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Credit: Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives – Kentucky Public Libraries
The Kentucky Talking Book Library (KTBL) received the James Carl Dotson award for providing long-standing service to blind and visually impaired Kentuckians during the Kentucky Council of the Blind’s recent 2017 convention in Louisville.
KTBL provides free library service to people who are unable to read traditional print due to a visual or physical disability. Braille and/or digital audio books are delivered by mail, downloaded from the Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) website, or accessed via the BARD Mobile app for smartphone or tablet. A special digital talking book player is provided on loan as part of the service.
The award was presented Nov. 18 to KTBL Branch Manager Barbara Penegor on behalf of KTBL for providing access to literacy, information, recreation and community to blind and visually impaired patrons.
“I think I speak for my entire staff when I say we all enjoy our jobs because what we do means so much to our patrons. Not a day goes by when we don’t hear someone tell us they don’t know what they would do without their talking books or Braille books. We hear many touching stories from family members after patron passes on how much this service meant to them. It is like icing on the cake to be publically thanked for our work and to know that the community at-large recognizes and appreciates us,” said Penegor.
Dotson was a 1943 graduate of the Kentucky School for the Blind (KSB) who worked tirelessly for the Kentucky Council of the Blind. He also served as scoutmaster at KSB, actively supported the KSB alumni, and served the Louisville community as a Shriner and master of his Masonic Lodge.
KTBL is a branch within the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA) in Frankfort that began operating in 1968. It is part of a nationwide network of similar libraries administered by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, a branch of the Library of Congress that began in 1931.
The Kentucky Council of the Blind is a nonprofit organization composed of members who are blind, visually impaired, or are sighted volunteers dedicated to helping others with low vision lead fuller, more independent lives. It is the state affiliate of the American Council of the Blind, whose mission is to increase the independence, security, equality of opportunity, and quality of life, for all blind and visually impaired people.
For more information or to apply for service, contact the KTBL at 1-800-372-2968 or 1-502-564-5791 or email KTBL.Mail@ky.gov.
For the second year, the Kentucky Department of Revenue (DOR) is collaborating with the Internal Revenue Service, other state tax agencies, and the tax industry in bringing awareness to National Tax Security Awareness Week to encourage both individual and business taxpayers to take additional steps to protect their tax data and identities in advance of the 2018 filing season.
Starting Monday, Nov. 27, National Tax Security Awareness Week will focus daily on one issue that poses a threat to individuals and businesses and offer steps they may take to better protect themselves from cybercriminals.
Federal and state agencies, partners in the Security Summit, have enacted a series of defenses in recent years that have made significant inroads into tax-related identity theft. While Summit partners continue to improve defenses, they also recognize that they need help from taxpayers, tax preparers and businesses to continue progress against identity theft.
“We feel this awareness campaign is extremely important and hope all Kentucky taxpayers will follow the suggested security measures to ensure their important documents remain protected from potential fraudsters,” said Daniel Bork, Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Revenue.
Summit partners and other consumer, business and community groups will be hosting a series of events across the country to raise awareness during National Tax Security Awareness Week. This is especially timely as the holiday season brings out not only online shoppers but online thieves seeking to trick people into disclosing sensitive information that could be used to help file fraudulent tax returns.
The week also comes amid continuing disclosures that more than 145 million Americans have had their names, addresses and Social Security numbers stolen from a variety of places. No one yet knows how cybercriminals will use this data or try to monetize it.
The IRS and states have put many new defenses in place to help protect taxpayers from identity theft. The new IRS protections have worked well with some key indicators of identity theft on tax returns having dropped by nearly two-thirds since 2015.
These protections are especially helpful if criminals only have names, addresses and SSNs – which was the information stolen in recent incidents. However, there are continuing concerns that cybercriminals will try to build on this basic information by trying to obtain more specific financial details from taxpayers and tax professionals to help them file fraudulent tax returns.
During the upcoming 2018 filing season, the IRS urges tax professionals, businesses and others to join with the Security Summit partners in sharing the security information through organizations, customers and partners.
During National Tax Security Awareness Week, people will learn about the basic steps necessary to protect themselves and their tax data online, such as using security software, strong passwords and data encryption. They will learn what steps they should take if they are a data breach victim, such as placing a freeze on their credit accounts and the signs of tax-related identity theft.
