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In preparation for warmer temperatures this season, KIPDA Area Agency on Aging and Independent Living is again partnering with Louisville Metro Office for Aging & Disabled Citizens (OADC) to collect electric fans for seniors and persons with physical disabilities. The fans will be distributed to qualified individuals within the KIPDA region including Jefferson, Bullitt, Henry, Shelby, Oldham, Spencer, and Trimble Counties.
Donations of new box fans will be collected through June 14 at:
- KIPDA, 11520 Commonwealth Drive (Lou., KY 40299)
- WLKY Studio, 1918 Mellwood Ave. (Lou, KY 40206)
Drop off hours are Monday through Friday; 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. for KIPDA and 8:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. for WLKY.
Monetary donations will also be accepted to purchase fans. Make checks made payable to KIPDA, Attn: Fan Fair Program and mail to the address on Commonwealth Drive listed above postmarked by June 14. If you would like to make special arrangements for a donation or need further information, please contact Sarah Teeters (502) 574-5092 at the OADC or Jennifer Craig (502) 266-5571 at KIPDA.
Last year, over 600 fans were distributed to residents in need thanks to fan or monetary donations given by community organizations, churches, businesses, and private citizens. Local station WLKY TV32 provided both on-air and on-line advertising, in addition to serving as one of the drop-off locations, and will provide similar support to this year’s efforts.
On June 24, a “Fan Fair” will be held from 8 a.m.- 12 p.m. at The Edison Center located at 701 W. Ormsby Ave. to distribute the collected fans to seniors 60 and older, as well as to individuals with physical disabilities, on a first-come, first-served basis.
Qualifications to receive a free fan will be:
- Person 60 years or older
- OR documentation verified by a physician of a physical disability
- Must be a resident of Jefferson, Oldham, Henry, Shelby, Spencer, Trimble or Bullitt Counties
- Proof of address and age will we required
- One fan per household
“We are excited to be partnering with Louisville Metro Office of Aging & Disabled Citizens again this year, helping older adults and persons with disabilities stay comfortable during the summer months, stated Barbara Gordon, director of the KIPDA Area Agency on Aging and Independent Living. “I am proud of all of the community partners who support this effort and help to make it happen.“
“As we continue to address the effects of our city’s urban heat island, it is imperative that our community responds to those individuals who are most in need of cooling assistance”, stated Gena Redmon, director of the Louisville Metro’s Department of Resilience and Community Services which oversees the OADC. “Donating a fan is an easy and compassionate way to make a difference in the life of a vulnerable neighbor.”
Coinciding with the Fan Fair will be a health fair open to all ages to provide basic health checks and information from local area resources. Louisville Metro Department of Public Health & Wellness and LMPD will also facilitate a ‘Take Back Event’ to properly and safely dispose of unwanted or expired prescription drugs.
For more information about the fan donations or Fan Fair, visit www.louisvilleky.gov/communityservices or www.KIPDA.org.
Councilman Bill Hollander invites D9 constituents to participate in a discussion about the upcoming budget. The Metro Council has started the review of the 2017-2018 budget recommended by Mayor Greg Fischer. The proposed budget focuses heavily on public safety, including significant investments in LMPD, while continuing to fund affordable housing, paving and a new Northeast Regional Library.
The May District 9 Community Conversation is set for Wednesday, May 17, at 6:30 p.m. at the Peterson Dumesnil House, 301S. Peterson Avenue.
The $593 million general fund operating budget anticipates $23 million in new revenue, with the greatest chunk of that – $19 million, or 83 percent – earmarked for LMPD and the Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods, including additional police officers.
The budget proposal was presented one month earlier than usual under an ordinance Hollander sponsored last year. The ordinance was designed to give the public and Council members more time to evaluate and comment on the budget.
“As with all D9 Community Conversations, discussion of any other subjects is welcome and I will be available to talk with constituents about any questions, comments or concerns,” says Hollander. “So, mark your calendar and bring along a friend or neighbor to let me know what you think.”
For more information about May’s D9 Community Conversation, contact Councilman Hollander’s office at 574-1109.
Earlier this week, Attorney General Andy Beshear joined with attorneys general from 36 states and the District of Columbia to send a letter urging the United States government to expand its policy regarding the use of federal funds to investigate and prosecute Medicaid abuse and neglect cases.
The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) letter was sent to the United States Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price.
Beshear said the federal government should change its policy so each state’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) could use federal funds to investigate and prosecute a wider range of Medicaid abuse and neglect cases, including those that occur in the home.
Beshear said his office’s MFCU currently investigates and prosecutes Medicaid provider fraud, resident abuse complaints in Medicaid-funded health care facilities, and receives and reviews abuse and neglect complaints through the Elder Abuse Hotline.
The rule change would allow Beshear’s MFCU, along with other state’s units, to handle the investigation and prosecution of Medicaid providers who provide their services in non-institutional settings.
