Louisville officials approved new investments in public parks, roads and affordable housing as part next year’s budget.

more than $50 million year-over-year increase in borrowingreduced some of his proposed investments because of it.

Speaking ahead of the final vote Thursday night, District 11 Republican Kevin Kramer, who chairs the council’s Budget Committee, said the budget is an amalgamation of the priorities of council members and the mayor.

“There are 26 members on this council, all of whom have ideas about what we should, as a government, be doing,” Kramer said. “All of that conversation then has to be distilled down into a final budget.”

The budget for the upcoming year includes roughly $30 million for road repaving, which has become a new standard for city officials over the last few years. Louisville Metro typically spent about $20 million annually prior to 2023.

Greenberg presented his proposed budget in April, city leaders discussed the challenging economic environment: increased fuel costs, inflation and rising health insurance premiums for Metro’s thousands of employees.

Still, Louisville expects its revenue from recurring sources like property taxes and insurance premium taxes to increase by 3.6% in the coming year or about $33 million. And that’s without raising rates.

Metro Council leaders released their proposed amendments earlier this week that reduced some of Greenberg’s proposed spending while increasing funding for other priorities. The changes were the result of negotiations between the Budget Committee chair and vice-chair, as well as the heads of the Democratic and Republican Caucuses.

The changes reduced spending on the capital budget – which the city funds by taking on debt – by about $6 million. While a significant cut, that still left Louisville Metro in the position of borrowing more than $40 million more than the year prior.

The cuts Metro Council made to the city’s capital budget include:

• Reducing funding for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund from $15 million to $10 million
• Cutting funding for a new Highlands-Shelby Park Library from $5.5 million to $2.5 million
• Cutting funding for the Belvedere redesign from $15 million to $10 million
• And zeroing out funding for the West Kentucky Street Corridor Plan

Metro Council shifted some of that money into additional maintenance projects in public parks. The city plans to spend $550,000 on a new HVAC at the Iroquois Amphitheatre, $215,000 to replace lighting at Fern Creek Park and $725,000 to replace restrooms at McNeely Lake Park, among about a dozen other projects.

The council also attempted to mitigate some of the cuts to affordable housing in the capital budget. Council members added roughly $3 million into the city’s operating budget for housing-related programs, such as home repairs, down payment assistance and eviction prevention.

This is the first time since 2023 that the city is investing less than $12.5 million into the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

The cuts to Greenberg’s initial budget proposal, including housing, angered some Metro Council Members.

District 6 Democrat J.P. Lyninger told LPM News ahead of the vote that he didn’t think the budget proposed by Greenberg met the needs of working class residents.

“I think in many ways the amended budget has exacerbated some of these problems,” Lyninger said. “We are cutting what we're spending on affordable housing in a time where housing costs are skyrocketing. It is a major issue for American families.”

Lyninger also criticized the council’s budget negotiations, saying too many decisions happen behind closed doors.

Metro Council ultimately voted to approve the final budget Thursday with 3 “ no” votes from Council Members J.P. Lyninger, Jennifer Chappell and Shameka Parrish-Wright.

The Louisville Metro Police Department continues to be the largest expense for the city. The agency’s $260 million budget is a 6% increase compared to the previous fiscal year.

the exact location of the planned facility, as well as the city’s intention to spend $6 million on the 92-acre property.

a new project that will allow police officers to launch GPS transponders at vehicles to track them, rather than engage in dangerous chases.

1,000 Kentuckians with intellectual and developmental disabilities without services.

Beshear has continuously blamed the state budget, set by the Republican-led legislature, saying it didn’t provide enough money to maintain services. GOP lawmakers meanwhile argue Beshear should focus on finding waste and inefficiencies and should not cut essential programs, like the clinic. The top Republican in the state House accused Beshear of creating a crisis “just so he can appear to save the day.”

