Wednesday January 28, 2026
Local Connection
Weather
Traffic
@LouisvilleDispatch
@LouisvilleDisp
Subscribe
Photo: KFC Yum! Center
The KFC Yum! Center is expanding its Thunder festivities with an event created specifically to enable members of the Louisville business community to connect, expand their professional network and discuss opportunities for collaboration. The event will take place in the arena’s Woodford Reserve Lounge, which overlooks the Ohio River and provides premium viewing opportunities for the Thunder Over Louisville fireworks and air shows on Saturday, April 21, 2018.
The all-day event is presented by KFC Yum! Center in partnership with Greater Louisville Inc., Louisville Business First and Leadership Louisville.
Individual tickets are $160, discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. Admission includes:
- Access to KFC Yum! Center Woodford Reserve Lounge
- Networking opportunities
- 2-3 business oriented speaking sessions
- Evening meal + 2 drink tickets
- Access to private restrooms
- DJ and live music
Louisville businessman and philanthropist Dr. Mark Lynn, owner of Visionworks, will speak at the event. Lynn is the current Chairman of the Kentucky State Fair Board, is active on the University of Louisville Foundation and Finance Committee and is a Trustee for Sacred Heart Schools. He and his family believe in giving back through involvement and development of the communities they serve. Additional speakers will be announced at a later date.
For more information and to order tickets, please visit kfcyumcenter.com.
Photo: Kentucky Derby Museum
The Kentucky Derby Museum’s multi-million dollar expansion project is officially underway after a groundbreaking ceremony today in the Museum’s garden terrace. The project will add over 11,000 square feet of brand new space to the Museum. It also includes the renovation of 5,000 square feet of existing space. It will be the largest expansion of the Museum’s footprint since the building was constructed in 1985 and one of the largest renovations since a major refurbishing project following damaging flooding in 2009.
The expansion will provide a greater visitor experience for guests with an emphasis on new exhibit space, featuring the collection of legendary trainer, D. Wayne Lukas. It also creates space to display key pieces of the Bill Shoemaker collection, which has been housed in the Museum’s archives for many years. The expanded second floor will also include additional meeting and rental space. The Museum will build an entirely new third floor within the expansion footprint to house administrative offices, a large conference room and storage areas.
On the ground level, a new stable will house the Museum’s resident Thoroughbred and companion horse. The area will include seating for educational programming. It also features more than 7,400 square feet of covered space that can be set for various events, including outdoor weddings, dinners, parties and more. With the addition of the new rental space, the Museum will be able to accommodate much larger groups for special events.
Construction will begin this month and will include the demolition of the stable, the relocation of the Finish Line pole and the removal of more than 3,000 square feet of pavers. Major construction work inside the Museum will get underway following Kentucky Derby 144.
“We’ve seen the number of visitors coming through our doors growing consistently, reaching 230,000 in 2017. Building off that momentum, we wanted to create something that would take the Museum to the next level and offer a truly outstanding experience to our guests as we showcase the extraordinary event that is the Kentucky Derby, “Kentucky Derby Museum President and CEO Patrick Armstrong said.
The Museum will remain open to visitors during the entire duration of the project. The expansion will be completed by November, in time for the 2018 Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs Racetrack. Following the groundbreaking ceremony, Kentucky Derby Museum employees gave Winston, the Museum’s miniature horse for 22 years, a fond farewell as he headed off into retirement at Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm in Georgetown, Kentucky. With a final victory lap through the Museum, Winston made his way out the Museum’s front doors for the last time as employees and well-wishers cheered him on his way!
Winston came to the Kentucky Derby Museum at two years old, in the fall of 1995. He’s been the companion horse to more than 30 resident Thoroughbreds, including three horses that ran in the Kentucky Derby, Perfect Drift, Phantom on Tour and Twinspired, as well as Kentucky Derby 135 winner, Mine that Bird.
He’s also thrown out the first pitch at the Louisville Bats game, helped Churchill Downs pick the Derby winner ahead of the race, supported many charitable organizations around town and performed more than ten marriage proposals with his “Will You Marry Me?” blanket!
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
As a way to help Louisville expand its tree canopy, Councilman Brandon Coan (D-8) has announced the second annual Planting O’ the Green, an initiative that will plant 90 trees in the weeks surrounding the St. Patrick’s Parade.
“In honor of this year’s 45th St. Patrick’s Parade, we’re planting 45 trees in District 8 and 45 trees in District 6,” said Coan. “I believe this pay-it-forward approach is the only way to solve our citywide tree problem, and I hope Planting O’ the Green remains a tradition for many years to come.”
The Councilman and President James (D-6) made the announcement with representatives of TreesLouisville, MSD, Brightside, Olmsted Parks Conservancy and the Ancient Order of Hibernians.
“I’m thrilled to work with Trees Louisville and Councilman Brandon Coan to bring more trees to our neighborhoods. Paying it Forward with Trees in our community is a great way to help replenish our tree canopy, which makes us all healthier and our city more vibrant,” said President James.
In District 6, 45 trees will be planted on E. St. Catherine between 2nd and Preston. In District 8, the trees will be planted in the green space along Gardiner Lane in the Hawthorne neighborhood abutting I-264.
“TreesLouisville is thrilled to be a primary sponsor of the Planting O’ the Green,” TreesLouisville Executive Director Cindi Sullivan said. “Our vision is a healthier community for current and future generations through a more robust tree canopy, and collaborations like this one are an excellent way to make progress.”
“Brightside is very happy to be a part of another Planting O’ The Green,” Brightside Director Gina O’Brien said. “Trees are a terrific investment in our communities that will positively affect the health of Louisville’s residents, environment and economy. Districts 6 and 8 will reap the benefits of these trees for years to come.”
