The Rusty Satellite: Recent Episodes
Rick Redding tackles the issues facing Louisville and talks with people who are making things happen around town.
When he began strategizing on how to campaign for Mayor of Louisville, his hometown, Craig Greenberg decided to really run. He’s mapped all 623 local precincts and plans to literally run through every one. On his website, he invites anyone to join him on these jogs.
At his campaign HQ in Butchertown, Greenberg shows up every day focused on his campaign, which may be one reason he’s the early favorite in the race. The field includes businesswoman Carla Dearing, activist Tim Findley, Circuit Court Clerk David Nicholson, funeral home operator Anthony Oxedine and Shameka Parrish-Wright, an activist. Greenberg is organized and energetic, enthusiastic about talking over his plan. Greenberg gave up a prestigious position with 21C Hotels to run for Mayor.
He’s also a Ballard High School graduate, as is my other guest, meteorologist Andy Weingarten. An admitted geek when it comes to weather, Andy was motivated to become a weatherman after witnessing the April 3, 1974 tornado as a teen. He learned the craft of weather prognostication in Oklahoma, and since the early 2000s was a fixture on local TV at WHAS and WAVE.
These days he’s no longer on the air, but keeps busy running a business, chasing four grandkids and bowling two nights a week. That’s right, he’s on my Monday night team at Ten Pin Lanes, where his average is significantly better than mine.
If you’re following the soap opera at the University, you can’t wait until the next episode to find out if Vince and Neeli will make up, or will Vince leave since he couldn’t get rid of Scott. And will Chris recover after an extortion threat from Dino? It’s high drama that keeps people talking, much the way it did when the key characters were named Rick, Bobby, Tom and James.
Meanwhile, there’s new life in the old Hopcat building in the Highlands, which could figure into a future book by local favorite David Domine. The author of “A Dark Room in Glitter Ball City” will be our next speaker at the Breakfast of Champions, Jan. 11 at the Louisville Thoroughbred Society.
Enjoy this episode of the city’s longest-running and most interesting podcast, brought to you by Hectare’s CBD, Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill and eXp Realty.
The city’s longest-running and most interesting podcast is back with a show featuring two of the city’s most powerful women.
I caught Deborah Bilitski at a good time – as it was announced by Gov. Andy Beshear this week that $10 million is being budgeted toward the $50 million needed to expand the Park westward, in the space between 10th and 14th streets. She says the first clumps of dirt on the project will be turned in 2022, although the project will be well short of its fundraising goal. Bilitski first appeared on the show in July 2019, a short time after she took over from longtime director David Karem.
Although I’d never met Grace Simrall, I knew her name, but had no idea how big her job as the city’s Chief of Civic Innovation and Technology, which encompasses everything from crossing the Digital Divide to get Internet access to more people to making sure the traffic light timing is in sync. She met me at the Northfields Heine Bros., with a view of the new VA Hospital, finally under construction, in the background. We enjoyed an unusually warm day on the patio, the chill no problem for the native Chicagoan.
Everybody I know seems to have made it through Thanksgiving gathering without getting sick with COVID, so that’s one thing to be thankful for. I also froze away a night at Cardinal Stadium, where Coach Scott Satterfield lost not only the biggest game on his schedule in lopsided fashion, but the confidence of much of the fan base. Let’s give him one more year to turn things around. One of our favorite guests, Mary Ellen Wiederwohl, former director of Louisville Forward, announced that instead of running for Mayor she’s taken on a new job with an organization called Accelerator for America.
Also, there’s a new bar, Darling’s, on Bardstown Road, and a new restaurant, Backside on Whiskey Row, to replace the disaster that was The Hall on Washington. Next week, I’ll have an interview with Craig Greenberg, candidate for Mayor.
Thanks to our sponsors: Hectare’s CBD store in Nulu; Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill and eXp Realty.
If you’ve been a resident of the ‘Ville for any time at all, the experience of reading David Domine’s “A Dark Room in Glitter Ball City” will bring to mind a number of recognizable sights, sounds and facts about my hometown, not the least of which is in the title. It references the obscure fact that Louisville is home to the only disco ball maker in the U.S. But that’s not all you learn as Domine’s reporting of a 2010 Old Louisville murder unfolds. In 2010, a body was found in an old mansion’s cellar. It happened to be a home Domine, the city’s unchallenged expert on Old Louisville lore, has considered buying.
