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Saturday December 20, 2025
Local Connection
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
President David James (D-6) is calling for volunteers to join with the Olmsted Parks Conservancy to help do some community cleanup work at Victory Park on Saturday, July 28th.
“Over the last few years, we have seen a wonderful transformation of Victory Park into a great park for the neighborhood. My office is encouraging everyone to come out and help us maintain the beauty of this nice community park,” says James.
The President and the Olmstead Parks Conservancy will host a volunteer clean up event on Saturday beginning at 10:00am.
Volunteers will do some beautification efforts with landscaping and clean up including painting around the Lodge of the park. Gloves and tools will be provided and volunteers will also be treated to lunch after the cleanup.
“This is a fun event and I would call on everyone who has seen the changes we have made in Victory Park to come and join to keep this park a nice place for everyone to enjoy,” says President James.
If there are volunteers who would like to learn more about this effort, they can go online to www.Olmstedparks.org to register. You can also contact, President James office at 574-1106 for more information.
Neighborhood Place and numerous community partners will offer eight back to school events in late July and early August 2018. These events will provide free school supplies while supplies last as well as a wide range of services and resources to help local youth and families be better prepared for the start of school year.
The bulk of the supplies and funding for these events comes from area businesses, churches, schools and individual donors. To learn more about specific activities, eligibility and other requirements, please refer to list below:
July 26, Back to School Festival at Valley High School, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Located at 10200 Dixie Highway. For more information call 363-1483. This annual event is open to families with children in kindergarten through high school. School supplies and backpacks will be provided while supplies last to families that participate in three, ten-minute “mini-trainings”. Over twenty presenters and more than forty vendors will be at the event plus mascots and lots of hands on fun to help everyone “Unlock Your Superhero Powers”. Sponsored by South Jefferson Neighborhood Place, Cane Run Neighborhood Place, area JCPS Family Resource and Youth Services Centers, Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services, South Jefferson Community Partnership, Drug-Free Communities Grant, Kidz Club, Kosair Charities, Fairdale Christian Church, Fairdale First Baptist Church and Valley View Church.
Aug. 2, Back To School Festival at the Academy at Shawnee, 1 – 4 p.m.
Located at 4018 West Market St. For more information call 485-7230. This annual event is open to families with children in kindergarten through high school. Free backpacks and essential grade-appropriate school supplies will be provided while supplies last. Over twenty vendors will be at this event providing essential health, education, and community resources. JCPS Family Resource and Youth Services Centers Coordinators will complete CAP referrals for families needing clothing and uniform assistance. Free lunches will be served to kids by JCPS Nutrition Services. Your child must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. This event is sponsored in collaboration with the NorthWest Neighborhood Place, Jefferson County Public Schools/The Academy at Shawnee Family Resource Youth Service Center, The Kidz Club, Service for Peace and Louisville Metro Department of Resilience and Community Services.
Aug. 3, Back To School Festival at Mcferran Preparatory Academy, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Located at 1900 South 7th Street. For more information call 634-6057. This annual event is open to families with children in kindergarten through high school. Free backpacks and essential grade-appropriate school supplies will be provided while supplies last. Vendors will be at this event providing essential health, education, and employment and community resources. JCPS Family Resource and Youth Resource Centers Coordinators will complete CAP referrals for families needing clothing and uniform assistance. Free lunches will be served to kids by JCPS Nutrition Services. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. This event is sponsored in collaboration with Bridges of Hope Neighborhood Place, Jefferson County Public Schools and Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services.
Aug. 4, Back to School Festival at Westport Middle School, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Located at 8100 Westport Rd. For more information call 574-6638. This event is open to families with children in kindergarten through high school. Free backpacks with essential school supplies will be distributed while supplies last. Presenters and vendors will be at the event to provide information to families plus mascots and other fun for kids. The JCPS Lunch Bus will provide lunch for kids present and Sparkle and Shine Family Dental will provide dental screenings for up to 50 students. Families may complete a CAP referral during the event as well for clothing and uniform assistance. Sponsored by Charmoli Center Neighborhood Place, Eastern Area Community Ministry, area JCPS schools, and All 4 Kids Charity.
Aug. 4, Back to School Festival at Olmsted Academy North, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Located at 4530 Bellevue Ave. Call 313-4089 for more information. Open to all students in grades kindergarten through high school. Free backpacks, school supplies and health and hygiene products will be provided while supplies last. Children must be present to receive school supplies. Educational and community resources will be available to help offer a strong start to the new school year. The festival will also include vision and hearing screenings, blood pressure and diabetes checks, clothing assistance referrals and more. Lunch will be provided for children and adults. Sponsored by South Central Neighborhood Place, Diamond Cluster MC, Olmsted Academy North and South YSC, Kenwood Elementary FRC, Hazelwood Elementary FRC, Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services, and Sts. Mary & Elizabeth Hospital.