They will learn how cybercriminals use phishing emails to bait them into disclosing information. Employers will be warned about the dangerous W-2 Scam that has made identity theft victims of thousands of employees. Finally, Summit partners will remind small businesses that they too are subject to identity theft and should take steps to protect themselves.
There are three key steps Summit partners urge people to take to protect their tax and financial information:
Learn to recognize and avoid phishing emails, threatening phone calls and texts from thieves posing as legitimate organizations such as your bank, credit card company and government organizations, including the IRS. Do not click on links or download attachments from unknown or suspicious emails.
Always use security software with firewall and anti-virus protections. Make sure the security software is always turned on and can automatically update. Encrypt sensitive files such as tax records you store on your computer. Use strong passwords.
Protect your personal data. Use strong unique passwords for each online account. Don’t routinely carry your Social Security card, and make sure your tax records are secure. Treat your personal information like you do your cash; don’t leave it lying around.
The IRS, state tax agencies and the tax industry came together in 2015 to join forces in their fight against tax-related identity theft. Learn more about their efforts and their progress at Security Summit on IRS.gov.
Increasing public awareness about people’s role in protecting their own data is a critical part of the Security Summit efforts. Partners launched the “Taxes. Security. Together” awareness campaign in the fall of 2015.
The partners followed up with “Protect Your Clients; Protect Yourself” campaign aimed at tax professionals. Partners also held a 10-week “Don’t Take the Bait” awareness effort, warning tax professionals of the most common data breach scams targeting their offices and taxpayer data.
The 55th Annual National Recreation Vehicle Trade Show returns to Louisville Nov. 27-30 at the Kentucky Exposition Center. This industry-only event draws approximately 8,000 industry professionals and is expected to generate $6.9 million in economic impact.
The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) hosts the event, which is the largest concentration of RV manufacturers, suppliers, dealers and campground managers in the world. More than 300 booths will pack 1.2 million square feet of exhibit space with motorhomes, travel trailers, campers, RV parts and accessories.
The four-day show provides attendees the opportunity to:
- Discover new products and innovations
- Attend training sessions
- Engage with key stakeholders and leaders
- Network with colleagues
This year features new awards:
- the RV Industry Awards
- the RV Industry 40 under 40.
Other new additions include a dealer sales boot camp, top tech challenge, and outdoor lifestyle pavilion.
Today, a record 9 million recreation vehicles travel U.S. roads representing a substantial increase in ownership over the past decade. The RV industry has seen seven consecutive years of growth.
RVIA is the national trade association for RV manufacturers and their component parts suppliers that together build more than 98 percent of all recreational vehicles produced in the United States.
The National RV Trade Show is closed to the public. For more information, visit www.rviashow.org.
Mayor Greg Fischer announced that Louisville has again been ranked a top digital city nationally, placing in the Top 5 in the Center for Digital Government’s Digital Cities Survey.
The annual survey, now in its 17th year, “recognizes cities using technology to improve citizen services, enhance transparency and encourage citizen engagement,” according to the center.
“In this changing world, we have to keep innovating to serve our citizens. Louisville has been a national leader in using technology and data to improve city services and create opportunity, and this recognition is another confirmation of our team’s hard work and innovative spirit,” Mayor Fischer said.
Earlier this year, Louisville ranked second in the Government Experience Awards from the Center for Digital Government for efforts to improve online services and access on the city’s web portal www.louisvilleky.gov.
The city’s Office of Civic Innovation is working to integrate city services with Amazon Echo, working to improve broadband services with companies such as Google Fiber (https://fiber.google.com/cities/louisville/), helping to remove barriers to digital access with the Digital Inclusion Plan (http://digitalinclusion.louisvilleky.gov/) and have deployed services on the IFTTT platform with the Smart Louisville initiative (https://louisvilleky.gov/government/smart-louisville).
“This year’s leading digital cities are leveraging technology to connect disadvantaged citizens with critical information and services, promote citizen inclusion in important government processes and share government data with the public,” said Teri Takai, executive director of the Center for Digital Government. “Thanks to the efforts of these innovative cities, citizens can now meaningfully interact with city government more easily than in any other time in history. Congratulations to the winners!”
