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Thursday December 18, 2025
Local Connection
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, community leaders from the Louisville Health Advisory Board, including a young woman who lost a loved one to suicide, today urged residents to help prevent suicide by participating in a free community-wide training event.
They also established the ambitious goal of setting a Guinness world record for training the most people in a suicide prevention technique called “QPR” – Question, Persuade, Refer – during this year’s National Suicide Prevention Week, which is Sept. 9-15.
QPR is a free 90-minute training designed for anyone 18 years or older. No specialized mental health care training or expertise is required. Certified trainers will discuss myths about suicide, identify warning signs, outline how to talk with someone who may be thinking about suicide and how to persuade them to seek help.
Similar to CPR, QPR is designed to support an emergency response to someone in crisis, and to save lives.
Free trainings will be conducted at various times and locations throughout Louisville during National Suicide Prevention Week. Sign up at www.qprlou.com
“There is perhaps no greater individual tragedy than someone deliberately ending their own life,” said Mayor Fischer. “Unfortunately, Louisville has a higher rate of suicide compared to similar-sized cities. One suicide is too many. As a compassionate city, we must act. I encourage everyone to participate in this training. My team and I will. I hope you will too.”
While homicide garners much media attention both locally and nationally, suicide is more pervasive. According to the 2017 Health Equity Report there were 584 suicide deaths in Jefferson County from 2011-2015 compared to 333 homicides for the same period. According to recently published data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide rates are on the increase, and more than half of people who die by suicide do not have a known mental health condition.
“The rate of suicide death in Louisville is far too high,” said Dr. Val Slayton, Regional VP for Health Services, Humana. “That’s why one of the top goals of the Louisville Health Advisory Board is to make Louisville a Zero Suicide city. Each of us encounters friends and family members struggling with depression and entertaining thoughts of ending their lives. QPR training equips people to recognize warning signs of suicide, how to offer hope, and how to refer to resources to help to save a life. Early recognition of suicide warning signs can be key to saving a life”
“While suicide has received attention in the press recently because of the death of celebrities such as Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade, we recognize that many people are uncomfortable discussing the subject, even when family or friends may be in crisis,” said Dr. David Hanna, Behavioral Health Program Manager, Passport Health Plan. “QPR training can give people the skills to make a life and death difference.”
Michelle Jones, co-founder and director of the Pete Foundation, said, “My brother Pete seemed to have everything going for him as he pursued a graduate degree in engineering. Yet he suffered from a depression that ultimately claimed his life. Today countless people are fighting depression and may be contemplating suicide. We need to equip ordinary people with the tools to recognize the signs that can lead to suicide and the skills to intervene. I urge everyone to take the QPR training.”
To learn more or sign up for a training, visit qprlou.com.
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
The people of Newburg are getting ready to once again host their own special homecoming of welcoming back old friends and celebrate the unity and pride of one of Metro Louisville’s well established neighborhoods.
Councilwoman Barbara Shanklin (D-2) announces “Newburg Days” will get underway on Friday, August 31st, Saturday, September 1st and Sunday, September 2nd.
“Newburg is ready to celebrate the things that make it a very special community. We like to think of the weekend as part of an old fashion family get together that is filled with events of fun and music,” says Shanklin. “It is a time to welcome back old friends who have moved on to other areas and at the same time it gives all of us a chance to catch up on what’s going on in our neighborhood.”
“Newburg Days” kicks off on Friday with rides and music in Petersburg/Newburg Park.
On Saturday, there is a Community Breakfast in Petersburg Park. The event is well known for its community parade which begins at 12:00pm and continues throughout many local streets in the Newburg area.
This year, the Battle of the Bands contest is back.
On Sunday, a community worship service and gospel festival will highlight the last day of the event.
Here is the schedule of events for Newburg Days
- Friday
- Vendor/food booths & Carnival Rides (6:00 P.M. start time)
- Saturday
- Community Breakfast 9:30 A.M. – in the park
- Community Parade – 11:30 A.M. (line-up time) start time 12:00pm
- Battle of the Bands – 1:00pm
- Live Music – 7:00pm to 9:00pm
- Vendor/Food Booths/Carnival Rides – All Day
- Sunday
- Senior Lunch Community Baptist Church 1:30pm
- Gospel Festival – 5:00pm to 7:00pm
- Vendor/Food Booths/Carnival Rides – All Day
Louisville Metro Parks is once again coordinating all festival events. There are also many community volunteers and organizations who will come out to help with various activities.
