Kentucky Primary

Kentucky holds its primary election for candidates for the November election on this Tuesday, May 19, 2026. A warning and information has been published by Sharp Objects, a progressive pro-democratic civic group:

Jefferson county elections for Mayor and Metro Council are now non-partisan, meaning there will be no party affiliation listed by the candidates’ names. 

So, you’ll need to know the names of the candidates you want to support in those races. Be sure to do your research and make a list of the candidates you’ll support before you go to the polls.

Why the change to our ballots? The GOP-led KY Legislature wants to gain influence over Louisville – one of two blue dots in a very red state. They passed legislation to change our elections – Jefferson County residents had no say! They hope to confuse voters and gain an edge, moving closer to a one-party system – the goal of the current regime. 

Given the fallen state of the Republican party, we cannot in good conscience recommend any of them.

Beautiful Louisville

Louisville is a really beautiful city, something I am becoming more aware of and am enjoying more since I returned from Cambodia and started riding my bike through neighborhoods I never knew before. Today I had a 28-mile ride from Nazareth Home Clifton where I live to Iroquois Park in South Louisville where I used to live. Here is a photo on one of the lookouts in the park. Basically all you see is trees but under those trees are 150-year old neighborhoods and city streets. The city is green, not barren suburbs (we have those, too).

Iroquois Park is one of five parks inside the city which were laid out by Olmsted, the celebrated urban planner who designed Central Park, a masterpiece of landscape architecture, in New York City.

My First Family Home

When I was born in 1944, my father was still in Germany in WWII. He never saw me until he came home when I was 2 years old. We lived in an apartment on South 4th Street in the Old Louisville neighborhood and I believe this is the building. I have only the vaguest recollections of our first family home but this is the only building on the block that I remember that matches my mental image. We lived here for a couple years and I remember Dad’s buddies from the war coming by.

Good to go…and stop

Gone are those days, 70 years ago, when I would flip my bicycle upside down and change a tire or tighten the chain or oil the gears there in the backyard. Today my rear brake–hydraulic, like on a motorcycle–was not working properly so a bike tech had to bleed some air from the brake line with special tools and relevant experience. My brakes work now but it cost me $20!

Theology Discussion

Every two weeks a group of us priests and lay people meet for two hours to discuss a theology book. Currently we are going through a book by an Irish theologian, Diarmuid O’Murchu who presents some challenging ideas about God and about humanity’s place in creation. Today for the first time we met at Nazareth Home Clifton in the lobby of the independent living building where the priests live.

This kind of gathering is really difficult in Cambodia because almost none of the laity would have the background in theology to participate and discussing a book in English would also present a big problem.

Sign language classes

Nazareth Home has recently had two deaf residents (they were part of the Catholic deaf community when I was here 40 years ago!) and I was asked to help provide some American Sign Language so staff can communicate more easily with them. Only deaf people should teach their language, to insure real learning, but I am giving some introductory principles and simple signs for communicating until some deaf teachers can be arranged. Because of work schedules usually only five to ten employees can attend class together.

On the road again (Singapore)

Leaving Phnom Penh, I flew on Singapore Airlines to Singapore where I switched to United Airlines. I was surprised when Singapore Airlines served a meal using no metal or plastic utensils or dishes. It was the usual full meal but the utensils were bamboo and the containers were cardboard. It seems it’s probably good environmental practice and I suspect it’s cheaper also. On this trip Eva Airlines and United also used the bamboo knives, forks, and spoons.

On the road again (Phnom Penh 10)

The new airport, about fifteen miles outside the city, is so different from the old airport—located in Phnom Penh—I’ve been using the past 30 years.

The new terminal is large, open, and airy and all the local people, visiting for the first time want to have their pictures taken with the dominating Buddha statue.
The terminal is modern like the airports of many major cities but has only been open for seven months and is not yet handling large amounts of passengers.
One aspect of the new terminal that surprised and impressed me is the use of facial recognition for passport control. Cambodians and visitors with passports from 18 other countries do not need to show their passports to an official but just approach these automated gates where their photos are taken.