Saturday December 6, 2025
Local Connection
Weather
Traffic
@LouisvilleDispatch
@LouisvilleDisp
Subscribe
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
Councilwoman Cheri Bryant Hamilton announces the first meeting of the year of the District 5 Neighborhood Advisory Committee is set for Monday, February 19th and the topics for discussion are vacant and abandoned property and OneWest.
“We will be following through with more discussion on programs available to the public to purchase vacant and abandoned property as well as updates on clear boarding and demolitions of those properties that have become a blight to neighborhoods,” says Hamilton.
Laura Grabowski, the Director of the Louisville Metro Office of Vacant and Public Properties to the meeting will discuss Metro’s initiatives and programs to address reducing the number of vacant and abandoned properties in West Louisville and all of Metro.
The meeting will also give the public an opportunity to meet and welcome to Louisville Ms. Evon J. Smith, the new President and CEO of OneWest.
OneWest is a nonprofit community development corporation working to establish new pathways to private and public capital, in an effort to generate sustainable economic development and neighborhood revitalization in west Louisville, in partnership with community residents.
The District 5 Neighborhood Advisory Committee will meet at the Yearlings Club, 4309 West Broadway, beginning at 6:00pm.
Any resident of Portland, Russell, Chickasaw, or Shawnee are always invited and encouraged to bring their neighborhood concerns to these monthly meetings.
For information about the meeting, contact Councilwoman Hamilton’s office at 574-1105.
It is easy to forget that there are brave service men and women who are still serving their country in some of the most dangerous spots in the world. Our military remain on duty as the first line of America’s defense in the fight against terrorism.
For Councilwoman Madonna Flood (D-24) their service is the reason why the “Doing Our Part from the Heart” Campaign is an important effort to show that our troops should always be remembered and honored.
“They’re still there. It is easy to forget that they stand ready to serve and protectAs long as there is one solider in need of our help, we will work to help them out and make their tour of duty a little easier,” says the Councilwoman. “It is easy to forget their sacrifice and we must always remember they stand ready to protect us and this is one way to let them know we are thinking about them.”
Valentine’s Day is the official kick off of the “Doing Our Part from the Heart” Campaign. Over the next eight weeks, Flood with the help of the community will collect toiletries, snacks and other items to send to our military. Simple items such as hand sanitizer, eye drops, candy and other personal items make a huge impact for troops serving in remote locations around the world.
“Many of our soldiers do not have access to a PX or a base when they are out in the field. They also have to pay for these extra items. We hope our boxes brighten their day,” says Flood.
It was in 2006 when the Councilwoman first called upon the community to help in this endeavor. She had received a simple letter from her son while he served in Iraq. For Christmas that year, he asked for basic personal items like deodorant, sunscreen and razors. He also asked if it was possible to send enough of those items for the other members of his unit.
“It is quite possible that a family somewhere in our country received a similar letter this past Christmas and that is all the more reason why we all need to be reminded that our service men and women are still out there,” said Flood.
Joining Flood as sponsors of the 2018 campaign are the Okolona Business Association, the Okolona Fire Department, Republic Bank, Scheller’s Fitness and Cycling, PARC and Jackson-Hewitt Tax Service and Wesley Manor. The campaign runs through the end of March.
If you cannot donate items and wish to make cash contributions to help cover the cost of shipping, Republic Bank continues its partnership by setting up an account to accept all monetary donations to cover postage for the items going overseas. Every package cost $17.40 to send. Make sure to note on the check “From the Heart” account at these locations:
Outer Loop 4808 Outer Loop, 40219
Shepherdsville 438 Hwy 44, Shepherdsville 40165
Corporate 601 W Market St, 40202
Brownsboro Rd 4921 Brownsboro Rd, 40222
J-Town 3811 Ruckreigel Pkwy, 40299
Dixie 5250 Dixie Hwy, 40216
“Every year, I am amazed at the outpouring of support from our community for this effort. I thank you and more importantly those who dedicate themselves to the service of our country also thank you,” said Flood.
