Latest / Kentucky Business News / 8.27.26

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8.27.26 · Kentucky Business News

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  Speaker 1: Hello, today I'll be reading from business sources in Kentucky,
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  Speaker 1: including the Lane Report and others from around the Commonwealth.
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  Speaker 1: Your reader today is Carolyn Brown. As a reminder, Radio
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  Speaker 1: Eye is a reading service intended for people who are
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  Speaker 1: blind or have other disabilities that make it difficult to
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  Speaker 1: read printed material. I'll begin today with the Lane Report
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  Speaker 1: online edition, and our first article is titled, Louisville-based Long
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  Speaker 1: John Silver's Caps Pickle Craze with New Limited Time Menu,
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  Speaker 1: published August 24, 2026. Long John Silver's is putting a
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  Speaker 1: Kentucky-based company's spin on one of the restaurant industry's biggest
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  Speaker 1: food trends, adding freshly battered fried pickles with a new
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  Speaker 1: Old Bay Ranch dipping sauce to its menu nationwide. The
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  Speaker 1: Louisville-headquartered seafood restaurant chain announced Monday that the new items
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  Speaker 1: will be available beginning August 24th for a limited time
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  Speaker 1: at participating restaurants. The move allows Long John Silver's to
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  Speaker 1: capitalize on the growing popularity of pickle-flavored foods while tying
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  Speaker 1: the product directly to one of the company's most recognizable assets,
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  Speaker 1: its signature batter. The fried pickles are freshly battered in
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  Speaker 1: restaurants using the same batter the company uses for its
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  Speaker 1: Alaska Pollock. Quote, pickles are having a moment, but we
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  Speaker 1: weren't interested in making just another fried pickle, Meredith Smith,
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  Speaker 1: director of brand marketing at Long John Silver's, said in
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  Speaker 1: announcing the launch. Quote, we batter fish for a living,
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  Speaker 1: so putting it on pickles felt like the obvious place
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  Speaker 1: to start. The company is pairing the new item with
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  Speaker 1: Ranch with Old Bay, combining the popular dipping sauce with
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  Speaker 1: the seafood seasoning brand owned by McCormick & Company. The
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  Speaker 1: limited-time promotion also expands beyond the fried pickles. Long John
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  Speaker 1: Silver's fish and chicken platter will include two pieces of
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  Speaker 1: wild-caught Alaska pollock, three chicken planks, fried pickles, two sides,
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  Speaker 1: Hush Puppies, and Old Bay Ranch. The company also is
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  Speaker 1: featuring a $ 6 fish and chicken basket as part of
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  Speaker 1: its year-round value menu. The meal includes one piece of
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  Speaker 1: battered Alaska Pollock, one all-white meat chicken plank, a side,
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  Speaker 1: and Hush Puppies. The promotion comes as restaurant operators continue
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  Speaker 1: to compete for value-conscious consumers while also using limited-time menu
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  Speaker 1: offerings to generate traffic and social media attention. Long John
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  Speaker 1: Silver's is also getting an early start on the fall
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  Speaker 1: season with the return of pumpkin cheesecake from the Cheesecake
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  Speaker 1: Factory Bakery. The dessert features pumpkin cheesecake with seasonal spices,
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  Speaker 1: a graham cracker crumb crust, and whipped cream. Founded in 1969,
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  Speaker 1: Long John Silver's has its corporate headquarters in Louisville and
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  Speaker 1: operates quick-service seafood restaurants across the United States. The company
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  Speaker 1: has been working in recent years to modernize its restaurants, menu,
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  Speaker 1: and brand while maintaining its traditional focus on battered seafood
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  Speaker 1: and chicken. The fried pickles, Old Bay Ranch, and other
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  Speaker 1: promotional items are available for a limited time at participating
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  Speaker 1: locations nationwide. More information and restaurant locations are available through
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  Speaker 1: Long John Silver's website. Next, Kentucky labor market holds steady
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  Speaker 1: as U.S. hiring remains flat, published August 21, 2026. Kentucky's
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  Speaker 1: labor market remained relatively stable in July as employers nationwide
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  Speaker 1: showed little movement in hiring. according to new data released
