Saturday December 6, 2025
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Louder Than Life kicked off its three day run yesterday as the final festival in the Danny Wimmer Presents Tri-Festa concert series.  Heavy metal fans were treated to the performances of Motionless in White, A Day To Remember, Phil Anselmo and the Illegals, Gwar, and many more. The night ended with headliner performances given by Staind and Slipknot. Saturday’s event will feature, among many others: Suicidal Tendencies, Stone Temple Pilots, Dropkick Murphys, Ice Cube, Godsmack and the night ends with a Guns N’ Roses performance scheduled for three full hours.

This weekend will also feature local bands with Oldham County’s Knocked Loose at 6:40 today and Louisville’s own White Reaper on the Oak Stage tomorrow at 2:25PM. The final day includes performances by Sum41, Three Days Grace, In This Moment, Breaking Benjamin, Marylin Manson, Rob Zombie and Disturbed.

Weather this weekend is clear but hot. If working your way into the throngs of crowd surfing, mosh-pitting people doesn’t appeal to you, there is plenty of space allocated for blankets and chairs to enjoy some personal space with your music. The festival likewise features the food, bourbon and beer selection seen at the previous Tri-Festa events, Bourbon & Beyond and Hometown Rising, including some band collaborations, such as Blackened, a whisky that was made in collaboration between master distiller Dave Pickerell and Metallica or their Enter Night beer from Stone Brewing. New to Louder Than Life, there is a stand featuring a whiskey by Slipknot – No. 9 Iowa Whiskey. If you walk around with a keen eye, you may even find a hidden speakeasy with an air conditioned area with a drink menu featuring Angel’s Envy.

The event is held at the Highland Festival Grounds, located within the Kentucky Exposition Center.  While parking is $20 per vehicle, which is the same as the parking at the Champions Park, all of the parking is on pavement and the traffic management to exit is much smoother than previous year’s venues. Free shuttles are available which will take attendees from the parking lot to the festival entrance.

Tickets are still available for today and tomorrow, pricing starts at $95. Attendees are encouraged to read what can and cannot be brought into the festival grounds (there are strict rules on bag sizes and types).  Chairs and blankets are permitted, but only in designated areas. Since it is so hot, attendees are encouraged to bring a factory sealed water bottle (less than 20oz) into the festival or an empty reusable water bottle of any size. The Louisville Water Company provides water stations to fill and refill your bottles on site.  Continue reading

Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell is adding to his senior leadership team with the retirement of the office’s First Assistant, Matthew Golden, on October 1. Eric Graninger replaces Golden in the office’s highest appointed position.

Graninger has been an Assistant County Attorney since 2009 and his primary practice was in the office’s Employment and Labor section. Most recently he served as Civil Division Director, responsible for overseeing the office’s duties as the legal representative for all of Louisville Metro Government. He spent 18 years with the national office of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), where he rose to be their general counsel, prior to joining the County Attorney’s office.

“There is no one that I know more worthy than Eric Graninger to take on this critical role,” O’Connell said. “Matt and Eric have worked closely over the past years and have been working toward a smooth transition to best serve the people of Jefferson County.”

Earlier in his career, Graninger served as a staff attorney for the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, as a law clerk to the late Judge Hugh Dillin of the Federal District Court, and was Editor in Chief of his law review at Indiana University in Indianapolis.

In a corresponding move, Sarah Martin has been promoted to Civil Division Director as Graninger assumes the role of First Assistant. Martin became an Assistant County Attorney in 2008 and has served as the office’s lead lawyer for matters related to the Metro Council since 2016. Her previous service with the office includes leadership roles with the Louisville Metro Human Relations Commission, the Jefferson County Board of Elections and as a trial court prosecutor. Martin served in private practice prior to becoming an Assistant County Attorney and is a graduate of the University of Louisville’s Brandeis School of Law and Miami of Ohio University.

Martin joins Ingrid Geiser (Criminal Division Director) and Diane Fleming (Child Support Division Director) in leading the office’s three respective divisions. Both Geiser and Fleming have more than 20 years’ experience each as lawyers for the Commonwealth. LeeAnn Swanson serves as the office’s Chief Financial Officer.