Here is a list of items needed that can be dropped off at a “Doing Our Part” location:
- Chewing Gum/Mints/Lifesavers/other candies that will not melt
- Deodorant
- Lotion
- Foot Powder
- Razors
- Body Wash
- Bandaids
- Q-Tips
- Bug Repellant with DEET
- Eye Drops
- Hand Sanitizer
- Wet Ones
- Kool-aide or Gatorade individual packs
- Peanut Butter
- Individual snacks, chips, nuts, pretzels
- Neosporin
- Sun Block/After Sun lotion
- Nasal Spray
- Tylenol/Pain Relievers
Here are the drop-off locations for the 2018 Doing Our Part from the Heart Campaign;
- Republic Bank “From the Heart Account” at all Republic Banks
- Okolona Fire Department 8501 Preston Highway, Louisville
- Scheller’s Fitness & Cycling
- 8323 Preston Highway, Louisville
- 11520 Shelbyville Road, Louisville
- 1000 Veterans Parkway, Clarksville
- Jackson-Hewitt Tax Preparers
- All Locations in Louisville and Southern Indiana
- Wesley Manor 5012 East Manslick Road Louisville, Ky, 40219
- City Hall 601 West Jefferson, Louisville
For more information about the 2018 “Doing Our Part from the Heart” Campaign, contact Councilwoman Flood’s office at 574-1124. You can visit the Councilwoman’s webpage at http://louisvilleky.gov/government/metro-council-district-24 or go to “Doing our Part From the Heart” on Facebook.
Louisville Metro Council Health and Education Committee Chair Angela Leet (District 7) and Vice Chair Vicki Welch (District 13) invite the community to attend one of three town hall meetings on the topic of legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Each town hall meeting will be held in a different part of the community, with the first town hall starting Monday, February 19 at 6:00pm. Each town hall will start with presentations by panelists both in support and opposition to a resolution calling for the legalization of medical marijuana which is currently being considered by the Louisville Metro Council.
Persons attending the town hall meeting will have the opportunity to ask questions of panelists following opening remarks. Each town hall is expected to last 60-90 minutes and comments received during each event will be given to all members of the Louisville Metro Council.
Town Hall Meeting Dates:
Monday, February 19, 6:00PM – Lyndon City Hall (515 Wood Road)
Monday, February 26, 6:00PM – Louisville Fire Fighters Hall (400 Bakers Lane)
Tuesday, February 27, 6:00PM – Southwick Community Center (3621 Southern Avenue)
For more information on these town hall meetings, please contact Councilwoman Angela Leet at 574-1107 or angela.leet@louisvilleky.gov. https://louisville.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3335601&GUID=5…
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
In an effort to stem a recent rash of violent crime in the district, Councilman Vitalis Lanshima is hosting a Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhood Town Hall Meeting on Monday February 12th at the Beechmont Community Center.
“There is a noticeable rise in crime in our neighborhoods, especially violent and drug related crimes. To successfully eradicate crime and create a community where all residents feel safe and proud to raise our families, we must employ a well-rounded approach that balances law enforcement with social programs, and community engagement,” says the Councilman.
This Town Hall Meeting will feature the 3rd Division Commander, Major Joshua Hasch and 4th Division Commander, Major Joshua Judah of Louisville Metro Police and the Director of the Office of Safe and Healthy Neighborhood, Rashaad Abdur-Rahman.
The meeting will focus on the importance of block watch programs to work with LMPD and residents to fight crime. Information will be shared on how to create a block watch.
The Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhood Town Hall is set for the Beechmont Community Center, 205 West Wellington Avenue from 6:30pm to 8:00pm on February 12th.
“This Town Hall will provide an opportunity to discuss what WE all must do to create a safer community,” says Lanshima. “We will leave with an action plan by working together.”
For more information about the District 21 Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhood Town Hall, contact Councilman Lanshima’s office at 502-574-1121.
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
In an effort to keep Metro Louisville’s public golf courses sustainable financially, Councilwoman Cindi Fowler (D-14) is sponsoring an ordinance calling for a modest increase in greens fees this year.
“I want everyone in the Louisville area to be able to enjoy our public courses. These courses are the hub of our communities, providing senior and junior programming close to their homes as well as golf scrambles supporting many of our nonprofits,” says Fowler.
The Councilwoman is proposing a modest $2 green fee increase at high utilized courses and $1 at all other courses. Additional changes include military discounts and senior age limits reduced to 60 years from 62 years old.
“The last time we had an increase to help sustain golf was in 2007 with a 50 cent increase every other year. However, we have just not kept up with the demands of maintenance and other repairs,” says Fowler. “In order to keep public golf courses open in underutilized areas we must ask the help of the more widely used courses.”
