Saturday December 6, 2025
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This month, people who travel Dixie Highway had the chance to see detailed plans for the $35 million New Dixie Highway Project and offer their feedback.
Dozens attended an open house at Shively Community Center on Feb. 15, 2018, to talk with project leaders about construction plans, bus design, ramp improvements and more. In addition to the open house, project leaders continue to gather input with an online feedback form.
New Dixie Highway Project is designed to create transportation and safety improvements along the busy roadway. The project will concentrate on three major areas of improvement:
- Roadway safety and design improvements, including raised medians and left-hand-only turn lanes, along the most congested and dangerous section (Crums Lane to Greenwood Road). Project Map (PDF)
- The region’s first bus rapid transit route, with eight priority buses and three dozen highly visible stations that will improve travel times for both transit riders and motorists. Bus Route Details (PDF)
- A new Intelligent Transportation System that will improve and coordinate traffic signal timing along the entire corridor.
Construction on the project began in December, and is expected to conclude in December 2019. It’s the first major project under Mayor Greg Fischer’s MOVE Louisville initiative, which seeks to modernize and improve transportation across the metro area. The project is fueled by a combination of federal, state and local funds.
For more information:
There’s a full line-up of events open to the public at the Kentucky Exposition Center the first weekend in March. From remodeling your dream home to watching a demolition derby, there’s something for everyone March 2-4.
- Louisville Home, Garden and Remodeling Show – March 2-4 The Home, Garden & Remodeling Show presented by Champion Windows is the largest home show in the state and one of the largest in the nation. More than 350 vendors participate each year and the show includes entertaining features and informative seminars. For more information, visit www.louisvillehomeshow.com.
- Kentucky Farm Bureau Beef Expo – March 2-4 The Kentucky Farm Bureau Beef Expo includes 12 different breed shows and sales as well as junior competition, judging competition and a trade show. For more information, visit http://kybeefexpo.com/index.htm.
- Kentucky Crafted: The Market – March 2-4 The Kentucky Crafted Market is the Kentucky Arts Council’s premier event of Kentucky artistry produced each year. The show features the highest quality art, craft, literature, music, film and food found in the state. For more information, visit http://artscouncil.ky.gov/KAC/Showcasing/Event_Market.htm.
- NDDA Presents the 3rd Annual Bluegrass Bash – March 3 Bluegrass Bash is bringing the car-crunching action of the demolition derby to Freedom Hall. More than 160 drivers will compete car-against-car until the last four cars still running are declared the winners. For more information, visit http://www.nationaldemoderby.com.
- Cheer Derby – March 3-4 Cheer Derby is a family fun and high energy all-star cheerleading competition. For more information, visit https://www.cheerderby.com.
Parking at the Kentucky Exposition Center is $8 per vehicle and $20 per bus. For more information about the Kentucky Exposition, visit www.kyexpo.org.
The 2018 edition of the National Farm Machinery Show (NFMS) closed Saturday with an increase in attendance and ticket sales, and a record number of new exhibitors and exhibit sales.
Over 314,000 attendees packed the Kentucky Exposition Center for the four-day event that celebrated 53 years of providing the agricultural industry’s latest and most comprehensive display of equipment, services and technology. With the largest number of exhibitors in its history, NFMS spanned more than 1.3 million square feet filling 920 booths, for an increase of 40 exhibitors.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the Championship Tractor Pull attendance was the largest number in recent history. Over 67,000 tickets were sold to the five performances in Freedom Hall. During the Saturday night finals, a ceremony honored past participants and the organizers of the first tractor pull. In a half-century of growth, the invitation-only tractor pull now draws the nation’s top drivers competing for the title of Grand Champion and more than $200,000 in prize money.
“For over half a century, the National Farm Machinery Show has delivered on its purpose to provide solid information and cutting edge technology to the farming community,” said Don Parkinson, interim CEO of the Kentucky State Fair Board. “The largest indoor farm show along with the longest running championship tractor pull in one venue is unique to Kentucky and we look forward to another 50 years of championing agribusiness here in the Commonwealth.” Parkinson also serves as Secretary of the Tourism, Arts & Heritage Cabinet.
