Saturday January 31, 2026
Local Connection
Weather
Traffic
@LouisvilleDispatch
@LouisvilleDisp
Subscribe
Mike O’Connell was named Outstanding County Attorney of the Year at the Kentucky Prosecutors Conference Thursday afternoon at the Hyatt Regency in Lexington.
The award, presented by the office of the Attorney General to only two of the Commonwealth’s 120 county attorneys each year, comes as part of the annual gathering for the state’s prosecutors for training in the aid of their public service. Bobbi Jo Lewis, the Anderson County Attorney since 2003, was also honored this year.
“I am humbled that my peers serving as county attorneys across the state feel that the good work we do in Jefferson County should be recognized,” O’Connell said. “This award belongs to the people of this community and to the assistants and staff in my office who pursue justice every day.”
A lifelong Louisvillian, Mike O’Connell graduated from St. Xavier High School and and later Xavier University in Cincinnati. He obtained his law degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1974 and became a civil trial attorney, as well as an assistant Jefferson County Attorney.
In 1980, he was appointed and twice elected to the Jefferson District Court Bench where he served until 1987, at which time he was appointed and then elected to the Jefferson Circuit Court.
In 2008, O’Connell was appointed Jefferson County Attorney. He was elected in 2010, re-elected in 2014 and will run for re-election again next year.
During his time as Jefferson County Attorney, he has introduced restorative justice practices in juvenile court and started a pilot project for restorative justice in the adult division of Jefferson District Court. He actively worked for passage of a Senate Bill 40 in 2016 that established a pilot project for opening Family Courts in the state.
Under his leadership, his office continues to be on the forefront of prosecutions in the areas of drunk driving and domestic violence—operating specialty units in those areas and a 24-hour Domestic Violence Intake Center. In addition to its work as prosecutors in Jefferson District Court, the Jefferson County Attorney’s office also serves as the legal representative for Louisville Metro Government and helps to collect more than $65 million each year in child support for families in Jefferson County.
O’Connell is heavily involved in efforts in addressing the role addiction plays in our legal system. His office has been instrumental in forming and supporting the Jefferson County’s Drug Treatment and Veterans’ Treatment Courts, and he has supported the use of Casey’s Law in Kentucky, which allows parents, spouses and others to seek the court’s assistance to order their loved one into treatment for drugs or alcohol.
Mike is a past board member of the Louisville Metro Human Relations Commission, the Little Sisters of the Poor, Beacon House, Catholic Charities and Jefferson County Juvenile Justice Commission.
Mike and his wife Ellen celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary in June. They have three children, Annie, Michael and Matt, and two grandchildren, Emily and Drew.
Photo: Louisville Metro Parks and Recreation
Registration for Metro Parks and Recreation fall athletic leagues has been extended by one week and will now close on Friday, September 1.
League play will begin the week of September 11. Spots are still available for league play in basketball, softball, volleyball, flag football, kickball and dodgeball. For more information on schedules, sites and times, click here.
To pre-register for an Athletic League, participants can use this online form: Adult Leagues Pre-Registration. Payment can be made over the phone with credit card (Mastercard/Visa), or in person, by cash, check or credit card, at the Athletics Office located at the Metro Parks and Recreation Athletic Office at the Cyril Allgeier Community Center, 4101 Cadillac Court.
Payment must be made in full at the time of registration in order to reserve team’s place for the season. Registrations after the deadline will be subject to a $35 late registration processing fee.
For more information, call (502) 574-4515.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 75 percent of the new diseases that have affected humans over the past 10 years originated from an animal or an animal product.
As the new state public health veterinarian, Dr. Kelly Giesbrecht, DVM, will provide leadership and supervision regarding issues related to the identification and evaluation of human health hazards of animal origin that could potentially impact the health of Kentuckians.
“We are very pleased to have Dr. Giesbrecht join our staff at the Cabinet for Health and Family Services,” said CHFS Cabinet Secretary Vickie Yates Brown Glisson. “Her wealth of experience in public health and veterinary science is a perfect fit for this extremely important role and will be a tremendous asset to our work to improve the public health of Kentucky.”
Among other things, the state public health veterinarian is tasked with;
- Identifying and evaluating hazards to human health of animal origin.
- Developing policies, guidelines, and strategies for the control of zoonotic and foodborne diseases.
- Disseminating relevant information to experts in public health, veterinary science and other scientific disciplines, as well as to consumer groups and the public.
- Contributing to field and laboratory investigations of zoonotic and foodborne diseases.
