Maybe Downtown Louisville wouldn’t be in such a sorry state if all of the city’s development cash hadn’t been squandered on Cordish Cos. [FOX41]

So much for promised transparency! Jerry Abramson and the Beshear Administration tried to hide today’s tax “reform” meeting by asking the Legislative Research Commission to keep its cameras turned off. [Page One]

We wanted to check this thing about moms from Ken Selvaggi out but couldn’t read it because he is apparently drunk with apostrophes. [WAVE3]

It’s interesting that next to no one is talking about how Democrats worked against Dick Lugar because they prefer to run against the teabagger. Or that those Democrats are some of the most corrupt in the country. It’d be hilarious to watch them lose to the teabagger. [TPM]

It’s apparently a big deal that a local fast food restaurant is going to be featured in that joint’s parent company’s commercial? Even though locals are working for free. [WHAS11]

You bending over and grabbing your ankles yet? Because Greg Fischer really wants to push this utilities merger through before his term is up. [WFPL]

Lexington got something else right: the council voted against discussing a reduction of ambulance staffing levels. In Louisville, Metro Government allows EMS to continually fall off a cliff. [H-L]

Don’t worry! Everything is puppies and rainbows downtown. Despite next to no one living there and absolutely no local businesses within reach. [C-J/AKN]

That historical marker was finally placed outside Muhammad Ali’s childhood home. [WLKY]

Can you imagine how embarrassing it will be when Covington – the armpit of Kentucky – becomes more developed and livable than Louisville? [Business First]

Turns out sleazy commercials being paraded as news content aren’t unique to Louisville television newscasts. Imagine that. [WaPo]

Remember when Kelly Downard had the guts to stand up to Greg Fischer’s crew last week? Remember when it took us threatening a lawsuit (which is drafted and was shared with Fischer’s folks) to get Fischer’s folks to do their damn jobs? [The 'Ville Voice]

Jeffersonville is expanding wireless internet service. Louisville yawns and goes back to suffering worse than it did under Jerry Abramson. [Business First]

Deteroit is nearing bankruptcy as the city flirts with fiscal disaster. Could it happen in Louisville? [The Economist]

Louisville is apparently so insignificant that it’s not even included on many globes. [Slate]

It’s going to be a nightmare watching Greg Fischer try to get Louisville through this $6 million budget shortfall that he’s caused. [WLKY]

How shocked are you that cracks were misclassified on the Sherman Minton in the years leading up to the shut down? [C-J/AKN]

Will Louisvillians ever stop killing each other? Will stories like this one ever stop flowing? [FOX41]

Naturally, it takes a newspaper in Indiana to run a story about the East End Bridge and that crazy ass tunnel mess. Your local paper can’t be bothered. [News & Tribune]

Jefferson County Public Schools has yet again stepped in it. JCPS purchased an apartment complex next to Iroquois High School and told a bunch of elderly and disabled people that they had to find a new place to live by December 30. [WHAS11]

Remember this during the inauguration tomorrow when you’re wondering why Kentucky can’t have nice things. [Page One]

Only in Louisville would we still be spending tens upon tens of thousands of dollars debating an ineffective and hated student assignment plan. [WFPL]

Of course Greg Fischer’s merger “task force” was a farce. You really expected otherwise? [WFPL]

Mark our words: this cost-cutting move by Gannett to use Facebook for commenting on all of its newspaper stories will end up costing the company millions more than they think they’re going to save. It’s also a silly, disastrous move on the front of giving up control of its product(s). It’ll be fun to watch this mess. This is another HUGE indication of financial meltdown. [C-J/AKN]

What do you think about Lexington’s mail sorting moving to Louisville? We smell a big ruh ro coming. [H-L]

Basically, it’s time to bend over and grab your ankles. You’re going to be subjected to non-stop news about flipping David Camm – again – if you bother to turn on your television. [FOX41]

If you can’t Dine Out for Life this Wednesday, then go ahead and support your favorite charity. [Dining Out for Life]

