In our reality check story, Herald-Leader reporters dig deep into questions about facts, consequences and responsibility. Read more. Story idea? hlcityregion@herald-leader.com.
As Lexington residents continue to deal with the effects of winter storm ferns and problems clearing city streets, some took to social media to question why Mayor Linda Gorton’s streets are clear of ice and snow.
On January 31, a satirical post on the r/lexington subreddit drew attention to the Lexington mayor’s home on Beechmont Road, sharing a photo of the street that looked like it had just been plowed.
A Herald-Leader reporter drove down the streets Monday, which were drivable and mostly ice-free. Other streets in the nearby area were also largely clear.
On Monday, February 2, 2026, a vehicle was traveling along Beachmont Road.
(played by Aaron Mulder)
Fayette County Appraisal Administrator records show Gorton and her husband, Charles, own a property on Beechmont Road, near the University of Kentucky Arboretum in the Shadeland community.
Lexington’s current snow and ice removal plan follows a ranking system that assigns top priority based on traffic volume and gives greater consideration to public transportation, emergency services and schools.
Neighborhood streets often receive lower priority as crews work to keep major corridors clear. As a result, many smaller roads may have little or no activity from crews and contractors. The city was unable to provide the Herald-Leader Monday with updated information on how many neighborhood streets had received maintenance.
According to the city’s snow removal map, the entire Beachmont Road and much of the Shadeland neighborhood are Class 4 streets, lower on the priority list.
Susan Straub, a spokesperson for the mayor, said in a phone call Monday that she had seen the Reddit post but that any farming activity in the area was not the result of preferential treatment by top city officials.
“It has absolutely nothing to do with it. There is no preferential treatment involved. The mayor never asked for anything like this,” Straub told the Herald-Leader.
“I don’t know the answer to that,” Straub said when asked why the mayor’s street, ranked No. 4, was cleared.
“She never asked for any kind of special treatment or preferential treatment. Period,” Straub said.
On Tuesday morning, after this story was published, Straub emailed the following statement: “Mayor Gorton does not currently live on that street. She has received nothing from the cleanup of the street. That is not the story.”
Mayor Gorton, for her part, acknowledged the city’s response to winter storm ferns has been problematic.
Over the weekend, Gorton said the city needs to revisit its snow and ice removal plans in the event of severe winter storms and prolonged cold spells. Winter Storm Blair in early 2025 prompted the city to devote more resources to winter storm response, but Gorton said Saturday the city needs to do more.
“People are frustrated and want a return to normal, and so am I… I hear you loud and clear,” Gorton said. “What used to be a very rare situation — a severe ice storm followed by a prolonged period of extreme cold — has now happened two years in a row.”
Resident dissatisfaction with street cleaning has continued to grow since the Jan. 24-25 storm. Several candidates for public office also criticized the city’s response.
Mayor Gorton is currently seeking a historic third term as mayor of Lexington, where she will face six primary challengers this spring. If successful, it would be her third and final time at the helm of city government.
Straub also criticized the Herald-Leader’s reporting on the subject.
“I think this is journalism at its worst,” Straub said. “You’re all responding to rumors on social media, which I think is low-grade, low-brow journalism.”
