On this week's show, we bring you an informed community conversation about brownfield contaminants at the site of Perry Elementary School in the West End (755 Dixie Hwy, at Broadway). This conversation with Audrey Ernstberger of the Kentucky Resources Council was hosted by the West Jefferson County Community Task Force on July 15, 2025.

Perry Elementary is located on property that was owned and operated by Phillip Morris USA, Inc., and was a tobacco stem processing plant. The manufacturing facility used many chemicals that are considered volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that remained in the soil when Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) acquired the property. There are concerns about VOCs still currently on the school grounds after construction. If you missed the July 15th meeting at which Audrey Ernstberger, a staff attorney with the Kentucky Resources Council, led the discussion about this concern, you need to listen to this. The recording of the entire meeting is available here at https://transcripts.gotomeeting.com/#/s/d4a36bf5fc8d28119fe8f1e8a59c014cb8cce3193b49420161814284805769a1

Audrey Ernstberger is a staff attorney with the Kentucky Resources Council (https://www.kyrc.org). She graduated from Centre College and earned her JD from UofL's Brandeis School of Law. During law school, her energy law class and experience as a Resilience Justice Fellow researching equitable environmental access for vulnerable communities inspired her to pursue a career in envi-ronmental law. Shortly after law school, she pursued a Master of Laws from George Washington University Law School, attending classes and working as a research assistant to identify legal obstacles to preplanning electric grid development after a natural disaster. Before working for KRC, she worked for the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission as a Legislative Analyst for the House and Senate Economic Development and Workforce Investment Committee. Her advocacy experience includes her time as a Student Attorney at the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau, where she and her co-counsel won a government benefits case on appeal.

Do you need more information about environmental concerns and legislation? Please read the “Summer 2025 Work in Motion” by the Kentucky Resources Council (KRC) found at https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:a79b7ed1-5c54-4776-9cca-8cea310b1b19?fbclid=IwY2xjawL5F1tleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFMZDRlY2dvTjUwZEZCd2hlAR4xBilIpk_7ajQQdJqCR51YnouHzHV-_rMMocd5ogXm0mVhJ3XpjheUAlIeUg_aem_NREmXRfdsVVHrwdQrHUM1g&viewer%21megaVerb=group-discover

West Jefferson County Community Task Force Monthly Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month (except December) 5:30-7pm online. The Task Forcebrings concerns and important information to residents and businesses about environmental, health and wellness issues that impact our communities. Topics vary each month. Join the conversation. Let your voice be heard and get the answers you need. Monthly topics are posted at https://facebook.com/WJCCTF. For more info, call Arnita at 502-645-3588. 

And we hope you can join us at the annual Environmental Justice Conference organized by WJCCTF, which will be held at the University of Louisville on Saturday, September 20th from 10am-2pm. Registration and more info will be available at https://louisville.edu/sustainability/events/2025-environmental-justice-conference

On Truth to Power each week, we bring you community conversations like you won't hear anywhere else! Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 4pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://forwardradio.org. If you like what you hear, share it with someone, donate to keep us on-air, and get involved as a volunteer!

Truth To Power | Audrey Ernstberger | Contaminants at Perry Elementary  | WJCCTF | 8-1-25

Hear more bizarre science stories for our 7th birthday celebration!   An alien spaceship (looking like a comet) traveling towards our sun?  Popping noises produced by plants, and the insects that can hear it?  Macaques who like to watch the same kind of videos that humans do?  Meteor showers, planets, and constellations in our night sky?  A rock on the edge of our solar system that 'dances' with Neptune?  Hear it all on this episode!

‘Bench Talk: The Week in Science’ is a weekly program that airs on WFMP Louisville FORward Radio 106.5 FM (forwardradio.org) every Monday at 7:30 pm, Tuesday at 11:30 am, and Wednesday at 7:30 am.

Visit our Facebook page for links to the articles discussed in this episode: https://www.facebook.com/BenchTalkRadio

Music ('Bienvenue au cirque' by Jean-Paul V) is a public-domain piece provided by pixabay.com.

Bench Talk | More Bizarre Science Stories! | August 11, 2025

This week, your Sustainability Now! host, Justin Mog, sits down with Robert LeVertis Bell, a JCPS teacher who has recently announced his candidacy for the open Kentucky House District 43 race. Bell’s experience includes social justice activism, teaching in JCPS, and leadership in the Shelby Park Neighborhood Association and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). In late July, Robert LeVertis Bell, a community organizer and veteran of Louisville’s progressive movement, announced his campaign to represent Kentucky House District 43 in the 2026 Democratic primary. Bell, a 45-year-old West Louisville native, is a seventh grade English teacher. In 2022, Bell ran for the same seat and lost narrowly to incumbent Pam Stevenson, despite the death of his mother at the end of the campaign and the full weight of the Democratic establishment backing his opponent. This time, the seat is open, as Stevenson is vacating it to run for US Senate.

Bell is entering the race at a moment of rising momentum for democratic socialist candidates across the country. His campaign draws inspiration from New York Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani’s recent upset victory in the New York City mayoral primary, where Mamdani, backed by DSA and a coalition of labor and progressive organizations, defeated a prominent establishment figure on a platform of housing justice and public investment. 

Bell’s political roots run deep—he is the grandson of Louisville civil rights legend Mattie Jones. He currently teaches English at Frederick Law Olmsted Academy North, an all-boys public school in South Louisville where Bell had also served as a JCTA union representative. 

Bell’s platform centers around four key planks: strong schools, safe and affordable housing, and real political power for working people. His proposals include:
•        Raising the minimum wage and cracking down on wage theft
•        Funding high-paying jobs in public schools for professional educators to teach children with best practices rather than relying on screens and AI.
•        Expanding union rights and collective bargaining across the public and private sectors
•        Fully funding public schools and universal Pre-K
•        Expanding renter protections, including local control over tenant laws and a pathway to rent control  
•        Repealing Kentucky’s anti-trans legislation (SB 150) and restoring abortion rights
•        A Kentucky Green New Deal that resists data center pollution, reins in LG&E, and pushes for public ownership of utilities
•        Securing local revenue authority for Louisville and reversing state interference

The primary election is coming up on May 19, 2026 and all 100 seats in the Kentucky House will be on the ballot next year.

More information on Bell and his platform can be found at https://www.bell4ky.com
Additional links:
Democratic Socialists of America: https://www.dsausa.org
Louisville DSA: https://www.dsalouisville.org 
Forward Radio does not endorse any particular candidates or pieces of legislation, but we do endorse an informed electorate. We offer equal air time to all candidates for any given seat.

As always, our feature is followed by your community action calendar for the week, so get your calendars out and get ready to take action for sustainability NOW!

