Saturday January 31, 2026
Local Connection
Weather
Traffic
@LouisvilleDispatch
@LouisvilleDisp
Subscribe
Photo: Louisville Metro Government
Nancy Lieberman Charities and WorldVentures Foundation teamed with the Louisville Metro Police Department and Louisville Metro Parks and Recreation on August 15 to dedicate a Dream Court to foster the relationship between officers and the communities they serve. The Dream CourtsTM program builds top-quality, multipurpose play spaces in underserved communities so children have a safe area to shoot hoops, socialize and learn about teamwork and good sportsmanship.
Located at Russell Lee Park, 3701 Southern Avenue, the Louisville Dream Court is the 39th in the nation and the first in Louisville. Fairway Independent Mortgage donated to the court. Mayor Greg Fischer, Louisville Metro Police Chief Steve Conrad and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman were on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“We are so proud to be able to give the children of Louisville a Dream Court,” said Nancy Lieberman, Nancy Lieberman Charities founder and a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer. “Having Muhammad Ali as my hero and my friend taught me how to truly be powerful when you’re helping others.”
Lieberman, a two-time Olympian, made history in 2015 when she was hired by the Sacramento Kings, becoming only the second female assistant coach in NBA history.
Other dignitaries attending included Fairway Independent Mortgage branch manager Jason McPherson and District 1 City Council Member Jessica Green. Steve Ghose, director of Louisville Metro Parks and Recreation, served as emcee.
County Attorney Mike O’Connell is supporting a high-tech approach to curbing habitual drunk drivers with the rollout of Jefferson County’s new Continuous Alcohol Monitoring Program (CAMP).
Under the new initiative, prosecutors in O’Connell’s office will request that all repeat offenders for driving under the influence (DUI) wear alcohol-sensing anklets for varying periods of time to ensure that they aren’t drinking. The anklets, produced by SCRAM Systems, automatically test a subject’s perspiration every 30 minutes for alcohol consumption.
The 24-hour monitoring is designed to help individuals address their alcohol issues and reduce the chances that they will reoffend. The Jefferson County Attorney’s office will also recommend CAMP for certain alcohol-involved domestic violence cases and for first-time DUI offenders with a blood-alcohol level of 0.15 or greater that also have an additional serious aggravating factor. Aggravators would include multi-vehicle crashes or those that involve bodily injury or death, a driver under the age of 21, or having a minor-age child in the car at the time of arrest.
In addition to keeping roads safer from impaired drivers, O’Connell stressed the focus on rehabilitation with CAMP.
“The use of this alcohol-sensing technology can absolutely save lives,” O’Connell said. “This is an effort to use the accountability of the courts as a path toward sobriety. The longer a person is able to stay sober, the greater the chance that they will not commit a DUI or other alcohol-involved crime.”
Depending on the case, CAMP might be recommended while a defendant is awaiting trial, entered as a condition of a plea agreement, or both. The program could also conceivably cut city costs by allowing certain offenders to avoid jail days if they agree to continuous monitoring and demonstrate that they take their offense—and their alcohol misuse—seriously and are addressing the issue.
Offenders will pay for the monitoring with planning in place to help people who are indigent and cannot afford the costs. Monitoring costs nationwide average $10-12 a day. SCRAM Systems claims that former clients have self-reported spending on average about $14 per day on alcohol prior to wearing the bracelet. The office of the Jefferson County Attorney receives no money from the program.
Jurisdictions across the country have had success using SCRAM technology and continuous alcohol monitoring. York County, Pennsylvania reduced pretrial recidivism for drunk drivers by more than 90 percent. The district attorney in San Diego County, California–using monitoring guidelines similar to what is planned in Louisville–has saved taxpayer dollars by reduced jail overcrowding and seen earlier intervention for alcohol misuse.
Monitoring technology and services will be provided locally by Bluegrass Monitoring, which has monitored more than 9,200 individuals through similar efforts in the region as Ohio Alcohol Monitoring Systems.
