Monday November 3, 2025
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Half of Jefferson County children lack the basic skills and knowledge to begin kindergarten. The PNC Foundation, National Center for Families Learning (NCFL), Metro United Way’s Ready for K Alliance and Louisville Metro today announced a more than $250,000 collaboration to support Say & Play with Words, a new pre-Kindergarten vocabulary-building initiative. Say & Play with Words will target at-risk children in Louisville neighborhoods, with a goal of shrinking the word gap and increasing kindergarten readiness.
“Words unlock success for children,” said Chuck Denny, PNC regional president for Louisville. “The more words they hear before kindergarten, the more success they often achieve. The link between ‘words’ and learning motivated PNC to begin emphasizing developing children’s vocabularies as part of PNC Grow Up Great®, our signature early childhood education initiative.”
The research is clear preparing children for kindergarten starts from birth:
- By age 4, low-income children are exposed to 30 million fewer words than children from high-income families.
- Testing showed a child’s vocabulary use at age 3 predicted their vocabulary and reading skills in third grade.
- First grade vocabulary measurement predicts about a third of reading comprehension in 11th grade.
“Say & Play with Words Louisville is a comprehensive strategy to better prepare our children for academic and life success,” said Sharon Darling, president and founder, NCFL. “Parents are their children’s first and most important teachers. By arming them with the right tools, families are strengthened, and we are able to break the generational cycle of poverty.”
Say & Play with Words will equip parents with free vocabulary-building tips and activities – found on SayandPlaywithWords.org – to use at home or on the go; build upon NCFL’s existing Family Learning efforts underway in Louisville; and, will provide training for professionals working with children and families.
“Half of the children in this community are at an academic disadvantage before they even step foot in kindergarten,” said Theresa Reno-Weber, president and chief executive officer, Metro United Way. “And unfortunately, once they start behind, they often stay behind. However, parents and family members can change the course their children are on. Say & Play with Words will provide the resources to do just that.”
A Community Effort
“Kids’ Spaces” will launch in area businesses later this year as a way to meet families where they gather. Local businesses can volunteer to host a “Kids’ Space,” which will provide easy access to resources for their customers. Examples of potential locations include the waiting room of a doctor’s office, nail salon, tire shop, barber shop, etc. – anywhere parents and children may spend time. Businesses will be given Say & Play with Words signage and activity sheets that encourage young children and families to explore new words together. In addition, parents in NCFL Family Learning programs will be empowered as leaders in their communities by serving as Say & Play ambassadors.
“We are proud to partner on this program, which sets the stage at the earliest level for better academic outcomes for our next generation,” Mayor Greg Fischer said. “It’s critical for the future of our city that we make sure our babies are equipped for success in their academic career and eventually, to move on to a high-quality job.”
Development and outreach for Say & Play with Words Louisville is supported by Louisville Metro Government, Lift a Life Foundation and Ready for K Alliance. The PNC Foundation’s $250,000 grant supports development and outreach, as well as implementation at existing NCFL Family Learning sites. The initiative is expected to impact about 2,400 vulnerable people.
Say & Play with Words Louisville will replicate the success of a similar program in Detroit, also supported by PNC. Since 2014, more than 3,000 Detroit caregivers have received vocabulary-building resources each week in English and Spanish and their children heard 6,000 more words per week, on average. Say & Play with Words Detroit engaged nearly 100 businesses and trained staff at nearly 400 child care providers.
Founded in Louisville, NCFL has broken generational cycles of poverty through family literacy programs across the U.S. for the past 30 years. A pioneer in family literacy, NCFL’s model programs have improved academic outcomes for children and fostered economic self-sufficiency in adults. Currently, NCFL is working with 330 partner sites in more than 150 communities in 39 states. Louisville has eight partner sites, the most for one city.
American Airlines today announced new daily nonstop service between Louisville International Airport (SDF) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) beginning Tuesday, April 2, 2019. The airline will operate the flight using a 128-seat Airbus 319 aircraft with WiFi and in-seat power. The daily flight is scheduled to depart SDF at 7:24 a.m. and arrive at LAX at 9:00 a.m. The nonstop return flight is scheduled to depart LAX at 10:55 p.m. and arrive at SDF at 6:02 a.m.“This new nonstop flight between Louisville International Airport and Los Angeles is more exciting news for our city, and another way we are creating opportunities for the residents and businesses of Louisville. The flight is great for attracting business, showcasing our city to new clientele in the west coast market, and giving us quicker access to workforce and growth opportunities,” said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer. “Creating new opportunities like this one requires strong public-private partnerships. I applaud our partners at the Louisville International Airport, Louisville Regional Airlift Development, Commonwealth of Kentucky and American Airlines, and I encourage the people of Louisville to support this exciting opportunity.”
