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Columbia Missourian •

How dangerous is a pesticide? It depends on who you ask

A health care crisis has been quietly building in rural counties throughout the Midwest.Take Missouri. The Top 10 counties with the highest rates of cancer are all rural. And access to doctors, nurses and clinicians, while always lower than in cities, has grown increasingly limited as hospitals throughout the region have closed.Add to this the presence of pesticides. They are seen as a vital tool in ensuring that millions of acres of farmland yield the soybeans, corn, wheat and other crops that...
Louisville Courier Journal •

UofL students concerned after portion of former Cardinal Center property converted to parking

Some students at the University of Louisville are expressing concern after new parking spaces were created on a section of land officials said would be converted for use by students living in residence halls.

According to a report from The Louisville Cardinal, the university’s independent weekly newspaper, part of the Cardinal Center property at Fourth Street and Cardinal Boulevard has been converted to parking spaces for “blue permit” holders, a group made up of primarily UofL employees as wel...
The Courier-Journal •

Vine Grove Fire Department loses antique truck in overnight station fire

Multiple vehicles, including an antique fire engine, are unusable after a fire broke out at a Vine Grove Fire Department station Aug. 20.Vine Grove Fire Chief Matthew Haddle said several firefighters worked through the night of Aug. 20 to respond to a fire at an inactive station that housed fire trucks and engines, among other supplies. There were no reported injuries, but the station has been deemed a total loss, he said.Vine Grove, a city of just under 7,000 located near Fort Knox in Hardin Co...
The Courier-Journal •

JCPS schools to have new milk supplies by next week after quality issue

(This story has been updated with additional information.)All Jefferson County Public Schools are expected to have a new supply of fresh milk by Aug. 27 after officials discovered a "quality issue" in its supply earlier in the week, district spokesperson Mark Hebert said.In a statement to The Courier Journal Aug. 22, JCPS milk vendor Prairie Farms said a combination of factors led to the issue.“Prairie Farms is committed to providing safe, high-quality milk to all our school partners. Last week,...
The Courier-Journal •

New touchless car wash opens in former Thomas Car Wash location on Bardstown Road

Customers can now "wash local, stay zesty" in Buechel at a new touchless car wash.Clementine's Car Wash recently opened its second location at 4139 Bardstown Road, but residents are most likely to recognize it as the "old Buechel location" of the Thomas Car Wash company.Clementine's, which is owned by Alex Thomas, grandson of the founder of Thomas Car Wash, opened its first touchless car wash at 2010 KY-53 in La Grange in 2024 after the locally-loved Thomas Car Wash company was sold to new owner...
The Courier-Journal •

Louisville is getting a new area code. Here's when and why it's happening

Officials from the Kentucky Public Service Commission have announced that a new area code will be assigned to a portion of north-central Kentucky when numbers under the current 502 area code are exhausted in 2027.According to an Aug. 19 news release, the North American Numbering Plan Administrator informed the commission that a new 761 area code will be overlaid with the existing code once 502-based numbers can no longer be issued, which is expected to occur sometime between July-September 2027....
The Courier-Journal •

Frankfort Police investigating weekend on-campus shooting at Kentucky State University

The Kentucky State University campus remains on high alert as police continue to investigate an Aug. 17 shooting on the school's grounds.According to a news release, no students were injured in the shooting near Young Hall. In a statement, officials from the Franklin Police Department said witnesses heard 15 to 20 gunshots after multiple occupants in a dark-colored passenger vehicle opened fire at a group walking on campus.Two non-students were reportedly injured and transported for medical atte...
Louisville Courier Journal •

Family photos, old tickets & more: The forgotten items found in books donated to Locust Grove

For two decades, the historic Locust Grove has hosted tri-yearly book sales, annual fundraisers for the 18th-century farm site and National Historic Landmark in Louisville.

Over the years, the team at Locust Grove, 561 Blankenbaker Lane, has seen all types of books come through its doors ahead of the sale — children's books, novels, encyclopedias, self-help books and more. The books are priced anywhere from $1 to $2, but if a book is especially rare, it might be in a separate section, priced in...
The Courier-Journal •

West End School in Chickasaw neighborhood opens doors to girls for first time in history

The West End School is accepting girls for the first time in its 20-year history.Gov. Andy Beshear, Rep. Morgan McGarvey and Mayor Craig Greenberg were among the local leaders that gathered with members of the public for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Darrell Griffith Athletic Center on Aug. 14 to celebrate the new girl's program for the school, located at 3628 Virginia Ave. in the Chickasaw neighborhood."In 21 years, I firmly believe this is the biggest day of the West End School," West End S...
Louisville Courier Journal •

McConnell, Chao archives to expand at the University of Louisville. What we know

An archive collection containing materials from U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell and his wife, Elaine Chao, has been expanded at the University of Louisville.

