Wednesday January 28, 2026
Local Connection
Weather
Traffic
@LouisvilleDispatch
@LouisvilleDisp
Subscribe
“Owl Flight” by Kathy Conroy – at the Kentucky Artisan Center
Artist Kathy Conroy of Pleasureville will be featured on KET’s program “Kentucky Life” which will air at 8:00 p.m. starting Nov. 18. Conroy is a scratchboard artist who utilizes a rarely used technique to achieve highly detailed imagery.
Scratchboard is a form of direct engraving where the artist starts with a Masonite panel coated with white clay. This clay layer is covered with a thin layer of black India ink leaving the artist a solid black panel as a starting point. Lines that create the imagery are cut and scratched through the ink, to reveal the white clay surface below. Conroy then layers colors onto the exposed white clay to illustrate complex and realistic images.
This KET program will air on the following dates:
- KET: Saturday, November 18 at 8:00 PM EST
- KETKY: Sunday, November 19 at 8:00 AM EST
- KET: Sunday, November 19 at 4:00 PM EST
- KET2: Monday, November 20 at 7:00 PM EST
- KET: Monday, November 20 at 11:30 PM EST
- KET2: Tuesday, November 21 at 7:30 AM EST
- KETKY: Wednesday, November 22 at 8:00 AM EST
- KETKY: Friday, November 24 at 12:30 PM EST
- KETKY: Saturday, November 25 at 8:30 AM EST
Conroy will also be at the Kentucky Artisan Center demonstrating her scratchboard techniques on Saturday, Dec. 9, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Her work is regularly available at the Center.
The Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea is located at 200 Artisan Way, just off Interstate 75 at Berea Exit 77. The center’s exhibits, shopping and travel information areas are open daily, year-round, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the cafe is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free. For more information about center events call 859-985-5448, go to the center’s website, or visit the center’s Facebook page.
The Muhammad Ali Center, which opened twelve years ago this month, will be undergoing major renovations that include a complete redesign of its Main Lobby, the Ali Center Store, and Group Entrance. Beyond the normal wear & tear from an approximate 1.2 million visitors over the past dozen years, these enhancements will provide the Center the opportunity to deliver a better overall visitor experience and more contemporary private event space. Additionally, the much needed upgrades will offer a fresh and modern appearance to its retail store, while also supplying better functionality. A major part of the overall improvements will be a custom designed terrazzo floor in the Main Lobby, which will present a striking and welcoming impression upon entering the Center, and provide better durability for this high traffic area.
The renovations, expected to begin in mid-January 2018, will take about three months to complete. While public access to the Ali Center will be affected during this time, visitors will still have access to most areas of the Center, including its 2-1/2 levels of award-winning exhibits and most private event spaces. The Ali Center Store, now located next to the Main Lobby, will be temporarily moved to the Ina B. Bond Gallery on the Center’s Fourth Floor. It is expected that the Ali Center will be closed to visitors from January 8-14, and will re-open on January 15 for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
The firm responsible for the project is Patrick D. Murphy Architects.
“These improvements will create a more vibrant and impactful experience for our visitors,” said Donald Lassere, president and CEO of the Muhammad Ali Center, “and we are grateful to our donors and other supporters who are making this possible.”
Logo: New Flyer of America
Gov. Matt Bevin today announced New Flyer of America Inc. will create up to 550 full-time jobs as it invests $40 million to lease and upgrade a facility for bus parts fabrication in Shepherdsville.
“New Flyer’s decision to locate in Kentucky further distinguishes the commonwealth as a top location for engineering and advanced manufacturing in the US,” Gov. Bevin said. “The significant number of jobs coming to Shepherdsville and surrounding communities through this investment will be a major economic driver for years to come. We thank New Flyer for selecting Kentucky and congratulate officials and residents of Bullitt County on this major announcement.”
