Saturday November 15, 2025
Local Connection
Weather
Traffic
@LouisvilleDispatch
@LouisvilleDisp
SubscribeSolution Tree, an educational publisher and professional development provider, has announced Fern Creek High School as the winner of the second annual DuFour Award.
Named in honor of Dr. Richard DuFour, the award was created to honor high-performing schools that demonstrate exceptional levels of student achievement. In a career that spanned four decades, Dr. DuFour was a teacher, principal, superintendent, and champion of the Professional Learning Communities at Work™ process. His advocacy and tireless dedication to school improvement led to the founding of the DuFour Award in 2016.
Fern Creek High School was recognized during the Summit on PLC at Work™, which took place in Phoenix, Ariz., February 22-24, 2017. During the ceremony, Solution Tree presented the school with a check for $25,000.
“Fern Creek was a finalist for the first annual DuFour Award last year,” said Solution Tree’s CEO, Jeffrey C. Jones. “Through hard work and persistence, they were able to take it to the next level and earn the top honor this year. I’m delighted to honor their commitment to continuous school improvement.”
Fern Creek’s application included an essay and short video detailing the school’s dedication to the professional learning community process, improving student learning, and advancing instructional best practices.
“Fern Creek High School’s turnaround story is grounded in our commitment and fidelity to professional learning communities,” said Principal Nathan Meyer. “The workshops and institutes led by Rick DuFour that we attended when we were first identified as a Priority School in 2010 galvanized us and strengthened our resolve to improve student learning. Rick DuFour publicly recognizing our school’s work during the past year has been an incredible honor for our entire staff. This award becomes a tangible representation of our teachers’ commitment to the three big ideas of a PLC, centered on student learning, professional collaboration, and being results driven.”
DuFour Award Committee chairman Thomas W. Many said, “Along with a litany of impressive statistics, the school has expanded access to more rigorous curriculum, disrupted inequity, and expanded opportunities for college and career readiness all while improving their ranking in the state from the 10th to the 87th percentile in academic achievement.”
Shelter life is not easy for any animal. It takes a toll on them. Imagine yourself cooped-up in a kennel. Staff members and volunteers at Louisville Metro Animal Services do their best to interact and engage with the shelter animals, but it’s not enough. That’s why LMAS Foster Coordinator, Stephanie Jackson, wanted to organize a Yoga Cats event. “The benefits of an event like this are four-fold. It promotes adopting and fostering, raises money for our foster program, and gives our shelter animals a chance to socialize.”
LMAS will release its shelter cats to roam freely as yogis practice. Picture yoga mats, dim lighting, relaxing music and calming scents, with curious kitties thrown into the mix. “We hosted our first Yoga Cats event on February 13th and it was such a success, we decided to host another! Everyone had a smile on their face as they interacted with cats and enjoyed yoga. This is such a unique event that benefits everyone involved.”
LMAS’ next Yoga Cats class is set for Monday, March 13, from 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. at the LMAS Animal House Adoption Center (3516 Newburg Rd.) A $20 donation to benefit the LMAS foster program will grant you a spot in the class. To secure your spot, please send an email to stephanie.jackson@louisvilleky.gov. LMAS has room for 40 yogis. All participants must sign a waiver to interact with cats during the class. Please bring your own yoga mat.
Three businesses were approved for loans totaling $410,000 by the Department of Economic Development’s Metropolitan Business Development Corporation (METCO) and the Department of Community Services’ Microbusiness Development Program. The loans will leverage a total investment of $3.4 million and will assist the companies to open, to expand services or to revitalize properties.
METCO loans have been awarded to the following businesses:
- Three loans were approved for Butcherblock Properties, LLC for properties located at 115-117 N. Wenzel Street, 1004 E. Washington Street and 1007 E. Main Street in the Butchertown neighborhood. The loans will allow owner, Andy Blieden, to improve the façades of the buildings and to make accessibility improvements.
- $65,000 façade loan (115-117 N. Wenzel Street)
- $65,000 façade loan (1004 E. Washington Street)
- $65,000 façade loan (1007 E. Main Street)
- $200,000 business loan has been approved for Gravely Brewing, LLC for its property located at 514 Baxter Avenue. The loan will allow owners, Nathaniel and Holly Gravely and Cory and Kelly Buenning, to purchase equipment and prepare the building for commercial reuse as a brewery/music venue/taphouse.
