Sunday November 9, 2025
Local Connection
Weather
Traffic
@LouisvilleDispatch
@LouisvilleDisp
Subscribe
The Worksite Wellness Council of Louisville, a Mayor’s Healthy Hometown Movement partner, is encouraging Louisville businesses with worksite wellness programs to apply for the 2018 Worksite Wellness Awards.
The Mayor’s Healthy Hometown Movement has been recognizing businesses committed to fostering employee health and wellness for 10 years. The awards are based on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Worksite Health ScoreCard criteria, in recognition of policies, programs and strategies proven to work. Four levels of winners will be awarded based on ScoreCard results: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. In addition, several “Fleur de Lis” awards will be presented to honor businesses with exemplary or unique worksite wellness programs or initiatives.
“We want to honor businesses that have implemented policies and practices that foster healthy, productive employees, and we encourage them to apply for the awards,” said Allison Ledford, board of director’s president for the Worksite Wellness Council of Louisville.
Winners will be announced on May 17 at the Worksite Wellness Council of Louisville’s Annual Conference to be held at Gheens Foundation Lodge at Beckley Creek Park in the beautiful Parklands of Floyds Fork. For conference registration, sponsorship or vendor information, or to apply for an award, visit https://www.louisvilleworksitewellness.org/2018-conference. The annual conference and awards are sponsored by Norton Healthcare, Humana, Anthem, Musselman Hotels and the Louisville chapter of the Society of Human Resource Managers.
The Worksite Wellness Council of Louisville assists area employers to establish and improve worksite wellness through workshops and conversations on a variety of wellness topics throughout the year, as well as an annual conference. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), worksite wellness programs enhance worker productivity, reduce absences, reduce health care costs and help to shift the health care paradigm from treatment to prevention.
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
President David James (D-6) is moving forward with developing a new neighborhood plan for the California/Victory Park community and is asking the people of area to participate in a process that will maintain the area’s culture, history and community goals.
“The California neighborhood was first created back in the mid 1800’s and as you can imagine there have been significant changes over the years. The last time the neighborhood saw a finalized plan of action was more than 30 years ago. Now, I am asking the residents and businesses in the area to have a say as to where we go from here,” said James.
The current plan was finalized in 1982. It covers an area consisting of Broadway to the north, Oak Street to the south, 9th Street to the east and 26th Street to the west.
This new planning process will be managed by Louisville Forward’s Office of Advanced Planning and a team of local planning and neighborhood advocacy consultants with a history of working in the neighborhood. But before any plan can be fashioned, there must be comments from those the plan will serve.
“If you have lived here all your life or just moved into the neighborhood, we want to hear from you. I want to hear from everyone, both homeowners and businesses leaders, young and old,” said President James.
The process, which is anticipated to take 9-12 months to complete, will begin with an inclusive, community engagement process. During this initial phase, the team of consultants will spend two to three months actively canvasing the neighborhood, encouraging community participation in the planning process.
The finished plan will focus on maintain the community’s strengths of culture and heritage and how can neighborhood health, economic opportunity and environmental resilience be improved.
Neighborhood plans provide a means to identify, preserve and build on the positive qualities of the neighborhood and set goals and priorities that will shape the future of the area in the years to come. Other benefits of a neighborhood plan include adoption into metro government; a plan can guide future development, encourage public-private partnerships, and provide the opportunity to leverage dedicated funding.
“So I want to encourage everyone to get involved. The goal is to help the California/Victory Park maintain its uniqueness while look towards the needs of the future,” says James. “We need your thoughts and ideas and together we can continue to make this area one of the best in Metro Louisville.”
On March 27, the Jefferson County Board of Education approved two major initiatives led by Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio that will strengthen support to students and schools: create a centralized location for the Newcomer Academy and implement the phase-one reorganization of the district’s central office.
“Both of these initiatives build on the day-one priorities I announced as acting superintendent: strengthening culture and climate, boosting student learning and improving organizational coherence,” Dr. Pollio said. “These are innovative, needed changes in our district that will continue to move JCPS forward and allow us to support students and schools more efficiently and effectively.”
Newcomer students are currently served at four different locations (Academy @ Shawnee, Phoenix School of Discovery, Iroquois High School and Gheens Academy). For the 2018-19 school year, a consolidated Newcomer Academy will open at the current Phoenix School of Discovery building on Pulliam Drive. Phoenix will move to the Jaeger Education Center on Wood Road.
