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SubscribeThe Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet in Frankfort for a special called session at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern time) Jan. 6 to discuss proposed changes to the state’s elk regulations.
Items on the agenda for discussion include:
- Compress or reduce the elk season;
- Eliminate elk hunting in January;
- Establish a regulation to eliminate elk hunting during deer season;
- Establish a regulation to mandate a minimum bull size of 3 points on one side;
- Establish a regulation to mandate wounding an elk ends that hunt if the animal is not successfully retrieved. Convicted hunters get substantial penalties, plus lose the right to hunt elk. Guides lose guide license for 10 years;
- Establish a wanton waste regulation for elk, deer and bear with substantial penalties;
- Establish a regulation to establish refuge (no hunting) areas at tourist/viewing areas;
- Requests for management and data collection plans to be developed by the Department for Commission Discussion;
- Meet in executive session if necessary.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission meetings are open for the public. Sessions are conducted at the Arnold Mitchell Building on the main campus of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife headquarters is located at 1 Sportsman’s Lane (formerly 1 Game Farm Road) in Frankfort. The entrance is located off U.S. 60, approximately 1½ miles west of U.S. 127.
Mayor Greg Fischer announced yesterday that Louisville is receiving a $29.5 million implementation grant through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Choice Neighborhoods Initiative program.
The federal funding is expected to leverage more than $200 million in private, foundation, nonprofit and public dollars to fully implement Vision Russell, a comprehensive transformation plan for the neighborhood, starting with a phased deconstruction and redevelopment of the Beecher Terrace public housing site. Vision Russell was developed over the past two years by Louisville Metro Government, the Louisville Metro Housing Authority (LMHA) and community residents, agencies and leaders.
“We are ecstatic. This is a huge day not just for Russell, not just for west Louisville, but for our entire city,” Mayor Fischer said. “Being selected by HUD for a Choice implementation grant validates all the hard work and commitment that community leaders, residents, this administration and many other stakeholders have invested over the past two years in efforts to transform and revitalize one of our most historic neighborhoods.
“Our city is experiencing a renaissance, with $9 billion in capital investment, almost 60,000 new jobs and 2,600 new businesses in the past six years,” the Mayor added. “The Choice grant and the rippling investment it brings will further ensure west Louisville’s part in that renaissance.”
The Mayor announced the grant during a celebratory press conference this afternoon at Baxter Community Center, surrounded by HUD officials, government and civic leaders, and community leaders and individual residents who helped create Vision Russell.
Noting that Louisville Central Community Centers will be a development partner in Vision Russell, the Mayor added, “Our collective goal is to use this opportunity to replace the so-called ‘Ninth Street Divide’ with a beautiful new bridge of opportunity and hope.”
Vision Russell efforts will focus on several key components in transforming the neighborhood, including:
- Tearing down and redeveloping Beecher Terrace into a sustainable, multi-generational, mixed-income, mixed-use development;
- Developing one-for-one, off-site replacement housing for Beecher Terrace residents in their neighborhoods of choice;
- Increasing safety and security;
- Re-creating strong retail and service centers within the neighborhood;
- Improving educational and health outcomes for Beecher Terrace and Russell households; and
- Improving community connectivity.
“This is a much larger-scale version of projects that have successfully brought new vitality to other neighborhoods in Louisville, like Liberty Green, Sheppard Square and Park Duvalle,” said LMHA executive director Tim Barry, “and it will directly benefit the people who live in Beecher Terrace and the surrounding community.”
Construction in Russell will start in mid- to late 2017 and continue for seven years. At least 25 percent of the work will be performed by minority-owned businesses, 10 percent by female-owned businesses, and a half percent by businesses owned by disabled people.
The strategies and goals included in Louisville’s Choice implementation grant application, sent to HUD this summer, were identified by a committee comprised of Russell residents, community and business leaders, and city and LMHA officials. This two-year planning process was funded through a $425,000 planning grant that HUD awarded to the Housing Authority in January 2015 and a $600,000 leveraged contribution from Louisville Metro Government.
