My office is partnering with the Louisville Asset Building Coalition (LABC) to provide FREE tax preparation services again in 2017. The service is FREE if you earned $55,000 Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) or less in 2016 or if you qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Call the office today to see if you qualify and make your appointment! Appointments are available on Fridays (February 17, March 10, 24, and April 7, 14) between 9:15 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Please call the office at 574-3908 to make an appointment.    

Do you instead file your own taxes? Through the LABC website there are two options to self-file online. The “Turbo Tax Freedom Edition” is available if you have $31,000 or less in income. The software has a well-designed interview process that guides you through the process of making decisions about your filing status, inputting your income and making decisions about deductions and tax credits for which you may qualify. The other option is “My Free Taxes”, which is available if you make $62,000 or less. This program is developed by H&R Block and uses an interview process. Please visit, http://labcservices.org/index.php/free-tax-filing-at-labc-services, for more information.

AARP also offers free tax services at Clifton Christian Church, 131 Vernon Avenue, in D9 on Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. More information is available here or by calling 394-3433.

We are always happy to hear from constituents.  To make meeting with us in person more convenient, we’ll be holding office hours at various places around District 9, in addition to our regular, evening D9 Community Conversations.  On Monday, February 13, from 10:00 a.m. – Noon, we’ll be at the St. Matthews Branch Library, 3940 Grandview Avenue, in the second floor conference room. Please stop by with any questions or concerns. You can also call anytime at 574-1109 or email me. 

Mayor Greg Fischer announced in his State of the City address that he felt it was in the best interest of public health to expand the current Smoke-Free Ordinance to include electronic cigarettes and hookah.  The Department of Public Health & Wellness has extensively reviewed the research and policies in other cities, hosted a community education forum with national experts, and gathered public input.

As a result of that process, Public Health & Wellness strongly supports a policy position to protect indoor air quality by explicitly restricting the use of electronic cigarettes and hookah in indoor public spaces.

Please note that Public Health & Wellness is not advocating for a total ban of electronic cigarettes or hookah, and is not arguing whether or not electronic cigarettes are an effective smoking cessation strategy. It is specifically looking at the effects that smoking e-cigarettes and hookah have on indoor air quality in public places and exposure to the secondhand vapors and smoke.

You can review the research and information collected on the health effects of smoking hookah and electronic cigarettes indoors online: https://louisvilleky.gov/government/health-wellness/electronic-cigarettes-and-hookah

No change to the Smoke-Free Ordinance has been introduced as of this writing but I expect it to be filed soon. Let us know what you think.

Whitehall House and Gardens will host its sixth annual Valentine’s Dinner on Valentine’s Day, Tuesday, February 14, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. inside its historic mansion at 3110 Lexington Road. Whether you are in search of a romantic dinner for two or simply a fun way to celebrate the holiday with a group of good friends, this event presents a perfect evening of dining and elegance. Served by candlelight inside the beautifully appointed Whitehall mansion, the Valentine’s dinner features a delicious 4-course feast prepared by Chef Gregoire Guiot of Mirabelle Gourmet Catering.

Ticket cost is $80/person for 4-course dinner or $100/person for 4-course dinner with wine. Reservations are required and are available for parties of two or for groups of up to ten guests. Parties of two will be seated at private 2-top tables. Entrée selection must be made at the time of ticket purchase. $45/ticket is tax deductible. Tickets include valet parking.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please contact Whitehall at (502) 897-2944 or whitehall@historichomes.org. Tickets may also be purchased via Whitehall’s website at www.HistoricWhitehall.org.

The last WFPK Winter Wednesday is February 15, at the Clifton Center, 2117 Payne Street, in D9.  Enjoy music from John Paul White and River Whyless. This is a free concert series. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and music begins at 7:30 p.m. Come early for the pre-concert reception to save yourself a seat, grab some eats from J. Gumbo’s and have a drink before the show! WFPK continues their long-time partnership with Yum! Brands Foundation to raise awareness for Dare to Care Food Bank. Please bring a canned good or other non-perishable item to be collected at the door! More info at WFPK.org.