“Kentucky’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit is working hard to protect Kentucky senior citizens and our most vulnerable,” Beshear said. “By changing out-of-date federal regulations, my office will have broader authority to directly help those suffering from abuse and prosecute their abusers.”
Beshear said statistics cited by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest that one in 10 persons living at home, age 65 and older, will become a victim of abuse. The CDC figures also suggest that most elder abuse is not ever detected, with one study concluding that for every case of elder abuse detected or reported, 23 more remain unknown.
For these reasons, the attorneys general assert in the letter, “…the current strict federal limitations on states’ ability to use MFCU assets to investigate abuse and neglect are outdated, arbitrarily restrict our ability to protect Medicaid beneficiaries from abuse and neglect as Congress intended, and should be replaced or eliminated.”
NAAG offered two changes to current federal regulations:
- Allow each state’s Medicaid Fraud Control Units federal funds to be used to investigate and prosecute abuse and neglect of Medicaid beneficiaries in non-institutional settings (i.e. home health care).
- Allow use of MFCU federal funds to freely screen or review all complaints or reports of whatever type, in whatever setting.
Beshear has made protecting Kentucky senior citizens one of his office’s core missions.
Upon taking office, one of the first steps Beshear took was to expand Kentucky’s Elder Abuse Hotline to 24/7 to help ensure seniors are protected both day and night.
To report any instances of patient abuse, neglect or exploitation to the Attorney General’s Elder Abuse Hotline call, 877-228-7384.
Photo: Kentucky Department Fish and Wildlife
Kentucky marks the 20th anniversary of its wildly successful elk restoration program with a special “Kentucky Afield” television show preceding this year’s drawing for elk permits.
Tune to KET (Kentucky Education Television) at 8:30 p.m. (Eastern) Saturday, May 13, to get a behind the scenes look at how Kentucky’s Commonwealth Office of Technology conducts the annual drawing. “We’re airing this special program so everyone can see how it’s done,” said Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Gregory Johnson.
The 30-minute show features Wildlife Division Director Steve Beam answering questions about the drawing process. Beam will also provide guidance to drawn hunters on selecting an area to hunt.
At 9 p.m. (Eastern), following the conclusion of the show, visit the Facebook site of “Kentucky Afield” TV or Kentucky Fish and Wildlife to see a scroll of the names of successful applicants. People may also check the status of their application by selecting the “My Profile” tab on the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife website, located at fw.ky.gov.
Kentucky received more than 78,000 applications this year for the 710 permits available through the drawing. Kentucky has the largest elk herd east of the Rocky Mountains and offers more elk hunting permits than all of the eastern states combined.
Kentucky’s restoration effort began with the release of seven elk in 1997.
CycLOUvia makes an exciting return this coming Saturday, May 13th, to three Metro Louisville neighborhoods and Council Members Pat Mulvihill (D-10) and Barbara Sexton Smith (D-4) are encouraging people to come out and have fun.
“Germantown, Schnitzelburg and Shelby Park are three areas with a rich history and great people who live and work there,” says Mulvihill. “CycLOUvia is a great way for these neighbors to come out, ride their bike or walk around and get to know the area. Folks come out, have fun and discover some of the exciting businesses located there, both old and new.”
This is will be the 10th CycLOUvia and this time the Three Points area, that is bounded by Goss Avenue, Logan Street and Shelby Street will be closed to motorized vehicles. It will afford pedestrians, bikers, skaters, joggers and dancers to come out and enjoy the afternoon.
“I think this is a great way for people to get out and enjoy a great Saturday in May and it is also an opportunity for other folks outside the Three Points area to come and enjoy the down to earth nature of these three neighborhoods,” says Sexton Smith.
CycLOUvia was created by Mayor Greg Fischer back in 2012 as a new part of the Mayor’s Healthy Hometown Movement.
During the 10th CycLOUvia the streets will be closed from 2:00pm to 6:00pm.
To learn more about this CycLOUvia, go to: https://louisvilleky.gov/news/first-cyclouvia-2017-will-be-held-may-13
Earlier this week, Mayor Greg Fischer and Gov. Matt Bevin joined company leaders to break ground on LINAK U.S. Inc.’s 145,000-square-foot plant expansion, which will allow the company to double the size of its current facility that manufactures linear actuators for hospital beds, office desks and farm equipment.
“LINAK’s expansion and investment in Louisville is a testament to our city’s strength in advanced manufacturing, which is a key component to our economic success – today and in the future,” Mayor Fischer said. “Louisville is proud to be the home of LINAK’s U.S. headquarters, and we look forward to helping the company achieve more for its customers, our city and our state.”
The $33 million investment, which will create more than 400 full-time jobs, includes the purchase and installation of new production equipment. The expansion project will allow LINAK to improve efficiency, generate higher profits and make more reliable deliveries to customers, while lowering production costs by 25 percent. The company expects to double output and sales over the next five years.
