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Monday December 15, 2025
Local Connection
Mayor Greg Fischer today announced that Jim Blanton is leaving his post as Director of Louisville Free Public Library (LFPL) in early November for a similar post in Asheville, N.C., to be closer to family.
“Vibrant, modern libraries are critical for a thriving city like Louisville,” Mayor Greg Fischer said. “Jim’s leadership has been instrumental in the phenomenal, future-leaning growth of our library system over the last three years. Under his watch, we opened the state-of-the-art South Central Regional Library in Okolona and started work on the Northeast Regional Library in Lyndon, and started online registration for Summer Reading.”
Assistant Director Lee Burchfield will serve as Interim Director. Burchfield has held multiple posts with LFPL since 1997, including as an Assistant Branch Manager, Electronic Resources Supervisor, Manager of Computer Services, and Director of Strategic Planning & Technology. He has been Assistant Director since 2016. Katie Dailinger, Deputy Chief of Staff, will be helping guide the library through the transition. “My thanks go to Lee, for stepping up during this transition time,” Mayor Fischer said.
Next month, Blanton will become Director of the Buncombe County Library in Asheville, N.C., which is closer to family. His last day with LFPL is November 8.
“It has been an honor and privilege to serve at LFPL these past three years,” Blanton said. “I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished, including launching a variety of innovative programs, developing exciting community partnerships, and opening new libraries that truly represent the cutting edge of 21st century library services.”
“The hard work and dedication of the LFPL staff in making new programs, services and spaces come alive has been deeply inspiring. Their passion for providing library service to the community is the heart and soul of the system, and with more exciting milestones on the way, the future couldn’t be brighter for LFPL.”
The Mayor’s Office will consult with the Library Foundation and the Library Advisory Commission on the search for a new library director.
“I am grateful for Jim’s innovative leadership and tireless energy, and wish him the best in his new position,” Mayor Fischer said. “Our Library system has tremendous momentum, and we won’t slow down, continuing to work hard to deliver the services our community needs and deserves.”
Kevin Moore was named as the new General Manager of the Kentucky Exposition Center today. The Kentucky Exposition Center and the Kentucky International Convention Center are managed by Kentucky Venues, which is the organizational brand of the Kentucky State Fair Board.
Moore most recently served as the Chief Financial Officer of Kentucky Venues and has been with the organization since 2013. Prior to working at Kentucky Venues, Moore worked in various financial roles with Louisville Metro Government for 13 years. His experience includes executive management, project oversight, strategic planning, and facility operations. Moore lives in Simpsonville with his wife and two daughters.
“Moore’s management experience, integrity, and vision for the property are exactly what the Expo Center needs as we look toward the future,” said David S. Beck, President and CEO of Kentucky Venues. “Under his leadership, we have tremendous opportunities to position the facility for new growth.”
As General Manager, Moore will be responsible for day-to-day operations of the Expo Center.
In 2017, the Kentucky Exposition Center generated approximately $227 million in economic impact, hosted 225 events, and welcomed over 2 million visitors.
Visit www.kyvenues.com for more information about spaces and events at Kentucky Venues.
In what has become the must-see event of the Halloween season, the Jack O’ Lantern Spectacular is returning for the sixth consecutive year to south Louisville’s Iroquois Park, where 5,000 artistically carved pumpkins will greet visitors from October 9 through November 4.
The pumpkins will illuminate a 1/3-mile trail adjacent to the Iroquois Amphitheater, and event officials estimate up to 85,000 people will visit.
The trail is open from dusk until 11 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights. Tickets range from $10 to $17, with discounts for seniors and children 12 and under. Proceeds from the event benefit the Louisville Parks Foundation.
The wooded trail begins just outside of Iroquois Amphitheater (1080 Amphitheater Road, Louisville, KY 40214) and weaves its way through the trees with themed vignettes set to music. The carved, lit pumpkins rotate on a weekly basis, creating a different experience each weekend. This year’s show, “A Night at the Library”, is a celebration of the Smithsonian’s 50th anniversary with skits highlighting imagery from literature, pop culture, history, arts and cinema.