Seminars are set for August 14-16 at the Louisville Bar Foundation to educate members of the local legal community, including judges and members of the defense bar, about the program.
CAMP is the latest tactic that O’Connell has promoted that uses the leverage of the court system to have a positive impact on addiction. 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.
BY THE NUMBERS
- According to Kentucky’s Administrative Office of the Courts, Jefferson County has averaged 4,260 charges of DUI each year since 2011. In 2016, there were 2,383 total DUI charges in Jefferson District Court and more than 22 percent (528) were repeat offenses.
- In 2016, 835 people in Kentucky died as a result of car crashes. The Commonwealth saw more than 4,200 collisions involving alcohol last year, resulting in more than 1,900 injuries and 119 alcohol-involved fatalities.
- On average, a DUI can cost a person $10,000 in attorney fees, fines and court costs, lost time at work, higher insurance rates, car towing and repairs etc. Based on 2010 data from NHTSA, impaired driving crashes cost the United States more $44 billion each year.
- SCRAM Systems has monitored nearly 600,000 people with the technology that will be used in Jefferson County, and on any given day, 99.3 percent of individuals are sober and fully compliant with their monitoring.
Thousands of cyclists, walkers, canoeists and kayakers will hit the streets and the Ohio River on Labor Day, Sept. 4, for the 26th Subway Fresh Fit Hike, Bike & Paddle at Waterfront Park.
“What better way to mark the end of the summer and the Labor Day holiday than in the company of your friends, family and neighbors, at our beautiful waterfront,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “I invite everyone to come out, meet some new friends, and have fun!”
Subway Restaurants is the title sponsor of Hike, Bike & Paddle, with presenting sponsors, Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated, Norton Healthcare and Neil Huffman Subaru and contributing sponsor, Academy Sports + Outdoors.
“SUBWAY Restaurants are proud to once again be the title sponsor of the SUBWAY Fresh Fit Hike, Bike & Paddle events. We will be distributing $2.50 gift cards to participants that can be used on their next visit to SUBWAY. Don’t miss this great family activity and a chance to explore the waterfront” said Doug Messmore, Louisville SUBWAY Board Chair.
“Coca-Cola Consolidated is proud to be a presenting sponsor of the Mayor’s Hike, Bike and Paddle activity on Labor Day. Coca-Cola strongly believes in providing consumers a variety of choices that fit their needs, which is why we offer many great-tasting beverages that are no or low calorie, in a variety of package sizes,” said Brian Outland, Vice-President of Retails Sales for the Coca-Cola Consolidated.
“Norton Healthcare is pleased to continue our support of the Mayor’s Hike, Bike & Paddle,” said Russell F. Cox, president and chief executive officer, Norton Healthcare. “This is a great event and a wonderful example of our shared commitment to improving the health and wellness of our community.”
“Neil Huffman Subaru, part of the Neil Huffman Automotive Group, is proud to be a seven-year sponsor of Mayor Fischer’s Annual Hike, Bike and Paddle. As a family-owned and operated business, we value the healthy initiatives the Mayor Fischer has taken to keep the community ‘on the move’ for years to come,” said Dow Huffman, Managing Partner, Neil Huffman Automotive Group.
Paddlers will begin their adventurous five-mile course at 10 a.m., taking their canoes and kayaks through the McAlpine Locks and Dam to the Jaycees Boat Ramp in New Albany. Participants will launch their canoes or kayaks at the ramp located at the Harbor Lawn of Waterfront Park. Paddlers can drop their boats off at the “Green” parking lot near River Road and Witherspoon Street from 7:30 – 9:30 a.m.
Police and safety boats will be nearby during the paddling activity, and all participants will have assistance if needed in launching their canoe or kayak. Paddle participants must wear a life jacket and carry a noise making device.
After the event, TARC will offer a shuttle service for paddlers to retrieve their vehicles at the launch site.
