Tuesday January 27, 2026
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Mayor Greg Fischer today proclaimed that Friday will be Wear Red Day in Louisville to support the Louisville Cardinals women’s basketball team in the Final Four.
The Mayor is asking citizens across the community to wear Cardinal red on Friday, when the team takes on Mississippi State for a spot in the women’s NCAA Tournament championship game. If UofL wins, the Mayor asks that citizens again wear Cardinal red on Sunday to support the team as they play for the national championship.
“What the Cardinals have achieved this season is absolutely extraordinary — an ACC Championship, No. 1 seed in the Big Dance, a first team All-American in Asia Durr, and now a spot in the Final Four,” Mayor Fischer said. “Let’s show UofL women’s basketball that we stand with them and are ready to cheer like crazy this weekend.”
The Cardinals play Mississippi State at 7 p.m. Friday. The winner faces Notre Dame or Connecticut for the National Championship on Sunday.
Photo: Secretary of State website
Individuals seeking to run as independent, political organization or political group candidates for offices on the ballot in the November General Election must file their Statement of Candidacy forms no later than April 2 at 4 p.m. local time.
There is no fee to file a Statement of Candidacy. Candidates for federal offices, nonpartisan offices, and partisan city offices in cities of the home rule class are exempt from this requirement.
Potential candidates should contact the Secretary of State’s office or their local county clerks to obtain the necessary paperwork. The following offices that file with the Secretary of State and are scheduled for a regular election in 2018 require the filing of a Statement of Candidacy for independent candidates:
- State Senators in even-numbered districts
- State Representatives
Independent, political organization and political group candidates for these offices must file petitions of nomination no later than August 14. If a potential candidate was required to file a Statement of Candidacy but failed to do so, the Secretary of State and county clerks’ offices cannot accept a petition from the candidate.
For more information, please visit the Secretary of State’s website at www.sos.ky.gov.
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
Councilwoman Jessica Green (D-1) Chair of the Louisville Metro Council’s Public Safety Committee, is calling on Senators of the Kentucky General Assembly to put an end to House Bill 169, the so call Gang Violence Prevention Act.
“This legislation is a duplication of existing statutes. We already have criminal syndication, complicity, and conspiracy statutes on the book. These statutes frequently aid law enforcement and prosecutors who work everyday to keep our communities safe.
HB 169 seeks to gain political points, with little concern to the cost of taxpayers, already existing law, or how this legislation has the ability to hyper-criminalize certain neighborhoods. This legislation would take away the discretion of prosecutors and judges in sentencing, which is such an important part of the system.
Justice and Public Safety Secretary John Tilley says that Kentucky’s prisons and jails will be out of room by May of 2019, if not before then, if things do not change.” says Green. “I encourage the Senate to vote no and if it should make to Governor Bevin’s desk, he should have his veto pen handy and use it.”
Credit: KY State Parks
Kenlake State Resort Park has launched a new food service model at the Aurora Landing Restaurant.
Overnight guests at Kenlake’s lodge and cottages receive an inclusive breakfast weekdays from 6-10 a.m. and from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (Saturday and Sunday brunch starts at 11 a.m.)
The other new offering is a daily reception in the lounge from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Guests ages 21 and over receive two drink vouchers and a variety of snacks will be served. All reservations made beginning March 5, 2018, will include the breakfast and drink vouchers. Reservations made prior to that date will not include the breakfast and drink vouchers.
The restaurant will not serve lunch or dinner. However, catering for meetings and other gatherings is still available. The park marina also has a restaurant.
With this new model, Kenlake will also not be hosting the Easter buffet.
Two nearby state parks, Lake Barkley and Kentucky Dam Village state resort parks, also have restaurants that are open for all three meals daily. Both will be hosting the annual Easter buffet on April 1.
For more information about Kenlake State Resort Park, call 270-474-2211 or visit: http://parks.ky.gov/parks/resortparks/kenlake/
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
Councilman Brandon Coan (D-8) is encouraging the community to come out and discuss partnership opportunities between Louisville Metro Government and Jefferson County Public Schools to enhance neighborhoods and the schools that anchor them.
“Bringing our city government and school systems closer together is important for fostering public interest in education and engaging students and families in civic life,” says Coan.
The “JCPS / Louisville Metro Government Town & Gown-Hall Meeting” is set for Wednesday, March 28th between, 6:00 PM-7:15 PM at Hawthorne Elementary, 2301 Clarendon Avenue.
Participating in the discussion along with Councilman Coan are Councilman Brent Ackerson (D-26), JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio, JCPS Board Member Dr. Chris Kolb, Hawthorne Elementary Principal Jessica Rosenthal and City of Wellington Commissioners Sandra Moon and Sara Sievert.