Josh Abner has been named Executive Administrator. Abner, the office’s Communications Director since 2016, will retain his role as the office’s public information officer and take on additional duties as an adviser in policy development and intergovernmental relations.

“These are challenging times as we face uncertain state and local budgets but we must stay true to our duties to represent the Commonwealth of Kentucky and Louisville Metro Government,” O’Connell said. “I am confident that we have the right team in place to continue to do the next right thing on behalf of people in Jefferson County. I thank Matt Golden for his immeasurable contributions to this office and to our community.”

Golden leaves the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office after first starting as an entry-level law clerk in 1995. He held nearly every role possible during his time with the office, serving as a trial court prosecutor, a DUI prosecutor, head of vice prosecution, civil litigation defense attorney, Tax Director, Civil Division Director and Second Assistant. He rose to the top position earlier this year following the death of his mentor Julie Hardesty, the office’s longtime First Assistant who had held the role since 2001. Golden moves into private practice as a partner with Daniels Associates LLP.

The Jefferson County Attorney’s Office is one of the largest legal offices in the Commonwealth of Kentucky with more than 330 employees, including approximately 130 attorneys.

Photo: Louisville Metro Council

This Saturday, President David James (D-6) will pay tribute to the community work of the Reverend Fred Johnson by unveiling an Honorary Street sign in his name.

“Reverend Johnson continues to be an example to all of us because of his caring spirit for all, including young people of our community,” said President James. “We honor his caring spirit with this sign and our thanks for all his dedication and hard work.”

President James will join family and friends on Saturday, September 28th at the Southwest corner of 7th Street and Algonquin Parkway to unveil an honorary street sign marking “Reverend Fred Johnson Way.”

Reverend Johnson has been an ordained minister in Louisville since 1986. He has played an active role in Louisville Metro particularly as a board member of the NAACP Interdenominational Ministerial Coalition in which he worked alongside other pastors and assisted to encourage, engage, and empower others.

He is a member of the Southwest YMCA. He has worked with the youth sports program as the boys’ basketball coach in which young individuals have an opportunity to be mentored, encouraged, inspired, as well as increase their spiritual growth.

Reverend Johnson is the Co-Founder of the Black Firefighter Association of Louisville and his foresight built a strong following among professional black firefighters by providing current and relevant news to them which promoted meaningful discussions and potential solutions to professional and personal issues and addressed social and health awareness.

The Metro Council unanimously approved the Resolution honoring Reverend Johnson and calling for the street sign in August of this year.

Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services (RCS) is offering pre-registration for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Subsidy Component. The pre-registration will begin on Wednesday, October 2, and end on Thursday, October 31.

Pre-registration is for Jefferson County residents who are elderly (60 years or older) or disabled and receive a fixed income (Social Security, SSI, pension or Black Lung benefits).

This pre-registration phase is for the LIHEAP Subsidy Program, meaning eligible residents can apply regardless of the status of their utility bills. Applicants must provide the following documentation:

  • Proof of all household income for the preceding month (Food Stamp award letter, Social Security Award letter, pay stubs, etc. or proof of $0 income). Note: Zero Income forms are available at the Resilience and Community Services office at 701 W. Ormsby Ave., Suite 201 as well as the six LIHEAP locations listed below or by clicking here.
  • Proof of Social Security Number or Permanent Residence card (Green Card) for each member of the household.
  • Most current heating bill; or statement from your landlord if heating expenses are included in your rent; or statement from your utility company if you participate in a pre-pay electric program. Please bring the account number and name on the account for all heating fuel sources and electric.

Eligible residents who wish to apply during LHEAP Early Registration must schedule an appointment in advance. Starting today, Sept. 25, the toll-free automated appointment system is available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

The caller can follow the prompts to get the information needed and/or to schedule an appointment if available.  The system provides a confirmation number indicating that an appointment was successfully scheduled.

Scheduling an appointment by phone: Call 502-991-8391.