Aug. 7, Back to School Fun Resource Fair at Southwick Community Center, 4 – 7 p.m.
Located at 3621 Southern Ave. Call 313-4635 for more information. The annual event is open to families with children in kindergarten through high school. JCPS Family Resource and Youth Resource Centers Coordinators will complete CAP referrals for families needing clothing and uniform assistance. School supplies will be distributed (while supplies last). Several vendors will be available to provide essential health, education, and community resources. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. JCPS Nutrition Services will provide lunch to youth 18 and under. This event is sponsored in part by Ujima Neighborhood Place, Jefferson County Public Schools/The Carter/DuValle Education Center, Kennedy Montessori/Brandies, Maupin, Johnson and Foster Family Youth Service Centers, Southwick Community Center, Councilwoman Jessica Green, Passport Health Plan, Villages of Park DuValle and Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services.
Aug 11, Back to School Event at Meyzeek Middle School, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Located at 828 S. Jackson St. Call 574-6638 for more information. Open to students kindergarten through high school. Free backpacks with essential school supplies for the coming year will be distributed while supplies last. Your child must be present to receive school supplies. Smile Academy will provide free dental screenings. Many other local community venders and agencies will be in the gym to provide information for families. Families may complete a CAP referral during the event as well for clothing and uniform assistance. Sponsored by Charmoli Center Neighborhood Place, Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services and area JCPS schools.
Aug 11, Back to School Festival at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Located at 1501 Rangeland Rd. Call 313-4498 or 313-4700 for more information. This annual event is open to families with children in kindergarten through high school. Free backpacks and grade-appropriate school supplies (while supplies last) will be provided. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Free lunches will be served to kids by JCPS Nutrition Services and families may complete a CAP referral during the event as well for clothing and uniform assistance. A Community Resource Fair will include over twenty presenters including diabetes and blood pressure checks, the YMCA program, voter registration, library services and lots of fun and music. Event sponsored in part by First Neighborhood Place, area JCPS schools and Family Resource and Youth Services Centers, and Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services.
It was a vision that began nearly a decade ago, but with the release of renderings showing a sprawling, interactive campus, the future Shawnee Outdoor Learning Center came one step closer to reality.
“Our parks system really embodies our core city values of health, lifelong learning and compassion,” Mayor Greg Fischer said. “Shawnee Park is a great example. We’re excited about our vision for creating a hub for outdoor recreation and learning experiences in west Louisville at will become the Shawnee Outdoor Learning Center.”
The facility would become a regional nature/outdoor learning center providing “cradle to career” access to nature for west Louisville residents at the neighborhood level, combining elements of public use, community event space, as well as environmental education, recreation and stewardship activities.
It will support expansion of Louisville Parks and Recreation’s award-winning Louisville is Engaging Children (ECHO) outdoor program, which provides early childhood nature play through a mobile unit; STEAM-based field trips for partner schools in west Louisville; spring, summer and fall out-of-school time recreational programming for youths; summer youth employment, job-training and mentoring opportunities; and a host site for family-friendly community events, such as the annual Canoemobile excursion at Shawnee Park.
“There is a definitive need for school-age children living in the urban environment to have nature-based experiences,” said Parks and Recreation Director Seve Ghose. “The Shawnee Outdoor Learning Center will not just fill a void. In many ways, it’s creating a home.”
The center is a key component of the West Louisville Outdoor Recreation Initiative master plan, which was completed in 2016. Louisville Parks and Recreation is currently in phase II of that plan, with an engagement and fundraising process to follow, and phase III – construction of the center – to conclude full implementation.
Additional items under the master plan that are in the process of or have been implemented include a new bicycle pump track that is nearly completed, paid for through funding from the Aetna Foundation; construction of a new boat ramp at Shawnee Park (construction to take place in 2019); and the restoration of the lily pond in adjacent Chickasaw Park also to be completed within a few years.
The center will also allow for program staff capacity building. Through Louisville ECHO and the Mayor’s Summerworks Program, parks’ staff is working to identify, train and hire program staff and naturalists living in the area for leadership roles at the center once it opens.
The public will have a chance to weigh in on the plan and learn more at West Louisville Appreciation Day on Saturday, July 28. Parks’ staff will be on hand from 1-5 p.m. to review public comments, and on that day a program including a ribbon cutting on the new bicycle path will be held.
