Friday November 14, 2025
Local Connection
Weather
Traffic
@LouisvilleDispatch
@LouisvilleDisp
Subscribe
Photo: Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness
The Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness and its community partners are offering free stop smoking classes using the American Lung Association’s Freedom From Smoking® (FFS) program. The 8-session program includes weekly support group meetings combined with the use of nicotine replacement products such as patches and gum. Participants receive free supplies of nicotine replacement products.
Advance registration for Freedom From Smoking® classes is required. There are several ways to register: by phone 574 – STOP (574-7867), email StopSmoking@louisvilleky.gov or online.
Below is a list of upcoming classes that begin in May and June.
May 4 – June 15
- Thursdays, 2:30 – 4:00 p.m.
- Norton Healthcare Pat Harrison Resource Center
- 1203 Spring Street Jeffersonville, IN
May 9 – June 20
- Tuesdays, 12:00-1:00 p.m.
- Sullivan University College of Pharmacy
- 2100 Gardiner Ln., Study Rooms C/C
May 9 – June 20
- Tuesdays, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
- Southwest YMCA
- 2800 Fordhaven Rd.
May 16 – June 27
- Tuesdays, 2:00 -3:30 p.m.
- Norton Brownsboro Medical Building
- 4950 Norton Healthcare Boulevard., 3rd floor., Conference Room A
May 16 -June 27
- Tuesdays, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
- Family Health Centers East Broadway
- 834 East Broadway, 2nd floor
June 5 – July 17
- Mondays, 5:30 -7:00 p.m.
- Norton Health & Wellness Center
- 1000 DuPont Rd.
June 5 – July 17
- Mondays, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
- Family Health Centers Portland
- 2215 Portland Ave., 4th floor
June 7 – July 26
- Wednesdays, 1:30- 3:30 p.m.
- Shively Area Ministries
- 4415 Dixie Highway
The Jefferson County Board of Education released the following statement April 13 regarding the leadership of Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS):
“The Jefferson County Board of Education and Dr. Donna Hargens, Superintendent of the Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS), today announced that the Superintendent will step down from her position, effective July 1, 2017. Although Dr. Hargens regrets that her approach to implementing the strategic plan for JCPS no longer aligns with the Board’s approach, she is grateful for the experience of having provided leadership for the school district for the past six years.
The Board thanks Dr. Hargens for her service to JCPS and for guiding the district through its strategic planning process. The Board and the Superintendent believe it is in the best interest of employees and students to have a new leader guide the district through implementing the strategic plan. Since 2011, JCPS increased its graduation rate to 80.1 percent, doubled its College and Career Readiness rate, increased overall reading and math for every subgroup, and increased the number of students taking Advanced Placement classes. While the district has moved forward during the past six years, the Board believes that the district must accelerate the pace of achievement.
The Board is committed to its vision that all JCPS students graduate prepared, empowered, and inspired to reach their full potential as thoughtful, responsible citizens of our diverse, shared world. There is much work to be done. With the collective commitment of the Board, parents, teachers, and administrators across the district, JCPS can and will reach its goals. The Board now intends to move forward with a sense of urgency to find a successor to the Superintendent and take actions that will continue to improve the education that it provides to all children of Jefferson County.”
As part of an annual extravaganza of compassion and service, thousands of Louisvillians will be volunteering in ways large and small during the Mayor’s annual Week of Service, which runs Saturday through April 23.
One of the week’s largest projects will be the Brightside & Passport Health Plan Spring Community Wide Cleanup on Saturday. Already, more than 16,000 people are committed to making Louisville a greener and cleaner community, by picking up litter and debris from neighborhoods, greenspaces and roadways.
And there is still time to register: Go to www.brightsideinc.org. With the help of sponsors Passport Health Plan and the Kentucky Pride Fund, Brightside provides bags and gloves to all participating groups, and T-shirts to the first 5,000 registrants.
Volunteer for Give A Day Projects
Mayor Greg Fischer will kick off this sixth annual Give A Day week with a 9 a.m. stop Saturday at the Build A Bed event at Meyzeek Middle School, where hundreds of volunteers will work in teams to build beds that will go to Jefferson County Public School children who are sleeping on couches, air mattresses or even the floor.
Other Saturday events include a 3 p.m. bicycle giveaway to refugees at Kentucky Refugee Ministries, thanks to volunteers from Pedal Power; and huge community cleanups and picnics in the California, Parkland and Shelby Park neighborhoods. (Similar events are planned in the Smoketown and Shawnee neighborhoods on April 22.)