As state veterinarian, Dr. Giesbrecht will be a part of the Division of Epidemiology and Health Planning in DPH. She comes to the department with over 22 years of combined experience in veterinary medicine and public health. She has a doctorate in veterinarian medicine from the University of Florida and a masters of public health from the University of Texas.
After clinical practice, she spent 11 years in the Air Force as a public health officer and most recently worked at the Northern Kentucky Health Department where she served as a regional epidemiologist.
Additional information is available at http://chfs.ky.gov/.
WorldFest, one of the region’s largest international festivals, will take place this Labor Day weekend for its 15th year, with four days of international food, music, dance and culture starting Sept. 1 at the downtown Belvedere.
More than 70 local and regional entertainers will offer a variety of music, dance styles and beats, ranging from African drumming to reggae to Indian, Celtic, Arabic, Latin, Caribbean music and more.
Headliner acts will include Toby Foyeh & Orchestra Africa, Cheili Minucci & the EFK All Stars with Karen Briggs, Billy Goat Strut Revue, Cosa Seria, Afro Physicists, and The British Invasion.
More than 100 vendors will participate, with 30-plus food vendors serving a global sampling of cuisine and culture.
“Louisville is a welcoming community, a community that values the immigrants and refugees who help make us grow as a city in so many ways,” Mayor Greg Fischer said today, in announcing this year’s event. “Our diversity is on proud display during the WorldFest weekend, and I encourage everyone to come out and experience all the world has to offer, right here in our own downtown.”
Admission to WorldFest is free all four days because of Western Kentucky University Confucius Institute and Passport Health Plan’s generous support.
“The Confucius Institute at WKU (CI at WKU) is very excited to partner with the Mayor’s office to support this event,” said the institute’s Terrill Martin. “Last year was the first year that the CI at WKU participated in the event, and it was phenomenal. We wanted to be a bigger presence this year, which is why we are a ‘Gold’ sponsor.
“What a great platform for us to share the Chinese culture and language to the communities we serve,” Martin said.
“Passport Health Plan is proud to once again sponsor the WorldFest event in downtown Louisville,” said Jill Bell, its Vice President, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer. “This amazing international festival highlights so many of the wonderful and diverse people who make Louisville such a fun and exciting place to live, work and play.”
In addition to music, food and dancing, other highlights include:
- The Global Village – A kaleidoscope of Louisville’s culture, where you can interact with representatives of more than 20 nations. All nine of Louisville’s Sister Cities will be represented again this year.
- The WorldFest Children’s Area – Will feature activities from WKU’s Confucius Institute, as well as Home Depot.
- Parade of Cultures – Will showcase the multicultural diversity of our unique city.
- Chinese Cultural Experience – Mobile Unit in front of The Kentucky Center.
The festival includes a naturalization ceremony at 1 p.m. Friday, where more than 300 immigrants will become full U.S. citizens, and a colorful Parade of Cultures at noon on Saturday.
New this year, the children’s activities have expanded to include more than 20 interactive activities highlighting specific aspects of the Chinese culture like calligraphy lessons, fan painting and Tai Chi demonstrations. In addition, the Confucius Institute will have its Chinese Cultural Experience mobile unit on display in front of the Kentucky Center for the Arts. This 40-foot RV is retrofitted to serve as a Chinese museum on wheels.
Along with the Chinese Cultural Experience, the Global Human Project has registered more than 1,000 middle school and high school students to take part in the Walk-A-Mile in My Shoes Immigration Simulation on Friday, Sept. 1. Students will play the roles of immigrants and will encounter the hardships that are common to refugees.
On Sunday, Sept. 3, WorldFest will offer a Job Expo from 1 to 7 p.m. on the west lawn between The Kentucky Center and the Main Stage. This is a great opportunity for community members to connect with hiring managers from a number of employers in our area.
The International Festival and Events Association has recognized WorldFest as among the best in North America. In 2011, it was named a Top Ten Fall Festival by the Kentucky Travel Industry Association, and in 2015, the International Festival and Event Association named Louisville the Top Festival City in North America.
WorldFest is free to the public because of its generous sponsors. Signature Gold Sponsors: Western Kentucky University Confucius Institute and Passport Health Plan. Silver Sponsors: Kentucky Lottery and ValuMarket. Bronze Sponsors: The Muhammad Ali Center, Al Dia, Anthem Medicaid, CareSource, Ford/UAW, Stella Artois, and WLKY. Contributing Sponsors: Erie Insurance, El Kentubano, The Galt House Hotel, Global Human Project, The Home Depot, Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau, Louisville Public Media, Outfront Media and UPS.
