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Monday January 26, 2026
Local Connection
Many people were upset throughout the county when the Transit Authority of River City (TARC) announced that they would be raising the bus fare by 25 cents to help reduce a large projected budget deficit. With TARC bleeding money when riders cheat the system by selling transfers, using transfers well after it is expired, and using fake bus passes, it is easy to see how they can have a funding shortfall. TARC announced late last year that new fare collection system on the buses would be coming soon and the new systems are set to be in place sometime late this year, according to their website.
The new system will implement a smart card that can be loaded with funds to cover the rider’s fare. The smart card will allow passengers to tap their card on the reader to deduct the fare from their available funds. The card will also store transfer information on the card, eliminating the need for paper transfers and helping TARC “go green” while reducing printing costs. The transfer status will be activated upon fare payment and will be good for two hours. Once the transfer time has expired, the next tap will automatically deduct the fare price again.
One of the big advantages to the smart card will be that the fares (currently $1.75, $2.75 for express routes) will go back down to $1.50 per ride or $2.50 for express rides. Riders will still be able to buy monthly passes, which will be loaded directly on the card. Riders will also have the option to buy 24 hour passes for $3.50 (day passes were previously only available at two locations), and 7 day passes for $15. For a complete list of fare prices, visit the TARC website. If a rider qualifies for reduced fares, they will still receive the reduced fares, but the smart card will need to be picked up directly from TARC Headquarters so that eligibility can be verified. If you are currently a University of Louisville student or work for a company with a TARC rider agreement using with your photo ID, you will still be able to ride for free, but the logistics for that are still being worked out.
Since the TARC Smart Card can be used as cash for paying fares, the system also offers some protection for the card holder. Each card can be registered to a user and, in the event that a card is a lost, the rider will be able to call TARC and have the card canceled. The remaining funds on the card will then be transferred to a new card registered to the rider. Note that each rider will need their own card. A single card, even it’s loaded with $100, will not be able to purchase more than one fare at a time.
The May 20 Primary Elections are fast approaching. Do you know who is going to be on your ballot? Find your candidates for select Kentucky and Indiana precincts below.
Update: Primary Results Are In.
Kentucky Primary Candidates
US Senate
- Burrel Charles Farnsley (D)
- Alison Lundergan Grimes (D)
- Greg Leichty (D)
- Tom Recktenwald (D)
- Matt Bevin (R)
- Brad Copas (R)
- Mitch McConnell (R)
- Chris Payne (R)
- Shawna Sterling (R)
US House of Representatives
- 2nd District
- Ron Leach (D)
- Brett Guthrie (R)
- 3rd District
- Ray Pierce (D)
- John Yarmuth (D)
- Michael Macfarlane (R)
- 4th District
- Peter Newberry (D)
- Thomas Massie (R)
The annual running of the Oaks and Kentucky Derby will take place this Friday and Saturday, May 2nd and 3rd. Throughout the course of the races, hundreds of thousands will enjoy the races and festivities from under the twin spires of Churchill Downs. Many others, however, will choose to get in on the action from the comfort of their own home or at a Derby party. Celebrating the event at home is a great way to enjoy the many races throughout the day: it is less stressful, less crowded, and cheaper.
Once you have decided to throw a Derby party at your home, the next step is to plan a fun party. There are a number of directions in which you can take your Derby party. Check out some of the theme ideas below from a variety of sources, including the Official Kentucky Derby website and Better Homes and Garden:
- For a more Family Friendly Experience, have a Under-Horse Party
- Decorations: decorate in the colors of the under-dog horse
- Attire: casual – for kids (or adults), buy cotton T-shirts and fabric paint so the kids can make their own jerseys
- Food: potluck, grilled food, horse-shaped cookies for kids to decorate
- Drinks: mint juleps (for virgin mint juleps – substitute ginger ale for bourbon)
- Games: Corn hole, horse shoes, derby pool (put the horse numbers into a hat and have your guests draw a number, a prize or an extra drink to the winner), water balloons, pin-the-tail-on-the-race horse
- For a more informal party, have an Infield Party
- Decorations: Outdoors, use plastic horse figurines or plastic trophy cups for place markers, use trophy cups as cocktail glasses, pretty much anything goes here
- Attire: casual
- Food: grilled food, potluck, burgoo
- Drinks: beer and mint juleps
- Games: corn hole, horseshoes, three-legged races, provide materials (e.g. duct tape and plastic shopping bags) for a create your own hat contest, beer pong, slip-n-slides, derby pool
Warmer weather means new gardens, the return of birds, baseball season, and door-to-door solicitors. Unfortunately, not all door-to-door solicitors are trying to save you money, some may be out to scam you. According to the AARP, people age 60 and above are at a higher risk to be victims of door-to-door scams. This demographics is at a higher risk because retired people are more likely to be home during the day when solicitors are making their rounds, may be less likely to slam the door in a solicitors face and less likely to report the crime. Door-to-door solicitors offer a variety of goods and services, including magazine subscriptions, food, energy audits, home and property maintenance, and charity donations. The list goes on.
Not all solicitors are up to no good and there are a number of things that residents can do to protect themselves. Many door-to-door scam artists exhibit behavior that can tip you off. Some things you should look for include, but not limited to, the seller becoming aggressive when you say no; asking to use the bathroom or telephone; not offering a receipt for purchases; not charging sales tax for goods or charging a higher-than-normal sales tax. If the solicitor states that the money will be going to a charity, the claim can be verified against a list of all of registered charities maintained by the state Attorney General. The USDA recommends the following guidelines if purchasing meat or other food: ask for a brochure of the company; check to see if the vehicle has refrigeration; check the labels of the meat; ask to see the sales permit; and ask where the meat was inspected.