A microbusiness loan has been awarded to the following business:
- $15,000 loan to The CERA Group, LLC to assist the owners, Jamie Keith and Mary Jefferson, with rental space, office equipment and marketing efforts. Located at 332 W. Broadway, The CERA Group provides consulting expertise to non-profit organizations, businesses and individuals to develop ideas and concepts that impact education and the greater good.
The Metropolitan Business Development Corporation (METCO) governs metro government’s small business loans, which include facade, accessibility and gap financing loans. Because metro government is not the primary lender, the loan program allows many public-private partnerships between government and private business ventures that further the vitality and quality of life in the Louisville community.
The METCO board meets the fourth Thursday of each month. Meetings are at 9:00 a.m., at the offices of Louisville Forward, located at 444 S. 5th Street, 6th floor. Remaining meetings for 2017 are scheduled for March 23, April 27, May 25, June 29, July 27, August 24, September 28, October 26 and December 14.
To learn more about the METCO loan program, visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/louisville-forward/local-loan-programs
Louisville Metro’s Microbusiness Development Program helps low and moderate income business owners with starting and growing small businesses. A microbusiness employs five or fewer people, including the owner. The program includes training, technical assistance and an opportunity to apply for a loan.
Many microbusinesses have little or no access to the commercial banking sector, and this loan program helps businesses owners who need capital. Loans range from $500 to $15,000. Borrowers have a choice of two programs, one for businesses which have been open for at least one year, and the one for start-up businesses.
For more information about Community Services’ microbusiness program, visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/community-services/microbusiness-program.
Amy Hinton, a Carter Traditional Elementary School reading teacher, has been awarded the Excellence in Classroom and Educational Leadership (ExCEL) Award. Representatives from Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) and from the award sponsors — LG&E KU and WHAS11 — honored the teacher last week during a ceremony at the school.
“Mrs. Hinton is well-deserving of the Excellence in Classroom and Educational Leadership (ExCEL) Award,” Carter Principal Jamie Wyman said. “Her never-ending dedication to Carter’s students and families goes above and beyond at all times. Parents of the students she works with are deeply grateful for the positive impact she has on their child, as well as the guidance and support she offers them.”
Hinton has been instrumental in helping Carter reach its Third Grade Reading Pledge, assisting students in increasing their reading fluency and comprehension. In addition, she serves on multiple committees, including the Instructional Leadership Team and Site Based Decision Making (SBDM) Council. She is a Kentucky Teacher Internship (KTIP) mentor teacher, and participates in the first- and second-grade professional learning communities.
“Amy Hinton truly loves her job and every student she encounters,” said Melissa Silvano, a first-grade teacher at Carter, adding that Hinton’s ability to make learning fun and beneficial is only one of her many skills and talents. “Amy is determined, motivated and a true example of what an educator should be.”
As an ExCEL Award winner, Hinton will receive a $1,000 instructional grant from LG&E KU.
Dr. John Marshall, Chief Equity Officer for Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS), has been named a 2017 ‘Leader to Learn From’ by Education Week. A profile highlighting his contributions to JCPS appears in the publication’s annual special report spotlighting innovative school district leaders around the nation.
Marshall was selected by Education Week editors from a pool of hundreds of nominees submitted by readers, staff reporters and other education writers, state school administrator groups and experts in the K-12 field.
“I’m incredibly humbled and grateful to be recognized by Education Week,” Dr. Marshall said. “This recognition is really a reflection of the tremendous work undertaken by my entire department to continually promote diversity and equity in our school system, and I’m very proud to accept it on their behalf.”
He will be recognized at a special ‘Leaders to Learn From’ event at the end of March in Washington, D.C.
Education Week – founded in 1981 and published by Editorial Projects in Education, a nonprofit corporation based in Bethesda, Maryland – is the leading independent provider of news, information and analysis in K-12 education.
Photo from ey.com
Ernst & Young LLP, one of the world’s largest business-services organizations, plans to open a 125-member office for executive assistants and other shared professional functions in downtown Louisville with a $4.35 million investment, Mayor Greg Fischer and Gov. Matt Bevin announced today.
“Today is an exciting day for Louisville as we welcome a major new division from EY. This latest location of executive support functions continues to solidify Louisville’s position as a market leader in the global business services sector,” said the Mayor. “Our future is bright thanks to companies like EY that recognize Louisville as a growing and dynamic city with an educated workforce. We are thrilled to welcome this newest EY location to Louisville and look forward to more opportunities to partner with this global industry leader in the future.”
