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If you plan to run the Derby Festival’s Marathon or miniMarathon, but haven’t registered yet, your time is running out! Registration for the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon and miniMarathon Presented by Walmart and Humana will close at midnight on Thursday, April 20. There will be no late registration. The registration fees are $95 for the miniMarathon and $105 for the Marathon. Runners can register online at DerbyFestivalMarathon.com.
For runners who don’t want to go the distance of the mini or full Marathon, they can recruit friends and register as a team. In conjunction with the 2017 Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon, the Marathon Team Relay option is again being offered. The Team Relay registration fee is $325. Teams can consist of up to 5 runners and have as few as 3 competing members. Relay Teams will run the same course as the Marathon, which has been divided into 5 separate legs consisting of two 5k, two 10k, and a 12.2k.
The Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon and miniMarathon is still the largest annual day of road racing in Kentucky. 2017 races are set for Saturday, April 29, and will again be capped at 18,000 runners. Both races will start simultaneously at 7:30 am on Main Street near Slugger Field and will finish at Preston and Witherspoon streets.
Walmart and Humana are Co-Presenting Sponsors of the Marathon and miniMarathon. The Official Race Medical Partner is Norton Sports Health and Contributing Sponsors are BB&T, Churchill Downs, Louisville Water Company, Powerade, and The Courier-Journal. Official Bourbon: Jim Beam®. Official Hotel: The Galt House. Official Pace Car: John Jones Auto Group.
The Derby Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. It entertains more than 1.5 million people annually. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.
Photo: Kentucky State Parks
A Daniel Boone memorabilia collection that will be displayed at Fort Boonesborough State Park will be unveiled today, April 15, at the park.
Ray Buckberry of Bowling Green spent a lifetime collecting the 351 items in the collection, which includes items books, prints, and other items relating to Daniel Boone items from the Daniel Boone television series. Buckberry donated the collection to the Fort Boonesborough Foundation, which is loaning it to the park for display.
A ceremony honoring Buckberry and opening the collection will be at 1:30 p.m. on April 15 at the fort.
A cabin at the fort will be devoted to the collection. A display case has also been added at the park campground for display purposes.
An entire generation grew up with Daniel Boone, played by Fess Parker, on television and younger generations continue to learn about Boone. Although the foundation acknowledges that not all the items are correct to the time period, it is still a valuable look at the impact Daniel Boone had on the American public.
The fort is open 9-5 Wednesday to Sunday, April through October. Other cabins feature period-dressed interpreters who can talk with visitors about life in the 18th century. For more information, call 859-527-3131.
Photo: Kentucky Department Fish and Wildlife
Twenty years ago this December, seven elk were released atop Potato Knob in Perry County in front of thousands of onlookers. The landmark restoration of a free roaming elk herd in Kentucky was off and running.
Fast forward to present day. There are now more elk in Kentucky than any state east of the Rocky Mountains and each year the prospect of harvesting one compels tens of thousands of hunters to apply for Kentucky’s quota elk hunts.
Those interested in applying for 2017 should not delay. Applications must be submitted online at fw.ky.gov by midnight (Eastern time) April 30.
“For the person who has always wanted to elk hunt but just couldn’t afford to hunt out west, consider applying for a Kentucky elk quota hunt,” said Gabe Jenkins, elk program coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “Our application and permit costs are low in comparison and our elk hunters enjoy some of the highest success rates in the country.”
Kentucky residents and those living out of state can apply for each of the four permit types – bull or cow firearms and bull or cow archery/crossbow – but can be drawn for one hunting permit only. Each entry costs $10. Applicants for the youth-only hunt can put in for the regular elk quota hunts as well but cannot be drawn for both in the same year.
This year, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife will issue 700 general quota hunt permits and 10 youth permits. The permit breakdown will be 100 bull archery and crossbow permits, 150 bull firearms permits, 160 cow archery and crossbow permits and 290 cow firearms permits. Youth permits are valid for use for either sex during all elk seasons.
At least 90 percent of the available elk quota hunt permits go to Kentucky residents. Last year, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife received almost 75,000 applications from more than 34,000 applicants. Kentucky residents alone submitted 46,365 applications.
Sixty-eight percent of hunters who were drawn and purchased their elk permit for the 2016-17 season filled their tags.
Bull elk hunters enjoyed the highest rate of success among drawn elk hunters last year. Eighty-one percent filled their tags and 70 percent of hunters utilizing archery and crossbow equipment successfully harvested a bull. The success rate for cow elk was 35 percent for archery and crossbow hunters and 67 percent among hunters using a firearm.
“A drawn hunter isn’t guaranteed an elk but a little planning goes a long way,” Jenkins said. “Whether you’re a do-it-yourselfer or hire a guide, putting in the time and effort goes a long way and increases your chances of success.”