The governor said he would pull the money from a totally different budget unit — the funds currently allocated to renovating the Kentucky Capitol Annex, which sits across from the Capitol and holds committee rooms and the offices of lawmakers and their staff. Beshear said the project wouldn’t be able to start for years anyways while the main state Capitol remains under construction.

“In other words, that's millions of dollars that are sitting there in bond payments that will not otherwise be used, so I'm using the flexibility that they claim that I have to move that funding for the annex, and it's going to be used to fund the Lee Specialty Clinic for the next fiscal year,” Beshear said.

Beshear emphasized it was a short-term “band-aid solution” and called on the General Assembly to return with more funding in January, when they are back in session. Democratic Rep. Lindsey Burke, from Lexington, joined the governor to call for higher funding levels.

“We don't need building projects nearly as much as disabled Kentuckians and their families need Lee's Specialty Clinic to remain open, to have the [Cabinet for Health and Family Services] cuts reversed and Kentucky's Medicaid program fully funded,” Burke said.

In a statement, Republican House Speaker David Osborne of Prospect said the situation was “unwarranted” and of Beshear’s own making, needlessly causing anxiety among Kentuckians who rely on Lee Clinic’s services.

“Funding for the Lee Clinic has been included in the budget passed by the General Assembly from the very beginning. That is why the Governor's claims are so troubling. They created uncertainty for patients, families, caregivers, and providers who depend on these services every day,” Osborne wrote. “Suggesting that this program was at risk when the funding was there all along was both irresponsible and unnecessarily cruel to those already facing difficult circumstances.”

Beshear defended the decision to slash the clinic’s funding out of the Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities. The department is receiving an increase of roughly $16 million in each of the next two years in the new budget compared to current funding levels. However, the annual allotment is roughly $12 million less than what Beshear recommended in his budget proposal.

The governor said much of that funding is obligated under federal and state laws, and therefore his administration can only make cuts in the remaining 11%, which includes funding for nursing facilities, community homes and specialty clinics — the latter being the smallest component. Beshear said at the press briefing he would provide a list of other programs receiving cuts, which his spokesperson said they are compiling.

after hundreds of Kentuckians flooded committee rooms in Frankfort, begging lawmakers and the administration to work together to solve the funding snafu. Caregivers, disabled Kentuckians and a doctor at the clinic testified that no other provider in Kentucky is able to provide the same specialized care to the vulnerable and medically complex population.

Kim Thompson, whose 29-year-old son finally received a diagnosis for his developmental disorder thanks to the clinic, asked not to be treated as “political pawns.”

“We know that the support is coming from the legislature and I know it's coming from the cabinet, but for some reason a ball got dropped, and for some reason the patients became the ball in whatever game was going on, I just ask that it stop,” Thompson said. “This is really about human lives. We have people who rely on this clinic.”

When asked about the fear among several caregivers that they and their children are being used for a political end, Beshear said he would never use people as pawns.

“When the General Assembly implemented these cuts, they knew or should have known that this is the only place that it could go,” Beshear said. “And so what we've done is tried our best to prevent that pain.”

before saying he had found $30 million from other outdated programs elsewhere in the budget.

informing them of a 4% cut to their reimbursement rates across the board.

Clark County leaders are moving toward the search for the county’s first new health officer in nearly a decade.

recently started in a new role as one of two chief medical officers for the Indiana Department of Health. He plans to continue his work with the county until a replacement is found.

Clark County Health Department Administrator Doug Bentfield said it’s important to look for a candidate who can carry forward the momentum in public health expansion seen under Yazel’s leadership — the initiatives that go beyond basic services to help improve overall community health.

He recalled that when Yazel was hired in 2017, he encouraged staff to think creatively about how to address the community’s health needs.

“He came in and basically just told us, ‘Whatever your passion is in public health, even if it's not in your current role, but you have a passion for it, I'm open to that,’” Bentfield said.

