Kentucky Waterways Alliance (KWA) is bringing SYRCL’s Wild & Scenic Film Festival back to Louisville for the 7th year. The festival will be presented this Friday, March 13, 2015, from 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM at the Clifton Center. The District 9 office has a very limited number of FREE tickets to this event. We will be giving one ticket away to the first 5 people in the District that email kyle.ethridge@louisvilleky.gov.

An opening reception will be held at 6:00 PM with food and drink provided by sponsors Wiltshire Pantry and Founders Brewing Co.  And thanks to Quest Outdoors, they will be raffling off another kayak this year!  You don’t need to be present to win, so get your raffle tickets even if you can’t make the show! Raffle Tickets can be purchased the night of the event, or prior to the event by contacting the KWA office at (502) 589-8008.

The festival is a natural extension of Kentucky Waterways Alliance’s work to inspire people to act on behalf of the environment. For over 22 years, Kentucky Waterways Alliance has worked to protect and restore Kentucky’s waterways, including our own Beargrass Creek. With a membership base that spans the state, KWA strengthens partnerships within watersheds and communities, while working for more effective water protection at the state and national levels.

Cost is $15 for members and $25 for non-members, which includes a yearly membership. Tickets can be purchased online at: https://secure.donationpay.org/kwalliance/wsfftickets2015.php

The next Community Conversation is scheduled for Tuesday, March 24 at Whitehall House & Gardens, 3117 Lexington Road. We’ll hear a short report from Lorri Roberts with Brightside. But most of the time and focus at the meeting will be on you.  We are hoping for unscripted, open conversations about your vision for D9 and the City. Given that Brightside will be represented, we’d particularly like to hear your ideas about sustainability initiatives. Please mark your calendar and join us – and bring along a friend or neighbor!

Lexie’s Trading Post, 2224 Frankfort Avenue, is helping the landfill by reusing bath & body containers.  Their house brand, Lexie’s Of Louisville Family Skin Care line, can be re-filled!  That’s right, you keep your original container and bring it in the next time it’s low or empty and re-fill it.  You just saved that bottle and saved on your purchase by not having to buy another perfectly good bottle for your goodies. For more information please visit their website at http://lexiestradingpost.blogspot.com/.

Let us know your sustainability story by emailing us at bill.hollander@louisvilleky.gov or kyle.ethridge@louisvilleky.gov. 

Paper. Plastic. Metals. All materials collected for recycling in Louisville Metro are processed through a comingled commercial single stream. The different materials are combined and taken to a facility where the separation process occurs. The single stream process relieves residents of having to sort recyclables into separate bins and allows Public Works to use trucks with single compartments rather than more expensive multicompartment vehicles.

Once collected, these materials are taken to a Materials Recovery Facility (the MRF abbreviation is pronounced “murf”). This is a specialized plant that receives, separates and prepares recyclable materials for sale to end-user manufacturers. The materials are sorted using magnets, density blowers, eddy currents, optical sorters, and even by the hands of the employees. To see the main MRF Jefferson County uses (the QRS Recycling Facility) in action go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilY-xbBs0Mk.

After these materials are cleaned and properly sorted, they are baled. These bales are shipped to mills that specialize in recycling the materials into new products.

The American Printing House for the Blind (APH), located at 1839 Frankfort Avenue, is partnering with the Kentucky School for the Blind (KSB), 1867 Frankfort Avenue, to host the 2015 Kentucky Braille Challenge on Monday, March 16, 2015 from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This is the fifth time this event has been held in Kentucky. Students from across the state are expected to compete.

The Braille Challenge was created by the Braille Institute of America, located in Los Angeles, California, to encourage and enrich the reading and writing of braille (skills that are necessary for future academic and employment success). There is no charge to enter the competition which is open to students in grades 1-12. In the first stage, students compete in one of 42 regional events scheduled for the U. S. and Canada this year, then the top students with the highest scores, overall, will be invited to compete in the Final Challenge which will be held in Los Angeles in June, 2015. For more information about the Braille Challenge, go to http://www.brailleinstitute.org/braille-challenge-homepage.html

The day will start with an opening ceremony at KSB’s auditorium from 10 a.m. – 10:30. Escorting student competitors into the opening ceremonies and out of the auditorium to start the competitions will be mascots from several Louisville companies. Students will then be immersed in the competition from 10:30 until around 2:15. After the competition, students and parents will move next door to APH. From 2:15-3:00, they will enjoy art activities, refreshments, and performances. The day will end with a closing and awards ceremony from 3:00-4:00.

For more information about the Kentucky Braille Challenge, contact Janie Blome 502-899-2367 or emailjblome@aph.org.  To contact someone about KSB students, call John C. Roberts 502-897-1583, ext. 0202

Photo by: KSB from 2014 Kentucky Braille Challenge

On behalf of the National March for Meals campaign, Louisville Metro Senior Nutrition is encouraging all residents to "Support Your Senior Neighbors" this month by reaching out to seniors citizens in need. Supporting a senior can take many forms such as checking on the well-being of elderly neighbors and relatives during inclement weather – especially those who don’t have a broad support system -- and connecting them with community resources, like Meals on Wheels.

The Louisville Metro Senior Nutrition Program, part of the Department of Community Services, works year-round to help seniors stay healthy by providing hot, nutritious meals. Through the Meals on Wheels program, hundreds of volunteers helped deliver over 100,000 hot noontime meals last year to qualified individuals. In District 9, volunteers deliver meals from United Crescent Hill Ministries in Clifton and Jewish Community Center on Dutchman’s Lane.

Meals on Wheels is available to qualified seniors in Jefferson County, 60 years or older, who are homebound with no one available to help prepare meals. Seniors who would like to receive Meals on Wheels can call 502/574-6325 to begin the qualification process.

To encourage involvement with older adults in our community through programs like Meals on Wheels, five Louisville Metro Council members -- Jessica Green (District 1); David James (District 6); Bill Hollander (District 9); Glen Stuckel; (District 17); and Vicki Aubrey Welch (District 13) -- as well as Community Services Director Katina Whitlock will help deliver meals to homebound residents during Community Champions Week, March 16 -20, 2015.  

To become a volunteer for delivering Meals on Wheels or to help package and serve meals at one of the congregate sites, contact Trina Mitchell in the city’s Senior Nutrition Program at 574-6420.  Volunteer drivers are especially needed for routes in the West End of Louisville. To make a financial donation to Meals on Wheels, click here for Louisville Metro’s secure on-line donation form.

Brightside and Waste Management of Kentucky will be holding a spring compost sale on Saturday, March 21st and Saturday, April 25th from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. each day at the Outer Loop Recycling and Disposal Facility, 2673 Outer Loop.
Pre-bagged compost will sell for $2.50 per bag and a Bobcat scoop will be $30.

Proceeds from the compost sale will benefit Brightside’s community education and beautification efforts. For more information about their Premium Compost, visit the Brightside website.

As a reminder, MetroCall is no longer accepting calls 24/7.  MSD used to answer calls after hours but at the end of 2013 were no longer able to provide that service.  You may now call MetroCall (311 or 574-5000) and speak to a live representative Monday – Friday from 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.  If you need to report an issue after hours or on the weekend you may submit your concern online at www.louisvilleky.gov/MetroCall/submit_a_concern.htm.  All you need to do is set up an account, which will allow you to login in the future and report something and see the history of your reports.  There is also a link to download the mobile app to report an issue on your phone. If you need to report a traffic signal concern after work week hours please contact 574-7111, LMPD’s non-emergency line, so they can route through MetroSafe.

Remember, MetroCall is your best resource for getting those potholes filled!