In our reality check stories, Herald-Leader journalists explore deeper questions about facts, results and accountability. Read more. Story ideas? hlcityregion@herald-leader.com.
As Lexington residents continue to deal with the aftermath of Winter Storm Fern and clear city streets, some have taken to social media to question why Mayor Linda Gorton is keeping streets clear of snow and ice.
A satirical post on the r/lexington subreddit on Jan. 31 drew attention to the mayor’s Lexington home on Beechmont Road and shared a photo of the street, which appears to have been freshly plowed.
On Monday, a Herald-Leader reporter drove and walked the road, which was drivable and mostly ice-free. Other nearby roads were also largely clear.
A vehicle traveling down Beechmont Road on Monday, February 2, 2026.
(Aaron Mudd)
Fayette County Property Assessment Administrator records show Gorton and her husband, Charles, own a home along Beechmont Road, near the University of Kentucky Arboretum in the Shadeland neighborhood.
Lexington’s current snow and ice removal plan follows a ranking system that assigns high priority based on traffic volume, with high attention to public transportation, emergency services and schools.
Neighboring streets typically receive a lower priority ranking while crews work to keep major corridors clear. As a result, many smaller roads may see little or no activity from crews and contractors. On Monday, the city could not give the Herald-Leader an update on how many neighborhood streets it has received.
According to the city’s snow removal map, all of Beechmont Road and most of the Shedland neighborhood are 4 streets, low on the priority list.
In a phone call Monday, mayoral spokeswoman Susan Straub said she had seen the Reddit post, but that any plowing activity in the area was not the result of preferential treatment for the city’s top official.
“There’s absolutely nothing. There’s no preferential treatment involved. The mayor didn’t ask for anything like that,” Straub told the Herald-Leader.
When asked why the mayor’s street was ranked 4 but cleared, Straub said, “I don’t know the answer to that.”
“She never asked for any kind of special treatment or preferential treatment. Period,” Straub said.
After the story was published Tuesday morning, Straub sent the following statement via email: “Mayor Gorton does not currently live on that street. He would not benefit from it being vacated. This is a non-story.”
For her part, Mayor Gorton has acknowledged problems with the city’s response to Winter Storm Fern.
Over the weekend, Gorton indicated that the city needs to revisit its snow and ice removal plans to account for severe winter storms and extended periods of cold. Winter Storm Blair in early 2025 prompted the city to invest more resources in winter storm response, but on Saturday, Gorton said the city needs to do more.
“People are frustrated and want to go back to normal, like me … I hear you loud and clear,” Gorton said. “What used to be a very rare event – a significant ice storm, followed by an extended period of extreme cold – has now happened two years in a row.”
Disappointment remains among residents who cleaned the streets after the storm from January 24 to 25. Several candidates for public office have also criticized the city’s response.
Mayor Gorton is currently seeking a historic third term as mayor of Lexington, and she will face six primary challengers this spring. If successful, this will be his third and final term running the city government.
Straub also criticized the Herald-Leader’s reporting on the headline.
“I think it’s journalism at its worst,” Straub said. “You’re all responding to rumors circulating on social media, and I think that’s low-level journalism.”