Concessions will be available nightly, including the sale of Parkside Coffee, a specialty blend created and roasted locally by Fante’s Coffee, with proceeds benefiting the Louisville Parks Foundation. Merchandise such as t-shirts and hats will also be available for sale, marking the first-time commemorative items are being offered.
The event is held rain or shine. Coach drop-off and on-site parking is available.
Jack O’ Lantern Spectacular is produced by the Louisville Parks Foundation and The Iroquois Amphitheater in conjunction with Passion for Pumpkins, a multimedia production company with more than 30 years’ experience in redefining fall by transforming any landscape into an illuminated organic gallery.
This year’s sponsors include Louisville Tourism, Papa John’s, Republic Bank, LG&E and KU, Louisville Metro Council, Speed Art Museum, Porta Kleen, Waste Management, Metro Fence, Wendy’s, Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana, Louisville Eye Center, WeatherCheck, Frazier History Museum, Wendy’s, Yellowstone Select Bourbon, Old 502 Winery, and Bristol Catering.
TICKET INFORMATION
Sunday – Thursday
Adults $13
Seniors (62+) $11
Children (3-12) $10
Friday – Saturday
Adults $17
Seniors (62+) $14
Children (3-12) $13
Individual tickets may be purchased in advance for specific nights at the Iroquois Amphitheater Box Office or online at www.jackolanternlouisville.com. Visitors are also encouraged to use the hashtag #502Pumpkins on social media to share images or experiences they enjoy while touring the show.
Tickets for groups of 20 or more can be purchased in advance by calling 502/368-5063, or in person at the Iroquois Amphitheater Box Office at 6 p.m. beginning October 9.
Group tickets are discounted at $10 Sunday through Thursday.
The event is held rain or shine. No refunds will be given, but advanced purchased tickets may be exchanged for another day.
Gov. Matt Bevin today announced the award of the state’s first-ever fish house contract, in an innovative step to attack the Asian carp problem in western Kentucky and encourage job growth in the region. Bevin announced that Kentucky Fish Center, LLC of Wickliffe, Ky. has won the contract to establish the fish house, which will expand the market for Kentucky-caught Asian carp.
Angie Yu, operator of Two Rivers Fishery, a fish processing company also based in Wickliffe, will own and operate the Kentucky Fish Center. Asian carp caught in Kentucky will be sold by Kentucky Fish Center in daily auctions open to all interested buyers. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources will oversee the auctions.
“The Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet has worked tirelessly to develop a workable solution for mitigating Asian carp,” said Gov. Bevin. “Today’s announcement is a great example of government partnering with the private sector to create a commonsense, market-based solution. It will provide commercial anglers with new opportunities, while also removing this invasive species from Kentucky’s waterways.”
By buying carp caught in Kentucky waters at a guaranteed price of 19 cents per pound, and selling the fish to both domestic and international users in daily auctions, the fish house will play a key role in growing the market for Kentucky carp.
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources is pledging up to $4 million in loans and incentives for the fish house and commercial fishermen. The department will pay commercial anglers an incentive of 5 cents per pound for their catch, supplementing the fish house’s guaranteed 14 cents per pound purchase price, to make fishing for carp in Kentucky’s waters economically attractive.
“Commercial anglers currently harvest two million pounds of Asian carp from Kentucky’s waters each year,” said Ron Brooks, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s fisheries director. “We believe this program can increase that catch to 20 million pounds across the state within the next five years.”
Asian carp first came to the United States to help control aquatic weeds and algae blooms in fish farms. By the 1980s, three species of Asian carp had escaped into the wild during floods. They have now spread throughout lengthy portions of the Mississippi, Ohio, Missouri and Illinois rivers. They have established significant populations in Kentucky and Barkley lakes.
