Wednesday January 28, 2026
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There will be no garbage, junk, recycling or yard waste collection on Monday, January 15 within the Urban Services District (former Louisville city limits) in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday.
Collection will resume Tuesday, January 16 and will be delayed by one day for the rest of the week. (Example: residents that have a Monday pickup will have collection on Tuesday.)
Residents serviced by private companies for waste and recycling collection should check with those companies for the holiday schedule.
The following facilities will also be closed Saturday, January 13:
- All staffed recycling centers
- Waste Reduction Center, 636 Meriwether Avenue
- EXCEPT that Electronics Drop-off Service is available 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- HAZ BIN, the hazardous waste drop-off facility, 7501 Grade Lane
For more information visit www.louisvilleky.gov/recycling or dial MetroCall at 311 or 574-5000.
Layla George, a Louisville native, joins Olmsted Parks Conservancy as its next President and CEO. George has a broad background in non-profit leadership, fundraising, and land conservation along with experience in farming and the local foods movement.
“Frederick Law Olmsted had a vision for these urban parks to be open and accessible natural areas that should be forever protected and preserved. Olmsted Parks Conservancy has done a magnificent job carrying out this vision and it is an honor to be joining such an important and dynamic organization,” stated George.
Most recently, George served as the Director of Development for Louisville Public Media for five years. During her tenure, she successfully completed a $7 million capital campaign and increased revenue from individuals by 185%.
Vanderbilt University Owen School of Business, in recognition of the increasing importance of non-profit organizations, awarded George a full-tuition scholarship for an MBA degree. She will graduate this spring. She is a member of the Leadership Louisville Class of 2014.
George arrives just as Olmsted Parks Conservancy is ready to implement a new Strategic Plan to strengthen its work to restore, enhance and forever protect the Frederick Law Olmsted Parks and Parkways. The Conservancy has invested more than $35 million to keep these valuable community assets at a high standard.
“Layla’s success in fundraising, her management experience and feedback from all who have worked with her make clear that she is the ideal leader to take the Conservancy into its next critical phase of growth,” said Earl Jones, Olmsted Parks Conservancy Board Chair.
The first day in the office for George will be February 5.
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
In a unanimous vote, Councilman David James (D-6) is the new the new President of the Louisville Metro Council for 2018.
“To my colleagues I want to say thank you to each of you for your vote tonight and your commitment to making our city a better place for our constituents. Each of you represent every person in our city and I know from working with each of you that you are dedicated to expressing yourselves passionately as you represent your constituents and that’s one of the things I love so much about each of you,” said James. “This past year we came together to do some great things for our city.”
The President highlighted the Council’s work on The KFC YUM Center refinancing agreement, the Butchertown Soccer Stadium, The Passport Project at 18th and Broadway, the separation ordinance, the tree ordinance, the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, and the continued commitment to over $20 million in infrastructure improvements.
“I look forward to working with each of you in the coming year and helping you however, wherever and whenever I can. I’m a humble man and I ask each of you to help shepherd me through this process, so that together we can move our city forward,” said James.
In mapping out the year ahead, the President named these as challenges:
- The $38 million deficit caused by the State Pension Crisis
- Redoubling all efforts to Public Safety
- Address a dangerously overcrowded Jail
- A Youth Detention Services Agency in desperate need of attention
- A dilapidated Police Headquarters that should have been replaced years ago
- Continue commitment to fight the Opioid crisis which saw a 14% increase in Overdose deaths from the previous year
- Continue infrastructure commitment to ongoing street paving and side walk repairs throughout our city, that this Metro Council started 3 years ago
- Continue efforts of addressing Vacant and Abandoned Properties. Continue our commitment to Affordable Housing and Accessible Housing throughout our city
“In 2018 we will need to reach across the aisle, pull up our sleeves and work together not as political parties but as one body – Louisville Metro Council!” said James.
The President concluded by asking for the community’s help in the coming year.
“So, while we tackle all of these issues and many more, I ask the community to pray for us and I ask that we pray for each other, that we are able to find solutions to our challenges and peace in our hearts as we work together passionately to make Louisville Metro a better place for all of our citizens, in all geographic areas and in all neighborhoods so that no one is left behind and every one throughout our city has the same opportunities to prosper, have a good education, enjoy good health, be safe and live in peace.”
David James was elected to the Metro Council in November of 2010. He serves the neighborhoods of Algonquin, California, Limerick, Old Louisville, Park Hill, Russell, St. Joseph, Shelby Park, Smoketown-Jackson, Taylor-Berry, University, and the Central Business District.
He has previously held leadership positions as Democratic Caucus Chair in 2013 and 2015. He has also been chair of the Metro Council’s Public Safety Committee.
H. Stephen Ott was unanimously reelected as the Metro Council Clerk for 2018. He has served as Metro Council Clerk since 2013.
