The Louisville Metro Ethics Commission has voted to move ahead with a full hearing into a complaint filed against Metro Councilwoman Judy Green. It stems from a summer jobs program for which Green (right) received a $35,000 council grant. An audit revealed that Green hired a dozen of her relatives to work in the program. It also could not determine how more than $28,000 of the money was spent.The complaint was filed by retired police officer Ray Barker, Junior (left),who ran unsuccessfully for Green’s seat in last year’s Democratic primary. "Once I got a copy of the official report and read the facts for myself, I was outraged. I was hurt for the children, I was hurt for the community, and I felt since no one else stepped forward to hold our councilman accountable for the funds, I would," Barker said. Green has denied any wrongdoing. Her attorney calls the complaint politically motivated. Barker says he’ll run against Green again in the next election. The ethics commission set the hearing for March 17.
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.