The trial took place in 2013, and in our interview Domine tells me about the painstaking process of writing his first (he’s the author of more than a dozen books) true crime story, in which Old Louisville is a primary character. If you were here in 2013, you’ll recall news stories of the gruesome crime. Domine, a Bellarmine professor of languages and creative writing, is also your go-to for popular tours of Old Louisville.
He was among the Rusty Satellite Show’s first guests, (Show #25, Dec. 2013), and i n that interview mentioned the book project based on the case.
My meeting with Jamar Mack, founder of the organization KOBBE (Kentucky’s Original Black Bourbon Enthusiasts) was fascinating, as Mack explained how his idea for it came over a glass of bourbon with friends, the way all good ideas get started. On Dec. 11, KOBBE will host an event at Mint on Mellwood that will seem like heaven for bourbon lovers of any type called Bourbon & Benevolence, featuring rare bottles, new experiences, all to raise money for APRON Inc., the charity that assists restaurant workers.
Mack, born and raised here, says membership in KOBBE is invitation-only, and the current roster of 42 individuals includes prominent locals who are black, white and female.
We met at the building a First and Washington, which in 1996 was the site of the Business First newsroom on my first day as a reporter, so there was some nostalgia in my visit. It also house the Roots 101 African American Museum, one of the city’s top tourist attractions.
This was the week for the Breakfast of Champions with Metro Council president David James, and I have some interesting tidbits about the city from David’s presentation.
Thanks to my friends at Hectare’s CBD and Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill, along with my own eXp Realty, for sponsoring the show. If you have ideas for future guests, call me at 502-439-6391.
It’s a memorable episode of the city’s longest-running and most interesting podcast, featuring Metro Council president David James, and former TV news personality Kelsey Starks.
When we last talked with James, he was full of energy and gearing up for the Mayor’s Race. Sadly, James succumbed to some health issues that caused him to drop out of the race. He’s since expressed his support for Craig Greenberg. But James has a full plate as the go-to for info on the city’s handling of its problems with violence and efforts to reform the police department. We met bright and early at City Hall. On Nov. 16, James will be the featured speaker at the Breakfast of Champions at the Louisville Thoroughbred Society. You can join us.
I’d always like Kelsey Starks during her days as a morning TV personality at WHAS-TV, and was sorry when she left the business five years ago for MommyVille. But she’s kept her toe in media, hosting a KET program for kids called NewsQuiz. She got my attention when she decided, as a way to boost her media coaching business, that she would start a show on Instagram Live with local TV personalities. She’s started with Terry Meiners and Lauren Jones, and the shows are entertaining and informative. We discovered we’re both intently watching “The Morning Show” on Apple TV and reading Katie Couric’s new book, as there’s always interest in TV and its stars.
I’ll miss Pizza Week as I’m going on a fun trip to New Orleans (for a wedding, of course). Last week I went to a place I’d not been before, the High Horse Bar on Story, where I saw Johnny Berry and the Outliers celebrate their new release.
Thanks to Hectare’s CBD, Salsarita’s Mexican Grill, and eXp Realty for sponsoring the show.
If you’re looking for some good news, an uplifting couple of stories, you’ve come to the right place. The Rusty Satellite Show features one of the city’s most beloved individuals, John King, and Chad Broskey, who has returned to his hometown to apply his talent management expertise to helping aspiring actors get work.
Until Memorial Day weekend, John King was living a good life, active in his church community and involved in some business ventures. But when some pain led him to get checked out by a doctor, the prognosis was grim. He spent a month in the hospital, and says he was told by doctors that the cancer he was living with had spread throughout his body. Faced with a reckoning with mortality, King underwent aggressive treatment. He also learned about the lives he’d touched in 59 years, and received an outpouring of support. After an event that drew 450 supporters at St. Raphael, he said it was like going to his own funeral, as you’ll hear in this inspiring interview that took place at Fante’s Coffee.
Chad Broskey wasn’t planning to come home. The YPAS graduate had moved to L.A. out of high school, found some success as an actor, and transitioned into a career in talent management. Then he got a call from Kathy Campbell, who wanted him to buy the Heyman Talent agency in Louisville. That was last November, and Broskey has a full roster of clients getting work from his spacious office in Butchertown. You’ll enjoy his story as well.
Personally, it’s been a heart-wrenching and retrospective week. Also on Wednesday, I attended the funeral visitation of my Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity brother Bob Leidgen, along with seven of my brothers. Bob died unexpectedly. He was a wonderful family man, businessman and had a lot of fun in his 62 years. But when someone you partied with passes away, you can’t help but think about mortality and how to make the most of the time we have on Earth.
