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The Metro Council’s Budget and Government Accountability, Ethics and Intergovernmental Affairs Committees will focus learning about proposed changes to the pension system, the possibility of separating the County Employment Retirement System (CERS) from the Kentucky Employee Retirement System (KERS) and future costs associated with the pension system during back to back meetings on Thursday, September 21st.
At 4:00 PM, the Budget Committee is hosting the Kentucky League of Cities Government Affairs Manager Bryanna Carroll for a comprehensive review of the pension system and proposed changes.
“Metro Louisville is not the only city dealing with this issue,” says Councilwoman Marianne Butler (D-15), who chairs the Budget Committee. “It is important that we understand the impact the pension will have on future budgets from a monetary as well as a recruitment and retention basis.”
At 5:00 PM, or immediately following the discussion, the Council’s Government Accountability, Ethics and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee will discuss a resolution urging the General Assembly to separate CERS from KERS. Reports indicate that CERS is funded at greater than 60% while the beleaguered KERS is funded at less than 20%. The resolution is sponsored by the respective Caucus leaders Councilmen Bill Hollander (D-9) and Robin Engel (R-22).
“With a proposed Special Session planned for the coming weeks to review possible reforms, this resolution is very timely and other cities and county governments are advocating the separation to state lawmakers,” says Councilman Pat Mulvihill (D-10), the Chair of the Committee.
State Budget Director John Chilton recently estimated that Louisville Metro might possibly have to contribute nearly $50 million to cover Metro’s pension obligation.
All Metro Council Committee meetings are carried live on Metro TV, Spectrum Cable Channel 184 and on UVERSE Channel 99.
You can watch the meetings online by going to the Metro Council home page at http://louisvilleky.gov/government/metro-council/metro-council-clerk and click the “Watch Meetings Online” button
Maya Williamson was struggling, even homeless briefly, and wasn’t sure she would ever realize her dream of going to college. Then, she connected with a Louisville program that helped her get financial aid and stay on track with her studies. Now, Maya is pursuing a business degree at Jefferson Community & Technical College, planning to be the first in her family to graduate college.
Maya says the support she got from the KentuckianaWorks College Access Center (KCAC) made the difference.
“I don’t think I would have made it to college without all their help,” she said.
The KCAC provides a variety of free services that help people go to college, including help in applying for financial aid, and in finding and enrolling in the school that’s right for them. This past year, the center assisted more than 3,000 people — more than two-thirds of them were lower-income, and 83 percent were the first in their family to attend college.
Mayor Greg Fischer joined the KCAC adult program’s staff, clients and partners in marking its 40th year of operation by dedicating new and improved space in the ArtSpace Building at 323 W. Broadway, next to the Brown Theater.
“Helping people realize their dream of higher education is not only critical for each student and their family, it’s critical to building a stronger workforce and economy,” the Mayor said. “It’s also key to building safer neighborhoods because greater education leads to better jobs and careers that can break the cycle of poverty, hopelessness and violence.”
A critical time for people wanting to attend college begins October 1, when the application for federal student financial aid, known as FAFSA, can be filed.
“Getting financial aid is a key component to make your dreams of college a reality,” said Lashala Goodwin, executive director of KCAC. “Our counselors can guide you through the process and maximize your chances of getting funding and other support.”
Goodwin said many schools require a completed FAFSA form to be eligible for any type of student aid, including grants, work-study, student loans and scholarships. And it’s especially important to act quickly in Kentucky, which is one of only a few states that awards financial aid on a first-come, first-serve basis. People who wait to file the FAFSA could lose out on state support for their education.
KCAC, which is funded by federal TRIO grants, operates two programs, including one that focuses on helping adults 19 and older like Williamson go to college.
A second program works directly with high school students, grades 9-12, helping them keep on track with their studies and develop a plan for college. Program counselors are based in five JCPS schools: Fairdale, Iroquois, Liberty, Valley and Western, and worked one-on-one with more than 800 students during the last school year.
Those seeking assistance through KCAC can contact the center at (502) 584-0475 or go to kentuckianaworks.org/KCAC. There is no charge for any of the services.
The program’s new space on Broadway also houses KentuckianaWorks’ Degrees Work program, which helps boost college attainment by contracting directly with employers such as Humana, Universal Woods and Louisville Metro Government to help their employees return to college.
Both the KCAC and Degrees Work are important contributors to the work being done by 55,000 Degrees, the city’s education movement.
Mayor Greg Fischer announced today that a public-private partnership to help people who are visually impaired find points of interest in Louisville will expand, thanks to a $250,000 grant from the James Graham Brown Foundation.