Sustainability Now! is hosted by Dr. Justin Mog and airs on Forward Radio, 106.5fm, WFMP-LP Louisville, every Monday at 6pm and repeats Tuesdays at 12am and 10am. Find us at https://forwardradio.org

The music in this podcast is courtesy of the local band Appalatin and is used by permission. Explore their delightful music at https://appalatin.com

Sustainability Now! | Robert LeVertis Bell | Candidate for KY House District 43 | 8-11-25

Solutions to Violence features James Orlick. James Orlick is a higher education leader with more than 18 years' experience advancing inclusive excellence, social justice, and institutional change. He currently serves as Director of Grant Writing & Innovation for Inclusive Excellence at the University of Louisville, where he has helped secure millions in external funding to expand college and career pathways for historically underserved students.
A first-generation college graduate from McDowell County, West Virginia, James is a Pell Grant recipient and a proud member of the LGBTQ community. His lived experience fuels his lifelong commitment to educational equity, social mobility, and systemic change.
James has been a visible voice in Kentucky’s higher education policy debates, with his public advocacy against anti-DEI legislation featured in major news outlets. He successfully challenged the Kentucky Legislature’s violation of the state’s Open Meetings Act, resulting in a formal opinion from the Attorney General confirming the law had been broken.
His leadership spans cross-sector initiatives in diversity, equity, inclusion, workforce development, and place-based education. He has built partnerships with national legal, policy, education, and social justice organizations and helped organize a statewide higher education union uniting faculty, staff, and students.
James is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Organizational Development at the University of Louisville


Solutions to Violence | James Orlick | Equitable Higher Education | Aug. 17, 2025

It’s a special live music edition this week, as your Sustainability Now! host, Justin Mog, is joined in studio by three local musicians who make up The Cottonwood Buds (https://www.instagram.com/thecottonwoodbuds). Rina Perlin is a lifelong singer and, for the past several years, also a practicing psychiatrist in Louisville. Jon Riesser enjoys all sorts of guitar, but especially likes flatpicking and accompanying folks in bluegrass and old time music - he plays guitar, banjo, a little harmonica, and sings in The Cottonwood Buds! He also does law professionally. Carolyn Waters is a vocalist and guitarist by night and a consultant for parks, outdoor programs, and ecology projects by day. The band is self-described as three buds playing folk-adjacent tunes in Louisville, KY. Three-part vocal harmonies with acoustic guitar and a few other novel instruments. Learn more about them at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561925151416

Tune in to hear The Cottonwood Buds perform a collection of three absurd climate change songs live in the Forward Radio studio! The set list includes covers of:
- “Vampire” by Neil Young 
- “Waiting for Superman” by the Flaming Lips 
- “Tables and Chairs” by Andrew Bird
After each song, we discuss the inspiration and the broader social issues these songs address.

Don’t miss your chance to see The Cottonwood Buds perform a full set of music out in the community at Deer Park Porchfest on Sunday, September 28th, from 2-6pm (https://www.deerparklouisville.com/porchfest)

As always, our feature is followed by your community action calendar for the week, so get your calendars out and get ready to take action for sustainability NOW!

Sustainability Now! is hosted by Dr. Justin Mog and airs on Forward Radio, 106.5fm, WFMP-LP Louisville, every Monday at 6pm and repeats Tuesdays at 12am and 10am. Find us at https://forwardradio.org

The music in this podcast is courtesy of the local band Appalatin and is used by permission. Explore their delightful music at https://appalatin.com

Sustainability Now! | The Cottonwood Buds | Live in Studio | 8-18-25

Dr Pat Murphy on his holistic approach to addiction treatment. James P. Murphy, MD, DFASAM is founder and CEO of Murphy Pain Center. He serves gratis as an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. He has earned a Master of Medical Management from the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business. He has board certifications in Pain Medicine, Addiction Medicine, and Anesthesiology. His Pain Management fellowship was at Rochester, Minnesota’s Mayo Clinic, where he also served on the faculty of the Mayo Medical School.

Single Payer Radio | Dr Pat Murphy - Successful Opioid Addiction Treatment | 8-11-2025

Big crowds turned up at two public meetings to express their ideas, make comments and ask questions regarding what they would like to see happen at these flood-prone parks and other public areas along River Rd between the Big Four Bridge and Indian Hills.  These meetings took place August 11 and 13, 2025 and were put on by the Louisville Office of Metro Planning, Metro Parks and the Department of Transportation.  Everyone was encouraged to fill out an online survey by Googling River Road Land Use Vision Plan and clicking on the "We Want to Hear from You!" icon.

Election Connection | The Public Speaks Out at Champions Park and Beyond Public Meeting | 8-11-25

#244 Critical Thinking for Everyone! | Critical Thinking Coaching | August 21, 2025

This week we bring you a vital community conversation about the impacts of Data Centers and LG&E/KU's plans to power them on our utility bills, our climate, and our environment. On the evening of August 19, 2025, Forward Radio’s proud Community Partner, the Greater Louisville Sierra Club hosted this conversation at United Crescent Hill Ministries with Elisa Owen, Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign Organizer in Kentucky. 

Corporate energy giant PPL Corporation — parent company of Louisville Gas & Electric (LG&E) and Kentucky Utilities (KU) —is pushing a $3.7 billion fossil-fueled expansion and justifying this as needed to meet surging electricity demand from data centers and industrial projects. Instead of making big corporations pay their fair share, PPL wants Kentucky families to foot the bill through higher rates. 

Elisa helps us understand Kentucky’s Public Service Commission and the process of granting a CPCN (Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity), the issues around emerging data centers, and what we can do as citizen activists to help insure a clean and reliable electric grid that benefits everyone and can power our country into the future while reducing coal and gas emissions, improving public health, and mitigating the impacts of our changing climate. Learn more at https://sierraclub.org/kentucky 

See also the July 30, 2025 Courier-Journal article, 'Who will bear the cost?': Utility rates could rise as Kentucky attracts data centers" https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2025/07/30/data-center-development-could-cause-utility-bills-to-rise-in-kentucky/85273453007
...and the August 8, 2025 article in the Kentucky Lantern, "Kentuckians tell state utility regulator to oppose new gas-fired power for prospective data centers"  https://kentuckylantern.com/2025/08/05/kentuckians-tell-state-utility-regulator-to-oppose-new-gas-fired-power-for-prospective-data-centers  

Another great resource is the Louisville Climate Action Network: https://www.louisvillecan.org/action/datacenters  

Video recording of this event is available at https://www.sierraclub.org/kentucky/greater-louisville-group

On Truth to Power each week, we bring you community conversations like you won't hear anywhere else! Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 4pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org. If you like what you hear, share it with someone, donate to keep us on-air, and get involved as a volunteer!