There’s much more to talk about, including a new podcast series from the Courier-Journal focused on my high school, Iroquois, that I’m looking forward to hearing. It’s all on the most interesting podcast in the ‘Ville, the Rusty Satellite Show, sponsored by Hectare’s CBD, Salsarita’s and eXp Realty.
The Rusty Satellite shines on Portland this week, with my interview with the pastor of the Church of the Promise and the man behind the Portland Promise Center, Larry Stoess. We recorded our interview in his office, just in back of The Table restaurant, on Tuesday. Larry has a new book being released soon, Think Red, which examines how we might be different if everyone thought like Jesus. Stoess, raised in Oldham County, moved to Portland with his wife to start a ministry that has grown to include a restaurant and a new program for first-time home buyers. Listen in, and you’ll feel just a little bit better about good things happening in our community.
To borrow from the old SNL skit, Jessica Bledsoe and her husband decided last year to start living in a van (though not down by the river). The Bledsoes traveled extensively in the Western U.S., all the while working on their big project, PAVR. That’s a Google Marketplace Web app that helps busy people figure out how they’ve been spending their time. We met at her office in NuLu, just down the street from Hectare’s CBD store, where I was able to load up on some great new product.
While I’m truly focused on local news here on the Rusty Satellite, I was shocked to learn of the whole Jon Gruden fiasco. Little did I know that Gruden, who resigned as coach of my longtime favorite NFL team, the Raiders, was a homophobic, misogynistic bigot who represents what’s wrong with this country. And, surprise, many members of the far right are defending him over social media for horrific emails sent over an eight-year period. The truth is that you are what you write, no matter when you wrote it. The big local story is the announced resignation of John Yarmuth from Congress, setting up a contentious race for his seat in 2022. And Carla Dearing, a local businesswoman, announced that she’s joined the crowded race for Louisville mayor.
Some good news — Hillbilly Star, the new record from Johnny Berry & the Outliers, comes out tomorrow on SonaBlast Records, and there’s a release party at the High Horse Bar Oct. 29. The big event this weekend is, surprisingly, a matchup of undefeated college football teams — Georgia and . . . Kentucky.
The city’s longest running and most interesting podcast is sponsored by Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill, Hectare’s Natural Wellness Solutions, and eXp Realty. Call Rick at 502-439-6391 with your comments or suggestions about the show.
Once you hear Piper Madison’s new album, “How Do I Love?”, you won’t believe she’s just 19 years old. But the Louisville native, who has been splitting time between her home here and Los Angeles since was 9, is the real deal. We met at Big Spring Country Club (her Mom Rhonda and publicist Debra Locker Griffin were also there) as Piper performed the title track from her single and even a new Rusty Satellite Show jingle. She’s playing the Blind Squirrel Friday night, and will be in demand at local venues very soon.
It was also a great experience to see the result of a multi-million dollar renovation of the space at Big Spring, where I got a tour from my bowling buddy and GM Rick Thurston.
For locals, there seems to be nothing better than walking around outside in good weather drinking beer and listening to good live music. And that’s what Pat MacDonald and the Belknap Neighborhood Association have planned for the weekend. It’s a celebration of getting back to normal and honoring some of the businesses that have survived, including the Dundee Tavern and Hammerhead’s. Dundee proprietor Alan Hincks joins Pat late in the interview, along with Caroline Knop.
It was sad to see that Jared Mathews shut down Street Grub and Hops in St. Matthews, site of the Rusty Satellite 400th episode party. Let’s hope the valuable real estate turns into something cool.
Pat MacDonald and Alan Hincks at the Dundee Tavern
There’s plenty of other stuff going on this weekend, another coming out party for those of you who have been inside too long. There’s the U of L football game against Virginia Saturday afternoon. The Garvin Gate Blue Festival goes all day Saturday. Paristown hosts a Teddy Abrams event.
On Sunday I’ll be hosting an eXp Realty Open House in Lake Forest at 2218 Highland Springs. Come on by and see this gorgeous home. Thanks also to Hactare’s CBD in NuLu and Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill for sponsoring the show.
They’re both, at heart, beer guys. My two guests have this in common — they parlayed their love for beer into entrepreneurial businesses that others want to be a part of.
