Here's what we covered on Byline today (full audio available below):At the top - This week gay marriage supporters are celebrating two key Supreme Court rulings. The high court gutted the federal Defense of Marriage Act and cleared the way for same-sex marriages in California. But the court sidestepped the larger question of whether banning gay marriage is unconstitutional. The court's rulings have no direct effect on the constitutional amendments in 29 states, including Kentucky, that limit marriage to heterosexual couples. We have an analysis of the court rulings from University of Louisville law professor Sam Marcossen, who’s a member of the board of the Louisville Fairness Campaign, speaking with our Strange Fruit podcast team.12:30 - Kentucky Kingdom is reopening with a group led by Ed Hart that includes the Al Schneider Company, Bruce Lunsford and others. They're putting in $43.5 million: doubling the water park, adding a new $7 million rollercoaster, and plan to hire as many as 1,000 seasonal workers. The park has had issues with deterioration--but Hart says that a little money and "tender loving care" will have the rides and buildings (most of them) up to snuff by May 24, 2014. WFPL's Joseph Lord brings us up to date.16:30 - The U.S. Army is slashing the number of combat brigades from 45 to 33, and shifting thousands of soldiers out of bases around the country as it moves forward with the long-planned move to cut the size of the service by 80,000 nationally. That means Fort Knox here in Kentucky will have 3,300 fewer soldiers by 2019, and Joseph Lord offers some details on the plans.18:05 - The game of basketball was invented at the end of the 19th century, but as we hear in this edition of 99% Invisible, it might not be the beloved sports institution that it is save for two very important tweaks to the game made earlier in its history.29:30 - We bring you an installment of Backstory, with the American History guys, who tell us about the Effie Afton disaster – an 1856 steamboat crash that led to a legal showdown between steamboat operators and railroad companies – and brought Abraham Lincoln into court.36:00 - WFPL's arts and humanities reporter Erin Keane runs through some choice entertainment options for the weekend, then talks with curator Joey Yates and artist Al Gorma about “The 7 Borders,” a new exhibit opening at Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft this weekend.
