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Credit: KY State Parks
An important bridge for motorists will be replaced at Natural Bridge State Resort Park, Gov. Matt Bevin announced last week.
The project — a joint effort between the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet — will allow for safer and more direct access to the park’s cottages, Woodland Center, swimming pool and Hoedown Island, a public area used for square dancing and other events.
“Today’s announcement is an important collaboration between the Tourism and Transportation Cabinets. This bridge replacement will allow park guests to better enjoy the beauty, fun and adventure of Natural Bridge State Park,” said Gov. Bevin. “This is how state government should work — cohesively and efficiently to deliver results for taxpayers.
“Natural Bridge is one of the Commonwealth’s oldest state parks, and the bridge to Hoedown Island is a well-known and beloved connection point for visitors, offering a link to weekly hoedowns, campgrounds, playgrounds, trails and picnic areas. This bridge replacement project ensures that guests will have an incredible experience for years to come at one of our state’s most popular parks.”
The original bridge, constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, was closed in January following an inspection by the Transportation Cabinet that showed signs of deterioration to the bridge piers and beams. An alternate route using another bridge at Middle Fork Campground has since been used for park traffic.
“Natural Bridge is one of the most popular parks in our system, and replacing this bridge is of great importance to our valued guests,” Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Don Parkinson said. “I appreciate Sec. Thomas and the Transportation Cabinet for their partnership on this project, and I appreciate the efforts of Gov. Bevin to help make this a reality.”
The Transportation Cabinet is contributing approximately $500,000 and the Department of Parks approximately $200,000 for the replacement bridge, which crosses the Middle Fork of the Red River. Construction is expected to begin next spring.
“Recommissioning this bridge will restore safe access to travelers who visit the resort for business or recreation,” Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Greg Thomas said. “We are pleased to partner with the Tourism Cabinet to support the local economy by replacing this deteriorating structure.”
Natural Bridge State Resort Park at Slade has a lodge, cottages, restaurant, campgrounds, hiking trails and a sandstone arch that is a popular tourist attraction. The park is adjacent to the Red River Gorge Geological Area inside the Daniel Boone National Forest.
Nine grants that will generate investment of nearly $100,000 in historic preservation-related projects have been awarded to seven Certified Local Government (CLG) communities for fiscal year 2018-19 by the Kentucky Heritage Council/State Historic Preservation Office (KHC). The annual grants are part of a pass-through allocated from the federal Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) for state preservation offices to recognize, save, and protect historic places.
Grants totaling $58,468 went to Bardstown, Bellevue, Covington, Danville, Frankfort, Metro Louisville and Newport, which will require local matches totaling at least $38,980. The awards were approved earlier this year by the KHC board, with applications for the next funding cycle set to be distributed to Kentucky’s 23 participating CLG communities in November.
“October is National Community Planning Month, a good time for our CLG partners to consider how historic neighborhoods add to the overall vitality, livability, and desirability of their communities,” said Vicki Birenberg, CLG program and planning coordinator.
The grants will largely fund training and education initiatives but also be used to revise and update local historic district design guidelines, survey historic resources, and nominate a historic district to the National Register of Historic Places. A portion of KHC’s federal set-aside has also been made available to provide scholarships to local CLG program coordinators and board members to attend the annual National Trust for Historic Preservation National Preservation Conference, and KHC’s Kentucky Main Street Program annual spring meeting.
All grant activities must directly support goals outlined in “A Map Made of Memory: Kentucky’s State Historic Preservation plan, 2017-2021.”
CLG designation offers a way for local governments to develop a comprehensive approach to historic preservation and promote the integration of preservation interests into the planning process. To qualify, local governments must meet five broad standards, including enacting a historic preservation ordinance and appointing a professionally qualified preservation commission or architectural review board. In addition to grant eligibility, CLG benefits include access to technical assistance from KHC and the National Park Service.
City and county-wide historic preservation commissions that have earned CLG designation may apply for the annual grants. Qualifying projects require a local match of at least 40 percent. Grants cannot be used to acquire or rehabilitate historic buildings.
