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Just like a bad break up, we point out the flaws that Amazon saw in your city's bid for their second headquarters. USA TODAY

LOUISVILLE, Ky. If Amazon brought its second headquarters to Louisville, city officials pitched the company, it could settle its employees on a riverfront campus spanning both sides of the Ohio River, retire to a "Camp Alexa" retreat location at General Butler State Park and enjoy $2.5 billion in incentives over 20 years "based on the sharing of future revenues."

The 137-page bid for Amazon's "HQ2" project, which Mayor Greg Fischer's administration has refused to release for two years, offers city-owned land and facilities downtown for an urban headquarters and sells the city's affordability, spirit of "exploration" and ability to serve as a regional talent magnet.

"Louisville is THE place to live, work, create and innovate," officials write in the document. "Swinging for the fences? Invented here. We believe that the homestretch is just the beginning. Just like our hometown hero Muhammad Ali, Louisville is the Greatest of All Time."

Read more: Louisville forced to hand over Amazon HQ2 proposal

If Louisville had won the Amazon sweepstakes, the company would have brought up to 50,000 high-paying jobs to the Derby City, as well $5 billion in capital investment over 15 to 17 years, according to Amazon's HQ2 request for proposal.

After Louisville's bid was rejected, The Courier Journal filed an open records request for the plan.Fischer's team has fought its release in court, arguing that releasing it would hurt the city's economic "playbook."

The Courier Journal won a Kentucky Court of Appeals case in 2019regarding the release of the Amazon bid, and prevailed again this month when the Kentucky Supreme Court declined the city's motion for review.

In a statement Wednesday afternoon,Fischer spokeswoman Jean Portersaid this was, and remains, "the most unusual business location process ever taken" because Amazon publicly announced its intent, process and other details.

Typically, she said, economic development prospects want confidentiality or anonymity.

Porter said the city took this open records fight to court "not because of concern about this particular proposal, but because of concerns about how future economic development projects which may need or want to remain confidential until a business decision is made could be impacted by the question about what is and what is not exempt under Kentucky's Open Records law."

"If Amazon had chosen to locate here, there certainly would have been a robust public discussion as seen in New York and Virginia particularly in Frankfort, which is the primary source of job creation incentives," Porter said.

See also: Why didn't Louisville make the Amazon HQ2 list? Here are some clues

Louisville's bid cost about $170,000 to prepare, The Courier Journal previously reported. Of that, $70,000 came from the city and about $100,000 came from private donations raised by Greater Louisville Inc., the region's chamber of commerce.

Highlights include:

Louisville's bid was one of238 proposals submitted across the United States. But it came up short:Amazon announced in November 2018 that its second HQ would be split into two locations: New York City and Arlington, Virginia, outside of Washington, D.C. Louisville was not named as one of the 20 finalists.

More on this:Watch the video used to pitch Louisville to Amazon in its failed bid

A few months later, on Valentine's Day 2019, Amazon broke up with New York City, announcing that a headquarters would not be placed in the Queens borough following intense opposition from local political leaders, including Democratic U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The retail giant said it would not search for a replacement.

Louisville's proposal included a plethora of testimonialsfrom local business executives, U.S. Sens.Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul, Rep.John Yarmuth of Louisville, former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb and Fischer, among others.

Bevin wrote that the Bluegrass State "already enjoys a wonderful and prosperous relationship with Amazon," pointing to the 10,000 workers employed by the Seattle-based company in the commonwealth at the time and the selection of Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport as a new cargo hub for Amazon Prime Air.

"We have already made great strides toward transforming Kentucky into one of America's most business friendly states, and you may rest assured that those efforts will continue," Bevin wrote in the letter dated Oct. 12, 2017.

Meanwhile, in an Oct. 16, 2017, letter, Fischer focused on Louisville's history of bringing in innovative minds, from Frederick Law Olmsted designing a system of parks and parkways in the 19th century to Henry Ford naming Louisville a pilot site for the auto manufacturing industry in the 20th century.

"The future of Louisville and the surrounding region will build on our storied heritage of makers, innovators, dreamers and change-agents a city that has never been content to sit still, but determined to punch above its weight," Fischer wrote.

The Fischer administration previouslyprovided The Courier Journal with several redacted pages about the proposal, includinga presentation dubbed "Louisville Bold" touting the cost of living, labor pool and internet connectivity.

It said Louisville would be "a bold choice for Amazons future" and that the city is "gathering momentum every day" to attract companies.

Top headlines: Senate report says Russian investor in Braidymill is proxy for Kremlin

Darcy Costello: 502-582-4834; dcostello@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @dctello. Ben Tobin: 502-582-4181; bjtobin@gannett.com; Twitter: @TobinBen.

