted. ### What happens next Jones' attorney [told ESPN](https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/%5F/id/46305236/witness-long-delayed-u-murder-not-dead?ref=shayinformed.com) the situation is full of "bald-faced lies" and questioned the prosecution's handling of evidence. After answering his door in Louisville, Conner, now 81, told ESPN his memory "comes and goes" and he doesn't recall the details of what happened. The discovery raises questions about the upcoming trial, scheduled to begin October 6\. The case has been plagued by lost evidence and investigative missteps over nearly two decades, frustrating the victim's family who are seeking closure, a[ccording to reporting by ESPN](https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/%5F/id/46305236/witness-long-delayed-u-murder-not-dead?ref=shayinformed.com). "It's good that we're actually going to put it behind us," he said. "It's constantly on our minds... we just got to be ready for it and know what to expect and be able to handle it", Edwin Pata, Bryan's brother, told ESPN. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Kentucky Supreme Court just threw a wrench into Louisville's police reform efforts URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-supreme-court-just-threw-a-wrench-into-louisvilles-police-reform-efforts/ Last updated: 2025-09-22T15:28:40.000Z If you've been following police reform in Kentucky since Breonna Taylor's death, you probably thought the debate over no-knock warrants was settled. Think again. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Last week, the Kentucky Supreme Court dropped a bombshell decision that has some in Louisville asking if the hard-fought ban on no-knock warrants is about to disappear. The state's highest court just told Lexington they can't ban no-knock warrants. Period. In a 4-2 decision that legal experts are calling significant, the justices said Lexington's local ordinance directly conflicts with state law, and when that happens, state law wins. So what about Louisville's total ban? Louisville officials are saying loud and clear: "This doesn't affect us." But here's the thing- a lot of legal experts aren't so sure. Deputy Chief Justice Robert Conley didn't mince words in the majority opinion. He basically said Kentucky lawmakers already decided that while no-knock warrants should be rare and carefully regulated, they shouldn't be completely off the table. "There are appropriate circumstances where such warrants are necessary," he wrote in the decision. Two justices disagreed, with Justice Michelle Keller arguing the majority was "effectively stripping local governments across the Commonwealth" of their power to set stricter rules than the state requires. ### Why this matters for Louisville Let's be honest- this hits different in Louisville. We're talking about the city where Breonna Taylor was killed during a botched no-knock raid in March 2020\. Her death didn't just spark local outrage; it became a rallying cry for police reform nationwide. Three months after Taylor's death, the Louisville Metro Council unanimously passed "Breonna's Law," completely banning no-knock warrants. It wasn't just symbolic- it was one of the strongest police reform measures any major city had taken. Fast forward to now, and Louisville's police department says they have no plans to change its policy right now. **"*While this is a new ruling and we are yet to fully understand how it affects the Louisville Metro Council ordinance regulating 'no-knock' warrants, the Louisville Metro Police Department has no intention of making policy changes", a spokesperson for LMPD said. "Many of our policies are more stringent than the law. We will continue to review this ruling in consultation with our legal team."* ## But there's a problem If you read between the lines of the Supreme Court's decision, the logic seems pretty clear: if state law allows something under certain conditions, local governments can't ban it entirely. That's exactly what both Louisville and Lexington did. The timing might matter, though. Louisville passed Breonna's Law in June 2020, before the state got involved. Lexington's ban came after Kentucky passed Senate Bill 4 in 2021\. Maybe that makes a difference legally? Honestly, we won't know until someone challenges Louisville's ordinance in court. ### What Kentucky's state law actually says Kentucky's Senate Bill 4 isn't exactly pro-no-knock warrant. Governor Andy Beshear signed it with Breonna Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer, standing right beside him. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Beshear-signing-SB-4.webp) Beshear signing SB 4 in 2021; Credit: **Governor’s Communications Office* The law puts serious restrictions on these warrants, including the following requirements: - Police need "clear and convincing evidence" of a violent crime - A supervisor has to sign off - Prosecutors have to be consulted - They can only happen between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. (with rare exceptions) - Body cameras are mandatory - EMTs have to be on scene - Officers who lie face felony charges It's a lot stricter than what existed before, but it's not a ban. And according to the Supreme Court, that distinction matters- a lot. ### The real stakes here For Louisville, this isn't just about legal technicalities. Breonna's Law represents something bigger: a promise to the community that things would change after Breonna Taylor's death. Think about what happened that night in March 2020\. Police burst into Taylor's apartment after midnight using a no-knock warrant, looking for drugs in a case involving her ex-boyfriend. Her current boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, thought they were intruders and fired one shot, hitting an officer in the leg. Police fired back, hitting Taylor multiple times. She died in her hallway. No drugs were found. The case is still winding through federal courts. Brett Hankison was sentenced to 33 months in prison in July of this year, for using excessive force that night. Two other former Louisville detectives are facing charges for allegedly lying on the warrant application, though the most serious civil rights charges were recently dismissed. A third detective pleaded guilty and has a sentencing hearing set for next year. ### What could happen next? There are basically three scenarios playing out in legal circles: **Scenario One**: Someone challenges Louisville's ordinance using the same argument that worked in Lexington. **Scenario Two**: The Kentucky legislature steps in, either to give local governments more power to exceed state standards or to explicitly prevent them from doing so. **Scenario Three**: Nothing happens, and Louisville keeps its ban in place unless and until someone forces the issue in court. Right now, scenario three seems most likely in the short term. But longtime observers of Kentucky politics know that can change quickly. ### The big picture This fight is playing out across the country. Florida and Oregon have banned no-knock warrants entirely. Minnesota saw no-knock warrants [drop by 92% since 2022](https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/bca-report-shows-a-92-drop-in-no-knock-warrants-served-since-2022/?ref=shayinformed.com). Senator Rand Paul has been pushing federal legislation to ban them nationwide, though that's gone nowhere in Congress. But Kentucky's decision highlights a fundamental tension in police reform: How much power should local communities have to exceed state standards? Can Louisville really be tougher on police than Frankfort wants to allow? What we do know is this: The conversation about no-knock warrants, police accountability, and local versus state power is far from over. And in Louisville, where these issues hit closest to home, the outcome will say a lot about whether meaningful police reform can survive in the long term. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Do you have a veteran hero in your life? KY Veterans Parade wants to hear about them URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/do-you-have-a-veteran-hero-in-your-life-ky-veterans-parade-wants-to-hear-about-them/ Last updated: 2025-09-22T13:59:58.000Z The 15th annual Kentucky Veterans Parade and Celebration is looking for "Heroes Among Us" to honor at the big 15th anniversary celebration. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- You know that quiet neighbor who never talks much about his time overseas? Or maybe your coworker who always deflects when someone mentions her military service? Well, Kentucky's annual veteran celebration has something special planned for folks just like them. The Kentucky Veterans Parade & Celebration is turning 15 this year, and organizers want to make it extra meaningful by shining a spotlight on the veterans who live right here in our communities- the ones who might not think they're anything special, but absolutely are. **Your chance to say "thank you"** The organization is seeking 15 "Heroes Among Us" to be recognized during this year's parade on Saturday, November 8th. So who are they choosing? That's up to you! And your nominations. "This is Kentucky's parade- a way for our communities to say thank you to the men and women who have served," says Wayne Hettinger, who chairs the event. "We're proud to mark 15 years of honoring veterans and hope to engage even more veterans and community members through our Heroes Among Us recognition program." It doesn't matter if your hero served in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, or anywhere in between. Maybe they were deployed for months, or maybe they spent years stateside keeping things running. The point is, they served- and that matters. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5644.jpeg) Credit: Kentucky Veterans Parade & Celebration **How do you nominate someone?** It's super easy! Click [here](https://www.kyvetparade.com/veteran-nomination?ref=shayinformed.com), fill out a form and tell the organization about your veteran hero. You have until October 10th to get your nomination in. Something I think is really special... even if your person doesn't get selected as one of the 15, they're still welcome to march in the parade if they want to. Think about it: when's the last time someone publicly thanked that veteran in your life for their service? This could be their moment. **What does the big day look like?** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/482217143_1073602801475119_611337150242099946_n.jpg) Credit: Kentucky Veterans Parade & Celebration This year's celebration is moving to NuLu (you know, that cool neighborhood outside of downtown Louisville with all the restaurants and shops), and it's going to run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, November 8th. [The parade](https://www.kyvetparade.com/about?ref=shayinformed.com) itself is pretty amazing- you'll see military vehicles going back to World War II rolling down Market Street, marching bands, and the sacred Blessing of the Colors tradition. This year's Grand Marshal is Colonel Tim McDonald, who spent 30 years in the Army and now helps train Kentucky's next generation of service members through JROTC. The guy's got some serious credentials- four combat tours, multiple Bronze Stars, and a whole wall of other medals. But more importantly, he's still giving back by teaching young people about service. A perfect representation of celebrating the past 250 years of service and looking ahead to the next 250\. But here's the really fun part: after the parade, families can actually climb on and touch the military vehicles they see in the parade. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5649.jpeg) Credit: Kentucky Veterans Parade & Celebration **It's really about community** What's cool about this whole thing is how the community's getting involved. The small businesses in NuLu will be doing special deals and activities all day to join in on the fun. Family can expect food trucks, family activities, and a true community-based celebration. These veterans aren't just statistics or history book entries. They're our neighbors, our family members, our friends. They're the people who stepped up when their country needed them, and now they're living quiet lives among us. Maybe your hero is the guy at church who always volunteers for everything. Maybe she's the teacher down the hall who somehow relates to all the tough kids. Maybe he's the one who never misses his grandson's baseball games. The military shaped who they are, but they're shaping our community right back. So if you know someone who deserves a moment in the spotlight- and you probably do- don't let this pass by. Head to the [nomination page,](https://www.kyvetparade.com/veteran-nomination?ref=shayinformed.com) tell their story, and help Louisville say thank you the right way. Because honestly? Our heroes have been walking among us all along. It's about time we noticed. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### What's next in the Crystal Rogers case: the expert deep dive URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/whats-next-in-the-crystal-rogers-case-the-expert-deep-dive/ Last updated: 2025-09-24T12:50:43.000Z While the sentencing hearing in the Crystal Rogers case brings some finality to the investigation, you and I both know there are still a lot of questions. I worked with a legal analyst and law enforcement expert who's connected to the case to find some answers. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and (eventually) a new podcast.* --- After ten years of investigation and months of highly publicized trials, Brooks Houck was sentenced to life in prison and Joseph Lawson received 25 years for their roles in the 2015 murder of Crystal Rogers. Wednesday's emotional sentencing hearing provided some closure for the Ballard family, but it also left me with burning questions about what this all really means- and what could be coming next. The reality is, most people don't understand how the appeals process works, what these men's actual chances of getting out of prison are, or whether we might see more arrests in this sprawling investigation. So I reached out to two experts who can provide the insider perspective we need: veteran attorney Nick Mudd, who has been following the case closely through his professional relationships with all the defense teams, and a law enforcement source close to the investigation who asked to remain anonymous. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-18-at-2.38.21---PM.png) Legal expert Nick Mudd Their insights reveal a complex road ahead- from the appeals process to potential future prosecutions and the harsh realities of parole in high-profile murder cases. They also gave us the first real look behind the curtain at what could be happening in the other Bardstown case- we discuss the rifle testing in Tommy Ballard's case, if Jason Ellis' case is connected to the other two, and the possibility of finding Crystal's body after all of this time. ## The appeals process: a marathon, not a sprint Both Steve Lawson, who was sentenced in August, and Joseph Lawson have signaled their intent to appeal their convictions. Still, according to Attorney Nick Mudd, this process will unfold very differently than the public might expect. The appeals won't even be filed for several months, despite notices already being submitted. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### What JCPS parents need to know about the district's financial crisis URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/what-jcps-parents-need-to-know-about-the-districts-financial-crisis/ Last updated: 2025-09-20T07:40:28.000Z If you're a Jefferson County Public Schools parent, you probably heard some alarming headlines after Monday night's school board meeting. Here's what's really happening with your child's school district and what it might mean for your family. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- JCPS is running out of money. The district has been spending way more than it brings in, and if nothing changes, it'll start selling off investments to pay teachers and staff by October 2026\. That's just over a year away. The new superintendent, Dr. Brian Yearwood, had to deliver some tough news at a board meeting earlier this week: the district has a $188 million deficit this year and needs to cut at least $80 million from next year's budget to avoid a financial crisis. ### How did we get here? Think of it like a family budget that got out of control. Over the past five years, JCPS spent big on things parents wanted- better teacher pay, safer schools, and programs to help struggling students. But they kept spending money they didn't really have. Here's where the money went: - **Teacher raises** - **School improvements**: sound systems, athletic fields, and metal detectors - **Helping struggling schools**: racial equity programs - **School safety**: police officers, safety administrators, and security systems - **Transportation fixes**: millions to solve the bus driver shortage All of these were things the community asked for. The problem? They were living off savings while spending way more than they earned. Much of that money came from federal funding boosts during COVID, or one-time grants. It wasn't money the district could afford to allocate year after year. ### What this means for your child's school The district leaders made some promises about what they WON'T cut: - **No teacher pay cuts**: they're committed to keeping salaries where they are - **Schools protected first**: the central office will take the biggest cuts before schools lose resources - **Classroom focus**: they want to protect what directly affects your child's learning But realistically, some things will probably change: - **Fewer central office staff**: less administrative support (though this shouldn't directly affect classrooms) - **Program reviews**: some extra programs might get reduced or eliminated - **Tighter spending**: no more "nice to have" purchases ### Will your child's school close? Board members were very clear: this won't lead to school closures. The cuts are focused on administrative costs and non-essential spending, not shutting down schools. ### What about class sizes and teachers? This is probably your biggest concern. The district says they're committed to protecting teachers' jobs and salaries, but they didn't make any promises about not eliminating some positions. However, since 87% of their budget goes to employee salaries and benefits, it's hard to make major cuts without affecting staffing somehow. The reality: some support positions might be eliminated, but they're trying to keep classroom teachers. ### Could our taxes go up? Maybe, but not immediately. The district is already collecting about as much in taxes as state law allows without a special vote. They mentioned a few options: - **Utility tax**: most other Kentucky school districts have this, but JCPS doesn't. It could raise about $50 million but would show up on your electric, gas, and phone bills - **Property tax increases**: would require a public vote Right now, they're focused on cutting spending rather than raising taxes. ### What should parents do? **Stay informed**: This situation will evolve quickly. Pay attention to school board meetings and district communications. **Ask questions**: If you're worried about specific programs your child participates in, reach out to your school's principal or the district. **Get involved**: If you care about maintaining certain programs or services, now is the time to speak up at board meetings or contact board members. This crisis didn't happen overnight, and it won't be solved overnight. The district leadership admits they weren't transparent enough about how serious things were getting. The previous administration kept spending while assuring everyone they had enough cash to cover it- until they didn't. The new team is promising complete honesty about the district's finances going forward. That's painful in the short term but necessary for long-term stability. ### What happens next? The critical moment comes in January when the school board has to approve next year's budget with all the cuts identified. Between now and then, district leaders are: - Reviewing every department for possible cuts - Looking at contracts to see if they can renegotiate - Putting new controls in place so this never happens again ### Should you be worried? Yes and no. Yes, because this is a serious financial crisis that will likely mean some changes to how the district operates. No, because your child will still go to school, still have teachers, and the district is taking aggressive action to fix the problem. The people making decisions now seem to understand both the severity of the crisis and the importance of protecting what matters most- your child's education. But it's going to be a challenging year as they work to get spending back in line with reality. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### PHOTO ALBUM: hugs, tears, smiles and handwritten notes at the Brooks Houck sentencing URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/photo-album-hugs-tears-smiles-and-handwritten-notes-at-the-brooks-houck-sentencing/ Last updated: 2025-09-19T17:22:34.000Z Brooks Houck was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday for the murder of Crystal Rogers. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and (eventually) a new podcast.* --- Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson were sentenced to prison time for their roles in the death and disappearance of Crystal Rogers on Wednesday. The hearing started at 2:30, but members of the media filled the halls of the courthouse more than an hour before the hearing started. This photo was taken around 1:30, before much of the media arrived. But spectators, family and reporters were already lining up outside the door. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/media-before-sentencing.JPG) _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### 'You're a sick individual'; Ballard family sounds off to Brooks Houck at sentencing URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/youre-a-sick-individual-ballard-family-sounds-off-to-brooks-houck-at-sentencing/ Last updated: 2025-09-17T22:55:35.000Z Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson were sentenced to prison time for their roles in the death and disappearance of Crystal Rogers on Wednesday. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- In what marks a pivotal moment for a case that has captivated Kentucky, two of the three men convicted in the Crystal Rogers case were formally sentenced Wednesday. Brooks Houck was sentenced to life in prison, with the possibility of parole. The judge followed the jury's recommendation, but specified that Kentucky law will not allow him to deny the defendant parole. Joseph Lawson was sentenced to sentenced to 25-years in prison for his role in Crystal Rogers' death. Houck and Lawson were convicted of their roles in Rogers' death and disappearance on July 8, 2025, when a Warren County jury delivered swift justice after deliberating for just four hours. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/verdict-read--2.jpg) Houck was found guilty of murder and tampering with physical evidence and Lawson was found guilty of tampering with physical evidence and conspiracy to commit murder. The jury's sentencing recommendation came even faster than the verdict; in just a matter of minutes, they recommended the maximum penalty: life in prison plus five additional years for evidence tampering for Houck and 25 years in prison for Lawson. Judge Charles Simms, who had the final say in the penalty, decided to stick with the jury's recommendation. [Why Steve Lawson was moved to a new jail weeks after his sentencingSteve Lawson was sentenced to 17 years in a Kentucky prison in August and was being held in the Nelson County Jail. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-22.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-08-22-at-2.38.18---PM-3.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/why-steve-lawson-was-moved-to-a-new-jail-weeks-after-his-sentencing/) Steve Lawson, the third man charged and convicted in the case, was [formally sentenced](https://www.shayinformed.com/steve-lawson-sentenced-to-prison-time-after-emotional-testimony-in-court/) on August 6th to 17 years in prison. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/steve-lawson-at-sentencing.jpg) Steve Lawson at his sentencing hearing in August ### Family has the final say Crystal Rogers' family has waited more than a decade for this moment of access to speak directly to a man they once trusted as Crystal's partner. July 4th weekend 2015 in the hours after Crystal disappeared, Brooks Houck ignored the Ballard family's desperate calls and texts... and they haven't spoken since. In the courtroom on Wednesday, he had no option but to go face to face with a family who blames him for the worst thing to ever happen to them. "I hope every day you sit in prison you see my daughter's beautiful face," Sherry Ballard, Crystal's mom, said to Houck, "you are a true coward." Crystal's sister Brooke Ballard had words for Houck, and his family, saying, "your mom is an evil woman who raised evil children. I hope you have the worst life possible." Two of Crystal's children also took the stand. Kyleigh Fenwick described an abusive house when she lived with Brook and her mom. She said he would take light bulbs from her room when she forgot to turn them off and let them sleep among centipedes. "You never cared about anybody but yourself", she said to him. Ashley Miller, Crystal's oldest daughter, was emotional on the stand. She said, "you stole the every day moments that made life beautiful. I hope you slowly rot away in prison." ### A final attempt at a new trial The Commonwealth's case against Houck and the Lawsons relied heavily on circumstantial evidence, as Rogers' body was never found. But the lead prosecutors have argued even still the [evidence clearly establishes both her death](https://www.shayinformed.com/prosecutors-urge-judge-to-deny-new-trial-motions-in-crystal-rogers-case/) and Houck's criminal responsibility. They used this argument to defend against a new trial for the three defendants. Both Steve Lawson and Joseph Lawson had requested new trials. The judge did not rule on the motions at the hearing, and said he would release a decision on Monday and that is when the appeals process can begin. ### What comes next For now, the Crystal Rogers case is closed, and complete in the court system. Both Joseph Lawson and S[teve Lawson have indicated ](https://www.shayinformed.com/steve-lawson-files-notice-of-appeal-looks-for-conviction-to-be-overturned-in-crystal-rogers-case/)in previous court filings they intend to file appeals with the Kentucky Court of Appeals but neither have officially filed at this time. [Steve Lawson files notice of appeal, looks for conviction to be overturned in Crystal Rogers caseHonest journalism with compassion and clarity![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-23.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/lawson-1-1.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/steve-lawson-files-notice-of-appeal-looks-for-conviction-to-be-overturned-in-crystal-rogers-case/) Brooks Houck discussed appealing his sentence with his family on [recorded jail phone calls](https://www.shayinformed.com/were-not-done-yet-brooks-houck-calls-family-16-times-in-the-hours-after-his-verdict/) from the Warren County Detention Center in the weeks after his trial, but has not officially made the request. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-17-at-9.59.28---AM.png) ### What about the co-conspirators in this case? Much of the evidence shared during the three weeks of trial in the Crystal Rogers case had been submitted over the course of several years, and locked under seal by the judge before trial. This included information on un-indicted coconspirators, transcripts of interviews with detectives and the transcript of the grand jury recordings that were played at trial. One of the court documents released after trial revealed the reasons why the prosecutor believes Rosemary Houck is a co-conspirator. It describes a conversation with one of Brooks' employees. asking for help “getting rid” of Crystal. Nick Houck, Brooks Houck's brother is also considered an un-indicted coconspirator in the case. He did not attend any days during his brother's trial. At this time, neither of them have been charged in connection to Crystal's case. --- ### Just for paid subscribers: **Behind-the-scenes photo gallery:** Photos all day long- from the courthouse, the media setup, the atmosphere, and inside the courtroom. **The deep dive analysis:** This isn't just a recap; it's an analysis of what this sentence means, what appeals might look like, what the families said, and what the investigators involved behind the scenes believe could be coming down the pipeline. **Live Q&A:** Wednesday night at 8 p.m. Shay McAlister will do a live Q&A with paid subscribers. Those who join will have the chance to ask anything, and discuss the case in detail. --- *If you'd like to learn more about Shay Informed or subscribe to gain access to the subscriber only stories content, you can learn about how to sign up* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup)*!* [Support UsShay Informed is all about storytelling that matters- daily updates you need to know, national stories with local ties, and investigative reporting that holds power accountable and elevates perspectives that don’t always get heard. I believe in this work wholeheartedly. But I can’t do it alone. This is![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-24.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Banner-2-1-1.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/support-us/#/portal/signup) ### Fighting for her life shouldn't mean fighting insurance companies URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/fighting-for-her-life-shouldnt-mean-fighting-insurance-companies/ Last updated: 2025-09-17T10:12:02.000Z Kinsey's story exposes how broken our healthcare system has become- and how in this case, Louisville's love made all the difference. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- On her 29th birthday, Kinsey Woodson received the best gift she could have imagined: news that her sister's bone marrow cells had finally started to engraft in her body, marking a crucial milestone in her fight against aplastic anemia. "I cannot believe that happened today," Kinsey said from her hospital room at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, where she's been recovering from a bone marrow transplant. "I didn't even want to hope for that because I just thought I would be disappointed." The birthday celebration was modest- her mother Karen brought cake from Whole Foods, delivered to the car while wearing masks, then carried the half-mile trek from their temporary housing to Kinsey's hospital room, where her nurses sang to her and threw confetti around her bed. But the news that her white blood cell count had climbed from zero to 250 was everything. "I said, 'Is there a catch?' And the doctor said, 'There's no catch,'" Kinsey recalled, smiling despite her obvious exhaustion. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/547679009_10239190668564120_7264017905367131797_n.jpg) ### A 22-year journey to this moment Kinsey's story began when she was five years old, a spirited child who suddenly started falling asleep earlier and more easily- completely unlike her usual energetic self. Little red dots called petechiae appeared all over her body, and tests revealed devastating news: severe aplastic anemia, a condition where the bone marrow fails to produce the blood cells needed to survive. What followed was an extraordinary family decision. Kinsey's best chance at survival was with a bone marrow transplant, and her most likely match would be a sibling. Kinsey's younger sister Jillian wasn't a match, and her mother Karen had had a hysterectomy. So Karen's sister agreed to serve as a surrogate. Against long odds, the single embryo that took became a perfect match: Kinsey's sister, Teagan. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-16-at-2.42.53---PM.png) As 4-month-old Teagan prepared to save her big sister's life, Kinsey's blood cells stabilized. Miraculously, and for reasons that were never very clear, Kinsey's body started working the way it's supposed to. For 22 years, she lived knowing she might need that transplant someday, but also hoping she never would. She played field hockey in high school, she went to Stanford, got married last June, and tried to live as normally as possible while managing the constant risk of infection, bleeding, or worse. "You fall off your bike, you scratch your knee- I fall off, I have a brain bleed, and die", her mom explained on her behalf. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/506961088_10237944875980084_838801916671980684_n.jpg) "It feels like living in Russian Roulette," Kinsey said. "Something is going to happen eventually that can kill you, but you just don't know exactly when that's going to happen or how." ### The fight within the fight Earlier this year, as Kinsey was preparing for the next stage of life- parenthood- tests revealed her blood cell counts had dropped to dangerous levels, and not only was it not safe to carry a baby, her life was at risk. Her family moved quickly- with Kinsey and Karen relocating to Baltimore last month for four months of treatment. Teagan and her boyfriend also made the trip, as Teagan had surgery preps and recovery of her own. The transplant itself went well, but severe nausea made recovery nearly unbearable. Her doctor prescribed a specialized patch medication that would provide steady, 24-hour relief- but on a Friday evening, Kinsey's insurance company denied coverage. "It was literally five o'clock on Friday," Karen recalled. At the pharmacy, they learned the out-of-pocket cost: $711.72 per week. Kinsey, weakened from high-dose chemotherapy, was ready to walk away. "I'm okay, Mom, it's okay," she said. But Karen wasn't okay with watching her daughter suffer needlessly. "She had a horrible night," Karen said. "I kicked myself over and over- I should have just bought the patch." What followed was a ten-day battle with the insurance system while Kinsey endured some of the sickest days of her life, including a five-day bout with sepsis. Despite having what she called great insurance, she was suffering at the hands of a denial letter that read "there is no medical reason that you are required to take this product." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/insurance-denied-1.jpg) "You just hope that when there's something that can help you and makes you feel better, it's one less thing you have to deal with," Kinsey said, "you hope that that's easy to get, and if your doctor prescribes it, that it's going to be okay." ### The system that fails when patients are most vulnerable The insurance company eventually approved the medication after ten days, but only after Kinsey had high-level advocates making calls on her behalf- something most patients don't have access to. "I don't know another patient who's gotten this approved other than me," Kinsey said, having spoken with other bone marrow transplant patients at Johns Hopkins. "In every case, it was either denied or approved after a month, after you're through the most intense part of the treatment." The standard process requires patients to "fail" three other medications first, meaning three to four additional weeks of suffering during the most vulnerable period of treatment. This practice, known as "step therapy" or what patient advocates call "fail first" policies, is increasingly common. "It's very common," said Caitlin Donovan, Senior Director at the [Patient Advocate Foundation](https://www.patientadvocate.org/?ref=shayinformed.com), a national nonprofit that provides free case management for Americans with chronic conditions. "Sometimes nowadays, especially with AI, claims are being denied in far less than a second, and it has to do with keywords and efficiency and profit over lives." The insurance company's reasoning, Donovan explained, focuses narrowly on survival rather than quality of life, "They're just thinking- does this help her survive the cancer, not quality of life, not can she move, can she better thrive under this other medication?" For Kinsey, it wasn't about thriving better, but instead thriving at all. She spent three days so weak she struggled to sit, speak, or swallow. "The thought that patients who don't necessarily have a full-time caregiver- and even caregivers shouldn't have to be fighting this- but the fact that a patient who might have a 104-degree fever and a bacterial infection and sepsis should be left to fight for a drug that they need at 5 p.m. on a Friday, that is just not realistic and completely unfair," Karen said. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/547382642_10239177398912387_6966971403571417888_n.jpg) ### The broader crisis Kinsey's family has faced $460,000 in medical debt over the course of her life, despite always having what she calls "great insurance." This year alone, she and her husband have paid $30,000 out of pocket for medical expenses. To preserve their fertility before the transplant- knowing the radiation would likely destroy it-Kinsey and her husband drained their entire retirement savings from their early careers, spending about $20,000 on IVF to freeze six embryos. "It felt so unfair," Kinsey said. "He's worked since he was 17, never not had a job since then, and just knowing that he was doing this for us, but also for me because of this illness." The financial strain extends beyond their family. Kinsey learned that medical expenses are the number one type of GoFundMe campaign, and medical debt is the leading cause of bankruptcy in America. According to the Patient Advocate Foundation, which helps Americans navigate healthcare challenges, the system is "getting more complicated every day, and it started out pretty complicated", Donovan said. "It is very, very difficult for any average person to afford their medical bills, let alone understand the system and navigate it if something goes wrong," she explained. The foundation fields questions about insurance denials and appeals constantly- a problem that has intensified as artificial intelligence is increasingly used to process claims. For families like Kinsey's, the result is devastating uncertainty during the most vulnerable moments of their lives. "It's so much bigger than me, and it's so much bigger than any one company," she emphasized. "It's the whole system of prior authorization and these middlemen in between the doctors and the patient that mean that the doctors don't get the final say in many cases." But Kinsey and her family are loved... very, very loved. ### Louisville loves Kinsey, and her family The Louisville community's response to Kinsey's story has been overwhelming. The [GoFundMe](https://www.gofundme.com/f/caring-for-kinsey-during-bone-marrow-transplant?attribution%5Fid=sl%3A1795ea58-ebf9-4f51-bc55-7b505e7be4ba&lang=en%5FUS&ts=1757178810&utm%5Fcampaign=man%5Fsharesheet%5Fdash&utm%5Fcontent=amp13%5Fc&utm%5Fmedium=customer&utm%5Fsource=copy%5Flink&fbclid=IwY2xjawM2lBVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHhTKFRRjl9sO0PiytgWAQSnRtFbedF%5FLwrK6CZzZoNx3EzGOTzjAbUUd26Ef%5Faem%5Fu9DIAvTWXJhOw9ZKpuGAuA), which started modestly, grew as friends, family, former teachers, and even strangers contributed. "Louisville is a really big village, and never has that been so true," Kinsey said. "Some of my friends from elementary, middle school, high school, and college, and their families- it just feels like we have such a unique and tight-knit community." When Kinsey was too sick to even look at her phone for three days, running high fevers from sepsis, she had no idea about the outpouring of support. When she finally learned the GoFundMe had almost reached $50,000, "she started crying, and we just cried together," Karen said. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-16-at-3.49.00---PM.png) Kinsey and Karen did the interview from Kinsey's hospital room ### The long road ahead Kinsey faces 115 days of complete isolation before she can receive her first vaccines, starting her immune system from scratch like an infant. She won't be fully vaccinated until October 2027- 26 months from now. She won't see her husband for at least two or three more months, and large crowds will be off-limits for years. But with her cells finally engrafting and the financial burden lifted by community support, she can focus on healing and celebrate the victories when they come. "To be able to celebrate that milestone without feeling this weight on my shoulders of just the incredible financial strain," she said of her birthday news. "It allows me to celebrate the positives when they do happen." Karen, who has been by Kinsey's side through everything while also dealing with her own wife's recent stage-four lung cancer diagnosis, sees her daughter's resilience daily. In the nine days before transplant, Kinsey walked a 5K in the hospital multiple days in a row, wheeling a bag of chemotherapy with her. Today, on her birthday, weak as she is, she told her doctor she was going to get out of the room and walk. "The resilience and the determination and the positive attitude, even when she was super sick, it's incredible," Karen said. "She's the toughest person I know." ### Fighting for others For Kinsey, surviving this ordeal is just the beginning. She knows her story represents the experience of countless others who don't have the same support system, insurance coverage, or advocates. "I'm always thinking about, what is this like for the average person going through it, or the person with the least help going through it?" she said. "It's not enough for me that my medicine got approved eventually, if other people do not necessarily have that access and are going to continue to get denied." As she continues her recovery in Baltimore, Kinsey is already looking ahead to returning home to Louisville and resuming her advocacy work. "I know this is just giving her even more passion than she already had toward that battle," Karen said of her daughter's determination to fight for healthcare reform. For now, though, the focus remains on healing. The engraftment is just the beginning of a long journey, but it's the crucial first step toward the freedom Kinsey has dreamed of- a life lived without the constant fear that has shadowed her for 22 years. "I wanted to have that freedom, to live the rest of my life with less of that fear," she said. And on her 27th birthday, surrounded by the love of her community, even from an isolation room hundreds of miles from home, that freedom finally seems within reach. --- You can watch my interview with Kinsey and her mom, Karen, [here](https://youtu.be/0g4K9eocyGI?ref=shayinformed.com)! *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Prosecutors urge judge to deny new trial motions in Crystal Rogers case URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/prosecutors-urge-judge-to-deny-new-trial-motions-in-crystal-rogers-case/ Last updated: 2025-09-17T20:07:06.000Z Prosecutors have filed comprehensive responses urging Nelson Circuit Judge Charles Simms to deny motions for new trials for both Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Crystal Rogers disappeared on July 3, 2015, after leaving her home with Brooks Houck for what she described to friends as a "kid-free date." Rogers, a mother who was described as inseparable from her children, has never been seen or heard from since that evening. Her vehicle was found abandoned on the Bluegrass Parkway with her purse, keys, and phone inside. The Commonwealth's case against Houck relied heavily on circumstantial evidence, as Rogers' body was never found. Now, prosecutors are arguing even still the evidence clearly establishes both her death and Houck's criminal responsibility. New court documents filed Monday, just days ahead of his final sentencing, lay out the commonwealth's case against both Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson. [Brooks Houck sentencing: here’s how I’m covering it (and what you’ll get)Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson are set to be sentenced to prison time for their role in the death of Crystal Rogers on Wednesday afternoon. I’ll be in the courtroom and providing exclusive coverage afterwards. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-21.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Brooks-Houck-MUG3.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/brooks-houck-sentencing-heres-how-im-covering-it-and-what-youll-get/) ## Key evidence against Houck ### Inconsistent statements and behavior The court document details numerous inconsistencies in Houck's statements to law enforcement: - **False alibi claims**: Houck provided a detailed written statement about his whereabouts between 9:29 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on July 3, which was later proven false through Google location mapping and expert testimony - **Contradictory accounts**: He initially claimed Rogers suggested the farm visit, but witnesses testified Rogers told them it was a "surprise date" planned by Houck - **Weather discrepancies**: Despite heavy rain that night (confirmed by surveillance video), Houck claimed they took long walks and spent over four hours outside at the farm ### Digital evidence Critical phone and location data supported the prosecution's case: - Rogers' phone died at 9:23 p.m. on July 3 while someone was playing a game, then was manually powered off hours later after being re-charged - The phone remained off until July 6, when police charged it after recovering it from Rogers' vehicle - Cell phone tower data contradicted Houck's claims about his movements and whereabouts ### Suspicious conduct after disappearance The Commonwealth highlighted Houck's behavior following Rogers' disappearance: - Despite Rogers' family calling and texting repeatedly about her whereabouts, Houck went about his normal weekend activities, and ignored her family's calls - He attended a July 4th family gathering and never reported Rogers missing - When questioned by others, he provided different explanations for Rogers' absence - He purchased a digital recorder after an interview with Detective Snow and used it to record subsequent law enforcement interactions ### Connection to co-defendants The case also involved evidence of coordination with others: - Phone records showed Steve Lawson called Brooks Houck around midnight, on the night Rogers' vehicle was spotted on the Bluegrass Parkway - Lawson's phone data indicated he traveled toward the location where Rogers' vehicle was found - After July 8, the day of Houck's police interview, all communication between Houck and Lawson ceased entirely - Evidence suggested the involvement of other family members, including Rosemary Houck and Nick Houck, in covering up the crime ### Lawson's specific defense arguments Joseph Lawson's post-trial motion raises several key arguments challenging his conviction. His primary contention focuses on the joint trial, arguing that Brooks Houck's statements to law enforcement violated his confrontation clause rights and that the "disparate" amount of pretrial publicity against Houck denied him a fair trial. However, prosecutors counter that the joint defense agreement was Lawson's strategic choice. They note that Houck's statements actually benefited Lawson's defense by providing an alternative explanation for the events that did not implicate Lawson. The Commonwealth argues that if Lawson wanted to distance himself from Houck, he was free to pursue a separate defense strategy or call Houck as a witness. Lawson also challenged the court's handling of jury selection, specifically claiming the court improperly denied his motion to strike jurors with knowledge of Steve Lawson's prior conviction. However, prosecutors point out that Lawson failed to follow proper procedures under Collins v. Commonwealth, which requires strict compliance with six specific steps to preserve such errors for appeal. The Commonwealth notes that Lawson failed to identify which specific jurors should have been struck or provide reasoning for why their answers warranted removal. Additionally, the motion lacks compliance with procedural requirements for challenging venue and jury instructions. Lawson also took issue with several evidentiary rulings during trial, including: - The admission of Heather Snellen's testimony about overhearing conversations between Joseph and Steve Lawson regarding moving Crystal Rogers' body - Claims that he was prevented from introducing evidence of Steve Lawson's prior inconsistent statements - Challenges to cell phone location evidence and expert testimony about his movements Prosecutors respond that the evidence was properly admitted and that Houck's expert witness, Dr. Lauf, was not credible, admitting during testimony that his analysis was flawed and that he had not reviewed all relevant data points. ### Motion for directed verdict Houck's defense argued he was entitled to a directed verdict after the prosecution rested its case, claiming the Commonwealth failed to prove Rogers' death or that it resulted from criminal activity. The court rejected this argument, citing legal precedent that both death and criminal agency can be established through circumstantial evidence. The court noted the case was similar to *Phillips v. Commonwealth*, where a defendant's confession alone was insufficient to prove murder without a body, but circumstantial evidence including the victim's unexplained disappearance and the defendant's inconsistent statements established the corpus delicti. ### Venue challenge Houck's attorneys also challenged the venue, arguing the Commonwealth failed to prove the crime occurred in Nelson County. The court found this argument without merit, noting that Rogers never returned from the Houck family farm in Nelson County, and evidence showed suspicious activity in the early morning hours of July 4 at Thompson Hill, also located in Nelson County. ### Final sentencing set for Wednesday The Nelson Circuit Court will hear arguments on the post-trial motions during a sentencing hearing scheduled for Wednesday. The judge will rule on whether to grant new trials or judgments notwithstanding the verdicts for either defendant. ### Here's what I'm planning I'm putting together several different pieces of coverage on Wednesday because this case deserves it. And you deserve options for how you want to follow along. **The Basic Facts:** What happened, what was said, and details on the final sentences. The essential information you need to know. This piece will be free and completely available to everyone. **Behind-the-scenes photo gallery:** I'll be taking photos all day long- from outside the courthouse, the media setup, the atmosphere, and inside the courtroom. Some pictures will be available to free members, and the full gallery will be available to paid subscribers. **The deep dive analysis:** This is the piece I'm most excited about: "What Comes Next." This isn't just a recap; it's an analysis of what this sentence means, what appeals might look like, what the families said, and what the investigators involved behind the scenes believe could be coming down the pipeline. This story will be available to paid subscribers. **Live Q&A:** Here's where it gets interesting. The nightly live streams during the trial were a great way to tell you about what happened that day and where we go from here. I'm bringing that back for sentencing, but it's going to look a little different. ### About that live Q&A The live Q&A will be **Wednesday at 8 pm EST**, and exclusively for paid subscribers. If you're a paid subscriber, you'll get the link Wednesday morning to join. Here's my thinking: with 170,000 of you following along on social media, a public live stream is chaos. There's no way for me to follow the comments/questions. This time, I want to actually be able to have real conversations, answer your specific questions, and dive into the details that matter to you. I genuinely love these live sessions. They're when I learn what you're really thinking, what details matter to you that I might have missed, and where we can process these big moments together. It's the closest thing to being in the room together, figuring out what it all means. If you're a free subscriber, you'll get the full recording the next day. Every question, every answer, nothing cut out. But if you want to be in the room (so to speak), asking questions as we process this together in real time, that's what paid subscriptions are for. ### Why I'm doing it this way I'll be straight with you- this is my job. But more than that, this case has consumed years of my life, and I know it's consumed yours, too. The people who've chosen to financially support this work deserve something special. They deserve to be first in line for the conversation we're all going to want to have Wednesday night. **Free subscribers still get:** - The essential facts and developments - A partial photo gallery showing what the day was like - The Q&A recording (a day later) **Paid subscribers get all of that, plus:** - The comprehensive "What Comes Next" analysis - Live access to ask questions and immediate answers - The best photos and behind-the-scenes moments I captured, with full access to my behind-the-scenes gallery Either way, I'm glad you're here for this final chapter. Wednesday's going to be intense, emotional, and probably pretty draining for the family that has waited more than a decade to see justice served in Crystal's case. I will be covering the day like I have every other step of this case... with compassion, integrity and honesty. They deserve that, and so do you! ### Norton employees fired after inappropriate posts about Charlie Kirk URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/norton-employees-fired-after-inappropriate-posts-about-charlie-kirk/ Last updated: 2025-09-15T20:29:48.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Brooks Houck sentencing: here's how I'm covering it (and what you'll get) URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/brooks-houck-sentencing-heres-how-im-covering-it-and-what-youll-get/ Last updated: 2025-09-16T20:01:52.000Z Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson are set to be sentenced to prison time for their role in the death of Crystal Rogers on Wednesday afternoon. I'll be in the courtroom and providing exclusive coverage afterwards. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- After years of following this case together, we're heading into the final chapter in the Crystal Rogers investigation- sentencing day. Many of you have been asking what my coverage will look like, so I wanted to break it down for you. ### What's happening on Wednesday The sentencing hearing starts at 2:30 pm in Nelson County. This isn't just a quick "here's your sentence" moment- we're expecting emotional victim impact statements, potentially final words from the defendants, and then the judge's decision on what comes next. I'll be in the courtroom, taking notes, capturing the moments that matter. ### Here's what I'm planning I'm putting together several different pieces of coverage because this case deserves it. And you deserve options for how you want to follow along. **The Basic Facts:** What happened, what was said, and details on the final sentences. The essential information you need to know. This piece will be free and completely available to everyone. **Behind-the-scenes photo gallery:** I'll be taking photos all day long- from outside the courthouse, the media setup, the atmosphere, and inside the courtroom. Some pictures will be available to free members, and the full gallery will be available to paid subscribers. **The deep dive analysis:** This is the piece I'm most excited about: "What Comes Next." This isn't just a recap; it's an analysis of what this sentence means, what appeals might look like, what the families said, and what the investigators involved behind the scenes believe could be coming down the pipeline. This story will be available to paid subscribers. **Live Q&A:** Here's where it gets interesting. The nightly live streams during the trial were a great way to tell you about what happened that day and where we go from here. I'm bringing that back for sentencing, but it's going to look a little different. ### About that live Q&A The live Q&A will be **Wednesday at 8 pm EST**, and exclusively for paid subscribers. If you're a paid subscriber, you'll get the link Wednesday morning to join. Here's my thinking: with 170,000 of you following along on social media, a public live stream is chaos. There's no way for me to follow the comments/questions. This time, I want to actually be able to have real conversations, answer your specific questions, and dive into the details that matter to you. I genuinely love these live sessions. They're when I learn what you're really thinking, what details matter to you that I might have missed, and where we can process these big moments together. It's the closest thing to being in the room together, figuring out what it all means. If you're a free subscriber, you'll get the full recording the next day. Every question, every answer, nothing cut out. But if you want to be in the room (so to speak), asking questions as we process this together in real time, that's what paid subscriptions are for. ## Why I'm doing it this way I'll be straight with you- this is my job. But more than that, this case has consumed years of my life, and I know it's consumed yours, too. The people who've chosen to financially support this work deserve something special. They deserve to be first in line for the conversation we're all going to want to have Wednesday night. **Free subscribers still get:** - The essential facts and developments - A partial photo gallery showing what the day was like - The Q&A recording (a day later) **Paid subscribers get all of that, plus:** - The comprehensive "What Comes Next" analysis - Live access to ask questions and immediate answers - The best photos and behind-the-scenes moments I captured, with full access to my behind-the-scenes gallery Either way, I'm glad you're here for this final chapter. Wednesday's going to be intense, emotional, and probably pretty draining for the family that has waited more than a decade to see justice served in Crystal's case. I will be covering the day like I have every other step of this case... with compassion, integrity and honesty. They deserve that, and so do you! P.S.- If you're a paid subscriber and have specific questions you want me to address during the live session, feel free to email them to me in advance. I'll make sure to cover them! My email is shaymcalisternews@gmail.com ### 645 organizations, one day, millions of reasons to give URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/645-organizations-one-day-millions-of-reasons-to-give/ Last updated: 2025-09-15T17:36:43.000Z Mark your calendars and open your hearts- **Give for Good Louisville** is back this Thursday, September 18th, and it's shaping up to be the biggest one yet! --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- For those new to our community or hearing about this for the first time, Give for Good Louisville is our region's largest online giving day, and it has become something truly special over the years. Organized by the Community Foundation of Louisville, this annual event brings our entire Kentuckiana community together for one incredible day of generosity. ### Twelve years strong and growing This marks the 12th year of [Give for Good Louisville](https://www.giveforgoodlouisville.org/?ref=shayinformed.com), and what started as a great idea back in 2014 has turned into something truly remarkable. Since that first year, more than 172,000 people- our neighbors, friends, coworkers, and fellow community members- have come together to invest over $70 million in local organizations right here in our backyard. We're talking about organizations across Jefferson, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer, and Bullitt Counties in Kentucky, plus Clark, Floyd, and Harrison Counties in Indiana. That's a lot of communities coming together as one! ### Last year's amazing results If you participated last year, you were part of something incredible. Together, we raised $9.6 million for 591 local organizations in just one day. From small grassroots nonprofits working in our neighborhoods to larger established organizations, every dollar made a difference in someone's life. But here's what's really exciting- this year we have 645 organizations participating. That's a record-breaking number, which tells you just how much our community values this day and how many amazing causes are working hard to make our region better. ### Who can participate? One of the beautiful things about Give for Good Louisville is how inclusive it is. Whether you're passionate about supporting a [small nonprofit that tutors kids in your neighborhood](https://www.giveforgoodlouisville.org/organization/the-ace-project?ref=shayinformed.com), want to help your [local church with a community program](https://www.giveforgoodlouisville.org/organization/Grace-Kids-A-Church-For-Children?ref=shayinformed.com), believe in [your library](https://www.giveforgoodlouisville.org/organization/the-louisville-free-public-library-foundation?ref=shayinformed.com), or want to support [veterans' organizations](https://www.giveforgoodlouisville.org/organization/usa-cares-inc?ref=shayinformed.com), there's a place for every cause and every heart. Nonprofit organizations, churches, governmental units, veterans' organizations, educational institutions, and many other types of organizations are all welcome to participate. It's not just about the big names you might recognize- some of the most impactful work happens through smaller organizations that might not have huge marketing budgets but are doing incredible work every single day. ### Why this matters When 67% of overall giving in the United States is led by individuals, giving days like Give for Good Louisville are integral to helping organizations sustain their missions and services. But it's more than just the numbers- it's about connection. Give for Good Louisville isn't just a fundraising day; it's a community-building day. It's a chance for local organizations to connect with people who care about the same things they do. Maybe you'll discover a new organization doing work you're passionate about, or maybe you'll deepen your relationship with a cause you already support. ### How you can get involved This Thursday, September 18th, you can visit the [Give for Good Louisville](https://www.giveforgoodlouisville.org/?ref=shayinformed.com) website and browse through all 645 participating organizations. Whether you can give $5 or $500, every donation counts and every donor matters. Can't give financially? That's okay too! Share the organizations you care about on social media, volunteer your time, or simply spread the word to friends and family. Sometimes the most valuable gift is helping connect the right people with the right cause. ### Suspect in Charlie Kirk's killing is identified, arrested URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/suspect-in-charlie-kirks-killing-is-identified-arrested/ Last updated: 2025-09-12T14:31:51.000Z A family member saw photos of the suspect and turned him in to the police, Utah Governor Spencer Cox announced Friday. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The man accused of shooting and killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, according to Utah Governor Spencer Cox. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-12-at-10.31.23---AM.png) "In 33 hours, we have made historic progress for Charlie," FBI Director Kash Patel said during a Friday press conference. Kirk, a 31-year-old conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was giving a presentation at Utah Valley University [when he was shot](https://www.shayinformed.com/authorities-expand-search-for-suspect-in-charlie-kirk-shooting/) in the neck. [Why social media has become a mental health minefield after the Charlie Kirk shootingIn the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination at Utah Valley University, social media platforms have transformed into battlegrounds of grief, rage, and political division. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-17.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-09-12-at-9.55.49---AM.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/why-social-media-has-become-a-mental-health-minefield-after-the-charlie-kirk-shooting/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMxCzdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFLb292aFZGN3JtNEltdFlyAR4wRMVGb7uvR4PXTCWBAWNvsvd39Qz5hU-wTXLI1rFimQUQIxvPa70GBqtPCw%5Faem%5F6XGqCrQtku0rJrwSc-2eoA) Investigators released two pictures of the suspect on Thursday, and then video of him jumping off a roof on the Utah Valley University campus before running from campus, into nearby neighborhoods. Cox said they received 7,000+ tips on the case, but ultimately it was the suspect's own family who provided the needed information to police to find the accused shooter and take him into custody. The suspect was taken into custody at 10 p.m. local time, according to Patel. Cox also announced he is working with attorneys to get the paperwork ready to pursue the death penalty in this case *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Why social media has become a mental health minefield after the Charlie Kirk shooting URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/why-social-media-has-become-a-mental-health-minefield-after-the-charlie-kirk-shooting/ Last updated: 2025-09-15T13:26:10.000Z In the aftermath of Charlie Kirk's assassination at Utah Valley University, social media platforms have transformed into battlegrounds of grief, rage, and political division. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The [Charlie Kirk shooting](https://www.shayinformed.com/authorities-expand-search-for-suspect-in-charlie-kirk-shooting/) has left many of us feeling like we're drowning in a sea of anger, grief, and political chaos online. It feels impossible to look away, doesn't it? Every notification pulls you back in, every scroll brings another heated argument or graphic image you wish you hadn't seen. But here's the thing- you don't have to be a passive victim of the algorithm. You can't control what other people post or how social media companies design their platforms, but you absolutely can control what shows up on your screen and how much of your mental energy you give away each day. I'm not suggesting you stick your head in the sand or pretend terrible things aren't happening in the world. That's not realistic or responsible. What I'm talking about is learning to consume news and social media in a way that keeps you informed without making you feel like you're losing your mind. ### The perfect storm of digital toxicity The Charlie Kirk shooting represents a convergence of everything that makes social media particularly harmful during national tragedies. According to mental health experts, there are three key factors exacerbating an already tense situation. 1. **Graphic content with context** The shooting video has circulated largely without content warnings or context. Some social media users found the footage unexpectedly while scrolling through their normal feeds, creating a form of digital ambush that mirrors the psychological impact of witnessing violence firsthand. 1. **Political weaponization of tragedy** Within hours of Kirk's death, the incident became a rallying cry for both sides of the political divide. Some users have celebrated the shooting, some pushed for the same coverage/outcry as recent school shootings, while others expressed outrage and deemed it an attack on free speech. This immediate politicization prevents healthy collective grieving and instead transforms the tragedy into ammunition for ongoing culture wars. 1. **Algorithmic amplification** Social media algorithms, designed to maximize engagement, have inadvertently created [echo chambers](https://advertising.utexas.edu/news/what-social-media-echo-chamber?ref=shayinformed.com) that amplify the most extreme reactions to Kirk's death. Users find themselves trapped in feedback loops of increasingly inflammatory content, whether celebrating or mourning the activist's death. This algorithmic bias toward controversy means moderate voices calling for reflection and de-escalation are often drowned out. ### The mental health tsunami Mental health professionals are now warning of a surge in patients experiencing anxiety, depression, and trauma symptoms directly linked to social media consumption following the shooting. Even users who didn't know Kirk personally report experiencing genuine grief and trauma symptoms after repeatedly encountering the shooting video and related content. This phenomenon, known as "secondary trauma," can be particularly intense when the victim represents something meaningful to the viewer- whether that's political ideology, age, or family status. It's not just Kirk's shooting death that is sending shock waves through the nation. Yet another [school shooting](https://www.shayinformed.com/the-latest-school-shooting-in-america-2-students-shot-at-colorado-high-school/) has forced parents into an anxiety spiral. There have been 47 school shootings in the United States so far this year, as of September 10, according to the [Gun Violence Archive](https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/?ref=shayinformed.com). Twenty-four were on college campuses, and 23 were on K-12 school grounds. The incidents left 19 people dead and at least 77 other victims injured. Perhaps most concerning is the emerging pattern of compassion fatigue among heavy social media users. After days of consuming extreme content related to the shootings, mental health experts warn that people can become emotionally numb or unable to process additional tragic news. This psychological defense mechanism, while protective in the short term, can lead to long-term emotional detachment and difficulty forming meaningful connections. ### Expert-backed digital self-defense strategies for mental health Based on research from mental health professionals, digital wellness experts, and major health organizations, here are evidence-based strategies for protecting your mental health during traumatic news cycles and social media crises. **Digital detox and time management-** Take regular breaks from digital devices and turn off notifications (Johns Hopkins Children's Center) **Selective following and unfollowing-** be selective about who you connect with. Follow people who inspire you or leave you with positive feelings. If someone posts inflammatory content, expresses views you disagree with, or posts material that makes you feel bad about yourself, unfollow them (HelpGuide mental health experts) **Content warnings and filters**\- many platforms now offer tools that allow you to hide or limit exposure to certain content. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) **Digital sunset-** avoiding screens before bedtime helps protect sleep quality and mental well-being. If you have a hard time resisting your phone, try to keep it out of sight in a different room or out of easy reach. (HelpGuide mental health experts) **Fact-checking before sharing**\- social media can also be a hive of misinformation, conspiracy theories, and negativity. Always double-check sources before believing or forwarding posts that make controversial claims, especially if they're likely to cause distress to others. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) ### The path forward When tragedies like this happen, social media becomes this weird battleground where you see both the absolute worst and the most beautiful parts of humanity playing out in real time. The trick is learning to engage with the good stuff while protecting yourself from the toxic waste. It's about showing up as your best self for the conversations that matter, instead of getting dragged into every fight that pops up in your feed. Our democracy really does depend on our ability to talk through difficult, painful topics without completely destroying ourselves in the process. And that starts with each of us taking responsibility for our own mental health and digital habits. You've got this- you just need the right tools and boundaries in place. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### The latest school shooting in America; 2 students shot at Colorado high school URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/the-latest-school-shooting-in-america-2-students-shot-at-colorado-high-school/ Last updated: 2025-09-11T14:09:12.000Z One student has been released from the hospital, the other is still in critical condition. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Multiple Denver-area schools are closed on Thursday after the country's latest school shooting hit the community. Investigators say a boy opened fire with a handgun Wednesday at Evergreen High School near Denver, Colorado, wounding two students, before fatally shooting himself. The shooter is believed to be a student at the school. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/evergeen-2.jpg) Credit: Jefferson County Sheriff's Office According to [KUSA](https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/colorado-news/evergreen-high-school-police-activity/73-5cd88208-53b6-461c-96d3-f10ae4c7d1fe?ref=exit-recirc) in Denver, the shooting happened around 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Two students were shot and hospitalized. One was released Wednesday evening and the other is still in the hospital, in critical condition. Jefferson County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Jacki Kelley said the school had no school resource officer there at the time of the shooting, but first responders were on scene within minutes. Hundreds of law enforcement officers from across the Denver metro area responded to help. Kelley said they formed multiple teams, and after the initial chaos, they cleared the school room by room. > We’re aware of the tragic situation unfolding near Denver. The FBI is on scene and in full support of local authorities to ensure everyone’s safety. > > — FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) [September 10, 2025](https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/1965880754375958933?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=shayinformed.com) FBI Director Kash Patel said the FBI was among the law enforcement agencies who are at the scene of the shooting. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/evergreen-3.jpg) Credit: Jefferson County's Sheriff's Office ### Big picture There have been 47 school shootings in the United States so far this year, as of September 10, according to the [Gun Violence Archive](https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/?ref=shayinformed.com). Twenty-four were on college campuses, and 23 were on K-12 school grounds. The incidents left 19 people dead and at least 77 other victims injured. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Investigators working to identify suspect in Charlie Kirk shooting URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/authorities-expand-search-for-suspect-in-charlie-kirk-shooting/ Last updated: 2025-09-11T13:24:24.000Z The 31-year-old conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was giving a presentation at Utah Valley University when he was shot in the neck. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- **UPDATE 9:15 a.m. ET press conference:** \-The two people of interest taken into custody in connection with the shooting have faced harassment and threats since being cleared and released \-Investigators have tracked the movements of the shooter: watching them arrive to campus, walk through the stairwells, and to the roof (the shooting location), during the shooting, then jumping off the roof and running into nearby neighborhoods \-Investigators are not releasing any details about the individual aside from saying they appear to be college aged and "blended in well in a college community" \-Investigators canvassed those neighborhoods Wednesday night to collect doorbell footage and say they have video of the suspect that is "good quality," and they are confident in their ability to identify the suspect without releasing it to the public right now; if they are unable to identify and locate the suspect, they plan to release the video to the media \-The FBI Special Agent in Charge said agents recovered a weapon they believe was used in the shooting in a wooded area near the campus and it is now being analyzed at the FBI lab --- Thursday morning, investigators are searching for a new person of interest in the fatal shooting of young conservative Charlie Kirk. Two people taken into custody in the hours after the shooting to be interviewed, have since been cleared in the crime, according to FBI Director Kash Patel. > The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency [https://t.co/YXsG6YpFR5](https://t.co/YXsG6YpFR5?ref=shayinformed.com) > > — FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) [September 10, 2025](https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/1965928054712316363?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=shayinformed.com) Investigators have said Kirk was killed by a single shot, in what appears to be a targeted attack. The shooting happened during an outdoor event on Wednesday at Utah Valley University. Details about a new possible suspect have been limited. Investigators said according to closed circuit surveillance video, the shooter wore dark clothing and fired from a roof on campus some distance away. “This is a dark day for our state. It’s a tragic day for our nation,” said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox on Wednesday. “I want to be very clear this is a political assassination.” Kirk co-founded the conservative youth organization [Turning Point USA](https://tpusa.com/?ref=shayinformed.com). Kirk said the mission of the organization is to empower young activists to get involved in the fight for free markets and limited government, through building a strong campus network. ### Local ties Turning Point USA had chapters at Western Kentucky University, The University of Louisville and University of Kentucky. The Western Kentucky Chapter hosted Kyle Rittenhouse in March of last year. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/IMG_D00DD913C497-1.jpeg) The University of Louisville chapter appeared to be recruiting new members earlier this year. The University of Kentucky chapter appeared to be the most active, according to the organization's social media. ### Kentucky political reaction > “The news out of Utah is horrific. There is no place for political violence in our country. Please join me in praying for Charlie Kirk and his family.”, Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell posted on social media. > Governor Andy Beshear shared on social media, “I strongly condemn the senseless attack on Charlie Kirk today. Political violence has no place in the United States of America. It further tears our country apart and sets us back versus moving us forward. Violence is always wrong. Period.” > “The assassination of Charlie Kirk is a national disgrace, a national tragedy, and a wake up call for America. Enough is enough. I continue to pray for Charlie’s family during this unspeakable tragedy”, KY Representative Andy Barr shared on X. ### Two Louisville 911 heroes just got the recognition they deserve URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/our-louisville-911-heroes-just-got-the-recognition-they-deserve/ Last updated: 2025-09-10T21:00:30.000Z Two of our very own Louisville dispatchers just received a first-of-its-kind award for going way above and beyond the call of duty. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Every single day, Louisville's MetroSafe telecommunicators are here handling whatever crisis comes their way. They're the first voice people hear in their worst moments, and they're trained to stay calm when everyone else is falling apart. But today, two of those local heroes are being celebrated for an act of kindness outside of our community. "They were telling us they were like, be prepared to have no food, little to no shelter, no electricity," Justin Bagby said, "ok, we'll figure this out, because we want to be there, we had to go to be able to help them." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-10-at-9.19.53---AM-1.png) Credit: Justin Bagby, showing Asheville, NC after Hurricane Helene ### When North Carolina needed help, Louisville answered Almost exactly a year ago, when Hurricane Helene tore through North Carolina, two MetroSafe 911 dispatchers packed their bags and headed south to help. Justin Bagby, a MetroSafe supervisor, and Kimberly Sweazy, a 911 dispatcher, volunteered through the Kentucky Telecommunicator Emergency Response Taskforce (KY TERT) to spend two weeks in Buncombe County's 911 center. "Everything was gone, the roads were wiped out, buildings were collapsed, and cars were upside down. There was just nothing, no electricity, debris everywhere, Bagby said, "So it was, it was very scary." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-10-at-9.19.40---AM.png) Credit: Justin Bagby, showing Asheville, NC after Hurricane Helene They were handling emergency calls and dispatch operations for a community that had been absolutely devastated by the hurricane. The local dispatchers there had been working non-stop since the storm hit, and our Louisville team stepped in so those folks could finally take a breath, check on their families, and deal with their own storm damage. "The first three days I took calls, I just remember them being so different because they were like, there's a bear in my front yard, or somebody said there was a bunch of black leopards in theirs," Sweazy remembered, "but most of it was just people crying that they had lost everything." While Sweazy answered 911 calls, Bagby dispatched EMS crews. He was unfamiliar with the Asheville area, as were the crews who were also in town to relieve local first responders. "So not only do I not know their system very well, not know the area at all, but the people in dispatching also didn't know the area. So it was, it was very challenging," he said. Despite the long hours, tough conditions, and heartbreaking stories, both first responders say they would do it again. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-10-at-9.19.12---AM.png) Justin Bagby working in the 911 center in Asheville, NC ### A first-of-its-kind honor Last week at the Kentucky Emergency Services Conference, Bagby and Sweazy received the very first award of its kind from KY TERT. That's right- they made history just by being the kind of people who show up when others need help. Bagby said he was sitting in the conference listening to the presentation when they started talking about his trip, and then mentioned his name. "We're going to give this award," Bagby remembered, "then they said my name, and I was like, what is happening? I was very caught off guard but so honored." ### What they saw will stay with them forever Both dispatchers came back with stories that'll give you faith in humanity. Sure, they saw devastating destruction, but they also witnessed something beautiful: a community coming together in ways that would make your heart swell. "It was beautiful to see strangers helping strangers, people that had food and water sharing everything they had with people that had nothing," Sweazy shared. "We saw people set up on the main road grilling food and giving it to anyone that needed it, in addition to churches and other organizations helping with deliveries of water, food, and clothes." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-10-at-9.19.05---AM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-10-at-9.19.58---AM.png) ## Why this matters to all of us Here's the thing- when disaster strikes anywhere, it could just as easily be us needing help. Having dispatchers like Bagby and Sweazy means our city isn't just looking out for ourselves. We're part of a bigger network of people who have each other's backs when things get really bad. Angela Downes, MetroSafe 911 Assistant Director, put it perfectly: "By assuming call-taking and dispatch responsibilities, our team allowed those local professionals the opportunity to regroup, care for their families, and address personal needs- without compromising the continuity of emergency services." That's what good neighbors do. That's what Louisville does. ## The quiet heroes among us Bagby and Sweazy remind us that sometimes being a hero means packing up and helping strangers hundreds of miles away, simply because it's the right thing to do. The award is nice, but honestly? Both dispatchers say that wasn't why they went. They went because people needed help, and they had the skills to provide it. In a world that sometimes feels pretty divided, that kind of simple human decency is exactly what we need more of. So the next time you see a MetroSafe vehicle around town, maybe give them a little wave. Because you never know- those might be the same folks who'd drop everything to help complete strangers rebuild their lives after a hurricane. That's Louisville for you. That's who we are. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Jefferson County Clerk Bobbie Holsclaw dies after 26 years of service URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/jefferson-county-clerk-bobbie-holsclaw-dies-after-26-years-of-service/ Last updated: 2025-09-10T21:01:53.000Z The Jefferson County Clerk's Office made the announcement on Wednesday. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Jefferson County Clerk Bobbie Holsclaw, who served the Louisville metro area for more than two decades, died peacefully Wednesday morning surrounded by her family, according to an announcement from the Jefferson County Clerk's Office. Holsclaw leaves behind a legacy of 26 years of dedicated public service to Jefferson County residents. All offices of the Jefferson County Clerk's Office will close at 3 p.m. on Wednesday in her honor. ### A legacy of innovation and integrity First elected as County Clerk in 1999, Holsclaw transformed the office's operations and significantly elevated its performance during her tenure. Her mission was to revolutionize citizen-government interaction while delivering what she called "VIP service" to customers. "For over two decades, Bobbie served the citizens of Jefferson County with integrity and honor," her office said in a statement. "Throughout her distinguished career, Bobbie made lasting contributions through her work at the Clerk's Office, leaving an indelible mark on this community with her many accomplishments." "Bobbie Holsclaw was one of the good ones in politics, unfailingly focused on maintaining a top-notch team to provide courteous, professional service to Jefferson County's citizens. I had the pleasure of sharing Metro Hall with Bobbie and her team for 12 years when I was Mayor, "Former Mayor Greg Fischer said, "I was always impressed by her wealth of knowledge and strength of character. She will be missed. My condolences to her loving family and her County Clerk team." ### Pioneer in accessible voting As County Clerk, Holsclaw also served as Chairperson for the Board of Elections, where she became the first clerk in Jefferson County to successfully implement private voting accommodations for visually impaired and physically challenged voters. Her commitment to maintaining election integrity and security was a hallmark of her service. Under her leadership, the office modernized numerous services, making government more accessible to residents while maintaining fiscal responsibility. ### What people will remember Ask anyone who dealt with Holsclaw's office and they'll probably mention how she actually seemed to care about making things easier for regular folks. Her whole philosophy was about bringing government closer to people instead of making them jump through hoops. She wasn't perfect- her office faced criticism after some voting problems during the 2024 election that led to long lines and an audit. But even her critics acknowledged she generally ran a tight ship. “Bobbie Holsclaw will forever be remembered as a committed public servant who loved working for the people of Jefferson County, which she proudly did as County Clerk for the past 27 years," Mayor Craig Greenberg said. "Our thoughts are with Bobbie’s family, as we mourn the loss of a dedicated Louisvillian who devoted her life to serving our city. May her memory be a blessing.” Now Jefferson County has to figure out what comes next. Holsclaw's term wasn't supposed to end until January 2027, so there will need to be decisions made about who takes over in the meantime. Details about funeral arrangements and memorial services have not yet been released. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ### ### "I failed my child': A mother's mission to help other parents recognize the signs URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/i-failed-my-child-a-mothers-mission-to-help-other-parents-recognize-the-signs/ Last updated: 2025-09-12T14:22:24.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Louisville's most important elections are also its most ignored URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/louisvilles-most-important-elections-are-also-its-most-ignored/ Last updated: 2025-09-09T19:03:44.000Z Now, a new political group- Louisville Judges Watch- aims to tackle what organizers see as a significant barrier to informed voting in judicial races. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Every day, judges in Louisville make decisions that directly shape residents' lives. They determine whether violent offenders return to the streets or remain behind bars. They decide custody arrangements that affect children's futures. They oversee civil disputes that can make or break local businesses. Yet despite wielding this extraordinary power over public safety and community welfare, judges often reach their positions through elections where voter participation plummets and candidate information is virtually nonexistent. While voters carefully research presidential candidates and closely follow mayoral races, judicial contests typically appear at the bottom of ballots as an afterthought. The result is a troubling paradox: the officials making some of the most consequential daily decisions in Louisville are elected by the least informed segment of the electorate, if they're actively chosen at all. This disconnect between the critical importance of judicial positions and voters' ability to evaluate candidates has prompted the creation of [Louisville Judges Watch](https://www.louisvillejudgeswatch.org/?ref=shayinformed.com), a new nonpartisan organization launched to provide voters more information about judicial candidates in Jefferson County elections. ### Addressing information gaps Louisville Judges Watch spokesperson Iris Wilbur Glick says the group aims to tackle what organizers see as a significant barrier to informed voting in judicial races. Unlike high-profile partisan elections that receive substantial media coverage and campaign funding, judicial races in Kentucky are nonpartisan and typically operate with minimal public exposure. "For your average person, it just seems so inaccessible, so intimidating," Wilbur Glick explained. She noted that while legal professionals have networks they can tap for information about judges and candidates, ordinary citizens often lack access to reliable sources about judicial records and qualifications. Jefferson County has approximately 39 judicial seats across district, circuit, and family courts. District judges serve four-year terms, while circuit and family court judges serve eight years. The sheer number of races, combined with limited candidate information, creates what the organization describes as an information vacuum. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/iris.webp) Iris Wilbur Glick ### Voter participation challenges The group points to significant "ticket drop-off" in judicial races, where voters who participate in high-profile contests at the top of the ballot skip judicial elections further down. This pattern reflects not voter apathy, but rather the lack of accessible information needed to make informed choices. 204,131 people voted in the 2023 general election, according to records kept by the Jefferson County Clerk. 154,761 voted in the Family Court judge race on that ballot, meaning about 50,000 skipped the ballot question all together. "When you compare our nonpartisan races to the top of the ticket, those races are partisan. There's lots of campaign dollars spent on getting the word out," Wilbur Glick said. "You compare that to down the ticket our judicial races... You don't see a judicial race that's spending $1.5 million on TV ads." The organization also notes that many voters are unaware of basic facts about judicial elections, such as term lengths and election cycles. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-09-at-3.01.24---PM.png) ### What to expect from the new organization Louisville Judges Watch operates as a 527 independent expenditure committee under IRS designation, meaning it can support or oppose candidates but cannot coordinate directly with campaigns. The nonpartisan structure reflects the nature of judicial races themselves. Wilbur Glick told me the organization plans to provide comprehensive information that helps voters understand candidates' backgrounds and qualifications. "You're not going to see Louisville Judges Watch produce a rigid criteria or rubric that attempts to box in judges or their records," she explained. The group intends to engage various stakeholders, including legal professionals, victims' advocates, and community members who interact with the justice system in different capacities. This input will help guide how the organization presents information to voters. ### Community response and criticism The launch of Louisville Judges Watch has generated both support and some concerns within the legal community. Some judges have expressed worry about being categorized in oversimplified terms, such as "lenient on crime" or "tough on crime." Wilbur Glick said she welcomes dialogue with current and retired judges, emphasizing that increased voter participation serves the community's interests. "If we create more opportunities for voters to engage, it serves our community well," Iris stated. "It should not be a select few that's actively involved in the decisions, and judges have the responsibilities and the powers that they have." ### Broader context Louisville Judges Watch joins efforts in communities nationwide to increase transparency and voter engagement in judicial elections. Different states handle judicial selection through various methods, including partisan elections, nonpartisan elections, gubernatorial appointment, and merit selection systems. The organization's emergence follows community discussions about public safety and accountability that intensified after an August 8th incident that elevated local conversations about the judicial system. However, organizers stress that their mission focuses on providing information rather than promoting specific judicial philosophies. The group particularly wants to hear from crime victims and advocates who may feel disconnected from the political process. "We want to lift up victims and their stories in ways that they feel comfortable with," Iris said. ### Looking Ahead As Louisville Judges Watch prepares for the 2026 election cycle, the organization faces the practical challenge of translating its mission into effective voter education. The group must determine which of the 39 potential judicial races to focus on and how to present complex information about candidates in accessible ways. Candidate filing for the 2026 election cycle has not yet opened, giving the organization time to develop its approach and build resources. The group's activities will depend on which races are contested and how many candidates file. In nonpartisan judicial races, if multiple candidates compete for a single seat, the top two vote-getters in the May primary advance to the November general election. Louisville Judges Watch expects to be active during both election cycles, potentially endorsing candidates and providing comparative information. The organization's success will ultimately be measured by whether it achieves its stated goal of increasing informed voter participation in judicial elections. For a community grappling with questions about public safety and judicial accountability, Louisville Judges Watch represents one approach to bridging the gap between citizens and the judges who make decisions affecting their daily lives. The group encourages community members to visit their [website](https://www.louisvillejudgeswatch.org/?ref=shayinformed.com) to learn more, share their experiences, or contribute to the organization's efforts ahead of the 2026 judicial elections. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Joseph Lawson appears well enough to attend sentencing next week URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/joseph-lawson-appears-well-enough-to-attend-sentencing-next-week/ Last updated: 2025-09-09T15:24:39.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### 'We can't avoid justice'; KY congressman pushes for release of Epstein files URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/we-cant-avoid-justice-ky-congressman-pushes-for-release-of-epstein-files/ Last updated: 2025-09-08T18:01:28.000Z KY Republican Representative Thomas Massie said Sunday that those who might be in the Jeffrey Epstein files need to be held accountable regardless of their social status. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie is leading the republican side of a bipartisan push for Justice Department officials to release the federal records related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. "We can't avoid justice just to avoid embarrassment for some very powerful men," Massie told [ABC News](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/massie-epstein-files-avoid-justice-avoid-embarrassment-powerful/story?id=125336706&ref=shayinformed.com). > ICYMI: I joined [@RepRoKhanna](https://twitter.com/RepRoKhanna?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=shayinformed.com) on [@ThisWeekABC](https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=shayinformed.com) to talk about the discharge petition we filed to compel a vote on making the Epstein files public. > > We are committed to bringing transparency to the American people and justice to the victims. [pic.twitter.com/rUc42c8DrX](https://t.co/rUc42c8DrX?ref=shayinformed.com) > > — Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) [September 8, 2025](https://twitter.com/RepThomasMassie/status/1965068200892141595?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=shayinformed.com) Massie teamed up with Ro Khanna, Democratic Representative from California, to file what is known as a [discharge petition](https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-republican-leads-push-to-release-epstein-files/). It would allow any member of the House to force legislation to the floor if a majority of House members sign it. Khanna told ABC new there are enough votes in the House to force a vote. "We have the 218 votes, 216 already support it", Khanna siad, "That's going to happen by the end of September." Sunday's update comes just days after [survivors of Epstein's abuse joined lawmakers on Capitol Hill](https://www.npr.org/2025/09/04/nx-s1-5527092/survivors-of-jeffrey-epsteins-abuse-share-their-stories-on-capitol-hill?ref=shayinformed.com) last week to demand the release of the files. Survivors argued the records hold the keys to ensuring this never happens again. And by making these files public, many more participants could be held to account. Massie said, "we are committed to bringing transparency to the America people and justice to the victims." According to ABC News, Trump [said on Friday](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/massie-epstein-files-avoid-justice-avoid-embarrassment-powerful/story?id=125336706&ref=shayinformed.com) that the Justice Department has given Congress "everything requested of them” and both the president and House Speaker Mike Johnson have said they believe that the push for more information on the Epstein case has been an overreaction and politicized. Massie responded Sunday saying, "if that were true, why would the administration and establishment be so opposed to our legislation? The fact is it's not redundant and our legislation is necessary." Massie and Khanna have said they expect to have a vote by the end of the month. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### After 30 years, Indiana rape case becomes key to solving multi-state investigation URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/after-40-years-indiana-rape-case-becomes-key-to-solving-multi-state-serial-crimes/ Last updated: 2025-09-10T11:02:32.000Z Sometimes justice moves slowly, but it never stops moving. That's the story of Sean Patrick McNulty, a serial rapist who terrorized women across multiple states in the 1980s and 1990s and whose crimes have finally been solved thanks to modern DNA technology and some determined detective work. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The Ventura County District Attorney's Office, in California, announced this week that they've connected Sean Patrick McNulty to six separate home invasion rapes spanning from California to Ohio, including a particularly disturbing case right here in Indiana. What makes this story even more remarkable? McNulty died in 1997, but his victims are finally getting the answers they've waited decades for. ### The California cases that started it all It all began with the [Ventura County Sexual Assault Kit Initiative](https://da.venturacounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/VCSAKI-Identifies-Serial-Rapist-Brings-Long-Awaited-Answers-to-Victims-1.pdf?ref=shayinformed.com), a program launched in 2022 to test every single sexual assault kit for DNA evidence. When they tested kits from two unsolved rapes in Ventura County from 1982 and 1983, they found something interesting- the same perpetrator DNA profile in both cases. The attacks were chillingly similar. In both instances, McNulty used phone calls to gather information about his victims before breaking into their homes. He would bind them with belts, place pillowcases over their heads, and sexually assault them while demanding money. The details are disturbing, but they reveal a calculated predator who had clearly done this before. ### The trail leads to Indiana Here's where the Indiana connection becomes crucial to solving these decades-old crimes. As investigators dug deeper, they discovered McNulty had been linked to a 1993 rape in Bloomington. But this wasn't just another cold case- **this was the key that would unlock everything.