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  Speaker 1: Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Kentucky was
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  Speaker 1: among 48 states where non-farm payroll employment was essentially unchanged
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  Speaker 1: from June to July, a sign that the Commonwealth's labor
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  Speaker 1: market held steady during a month marked by limited job
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  Speaker 1: creation across most of the country. Only one state, Maryland,
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  Speaker 1: recorded a statistically significant monthly employment increase. adding 11,700 jobs,
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  Speaker 1: while New Jersey was the only state with a significant decline,
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  Speaker 1: losing 25,600 jobs. The report provides a mixed picture for
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  Speaker 1: Kentucky businesses and employers. While the Commonwealth did not experience
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  Speaker 1: a significant decline in payroll employment, it also was not
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  Speaker 1: among the states posting statistically significant job growth. Nationally, the
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  Speaker 1: unemployment rate stood at 4.1% in July and was little
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  Speaker 1: changed from both June and from a year earlier. Unemployment
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  Speaker 1: rates declined significantly in 10 states during July and were
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  Speaker 1: statistically stable in the remaining 40 states and the District
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  Speaker 1: of Columbia, including Kentucky. Kentucky also was not among the
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  Speaker 1: states recording a statistically significant year-over-year change in unemployment. indicating
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  Speaker 1: that the state's jobless rate has remained comparatively stable over
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  Speaker 1: the past year. The latest figures come as businesses continue
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  Speaker 1: to navigate a labor market that has cooled from the
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  Speaker 1: rapid hiring environment experienced earlier in the decade. Across the country,
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  Speaker 1: payroll employment increased significantly in only six states during the
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  Speaker 1: 12 months ending in July. 43 states, including Kentucky, recorded
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  Speaker 1: no statistically significant year-over-year payroll change. Texas led the nation
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  Speaker 1: in numerical job growth over the year, adding 165,600 positions,
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  Speaker 1: followed by California with 112,700 and North Carolina with 51,600.
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  Speaker 1: Minnesota posted the largest percentage increase at 1.4%. followed by
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  Speaker 1: Louisiana and South Carolina at 1.3% each. The results show
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  Speaker 1: several of Kentucky's neighboring states outperforming the Commonwealth on certain
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  Speaker 1: labor market measures. Ohio's unemployment rate fell to 3.4% in
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  Speaker 1: July from 3.6% in June, one of the largest statistically
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  Speaker 1: significant monthly declines in the country. Tennessee also had a 3.4%
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  Speaker 1: unemployment rate, below the national rate of 4.1%. Ohio's improvement
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  Speaker 1: has been particularly notable over the past year. Its unemployment
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  Speaker 1: rate fell from 4.5% in July 2025 to 3.4% last month,
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  Speaker 1: a 1.1 percentage point decline and one of the largest
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  Speaker 1: decreases nationally. The broader employment numbers reinforce signs of a
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  Speaker 1: slower growth labor market nationally. In July, 48 states and
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  Speaker 1: the District of Columbia recorded essentially unchanged payroll employment, compared
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  Speaker 1: with just one state reporting significant growth and one reporting
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  Speaker 1: a significant decline. For Kentucky employers, the report points to
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  Speaker 1: stability rather than expansion or contraction. The Commonwealth avoided the
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  Speaker 1: statistically significant employment decline seen elsewhere. but it also remained
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  Speaker 1: outside the relatively small group of states, generating measurable year-over-year
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  Speaker 1: job growth. The BLS cautions that state employment and unemployment
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  Speaker 1: figures come from two different surveys. Unemployment and labor force
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  Speaker 1: estimates are based largely on a household survey, while payroll
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  Speaker 1: employment estimates are based on a survey of businesses and
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  Speaker 1: government establishments. The federal agency is scheduled to release preliminary
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  Speaker 1: benchmark revisions to state payroll employment estimates August 28th. Those
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  Speaker 1: revisions will incorporate more comprehensive employment counts derived from state
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  Speaker 1: unemployment insurance tax records and could alter previously reported employment estimates.