HAHAHA! Forgive us for nearly passing out from laughter. Stephen Daeschner may get his rear end handed to him by his new Southern Indiana school district. [WAVE3]

No, Kentucky isn’t tops in the nation for business as the Democrats (and sometimes Republicans) would have you believe. It’s merely 25th on the Forbes list. [Business First]

Sometimes Ron Crimm has good ideas. Sometimes he has bad ones that end up costing the state money. Like state-supplied signage for tattoo parlors. [WHAS11]

Maybe Representative Crimm can redeem himself by trying to stop wage theft from happening in Kentucky. [WFPL]

Don’t forget what’s really going down at Louisville Metro Animal Services. Even the overpaid and inexperienced director is letting the truth slip out. [The 'Ville Voice]

Waterfront Park won’t have a skating rink but Jeffersonville’s got a temporary one. Who knew this was such a big deal? [WLKY]

A “Mo Bro” is a gay frat guy.

So this latest stunt of pushing advertising as journalism won’t surprise you:

How Amex found the news coverage it wanted

Gannett newspapers in 15 U.S. markets this month will publish short profiles of up to 150 small retailers, in a holiday shopping series sponsored exclusively by American Express.

But the stories published online so far are vague about the credit card company’s involvement — showing the nation’s biggest newspaper publisher is once more testing the limits of Journalism 101 Ethics.

At papers in Asbury Park, N.J.; Brevard, Fla.; Louisville, Ky., and Phoenix, readers are told only that the stories are “presented” by American Express.

Yet, they aren’t told the retailers are all supposed to be those accepting American Express cards, according to an internal GCI document provided to me by a reader.

-SNIP-

But the document, a guide for photographers working on the series, is much more explicit.

“In a deal with American Express,” it says, “Gannett Co. Inc., is producing a sales campaign around Small Business Saturday called Shopping Main Street. The two-week campaign starts Nov. 23, a couple of days before Black Friday and will feature local small businesses that are American Express merchants in 15 Gannett markets.”

-SNIP-

Among journalism ethics transgressions, this isn’t the end of the world. Still, it violates a long-standing rule designed to protect a media outlet’s credibility: Reporters don’t favor businesses in order to please advertisers.

Click here to read the entire thing.

It’s the same thing that’s been appearing in American Express advertisements in business and trade magazines for months. And now your paper will be passing that advertising off as news.

This one is an open letter to Jack that was signed by more than 750 students:

We understand that you have filed suit against National College for alleged violation of consumer protection laws. We know our college will deal with these allegations in due course, but we also know that you have publicly and repeatedly – in press conferences, television interviews, news articles, and especially in your campaign literature and fund‐raising solicitations – criticized Kentucky’s career colleges, and especially our college – National College.

We are proud of our college. It’s not Duke University, or George Washington University Law School; unlike you, very few of us have had the means to attend such prestigious universities and most of us preferred an education that was tailored to our family and work lives. We may never own racehorses or be elected attorney general. But we are the backbone of working Kentucky: bettering our lives, and the lives of our families, through our investment in a National College education.

-SNIP-

Mr. Conway, you have never been to our campuses, talked to our Campus Directors, or to the faculty and staff who work with us in our educational pursuits. Our college campus is constantly visited by community leaders, legislators, employers, government officials, and others who are interested in this asset of their community – why have you never visited a National College campus and met its students, staff, and faculty? Other leaders have!

You don’t know us. You don’t know our college. We call upon you to stop abusing your office and using it to launch deceptive and cynical politically inspired attacks demeaning and denigrating hardworking Kentuckians and the educational choices they have made. Don’t attack our education, our judgment, our qualifications as students, and our college for your own political gain!

While seemingly hokey at first, it’s rather hard-hitting. The letter/ad goes on to ask Jack some questions that, at the very least, will not be fun for his office to deal with.

You’ll probably want to CLICK HERE to read the rest of the story…

But. Uh.

CLICK TO VISIT

Really? Come On Everybody dot org? We’re spending money to push that here in the city?

This is going to fail worse than Possibility City.

We don’t know what to say. Wow.

