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Photo: Louisville Metro Parks and Recreation
After a successful inaugural season in 2017, Louisville Parks and Recreation will again be operating youth baseball and softball leagues at Wyandotte Park in south Louisville for children ages 6-18.
Sign-ups are available online now at this link.
Tee ball ($20 entry fee) will be available for children ages 6 and under. Softball and baseball league ($40 entry fee) divisions are as follows: ages 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16 and 17-18. In addition to the cost of joining the league, entry fees cover the cost of the uniform and rental of a glove if necessary.
Player sign-ups will take place through March 20 online and at three Parks and Recreation Community Centers; Cyril Allegier, Southwick and South Louisville. Games will begin on Saturday, March 26 at Wyandotte Park. In addition, Parks and Recreation is seeking volunteer coaches for league teams.
Those interested in participating should call Steve Edwards at (502) 744-0498.
“We’re hoping to find enthusiastic role models who will mentor the players, teach them fundamentals and how to be team players,” Parks and Recreation Director Seve Ghose said. “We’re hoping an abundance of kids sign up, but the league will only continue to be successful if we have a good number of coaches willing to take on the challenge.”
Mayor Greg Fischer’s office announced today that the Anchorage and Middletown East Fire Districts have filed a merger petition with the Jefferson County Clerk’s office.
The Mayor’s office received a letter about the proposed merger, and is releasing it publicly to ensure that Middletown and Anchorage property owners are aware of the proposal, which could result in a property tax increase in the newly merged entity.
Under state law (KRS 75.020(4)(c)) the Mayor is required to “enter an order merging the fire protection districts or volunteer fire department districts described in the Petition” unless a written objection or “remonstrance” is made to the Jefferson County Clerk by 51 percent or more of the property owners of the territory sought to be merged.
And the time for any such objection is very short – it must be filed with the Jefferson County Clerk by the close of business on Tuesday, Feb. 27.
The Mayor plans to further discuss with Metro Council and our state delegation whether the citizenry has adequate opportunity to be engaged in the approval of tax increases in these situations.
Photo: KFC Yum! Center
GRAMMY® Award-winning, acclaimed alternative rock pioneers The Smashing Pumpkins today announced the Shiny And Oh So Bright Tour, their first tour in nearly 20 years to feature founding members Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin, and James Iha. Produced by Live Nation, the 36-city tour will kick off in Glendale, AZ on July 12, 2018 and visit North American arenas throughout the summer. Tickets for the Shiny And Oh So Bright Tour will go on sale to the general public starting next Friday, February 23 at 10:00am local time and be available at www.smashingpumpkins.com, LiveNation.com, and via the Live Nation App.
“Some 30 years ago, as The Smashing Pumpkins, James Iha and I began a musical journey in the cramped rear bedroom of my Father’s house. And so it’s magic to me that we’re able to coalesce once more around the incredible Jimmy Chamberlin, to celebrate those songs we’ve made together,” shared Corgan.
The band broke news of the tour this morning with a dramatic video featuring original Siamese Dream album cover stars Ali Laenger and LySandra Roberts.
The monumental Shiny And Oh So Bright Tour, which coincides with the 30th anniversary of the band’s formation, will highlight music from the group’s inception through 2000, and will exclusively feature material from their groundbreaking debut Gish through Siamese Dream, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, Adore, and Machina. Longtime Smashing Pumpkins guitarist Jeff Schroeder will also take part, as the band moves to a three guitar lineup to better emulate the signature tones and textures of their albums.
“This show and staging will be unlike any we’ve ever done, and will feature a set unlike any we’ve ever played. For if this is a chance at a new beginning, we plan on ushering it in with a real bang,” added Corgan.
Formed in Chicago, IL in 1988, The Smashing Pumpkins released their heralded debut album Gish in 1991 and found mainstream success with 1993’s 4x multi-platinum Siamese Dream and 1995’s 10x multi-platinum Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. With nine studio albums and over 30 million albums sold to date, the GRAMMY®, MTV VMA, and American Music Award winning band remains an influential force in alternative rock.
The Smashing Pumpkins are represented by Velvet Hammer Music and Management Group.
Photo: Louisville Forward
Mayor Greg Fischer announced that Louisville Forward’s Small Business Development team is launching a Food Entrepreneurship series designed to foster the development of new restaurateurs and food entrepreneurs. The interactive 9-class series will run from March 3rd to June 30th and will be taught by local industry-leading professionals. All classes will meet on Saturdays from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m.
“From the Hot Brown to Bourbon infusions, Louisville has been internationally recognized for its innovative and fresh culinary scene and we want to keep this momentum going,” said Fischer. “Through this interactive series, entrepreneurs will learn how to open a restaurant or food service business and strengthen operations.”