Petersburg Park is located at the corner of East Indian Trail and Petersburg Road. All events are centered around Petersburg Park.
“So I invite everyone to come out and see what many of us already know: Newburg is a wonderful place to live and this is just an old fashion community get together,” says Shanklin.
For more information about “Newburg Days”, contact Councilwoman Shanklin’s Office at 574-1102.
Cuddle Clones, an award-winning Louisville company that specializes in creating the highest quality custom products made to look like people’s pets, announced its inclusion in the prestigious 2018 Inc. 5000, Inc. Magazine’s annual ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. Cuddle Clones’ three-year growth of 583% ranked 1st in the state of Kentucky and 66th in their category of Consumer Products, which placed them alongside previous brands as Timberland and Zappos, and 862nd overall in the United States.“Cuddle Clones perfectly encapsulates the success we strive help Kentucky startups achieve,” said Vivek Sarin, co-leader of the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development. “This company began as a small operation in Louisville just eight years ago, so its announcement in February of a substantial $1.3 million expansion that will create 50 jobs is truly remarkable. Cuddle Clones is a prime example of what Kentucky-grown businesses are capable of, and I strongly suspect we have not yet seen the company’s full potential.”
Cuddle Clones growth is primarily a result of investing in new technology for their ecommerce platform, digital properties, and innovating new products. “We couldn’t have achieved this growth without the contributions from our team that include superb customer service and manufacturing the highest quality products for our customers” said Cuddle Clones CEO Brennen Lawrence.
Cuddle Clones expects to be on the list again next year as the first half of 2018 has exceeded expectations. Lawrence continued “We’ve performed very well in the first half of 2018 and will release several new, exciting custom pet products prior to Q’4 that we expect to further enhance our growth.”
This newest accolade comes on the heels of being named Louisville’s fastest growing company in 2017 by Business First. “It’s always exciting when a local company receives national attention for its fast-growth expansion in a global market,” said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer. “Cuddle Clones’ success exemplifies Louisville’s robust business climate that encourages new start-ups and facilitates quick scale-up of business operations. We are proud to be the home of Cuddle Clones and we look forward to its continued success.”
When Kentucky-native and U.S. Army Specialist Brandon Mullins drove into the desert region of the Kandahar province in Afghanistan on Aug. 25, 2011, he didn’t realize he was in for the fight of his life.
Before heading out on deployment, Mullins left his mother a voicemail saying, “I’m all grown, 21, and living on my own. Going away today for a little bit. Don’t worry. I’ll be back. I’ll be home. I’m going to make it back.” A few months later his unit was attacked with a rudimentary explosive device and he lost his life.
“Brandon was a talented hockey player and very popular with the ladies,” said his mother, Cathy Mullins. “He didn’t just die. He died for his country. People have sacrificed their lives so we can enjoy things like state fairs and going to church.”
On Sunday Aug. 19, the Kentucky State Fair will honor military members, veterans and their families during the Oak Ridge Boys free concert. Cathy Mullins, along with 40 Gold Star families, will attend with the Hershel Woody Williams Medal of Honor Foundation. Gold Star families are those, like the Mullins, who have lost family members during military service. The foundation honors Gold Star families with monuments and memorials throughout the country.
“They sacrificed their son for the freedoms that we enjoy and they don’t really get any recognition for it,” said Brent Casey, director of the Hershel Woody Williams Medal of Honor Foundation. “Our goal at the foundation is to help educate the public that there are families among us who have given a whole lot more than we have, they’ve given one of their own family members for the freedom we enjoy today.”
Ceremony participants include:
- David Beck, President and CEO of Kentucky Venues
- Heather French Henry, Deputy Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs
- Brig. General Benjamin Adams, Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs
- Troy Yocum, President of Active Heroes
During Military Sunday on Aug. 19, free admission is available online for military members, veterans and their family (up to 4 people). Details are available on GovX.com. Parking is not included. The 2018 Kentucky State Fair is Aug. 16-26 at the Kentucky Exposition Center. To purchase tickets and parking or for more information, visit www.kystatefair.org or download our Kentucky State Fair app.
The Texas Roadhouse Free Concert Series is located at the Bluegrass Village on the west side of the Kentucky Exposition Center.