The office will house members of the firm’s expanding National Executive Assistance Team, which supports EY partners across the country, as well as creative and digital services employees. The firm hasn’t yet signed a lease but intends to locate in Louisville’s Central Business District, hiring its full complement by mid-2018. The firm operates similar centers in Dallas, Cleveland and Tucson.
“We are delighted to welcome EY’s professional service center to Kentucky and we are grateful for their investment,” said Gov. Bevin. “Kentucky is quickly becoming the destination of choice for corporate and shared-service centers, thanks to our skilled professional workforce, high quality of life and low business operating costs. We are confident that EY’s Louisville-based, executive support team will be able to effectively serve their executives across the United States.”
“We were very impressed with the level of talent in Louisville and commend efforts by the city, state and local learning institutions to grow the talent base even more aggressively and in new areas,” said Brent Summers, EY’s Americas enterprise support services leader. “That, along with Louisville’s affordability and quality of life, were important factors in our location decision. We are also excited to be locating our new center in the downtown area. There is so much new development and energy. We think it will be a great environment for our new team.”
The firm traces its roots to the early 1900s with the founding of two accounting firms; Ernst & Ernst in Cleveland, and Arthur Young & Co. in Chicago. Their 1989 merger created Ernst & Young, which then became Ernst & Young LLP.
David Calzi, managing partner of the existing Louisville office of Ernst & Young LLP, said the city will make a great home for the new support center.
“The firm has been a proud citizen of Louisville and Kentuckiana since we opened our local practice in 1923. We couldn’t be more pleased that our leadership recognized the desirable facets of our community, and decided to expand our presence here when it had so many other cities to choose from,” Calzi said.
The firm is a member firm of the global EY organization whose members provide assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services to many of the world’s largest companies. They operate in 152 countries, including 30 countries in the Americas, and employ 231,000 people globally.
“EY is just the kind of company our region is working to attract, and we’re excited to have them choose Louisville. They are making a significant investment in our community and creating quality jobs, and they have a reputation for being good corporate citizens. It is our honor to welcome this new division of EY to Greater Louisville,” Deana Epperly Karem, Greater Louisville Inc.’s VP for Regional Growth, said.
To encourage the investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority in February preliminarily approved the company for tax incentives up to $1 million 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.
For more information on EY, visit www.ey.com.
Photo from Louisville Metro Parks and Recreation
Award-winning country/folk band Old Crow Medicine Show will be paying homage to the legendary Bob Dylan when they make a tour stop at the Iroquois Amphitheater on Friday, June 2.
The platinum-selling band, who are two-time Grammy Award winners, are embarking on a 29-date tour, during which they will be playing Dylan’s iconic album Blonde On Blonde in its entirety at each stop.
The band is also promoting its own recreation of the album that was recorded live at the CMA Theater inside the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum located in Nashville in May 2016. Fans can order the album, titled 50 Years of Blonde on Blonde at the Old Crow Medicine Show online store and everywhere else on Friday, February 24.
Tickets will also go on sale for the show at the Iroquois Amphitheater at 10 a.m. on Friday, February 24 at www.ticketfly.com. Tickets are $39.50 for the uncovered section of the amphitheater and $49.50 for the covered portion.
Fans can also buy tickets at the Iroquois Amphitheater box office, 1080 Amphitheater Road right off New Cut Road in Iroquois Park, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Gates for the show will open at 6:30 p.m. on Friday June 2, and the show will start around 8 p.m. No coolers or outside beverages are allowed inside of the amphitheater, although a full range of concessions, including alcoholic beverages, will be for sale.
Tickets to two other upcoming shows – Shovels and Rope (Friday, May 12) and Louder Than Life Presents: Skillet with Starset and Sylar (Sunday, May 21) will also go on sale at the Tickefly website on Friday morning.
About Old Crow Medicine Show
Old Crow Medicine Show is comprised of members Ketch Secor, Morgan Jahnig, Chance McCoy, Cory Younts, Kevin Hayes and Critter Fuqua. The Country Music Roots band and Grand Ole Opry members have five studio albums to their credit, Old Crow Medicine Show (2004), Big Iron World (2006), Tennessee Pusher (2008), Carry Me Back (2012), Remedy (2014) and appeared on countless albums by other artists. They’ve established a global tour following, received the Americana Music Association Trailblazer Award and shared the stage with artists such as Willie Nelson, Brandi Carlile, Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers, John Prine and The Avett Brothers. The PLATINUM selling band are two-time GRAMMY-winners including Best Folk Album in 2014.