Registration is open, but space is limited. To participate, individuals must be over 18 years of age, attend 8 of the 9 classes and be a Louisville resident. There is no fee to participate in the series. Upon completion of the program, participants will receive continued assistance and connections to resources from Louisville Forward’s Small Business Development team.
Schedule, class descriptions and venue locations are listed below.
1. March 3, 2018
Health and Safety Regulations – This course will cover the basics of proper food handling, inspections and placarding, review of common reasons restaurants fail inspections and how to keep from failing. The course also will cover the top five ways a customer becomes ill and things to consider when changing the type of food service you offer.
Venue: Chef Space – 1812 W Muhammad Ali Blvd, Louisville, KY 40203
2. March 17, 2018
Kitchen Set-Up and Menu Development – This course will cover the importance of proper and efficient kitchen set-up to help minimize ticket times and ensure quality and safe food preparation, as well as highlight the basic types of equipment available and its proper use. Participants will learn the basics of menu development, focusing on such things as ingredients and sourcing, food cost, authenticity of cuisine, cross utilization, and concepts of proper pricing.
Venue: Jefferson County Technical College, 109 E Broadway, Louisville, KY 40202
3. April 7, 2018
Purchasing and Managing Food Cost – Knowing food costs is integral to understanding a restaurant’s full budget. Participants will learn tips for managing food costs, through purchasing habits, tracking inventory, ands tools to help track and calculate.
Venue: Chef Space – 1812 W Muhammad Ali Blvd, Louisville, KY 40203
4. April 21, 2018
Employee Orientation and Training – In this course, participants will come away with a better understanding of how to navigate employment laws and regulations related to running a restaurant. Additional Human Resources best practices and policies for on-boarding and managing employees also will be covered.
Venue: Chef Space – 1812 W Muhammad Ali Blvd, Louisville, KY 40203
5. May 12, 2018
Customer Service – During this session participants will be instructed in ways the physical space and staff can go above and beyond the call of duty to create a welcoming, and pleasurable environment that customers want to come back to.
Venue: Chef Space – 1812 W Muhammad Ali Blvd, Louisville, KY 40203
6. May 19, 2018
Accounting and Cash Handling – This course will cover steps a food entrepreneur should take to ensure their accounting system is properly set up, including budgeting, cash flow, expense management, tax payments/filings, options of bookkeeping software, and what you should know for tax preparation.
Venue: Chef Space – 1812 W Muhammad Ali Blvd, Louisville, KY 40203
7. June 2, 2018
Management Training – From staff management and scheduling to creating a culture for your restaurant, this session will cover day-to-day restaurant management skills, including staff training to promote from within.
Venue: Chef Space – 1812 W Muhammad Ali Blvd, Louisville, KY 40203
8. June 16, 2018
Marketing and Branding – Participants will learn how to market their concept and themselves as a brand, by reviewing the various mediums of marketing from websites, social media and traditional methods such as flyers and brochures.
Venue: Tim Faulkner Gallery, 1512 Portland Ave, Louisville, KY 40203
9. June 30, 2018
Safety: Inside and Outside – This course will review safety best practices to maintain a safe environment for customers and employees, including proper lighting, opening and closing procedures, signs of suspicious activity, how to handle disruptive incidents inside and outside of your establishment, and suggestions of how to strengthen the street block.
Venue: Chef Space – 1812 W Muhammad Ali Blvd, Louisville, KY 40203
Louisville Metro Animal Services, in charge of keeping the public safe when it comes to animals just recently reached a mile stone by becoming a no kill animal shelter.
Councilwoman Madonna Flood (D-24) announces the next South Central Regional Forum will focus on the work of the men and women of LMAS on Wednesday, February 21st.
“Animal control has been one of the top safety concerns of the Metro Council. We have worked with LMAS to pass needed protection ordinances and fund better facilities to ensure neighborhoods are protected and animals are treated humanely,” says Flood.
The forum is set for the new South Central Regional Library at 7400 Jefferson Boulevard from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.
Louisville Metro Animal Services Director Ozzy Gibson will be the featured speaker at the forum and address the mission of LMAS and day to day operations of a shelter. He will discuss the 2017 Statistics that helped them achieve the no kill milestone! He will also talk about future plans and what we, as a community, need to do to help the pet population.
There may also be a few four-legged friends in attendance.
“I encourage everyone to come out and get a better understanding of how to be a good pet owner. It is also a chance to learn about how you can report a dangerous animal in your neighborhood,” says Flood.
The South Central regional Forums are sponsored by Councilwoman Flood and Council members James Peden (R-23), Vicki Aubrey Welch (D-13) and Barbara Shanklin (D-2).
For more information about the next South Central Regional Forum, then contact Councilwoman Flood’s office at 574-1124.