“We are ecstatic with American Airlines’ decision to offer service on our largest unserved and most requested route,” said Dan Mann, Executive Director of the Louisville Regional Airport Authority. “Their addition of this transcontinental service along with continued growth of other routes is a testament to their confidence in our market and a shining example of the results of community partnership.”
With this announcement, American Airlines will offer 27 daily nonstop flights to seven destinations from Louisville including Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Miami, New York-LaGuardia and Washington-Reagan.
American Airlines also plans to upgrade aircraft at Louisville International Airport to larger jets to serve the increased passenger traffic to Charlotte and Dallas.
Louisville International Airport is served by six airlines offering flights to 32 nonstop destinations including 17 of the region’s top 20 domestic markets. With just one stop travelers from across the region can reach 170 international destinations in 81 countries on six continents.
For additional information regarding Louisville International Airport, visit www.FlyLouisville.com.
Photo: Kentucky Derby Museum. The Justify Triple Crown Art Collection
Mike Smith and Bob Baffert Signed Justify Commemorative Artwork
The Official Justify Triple Crown Print features Justify winning the 150th Belmont Stakes and joining the “ranks of the immortals” as the 13th Triple Crown champion. The print is officially licensed by WinStar Farm and Triple Crown Productions and created by renowned international sporting artist Graeme Baxter and features special editions signed by Mike Smith and Bob Baffert.
Artist Graeme Baxter will be signing Official Justify artwork at the Derby Museum on October 29th from 11:00am to 3:00pm in conjunction with the Makers Mark Justify Bottle signing festivities.
The Justify Triple Signed Special Edition ($295) is individually signed in bronze metallic ink by two time Triple Crown winning trainer Bob Baffert, Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith and artist Graeme Baxter. This Triple Signed Special Edition is strictly limited to an edition of 150 fine art prints and measures 18” x 24. Orders for this special limited edition will be taken on a first come, first served basis.
The Justify Dual Signed Limited Edition ($180) is signed in pencil by two time Triple Crown winning trainer Bob Baffert and artist Graeme Baxter. It is limited to an edition of 500 fine art prints. The print also measures 18”x24”.
The Justify Triple Crown Art Collection will be displayed during Breeders Cup week in Louisville at Equestricon, Booth 500 on October 29th and 30th as well as at a special Breeders Cup Festival Pop-Up Gallery at the downtown Marriott, the official Host Hotel from October 31 through November 3.
Graeme Baxter has been designated Official Artist for some of the most prestigious sporting events in the world including The Ryder Cup, The Open Championship, The PGA Championship, Wimbledon Tennis and The Triple Crowns of both American Pharoah and Justify.
In 2015, Bob and Jill Baffert commissioned Baxter to paint two portraits of American Pharoah, and the Bafferts have again honored him in 2018 by commissioning him to create two portraits of Justify for their private collection.
Drivers of electric vehicles in Louisville have yet another place to “fill up” their batteries with the installation of a new public charging station at Seneca Park through Louisville Gas and Electric Company’s EV Charging Station Program.
Seneca Park was chosen using data collected by Drive Clean Louisville, a Metro Government initiative that promotes the benefits of alternative fuel vehicles. A survey asked the public to identify places in Louisville in need of vehicle chargers, and Seneca Park was among the top spots named.
LG&E is locating this and other stations around the Louisville area through its EV Charging Station Program to meet the growing demand for accessible, convenient charging facilities as more motorists embrace electric vehicles.
Taking a data-driven approach to selecting the Seneca Park site aligns with one of Mayor Greg Fischer’s goals for the city.
“It just makes sense to ask the people who drive electric vehicles to tell us where they need these chargers to be,” said Mayor Fischer. “It’s a bottom-up, data-driven approach that gives the community a say in the conversation as we work to make Louisville more sustainable.”
Located on Rock Creek Drive near the restrooms and tennis courts, the Seneca Park charging station will be available to the public for an hourly fee during normal park hours. The station is equipped with convenient quick-pay options and safety features, including charging plugs that lock in place when not in use.
“It’s exciting to help answer the community’s call and assist Metro Louisville in bringing its survey results to life,” said Beth McFarland, vice president of Customer Services for LG&E and Kentucky Utilities Company. “Installing a public EV charging station at Seneca Park aligns well with the intent of our program, and its design encourages the use of public spaces like widely popular community parks.” Seve Ghose, director of Louisville Parks and Recreation, said he hopes this is the start of a long partnership with LG&E to provide electric-vehicle chargers throughout the community.