Asian carp include bighead, silver, grass and black carp. They are prolific breeders. A single large Asian carp may produce up to a million eggs yearly. An Asian carp can consume 5 to 40 percent of its body weight each day. Bighead and silver carp feed voraciously on the same plankton that young sport fish such as crappie depend upon for their survival. Silver carp also jump from the water upon hearing the approach of a motor, creating hazards for boaters.
Commercial angling is the only practical method for limiting and reducing Asian carp numbers. Currently, only a handful of commercial anglers operate on Kentucky and Barkley lakes.
The incentives offered under the new distribution center contract will guarantee anglers a buyer and a nearby place to offload their catch. Brooks said the arrangement should lure more commercial anglers to Kentucky and Barkley lakes.
“We believe this will increase the amount of Asian carp coming out of those lakes to five million pounds per year,” Brooks said. “A sustained harvest of this amount will significantly reduce the impact of Asian carp on these nationally-recognized crappie lakes.”
The program includes a $734,000 secured loan for fixed assets to assist with the start-up of the fish house. Performance-based incentives of $570,000 to $700,000 a year will be awarded if the escalating yearly harvest goals of 5 to 20 million pounds of fish are met. The secured loan would be forgiven in 2024 if the 20 million pound goal is met that year. The program will be fully funded by boat registration fees.
Department officials estimate the effort would cost $3.5 million a year if it were run entirely by the state and would produce a harvest far less than the 20 million pound goal of the partnership announced today.
Gov. Matt Bevin has joined 15 states in a U.S. Supreme Court amicus brief supporting Second Amendment rights, in response to New York City’s restrictions on handguns kept for self-defense.
The brief was filed in response to the costly and restrictive “premises permit” required by the city to own a personal handgun for self-defense. The permit prohibits taking a weapon outside the home for any purpose other than to practice at a New York City shooting range and entirely prohibits leaving the state with the weapon. The costly “carry” permit is required to remove the weapon from the home for other purposes and is difficult to obtain.
“Citizens have the Constitutional right to ‘keep and bear Arms,’ and New York’s restrictive regulations set a dangerous precedent that heavily restricts this right and prevents responsible gun owners from protecting themselves outside of their home,” said Bevin General Counsel Steve Pitt. “Kentucky has a fundamental interest in ensuring that the Second Amendment is preserved for our citizens and that the Commonwealth is not harmed by the liberal policies of other states.”
The 16-state coalition urged the Supreme Court to review the case and provide clear guidance on the scope of the Second Amendment. The brief also calls upon the court to decide that self-defense is not limited to the home.
Kentucky joined the other states in arguing that while city and state governments have an interest in public safety and crime prevention, New York City offered no evidence that demonstrated its regulations actually enhance public safety and crime prevention. In fact, the brief argues that the restrictive regulatory scheme has the opposite effect by arbitrarily limiting a gun owner’s ability to become proficient with his or her own weapon.
The brief also points out the effect of the regulations on hunting and shooting sports, which could harm the tourism industry in states like Kentucky. “New York’s regulatory scheme discriminates against interstate commerce because it ‘deprives out-of-state businesses of access to a local market’ by forbidding its citizens from hunting and patronizing ranges outside the State with their own guns,” the states wrote.
Gov. Bevin was joined by the Governor of Mississippi in signing the brief. Fourteen states joined the brief through their Attorneys General, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
A copy of the brief is available here.
Louisville Metro Public Works has established a policy for regulating dockless vehicles in the city that focuses on safety and equitable access.
A dockless vehicle is defined as a bicycle, electric bicycle, or electric motor-assisted scooter, defined by Chapter 74 of the Louisville Metro Code of Ordinances, which can be located and checked out without human assistance. The electric-motor assisted bikes and scooters can travel at no more than 15 miles per hour.
As part of the policy, a total of four dockless vehicle operators are permitted to operate in Louisville. Each operator will begin with a six-month probationary period, which can lead to a full-operating permit, renewed annually. During the probationary period, operators may begin with 150 vehicles and, if ridership exceeds four rides per vehicle per day, increase their fleet by 100 vehicles per month, up to 650. Ultimately, operators will be permitted 1,050 vehicles if they successfully complete the probationary period and meet performance standards, such as responsiveness to complaints and ridership.