Mayor Greg Fischer announced today that The Big Table, a welcoming event aimed at bringing people together to share food and conversation, is returning to Iroquois Park on Sunday, Sept. 16 from 5-7 p.m. Last year, more than 1,300 people participated in the event, and organizers hope to boost that number this year.
The annual event is hosted by The Big Table, with major support from the Global Human Project and the Louisville Metro Office for Globalization. Each participant is asked to bring a dish, fruit, dessert or non-alcoholic drink to share with at least six people. Participants are encouraged to bring a dish that reflects something about them, has a family story or personal significance, along with a recipe card. Tables, chairs, eating utensils and plates will be provided by event sponsors, but in case of an extra-large turnout, organizers encourage participants to bring a blanket and extra utensils.
Jud Hendrix, Executive Director of The Global Human Project and co-creator of the Big Table, said its purpose is to build greater community connections. “We hope the Big Table will spur a variety of other creative events to weave in the fabric of our community,” he said. “It’s simple. We’re inviting Louisville to be who we already are.”
In addition to encouraging conversation and meeting new people, organizers are hoping to break a world record. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest potluck was attended by 3,264 people in India. In order for The Big Table event to be in the Guinness record book, participants must be present from 5:45 – 6:15 p.m., and each participant must bring a dish or refreshment to share.
Mayor Fischer encouraged people to attend.
“This event started last year to welcome immigrants to our community. They are important contributors – filling jobs, starting companies and sharing their culture and heritage. At a time when our nation and world are so often divided, the Big Table gives us the opportunity to come together and celebrate the connections we have as fellow human beings,” the Mayor said. “We are proud to be a city of welcome, inclusion and compassion, and I encourage all Louisvillians to join in this event and break a world record.”
A unique aspect of The Big Table is the intentionality around having conversations. “On the surface, it’s a simple potluck. The intention, however, is much deeper, hoping to create a space for Louisvillians of all beliefs and backgrounds to come together in order to connect, especially in a time when our society holds so many opposing points of view,” said Cathy Berkey, co-creator of the Big Table.
In an effort to foster more intimate conversation and depth of connection, participants will be organized into tables of eight. Table Host volunteers will help seat participants and work to ensure tables are made up of familiar and unfamiliar faces. Table Hosts will also facilitate conversation and storytelling during the event. Approximately 450 Table Host volunteers are needed for this event.
“There is no central stage or entertainment schedule; the magic of the event is in the conversations that happen at the tables,” said Berkey.
In case of inclement weather, organizers will announce a cancellation of the event by 1 p.m. on Sept. 16 on social media and the event registration page.
Registration is strongly encouraged. For more information and event registration, visit www.globalhumanproject.net/the-big-table2.html
Photo: Louisville Forward
Mayor Greg Fischer announced that Louisville Forward’s Small Business Development team is accepting applications for the second cohort of the city’s Entrée-preneurship Series, a free program designed to foster the development of new restaurateurs and food entrepreneurs.
The interactive 10-class series, originally called the Food Entrepreneurship Series, will run from Sept. 8 to Dec. 1, and will be taught by local industry-leading professionals. All classes will meet at Chef Space, 1812 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., on Saturdays from 8:30 – 11 a.m.
“Our first group of graduates showed passion and knowledge about the food industry. Whether they were starting a new business, operating an existing business or just sharpening their skills, this free program gave them the boost they needed to take the next steps in defining their own success,” said Mayor Fischer. “With the outpouring of interest, I’m pleased that we are able to continue this program and support our food entrepreneurs who are setting the stage for our city’s continued momentum in the food and beverage sector.”
The inaugural Food Entrepreneurship Series launched earlier this year and graduated nine entrepreneurs with skills needed to start or grow their businesses in Louisville’s food industry.
“This Series not only helped me further develop my business plan, it gave me the tools, resources and connections to help me fulfill my purpose as a recipe creator and healthy living educator,” said Jessica Taylor, a graduate of the inaugural series and founder of Jessica Taylor New Living (@VeganNewLiving on Instagram).
Registration is open, but space is limited. To participate, individuals must be over 18 years of age, attend 9 of the 10 classes and be a Louisville resident. There is no fee to participate in the series. Upon completion of the program, participants will receive continued assistance and connections to resources from Louisville Forward’s small business development team.
