Tuesday January 27, 2026
Local Connection
Weather
Traffic
@LouisvilleDispatch
@LouisvilleDisp
Subscribe
On Thursday, February 22nd the Metro Council’s Community Affairs and Housing Committee held a special meeting to honor outstanding residents and volunteers as part of its 16th Annual Black History Month Program.
“Reaffirming Our Diverse Culture” is the continuing theme of the program, which concludes the month long celebration of Black History Month in Louisville Metro. It begins at 12:00pm in Council Chambers, 601 West Jefferson Street.
“For 16 years now, the Metro Council has believed it is important to thank the many unsung heroes who give their time and talent to their communities and neighborhoods,” says Councilwoman Barbara Shanklin (D-2) who chairs the Committee. “Through their example, not only are those in need helped but they inspire others to get involved in public service. This is one way of thanking them for all they do.”
One special group will be honored during the program along with 26 individuals. Below is a list of the honorees of for the 16th Annual Black History Program:
2018 Group Award:
The Mary Alyce Sweeney Foundation
The Foundation was created by the family and friends of Mary Alyce Sweeney of Louisville. She lived by two very simple rules: give back to the community and be a bridge over troubled waters to those in need. The Foundation continues her spirit of giving and making dreams come true by touching the lives of others through community service, care packages, domestic abuse services and outreach. The Foundation works to support our ethnically diverse community in educational and social needs.
2018 Honorees:
- District 1 – Robert Cunningham
- District 2 – Gloria Crayton
- District 3 – Mary Maiden
- District 4 – Jackie Floyd
- District 5 – Evelyn Glass
- District 6 – Rev. H. Wayne Colbert
- District 7 – Archie Bailey and the Moonglows
- District 8 – Stacey L. Robinson
- District 9 – Terrian Barnes
- District 10 – Stephan M. Williams
- District 11 – Officer Eddie Phillips
- District 12 – Christie McCravy
- District 13 – Officer Anthony Mabrey
- District 14 – Roger Thompson
- District 15 – Jarren Thomas
- District 16 – Tanisha Ann Hickerson
- District 17 – Kyle Brooks
- District 18 – Reagan Patrick Roy
- District 19 – Kenneth F. Hayden Sr.
- District 20 – Deon Reese
- District 21 – Abdourachid Farah
- District 22 – Coach James Schooler
- District 23 – Roy Sutton
- District 24 – Tenneil Edelen
- District 25 – Officer Dwight Mitchell
- District 26 – Rosalind M. Cole
The Community Affairs and Housing Committee 16th Annual Black History month program will be carried live on METRO TV, Spectrum Cable Channel 184. For UVERSE Subscribers, the meeting airs on Channel 99.
You can also 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.
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
Councilman Bill Hollander invites the community to attend an upcoming D9 Community Conversation, which will close out Black History Month with a presentation by Clifton resident Joshua Poe on redlining in Louisville and a nationally acclaimed project to explore it.
Redlining is the denial of services or the refusal to grant loans or insurance to certain neighborhoods based on racial and socioeconomic discrimination. It was an explicit government policy which led to the racial segregation of our major cities, including Louisville. Poe’s work can be found here: https://lojic.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=e4d2990795…. An article about it is here: https://insiderlouisville.com/metro/redlining-louisville-map-wins-harvar….
Poe is an urban planner and independent researcher using GIS and planning principles to facilitate social justice and revitalization. He developed an interactive map that was the impetus for the Redlining Louisville project. Poe’s map, “Redlining Louisville: The History of Race, Class, and Real Estate,” was selected as the first winner of Harvard University’s Map of the Month contest, which recognizes best-in-class data visualizations created by all levels of government and nonprofits. “Redlining Louisville” was selected for its outstanding use of data combined from multiple sources, including historical data, its creativity and effective communication to the public, and the policy implications it is likely to have moving forward. More about the award is here: https://datasmart.ash.harvard.edu/news/article/map-of-the-month-redlinin….
The D9 Community Conversation is Wednesday, February 28, beginning at 6:30 p.m., at United Crescent Hill Ministries, 150 South State Street. “Redlining is an important subject we all need to understand in order to deal with its consequences. I am looking forward to Josh’s presentation”, says Hollander. “As with all D9 Community Conversations, discussion of any other subject is also welcome and I will be available to talk with constituents about any questions, comments or concerns. ”
For more information about the meeting, contact Councilman Hollander’s office at 574-1109.
The 2018 edition of the National Farm Machinery Show (NFMS) closed Saturday with an increase in attendance and ticket sales, and a record number of new exhibitors and exhibit sales.