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  Speaker 1: The August state employment and unemployment report is scheduled for
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  Speaker 1: release September 18th. Next, Republic Bank Corp. Named Among Nations'
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  Speaker 1: Top Performing Banks. Published August 21, 2026. Republic Bank Corp. Inc.,
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  Speaker 1: one of Kentucky's largest financial institutions, has been named to
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  Speaker 1: American Bankers' 2026 list of top-performing banks with $ 2 billion
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  Speaker 1: to $ 10 billion in assets. Louisville-based Republic Inc. parent company
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  Speaker 1: of Republic Bank and Trust Company, was recognized based on
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  Speaker 1: financial measures including profitability, return on equity, net interest margin,
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  Speaker 1: and growth. American Banker develops the annual ranking in partnership
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  Speaker 1: with Capital Performance Group. Banks making the 2026 list benefited
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  Speaker 1: from factors including improved operating efficiency, lending performance, deposit growth,
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  Speaker 1: and expanding net interest margins, according to the organizations. Quote,
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  Speaker 1: Being acknowledged among the nation's top-performing banks is a testament
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  Speaker 1: to the dedication of our associates and the trust our
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  Speaker 1: clients place in us every day, Republic Bank Corp. Executive
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  Speaker 1: Chair Steve Traeger said. Traeger said the recognition reflects the
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  Speaker 1: company's focus on financial performance while continuing to invest in employees, technology,
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  Speaker 1: and the communities it serves. The latest recognition comes as
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  Speaker 1: Republic continues to operate an expanding multi-state banking franchise. As
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  Speaker 1: of June 30th, Republic Bank Corp. reported approximately $ 7. 06 billion
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  Speaker 1: in total assets. Republic Bank operates 47 banking centers across
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  Speaker 1: five metropolitan areas in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Florida, and Tennessee.
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  Speaker 1: Kentucky remains the company's largest market. Republic operates 22 banking
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  Speaker 1: centers in the Louisville metropolitan area, including locations serving Louisville, Prospect, Shelbyville,
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  Speaker 1: and Shepherdsville, as well as southern Indiana. It operates another
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  Speaker 1: six banking centers in the Lexington market, serving Lexington and Georgetown.
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  Speaker 1: The bank also has eight locations in the Cincinnati metropolitan area,
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  Speaker 1: seven in the Tampa, Florida market, and four in the Nashville,
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  Speaker 1: Tennessee area. Republic President and CEO Logan Piquel said the
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  Speaker 1: bank intends to continue focusing on growth and improving its
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  Speaker 1: customer experience. Quote, recognition like this reinforces that we're moving
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  Speaker 1: in the right direction, but our focus remains on what's next,
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  Speaker 1: Piquel said. We're not content with standing still. Every day
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  Speaker 1: we're looking for new ways to enhance the client experience,
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  Speaker 1: strengthen our markets, and position Republic Bank for continued success.
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  Speaker 1: The American Banker recognition adds to several recent national honors
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  Speaker 1: received by the Kentucky-based financial institution. Republic has been named
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  Speaker 1: an S & P Global Market Intelligence Top 50 Community
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  Speaker 1: Bank for three consecutive years. including 2026. It also received
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  Speaker 1: the Raymond James Community Bankers Cup in 2025 and 2026
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  Speaker 1: and was named one of Newsweek's best regional banks in 2024, 2025,
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  Speaker 1: and 2026. Forbes also named Republic among its world's best
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  Speaker 1: banks for 2026. Republic Bank Corp. 's Class A common
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  Speaker 1: stock Trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the
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  Speaker 1: ticker symbol RBCAA. Next, Versed Logistics opens new Northern Kentucky
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  Speaker 1: Excellence Center, published August 21, 2026. Versed Logistics has opened
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  Speaker 1: a new 20,119-square-foot office in Northern Kentucky. bringing its executive
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  Speaker 1: leadership and 75 employees under one roof as the third-party
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  Speaker 1: logistics provider continues its national expansion. Verst, in partnership with
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  Speaker 1: Northern Kentucky-based real estate investment and development firm Corporex, held
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  Speaker 1: a grand opening and ribbon-cutting for the new Verst Logistics
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  Speaker 1: Excellence Center at Olympic Corporate Center II at Circle Port
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  Speaker 1: in Boone County. The Class A office facility was designed
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  Speaker 1: to support the logistics company's growth strategy and includes advanced
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  Speaker 1: audiovisual technology, an operations logistics hub, and a large company lounge.
