Thanks to Stu Johnson, Kentucky Public Radio Lexington Mayor Jim Newberry is preparing to leave office after serving a single, four-year term.The Democrat was defeated in the November General Election by Vice-Mayor Jim Gray.Newberrry says the city has been able to withstand the national recession better than most similar-sized cities, but he's concerned about the future effect of the massive federal debt on the local area. “To the degree that Washington is cash strapped it precludes looking at them for help for a number of infrastructure problems the federal government is a huge source of financing for our road system throughout central Kentucky,” he said. Newberry says he'll return to the private sector but hasn't disclosed any specific plans. Jim Gray will be sworn in as Lexington's new mayor on January 2nd.
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.