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As the fight continues against drug abuse and addiction in Metro Louisville, Metro Council members applaud the Dixie Area Business Association for pulling together a first of its kind information forum and encourage residents to attend.
“Drugs in our Community: Awareness and Resources” will not only pinpoint which drugs are impacting our community; the forum also brings together many resources and agencies involved in fighting the problem to speak directly with residents seeking help.
“Our area of the county is the hardest hit with numbers of overdoses and overdose deaths. We must educate ourselves on this epidemic that is impacting our families at an alarming rate;” said Councilwoman Marianne Butler (D-15). “Hopefully one of the resource agencies can make a connection that helps someone seek treatment to overcome this disease.”
The event is Tuesday, April 17th at Holy Cross High School from 6pm – 7:30pm.
LMPD, Metro Safe, Louisville Health & Wellness, The Healing Place, Volunteers of America, Sts. Mary & Elizabeth Hospital, Young People in Recovery and Celebrate Recovery are among those that will have representatives that can speak directly with those seeking help and information. The Kentucky Harm Reduction Coalition will be on hand showing people how to safely administer Naloxon and have samples to share with residents.
“The problem our community is facing with overdoses and drugs is truly a community health problem,” says Blackwell. “That is why it is important that the entire community engage themselves with the knowledge and resources to combat this heartbreaking problem,” says Councilman Rick Blackwell (D-12).
In addition to educating one’s self on this subject, Louisville Metro Police will conduct a “Drug Toss” for residents to safely discard old medications.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to dispose of unused drugs at the Drug Toss to keep them out of the wrong hands. I greatly appreciate DABA having this most insightful forum for public education on drug abuse,” says Councilwoman Vicki Aubrey Welch (D-13).
“Every person is affected by the opioid epidemic. I have encouraged naloxone trainings throughout our community after the first one I hosted saved the life of a dear friend’s son,” said Councilman David Yates (D-25). “I thank DABA for their leadership to bring all of these great groups together to educate our community and save lives.”
Unwanted or expired drugs can be a dangerous problem. I appreciate DABA giving seniors and others a way to dispose of these drugs in a safe way. This helps keep these drugs out of the hands of those who might abuse them and gets them out of homes that might otherwise become a source for abusers,” says Councilwoman Cindi Fowler (D-14).
Holy Cross High School is located at 5144 Dixie Highway.
Photo: Louisville Metro Public Health And Wellness
An employee at the Applebee’s restaurant located at 4717 Dixie Highway has been diagnosed with acute hepatitis A. As a result, customers who ate at the restaurant from March 23 to April 12, 2018 may have been exposed to the hepatitis A virus.
Symptoms of hepatitis A are fatigue, decreased appetite, stomach pain, nausea, darkened urine, pale stools and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes). People can become ill 15 to 50 days after being exposed to the virus. Anyone experiencing symptoms should seek medical attention.
Hepatitis A is usually transmitted by putting something in your mouth such as an object, food or drink, which has been in contact with the feces of an infected person. In November, the Kentucky Department for Public Health declared a statewide hepatitis A outbreak. Since the outbreak began there have been 226 cases diagnosed in Louisville and more than 11,000 vaccinated.
“The best ways to prevent hepatitis A infection are to get vaccinated and to practice good handwashing,” said Dr. Lori Caloia, medical director. “Washing your hands thoroughly and often with warm water and soap, especially before preparing meals or eating, after using the bathroom or changing a diaper is a proven way to prevent the spread of diseases. Hand sanitizer is not as effective as hand washing against hepatitis A.”
The Department of Public Health and Wellness recommends anyone working in the hospitality industry, particularly those who serve or prepare food and beverages, protect themselves and others by getting the hepatitis A vaccine. The independent business owners of the Applebee’s restaurants in the state of Kentucky as well as surrounding markets in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Tennessee will provide free Hepatitis A vaccinations to their employees.
The department and the University of Louisville Global Health Center have partnered to offer below-cost vaccinations to all hospitality workers. The cost of the hepatitis A vaccine has been reduced from $65 to $25. Businesses with more than 20 employees can have a nurse come to their site to provide the immunizations. Businesses with fewer than 20 employees may designate vaccine for their employees to be immunized at U of L’s walk-in clinic. To arrange these employee immunizations, contact Dr. Ruth Carrico at 502-852-1324.
To date more than 50 local food service establishments have chosen to provide their employees the hepatitis A vaccine through this effort.
