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Photo: KFC Yum! Center

GRAMMY® Award-winning, acclaimed alternative rock pioneers The Smashing Pumpkins today announced the Shiny And Oh So Bright Tour, their first tour in nearly 20 years to feature founding members Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin, and James Iha. Produced by Live Nation, the 36-city tour will kick off in Glendale, AZ on July 12, 2018 and visit North American arenas throughout the summer. Tickets for the Shiny And Oh So Bright Tour will go on sale to the general public starting next Friday, February 23 at 10:00am local time and be available at www.smashingpumpkins.com, LiveNation.com, and via the Live Nation App.

“Some 30 years ago, as The Smashing Pumpkins, James Iha and I began a musical journey in the cramped rear bedroom of my Father’s house. And so it’s magic to me that we’re able to coalesce once more around the incredible Jimmy Chamberlin, to celebrate those songs we’ve made together,” shared Corgan.

The band broke news of the tour this morning with a dramatic video featuring original Siamese Dream album cover stars Ali Laenger and LySandra Roberts.

The monumental Shiny And Oh So Bright Tour, which coincides with the 30th anniversary of the band’s formation, will highlight music from the group’s inception through 2000, and will exclusively feature material from their groundbreaking debut Gish through Siamese Dream, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, Adore, and Machina. Longtime Smashing Pumpkins guitarist Jeff Schroeder will also take part, as the band moves to a three guitar lineup to better emulate the signature tones and textures of their albums.

“This show and staging will be unlike any we’ve ever done, and will feature a set unlike any we’ve ever played. For if this is a chance at a new beginning, we plan on ushering it in with a real bang,” added Corgan.

Formed in Chicago, IL in 1988, The Smashing Pumpkins released their heralded debut album Gish in 1991 and found mainstream success with 1993’s 4x multi-platinum Siamese Dream and 1995’s 10x multi-platinum Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. With nine studio albums and over 30 million albums sold to date, the GRAMMY®, MTV VMA, and American Music Award winning band remains an influential force in alternative rock.

The Smashing Pumpkins are represented by Velvet Hammer Music and Management Group.

Photo: Louisville Forward

Mayor Greg Fischer announced that Louisville Forward’s Small Business Development team is launching a Food Entrepreneurship series designed to foster the development of new restaurateurs and food entrepreneurs. The interactive 9-class series will run from March 3rd to June 30th and will be taught by local industry-leading professionals. All classes will meet on Saturdays from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m.

“From the Hot Brown to Bourbon infusions, Louisville has been internationally recognized for its innovative and fresh culinary scene and we want to keep this momentum going,” said Fischer. “Through this interactive series, entrepreneurs will learn how to open a restaurant or food service business and strengthen operations.”

Registration is open, but space is limited. To participate, individuals must be over 18 years of age, attend 8 of the 9 classes and be a Louisville resident. There is no fee to participate in the series. Upon completion of the program, participants will receive continued assistance and connections to resources from Louisville Forward’s Small Business Development team.

Schedule, class descriptions and venue locations are listed below.
1. March 3, 2018
Health and Safety Regulations – This course will cover the basics of proper food handling, inspections and placarding, review of common reasons restaurants fail inspections and how to keep from failing. The course also will cover the top five ways a customer becomes ill and things to consider when changing the type of food service you offer.
Venue: Chef Space – 1812 W Muhammad Ali Blvd, Louisville, KY 40203

2. March 17, 2018
Kitchen Set-Up and Menu Development – This course will cover the importance of proper and efficient kitchen set-up to help minimize ticket times and ensure quality and safe food preparation, as well as highlight the basic types of equipment available and its proper use. Participants will learn the basics of menu development, focusing on such things as ingredients and sourcing, food cost, authenticity of cuisine, cross utilization, and concepts of proper pricing.
Venue: Jefferson County Technical College, 109 E Broadway, Louisville, KY 40202

3. April 7, 2018
Purchasing and Managing Food Cost – Knowing food costs is integral to understanding a restaurant’s full budget. Participants will learn tips for managing food costs, through purchasing habits, tracking inventory, ands tools to help track and calculate.
Venue: Chef Space – 1812 W Muhammad Ali Blvd, Louisville, KY 40203

4. April 21, 2018
Employee Orientation and Training – In this course, participants will come away with a better understanding of how to navigate employment laws and regulations related to running a restaurant. Additional Human Resources best practices and policies for on-boarding and managing employees also will be covered.
Venue: Chef Space – 1812 W Muhammad Ali Blvd, Louisville, KY 40203

5. May 12, 2018
Customer Service – During this session participants will be instructed in ways the physical space and staff can go above and beyond the call of duty to create a welcoming, and pleasurable environment that customers want to come back to.
Venue: Chef Space – 1812 W Muhammad Ali Blvd, Louisville, KY 40203

6. May 19, 2018
Accounting and Cash Handling – This course will cover steps a food entrepreneur should take to ensure their accounting system is properly set up, including budgeting, cash flow, expense management, tax payments/filings, options of bookkeeping software, and what you should know for tax preparation.
Venue: Chef Space – 1812 W Muhammad Ali Blvd, Louisville, KY 40203