** The Bloomington case tells a particularly haunting story. A 22-year-old woman woke up around 3 a.m. to find a man standing in her bedroom. After sexually assaulting her, McNulty did something that would prove to be his downfall years later: he found her driver's license and read off her personal information, threatening to kill her if she went to the police. But the story doesn't end there. About a year after the attack, the victim and her family started receiving suspicious phone calls. Then, after she moved to a different state, someone claiming to be a Bloomington detective called her with questions that showed intimate knowledge of her case. When she contacted the real Bloomington Police Department, they confirmed no one had tried to reach her. Police were able to trace those calls back to Sean Patrick McNulty in Battle Creek, Michigan. In 1995, Bloomington investigators actually obtained biological samples from McNulty as part of their investigation. The problem? This was before the modern DNA database system existed, so his profile just sat there, waiting. ### The breakthrough moment Fast forward to 2024... The FBI's Violent Criminal Apprehension Program helped Ventura investigators locate that old Bloomington case where McNulty was actually named as a suspect. When they reached out to Bloomington police, they made a shocking discovery: McNulty had killed himself in 1997 after becoming a suspect in that Indiana rape. But here's the incredible part- Bloomington investigators had preserved that biological sample from 1995\. They sent it to Columbus, Ohio, where it was tested and matched to a 1997 rape case there. Then the results went back to Ventura County, where scientists confirmed it matched their 1982 and 1983 cases. Michigan authorities also confirmed matches to cases from 1994 and 1995. Looking at all six cases together, a disturbing pattern emerged. McNulty was methodical, often using deception to gain entry to homes or gather information about his victims. He frequently used phone calls as part of his strategy, sometimes calling back after attacks to further terrorize his victims. The geographic spread tells a story, too. McNulty served as a Navy diver from 1979 to 1992, which likely explains how he ended up in so many different states. Investigators believe he may have lived in or spent time in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Virginia, and even the Philippines. ### Justice for the survivors Perhaps the most powerful part of this story is what it means for the survivors. Ventura County investigators were able to locate one of the California victims, who told them she had "waited forty years" to receive closure. The Bloomington victim expressed gratitude that investigators "didn't give up" after all these years. Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko put it perfectly: "Every kit tested has the opportunity to bring critical knowledge to these women, including the knowledge that their perpetrator is deceased and therefore no longer able to harm others." ### The bigger picture This case shows why programs like the Ventura County Sexual Assault Kit Initiative matter so much. There are thousands of untested rape kits sitting in evidence rooms across the country, and each one represents not just evidence, but a person who deserves answers. The collaboration between agencies- from California to Indiana to Ohio to Michigan- also demonstrates how modern law enforcement can work when departments share information and resources. The investigative genealogy work done by Columbus police, the preserved evidence from Bloomington, and the systematic testing in Ventura County all came together to solve crimes that might otherwise have remained mysteries forever. McNulty may have escaped earthly justice by taking his own life in 1997, but his victims now know who attacked them and that he can never hurt anyone else. After four decades, that knowledge brings a different kind of justice- the kind that helps survivors finally close a chapter that has haunted them for far too long. For anyone who might have information about other crimes McNulty may have committed, Ventura County investigators are still accepting tips. Because even though this case is closed, there may be other survivors out there still waiting for their own answers. You can connect with the detective on this case, Yumi Kirk, at (805) 477-1638 or at yumi.kirk@venturacounty.gov. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Norton and Cigna buy more time: contract extension gives patients breathing room URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/norton-and-cigna-buy-more-time-contract-extension-gives-patients-breathing-room/ Last updated: 2025-09-08T13:05:28.000Z If you're a Cigna member who relies on Norton Healthcare for your medical needs, you can breathe a little easier today. What initially appeared to be a major disruption to your healthcare coverage has received a temporary reprieve. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Here's what happened: Back in August, Norton Healthcare announced that Cigna had terminated its contract, with the split set to take effect on September 8, 2025\. That would have meant Norton would suddenly become an "out-of-network" provider for Cigna members- a change that typically means much higher costs and more paperwork for patients. But now there's some good news: Norton and Cigna have agreed to extend their current contract through October 1, 2025, giving both sides more time to hammer out a longer-term deal. During this extension period, Cigna members can continue using Norton Healthcare services with their regular in-network benefits intact. ### Why these contract disputes matter so much You might wonder why a business disagreement between two healthcare companies should matter to you as a patient. The reality is that these contract negotiations can have huge ripple effects on your healthcare experience and your wallet. When hospitals and insurance companies can't agree on payment rates, it's patients who often get caught in the crossfire. Suddenly, the doctor you've seen for years or the hospital where you feel comfortable might become prohibitively expensive to visit. For people with ongoing conditions- like cancer patients receiving treatment or pregnant women with established care- these disruptions can be particularly stressful and potentially harmful. ### What this extension really means The good news is that this extension buys everyone some breathing room. Cigna members don't have to scramble to find new doctors or worry about surprise bills. Parents don't have to explain to their kids why they suddenly need to see a different pediatrician. Cancer patients can continue their treatment plans without interruption. From a negotiating standpoint, both sides clearly have an incentive to make this work. Cigna said their "goal is to keep Norton Healthcare in network," which suggests they recognize the value Norton brings to their members. Meanwhile, Norton is emphasizing their commitment to patients, which makes sense- losing a major insurance contract would mean losing a significant portion of their patient base. ### The bigger picture These kinds of contract disputes have become increasingly common in healthcare, as both hospitals and insurance companies face financial pressures. Hospitals argue they need adequate reimbursement rates to provide quality care and maintain their facilities. Insurance companies say they have to control costs to keep premiums manageable for their members. The challenge is that while these are legitimate business concerns on both sides, the people who ultimately feel the impact are patients and families who just want access to the care they need without financial hardship. ### What Patients Should Do If you're a Cigna member who uses Norton Healthcare, you don't need to panic or make any immediate changes. Your coverage will continue normally through October 1\. But it's still worth paying attention to updates from both companies as they work toward a permanent agreement. Norton has set up a dedicated email ([CignaOONQuestions@nortonhealthcare.org](mailto:CignaOONQuestions@nortonhealthcare.org)) for questions about the situation, and they're also offering financial assistance programs for families who might need help with healthcare costs. The hope is that this extension will give both sides enough time to reach a fair agreement that works for everyone- including the patients who depend on both organizations. In healthcare, that's really what matters most. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Festivals, foliage and all things fall in Kentuckiana URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/festivals-foliage-and-all-things-fall-in-kentuckiana/ Last updated: 2025-09-05T14:02:26.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Louisville's airports report a record year, making international travel a real possibility URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/louisvilles-airports-are-having-a-record-year-making-international-travel-a-real-possibility/ Last updated: 2025-09-04T18:24:29.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear goes national with new podcast deal URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-gov-andy-beshear-goes-national-with-new-podcast-deal/ Last updated: 2025-09-04T14:19:45.000Z SiriusXM announced Thursday that the company has signed a deal with Kentucky's governor to give his podcast a national stage. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear is making another move that could position him for a 2028 presidential run. Beshear has not officially announced he plans to run for president, but has put himself into the [national spotlight](https://www.shayinformed.com/andy-beshear-featured-in-vogue-ahead-of-rumored-2028-presidential-run/) more and more in recent months. Now, his podcast, The Andy Beshear Podcast, has f[ound a new home](https://www.siriusxm.com/blog/andy-beshear?ref=shayinformed.com) on SiriusXM with its 33 million subscribers. The episodes will be airing on SiriusXM Progress weekly. "The Andy Beshear Podcast isn't a political podcast, it's a place for Americans to come together for honest, real conversations," Beshear wrote on social media Thursday, "The SiriusXM partnership is going to help us connect with more people so we can continue to show folks across our country that we've got a lot more in common than what divides us." President Donald Trump’s appearances on podcasts were a major part of his winning media strategy, according to the [Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/beshear-podcast-governor-kentucky-d7ca37ffcb06b0e054467b3f16b65cce?ref=shayinformed.com). Mastering podcasts has been suggested as the future of successful political campaigns. Beshear appears to be embracing the opportunity for political conversations on a bigger stage. His debut episode will be an interview with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. It will be recorded in SiriusXM's New York City studios and premieres on September 10th on the SiriusXM app. ### Andy Beshear Presents Beshear will also be hosting a new series of live specials named "Andy Beshear Presents," which will also air on SiriusXM Progress. According to [SiriusXM](https://www.siriusxm.com/blog/andy-beshear?ref=shayinformed.com), the project will feature candid conversations about political issues shaping both Kentucky and the Nation. During these segments, he will be taking calls from listeners across the country. The first Andy Beshear Presents will premiere on September 9th at 12 pm. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Steve Lawson files notice of appeal, looks for conviction to be overturned in Crystal Rogers case URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/steve-lawson-files-notice-of-appeal-looks-for-conviction-to-be-overturned-in-crystal-rogers-case/ Last updated: 2025-09-03T19:23:51.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### 'Monster on the run'; police looking for man convicted of sex crimes against children URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/monster-on-the-run-police-looking-for-man-convicted-of-sex-crimes-against-children/ Last updated: 2025-09-03T19:03:21.000Z William Carter was set to be sentenced Tuesday morning but did not show up to court. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- A Grayson County Judge has issued a warrant for William Carter's arrest after he failed to appear at his sentencing hearing set for Tuesday morning in Grayson County. In July, Carter pleaded guilty to multiple crimes against children, including rape and sexual abuse. Now, the mother of the victim in the case is speaking out, raising awareness for a man she's calling "a monster on the run." "Our family has endured the unthinkable", Chelsea Baird said, "the system has failed to protect our daughter or deliver real justice." According to his indictment, Carter was accused of having sexual relations with a girl who was less than 14 years old when the relationship started in June of 2023\. The relationship continued for about eight months, according to court records. Baird said Carter manipulated her daughter, promising "vacations, gifts, and convincing her she was in a “relationship” with him." She said it came to a head in February of 2024, when the child disclosed what had been happening at a school conference. "She said she was “in love” with her grandfather and that he was planning to run away with her," Baird explained. Baird said she immediately reported the abuse to Kentucky State Police and Carter was indicted on multiple charges three months later. But Baird said the judicial process since then has been tiring and traumatic. Carter was released from custody on bail shortly after his arrest. Baird said this forced her family to take their daughter's protection into their own hands, even pulling her from school, where she had been communicating with him through school technology. The case worked through the court system for more than a year before the family was encouraged to engage in mediation. She said the July 2025 mediation session resulted in a sentence that was lower than what she thinks the crime deserved, but the only option was to give her daughter some freedoms back, as the offender was out on bail. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison in a plea agreement that followed. Now, Carter is considered 'on the run', after failing to show up to sentencing, where he would have been taken into custody to begin his prison time. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-03-at-2.55.17---PM.png) "He could be anywhere by now, and we aren't just fearful for ours, we are fearful for the other little girls out here who may not know what kind of monster they are dealing with," Baird said. If you know anything about the whereabouts of William Carter, you can call your local police department or Kentucky State Police Post 4 at 270-766-5078. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### KY man tied to three suspicious overdose deaths pleads not guilty in court URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/ky-man-tied-to-three-suspicious-overdose-deaths-pleads-not-guilty-in-court/ Last updated: 2025-09-03T18:39:11.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Kentucky serial killer? The Brian Epperson case URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-serial-killer-whe-brian-epperson-case/ Last updated: 2025-09-08T13:25:01.000Z Law enforcement agencies across the state are investigating three suspicious deaths that all appear to be connected to one man, and detectives believe there could be more victims. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and (eventually) a new podcast.* --- Today, a man linked to the death of three Kentucky women will be in court, arraigned on murder charges in one of those cases. The FBI defines serial murder as "the unlawful killing of two or more victims by the same offender, in separate events." The Oxford dictionary defines a serial killer as a person who murders three or more people, in separate events, but following the same pattern. Now an investigation spanning three Kentucky counties has brought the question to the surface... could Kentucky be dealing with a present-day serial killer? **What we know about Brian Epperson** 44-year-old Brian Epperson was arrested at the end of June and is currently in custody, facing charges in Powell County and Clark County. Powell and Clark counties are rural counties outside of Lexington. He is also under investigation for a death in Fayette County. Investigators believe Epperson has had access to many people's homes through his work as a handyman, contractor, and maintenance man. In fact, police in Winchester have requested that you [contact them](https://www.winchesterky.com/187/Police-Department?ref=shayinformed.com) if you have hired Epperson in recent years, and especially if he has been in your home. ## **What we know about the victims** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-01-at-11.50.08---AM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-01-at-11.50.18---AM.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-01-at-11.50.28---AM.png) 32-year-old Kristen Morris, 29-year-old Reacheal Dawson, 42-year-old Hilory Davis ### Kristen Morris 32-year-old Kristen Morris was found dead on May 31st in an Airbnb in Stanton, KY, which is about 115 miles east of Louisville, outside of Richmond. The Airbnb had been rented by Brian Epperson. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Reading revival; JCPS sees library use soar in response to cell-phone ban URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/reading-revival-jcps-sees-library-use-soar-in-response-to-cell-phone-ban/ Last updated: 2025-09-02T16:49:53.000Z According to the school district, JCPS students have checked out a record number of books in the first two weeks of school. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Something remarkable is happening in Jefferson County Public Schools, and it all started with putting phones away. When JCPS implemented its district-wide ban on cell phones and digital devices during school hours this year, educators weren't sure what to expect. What they got was something they never saw coming: a reading revolution. "Many students have told me that since they cannot be looking at their cell phones during lunch or any other part of the school day, they are checking out books to read instead," said Erin Reed, librarian at Pleasure Ridge Park High School, according to [an update](https://www.jefferson.kyschools.us/article/2387560?ref=shayinformed.com) shared by JCPS. "It's wonderful!" The numbers tell an incredible story. In just the first 17 days of this school year, PRP students checked out more than 1,200 books- nearly half of what they borrowed during the entire previous year. And PRP isn't alone. Across the district, school libraries are experiencing a renaissance. Waggener High saw checkouts jump from 232 last August to 1,069 this year. At Farnsley Middle, the increase is even more dramatic- from 92 checkouts last August to 1,003 this year. That's more than a tenfold increase. Dr. Lynn Reynolds, JCPS's executive director of library media services, sees this shift as proof of something educators have long believed. "Seeing students turn from phones to pages reminds me why libraries matter so deeply," she says. "Engagement with books is one of the best kinds of social activity at this age." ### More than just reading The transformation goes beyond individual reading habits. At Central High, librarian Adrian Layne describes students who once sat alone scrolling now "laughing, playing and talking with peers." Schools have started stocking board games, card games, and coloring books to meet the demand for phone-free activities. As these Louisville students are learning, sometimes the most powerful technology is also the oldest: a good book, a conversation with friends, or simply the ability to be present in the moment. In a world increasingly dominated by screens, JCPS might have stumbled upon something revolutionary by simply asking students to power down. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### New FDA restrictions on the COVID-19 vaccine change access for Kentuckians URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/new-fda-restrictions-on-covid-vaccine-will-change-where-kentuckians-can-get-a-vaccine/ Last updated: 2025-09-01T19:04:55.000Z Kentucky is one of 19 states where pharmacists will no longer be permitted to administer the vaccine unless the person is considered high risk. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- U.S. Food and Drug Administration has narrowed approval of the new, updated COVID-19 vaccines to only people who are considered higher risk for severe disease. The decision approves the vaccine for people who are older than 65 or younger people with underlying conditions. So what about everybody else? [According to pharmacists, insurance groups](https://abcnews.go.com/Health/covid-vaccine-complicated-after-new-fda-restrictions/story?id=125106993&ref=shayinformed.com) and trade organizations, it will be more difficult for younger, otherwise healthy people to get a COVID vaccine ahead of the winter respiratory virus season. Many people accessed the shots at pharmacies previously, but that may no longer be an option. Now, it could involve a trip to the doctor, who will decide if you fit the "high risk" status. "The FDA's decision does not affect the availability of COVID vaccines for Americans who want them," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday during a press conference. "We believe in individual choice. That's a promise both the president and \[HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.\] have made. And it's a promise they have now delivered on." But here's the thing- the laws are different in every state, and depending on where you live, you may now need a prescription to get the shot, and if you don't qualify for a prescription, you could be paying out of pocket. ### Where does Kentucky stand? In Kentucky, the two largest pharmacy chains in the U.S., CVS and Walgreens, will now [require a prescription](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cvs-walgreens-limit-access-covid-vaccines-required-state-guidelines/?ref=shayinformed.com) from patients before administering the shot. The decision is "based on the current regulatory environment", according to a statement from CVS. Those who qualify for a prescription include adults 65 and older, and those who are considered high risk because of underlying conditions. ### If you're young and healthy, and you want a COVID vaccine, will it be covered by insurance? It's still unclear what insurance coverage will look like for private insurance providers. Most companies are waiting for guidance from the CDC advisory panel, which meets in mid-September. Government-funded insurance like Medicare and Medicaid will also likely follow CDC recommendations. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The meaning behind Labor Day and how Kentuckiana celebrates URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/the-meaning-behind-labor-day-and-how-kentuckiana-celebrates/ Last updated: 2025-08-31T13:43:52.000Z You know, Labor Day isn't just another long weekend- it actually has some pretty meaningful roots. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- As summer winds down and we gear up for fall, Labor Day weekend offers the perfect chance to pause, celebrate a great summer, and look ahead to the changing season. But before we dive into all the fun stuff happening around town, let's take a moment to remember what this holiday is really all about. ### Why we celebrate Labor Day Back in the late 1800s, American workers were fighting for better conditions, fair wages, and reasonable hours (imagine working 12-hour days, six days a week!). The first Labor Day celebration happened in New York City in 1882, organized by the Central Labor Union as a way to honor the contributions of working people. The holiday became official in 1894 when President Grover Cleveland signed it into law. It was meant to be a day when we recognize that the backbone of America isn't just big business or government- it's the everyday folks who clock in, do their jobs, and keep our communities running. Pretty cool that over 140 years later, we're still taking time to celebrate workers, right? And here in Louisville, we're doing it in style this year. ### WorldFest: a global celebration The crown jewel of Louisville's Labor Day weekend has to be WorldFest, the city's premier international festival that's expected to attract more than 150,000 people over the four-day weekend. Running from Friday, August 29th through Monday, September 1st on the Belvedere downtown, this free festival is like taking a trip around the world without leaving Derby City. What makes WorldFest special is its celebration of the international cultures and communities that make up Louisville and the surrounding areas. Think about it-this festival perfectly embodies the spirit of Labor Day by showcasing the diverse workforce that makes our city what it is. You'll find nearly 150 international vendors selling everything from authentic crafts and clothing to incredible food from around the globe. There's a Global Village where you can learn about different customs, three entertainment stages with performers from all over, and a Children's International Activity Zone that's perfect for families. One of the most moving parts of the weekend happened on Friday, when about 300 people became new American citizens in a naturalization ceremony. The festival runs through Monday from 11 AM to 8 PM. Pro tip: Come hungry- the international food scene is absolutely amazing. ### For the union members If you're a union member, you've got a special treat waiting at the [United Labor Day Picnic](https://sites.google.com/view/unitedlaborpicnic/home?ref=shayinformed.com) at Kentucky Kingdom & Hurricane Bay. For just $20 (which is an incredible deal considering the regular admission would be around $80), you get park admission, a free buffet lunch, and unlimited soft drinks all day. The parks open at 10 AM for Kentucky Kingdom and 11 AM for Hurricane Bay, with meal service from noon to 4 PM. It's a perfect way to celebrate Labor Day while actually supporting local children's and senior charities with the proceeds. ### Why this all matters What I love about Louisville's Labor Day weekend is how it really captures the spirit of what this holiday was meant to be. We're not just getting a day off work—we're celebrating the diverse community of workers who make this city special. From the international families sharing their cultures at WorldFest to the union members gathering at Kentucky Kingdom, it's all about recognizing that our strength comes from the people who show up every day to build something better. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 'Give your kids an extra hug'; family open up about the children killed in MN school shooting URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/give-your-kids-an-extra-hug-family-open-up-about-the-children-killed-in-mn-school-shooting/ Last updated: 2025-08-29T17:45:32.000Z Family has identified 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski as the victims in the Annunciation Catholic School Shooting. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The country's most recent horrific mass shooting happened at a private Catholic school near Minneapolis. The children were attending a church service when, according to police, a shooter opened fire through the windows of the church. Two children were killed, and fifteen other children were hurt. Three adult parishioners were also injured. Family members have now identified the children who were killed as 10-year-old Harper Moyski and 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel. Merkle was described as an all-American 8-year-old who loved his family, friends, fishing, cooking and sports. His father revealed he was the youngest of three children, and his two siblings were also in the church that morning. They were not hurt in the shooting. Moyski was a big sister, and recognized as a light for those around her. "Harper was a bright, joyful, and deeply loved 10-year-old whose laughter, kindness, and spirit touched everyone who knew her," said Harper's family in a statement. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/Fletcher-dad-1.jpg) Fletcher Merkel's dad; Credit: NBC news “Yesterday a coward decided to take our 8-year-old son Fletcher away from us. Because of their actions, we will never be allowed to hold him, talk to him, play with him, and watch him grow into the wonderful young man he was on the path to becoming,” Jesse Merkel, Fletcher's father, said [at a news conference](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/annunciation-catholic-school-shooting-victim-identified-rcna227876?ref=shayinformed.com). Both families expressed thanks for the first responders who worked the scene and the community who have shown support in the days since. “Give your kids an extra hug and kiss today. We love you. Fletcher, you’ll always be with us," his father said. ### Don't Name Them According to police, the shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene. That is all we're going to share about them here. A movement called "Don't Name Them" requests that once a killer is captured, brought to justice, or dies, they are no longer part of the story. This is the explanation posted on the organization's [website](https://www.dontnamethem.org/?ref=shayinformed.com). > It is journalistically routine to name the killer. It’s public record and it is important to use their names and likenesses to apprehend them and bring them to justice. However, once they are captured, it’s really no longer a part of the story, other than to create a call to action for a like-minded killer to take their plans and thoughts and make them into deeds. The movement is based on evidence that shows some suspects are motivated by a desire for fame, notoriety, and recognition. So, if potential shooters, who are considering committing a similar act, see that kind of coverage on the news, it can encourage copycat behavior. This movement is supported by the FBI and many parents of children whose lives were cut short by gun violence. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 'Joy and distraction'; family requests cards for Louisville toddler undergoing risky surgery URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/joy-and-distraction-family-requests-cards-for-louisville-toddler-undergoing-risky-surgery/ Last updated: 2025-08-28T15:00:22.000Z Reid was born with a rare birth defect that has impacted almost every part of his life. Now, he's scheduled for a major surgery, and his family is asking for help encouraging him during the tough recovery. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Next month, a little boy from Louisville will go to Cincinnati for a surgery that will change his life. Two-year-old Reid Schweitzer was born with a rare birth defect that resulted in "complete tracheal rings". His parents describe this as "extra cartilage completely wrapped around his windpipe, narrowing it severely". They say it impacts his breathing, eating and sleeping. His uncle, David Durban, remembers when he first learned something was wrong with Reid. He said the baby was just three weeks old and rushed to Norton Children's Hospital in an ambulance because "he couldn't sleep, he couldn't eat, and no one could figure out what was wrong with him." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-28-at-10.49.32---AM.png) Fast forward a few years, Durbin says Reid is just like every other two-year-old boy, "he's a crazy little boy, just like any other normal boy, gives the best hugs, loves to be chased, and is really funny. We can't wait for him to feel normal too", Durbin said. ### What comes next Next month, Reid will undergo a major surgery called a "slide tracheoplasty with a cardiopulmonary bypass", his parents said on social media. They described the process, writing, "\[doctors\] will open his chest, cut his trachea in half, shorten it, widen it, and stitch it back together, all while he’s on a heart-lung bypass machine for 8 hours." Reid is expected to be in the hospital for several weeks after his surgery, recovering and under close observation from the medical team. ### Where do you come in? The family is requesting love and encouragement in the form of cards for the little one to open after surgery. "Imagine a little guy with bedhead and hospital socks opening up a pile of cards every day- it’s the kind of joy and distraction we’re hoping for", his parents posted on social media. If you'd like to send a card, you can send it here: *Reid Schweitzer* *PO Box # 129* *Harrods Creek, KY 40027* They are hoping to have the cards before surgery, scheduled for September 17th, so they can take them to Cincinnati with them. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Another night, another no-winner; Powerball jackpot explodes to $950 million! URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/another-night-another-no-winner-powerball-jackpot-explodes-to-950-million/ Last updated: 2025-08-28T11:58:04.000Z We're officially approaching the billion-dollar club, folks. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- It happened again! Not only did nobody win Monday's massive $750 million jackpot, but Wednesday night's $815 million drawing also came and went without a grand prize winner. That means Saturday's jackpot is now sitting pretty at an estimated **$950 million**... making it the sixth-largest jackpot in Powerball history! We are getting close to that magical billion-dollar mark, and honestly, at this point, it feels inevitable. ## Wednesday's numbers Wednesday night's winning numbers were: **9, 12, 22, 41, 61** and red Powerball **25**. The Power Play was 4X. Despite an estimated $850 million jackpot up for grabs, nobody managed to match all six numbers. But hey, that just means more money for the next lucky winner or winners if multiple people hit it big! ## The million-dollar club keeps growing While no one struck the ultimate prize, Wednesday's drawing created some pretty happy millionaires. Six tickets won $1 million or more by matching all five white balls: - **$1 million winners**: Arizona, New York, and Virginia each had a ticket match the five white balls - **$2 million winners**: Mississippi, Ohio, and Virginia each had tickets that included the Power Play option, doubling their prize There were also 40 tickets that won $50,000 and 10 tickets that won $200,000\. Not bad for a "consolation prize," right? ## This streak is getting ridiculous Get this- Saturday's drawing will be the 39th consecutive drawing without a jackpot winner since May 31, 2025 (if no one wins). That California winner back in May probably had no idea they were starting what would become one of the longest jackpot streaks in recent memory! During this summer streak, 56 tickets have won $1 million or more, and 558 tickets have won $50,000 or more. So while nobody's become a billionaire yet, plenty of people have had their lives changed in pretty amazing ways. ## Saturday's mind-blowing prize That $950 million jackpot for Saturday night is now the **sixth-largest in Powerball history**. Winners can choose between the full $950 million paid over 30 years or a lump sum of $428.9 million before taxes. Let's put this in perspective with Powerball's all-time biggest hits: - **$2.04 billion** \- November 2022 (California) - Still the undisputed champion - **$1.765 billion** \- October 2024 (California) - **$1.586 billion** \- January 2016 (Split between CA, FL, TN) - **$1.326 billion** \- April 2025 (Oregon) - **$1.08 billion** \- July 2023 (California) - **$950 million** \- This Saturday's drawing! We're literally one more rollover away from joining the billion-dollar club! ## The math still stinks (but someone's gotta win eventually) Your odds are still a brutal 1 in 292.2 million- those haven't magically improved just because the jackpot is huge. But here's the thing: somebody's eventually going to hit this thing, and when they do, they're going to be absolutely set for life. Tickets are still just $2 each (plus that extra buck for Power Play if you're feeling fancy). ## Saturday night could be historic Saturday's drawing is at 10:59 p.m. ET, and with the way this jackpot has been climbing, don't be surprised if that $950 million grows even higher by game time. The excitement is building, ticket sales are through the roof, and we could be looking at the first billion-dollar jackpot since 2023. One thing's for sure- whether you play or not, Saturday night is going to be must-see TV. Someone's going to become incredibly, ridiculously, life-changingly wealthy, and it could happen to literally anyone with a $2 ticket. And remember, even if you don't win the big one, more than half of every ticket sale stays right in your state to fund various programs and services. Since 1992, Powerball has generated over $36 billion for good causes. So you're helping out even when you're not winning big! *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Get ready for major traffic changes: I-65 bridge project will close interstate for two months URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/get-ready-for-major-traffic-changes-i-65-bridge-project-will-close-interstate-for-two-months/ Last updated: 2025-08-28T00:17:48.000Z If you drive through downtown Louisville regularly, you'll want to mark your calendar for summer 2026. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Planning your commute just got a lot more complicated. Governor Andy Beshear announced Wednesday that three aging bridges on Interstate 65 near downtown Louisville are getting completely replaced, and that means drivers are in for some serious detours next year. Here's what you need to know: **I-65 will be completely shut down between Jefferson Street and the Watterson Expressway for two full months in summer 2026.** Yes, you read that right. Two months. ## Why close the whole interstate? Before you start groaning about the inconvenience, there's actually some method to this madness. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says closing I-65 entirely during June and July 2026 will let construction crews work around the clock and finish the project at least a year faster than if they tried to keep traffic moving. "We understand the inconvenience of closing an interstate," said KYTC Secretary Jim Gray. "We don't make this decision lightly, but this option will shrink the construction period considerably to avoid prolonged traffic impacts." The alternative would have been years of lane closures, weekend shutdowns, and stop-and-go construction zones. Anyone who's sat in traffic during road work knows how frustrating that can be. ## Your detour options When I-65 closes next summer, you'll need to reroute using I-264 west and I-64 west. The good news? The on-ramps at Jefferson Street and Liberty Street/Muhammad Ali Boulevard will stay open, so you won't be completely cut off from downtown access. Transportation officials promise they'll share detailed detour maps and alternate routes well before construction starts, giving you almost a year to figure out new ways to get around town. ## What to expect before and after The project is already underway with behind-the-scenes work that shouldn't mess with your daily drive. Through June 2026, crews will work beneath the interstate with minimal traffic impact. But here's where it gets tricky: even after I-65 reopens in August 2026, don't expect things to go back to normal immediately. The interstate will reopen with reduced capacity, and you can expect off-peak lane closures and periodic disruptions as crews finish up work through mid-2027. Then, just as you're getting used to the new normal, construction will start on at least three more bridges in fall 2026\. The good news is that KYTC expects to keep I-65 open during this next phase, just with fewer lanes available. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-27-at-8.07.10---PM.png) ## Why this matters to you These aren't just any bridges- they carry more than 125,000 vehicles every single day. That's a lot of commuters, delivery trucks, and travelers who depend on this route. The three bridges being replaced are all over 60 years old and in poor condition, requiring constant inspections just to make sure they're safe, according to the state. "As a Kentuckian who worked for many years in downtown Louisville, I have driven this I-65 corridor countless times, and I understand the significance of this project," Governor Beshear said, acknowledging that he gets why this matters to regular drivers. The $150 million project will build bridges designed to last more than 75 years, potentially avoiding emergency closures down the road that could be even more disruptive. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-27-at-7.48.46---PM.png) Credit: KYTC ## Start planning now With more than nine months' notice, you've got time to think about how this will affect your routine. Whether you're commuting to work, dropping kids at school, or just trying to get across town, summer 2026 is going to require some creativity in your travel planning. The project is set to wrap up by mid-2027, and if Kentucky gets additional federal funding, even more bridge improvements could follow. For now, though, the focus is on getting through what's sure to be a challenging but necessary couple of years for Louisville-area drivers. One thing's for certain: your GPS is going to get a workout in 2026. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Sweat, sacrifice & sweet success; the story behind Louisville's top dessert shop URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/sweat-sacrifice-sweet-success-the-story-behind-louisvilles-top-dessert-shop/ Last updated: 2025-09-03T11:15:00.000Z Big Nita's Cheesecakes sells out every day they're open. The business has gone "viral" more than once, bringing in customers from across the country. But this business was born out of desperation and the owners never forget that. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* *Subscribers, you can listen to the full interview at the bottom of this page!* --- In the middle of her commercial kitchen, at the back of Big Nita's Cheesecakes on Main Street, Nicole Burks told me it all comes down to time... the time it takes to hand-mix every batter for every cheesecake, the time each one takes in the oven, there's the cooldown time in the fridge, the intricate decorating that cuts no corners and then the time it takes to slice and pre-package hundreds of slices of cake every week. There is never enough time to meet their demand. But that desire for time is ironic when you look back just five years... long before Big Nita's was born... when Burks said too much time was the problem. "I needed something to buy up my time, especially after work and on the weekends. When I was outside of work, I struggled the most," she said. For most, March of 2020 was a time of uncertainty but for Burks every minute had a mission... stay sober, get better. "I was just looking for anything in my life to get me back, like, on the straight and narrow, you know? I was trying so hard to be, like a good person, but I didn't have anything to help me so... doing all this," Burks said through tears, "this gave me a reason." _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Kentucky Fish and Wildlife euthanizes 20+ deer at Meade Co. wildlife center URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-fish-and-wildlife-euthanizes-20-deer-at-meade-co-wildlife-center/ Last updated: 2025-08-27T01:08:08.000Z The agency confirmed late Tuesday that the animals were euthanized at the Broadbent Wildlife Sanctuary to prevent the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife staff euthanized more than 20 animals they say were being illegally held at a Meade County wildlife rehabilitation sanctuary on Tuesday. According to a statement provided by the agency, "the previous operator at Broadbent Wildlife Sanctuary had illegally accepted the animals into the facility's care" after Meade County was added to the state's [CWD Surveillance Zone](https://fw.ky.gov/Wildlife/Pages/Chronic-Wasting-Disease.aspx?ref=shayinformed.com), which happened in October 2024\. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-26-at-8.27.40---PM.png) Current CWD Surveillance Zones, provided by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Chronic Wasting Disease is described as a fatal neurological disease affecting deer and elk. There is no known cure or vaccine, and the disease can cause months or years of suffering for the infected animals. > While the agency regrets the need for euthanasia in this situation, regulations were put in place to limit the spread of CWD. -Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife According to posts on the sanctuary's [social media](https://www.facebook.com/broadbentwildlife) page, 22 orphaned fawns were taken into the facility earlier this year. "We love our fawns and our staff has been raising them since they were tiny," the agency shared on social media, "this recent issue with Chronic Wasting Disease in the state of Kentucky is serious, but to our knowledge these fawns have not been exposed nor will they ever leave our property." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-26-at-8.39.40---PM.png) Credit: Broadbent Wildlife Sanctuary, showing the fawns drinking from bottles Local animal activists had been working to stop the planned euthanasia, hoping to find another answer for the young deer. Ultimately, the owners of Broadbent Wildlife Sanctuary agreed to allow Kentucky Fish and Wildlife onto the property. Broadbent released this statement Monday night: > After discussions with Fish & Wildlife, we have decided that we must allow KY Fish and Wildlife officials to enter the sanctuary. Our staff has raised these fawns with loving care, and followed the regulations associated with the care and rehab with these animals. Thank you to everyone who has voiced their concern for these beautiful creatures. We are forever grateful. Fish and Wildlife is also urging the public not to move fawns that appear to be left alone, saying, "In almost all cases, the mother is nearby and the baby animal has not been abandoned." *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### WATCH: firefighters, soldiers, family and nurses line the hospital hall for honor walk URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/watch-firefighters-soldiers-family-and-nurses-line-the-hospital-hall-for-honor-walk/ Last updated: 2025-08-27T20:21:38.000Z Brian Hatt's life dedicated to service ended on Tuesday, with one final gift of generosity. He was an organ donor, and was wheeled into surgery surrounded by support. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The soldiers and firefighters stood at attention, hands tightly against their sides, eyes forward. Standing in line to honor a man who died doing what they do every day- selflessly running toward danger in an act of service. Raywick Firefighter Brian Hatt was declared brain dead on Monday, after a rollover crash while in a fire tanker Friday evening. On Tuesday afternoon, a community of supporters lined the halls of 9 West ICU at UofL Hospital. That is the wing where the most serious case are sent. Kentucky State Police reported the fire crew, with the Raywick Fire Department, was on the way to assist the Loretto Fire Department when the tanker truck [dropped off the shoulder ](https://www.shayinformed.com/ky-volunteer-firefighter-becomes-organ-donor-after-on-duty-crash/)and the road collapsed. One other firefighter was hurt in the crash. Hatt's family invited the media to Tuesday's honor walk because they wanted to share with the world the hero their dad was. They also wanted to thank the fire departments who have stood by their side over the last several days. Austin Hinshaw, Hatt's son, said, "Dad would be proud. He was a lover, would do anything to help anybody and didn't want anything in return. He might be gone from us but his memory will live on forever." Hatt's family told me at least one firefighter has been in Hatt's room at all times. He has never been alone. The organ donation surgery was expected to take about five hours. His heart and liver had recipients waiting, as he was wheeled into the operating room. ### About the Raywick Fire Department The Raywick Fire Department is a small, volunteer fire department that services the rural area of Raywick, KY. It's about 60 miles south of Louisville, in Marion County. All of the members on the department hold full time jobs outside of the agency. They serve the community on their personal time, outside of work. The job gives 'hero' a whole new meaning. ### What comes next Family told us firefighters and family will stay with Hatt's body until his burial. You can help support the family [here](https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-brian-hatts-medical-and-family-needs?ref=shayinformed.com). *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### KY volunteer firefighter becomes organ donor after on-duty crash URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/ky-volunteer-firefighter-becomes-organ-donor-after-on-duty-crash/ Last updated: 2025-08-26T18:32:35.000Z Brian Hatt will receive an honor walk on Tuesday afternoon when he is taken into surgery to become an organ donor, according to a Raywick Fire Department Spokesperson. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Volunteer Firefighter Brian Hatt succumbed to his injuries on Monday afternoon, according to a spokesperson from the Raywick Fire Department. Hatt was one of two men injured in an [on-duty crash](https://www.shayinformed.com/marion-co-volunteer-firefighters-facing-life-threatening-injuries-after-crash/) Friday night. According to the Kentucky State Police, a fire crew with the Raywick Fire Department was on the way to assist the Loretto Fire Department when the tanker truck dropped off the shoulder and the road collapsed. Investigators found the tanker had left the road, hit an embankment, and overturned. The crash was about 64 miles south of Louisville, near Loretto. Investigators said the driver was ejected from the vehicle, and the passenger was trapped. Hatt was the driver of the vehicle, according to his family. His daughter told me he had several broken bones, a punctured lung, and a traumatic brain injury. Hatt's honor walk is planned for 4 p.m. Tuesday at UofL Hospital in downtown Louisville. An honor walk is a ceremony held at a hospital where medical staff, friends, and family line the hallways to pay tribute to a deceased organ donor as they are transported to the operating room. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 30 years later: KY mother fights for truth in daughter's disappearance case URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/30-years-later-ky-mother-fights-for-truth-in-daughters-disappearance-case/ Last updated: 2025-08-27T00:42:53.000Z Tuesday marks 30 years since Sarah Teague got a phone call that would change her life forever. Three decades later, she says she feels no closer to getting answers. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *This story is a 'Shay Original', which is available to paid subscribers only. You can* [*become a member*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/\) *for $4.99/month and gain access to all of my work, including full interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and (eventually) a new podcast.* --- Sarah Teague believes local law enforcement ignored critical evidence in her daughter's 1995 abduction and says she has the documents to prove it. Nearly 30 years after 23-year-old Heather Teague vanished from an Ohio River beachfront, her mother, Sarah, continues an unwavering fight for the truth that has consumed three decades of her life. What began as a mother's desperate search for her missing daughter has evolved into a complex battle against what she alleges is systematic evidence manipulation and cover-up by Kentucky State Police. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Improvements underway for one Louisville's biggest traffic headaches URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/improvements-underway-for-one-louisvilles-biggest-traffic-headaches/ Last updated: 2025-08-25T20:08:55.000Z The I-264 interchange at Brownsboro has become notorious in recent years for causing major traffic backups in all directions, at all hours. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The next step in what seems to be an ever-evolving construction project at Interstate 264 (Watterson Expressway) and U.S. 42 (Brownsboro Road) will get started on Tuesday. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans to initiate daily blasting operations as part of the $130 million improvement project. The project represents one of the largest infrastructure investments in Louisville's transportation network, designed to address long-term traffic capacity issues on this heavily traveled corridor. With construction nearing completion at the new VA Hospital, traffic is expected to get more congested in the coming years. ## How will this impact drivers? Intermittent rolling roadblocks will be in effect near the I-264/I-71 interchange to allow for safe blasting operations. These roadblocks occur once daily between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., with each closure lasting up to 20 minutes. The blasting operations are necessary to prepare the interstate for widening as part of the highway improvement project. ## Project timeline The highway improvement project is scheduled for completion by Fall 2027\. The blasting phase represents a critical component of the rock removal and preparation work required before widening can proceed. KYTC wants to make sure drivers are aware ahead of possible disruptions and has taken the following steps to keep people informed: - Daily advance notifications through email and text alert systems - Standardized scheduling of roadblocks during mid-day hours to minimize rush-hour impact If this is on your daily route, signing up for alerts might be in your best interest! You can do that here. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Body of prime suspect exhumed in KY cold case, one day shy of the 30-year mark URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/body-of-prime-suspect-exhumed-in-ky-cold-case-one-day-shy-of-the-30-year-mark/ Last updated: 2025-08-25T20:47:09.000Z Kentucky State Police confirm Marty Dill's body was exhumed this morning, and DNA was collected for testing in the Heather Teague case. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Kentucky State Police have exhumed the body of Marty Dill, the prime suspect in the 1995 disappearance of Heather Teague, to collect DNA evidence in the nearly 30-year-old cold case. The exhumation took place Monday morning, according to Kentucky State Police. According to police, Dill took his own life on September 1, 1995, just one week after 23-year-old Teague vanished from Newburgh Beach in Henderson County. ## Why now? The DNA collection comes as recent developments have brought renewed attention to the case. Teague's mother, Sarah Teague, has spent three decades fighting for answers and alleging that authorities mishandled the investigation from the beginning. For years, Sarah Teague has maintained that Marty Dill could not have been responsible for her daughter's abduction, citing evidence that he was bald at the time of the crime despite witness descriptions of a suspect with "dark bushy hair and a beard." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-25-at-3.48.11---PM.png) Police composite sketch from August 1995 The exhumation represents a significant development in a case that has been marked by controversy over evidence handling, witness testimony, and DNA testing delays. ## The original case Heather Teague disappeared on August 26, 1995, while sunbathing at Newburgh Beach, on the Ohio Riverbank in Henderson County, KY. A witness across the river reported seeing a large man with dark hair and a beard take her from the beach. Teague's bathing suit top was found in a nearby wooded area, but her body has never been recovered. Dill became the prime suspect after his father's white Ford Bronco was identified through video footage from the area. He died during a police standoff at his home one week after Teague's disappearance. ## Recent DNA developments The exhumation comes amid ongoing issues with DNA evidence in the case. Teague's bathing suit bottoms, found in a wooded area near the beach, were only sent for DNA testing in 2022, 27 years after the crime. That testing was halted in 2023 when the FBI allegedly intervened, and the evidence was moved to a different laboratory. Sarah Teague has repeatedly called for DNA testing that could definitively link or exclude Dill as a suspect. ## Family response Sarah Teague notified me of the new development. She has previously stated that she believes DNA evidence will prove Dill's innocence and expose what she calls a cover-up by law enforcement. The exhumation marks a dramatic turn in a case that will reach its 30th anniversary tomorrow. ## What's next It's unclear how long DNA analysis of the remains will take or when results might be available. Kentucky State Police have not provided additional details about the exhumation or the current status of the investigation. This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available. The Heather Teague case remains one of Kentucky's most high-profile unsolved disappearances. Anyone with information is asked to contact Kentucky State Police, Post 16\. --- *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Crystal Rogers case; Former Nelson Co. Detective Jon Snow called to sentencing URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/crystal-rogers-case-former-nelson-co-detective-jon-snow-called-to-sentencing/ Last updated: 2025-08-25T23:50:45.000Z According to court documents released Monday, the man who led the investigation for the first five years after Crystal was reported missing will be at sentencing next month. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson are set to be sentenced to prison time for their roles in the death and disappearance of Crystal Rogers next month. Now we are starting to see who may be present at that hearing. Former Nelson County Detective Jon Snow has been subpoenaed to appear at the hearing on behalf of the commonwealth. Snow led the investigation from 2015 until his retirement from the department in 2019\. He testified for hours at both of the trials in the case, and even got emotional after hearing the guilty verdicts. Snow was seen hugging family members and other investigators in tears. [PICTURES: a look inside Crystal Rogers’ abandoned carWhen Crystal Rogers’ family found her car abandoned on the side of the Bluegrass Parkway they immediately called police and pictures were taken. Those pictures were shared for first time eight years later, at trial. “I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-6.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-07-17-at-11.17.33---AM-1.png)](https://www.shayinformed.com/pictures-a-look-inside-crystal-rogers-abandoned-car/) J. Lawson and Houck were supposed to be sentenced last week, but the hearing was delayed due to [ongoing serious health issues](https://www.shayinformed.com/crystal-rogers-case-brooks-houck-and-joseph-lawson-sentencing-delayed/) with Joseph Lawosn. His attorney confirmed the defendant was very ill and unable to attend sentencing on the original August date. ### What to expect at sentencing The sentencing hearing is the final step in a 10 year long [journey for justice](https://www.shayinformed.com/justice-awaits-brooks-houcks-formal-sentencing-set-for-thursday-in-crystal-rogers-case/). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/verdict-read--1.jpg) In July, a Warren County jury delivered swift justice after deliberating for just four hours. Houck was found guilty of murder and tampering with physical evidence and Lawson was found guilty of tampering with physical evidence and conspiracy to commit murder. The jury's sentencing recommendation came even faster than the verdict, in just a matter of minutes they recommended the maximum penalty: life in prison plus five additional years for evidence tampering for Houck and 25 years in prison for Lawson. The formal sentencing hearing will likely include victim impact statements from Rogers' family and final arguments from defense attorneys. Given the high-profile nature of the case and the decade-long wait for justice, the courtroom is expected to be packed with family members, media, and community supporters. The new date has been set for September 17th at 2:30 p.m. *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Marion Co. volunteer firefighters facing life-threatening injuries after crash URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/marion-co-volunteer-firefighters-facing-life-threatening-injuries-after-crash/ Last updated: 2025-08-24T00:37:58.000Z Family has identified Brian Hatt as one of the two firefighters hurt in the crash. He is now in a medically induced coma at University Hospital in downtown Louisville. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Two families are praying for their loved ones' recovery after a horrific rollover crash in Marion County on Friday night. According to the Kentucky State Police, a fire crew with the Raywick Fire Department was on the way to assist the Loretto Fire Department when the tanker truck drop off of the shoulder and the road collapsed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-23-at-7.58.18---PM.png) Credit: Chief Miller Facebook State Police were called to the scene on KY 527 just after 5 p.m., where they found the tanker had left the load, hit an embankment and overturned. The crash was about 64 miles south of Louisville, near Loretto. Investigators said the driver was ejected from the vehicle and the passenger was trapped. Brian Hatt was the driver of the vehicle, according to his family. His daughter told me he is now in the hospital in a medically induced coma. According to his daughter, doctors have diagnosed him with several broken bones, a punctured lung, and a traumatic brain injury. Hatt's daughter shared this about him: *He’s a father of three kids, one daughter-in-law, has two grandbabies, and a wife. He’s a loving and caring soul, and he would give you the shirt off his back when needed. You call him and he would be there to help just about anyone. He is dedicated to his family, his job, and the fire dept.* The other firefighter was airlifted to University of Kentucky Hospital with serious injuries, according to KSP. I have not heard of his condition at this time. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-23-at-8.05.59---PM.png) A fundraiser has been started to support Hatt's family during his recovery. You can donate [here](https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-brian-hatts-medical-and-family-needs?attribution%5Fid=sl:b7cb5032-4702-4e63-a5df-3313de95edae&lang=en%5FUS&ts=1755959447&utm%5Fcampaign=man%5Fsharesheet%5Fdash&utm%5Fcontent=amp13%5Ft1&utm%5Fmedium=customer&utm%5Fsource=copy%5Flink). *Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed* [*here*](https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/)*! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Legendary jockey Ron Turcotte, who rode Secretariat, dies at 84 URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/legendary-jockey-ron-turcotte-who-rode-secretariat-dies-at-84/ Last updated: 2025-08-23T17:49:52.000Z His family has announced that the Hall of Fame jockey who clinched the Triple Crown on the back of Secretariat died at his home last week. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The jockey who rode Secretariat to not just victory but a level of dominance that horse tracks have not seen since has died at the age of 84\. His family made the announcement after his passing at home in Drummond, New Brunswick. Ron Turcotte rode Secretariat in the 1973 Triple Crown, setting multiple records in all three legs of the race that still stand today. His Triple Crown victory put an end to horse racing's 25-year Triple Crown drought, according to his family. Turcotte was inducted into six different sports Halls of Fame, including the National Museum of Racing Hall of fame and Canada's Sports Hall of fame, his family shared. His career as a jockey ended in 1978, when a fall from a horse at Belmont Park, the same track as the greatest performance of his career, rendered him a paraplegic. After his injury, Turcotte spent much of his time raising awareness for the Permanently Disabled Jockey's Fund (PDJF). His family has asked for privacy as they plan his funeral. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to PDJF in his honor. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Canada drops some retaliatory tariffs- why this is good news for Kentucky URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/canada-drops-some-retaliatory-tariffs-why-this-is-good-news-for-kentucky/ Last updated: 2025-08-23T00:32:50.000Z Canadian leaders announced Friday the country was dropping most of its counter-tariffs on U.S. goods, including Kentucky bourbon. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- It was huge news on Friday in the relationship between the U.S. and Canada, and equally good news for Kentucky's most prized export. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced many of the retaliatory tariffs that were imposed earlier this year have been removed, in hopes of forwarding talks between the two countries in trade negotiations. One of the many products on a long list on U.S. exports is Kentucky bourbon. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-22-at-8.28.23---PM.png) Credit: CBC News You may remember images like these from earlier this year, when some Canadian liquor stores started pulling U.S. made alcohol from the shelves, replacing the space with signs that read "buy Canadian instead." At this time, this was a major concern for Kentucky distillers, as Canada was a leading importer of Kentucky-made bourbon before these trade disputes. Now, the Kentucky Distillers Association is applauding the news releasing a statement which reads: > “We applaud Prime Minister Mark Carney’s decision to restore reciprocal zero-to-zero tariffs for Kentucky Bourbon and many other remaining goods covered under the USMCA. We hope this action will jump start negotiations on a permanent trade deal, benefiting both American businesses and Canadian consumers seeking to enjoy America’s only native spirit. > “We look forward to the day when Canadians can toast the return of Kentucky Bourbon to their provinces and territories, and we thank the leaders of Alberta and Saskatchewan for their earlier decisions to return Kentucky Bourbon and other American alcoholic beverages to their shelves.” — Eric Gregory, Kentucky Distillers’ Association President The change will go into effect on Sept. 1, according to [NBC News](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/22/canada-retaliatory-tariffs-trump-autos-steel.html?ref=shayinformed.com). *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Sweater weather?! Not quite... but next week will be a big improvement! URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/sweater-weather-not-quite-but-next-week-will-be-a-big-improvement/ Last updated: 2025-08-23T00:18:27.000Z The National Weather Service is forecasting cooler temps, less humidity and an overall beautiful week for Kentuckiana! --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- We are still one month away from the official "end" of summer (September 22) but a major cooldown is on the way to Kentuckiana! According to the [National Weather Service](https://x.com/NWSLouisville?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor&ref=shayinformed.com), a cold front will move through the area on Saturday night bringing showers, storms and cooler temperatures. You will really start to feel the improvement by Monday morning, when the humidity plummets into "pleasant" ranges. By mid week, some parts of our area could be seeing overnight lows in the 40s! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/cooler-temps-1.jpeg) So... sweater weather? Maybe for some! But for most of us it will just be a great break from the instant sweat we've been experiencing while walking to our car for the last month. Take advantage Kentuckiana! *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Why Steve Lawson was moved to a new jail weeks after his sentencing URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/why-steve-lawson-was-moved-to-a-new-jail-weeks-after-his-sentencing/ Last updated: 2025-08-22T23:40:47.000Z Steve Lawson was sentenced to 17 years in a Kentucky prison in August and was being held in the Nelson County Jail. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Steve Lawson was booked into the Larue County Detention Center Friday afternoon, where he took a new mugshot and went through the booking process all over again. He has been held in the Nelson County Jail, since being [sentenced to 17 years](https://www.shayinformed.com/steve-lawson-sentenced-to-prison-time-after-emotional-testimony-in-court/) in prison in for his role in the death and disappearance of Crystal Rogers. Larue County Jailer Jody Perry told me Lawson was transferred from Nelson County Jail to Larue County because that jail was getting full, and they have more space at Larue County. He said this is common practice for jails to move inmates who are awaiting classification into the state prison system based on space. Lawson is expected to stay at the Larue County Detention Center until he is assigned a prison to serve his 17 years.... that is estimated to take 45-90 days. ### Emotional testimony at Steve Lawson's sentencing Mike Ballard took the witness stand on behalf of Crystal Rogers. He turned and looked at Steve Lawson directly and said, "I could stand up here and go on and on about what a worthless, despicable, pitiful, thoughtless, gutless person you are. But I really don't have to say what everyone already knows." Rogers' sister Brooke Bryan also spoke [at sentencing](https://www.shayinformed.com/steve-lawson-sentenced-to-prison-time-after-emotional-testimony-in-court/). She told Lawson he could have stopped the murder, and should have spoken up sooner. "You could have stopped this, you could have saved her life and we wouldn't be here today. You had the chance to do the right thing and you could have spoke up, you could have, you could have told the truth", Bryan said,"you knew what was happening. You had the power to stop it, but you stayed silent." ### What comes next in the case Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson will be sentenced on September 17th at 2:30 p.m. at the Nelson County Judicial Center. The sentencing hearing was delayed from August until September because [serious medical issues](https://www.shayinformed.com/crystal-rogers-case-brooks-houck-and-joseph-lawson-sentencing-delayed/) with Joseph Lawson. [Crystal Rogers not the first woman to go missing in her family“I’m Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity. Are you new here? Sign up for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission. On the same day the first of three men is set to be sentenced![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/icon/Profile-Pic_2-copy-4.png)Shay InformedShay McAlister![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/thumbnail/Sherry-Ballard-Barnes.jpg)](https://www.shayinformed.com/crystal-rogers-not-the-first-woman-to-go-missing-in-her-family/) *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 'We failed Jayden Spicer'; Lexington priest covers funeral costs, calls for change URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/we-failed-jayden-spicer-lexington-priest-covers-funeral-costs-calls-for-change/ Last updated: 2025-08-22T01:49:08.000Z Fr. Jim Sichko, a priest out of Lexington, picked up the bill for the funeral plus a proper burial and headstone for the little boy and his grandmother, who lovingly raised him until her death earlier this year. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- 10-year-old Jayden Spicer was laid to rest on Thursday, surrounded by some of his favorite things... Spider-Man, toys, and a community who has rallied beside him. Breathitt County Schools cancelled class for the day to allow students to attend the funeral, and mourn their classmate. It's a heartbreaking day for the small community that had gathered together to search for the boy just weeks ago. After a multi-day search, the 10-year-old's body was found buried near his home, and his [mom admitted to police](https://www.shayinformed.com/jayden-spicer-case-new-charges-lingering-questions/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMUbHtleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFLYVl6YTJxTkR2bVlra2V1AR746AzY-E3cY8ad7DqJW8qrgnqfp8pfZnQ4kMI%5FO3MenbFvLTqPJ5FnPsOalg%5Faem%5F9xeartGDRK%5FlY8uruPr%5F7Q) that she buried him there. ### What we know about CPS involvement According to Jayden's [obituary](https://www.thebreathittfuneralhome.com/obituary/jayden-spicer?ref=shayinformed.com), posted on Breathitt Funeral Home and Monument's website, Jayden was raised by his grandmother until her passing in May of this year. There have been ongoing questions regarding who had custody of the child after her passing. Now, we have received *some* answers. In a new statement, shared with me Thursday, a spokesperson with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services said Jayden's mom always had full parental rights. The statement reads: "The death of Jayden Spicer is a tragedy, and the family remains in our thoughts during this difficult time. At the time of his death, Jayden Spicer was not in DCBS custody, nor under care of the state, and there were no active abuse or neglect allegations. Jayden’s mother always had full parental rights." I also asked if the Cabinet has opened an investigation into the child's death but have not yet heard back. ### The police investigation Jayden Spicer was first reported missing by his parents on August 6th, according to Kentucky State Police. Family, friends and investigators started searching for the boy immediately. His parents had told police he went missing the night of August 5th instead August 6th, after last being seen at his home in Breathitt County, KY. One week later, on August 12th, Jayden's mom Felicia Gross was brought into the Jackson Police Department. During a recorded interview, Gross confessed to providing Jayden "a type of sleeping medication", according to the arrest citation. She told officer the medication caused Jayden to have a medical emergency and, "she believed that he had passed away from this medical emergency". Felicia Gross, and her husband Joshua Gross, are both indicted in connection to the child's death. Felicia Gross' charges have been upgraded to include murder. Josh Gross has been charged with complicity to murder, complicity to report an incident, tampering with physical evidence, abuse of a corpse and complicity to tamper with witnesses. Gross was initially charged with with false report, manslaughter, tampering with physical evidence and abuse of a corpse. That manslaughter charge has been upgraded. We are still waiting for autopsy results to confirm Jayden's cause of death. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Harvest Homecoming eliminates rides at annual fall festival URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/harvest-homecoming-eliminates-rides-at-annual-fall-festival/ Last updated: 2025-08-21T19:52:47.000Z The Southern Indiana staple announced Thursday, they will be focused on what makes Harvest "truly unique"- including local food, live entertainment, arts and crafts and family friendly activities. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- A nearly 60 year old tradition in Southern Indiana is making a big change this year- no amusement rides at Harvest Homecoming. The now week-long event started as a three day pumpkin festival back in 1967\. Since then it has grown to include pageants, a parade, Pumpkin-Chunkin' contest, booths, balloon glow, baby crawl contest and more. It's a beloved tradition in New Albany that brings in both locals and visitors from near and far. And amusements rides have long been a part of the festival. So why the change this year? The post on [social media](https://www.facebook.com/hhcfestival/posts/pfbid02pbMeAJ9uLa1CoP3FbXyYFNDC2YtgANEtwMTFmooBBEUiu3g3eumGtWABvbJf1kUYl) left some of the explanation up to the imagination. The Harvest Homecoming Festival Committee made the announcement saying simply, "we appreciate your continued support and look forward to celebrating Harvest Homecoming together." But we can't forget what happened last year. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-21-at-3.37.28---PM.png) Social media post from 2024 Harvest Homecoming canceled the festival after two rival groups began shooting at each other, two people were injured, 18-year-old Bryce Gerlach was killed. All three were innocent bystanders. The teen from Corydon was a beloved member of the high school football team. His younger brother would go on to walk in his place, with his parents, on what would have been Bryce's senior night. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/Bryce-gerlach.jpeg) “When that shooting happened, the lives of three families were changed forever,” said Floyd County Prosecutor Chris Lane said during an October 2024 press conference. Since the shooting, four people have been charged in the case and two have been sentenced to prison time. The two remaining suspects have trials set for later this year. As for Harvest Homecoming 2025, the theme is *Heart of Harvest,* which has been described as a celebration of the people who make it happen and a shared pride of New Albany. The festival is set for October 9th- 12th. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 'No case is ever truly cold'; Clarksville police make major arrest using DNA URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/no-case-is-ever-truly-cold-clarksville-police-make-major-arrest-using-dna/ Last updated: 2025-08-21T16:10:48.000Z Clarksville Police detectives traveled to Georgia to to complete a DNA test that eventually led to an arrest in a 2013 double homicide. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Clarksville Police Department detectives have made an arrest in a 2013 double murder case. Detectives arrested Carlos Alberto Bonilla-Canenguez after a DNA linked him to the scene. According to a press release from the department, the suspect has been known to police for more than a decade. Officers report they responded to a house fire on North Randolph avenue, October of 2013\. While firefighters worked to contain the flames, they found two men stabbed to death in the home. At the time, officers collected DNA at the scene and began a search for a third man who lived in the house but was missing. Now, that man has been identified as Carlos Alberto Bonilla-Canenguez- a Salvadoran national who was arrested in Georgia and was being held at a federal ICE Facility. During the booking process, his name was flagged, and the Clarksville Police Department was notified of his arrest. Clarksville detectives then collected a DNA sample from the man and it was found to be a match to the 2013 case, according to a press release. He is now awaiting extradition to Indiana and facing two counts of murder. Detectives said, "with the rapid advancements in modern technology, no case is every truly cold." *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### JCPS pulls fresh milk from schools after complaints from students URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/jcps-pulls-fresh-milk-from-schools-after-complaints-from-students/ Last updated: 2025-08-21T16:32:30.000Z Parents were first notified on Wednesday after some students reported milk that "tasted funny". Cafeteria managers agreed and told Nutrition Services. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- JCPS is working with the district's milk vendor to make a plan to pick up and replace all fresh milk across the school district. The move comes after students and staff reported a possible quality issue Wednesday morning. The district has since said they are not aware of any contaminants in the milk, and that they believe it is "simply a quality and taste issue." A district spokesperson said the milk in question was consumed during breakfast and some early lunches, but that most students were served shelf stable milk, water or juice for lunch. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-21-at-11.25.41---AM.png) Credit: JCPS; Letter sent to parents The district wrote, "as always, we will err on the side of caution when it comes to health and well-being of our students." The district has confirmed Prairie Farms is the supplier and they plan to have fresh milk in all schools by mid-week next week. At this time, a district spokesperson said he is not aware of any students getting sick from the milk. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Man convicted in horrific Breckinridge County rape case released from prison URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/man-convicted-in-horrific-breckinridge-county-rape-case-released-from-prison/ Last updated: 2025-08-20T18:41:36.000Z Ernie Pine was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2009, after pleading guilty to multiple charges including rape and attempted murder. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Police called the scene "one of the worst they've ever seen". Now the man convicted, Ernie Pine, has been freed from prison after serving 85-percent of his 20 year sentence. A spokesperson with the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety cabinet confirmed his release is in line with "KRS 197.045, which included statutorily authorized application of good time and jail credits". ### What happened A woman described as a middle-aged grandmother was home alone with her grandchild, on Meadowview Lane near Hardinsburg. It was August of 2008\. According to police Ernest Pine was her neighbor. On that day he came into her house, cut her, stabbed her and sexually assaulted her. Her attorney would later describe her injuries are "significant injuries to her fingers, neck, back, knees and scars across her face and neck that are irreparable." Her grandchild was not hurt. Remarkably, the victim survived and was airlifted to University Hospital in Louisville, where she recovered. The victim was able to identify Pine has the perpetrator and police said they found him quickly, at his home right across the street. He was arrested and charged with attempted murder, rape, sodomy and burglary. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/mug-shot-at-the-time.webp) Ernest Pine mug shot 2008 Credit: The News Enterprise ### The court case The horrific attack quickly gained media coverage, and the following spring Pine's attorneys were [fighting to move his trial ](https://www.thenewsenterprise.com/news/defense-wants-venue-changed-for-pine-trial/article%5Fc56c5d8e-2ac0-540d-aac7-8a5dcd04ae67.html?ref=shayinformed.com)from Breckinridge County and surrounding areas to find a fair and impartial jury. By June, the prosecution had offered a plea deal and Pine accepted. He pleaded guilty to rape, attempted murder, burglary, assault, sodomy, and criminal mischief in exchange for 20 years in prison. According to Kentucky Online Offender Lookup, the 75-year-old was released Tuesday, after 17 years served. He is now serving five years under the supervision of Probation and Parole. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Another state is suing TikTok; where does Kentucky's lawsuit stand? URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/another-state-is-suing-tiktok-where-does-kentuckys-lawsuit-stand/ Last updated: 2025-08-20T00:17:42.000Z Minnesota has joined a number of states, including Kentucky, to sue the social media company for preying on young people with addictive algorithms that trap them into becoming compulsive consumers of its short videos. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- On Tuesday, Minnesota state leaders filed a lawsuit in state court, alleging TikTok is violating Minnesota laws against deceptive trade practices and consumer fraud. “This isn’t about free speech. I’m sure they’re gonna holler that," Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison [said at a news conference](https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/minnesota-sues-tiktok-alleging-preys-young-people-addictive-124790330?ref=shayinformed.com). "It’s actually about deception, manipulation, misrepresentation. This is about a company knowing the dangers, and the dangerous effects of its product, but making and taking no steps to mitigate those harms or inform users of the risks.” The lawsuit from Minnesota marks the 24th from US states taking aim at the social media giant, including Kentucky. ### Where does Kentucky's lawsuit stand? Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman filed a lawsuit on behalf of the commonwealth in October of 2024, saying that the short-form video app is designed to be addictive to kids and harms their mental health. The lawsuit was filed in Scott County Circuit Court. His lawsuit came at the same time as about a dozen others, all stemming from a national investigation into the app. The lawsuits stem from a [national investigation into TikTok](https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-health-mental-health-1925956c0f4baa672aa75bd490d24e3a?ref=shayinformed.com), which was launched in March 2022 by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from many states, including New York, California, Kentucky and New Jersey. All of the complaints were filed in state courts. The lawsuit alleges: - TikTok was "specifically designed to be an addiction machine, targeting children who are still in the process of developing appropriate self-control" - TikTok determined the precise amount of viewing it takes for someone to form a habit: 260 videos, and "in under 35 minutes, an average user is likely to become addicted to the platform" - The company's safety measures were largely ineffective - Coleman's office asked the court to find that TikTok has violated the Kentucky Consumer Protection Act and award the state up to $2,000 for every violation The lawsuit is currently proceeding through Kentucky's state court system, though specific documents and details cannot be accessed after Coleman asked a judge to seal the case. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### PICTURES: a look inside Crystal Rogers' abandoned car URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/pictures-a-look-inside-crystal-rogers-abandoned-car/ Last updated: 2025-10-12T14:59:33.000Z When Crystal Rogers' family found her car abandoned on the side of the Bluegrass Parkway they immediately called police and pictures were taken. Those pictures were shared for first time eight years later, at trial. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Brooks Houck told investigators he was asleep when Crystal Rogers left the house they shared on July 3rd, 2015\. But a Warren County apparently didn't buy the story, finding him guilty after Prosecutor Shane Young told the jury, "if you don't believe she left the farm, he's guilty of murder." During former Nelson County Detective Jon Snow's testimony at Houck's trial, the jury saw multiple pictures of Rogers' vehicle, exactly how it was found. A friend of the family was first to spot the car and then called her brother and father, who confirmed the vehicle belongs to Crystal. Jon Snow picks up his description of the scene, and described the following photos from July 5th, 2015\. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### 502 gets a friend: new area code coming to Louisville region URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/502-gets-a-friend-new-area-code-coming-to-louisville-region/ Last updated: 2025-08-19T21:09:59.000Z The Kentucky Public Service Commission announced today that the Louisville metro area and Frankfort will receive a new area code in 2027\. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Well friends, the time has come- the 502 area code is running out of available numbers and soon a new area code will be taking its place. Area code 761 will serve as an overlay to the existing 502 area code. The North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) estimates that 502 area code numbers will be exhausted during the third quarter of 2027\. Once that happens, new customers in the region will be assigned numbers with the 761 area code, while existing 502 numbers will remain unchanged. ## What does this mean for current 502 area codes? Nothing big... except now you have to use all ten digits when making calls (you won't be able to skip the 502). The 502 area code holds special significance in Kentucky's telecommunications history. It's one of the original area codes established with the North American Numbering Plan in 1947 and initially served the entire state of Kentucky before being divided as the state's population grew. ## Why an overlay instead of a split? The Public Service Commission chose the overlay method after holding public comment meetings and determining it would be the most efficient and cost-effective solution. Kentucky has previously split area codes twice in the past 30 years, but the overlay approach allows existing customers to keep their numbers while providing new ones for future users. Industry guidelines recommend implementing overlay area codes at least six months before the existing code is exhausted. While 761 will likely begin assignment in 2027, a specific launch date hasn't been set yet. ## When will we need another area code? NANPA estimates that adding the 761 area code will provide sufficient phone numbers for north-central Kentucky for approximately 30 years. This projection accounts for continued population growth and the increasing demand for phone numbers driven by mobile devices, businesses, and other telecommunications needs. **PS- good for you if you secured what will some day be known as a special/vintage/original Louisville area code!** *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Indiana Department of Health reports spike in infant deaths, all linked to one thing URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/indiana-department-of-health-reports-spike-in-infant-deaths-all-linked-to-one-thing/ Last updated: 2025-08-19T13:30:31.000Z The Indiana Department of Health issued an urgent public health alert Monday following a concerning surge in infant deaths linked to unsafe sleep environments, during August. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- A dramatic increase in infant deaths related to unsafe sleep has Indiana's top health officials sounding the alarm. The Indiana Department of Health is reporting more than 10 infants deaths linked to unsafe sleep so far this month (August). State Health Commissioner Lindsay Weaver released a video statement on the issue Monday saying, "I can't stress enough how important it is to place babies in a safe sleep environment." Suffocation caused by unsafe sleep environments is the third leading cause of death for all Indiana infants. But 10 deaths, in the first three weeks of the month, is particularly alarming for public health officials who report the state typically sees two such cases a week over the course of a year. ## Common unsafe sleep situations Health officials identified several recurring dangerous scenarios in these tragic cases. Unsafe situations often involve co-sleeping with an adult (such as in a bed), blankets and pillows in the baby's crib, or the baby being placed on his or her stomach to sleep. In Indiana between 2015-2019, 36% of unsafe sleep deaths occurred during naptime, according to data from the[ IDOH SUID report](https://events.in.gov/event/idoh-news-release-indiana-department-of-health-urges-parents-to-practice-safe-sleep-for-their-infants?utm%5Fcampaign=widget&utm%5Fmedium=widget&utm%5Fsource=State+of+Indiana). This statistic emphasizes that it's essential to sleep in a safe place every time they sleep, whether for overnight sleep or brief daytime naps. Weaver added, "these tragic deaths are preventable and can have a profound impact on communities." Health officials recommend following the ABCs of safe sleep, a simple framework that can save lives: - **A**lone - Babies should sleep alone in their own safe sleep space - **B**ack - Always place babies on their backs to sleep - **C**rib - Use a safe crib, bassinet, or play yard with a firm mattress Dr. Lindsay Weaver on the spike in deaths, and recommendations for parents *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Measles outbreak declared "over" in Texas, while the number of cases in Kentucky continues to grow URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/measles-outbreak-declared-over-in-texas-while-the-number-of-cases-in-kentucky-continues-to-grow/ Last updated: 2025-08-19T02:04:40.000Z Measles is one of the most contagious viruses known to humans, according to health experts. In Kentucky, most of the cases are people under 18 years old. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The measles virus was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, yet a recent resurgence in Kentucky has health officials urging vaccination and awareness. On Monday the major outbreak in Texas, that infected more than 700 people and claimed the lives of two unvaccinated school-aged children, was [officially declared over.](https://abcnews.go.com/Health/measles-outbreak-sickened-700-declared-texas/story?id=124749372&ref=shayinformed.com) State health officials made the announcement based on a timeframe of 42 days without a new case. Experts estimate it could be up to 42 days between exposure and sickness. The Texas outbreak began in late January with a cluster of cases reported in western Texas near Gaines County, close to the border with New Mexico, which had one of the lowest vaccination rates in the state. The virus proved its infectious nature by spreading beyond Texas borders, contributing to cases in New Mexico where another unvaccinated individual died after contracting measles. ## Kentucky has gone 21 days without a new case Meanwhile, Kentucky has been managing its own measles challenges throughout 2025\. A total of 14 cases of measles have been reported in Kentucky this year, with cases reported in Fayette, Woodford, Jefferson, Franklin, and Todd counties. There are nine total cases connected with an outbreak in Woodford and Fayette counties, the last of which was identified on July 8th. Additionally, Jefferson County experienced two related cases, with the second case announced on July 28 following known exposure to the first case. According to the state health department, the Jefferson County cases have been quarantined since exposure and they do not expect any additional cases to be reported in connection to the two first. Here's where it's troubling... Kentucky's data reveals concerning patterns about vaccination status. Of the 14 cases, 13 were unvaccinated with only one case reported in someone who had received one MMR dose. Notably, 12 of the 14 cases occurred in individuals 18 years and under, highlighting the particular vulnerability of children to this disease. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-18-at-9.38.36---PM.png) Data provided by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services ### So what do you do with this information? Health experts say the only thing you can do is get vaccinated, and make sure your children are vaccinated. According to the CDC, two doses of the measles vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles if exposed to the virus. One dose is about 93% effective. There is no "booster" requirement for this virus. If you received a vaccination as a child, health experts say you should be protected for the rest of your life. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Jayden Spicer case: new charges, lingering questions URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/jayden-spicer-case-new-charges-lingering-questions/ Last updated: 2025-08-19T17:13:57.000Z According to court documents, Joshua Gross, who is married to Felicia Gross, has been indicted and charged in the 10-year-old's death and Felicia's charges have been upgraded. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Jayden Spicer's case has captured the commonwealth's attention, after a multi-day search led to a [horrific discovery](https://www.shayinformed.com/jayden-spicer-case-what-we-know-about-the-10-year-olds-death/). The 10-year-old's body was found buried near his home, and his mom admitted to police that she buried him there. Now Felicia Gross, and her husband Joshua Gross, are both indicted in connection to his death. F. Gross' charges have been upgraded to include murder. J. Gross has been charged with complicity to murder, complicity to report an incident, tampering with physical evidence, abuse of a corpse and complicity to tamper with witnesses. Gross was initially charged with with false report, manslaughter, tampering with physical evidence and abuse of a corpse. That manslaughter charge has been upgraded. > The Commonwealth's Attorney for the 39th Judicial Circuit Miranda King released a statement on the new charges that reads in part: > > "I want to reiterate my thanks to Kentucky State Police Post 13 for their hard and professional work they have done and continue to do in their pursuit of justice for Jayden. On Tuesday afternoon, they did a job that no one should ever have to do, and there’s just no way we can ever adequately thank them for that service—but we can try. On Tuesday night, I told you that Jayden was in good hands now and we were going to take care of him. Today was the next phase in that promise.This morning, we convened a grand jury. With the foundation of the initial investigative work and the benefit of another week of knowledge, work, and evolution, Detective Nathan Roark presented Jayden’s case to the grand jury. On a personal note, as a mom of two that are my life, even the idea of this event seems unfathomable, but here we are in this unimaginable place. In Jayden’s short life, he got less than he deserved, so we are going to give him everything we have got in ours." ## What we know Spicer was first reported missing by his mother and her husband on August 6th, according to Kentucky State Police. Family, friends and investigators started searching for the boy as soon as he was reported missing. F. Gross and J. Gross told police he went missing the night of August 5th into August 6th, after last being seen at his home in Breathitt County, KY. One week later, on August 12th, Jayden's mom was brought into the Jackson Police Department. During a recorded interview, F. Gross confessed to providing Jayden "a type of sleeping medication", according to the arrest citation. She told officers the medication caused Jayden to have a medical emergency and, "she believed that he had passed away from this medical emergency". ## Lingering questions Some of you may remember [my coverage](https://www.whas11.com/article/news/investigations/focus/serenity-mckinney-miya-rudd-deaths-kentucky-child-protective-services/417-2c423793-eb77-47f8-ac58-ce232aa836c1?ref=shayinformed.com) of two heartbreaking cases involving Kentucky children who died at the hands of their parents, while on CPS radar. Those cases were Serenity McKinney and Maya Rudd. “It's just heartbreaking to hear what led to where they're at. Social workers were involved," Kentucky State Auditor Allison Ball told me during an interview in 2024\. She said, "We had awareness of the situation. So yes, I do feel like that's a failure." Ball told me then she was instructing the Office of the Ombudsman to launch investigations into both child fatalities, to find out if social workers could have done more. In light of this new case, I have reached out to her office to find out where those investigations stand. For the record- the details about CPS involvement in the Jayden Spicer case have not yet been confirmed. I have reached out to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to learn more about Jayden's case (if one exists) on the state level. The agency acknowledged my questions but has not provided any answers. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The wait for justice continues, sentencing delayed for Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/crystal-rogers-case-brooks-houck-and-joseph-lawson-sentencing-delayed/ Last updated: 2025-08-19T07:31:35.000Z Nelson County Judge Charles Simms delayed the sentencing that was scheduled for Thursday due to ongoing medical issues with Joseph Lawson. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- A community that has been desperate for closure for more than a decade will have to wait a little bit longer. The final court date in the Crystal Rogers case has been delayed by one month, due to serious medical issues with one of the defendants. Judge Charles Simms released the ruling on Monday, just days before the [scheduled sentencing](https://www.shayinformed.com/justice-awaits-brooks-houcks-formal-sentencing-set-for-thursday-in-crystal-rogers-case/). He wrote, "the court must continue the final sentencings due to the ongoing serious health issues of the defendant, Joseph Lawson." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-18-at-8.42.28---PM.png) When I spoke to Lawson's attorney Bobby Boyd on the phone Monday evening, he confirmed Lawson is experiencing serious health issues related to his paraplegia. I asked if he would be able to attend sentencing in September and the attorney declined to answer that question. This news is tough for Crystal Rogers' family, who were preparing to speak face to face with the man convicted of killing her. The emotional testimony at sentencing hearings is known at victim impact statements. During [Steve Lawson's sentencing](https://www.shayinformed.com/steve-lawson-sentenced-to-prison-time-after-emotional-testimony-in-court/) earlier this month, both Crystal's uncle Mike Ballard and Crystal's sister Brooke Bryan spoke to the man convicted in Crystal's death and disappearance. We are expecting to hear from at least five of Crystal's family members during the Houck/Lawson sentencing that is now scheduled for September. ## What to expect September 17th While the jury has already recommended maximum sentences- life plus five years for Brooks Houck and 25 years for Joseph Lawson- the final decision rests with the judge. Under Kentucky law, Houck would be eligible for parole after serving 20 years of a life sentence. The formal sentencing hearing will likely include additional victim impact statements from Rogers' family and final arguments from defense attorneys. Given the high-profile nature of the case and the decade-long wait for justice, the courtroom is expected to be packed with family members, media, and community supporters. Sentencing is now set for September 17th, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. at the Nelson County Courthouse. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Justice Awaits: Brooks Houck's formal sentencing set for Thursday in Crystal Rogers case URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/justice-awaits-brooks-houcks-formal-sentencing-set-for-thursday-in-crystal-rogers-case/ Last updated: 2025-08-19T07:28:32.000Z After a decade-long pursuit of justice, Brooks Houck, the convicted killer of Crystal Rogers, will face formal sentencing this Thursday, August 21, 2025. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- *UPDATE: Sentencing has been delayed until September 17th,* [*due to serious health issues*](https://www.shayinformed.com/crystal-rogers-case-brooks-houck-and-joseph-lawson-sentencing-delayed/) *with Joseph Lawson.* In what marks a pivotal moment for a case that has captivated Kentucky, two of the three men convicted in the Crystal Rogers case are set to be formally sentenced this week. Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson were convicted of their roles in Rogers' death and disappearance on July 8, 2025, when a Warren County jury delivered swift justice after deliberating for just four hours. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/verdict-read-.jpg) Houck was found guilty of murder and tampering with physical evidence and Lawson was found guilty of tampering with physical evidence and conspiracy to commit murder. The jury's sentencing recommendation came even faster than the verdict, in just a matter of minutes they recommended the maximum penalty: life in prison plus five additional years for evidence tampering for Houck and 25 years in prison for Lawson. Both men will appear for formal sentencing on Thursday. Steve Lawson, the third man charged and convicted in the case, was [formally sentenced](https://www.shayinformed.com/steve-lawson-sentenced-to-prison-time-after-emotional-testimony-in-court/) on August 6th to 17 years in prison. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/crystal-rogers.jpg) ## A Decade of unanswered questions Crystal Rogers vanished during the Fourth of July weekend in 2015\. Brooks Houck was her boyfriend at the time, and the father of her youngest child. Two days after her mom reported her missing, her car was discovered on the side of the Bluegrass Parkway with the keys in still in the ignition and her purse and phone on the passenger seat. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-07-17-at-11.17.33---AM-2.png) Despite extensive searches by the FBI and local investigators, Rogers' body has never been found. As recently as last month, during Houck's trial, Prosecutor Shane Young confirmed they still don't know where her boy is. He told the jury, "we don't know where she is. We haven't found her body. I wish we did. Her family deserves that." _This post is for subscribers only._ ### 'Our children should feel safe'; LMPD says eye witnesses staying silent is keeping killers on the streets URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/our-children-should-feel-safe-lmpd-gives-eye-witnesses-staying-silent-is-keeping-killers-on-the-street/ Last updated: 2025-08-17T19:39:03.000Z Louisville Metro Police provided new details about two shootings in Louisville earlier this week, including one at a bus stop. In both shootings, young mothers were killed. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- On the first weeks of school in Louisville, LMPD is dealing with a surge in violent crime. Multiple shootings near bus stops, and an exchange of gunfire that killed a pregnant mother is enough to make anyone shake their head. "We had three people killed in Louisville this last Wednesday, and I'm here to discuss the deaths of two of those people because they involve the deaths of two young mothers," LMPD Lt. Les Skaggs said. Two mothers, including one walking her child to the bus stop, were killed on August 13th in two separate homicides, according to LMPD. 24-year-old Redaja Williams was killed at 10th and Chestnut Wednesday morning. "She was walking her seven year old to the bus stop, to catch the bus, to go to school", Lt. Skaggs said. He said there were dozens of school children at the intersection at the time. No one else was hurt. “Our children should feel safe getting out of their house, going to the bus stop, and going to school,” he said. Lt. Skaggs said he is confident the shooting was targeted, and the shooter was aiming for Williams. He said the police department has reviewed surveillance video that shows the suspect in the red hoodie display a firearm, take aim and fire in the direction of Williams multiple times. "I feel very confident in saying that she was the target of that homicide", Skaggs said. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-15-at-3.50.37---PM.png) Image provided by LMPD showing suspect they believe is responsible for killing Redaja Williams LMPD acknowledged the photo provided above is terrible, but said it is the only photo they've been able to obtain of the person they believe to be the shooter. ### A second shooting, on the same day 28-year-old Jermia Offutt was the second mother killed Wednesday, according to LMPD. This shooting happened at 41st and Broadway. "She is a mother of three and she was pregnant with a son when she was killed," Skaggs said. Skaggs said in this case, the young mother was at the wrong place, at the wrong time. He said she was standing in a parking lot of a market with her boyfriend when two groups of "juveniles or young adults" approached each other, exchanged words and then started shooting. "She was an innocent bystander. She was not part of either of the two groups that met in that market parking lot, again she was there with her boyfriend," Skaggs said. Police do not have an suspect descriptions in this case. ### Eye witnesses staying quiet LMPD says they know there were eyewitnesses present for both shootings and they desperately want to talk them. The investigation need eye witnesses to tell them first hand what they witnessed. "We need these eye witnesses to come forward so we can get these killers off the street," Skaggs said. Full update from LMPD Skaggs said eye witnesses are crucial in a homicide investigation. The fact that no one will come forward is protecting these killers, keeping them on Louisville streets. "We need the community to start standing up to these people and say enough is enough," Skaggs said, "if you don't talk you're allowing these killers to get away with murder." You can report tips anonymously, but LMPD said they need eye witnesses who are willing to testify in court to bring justice for the families of these victims. If you want to get in touch with the police department you can do so by calling (502)- 574-LMPD. You can also report tips online [here](https://www.lmpd.gov/339/Report-a-Tip-Crime?ref=shayinformed.com). *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Welcome to Shay Informed URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/welcome-to-shay-informed/ Last updated: 2025-09-26T13:25:39.000Z You might know me from TV news, from the Bardstown podcast or from one of my investigations or interviews. Maybe we've crossed paths at a community event or you've followed my work over the years. Whatever brought you here, I'm SO glad to have you! --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- After a decade in television news, I've learned something: staying informed doesn't have to feel like homework. It doesn't have to be overwhelming, negative, or something you squeeze in only when you have an hour to spare. The news should meet you where you are- on your phone during your morning coffee, in your inbox between meetings, wherever life is actually happening. And it should be relevant to your life, and your community- not clickbait to keep you engaged because advertising dollars depend on it. That's why I left TV news to start *Shay Informed*. ## Why now? Why this? The media landscape feels broken in a lot of ways. Between the 24-hour news cycle, clickbait headlines, and algorithms designed to keep us angry and scrolling, staying informed has become exhausting. I've watched people I care about- smart, engaged people- tune out completely because the noise became unbearable. But here's what I know from years of investigative work: good journalism still matters. The stories that change lives, that hold power accountable, that bring communities together- they're still happening. They're just getting lost in all the chaos. *Shay Informed* is my answer to that problem. It's journalism that fits into your real life, delivered the way you actually consume information. Quick hits when time is short, deeper dives when the story demands it. And always with the understanding that being informed doesn't mean being overwhelmed. ## The stories that shaped this mission My approach to journalism was forged through stories that mattered-investigations that didn't just fill airtime but actually changed things. While working on the Bardstown podcast in 2019, diving deep into five unsolved mysteries from America's most beautiful small town, I had no idea the FBI would take the lead on cases months later. Three men have since been arrested and convicted for the disappearance of Crystal Rogers. Sometimes investigations take years to unfold, but when they do, they can bring justice to families who never gave up hope. My reporting on "Wildlife in Need" led to federal intervention, the shutdown of a so-called animal refuge, and criminal charges for its owner. That investigation later became part of Netflix's "Tiger King" series. Like so many important stories, it all started with a tip from someone in the community who knew something wasn't right- a reminder that the best journalism happens when we listen to each other. These stories, along with others throughout my career, have earned three Edward R. Murrow Awards, six Emmy Awards, and numerous local journalism honors. But the recognition I'm most proud of isn't hanging on my wall. In 2015, I covered a vigil for a murder victim and met his mother- a woman whose strength and vision for change stayed with me long after the cameras stopped rolling. When she shared her dream to purchase the property where her son was killed and transform it into a community center, I knew I had to help make it happen. Using the connections I'd built through years of reporting, we found funding and volunteers. In 2019, we cut the ribbon on the ACE Project. Since then, hundreds of children have found support, encouragement, and opportunity there. My stories don't end when I file the report, they become part of who I am. ## Building something different This is a one-woman operation (for now), and it's the perfect way to start. No corporate overlords, no advertisers pulling strings, no shareholders demanding higher engagement at any cost. The only people I answer to are you- the ones this work is really for. Because I'm 100% ad-free, I have zero incentive to trick you with clickbait or manufacture drama that doesn't exist in our community. I don't need to chase viral moments or craft misleading headlines to keep people on my website. My only obligation is to you- the reader who deserves honest, relevant journalism. Instead, you get journalism that actually serves your life. Stories about the school board decision that will impact your kids. The city council vote that affects your commute. The local business owner whose innovation could inspire your own dreams. The investigative work that holds local leaders accountable to the community they serve. I'm offering a mix of free and subscriber-only content. Some stories will be open to everyone because certain information should be accessible to all. Others will be exclusively for subscribers who want to support this mission and dive deeper into the issues that shape our world. ## What you can expect Every piece of content here is designed with your real life in mind. Maybe you're reading this on your phone while waiting in line, or settling in for a weekend deep-dive. Either way works. You'll get investigations that matter, told in a way that respects your time and intelligence. Stories about your community, your state, your country, and how they all connect to the bigger picture. Analysis that cuts through the noise without talking down to you. And always, always, with the understanding that staying informed should enhance your life, not add stress to it. This isn't about being the first to break news or the loudest voice in the room. It's about being the most useful, the most thoughtful, and the most connected to what actually affects your daily life. ## Join the mission Whether you've been following my work for years or you're just discovering it, you're now part of a community that believes good journalism can be part of everyone's everyday life without adding overwhelm to it. I'm building something here that television news couldn't give me the freedom to create- journalism that serves you instead of serving metrics, algorithms, or advertising dollars. Stories that matter, told the way they deserve to be told, delivered when and how you need them. Ready to be Shay informed without being overwhelmed? [**Subscribe today**](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) and become part of a community that values thoughtful journalism over clickbait chaos. And if you've got a story tip, a question, or just want to say hello, [**send me a message**](https://www.shayinformed.com/contact-us/). The best journalism happens when we listen to each other, and I'm always listening. Welcome to Shay Informed. Let's do this together. ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Jayden Spicer case; what we know about the 10 year old's death URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/jayden-spicer-case-what-we-know-about-the-10-year-olds-death/ Last updated: 2025-08-15T19:19:16.000Z Kentucky State Police troopers discovered the little boy's remains buried in a plastic tote, one week after his mother reported him as missing. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- A 10-year-old Kentucky boy's death is now under investigation after his body was found buried near his home. Jayden Spicer was first reported missing by his parents on August 6th, according to Kentucky State Police. Family, friends and investigators started searching for the boy immediately. His parents had told police he went missing the night of August 5th instead August 6th, after last being seen at his home in Breathitt County, KY. One week later, on August 12th, Jayden's mom Felicia Gross was brought into the Jackson Police Department. During a recorded interview, Gross confessed to providing Jayden "a type of sleeping medication", according to the arrest citation. She told officer the medication caused Jayden to have a medical emergency and, "she believed that he had passed away from this medical emergency". An autopsy has not yet confirmed Jayden's cause of death. According to the arrest citation, Gross told police she moved the little boy's body to a wooded area on Canoe Road. Investigators executed a search warrant on the property and found Jayden's remains buried underground in a plastic tote. Gross also admitted to police she had coached her other children on what to say during an interview with police. Gross was charged with false report, manslaughter, tampering with physical evidence and abuse of a corpse. She appeared in a front of judge through video on Thursday and the entered a not-guilty plea on her behalf. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-14-at-2.22.18---PM.png) Credit: Breathitt Funeral Home and Monument According to Jayden's [obituary](https://www.thebreathittfuneralhome.com/obituary/jayden-spicer?ref=shayinformed.com), posted on Breathitt Funeral Home and Monument's website, Jayden was raised by his grandmother until her passing in May of this year. He was described as a "bright and energetic student" who loved Spider-Man, Fortnite, throwing rocks and playing outside. ### Was the Cabinet for Health and Family Services involved? I have reached out to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to learn more about Jayden's case (if one exists) on the state level. The agency acknowledged my questions but has not provided any answers. This is a developing story and will be updated as we gather new information. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Former Kentucky clerk asks Supreme Court to overturn same-sex marriage ruling URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/former-kentucky-clerk-asks-supreme-court-to-overturn-same-sex-marriage-ruling/ Last updated: 2025-08-17T19:37:44.000Z Ten years after the Supreme Court extended marriage rights to same-sex couples nationwide, the high court will consider taking up a case that asks them to overturn that ruling. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Kim Davis, the former Kentucky county clerk who was put in jail in 2015 after refusing to issue marriage licenses to a gay couple, is asking the Supreme Court to take on her case. Davis wants the high court to overturn the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges landmark ruling, calling it "egregiously wrong." She is also arguing First Amendment protection for free exercise of religion immunizes her from personal liability for the denial of marriage licenses, according to [ABC News.](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/supreme-court-formally-asked-overturn-landmark-same-sex/story?id=124465302&ref=shayinformed.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/Kim-Davis-mugshot.webp) Kim Davis was held in the **Carter County Detention Center* for six days on contempt of court charges. In the petition to the Supreme Court, which was filed in July, Davis' attorney Mathew Staver wrote, "if there ever was a case of exceptional importance, the first individual in the Republic's history who was jailed for following her religious convictions regarding the historic definition of marriage, this should be it." This is not the first time Davis has tried to appeal the ruling, and lower courts have dismissed her claims. "Not a single judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals showed any interest in Davis's rehearing petition, and we are confident the Supreme Court will likewise agree that Davis's arguments do not merit further attention," said William Powell, attorney for David Ermold and David Moore, the now-married Kentucky couple that sued Davis for damages, in a statement to [ABC News.](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/supreme-court-formally-asked-overturn-landmark-same-sex/story?id=124465302&ref=shayinformed.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/US-Supreme-court.jpg) **Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States* ### What would a new ruling mean for existing marriages? Even if the Supreme Court were to overturn the 2015 decision to legalize same-sex marriage, existing marriages would not be impacted. In 2022, the U.S. Congress passed the Respect for Marriage Act and then-President Joe Biden signed it into law. The federal law provides federal statutory protection for marriage equality, even if future Supreme Court decisions were to challenge the current legal landscape. If the high court were to accept her case, at least four justices would need to vote in favor, and they would hear arguments next year. ### Potential Impact for Kentuckians If the Supreme Court were to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the implications for Kentucky would be substantial: **Historical Context**: At the time Obergefell was decided in 2015, 35 states had statutory or constitutional bans on same-sex marriages, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Kentucky was among those states with a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. **Current Legislative Activity**: So far in 2025, at least nine states have either introduced legislation aimed at blocking new marriage licenses for LGBTQ people or passed resolutions urging the Supreme Court to reverse Obergefell at the earliest opportunity, according to the advocacy group Lambda Legal. **Practical Effects**: If marriage equality were overturned, Kentucky would likely revert to its previous laws banning same-sex marriage, potentially affecting thousands of married couples and their legal rights, including inheritance, medical decision-making, and parental rights. ### Why Experts Say This Case Is Unlikely to Succeed Legal experts are largely dismissive of Davis' chances. Davis' petition does not center on the question of marriage equality. It stems from a long-running battle over her refusal to grant a marriage license to a same-sex couple shortly after the Supreme Court affirmed their right to wed in 2015's Obergefell v. Hodges. Reevaluating that precedent is entirely unnecessary to resolve the real dispute.[](https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/08/supreme-court-analysis-panic-gay-marriage-equality.html?ref=shayinformed.com) *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Another nurse attacked at UofL Hospital, another example of a bigger problem URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/nurse-attacked-at-uofl-hopsital-patient-arrested-and-charged/ Last updated: 2025-08-17T19:54:58.000Z The 25-year-old offender was caught on security footage kicking one nurse in the head, and attempting to kick numerous other people. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Local hospitals say violence against healthcare workers will not be tolerated, but unfortunately for the men and women on the frontlines of our healthcare industry, it seemingly never ends. Over the weekend a patient at UofL Hospital in downtown Louisville was arrested for assaulting a nurse. LMPD officers arrested 25-year-old Zoe Chestnut after an incident in the hospital's ambulance bay area around 11:30 PM Saturday night. According to the citation, hospital security notified officers of an assault involving a healthcare provider. During the investigation, it was determined that Chestnut had been accused of assaulting a nurse who was on her way out of the hospital at the end of her shift. The patient is accused of kicking her in the head, causing neck and head pain. Police also reported the patient had tried to kick numerous other people. The charge nurse told police this particular patient was alert, and knew what she was doing. Chestnut is now charged with assault against a healthcare provider and disorderly conduct. This case is just the latest known attack against healthcare workers. Earlier this year, I reported on hundreds of crimes at or near Louisville hospitals over the last year. My work, [published on WHAS11](https://www.whas11.com/article/news/investigations/focus/louisville-heatlhcare-workers-attacked-violence-safety-nurses/417-54ee1412-bd29-4d93-ac75-e49ad4ffce18?ref=shayinformed.com). According to LMPD’s crime data portal, 17 assaults were reported at Norton Hospital, 10 at Jewish Hospital, and 28 at the UofL Hospital parking garage between May of 2024 and May of 2025. At Norton Audubon Hospital there were 10 assaults reported and east of that, at UofL Peace Hospital, 19 assaults have been reported during that same time period. In South Louisville at UofL Mary and Elizabeth, six assaults were reported to police in the last year. But nurses tell me those are only the instances that are reported to law enforcement, and most aren't. “Many healthcare professionals that are harmed don't report it, and they don't report it because they don't think anybody will listen. And then there are others who think that it's part of the job. It is not part of the job,” CEO of the Kentucky Nurses Association Delanor Manson told me earlier this year. With all of that said, this latest attack... the kick in the head... is just the latest, but the fact that it was reported and the offender was charged is a step in the right direction. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Ford Motor Co. announces major EV investment in Louisville plant URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/ford-motor-co-announces-major-investment-in-louisville-plant/ Last updated: 2025-08-17T19:54:40.000Z Ford Motor Company has announced a groundbreaking $1.9 billion investment to transform its Louisville Assembly Plant, marking the third-largest economic development project in the state's history. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The massive commitment will introduce revolutionary manufacturing processes and secure 2,200 existing jobs while positioning Kentucky at the forefront of the electric vehicle revolution. This announcement centers on Ford's new electric vehicle-focused approach to auto manufacturing. The company is abandoning traditional assembly line concepts in favor of an "assembly tree" approach company reps say is designed to improve efficiency, ergonomics, and affordability. "We took a radical approach to a very hard challenge: Create affordable vehicles that delight customers in every way that matters – design, innovation, flexibility, space, driving pleasure, and cost of ownership – and do it with American workers," said Ford President and CEO Jim Farley. The Louisville plant will serve as the launching pad for Ford's first vehicle built on the new platform: an all-new electric mid-size pickup truck. Ford expects it to start production in Q2 of 2027\. Governor Andy Beshear joined Ford leaders for Monday's big announcement, emphasizing the historic nature of the partnership, noting that "Ford and Kentucky have been a tremendous team for more than 100 years, and that partnership has never been stronger than it is today." Ford's roots in Kentucky run deep, dating back to 1913 when the first Model T rolled off the production line in Louisville. Today, the company employs nearly 12,000 people in the commonwealth, works with 165 Kentucky-based suppliers, and purchases nearly $6 billion in products annually from local businesses, according to Beshear. According to analysis by the Boston Consulting Group, Ford's Kentucky operations support approximately 120,000 direct and indirect jobs across the state and contribute more than $11.8 billion to state GDP, including over 48,000 jobs in the Louisville region specifically. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Wanted Louisiana fugitive arrested in Kentucky on child sex crime charges URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/wanted-louisiana-fugitive-arrested-in-kentucky-on-child-sex-crime-charges/ Last updated: 2025-08-08T15:39:21.000Z A multi-agency operation on Wednesday led to the arrest of a Louisiana fugitive wanted on multiple serious charges involving crimes against children, according to the Grayson County Sheriff's Office. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The Grayson County Sheriff's Office is calling a recent arrest a major win for safety in the rural Kentucky community. 45-year-old Juan Chavez-Trevizo was arrested Wednesday at a home on Cave Mill Road in Leitchfield. The arrest was the result of collaboration between the U.S. Marshal's Office, Grayson County Sheriff's Office, and Leitchfield Police Department. The U.S. Marshal's Office had requested assistance from local law enforcement after discovering Chavez-Trevizo was staying in the area. According to authorities, Chavez-Trevizo was in the United States illegally at the time of his arrest. He is facing multiple serious felony charges from Louisiana, including: - Three counts of second-degree rape - Two counts of molestation of a child under 13 - Four counts of molestation of a child with controlled supervision of the victim - One count of indecent behavior with a child victim under 13 Two other individuals were also arrested at the same Cave Mill Road location during the operation, though details about their charges were not immediately available. > "On behalf of the Sheriff's Office and the citizens of Grayson County, we are grateful for our federal partners for removing this individual from our streets and stopping him from potentially perpetrating on other child victims," said Sheriff Norman Chaffins. Chavez-Trevizo is currently booked into the Grayson County Detention Center and awaiting extradiction. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### West Nile virus confirmed in Louisville; here's why you don't need to be afraid URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/west-nile-virus-confirmed-in-louisville/ Last updated: 2025-08-15T21:00:02.000Z The Metro Health Department is urging Louisville residents to take precautions and prevent mosquito bites while confirming serious illness is extremely rare. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness confirmed a Louisville resident tested positive for West Nile virus on Friday. We don't know anything about the individual or where they live. According to the health department, this is the first confirmed case of the virus in 2025\. Since 2021, there has been at least one confirmed case in the Metro. In 2023, there were seven confirmed cases and two deaths related to West Nile virus in Louisville. Ultimately, that outcome is rare, according to the health department. In most instances, people infected with West Nile show no symptoms, or very mild symptoms. But people 60 and older are at greater risk of developing a severe disease from the infection, such as encephalitis or meningitis. So what do you do to prevent it? Easy... avoid mosquito bites. #### Avoid mosquito bites - Use insect repellents when you go outdoors. Repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535 and some oil of lemon eucalyptus and para-menthane-diol products provide longer-lasting protection. To optimize safety and effectiveness, repellents should be used according to the label instructions. More information about insect repellents can be found [here](https://www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/prevention/index.html?utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fsource=govdelivery). - When weather permits, wear long sleeves, long pants, and socks when outdoors. Mosquitoes may bite through thin clothing, so spraying clothes with repellent containing permethrin or another EPA-registered repellent will give extra protection. Don't apply repellents containing permethrin directly to your skin. Do not spray repellent on the skin under your clothing. - Take extra care during peak mosquito-biting hours of early morning and dusk. Be sure to use repellent and wear protective clothing from dusk to dawn or consider avoiding outdoor activities during these times. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Steve Lawson sentenced to prison time after emotional testimony in court URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/steve-lawson-sentenced-to-prison-time-after-emotional-testimony-in-court/ Last updated: 2025-08-11T17:28:50.000Z Crystal Rogers' family looked Steve Lawson directly in the face and called him a worthless, pitiful person. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- One of the three men charged in the Crystal Rogers case was sentenced to 17 years in prison Wednesday. Nelson County Judge Charles Simms stuck with the recommended sentence from the jury and recommended Lawson not be eligible for probation or parole. Ultimately, it is a separate board that decides if an inmate is released early. But Rogers' family promised Lawson they will attend every hearing. Mike Ballard, Crystal's uncle said, "if I'm alive and able, you will see me again because I will be at your parole hearing when you come up for parole, and I will do everything I can to prevent you from getting parole because of what you've done." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/Sherry-Ballard-at-sentencing.jpg) Sherry Ballard at Steve Lawson's sentencing hearing Lawson was convicted on all charges after his trial in May. The jury recommended 17 years in prison, and Judge Charles Simms has stood by their recommendation. #### Steve Lawson trial results - A 12 person jury from Bowling Green convicted Lawson on conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence. - The jury gave him a recommended sentence of 17 years on the conspiracy charge and five years on the tampering charge, to run concurrently for a total of 17 years. Mike Ballard took the witness stand on behalf of Crystal Rogers. He turned and looked at Steve Lawson directly and said, "I could stand up here and go on and on about what a worthless, despicable, pitiful, thoughtless, gutless person you are. But I really don't have to say what everyone already knows." Lawson admitted to picking his son up from the Bluegrass Parkway on July 3rd, after he said Joseph Lawson had moved Crystal Rogers' car at the request of Brooks Houck. His attorney asked during trial, "did you think you were giving Brooks Houck an opportunity to kill Crystal?" Lawson responded, "no sir. I was just moving a vehicle." But Rogers' family doesn't buy that. At sentencing, Mike Ballard said, "she was unaware that it would be the last day her children, her mother, her dad, Casey and her sister Brooke would ever hear her voice or see her again. But you knew that. You knew all about that special date because you, Joey Lawson your son and Brooks Houck had a plan in place." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/Mike-Ballard-at-sentencing.jpg) Mike Ballard on the witness stand at Steve Lawson's sentencing hearing Lawson told a panel of grand jurors in 2023 that he knew Tommy Ballard. He said Tommy offered him his first drywall job. Mike Ballard touched on that relationship during his sentencing speech saying, "you knew Tommy was a good man, and you knew he was out searching every day looking for his daughter, but you didn't care, did didn't make anything. It didn't make anything to you, didn't mean anything to you." Rogers' sister Brooke Bryan also spoke at sentencing. She told Lawson he could have stopped the murder, and should have spoken up sooner. > "You could have stopped this, you could have saved her life and we wouldn't be here today. You had the chance to do the right thing and you could have spoke up, you could have, you could have told the truth", Bryan said,"you knew what was happening. You had the power to stop it, but you stayed silent." Lawson declined to speak at sentencing. He will now be turned over to state custody and classified into a prison. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/steve-lawson-at-sentencing.jpg) Steve Lawson sitting between his attorneys at his sentencing hearing He also has the opportunity to appeal the conviction in the Kentucky Court of Appeals. If he decides to do that, he will need a new set of appointed lawyers. Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson will be sentenced on August 21st at 1 p.m. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Apple to bring all iPhone and Apple watch glass production to Kentucky with $2.5 billion investment URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/apple-to-bring-all-iphone-and-apple-watch-glass-production-to-kentucky-with-2-5-billion-investment/ Last updated: 2025-08-07T14:10:03.000Z Apple announced Tuesday a massive $2.5 billion commitment that will make Kentucky the exclusive global manufacturer of cover glass for every iPhone and Apple Watch sold worldwide. --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The tech giant's partnership expansion with Corning means the company's Harrodsburg manufacturing facility will produce 100% of the protective glass for Apple's flagship devices — marking the first time all cover glass production will be based in the United States. The investment will transform Corning's existing Harrodsburg plant- about 30 miles outside of Lexington- into what the companies describe as "the world's largest and most advanced smartphone glass production line." Corning plans to increase its Kentucky manufacturing and engineering workforce by 50% to support the dedicated Apple production. The facility, which first developed glass for the original iPhone 18 years ago, will now be entirely dedicated to Apple manufacturing. Additionally, a new Apple-Corning Innovation Center will open at the Harrodsburg site to focus on developing advanced materials and next-generation manufacturing technologies for future Apple products. **Strengthening Kentucky's Manufacturing Sector** The announcement represents a significant win for Kentucky's manufacturing sector, which has been working to attract high-tech production facilities. The state's central location and skilled workforce have made it an attractive destination for advanced manufacturing operations. With this investment, Kentucky consumers and workers can take pride knowing that every iPhone and Apple Watch user globally will be using a product that contains precision glass crafted in the Bluegrass State. The timeline for the full implementation of the expanded production and the exact number of new jobs to be created were not specified in Tuesday's announcement. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### South Louisville fire department launches first EMS operation; the cost and why they say it's worth it URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/south-louisville-fire-department-launches-first-ems-operation/ Last updated: 2025-08-15T21:01:25.