For more information about hepatitis A visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/health-wellness/hepatitis or call 211.
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources has opened more land for public use.
Old Trace Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is a 323-acre property near the community of Emerson in Lewis County. Hunting on the WMA is allowed under statewide regulations.
The property was purchased with Kentucky Wetland and Stream Mitigation “Fee In-Lieu of” (FILO) Program funding for stream restoration. The FILO program is required by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to permanently protect stream restoration project sites through the acquisition of properties like the Old Trace Creek area. No general fund tax dollars or department license dollars were used.
“With the stream restoration project almost complete, the area is being opened for the public to enjoy,” said Mike Hardin, assistant Fisheries Division director with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. “Not only is this project improving stream habitat, hunters and outdoors enthusiasts are being provided with a new place to enjoy.”
Old Trace Creek WMA is about 95 percent forested with the remaining open land primarily being creek drainages where stream restoration efforts are nearly complete. Visitors will encounter moderate to steep terrain with forested ridges and benches.
“There is abundant opportunity for game species as most of this track is made up of upland oak forest,” said Nathan Gregory, coordinator of Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s Northeast Wildlife Region. “Turkey, squirrel and deer are going to be the big three. There’s the possibility of some rabbit and grouse, as well.”
To access Old Trace Creek WMA, take Exit 156 off Interstate 64, turn left on KY 59 and travel about six miles to Old Trace Creek Road/Old Trace Hill Road. Turn left and travel approximately one mile. The property is mostly on the right, with one small tract on the left that offers access to the creek. The property features three small parking areas off Old Trace Creek Road.
The property is free for the public to access. Hunters must have the proper license and permits. These are available online at fw.ky.gov, or at numerous vendors where sporting goods are sold.
Kentucky’s spring turkey season opens April 14 and continues through May 6. Kentucky’s spring squirrel season opens May 15 and continues through June 15.
In celebration of the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies, Thunder Over Louisville, Four Roses has released a Limited Edition Single Barrel Bourbon Bottle featuring the iconic Thunder Over Louisville logo. Four Roses is also the Official Bourbon of Thunder Over Louisville.
The limited edition bottle, priced at $44.99, is exclusively available now at Cox Smoker’s Outlet and Spirit Shoppe, as well as Cox’s Evergreen Liquors. Thunder fans and bourbon connoisseurs will also have the opportunity to have their bottles signed by Four Roses Master Distiller Brent Elliott and Senior Brand Ambassador and Bourbon legend Al Young.
The signings are scheduled for April 13 and April 18:
- Friday, April 13 – Senior Brand Ambassador and Bourbon Legend Al Young will be signing bottles at Cox’s St. Matthews from 4 – 7 PM.
- Wednesday, April 18 – Master Distiller Brent Elliott will be signing the Thunder bottle at Evergreen Liquors from 5 – 8 PM
Thunder Over Louisville – the Derby Festival’s Opening Ceremonies – is one of the more than 70 events produced by the Derby Festival in the spring. The 2018 Thunder Over Louisville, themed “A Disco Thunder,” is set for Saturday, April 21, and will be the 29th annual production.
Registration is now open for Camp Ready4K, the Jefferson County Public School (JCPS) District’s kindergarten readiness camp serving incoming students the summer before they start school.
Applications must be completed by May 11 in order to be considered for Camp Ready4K. Camp will be held July 9 through July 27, from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., at the following locations:
- Alex R. Kennedy Elementary School (4515 Taylorsville Road)
- Dawson Orman Education Center (900 S Floyd St.)
- DuValle Education Center (3610 Bohne Ave.)
- Hazelwood Elementary (1325 Bluegrass Ave.)
- McFerran Early Childhood (1900 S 7th St.)
- Shacklette Elementary (5310 Mercury Dr.)
- Unseld Learning Center (5216 Ilex Ave. )
Families can complete an application online here. During the camp, incoming kindergarten students receive instruction from early learning teachers to ensure that they have the skills necessary to be successful in kindergarten. Students are also provided with breakfast and lunch.
For more information, families may call the Dawson Orman Education Center at 485-7121.
District 8 Metro Councilman Brandon Coan, Develop Louisville’s Office of Advanced Planning and Public Works will hold a public meeting on April 19 at 6 p.m. at Highlands Community Ministries (1228 E. Breckinridge Street) to present draft recommendations for the Bardstown Road/Baxter Avenue Corridor Safety Study.