John O’Dwyer, President of the Father Abram J. Ryan Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, reflected on the meaning of the St. Patrick’s Parade and the impact of Planting O’ The Green.
“The Hibernians strive to open the spring season each year with the St. Patrick’s Parade, often called the People’s Parade, and it is a time for fun and community. Now we are making the Greenest Parade even greener as the next evolution of this charity event to give back to our fine city,” O’Dwyer said.
The 45th Annual St. Patrick’s Parade is Saturday, March 10th. For more information about Planting O’ the Green, contact Councilman Coan’s office at 574-1108.
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
Councilman David Yates (D-25) is encouraging residents to come out to the next “Talk with David” on Tuesday, March 6th at the Southwest Regional Library beginning at 6:00pm.
This will be a “Meet your Major” meeting featuring LMPD 3rd Division Major Joshua Hash.
“We have always had a very good working relationship with the 3rd Division and I believe Major Hash will do a fine job in leading the men and women who protect us,” says Councilman Yates. “I want to encourage everyone to come out and meet him and let him know what you are concerned about and how you can help LMPD.”
Councilman Yates has also invited officials with Metro Parks to provide an update on the upcoming groundbreaking and timeline of completion for the Waverly Park Restrooms.
Representatives from MSD, Louisville Water Company and IPL will be on hand to answer questions along with Congressman John Yarmuth’s office will be on hand to help answer any questions and concerns.
“Please come out and join us. This is also a chance to talk with me about any concerns you might have about any issue.” says Yates.
For more information about the next “Talk with David”, contact President Yates’ office at 574-1125.
Louisville Metro Government has again earned the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA). This is the fifth consecutive year GFOA has granted the award – its highest recognition for government budgeting – to Metro.
GFOA guidelines and criteria are used to assess budgets for serving as a policy document, a financial plan, an operations guide, and a communications device. In receiving the award, Metro’s Fiscal Year 2017-2018 budget received high marks in all four categories.“Our city government is focused on providing a transparent, accessible government that responds to the needs of citizens. This award shows that our budget — the guiding document for our fiscal year — meets the high standards that citizens deserve. I’d like to congratulate Budget Director Aaron Jackson, our budget staff and the entire Office for Management & Budget for their tremendous work.”
Jackson added: “Mayor Fischer’s commitment to citizen engagement and transparency brings Metro in line with best practices, like those that GFOA works to promote. That drive to make Metro a leader in the government sector has been essential in receiving this honor for five years.”
The GFOA is a nonprofit professional association serving about 19,000 government officials and other finance practitioners in North America.
Louisville Metro’s FY17-18 budget presentation can be found here: https://louisvilleky.gov/sites/default/files/management_budget/fy18_appr…
The Muhammad Ali Center’s fifth annual international photography contest and exhibition, Shining a Light, opens to the public on March 8th, International Women’s Day. The theme of this year’s exhibition, Experiences of Refugee Women, illustrates the innumerable issues of rights and justice that these women face every day through a prolific look at their lives before and after resettlement. The exhibit features images of women from ten refugee groups: Rohingya, Syrian, Kurdish, Sarhawi, Ahmadiyyan, Afghan, Bhutanese, Iraqi, Congolese, and Somali.
Informed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Women’s Refugee Commission, the photographic submissions were asked to depict one or more of the following issues as they pertain to Refugee Women’s lived experiences:
- Gender-Based Violence
- Livelihoods
- Education
- Rights and Justice
- Sexual and Reproductive Health
The Center corroborated with Kentucky Refugee Ministries (KRM) on the text for this exhibit to ensure that the information disseminated is accurate and effective. Inspired by Muhammad Ali’s core principles, Respect & Giving, the Center’s programming related to Global Citizenship aims to inspire to act locally and to think and behave globally. Visitors will learn how they can support refugee women, like those featured in the exhibit, in Louisville and on a global scale.
Shining a Light, featuring 35 photos, will be on display at the Ali Center from March 8 to June 24, 2018. The cost of the exhibit is included in regular admission pricing.
The Center received 75 entries from 14 countries. The photos were judged by a panel entirely made up of women in order to create a unique perspective for the exhibit.
Top entries include: “Rohingya Refugee Exodus” by KM Asad, Bangladesh; “She Never Cry” by Afriadi Hikmal, Indonesia; “An Innocent Smile of Rohingya Girl” by Sohel Parvez Hague, Bangladesh.
Louisville Parks and Recreation is hosting a World Cup-themed men’s soccer tournament from June 14 through July 15, 2018 to commemorate the version staged in Russia.
The tournament is open to adults 18 and over, in a 7 v 7 format, with 35-minute halves. The team fee is $150 for the three-game guarantee in the group stage, mimicking the Cup schedule, with games being played in the evening of the actual game days. There are only 32 spots available with teams representing the 32 countries who qualified for the tournament. Countries can be selected by participating teams.
Tournament sponsorships are available at $200 only through a 3’ x 8’ banner that is produced by the business or organization and will be placed on site at Thurman Hutchins Park for the months of June and July. Thurman Hutchins will also be the site of a festival on the tournament’s final day, including food trucks, music, and other entertainment options for the whole family.
Please contact Parks and Recreation Director Seve Ghose directly at seve.ghose@louisvilleky.gov or 502-415-8590 to secure a spot.
“Louisville has seen a spike in soccer interest over the last few years and to further engage the community we are seeking teams to sign up and participate in a soccer tournament,” Ghose said. “The goal is also to continue the tournament in the non-World Cup years with several more teams participating. Playing the ‘beautiful game’ on quality fields, under the lights will be a novelty and we encourage teams to sign up now and reserve your spot – we only have thirty two.”