Tuesday January 27, 2026
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Photo: State Treasurer website
Kentucky State Treasurer Allison Ball held a press conference on Monday morning at Southern High School in Louisville, KY to announce the launch of the Financial Empowerment Coalition and the Financial Empowerment Database, a first-of-its-kind resource for Kentuckians.
“As a former bankruptcy attorney, I understand the need of greater financial literacy in our state,” Treasurer Ball said. “This is an exciting day in Kentucky, as this coalition and database will help bring greater financial empowerment to Kentuckians. With the passage of HB 132 this session, we now have an opportunity to potentially change the lives of many, many people.”
House Bill 132, sponsored by Representative Jim Duplessis of Elizabethtown, makes financial literacy a graduation requirement for Kentucky public high schools. The legislation allows local principals to determine how to meet that requirement; the Financial Empowerment Database offers resources for that very purpose. Providing this resource for educators was a deliberate part of the coalition’s purpose, but, according to Treasurer Ball, the coalition and the database financially empower more than Kentucky’s K-12 students and teachers.
“We have been developing this resource through conversations with community leaders for quite some time,” Treasurer Ball said. “The coalition has been hard at work, developing solutions to Kentucky’s need for greater financial literacy and financial empowerment among many different communities. I am proud of this database and the work we have started.”
The database is a product of the Treasurer’s work with leaders from numerous fields including educators, financial institutions, advocates for veterans and military personnel, and nonprofits. This online resource has been compiled as part of Treasurer Ball’s Financial Empowerment Coalition, which began meeting informally in 2016, the year she took office. The coalition, which now boasts more than thirty organizations, has provided over 100 links of financial literacy resources. The database’s resources are divided into six target groups, or Cultivation Communities, which are also the focus of the Financial Empowerment Coalition’s work. These six communities include Aging Kentuckians, Emerging Adults, Kentuckians with Disabilities, Low-Income Families, Student Strategies, and Veterans and Military Personnel.
“My Role as State Treasurer is to be a watchdog for Kentucky taxpayer dollars and to be a beacon of good government across the Commonwealth,” Treasurer Ball said. “A practical way of doing that is by building a network of people and organizations committed to improving the financial livelihood of Kentuckians. HB 132 and the Financial Literacy Coalition and Database are the beginning fruits of that labor.”
To learn more about the Financial Empowerment Coalition and Database, visit www.treasury.ky.gov/financialempowerment/. If you are interested in joining the Financial Empowerment Coalition, email treasury.web@ky.gov.
Photo: Cabinet for Health and Family Services
Due to an ongoing outbreak of Hepatitis A, the Department for Public Health (DPH) within the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS), is recommending vaccination for everyone residing in Jefferson, Bullitt, Hardin, Greenup, Carter and Boyd counties.
To date, 214 cases have been reported in the Jefferson County/Louisville area. Bullitt, Hardin, Greenup, Carter and Boyd counties have each reported 5 or more cases for a total 311 cases associated with the outbreak. One death has been reported.
“Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable illness. DPH recommends all children, ages 1 year through 18, receive the Hepatitis A vaccine as well as adults who want to protect themselves from an acute hepatitis A infection,” said Dr. Jeffrey Howard, acting DPH commissioner. “In these counties with local transmission of the hepatitis A virus, we recommend everyone be vaccinated per guidelines to help stop this outbreak.”
For adults, the hepatitis A vaccine is typically given in two doses — an initial vaccination followed by another shot six months later. DPH recommends that all people in outbreak counties consult with their primary care doctor or insurance carrier regarding an in-network provider for administration of the hepatitis A vaccine. The Center for Disease and Control (CDC) recommends vaccination for people who wish to be protected against hepatitis A infection. For insured people, the hepatitis A vaccine should not require any out-of-pocket costs as long as policies are compliant with the federal Affordable Care Act.
Since 2006, the CDC has recommended children receive the hepatitis A vaccine series. Effective July 1, 2018, all Kentucky students in kindergarten through 12th grade must receive two doses of the Hepatitis A vaccine to attend school or receive a provisional certificate of immunization (unless their parents claim an exemption).