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  Speaker 1: The space is intended to increase collaboration among teams while
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  Speaker 1: supporting customer service and future growth. Quote, this is not
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  Speaker 1: just a new office opening. It represents our growth, expansion
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  Speaker 1: into new markets, and the strong momentum driving our business forward,
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  Speaker 1: Versed Logistics President and CEO Todd Johnson said. Johnson said
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  Speaker 1: the company's investments in northern Kentucky and elsewhere across the
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  Speaker 1: country reflect its expectations for continued growth. Quote, the investments
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  Speaker 1: we are making both here in northern Kentucky and across
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  Speaker 1: the country reflect our confidence in the future and reinforce
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  Speaker 1: our commitment to serving customers wherever they need us, he said.
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  Speaker 1: The new office is located within Corporate Circle Port Corporate Park,
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  Speaker 1: near some of Northern Kentucky's most important transportation assets. The
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  Speaker 1: location provides access to Interstate 275 and the Mineola Interchange,
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  Speaker 1: the Cincinnati Central Business District, and Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport.
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  Speaker 1: CVG has emerged as one of North America's largest cargo airports,
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  Speaker 1: making the surrounding region an increasingly important hub for logistics, distribution,
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  Speaker 1: and e-commerce operations. The facility also provides VIRST with prominent
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  Speaker 1: visibility along I-275. Quote, as CorporX recently celebrated 60 years
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  Speaker 1: of shaping regional development, Strategic real estate partnerships like this
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  Speaker 1: one with First Logistics demonstrate the ongoing power of local
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  Speaker 1: business growth, Corporex President and COO Brett Blackwell said. Blackwell
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  Speaker 1: said the project allowed Corporex to match its Class A
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  Speaker 1: office assets at Circleport with First's long-term operational needs as
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  Speaker 1: the logistics company continues expanding nationally. The project brings together
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  Speaker 1: two northern Kentucky companies, that each have operated for approximately
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  Speaker 1: six decades. Burst Logistics is a family-owned, third-party logistics company
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  Speaker 1: headquartered in Walton. The company employs more than 2,200 people
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  Speaker 1: and operates a nationwide warehouse network totaling more than 8
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  Speaker 1: million square feet. Its services include omnichannel fulfillment, dedicated transportation,
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  Speaker 1: freight brokerage, and shrink-sleeve labeling. The company's continued expansion comes
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  Speaker 1: as Northern Kentucky strengthens its position as a major U.S.
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  Speaker 1: logistics and distribution center, supported by its interstate network, proximity
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  Speaker 1: to major population centers, and CVG's growing operations. Corporex, based
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  Speaker 1: in Covington, has developed more than 33 million square feet
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  Speaker 1: of real estate across more than 22 states and reports
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  Speaker 1: more than $ 1 billion in assets under management. The opening
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  Speaker 1: of the Excellence Center represents another investment at Circleport while
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  Speaker 1: keeping a major Northern Kentucky employer's leadership operations in the
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  Speaker 1: region as Vers grows its national footprint. Next, YMCA of
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  Speaker 1: Central Kentucky to acquire Proof Fitness, add two Lexington locations.
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  Speaker 1: Published August 21, 2026. The YMCA of Central Kentucky is
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  Speaker 1: expanding its Lexington footprint through the acquisition of Proof Fitness,
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  Speaker 1: a deal that will add two locations to the nonprofit
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  Speaker 1: organization and provide a new home for members of its
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  Speaker 1: longtime High Street facility. The YMCA announced Thursday that it
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  Speaker 1: has signed an asset purchase agreement to acquire Proof Fitness.
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  Speaker 1: The transaction is expected to close in early October. when
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  Speaker 1: Proof Fitness locations in downtown Lexington and the Tate's Creek
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  Speaker 1: area will transition into YMCA facilities. Financial terms of the
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  Speaker 1: transaction were not disclosed. Quote, This acquisition helps us address
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  Speaker 1: an immediate need, keeping our high street membership together, said
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  Speaker 1: Paula Anderson, President and CEO of the YMCA of Central Kentucky.
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  Speaker 1: It also allows us to expand into the Tate's Creek area,
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  Speaker 1: bringing the YMCA's mission and programs to a growing part
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  Speaker 1: of our community. The acquisition represents a significant expansion for
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  Speaker 1: the YMCA while addressing the future of its downtown operations.
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  Speaker 1: When the downtown Proof Fitness location becomes a YMCA in
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  Speaker 1: early October, the organization will begin moving memberships and classes
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  Speaker 1: currently based at the High Street YMCA, to the new facility.