To apply for the Entrée-preneurship Series , visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/louisville-forward/entree-preneurship-series
Schedule and class descriptions are listed below:
- September 8, 2018: Customer Service – During this session participants will be instructed in ways the physical space and staff can go above and beyond the call of duty to create a welcoming, and pleasurable environment that customers want to come back to.
- September 15, 2018: Employee Orientation and Training – In this course, participants will come away with a better understanding of how to navigate employment laws and regulations related to running a restaurant. Additional Human Resources best practices and policies for on-boarding and managing employees also will be covered.
- September 22, 2018: Kitchen Set-Up and Menu Development – This course will cover the importance of proper and efficient kitchen set-up to help minimize ticket times and ensure quality and safe food preparation, as well as highlight the basic types of equipment available and its proper use. Participants will learn the basics of menu development, focusing on such things as ingredients and sourcing, food cost, authenticity of cuisine, cross utilization, and concepts of proper pricing.
- October 6, 2018: Purchasing and Managing Food Cost – Knowing food costs is integral to understanding a restaurant’s full budget. Participants will learn tips for managing food costs, through purchasing habits, tracking inventory, ands tools to help track and calculate.
- October 13, 2018: Health and Safety Regulations – This course will cover the basics of proper food handling, inspections and placarding, review of common reasons restaurants fail inspections and how to keep from failing. The course also will cover the top five ways a customer becomes ill and things to consider when changing the type of food service you offer.
- October 20, 2018: Auxiliary Food Services – This course is a new addition to the Series and will focus on food services outside of a traditional restaurant. The information covered in this course will be specific to food trucks, catering and prepared meals, and the specific intricacies that are unique to these operations.
- November 3, 2018: Management Training – From staff management and scheduling to creating a culture for your restaurant, this session will cover day-to-day restaurant management skills, including staff training to promote from within.
- November 10, 2018: Marketing and Branding – Participants will learn how to market their concept and themselves as a brand, by reviewing the various mediums of marketing from websites, social media and traditional methods such as flyers and brochures.
- November 17, 2018: Accounting and Cash Handling – This course will cover steps a food entrepreneur should take to ensure their accounting system is properly set up, including budgeting, cash flow, expense management, tax payments/filings, options of bookkeeping software, and what you should know for tax preparation.
- December 1, 2018: Safety: Inside and Outside – This course will review safety best practices to maintain a safe environment for customers and employees, including proper lighting, opening and closing procedures, signs of suspicious activity, how to handle disruptive incidents inside and outside of your establishment, and suggestions of how to strengthen the street block.
Louisville Metro Government, Cities United and The William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust today announced the award of a $5 million grant to launch Russell: A Place of Promise, an initiative co-created with and accountable to Russell residents and stakeholders, and designed to be a national model for equitable community development in African-American communities.
The initiative will connect Russell residents and businesses that have been the backbone of the neighborhood with opportunities to build long-term individual and community wealth so that planned and underway new investment creating a renaissance in Russell does not result in their displacement. This initiative aims to create affordable housing, new jobs, business opportunities, new community gathering spots, opportunities for mobility, wealth creation, and whole-community health.
Project organizers have identified several initial efforts that could be used to create wealth for Russell residents, including the creation of new homeownership and business ownership opportunities. The details of these and other project activities will be informed by extensive discussion, input and decision-making from neighborhood residents and groups. Project leaders have had preliminary discussions with some of those stakeholders, and have met with local foundations and community-based organizations to understand the work they already have going on in Russell. The Place of Promise effort complements and augments that work, as well as efforts being made by local nonprofits and community groups, including the Louisville Urban League, One West, Concerned Pastors of Russell, Habitat for Humanity, Louisville Central Community Center, Inc., and Community Ventures.
“Thanks to local advocates, residents and non-profits and an injection of public funds, Russell is at the cusp of a really significant redevelopment, and we will be intentional about ensuring that this investment benefits existing residents while bringing much-needed new capital to Russell,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “We are grateful to our partner, the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust, for its ongoing commitment to Louisville and its early infusion of capital to jumpstart this initiative, and we welcome the continued support of local and national partners, such as Cities United, as we move this work forward.”