Health departments are typically responsible for routine services, such as immunizations, food inspections and mosquito mitigation. In addition to those, Bentfield said Clark County has also taken on a more direct role with patient care in recent years.

That includes expanding chronic disease management and starting a mobile health program to get healthcare and social services to vulnerable residents.

PulsePoint app, which alerts nearby community members to help with health crises.

Speaking with LPM News earlier this month, Yazel praised the team’s dedication to public health.

“We’ve never been a group that’s just done the bare minimum,” he said.

statefederalClark County CARES, a grassroots group dedicated to providing resources, education and support around substance use disorder treatment and recovery.

“I think he just exemplified everything a health officer should be,” she said of Yazel.

King said Yazel has made himself accessible and approachable to the community. When he came in nearly a decade ago in the midst of the HIV and opioid crisis, she said he assessed the situation and started new initiatives right off the bat, along with championing efforts to keep the then-new syringe services program running.

“I think he just helped our community immensely,” King said. “So the next person will have big shoes to step into.”

contracted with Heartland Ambulance Service in 2024extended that to the end of 2030.

The company came on board amid the investigation of former Sheriff Jamey Noel, who previously provided emergency services to parts of Southern Indiana.

Bentfield said that’s stabilized now.

“I'm excited that we now are in a position where we can look forward with EMS and start planning and trying to figure out what is going to be the best thing for Clark County residents … as opposed to, you know, ‘This area is on fire,’” he said.

Health First Indiana — which lawmakers voted to significantly reduce in 2025 — to support prenatal care at Family Health Centers of Southern Indiana, along with prediabetes classes and other chronic health management.

Bentfield said they have funding to get through this year, but 2027 will be “a little bit more dicey.” He hopes the program can be reevaulted to get some funding back to the local health departments.

property tax measure state lawmakers passed in 2025, which will affect governments’ tax revenue.

But Bentfield, who’s been with the health department more than two decades, said the county will get through funding challenges despite the cuts, and he thinks the next health officer is coming into “great positioning.”

“Whoever this health officer is is going to inherit a group of individuals that have seen this before,” he said. “We've survived it, and we come back and we build upon it.”

Bentfield expects the Clark County Board of Health to convene within the next month to start the hiring process. That board will be responsible for making a hiring recommendation to the Clark County Commissioners, expected by early September.

Coverage of Southern Indiana is funded, in part, by Samtec Inc., the Hazel & Walter T. Bales Foundation, and the Caesars Foundation of Floyd County.

Updated June 25, 2026 at 6:02 PM EDT

shield Monsanto from liability over its popular weed killer, Roundup, dealing a victory to the company's new owner as it struggles to resolve thousands of costly lawsuits from people who claim the key ingredient caused their cancers.

The central issue in the case, filed by Missouri resident John Durnell, is who decides what should appear on a pesticide or insecticide label — and whether a federal law overrides state claims.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in a 7-2 opinion that the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) expressly preempts state law and Monsanto's failure to warn consumers about the dangers of glyphosate.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justice Neil Gorsuch joined.

Monsanto, now owned by Bayer, argued that a federal law gives the power to set the label to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), not to the states.

This decision "provides the regulatory clarity necessary for innovators like us to develop the agricultural tools that guarantee an affordable food supply," Bayer CEO Bill Anderson said in a statement. "This litigation has enormous costs for the company and has impacted public trust. The decision brings overdue justice on an issue that should have been clarified much earlier."

The company's lawyer, former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement, told the Supreme Court that there's a need for a single, uniform standard and that the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act puts the EPA in charge.

"You shouldn't let a single Missouri jury second-guess that judgment," Clement said during oral argument in April.

The current solicitor general, John Sauer, sided with Monsanto — as did the majority of the Supreme Court justices.

"Because Durnell's state tort claim would impose a pesticide labeling requirement 'in addition to or different from' the label required by EPA, FIFRA expressly preempts Durnell's claim," Kavanaugh wrote in the court's majority opinion.