This year the survey honors cities in five population classifications. Louisville placed fifth in the 500,000 or more classification:
500,000 or more population category:
1st City of Los Angeles, CA
2nd City of Albuquerque, NM
3rd City of San Diego, CA
4th City of Charlotte, NC / Philadelphia, PA
5th City of Louisville, KY
6th City of Denver, CO /City of Seattle, WA
7th City of Boston, MA / Phoenix, AZ
8th City of Austin, TX / San Jose, CA
9th City of Tucson, AZ
10th City of El Paso, TX
Learn more about the awards (http://www.govtech.com/dc/Digital-Cities-Survey-2017.html), part of e.Republic and get highlights from the winning cities.
Automotive frame manufacturer Metalsa Structural Products Inc. will add 113 jobs at its Owensboro facility with a $36.5 million expansion to produce a new line of stamped and welded components.
“With three production facilities in the commonwealth, Metalsa stands as one of our largest automotive employers,” Gov. Bevin said. “We are grateful for this additional expansion and these new jobs. This will strengthen Kentucky’s economy and further propel us toward our goal of being the American center of engineering and manufacturing excellence. We welcome this growth and congratulate both Metalsa and the Owensboro community on their success.”
The $36.5 million will include investment in robotic welding cells, assembly line robots, infrastructure and building expansions to increase the facility’s square footage to accommodate the new production line and additional warehouse space. The expansion began this summer and hiring is for September 2018 through June 2019. Company leaders expect production to begin in March 2019.
In Kentucky, Metalsa currently employs about 2,700 people at three vehicle-frame facilities. It established the Owensboro facility in 1997, opened its Hopkinsville plant in 1989 and its Elizabethtown plant dates to 1994.
Established in 1956 as Manufacturas Metálicas Monterrey with a plant in Churubusco, Mexico, the company initially produced structures for the construction industry then began manufacturing automotive parts four years later. The company changed its name to Metalsa in 1980. Current products include frames and fuel tanks for light and commercial vehicles, among other items.
Kentucky’s automotive industry — a key sector of the commonwealth’s economy — employs more than 100,000 people at 500-plus facilities across the state. This year through August, the industry announced a dozen new locations or expansions totaling $3.9 billion in investments. Those are expected to create more than 3,100 full-time jobs.
Kentucky’s ideal location as a gateway between the nation’s two auto-production hotbeds offers suppliers the opportunity to produce components in a low-cost, right-to-work state and ship their products quickly and cost-effectively to assembly plants in Kentucky and across the Midwest and South.
Sen. Joe Bowen, of Owensboro, said the announcement will benefit the region for years to come.
“It is a great day when a company that already employs so many Kentuckians chooses to expand its operations in our city,” he said. “I am pleased that Metalsa chose to increase its investment in its Owensboro facility and I thank them for their dedication to our community.”
Rep. Suzanne Miles, of Owensboro, commended Metalsa on its commitment to the region and thanked those involved with landing the project.
“I want to congratulate Metalsa Structural Products on their expansion and thank them for their continued investment in the 7th District,” Rep. Miles said. “This expansion will create jobs for the Owensboro area and bring continued economic development to our region. Metalsa Structural Products has long been a successful corporate and community partner for Owensboro, and I want to applaud all those who made this investment possible.”
Owensboro Mayor Tom Watson said the company’s growth reflects the pro-business climate of the community.
“The City of Owensboro is proud and honored to be the site of Metalsa’s expansion,” Mayor Watson said. “The company’s commitment to Owensboro is a testament to our positive business environment, a highly-skilled workforce and superb quality of life. We look forward to working with this fine corporate citizen for many years to come.”
Daviess County Judge-Executive Al Mattingly welcomed news of the expansion.
“On behalf of the fiscal court and the citizens of Daviess County, I congratulate Metalsa on their expansion,” Judge Mattingly said. “This project will create high-wage jobs, and illustrates the company’s confidence in our workforce and community.”
To encourage the investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) in June preliminarily approved Metalsa for tax incentives up to $3.5 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.