I met Sam Cruz at a hectic time — he and a small crew were prepping the kitchen at the new Against the Grain Sandwich Emporium, which opens Friday, and he was munching an Italian, and offered me one. I tried the roast beef and cheddar. I’m certain that on Friday, the sandwich business will be alive and well on 7th Street. Cruz/s company took over at a place that had been serving sandwiches there for five decades, as well as the music lounge downstairs formerly known as Jimmy Can’t Dance.
That place, where we did our interview, is now the Flamingo Lounge, and offer a variety of musical styles plus $5 Old Fashioneds during Happy Hour. Listening to our talk might get you mouth watering.
The challenges for an event company during a pandemic may sound epic, but Trevor Cravens says he’s on the other side, planning a big Oktoberfest weekend in Germantown and on the night before Halloween, the return of the city’s premier beerfest – the Tailspin Ale Fest. You’ll hear about the company’s other moves including the opening of a catering business and the purchase of a “Thirst Aid” ambulance, in our interview.
There’s no doubt the rebound in the economy is ON in Louisville. A big Utility Expo, on the heels of 160,000 screaming heave metal fans at Louder Than Life, signal that people are ready to get OUT. Plus, Decca Restaurant in NuLu just re-opened, along with a few other new restaurants. And finally the demolition of the old Sears building has begun, making way for the new TopGolf at Oxmoor. And I co-hosted the first Breakfast of Champions in 18 months this week at the fancy Louisville Thoroughbred Society.
I hope you enjoy the city’s longest-running and most interesting podcast, brought to you be Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill, Hectare’s CBD and eXp Realty.
I should have known it was going to be a big week Saturday, when I watched the end of the U of L football game from the UPS Flight Deck at Cardinal Stadium. Headed for a near-certain overtime, the UCF QB threw a pick-6 that Card defender Jaylin Alderman plucked from the air and ran 66 yards for a season-turning victory.
For a moment, life’s clock turned backward, to the pre-COVID days, when the Cards were a Top 20 team and every game seemed to turn out well. Of course, I woke up and it was still 2021, the stadium was still only half-full and I’m still wearing a mask to most places. But things are looking up.
When I saw Julie Raque Adams in July at the pickleball site ribbon-cutting at Sawyer Park, I knew I had to get her on the show. What’s surprising is that she hasn’t been on before show #409. Julie, a Republican State Senator, does a remarkable job in Frankfort. And she’s running for re-election in 2022. So we had plenty to talk about, starting with the state’s handling of the COVID crisis. I think you’ll find her answers interesting.
Next Wednesday, we’ll all be at the Louisville Thoroughbred Society downtown to hear about the future from Dr. Nat Irvin, a delightful U of L professor who studies trends in society to peer into what’s ahead. He’ll bring his crystal ball to the event, which you can attend for just $25. Call me at 502-439-6391. Here at the Rusty show, you can hear a preview in my talk with Dr. Irvin.
Thanks to Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill, Hectare’s CBD and eXp Realty for sponsoring the most interesting and longest-running podcast in the ‘Ville.
The Rusty Satellite Show’s short hiatus is over and I’m back with more of the most interesting people in the ‘Ville. We start with Kristin Walls, one of my favorite local meteorologists who was a guest on, believe it or not, show #30 back in 2014. She’s spent the last several years in Washington state, and recently returned and is on the air at Spectrum News 1.
Kristin and I spoke outdoors at the Spectrum complex on Linn Station Road, where I learned that her move back was to be closer to family in Ohio, and that the weather in Washington was so predictable she had time to start another show about….wine.
As you may know, my ventures into Indiana are pretty rare, but I’m excited about the new restaurant opening in downtown New Albany this week. The chef is Reed Johnson, a familiar name in local culinary circles, who has taken on Standard Plate & Pour as his latest project. Johnson’s been working at local restaurants for two decades, and has a lot of his old gang back together. He’s created an exciting menu of gastro pub fare you won’t find anywhere else.
On the homefront, there’s trouble in Cardinal Stadium, where it’s hard to say what’s worse — the team that Scott Satterfield has assembled that appears un-ready for ACC competition, or the fan experience that includes long concession stand lines, botched technology applications and even water fountains that don’t work. We’ll see if anybody shows up for Friday’s tilt with Central Florida, and if Vince Tyra’s promised improvements materialize.
Meanwhile, the Gaslight Festival is happening is J-town, with daily events leading up to the weekend’s street fair, with an expected crowd into the thousands walking around drinking, dancing and looking at all sorts of things to put in your yard. I’m still scratching my head as to why the NuLu Fest organizers canceled their event, given that it seems to be the only local event canceling due to COVID.