In June, HUD awarded LMHA an additional $1 million action activities grant to kick-start efforts to enhance and accelerate other redevelopment within the Russell neighborhood. Louisville Metro Government leveraged an additional $375,000 for that effort.
And in August, the agencies were notified that Louisville was one of five cities selected as a finalist for implementation funding. Today, HUD announced that Louisville and all four of the other cities – Camden, N.J., Boston, Denver and St. Louis – will receive implementation grants, for a total of $132 million.
“The Choice program has proven an effective tool in transforming neighborhoods that were once littered with abandoned and crumbling properties into vibrant communities that offer quality housing options and are rich with retail services and other amenities,” said HUD
Secretary Julián Castro. “The work and investment that is being made through this program in cities like Louisville will benefit millions of residents for generations to come.”
Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) said he believes Louisville’s track record of redeveloping public housing sites into mixed income multi-family housing provided the community with a competitive advantage against other communities that applied.
“From the Park DuValle redevelopment to Sheppard Square, LMHA and Metro Louisville are considered national leaders in transforming blighted and distressed areas into vibrant neighborhoods that attract additional investment and interest,” said Yarmuth. “The selection process for the Choice implementation grant is extremely competitive. The fact that Louisville was selected speaks well to the work, engagement and support needed to make this award possible.”
Manfred Reid, Sr., chairman of the board of commissioners for LMHA and a lifelong Russell resident, said the grant is an enormous affirmation for the community.
“The strategies identified in our Russell transformation plan are a result of 90 community meetings, forums and other feedback we have received from over 600 residents and other stakeholders on the type of neighborhood they want Russell to be,” said Reid. “This grant says it can be done. And we believe we can again make Russell one of Louisville’s finest neighborhoods. I could not be more proud of my city today.”
Reaction from Louisville Metro Council members:
“The announcement today of the Choice Neighborhood Grant is a game changer for our community and an achievement that should be celebrated by the entire City of Louisville. This accomplishment is a direct result of the proven leadership of the Louisville Metro Housing Authority, the collaborative work of a number of community-based nonprofit organizations and more importantly, the citizens of the Russell neighborhood, and it will prove to be a major catalyst on moving economic development forward in West Louisville.” Councilman David Tandy (D-4).
“I’m delighted that Louisville has been selected for the HUD Choice implementation grant. After having undergone an intensive local planning process, which involved a great deal of community outreach and input into the vision for the neighborhood, it is exciting to know that the Russell community will receive the funds necessary to implement the transformation plan, to redevelop the historic Russell neighborhood and continue the momentum that is currently underway.” Councilwoman Cheri Bryant Hamilton (D-5).
“I’m excited about the City of Louisville being awarded this HUD grant for the Russell neighborhood. This will give the city the opportunity to invest millions of dollars in an area of our city that desperately needs revitalization. I congratulate Tim Barry and the citizens of Russell on a job well done.” Councilman David James (D-6).
Drivers traveling in Louisville and Southern Indiana need to prepare for the start of tolling on three Ohio River bridges. Tolling on the Louisville – Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project is scheduled to begin Friday, December 30.
Tolled bridges include the two I-65 bridges connecting Downtown Louisville and Southern Indiana, the new Abraham Lincoln Bridge and the improved John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge. The new East End bridge connecting the Gene Snyder Freeway in Prospect, Ky. with State Road 265 in Utica, Ind. will also be tolled.
RiverLink is the name of the new, all-electronic tolling system that makes the project possible. There’s no stopping, no slowing, no lines and no coin machines. Toll rates range from $2-$12, depending on the size of vehicle and whether the driver has a RiverLink account and transponder.
Drivers with transponders will pay the lowest toll rates. Drivers can set up a prepaid RiverLink account to get a transponder. All E-ZPass transponders, including the I-PASS from Illinois and the Indiana Toll Road E-ZPass, will work with the RiverLink system. No further action is necessary.
