St. Matthews Area Ministries will host their annual “Pulling Together” auction and banquet this Friday, November 13th, at The Olmsted located on the Masonic Home Campus at 3701 Frankfort Road. Doors will open at 5:30p.m. with a cocktail hour and dinner commencing at 6:30 p.m.  The evening includes a Monopoly theme with dinner & live music, silent auction, live auction, recognitions, and more! Tickets are $35.00 per person. Tickets can be purchased by calling Julie Abbott at 893-0205. 

Boy Scouts of America Troop 1 and Pack 1 are holding their 58th Annual Pancake Day on Saturday, November 14th from 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM at Crescent Hill United Methodist Church (Frankfort and Peterson Avenues). Cost is $7 for all the pancakes you can eat (under 5 eat free). Please also visit the yard sale, bake sale and craft sale at the church at the same time.

The next Community Conversation is scheduled for 6:30 pm on Tuesday, November 17 at the Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana, 2115 Lexington Road.  I have invited Mr. Michael Prather with FiberTech and a representative from Crown Castle to speak about the small cell antennas and poles that are planned for the District, some of which have already been installed.  We have asked a number of questions about these and are working to increase regulations. A recent Insider Louisville article is here: http://insiderlouisville.com/metro/new-small-cell-towers-right-ways-installed-city-franchisee-irk-neighbors/

This is an opportunity for you to learn about the small cell antennas and poles and ask any questions regarding them. This is also an opportunity for you to visit with me about any concerns, issues or suggestions at a time and place we hope will be convenient to you.  Please mark your calendar and stop by – and bring along a friend or neighbor!

Since the first of the year, the D9 eNews has featured a weekly “Sustainability Story”, often involving efforts that result in cleaner air. 

We were reminded of the importance of those efforts at last week’s 2015 Sustainability Summit.  Louisville’s air quality needs improvement and it is both a health and economic development issue for the community. 

It was reported at the summit that we have the fourth highest adult asthma prevalence in the United States.  Last year, we were recognized as one of the top twenty most challenging cities to live in with asthma.  Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are the third and fourth leading causes of hospitalizations in Jefferson County, which has a significantly worse rate of respiratory illness than the national average.   Just this week, D9 resident and Courier-Journal reporter James Bruggers wrote about a study that links pollutants found in Louisville with heart attack deaths: http://www.courier-journal.com/story/tech/science/environment/2015/11/10/bad-air-can-cause-heart-attacks/75471436/. 

Contrary to some views, we have air quality issues all over the community.  On Air Quality Alert days, the monitors near Cannons Lane in D9 (shown here), often show the highest rates of ozone in the area.  

So the health effect is clear.  What about economic development?  Summit participants noted that our employers have higher health care costs because of the poor health of their employees.  In addition, more absenteeism leads to a decrease in productivity.  If you were looking to locate a business, wouldn’t this be important to you?    

Our air is cleaner than it once was but it is still making too many of us sick and holding back our economy.    You can help by becoming a Friend of the Air, http://www.helptheair.org/ , and we’ll keep telling “Sustainability Stories”.   

We’d like to feature your sustainability story - a resident or business doing good things for the environment.  Riding the bus, bicycling, walking, gardening and more - our eNews will feature practices which can benefit all of us.  Send your story to Bill Hollander or Kyle Ethridge. 

Repaving work continues in District 9.  Metro Public Works (MPW) plans to repave N. Hite from Brownsboro Road to Lindsay in the next few weeks.

Additional paving on Meridian near St. Matthews, Mockingbird Valley Road, and other streets has been funded and will be scheduled in the future.  Please be careful around the construction crews!   

Paving is done based on road condition ratings and Metro Council recently funded an updated rating of major roads. Metro Public Works (MPW) has selected Transmap Corporation as the most qualified consultant to perform the new evaluation of pavement conditions across Louisville. The company is now finalizing an update to the 2013 Pavement Condition Index study. In addition to evaluating pavement conditions, the $175,813 contract includes implementation of the MicroPAVER pavement management software program. MicroPAVER will facilitate evaluation, prioritization and budgeting of necessary improvements.

We have more paving needs than available funds and appreciate your patience as MPW works through the backlog of streets needing work.

As we celebrate Veteran’s Day and the Mayor’s Week of Valor,  the Robley Rex VA Medical Center is featuring a display which explores the realities of military service through words and images from veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom were given cameras and asked to tell their stories of military service, deployment, and homecoming. They took pictures of their daily lives, gathered photos from their personal collections, and described the meaning behind each image.  The result bears witness to the health impacts of military service and deployment during a time of war and reveals the personal views of the men and women behind the lens. More information is here:  http://www.va.gov/fromwartohome/

The exhibit continues through December 10 and is well worth a look.  Robley Rex VAMC is located at 800 Zorn Avenue in D9.  “From War to Home” can be easily accessed through the medical center’s West Entrance.  