In addition, Metalsa can receive resources from the Kentucky Skills Network. Through the Kentucky Skills Network, companies can receive no-cost recruitment and job placement services, reduced-cost customized training and job training incentives. In fiscal year 2016, the Kentucky Skills Network provided training for nearly 95,000 Kentuckians and 5,000 companies from a variety of industry sectors.
For more information on Metalsa, visit www.metalsa.com.
A detailed community profile for Daviess County can be viewed at http://bit.ly/DaviessCoKy.
Information on Kentucky’s economic development efforts and programs is available at ThinkKentucky.com. Fans of the Cabinet for Economic Development can also join the discussion on Facebook or follow on Twitter. Watch the Cabinet’s “This is My Kentucky” video on YouTube.
With shovels in hand, Mayor Greg Fischer, Library Director Jim Blanton, Councilwoman Marilyn Parker, the Library Foundation, and members of the community officially broke ground today on the new 40,000-square-foot Northeast Regional Library located on Bellevoir Circle off Ormsby Station Road near the Northeast YMCA.
The Northeast Regional Library is similar in size and scope to the recently built Southwest and South Central Regional libraries and is the final of three regional libraries included in the Louisville Free Public Library’s Master Facilities Plan. Replacing the much-smaller Westport branch (located in Westport Middle School), the Northeast Regional Library will enhance service for more than 170,000 people in eastern Jefferson County.
“The Northeast Regional Library will bring resources for education and lifelong learning to a part of Jefferson County in which the demand for the Library’s services has outstripped its resources,” said Mayor Fischer. “And I’m really pleased that when this Library opens, my administration will have fulfilled our commitment under the Library Master Plan to provide a full-service library within five miles of 90 percent of Louisville residents.”
(Learn more about the Northeast Regional Library)
Library patrons in the Northeast service area checked out more than 1 million books and other materials in the last fiscal year —representing nearly 25 percent of the library system’s total annual circulation. And of the 170,000 residents within this service area, 40 percent are active library cardholders. Despite this tremendous use, the northeast region of Jefferson County falls well below state library standards. The new Northeast Regional Library will more than double the area’s square footage per person.
“I am very excited to see the Northeast Regional Library break ground, fulfilling the ambitious library master plan developed by the partnership of Metro Government and the Library Foundation and propelled forward by the state’s $4 million contribution to the project,” said District 18 Councilwoman Marilyn Parker. “This new library will replace one of the most utilized libraries in the system, adding much needed capacity for this area and a host of new amenities with more community meeting space, expanded materials collections, and the latest technology. This project will be complemented by the major improvements being made to the adjacent A.B. Sawyer Park, so families can easily walk between the new library, the YMCA, and the park.”
The state-of-the-art building will feature an expanded collection, including more bestsellers, DVDs, large type, and books for children and teens, and will provide the latest technologies. The design will include comfortable, quiet spaces for reading and studying, several meeting rooms, an auditorium, a large children’s area, and a separate teen space. New to LFPL, the Northeast Regional also will feature an innovative, hands-on “makerspace” with audio/visual lab and demonstration kitchen, plus outdoor teaching and programming space.
“The Northeast Regional Library will be a hub for educational and community engagement and a cultural centerpiece,” said Library Director Blanton. “Its location near the Northeast YMCA, U of L Shelby Campus, 70 independent cities and municipalities, and more than 50 schools will provide convenient access to a vibrant community, eager for improved library services, collaborative events, and robust programming.”
The design team includes JRA Architects of Louisville, Meyer Scherer & Rockcastle Ltd. of Minneapolis, MKSK of Ohio, and staff from the library.
All aspects of the building’s design have been planned to incorporate advanced, eco-friendly technologies and architectural design to save energy, reduce waste, and improve quality of life. In addition, LFPL is committed to preserving the scenic beauty of the site and to minimize environmental impact. The landscape plan will include adding more trees, walking paths, and usable outdoor spaces to take advantage of the site’s park-like setting.
The total price tag for construction, books, computers, and furnishings is estimated at $17.8 million, with $14 million coming from Metro government and the state, and the additional $3.8 million to be raised from private donors through the Library Foundation. To date, the Foundation has raised 60 percent of its goal, including gifts of $500,000 from the City of Lyndon and $200,000 from LG&E/KU. Library Foundation vice-chair Bill Dunbar also announced today a $400,000 challenge grant made by The James Graham Brown Foundation.