Experts said a ruling for the company could significantly narrow its liability in tens of thousands of cases moving slowly through the courts.

But a lawyer for Durnell argued there's room for state juries to weigh in on Monsanto's alleged failure to warn consumers of the dangers of glyphosate, the central chemical in Roundup.

Ashley Keller told the justices that Congress has been debating a golden shield for the company as part of the farm bill. But until Congress acts, Keller said, state juries could and should still be able to evaluate such cases.

Jackson, in her dissent, agreed and said the majority misunderstood FIFRA's requirements, saying adding a cancer warning doesn't conflict with the law.

"In accepting Monsanto's argument and holding that Durnell's failure-to-warn claim is preempted, the Court misunderstands FIFRA's requirements, misinterprets the scope of FIFRA's preemption, and ultimately leaves Durnell without a remedy for the significant harms he has suffered," she wrote.

Scores of protesters, in allegiance with the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, appeared in front of the Supreme Court in late April to support people who say they were harmed by the weed killer and other chemicals.

executive order to boost domestic production of glyphosate, which has contributed to a rupture between the White House and some MAHA supporters.

Copyright 2026 NPR

A judge has disqualified London Mayor Randall Weddle from the upcoming general election.

Laurel Circuit Judge Michael Caperton ruled on Tuesday that Weddle isn't a "bona fide candidate" because he failed to meet the residency requirement to be a mayoral candidate.

State law requires a mayoral candidate to have been a resident of the city for at least a year prior to an election. While Weddle owns a property in London, he actually lives in the Laurel County town of Keavy.

A hearing was held last month in which neighbors said they had never seen Weddle or any activity at the London address. Law enforcement also testified about providing security at the Keavy address, but not at London property.

"In addition to the foregoing testimony, the Court has also reviewed other evidence of record, including various filings from the Kentucky Secretary of State's Office, all of which list either Weddle or his wife as a registered agent for a given company, and all of which include the Keavy address," Caperton wrote in his order. "The Court has also reviewed filings from a legal action by American Express National Bank, which lists Weddle's residence as the Keavy property, including statements issued as recently as March of 2026."

Caperton added the court conducted a personal inspection of both properties and the Keavy property appeared to be the primary residence in which Weddle and his family "live their day-to-day lives and spend the majority of their time."

Weddle testified during the May hearing that tensions in the city kept his family from staying at the London address full-time. The court found his reasoning legally insufficient.

notice issued by Laurel County Clerk Tony Brown.

statement on social media saying he disagrees with the decision, but accepted it.

"Serving as your mayor has been one of the greatest honors of my life. My focus now is exactly where it has always been: serving this city," Weddle wrote. "I intend to finish my term strong, continue working every day on behalf of our community, and keep doing the job the people elected me to do."

reinstated by court order.

pleaded not guiltyillegal campaign contributions in support of Gov. Andy Beshear's 2023 reelection.

Copyright 2026 WKU Public Radio

Lee Speciality Clinic in Louisville.

The clinic, which provides comprehensive medical, dental and behavioral care to the highly vulnerable population, is set to sharply curtail its outpatient care in July, eliminating services for more than 1,000 disabled Kentuckians.

Parents, family members and those with disabilities overflowed the Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board meeting to beg lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s administration to not treat them as a “pawn in this political game between the executive and the legislature.”

“Why are we, this community, being punished with the loss of the only specialized care facility that we have in Kentucky?” asked Bill Kenealy, board chair of the Council on Developmental Disabilities.

Beshear hinted in a video Tuesday evening that a fix may be imminent, implying an announcement may be made at his regular press briefing Thursday.

Many parents told lawmakers how their child struggled in standard medical settings, but how, at the specialty clinic, they were finally able to get their child stabilized. Many explained how their child would likely end up in a series of emergency rooms and intensive care units if not for the Lee Clinic, costing the state more and putting their child in danger.

