As usual, taxpayers get the shaft. Utility costs for the Louisville Gardens, the old armory building which has sat empty for more than five years, have topped more than a quarter of a million dollars. [WDRB]

Really, Ken Fleming? You couldn’t find a better use in your district for that $25,000? The Louisville Metro Council is expected to approve spending just over $25,000 for University of Louisville researchers to study the economic impact of increasing the sales tax in Jefferson County. [C-J/AKN]

Yes, kids, legislation like this works. Upon public complaint, Louisville Metro Police impounded a Chevy dump truck involved in illegal dumping of shingles and roofing materials on Manslick Road in Fairdale Wednesday afternoon, police reported Thursday. [WHAS11]

Lexington was not among the five winners in the Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge, a competition to inspire cities to come up with innovative ideas to solve major challenges and improve urban life. [H-L]

Police are searching for answers after the bodies of a mother and her two children were found in a southern Indiana park. [WLKY]

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Thursday announced new rules aimed at cracking down on alleged abuses by companies that collect debts for student lenders, seeking to tame an area of finance accused of afflicting debt-saturated graduates with exorbitant fees. [HuffPo]

Now Gregory O’Bryan, who is accused of murdering Andrew Compton, wants access to the kid’s medical records. [WAVE3]

This would maybe carry water if Hartman/Fairness were exploring a legislative route other than the one Mary Lou Marzian and Joni Jenkins will never get passed. [WFPL]

The Louisville Metro Ethics Commission [yesterday] found that Metro Councilwoman Barbara Shanklin violated the city’s ethics law by using her position to benefit her family and recommended she be removed from office. [C-J/AKN]

After 28 days in session, the Kentucky General Assembly is in its “veto recess” until March 25. The legislature has approved a few important measures during this session, but it has not been able to solve the state’s pension crisis. [Business First]

As buildings are demolished and trees are cleared to make way for the east end connection of the Ohio River Bridges Project in Utica, much of the conversation has turned from what could be to what will be. [News & Tribune]