“When I was named acting superintendent, I made it clear that a centralized school for Newcomer students and teachers would be a priority for the 2018-19 school year,” Dr. Pollio said. “For far too long, our district has served our growing population of Newcomer students at four separate locations. Tonight’s vote will improve services for students and is a continued investment in and commitment to our English language learners.”
The facilities changes approved tonight are in addition to those approved at the Feb. 27 board meeting, which combined the district’s two Teenage Parent Programs (TAPPs) and created an early childhood education center and a temporary home for the new W.E.B. DuBois Academy.
“This facilities plan is the result of months of planning as well as parent, teacher and community input—providing us with the opportunity to present our board with the best possible plan for students,” Dr. Pollio said.
Central office reorganization provides strengthened support to schools
In January 2018, Dr. Pollio sought recommendations from the Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS) on how the district’s central office structure could better support schools and reflect those of “best-practice” urban districts. The full report completed by the CGCS is available on the district’s website here.
The CGCS report provides a framework that led to the first phase of central office reorganization recommendations, which were approved tonight by the school board. The changes provide a better balance to the district’s central office and deliver resources to students and schools in a more effective and efficient way.
“I believe these initial changes in the cost-neutral reorganization will help bring about organizational coherence, better support our schools and increase student achievement,” Dr. Pollio said.
Recommendations include:
- Adding a general counsel, chief of staff, chief human resources officer and chief of schools position.
- Eliminating achievement area superintendent positions. Assistant superintendents will report to the chief of schools and be reorganized by each grade level.
- Three elementary assistant superintendents serving schools divided into zones (one through three)
- One assistant superintendent for middle schools
- One assistant superintendent for high schools
- Assistant superintendents will report to the chief of schools.
- There will be an assistant superintendent of climate and culture.
- Eliminating evaluation transition coordinator (ETC) positions and providing assistant superintendents with executive administrator positions.
- Athletics will report to the chief of schools.
- All chief positions will be the same grade.
The plan is cost neutral by eliminating the chief business officer position and other vacant positions throughout central office. Additional recommendations will be brought to the board at future meetings.
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
Councilman Brandon Coan (D-8) will host the last in a series of meetings for public discussion on the proposed Highlands Management District on Monday, April 2nd.
“We have had very good turnout and discussions about the proposed business improvement district for the Highlands. I want to make sure everyone has an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about what is being proposed as we move forward,” says Coan.
The last meeting will be held at the Douglass Community Center Gymnasium beginning at 6:00pm. The Community center is located at 2305 Douglass Blvd.
Councilman Coan believes the proposal to establish a Highlands Management District is a transformational opportunity to make Bardstown Road and Baxter Avenue safer and cleaner, and to ensure the economic vitality and sustainability of District 8’s – and Louisville’s – premier commercial corridor.
To learn more about the proposal go to: https://louisvilleky.gov/government/metro-council-district-8/highlands-m…
For more information about the meeting, contact Councilman Coan’s office at 574-1108.
It’s become a signature of the Derby Festival and a sign of spring in Louisville – the Festival’s official uniform jacket. In chameleon like form, the design of the jacket has changed through the years after first being introduced in 1973. Festival fans will see the newest rendition this spring, after it was officially unveiled tonight on the runway at the Festival’s annual Spring Fashion show. The jackets still feature the Festival’s Pegasus icon, while the former color scheme of khaki and black has been updated to a fuchsia and Caribbean blue.
“This time we’re returning to a bolder spring color palette and it’s sure to brighten your day,” said Mike Berry, Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO. “It’s definitely one that will stand out, but still remains steeped in tradition.”
The Festival solicited the help of stylist André Wilson of Louisville-based Style Icon to design the new jackets. Meetings with the Festival started last fall, which lead to pencil sketches, choosing the colors and then creating a digital artist rendering. Wilson’s goal was to make it different, but stay within the brand, as well as have a versatile and iconic piece.
“I don’t like fashion that can’t be worn with everything else,” said Wilson. “I wanted to pick a color that would go with different colors and it had to stand out. Bright colors always work at Derby time.”