KHC is required to allocate at least 10 percent of its HPF apportionment to CLG grants. Those charged with training and implementing funded projects must adhere to the Secretary of the Interior’s standards and guidelines for the treatment of historic properties. For more, contact Vicki Birenberg at 502-892-3606 or visit www.heritage.ky.gov.
2018-19 Certified Local Government historic preservation grants
Bardstown, Protect and Preserve Workshops (federal share $9,569, minimum local match $6,379), for two educational workshops: one to cover cemetery and monument preservation, the other to teach historic property owners and others how to conduct research to learn the history of a property from deeds and other historic documents, and to understand design review and the Certificate of Appropriateness process for proposed changes to properties located in historic districts.
Bellevue, Window Rehabilitation Workshop (federal share $1,200, minimum local match $800), to plan, market and implement a full-day intensive historic wood window rehabilitation demonstration and workshop for property owners and local contractors.
Bellevue, Northern Kentucky Restoration Weekend (federal share $3,200, minimum local match $2,133), to partner with other Northern Kentucky communities to produce the 8th annual Northern Kentucky Restoration Weekend, a free, multifaceted educational event with sessions on topics of interest to historic property owners. A day is also dedicated to professional development, allowing participants to earn professional credits from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).
Covington, Northern Kentucky Restoration Weekend (federal share $3,000, minimum local match $2,000), to partner with other Northern Kentucky communities to produce the 8th annual Northern Kentucky Restoration Weekend (see above).
Danville, Historic Preservation Workshop Series (federal share $2,500, minimum local match $1,667), to produce three educational workshops to assist historic property owners: one focusing on local historic preservation overlay zones, including how to apply and interpret new historic district design guidelines; one to address the appropriate rehabilitation of historic windows; and a third to explore National Register eligibility and designation, how it differs from local designation, and how one goes about getting a property or district designated.
Frankfort, Historic Property Brochures (federal share $3,000, minimum local match $2,000), to develop, print and mail two brochures to educate property owners living in historic districts about the Certificate of Appropriateness process and existing historic zoning regulations, and about federal and state historic rehabilitation tax credit programs as well as local tax moratoriums and grant opportunities for qualified rehabilitation.
Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government, Survey Project (federal share $24,999, minimum local match $16,677), to survey historic buildings in a large portion (approximately 50%) of the Portland neighborhood, which currently has only a small National Register district with 106 primary buildings, while more than 4,000 resources remain undocumented. This neighborhood is currently experiencing intensive redevelopment due to its attractive building stock and urban location, and this step toward expanding National Register eligibility will assist owners with preservation incentives such as rehabilitation tax credits.
Newport, Design Guidelines Update (federal share $3,000, minimum local match $2,000), for funding to allow staff to revise and update Historic District Design Guidelines, which were originally developed for a single district. The city now has three local districts, each with its own character. The update will address the distinctive elements of each district as well as include sections on renewable energy and use of alternative materials for restoration.
Newport, National Register nomination for the Buena Vista Historic District (federal share $8,000, minimum local match $5,334), to develop a National Register nomination for the Buena Vista Historic District, which will include more than 1,000 primary buildings. The survey work required to develop the nomination was completed with a previous CLG grant.
Fifteen students at Eastern High School scored among the top business students nationwide on rigorous exams to test their business knowledge. The exams are part of the school’s High School of Business™ program, a national accelerated business administration program of MBA Research and Curriculum Center. Approximately 8,000 students from across the nation participated in the program during the 2017-18 school year.
Receiving top scores were:
- Emily Kuprion, Business Economics
- Samuel Ackerman, Business Strategies
- Ali Id Lougssiyr, Business Strategies
- Morgan Dailey, Business Strategies
- Joseph Humphrey, Business Strategies
- Austin Stephens, Business Strategies
- Natalie Buie, Leadership
- Zachary Bivins, Leadership
- Luke Sullivan, Leadership
- Jasmine Warren, Leadership
- Matthew Mitchell, Principles of Business and Principles of Management
- Alec Shaw, Principles of Management
- Hunter Funk, Principles of Management
- Katherine Gerber, Principles of Management
- Nathan Potter, Wealth Management
Students participating in High School of Business™ complete real, hands-on business projects through a series of six courses. The program also includes observational internships, opportunities to earn college credit, and local oversight via a steering team of college faculty, business professionals, and school personnel.
