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SubscribeThis Christmas, more than three hundred children who have incarcerated parents will be remember during the holiday thanks to the work of Mr. and Mrs. Santa and the giving spirit of people those children will never meet.
“I am proud of the people of our city and I want to say thank you to everyone who helped us,” says Council Jessica Green (D-1). “They opened their hearts to join us in making Christmas special for children who would not otherwise have a good holiday.”
During the week of December 5th through December 9th, Councilwoman Jessica Green and Councilman Kelly Downard (R-16) became Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus at the corner of Sixth and Jefferson. Their goal was to ask passersby to either bring an unwrapped toy or donate some money to buy toys for children whose parents were incarcerated. Toys were also dropped off at Historic City Hall and the Jefferson County Courthouse during that week.
“It was a privilege to be able to participate in this worthy cause,” said Councilman Kelly Downard (R-16). “I am so proud to have been part of this toy drive and would like to thank the many people who work and commute near City Hall that helped ensure no child is punished because of the actions of others.”
When the toy drive was over, several bags of toys had been collected and $2,000 had been raised to buy new toys.
Last Friday, the toys were delivered to the Kentucky Correctional Institute for Women in Pewee Valley. Additional toys were delivered to Louisville Metro Department Corrections and Jefferson County Family Court.
“At this time of year, it is important that we remember all children and I amazed at the response but not surprised by the help we received this year,” said Green.
A new Rental Registry for all rental property in Metro Louisville is now up and running online following the passage of an ordinance in September by the Louisville Metro Council.
Effective March 1, 2017, all property located in Louisville Metro and occupied or offered for occupancy in exchange for money or any other consideration must be registered with Louisville Metro Government. Failure to register is subject to a fine up to $100 per day per housing unit.
“Rental property owners have the next two and a half months to register their property through Develop Louisville. It is a simple process that can be completed online in less than five to ten minutes,” says Councilwoman Marianne Butler (D-15), who was the primary sponsor of the ordinance. “There online registration can also handle multiple property listings.”
The registration calls for:
- Rental property owners to include the rental unit street address.
- List current contact information of the owner and managing operator.
- New owners to register within thirty days of any ownership transfer.
- Any change in contact information to be updated on the registry within thirty days of the change.
Visit: https://www.louisvilleky.gov/government/codes-regulations, to establish an account and access the registry, or to get detailed information and instructions on registry requirements.
Registration is free and will be monitored by the staff of Develop Louisville.
The need for the Rental Registry was prompted after concerns were raised by code enforcement inspectors, citing the difficulty in finding a person who was responsible for the problem properties. Currently, some listings have only a Post Office Box number or LLC as contacts in the event of a violation.
It is important to remember, all rental property must be registered by March 1, 2017.
Mayor Greg Fischer, Neighborhood Place representatives, community members, and friends and family of Jane Charmoli today officially dedicated the new Charmoli Neighborhood Place at 200 Juneau Drive in Middletown.
Joining in the celebration were Dr. Donna Hargens, superintendent of Jefferson County Public Schools, and Joe Hamilton, deputy commissioner for the Department for Community Based Services for Kentucky’s Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
The Charmoli Neighborhood Place site replaces a Neighborhood Place location in the former Urban Government Center at 810 Barret Ave. The new location was renamed in memory of Jane Charmoli, one of Neighborhood Place’s founding champions.
Charmoli, who passed away in July 2015, spent her life as a public servant. She worked for the Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) for 20 years as a teacher, and served as president of the Jefferson County Teachers Association board for two years. She also served as a liaison between JCPS and the city of Louisville.
Charmoli was known to insist that there could be no cookie-cutter service delivery; that each family’s unique situation requires a solution customized for them. She helped shape the expectation that a Neighborhood Place would meet those needs.
“For thousands of Louisvillians, Neighborhood Place offers easy access to critical services,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “Jane Charmoli’s dedication to establishing the Neighborhood Place model leaves a legacy that will impact families for generations to come, and we’re pleased to honor her work and compassion.”
“Jane Charmoli loved JCPS — its students, its staff and its families,” said Dr. Hargens. “Jane was tireless in her efforts to connect families with the resources they need so that every child could be successful. She would be honored to have this new center named for her in the community she loved so dearly, serving the students and families she treasured.”