Signs and symptoms of Hepatitis A include jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), dark-colored urine, fatigue, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhea and fever. The virus is found in the stool of people infected with Hepatitis A and typically spread from person to person contact. The disease often is transmitted when people do not wash their hands properly or do not have access to proper sanitation. DPH recommends individuals wash their hands often and particularly after using the restroom or before consuming food. Hand sanitizer should be used only when soap and water is unavailable.
While the current hepatitis A outbreak is occurring primarily within specific at-risk populations, including people who use illicit drugs (both injection and non-injection) and the homeless, through person-to-person transmission. Approximately, 30 percent of cases do not report any risk factors. Therefore, it is recommended that children and adults in counties with local transmission of the virus as part of this outbreak receive the hepatitis A vaccine.
Hepatitis A vaccine is widely available at local pharmacies and health care providers. For additional information on the hepatitis A vaccination, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hav/afaq.htm#E1.
As part of Mayor Greg Fischer’s Give-A-Day week of volunteer service across the city of Louisville, the mayor himself was honored today with the unveiling of a mural at Nelson Hornbeck Park in Fairdale.
The mural is a birthday present from his sister Lynn, who provided the materials for the project through a gift to the Louisville Parks Foundation. Art students from Fairdale High School and Fairdale Community School designed and painted the mural.
“This is a fabulous partnership between the Louisville Parks Foundation, Fairdale High School art department, Fairdale Community School, and Council District 13,” said Vicki Welch, who represents the Fairdale area for the Louisville Metro Council.
“I truly appreciate Lucretia Moore, District 13 resident and Ramsey Middle School art teacher, who has stepped up to lead this project. Also, Mr. Gibbs Rounsavall, art teacher, and Kathy Blevins, Director of Fairdale Community School, were instrumental in getting this project coordinated. As a birthday gift to Mayor Fischer, his sister Lynn Fischer is also a valuable partner. A huge appreciation to all!”
“I was in search of something special for Greg’s big birthday in January,” Lynn Fischer said. “I then learned the Fairdale High School art class was working on a mural for the Nelson Hornbeck pool house, and the Louisville Parks Foundation needed the paint to bring their design to life. The more I thought about the pool house mural, it seemed a perfect gift to acknowledge Greg’s love for Louisville and commitment to our City values of health and life-long learning for all of our citizens. The ability to have the students and teachers paint the mural during Give A Day week was, no pun intended, icing on the cake!”
“We were very excited to partner on this project. Coordinating community resources and people to improve our parks and facilities is what we do,” said Louisville Parks Foundation CEO, Brooke Pardue. “We hope more people reach out to us for potential future projects.”
The National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) recently selected Dana Kelly, an educator at Central High School, as a Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction. A role model to pupils, Dana was nominated by a student for outstanding dedication and commitment to excellence in the profession.
Each year student members of NSHSS are invited to nominate the educator who has made the most significant contribution to their academic career for the Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction award. This honor recognizes exemplary educators whose passion and devotion inspire their students to grow and develop as scholars, leaders and citizens.
“Dedicated educators who exhibit a commitment to excellence deserve our highest praise and appreciation,” said NSHSS President James W. Lewis. “Through our Educators of Distinction program and the grants we provide to support professional development and enrich classroom instruction, we hope to acknowledge and encourage the vital work of the teachers, counselors and administrators who are shaping the intellect and character of our young scholars.”
The National Society of High School Scholars seeks to advance the goals and aspirations of high-achieving students through unique learning experiences, scholarships, internships, international study and peer networks. Learn more here.
With the traditional spin of a wheel Tara Dunaway of Leitchfield, KY, was named the 2018 Kentucky Derby Festival Queen at the 60th annual Fillies Derby Ball at The Galt House. Tara, 21-years-old, is a Junior at the University of Louisville where she is majoring in Business Marketing with a minor in Management. She is a College of Business Student Council Member and serves as the Chairman of Outreach, has been named to the Dean’s List multiple times, and has studied in numerous countries including England and Austria. Tara also volunteers at Portland Elementary and has participated in mission trips to Central America.