Truth To Power | Elisa Owen | Data Centers and LGE | Sierra Club | 8-22-25

K.A. Owens interviews Robbey Taylor of Black Lives Matter and 50501. Topic: The State of Organizing in America. Recorded Saturday August 23, 2025, 1PM.

On The Edge With K.A. Owens | Robbey Taylor | Black Lives Matter and 50501 | Organizing | 8-23-25

Anita Davis  is a native Kentuckian, raised in Meade County. She has a BS in mathematics education and advanced degrees in educational administration. After teaching high school math for nine years, Anita served as an assistant principal in Marion County. She later served as Asst Supt in Elizabethtown Independent Schools before moving to the Oldham County schools district. There she served as the Asst Supt of Curriculum and Instruction and as the Chief Academic Officer before retiring. 
After watching the attacks on our democratic norms and institutions, she decided to join Kentucky Citizens for Democracy, a grassroots organization based in Oldham County. She currently serves as the Associate Director of Kentucky Citizens for Democracy.. 


Solutions to Violence | Anita Davis | Kentucky Citizens for Democracy | 8-25-25~0

What time of day is best to take pills for high blood-pressure?  There is new research indicating that nighttime dosage of hypertension pills might be best, but is it true?  Then hear an interview with particle physicist Dr. Harry Cliff, about how the current 'Standard Model of Particle Physics' is insufficient.  What gaps are there in our knowledge of subatomic particles and energies?  Thanks to the 'Big Picture Science' podcast for permission to rebroadcast this modified version of their August 11th show:  https://radio.seti.org/beyond-the-standard-model.

‘Bench Talk: The Week in Science’ is a weekly program that airs on WFMP Louisville FORward Radio 106.5 FM (forwardradio.org) every Monday at 7:30 pm, Tuesday at 11:30 am, and Wednesday at 7:30 am. 

Visit our Facebook page for links to the articles discussed in this episode:  https://www.facebook.com/BenchTalkRadio 

Music ('Homeroad' by Kai Engel) provided on public domain by SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/kaiengel/homeroad'.

Bench Talk | Timing Hypertension Pills - Standard Model of Particle Physics | August 25, 2025

Today’s Solutions to Violence program features a panel discussion concerning the now 1.06 Trillion dollar military budget, produced by the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and titled  “The Trillion Dollar Pentagon Budget: Boondoggle or Beneficial?” Ben Freeman, director of the Democratizing Foreign Policy program at the Quincy Institute, will introduce the panel and moderate the discussion. The Panel includes Willaim Hartung, Julia Gledhill and Veronique De Rugy.

Solutions to Violence | Trillion Dollar Military Budget | Quincy Institute Panel | Aug. 31, 2025

We bring you something a little lighter and more fanciful on this Labor Day holiday on Sustainability Now!, as your host, Justin Mog, shelves his plans for colonizing Mars with Barry Zalph, retired engineer and environmental advocate. Tune in for a conversation that will debunk some of the myths about our ability to successfully settle humans on Mars and, hopefully, help you understand just how precious Earth is and how important it is that we focus all of our energy and innovation into protecting the only truly habitable planet we know of.

The ideas for colonizing Mars fall into two categories: Living underground for protection from the radiation that bombards the surface; and terraforming Mars to make it more suitable for human habitation. Tune in to hear more about Barry’s top ten list of the stupidest assumptions behind the “terraforming” idea:
1) We can increase the density of the Martian atmosphere by 160x;
2) We can shift the Martian atmosphere from 96% CO2 to match the earth's atmosphere;
3) We can control the CO2 concentration of the reconstituted atmosphere to 350 ppm +/- 100 ppm, outside of which humans can't function;
4) We can bring enough organisms from earth to build not one but many diverse, resilient ecosystems there, so that inevitable fluctuations in ecosystem health don't collapse all life on the planet;
5) We can bring enough small and large animals, not just microbes and plants, to reproduce without inbreeding;
6) We can function well with the day length, year length, sky color, solar radiation, solar wind, weather, clouds, gravity, magnetic field, etc. all different from that with which we have evolved for millions of years;
7) The first group of colonists, no more than a couple hundred, didn't die of boredom, claustrophobia, mutual murder, and alienation while living underground and slaving toward an impossible terraformed utopian ideal;
8) The resident population of Earth would keep busting their asses to provide the ludicrous amounts of energy, materials, and labor over at least 100 years in an attempt to fulfill this dream;
9) There is no life on Mars, or any life on Mars can coexist with our living systems or deserves to be killed off to make room for us; and
10) It is ethically sound for us to colonize another planet. What could possibly go wrong?? 

For more, check out:
Book: A City on Mars (2023), Kelly and Zach Weinersmith - humorous and well-researched. Kelly Weinersmith is a professor of Biology at Rice University in Houston. https://acityonmars.com/
Podcast episode: “Infinite Monkey Cage” episode dated 7/16/2025, “Should We Settle in Space,” with panelists Tim Peake, Kelly Weinersmith, and Alan Davies.  https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002fwpz

As always, our feature is followed by your community action calendar for the week, so get your calendars out and get ready to take action for sustainability NOW!

Sustainability Now! is hosted by Dr. Justin Mog and airs on Forward Radio, 106.5fm, WFMP-LP Louisville, every Monday at 6pm and repeats Tuesdays at 12am and 10am. Find us at https://forwardradio.org

The music in this podcast is courtesy of the local band Appalatin and is used by permission. Explore their delightful music at https://appalatin.com

Sustainability Now! | Barry Zalph | The Folly of Colonizing Mars | 9-1-25

Forward Radio was a proud media sponsor of Louisville VegFest - Kentucky’s premier celebration of all things vegan - on Saturday, September 6, 2025 from noon-6pm at the Mellwood Art Center! Formerly known as Bluegrass VegFest, this all-vegan, community-focused event highlights the joy of plant-based eating and conscious, sustainable living. Enjoy delicious food from regional restaurants and food trucks, craft beer and cocktails, inspiring speaker talks, a live cooking demo, an amazing lineup of vendors, kids’ activities, educational exhibits, and so much more. In addition to interviewing several of the vendors and participants, we brought you full, wall-to-wall live coverage of all of this year's speakers, including:

12:15pm  Kennedy Little, Food Empowerment Project
Kennedy Little from Lexington is a senior pursuing pre-Law and Agribusiness with a minor in Public Administration at Morehead State University. After going vegan in 2019, Kennedy began to use her background in agriculture organizing to help change the unethical norms many agriculture workers face. Kennedy works as a Youth Advocacy Team Member for the vegan and food justice nonprofit known as the Food Empowerment Project.

1:15pm  DOMINICK THOMPSON, Activist, Athlete, Creator, Author
Dominick Thompson is a powerhouse voice in the vegan movement - an Ironman triathlete, social entrepreneur, and animal rights activist who has inspired hundreds of thousands through his story and his work. After making the life-changing decision to go vegetarian while incarcerated 24 years ago, he’s gone on to become a leader in the No-Meat Athlete movement, launch his wellness brand Eat What Elephants Eat, and publish a cookbook with the same title. He’s also the real-life inspiration behind the upcoming film Land of Wolves.