“It is because of the support of organizations like the James Graham Brown Foundation, LG&E/KU, and the City of Lyndon, and passionate community members just like you, that we can make more possible at LFPL,” said Dunbar. “I thank you and our community thanks you for helping make the Northeast Regional Library a reality.”
“Bringing a larger, more updated library to East Louisville has been a priority since joining the Metro Council,” said District 17 Councilman Glen Stuckel. “Early on I worked with the LFPL director to find viable sites for a regional library. Although those didn’t turn out to be the final location, my desire to make this idea a reality has never waned. I am excited the time has finally arrived. The educational and recreational resources available through this project will provide outstanding opportunities for residents of all ages.”
Construction of the Northeast Regional Library is to be completed in early 2019.
What other Metro Councilmembers had to say about the new Northeast Regional Library:
“Libraries are an important cornerstone of a healthy community. I am excited for this new edition to the Louisville Free Public Library system in Northeast Louisville. This amazing library will give people the opportunity to find jobs, experience new ideas, get lost in wonderful stories all while providing a sense of place for gathering as a community. I am especially thankful that funding for several different features to be included as part of the Northeast library have come through partnerships with some of the suburban cities in this area.” – Angela Leet, District 7
“Lifelong learning is so important to our community and I am happy to see the third of the three regional libraries break ground. The Northeast Regional Library will serve a huge part of Louisville Metro. I am grateful to everyone for their efforts in making it happen and especially thankful for the work of the Library Foundation, which has done so much to make each of the regional libraries come to pass.” – Bill Hollander, District 9
“As a teacher, I understand how the need for — and use of — free public libraries have evolved. These gems have been supported all across America dating back to a time before the Declaration of Independence. Benjamin Franklin and friends opened the first lending library in Philadelphia in 1731. Modern libraries serve a much more diverse population with services unforeseen just a generation ago. I am very proud of the work done by the Friends of the Library, and am really grateful to see that the Northeast regional library will be built in accordance with the library master plan.” – Kevin Kramer, District 11
“I’m very pleased that this much needed library will soon be available for public use. It will be a valuable resource to those seeking knowledge in this Information Age and I am proud to have supported its funding.” – Scott Reed, District 16
“This library will be a wonderful addition for our community. It will increase multiple opportunities for children and adults alike.” – Julie Denton, District 19
“As a Metro Councilman, it is exciting to see the hard work and dedication to expanding our library system come to fruition. This new library is furtherance of our commitment to expanding learning resources throughout our Metro.” –Brent Ackerson, District 26
Mayor Greg Fischer announced today that a public-private partnership to help people who are visually impaired find points of interest in Louisville will expand, thanks to a $250,000 grant from the James Graham Brown Foundation.
The Indoor Explorer program, which is operated by the American Printing House for the Blind and created in partnership with the city’s Office for Civic Innovation, places low-power Bluetooth beacons in public buildings that feed information about amenities and points of interest to an app called Nearby Explorer.
People who are visually impaired will use this information to independently find their way through and around the public buildings to find features, such as an airline ticket counter at the airport.
“The American Printing House for the Blind is a nationally recognized leader in innovation, and so is Louisville Metro Government — so this is a natural partnership,” Mayor Fischer said. “This program will expand opportunities for citizens and visitors with vision loss, and is another example of big ideas becoming a reality in Louisville through collaboration, good thinking and hard work.”
The grant will fund the installation of low-power Bluetooth beacons inside additional public buildings, expanding the uses of the Nearby Explorer app for independent travel, employment, civic engagement, tourism, education, dining, recreation, shopping and more. The beacons will also improve indoor navigation — which is limited under current technology — for app users who are blind and visually impaired.
“We are energized by Mayor Fischer’s commitment to making APH’s vision of a world where people who are blind or visually impaired can work, learn and live without barriers a reality here in Louisville,” said APH President Craig Meador. “Working together we have the opportunity to show the world what a truly welcoming community looks like by making Louisville the most accessible city for people who are blind and visually impaired.”
The project aligns with Louisville Metro’s Smart City initiatives, which also include the Waze app for traffic notifications, collaboration with the app IFTTT, and the LouieLab civic innovation space in downtown Louisville.