High School of Business™ is a program of MBA Research, a non-profit organization specializing in educational research and the development of business and marketing curriculum for high schools and colleges across the U.S. The accelerated program is designed for college-bound students with interest in business administration careers, such as marketing, finance, entrepreneurship, or management.
For more information about the national organization, click on this link.
The Department for Public Health (DPH), within the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, is reminding Kentuckians to get vaccinated against the flu.
“Getting the flu can be debilitating and sometimes life-threatening,” said Jeffrey Howard, M.D., commissioner of DPH. “Vaccination is the best tool we have to prevent the flu and it is also extremely important to take simple preventive steps to avoid the flu and other illnesses that tend to circulate at this time of year – wash your hands frequently, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze and stay home when you’re sick.”
DPH officials report weekly influenza activity to the CDC as part of statewide flu surveillance efforts. The weekly report is located online at https://healthalerts.ky.gov/Pages/FluActivity.aspx will be updated by noon each Friday. Kentucky currently is reporting 28 laboratory-confirmed cases of flu and one influenza-related death. The state flu activity level is currently classified as “sporadic”. The report consists of laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza that are defined by molecular virus testing and positive virus culture test results. Rapid positive influenza tests are not included in this report, but are used as an indicator of flu-like illness circulating across the state.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends flu vaccine for all individuals six months of age and older. People who are strongly encouraged to receive the flu vaccine because they may be at higher risk for complications or negative consequences include:
- Children age six months through 59 months;
- Women who are or will be pregnant during the influenza season;
- Persons 50 years of age or older;
- Persons with extreme obesity (Body Mass Index of 40 or greater);
- Persons aged six months and older with chronic health problems;
- Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities;
- Household contacts (including children) and caregivers of children aged ≤59 months
- Household contacts and caregivers or people who live with a person at high-risk for
complications from the flu; and - Health care workers, including physicians, nurses, and other workers in inpatient and outpatient-care settings, medical emergency-response workers (e.g., paramedics and emergency medical technicians), employees of nursing home and long-term care facilities who have contact with patients or residents, and students in these professions who will have contact with patients.
Adequate supplies of flu vaccine are expected to be available for this year’s flu season. Vaccination can be given any time during the flu season, but providers are encouraged to administer the vaccine as soon as possible.
During the 2016-17 and 2017-18 influenza seasons, ACIP recommended that Flu Mist not be used because of concerns about low effectiveness against influenza A (H1N1). However, ACIP recommends that FluMist once again be an option for vaccination during the 2018-2019 influenza season for persons for whom it is age-appropriate and who have no medical contraindications. The change in recommendation is a result of the influenza A (H1N1) strain being changed in the current FluMist formulation.
Due to the timing of the decision by the ACIP regarding use of FluMist, the Kentucky Vaccines for Children Program (VFC) will not be offering FluMist for VFC or KCHIP patients during the 2018-2019 influenza season. However, some private providers will offer FluMist this season for their patients.
The flu vaccine is especially important in light of the severe season experienced last year across the U.S. The CDC reports that more than 900,000 flu-related hospitalizations occurred and more than 80,000 people died as a result of flu. In Kentucky there were 333 flu-related deaths, 5 of which were pediatric. Of the pediatric flu deaths reported in last year’s season, more than one-third of these occurred among healthy children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years.
It is especially important for pregnant women to be vaccinated before or during pregnancy. Antibodies cross the placenta and provide immunity to infants up to 6 months of age, when the infant is eligible to receive their dose of flu vaccine.