The Charmoli Center houses staff from multiple agencies — Louisville Metro Community Services, JCPS, Kentucky’s DCBS, and Centerstone (formerly Seven Counties Services, Inc.) — in one accessible location. Core services provided include:
- Financial and housing assistance with case management services
- Juvenile and school-related services
- Child abuse intervention and prevention
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
- Medicaid Assistance
- Substance abuse assessment
- A Dare to Care emergency food pantry
- Self-sufficiency programs
“DCBS is proud to be a partner in the Neighborhood Place network and to see the grand opening of the Jane Charmoli Neighborhood Place,” DCBS Commissioner Adria Johnson said. “The blended services that each Neighborhood Place provides are customer-focused, but the overall goal of the program is family well-being and safety, which mirrors our agency mission. The Charmoli location will fill a need of service for hundreds of residents in east Louisville.”
The Charmoli Center has ample, free parking and is accessible by several TARC bus routes. The hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
A total of eight Neighborhood Places, along with two satellite sites, serve residents across Jefferson County. Residents are free to seek services from any of locations.
To find Neighborhood Place in their area, residents may call 311 or 574-5000, or visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/neighborhood-place.
Louisville Sterling, LLC has purchased two city-owned historic properties at 1300-1306 Bardstown Road in the Highlands’ commercial district, with plans to open a small brewing operation and event space.
Louisville Sterling purchased the properties for $425,000 and plans to fully restore both buildings, which were built in 1900, returning approximately 15,000 square feet of commercial space into newly designed and productive use. Plans for the buildings include Sterling’s offices, a tasting room and gathering house, event space and small brewing operation.
“Whenever we can return vacant and historic properties to productive reuse and beautiful restoration, the community wins on many levels,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “These buildings will once again house an active use and bring people together on an already active commercial corridor.”
The buildings most recently were used as offices for the Communications division of Louisville Metro’s Emergency Management Administration. Metro Council declared the properties surplus in November 2015.
Louisville Sterling acquired the Sterling Brand in 2012, after the brand had changed hands many times and moved from Louisville to Evansville and ultimately was part of the Pittsburg Brewing Company.
Sterling Brewing started in Louisville in 1863 as one of several small breweries and grew to become a regional brand referred to by many as the “Beer of the South.” Now brewed in Stevens Point, Wisc., by the award-winning Stevens Point Brewery, Louisville Sterling’s goal is to restore the historical structures on Bardstown Road mainly for the purpose of establishing a craft house and tasting room. The company plans later to relocate production to its original home of Louisville.
The City of Louisville purchased 1300 Bardstown Road from the Louisville Ballet in 1995 for $235,000. The building was originally built as a telephone exchange for BellSouth, while 1306 Bardstown Road was built as a police station by the city, and has remained under city ownership until this transaction. The MetroSafe communications offices previously housed at this location were moved to MetroSafe’s Newburg Road facility in late 2012.
Every Thursday through Sunday until Friday, December 23rd, downtown Louisville will be hosting Holiday in the City. Patrons of the event will be able to shop, ice skate, and enjoy local entertainment at 4th Street Live!.
The ice skating week is open daily. During the week, it open 4 PM until 10 PM, until JCPS goes on break, then it will be open 11 AM. Friday and Saturday hours are 11 AM until 11 PM. Sunday hours are 12 PM until 6 PM. Tickets are $10 per person and includes the skate rental. Season passes can be purchased for $45.
The Holiday Market is located on 4th Street Live!. Vendors include Home for the Holidays, Anatolian Fashion, Lucky Clover Farm, Myroslava Creations, Gyename of Louisville, Food Craft, German Sweets, Gluhwein, Don’t Forget the Flowers, and more. Some local businesses already in the area will be featured on the Gumdrop Trail. Participating businesses will be offering promotions and discounts during Holiday in the City.
The weekend has more entertainment, including free photos with Santa, live music, performances by CirqueLouis and a showing of the movie “Elf” on the giant screen at 4th Street Live!.
A full schedule of events and maps can be located on the website.