New Flyer of America, a US subsidiary of New Flyer Industries Inc. (NFI Group), will build out a 300,000-square-foot facility in Shepherdsville. The $40 million investment includes $28 million for equipment and building preparations and $12 million across a 10-year lease. Company leaders expect to begin work this month and be in full operation by the end of 2019.
The operation will support the company’s efforts to boost in-house production of components, which allows New Flyer to create jobs, increase competitiveness and improve its production processes. The facility will provide fabrication and parts to support all three NFI Group business entities: New Flyer, MCI and NFI PartsTM.
“We are proud to invest in jobs, infrastructure, innovation and manufacturing,” said Paul Soubry, CEO of NFI Group. “By developing our insourcing initiatives, we build on a solid foundation to further create jobs, increase competitiveness and support more sustainable and reliable manufacturing and operations processes. We are proud to expand our presence in the State of Kentucky.”
NFI Group, a TSX publicly traded company, is a North American leader in heavy-duty transit bus production and offers a robust line of transit buses under the New Flyer brand Xcelsior®. The company also is a leader in North America’s motor coach market, through its Motor Coach Industries Inc., and its NFI Parts entity provides parts, technical publications, training and support for NFI Group’s buses.
NFI Parts currently operates in Kentucky, employing 176 people at parts distribution, customer service and tech-support centers.
Sen. Dan Seum, of Fairdale, welcomed New Flyer to Bullitt County.
“I am pleased to hear that New Flyer of America will be joining the Shepherdsville community with this $40 million investment and the creation of over 500 jobs,” Sen. Seum said. “I know our region will serve this company well and I look forward to their success in Bullitt County and beyond.”
Rep. Russell Webber, of Shepherdsville, said the company will have a long-lasting impact on the community.
“I am thrilled an American institution like New Flyer is locating its new facility in Bullitt County,” Rep. Webber said. “The resurgence of manufacturing in Kentucky is benefitting our communities and the economy as a whole. The positive impact of New Flyer’s investment and job creation in Shepherdsville will be felt for decades to come.”
Rep. Dan Johnson, of Bullitt County, welcomed New Flyer to the community.
“Bullitt County is a Modern Day Mayberry at the same time it’s a new industrial Meca. The best of both worlds,” said Rep. Johnson. “We welcome New Flyer of America to our Community. This partnership will be a blessing to both New Flyer and Bullitt County families.”
Shepherdsville Mayor Curtis Hockenbury also welcomed New Flyer to the community.
“Shepherdsville has had great success the past several years and it is fantastic that New Flyer has found our city a great place to do business,” Mayor Hockenbury said. “We have developed an overall business climate which has allowed economic growth to occur. Shepherdsville welcomes New Flyer and the good jobs it will create within our city.
Bullitt County Judge-Executive Melanie Roberts noted the significance of the scale of the project.
“We are certainly pleased to have New Flyer as a member of our corporate family,” Judge-Executive Roberts said. “Adding up to 550 jobs will provide employment opportunities for members of our county as well as our surrounding counties. The $40 million investment will allow for greater services for our children. It is a big win for Bullitt County and the State of Kentucky.
To encourage the investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) during a special meeting in November preliminarily approved the company for up to $8.5 million in tax incentives through the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based incentive allows a company to keep a portion of its investment over the agreement term through corporate income tax credits and wage assessments by meeting job and investment targets.
New Flyer also 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 year 2017, the Kentucky Skills Network provided training for more than 120,000 Kentuckians and 5,700 companies from a variety of industry sectors.
Students at the Binet School, 3410 Bon Air Avenue, have been studying the novel Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr and will host an Exposition Day at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 17, to showcase their learning experiences.
There will be student demonstrations of work (they have been doing character studies, water sampling and much more) and they will host visitors from Goldsmith Elementary School, as well as other community members and groups.
The projects are great examples of the Deeper Learning initiative that is at the forefront of the district’s strategic plan. The framework was adopted by the Jefferson County Board of Education in June 2016 as a way to encourage students to be more independent and take a more active role in their learning process.