The jackets were manufactured and tailored in New York and St. Matthews. Derby Festival staff and board members wear jackets of the same style and color; current and past Festival chairs are distinguished by wearing jackets in a different design.
The Derby Festival’s official jackets made their debut in 1973. They were burgundy in color in their first incarnation, with pocket crests attached by military clasps. In 1976, a new jacket was unveiled: it was navy in color with gold Pegasus icons. A dozen years later the color scheme was again changed, this time to a teal color with pink Pegasus icons, and then again in 2006 to khaki and black colors.
Thousands of volunteers will join together on Saturday, April 14 for the Brightside & Passport Health Plan Spring Community-Wide Cleanup to pick up litter and beautify sites across Louisville.
Youth organizations, neighborhood associations, businesses, elementary school classrooms, faith groups, families and more will be participating in the event, which serves as the kick off to Mayor Fischer’s Give A Day Week of Service, April 14-22. Last year, 17,500 volunteers participated in the Spring Cleanup. This year, a goal has been set of 20,000 volunteers cleaning every corner of our city.
“Banding together to clean our streets is a terrific example of an active and compassionate community,” Mayor Greg Fischer said. “We can all improve our quality of life and health of our neighborhood with a simple investment of time to pick up trash. Let’s all use the arrival of warmer weather to get outside, work with our neighbors and clean up our streets.”
To participate, volunteers choose cleanup sites and coordinate with Brightside to receive gloves, bags, and for the first 5,000 volunteers, t-shirts. Trash pick-up is coordinated with Louisville Metro Solid Waste Management Services. The cleanup is sponsored by Passport Health Plan. Additional sponsors include Heaven Hill, Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation and Kentucky Pride Fund.
“We are proud to continue as the title sponsor of the Brightside & Passport Health Plan Spring Community-Wide Cleanup,” said Mark B. Carter, CEO of Passport Health Plan. “We know that a healthy community includes a clean and vibrant environment where people can thrive. We’re pleased to partner with Brightside and the many volunteers across various neighborhoods to improve the overall health and quality of life of all our residents.”
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 14 Brightside & Passport Health Plan Community-Wide Cleanup is open. Visit the Brightside website at www.brightsideinc.org to complete the registration form or call (502) 574-2613 to register your team. Groups of any age, size or neighborhood are encouraged to participate.
Photo: AT&T Kentucky
AT&T is continuing efforts to drive economic development and investment in Kentucky. AT&T and local officials today announced that the Louisville & Jefferson County Riverport Authority, more commonly known as Riverport Industrial Park, has been designated AT&T Fiber Ready.
The AT&T Fiber Ready designation helps economic development leaders more effectively position their communities for site selection by emphasizing the availability of high-speed, fiber-based services.
In today’s world, connectivity is vital to new employers and businesses of every type.
“It is always encouraging when the business community comes alongside local leadership and provides a resource like this designation to highlight what our community brings to the table, when companies are making the important decisions on where they have the best chance to succeed,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “Our community has many wonderful aspects to attract businesses looking to locate or move, and having the ‘Fiber Ready’ designation is a key tool in the toolbox to emphasize that we are ready to face the challenges of a modern economy.”
“The AT&T Fiber Ready designation provides a clear stamp to tell the business community that we have the fiber-optic infrastructure in place to meet the needs of businesses,” said Kent Oyler, president & CEO, Greater Louisville Inc. “I am grateful for the leadership of our elected officials here in the city and in our state legislature who have created a more positive, pro-investment environment in the Commonwealth.”
AT&T has been deploying high-speed, fiber-optic infrastructure across Kentucky for years, totaling nearly 980,000 strand miles of fiber-optics to date, and the AT&T Fiber Ready designation is a tool for economic development leaders to highlight the assets available in their facilities.
“For years, AT&T has invested in Kentucky to deliver high-speed Internet in urban and rural areas all across the Commonwealth using the latest wired and wireless technologies, and this announcement offers an opportunity to highlight AT&T’s fiber infrastructure in the Riverport Industrial Park – infrastructure that is helping local businesses drive job creation,” said Hood Harris, president, AT&T Kentucky. “AT&T Kentucky’s employees are working hard every day to deploy our fiber-based network that delivers the high-speed Internet access that Kentuckians want and need, and the fiber optic connectivity that is available in the Riverport Industrial Park is in place to meet the communications needs of businesses of all sizes.”