This public meeting will serve as a follow up to the meeting in November 2017. It is an opportunity for residents and businesses to review and provide feedback on the draft recommendations to improve safety and mobility along the corridor. A final report is anticipated in summer 2018.
The study was conducted with the purpose of analyzing existing safety and mobility issues on Bardstown Road and Baxter Avenue between Broadway and Interstate 264. The goal of the study is to identify solutions for improving safety and mobility for all users with an emphasis on pedestrians and bicyclists. Local firm Qk4 has been the consultant for this study.
“Improving the safety, quality and character of Bardstown Road and Baxter Avenue is one of my top priorities. This corridor plan is a special opportunity to transform the Highlands,” said Coan.
Various forms of community engagement have been used to get feedback and to develop the draft recommendations including a booth at last fall’s Bardstown Road CycLOUvia, a public meeting in November 2017 and a public opinion survey.
The study includes conceptual recommendations that will be available for public comment. No funding has been appropriated to implement the recommendations yet; however, the study will be used to inform future public investments along the corridor.
For more information on the study including the results of the public opinion survey and corridor breakdown of crash data, please visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/advanced-planning/bardstown-roadbaxt…
Thousands of Louisvillians will be volunteering and participating in acts of compassion — from neighborhood cleanups to donating canned foods for the hungry – as part of the Mayor’s annual Give A Day Week of Service, which kicks off Saturday.
Give A Day week, which runs April 14-22, has become the city’s annual showcase of compassion and service. Started in 2011 as a one-day call to serve others, it has extended to more than a week. Last year’s Give A Day Week produced a record 180,000 volunteers and acts of compassion. Mayor Greg Fischer said this year’s goal is to top that, with even more volunteers, donations and other good deeds.
Give A Day is also an official Kentucky Derby Festival event, and kicks off the festival season. Companies and organizations of all sizes will have employee teams in action, including Humana, LG&E, Brown-Forman, GE, UPS, Computershare and Coca-Cola Bottling Consolidated. So will churches and community groups. Also participating will be students, who will be doing everything from collecting personal items for donation to cleaning neighborhoods. This year, every student from JCPS, Archdiocese and private schools will have the opportunity to participate in a kindness project.
The Mayor said there are countless ways to participate, such as donating food and personal items to the Ronald McDonald House, helping serve dinner to kids at the Boys & Girls Club of Kentuckiana and even donating a story of cancer survival to Hope Scarves, whose mission is to share scarves, stories and hope with women facing cancer.
“We have made compassion one of our city’s core values, with the aim to lift each other up as a community,” the Mayor said. “The Give A Day Week of Service is the time for Louisville to shine and build on its reputation as one of the most compassionate cities in America.”
The Mayor will start the week visiting a series of projects Saturday, including one of the largest, the Brightside & Passport Health Plan Spring Community Wide Cleanup. It takes place at locations across the city to help make Louisville a greener and cleaner community, by picking up litter and debris from neighborhoods, greenspaces and roadways.
Other weekend events include the annual Build a Bed on Saturday at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, a food truck event for the homeless and an Eastern Cemetery cleanup on Sunday.
Volunteers are still needed for projects of all kinds. To register, go to the website: www.mygiveaday.com and click on “volunteer for an existing project.” In addition, groups and individuals are urged to use the same website to report projects and good deeds they are doing on their own.
“We’re proud to support our community in solving problems through volunteer service all year round,” said Theresa Reno-Weber, president and CEO of Metro United Way. “As a part of that continuous work, we are excited to again serve as the backbone of Mayor’s Give A Day by connecting volunteers to meaningful opportunities to give back and address the needs of our neighbors. Connecting people with the passion, expertise and resources needed to get things done is at the heart of what we do in our fight for the education, financial stability and health of every person in our seven-county region.”
The Mayor will also participate in the student-led WE Day Walk of Compassion through downtown as a Give A Day event on April 17. WE Day Kentucky, in partnership with WLKY, celebrates student service projects and invites the public to join thousands of students in a lunch-time walk, carrying signs of compassion.
“The Mayor’s Give A Day initiative is a great opportunity for our students and staff to make a difference in their schools and community,” said JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio. “I’m proud that 100 percent of our schools will once again be participating in this weeklong initiative – committing more than 1,100 days of service doing everything from cleaning up parks, playgrounds and roadways, to collecting food and toiletries for local food banks and shelters, to recognizing veterans and their families, among dozens of other projects. It says a lot about the culture of our schools and the commitment of our students and staff that they remain so dedicated to making an impact in their city.