Russell is a historically African-American neighborhood long referred to as the “Harlem of the South.” Despite a rich cultural history, decades of disinvestment and neglect due to then-legal racial discrimination in housing and business policy, including the practice of redlining, have left a lasting impact on Russell. As a result of these broken systems, neighborhood residents face higher hurdles related to employment, educational attainment, and access to neighborhood goods, services and health care.
“A key project value,” said Anthony Smith of Cities United, “is to ensure that the benefits of the new investment in Russell flow to the people who currently live, worship and work there, avoiding gentrification in this historic, majority-black neighborhood, which was decimated by racist practices such as redlining and urban renewal. We will do this by keeping residents’ voices front and center as we build out the initiative.”
“Louisville is a place of promise that can be a beacon that the rest of country looks to for how to build black wealth and mobility while allowing the community to define its own outcomes,” said Dorian Burton, Assistant Executive Director for the Kenan Charitable Trust, which has previously committed support to help improve the life outcomes of young black men and boys in Louisville. “This project is about not just engaging Russell residents, but also about building resources around them so they can be the heroes and heroines of their own story. We are hopeful that we can co-invest with local foundations that have already laid a solid foundation for this project in programs and projects that highlight the brilliance of the amazing people who live on the other side of 9th Street.”
Louisville Metro Government, in partnership with Cities United, will incubate Russell: A Place of Promise for up to five years before the initiative launches into a stand-alone, community based organization. Russell: A Place of Promise is fiscally sponsored by the Community Foundation of Louisville, Inc., a 501(c)(3) public charity, which allows the initiative to receive grants and tax-deductible donations. This work will align with the recently-announced civic engagement fellowship program being funded by an additional $5 million grant from the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust. The fellowship aims to create pathways for young Black men ages 22 – 26 to be prepared to serve in civic leadership roles, and offers opportunities for education, jobs and careers combined with leadership development and mentoring support.
Russell: A Place of Promise will be co-led by Theresa Zawacki, who will be leaving her position as Senior Policy Advisor to Louisville Forward to serve as an Executive on Loan to the Place of Promise initiative during its incubation stages, and Anthony Smith, Executive Director at Cities United.
“As we see increased investment in Russell, it is critical that we identify opportunities to strengthen existing residents and businesses so that they receive tangible, long-lasting, personal benefits from these investments and have opportunities to take part in shaping the outcomes in their neighborhood” said Theresa Zawacki. “Russell: A Place of Promise provides a framework for these kinds of conversations to take place in community, and we are very excited to be moving forward with neighborhood residents as our partners to co-create strategies that will lead to a brighter future for the Russell Community, the West End and all of Louisville.”
An initial advisory board has been created, with the goal of expansion to include additional residential and business stakeholders, to provide oversight to Russell: A Place of Promise. The initial board currently includes Dana Jackson, Better Together Strategies; Alice Houston, HJI Supply Chain Solutions; Jackie Floyd, Center for Neighborhoods; David Snardon, Joshua Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church and Concerned Pastors of Russell; Kevin Dunlap, Rebound; Gill Holland, impact entrepreneur, small scale developer and community builder; Dorian Burton, Assistant Executive Director of the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust; and Trisha Finnegan, Vice President of Mission & Impact at the Community Foundation of Louisville.
Russell: A Place of Promise complements other work happening in Russell. The Louisville Urban League, for example, will invest $30 million in the Track on Ali, a multi-sports complex anchored by an indoor track and field facility to be built and operated at a 24-acre, city-owned property known as “Heritage West.” A new $130 million headquarters for Louisville-based nonprofit health insurance provider, Passport Health Plan, and a new $35 million branch of the YMCA of Greater Louisville are also under construction. One West is investing in the transformation of 18th Street and West Broadway with the launch of a “special improvements district” to focus on making the corridor clean and safe, and with plans to reinvest in area commercial spaces. A $29.5 million Choice Neighborhoods Grant awarded to the Louisville Metro Housing Authority and Louisville Metro Government is leveraging over $200 million in new investment. These activities are further complemented by longstanding partner investments in projects such as an arts and cultural district along Muhammad Ali Boulevard, the reinvigoration of existing commercial space, market rate housing development, and workforce training programs.
The community is invited to learn more about Russell: A Place of Promise at upcoming meetings to be held on:
- Tuesday, August 28th 5:00 – 7:30 pm, Joshua Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church
- Thursday, August 30th, 5:00 – 7:30 pm, Baxter Community Center
- Saturday, September 8th, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm, location to be announced