Kim Thompson described struggling to find the proper diagnosis for her child. One month ago, thanks to the Lee Clinic, her son Forest got the genetic testing he needed and is now in the correct treatment.

“The multidisciplinary medical treatment that my son receives is just top notch,” Thompson said. “These employees are unicorns. They are different. This is not like a regular medical facility that you could just walk into. Everyone is highly specialized with an adult intellectual developmental disability population, and they are working day and night to treat this population.”

Beshear’s administration blamed shortfalls in the state budget for cuts, saying funding allocations for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services were not enough to cover ever-expanding costs. At the Wednesday hearing, Health Secretary Steven Stack defended the decision, saying the budget is forcing difficult choices, but that Beshear will soon offer a “band-aid” to help the clinic through the next year.

“The budget that was passed did not contain enough resources to do all the things the cabinet does. I don't want to argue with the legislature in this venue. That is where we stand,” Stack said. “I have to be able to have the dollars to pay the bills, and I'm engaged in dialogue, and look forward to ongoing dialogue with the legislature.”

The executive branch budget bill passed by the legislature this year included a specific line item for the Lee Specialty Clinic, appropriating $720,000 from the General Fund in the fiscal year that begins July 1 and $697,500 in the following fiscal year. That’s a roughly 5% cut from the previous budget, but not close to the multi-million-dollar cut coming the way of the clinic in July.

The Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities receives an increase of roughly $16 million in each of the next two years in the new budget compared to current funding levels. However, the annual allotment is roughly $12 million less than what Beshear recommended in his budget proposal.

Louisville GOP Rep. Ken Fleming, who co-chairs the Medicaid advisory board, told the sea of supporters that he understood their plight. He said he expects the Beshear administration to present a plan for how to provide these services moving forward.

“The operating contract for Lee Specialty Clinic to provide services has been eliminated by the administration,” Fleming said. “The services are still required, covered benefits under the Kentucky Medicaid program, and the General Assembly increased funding of these Medicaid benefits in the budget. What we have not heard [is] if there is a plan to continue to provide access to these services from the administration.”

In a statement, the Kentucky Democratic Party Chair Colmon Elridge again blamed the cuts on Republicans in the U.S. Congress and state General Assembly.

“This November, Kentuckians will elect Democratic lawmakers who know how to balance a budget without ripping care from foster children, seniors and the disabled,” Elridge said.

Two former Republican state representatives also spoke in support of the Lee Clinic, asking the legislature to ensure the program doesn’t go under. Former state Rep. Scott Brinkman told lawmakers that his 42-year-old son David relies on the clinic. He described the relentless pursuit for providers who could serve his son in Louisville, saying it’s likely even more difficult in less populous counties.

“These are healthcare providers who are willing to tend to their healthcare needs — their medical needs, oftentimes very complex medical needs, their dental needs, their behavior issues, and others,” Brinkman said. “In fact, it will wreak significant hardship on these 1,300 individuals and families, individuals and families who already suffer enough hardship and don't deserve to experience further hardship, certainly under circumstances which are completely avoidable.”

Several parents and advocates were especially afraid that, should the reductions go into effect, it would take years to get the clinic back to where it is now as specialized staff are already forced to look for jobs elsewhere.

There were several tense moments in the hearing, especially toward the end when Fleming initially cut off Stack, telling him he would not be allowed to address the room after hearing several pleas for help. When members of the audience yelled that he should be given the chance to speak, Fleming relented.

A friend of Corey Nett, a Kentuckian with cerebral palsy, read aloud his statement as Nett sat at the table beside her. In his statement, Nett called the two-year budget “morally bankrupt” and said it will cost the state more in the long run by forcing people with disabilities out of their homes and into intensive care.

“The staff at Lee is exemplary, and they are like an extended family to these patients, going above and beyond with their care and compassion, and from experience I know that no other place will give this population the respect that every human being deserves,” Nett said via his proxy. “If only 14 patients were to go into [Intermediate Care Facilities], that would equal Lee's yearly budget, and for those who don't go into ICFs, their primary care will probably be the emergency room, and people will die.”

