Budget blues: Mayor Jerry Abramson today announced the city’s finances are in dire straits; a hiring freeze and scaling back spending will be necessary to address a projected $20 million budget shortfall.

Coach K: University of Louisville Coach Steve Kragthorpe takes the blame for the team’s poor performance this season.

Fattest city: And the winner is … Huntington, W.Va. Nearly 50 percent of all adults residing in the appalachian city are obese. As a result, Huntington also takes the title of the nation’s unhealthiest metropolis, with a large percentage of residents suffering from heart disease, diabetes and other weight-related illnesses. On the flip-side, the country’s healthiest city is Burlington, Vt.

Tales of a plumber: From unlicensed plumber to would-be country music star to author. That’s right, Joe the Plumber is cashing in on a book deal. Rumor has it the book, entitled “Joe the Plumber — Fighting for the American Dream,” could be out by the end of the year.

Grand Old Party?: Republican leaders lament losing major elections and plot the party’s resurgence. RNC Chairman Mike Duncan — who started his career working in Kentucky politics — is optimistic about the GOP’s prospects for the 2010 mid-term elections