Since LOUtoday launched in August of 2021, I’ve had the opportunity to bring you nearly 400 stories about Derby City. From following the journey of the historic Gaffney House to eating flaming wheels of cheese and investigating cryptic signs around town — it’s been a blast-and-a-half sharing hyper-local news with you.

While I’m not leaving Louisville, I am closing my LOUtoday City Editor chapter to work with the 25+ other 6AM City markets.

But you’re not rid of me yet.Love I figured on my last day, I’d recount some of my favorite LOUtoday moments — so cue that one Vitamin C song and talk a walk down memory lane.

Katie had the opportunity to climb with Cat and catch up after he won the competition. | Photo by LOUtoday

Climbing with Cat Runner

After Louisvillian Cat Runner won HBO Max’s reality show climbing competition “The Climb,” I caught up with Cat post-win. At his favorite climbing gym, Climb NuLu, I dipped my hand into the chalk bag for an immersive interview. Plus, I only fell (gracefully) twice.

Repelling down Louisville Slugger

What goes up must come down. After reaching new heights with Cat, I harnessed up and repelled down the Louisville Slugger Museum as part of the annual Over the Edge fundraiser for Down Syndrome of Louisville. Shout out to Jeff who captured my five-story journey down the building on Main Street — which I managed to do while wearing platform Vans shoes no less.

A baby goat

Goat races have been the focal point of the annual NuLu Bock Fest for 5+ years, and last spring, we decided it was time to get in on the adorable action by sponsoring our own LOUtoday baby goat. While our kid didn’t come in first place, he did steal our hearts in his purple LOUtoday bandanna.

Our first pic together in 2021 featuring our vegan cake from Sugar High. | Photo by LOUtoday

Have your LOUtoday cake and eat it too

How do you make an entrance onto the Derby City media scene? With a cake, of course. We commissioned vegan bakery Sugar High Louisville to make a LOUtoday-themed introductory cake, and it did not disappoint. Our purple confection featured the Louisville skyline on the outside and cinnamon swirl on the inside.

The Kentucky Commons Radio Hour podcast

A little over a year into LOUtoday, we were invited to be on the Louisville Ale Trail’s podcast, where we talked about everything from how we create hyper-local content to jellyfish at Shawnee Park and the local craft beer scene.

A McDonald’s mystery solved

For years I had been trying to track down the owners of a South End home with a lawn dedicated to the Golden Arches, based on a tip from an Uber driver. In the summer of 2022, WDRB released a segment on the McProperty that unwrapped my supersized curiosity.

The LOUtoday editors met with Game Changers Executive Director Christopher 2X, Master P, and Swizzle executive chef Kendall Linhart. | Photo by LOUtoday

Eating steak with Master P

Not every Tuesday lends a midday meal with a famous rapper, but this one did. In collaboration with Swizzle Dinner & Drinks and Master P, we got to try the twin petite angus filet with crawfish and Cajun cream sauce that the restaurant served to raise money for the local nonprofit 2X Game Changers.

Got milk?

While celebrity encounters are great cocktail party stories, meeting Heine Brothers barista Adam Hill embodied everything I think LOUtoday stands for. After a reader shared Hill's mission to sell 1,000 cups of milks, I had to make sure we were part of Louisville’s legendairy history in the making.