This is the first of several Town and Gown-Hall Meetings Councilman Coan intends to hold at District 8 public, parochial and independent schools.
For more information, contact Councilman Coan’s Office at 574-1108.
Credit: KY State Parks
Learn about the history of mining or buy a few antiques at the Eastern Mining Collectors Association’s annual Spring Meet and Show at Carter Caves State Resort Park on Saturday, April 7.
Vendors from across the country will be at the show to sell, buy and trade mining artifacts used in the mining of coal, gold, silver and copper. The artifacts include lamps, mine signs, photos, posters and other items. Vendors can also identify and give free appraisals of mining-related items that you might have hidden in your attic, basement or barn.
The show is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 7. The show is free to the public. Contact Chris Hacker at 513-383-8954 or email smgcaver@gmail.com for more information.
Carter Caves State Resort Park is located at 344 Caveland Drive in Olive Hill. The park has a lodge with a restaurant, cottages and campground. Besides cave tours, activities include hiking, horseback riding, swimming, boating and fishing. For more information about the park, call 606-286-4411 or visit www.parks.ky.gov.
Directions to Carter Caves: From Interstate 64, Exit 161, take U.S. 60 east. Go approximately two miles and turn left on KY 182 north. The park entrance is three miles from the left turn onto KY 182 north. Look for the signs pointing to the show at the park entrance.
Kentucky Bourbon Barrel LLC, a full-service used bourbon and whiskey barrel cooperage, will invest $850,000 and create 35 full-time jobs over the next five years as it relocates its Louisville operation, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and Gov. Matt Bevin announced today.
“Kentucky Bourbon Barrel’s expansion is proof that our city’s strong culture of entrepreneurship, mixed with our native spirit, is a winning combination,” Mayor Fischer said. “We congratulate KBB on their relocation and an expansion that will bring positive job growth and investment to the Park Hill neighborhood in west Louisville, and we look forward to seeing their continued success.”
Gov. Bevin welcomed news of the company’s growth.
“We are pleased to announce Kentucky Bourbon Barrel will keep its operation in Louisville with this relocation to a larger facility,” Gov. Bevin said. “The company’s business model showcases the vast expanse of Kentucky’s bourbon industry, even beyond the typical bourbon-making practice. Barrels used in the aging process of Kentucky bourbon are in high demand around the world. It is exciting to see a company like Kentucky Bourbon Barrel capitalize on that market, while simultaneously creating new jobs in the Louisville region.”
KBB will move from Rochester Drive to West Hill Street. Renovations on the new facility will start this week with completion of phase I scheduled by the end of June. The project will help KBB meet increased demand and position it for continued growth.
“Our new location in Louisville is the perfect spot to support our expansion plan,” said Tim Ratliff, president of KBB. “The building has ideal storage conditions and enough space to meet the growing demands of our customers. This relocation confirms our commitment to quality and superior customer service, as well as supporting Louisville’s urban development.”
Independent Stave Co. (ISC) founded KBB in 2013 as a Louisville-based subsidiary. KBB provides select ready-to-fill used barrels to distilleries, wineries and breweries around the world. KBB purchases freshly dumped American white oak bourbon and whiskey barrels from distillers in the heart of Bourbon Country. It then refurbishes and distributes those barrels for storage of spirits, beer or wine.
ISC, a family-owned cooperage company, reaches distilleries, wineries and breweries in more than 40 countries. The Boswell family founded the company in 1912, first as a domestic supplier of staves, and today as a cooperage company crafting a wide range of barrels and oak products. The company owns seven stave mills in total: one in northeastern France and six American oak mills. Among its US operations are the 105-employee Morehead Wood Products in Rowan County and Benton Wood Products in Marshall County, which opened in fall 2017.
Sen. Denise Harper Angel, of Louisville, said the company has a promising future in the community.
“We are pleased that Kentucky Bourbon Barrel chose to relocate in Louisville and believe that the company will continue to be a great fit,” Sen. Angel said. “We have much to offer, especially with our highly skilled, dedicated workforce ready to fill their needs. We look forward to a long and prosperous partnership.”
Rep. Reginald Meeks, of Louisville, thanked the company for its commitment to the area.
“The booming growth of the bourbon industry is one of Louisville’s great economic development stories in recent years, and Kentucky Bourbon Barrel is a key part of that success,” Rep. Meeks said. “I want to thank its leaders for investing so much and adding these jobs. I also appreciate the hard work of our local and state economic development officials for helping to make announcements like this possible.”
To encourage the investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) in January preliminarily approved the company for tax incentives up to $400,000 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.
KBB 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 2017, the Kentucky Skills Network provided training for more than 120,000 Kentuckians and 5,700 companies from a variety of industry sectors.