Over 314,000 attendees packed the Kentucky Exposition Center for the four-day event that celebrated 53 years of providing the agricultural industry’s latest and most comprehensive display of equipment, services and technology. With the largest number of exhibitors in its history, NFMS spanned more than 1.3 million square feet filling 920 booths, for an increase of 40 exhibitors.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the Championship Tractor Pull attendance was the largest number in recent history. Over 67,000 tickets were sold to the five performances in Freedom Hall. During the Saturday night finals, a ceremony honored past participants and the organizers of the first tractor pull. In a half-century of growth, the invitation-only tractor pull now draws the nation’s top drivers competing for the title of Grand Champion and more than $200,000 in prize money.
“For over half a century, the National Farm Machinery Show has delivered on its purpose to provide solid information and cutting edge technology to the farming community,” said Don Parkinson, interim CEO of the Kentucky State Fair Board. “The largest indoor farm show along with the longest running championship tractor pull in one venue is unique to Kentucky and we look forward to another 50 years of championing agribusiness here in the Commonwealth.” Parkinson also serves as Secretary of the Tourism, Arts & Heritage Cabinet.
As the nation’s largest indoor farm show, NFMS brings an economic impact of $17 million to Louisville annually, filling local hotels and restaurants with attendees from across the country and around the world. NFMS is owned and produced by the Kentucky State Fair Board.
The 2019 NFMS dates are February 13-16. For more information, visit www.farmmachineryshow.org.
Photo: Bloomberg Philanthropies
Louisville is among 35 Champion Cities announced today as finalists in the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ 2018 U.S. Mayors Challenge, a nationwide competition that encourages city leaders to uncover bold, inventive ideas that confront the toughest problems cities face.
Chosen from a competitive pool of more than 320 applications, the Champion Cities will now begin a six-month testing phase where they will conduct public prototypes of their ideas with grant funding of up to $100,000 per city.
Louisville’s proposal, developed by the city’s Office for Civic Innovation, Louisville Metro Police and community partners, proposes building on the recently installed gunshot detection system Shotspotter to dispatch aerial drones in the seconds after shots are detected. The aerial drones could help officers win valuable time in capturing critical evidence from crime scenes, aiding investigations in a way that reduces the privacy concerns of static cameras.
“When our city is confronted with a major challenge, we respond in a big way. That’s why we implemented our six-point violence prevention strategy last year, and why we focused on public safety in entering this prestigious national challenge,” Mayor Greg Fischer said. “Louisville’s finalist status in the 2018 U.S. Mayors Challenge is a testament to the creative, entrepreneurial spirit that makes our city one of the most innovative in the nation.”
The Mayors Challenge returns to the U.S. as the first investment in the American Cities Initiative, a $200 million suite of new and expanded programs that will empower cities to generate innovation and advance policy that moves the nation forward.
During the six-month “Test, Learn, and Adapt” phase of the competition, cities will refine their ideas using up to $100,000 in funding, as well as personalized support from innovation experts, as they prepare a new application for additional support by August 2018.
In October, four cities will receive $1 million awards and one will receive a grand prize of $5 million to bring their ideas to life.
“We received hundreds of bold and creative ideas from cities around the country in response to the 2018 Mayors Challenge, and these 35 really stood out for their potential to improve people’s lives. The next six months are a great opportunity for the cities to test their ideas and make them even more innovative and effective,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and three-term Mayor of New York City.
The 35 Champion Cities performed the best against four key criteria: vision, potential for impact, implementation plan, and potential to spread to other cities. A prestigious selection committee Co-Chaired by Former Ambassador Caroline Kennedy and Former Xerox Chairman & CEO Ursula Burns and comprising distinguished policy experts, artists, academics, business executives and social innovation leaders assessed the applications.
The 2018 Mayors Challenge builds on the success of previous Bloomberg-sponsored Challenges in the U.S. (2013), Europe (2014), and Latin America and the Caribbean (2016). For more information, visit mayorschallenge.bloomberg.org and @BloombergCities on Twitter and Instagram.
Photo: Kentucky Derby Museum
After spending most of his life as the tiny ambassador of the Kentucky Derby Museum, Winston is announcing his final weeks at the Museum. On Monday, March 5, 2018, Winston will head to Old Friends’ Thoroughbred Retirement Farm, where he’ll join several former Kentucky Derby champions and fellow miniature horse, Little Silver Charm.