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'Camp Alexa' and $2.5 billion over 20 years: What Louisville offered Amazon in HQ2 pitch - Courier Journal

Although it might not yet look like it from the outside, the Mahr Park Arboretum Event Center is nearing completion at least to a point that it will officially be opened by the first of September.

Situated in the center of Mahr Park, the event center will be housed in what was once the parks maintenance barn and includes a large central meeting room and a kitchen area.

The Madisonville Tourism Advisory Board approved $225,000 in renovations to the existing facility last fiscal year. Recently, Hopkins County Tourism donated another $100,000 to the effort to help complete the building.

The county tourism agency will host the first two events to be held in the renovated facility. Up first will be the Kentucky Tourism Cabinet, who will hold a meeting in the location on Sept. 9 with Tourism Secretary Mike Berry as the guest speaker. The Kentucky Convention and Visitors Bureau will use the facility Sept. 10-11 which will feature an appearance by State Auditor Mike Harmon.

The decision to transition the building from maintenance barn to event center was as much an aesthetic one as anything else. While the city easily could have built a new building to be the event center elsewhere in the park, the location is something of a centerpiece to Mahr Park.

It was the first thing you saw when you came over the hill coming into the park, said Madisonville Mayor Kevin Cotton.

Plans are underway to build another maintenance barn at another location within the park. That location is being designed in such a way that the building will blend in with the natural terrain and plants within the nature park, with part of the building actually being planned to be built into the ground.

Were being very cautious, said Cotton. We really dont want the new barn to stand out.

The new maintenance facility project is ready to go to bid, but officials are currently waiting on the National Park Service to sign-off on a grant to finalize the citys approval. Cotton said Congressman James Comer, as well as Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul have all been asked to assist.

Continued here:
Mahr Park Event Center will open Sept. 9 | Local News - The Messenger

We really better be very careful, particularly when it comes to children.

Dr. Anthony Fauci turned the tables on Senator Rand Paul Tuesday, after theKentucky Republican suggested the immunologist and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) should be more humble and even point-blank told him he was not the end all when it comes to knowing about the coronavirus.

Senator Paul, who recovered after contracting COVID-19, was pushing for schools to re-open, suggesting the coronavirus doesnt kill many children.

Shouldnt we at least be discussing what the mortality of children is? Paul asked Fauci, saying for those 18 and younger it approaches zero.

We never reached any sort of pandemic levels in Kentucky and other [rural] states, Paul insisted. Outside of New England, weve had a relatively benign course for this virus nationwide.

Thats false. New York, which has been the epicenter of the disease for most of the time, is not in New England. Illinois now ranks number three in total deaths. Louisiana ranks fifth in deaths per capita. D.C. ranks sixth, followed by Michigan which ranks fourth in total deaths.

Related: Go to Hell: Internet Trounces Useless Rand Paul for Lone No Vote on Emergency $8 Billion Coronavirus Bill

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) tweeted a quick smack-down of Senator Pauls provably false claims: Warren County, Kentucky where Rand Paul lives has more COVID-19 cases per capita than 51 of the 67 counties in New England states.

Sen. Paul then went after Dr. Fauci, saying, I think we ought to have a little humility in our belief we know whats best for the economy.

As much as I respect you Dr. Fauci, I dont think youre the end-all. I dont think you get to make a decision.

Paul also said the facts will show there will not be another surge, saying, I think its a huge mistake if we dont open the schools in the fall.

Fauci never advocated for not opening schools, so its unclear why Paul was attacking him for that. Even Chairman Lamar Alexander suggested Fauci tell Paul he had not said that.

I have never made myself out to be the end all and only voice in this, Fauci responded. Im a scientist, a physician and a public health official. I dont give advice about economic things, I dont give advice about anything other than public health.

And then he delivered a smack-down to Senator Paul.

You used the word that we should be humble about what we dont know. And I think that falls under the fact that we dont know everything about this virus, and we really better be very careful, particularly when it comes to children.

Because the more and more we learn, were seeing things about what this virus can do, that we didnt see from the studies in China, or in Europe. For example, right now, children presenting with COVID-19 symptoms, who actually have a very strange inflammatory syndrome, very similar to Kawasaki Syndrome, he said.

I think we better be careful that were not cavalier, in thinking that children are completely immune to the deleterious effects, Fauci warned.

Watch:

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Obama Slams Trump Over USPS Attack in Rare Remarks: More Concerned With Suppressing the Vote - The New Civil Rights Movement

With less than one week to the Florida primaries, several campaigns across the state are entering do-or-die mode, hoping to see the fruits of their labor pay off with a big victory that will catapult them into the general election this November. The losers go home empty-handed.

