Let's start with U of L. The most asked question among Louisville sports fans is "Why doesn't U of L want the arena at the old Water Company site?" Here are the reasons. Tom Jurich and Jerry Abramson hate each other. Their spokesmen say "hate" is too strong of a word, that the two men respect each other, but aren't friends. But that unhealthy relationship is one of the behind-the-scenes roadblocks to U of L agreeing to play in a new arena at the Water Company site. That site was Abramson's idea, good enough reason for Jurich not to like it. The Water Company site was where the mayor talked about building an arena for an NBA team. The mayor apparently said some things that ticked off Jurich when the city was hunting for an NBA team and Jurich hasn't forgotten. The two men got into a heated argument last April. It was behind closed doors but I could hear the raised voices outside.
There's another factor that may be a hindrance to U of L playing at the Water Company site. It's right across the street from the private Pendennis Club. Jurich and Rick Pitino reportedly raised concerns about showing an arena to black recruits that's located next to a historically all-white club. U of L sports information director Kenny Klein says he hasn't heard that but several other sources say it might be a factor.
Of course, there are the public reasons for U of L's dislike of the Water Company site....it doesn't have the visibility, naming rights, and WOW potential of a site along the interstate. By the time you read this, a decision on arena location may be made.

Senate Bill 39 is on its way to passing the Kentucky Senate, maybe the entire legislature. That's Sen. Dan Seum's bill to effectively eliminate the STAR program, Mayor Abramson's push for tougher air standards on Louisville biggest polluters.
Abramson may have hurt the effort to find a compromise or kill the bill when he failed to personally show up for a meeting with Ford and UAW officials on Feb. 20. Some State Senators who attended the meeting, including those who oppose the bill and support Abramson, said the Mayor's failure to make the meeting "certainly didn't help".
Abramson's political director, Jim McGovern and other city officials did attend that meeting and didn't believe Abramson needed to be there.

How about Governor Fletcher appointing two of his campaign contributors to hear his own case before the Supreme Court? Rockcastle Circuit Judge Jeffrey Burdette gave $1500 to Fletcher's 2003 campaign for Governor. Lexington attorney Ron Green gave at least $1800 to Fletcher's campaigns for Congress. Burdette and Green were appointed to hear Fletcher's challenge to the Franklin County Grand Jury continuing to issue indictments even after he'd issued blanket pardons. Fletcher claims there work is legally done. Burdette and Green replace Justices Joseph Lambert and John Roach who recused themselves. Attorney General Greg Stumbo says Kentuckians will question the fairness of a high court that has two Fletcher supporters on it. Couldn't Fletcher find two good Republican lawyers or judges who hadn't contributed to his campaigns, at least giving the appearance of impartiality?