“Reconnecting our community with nature and the Ohio River has been one of my priorities. Because of Parks and Recreation and the staff at Jefferson Memorial Forest, we have been able to support environmental education for our area schoolchildren with the ECHO program, canoe rides in the fall, and have introduced our children and families to all of those fun activities because of JMF’s participation with the Louisville Defender’s annual West Louisville Appreciation Celebration in Shawnee Park,” said 5th District Councilwoman Cheri Bryant Hamilton.
“I am excited to see the design for the new Shawnee boat ramp which we hope to break ground on this fall, and the Shawnee Outdoor Learning Center that our residents have had input on and participated with JMF staff on its design for many years.”
Kentucky’s current hepatitis A outbreak is now the biggest outbreak in the United States and the biggest ever recorded in both Kentucky and Louisville. As of July 7, the outbreak had struck 65 Kentucky counties with 1,094 hepatis A cases and 8 deaths. As of July 17, Louisville had 540 cases with 4 of the state’s 8 deaths. While the outbreak continues to grow and spread throughout the state, there is evidence that it may be declining in Louisvil
State and local officials urge everyone in Louisville and in any county in Kentucky that is part of the current hepatitis A outbreak to get immunized. They also remind everyone to practice good hand hygiene, particularly after using the restroom and before eating or preparing food.
New hepatitis cases per day have been trending downward in Louisville since April with 4.1 in April, 3.8 in May, 2.5 in June, and so far, 1.67 in July. “While there is evidence that new cases may be trending downward in Louisville,” said Dr. Sarah Moyer, director of the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness, “this no time to get complacent. Anyone can get hepatitis A during this outbreak. It is being spread through person to person contact. The best ways to protect yourself and others are to get vaccinated and wash your hands often with soap and warm water.”
Health officials stressed that the virus in this outbreak is being passed person-to-person. There has been no evidence that it is being spread by food or drink as was the case during the hepatitis A outbreak that struck Louisville in 1988. The outbreak remains centered primarily among those who use illegal drugs and among the homeless; however, about 10% of cases do not fall into either of those group
“It’s been gratifying to see the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness and local public health departments across the state coming together to combat the outbreak,” said Dr. Jeffrey Howard, commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health. “Our surveillance and the fact that we’ve hospitalized about 60% of all cases has kept our death rate below that of other states experiencing hepatitis A outbreaks.”
In Louisville, 63% of the people (337 out 536) who were infected with hepatitis A have been hospitalized. Across the state, there have been eight deaths, including four in Louisville. The genetic fingerprint of the hepatitis A virus Louisville and in Kentucky matches outbreaks in San Diego California and Salt Lake City Utah.
“Louisville has done a superb job in rolling vaccine out to the homeless and the drug-using populations,” said Doug Thoroughman of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “They are the gold standard of how to respond to an outbreak of this kind.”
More than 78,000 hepatitis A immunizations have been given locally in response to the current hepatitis A outbreak, more than 16,000 by the Department of Public Health and Wellness alone. Massive immunization and outreach efforts among the homeless in shelters, camps and at health facilities that serve the homeless in the early stages of the outbreak has limited the spread of hepatitis A among that population.
“I can’t overemphasize the importance of protecting yourself and others from hepatitis A by getting vaccinated,” said Dr. Moyer. “This vaccine is very well-tolerated. Most insurance plans cover the cost and there are ways those who are uninsured can get immunized for little to no cost. The outbreak will stop when most people living in Louisville are protected through vaccination.”
On November 21, 2017 the Kentucky Department for Public Health declared an outbreak of acute hepatitis A in multiple counties throughout the state. Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable, communicable disease of the liver caused by a virus. It is usually transmitted person-to-person through the fecal-oral route or consumption of contaminated food or water. Most adults with hepatitis A symptoms may experience fatigue, low appetite, stomach pain, nausea, or jaundice, that usually resolve within 2 months of infection; most children less than 6 years of age do not have symptoms or have an unrecognized infection. Antibodies produced in response to hepatitis A infection last for life and protect against reinfection. The best way to prevent hepatitis A infection is to get vaccinated.
Additional information and a list of places in Louisville to get vaccinated can be found at https://louisvilleky.gov/government/health-wellness/hepatitis or by calling 211.
Code Louisville, which provides training to help people quickly enter the technology field, has helped more than 250 people start or advance their careers in technology, Mayor Greg Fischer announced.“It is critical for our economy and our community’s future to have as many people as possible gaining the skills to embrace the technologies of today and tomorrow,” Mayor Fischer said. “So, it’s exciting that a homegrown initiative like Code Louisville has become a national model for developing tech talent – and our goal is to take that to an even higher level.”