For more information about WorldFest, visit worldfestlouisville.com. Let us know if you plan to attend, via our Facebook event page. And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram @AroundLou!
On Saturday, September 9, the Louisville Orchestra will perform a FREE concert led by Principal Pops Conductor, Bob Bernhardt. The concert will begin at 7PM at the Iroquois Amphitheater and will feature pieces and excerpts from the upcoming Classics, Coffee, and Pops concerts.
The program is as diverse as the The Iroquois Amphitheater is a beautiful venue for this light and casual event.
- Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 7, Mvt. IV (Finale)
- Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 7, Mvt. II (Funeral March)
- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5, Mvt. III (Waltz)
- Gioachino Rossini “Largo al factotum” The Barber of Seville, Chad Sloan, baritone
- John Williams “Harry’s Wondrous World” from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
- Samuel Barber Adagio for Strings
- Leonard Bernstein Overture to West Side Story
- (arr. Maurice Peress)
- John Lennon/Paul McCartney Yesterday
- Teddy Abrams Unified Field, Mvt. IV
- Gustav Holst “Jupiter” from The Planets
This concert is free and open to the public thanks to the generosity of Caldwell Tanks. Parking is $5.
Single tickets for the Louisville Orchestra’s 80th Season are now on sale! Call 502.584.7777 or click here for a schedule of concerts.
Multiple subscription options are also still available. Call the LO Patron Services at 502.587.8681 or visit LouisvilleOrchestra.org. LO staff will be at the event to fulfill all subscription needs and answer any questions about upcoming concerts.
New information about bear hunting this year in Kentucky is now available through the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources’ website at fw.ky.gov.
The “Bear Hunting” section of the current Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide has been updated online to reflect a host of changes that took effect after the guide went to press earlier this summer. The two-page section also is available on its own through the department’s website.
The changes include the adoption of a three-zone approach to the management of the state’s bear population. Season dates and quotas vary by zone. There is a new muzzleloader season and nonresident hunters can now buy bear permits. Hunters also will find season dates, quotas and a map of the bear zones in the updated section.
Those without internet access can call Kentucky Fish and Wildlife at 1-800-858-1549 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern time on weekdays to request a mailed copy of the updated bear hunting section.
The Louisville Orchestra will present four concerts at the Paul W. Ogle Cultural and Community Center on the campus of Indiana University Southeast (4201 Grant Line Road, New Albany, IN). The four- concert series includes the entire Louisville Orchestra with concerts conducted by Teddy Abrams, Music Director, or Bob Bernhardt, Principal Pops Conductor. Ogle Center Neighborhood series subscriptions are $65 for all 4 concerts and available by calling 502.587.8681 or visiting LouisvilleOrchestra.org. Single Tickets are $20 and available by calling 812.941.2525.
Michelle Wintersm the LO’s Marketing Director, says, “The Ogle Center offers such an easy and intimate setting to enjoy the LO s a beautiful venue with great acoustics, assigned seats, and convenient and free parking She These concerts are designed to bring the sound closer to the people in a casual atmosphere thereby increasing accessibility to exceptional music.
MOSTLY MOZART SAT 30 SEP 2017 :: 7:30PM
- W.A. MOZART: Symphony No. 1 in E-flat Major, Mvt. I
- JOHANN CHRISTIAN BACH: Symphony No. 4 in D Major
- W.A. MOZART: Symphony No. 29 in A Major, Mvt. I
- FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN: Symphony No. 94 in G Major
- LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Mvt. I
- W.A. MOZART: Symphony No. 39 in E-flat Major
- Bob Bernhardt, conductor
SCHEHERAZADE SAT 11 NOV 2017:: 7:30PM
- NIKOLAI RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Russian Easter Overture
- NIKOLAI RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Scheherazade
- Teddy Abrams, conductor
CREATION MASS SAT 27 JAN 2018 :: 7:30PM
- FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN: Mass No. 13 in B-flat Major
- Teddy Abrams, conductor
MUSIC FOR STRINGS, PERCUSSION + CELESTE SAT 14 APR 2018 :: 7:30PM
- RICHARD STRAUSS: Suite in B-flat Major for 13 Wind instruments (select movements)
- IGOR STRAVINSKY: Octet
- BÉLA BARTÓK: Music for Strings, Percussion + Celeste
- Teddy Abrams, conductor