Under the proposed ordinance, here are the proposed fee increases:
Seneca and Charlie Vettiner will go from $14.50 to $15.50 on weekdays and $17 to $19 on weekends in the summer. In winter, $12 to $12.50 on weekdays, $13.25 to $14 on weekends.
At Sun Valley, Shawnee, Long Run and Iroquois in summer, the fee would go from $13.25 to $14 on weekdays and $15.75 to $17 on weekends. In the winter, $10.75 to $11 on weekdays, $12 to $12.50 on weekends.
At Bobby Nichols and Cherokee in summer the fee would go from $12 to $13 on weekdays and $13.25 to $14 on weekends. In winter, $9.75 to $10 on weekdays, $9.75 to $10 on weekends.
Finally, Crescent Hill’s Hill nine hole course in the summer would go from $13.25 to $14 on weekdays and $15.75 to $16. In the winter the fee would go from $10.75 to $11 on weekdays and $12 to $12.50.
“It is my belief that public courses provide a service to our communities and to make them sustainable we must provide that service as whole entity. This will bring the needed revenue to bring public golf as a whole into the black.”
The proposed ordinance has been assigned to the Metro Council’s Parks and Sustainability Committee which is chaired by Councilwoman Fowler. The Committee will hold its next meeting on Thursday, February 8th.
Ten Metro Council members have signed on as co-sponsors of a resolution urging the Kentucky General Assembly to enact legislation that would legalize medical cannabis in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, primary sponsor Bill Hollander (D-9) reported.
“Medical cannabis can help many of our constituents”, Hollander said. “I am pleased that so many of my colleagues agree that we should ask the Kentucky General Assembly to take action to help them,” said Hollander.
Many medical professionals believe that medical cannabis is an effective treatment for chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder suffered by military veterans, and it is legally used to ease pain in the majority of states in the nation. Many residents in those states are replacing other drugs, including highly addictive narcotic pain relievers, because they and their physicians have found cannabis to be the most effective drug to provide relief.
Councilwoman Vicki Aubrey Welch (D-13), one of the ten co-sponsors, says she is wholeheartedly in favor of legalizing medical marijuana.
“I have done some research on the use of medical marijuana and found it to be very effective with little or no side effects. I personally know of an elderly person with head and neck cancer that required surgery, radiation and use of morphine post-operatively at home which made her drowsy with loss of appetite,” said Welch. “After using medical marijuana in place of the morphine, she was alert and back to eating normally.”
The resolution urges the Kentucky General Assembly to pass House Bill 166 or any other legislation that would legalize medical cannabis in Kentucky and provide for the care, comfort and relief of any Kentuckian who may benefit. Another bill legalizing medical marijuana, SB 118, was filed in the Kentucky Senate last week.
In addition to Councilmembers Hollander and Welch, the resolution is sponsored by President David James (D-6) and Councilmembers Barbara Sexton Smith (D-4), Angela Leet (R-7), Brandon Coan (D-8), Pat Mulvihill (D-10), Cindi Fowler ((D-14), Marianne Butler (D-15) and Scott Reed (R-16).
The resolution is attached.
The General Assembly’s 2018 session is more than one-third complete, with all action other than concurrences and potential veto overrides currently scheduled to conclude on March 22.
Council members Mary C. Woolridge (D-3) and Marianne Butler (D-15) along with President David James (D-6) invite the residents to a special meeting concerning safety at William Harrison Park.
“On January 20th, there was a horrible accident at the park and three children were injured by a truck while playing there,” says Woolridge. “We are asking the community to come together and help us make sure this park is safe and this kind of thing never happens again.”
“Parents and children utilize parks to have fun and carefree days; worrying about someone driving into the park should not even enter their mind,” said Butler. “We will work together to come up with a resolution.”
William Harrison Park is located at 3232 Oleanda Avenue and it is where the three Council District come together.
“It’s important that we meet to inform the community what safety improvements we are looking at in order to prevent another horrible tragedy,” says President James.
The three Council members will be meeting with the Terry – Berry Neighborhood Association at The South Louisville Community Center, 2911 Taylor Boulevard beginning at 7:00pm on Tuesday, February 6th.
Metro Public Works, Metro Parks, and LMPD have also been invited to attend this meeting. The main topic of discussion: options to make it safer for children playing in the park.