Drivers without transponders will get bills in the mail, and pay higher toll rates. Drivers who do not pay their tolls will be charged a penalty and may face restrictions on vehicle registration until tolls and penalties are paid.
Opening a RiverLink Account
Drivers can open a personal account online at www.RiverLink.com, by phone at 855-RIV-LINK or in person at one of two RiverLink customer service centers. A personal account can include up to four vehicles, with a minimum balance of $20 to open the account. The account balance rolls over month to month.
The fastest way to open a RiverLink personal account is online. The website is available 24 hours a day/7 days a week with no wait. Transponders will be mailed to account holders, free of charge.
For businesses with more than four vehicles, the fastest and easiest way to open an account is by calling a specialized customer service representative at 855-RIV-LINK.
Choice of Transponders
A RiverLink local transponder is free, one per registered vehicle. The small sticker adheres to the inside of windshield, is non-transferable and will work only on tolled bridges between Louisville and Southern Indiana.
A RiverLink E-ZPass transponder is $15 per transponder. It’s mounted on the inside of the windshield, is portable from vehicle to vehicle registered to a single account and works in all 16 E-ZPass states (https://e-zpassiag.com/about-e-zpass/where-can-i-use-it).
The I-64 (Sherman Minton) and the US 31/Second Street (Clark Memorial) bridges across the Ohio River will not be tolled in connection with the project. Find more information at www.RiverLink.com.
The Louisville – Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project includes two new bridges and their approaches, an improved Kennedy Bridge and reconstruction of the Kennedy Interchange, where I-65, I-64 and I-71 come together in downtown Louisville. The new Abraham Lincoln Bridge carries six lanes of I-65 northbound traffic. The improved Kennedy Bridge carries six lanes of southbound traffic. The new East End bridge will connect the Gene Snyder Freeway in Prospect, Ky. with State Road 265 (Lee Hamilton Highway) in Utica, Ind.
Find more details on the Ohio River Bridges Project at www.kyinbridges.com.
Attorney General Andy Beshear today announced nearly 350 Kentuckians and three state organizations have received a combined $18 million from the 2014 Bank of America Settlement involving the company’s mortgage loan practices during the 2008 national financial crisis.
The impact of the settlement for Kentuckians is based on the most recent compliance report by the 2014 Bank of America Mortgage Settlement Monitor released Nov. 30.
The Office of the Attorney General joined five other state attorneys general and the federal government to reach the settlement that has provided billions of dollars of relief to struggling homeowners nationwide, including funds to help defray tax liability as a result of mortgage modification, forbearance or forgiveness.
According to the compliance report, nearly 350 Kentucky homeowners have received relief from the company’s civil penalties:
- 88 Kentuckians received debt forgiveness totaling $6.1 million.
- 56 Kentuckians obtained loan modifications totaling $1.5 million.
- Nearly 10 Kentuckians had their second-lien mortgages automatically extinguished.
- 125 Kentuckians received forgiveness of their outstanding debt related to a junior lien or unsecured debt totaling $3.8 million.
- 66 Kentuckians located in the hardest hit areas who lost a primary residence due to foreclosure or short sale or who were first time low income borrowers were given new loans that meet settlement guidelines.
- Nearly 10 Kentuckians had their loan principal extinguished.
As part of the Bank of America Settlement, the Kentucky Bar Associations’ IOLTA Fund received $6 million; the Federation of Appalachian Housing Enterprises of Berea received $250,000; and Metro Louisville Habitat for Humanity received $99,000 to benefit Kentucky populations affected by the mortgage crisis.
The Kentucky Retirement Systems received $23 million in August 2014, from the settlement with Bank of America for defrauding the state’s pension system when the company sold high-risk loans, Beshear said.
Council members Jessica Green (D-1), Mary C. Woolridge (D-3) and Kelly Downard (R-16) are supporting a petition started by the Reverend Kirk M. Bush of Harrods Creek Baptist Church, asking Wal-Mart to reconsider their recent decision to cancel plans for the new supercenter development that was planned for 18th and Broadway.