7. June 2, 2018
Management Training – From staff management and scheduling to creating a culture for your restaurant, this session will cover day-to-day restaurant management skills, including staff training to promote from within.
Venue: Chef Space – 1812 W Muhammad Ali Blvd, Louisville, KY 40203

8. June 16, 2018
Marketing and Branding – Participants will learn how to market their concept and themselves as a brand, by reviewing the various mediums of marketing from websites, social media and traditional methods such as flyers and brochures.
Venue: Tim Faulkner Gallery, 1512 Portland Ave, Louisville, KY 40203

9. June 30, 2018
Safety: Inside and Outside – This course will review safety best practices to maintain a safe environment for customers and employees, including proper lighting, opening and closing procedures, signs of suspicious activity, how to handle disruptive incidents inside and outside of your establishment, and suggestions of how to strengthen the street block.
Venue: Chef Space – 1812 W Muhammad Ali Blvd, Louisville, KY 40203

Metro Animal ServicesLouisville Metro Animal Services, in charge of keeping the public safe when it comes to animals just recently reached a mile stone by becoming a no kill animal shelter.

Councilwoman Madonna Flood (D-24) announces the next South Central Regional Forum will focus on the work of the men and women of LMAS on Wednesday, February 21st.

“Animal control has been one of the top safety concerns of the Metro Council. We have worked with LMAS to pass needed protection ordinances and fund better facilities to ensure neighborhoods are protected and animals are treated humanely,” says Flood.

The forum is set for the new South Central Regional Library at 7400 Jefferson Boulevard from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.

Louisville Metro Animal Services Director Ozzy Gibson will be the featured speaker at the forum and address the mission of LMAS and day to day operations of a shelter. He will discuss the 2017 Statistics that helped them achieve the no kill milestone! He will also talk about future plans and what we, as a community, need to do to help the pet population.

There may also be a few four-legged friends in attendance.

“I encourage everyone to come out and get a better understanding of how to be a good pet owner. It is also a chance to learn about how you can report a dangerous animal in your neighborhood,” says Flood.

The South Central regional Forums are sponsored by Councilwoman Flood and Council members James Peden (R-23), Vicki Aubrey Welch (D-13) and Barbara Shanklin (D-2).

For more information about the next South Central Regional Forum, then contact Councilwoman Flood’s office at 574-1124.

Photo: Louisville Metro Council

Dr. George C. Wright is coming to Louisville to discuss his book on the history of race relations and black life in Kentucky as a guest of Councilwoman Cheri Bryant Hamilton (D-5) for a Black History month community event on Friday, February 23rd.

“This is a great opportunity to hear from a native Kentuckian who has chronicled the history of blacks in Kentucky covering progress and violence since 1865 forward,” said Hamilton. “It is an important meeting for those who want to understand black history in our commonwealth as we celebrate Black History Month.”

Dr. Wright is a native of Lexington, Kentucky and has served in many faculty and administrative positions at American universities since 1977.

He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in History from the University of Kentucky and his Doctorate in History from Duke University. He is a past President of Prairie View A&M University, the second oldest public institution of higher education in Texas. He is currently a full professor of history at Texas A&M University in College Station.

He is the author of “Life Behind a Veil: Blacks in Louisville, KY from 1865 to 1930”. Dr. Wright has also authored “A History of Blacks in Kentucky: In Pursuit of Equality, 1890—1980, Volume II” and “Racial Violence in Kentucky, 1865- 1940: Lynchings, Mob   Rule, and “Legal Lynchings”.

The community meeting is set for the Portland Memorial Baptist Church, 3802 West Market Street beginning at 1:00pm.

“In order to move forward, it is always important for everyone young and old, black or white, to understand our history in Louisville and Kentucky. Dr. Wright knows that history and is able to put it in perspective for the 21st Century. I encourage everyone to come out and share this experience,” says Hamilton.

For more information about this event, contact Councilwoman Hamilton’s office at 574-1105.

Councilwoman Cheri Bryant Hamilton (D-5) is encouraging the community to attend the next meeting of the Shawnee Park MSD Basin Project on Tuesday, February 20th.

“This is an important meeting for everyone in the Shawnee Park and the Westover Subdivision in the Chickasaw Park Neighborhood because MSD will update how construction is going and give a time table as to what areas will be affected on West Broadway during the upcoming spring and summer months,” says Hamilton

The meeting will be held at the Shawnee Golf Course Club House, 460 Northwestern Parkway from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm.

The Shawnee Park Basin Project, also known as Southwestern Parkway CSO Basin Project, consists of construction of the retention basin to eliminate untreated storm water and sewage from entering the Ohio River, new park features, and improvements.

According to MSD officials, the Shawnee Park Basin Project will create a cleaner river, provide new amenities, and restore the core of Shawnee Park.

The update meeting will focus on:

  • What construction is occurring:
    • Construction Timing
    • Dust Control
    • Bus Route Detours
    • Construction Concerns

“This meeting will be a chance to ask questions and understand the benefits of this project,” says Hamilton. “It is important that the neighborhood surrounding this project stay in the loop about construction so they can adjust as construction moves forward.”