2:15pm  BECKI STREIF, Founder of TRIBE ANIMAL SANCTUARY
Becki Streif is the co-founder and managing director of Tribe Sanctuary, a 10-acre haven just outside Louisville that provides lifelong homes to rescued cows, pigs, horses, goats, and other farmed animals - many with special needs. After watching Forks Over Knives in 2013, Becki and her husband, Greg, went vegan and began what would become a life-changing journey into animal rescue.  Becki’s talk, “Creating Sanctuary: Saving Lives and Building Hope,” will take you behind the scenes of what it takes to turn compassion into a mission, build a sanctuary from the ground up.

3:15PM  TODD ANDERSON, Cooking Demo by Chef & Cookbook Author @TURNIP VEGAN
Todd Anderson, better known as @TurnipVegan, is a self-taught chef, content creator, and cookbook author who’s inspiring hundreds of thousands to see plants in a whole new way. With nearly a million Instagram followers, Todd’s laid-back, creative approach to vegan cooking has made him one of the most beloved voices in the plant-based space. After watching a life-changing documentary, Todd transitioned to a vegan lifestyle and hasn’t looked back. Now based in Joshua Tree, he’s busy creating vibrant, flavorful vegan recipes and even building his dream greenhouse in the desert - all while showing the world just how delicious plants can be. His new cookbook is It’s All About Plantz & Mushroomz

4:15pm  NEMANJA GOLUBOVIC, Founder & CEO of Chicago vegan restaurant KALE MY NAME, Host of KALE CREW, the hit vegan travel and food show streaming on UnchainedTV.
Known for his infectious energy and passion, Nemanja has become one of the most influential voices in the vegan movement, inspiring hundreds of thousands through his restaurants, media projects, and advocacy for animals. His Chicago-based restaurant Kale My Name has been crowned “America’s Vegan Restaurant of the Year” by VegOut Magazine, won VegNews’ Veggie Award for “Best Vegan Casual Restaurant,” and has earned national recognition from PETA and the Chicago Reader. At VegFest, Nemanja filed an episode of Kale Krew’s new season and shared how we can harness the power of social media to create meaningful change, from raising awareness and sparking conversations to inspiring action and helping build a more compassionate world.

Full details: https://vegkentucky.org/vegfest

LIVE from Louisville VegFest | September 6, 2025

This week we summarize and supplement a July 31 article in 'The Atlantic' magazine called "Every Scientific Empire Comes To An End:  America’s Run As The Premier Techno-Superpower May Be Over."  (https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2025/07/science-empire-america-decline/683711/).  We discuss repressive regimes that have stifled scientific achievement in the past, and compare that with what is happening in the US now.  The show ends with a survey of the September night sky by Kentucky astronomer Scott Miller.

‘Bench Talk: The Week in Science’ is a weekly program that airs on WFMP Louisville FORward Radio 106.5 FM (forwardradio.org) every Monday at 7:30 pm, Tuesday at 11:30 am, and Wednesday at 7:30 am. 

Visit our Facebook page for links to the articles discussed in this episode:  https://www.facebook.com/BenchTalkRadio 

Music is 'Magic in the Garden' by Rafael Krux (freepd.com).




Bench Talk | Is America Losing It's Scientific Prowess? - September Sky | Sept 8, 2025

This week on Sustainability Now!, your host, Justin Mog, catches up with the evolving story about the future of the Nia Center at 2900 W. Broadway with Shaun Spencer, Nia Center tenant (owner of My Hub Print Center) and co-founder of the West Louisville Dream Team, and Timothy Cox, current president of the West Louisville Dream Team (https://www.facebook.com/share/15QUpdZjic/).

On August 26, 2025, Louisville’s Transit Authority of River City (TARC) voted unanimously to enter a 14-day exclusive negotiation period with the West Louisville Dream Team (WLDT) on the potential sale of the Nia Center for $2.1 million—an important step toward keeping this West Broadway landmark in community hands.

The Nia Center has long been a small-business hub and gathering place for West Louisville. After earlier redevelopment ideas fell through this summer, TARC is now negotiating directly with WLDT, which plans to preserve the building, restore its community space, and raise the capital needed to complete the purchase. WLDT’s plan targets a healthy, 90% occupancy within three years and seeks partnership with Metro Council for community-space support—aligning economic activity with civic life in the neighborhood.

The West Louisville Dream team is made up of residents, business owners, and those that are concerned about the positive image of west Louisville. It was started in 2012 with four members to attract more businesses and promote the image of west Louisville. Their mission is to work in collaboration with neighborhood associations to positively affect west Louisville. WLDT is a non-for-profit community organization with about 90 residents, non-profit, and businesses on its mailing list.

In 1998 date, the Nia Center was opened as a promise by the city to west Louisville. In the 2000s, the Nia Center served as a hub of resources for entrepreneurs and job seekers; however, around 2016-17 after Metro Louisville took over its management, gradually, as tents moved out, they weren’t replaced and its role as an economic resource hub diminished. 

The Nia Center also served as a gathering space for the community and an internet hub for west Louisville residents without internet access. The building was open seven days a week, with non-traditional evening hours during the week and on weekends. Eventually, the building’s operating hours were reduced, and the community room was removed from public access. Likewise, the internet connection was not as fast as promised, and it couldn’t be accessed outside of the building’s hours.

How can the community support West Louisville Dream Team’s effort to acquire the Nia Center?
Donate. Invest. Sign the petition. Help us raise: $50,000 by October 12th! $1 million by December 31st to buy the Nia Center!

Get in touch with them at saveniacenter@gmail.com and find the petition to Save Nia Center at https://www.change.org/p/save-the-nia-center

Contact Carla Dearing, Head of Community Investment, at carlad@centerforneighborhoods.org to be connected with ways you can help.

SEE: https://centerforneighborhoods.org/neighbors-at-the-helm-cfns-role-in-the-nia-center-path-to-community-ownership/
https://www.lpm.org/news/2025-08-27/tarc-west-louisville-dream-team-to-negotiate-on-sale-of-nia-center

As always, our feature is followed by your community action calendar for the week, so get your calendars out and get ready to take action for sustainability NOW!