DPH relies on sites such as doctors’ offices, hospitals and health departments to help track the level of influenza activity in the state and to identify which strains of the flu are circulating in Kentucky. These voluntary sites collect data and report influenza-like illness (ILI) cases according to age groups each week. This sampling represents only a small percentage of influenza cases for the state, but contributes to the ongoing assessment of flu activity in the Commonwealth and helps determine the weekly level of flu activity.
Infection with the flu virus can cause fever, headache, cough, sore throat, runny nose, sneezing and body aches. Flu can be very contagious. For more information on influenza or the availability of flu vaccine, Kentuckians should contact their primary care medical provider or local health department. Influenza information is also available online at https://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm.
Half of Jefferson County children lack the basic skills and knowledge to begin kindergarten. The PNC Foundation, National Center for Families Learning (NCFL), Metro United Way’s Ready for K Alliance and Louisville Metro today announced a more than $250,000 collaboration to support Say & Play with Words, a new pre-Kindergarten vocabulary-building initiative. Say & Play with Words will target at-risk children in Louisville neighborhoods, with a goal of shrinking the word gap and increasing kindergarten readiness.
“Words unlock success for children,” said Chuck Denny, PNC regional president for Louisville. “The more words they hear before kindergarten, the more success they often achieve. The link between ‘words’ and learning motivated PNC to begin emphasizing developing children’s vocabularies as part of PNC Grow Up Great®, our signature early childhood education initiative.”
The research is clear preparing children for kindergarten starts from birth:
- By age 4, low-income children are exposed to 30 million fewer words than children from high-income families.
- Testing showed a child’s vocabulary use at age 3 predicted their vocabulary and reading skills in third grade.
- First grade vocabulary measurement predicts about a third of reading comprehension in 11th grade.
“Say & Play with Words Louisville is a comprehensive strategy to better prepare our children for academic and life success,” said Sharon Darling, president and founder, NCFL. “Parents are their children’s first and most important teachers. By arming them with the right tools, families are strengthened, and we are able to break the generational cycle of poverty.”
Say & Play with Words will equip parents with free vocabulary-building tips and activities – found on SayandPlaywithWords.org – to use at home or on the go; build upon NCFL’s existing Family Learning efforts underway in Louisville; and, will provide training for professionals working with children and families.
“Half of the children in this community are at an academic disadvantage before they even step foot in kindergarten,” said Theresa Reno-Weber, president and chief executive officer, Metro United Way. “And unfortunately, once they start behind, they often stay behind. However, parents and family members can change the course their children are on. Say & Play with Words will provide the resources to do just that.”
A Community Effort
“Kids’ Spaces” will launch in area businesses later this year as a way to meet families where they gather. Local businesses can volunteer to host a “Kids’ Space,” which will provide easy access to resources for their customers. Examples of potential locations include the waiting room of a doctor’s office, nail salon, tire shop, barber shop, etc. – anywhere parents and children may spend time. Businesses will be given Say & Play with Words signage and activity sheets that encourage young children and families to explore new words together. In addition, parents in NCFL Family Learning programs will be empowered as leaders in their communities by serving as Say & Play ambassadors.
“We are proud to partner on this program, which sets the stage at the earliest level for better academic outcomes for our next generation,” Mayor Greg Fischer said. “It’s critical for the future of our city that we make sure our babies are equipped for success in their academic career and eventually, to move on to a high-quality job.”
Development and outreach for Say & Play with Words Louisville is supported by Louisville Metro Government, Lift a Life Foundation and Ready for K Alliance. The PNC Foundation’s $250,000 grant supports development and outreach, as well as implementation at existing NCFL Family Learning sites. The initiative is expected to impact about 2,400 vulnerable people.
Say & Play with Words Louisville will replicate the success of a similar program in Detroit, also supported by PNC. Since 2014, more than 3,000 Detroit caregivers have received vocabulary-building resources each week in English and Spanish and their children heard 6,000 more words per week, on average. Say & Play with Words Detroit engaged nearly 100 businesses and trained staff at nearly 400 child care providers.