There have been 821 graduates of the 12-week training course, ranging in age from 18 to 71. Graduates have landed jobs at more than 150 local companies, with an average starting salary of about $48,000.
The free training has been a game-changer for many participants, including Tina Maddox, who was a stay-at-home mom when she started Code Louisville. Now, she is a Junior DevOps Engineer at Louisville-based El Toro Internet Marketing.
“I wouldn’t have the job I have today without this training, it’s changed my life,” Maddox said. “It was very hard work but I’m proof that it absolutely can be done, even without any type of tech background.”
Maddox is one of 12 Code Louisville graduates hired by El Toro, helping the company keep pace with its recent growth of more than 12,000 percent.
“This program has been great for Louisville and for El Toro,” said Stacy Griggs, president & CEO of El Toro. “As we have scaled from a half dozen employees to over 100 team members in the last four years, it’s been vitally important to have a strong pipeline of software development talent. Code Louisville has been an important factor in increasing the amount of tech talent available in Louisville.”
Other local companies that have hired multiple graduates include Appris, GE Appliances, Humana, Interapt, QSR Automations and Zirmed.
Code Louisville is designed specifically to help people prepare for software development jobs. During the online training provided through Treehouse, participants are supported by volunteer mentors, many of whom are themselves Code Louisville graduates. The program has had more than 130 mentors involved.
“This training is truly changing lives while also providing a quick pipeline of fresh talent that is helping meet the evolving demands of our existing employers and also companies that are eyeing Louisville for relocation or expansion,” said Michael Gritton, executive director of KentuckianaWorks which operates Code Louisville. “The diversity of participants is amazing: people of all ages and backgrounds, with GEDs to Ph.Ds, and from plumber assistants to math teachers and professionals from other countries.”
The program launched with federal funding in 2014, but interest and participation exploded in April 2015 when President Barack Obama visited and cited Code Louisville as a model for the national TechHire initiative, which had just started.
As a testament to the program’s need and popularity, there are currently more than 1,000 people on a waiting list. Admission is prioritized for those in greatest need, including individuals who are unemployed, from lower income families and veterans.
Code Louisville is funded through a Workforce Innovation Fund grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.
The program is based just west of the city’s NuLu neighborhood. More information is available at codelouisville.org.
(PRNewsfoto/Glidewell Dental)
Glidewell Dental, a leading technological innovator in restorative dentistry for over 48 years, has announced the opening of the Glidewell International Technology Center, a new 8,500-square-foot training, education and demonstration center located in Louisville, Kentucky. This world-class center, which houses a cutting-edge, 40-seat classroom auditorium, provides contemporary, continuing education for dental professionals. It is the second companion center to its flagship West Coast facility located in Irvine, California.
With the aim of exploring the complexities of oral rehabilitation and its various treatment modalities, the center’s continuing education program encompasses all the principal methods of challenging, motivating and teaching like-minded clinicians. “The techniques and materials used in dentistry are ever-evolving and as healthcare professionals, it’s our responsibility to cultivate and be well-informed of those continuous improvements,” said Dr. Neil Park, vice president of clinical affairs at Glidewell Dental. “Our core mission at Glidewell has always been to advance the understanding of proven, fundamental methods for treating patients — and the increased demand for technology-focused education has sparked our expansion to the East Coast. Through this new Louisville-based center, dentists in the eastern half of the United States will be able to more conveniently access our quality continuing education programs without having to travel to Southern California.”
The center debuted with a special grand opening reception on July 12 attended by dentists, dental industry members and members of the local community, including Mayor of Louisville Greg Fischer. In a speech, Mayor Fischer recognized the Glidewell International Technology Center as integral to the Louisville community and surrounding areas. “Our city congratulates Glidewell Dental on expanding the reach of their valuable work through lifelong learning facilitated at the Glidewell technology center,” he said. “May the work carried out in this space bring forth brighter smiles shining across the world for years to come.”
The event also featured a speech from Jim Glidewell, CDT, founder and CEO of Glidewell Dental, who articulated the company’s vision for the center and garnered excitement for the upcoming curriculum. Hands-on courses and in-depth lectures will focus on all aspects of modern implant and restorative dentistry, including surgical dental implant placement, prosthetic rehabilitation, dental sleep medicine and more. A special acknowledgment was given to the first of the courses to take place at the center: “The Emergency Implant: Immediate Implant Placement in Extraction Sockets,” taught by Dr. Jack Hahn. A pioneer in the field of implant dentistry, Dr. Hahn, who was present at the reception, has been placing and restoring implants for 48 years. He joins many other hand-picked educators who have carefully crafted curriculum to help doctors become more confident and successful in their practice.