Please enjoy the longest-running and most interesting podcast in the ‘Ville, sponsored by Salsarita’s, Hectare’s CBD and ExP Realty.
It’s always a positive experience when you hang out with Dick Wilson, the world-class connector and philanthropist, who invited to me to a birthday lunch at the Louisville Thoroughbred Club. Prior to feasting on a Chorizo Flatbread, Dick and I found a quiet spot to talk about keeping things optimistic, even when the world seems to be falling apart. We’re planning to re-start the Breakfast of Champions, our decades-old meeting for go-getters, in September.
When Gill Holland suggested I get Johnny Berry on the show, I remembered a concert at Gerstle’s I went to back in the early 2000s. Berry was the opening act for Steve Forbert on a magical night in which a lot of local musicians were in the crowd. What I didn’t know was that Berry was new to Louisville and also working in the kitchen. Now he’s got some new music coming out under Holland’s SonaBlast label, and plays a lot of festivals and events, like next month’s NuLu Festival.
You’ll love hearing Johnny’s story about Opryland, and he even recorded a new promo for the show. Check out the Halfway to Louisville song on YouTube.
Speaking of shows, I’m celebrating my birthday with my favorite artist, Paul Thorn, who is playing Old Forester Hall in Paristown. But I’ve got a complaint. Those behind the decision to not require proof of vaccination to get in are, in my view, gutless. Especially when other venues around town are doing it. And I’ve got a complaint about the Mayor and Metro Council, who’ve come up with a solution for a problem that doesn’t exist — shutting down local bars at 2 a.m., instead of 4, a seemingly small move that won’t reduce crime and will hurt the bottom line for bars.
OK. so that’s all the complaining. I’m turning 61 on Saturday and have a big weekend ahead, and I hope you enjoy this 407th episode of the city’s longest-running and most interesting podcast. Thanks to Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill. Hectare’s CBD story in NuLu, and eXp Realty for sponsoring the show.
Both of this week’s guests are talented, but come from completely different views when it comes to the ‘Ville. One is a lifelong resident, while the other just moved here. But they both love Louisville and are doing their part to make it better.
Felipe Dieppa knew from an early age, growing up in New York, that he wanted a career in movie-making, he just never imagined he’d be doing it in Louisville. As an actor and producer, he just completed shooting on a film “Going Nowhere” that was shot in town and will be released to film festival and hopefully to streaming services. But Dieppa believes it’s only the start for making movies in the ‘Ville. I went to Dieppa’s home in Old Louisville for the interview.
Six years ago, I interviewed Danny Flanigan about his music career, the places he played and the local music scene. The only thing that’s really changed is that now Danny sports a COVID beard, and he may be busier than ever, playing in a tribute band, another band, and a regular Wednesday gig with LittleBand at Street Grub and Hops in St. Matthews. That’s a building he remembers playing a lifetime ago, just around the corner from his home.
Of course, the news on COVID is bad, and getting worse, and I blame it all on idiots who won’t get vaccinated, and on politicians Rand Paul and Thomas Massie who continue to sow doubt on the effectiveness of vaccines and masks. This despite the fact that more than 90 percent of new cases are unvaccinated people whose ignorance is filling up local hospitals.
Thankfully, more event venues are announcing vaccine requirements for admission, which should at least keep the unvaxed from sitting next to me in public. But I don’t see any relief for the school system, which is seeing unprecedented numbers of people needing to quarantine. Expect more restrictions from the government in the next few weeks.
The Rusty Satellite Show is brought to you by my friends at Salsarita’s, whose catering services are affordable, fresh and fun. And by Hectare’s CBD in NuLu. And remember to call me for great service in real estate at eXp Realty.
Here in the dog days … the Rusty Satellite Show is rocking. The city’s most interesting podcast brings you newsy interviews with two local women — both of whom are making their second appearance on the show.
In 2015, I interviewed Louisville Forward chief Mary Ellen Wiederwohl about her very important job in Mayor Greg Fischer’s administration — running the economic development arm of local government and overseeing its 400 or so employees. This week, she’s just started a five-month gig heading up LHOME, a non-profit that distributes loans to needy people for businesses and homes. With a staff of seven. But she acknowledges it is likely just a pit stop on a career that could possibly, maybe, roar back to life in politics, and she’s not ruling out getting in the Mayor’s race.