Originally created in 2009, the Senator Mitch McConnell and Secretary Elaine L. Chao Archives, or the McConnell Chao Archives, preserve a variety of records housed in a permanent section in the UofL Ekstrom Library. The expansion, funded in part by a private donor, allows for more capacity in the space and includes a new constructive storage roo...
The Courier-Journal •

Popular activewear brand opening its first Louisville location this fall at Oxmoor Center

Activewear fans, run, don't walk, to Oxmoor Center.Alo Yoga is opening the brand's first Louisville location this fall at 7900 Shelbyville Road.The popular activewear company is known for its matching workout sets, yoga mats and shoes. The Louisville location will be between the Madewell and Purple stores, in the west wing of the Oxmoor Center, just outside of the center court.The Oxmoor website calls Alo's workout wear a "cult favorite," which stands out by focusing on athleisure and prioritize...
Louisville Courier Journal •

'People will be less safe': How public media funding cuts could hurt Kentucky

An impending decision to strip federal funding from public broadcasting stations nationwide could have harsh repercussions for rural Kentuckians, affecting everything from how they get emergency weather alerts to what music they listen to.

The U.S. Senate must vote by July 18 on a request from the Trump administration to rescind $9.4 billion in federal funding, including $1.1 billion earmarked for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a group that funds NPR and PBS.

President Donald T...
Louisville Courier Journal •

Trump wants to drastically cut rental assistance. How Louisville could be affected

Louisville residents who rely on federal housing assistance could be at risk of instability if Congress passes massive cuts to national programs, including Section 8, as proposed by the Trump administration.

In May, the White House proposed cutting almost $33 billion, or 44%, in funding for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in the fiscal year 2026 budget. With the "Big, Beautiful Bill" signed into law July 4, Congress is expected to soon shift to budget discussions.

Louisvil...
Columbia Missourian •

Death notices for May 7, 2025

Michael Allan Orlaska, 68, of Columbia died May 5, 2025. Arrangements are under the direction of Memorial Funeral Home.Donald Harold George, 88, of Columbia died May 5, 2025. A visitation will be held 10-11 a.m. May 10, followed by a funeral service at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 904 S. Old 63. A graveside service will be held the same day at the Fayette City Cemetery.

Michael Allan Orlaska, 68, of Columbia died May 5, 2025. Arrangements are under the direction of Memorial...
Columbia Missourian •

True North of Columbia service programs could be affected by funding cuts

True North of Columbia could lose up to 40% of its funding from cuts to two federal funding programs, executive director Michele Snodderly said.The organization is a domestic and sexual violence victim service program with a mission to provide all victims with safe housing, advocacy and support. They are currently the only residential facility for victims of domestic and sexual violence in Boone County.
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Columbia Missourian •

Community members can meet utilities director finalists on Friday

Community members will have a chance to meet the final candidates for Columbia’s next Utilities director during a public event from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Daniel Boone City Building, 701 E. Broadway, in conference room 1A/1B.The position is open after Dave Sorrell, Columbia’s former director of utilities, retired after a 24-year career working with the city.
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Columbia Missourian •

Lane of Old Rocheport Gravel Road to close temporarily for commercial filming

A portion of the eastbound lane of Old Rocheport Gravel Road will be closed for a few hours Tuesday evening for a commercial filming, according to a Wednesday news release from Boone County Resource Management.The closure will take place from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and span between Highway BB and Route J, at the request of Chimaeric Motion Pictures.
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Columbia Missourian •

Boone County Historical Society announces 2025 Hall of Fame inductees

On Friday, The Boone County Historical Society announced its three 2025 Boone Hall of Fame enshrinees — Karen Miller, Franklin Mitchell and the Columbia Cosmopolitan Luncheon Club.The society chooses two individuals, one living and one posthumous honoree, and one business/organization annually. The historical society has inducted members into its Hall of Fame each year since 1995.
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Columbia Missourian •

“We Always Swing" Jazz Series closes its 30th anniversary exhibition

The “We Always Swing" Jazz Series celebrated 30 years with a poster gallery featuring framed prints and signed posters from three decades of jazz series performance cycles in a collaboration with the Boone County History and Culture Center.Each year, the jazz series nonprofit hosts educational and concert opportunities — this year, it celebrated concerts with Bobby Watson, the Emmet Cohen Trio and René Marie, to name a few.
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Columbia Missourian •

Death notice for April 30, 2025

Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members. The first 100 words are free; over 100 words is $0.50/word.

Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members. The first 100 words are free; over 100 words is $0.50/word.
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