“We Need Wal-Mart, We Want Wal-Mart, we are encouraging them to rethink their decision and come back to the table,” said Green. “We are desperate for the same goods, services and conveniences available in other parts of our community and implore Wal-Mart to give the 18th and Broadway development another chance.”
A petition of nearly 5000 signatures in support of Wal-Mart at 18th and Broadway was collected in less than three weeks early in 2016, in an effort to keep Wal-Mart at the table during litigation. The hope is that this new petition will far exceed those numbers and inspire Wal-Mart to revisit the 18th and Broadway development in west Louisville.
“With the loss of the Food Port, the announcement of the closing of the Shively Kroger, it is vital to the residents of West Louisville that we have GOT to have this Wal-Mart at 18th and Broadway,” said Woolridge.
“We need Wal-Mart, the BEST operator in the United States, to bring their wide array of quality products to people who want them and need them but, don’t have access to them now,” said Councilman Kelly Downard. “We need EVERYONE to sign the petition and bring Wal-Mart back.”
The online petition asking Doug McMillon, President and CEO of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and Greg Foran, President and CEO of Wal-Mart U.S. to reconsider the decision regarding the 18th and Broadway location and reconsider building the supercenter to provide West Louisville with quality goods, services and jobs. The petition can be found at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/654/659/716/#
“We believe in Wal-Mart and what they will bring to the people of the west end who feel marginalized and forgotten,” said the Reverend Kirk M. Bush. “Wal-Mart will bring much needed economic development, opportunities, jobs and will serve as a symbol that the residents of West Louisville have not been forgotten.”
Metro Councilmembers Bill Hollander (D-9) and Cheri Bryant-Hamilton (D-5) announced today that they have introduced an ordinance relating to Louisville Metro trees.
Adoption of such an ordinance was the very first of 41 recommendations in the 2015 Louisville Urban Tree Canopy Assessment. It was also recommended by the Louisville Metro Tree Advisory Commission, after a lengthy review of ordinances in dozens of other cities, including several in Kentucky.
“We have seen a significant loss in tree canopy in Louisville Metro and this ordinance will help focus attention on the issue, protect the trees we have and reduce the possibility of more losses,” Councilman Hollander said. “It recognizes that trees are important to quality of life and to our health”.
“Our community needs more trees, desperately. Studies have shown that it makes a difference and it will reduce the temperature in the City,” said Councilwoman Hamilton. “We need to do a better job of getting people to connect the dots between our environment and our health and this ordinance will help.”
The proposed ordinance covers “public trees”, which includes trees located on Metro Government owned or controlled land or in public right-of-way areas, except for parks and parkways under the jurisdiction of Louisville Metro Parks.
It consolidates Louisville’s tree efforts into the Metro Division of Community Forestry, to provide oversight and comprehensive coordination for tree and forestation issues. Among other things, the Division will create a management plan to outline goals and concerns regarding trees, tree canopy and forestation.
A new Louisville Metro Tree Advisory Committee — appointed by the Mayor and approved by Metro Council — would assist in those efforts.
The ordinance also establishes policies and standards for public trees, clarifying and replacing the provisions of several existing ordinances. For example, the ordinance includes a common sense provision that new trees that grow to a height of more than 25 feet not be planted within 15 feet of an overheard utility line. Currently required tree removal permits would be conditioned on replacement of the public tree, unless a waiver is granted.
“A healthy tree canopy contributes mightily to a healthy community, improving air and water quality, reducing the urban heat island effect, and providing a more pleasant place to live, work, learn, and play,” Cindi Sullivan, Executive Director of the non-profit TreesLouisville, said. “To improve our community tree canopy, we must protect our existing trees and plant new trees.”
The ordinance would also create a Community Forestry Escrow Fund, which would establish and maintain a landowner assistance program, intended to help defray the cost of mandated tree removal or remedial action on behalf of indigent property owners. The fund would receive all monetary penalties related to trees and could also accept donations from the public.