Robbie Bartlett told me it was simply a time for a change. The singer, loved and adored throughout the city, is giving up her weekly gig at Volare Restaurant to become a fixture at C.C.’s Low Carb Kitchen on 4th Street. Yes, she’s still playing at Jeff Ruby’s downtown on weekends, into her 16th year, but said she loves the vibe at C.C.’s. Her last night at Volare is August 12. We talked about how she survived the pandemic when all her venues were closed.
We have good news and bad news here in Jeffersontown, where the new Drake’s opened this week to big crowds, while our friends at Royal’s shut down their store in downtown J-town. But there was also an announcement that Wild Eggs is opening a new location here, so that’s an overall plus for the week. That’s good for Mayor Bill Dieruf, who celebrates his birthday today and has unveiled his campaign theme — Mayor for Everybody. I’ve also learned that the pickleball trend continues, with construction of a dozen new courts starting soon at Vettiner Park.
School is in session. so naturally the adults are all fighting over mask mandates, both here and around the country. Kentucky AG Daniel Cameron has filed a lawsuit that hopes to prevent local school boards from protecting kids and staff with mask mandates. And the defiant unvaccinated keep getting sick, all the while proclaiming its their right to infect others and fill up hospitals. But local events have announced requirements of vaccine proof before you can attend their events.
The city’s longest-running podcast is brought to you by Salsarita’s, with locations in St. Matthews and Middletown, along with Hectare’s CBD in NuLu, and eXp Realty.
From the movie Fight Club – the exact line is this: “The first rule of Fight Club is: You do not talk about Fight Club.” Well, we’re talking today with Chris and Amanda Griffin about the Fight Factory, a St. Matthews business tucked behind Momma’s Restaurant where MMA fighting and training is just the beginning. You’ll love Chris and Amanda — the story of how she came to know him because she was seeking some self-defense moves as she exited an unhealthy relationship, then eventually married the guy who ran the operation. Chris, a Lexington native, says he’s been around fighting his whole life, and has dozens of people come in for Fight Factory training.
First up we talk with Andre Kimo Stone Guess, who is now a month into his job as CEO of the Fund for the Arts, a vital organization that raises money and then distributes it to arts groups, an activity that advances the city’s cultural identity with the arts. Guess grew up a few miles from his office in Smoketown, but has traveled the world in a career that has seen him work with the biggest names in music. Listen in for an interesting interview.
Of course, the show is back after a two-week break, during which I acquired a new wedding ring and celebrated my union with Paula with great friends. Thanks to my friends at Salsarita’s, who provided a wedding-eve spread that was delicious. It was served at the LaQuinta Inn, provided to us by Paula and my friend Dan Parker. And we celebrated the wedding at Paristown with a beautiful brunch. Even the weather cooperated.
You’ll also notice a new spot from Hectare’s, the Louisville-based CBD Innovations company with a storefront at NuLu Marketplace. Stop in and see them. Let me know if you have guest ideas or suggestions for the show.
The real estate market is always changing, and you can talk to me about it anytime. I’m at eXp Realty, and you can start you home search right here.
Every morning this week, I’ve headed over to Hounz Lane Park and spent an hour or two playing pickleball. I just discovered the sport in March, began playing in April, and have really honed in on it recently. In the local pickleball community, I got my info from the Derby City Pickleball Facebook page, operated by my guest Keith Johnson. And Keith introduced me to Steve Hocker, a retired local businessman who is an accomplished player and instructor. We went to Tom Sawyer Park a few days before the opening of the state’s largest pickleball complex. (see Story here).
In my conversation with Keith and Steve, I learned a lot about the sport – the fact that it’s considered the fastest-growing activity in the U.S., for one. And as we sat under a tree at a picnic table adjacent to the new courts, I could feel the energy and enthusiasm over the new courts. Finally the city will be able to play host to tournaments and other competitions, and the sport can act as an economic development engine to bring people here.
Credit for the new complex goes to the Tom Sawyer State Park Foundation, which had the foresight three years ago to convert six of its tennis courts into a 16-court pickleball facility. It got the $100,000 to do it from the state in an effort led by Sen. Julie Raque Adams, a pickleballer herself. This Saturday, there will be official ribbon-cutting, demonstrations, vendors and a lot of people who love to play the game. You’ll learn a lot more by listening to the interviews.