The bull firearms season generates the greatest interest at application time, and understandably so. The past two seasons have produced two state records and five of the 10 largest bull elk taken in Kentucky since the species’ reintroduction in 1997.
The bull firearms season consists of two week-long hunts, one starting in September and one starting in October. Likewise, the cow firearms season is broken into two week-long hunts in December.
The bull archery/crossbow seasons open in September and the cow archery/crossbow seasons open in October. Each runs through Dec. 31. However, hunters drawn for a cow or bull elk archery/crossbow permit cannot hunt when an elk firearms season is open.
Applicants’ names will be drawn at random by the Commonwealth Office of Technology (COT) in May and randomly assigned a permit type based on their application choices. Hunters drawn for an elk hunting permit are blocked from re-applying for three years.
While waiting to learn if you’ve been drawn, explore Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s website. It offers information about the basics of elk hunting in Kentucky as well as a newer featured called Kentucky Elk University. Designed to educate hunters of all experience levels, this online tutorial covers preparations before an elk hunt, what to expect in the field and what to do after the shot.
EARLY RETURNS: The 2017 spring youth turkey season ended April 2 with hunters reporting a harvest of 1,693 birds.
The youth-only weekend precedes the opening of the 23-day general statewide spring turkey season. This year, the general season opens Saturday, April 15.
AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION: With spring now in full bloom across Kentucky, it’s important to remember to guard against tick bites if you plan to be on their turf.
This means minimizing the amount of exposed skin by tucking pants legs into socks or boots and tucking in your shirt, utilizing repellents containing 20 to 30 percent DEET per the directions on the label and checking your clothing and body after being in wooded and brushy areas and areas with tall grass.
Consider treating clothing and boots with a product containing Permethrin, an insecticide that kills ticks, mosquitos and other pests, but allow any articles treated with Permethrin to dry completely before wearing. One treatment can protect through multiple washings.
Should you find a tick attached, grab the tick with tweezers as close to the skin’s surface as possible and steadily pull straight back to remove. Afterward, clean the area around the bite and wash your hands.
Councilwoman Cheri Bryant Hamilton invites the community to attend the next District 5 Advisory Committee Meeting on Monday, April 17th at 6:00 pm at the Yearlings Club, located at 4309 W. Broadway.
“As we move forward into spring, we have a great program for the month that includes how you can help young people in need and learn more about a special LMPD Division and what they do to keep our community safe,” says Hamilton.
Councilwoman Hamilton has invited the following guests to make presentations at this month’s meeting:
- Jeri Swinton CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana
- Lt. Billy Hibbs of the LMPD 9th Mobile Division
- Margaret Brosko, Shawnee Neighborhood Clean-up on April 22nd
“So please come join us to find out what else is going on in the district,” says Hamilton.
Any resident of Portland, Russell, Chickasaw or Shawnee is always invited and encouraged to bring their neighborhood concerns to these monthly meetings.
For information about the meeting, contact Councilwoman Hamilton’s office at 574-1105.
The jousting has begun for the 2017 Great Steamboat Race set for Wednesday, May 3, on the Ohio River. At a press conference last week, the tasks and scoring system that will determine the winner of the race was announced. Representatives of the Kentucky Derby Festival, the Belle of Louisville and the Belle of Cincinnati also participated in a Four Roses Bourbon tasting to determine which single-barrel bourbons would be served aboard each vessel during the race.
The Four Roses barrel coded HW 48-4J was selected as the bourbon to represent the Belle of Louisville and the Four Roses barrel coded HW 48-4K was selected to represent the Belle of Cincinnati.
Passengers on board both boats will again have the opportunity to sample the two bourbons and vote for their favorite. The boat with the winning bourbon will receive a mini bourbon barrel trophy and bragging rights for a year. Great Steamboat Race private selection bottles will be available exclusively for sale at your local Louisville Kroger Wine and Spirits Shop in late April.
“We’re happy to once again be a part of Kentucky Derby Festival’s Great Steamboat Race. It’s an event steeped in rich history, much like Four Roses,” said Brent Elliott, Four Roses Bourbon master distiller. “The Bourbons selected to be served during the race are from our OBSV recipe, which is our high rye mashbill. I’m looking forward to Steamboat Race guests tasting both and deciding their favorite in May.”
The task and scoring system that was implemented eight years ago to determine the winner of the Great Steamboat Race will return again this year. Instead of the event winner being determined by the first boat to cross the finish line at the Clark Memorial Bridge, the winner will be the vessel which accumulates the most points from performing a series of nine tasks assigned to each competitor throughout the day and during the race. The task competition starts at 2 p.m. race day at the 4th Street Wharf.
