White men make up most of the University of Kentucky leadership team. By next month, the top candidates for provost of the University of Kentucky should be on campus for interviews in the most-watched job search since President Eli Capilouto came on board in 2011. [H-L]

What Americans keep ignoring about Finland’s school success. Everyone agrees the United States needs to improve its education system dramatically, but how? One of the hottest trends in education reform lately is looking at the stunning success of the West’s reigning education superpower, Finland. Trouble is, when it comes to the lessons that Finnish schools have to offer, most of the discussion seems to be missing the point. [The Atlantic]

Here’s yet another instance of KREF’s Emily Dennis playing pat-a-cake with campaign finance law in Kentucky. [WFPL]

Ummm… The Republican Party continued its outreach to women and minorities Friday morning by featuring Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell telling a joke that compared former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with The Golden Girls. [Mediaite]

What is the worst vote you ever cast? For many in Kentucky, the answer may be their votes for annual legislative sessions. [Ronnie Ellis]

Rand Paul edged out Marco Rubio in the presidential straw poll at the Conservative Political Action Conference Saturday, reinforcing their standing as the preeminent favorites of the Republican base heading into 2016. [Politico]

No, Joe, Mitch McConnell having done it in the past doesn’t make it acceptable – race baiting is never okay. And only saying so at the end of some silly Scotty Baesler meltdown is just as bad as the act itself. [C-J/AKN]

A growing number of states are moving forward with legislation to exempt them from new federal gun controls and, in some cases, brand as criminals anyone who tries to enforce them. [The Hill]

Four members of one church are ousted after claiming their pastor made several racial slurs. It all started late last year when those members tried to take action against the pastor. [WKYT]

In August 2008, as the right wing of the Republican Party grew increasingly disenchanted with the party’s direction, the men from Russo, Marsh and Associates sensed opportunity: They created a political action committee, Our Country Deserves Better, and in time launched the Tea Party Express. [ProPublica]

An argument involving a Casey County couple ended with both the man and woman dead late Friday, Kentucky State Police said. [H-L]

The US plans to bolster its missile defences on the west coast to counter the threat from North Korea, Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel has announced. He said the US would add 14 interceptors, which can shoot down missiles in flight, to 30 already in place in California and Alaska by 2017. [BBC]

President Barack Obama, who vastly expanded U.S. drone strikes against terrorism suspects overseas under the cloak of secrecy, is now openly seeking to influence global guidelines for their use as China and other countries pursue their own drone programs. [Reuters]