Sustainability Now! is hosted by Dr. Justin Mog and airs on Forward Radio, 106.5fm, WFMP-LP Louisville, every Monday at 6pm and repeats Tuesdays at 12am and 10am. Find us at https://forwardradio.org

The music in this podcast is courtesy of the local band Appalatin and is used by permission. Explore their delightful music at https://appalatin.com

Sustainability Now! | Shaun Spencer & Timothy Cox | Update on Saving the Nia Center | 9-15-25

Recently, physicists learned how to generate lasers from Peacock feathers.  After discussing that, we explore a recent report that 5% of birds in Australia might exhibit 'sex reversal'.  In 'sex reversal' the body's sex organs don't match the sex as determined by DNA testing.  Finally, Dr. Leslie Moise reads a poem she wrote about an innovative recycling program in New Orleans that converts discarded glass bottles into beach sand.

‘Bench Talk: The Week in Science’ is a weekly program that airs on WFMP Louisville FORward Radio 106.5 FM (forwardradio.org) every Monday at 7:30 pm, Tuesday at 11:30 am, and Wednesday at 7:30 am. 

Visit our Facebook page for links to the articles discussed in this episode:  https://www.facebook.com/BenchTalkRadio 

Music ('Blossoming' by Podington Bear) provided by Free Music Archive.  



Bench Talk | Lasers from Peacocks! - Sex Reversal in Birds - Innovative Glass Recycling | Sept 22, 2025

This week on Sustainability Now!, your host, Justin Mog, is honored to be in conversation with Natasha DeJarnett, PhD, MPH, BCES, Assistant Professor of Environmental Medicine at the University of Louisville’s School of Medicine, and a researcher with UofL's Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute (https://louisville.edu/envirome). Dr. DeJarnett's research interests include the cardiovascular health burden of extreme heat exposure, air quality, and environmental health disparities. In addition, Dr. DeJarnett is passionate about environmental health research that informs policies and empowering communities through research engagement.

Tune in as we discuss climate impacts on human health, including air quality, extreme heat, extreme weather, precipitation extremes, and vectorborne disease; Health inequities and environmental justice; Her previous work in the Biden-Harris Administration at the White House Council on Environmental Quality around the Justice40 Initiative and the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool; The current federal landscape; and her work co-editing a textbook on environmental health called “Environmental Health Foundations for Public Health.”

We also bring you a preview of an exciting new series called “& Science” which kicks off this week on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025 on the theme of Communication & Science, with a reception from 5:15-6pm and a panel discussion from 6-7:30pm, at the Kentucky Center for African-American Heritage (1701 W Muhammad Ali Blvd). This important discussion will cover how communicating scientific information raises public awareness, creates interest, and informs policy. UofL's Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute is hosting a new quarterly health forum called “& Science". 

Our kickoff event will focus on Communication & Science, featuring communication professionals from a variety of backgrounds including journalism and academia. Much of the discussion will focus on the environment, including environmental justice. The “& Science” series will provide a community forum for conversations at the intersection of health, the environment & science. Future events will focus on Faith, History Art, & Science.
Panelists:
    Tawana Andrew (WAVE 3)
    James Bruggers (Inside Climate News)
    Dr. Nick Paliewicz (University of Louisville)
    Dr. Wayne Tuckson (KET)
    Morgan Watkins (LPM)
Moderator:
    Dr. Natasha DeJarnett (University of Louisville)
Please RSVP and learn more at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/communication-science-the-kickoff-to-the-science-forums-tickets-1632599171069?aff=oddtdtcreator

As always, our feature is followed by your community action calendar for the week, so get your calendars out and get ready to take action for sustainability NOW!

Sustainability Now! is hosted by Dr. Justin Mog and airs on Forward Radio, 106.5fm, WFMP-LP Louisville, every Monday at 6pm and repeats Tuesdays at 12am and 10am. Find us at https://forwardradio.org

The music in this podcast is courtesy of the local band Appalatin and is used by permission. Explore their delightful music at https://appalatin.com

Sustainability Now! | Natasha DeJarnett | Envirome Institute | Environmental Health | 9-22-25

This week on the Access Hour, Terrell Holder from Forward Radio's proud Community Partner, the Greater Louisville Sierra Club, is in conversation with fellow organizers from Indivisible Louisville. Indivisible is a grassroots movement of thousands of local indivisible groups with a mission to elect, progressive leaders rebuild our democracy and defeat the Trump agenda. Learn more at https://indivisible.org/

They invite you to come on out Sunday, September 28, 2025 and be with your neighbors at the WE THE PEOPLE Palooza sponsored by Indivisible Louisville. Enjoy an afternoon in celebration of freedom and democracy with live Music, inspiring speakers, food, drink, and community. Show starts at 1 pm and rocks until 6 pm at Trellis Brewery, 827 Logan St. Louisville. 

Connect with Indivisible Louisville at:
https://indivisiblelouisville.godaddysites.com/
https://www.instagram.com/indivisiblelouky/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580875510653

The Access Hour airs on Forward Radio, 106.5fm, WFMP-LP Louisville, every Wednesday at 2pm and repeats Thursdays at 11am and Fridays at 1pm. Find us and please donate to support this work at https://forwardradio.org

If you’ve got something you’d like to share on community radio through the Access Hour, whether it’s a recording you made or a show you’d like to do on a particular topic, community, artistic creation, or program that is under-represented in Louisville’s media landscape, just go to https://forwardradio.org, click on Participate and pitch us your idea. The Access Hour is your opportunity to take over the air waves to share your passion with the world!

Access Hour | Terrell Holder | Indivisible Louisville | 9-24-25

Patty and Brian take a deep dive into hate-reading and hate-watching. 

#247 Critical Thinking for Everyone! | The 59-Minutes Hate! | September 25th, 2025

This week on Sustainability Now!, your host, Justin Mog, sits down at the farm table with LeTicia Marshall, an urban farmer with Bearfruit & Grow in southwest Louisville, and Kimberly "Kimmie" Ishmael, Policy Specialist with the Community Farm Alliance (https://cfaky.org). On the menu for today’s hearty conversation is the FREE event coming up at LeTicia's farm:
Policy on a Plate: A Farm Bill Story
Wednesday, October 8th, 10:00am - 1:00pm, BearFruit & Grown Urban Farm, 5799 Pendleton Rd.
Join the Community Farm Alliance and BearFruit & Grow Urban Farm for a hands-on, heart-forward journey into the programs that nourish our communities and protect our land—all powered by the Farm Bill! Come explore how policies like SNAP and conservation efforts come to life right here on the farm. Get ready for:
A Scavenger Hunt Farm Tour – Discover hidden treasures and learn about food systems as you explore the farm.
A Delicious Local Lunch – Refuel with fresh, locally-sourced bites.
Real Stories from the Field – Hear directly from farmers and program leaders making a difference.
A Quick & Curious Panel – Ask questions and dive deeper into the programs that shape our plates and our planet.
This isn’t your average policy talk—it's a celebration of community, culture, and cultivation. Perfect for food lovers, farm supporters, policy nerds, and anyone curious about how federal funding grows real impact. Don’t miss this unique chance to connect, learn, and dig in! 
Learn more and find the link to register at https://facebook.com/communityfarmalliance

LeTicia is an urban farmer and food justice advocate with Bearfruit & Grow, a black owned company in Louisville that opened for business on July 8, 2020 during the global pandemic. In addition to farm products, she offers community engagement, advocacy, and consulting. You can find her naturally-grown products at our local farmers market or contact her at bearfruitgardening@gmail.com to learn more about how you can participate in their curbside pickup/delivery services. Learn more at https://www.bearfruitandgrow.com/

As always, our feature is followed by your community action calendar for the week, so get your calendars out and get ready to take action for sustainability NOW!