“Louisville Parks and Recreation fully supports environmentally conscious ventures such as this,” Ghose said. “And what better place than a park to situate them? Thank you, LG&E.”
Drive Clean Louisville is being spearheaded by the Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District, which has long been a proponent of alternative-fuel transportation as a way help improve local air quality.
According to Michelle King, APCD Director of Program Planning, the Drive Clean Louisville team is a collaborative effort to find resources and develop policies that promote cleaner transportation options across the city.
“From gathering community input on electric vehicle charging infrastructure to sharing those learnings with partners like LG&E, our goal is to serve as a hub for ideas, information, and opportunities that will allow our city to continue fostering vibrant economic activity while at the same time supporting clean air for all,” King said. Through LG&E and KU’s EV Charging Station Program, which was approved in 2016 by the Kentucky Public Service Commission, the utilities host nine additional publicly-accessible charging stations. Customers also can host vehicle charging stations at their locations for public and private use through the program. The utilities continue to evaluate potential locations for additional public charging stations across their service territories.
For more on LG&E’s EV charger network, go here.
To find out more about Drive Clean Louisville, go here.
A new fall tradition will begin on Monday, October 29, as area residents will be able to enjoy use of the Scenic Loop in Cherokee Park car-free and also attend the first-ever Hayride on the Hill, located at Baringer Hill from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. that day.
“We’re looking forward to our inaugural Hayride on the Hill event and are thrilled to welcome the community to one of Louisville’s most cherished Frederick Law Olmsted Parks,” said Layla George, President and CEO of Olmsted Parks Conservancy. “This is a wonderful time of year and we can’t wait to celebrate Halloween with free family fun.”
“Hayride on the Hill is going to be a fun event for the whole family, and I can’t think of a more beautiful backdrop for it than the vivid fall colors in Cherokee Park,” said Seve Ghose, Director of Louisville Parks and Recreation. “You can hop on the hayride at Baringer Hill, or ride your bike or stroll through the park all day without worrying about vehicle traffic. It’s going to be a great day.”
The Scenic Loop and various access points to it will be closed to vehicle traffic beginning at 9 a.m. on Monday, October 29, and will reopen at 9 p.m. that same day. Access to Cherokee Golf Course will still be available via Alexander Road. Meanwhile, at Baringer Hill, the Hayride on the Hill event will include food, beverage and beer vending; free hayrides around the Scenic Loop; live music, face painting and member treat bags provided by Olmsted Parks Conservancy.
Rainbow Blossom is sponsoring this free family event, and The Comfy Cow and ValuMarket are the food and beverage vendors. “We appreciate Rainbow Blossom’s generous event sponsorship and continued support of Olmsted Parks Conservancy,” George said.
See the attached map for the event layout and to locate which entrances to the Scenic Loop will be closed to vehicle access on Monday, October 29.
The North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) returns to the Kentucky Exposition Center. The annual event takes place over 17 days starting on October 30th, at 9 AM with the North American Quarter Horse Show.
The show features 10 species (and countless breeds) of livestock from all over the continent, as well as youth skills competitions and educational programs, and the North American Marketplace. The show also features many other exhibition events, including cowboy mounted shooting, where spectators can watch participants hit targets using a single action revolver while riding a horse through an obstacle course, draft horse shows, and the NAILE Wool Show. A full schedule of events can be found here.
While admission to the market place is free, admission to the rest of the event is $6 per person and does not include parking ($10) at the Kentucky Exhibition Center.
Credit: Louisville Metro Police
Little ghosts and goblins will soon be out and about and they can get an early start on trick or treating when Family Fright Night gets underway on Sunday, October 28th.
Council members Barbara Sexton Smith (D-4) and Cheri Bryant Hamilton (D-5) will join with officers of the Louisville Metro Police’s First Division for a fun night in a special Haunted House.
“This is a great event for the entire family and it’s free,” says Sexton Smith. “This is a great way to have safe Halloween fun and get to know the officers who help keep us safe year round.”
The First Division’s Family Fright Night will feature a haunted house, trick or treating, live music and is designed for children 13 and younger.
“We want to make sure everyone has a good time and stays safe during this particular holiday,” says Hamilton. “I want to encourage everyone to come out and join us.”
The event will be held at the LMPD First Division Headquarters at 416, North 29th Street from 4:00pm until 7:00pm.