Louisville Metro Police Department offers an Continue reading
The new Kentucky Kingdom and Hurricane Bay, located on nearly 60 acres right in the middle of Louisville, are set to open May 24, 2014. Tickets prices are currently set at $44.95 for adults and $34.95 for children, seniors and military. The best value for the park is the $99.95 season pass, which is available online direct from Kentucky Kingdom or from your nearest Kroger location, where they can be purchased for $69.95 until June 2nd. Benefits of the season pass include park admission all season, rides in the park during the Kentucky State Fair, $1 32-ounce soft drinks throughout the park, 20% of all park food and merchandise, free sunscreen and free water tubes.
The newly renovated Kentucky Kingdom will be sporting five new rides, including Lightning Run (a roller coaster with an 80 degree drop), Fearfall, Professor John’s Flying Machines, Bumper Cars and a 5D Cinema Ride. We will also see four new water attractions, including the Family Wave Lagoon, Adventure River, Plummet Summit, and Buccaneer Beach. For the kids, there are four new children’s ride: Whirl-A-Round Swings, Tea Cups, Jump Around, and Rock-A-Bye Swings. The new Aqua Theater, featuring rescued sea lions, starts in June and offers fun for all ages.
For more information about the park and to see videos for the new attractions, visit the website for Kentucky Kingdom.
It’s that time of year again: election time. This year, the primaries in Kentucky will be held on May 20. There is a US Senate position, multiple US House of Representative positions, and various state positions being contested this year. Check back in the near future for follow-up articles about the different elections that will have an impact on Louisville.
It might sound cliché, but it is a citizen’s right and duty to vote in elections. If you want to vote in the Primary election in May, the deadline to register is April 21. If you are not registered to vote, there are a few eligibility requirements that need to be met. To be eligible to vote, you need to:
- be a US Citizen and a KY resident for at least 28 days prior to the election
- be at least 18 years old by the general election in October
- not be a convicted felon
- not have been judged mentally incompetent in a court of law
- not have claimed the right vote elsewhere in the US
If these requirements are met, there are a few different places that voters can complete registration, such as the County Clerk’s office, the DMV, and through a mail card.
What else should you know about voting in Kentucky?
- You must register with a party. Kentucky has closed primaries; this means voters can only vote in the primary election of the party with which they are registered. It also means that if you select “Other,” you can only vote in nonpartisan city and judicial primaries.
- If you are unable to vote on election day, you have a few options. You may qualify for a mailed absentee ballot. If you don’t qualify for a paper ballot, you may still be eligible to vote early at the County Clerk’s office in the 2 weeks leading up to the election. For a complete list of eligiblity requirements, see the State Board of Elections webpage.
- Voters must provide identification at the polling location. Acceptable forms of identification are: Driver’s License, Social Security Card, a credit card or another ID containing a photo and a signature. If you do not have identification, you have the right to vote on a provisional ballot. Provisional voting is for Federal elections only and will not include any state or city election information.
- If a voter’s name does not appear in the register at their polling location, they have the right to have an immediate hearing at the county board of elections and to vote on a provisional ballot.
- If voters need assistance at the voting location, the poll workers are there to help. Voters may notify one of the election officers at their location that they need help, and the voter should expect to be helped by two officers: one Democrat and one Republican, to ensure unbiased assistance.
As a reminder, it against the law for a voter to impersonate another person to vote, to vote under a false name, to vote more than once in an election. It is also unlawful for any person or group to influence a voter’s decision through force, threat, menace, intimidation, bribery, or reward. If a voter feels that their right to vote has been violated, they should contact the County or State Board of Elections, the Attorney General’s Election Fraud Hotline, or notify any of the elections officers are their polling location.
Many people rely on the Transit Authority of River City (TARC) for their daily commute and getting around Louisville. Riding TARC saves commuters money, stress and wear-and-tear on their personal vehicles as well as helping the environment. Current regular adult fares are $1.75 and include a two-hour transfer. With recent high gas prices, it is easy to see why many people take advantage of Louisville’s public transit system (check out the gas savings calculator). Unfortunately, one of the biggest drawbacks about the transit system is the schedule. TARC schedules are available online and posted at many stops around town. Buses, however, do not always show up at their scheduled time.
There are many reasons a bus is late throughout the day: heavy traffic, accidents, breaks downs, etc. Waiting for a late bus when you are on a schedule can be quite frustrating when you have no idea when, or if, it will show up. In the past, finding out where a late bus was meant calling the TARC phone number, which is posted on all bus stop signs, waiting for someone to answer and asking about your bus. I personally have waited up to 45 minutes for a bus that was running late (on a route that is supposed to run every 15 minutes!) and have been on hold with customer service for upwards of 15 minutes trying to find a “missing” bus.
The good news? TARC has being catching up with technology. TARC announced in January that real-time bus information will be available through Google Maps and their own Trip Planner. The press release says that it is viewed best on a desktop computer and that they are challenging local mobile app developers to design a program that is phone friendly. When a user loads their current location and destination into Google Maps, there is, in small print underneath the directions, that says “Live Transit Time”.
Even more helpful for commuters on the go is the mobile integration. If you have a smartphone with Google Now, which is available on Android and iOS systems, you can get schedule information sent directly to your phone. Google Now has a setting to receive nearby bus stop information. It uses your phone’s GPS function to locate you, then it brings up the information for the nearest bus stop. This information includes all of the buses scheduled to stop there in the next 30 minutes as well as how far behind schedule they may be.
Now riders can spend less time standing around the bus stop and more time doing what they need to do.