Also this weekend, the J-town Beer Fest is the marquee event on Saturday. You heard all about it from Deana Karem on last week’s show. The tourism numbers around here are growing exponentially. Waterfront Wednesday returned for the first time this week. So everything is headed in the right direction, at least for those with the vaccine. If you’re one of those people who haven’t gotten vaccinated, just stay home. please.
Thanks to Home Cuisine, Hectare’s CBD and eXp Realty for sponsoring the show.
This show features two of my favorite topics — golf and beer. That’s right, the city’s most interesting and longest-running podcast introduces you to a young gun on the PGA Tour, Stephen Stallings Jr. Next weekend, Stallings will be competing in Kentucky’s lone regular tour event, the Barbasol Championship in Lexington. Over lunch at Salsarita’s on a rare trip home, Stephen and I talked about the challenges and the pure fan of competing against the best in the world every week. He has a disciplined, business-like approach to the game, and is one of the longest hitters on tour. And, like me and Phil Mickelson, he swings from the left side.
His mom is Pam Stallings, operator of the two Salsarita’s restaurants in town and a great friend of the show, who is quick to remind anyone who asks that she is looking for good employees for the restaurants. The food, by the way, is awesome.
Among the things we lost to the pandemic last year was large gatherings for drinking. And among the first events planned now that we can all gather is the July 17 J-town Beer Fest. It should be an amazing event, bringing thousands of people out to J-town, right down the street from my house. Deana Karem has been in charge of the Jtown Chamber for a year now, and is looking forward to making more things happen in the city. We talk about some of the new developments, and note that the new Drake’s should be opening soon.
July is typically a slow political time, but we did get word that my favorite Congressman, John Yarmuth, will have a challenger in next year’s election. Of course, I don’t think Yarmuth has much to worry about, but Attica Scott’s campaign should get plenty of attention. She’s the state representative and community activist who was arrested during the racial uprising protests in 2020.
You’ll also hear about my first visit to a drag show, at CC’s Low-Carb Kitchen, to see last week’s guest Tova UraVitch peform, and about my exciting Fourth of July experience at Paristown.
The podcast is brought to you by Home Cuisine, Hectare’s CBD and eXp Realty.
Welcome to the start of the next 400 shows in the illustrious history of the most interesting podcast in the ‘Ville. There’s no better way to start than with a remarkable guest — it is Drag Queen extraordinaire Tova Uravitch, or John, as he’s known off stage. Tova met with me and Caroline Knop this week at Fante’s Coffee, and told me the fascinating story of how he grew up in
Kentucky, moved to Florida and became a gymnast and stage performer, and made it back to Louisville where he is also a foster parent. Yes, it’s quite a story.
Gene Stein and I reminisced about high school football before getting on to the launch of Foodching, certainly an ambitious project that aims to be more restaurant-friendly than competing food delivery apps like DoorDash and UberEats. Gene told me about the planning of the launch and how the first order came in moments after the site went live.
Thanks to the former Rusty Satellite guests who came to Diamond Street Grub & Hops for a great 400th episode celebration, and especially to Corey Boston for bringing extra copies of the latest edition of Jeffersontown Magazine, featuring the show’s host on the cover. It was certainly a banner week for all things Rusty.
In politics, it appears Charles Booker is set to challenge Rand Paul in next year’s U.S. Senate election, and I’ll certainly be in his camp and will try to get him on the show. Rumor has it that the Mayor’s Race will get an additional candidate very soon in Mary Ellen Wiederwohl, the former Louisville Forward chief.
The longest-running podcast in the ‘Ville is brought to you by Home Cuisine, Hectare’s CBD and eXp Realty.
Eight years, 700+ guests, with a pandemic thrown in, the Rusty Satellite Show has persevered to reach a milestone unimaginable back in June 2013. But then again, there’s never been a reason to stop producing the longest-running podcast in the ‘Ville. It began in a time when podcasts were a novel idea, before hosting a podcast became as expected as having a web site for anyone hoping to make a mark on the world. But today the Rusty Satellite Show wades through a world of a million podcasts, boasting a track record like no other.
My very special guest is Mayor Bill Dieruf of Jeffersontown, who recently announced he’s up for a bigger job. He’s the only (thus far) Republican to announce his candidacy for Mayor of Louisville, running on his track record of success in J-town and his ability to lead and succeed in a common-sense way. He just might be in the right place at the right time to become the city’s first Republican mayor since the 1960s. He’s got great ideas to move Louisville forward.