“Since locating in the commonwealth more than 20 years ago, LINAK has steadily grown its business and presence, in Louisville,” Gov. Bevin said. “We are witnessing another great investment in Kentucky as ground breaks today on the expansion of LINAK’s Louisville-based manufacturing facility. Kentucky is on the rise, and I thank LINAK for its decision to select Kentucky to support its expansion. We hope to see continued growth for years to come.”
LINAK, headquartered in Denmark, operates facilities in 35 countries and maintains its Americas headquarters in Louisville. The company introduced linear actuators to many existing products, improving ease of operation. Linear actuators use low-voltage DC motors to convert rotational movement into linear motion. Uses for actuators include in hospital beds, agricultural appliances, adjustable workstations and office desks. LINAK’s other products include lifting columns, control boxes, controls and a wide range of accessories.
“With this expansion LINAK will significantly increase the domestic production footprint which we know is highly valued by our customers,” said Jan Peterson, vice president of operations at LINAK. “Since day one, both the city of Louisville and the commonwealth of Kentucky have been a great home for us. We are excited to continue our partnership with this community for years to come.”
LINAK opened a sales office in Louisville in 1994 and established its manufacturing facility in 1999, which currently employs 300 people.
To encourage the investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) in December 2016 preliminarily approved the company 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.
Additionally, KEDFA approved LINAK for up to $350,000 in tax incentives through the Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act (KEIA). KEIA allows approved companies to recoup Kentucky sales and use tax on construction costs, building fixtures, equipment used in research and development and electronic processing.
For more information on LINAK, visit www.linak-us.com.
Taking your kids to catch some hand-sized bluegill is another great aspect of this time of year in our state.
“A lot of your bigger male bluegill are moving up into the shallows,” said David Baker, Central Fisheries District biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “It is an excellent time to take kids out and get them excited and hooked on fishing.”
Baker took his wife, daughter and son on a trip to a pond on a central Kentucky wildlife management area last weekend. “They caught so many fish; I couldn’t keep up with them,” he said. “My wife and daughter had one on at the same time. It was like that for a solid hour.”
Photo: Kentucky Department Fish and Wildlife
Bluegill in the shallows doing their reproductive dance brings some of the fastest fishing found. “Bluegill are close to spawning and definitely willing to strike bait suspended under a bobber,” Baker said. “I’ve been to several of our central Kentucky lakes recently and received good reports on the bluegill fishing. We manage the smaller state-owned lakes in our district for good panfish populations. Boltz Lake, Corinth Lake, Beaver Lake, Elmer Davis Lake and McNeely Lake are all fishing really well for panfish right now.”
Two of those lakes lie in Grant County, 92-acre Boltz Lake and 96-acre Corinth Lake, and both hold good bluegill populations. “Corinth rebounded from the shad eradication a while back and is doing well for bluegill,” Baker said. “We see them now up 8 ½ inches regularly. We are also seeing redear sunfish up to 10 inches in Corinth.” Redear sunfish are commonly called “shellcrackers” by anglers.
Baker said 158-acre Beaver Lake in Anderson County is full of 8-inch and longer bluegill. “Fish tight to cover and under the cedar trees for bluegill on Beaver Lake,” Baker said. “We also saw redear sunfish up to 12 inches at Beaver. They are out in the middle of coves on the mud flats.”
Elmer Davis Lake covers 149-acres in Owen County near Owenton. The lake is now refilling after a drawdown for repair work on the dam. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife conducted a shad eradication on the lake over the winter that Baker said will improve the bluegill and the redear sunfish populations in the lake over the coming years.
“Another good bluegill lake is McNeely Lake in Jefferson County,” Baker said. “It is right in the back yard of a lot of people in the Louisville area. McNeely also has a healthy population of redear sunfish.”
The smaller state-owned lakes offer excellent bank fishing for bluegill as do the 43 Fishing in Neighborhoods (FINs) lakes scattered throughout Kentucky.
If one has access to a boat, Kentucky Lake is arguably the best bluegill lake in Kentucky. The lake holds fantastic numbers of 6- to 8-inch fish with many larger specimens in the population.
Target the back reaches of coves in May on Kentucky Lake. Those with some flooded timber and an overhead canopy make the best spots. Look for freshly swept depressions in the bottom, indicating bluegill nests. You can catch bluegill all day long from spots like this on Kentucky Lake.
In addition to these lakes, farm ponds and subdivision lakes often hold good populations of bluegill. To check the bluegill population at a lake near you, check the annual Fishing Forecast.
Suspending a wiggling redworm impaled on a size 6 Aberdeen hook under a bobber still works extremely well for bluegill, as it has decade after decade. The rig will also fool any redear sunfish nearby.
Feather jigs tipped with a wax worm or a cricket suspended under a bobber also work well for bluegill. If bluegill get finicky, bottom fish a redworm impaled on an Aberdeen hook near weedbeds. You may also pick off a few redear sunfish with this presentation as well.
The bluegill are in the shallows spawning. For those who want to catch fish after fish, there is no comparison.