A Louisville civil rights organization continues its push for local ownership of Louisville Gas and Electric Company.The proposed sale of the utility by E.On U.S. to Pennsylvania-based PPL will be the focus of a hearing by the Kentucky Public Service Commission in early September. The PSC is expected to rule later in the month on whether the sale can proceed.Clifton English with the Kentucky Alliance against Racial and Political Repression wants local officials to have another opportunity to purchase LG and E."We call on the commission to reject this proposed sale because who owns LG&E will affect everyone in this community," he said.The alliance says public ownership would keep costs down.Mayor Jerry Abramson says the city made a competitive bid for the utility in April, but hit a snag over a multi-million dollar 'break-up' fee that would have been forefeited if the sale had fallen through.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.