  • Choose the desired location for your appointment (the six LIHEAP office locations are listed below.)
  • Choose a date/time for your appointment
  • Record your name – say and spell your first and last names slowly and clearly
  • Enter a contact phone number
  • Enter your 12-digit LGE account number (if applicable)
  • Enter the last four digits of your Social Security number and date of birth
  • Receive your appointment confirmation number (have pen/paper ready)
  • Appointment details (location, date and time) will be repeated
  • List of documents to bring to the appointment will be given

Scheduling an Appointment On-line: Appointments can also be made quickly and easily online at louisvilleky.cascheduler.com.

LIHEAP applications will be completed at the time of the appointment at one of the six locations listed below.

  • Neighborhood Place Ujima/Duvalle Education Center, 3610 Bohne Ave., 40211
  • Neighborhood Place/Bridges of Hope, 1411 Algonquin Pkwy., 40210
  • Northwest Neighborhood Place/Academy at Shawnee, 4018 W Market St., 40212
  • South Central Neighborhood Place, 4255 Hazelwood Ave., 40215
  • Newburg Community Center/East, 4810 Exeter Ave, 40218
  • Southwest Government Center/Dixie Highway location. 7219 Dixie Highway, 40258

Benefits provided by this program are paid directly to the applicant’s heating vendor.  Benefits for this program will not be applied until on or after Nov. 4, 2019.

For more information about this process on how to apply for LIHEAP pre-registration, please contact Metro311 by simply dialing 311 or 574-5000, email metro.call@louisvilleky.gov, visit the website’s On Line Customer Service or Live Chat at https://louisvilleky.gov/government/metro311, tweet @LouMetro311, or download the free Mobile 311 app from the website.

Income-eligible residents who do not meet the requirements for pre-registration (who are not elderly or disabled and on a fixed income) may still apply for LIHEAP benefits beginning Nov. 4.  Appointments will be taken in advance starting Nov. 1 utilizing the phone and on-line appointment system. Visit louisvilleky.gov and search for “LIHEAP” or call 502/574-1157 for periodic updates.

Individuals who are unable to apply for this program in person may send a representative on their behalf. Simply provide the representative with the documentation listed above as well as a hand-written note, dated and signed from the applicant, giving them permission to handle their application for services. Residents who are homebound and who are unable to send a representative may call 502/780-7937.

Photo: Louisville Metro Council

Councilman Brandon Coan (D-8) in collaboration with the Urban Design Studio at the University of Louisville has unveiled the prototype installation of the first phase of the Old Cardinal Stadium Seating Bus Stop Project.

The prototype installation is the first phase of 15 bus stop locations along a 2-mile stretch of Bardstown Road with two additional stops on Barrett Avenue.

“I am pleased to announce this project has taken a bit of history from the sports world of our city and repurposed it to become a practical if not colorful way to enhance public transportation,” said Coan. “Those who have fond memories of the Old Cardinal Stadium will now be reminded of those memories when they see people using these seats for a new purpose.”

A group of civic-minded friends salvaged 120 seats from the Old Cardinal Stadium demolition on March 20th. The seats were donated by Complete Demolition Services. Metro Council District 8; Urban Design Studio at UofL; Metro Public Works; and Transit Authority of River City worked with local artist and craftsman shop RockerBuilt to develop the 3-seat prototype.

The intention of the Old Cardinal Stadium Seating Bus Stop Project is to demonstrate the creative reuse of part of our City’s history, that was destined for the landfill, to improve public spaces and public transportation. Councilman Coan and Patrick Piuma, of the Urban Design Studio, reached out to People for Urban Progress (PUP) http://peopleup.org, a non-profit organization out of Indianapolis to learn more. The group had developed a similar project reutilizing stadium seating. Ultimately, this project moved forward when the best practices were learned and the partners figured out a process to repurpose the old stadium seats.

The Phase One goal is to provide additional bus stop seating as well as make it a beautification project.

“We wanted to not only increase capacity of bus stop seating along the corridor, but hopefully elevate the image of public transit and draw attention to a heavily used transit corridor with part of our City’s history,” said Patrick Piuma of the Urban Design Studio.

Once the prototype pilot site has been evaluated, the rest of the phase one seats will be fabricated and sponsorship opportunities will be offered to the public for the 16 other predetermined locations to cover costs.