Winston came to the Kentucky Derby Museum at two years old, in the fall of 1995. He’s been the companion horse to more than 30 resident Thoroughbreds, including three horses that ran in the Kentucky Derby, Perfect Drift, Phantom on Tour and Twinspired, as well as Kentucky Derby 135 winner, Mine that Bird.
He’s also thrown out the first pitch at the Louisville Bats game, helped Churchill Downs pick the Derby winner ahead of the race, supported many charitable organizations around town and performed more than ten marriage proposals with his “Will You Marry Me?” blanket!
“Winston spent most of his life at the Kentucky Derby Museum. He’s been our super star. Whether it’s an appearance in the stable at the end of the historic walking tour or through a picture on social media, Winston has created lasting memories for our visitors,” Kentucky Derby Museum President Patrick Armstrong said. “Now as we gear up to begin work on the Museum’s expansion, including construction of a new stable area, the time was perfect for Winston to make the move to Old Friends. We know he’ll continue to shine in his new home, charming visitors as he has done here for 23 years.”
“Everyone at Old Friends is very excited to have a horse of Winston’s tremendous stature retired at the farm,” said Old Friends founder and President Michael Blowen.”Everyone, especially Alison Knight, at the Kentucky Derby Museum has taken great care of this wonderful celebrity, and we’ll keep up the standards. His fans will know he’s just down the road.”
On February 21st and February 28th, the Museum is inviting everyone to help give Winston an amazing send-off into retirement with Winston Wednesdays! Guests can visit with him at the Museum, sign a jumbo card, get a free special edition signed print by Katie Upton of Phantom on Tour and Winston, and enjoy Winston-themed cookies, while supplies last, and more!
Visitors can also watch Rickelle Nelson, equestrian artist of Deck the Stalls, (and front desk manager at the Museum!) create a live portrait of Winston.
Winston’s final day at the Museum will be Monday, March 5th. He will enjoy a special send off to Old Friends following the Museum’s groundbreaking ceremony for its new multi-million dollar expansion project.
Photo: Louisville Metro Housing Authority
The Director of Louisville Metro Housing Authority (LMHA), Tim Barry, is retiring in late spring 2018. Barry was appointed to the position in 2001 by Mayor David Armstrong.
“In his many years, Tim has been a model public servant who always put the residents of Louisville first and aspired to add to our quality of life with every project he tackled,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “Our city’s current momentum and enthusiasm would not be what it is today if not for the tireless work of Tim Barry.”
Barry first joined Louisville Metro Government in 1977 as a manager in the city’s purchasing department. Throughout his 40 years in city government, Barry served Mayors Sloane, Stansbury, Armstrong, Abramson and Fischer, and worked on various special projects, including:
• Three successful Hope VI development projects
• $700 million Airport Improvement project from 1988-1997
• Downtown Trolley project in coordination with TARC
• Initial development and creation of Brightside, the city’s public/private partnership that promotes a clean and green city
Most recently, Barry and his team helped secure the $30 million HUD Choice Neighborhoods grant for the revitalization of the Russell neighborhood, including the Beecher Terrace public housing development. The grant is expected to leverage more than $200 million in private, foundation, nonprofit and public dollars to fully implement Vision Russell, a comprehensive transformation plan for the neighborhood, starting with a phased deconstruction and redevelopment of the Beecher Terrace public housing site. Louisville is the only city in the U.S. to receive planning, action and implementation grants under the Choice Neighborhoods initiative.
Under Barry’s leadership, LMHA received international recognition for the revitalization of the Villages of Park DuValle, one of the most successful Hope VI initiatives in the U.S. The agency was awarded a second Hope VI grant for the Clarksdale public housing development, now known as Liberty Green. A third Hope VI grant was awarded for the transformation of Sheppard Square in the Smoketown neighborhood.
“I’ve had a marvelous 40-year career with local government and had the opportunity to work with five outstanding mayors and hundreds of equally outstanding local, state and federal government employees. I was fortunate to work on number of game-changing projects that I hope improved the quality of life for those of us who live here,” said Barry. “A very special thanks to the staff at LMHA where I’ve spent the last 17 years. I can’t thank them enough for the support they have given me and the service they’ve provided our residents. Lastly, I want thank my wife Melissa. Spending more time with her is why I’m looking forward to retirement.”
Barry’s replacement will be named at a later date.
The Kentucky Flea Market February Spring Fling includes more than 600 booths featuring one-of-a-kind items, collectibles, food and more.
Doors open: Friday, February 23, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday, February 24, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday, February 25, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Kentucky Exposition Center, South Wing A
Admission is free and open to the public. Parking is $8 per vehicle, $20 for a bus – $4 cash back with any purchase.