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  Speaker 1: The High Street YMCA is scheduled to officially close October 30th,
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  Speaker 1: ending more than six decades of operations at the location.
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  Speaker 1: The organization plans commemorative activities through October, recognizing the High
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  Speaker 1: Street facility and the generations of members, employees, volunteers, and
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  Speaker 1: community members who have been associated with it. The move, however,
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  Speaker 1: does not end the YMCA's plans for a more permanent
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  Speaker 1: downtown facility. Steve Byers, chair of the YMCA of Central
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  Speaker 1: Kentucky Board of Directors, said the organization remains committed to
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  Speaker 1: developing partnerships necessary to eventually build a new downtown YMCA. Quote,
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  Speaker 1: this investment provides an important bridge for our High Street members,
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  Speaker 1: Byers said. Quote, it allows us to maintain presence downtown,
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  Speaker 1: continue serving the members who have been part of the
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  Speaker 1: High Street YMCA community, and preserve the connections that make
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  Speaker 1: the Y so important to so many people. End quote.
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  Speaker 1: Byers said the acquisition provides continuity while the organization continues
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  Speaker 1: evaluating its longer-term downtown strategy. Quote, we believe continuity of
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  Speaker 1: service matters and this investment gives us the opportunity to
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  Speaker 1: remain connected to downtown while we continue exploring the best
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  Speaker 1: path forward for the YMCA's future, he said. Following completion
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  Speaker 1: of the transaction, existing YMCA of Central Kentucky members will
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  Speaker 1: have access to the two former Proof Fitness locations as
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  Speaker 1: part of their memberships. The YMCA also plans to welcome
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  Speaker 1: existing Proof Fitness members into its organization. Additional information about memberships, programs,
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  Speaker 1: and transition timelines is expected to be provided in the
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  Speaker 1: coming weeks. The addition of the Tate's Creek facility also
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  Speaker 1: gives the YMCA an opportunity to expand its reach into
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  Speaker 1: another part of Lexington without constructing a new facility from
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  Speaker 1: the ground up. The YMCA of Central Kentucky has served
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  Speaker 1: the region for 170 years and operates programs focused on
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  Speaker 1: health and wellness, youth development, and community services. Next, UK
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: Research Aims to Cut Pest Control Costs for Kentucky Golf Courses,
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  Speaker 1: published August 24, 2026. University of Kentucky researchers are working
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  Speaker 1: with Kentucky golf course operators and industry partners to combat
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  Speaker 1: a destructive pest that could increase maintenance costs and threaten
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  Speaker 1: turf conditions at courses across the state. Researchers with UK's
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  Speaker 1: Martin Gatton College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment are studying
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  Speaker 1: the annual bluegrass weevil, a small beetle considered one of
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  Speaker 1: the most damaging turf grass pests affecting golf courses in
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  Speaker 1: the northeastern United States. The pest has more recently expanded
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  Speaker 1: into the southeast and has become established in parts of
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  Speaker 1: central Kentucky, prompting researchers and golf course superintendents to develop
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  Speaker 1: more targeted approaches to controlling it. The research has an
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  Speaker 1: economic component for Kentucky's golf industry. By determining when annual
• 22:29
  Speaker 1: bluegrass weevil populations are most active Researchers hope golf course
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  Speaker 1: managers can better time insecticide applications, reduce unnecessary treatments, and
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  Speaker 1: lower operating costs. Quote, We know a lot about the
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  Speaker 1: ABW's biology and seasonal activity in the Northeast, but we
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  Speaker 1: don't know when the different life stages are active here
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  Speaker 1: in Kentucky and when populations peak in abundance, said Caleb Wilson,
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  Speaker 1: Assistant Professor of Urban Landscape Entomology at UK. Wilson said
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  Speaker 1: understanding the pest's seasonal activity throughout the bluegrass region could
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  Speaker 1: allow Central Kentucky golf course superintendents to manage it more effectively.