America to Zanzibar: Muslim Cultures Near and Far opens to the public at the Muhammad Ali Center on Friday, May 25th. The family-friendly interactive exhibit, which runs through December 30th, explores the diversity of Muslim cultures in our community, country and the world. The innovative hands-on exhibit, and specially designed programming, will showcase the cultural expressions of various Muslim communities around the world through experiences with art, architecture, travel, trade, design and more. America to Zanzibar will be the largest and longest running exhibit the Ali Center has ever had in its twelve-year history.
America to Zanzibar was developed by the Children’s Museum of Manhattan and comes to the Center after a two year stay in New York City.
The “American Home” area within the exhibit will feature Muhammad Ali’s artifacts from the Center’s collection. These items, donated or loaned to the Center’s collection, have never been displayed before. Ali is arguably one of the most famous Muslims in the world, and the items will reflect his sport, humanitarianism and religion.
“The Ali Center is proud to be one of the first museums in the country to exhibit the highly lauded America to Zanzibar exhibit,” said Donald Lassere, President and CEO of the Muhammad Ali Center. “We are at a time in history when there is a growing need to explore, understand, and respect our cultural diversity. America to Zanzibar does this is a way that exposes visitors—especially young ones—to the arts and everyday activities of the Islamic culture in an engaging and thoughtful way.”
America to Zanzibar, designed for children ages 2-10 and their families, but enjoyed by all ages, consists of five major sections: a Global Marketplace, and exhibition areas that display Trade Routes, a Courtyard space, Architecture and an American Home area.
The Global Marketplace features stalls from around the world brimming with sounds, smells and goods, where children can pretend to buy and sell spices from Egypt, ceramics from Turkey and rugs from Morocco. They can also weigh their fresh catch at the Zanzibari fish market, smell Indonesian fruits, serve Tajik tea, and design outfits inspired by the West African tailors.
Visitors learn about the exchange of culture across continents and centuries in the Trade Routes area. Children can climb aboard a replica of a multi-level Indian Ocean dhow (boat) and experiment with navigation techniques, travel to various ports, learn to bargain, and unload goods from around the world. Below deck, they can experience a multisensory exploration of the dhow’s cargo. Children can also decorate a Pakistani truck, then hop in the cab and embark on a pretend trip through the Western Himalayas. They can also climb on top of a life-size camel and journey across the desert.
The Architecture area virtually transports visitors into a series of magnificent, international mosque architectural styles. Breathtaking panoramic images are projected onto a 21-foot curved screen and explore the wide range of aesthetic styles from Asia to Africa and to America. Visitors can also try their hand at drafting their own structures, complete with domes and arches, while gaining insight into architectural traditions from around the Muslim world.
The Courtyard features warm light flooding through a lattice roof. Visitors can explore key elements of design, water and geometric patterns that are central to a traditional Muslim courtyard. At a central fountain, visitors can sample verses from renowned Muslim poets and share how they would make the world a better place–one drop at a time. Children are also encouraged to make music with digital instruments, and compete in a guessing game with authentic objects that illustrate the significance of geometric patterns in Muslim cultures.
The American Home area is a contemporary living room filled with objects donated by American Muslims. Visitors explore the wide variety of American Muslims’ stories through their unique objects, clothing, art and books. They can also learn to write “My name is…” in 21 of the languages spoken by American Muslims, view artistic works by emerging American Muslim artists, and follow the history of Muslims in the U.S. through a visual timeline. As mentioned earlier, Muhammad Ali’s personal items from the Ali Center’s collection will also be on display.
The Ali Center will also produce programming in tandem with the exhibit. More information will follow in the future.
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
Councilwoman Cheri Bryant Hamilton announces the first meeting of the year of the District 5 Neighborhood Advisory Committee is set for Monday, February 19th and the topics for discussion are vacant and abandoned property and OneWest.
“We will be following through with more discussion on programs available to the public to purchase vacant and abandoned property as well as updates on clear boarding and demolitions of those properties that have become a blight to neighborhoods,” says Hamilton.
Laura Grabowski, the Director of the Louisville Metro Office of Vacant and Public Properties to the meeting will discuss Metro’s initiatives and programs to address reducing the number of vacant and abandoned properties in West Louisville and all of Metro.
The meeting will also give the public an opportunity to meet and welcome to Louisville Ms. Evon J. Smith, the new President and CEO of OneWest.
OneWest is a nonprofit community development corporation working to establish new pathways to private and public capital, in an effort to generate sustainable economic development and neighborhood revitalization in west Louisville, in partnership with community residents.
The District 5 Neighborhood Advisory Committee will meet at the Yearlings Club, 4309 West Broadway, beginning at 6:00pm.
Any resident of Portland, Russell, Chickasaw, or Shawnee are 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.