As the nation’s largest indoor farm show, NFMS brings an economic impact of $17 million to Louisville annually, filling local hotels and restaurants with attendees from across the country and around the world. NFMS is owned and produced by the Kentucky State Fair Board.
The 2019 NFMS dates are February 13-16. For more information, visit www.farmmachineryshow.org.
Mayor Greg Fischer is taking part in a 10-day trip to India, organized by the international Strong Cities Network (SCN), that will include a visit with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
As part of the trip, funded by the U.S. Embassy in India, Mayor Fischer and Tom Tait, Mayor of Anaheim, Calif., will meet with government, business, media and thought leaders to discuss approaches to making cities safer and communities stronger amid the rise in violent extremist groups around the globe.
Mayor Fischer also will be speaking to members of India’s business community at the Indian Merchant Chamber of Commerce, and industry, interfaith and community leaders at various stops throughout the trip. He’ll also meet with state and city officials, including the mayor of Mumbai Vishwanath Mahadeshwar, and discuss Louisville’s story in interviews with India’s media.
“Visits like this are great opportunities to promote our city,” Mayor Fischer said. “Our focus on compassion is something that resonates worldwide and is so relevant in today’s world. And I always welcome to the chance to tell our city’s story to potential investors and business interests that may be looking to expand in the U.S.”
India’s population is 1.3 billion, and its GDP is about $2.3 trillion.
SCN Manager Rebecca Skellett said the two mayors were chosen for the trip because of their focus on compassion, which has been championed by the Dalai Lama. Anaheim’s City of Kindness initiative parallels Louisville Compassionate City efforts.
“Mayor Fischer and Mayor Tait are both driving forward innovative practices to build social cohesion with city-wide Charters for Compassion and Kindness, which offer tremendous value to residents and businesses alike,” Skellett said. “This is why we’re delighted to be taking these two U.S. Mayors to Delhi, Mumbai and Dharamsala — to share their journeys, inspire Indian cities and policy makers, and learn more about how India’s diverse range of communities live together side by side.”
Mayor Tait said, “As a city, we must always respond to daily needs for public safety and community services. But kindness is our long game. It has the potential for positive change over generations. While cities across the world may face different issues, the impact of kindness is the same. We are honored that His Holiness the Dalai Lama has embraced what we are doing in Anaheim. His words to us sum it up perfectly: ‘Creating cultures of kindness and compassion throughout the world is the key to achieving world peace.’”
Launched by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue at the United Nations in September 2015, SCN “is the first ever global network of mayors, municipal-level policy makers and practitioners united in building social cohesion and community resilience to counter violent extremism in all its forms,” according to its website.
SCN membership is diverse, including large megacities like London and Mumbai, to smaller municipalities such as Kristiansand and Tripoli. What unites SCN members is their desire to share their experiences, learn from others and build community resilience against the divisive ideologies of hate, division and violence in all its forms.
“The network catalyzes, inspires and multiplies community-centric approaches and action to counter violent extremism through peer learning and expert training including city exchanges, annual summits, regional workshops and providing consultancy to cities,” the website said.
Mayor Fischer, who leaves for India Tuesday afternoon, said he’s pleased to share Louisville’s successes in compassion, community building and economic growth, and to learn best practices from others while visiting India.
DPL Financial Partners LLC, an independent insurance consulting firm, will expand in Louisville with a $3.6 million-plus investment expected to create 40 full-time, high-paying jobs, Gov. Matt Bevin and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer announced today.
“The financial services industry is building momentum in Kentucky, which is yet another sign of a fast growing economy,” Gov. Bevin said. “DPL’s expansion is proof that service companies are realizing the many advantages of doing business in Kentucky, including our skilled employees, high quality of life, low business costs and close proximity to much of our nation’s population. We welcome DPL to the commonwealth and are grateful to them for their investment here.”
DPL, currently on Stanley Gault Parkway, will move within Louisville as part of its expansion. Company leaders have yet to finalize the exact location. Following a soft launch in 2017 and with recent recruitment of investors, the company stands primed for growth. In the coming months, DPL will add sales and marketing, information technology and finance positions to its current staff.
“Louisville is an ideal location for our growing firm,” said David Lau, DPL founder and CEO. “We’ve attracted experienced, talented individuals to our team and appreciate the governor’s support as we look to expand our staff in the future.”