A recent spike in whooping cough cases is prompting health officials to remind parents to get their infants immunized on schedule. Officials also urge parents, grandparents and caregivers as well as older children to get booster vaccine to prevent the disease.
According to CDC data, there were 449 whooping cough cases in Kentucky this year through November 26 compared to 163 cases for all of 2015. Since August 7 there have been six laboratory confirmed whooping cough cases and four additional possible cases in Louisville. Most of those cases were linked to adults who were unsure of their vaccination status.
According to Dr. Joann Schulte, director of the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness, adults may have pertussis but not realize it because it can initially seem like a common cold. “If a person has a cough that last for more than two weeks, they need to see their healthcare provider and request to be tested for pertussis,” she said.
Photo: CDC
“Whooping cough can be deadly for babies younger than six months old,” said Schulte added. “It is also vitally important for infants to get their immunizations against whooping cough at the appropriate stages in their growth and development.”
Whooping cough – known medically as pertussis — is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection. It spreads easily and can cause violent coughing fits that can last up to 10 weeks or more. Although it initially resembles an ordinary cold, whooping cough may eventually turn more serious, particularly in infants. In some infants, the cough may be minimal or not even there. Infants may also display apnea, a pause in the child’s breathing pattern and in some cases may even turn blue. About half of infants younger than one year who get the disease need care in the hospital.
“The best way to prevent whooping cough is through vaccinations,” Schulte said. The childhood vaccine is called DTaP. Adolescents and adults need a whooping cough booster vaccine called Tdap, as well. Both protect against whooping cough, tetanus, and diphtheria.
“Even if parents and care givers have been immunized against whooping cough or had the illness as children, they should get the booster,” said Dr. Schulte. “Vaccines can wear off over time. Parents, siblings and care givers can then infect infants and young children. Unfortunately babies younger than six months are too young to have completed their three pertussis immunizations and are not yet well protected by the pertussis vaccine. They can become infected by others living in the home or by caregivers.”
The Department of Public Health and Wellness follows CDC guidelines advising parents and physicians that infants should receive a series of DTaP immunizations at ages 2, 4, and 6 months, with boosters at ages 15-18 months and at 4-6 years. Children should then get a single dose of TdaP vaccine beginning at age 11. It is also recommended that family members of infants receive a one-time dose of adolescent/adult Tdap vaccine if they have not already done so.
Parents of infants and all people who live with an infant or who provide care to him or her should also be immunized against whooping cough. It is recommended that the infant’s family members receive a one-time dose of adolescent/adult tetanus-diphtheria-acellular (Tdap) vaccine if they have not already done so.
“Parents should contact their primary care providers for questions about any childhood or adult vaccine,” Schulte said. We are also happy to answer any questions. Call us at 574-6675.
As of January 1, 2017, the Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District (APCD) will no longer maintain an ambient air monitor in Louisville/Jefferson County to measure the level of airborne lead.
An analysis of data collected from the APCD lead monitoring site on Cannons Lane in Louisville indicates that levels of airborne lead are far below the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for the pollutant. The current national standard for airborne lead is 0.15 micrograms per cubic foot of air (μg/m3) on a rolling three-month average.
To exceed the lead standard, a three-month rolling average must be greater than 0.15 μg/m3. At the Cannons Lane site, the maximum three-month rolling average was 0.008 μg/m3 during the period depicted. While airborne lead was once a major air pollutant of concern, it is no longer used in motor vehicle fuels in the U.S., prompting levels of airborne lead to drop precipitously over the past several decades. It is not anticipated that levels of airborne lead will ever approach or exceed the federal standard here in Louisville/Jefferson County, hence the decision to cease monitoring for it.
Additionally, in February 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) discontinued a requirement to measure for large particles of airborne lead (Pb-PM10) at monitoring sites in its National Core Multipollutant Network due to extremely low concentrations being measured at these sites, which include the Cannons Lane monitor.
The public is welcome to comment about this action.
Comments may be submitted to:
Billy Dewitt, Air Monitoring Program Manager
Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District
701 W. Ormsby Ave., Suite 303
Louisville, Ky. 40203
The public may also submit comments via email at air@louisvilleky.gov