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
During their first Caucus meeting of 2018, the nine Republican members of the Louisville Metro Council’s Minority Caucus unanimously elected Councilwoman Angela Leet (District 7) to the position of Caucus Chair and Councilman Kevin Kramer (District 11) as Caucus Vice-Chair.
Councilwoman Leet is the first female to hold the position of Caucus Chair. Councilwoman Marilyn Parker and Kentucky Senator Julie Raque Adams had both served multiple terms in caucus leadership.
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
On Thursday, members of the Democratic Caucus elected Councilwoman Cheri Bryant Hamilton (D-5) to serve as Majority Caucus Chair for 2018. The position also carries with it the title of President Pro Tem of the Metro Council. The Caucus elected Councilwoman Barbara Sexton Smith (D-4) to serve as Vice-Chair.
“I am honored to serve this Caucus and I look forward to the work we will undertake in the next year to advance legislation and fund projects, programs, and organizations that will create a better city for all,” said Hamilton. “We have challenges ahead and we advocate on behalf of our constituents, many of whom are facing unprecedented challenges during one of the most precarious times and our goal should always be a better quality of life for those who ask us to serve.”
Hamilton is a founding member of the Metro Council elected to serve in 2002 and reelected in 2006, 2010, and 2014. She represents residents of Portland, Russell, Chickasaw, Shawnee and Parkland areas.
She was the first Majority Caucus Chair when the Metro Council was formed in January 2003. She was a member of the Louisville Board of Aldermen prior to merged government. She is a graduate of Fisk University and the North Carolina Central University School of Law
In 2017, she recently served as Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus for two terms and chaired the Metro Council’s Labor and Economic Development Committee. She has served in numerous leadership positions on the Council and the Community.
“It is an honor to serve alongside Cheri Bryant Hamilton as we begin a new year focusing of the needs and opportunities for all our citizens together,” said Sexton Smith.
Councilwoman Sexton Smith was elected in November of 2016. She serves the people of the Central Business District as well as the Russell, Butchertown Neighborhoods, Smoketown, Shelby Park, Phoenix Hill, and parts of Portland, Meriweather, Irish Hill, Germantown and Paristown Point.
Photo: Louisville Metro Parks and Recreation
A. Dana Kasler, a veteran of more than 25 years in parks and recreation administration, has been named the new Assistant Director of Revenue Facilities for Louisville Parks and Recreation.
Kasler, starts for Parks and Recreation on Monday, January 8, was most recently the Director of Parks and Recreation in Parkland, Fla., a nationally-accredited department with a $31 million budget and more than 31,500 acres of parks, preserves, facilities and other sites, including beaches.
“In reviewing Dana’s qualifications, those who worked with him over his career immediately attested to his high degree of professionalism, customer service and the way he built positive relationships with those in the communities he served,” said Seve Ghose, Director of Parks and Recreation. “He’s going to be a great addition to our staff.”
“I’m excited to join the team,” Kasler said. “I chose Louisville Parks and Recreation because of the rich tradition and history, and how the department honors those two things and has an eye on the future.”
Kasler holds Master of Science and Bachelor’s degrees from Ohio University, and his prior jobs include stops in Pittsburgh, Ponte Verde Beach, Fla., Kingsland, Ga., and Athens, Ohio.
His responsibilities will include overseeing nine municipal golf courses, the Iroquois Amphitheater, department-run special events, athletics, and permits and rentals of athletic fields and facilities.
Photo: Louisville Metro Animal Services
Sometimes happy endings aren’t so close to home for homeless pets who come through the LMAS shelter. One shelter dog, rescued from a life of neglect, traveled nearly 1,000 miles to North Dakota where he was adopted into a forever home.
Rusty’s story began in October 2015 when he first entered our Manslick Rd. shelter. Two months later, a rescue group from Cokato, MN took in the 5-year-old Beagle/Border Collie mix. From there, Rusty found himself on a farm where a kind woman spent 6 months working with the fearful dog, until he was ready to go to his forever home.
A couple from Forman, ND drove five hours to Minnesota to bring home their fur baby. Dan and Trish Pearson adopted Rusty and opened their home to the sweet natured dog. The couple wrote a letter to our shelter with an update on Rusty, two years after he was rescued:
Rusty is still fearful of strange people and it takes multiple visits before he will let a new person pet him without cowering. At home on the farm though, he is relaxed and very funny.
What a personality our fur-baby has. He has learned how to play with toys and people. He loves to run from one end of the house to the other and back again when my husband plays “gonna getchya” with him. His tail is held high and he has a big grin on his face.
He loves all our animals and isn’t’ even afraid of the horses or cattle. He is very healthy now and quite spoiled. He has finally found his forever home. Here are a few pictures to brighten your New Year.
Sincerely,
Dan and Trish Pearson
Forman, ND
Photo: Louisville Metro Animal Services