Founded in Louisville, NCFL has broken generational cycles of poverty through family literacy programs across the U.S. for the past 30 years. A pioneer in family literacy, NCFL’s model programs have improved academic outcomes for children and fostered economic self-sufficiency in adults. Currently, NCFL is working with 330 partner sites in more than 150 communities in 39 states. Louisville has eight partner sites, the most for one city.
American Airlines today announced new daily nonstop service between Louisville International Airport (SDF) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) beginning Tuesday, April 2, 2019. The airline will operate the flight using a 128-seat Airbus 319 aircraft with WiFi and in-seat power. The daily flight is scheduled to depart SDF at 7:24 a.m. and arrive at LAX at 9:00 a.m. The nonstop return flight is scheduled to depart LAX at 10:55 p.m. and arrive at SDF at 6:02 a.m.“This new nonstop flight between Louisville International Airport and Los Angeles is more exciting news for our city, and another way we are creating opportunities for the residents and businesses of Louisville. The flight is great for attracting business, showcasing our city to new clientele in the west coast market, and giving us quicker access to workforce and growth opportunities,” said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer. “Creating new opportunities like this one requires strong public-private partnerships. I applaud our partners at the Louisville International Airport, Louisville Regional Airlift Development, Commonwealth of Kentucky and American Airlines, and I encourage the people of Louisville to support this exciting opportunity.”
“We are ecstatic with American Airlines’ decision to offer service on our largest unserved and most requested route,” said Dan Mann, Executive Director of the Louisville Regional Airport Authority. “Their addition of this transcontinental service along with continued growth of other routes is a testament to their confidence in our market and a shining example of the results of community partnership.”
With this announcement, American Airlines will offer 27 daily nonstop flights to seven destinations from Louisville including Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Miami, New York-LaGuardia and Washington-Reagan.
American Airlines also plans to upgrade aircraft at Louisville International Airport to larger jets to serve the increased passenger traffic to Charlotte and Dallas.
Louisville International Airport is served by six airlines offering flights to 32 nonstop destinations including 17 of the region’s top 20 domestic markets. With just one stop travelers from across the region can reach 170 international destinations in 81 countries on six continents.
For additional information regarding Louisville International Airport, visit www.FlyLouisville.com.
Photo: Kentucky Derby Museum. The Justify Triple Crown Art Collection
Mike Smith and Bob Baffert Signed Justify Commemorative Artwork
The Official Justify Triple Crown Print features Justify winning the 150th Belmont Stakes and joining the “ranks of the immortals” as the 13th Triple Crown champion. The print is officially licensed by WinStar Farm and Triple Crown Productions and created by renowned international sporting artist Graeme Baxter and features special editions signed by Mike Smith and Bob Baffert.
Artist Graeme Baxter will be signing Official Justify artwork at the Derby Museum on October 29th from 11:00am to 3:00pm in conjunction with the Makers Mark Justify Bottle signing festivities.
The Justify Triple Signed Special Edition ($295) is individually signed in bronze metallic ink by two time Triple Crown winning trainer Bob Baffert, Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith and artist Graeme Baxter. This Triple Signed Special Edition is strictly limited to an edition of 150 fine art prints and measures 18” x 24. Orders for this special limited edition will be taken on a first come, first served basis.
The Justify Dual Signed Limited Edition ($180) is signed in pencil by two time Triple Crown winning trainer Bob Baffert and artist Graeme Baxter. It is limited to an edition of 500 fine art prints. The print also measures 18”x24”.
The Justify Triple Crown Art Collection will be displayed during Breeders Cup week in Louisville at Equestricon, Booth 500 on October 29th and 30th as well as at a special Breeders Cup Festival Pop-Up Gallery at the downtown Marriott, the official Host Hotel from October 31 through November 3.
Graeme Baxter has been designated Official Artist for some of the most prestigious sporting events in the world including The Ryder Cup, The Open Championship, The PGA Championship, Wimbledon Tennis and The Triple Crowns of both American Pharoah and Justify.
In 2015, Bob and Jill Baffert commissioned Baxter to paint two portraits of American Pharoah, and the Bafferts have again honored him in 2018 by commissioning him to create two portraits of Justify for their private collection.