The Mayor’s goal for the week, which helps launch the 2017 Kentucky Derby Festival, is to break Louisville’s existing “world record” for caring and helping – set in 2016 with more than 175,000 volunteers and acts of compassion.
“When we decided six years ago to start to focus on celebrating and cultivating compassion as one of our city’s core values, the people of Louisville responded, demonstrating over and over again that this is a city where people believe in the value of doing what our great native son Muhammad Ali called ‘the work of the heart,’” the Mayor said. “That work happens every day in this city. Give A Day simply shines a spotlight on it.”
The Mayor pointed out that participating in the Week of Service can be as simple as dropping food into the Dare to Care bins at all area Kroger stores.
And for the second year in a row, the international WE Day will, in partnership with the Mayor’s office and WLKY, hold a short Walk of Compassion through downtown as a Give A Day event on April 18. The public is invited to join more than 3,000 students participating in the lunch-time walk, carrying signs of compassion.
Students from both private and public schools are a huge component of Give A Day. JCPS’ students will be planting trees, collecting items for local food pantries, organizing campus and neighborhood cleanups, writing thank you cards to police and veterans, and collecting teddy bears for police to have in their cruisers when they make runs on cases involving children.
“We are proud to once again have 100 percent participation from our schools in the Mayor’s Give A Day initiative,” said JCPS Superintendent Dr. Donna Hargens. “Last year, our students logged more than 1,145 days of service – that’s more than three years of kindness, service and citizenship in just one week. This experience gives our students a chance to give back to our community and participate as citizens in our diverse, shared world.”
Most local Catholic schools are also engaged in projects. St. Stephen Martyr, for example, is making care packages for cancer patients, filling decorated bags with things like hard candy, pocket tissues, hand sanitizer, lip balm and small packages of snacks. And fifth-graders at Holy Trinity will be visiting and playing games with residents of the Masonic Home.
Local businesses are also a huge part of the Week of Service, as companies large and small contribute their time, talent and treasure on projects throughout the community.
Volunteers are still needed for more than 100 projects of all kinds. To register, go to the website: www.mygiveaday.com and click on “volunteer for an existing project.”
Groups and individuals are urged to use the same website to report projects and good deeds they are doing on their own.
Thousands of volunteers will join together on Saturday, April 15 for the bi-annual Brightside & Passport Health Plan Spring Community-Wide Cleanup to pick up litter and beautify sites across Louisville.
More than 200 groups — Boy & Girl Scouts, neighborhood associations, business associations, elementary school classrooms, families and more — will be participating in Saturday’s event, which serves as the kick off to Mayor Fischer’s Give A Day Week of Service, April 15-23.
“A clean street is something that residents in all corners of our city can agree is important to the quality of life in our neighborhoods,” Mayor Greg Fischer said. “I encourage neighbors to work together and work with Brightside to keep our streets litter-free.”
To participate, volunteers choose their own cleanup site and coordinate with Brightside to receive gloves, bags, and for the first 5,000 volunteers, T-shirts. Trash pick-up will be coordinated with Louisville Metro Solid Waste Management Services. The cleanup is sponsored by Passport Health Plan.
“We are thrilled to be the title sponsor of the 2017 Brightside & Passport Health Plan Spring Community-Wide Cleanup,” said Mark B. Carter, CEO of Passport Health Plan. “We come together with Mayor Fischer, Brightside and all Louisville residents in the knowledge that a cleaner city helps all residents improve their health and overall quality of life.”
Cleanups are an integral part of Brightside’s mission, and without the help of volunteer groups and many other volunteers throughout the year, Brightside could not meet its goal of a cleaner, greener Louisville. Neighborhoods can hold their own cleanups at any point throughout the year, and Brightside encourages neighborhood associations, block watches, businesses and faith groups to play an active role in keeping their neighborhoods litter-free.
Registration for the April 15 community-wide cleanup is still open. Visit the Brightside website at www.brightsideinc.org to complete the registration form or call (502) 574-2613 to register your team.
Photo: Altitude Trampoline Park
Dixie Highway is undergoing a resurgence of new businesses and the newest addition is a fun entertainment center for all ages. Altitude Trampoline Park held its official grand opening celebration this week with city leaders on hand to welcome the new businesses.
“This is another great day for the new Dixie Highway. We need new exciting businesses like this to show everyone that this area of the city has much to offer,” said President David Yates (D-25).
The President was joined in the grand opening by Council members Rick Blackwell (D-12), Cindi Fowler (D-14) and Marianne Butler (D-15). They were also joined by Shively Mayor Sherry Conner.