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The Zoneton Fire District has been providing fire prevention and protection service to a corner of the Bullitt County community for more than 60 years. But in 2025, for the first time ever, the fire service is launching its own fire-based EMS (Emergency Medical Service). Chief Kevin Moulton made the announcement Wednesday, saying, "we believe that integrating EMS within the fire department will result in faster response times, more seamless coordination during emergencies, and greater accountability." So who's been providing these services until now? According to Moulton, its been Bullitt County EMS. He said while Zoneton Fire will take on the majority of EMS runs in the district, Bullitt County could still be called on for mutual aid and backup support. ### It comes at a cost To pay for the staffing, equipment and service needs, there will be a new dedicated EMS tax to fund the service. Moulton estimates it will be about 10 cents per 100 dollars of assessed property value. That means a homeowner who's property cost $250,000 will pay $250 annually in EMS tax. ### Timeline Zoneton fire officials hope to complete the hiring, training, and licensing process in the coming months to start offering EMS services later this year. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Crystal Rogers not the first woman to go missing in her family URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/crystal-rogers-not-the-first-woman-to-go-missing-in-her-family/ Last updated: 2025-08-14T18:29:25.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- On the same day the first of three men is set to be sentenced to prison time in the death of Crystal Rogers, the Ballard family is also thinking of this young woman. Crystal’s aunt- Sherry Ballard Barnes- was only 19 when she never returned from running errands. Her dad, Till Ballard, told me years ago she was 7.5 months pregnant and her husband wanted a divorce and she wouldn't give it to him. Police found Sherry's car 45 miles from her home, but her body would not be discovered for several agonizing years. Eventually, her husband Eddie Barnes and his friend George Weir were charged with murder. Barnes' mom Betty Ballard told me they hit her over the head, shot her and then Weir took her remains to his house, set them on fire and scattered them on the farm where he lived. Both men were tried by jury and convicted in her murder. Today is her birthday. The Ballard family has been through so much… today is a tough reminder of that. [Steve Lawson](https://www.shayinformed.com/steve-lawson-set-to-sentenced-wednesday/) is set to be formally sentenced at 3 p.m. today in Nelson County. A jury recommended 17 years, but ultimately the judge will make the final decision. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Louisville's search for its next boxing champ could be coming to a close URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/louisvilles-search-for-its-next-boxing-champ-could-be-coming-to-a-close/ Last updated: 2025-08-04T19:21:14.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Louisville has been hunting for its next boxing champion since Muhammad Ali put the Kentucky city on the pugilistic map. That search may finally be over. A local boxer named Lavant Brownlee just won big, on a international stage, beating competitors from Italy, Lithuania, England and the Republic of Georgia to win the title '2025 Brandenburg Cup Welterweight Champion'. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/boxer-wins-gold.jpg) Credit: Aaron Sheckles The 18-year-old boxer is a member of USA Boxing's Youth High Performance Team, and w[on gold at the 2024 USA Boxing National Championships](https://www.usaboxing.org/news/2025/august/01/Lavant-Brownlee-Eyes-First-International-Gold-Medal?fbclid=IwY2xjawL94bNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHr6pcUo9RtE1mNPRmc1G3fMr93xs8lOKrKGBw2l0obwGlQ5tQHbHsrMKysca%5Faem%5FdbxALKJtZvCi2XWz1J0Jbw&ref=shayinformed.com). The wins just keep coming for the young boxer, but he says he has his eye on the 2028 summer Olympics in Los Angeles. “I pretty much knew I would be here, as long as I kept working and doing what I needed to do,” Brownlee told [WHAS11](https://www.whas11.com/article/sports/local-sports/louisville-boxer-lavant-brownlee-competing-major-international-competition-brandenburg-germany/417-14d6aecf-40c7-4478-aa13-5f23ed6b86d9?ref=shayinformed.com). “Keep following the people around me and just keep working hard.” Before the Olympic qualifiers, Brownlee will compete at the 2025 USA Boxing National Championships in Lubbock, Texas, later this year. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Crystal Rogers case; prosecution objects to S. Lawson's request for new trial URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/crystal-rogers-case-prosecution-objects-to-s-lawsons-request-for-new-trial/ Last updated: 2025-08-04T18:51:14.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Teresa Young, who is married to Shane Young and served as co-prosecutor in the Crystal Rogers case, has filed a comprehensive response to Steve Lawson's request for the judge to either overturn his verdict or grant him a new trial. The lengthy filing addresses several key claims made by the defense. ## Hair Evidence Testing Dispute Lawson argued that he should have been permitted to test two hairs discovered in Crystal Rogers' vehicle. However, the prosecution contends that Lawson showed no interest in testing the hair evidence until he realized it could potentially delay his trial proceedings. Young emphasized in her response that Lawson "testified on the stand that he picked up his son from Crystal Rogers' vehicle." She argued that this admission would remain unchanged regardless of any results from hair testing found in the vehicle. ## Claims of Courtroom Bias The defense requested a new trial, citing concerns about trial attendees wearing pink clothing. The prosecution dismissed this claim, stating there was "no tangible prejudice to the defendant from the people wearing pink." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-04-at-12.19.46---PM.png) Filed in Nelson County Circuit Court ## Discovery Review Time Lawson's legal team claimed they were not provided adequate time to review the discovery evidence, arguing that neither the defendant nor his counsel had sufficient opportunity to examine the materials against him. The prosecution countered this assertion, revealing they had offered to bring Lawson to the jail daily for evidence review beginning in February and continuing through the trial period. According to Young's filing, Lawson never accepted this offer and actually informed jail officials that he had been given ample time to review the discovery materials. ## Interaction Between Witnesses The defense also claimed prejudice occurred when Sherry Ballard and Elizabeth Chesser, Lawson's stepdaughter, spoke during a trial break. During this interaction, Chesser reportedly told Ballard that she hoped Ballard would find peace. The prosecution argued that this brief exchange did not alter or influence Chesser's testimony in any way. ## Next Steps The judge will consider arguments from both sides before making a decision during Wednesday's 3 p.m. sentencing hearing. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### 'We're not done yet'; Brooks Houck calls family 16 times in the hours after his verdict URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/were-not-done-yet-brooks-houck-calls-family-16-times-in-the-hours-after-his-verdict/ Last updated: 2025-08-04T16:26:51.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Brooks Houck made 16 calls on July 8th, in the hours after a jury found him guilty of murder and tampering and physical evidence in the Crystal Rogers case. Those calls were to his mom Rosemary Houck, brother Nick Houck, sister Rhonda McIlvoy and girlfriend Crystal Maupin. Brooks Houck calls sister Rhonda from jail hours after Crystal Rogers guilty verdict Each call cost them- and they had to enter credit card information at the beginning of the call for it to be patched through. Of the 16 outgoing calls, eight were answered. That incudes a call with Nick Houck, Brooks' older brother. It is the first time we've heard from Nick since just months after Rogers' disappearance in 2015 when he was fired from the Bardstown Police Department and his police interview tape was released. Nick Houck has been named an unindicted co-conspirator in the case. During Brooks' June 2025 trial, Nick Houck's former girlfriend Amber Bowman took the stand. She told the jury she and Nick had plans to move on Friday July 3rd, the last day Crystal was seen alive. "That morning Nick said he was going to help Brooks at a rental property and I thought that created tension because we had a lot to do," Bowman told the jury. She said she tried to call him 15 times between 11:43 a.m. on July 3rd and and 10:49 a.m. on July 4th. She also said she went to the house they were moving into multiple times during that 24 hour period and never saw him there. Bowman told the jury he showed up to the house at some point in the morning of July 4th and told her he had been helping Brooks the day before. She said she didn't ask any further questions. During cross examination, Brooks' attorney Brian Butler asked Bowman this, "He didn't show up covered in blood or anything?" She answered, "no". He asked, "or covered in mud, like he'd been digging in the ground?" She said, "no." Rosemary Houck, Nick and Brooks' mom, has also been named an unindicted co-conspirator in the case. Prosecutor Shane Young presented witness testimony in court that Rosemary had a conversation with one of Houck's former employees asking for help “getting rid” of Crystal. Danny Singleton worked for Houck during the summer of 2015\. He told the jury Rosemary came to a job site where he was worked a few weeks before Crystal disappeared and asked him if "he knew someone willing to kill Crystal." He told her there were people who would kill Crystal, "for the right amount of money." The prosecutor also alleged Rosemary "openly manifested contempt for Crystal Rogers" and "seemed to take pleasure in Crystal's disappearance." She was also accused of using a burner phone during the time period when Crystal went missing because her personal phone records showed no activity between June 16, 2015 and August 4, 2015\. Neither Nick Houck or Rosemary Houck have been indicted in this case. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalist with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Steve Lawson is facing up to 25 years in prison, judge to decide this week URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/steve-lawson-set-to-sentenced-wednesday/ Last updated: 2025-08-04T16:27:32.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- One of the three men convicted in the death and disappearance of Crystal Rogers is set to be sentenced on Wednesday in Nelson County. Steve Lawson was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence during a May 2025 trial in Bowling Green. Conspiracy to commit murder comes with a sentence of 10-20 years and tampering with physical evidence comes with a sentence of 1-5 years. The jury recommended a sentence of 17 years as a penalty for the conviction, but ultimately its the judge who makes the final decision. Wednesday's hearing will look a lot like a mini-trial. The prosecution will present a case to include aggravating factors, criminal history, details of the convicted crimes. The defense will present mitigating factors, likely requesting a lighter sentence. The judge could also hear from Crystal Rogers' family and Steve Lawson's family, called to give victim impact statements. Crystal Rogers' daughter and Steve Lawson's mother spoke on their behalf during the penalty phase of the trial. Based on everything presented, the judge will make the final decision and sentence Lawson to prison time. Lawson will then be handed over to the state of Kentucky, to be classified into a state level prison. One more thing to note... Lawson's attorneys have asked the judge to throw out the verdict or grant him a new trial and this will likely be discussed during this hearing as well. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalist with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Insults and accusations hurled around at the 2025 Fancy Farm picnic URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/insults-and-accusations-hurled-around-at-the-2025-fancy-farm-picnic/ Last updated: 2025-08-04T15:36:23.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The three men running to replace longtime U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell worked to rip apart each other's reputations on Saturday, at the annual Fancy Farm picnic in western Kentucky. U.S. Rep. Andy Barr, former state Attorney General Daniel Cameron and entrepreneur Nate Morris have all three announced their bid to succeed McConnell. The GOP rivals are all strong supporters of President Donals Trump's MAGA movement but the president has not yet endorsed any of them. The [Associated Press ](https://apnews.com/article/kentucky-senate-campaign-mitch-mcconnell-fbad31253b6c1b7526d39904edb2ec6f?ref=shayinformed.com)reported Cameron said,“Nate will do anything and say anything to run away from his past. You can’t claim to be MAGA when you build a company on ESG subsidies and DEI initiatives.” Barr quipped: “Nate calls himself the trash man, but dumpster fire is more like it.” “If you want to know how Andy Barr or Daniel Cameron are going to act in the U.S. Senate – look no further than their ‘mentor’ Mitch McConnell,” Morris said. “Both of these guys are very proud to tell you they wouldn’t have careers if it weren’t for Mitch,” Morris added. “Neither of these guys have built anything, done anything impactful, employed anyone.” McConnell was also at the picnic, but kept his speech focused on his own record. "He pointed to his record of steering enormous sums of federal funds to his home state to build or fix infrastructure, support agriculture and military installations and more", according to the [Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/kentucky-senate-campaign-mitch-mcconnell-fbad31253b6c1b7526d39904edb2ec6f?ref=shayinformed.com). The democrat running for the spot, Pamela Stevenson decided to skip the Fancy Farm picnic this year. ### Brooks Houck ordered to stop selling assets, ahead of Crystal Rogers wrongful death lawsuit URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/brooks-houck-ordered-to-stop-selling-assets-after-calling-family-members-from-jail-to-arrange-real-estate-deals/ Last updated: 2025-07-28T20:18:08.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Brooks Houck has been ordered to stop selling properties and other items after he was recorded on a jail phone call saying Crystal Rogers' family "is going to take everything that I've got". Houck is currently facing a wrongful death lawsuit from Sherry Ballard, on behalf of Crystal's children. According to court records, on the same day he was convicted of murder, Houck started calling his family from the jail. The transcribed conversations included in court documents record him asking them to start selling properties and other items saying, "it all needs to go. All of it needs to go." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/07/IMG_2079.jpg) Request for a temporary injunction, filed in Nelson County Circuit Court Crystal Rogers' family caught word of these conversations, and contacted their attorney to look into it. Recorded conversations from the jail to his family revealed Houck called Crystal Maupin, his sister Rhonda McIlvoy, his brother Nick Houck and his mom Rosemary Houck to discuss selling assets. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/07/IMG_2080.jpg) Transcript of conversation between Rhonda McIlvoy and Brooks Houck, filed in Nelson County Circuit Court. Houck specifically mentioned the lawsuit to his sister saying, "You know, because we're on that civil case is what's coming next. Do you understand? …You know, so they're going to take everything. They're going to take everything that I've got. So go ahead and try to get what you can for it." Sherry Ballard filed the lawsuit in 2023 on behalf of her grandchildren claiming Houck, “intentionally and wrongfully caused the death of Crystal M. Rogers.” Now that he's been convicted of the crime, the lawsuit will move forward. But before it does, it appears Houck was attempting to liquidate his assets. In a conversation with his mom Rosemary Houck, he encourages her to call a man he's done business with before. That man, Luke Raiser, wrote a written statement for court stating Rosemary called him multiple times but he did not answer after the first call. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-28-at-1.14.17---PM.png) Statement from Luke Raisor, filed with the temporary injunction request There is a hearing set for this issue in October, but until then, Houck cannot liquidate anything without first talking to the judge. --- *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalist with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Ft. Knox cadet training death under investigation URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/ft-knox-cadet-training-death-under-investigation/ Last updated: 2025-07-28T17:30:45.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- A young Army Cadet who was attending Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox died while on the Land Navigation site. He has been identified as Neil Edara from Ridgewood, N.J. Edara died during training on July 24, 2025\. He joined the ROTC program at Rutgers University in September 2021\. He was attending Cadet Summer Training as part of 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp, according to an Army ROTC social media post. The post said Edara became unresponsive during a training exercise. He was medically evacuated by helicopter to the University of Louisville, where he was pronounced deceased by medical professionals. According to the military's website, land navigation training includes "basic dismounted land navigation skills during day and night conditions, mounted land navigation, range estimation, terrain analysis, and call for fire." At this time, the cause of death is under investigation. > > “Cadet Edara was one of the most dedicated and promising young leaders I’ve had the privilege to know,” Lt. Col. Timothy Sorensen, professor of military science, Rutgers University, said. “His calm collected demeanor and unwavering commitment to excellence left a lasting impact on everyone around him. His loss is deeply felt across the entire ROTC and Rutgers community. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.” --- *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalist with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Dangerous heat lingers in Kentuckiana, experts warn this isn't normal URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/dangerous-heat-lingers-in-kentuckiana-experts-warn-this-isnt-normal/ Last updated: 2025-07-28T16:47:54.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- The National Weather Service (NWS) is warning Kentuckiana could experience heat index values as high as 108 degrees this week, as a dangerous combination of high temperatures and high humidity lingers over much of the eastern United States. The NWS forecast suggests the heat wave could break Wednesday night, with thunderstorms moving in for the second half of the week, bringing much needed relief after several weeks of uncomfortable outdoor conditions. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/07/Forecast-map.webp) Credit: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration It is summer in Kentucky, so yes, heat is expected. But according to a climate researcher who spoke to [USA Today](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/07/26/eastern-us-july-heat-forecast/85355980007/?ref=shayinformed.com), "it's happening a lot more, with greater intensity, greater duration and greater frequency." Max Holmes, president and CEO of the Woodwell Climate Research Center, told USA Today heat is only one impact of a warming planet. Extreme rain leading to deadly flash floods is another extreme caused by a warmer earth. Kerr County, TX, was the most recent scene of a horrific flash flood, when at least 108 people were killed, including 37 children. State-wide the death rate is now at 135\. It was just three years ago Kentucky was home to a similar disaster. Raging floodwaters in eastern Kentucky in July of 2022 led to 45 deaths, thousands of homes and buildings destroyed and a infrastructure nightmare. Dangerous heat and flash floods are two weather extremes Holmes suggests we will see more of. "As the earth gets warmer, we see more extremes and it's the extremes that get us. They kill us. They make us sick," he told USA Today. ### How to protect yourself from extreme heat: - **Know who’s most at risk** – Look out for older adults, young children, pregnant women, those with disabilities or medications for a chronic health conditions, people who live alone and athletes. - **Stay hydrated** – Drink water every 20 minutes, even if you aren’t thirsty and avoid sugary drinks, caffeine and alcohol. - **Stay cool** – Seek out an air-conditioned location if your home gets too hot, limit outdoor activity and dress in lightweight, loose-fitting clothes. If your air-conditioning goes off, it might be cooler outside in the shade than staying inside the house. - **Act fast** – Take measures to cool a person down quickly if they develop signs of heat exhaustion or stroke, such as cramps, heavy sweating, clammy skin, dizziness, fainting or nausea and vomiting. Move them to a cooler place, remove extra clothing and cool them with a wet cloth or cool bath and have them sip water or a sports drink, but not "energy" drinks. --- *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalist with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Andy Beshear featured in Vogue ahead of rumored 2028 presidential run URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/andy-beshear-featured-in-vogue-ahead-of-rumored-2028-presidential-run/ Last updated: 2025-07-26T19:18:50.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear is staying tight lipped when asked about a future presidential run, promising constituents Kentucky is his top priority. But it's hard to miss the growing attention on him, his record, and his winning capabilities in a red state. Now, the governor and his family are featured in an online Vogue magazine [article](https://www.vogue.com/article/andy-beshear-kentucky-governor-september-2025?ref=shayinformed.com). The publication calls him "the most popular Democratic governor in the country", touting electoral victories in a traditionally Republican state where Donald Trump won by 30 points in 2024. "Donald Trump is incredibly popular here—he won Kentucky by 30 points in 2024—but so is Andy Beshear, and this is the source of his mystique," the article states. The Vogue feature includes photographs of Beshear with his wife, Britainy, their children and the family dog, Winnie. Sharing the article on social media, Beshear joked, "I might be the first person in Vogue to wear Gap jeans." The article details Beshear's daily routine, which includes running on his treadmill seven mornings a week, and describes his governing style as "hyper-organized, well-rehearsed, on message, and largely drama free." When asked directly about presidential ambitions, Beshear has given vague responses. In a previous interview with WHAS11, he said he doesn't want to "leave a broken country to my kids" and added, "if I'm somebody who can bring people together and heal this country, then it's something I'll consider." *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalist with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Evidence unsealed in Crystal Rogers case URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/evidence-unsealed-in-crystal-rogers-case/ Last updated: 2025-07-26T19:41:56.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Much of the evidence shared during the three weeks of trial in the Crystal Rogers case had been submitted over the course of several years, and locked under seal by the judge before trial. This included information on un-indicted coconspirators, transcripts of interviews with detectives and the transcript of the grand jury recordings that were played at trial. One of the court documents revealed the reasons why the prosecutor believes Rosemary Houck is a co-conspirator. It describes a conversation with one of Brooks' employees. asking for help “getting rid” of Crystal. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/19/8c19890d-f21a-4442-8055-5db9783cac58/content/images/2025/07/Rosemary-Houck.jpg) Rosemary Houck attending Brooks Houck's trial "The mother of the defendant asked \[Danny Singleton\] if he knew someone who could 'get rid of Crystal Rogers'," the documents reads. It goes on to allege Rosemary Houck, "openly manifested contempt for Crystal Rogers" and seemed to show pleasure in her disappearance. _This post is for subscribers on the Member and Investor tiers only._ ### Decision to delay Kentucky Oaks race draws criticism from local business URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/decision-to-delay-kentucky-oaks-race-draws-criticism-from-local-business/ Last updated: 2025-07-26T19:19:07.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Hours after Churchill Downs announced a major scheduling change for 152nd Kentucky Oaks, local restaurants began voicing concerns about what they call a lack of communication, and consideration. Churchill Downs announced Thursday that the prestigious race will air during primetime at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, marking the first time in the event's history that it will be held in the evening hours. "We are excited to present the Kentucky Oaks in primetime for the first time ever," said Jon Miller, president of Acquisitions and Partnerships at NBC Sports. "With the Oaks on Friday night leading into the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May, we can't wait to get back to Churchill Downs for another historic weekend of racing." But as the 2026 Kentucky Derby approaches, the tension between growth and tradition is seemingly expanding. While Churchill Downs pursues national expansion and television audience growth, local businesses argue they are an integral part of the in-person experience and being left out of the big picture plan. Jack Fry's Restaurant, a Louisville institution since 1933, issued a detailed response expressing both support for the sport's growth and concern about the impact on local traditions. The restaurant emphasized that the Kentucky Oaks has long been a highlight for the local community, serving as "a day dedicated to the people of Louisville." "With the new, later post time, we're already seeing a shift in dining patterns, with many guests delaying or skipping their reservations altogether," the restaurant stated. "The economic ripple effect is undeniable, especially as we've already seen significant changes in the past few years." The establishment noted that Churchill Downs' move toward a more captive audience model, including food and beverage inclusivity for ticket-holders, has also impacted local restaurants' share of Derby weekend business. These changes, combined with staffing challenges and dining revenue declines, are creating additional pressure on the hospitality sector. Moving forward, the restaurant called for a collaborative approach to ensure that changes benefit the entire hospitality sector. "We hope that, as the Kentucky Oaks evolves, the broader hospitality community will be part of that conversation to ensure that these changes benefit everyone. We'd be honored to collaborate with you to keep the Derby's traditions strong and inclusive for years to come", the restaurant wrote on social media. The Kentucky Oaks is set for May 2nd, 2025. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalist with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Kentucky republican leads push to release Epstein files URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/kentucky-republican-leads-push-to-release-epstein-files/ Last updated: 2025-07-26T19:19:15.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie is leading the bipartisan push for Justice Department officials to release the files from the Jeffrey Epstein case. Earlier this week, Massie teamed up with a democrat from California to file what is known as a discharge petition. It would allow any member of the House to force legislation to the floor if a majority of House members sign it. By Wednesday, he had the support of at least six Republicans, according to the [New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/16/us/politics/massie-house-vote-epstein-files-release.html?ref=shayinformed.com). If all democrats agree to sign the petition he will have more than enough votes. > The Speaker of the House recessed Congress early yesterday for a month to avoid dealing with the Epstein issue. > > Mr. Speaker, the American people won’t forget. My legislation isn’t going away. It’ll be right here when we return and I’ll force the vote using a discharge petition. [pic.twitter.com/SB7SJ14clS](https://t.co/SB7SJ14clS?ref=shayinformed.com) > > — Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) [July 24, 2025](https://twitter.com/RepThomasMassie/status/1948411423496786069?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=shayinformed.com) Thursday he posted on social media that his bill "isn't going away". President Donald Trump responded on social media, calling him the "worst Republican Congressman" who's an "Embarrassment to Kentucky." *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalist with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Joseph Lawson requests new trial, cites multiple legal issues URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/joseph-lawson-requests-new-trial-cites-multiple-legal-issues/ Last updated: 2025-07-26T19:19:27.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- Joseph Lawson has filed a motion for a new trial, arguing that several procedural and evidentiary issues undermined his case and warrant a fresh hearing before his scheduled Aug. 21 sentencing. Lawson was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence in connection to the disappearance of Crystal Rogers. He was tried in front of a jury with co-defendant Brooks Houck, who was convicted of murder and tampering with physical evidence. Lawson's attorneys contend that inadmissible evidence presented during the trial created a "spill over" effect that prejudiced their client's case. They argue that being tried alongside Houck damaged Lawson's defense and that certain evidence should not have been allowed in court. The defense also alleges the presiding judge failed to dismiss jurors who possessed prior knowledge of Steve Lawson's trial and conviction. According to the motion, S. Lawson had previously implicated J. Lawson, and jurors aware of this information should have been struck from the panel to ensure a fair trial. Additionally, J. Lawson's legal team claims the prosecutor misrepresented their client's statements to the jury. They argue the prosecutor incorrectly characterized Lawson's comments about moving a car as an admission of guilt, which the defense says "is not true." The motion requests that the judge hear these arguments at or before the Aug. 21 sentencing hearing. *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalist with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Federal disaster aid approved for 100 Kentucky counties, including Louisville URL: https://www.shayinformed.com/federal-disaster-aid-approved-for-100-kentucky-counties-hit-by-spring-storms/ Last updated: 2025-07-26T19:19:38.000Z --- *"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.* *Are you new here?* [*Sign up*](https://www.shayinformed.com/#/portal/signup) *for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.* --- **FRANKFORT, Ky.** — Kentucky communities devastated by severe weather this spring will receive crucial federal assistance after President Donald Trump approved federal funding for 100 counties across the commonwealth. This comes after a particularly destructive string of severe weather events in the state. Governor Andy Beshear announced Wednesday that the president personally called to inform him of the approval, which covers two separate weather events that caused widespread damage in April and May. "Great news – the President has approved the Public Assistance we've been waiting on for the communities affected by severe weather in April and May," Governor Beshear said in his announcement. "We never gave up hope and are excited that these counties and communities are going to see the support they need and deserve." The first disaster declaration covers 64 counties that experienced severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, flooding, landslides and mudslides on April 2, 2025\. The affected counties span much of central and eastern Kentucky, including Louisville, and counties south of the Metro. The hardest-hit areas were counties in eastern Kentucky's coal country, where mountainous terrain made communities particularly vulnerable to flooding and landslides. The April storms caused significant infrastructure damage to roads, bridges, public buildings and utilities. A second wave of severe weather on May 16-17 brought tornadoes and damaging winds to 36 counties in central and southern Kentucky. These storms carved destructive paths through communities still recovering from previous weather events, compounding the challenges facing local governments and residents. #### Federal Public Assistance provides funding to local governments and certain nonprofit organizations to help rebuild public infrastructure damaged by disasters. The program typically covers: - Emergency protective measures and debris removal - Repair and replacement of damaged public buildings, including schools and hospitals - Restoration of public utilities and infrastructure - Road and bridge repairs - Parks and recreational facility reconstruction The disaster declarations represent a significant step forward for Kentucky communities working to recover from the spring storms. Many counties experienced multiple weather events within weeks of each other, straining local resources and complicating recovery efforts. If you'd like to help, you can donate to the Team Kentucky Storm Relief Fund [here](https://secure.kentucky.gov/formservices/Finance/stormrelief/?ref=shayinformed.com). *Like what you see? Subscribe now to support Shay Informed- honest journalist with compassion and clarity.* ## Sign up for Shay Informed Honest journalism with compassion and clarity Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.