For cyclists, a 9.5-mile route will leave Waterfront Park and go west through the Portland Stroll District and head back to Waterfront Park. Turnoffs will provide cycling routes as short as two miles.
The hiking route, which is wheelchair-accessible, will take walkers west along the waterfront, along portions of the Riverwalk and wharf to 10th Street and back. Walkers can bring their dogs on the hike, but must keep them on a leash and pick up waste, as required by law.
Louisville YMCA staff will lead the hike. Both the cycling and walking routes will be marked, and there will be water stops at the halfway points to refill water bottles. The Louisville Bicycle Club and Scheller’s Fitness and Cycle are providing “bike captains” to help cyclists obey the rules of the road.
“Bike doctors” will be in Waterfront Park before the ride and along the route to assist cyclists with any equipment problems. Louisville Metro Police will provide traffic assistance at key intersections, and the Louisville Metro EMS bicycle team will patrol the route. All cyclists are asked to remain behind the lead police vehicles.
More than 50 vendors and information booths will open at 8:30 a.m. at Waterfront Park. Again, patrons will have the opportunity to try their hand at stand-up paddle boarding until 1 p.m.
Yoga, Tai Chi and Zumba demonstrations will be offered, along with group participation.
Beginning at 8:30 a.m. there will be 3,000 free T-shirts for those who arrive early and complete a brief survey. The Brain Injury Association will distribute 500 helmets to riders who don’t have one. Neil Huffman Subaru will be giving away a free bicycle and kayak at the event. Participants are encouraged to be “green” and bring their own water bottles which they will be able to fill at Waterfront Park and at various water stations along the routes, as part of Louisville Water’s Pure Tap To Go.
This is the 13th year for the Hike, Bike & Paddle events, which are held each Memorial Day and Labor Day. The events are part of the city’s Healthy Hometown Movement, created to encourage Louisville residents to be more active and make healthier lifestyle choices. To view interactive route maps and for more information, go to hikebikeandpaddle.org.
Already know you’re coming? RSVP on our Facebook event page. And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram @AroundLou!
Additional support is provided by River City Paddlesports INC., Outfront Media, 106.9 Play, Scheller’s Fitness & Cycling, Louisville Water Company and the YMCA.
From Mayor Greg Fischer:
On Sunday, Aug. 13, our city hosted three separate rallies in support of the people of Charlottesville, Va., and in opposition of the acts of domestic terrorism that occurred there over the weekend.
I’m extremely proud that all of those events were peaceful. I’m proud of the marchers and grateful that the hundreds who participated were kept safe. And I appreciate the work of Louisville Metro Police Chief Steve Conrad and his officers to help ensure that safety.
I recognize, however, that some people were upset by steps that officers took to route people off the street and onto sidewalks during a Black Lives Matter march down Broadway after one of the rallies. When I first saw the photos and videos, I too, had concerns, which I shared with Chief Conrad on Sunday night.
It is important to keep in mind that the officers’ responsibility was to keep people safe from traffic, to provide a safe space for them to march and to provide security in the event that counter-protesters emerged. And they were successful in those efforts.
Officers are trained to use a baton in the event that a horizontal police barricade is required in situations like this. I appreciate, though, that the batons prompted feelings of fear and mistrust among many of the marchers, their families and friends, as well as some who saw the images later.
That’s a reality we cannot ignore. And that’s why I asked the Chief to review how we should best handle incidents like this should they happen in the future.
This review has started, and we will share its results with the community.
I take great pride in the willingness of Louisvillians to come together to talk out our differences and our challenges, no matter how difficult.
LMPD strives to be the most effective community partners they can be, and I reiterate my appreciation for their service and their desire to always improve.
I also ask our marchers to maximize effective communication and cooperation with LMPD, with peace, safety and constitutional rights for all being the guiding values.
I believe that trust in our community comes from transparency, and I commit that we will continue with transparency as one of my administration’s values.