Sustainability Now! is hosted by Dr. Justin Mog and airs on Forward Radio, 106.5fm, WFMP-LP Louisville, every Monday at 6pm and repeats Tuesdays at 12am and 10am. Find us at https://forwardradio.org

The music in this podcast is courtesy of the local band Appalatin and is used by permission. Explore their delightful music at https://appalatin.com

Sustainability Now! | LeTicia Marshall & Kimberly Ishmael | Policy on a Plate | 9-29-25

On this week’s Access Hour, we explore the Environmental Footprint of Artificial Intelligence with Shaolei Ren, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of California - Riverside. This presentation was given on September 19, 2025 as part of the Kentucky Resources Council’s on-going Kentucky Environmental Leadership Institute (KELI). Learn more at https://www.kyrc.org/our-work/kentucky-environmental-leadership-institute. Watch the full replay at https://bit.ly/EnvironmentalFootprintAI-VIDEO. The passcode is DataCentersKY2025! 	

AI might seem invisible, but the environmental toll is real. Data centers that power artificial intelligence consume vast amounts of water and electricity, placing new strain on local ecosystems and public health. Communities across the country are already feeling the effects, often without knowing why. Listen in as Professor Ren uncovers the hidden footprint of AI and what it means for the future of sustainable, health-informed technology.

The Access Hour airs on Forward Radio, 106.5fm, WFMP-LP Louisville, every Wednesday at 2pm and repeats Thursdays at 11am and Fridays at 1pm. Find us at https://forwardradio.org

If you’ve got something you’d like to share on community radio through the Access Hour, whether it’s a recording you made or a show you’d like to do on a particular topic, community, artistic creation, or program that is under-represented in Louisville’s media landscape, just go to https://forwardradio.org, click on Participate and pitch us your idea. The Access Hour is your opportunity to take over the air waves to share your passion.

Access Hour | Shaolei Ren | Environmental Footprint of Artificial Intelligence | 10-1-25

This week on Single Payer Radio, we discuss how the cuts to healthcare in the Big Beautiful (Ugly) Bill will affect Kentuckians, especially in rural areas.

Single Payer Radio | Medicaid Cuts HB1 | 9-29-25

Mary Williams introduces us to the Spotted Lanternfly, an insect pest that attacks a wide range of tree and shrub species.  The invasive pest was first seen in Pennsylvania in 2014, but is now spreading south and west, including Kentucky and Indiana.  Then, we hear a portion of the 'Big Picture Science' podcast of Sept. 8, 2025 about researchers trying to decipher language in sperm whales.  The episode ends with J. Scott Miller telling us what planets, stars, constellations and meteor showers we can see in the month of October.

Thanks to the SETI Institute for permission to rebroadcast their podcast 'Big Picture Science'.  Here is the full podcast:  https://radio.seti.org/episodes/animal-alphabets.

‘Bench Talk: The Week in Science’ is a weekly program that airs on WFMP Louisville FORward Radio 106.5 FM (forwardradio.org) every Monday at 7:30 pm, Tuesday at 11:30 am, and Wednesday at 7:30 am. 

Visit our Facebook page for links to the articles discussed in this episode:  https://www.facebook.com/BenchTalkRadio
 

Bench Talk | Spotted Lanternflies Are Coming - Sperm Whale Language - October Sky | Oct. 6, 2025

Whitney Austin, co-founder of the Whitney Strong Foundation and survivor of the Cincinnati Fifth Third Bank shooting tells her story and the work of her organization to curb gun violence. Find out more about Whitney on https://www.whitneystrong.org/

Single Payer Radio | Reducing Gun Violence | Whitney Austin | 10-09-2025 Final

On Saturday, October 18, 2025, Forward Radio was proud to be the only media providing live wall-to-wall coverage on the ground at the No Kings Louisville rally from 2-5pm on The Belvedere (https://nokings.org). On this day, we saw over 2600 protests across the country in all 50 states and in 18 other countries!

Back in In June, millions of everyday Americans from every walk of life peacefully took to the streets and declared with one voice: No Kings. The world saw the power of the people, and President Trump’s attempt at a coronation collapsed under the strength of a movement rising against his abuses of power. Now, he’s doubling down — sending militarized agents into our communities, silencing voters, and handing billionaires giveaways while families struggle. This isn’t just politics. It’s democracy versus dictatorship. And together, we’re choosing democracy.

Today millions of Americans are rising again to show the world: America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people. In America, we don’t put up with would-be kings. Our peaceful movement is only getting bigger and stronger. “NO KINGS” is more than just a slogan—it’s the foundation our nation was built upon. Born in the streets, carried by millions in chants and on posters, it echoes from city blocks to rural town squares, uniting people across this country to fight dictatorship together.

The president thinks his rule is absolute. But in America, we don’t have kings, and we won’t back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty. Grow our movement and join us. A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events. Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events.

In addition to No Kings Louisville at the Belvedere, there were local protests at:
•	NO KINGS SOUTHERN INDIANA, 2:30-5pm, Warder Park, 109 E Court Ave, Jeffersonville, IN
•	NO KINGS Indivisible Crescent Hill, 3-4pm, 3751 Frankfort Ave, Saint Matthews, KY
•	No Kings II sing-out!, 12-2pm, Locals Food Hub & Pizza Pub on East Broadway

What's Next After No Kings? Join the national Mass Call on Tuesday, October 21st at 8 – 9pm EDT https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/858246/


LIVE | No Kings Louisville | 10-18-25

This week on Sustainability Now!, your host, Justin Mog, sits down with one of Louisville’s legendary sustainability advocates, Jackie Green, to discuss his new venture, Earth Home 40202 (https://www.bikecourier.org/earth-home-40202/) Get in touch at earth.home.40202@gmail.com. We also discuss Deep Ecology Louisville - Exploring what it means to 'Live Local Lightly' in a society that is diametrically opposed to the concept (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581836699217). 