- Task No. 1: Knot Tying Contest (10 points for 1st, 5 points for 2nd)
- Task No. 2: Nautical Flag Word Puzzle (10 and 5 points)
- Task No. 3: Handy Line Toss (10 and 5 points)
- Task No. 4: Monkey fist Toss (10 and 5 points)
- Task No. 5: Paddle Wheel Assembly (10 and 5 points)
- Task No. 6: Calliope Competition (10 and 5 points)
- Task No. 7: Buoy Flag Retrieval (25 points for successful retrieval, 0 points for failure)
- Task No. 8: VIP Retrieval (25 points for successful retrieval, 0 points for failure)
- Task No. 9: Four Roses Bourbon Barrel Retrieval (25 points for successful retrieval, 0 points for failure)
- Task No. 10: Finish Line Order (29 points for 1st vessel under the bridge, 15 points for 2nd vessel)
The total potential points earned are 164. The vessel with the most points as determined by the judges will be declared the winner. Failure to perform a task will result in a “no score,” plus a 35-point penalty. The majority decision of the judges will be final. The winner will be presented with a set of 12-point Silver Antlers at the post-race ceremony.
Boarding for the Great Steamboat Race will take place from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., with the boats departing the shore at 5:45 for a 6 p.m. start. Each boat will be assigned two judges, in addition to an overall event judge from the Derby Festival. The Awards Ceremony will take place immediately following the race at the Chow Wagon in Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront.
Limited Belle of Cincinnati tickets are still available: $60 Cruise Only; $95 Dinner, Four Roses Bourbon Tasting, and Cruise. For Belle of Cincinnati tickets call 800-261-8586 or visit BBRiverboats.com.
Sponsor: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 369. Contributing Sponsor: Four Roses Bourbon. Supporting Sponsor: IDD Therapeutic Services, PLLC. Media Sponsor: Q103.1
Yesterday, Mayor Greg Fischer, with non-profit developer Community Ventures, welcomed the Smith family, the first residents of the Cedar Street development, to their new home. The Cedar Street development is a project to construct 28 energy efficient, market-rate, custom built homes in the Russell neighborhood.
“The Cedar Street development is an important asset to the Russell neighborhood because it adds to the strong housing stock in Russell and increases homeownership in the area,” Fischer said. “Investment like this, including the nearly $30 million CHOICE grant, will contribute to Russell’s transformation.”
The $6 million development project is a partnership of the city and non-profit housing developers, Community Ventures and REBOUND – the housing development arm of Louisville Urban League. In conjunction with this project, the city has made numerous streetscape improvements such as sidewalk construction and repair, street signs, drainage improvements and street resurfacing.
“This ribbon-cutting ceremony not only signals a major step for the Smith family, but marks the beginning of a new era for Community Ventures and west Louisville,” said Kevin Smith, CEO and President of Community Ventures. “With the Cedar Street housing development and Chef Space, Community Ventures is making concerted efforts to show their dedication to west Louisville and its residents.”
The Cedar Street Development was kicked off in 2005, as the last major piece of the Russell Urban Renewal initiative, which began in 1990. At that time, developers were sold lots for $1 and built 14 homes with their own funding sources, before the national economic recession hit and the project came to a halt. These 28 homes built by Community Ventures and REBOUND will bring the number of constructed homes to 42.
For more information on the Cedar Street development, please visit http://www.cvky.org/cedar-street2
Photo: Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness
The Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness and its community partners are offering free stop smoking classes using the American Lung Association’s Freedom From Smoking® (FFS) program. The 8-session program includes weekly support group meetings combined with the use of nicotine replacement products such as patches and gum. Participants receive free supplies of nicotine replacement products.
Advance registration for Freedom From Smoking® classes is required. There are several ways to register: by phone 574 – STOP (574-7867), email StopSmoking@louisvilleky.gov or online.
Below is a list of upcoming classes that begin in May and June.
May 4 – June 15
- Thursdays, 2:30 – 4:00 p.m.
- Norton Healthcare Pat Harrison Resource Center
- 1203 Spring Street Jeffersonville, IN
May 9 – June 20
- Tuesdays, 12:00-1:00 p.m.
- Sullivan University College of Pharmacy
- 2100 Gardiner Ln., Study Rooms C/C
May 9 – June 20
- Tuesdays, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
- Southwest YMCA
- 2800 Fordhaven Rd.
May 16 – June 27
- Tuesdays, 2:00 -3:30 p.m.
- Norton Brownsboro Medical Building
- 4950 Norton Healthcare Boulevard., 3rd floor., Conference Room A
May 16 -June 27
- Tuesdays, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
- Family Health Centers East Broadway
- 834 East Broadway, 2nd floor
June 5 – July 17
- Mondays, 5:30 -7:00 p.m.
- Norton Health & Wellness Center
- 1000 DuPont Rd.
June 5 – July 17
- Mondays, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
- Family Health Centers Portland
- 2215 Portland Ave., 4th floor
June 7 – July 26
- Wednesdays, 1:30- 3:30 p.m.
- Shively Area Ministries
- 4415 Dixie Highway