DPL is an insurance network for registered investment advisors, providing them and other fee-based advisory practices with a new model for offering low-cost, commission-free insurance to consumers. Lau founded DPL in 2014 to provide consultation to some of the nation’s largest insurance carriers on commission-free products. The commission-free approach saves money for customers, increases value and, ultimately, improves insurance products.
Mayor Fischer said the company makes a great fit in the city’s existing insurance and financial business community.
“Louisville is proud to have a historically strong financial services sector that can support new business growth such as these new, high-wage jobs at DPL Financial Partners,” he said. “I applaud DPL’s double down on investment in our city and look forward to seeing their fast-paced rise on the national financial services scene.”
To encourage the investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) in January preliminarily approved the company for tax incentives up to $600,000 through the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based incentive allows a company to keep a portion of its investment over a five-year agreement term through corporate income tax credits and wage assessments by meeting certain targets. Those targets are: creation of up to 40 jobs paying at least an average $62 an hour including benefits, and the investment of $3.6 million. The company has since decided to inject more capital into the project without additional incentives.
In addition, DPL can receive resources from the Kentucky Skills Network. Through the Kentucky Skills Network, companies can receive no-cost recruitment and job placement services, reduced-cost customized training and job training incentives. In fiscal 2017, the Kentucky Skills Network provided training for more than 120,000 Kentuckians and 5,700 companies from a variety of industry sectors.
For more information on DPL Financial Partners, visit www.dplfp.com.
Louisville Parks and Recreation has assumed responsibility for the operation of Quail Chase Golf Club, a 27-hole championship-level course located on the Jefferson/Bullitt county line 20 minutes south of downtown Louisville.
The addition brings a marquee golf destination to Parks and Recreation’s portfolio of courses, including nine municipally run tracks located within the Louisville Metro area. Metro acquired the facility and improvements Feb. 1 from Golf Development Company Inc. for $850,000.
Through the agreement, Golf Development Inc. will make an annual $25,000 donation to the First Tee of Louisville for youth golf programming at Quail Chase each year over the next 10 years.
Quail Chase, located within McNeely Lake Park – one of 120 Metro-owned parks – will be overseen by PGA Professional Craig Heibert. Heibert is the Kentucky Section PGA Golf Professional of the Year in 2017. He is currently the Vice President of the PGA of Kentucky and serves on the organization’s board of directors. He is the current pro at Shawnee Golf Course and has overseen the First Tee’s growth at that course and others, building the program to six program locations, 34 elementary schools and nurturing numerous community and business partnerships.
The course will continue to operate as normal, and greens fees, passes and membership rates will not change this season. In addition, Parks and Recreation is evaluating the grounds and facilities for maintenance needs and possible upgrades. A grand opening celebration is anticipated this spring.
To view the course layout, greens fees and other information, visit quailchase.com.
Photo: Vacant and Public Property Administration
The Metro Council’s Community Affairs and Housing Committee has announced the first in a series of meetings to update Louisville’s progress in dealing with vacant and abandoned property in Metro Louisville.
“This year the committee will invite the community to come out and ask questions on the various programs recently announced last fall by the mayor,” says Councilwoman Barbara Shanklin (D-2), who chairs the committee.
The first meeting is set for Monday, February 12th beginning at 1:30pm at the Shawnee Golf Course Clubhouse, 460 Northwestern Parkway.
The committee is encouraging the public to come out and meet with staff from Metro Louisville’s Vacant and Public Property Administration. The office has recently implemented new programs designed to help with the purchase of abandoned property along with helping improve the appearance of vacant buildings in neighborhoods with problems properties.
“Last year, the Metro Council approved funding for a clearboarding program. We have also increased the funding to demolish unsightly buildings on neighborhood streets,” says Shanklin. “Metro Government working through the Landbank has intensified efforts to help anyone purchase property. This meeting is an opportunity to be updated on where we are and how the community can get involved.”
Councilwoman Shanklin says this series of meetings will offer the community a chance to learn more about what’s going on and will be held in multiple locations in the coming months.
For more information about the various programs on Vacant and Public Properties, go to: https://louisvilleky.gov/government/vacant-public-property-administration.