Here is the location for the next 15 installations located along Bardstown Road:https://louisvilleky.gov/sites/default/files/metro_council/members/8/pdf…

After that, 25 other units will go out across the city. Three-seat segments are $850 each and two-seat segments are $637.50 each.  The remaining seat-units will then be offered to other Metro Council district members.

To learn more about how to sponsor an Old Cardinal Stadium Seating Bus Stop, contact Councilman Coan at: 574-1108.

“Canoemobile” Back For 8th Year

Photo: Kentucky Department Fish and Wildlife

The Canoemobile is coming back to Shawnee and Riverview Parks on Oct. 4-5 for its eighth year on the banks of the Ohio River.

The Canoemobile allows residents ages three and older to take guided trips in 24-foot canoes on the Ohio River. Canoe trips are free. Participants under the age of 18 must have a waiver signed by a parent or legal guardian in order to participate. No advance sign-ups are required, wavers can be signed on-site or brought with the participants.

This free event is designed for individuals and families who are new to canoeing to experience the water in safe and stable voyageur canoes which hold 10 to 15 people.

All safety equipment and trained staff are provided. Wear comfortable outdoor clothing that can get wet; no flip flops please.

All safety equipment and trained staff are provided by Wilderness Inquiry.

Complimentary t-shirts will be given to those who participate, while supplies last. For more information, call (502) 368-6856.

 

Waivers for Participation:

SCHEDULE:

Friday, October 4, 2019
10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Shawnee Park
4501 West Broadway

Saturday, October 5, 2019
10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Riverview Park
8202 Greenwood Road

Louisville’s homeless population will have an opportunity to access services, information and assistance in a one-stop environment at the 2019 Project Homeless Connect/VA Stand Down, on Wed., Oct. 2. Resources available at the event will include food, clothing, medical evaluations, help with employment, education and benefit services, State ID’s, and many other forms of assistance.

The event takes place from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. (entry doors will close at 1 p.m.) at The Salvation Army (Old Male High School) campus located at 911 S. Brook St. in Louisville. Several TARC buses will provide access throughout the day from emergency shelters to the event site at no cost courtesy of TARC. The event is coordinated by the Robley Rex Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC), Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services, Coalition for the Homeless and other community partners including The Salvation Army.

The Project Homeless Connect/VA Stand Down (PHC/Stand Down) is an annual one-day community outreach project where representatives from community service organizations come together to address the collective needs of the homeless during a single visit. This event is made possible by the work of hundreds of volunteers and resources from the Robley Rex VAMC, Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs, Louisville Metro Government, Coalition for the Homeless, and Louisville Metro Council.

The latest numbers from the 2018 Homeless Census indicate 6986 individuals were homeless at some point in Louisville last year — either on the streets, in homeless shelters or accessing services through Louisville’s homeless service providers. A variety of factors can lead to homelessness and often these individuals may be victims of domestic violence, disabled, veterans or senior citizens.

At last year’s event more than 400 persons participated receiving a variety of individual services including State of KY ID cards, flu shots and other medical exams and services, housing linkages, mainstream benefit access (SSI/SSDI), clothing, food and general case management services. The “Stand Down” event, named for the military concept of renewal, personal care, etc., is replicated from a national service delivery model that has proven to be crucial in eliminating barriers to housing, employment, education and the myriad of other factors that contribute to long-term homelessness.

“This is a vital event for our community because it allows our service providers to connect much-needed resources to our homeless residents,” stated Eric Friedlander, director of the city’s Office of Resilience and Community Services.  “It also allows us a great opportunity to measure the needs of our homeless population so that we can come together to be more responsive”.

Offered again this year will be a foot-washing service provided by community volunteers and the Coalition for the Homeless. Many individuals experiencing homelessness have issues with their feet due to diabetes, frostbite and other exposure issues. Every participant at Project Homeless Connect/Stand Down will be invited to soak their feet and have them examined by medical volunteers.

For more information about the Homeless Connect event contact:

  • Coletta Brown – Louisville VAMC Homeless Supervisory Coordinator at 502-287-4176
  • Ethan Lambert – Louisville Metro Resilience and Community Services at 502-574-5375
  • Natalie Harris – Coalition for the Homeless at 502-636-9550
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