Studio 619 for February 24, 2008

Cigaratte tax in KentuckyWith Kentucky’s finances bleeding red ink, and casino gambling facing an uncertain fate, advocates of a cigarette tax increase continue making their case in Frankfort. Kentucky Public Radio’s Tony McVeigh has the story.New environmental leadersEnvironmentalists are keeping a close watch on Kentucky’s Environment and Public Protection Cabinet. The agency has a new head, Robert Vance, appointed by Governor Steve Beshear. Vance has no environmental background, so many are waiting to see how he’ll guide this massive cabinet.Across town in the capitol building, Attorney General Jack Conway is settling in to his new position. And fighting environmental crime is at the top of his list. These two offices wield a significant amount of power over the state’s environment. WFPL’s Kristin Espeland reports on their priorities.Integrated dancingOn Friday a well-known professional dance company that includes disabled dancers performed in Elizabethtown in its first visit to Kentucky. Here in Louisville, connecting the disabled community with the able bodied through dance has been a passion of a local mother and daughter, as WFPL’s Elizabeth Kramer reports.Green collar jobsThere’s a labor shortage in the U.S., and especially in Kentucky: a "green collar" labor shortage. Not enough people are trained to install solar heating systems, wind turbines, geothermal heat pumps. Not enough people are ready to participate in the renewable energy economy.But getting in to the renewable energy business now is a bit risky in Kentucky. The market is still weak, and consumers have little incentive to switch to green energy. But several contractors and renewable energy advocates believe that will change as energy prices soar, and new incentives are developed. WFPL’s Kristin Espeland reports.Pete MaravichIt was declared the best sports biography of 2007 by Sports Illustrated and was also a New York Times and USA Today bestseller. Now the book Pistol: The Life of Pete Maravich has been released in paperback.Rick Howlett spoke with the book's author, former New York Daily News and current Fox Sports web columnist Mark Kriegel.War brides"Over there, over there . . . . " when the Yanks went marching into Britain during World War II a fear on both sides is they would be marching out with British war brides. The media on both sides of the Atlantic the media on both sides of the Atlantic was jubilant and cautious.The Brits wanted to keep their women at home, and the American military command wanted to troops to focus on the war and not romance. But, as the war went on marriages between American GI’s and British women became more common and the attitude toward the war bride changed. Author Barbara Friedman explores the media coverage of the British war bride in her book From the Battlefront to the Bridal Suite: Media Coverage of British War Brides 1942-1946.Join WFPL’s Robin Fisher as she talks to Friedman about the changing attitudes toward war brides.Listen to the show.