Earth Home 40202 is an urban* Louisville space in which to grow non-mystical deep ecologists. Building environmentally sustainable lifestyles requires community – it takes a village. Mainstream Louisville does not embrace ‘Live Local** Lightly’. Most are unaware of the term ‘deep ecology’ (see addendum below). Most are unaware of the term ’embodied energy’ – https://www.bikecourier.org/embodied-energy/. Few who know the term are ready to live a minimalist lifestyle. No, this is not the effort of communist luddites, not a commune, not a cult, just citizens attempting to live lightly on Earth. Earth Home 40202 is citizens striving to minimize material and energy*** consumption, to identify ‘green washing’, to garden**** more, to create more environmentally sensitive communities, to joyfully live Earth-centric lives.

Earth Home 40202 is a work in progress. The concept has yet to be fully defined. Earth Home 40202 will be piloted in two Highland homes. Success will result in reduplicating the effort in a larger downtown space. Continued success will result in more Earth Homes. We need people to help define and develop the concept.

* ? Why ‘urban’? If nature is to endure, humanity must not encroach on natural spaces. Sprawl is destroying agricultural land and nature. Urban living also encourages walking, cycling and public transit use. The embodied energy of automobiles and all the infrastructure supporting automobiles is unsustainable.
** ? Why the ‘local’ in ‘Live Local Lightly’? Travel is:… energy intensive, infrastructure demanding, deprives local community of members’ focus, investment, and care; hastens the evolution of climate change to climate chaos. Our personal travel experiences are not that important. We are needed at home.
*** ? What is current energy production? One house hosts 16 solar panels. We have an option on using a property near UofL with 30 solar panels (8.5kW, 11,500kWh/yr, 2025 inverter).
**** ? What gardening is done now? Current gardening includes a dozen grape vines, apple, cherry, peach and fig trees, a small vegetable plot, and a 25′ x 100′ micro forest.

Deep ecology is an environmental philosophy and movement, founded by Arne Naess in the 1970s, that argues for the inherent worth and intrinsic value of all living beings and ecosystems, not just their utility to humans. It promotes a holistic worldview where humans are seen as an integral part of nature and emphasizes a radical transformation of our societal structures, technologies, and lifestyles to reduce human impact and allow the richness and diversity of life to flourish.

As always, our feature is followed by your community action calendar for the week, so get your calendars out and get ready to take action for sustainability NOW!

Sustainability Now! is hosted by Dr. Justin Mog and airs on Forward Radio, 106.5fm, WFMP-LP Louisville, every Monday at 6pm and repeats Tuesdays at 12am and 10am. Find us at https://forwardradio.org

The music in this podcast is courtesy of the local band Appalatin and is used by permission. Explore their delightful music at https://appalatin.com

Sustainability Now! | Jackie Green | Earth Home 40202 | 10-20-25

Did you know that diagnosis of ADHD (Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder) is higher in children on Halloween Day?  Did you know that the Pacific Ocean is experiencing two major weather phenomena this year?  This is the first time in recorded history that The Big Blob and La Nina are occurring simultaneously.  Then, hear about the recent review article on the hidden chronic health risks of nano- and microplastics in single-use plastic water bottles.  Which brands of water put the most plastic into our bodies?  Which parts of our bodies accumulates the most microplastics?  What is the possible link between microplastics and dementia?

‘Bench Talk: The Week in Science’ is a weekly program that airs on WFMP Louisville FORward Radio 106.5 FM (forwardradio.org) every Monday at 7:30 pm, Tuesday at 11:30 am, and Wednesday at 7:30 am. 

Visit our Facebook page for links to the articles discussed in this episode:  https://www.facebook.com/BenchTalkRadio 

Public domain music ('Cosmopolitan-Margarita') is by Dee Yan-Kee.

Bench Talk | ADHD & Halloween - Big Blob in Pacific - Nanoplastics in Water Bottles | Oct. 20, 2025

On this week’s Access Hour, we bring you highlights from the first hour of our live broadcast from the No Kings Louisville protest on the Belvedere on Saturday, October 18, 2025. Forward Radio was proud to be the only media providing live wall-to-wall coverage on the ground at the No Kings Louisville rally from 2-5pm on The Belvedere (https://nokings.org). On this day, we saw over 2600 protests across the country in all 50 states and in 18 other countries!

Back in In June, millions of everyday Americans from every walk of life peacefully took to the streets and declared with one voice: No Kings. The world saw the power of the people, and President Trump’s attempt at a coronation collapsed under the strength of a movement rising against his abuses of power. Now, he’s doubling down — sending militarized agents into our communities, silencing voters, and handing billionaires giveaways while families struggle. This isn’t just politics. It’s democracy versus dictatorship. And together, we’re choosing democracy.

Today millions of Americans are rising again to show the world: America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people. In America, we don’t put up with would-be kings. Our peaceful movement is only getting bigger and stronger. “NO KINGS” is more than just a slogan—it’s the foundation our nation was built upon. Born in the streets, carried by millions in chants and on posters, it echoes from city blocks to rural town squares, uniting people across this country to fight dictatorship together.

The president thinks his rule is absolute. But in America, we don’t have kings, and we won’t back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty. Grow our movement and join us. A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events. Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events.

In addition to No Kings Louisville at the Belvedere, there were local protests at: • NO KINGS SOUTHERN INDIANA, 2:30-5pm, Warder Park, 109 E Court Ave, Jeffersonville, IN • NO KINGS Indivisible Crescent Hill, 3-4pm, 3751 Frankfort Ave, Saint Matthews, KY • No Kings II sing-out!, 12-2pm, Locals Food Hub & Pizza Pub on East Broadway

What's Next After No Kings? Join the national Mass Call on Tuesday, October 21st at 8 – 9pm EDT https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/858246/

The Access Hour airs on Forward Radio, 106.5fm, WFMP-LP Louisville, every Wednesday at 2pm and repeats Thursdays at 11am and Fridays at 1pm. Find us at https://forwardradio.org

If you’ve got something you’d like to share on community radio through the Access Hour, whether it’s a recording you made or a show you’d like to do on a particular topic, community, artistic creation, or program that is under-represented in Louisville’s media landscape, just go to https://forwardradio.org, click on Participate and pitch us your idea. The Access Hour is your opportunity to take over the air waves to share your passion.

Access Hour | Highlights from No Kings Louisville Protest | Hour 1 | 10-22-25

On this week’s Access Hour, we bring you highlights from the second hour of our live broadcast from the No Kings Louisville protest on the Belvedere on Saturday, October 18, 2025. Forward Radio was proud to be the only media providing live wall-to-wall coverage on the ground at the No Kings Louisville rally from 2-5pm on The Belvedere (https://nokings.org). On this day, we saw over 2600 protests across the country in all 50 states and in 18 other countries!

Back in In June, millions of everyday Americans from every walk of life peacefully took to the streets and declared with one voice: No Kings. The world saw the power of the people, and President Trump’s attempt at a coronation collapsed under the strength of a movement rising against his abuses of power. Now, he’s doubling down — sending militarized agents into our communities, silencing voters, and handing billionaires giveaways while families struggle. This isn’t just politics. It’s democracy versus dictatorship. And together, we’re choosing democracy.

