Government
A handful of companies dominate road work in Kentucky. The state looks the other way.
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The state Transportation Cabinet’s bidding system allows a handful of large companies to avoid serious competition for jobs.
Business
Survivor of the Mayfield candle factory files lawsuit
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The lawsuit was filed in Graves Circuit Court on behalf of Elijah Johnson and other “similarly situated” employees of Mayfield Consumer Products. The suit claims the company refused to let its employees leave the factory Friday night, even though the factory had “at least 3 hours’ notice of the danger” the severe weather could bring.
Business
Attorney claims ‘smoking gun’ as Mayfield factory workers consider lawsuit
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While the candle factory’s owner denies wrongdoing, the attorney claims the survivors have proof the company broke the law.
Business
Mayfield candle factory’s labor practices under scrutiny in wake of deadly tornado
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The candle factory has a higher-than-average injury rate, and recruited incarcerated people and people from Puerto Rico for $10-12/hour jobs.
Criminal Justice
Second death this week reported at Louisville jail
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A jail spokesperson said they are still gathering information about the deaths.
Business
Louisville wants free phone calls for incarcerated people
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Louisville is looking for a new vendor to provide phone and video call services from the city jail. Unlike its previous contract with Securus Technologies, the city wants the new vendor to make calls free for incarcerated people and their loved ones.
People making calls from the Louisville jail currently pay Securus, a private company based in Texas. The company then passes a portion of that revenue on to Metro Government in commissions. But a request for proposals issued this week says the city will not only forgo commissions but will start paying for phone calls directly.
Records obtained by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting show Securus collected $1.6 million from the Louisville jail and paid nearly $945,000 in commissions last year.
Related story — Phone Calls Still Won’t Be Free When Louisville Jail Gives Up Profit. “It’s so important for families to be able to have contact with their loved ones who are inside the Louisville Department of Corrections, and it’s a really great step forward that it can be free,” said Judi Jennings, who provides art supplies to children visiting family members at the jail as part of the Louisville Family Justice Advocates.
Business
Calls from Kentucky prisons become cheaper for some, more expensive for others under new rate cap
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The Federal Communications Commission capped rates on phone calls from prisons at .14 cents a minute in rules that became final in September.
Top Story
Longtime Metro jail union leader has history of misconduct allegations
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Current and former jail staff testified that Tracy Dotson has benefited from a culture of enforced loyalty and a contract which makes it difficult for jail management to hold bad actors accountable.
Criminal Justice
At Shelby County Jail, Quarantine Means Missing Your Own Court Hearings
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The Shelby County Detention Center isn’t offering remote hearings, leaving people with COVID without the chance to post bail or participate in their case.
COVID-19 Deaths, Infection Rates in Ky. Prisons Among Nation’s Worst
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More than 10,000 people are currently held in Kentucky prisons, and nearly 8,000 have gotten the coronavirus since the pandemic began.