This year’s Derby Festival Princesses anxiously awaited the traditional spin-of-the-wheel, performed by Fillies President Glenda Thome. The other members of the court include: Katie Bouchard of Owensboro, KY, a senior at Western Kentucky University; Logan Howard of Louisville, a senior at the University of Kentucky; Morgan A. Redmond of Louisville, KY a senior at the University of Chicago, and Caroline Will of Louisville, a senior at the University of Kentucky.
The members of the Royal Court have been representing the Festival at a variety of events since their selection in January, including Festival Unveiled, the Ford Motor Company Spelling Bee and Macy’s Spring Fashion Show. They were selected as Royal Court members out of more than 130 young women who applied to participate in the program last fall.
Criteria for selection included knowledge of the Derby Festival, poise, intelligence, personality and campus/community involvement. Each woman receives two $1,000 scholarships (one from the Fillies, Inc., and one from the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation) and an official wardrobe.
The Princesses act as ambassadors for the Derby Festival and the city as they represent the community at a variety of functions. The Fillies, Inc. was established to support the Kentucky Derby Festival. Their mission is to organize the traditional Fillies Derby Ball, coordinate the “Royal Court Program,” produce the “Children’s Tea” event, and publish the Official Derby Festival Program. Membership is limited to 250 ladies of our community.
Past Derby Festival Queens include Martha Layne Collins – Kentucky’s first woman Governor, the late Gail Gorski – the first female pilot for United Airlines and a number of other community leaders. Many say their Derby Festival experience helped them prepare for their future careers.
Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. It entertains more than 1.5 million people in a two- week period and has a local economic impact of more than $127 million. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.
The Jefferson County Attorney’s Office has informed members of the Louisville Metro Council that the Department of Justice has reviewed Louisville Metro’s newly enacted Separation Ordinance (LMCO 39(1)(F)) and found it to be in compliance with federal law (8 USC § 1373).
“At the time, this ordinance was discussed and passed, we were confident that we dealing with a public safety issue and there was never any intention to hinder federal enforcement of immigration laws. I am pleased that the DOJ is satisfied with what was passed and we can move forward,” says Metro Council President David James (D-6).
“The City of Louisville does not discriminate based on immigration status nor does our police enforce federal civil immigration law. LMPD’s job is to enforce criminal law, and Louisville is a place of welcome for all,” says Councilman Brandon Coan (D-8).
Louisville Metro was one of dozens of jurisdictions across the country that was targeted by the federal government.
The Ordinance was passed in October of 2017 and it set guidelines for how local police work with federal officials in the enforcement of immigration laws the ordinance also set guidelines for all metro employees and prohibits the questioning of someone’s immigration status.
The ordinance specifically states: “Nothing in this section prohibits Metro Government from sending to, or receiving from, any local, state or federal agency information regarding an individual’s citizenship or immigration status. Federal law does not allow any such prohibition.”
Link to Department of Justice Clearance letter:
https://louisvilleky.gov/sites/default/files/metro_council/pdf_files/lou…
Link to Immigration Ordinance:
https://louisvilleky.gov/sites/default/files/metro_council/pdf_files/ord…
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
For many people, 911 is who you call in an emergency when you need police, fire or EMS. The Metro Government agency that handles 911 is also the place that alerts you to bad weather or any disaster to keep you and your family safe.
Councilwoman Madonna Flood (D-24) announces the next South Central Regional Forum will focus on the work of Emergency Services of Louisville Metro Government on Wednesday, April 18th.
“This particular forum is important because the people who work at Emergency Services are your direct connection when you need help. They answer the phone and determine who to send and stay with on the phone with you until help arrives,” says Flood.
The forum is set for the new South Central Regional Library at 7400 Jefferson Boulevard from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.
Jody Meiman, the Director of the Emergency Services Agency will be the featured speaker at the forum and will address the operation of emergency services and emergency management operations in the city. He will also discuss 911 operations and the LENS Alert, which deals with notifications in the event of bad weather or a pending disaster.
“You may never have had the need to call 911 or be aware of what the city does to handle an emergency. This forum will provide helpful insight into what to do in the event of an emergency and how to stay safe and help those you love,” 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 this South Central Regional Forum, contact Councilwoman Flood’s office at 574-1124.