While several races are on the table next week, only a handful are worth noting, as many of the outcomes are essentially already decided. Heres a look at the most hotly contested and/or more interesting races of the 2020 primary cycle:

Candidates: Judson Sapp, Kat Cammack, Gavin Rollins, Ryan Chamberlin, Todd Chase, Joe Millado, James St. George, Bill Engelbrecht, David Theus, Amy Pope Wells

A crowded Republican field is an understatement.

With Congressman Ted Yoho honoring his initial pledge to step down after serving 8 years in the House, CD 3 is up for grabs, with 10 Republicans staking their claims for the red meat seat.

But not all GOP candidates are created equal

In a WPA Intelligence poll conducted in June, Sapp led with 12 percent support among Republican primary voters. Cammack, a businesswoman and former deputy chief of staff for Yoho, followed in that poll closely with 10 percent support. All other candidates registered in the single digits. But primary polls in wide-open races are virtually worthless so early in the contest, and the race remains wide open for several candidates.

The most recent poll conducted this week by Meer Research saw a reverse in the top two spots, with Cammack receiving 25 percent support putting her 10 points ahead of Sapp. Meanwhile, St. George garnered 13 percent support, while Rollins secured 11 percent.

Both Cammack and Sapp have also dominated in the area of endorsements, with the Sapp camp being backed by several big names like political aide Roger Stone, Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz and NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch, with Cammack drawing support from U.S. Senator Rand Paul, We Build the Wall founder Brian Kolfage and several mayors across Florida.

While its still too early to call, it looks like Sapp and Cammack are the front-runners heading into Tuesday.

Candidates: Byron Donalds, Dane Eagle, Casey Askar, Darren Aquino, William Figlesthaler, Randy Henderson, Daniel Kowal, Christy McLaughlin, and Dan Severson

From one of the most crowded fields to one of the nastiest, the battle for CD 19 continues to be one of the most hotly contested races in the state.

While full of potential of successors to replace Congressman Francis Rooney, the primary is currently a competitive four-way race between Donalds, Eagle, Figlesthaler, and Askar. Several polls have been conducted of the past few weeks, with the four front-runners each touting a preliminary victory. In the most recent poll, Donalds edged out the competition, receiving 22 percent support. Figlesthaler came in second with 21 percent, while Eagle and Askar netted 20 percent and 16 percent of those polled.

The race for CD 19 has also proved to be one of the most expensive Republican primary races in the 2020 election cycle. Donalds, especially, has raked in a lot of cash, sitting on over $300,000. More importantly, the Naples lawmaker has The Club for Growth backing his candidacy with over $1.5 million in TV and print advertising quite possibly making him the clear favorite. Meanwhile, Askar continues to hold a strong cash lead over the field, reporting over $900,000 on hand at the end of July. Eagle and Figlesthaler have netted $250,217 and $240,611 respectively.

Unfortunately, the tight race has been marred with mudslinging, with Club for Growth labeling Askar as a Mitt Romney Republican, leading Askar to take shots at Donalds, attempting to discredit his campaign by accusing Donalds of supporting President Barack Obama allegations which have yet to be substantiated.

Askar has also gone after Donalds past, pointing to the representatives arrest record something Donalds has been open about.

Also something worth mentioning: Donalds was publicly praised by Trump at the Step Presidential Justice Forum last October something that could pay dividends on election day.

Heated with razor-thin margins, this Republican primary will be a must-watch on election night.

Candidates: Ray Rodrigues and Heather Fitzenhagen

This may be a primary race, but given their opposing stances on crucial issues, youd think this was a general election.

Another fiery contest, Fitzenhagen will look to take her 8 years of experience in the Florida House and bring it to the State Senate. Unfortunately for her, shes facing a viable candidate with a proven conservative record.

Unlike Rodrigues, Fitzenhagens lukewarm conservative principles are a black eye on her candidacy. While the former Morgan & Morgan lawyer tries to smear Rodrigues with his connections to the sugar industry and tout herself as a Trump Republican, her record on gun control and abortion says otherwise.

Fitzenhagen famously voted for a massive gun control measure in 2018, leading her to draw the ire of National Rifle Association (NRA) lobbyist Marion Hammer. The vote resulted in the state representative getting raked over the coals by Hammer, who accused Fitzenhagen of stabbing Republicans in the back by pledging support for anti-gun Democrat Gary Farmer.

Fitzenhagen also has a shaky record when it comes to the life of the unborn. During the 2020 Legislative Session, she cast one of the few Republican votes against a parental consent bill that requires girls under the age of 18 to get a parents permission before having an abortion while Rodrigues voted for the bill.

The vote did little to add credibility to the conservative label she hijacked, and even resulted in Floridas top evangelical activist, John Stemberger, labeling Fitzenhagen as the most pro-abortion Republican in the Florida House.