The Indoor Explorer program, which is operated by the American Printing House for the Blind and created in partnership with the city’s Office for Civic Innovation, places low-power Bluetooth beacons in public buildings that feed information about amenities and points of interest to an app called Nearby Explorer.
People who are visually impaired will use this information to independently find their way through and around the public buildings to find features, such as an airline ticket counter at the airport.
“The American Printing House for the Blind is a nationally recognized leader in innovation, and so is Louisville Metro Government — so this is a natural partnership,” Mayor Fischer said. “This program will expand opportunities for citizens and visitors with vision loss, and is another example of big ideas becoming a reality in Louisville through collaboration, good thinking and hard work.”
The grant will fund the installation of low-power Bluetooth beacons inside additional public buildings, expanding the uses of the Nearby Explorer app for independent travel, employment, civic engagement, tourism, education, dining, recreation, shopping and more. The beacons will also improve indoor navigation — which is limited under current technology — for app users who are blind and visually impaired.
“We are energized by Mayor Fischer’s commitment to making APH’s vision of a world where people who are blind or visually impaired can work, learn and live without barriers a reality here in Louisville,” said APH President Craig Meador. “Working together we have the opportunity to show the world what a truly welcoming community looks like by making Louisville the most accessible city for people who are blind and visually impaired.”
The project aligns with Louisville Metro’s Smart City initiatives, which also include the Waze app for traffic notifications, collaboration with the app IFTTT, and the LouieLab civic innovation space in downtown Louisville.
As part of the 52 Weeks of Public Health campaign, the Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) within the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS), is celebrating Newborn Screening Awareness Month by promoting awareness about the importance of early screening for Kentucky babies.
“Early intervention with the new mother and baby is critical to provide care and support for the best outcome,” said CHFS Secretary Vickie Yates Brown Glisson. “The Cabinet is working hard across disciplines to develop these systems.”
The Newborn Screening Program is a population-based service, provided by DPH that provides testing for developmental, genetic and metabolic disorders in newborn babies, allowing steps to be taken before symptoms develop.
“The importance of these metabolic screenings for newborns in Kentucky cannot be overstated,” said Connie Gayle White, M.D., senior deputy commissioner at DPH. “For many children, early screening can literally mean the difference between a full, healthy life and one spent battling a debilitating condition. It can even mean the difference between life and death in some cases.”
Newborn screening detects conditions not visible at birth and ensures life-saving treatment can begin as soon as possible. Most of these illnesses are very rare, but can be treated if caught early. The types of newborn screening tests done vary from state to state, but all 50 states have reported screening for at least 26 disorders on an expanded and standardized uniform panel.
In Kentucky, newborn screening is required by law. A blood specimen is obtained by heel stick from the newborn at the birthing facility between 24-48 hours after birth. The specimen is sent to the Kentucky Division of Laboratory Services for processing and abnormal findings are reported to the Newborn Screening Program.
Kentucky’s Newborn Screening Program uses a metabolic panel screening for 53 disorders which includes: congenital, hypothyroidism, cystic fibrosis, abnormalities in 
hemoglobin i.e. sickle cell, and disorders in the metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acid, organic acids, fatty acids, and lysosomes. When a diagnosis is confirmed, treatment is initiated through the administration of drugs, hormones or dietary adjustments.
Even if a baby is not born in a hospital, it is critical that they be tested within the first 24-48 hours after birth. Over 50,000 newborn screenings are conducted annually in the state of Kentucky. In 2016, 141 newborns tested were positively diagnosed as a result of the initial newborn screening. In addition to blood tests, screening for hearing loss and critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) are highly recommended for all Kentucky babies.
To learn more about the benefits of the Kentucky Newborn Screening Program, please visit the Kentucky Department for Public Health or the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention website.
Credit: KY State Parks
Students from nine more Kentucky schools are taking field trips to a Kentucky State Park this fall thanks to a transportation grant from the Kentucky State Parks Foundation.
The KSPF’s “Inside Out Education” initiative allows schools to seek the grants that enable students to learn about the environment, history or culture at a Kentucky State Park. The recent round of grants brings the total number of students served to 3,919 with 56 grants awarded.
“We’re very proud that more students are having the opportunity to experience the outdoors at a Kentucky State Park with the help of these grants,” Parks Commissioner Donnie Holland said. “These students will get to see history and the environment up close.”