Property owners could voluntarily protect historic and specimen trees on private property. The only other provision which affects trees on private property deals with trees that are a public nuisance or a threat of the spread of disease or infestation to other trees.
Hollander noted that the ordinance is just part of the effort to increase Louisville Metro’s tree canopy. Metro Council has recently made changes in the Land Development Code which protect trees in proposed Conservation Subdivisions. Other changes in the Land Development Code are under consideration, including as part of the adoption of a new Comprehensive Plan.
The ordinance will be assigned to a Metro Council committee and be considered early next year.
Louisville Metro Government ended the 2015-2016 fiscal year with a $6.2 million surplus, and Mayor Greg Fischer proposes spending the bulk of those dollars to battle the spike in gun violence. That includes hiring 28 additional police officers; $2.1 million for targeted violence reduction strategies, such as a new Street Intervention Specialists team; and expansion of the SummerWorks program and graffiti removal efforts.
“We are in the midst of a public health and safety crisis that requires our focused attention and resources,” Mayor Fischer said. “This spending plan targets our resources at both long- and short-term approaches.”
In an ordinance submitted to Metro Council today, the Mayor earmarks $700,000 to bring on the additional officers over the next six months, and $2.1 million for violence reduction, including Louisville Metro Police enforcement efforts, and the city’s Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods’ work addressing prevention, intervention and re-entry.
“With this allocation, we are asking our teams what resources they need to get the job done, and we are providing those resources,” the Mayor said.
(Learn more about public safety in Louisville)
For the spending plan to be enacted and the public safety enhancements implemented in early 2017, Metro Council must approve the plan this month.
Council President David Yates said today that, “Public safety continues to be an immediate and primary focus of concern. The Louisville Metro Council supports investing in ways to decrease violence in our community.”
And David James, chairman of the council’s Public Safety Committee, said: “I am very pleased to be working with the Mayor and his administration as we utilize some of our budget surplus funds to work together on enhanced violence reduction efforts.”
The 28 new police officers are in addition to the 122 the city is hiring in the current fiscal year – bringing the total number of recruits to the city’s maximum annual capacity of 150 – the most police officers hired by the city in a single year since city-county merger.
The Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods will coordinate the Street Intervention Specialists team — contractors hired to work directly on the street to disrupt violence. The office’s other efforts range from prevention programs like “Peace Ed;” intervention programs like “Pivot to Peace;” and re-entry efforts like Right Turn and ReImage.
Fischer is also proposing to relocate some LMPD staff to the Metro Employee Wellness Center Building at 400 South First St.
The administration had initially considered moving all of LMPD headquarters but is postponing that move until the next budget cycle. Instead, only those affected by significant plumbing and other issues are being moved now.
“We’ve made the decision to use the surplus to address the most pressing needs, and violence intervention is THE most pressing need,” the Mayor said.
The surplus was realized through improved revenues and professional expense management, Fischer said, reflecting an efficient and effective government.
“We can credit an improved economy and sound departmental stewardship, as well as required accounting adjustments as the city progressed through its routine financial audit for the fiscal year that ended on June 30,” agreed CFO Daniel Frockt. The auditors are still finalizing their work, which will result in the release of the city’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) in late December.
Here is a summary of the Mayor’s proposed spending of the $6.2 million surplus:
- Violence intervention strategies, $2.1 million
- Hiring of 28 LMPD officers, $700,000
- Moving some LMPD staff, $50,000
- Additional expenses for Metro Corrections, due to high inmate count, $665,000
- Expanding SummerWorks to hire 40 teens for the summer, $100,000
- Hiring of a Chief Equity Officer and staff, $115,000
- Additional personnel for graffiti removal/Clean and Bright team, $110,000
- Recruitment and retention efforts for Metro Parks front-line employees who clean parks and mow grass, $350,000
- Purchasing an additional 3,000 garbage carts for citizens, $160,000
- Increasing Rainy Day Fund by $1.8 million