I’m also talking with Corey Boston, publisher of Jeffersontown Magazine, which features Yours Truly in a cover story this week. Corey operates magazines in St. Matthews and Middletown as well, and tells me how he came to publishing from a history in health care and insurance. The magazine is in its fourth year. Here’s a link to the Rusty Satellite Show story.
We haven’t really celebrated a milestone like this since show #100, when we gathered at now-defunct Louie Louie’s in Jtown, when the show still seemed new. For episodes 200 and 300, I had Mayor Greg Fischer as my guest.
I’m often asked, given there have been some 700+ guests, about which was my favorite, or which episode really got a lot of attention. As much as I’d like to have a good answer for that one, I think the experience of having a meaningful, thoughtful conversation, meant to be entertaining, is what it’s all about. I will say that one of the things I’m most proud of is the diversity of guests, the variety of industries and geography that have been featured on the show. It really is a chronicle of, as the theme song says, “What the Hell is Going On” in Louisville every week.
I sure plan to continue into the future. Thanks to all of you who provide feedback, ideas and support. I’ll be back next week.
If you like being in the know about exciting new projects around here, you’re going like this spisode. It features a little-known patch of land in Indiana that’s becoming a crown jewel among area parks, and a program designed to put young people on playing fields in a variety of sports.
The 399th episode of the city’s most interesting podcast beings with Scott Martin, who talked with me a few years back as the executive behind the Parklands, the now-completed and enormously successful series of parks in east Louisville. Scott’s moved on to a new project called Origin Park, a stretch of Indiana land between Clarksville and New Albany. I’ve traveled the 7 mile trail on my bike, but you’ll hear about Martin’s plan to expand the area as a community asset.
Luke Gamble likely never thought he’d end up in Louisville. But that was before the tennis professional met Gill Holland, who enticed Gamble with a project here involving youth sports. Gamble, who played collegiately at Princeton, calls it the “Fund for the Arts, for Sports.” The idea is to assist and/or create organizations that give young people an opportunity to play organized ball, or any type. Gamble, who has been ranked among the top doubles players in the world, is also helping coach collegiate teams at Bellarmine and Louisville.
In the new, there has been news in the Mayor’s Race — Bill Dieruf, the mayor of Jeffersontown, announced his intention to run as, thus far, the only Republican in the race. Metro Council president David James, considered a front-runner, dropped out for health reasons. Business executive Craig Greenberg got a boost when former Councilwoman Barbara Sexton Smith joined his campaign. And there’s plenty of speculation about who else might join the race.
Dieruf will by one of my guests next week for show #400, and you don’t want to miss it. Also, the big 400th episode celebration is planned for June 30 in St. Matthews. Save the date and join us. We get support from Home Cuisine, Hectare’s CBD and eXp Realty. Thanks for listening.
It’s been a few thousand miles, one knee injury and a round of cicada-swatting since the last Rusty Satellite Show, and you’ll love this new episode from the ‘Ville’s longest-running and most interesting podcast.
We missed a lot during the two-week break, but glad to be back as all COVID protocols go away Friday — yes, you can get rid of that damn mask. I’ve got news of my pal Chris Thieneman buying the Glenmary Golf Course, and my Mayor here in Jeffersotown, announcing that he’s running for Greg Fischer’s job. Plus, there’s a TopGolf update and two more ludicrous political ideas from Republicans.
But the focus is on two wonderful guests. I met Chris Howerton at Fante’s Coffee, where the cicadas were making their presence known. Chris is a long-time local restaurant veteran who’s launched his own brand of seasonings and spices. My sample sprinkled on a Fante’s ham-and-cheese was tasty. Chris has transformed his love of cooking into what promises to be a successful business.
For Corey Milliman, the path to entrepreneurship featured several detours, not the least of which is a battle with COVID, from which he’s still recovering. He calls himself a long hauler, with bouts of brain fog. Despite that, last October he opened CC’s Low Carb Kitchen in the 800 Building downtown, and it’s become the happening place for low-carb food and entertainment, including a Sunday Drag Brunch. Find out how a Wisconsin native with an IT background ended up running this unique business in our interview.
Plans for the Rusty Satellite Show 400th episode party are being made, I just can’t tell you the details yet. But I hope you’ll come. I’d love to see y’all in person without masks, and please, don’t be dumb — get vaccinated. The show is brought to you by Home Cuisine, Hectare’s CBD, and eXp Realty. Call me anytime at 502-439-6391 to talk real estate.