For more information about the meeting, contact Councilwoman Hamilton’s office at 502-574-1105.

Photo; Kentucky Derby Museum

Tickets are now on sale for the much-anticipated Big Brims and Fancy Trims Annual Hat Sample Sale, presented by CaloSpa and CaloAesthetics with support from Kendall-Jackson, Luc Belair and Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Find your perfect Oaks and Derby hats or fascinators at the Kentucky Derby Museum on Wednesday, April 5th.

Over 400 hats samples will be on sale, with no sample hat priced over $75 and some hats as low as $18. The Museum’s 2018 Hat Collection will also be available for the first time this season.

This year men are encouraged to attend and find their official Derby looks in the dedicated men’s shopping area, complete with signature bourbon tastings and cocktails. Purchase an early bird ticket for $20 to gain exclusive entry in the hat sample area from 4:30 – 5:30 pm, an hour before all shoppers are allowed in. General admission tickets are $10. Museum Members general admission tickets are just $5. The doors officially open to all attendees at 5:30 pm.

All ticket holders will enjoy complimentary cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, live music, local vendor pop-up shops and giveaways! Guests are encouraged to bring their Derby ensembles for styling tips and more.

The Museum’s Official Milliner, Jenny Pfanenstiel of Formé Millinery will have her couture hats on display and will also offer hat styling tips.

Learn more about the event and purchase tickets at DerbyMuseum.org.

America to Zanzibar: Muslim Cultures Near and Far opens to the public at the Muhammad Ali Center on Friday, May 25th. The family-friendly interactive exhibit, which runs through December 30th, explores the diversity of Muslim cultures in our community, country and the world. The innovative hands-on exhibit, and specially designed programming, will showcase the cultural expressions of various Muslim communities around the world through experiences with art, architecture, travel, trade, design and more. America to Zanzibar will be the largest and longest running exhibit the Ali Center has ever had in its twelve-year history.

America to Zanzibar was developed by the Children’s Museum of Manhattan and comes to the Center after a two year stay in New York City.

The “American Home” area within the exhibit will feature Muhammad Ali’s artifacts from the Center’s collection. These items, donated or loaned to the Center’s collection, have never been displayed before. Ali is arguably one of the most famous Muslims in the world, and the items will reflect his sport, humanitarianism and religion.

“The Ali Center is proud to be one of the first museums in the country to exhibit the highly lauded America to Zanzibar exhibit,” said Donald Lassere, President and CEO of the Muhammad Ali Center. “We are at a time in history when there is a growing need to explore, understand, and respect our cultural diversity. America to Zanzibar does this is a way that exposes visitors—especially young ones—to the arts and everyday activities of the Islamic culture in an engaging and thoughtful way.”

America to Zanzibar, designed for children ages 2-10 and their families, but enjoyed by all ages, consists of five major sections: a Global Marketplace, and exhibition areas that display Trade Routes, a Courtyard space, Architecture and an American Home area.

The Global Marketplace features stalls from around the world brimming with sounds, smells and goods, where children can pretend to buy and sell spices from Egypt, ceramics from Turkey and rugs from Morocco. They can also weigh their fresh catch at the Zanzibari fish market, smell Indonesian fruits, serve Tajik tea, and design outfits inspired by the West African tailors.

Visitors learn about the exchange of culture across continents and centuries in the Trade Routes area. Children can climb aboard a replica of a multi-level Indian Ocean dhow (boat) and experiment with navigation techniques, travel to various ports, learn to bargain, and unload goods from around the world. Below deck, they can experience a multisensory exploration of the dhow’s cargo. Children can also decorate a Pakistani truck, then hop in the cab and embark on a pretend trip through the Western Himalayas. They can also climb on top of a life-size camel and journey across the desert.

The Architecture area virtually transports visitors into a series of magnificent, international mosque architectural styles. Breathtaking panoramic images are projected onto a 21-foot curved screen and explore the wide range of aesthetic styles from Asia to Africa and to America. Visitors can also try their hand at drafting their own structures, complete with domes and arches, while gaining insight into architectural traditions from around the Muslim world.

The Courtyard features warm light flooding through a lattice roof. Visitors can explore key elements of design, water and geometric patterns that are central to a traditional Muslim courtyard. At a central fountain, visitors can sample verses from renowned Muslim poets and share how they would make the world a better place–one drop at a time. Children are also encouraged to make music with digital instruments, and compete in a guessing game with authentic objects that illustrate the significance of geometric patterns in Muslim cultures.

The American Home area is a contemporary living room filled with objects donated by American Muslims. Visitors explore the wide variety of American Muslims’ stories through their unique objects, clothing, art and books. They can also learn to write “My name is…” in 21 of the languages spoken by American Muslims, view artistic works by emerging American Muslim artists, and follow the history of Muslims in the U.S. through a visual timeline. As mentioned earlier, Muhammad Ali’s personal items from the Ali Center’s collection will also be on display.

The Ali Center will also produce programming in tandem with the exhibit. More information will follow in the future.

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