The Altitude Trampoline Park is a 41,000 square foot, indoor trampoline park with jumping activities including sports and fitness programs, competitive jumping, and just plain, old-fashioned jumping fun.
The park will include such activities as a foam pit, gymnastics tumble tracks, toddler area, basketball dunking lanes, dodge ball and fitness classes.
“We are excited about another major investment along Dixie Highway. Southwest residents have often asked for more recreational opportunities for our youth and Altitude certainly meets the need in a big way,” said Blackwell
“South Louisville is happy to welcome Altitude to our community. Another locally owned, thriving business offering a fun night for families. Welcome – we are glad you are here and encourage others to join you!” said Butler.
“I am excited to see this wonderful new addition to South Louisville! The Altitude Trampoline Park will provide kids and their families a fun, positive space that’s close to home. I am encouraged by this promising economic investment along Dixie Highway, bouncing the Southend to new heights!” said Fowler.
“I want to thank the Council members and the people of the area for their support as we begin this venture,” said Mr. Chuck Hall of Altitude Trampoline Park, “We look forward to being a part of this great community.”
Altitude Louisville is going be a fresh, new entertainment option for groups and individuals to have active fun located at 4420 Dixie Hwy, Louisville, KY 40216.
To learn more go to: http://www.altitudelouisville.com/altitude-lousiville-trampoline-park.
Councilman Bill Hollander is inviting District 9 residents to come out to the next “Meet with Bill” set for Wednesday, April 19th.
“We are always happy to hear from constituents. To make meeting with us in person more convenient, we’ll be holding office hours at various places around the district in addition to our regular, evening D9 Community Conversations,” says Hollander.
“Meet with Bill” is set for the Mary T. Meagher Aquatic Center, 201 Reservoir Avenue, from 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. in the meeting room.
“Please stop by with any questions or concerns. It is an informal way of telling me what’s on your mind,” says Hollander.
For more information about “Meet with Bill” or any other issue in the district, call 574-1109 or email kyle.ethridge@louisvilleky.gov
The line-up is set for the 2017 Republic Bank Pegasus Parade. Floats and inflatable units participating in this year’s parade drew for positions at a special event tonight at the Ice House. “Louisville on the Move” will be the theme for the Derby Festival’s oldest event, which will feature approximately 100 units marching down Broadway on Thursday, May 4th.
“This year’s theme is twofold with both a health focus, as well as a nod to how the city continues to grow and progress,” said Mike Berry, KDF President & CEO. “There are many different ways to depict ‘Louisville on the Move’ and we look forward to seeing all the creative and original designs.”
The parade theme will be used by sponsoring companies to help direct the building of floats and costuming of the inflatable handlers and crew. The floats and inflatables compete for various awards based on originality, eye appeal, theme representation, animation, attention to detail and enthusiasm. Marching bands use the theme to help with musical selection and it is the basis of costume and concept design for the other marching units. The annual spectacle marches west on Broadway from Campbell to Ninth Street.
The 2017 Parade will feature 13 floats, plus 1 push float, many of them built by the employees of the companies sponsoring them. The following companies drew for their float position in the parade at tonight’s event, as well as the sponsors of the six participating inflatable character balloons.
| Floats: | Inflatable Balloon Characters: |
| Belle of LouisvilleCity of St. Matthews
Grand Lodge of Kentucky Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana Hwang’s Martial Arts Indiana University Southeast Kentuckiana Pride Festival Kosair Shriners/Kosair Charities Masonic Homes of Kentucky Metro Parks & Recreation Norton Healthcare Second Chance @ Life The Fillies, Inc. Push Float: Passport |
CareSource “Super Grover”Horseshoe Southern Indiana “Horseshoe”
LG&E “Louie the Lightning Bug” Republic Bank “Peggy Bank” StageOne “Flying Elephant” ZirMed, Inc. “Blue Angels Balloon”
|
Fans will have the opportunity to preview each float at the Republic Bank Kentucky Derby Festival Parade Preview Party on Tuesday, May 2, at the Kentucky Exposition Center, in South Wing C. This event will offer a taste of nearly the entire parade. Character balloons, equestrian units and assorted VIPs will join the floats on display for the indoor tour “inside” a parade. Admission is a 2017 Pegasus Pin.
Tickets for the Parade are on sale now online at KDF.org. Ticket prices are $10 for bleacher seats, $12 chair seating and $30 VIP seats.
Republic Bank is the Title Sponsor of the parade with new Contributing Sponsor, KentuckyOne Health.