Gov. Matt Bevin joined with a 17-state coalition, led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, to urge the U.S. Department of Labor to rescind the Obama-era Persuader Rule. This regulation threatened to increase legal costs for businesses and undermine the longstanding and vital attorney-client privilege.
In a letter to Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, the group concludes: “Given that the Persuader Rule has the effect of regulating a traditionally state-regulated domain, and that Congress has made no such indication, the Department should rescind the rule.”
Last November, Attorney General Paxton won a permanent, nationwide injunction against the Persuader Rule, when a federal judge ruled that it was unlawful and would have required attorneys to publicly disclose confidential information protected by attorney-client privilege. In December, a Texas-led 10-state coalition won a final judgment in the case.
The Obama administration’s reinterpretation of the Persuader Rule upended five decades of established federal labor policy and would have made it more difficult and expensive for small businesses to obtain legal advice. Attorney General Paxton’s lawsuit kept the Department from enforcing the new rule.
The Department’s proposal to rescind the Persuader Rule requires a 60-day public comment period—which ends on August 11—before the Department can take final action.
Joining Gov. Bevin and Attorney General Paxton in the letter is the governor of Mississippi, as well as the attorneys general of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
A copy of the letter can be downloaded here.
Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) is once again opening its hotline to help answer any transportation-related questions families may have before the start of school.
Beginning Monday morning, parents will be able to dial 485-RIDE to speak with a member of the JCPS team who can provide important information about their child’s bus number and help locate bus stops closest to home. Families may also use the online JCPS Bus Finder tool located on the back-to-school section of the JCPS homepage.
485-RIDE will be open at the following times:
- Aug. 14, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Aug. 15, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Aug. 16, 6 a.m. until bus drivers complete their afternoon routes.
Also available to families year-round is the district’s customer service helpline, 313-HELP. Launched in 2016, the helpline streamlines service for JCPS families looking for answers to district- and school-related questions. During the school year, 313-HELP is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Mayor Greg Fischer announced today that he’s directing the Louisville Commission on Public Art to review its catalogue of public art to develop a list of pieces that can be interpreted to be honoring bigotry, racism and/or slavery. This is in preparation for a community conversation about their display.
“I recognize that some people say all these monuments should be left alone, because they are part of our history,” Fischer said. “But we need to discuss and interpret our history from multiple perspectives and from different viewpoints. That’s why a community conversation is crucial.”
“Both our human values and the future of our city depend on our ability to directly address the challenges that stop each and every citizen from realizing their potential. We, as a compassionate community, must again come together and face up to the stain of slavery and racism, as we move toward a future that embraces diversity as a strength,” the Mayor said.
The Mayor’s remarks come one day after violence surrounding a white nationalists’ rally in Charlottesville, VA that left three people dead and 35 injured — and nearly a year after the city removed the Confederate Monument at the University of Louisville. The Virginia rally was convened by white nationalists who oppose a plan to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from a city park.
Early this morning, a statue of Confederate officer and President of the Board of Park Commissioners John Breckinridge Castleman in the Cherokee Triangle neighborhood was vandalized with orange paint. The statue, constructed in 1913, has long been a neighborhood landmark honoring Castleman’s contributions to creating the neighborhood around it, and the Cherokee Neighborhood Association paid thousands to have it restored in 2013.
“For many, this statue is a beloved neighborhood landmark, but for others, it’s a symbol of a painful, tragic and divisive time in our history — which gets at the complexity of this conversation,” the Mayor said. “I believe this is community conversation worth having.”
An effort to remove the paint from the Castleman statue today was halted until the conservator who led its restoration in 2013 could be consulted. The city also is reaching out to the Kentucky Historical Society to discuss how to address vandalism to a nearby sign that the city maintains.
The Confederate Monument on U of L’s campus was moved last fall to become part of an historic Civil War site in neighboring Brandenburg, KY