“Faculty and students are brought together by our shared passion for improving lives through oral health,” said Dr. Park. “We are inspired by this opportunity to share what we’ve learned over our nearly five-decade heritage, to bring more affordable, effective and innovative methods of treatment to doctors, to help rebuild smiles and enhance the quality of lives for patients in need. It is our hope that this Louisville education and training center helps doctors in their pursuit of finding practical answers to everyday clinical challenges.”
The Glidewell International Technology Center is located at 3841 Business Park Drive in Louisville, Kentucky. For more information or to register for upcoming courses, please visit glidewellcecenter.com or call 866-791-9539.
Photo: Vacant and Public Property Administration
Mayor Greg Fischer today joined Metro employees and the Landbank Authority to celebrate the conclusion of a record-breaking year of efforts to return vacant properties in Louisville to productive use.
In the 2017-18 fiscal year, which ended June 30, the Louisville Metro Vacant & Public Property Administration (VPPA) closed on the sale of 125 vacant properties in FY18—a 330% increase from the previous fiscal year. In the 2016-17 fiscal year, 29 sales were made.
Metro officials attribute the increase in sales to new sales programs—Last Look, Cut It Keep It and Flex Rate policy—that were debuted in October 2017.
“This tremendous increase in the sale of vacant is the result of innovative ideas, a hard-working city staff and engaged community members,” Mayor Fischer said. “Vacant and abandoned properties are an immense burden to our city—they often become havens for crime and they reduce neighboring property values. Each sale represents a win for neighbors and for public safety.”
The Landbank Authority, which is staffed by VPPA, is a nearly 30-year-old board that represents a cooperative effort by the three main taxing entities—Louisville Metro Government, Jefferson County Public Schools and the Commonwealth of Kentucky—focused on returning vacant properties back to productive use.
A breakdown down of VPPA programs and sales made by each program are as follows:
- Last Look—Save The Structure (41 sales): Landbank Authority-owned vacant structures that are demolition candidates are available in this program. Before purchase, buyers must show proof of funds for the exterior renovation/stabilization and must make exterior repairs within in 6 months and interior repairs within 18 months of closing. Last Look saved the city about $400,000 in demolition costs in FY18.
- Side yard (28): This program is available for next door neighbors of a Landbank Authority-owned lot who want to expand their property.
- Cut It, Keep It (24): Property owners of an occupied home or building on the same block as a Landbank Authority-owned vacant lot can purchase that lot through this maintenance program. Resale restrictions apply, unless developed within the first three years.
- Request For Proposal (17): Some Landbank Authority-owned vacant structures available for sale are structurally sound and safe to walk through. These homes are offered through a bi-monthly Request For Proposal (RFP) process. VPPA staff offers two open house opportunities for each of these properties. Proof of funds for the renovations must be provided.
- Flex Rate (8): Buyers can use the flex rate policy to purchase a Landbank Authority-owned lot if they have detailed plans and an itemized budget but do not have proof of funds. Sale price is determined by a set price per square foot, PVA land value or appraised value, depending on the size of the lot.
- Budget Rate (6): Buyers can use the budget rate policy to purchase a Landbank Authority-owned vacant lot if they can provide detailed plans, proof of funds, an itemized budget and project timeline. Sale price ranges from $500 to $1,000 for lots under 10,000 square feet.
- Last Look—Demo For Deed (1): Landbank Authority-owned vacant structures that are demolition candidates are available in this program. If a buyer shows proof of funds that they can pay for demolition of the structure, they may purchase it without restrictions on the redevelopment or resale of the property. Approvals are still needed by the Offices of Planning & Design Services and Construction Review.
According to data collection as recent as March 2018, about 5,100 vacant properties (3,600 of which are structures) are in the city of Louisville. The Landbank Authority owns about 500 of those properties. The other 4,600 are in the hands of private property owners, sometimes deceased residents or dissolved LLCs. VPPA works with Code Enforcement to identify vacant & abandoned properties and then uses a variety of tools such as foreclosure to remove properties from their abandoned states so they can return to productive use for the neighborhood. VPPA also accepts property donations.
Louisville Metro Government has worked with the state legislature to pass five separate bills into law that streamlined the process so that we could more effectively move these abandoned properties through the foreclosure process and into new uses.
To view all Landbank Authority-owned property and learn more about VPPA sales programs, please visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/vacant-public-property-administratio…