The Lee Speciality Clinic already has a lengthy waitlist, both for its medical and dental services. Many supporters called on lawmakers not only to ensure the clinic’s continuation, but to invest in its expansion.

“I pray night and day that not only will the Lee clinic be saved, but that there will be a Lee Clinic in every county in Kentucky,” said Dr. Paula Robinson, the clinic’s director of medical services.

UPS is planning an expansion that would more than double the size of its Labport in Louisville’s South End.

The shipping and logistics company plans a two-phase project to add nearly 70,000 square feet of offices and lab space on National Turnpike near the Outer Loop.

The current Labport space features a 54,000-square-foot laboratory. The preliminary plans are to add 13,000 square feet in the first phase of the new project, and nearly 57,000 square feet in a second phase.

UPS Labport opened in 2025, and allows healthcare providers to fly samples to Louisville and get medical test results quickly.

proposed the new projectfirst reported in Louisville Business First.

A statement to LPM News from one of Louisville’s top economic development officials did not address the new development.

“UPS has been a cornerstone of Louisville's economy for decades, reflecting the company's enduring commitment to our city, our region, and the Commonwealth of Kentucky,” Joshua McKee wrote. “The partnership between UPS, Louisville, and Kentucky has created one of the world's most powerful logistics ecosystems – one that continues to support innovation and opportunity across a wide range of industries.”

largest employer, did not respond to a request for comment. The timeline and economic impact of the proposed expansion are unclear.

$100 million investment$6 million cooler it is building in Fairdale.

SpringHaven shelter will close June 30.

ZeroV, says the closure is due to "financial instability" and it will no longer be contracting with SpringHaven as of July 1.

"I'm not going to get into the details of why ZeroV has decided to no longer contract with SpringHaven, said Mary Savage, ZeroV's Chief Legal Officer, in an interview with WKU Public Radio. "However, I can assure you it's not due to state funding cuts or federal funding cuts."

ZeroV, formerly known as the Kentucky Domestic Violence Association, said a transition plan will be announced in the coming days to ensure services go uninterrupted.

letter posted on the organization's FB page. "It is a call for our community to unite, innovate, and reaffirm our collective responsibility to ensure that every survivor has access to safety, dignity, and hope."

Through the transition period and until a new provider is in place, DV survivors will access services through other regional domestic violence programs, including Barren River Area Safe Space in Bowling Green, The Center for Women and Families in Louisville, Bethany House in Somerset, and GreenHouse17 in Lexington.

"There will be a new program in place eventually, but we're definitely going to make it a community effort to make this a very robust program that meets the needs of survivors," Savage added.

15 domestic violence programs in Kentucky that provide emergency shelter, transportation, counseling, and court advocacy, among other services. SpringHaven serves Breckenridge, Hardin, Grayson, LaRue, Marion, Meade, Nelson, and Washington counties which make up the Lincoln Trail Area Development District.

Domestic Violence Data Report, SpringHaven sheltered 101 men, women, and children in 2024 and provided non-residential services to more than 1,600 individuals.

If you or someone you know has experienced intimate partner violence, call the the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
Copyright 2026 WKU Public Radio

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A wave of selling in tech stocks is starting to reflect doubts over whether the spending boom on artificial intelligence is worth it.

The best-known AI-related tech stocks, Nvidia and Google-parent Alphabet, were down for a second day in a row.

Among the biggest losers on Tuesday, however, was chipmaker Micron Technology, whose shares plummeted over 13%. These sell-offs sent the tech-heavy Nasdaq index down over 2%.

Micron's stock is the perfect representation of what's going on in the stock market. It has skyrocketed in value in the past year — up close to 800% — on soaring demand for memory chips from the AI build-out, showcasing the massive valuations for AI-related stocks.