While early polling saw Rodrigues and Fitzenhagen trade victories, most recently, the Estero lawmaker has dominated his Fort Myers colleague polling 22 points ahead of the moderate.

Rodrigues also has the support of incoming Senate President Wilton Simpson and has outspent Fitzenhagen nearly six times the amount of her expenditures.

Barring some unforeseen collapse, Rodrigues should walk away with an easy victory.

Candidates: Jenna Persons, Roger Lolly, and Charlie Lynch

Another example of a candidate with an identity crisis, Lolly is only leasing the Republican title.

Last year, Lolly took home more than $187,000 in salary from his Fort Myers based If I Can Dream Foundation (IICDF). The issue: the foundation entirely funded by tax dollars through a state contract. Now, he is asking Republican voters in the South Florida district to nominate him to replace Fitzenhagen.

On paper, hes a solid, pro-life conservative. But the controversy surrounding his lavish salary far larger than what most organizations of the same size actually pay may be the coup de grce to his campaign. The high salary issue is made even more relevant because it is Lollys only source of income, and in January of this year he loaned his campaign $115,000 in cash.

While neither Persons, Lolly, or Lynch has held public office, Persons has proven to be a natural in the political arena. To date, the Fort Myers lawyer has raised over $250,000 and spent close to $247,500.

Meanwhile, polling has pegged Persons as the front-runner for the seat, with the Fort Myers native garnering over 40% of 232 likely Republican voters.

Related

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GOP Primary Primer: most interesting races to watch in Florida - The Capitolist

Its 2 months until we vote in the presidential election, but Im betting Ive found my favorite political story of the year.

Jo Jorgensen, the Libertarian candidate for president had to skip planned campaign stops in Louisiana and Mississippi because ... she had been bitten by a bat.

Instead of going to rallies, Jorgensen was starting rabies treatment.

As political stories go, this one is plain bat-bit crazy.

While the rest of the nation watches out for a persistent cough and the possibility of food losing its flavor, Jorgensen should have been on the lookout for hydrophobia and hallucinations.

As an aside, I wonder how many anti-vaxxers would refuse a few rabies shots if they were bitten by a rabid animal.

Vaccine valor being the better part of discretion, Id say give me a double dose, Doc.

If she follows her doctors orders, Jorgensen should be fine, but the incident has raised an unlikely campaign issue: The possibility that she might develop superpowers.

Well, in good humor, one Twitter follower pointed out to the candidate that it was the bite of a radioactive spider, not a bat, that got Peter Parker his spidey senses, and that Batman wasnt bitten by a bat.

Im not Batman, she responded in the best nonverbal impression of Michael Keaton youll read today.

Sock! Pow! Zok! I guess you can run for president and still have a sense of humor. Somebody should tell Joe Biden.

I wonder what superpower would be ideal for a Libertarian candidate?

Faster than a speeding encroachment on your inherent liberties?

Able to leap foreign entanglements in a single bound?

A mild-mannered Clemson University psychology lecturer by day, when the forces of economic control and taxation conspire, she becomes ... Batcandidate.

Da da da da da da da da! Da da da da da da da da! Da! Batcandidate!

Instead of a vice presidential running mate, she should be looking for a youthful ward. How would Rand Paul look in a unitard and mask?

Has anyone checked to see if this is how Ayn Rand got started?

All joking aside and because this is probably the one and only time the Libertarian Party 0.5% of the Oklahoma voting public at latest count will get any ink on the Tulsa World editorial page this year, heres some serious background on Jorgensen.

Shes smart. Jorgensen holds a doctorate in industrial and organizational psychology and is a senior lecturer in psychology at Clemson University. She also has a masters degree in business administration.

She has built a family and businesses, a software duplication company and, subsequently, a consulting company.

She was the Libertarian candidate for vice president in 1996 and campaigned in 38 states.

She says both parties have failed the American people and the result is a huge national debt, a nonstop war, skyrocketing health care costs, mass incarceration and a broken retirement system.

If elected, she promises to block any new federal borrowing, veto any spending bill that would lead to a deficit and veto any debt ceiling increase.

She also promises to bring home more than 200,000 American military personnel stationed in foreign countries and end U.S. military aid to foreign governments.

And she got bit by a bat.

The reports Ive seen havent described how Jorgensen encountered a bat or if the bat was seeking treatment for fear of libertarianism.

I wish Jorgensen a full recovery. Rabies isnt funny. Thank goodness she lives in a time when treatment is possible.

Well, maybe this is a little funny.

Hey, Professor Jorgensen, whats the best way to hold onto a bat?

Originally posted here:
Wayne Greene: As political stories go, this one is just plain bat-bit crazy - Tulsa World