Former Gainesway Neighborhood Association Chief says Weathers won’t return her calls; WKYT did not fact check inaccurate reporting

Former President of the Gainesway Neighborhood Association Claudia Green had some strong words for Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers and WKYT in a recent Herald Leader piece. Green says that a “firestorm that occurred when Councilman Fred Brown and Police Chief Weathers presented ‘The Gainesway Community Forum on Gun Violence‘ on Sept. 6, 2022, began as a discussion on issues in Lexington.”

WKYT reported that “tempers flared” at the “Gainesway” forum. The only problem? Those pesky facts.

The only problem is there is only one distinct area which is the Gainesway subdivision. Gainesway comprises 38 streets, boundary lines are Tates Creek Road, Armstrong Mill Road, and Pimlico Parkway. We currently have 1,963 residents.
…

Councilman Fred Brown and Police Chief Lawrence Weathers failed to incorporate any statistical data to substantiate the allegations that the Gainesway Community has an issue of gun violence.
…
I submitted a open records request
…

Between Sept. 8, 2021 through Sept. 8, 2022 there were 67 misdemeanor and violent crimes in which a firearm was present in …. one.

Green says she sees this misinformation against her neighborhood as “slanderous,” and it has the potential to damage their property values.

There are already multiple lawsuits against LPD, and at least five name Chief Weathers personally. (Green says Weathers will not return her phone calls now.) It is unknown how many active lawsuits against WKYT exist, but it’s sure to be substantial given their history–back in the 90’s their local owners went bankrupt after a protracted fraud investigation and had to unload the station in a fire sale to an Atlanta-based company.

Green, C 2022, ‘Don’t paint Gainesway with broad brush on crime’, Lexington Herald-Leader (KY) , 26 Sep, p. 7A, (online NewsBank).