"The market just continues to oscillate between 'AI is going to be great and increase productivity and all these companies are going to win' and 'AI is a big waste of time and it's not worth the return on investment at all and this is all one big bubble,'" said Gil Luria, head of technology research at investment firm D.A. Davidson.

Over $1 trillion spent. "Are we going to start to see returns?"

AI Index Report, there was more than $580 billion in corporate investment into AI in the past year across the globe, on top of over $1 trillion in the four preceding years.

These doubts have led to jitters in the stock market. On Monday, Alphabet stock fell 5%, and SpaceX dropped 16%.

That nervousness spilled over into markets in Asia. Korean markets were the worst hit after stocks of Samsung and its competitor SK Hynix fell 12% apiece.

This comes at a moment when two of the largest AI companies, OpenAI and Anthropic, are considering selling their stocks to the market in what is shaping up to be two of the largest initial public offerings in history.

Both OpenAI and Anthropic are now generating revenue, but the long-term profitability of generative AI is an open question.

"The market is trying to kind of digest all this and saying, 'Are we going to start to see returns?'" said Mark Vena, CEO of SmartTech Research.

On Tuesday, it was a rout of chipmaker stocks. Intel and Advanced Micro Devices were both off around 6%.

Micron took the biggest beating, however, mostly over nervousness ahead of the company's results expected on Wednesday. Analysts say they're watching Micron's earnings to look for signs that the AI investment cycle is continuing apace.

Copyright 2026 NPR

Louisville Metro Alcoholic Beverage Control suspended the liquor license for the nightclub Atomic after two men were shot nearby early Sunday morning.

In statements Tuesday afternoon and evening, city officials and owner Dustin Hensley disagreed on whether Atomic patrons were responsible for the weekend’s violence.

wrote on Instagram the club has worked with Metro government to improve safety.

“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,” Hensley wrote. “This very much seems like an effort to push an entire race out of the bar district.”

said they cited 39 people and arrested 24 on Bardstown Road over the weekend.

In a statement Tuesday morning, ABC said the order to revoke Atomic’s liquor license goes into effect immediately.

“We will not tolerate conditions at any establishment that threaten the safety of our community,” Mayor Craig Greenberg wrote in a statement. “I’m grateful for the swift action of Louisville Metro ABC and for their ongoing work to improve safety in the area as part of the summer task force.”

Atomic regularly operates from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. on weekends, though it also hosts events like watch parties outside of those hours. Hensley’s statement said Atomic has “the largest security team in the city” and that 99.95% of its customers do not cause trouble.

Krista Kelley, who was at the Highlands bar on the night of the shootings, wrote in Facebook messages to LPM News that Atomic seemed serious about security and she “didn’t see any direct reason” for the license suspension. But Kelley also said the crowd was rowdy and she narrowly avoided a fight.

Kelley’s girlfriend, Moira Whitten, agreed that tougher security is not likely to help.

“It’s just the nature of the beast when you have that many party spots in one very dense area,” Whitten wrote. “More police presence may help, but that brings its own problems with police harassment of people that are just there to have a good time for the weekend.”

In a statement sent to some media outlets on Monday, Atomic said it is “very unfortunate that the bars themselves are being blamed for things occurring off our properties and in the public right of way where we have no control.”

concentrated officers there and in other areas where crowds gather at night.

At a June 10 press conference about public safety, Metro Council Republican Caucus Chair Anthony Piagentini called for stricter sentences and “as many arrests as possible.”

“It’s an incredibly safe area, except for a few hours on Bardstown Road on the weekend,” Piagentini said. “But what happens, because we’ve been doing searches there, we are dedicating resources to an area that are getting sucked out of our areas and other areas where we’re seeing increases in property crime.”

liquor storerestaurant near the University of Louisville where ABC found nine underage people drinking.

increased in the first eight months of 2025.

fighting since then to have its license reinstated.

This story has been updated with additional information.