The Veterans Administration has issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) to perform an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the property that the VA purchased at Brownsboro Road and the Watterson Expressway. The NOI has been published in the Federal Register and the Louisville Courier Journal.  

A public scoping comment period will be open until November 30, 2015.  The public may submit comments online at www.Louisville-EIS.com , by email to

LouisvilleReplacementHospitalComments@va.gov , or by regular mail to Robley Rex VAMC, Attn: Replacement VAMC Activation Team Office, 800 Zorn Avenue, Louisville, KY  40206.

Comments that were submitted during the VA's Environmental Assessment (EA) process remain in the project record and are being incorporated as identified scoping issues in the EIS.  The public does not need to submit comments that they have previously submitted.

For basic details for below case/s please visit http://www.louisvilleky.gov/PlanningDesign/.  Click on “Search Case Information” link on the left navigation bar.  Then select the “home” tab and select the type of case and enter the above case number.  For specific case information please call or email the listed case manager.  If you have any questions please contact Planning & Design directly at 574-6230.

Case No. 15VARIANCE1074. You are invited to attend a review of a proposal for a variance of the required street side yard for proposed structures along Dellridge Drive at 349 Ridgeway Avenue. Case manager Joel Dock (joel.dock@louisvilleky.gov). Monday, November 16 beginning at 8:30 AM and continue until all cases are heard at the Old Jail Building, 514 W Liberty Street. For more information please follow the link above.

Case No. 15STREETS1007. You are invited to attend a review of a proposal for a partial street closure of Emery Road from Riedling Drive to its southeast terminus at Oaklawn subdivision at 2900 Riedling Drive. Case manager Brian Davis (brian.davis@louisvilleky.gov). Thursday, November 19 beginning at 100 PM and continue until all cases are heard at the Old Jail Building, 514 W Liberty Street. For more information please follow the link above.

Metro Public Works recently established the Twitter handle @LouPubWorks to supply information on all things Metro Public Works to those on the social media platform. Street closing and snow removal information previously posted on the MetroLouStreets and LouSnowPlow handles is now posted on @LouPubWorks along with other Public Works activities. Click the photo to connect to the new account.

The concept is simple:  some people have a coat they don't need, and some people need a coat they don't have.  On Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, Free Coat Exchange (www.freecoatexchange.org) brings the two together to make a difference in many lives.

There are two ways you can help.  Until November 25, you can bring a new or gently used coat to The Chamber of St. Matthews, which is partnering with Free Coat Exchange.   The Chamber is located in D9 at 3940 Grandview Avenue, Suite 216.  You can also drop off coats until November 25 at:

• St. Luke's Episcopal Church - 1206 Maple Lane
• The Fashion Post - 2420 Lime Kiln Lane Ste. F
• The Episcopal Church Home - 7504 Westport Road
• Gilda's Club - 633 Baxter Road
• Highland Coffee Company - 1140 Bardstown Road
• Mary Queen of Peace - Helen Campus 4005 Dixie Highway
• New Earth Garden Center - 9806 Taylorsville Road

On Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, coats are exchanged from 10 am – 1 pm.  at any of the following locations:

• The Green Building - 732 East Market Street
• Save-a-Lot Food Store - 4148 Taylor Blvd.
• Save-a-Lot Food Store - 2626 Portland Avenue
• St. Paul Ame Church - 1518 South 28th Street
• Westport Road Baptist Church - 9705 Westport Road
• Family Scholar House - 1309 Catalpa Street

For more information, contact Free Coat Exchange at info@freecoatexchange.org.  

Louisville Distilled is a new weekly online magazine focused on telling the stories of compelling people, businesses, organizations and neighborhoods throughout Louisville. As the name suggests, Louisville Distilled wants to distill the very best of Louisville for readers each week, in unexpected ways, offering a voice that captures and reflects Louisville’s culture, celebrates our diverse community and connects people in a positive way.

Check out the website at www.LouisvilleDistilled.com.

On Friday, December 11, from 8:30 am – 3:30 pm, the 9th District office, in partnership with U of L Hospital and the James Graham Brown Cancer Center, will offer FREE mammograms at the Clifton Center, 2117 Payne Street.  To make an appointment please contact my office at 574-1109.  Mammograms are for women age 40 and over. There is no cost to eligible women without insurance.  Women with insurance will need to bring their card so a claim may be filed.