Advertising tells me we’ve got an open spot (one on The ‘Ville Voice, one on Page One) for the general election. It’s apparently because I said “NO EFFING WAY” to a particularly dishonest teabagger and nixed their contract.

We’ll hold the spot open until close of business tomorrow (Tuesday). No, your partisan bent doesn’t matter. Selling the spot to a corporate advertiser after that.

Several campaigns have tried to buy recently but there were no openings. Email the ads address (not me) if you want it. First come, first served.

For the 34th Day (jesus christ) Republican Party of Kentucky Chairman Steve Robertson questioned Jack Conway: “As Attorney General, Jack Conway represents the Commonwealth of Kentucky. I doubt his client would consent to his assistance to the subject of a drug investigation, regardless of the circumstances,” said Robertson. “When he stepped into this conflict of interest, Jack Conway exercised bad judgment. It has become the theme of his entire term in office.” Dear Jack: Please hurry up and deal with this because we’ve got lots of traveling to do and bourbon to drink, k? [Press Release]

In what can only be considered a sign of the changing tides of homophobia, a second Louisville church has decided to stop signing marriage licenses. [C-J/AKN]

A tennis comedy is filming in Louisville and we think you’re going to like it. Big name stars, too. [WLKY]

Construction Watch: edge townhouses are finally getting built at Liberty Green. [Broken Sidewalk]

Dear FOX41: It doesn’t count as an investigation if employees/former employees came you to and put information in your lap, does it? Acting like everything is “breaking” or the result of some non-existent investigation makes you just like WHAS. You’ve had nice stories this past year, though.  There’s no reason blow it out of proportion. Not while your crew is at the top of its game. [FOX41]

You ready for the Metro Council budget shenanigans to continue? Starts this afternoon. [Press Release]

No Kill Louisville was the only organization that submitted a bid to operate Metro Animal Services. Funny how KHS backed away after Fischer’s office told them they couldn’t handle any more scandal. Here’s hoping NKL will be able to handle the disaster its trying to take over. [Dan Klepal, FOX41, WAVE3]

Live way out in the middle of nowhere? The swimming pool at E.P. “Tom” Sawyer State Park is now open noon to 6:00 P.M. every day of the week. [Press Release]

You’re a horrible, horrible person who does nothing but drink bourbon and yell at your employees/complain about the newspaper, right? Time to do something good for someone else. Volunteer for the Louisville Free Public Library’s English Conversation Club. [Consuming Louisville]

We love Maker’s Mark and think Maker’s 46 is maybe the best thing on earth – even better than watching Steve Beshear try to say “gay” – but we’re loosely shocked that the company would pay Doe Anderson tons of advertising dollars to do this. [Business First]

This finalist to be the next superintendent of Jefferson County Public Schools says there will be no change in direction on the student assignment plan. [WHAS11]

An environmental group – Appalachian Voices – is suing a coal company in Bardstown over alleged clean water act violations. [H-L]

Metro Council has deemed the Whiskey Row/Iron Quarter ordinance an emergency. [WFPL]

So gas prices are at a billion dollars per gallon. Will you actually walk more and drive less? [WHAS11]

Here’s a non-shocker: a report links fracking to tainted drinking water. [Reuters]

Naturally, gas firms are attempting to dispute the study linking fracking to water contamination. [HuffPo]

As we reported yesterday, the General and Road Funds in Kentucky were both up more than seven percent during the month of April. [Page One]

Maker’s Mark, which makes the most magical stuff on earth – Maker’s 46 – is making its fancy television debut. [C-J/AKN]

Do you live near one of those fancy brothels that were busted recently? [WAVE3]

Carol Haddad says bullying on school buses has gotten worse recently. But has it? Or has the issue just gotten a lot more attention than it has previously? [FOX41]

Okay, we admit it – we’re a bit excited for the St. Matthews Farmers Market to open this weekend. Don’t miss it. [Consuming Louisville]

Here’s how the right-wing looks at the Whiskey Row/Iron Quarter deal. [84WHAS]