Dockless vehicles are permitted to operate in an operational zone, defined as within the Watterson Expressway, with extensions in the south to Palatka Road (to include Iroquois Park) and west to Shawnee Park. Dockless vehicles may not be operated at Waterfront Park, which currently offers its own bike rental service. Within the operational zone, the city has established nine distribution zones to ensure an equitable distribution of the service.
Other elements of the policy:
- Each operator will provide the city with a map and list of all parking locations for their vehicles.
- Dockless vehicles shall be relocated or removed by an operator within two hours’ notice that the vehicle is parked in an incorrect manner. Monthly data reports are required to ensure all rules are being observed.
- Dockless vehicles are to be operated on streets and, where available, in bike lanes and bike paths. Vehicles should only be operated on sidewalks when leaving or accessing a parking location.
In addition to a license application fee, annual fee, bond and fee for a designation group parking area, operators will pay $1/day per vehicle. These funds will go directly to fund improvements to our city’s shared mobility infrastructure. Other fines and administrative penalties are included to ensure compliance.
To view the entire Public Works policy on dockless vehicles, which includes a map of the operational zone, please click here.
For the fourth year in a row, Louisville has earned a perfect 100 on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) scorecard.
The ranking — called the Municipal Equality Index (MEI) — reflects the city’s support of the LGBTQ community, and the commitment of all Louisville Metro Government agencies to ensure the city is welcoming and inclusive.
“In Louisville, we believe that everyone has the right to be treated with respect, and that being a compassionate community means working to ensure everyone has the ability to reach their full human potential,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “This ranking underscores our hard work and commitment to those beliefs.”
The Human Rights Campaign began in 1980 and is now the largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Americans. It represents more than 1.5 million members and supporters.
In a press release, HRC says its index, “the only nationwide rating system of LGBTQ inclusion in municipal law and policy, shows that cities across the country, including in Kentucky, continue to take the lead in supporting LGBTQ people and workers — even in the face of renewed attacks this year on the LGBTQ community by federal and state officials.”
Mayor Fischer said Louisville’s HRC ranking is a boost to the city’s economic development efforts, given that inclusive cities are increasingly winning in the competition for residents, businesses and employees.
That message was emphasized in the HRC report, in which Richard Florida, Director of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, noted: “Cities that do not guarantee equal rights to LGBTQ people send a strong unwelcoming message to potential visitors, residents, and investors, stymying their potential for economic advancement. In short, many businesses and top talent consider LGBTQ discrimination a deal-breaker. Fully-inclusive laws draw in diverse residents, visitors, and enterprises, the ingredients of sustained economic growth. It pays to prioritize inclusion.”
HRC president Chad Griffin said this year’s MEI “again proves that there are no barriers to municipal LGBTQ equality for a city with dedicated, pro-equality city officials. … As we approach one of the most critical elections of our lifetimes, it is incumbent on all of us to make sure that we help elect more leaders across the nation who share this uncompromising commitment to equality for all.”
Mayor Fischer applauded all city workers and staff for their work in human rights, including Louisville Metro Police and the Metro Louisville Human Relations Commission, whose mission is to promote unity, understanding and equal opportunity among all people of Louisville Metro, and to eliminate all forms of bigotry, bias, and hatred from the community.
Chris Hartman, Fairness Campaign Executive Director, said the HRC ranking highlights Louisville’s exemplary leadership on LGBTQ inclusion, which “should serve as a model for other cities in our Commonwealth and across the nation.
“As we near the 20th anniversary of Louisville’s original Fairness Ordinance in January, we’re reminded that time and time again, our city has helped pave the way for LGBTQ rights–and we’re not stopping here,” Hartman said. “We’re grateful for the dedicated work of Mayor Greg Fischer and his staff, the Louisville Metro Council and Louisville Tourism to embrace, promote and protect our diverse LGBTQ community.”
Read the full MEI report at www.hrc.org/mei.