Sydney Blandford, a student at Holy Cross High School, chose to concentrate her senior project on pollution by creating an awareness initiative, organizing a clean-up project at the Beargrass Creek Greenway. The clean-up will concentrate on the area near Lexington and Grinstead on Saturday, February 18th from 9:00 a.m. to Noon. 

Volunteers should park at the old Jim Porters lot on Lexington Road, then walk to the entrance at Lexington and Grinstead for donated breakfast items from the Clifton McDonald's and Heine Brothers' Coffee.

Sydney has also collected donations from local businesses, including case prizes, which will be given away to volunteers by random drawing at the event. 

Join the League of Women Voters (LWV) for a Dinner and Democracy Meeting with LWV of Kentucky Co-chairs Nita Smith and Terry Naydan and discuss new and proposed state legislation and LWV positions. The meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 20. Dinner is at 5:30 and the program begins at 6:00 p.m. at the Lang House, 115 S. Ewing Steet. No reservations are required. For more information call 895-5218 or email info@lwvlouisville.org. 

With a shrinking tree canopy throughout Louisville Metro, planting trees is critically important.  Trees Louisville, a non-profit organization working on solutions, wants to help Irish Hill residents plant trees.  It is providing one free tree to any interested Irish Hill property owner, the only responsibility being that the homeowner must water the tree for the first few years.

Trees Louisville will deliver and plant the tree for the homeowner.  It has selected six different species of trees, chosen for their size (utility-line friendly, great for front yards) and visual interest.  Applications are being taken through February 9 from any Irish Hill neighborhood property owner.  It is taking applications through February 19.

Click here for more information and an application. You can also contract Trees Louisville at info@treeslouisville.org.

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. 

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. 16MINORPLAT1174
You are invited to attend a review of an amendment to record plat to create two lots from one lot.
Subject Property: 2801 Riedling Drive
Case Manager: Zachary Schwager (Zachary.Schwager@louisvilleky.gov) 
Meeting Type: Land Development & Transportation Committee
Date: Thursday, February 9, 2017
Time: Meeting will begin at 1:00 p.m. and continue until all cases are heard
Location: 514 W. Liberty Street, 40202

Case No. 17VARIANCE1003
You are invited to attend a review for variances from the Land Development Code to allow encroachment into the required side yard setback, and to allow a private yard to be reduced from the required 30% of the lot area.
Subject Property: 1942 Payne Street
Case Manager: Dante St. Germain (dante.st.germain@louisvilleky.gov)  
Meeting Type: Board of Zoning Adjustment
Date: Monday, February 20, 2017
Time: Meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. and continue until all cases are heard
Location: 514 W. Liberty Street, 40202

On Wednesday, February 15, my staff will be on hand at the Crescent Hill Library, 2762 Frankfort Avenue in the basement teen area, from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. to assist District 9 residents in registering their rental properties. Assistance will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Please bring photo ID, rental property information and current contact information.

All property located in Louisville Metro and occupied or offered for occupancy in exchange for money or any other consideration must be registered with Louisville Metro Government by March 1, 2017. Failure to register is subject to a fine up to $100 per day per housing unit. Registration must include the rental unit street address along with current contact information of the owner and managing operator.

Registration requires an account with Develop Louisville. Visit, https://www.louisvilleky.gov/government/codes-regulations, to establish an account and access the registry, or to get detailed information and instructions on registry requirements.

Feeding Stray Cats? Alley Cat Advocates can help get outdoor cats fixed and vaccinated at NO COST TO YOU! Call 634-8777 today for your appointment!

Cats will be vaccinated, spayed/neutered, treated for flea and earmite medicine, given a great vet visit, ear-tipped (the universal symbol of a neutered cat) and returned.

There are no more kittens. The number of stray cats gradually goes down. And annoying behaviors such as yowling, fights and spraying stop.