Binet School serves students who have a combination of disabilities that can result in significant learning, developmental, or behavioral problems. Teachers and staff provide successful learning experiences through a highly structured and supportive environment.
Photo: JCPS
Jefferson County Public Schools Acting Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio announced Tuesday that Matthew “Matt” Anderson will be the new acting principal at Jeffersontown High School.
Anderson was introduced to the staff this afternoon and will begin running day-to-day operations of the school immediately. Assistant Superintendent Michelle Dillard will be continue to assist with the transition.
“It is my responsibility to create a safe and relevant learning environment for all of our students and staff,” Anderson said. “This begins with establishing a positive climate and culture where all students and teachers feel valued and supported. Our students deserve to feel challenged through an engaging curriculum and learning experiences that will prepare them for life after Jeffersontown High.”
Anderson added that “while many great people and programs already exist at Jeffersontown High, I will work to ensure our school is a place where students want to learn, teachers want to teach, and the community is proud to support.”
Anderson currently serves as the director of student relations for JCPS. He previously served as an assistant principal at Moore Traditional School and as a teacher and goal clarity coach at Waggener High School.
He will serve as acting principal until Jeffersontown High’s School-Based Decision Making (SBDM) Council names a permanent principal, which is expected to take place early next year.
Photo: Secretary of State website
The candidate filing period for the 2018 election cycle has opened, Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes announced Wednesday, and she is encouraging potential candidates to use a new filing portal on the Secretary of State’s website.
“The 2018 election cycle is what’s known in Kentucky as a county election year, so it will feature thousands of candidates,” said Grimes, Kentucky’s chief elections official. “As Secretary of State, we’ve launched online voter registration and made military voting easier with the use of technology, so it’s natural that we tackle making the filing process simpler for candidates with a new filing portal online.”
The Secretary of State’s online Becoming a Candidate portal allows potential candidates to use a streamlined web application to fill out much of the paperwork required to become a candidate. At the end of the process, users may save and print a PDF of the required documents for filing with the appropriate filing official. Kentucky law does not currently allow candidates to submit filings electronically.
The portal also allows potential candidates to print blank filing forms or to request forms by mail.
The 2018 ballot will feature Kentucky’s six seats in the U.S. House of Representatives as well as the 100 seats in the Kentucky House of Representatives and seats in even districts in the Kentucky Senate. The judicial slate includes the Kentucky Supreme Court’s third district, Kentucky’s District Judges, and all Commonwealth’s Attorneys and Circuit Court Clerks. On the local level, all county officers will be up for election along with city legislative bodies and mayors of some cities.
The deadline for filing for offices that may have a primary is 4 p.m. local time on January 30, 2018. Independent, political group, or political organization candidates for offices that require a statement of candidacy must file by 4 p.m. local time on April 2, 2018.
Persons interested in becoming a candidate for any office can find more information on the Secretary of State’s online Becoming a Candidate portal at sos.ky.gov.
The Commonwealth of Kentucky Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the Bevin Administration by granting a stay of the Franklin Circuit Court’s Oct. 30, 2017 ruling in the Medical Review Panels case.
The Circuit Court’s opinion had ruled that the new Medical Review Panel law was unconstitutional.
As a result of today’s decision, 89 current cases will proceed, and all prospective malpractice cases will be required to proceed through the Medical Review Panel process before being filed in court.
“We are encouraged by the Court of Appeals ruling and ready to resume the administration of Medical Review Panel cases just as they were being handled before Oct. 30,” said Woody Maglinger, press secretary for Gov. Matt Bevin.
Senate Bill 4, enacted by the 2017 General Assembly and signed into law by Gov. Bevin, requires peer review of medical malpractice complaints by Medical Review Panels before medical malpractice cases can go to court. A complaint can bypass the panel and go directly to court only by agreement of all parties.
This new tort reform measure is aimed at cutting down on frivolous malpractice claims against medical professionals in the Commonwealth.
The Court of Appeals stay will remain in effect until further ruling.
A copy of today’s ruling can be accessed here.