The nine schools and parks they plan to visit are:
Beechgrove Elementary, Kenton County, Big Bone Lick State Historic Site
Madison County High School, Madison County, Carter Caves State Resort Park
Daniel Boone Elementary, Madison County, Waveland State Historic Site
Frayser Elementary, Jefferson County, Old Fort Harrod State Park
Owensboro Middle School, Owensboro, John James Audubon State Park
Muhlenberg County High School, Muhlenberg County, Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park
Muhlenberg County High School Muhlenberg County, Jefferson Davis State Historic Site
Longest Elementary School, Muhlenberg County, John James Audubon State Park
Longest Elementary School, Muhlenberg County, Wickliffe Mounds State Historic Site
The Muhlenberg County school trips are made possible by a grant from the Felix E. Martin Jr. Foundation.
For 2018 spring/summer consideration, applications are due March 1, 2018. For more information, visit: http://www.kentuckystateparksfoundation.org/about/inside-out-education/
For more information about Kentucky State Parks, visit: www.parks.ky.gov
Mecum Auctions, the world’s largest collector car auction company, returns to the Kentucky Exposition Center Sept. 21-23. A line-up of 1,000 American muscle cars, classics, Corvettes, hot rods, resto mods and motorcycles will be on the auction block.
Last year Mecum sold 440 vehicles during the three-day event, for a total of $13.4 million in sales. The top five sellers were:
- $280,000 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle LS6 Convertible
- $255,000 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastback
- $250,000 2005 Ford GT
- $200,000 1962 Chevrolet Corvette Resto Mod
- $145,000 1989 Porsche 911 Speedster
Featured vehicles this year include:
- 1966 Pontiac GTO
- 1970 Chevrolet Nova SS
- 1969 Shelby GT500 Fastback
- 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe
- 1961 Chevrolet Impala SS
The event will take place in the Kentucky Exposition Center East Hall, North Wing and South Wing A, B, and C. Gates open daily at 8 a.m. and sales begin:
- Thursday, Sept. 21 12 p.m.
- Friday, Sept. 22 10 a.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 23 10 a.m.
The Mecum Auction Company has specialized in the sale of collector cars for 30 years, offering more than 20,000 vehicles per year and averaging more than one auction per month. It is ranked number one in the world for number of collector cars offered at auction and number one in the U.S. in total dollar volume of sales.
The auction is open to sellers, buyers and spectators. Advance ticket price is $20 per person; $30 per person at the door or online beginning the first day of the auction. Children 12 and under are free. Parking is $8 per car and $20 per bus. Visit www.Mecum.com to purchase tickets, or for information about registering to bid, consigning a vehicle or viewing a list of consigned vehicles.
Mecum Auctions are broadcast by NBC Sports Network.
Attorney General Andy Beshear today joined with 33 attorneys general to send a letter demanding that Equifax take immediate steps to strengthen customer protections and improve services to the nearly 143 million people impacted by the massive data breach.
“I share Kentuckians frustration surrounding this data breach and that is why I am asking Equifax to move quickly to alleviate unnecessary confusion and improve customer service,” said Beshear. “The victims of a data breach should never have to pay to freeze their credit, nor should they have to face inadvertently signing up for a costly program instead of the free service.”
In the letter, Beshear demands Equifax stop using its own data breach as an opportunity to sell services to victims, and specifically requests the company disable fee-based credit monitoring services and reimburse customers for any fees they have paid to other credit reporting agencies for a credit freeze.
Beshear said in the wake of the data breach, Equifax is asking customers to visit their website where they can enroll in a free credit monitoring service – yet, the website also offers customers a fee-based credit monitoring service, thereby causing confusion and creating the potential for a customer to incur unnecessary fees.
General Beshear has demanded that Equifax resolve this issue by disabling information that leads to the fee-based services until the sign-up period for the free service has ended.
Beshear said Equifax has also agreed to waive credit freeze fees for customers, but the other two credit bureaus, which are not responsible for the breach, Experian and Transunion, continue to charge fees. The attorneys general are asking Equifax to take steps to reimburse consumers who incur these fees as a result of the breach.
The letter also relays consumer complaints expressing difficulty locating the Equifax breach hotline number and long wait times reaching customer service. In response, the AGs ask Equifax to properly staff the hotline and make it available 24 hours a day.
Earlier this week, Beshear issued a Scam Alert to help make Kentuckians aware of the Equifax data breach, and provided instructions on how to sign up for the free credit monitoring service and guidance on how to avoid and respond to identity theft.
Beshear wants Kentuckians to know that his office will continue to monitor the company’s response and asks Kentuckians to take immediate steps to closely monitor their credit and report any suspicious credit activity to his office’s Security Breach hotline, 855-813-6508.