Today millions of Americans are rising again to show the world: America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people. In America, we don’t put up with would-be kings. Our peaceful movement is only getting bigger and stronger. “NO KINGS” is more than just a slogan—it’s the foundation our nation was built upon. Born in the streets, carried by millions in chants and on posters, it echoes from city blocks to rural town squares, uniting people across this country to fight dictatorship together.

The president thinks his rule is absolute. But in America, we don’t have kings, and we won’t back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty. Grow our movement and join us. A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events. Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events.

In addition to No Kings Louisville at the Belvedere, there were local protests at:
 • NO KINGS SOUTHERN INDIANA, 2:30-5pm, Warder Park, 109 E Court Ave, Jeffersonville, IN 
• NO KINGS Indivisible Crescent Hill, 3-4pm, 3751 Frankfort Ave, Saint Matthews, KY 
• No Kings II sing-out!, 12-2pm, Locals Food Hub & Pizza Pub on East Broadway

What's Next After No Kings? Join the national Mass Call on Tuesday, October 21st at 8 – 9pm EDT https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/858246/

On Truth to Power each week, we gather people from around the community to discuss the state of the world, the nation, the state, and the city! It's a community conversation like you won't hear anywhere else!

Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 4pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://forwardradio.org

Truth to Power | Highlights from No Kings Louisville Protests | Hour 2 | 10-24-25

Ed Harness the Louisville Kentucky Inspector General, is a graduate of Marquette University School Law. Prior to law school, he was a City of Milwaukee Police Officer.  he graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Management of Criminal Justice Operations from Concordia University. 
In 2015, Albuquerque’s Civilian Police Oversight Agency Board selected Ed Harness to be the first Executive Director of the Civilian Police Oversight Agency. Like his previous role in Albuquerque, he again is tasked here in Louisville with starting an agency to provide oversight of the police department. 
Mr. Harness is a member of the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE). He is a Certified Practitioner of Oversight (CPO) holder.  ED Harness was the 2023 recipient of the NACOLE “Achievement in Oversight Award” and was voted into a three-year term as a member at Large to the NACOLE Board of Directors.
ED Harness is also a member of Association of Inspectors General (AIG).  He became a Certified Inspector General in 2023. 
ED Harness is also a member of Association of Inspectors General (AIG).  He became a Certified Inspector General in 2023. Ed Harness' presentation was delivered to a live audience at Third Thursday Lunch event sponsored by the Louisville Fellowship of Reconciliation.  Ed's presentation to the TTL audience was delivered one day after Louisville Mayor Greenburg announced that he would support the renewal Ed's contract for a second term as Louisville's Inspector General.     



Solutions to Violence | Ed Harness | Third Thursday Lunch | 10-20-25

On this edition, host Ruth Newman held a microphone up to random participants at the NO KINGS protest, held October 18, 2025 in Louisville, KY, at the Belvedere downtown.  Folks responded to questions like "Why are you here?" or "Do you consider yourself to be a radical leftwing terrorist?" or "Do you hate America?"  Ruth followed this with some documented reports from the Brennan Center for Justice on Trump Administration moves to undermine upcoming elections.  Also included are Ten Effective Things Citizens Can Do To Make Change in Addition To Attending a Protest.

Election Connection | No Kings Rally, Louisville KY held 10-18-25 | 10-21-25

This week on Sustainability Now!, your host, Justin Mog, digs up some delicious fun with Matt Robertson, founder and owner of Clover Systems (https://cloversystems.org), which offers permaculture landscaping and hardscaping, home remodels, ADUs, and tiny homes; as well as a backyard permaculture nursery in the St. Joseph neighborhood. For the past five years, Matt has been working professionally as a carpenter, building additions, ADUs, and general home remodels. Usually working alone or with one partner, Matt has been directly involved in every phase of a home build many times over.

Since 2018, Matt has studied permaculture and explored how it applies in the real world. He even lived off-grid and started a tropical food forest in Okeechobee, Florida, in 2020. Then, after returning home to Louisville, Matt founded Clover Systems in 2023 to offer solutions to our community by applying permaculture principles to local construction and urban agriculture.

Listen in as we discuss the value of edible landscapes and Matt’s Louisville food forest mission; Clover System's backyard permaculture nursery; the new Preston Park Food Forest; and the permaculture construction side of Clover Systems, including the advantages of building ADUs and your dream of a tiny home cottage court neighborhood with edible landscaping.

As always, our feature is followed by your community action calendar for the week, so get your calendars out and get ready to take action for sustainability NOW!

Sustainability Now! is hosted by Dr. Justin Mog and airs on Forward Radio, 106.5fm, WFMP-LP Louisville, every Monday at 6pm and repeats Tuesdays at 12am and 10am. Find us at https://forwardradio.org

The music in this podcast is courtesy of the local band Appalatin and is used by permission. Explore their delightful music at https://appalatin.com

Sustainability Now! | Matt Robertson | Clover Systems | Permaculture Nursery & Services | 10-27-25

Members of Kentuckians for Single Payer Health Care, Kay Tillow and Dr Melissa Lucas discuss the differences between Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage. The primary difference being that under Medicare Advantage your Medicare Parts A, B and D are bundled into one, technically known as Part C. and a for-profit, private insurance company is given by Medicare, a specific amount of money per client to pay the client's medical bills, as well as the authority to determine which payments are made to your providers such as doctors and hospitals and specialists and therapists And which of those payments may be denied. The more claims that are successfully denied, the more profit is made by the insurer.

Single Payer Radio | Melissa Lucas & Kay Tillow | Comparing Medicare and Medicare Advantage 10/21/25

Patty and Brian talk about "dark tourism," testing many examples against their definition along the way. 

#249 Critical Thinking for Everyone! | Dark Tourism | October 30, 2025

Part two of a four-part Summer 'Read&Succeed' series on Hungarian novelist and 2019 National Book Award winner for Translated Literature László Krasznahorkai.  'The Melancholy of Resistance' (1989) serves as his first creative revision of his first novel 'Satantango' (1985).  Cold War darkness descends yet again, but this time Krasznahorkai and his characters see light's return as part of the cosmic harmony and dance.  Exclusive content by PEN America in the second half of the show!

Read&Succeed | Ep 6 | The Melancholy of Resistance (1989) | László Krasznahorkai | 7-8-20

Forward Radio is independent, listener-sponsored, volunteer-powered, grassroots community radio WFMP-LP Louisville, Kentucky. We have been broadcasting at 106.5fm and live-streaming at forwardradio.org since April 9, 2017. Please donate at forwardradio.org to keep us on-air. It costs $20/day to keep this programming coming your way.

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