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  Speaker 1: The Kentuckiana Golf Course Superintendents Association provided funding for the research,
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  Speaker 1: while Syngenta also has supported UK's turfgrass and annual bluegrass
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  Speaker 1: weevil research. Quote, as the cost of turf management products
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  Speaker 1: continues to rise, reducing unnecessary treatments is increasingly important, KGCSA
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  Speaker 1: President Matthew E. Shallock said. Quote, by identifying when and
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  Speaker 1: where control measures are truly needed, this research will help
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  Speaker 1: golf course managers make more informed decisions, improve resource efficiency,
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  Speaker 1: and enhance turf health across golf courses throughout the Kentuckiana region,
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  Speaker 1: end quote. Annual bluegrass weevils can damage fairways, collars, approaches,
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  Speaker 1: and putting greens. Adults feed on individual grass blades, while
• 24:09
  Speaker 1: larvae feed inside grass stems before attacking the crown of
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  Speaker 1: the plant. Significant infestations can kill large areas of turf.
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  Speaker 1: That can create costly problems for golf courses where turf
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  Speaker 1: quality is both an operating necessity and an important part
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  Speaker 1: of the customer experience. UK graduate student Grace Ferry is
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  Speaker 1: conducting much of the field research under Wilson's direction while
• 24:38
  Speaker 1: pursuing a master's degree in entomology. Ferry and other researchers
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  Speaker 1: visit several sampling locations each week to measure the pest activity.
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  Speaker 1: One of those locations is the Champion's Trace course at
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  Speaker 1: King Trace Golf Club in Jessamine County. Researchers collect soil
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  Speaker 1: and turf samples from areas surrounding putting greens and use
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  Speaker 1: temperature data to develop models that could help predict when
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  Speaker 1: annual bluegrass weevils are most active. After samples are collected,
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  Speaker 1: Ferry analyzes them in Wilson's UK laboratory. Researchers count and
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  Speaker 1: measure larvae to determine their age and stage of development.
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  Speaker 1: The information is then shared weekly with golf course superintendents,
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  Speaker 1: giving operators current information about the number of weevils present
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  Speaker 1: in their stage of development. That can help managers decide
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  Speaker 1: when treatment is necessary and evaluate whether previous treatments have worked.
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  Speaker 1: For golf course operators, the collaboration provides access to research
• 25:45
  Speaker 1: that can be applied directly to their operations. Quote, the
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  Speaker 1: University of Kentucky continues to lead the way in the
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  Speaker 1: turf grass industry. said Carl Gray, superintendent at Keen Trace
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  Speaker 1: Golf Club. Quote, having the opportunity to work closely with
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  Speaker 1: Caleb and his team gives us an inside look at
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  Speaker 1: emerging practices, research, and technology, end quote. Gray said the
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  Speaker 1: partnership allows Keen Trace to evaluate its existing turf management
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  Speaker 1: practices and identify opportunities for improvement. Syngenta said the research
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  Speaker 1: also could help the golf industry develop make more precise
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  Speaker 1: pest control decisions. The annual bluegrass weevil is a destructive
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  Speaker 1: complex pest requiring precise application timing to target the right
• 26:35
  Speaker 1: life stages at the right moment, said Matt Geese, Midwest
• 26:39
  Speaker 1: Technical Service Representative at Syngenta Professional Solutions. UK Cooperative Extension
• 26:46
  Speaker 1: personnel are also helping move the research from the laboratory
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  Speaker 1: into the field. Kenneth Clayton, Senior Agriculture Extension Associate at
• 26:55
  Speaker 1: Martin Gatton CFE, works with golf course superintendents and managers
• 27:00
  Speaker 1: to translate the research into practical pest management strategies. Quote,
• 27:05
  Speaker 1: with the newer pests like this, there are huge learning gaps,
• 27:08
  Speaker 1: Clayton said. It's important that we are translating that science
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: from our research to the golf course superintendents and managers
• 27:15
  Speaker 1: so they can make timely applications and do their jobs well,
• 27:19
  Speaker 1: end quote. The research illustrates the broader role university-industry partnerships
• 27:24
  Speaker 1: can play in addressing operating challenges for Kentucky businesses. For
• 27:30
  Speaker 1: golf courses, better information about an emerging pest could ultimately
• 27:34
  Speaker 1: mean fewer businesses. Make that surfaces. This concludes the reading
• 27:39
  Speaker 1: of the most recent Kentucky business news. Your reader today
• 27:43
  Speaker 1: has been Carolyn Brown. If you have any questions or
• 27:46
  Speaker 1: comments about this program, please give our Lexington studios a call.
• 27:51
  Speaker 1: at 859-422-6390. Thanks for listening, and now please stay tuned
• 27:57
  Speaker 1: for more programming here on Radio Eye.