Most of us look forward to winter and its encouragement of hot cocoa, fuzzy clothes and warm houses. It’s also the peak season for the second leading cause of home fires in the US - heating equipment. Over 70% of these fires are due to improper use of space heaters, fireplaces and chimneys. The Louisville Division of Fire would like to remind you to keep 3 feet of clearance around space heaters and make sure they plug directly into a wall (not an extension cord or power strip). Ensure that they are turned off when you leave the room or go to sleep. FEMA and the US Fire Administration recommend all chimneys and vents should be cleaned and inspected yearly.

In addition to this seasonal information, please make sure that you have working smoke alarms in your home. If you are unable to test yours or have none and live in the Urban Services District, please call 311 and request that the Louisville Division of Fire come out to test or replace your smoke alarms free of charge. We can also provide a home safety check to ensure you are as safe as possible.

Finally, we would like to remind you that three of the largest causes of fires are careless smoking, electrical equipment malfunction and unattended cooking. If you would like to request a home safety check for any of these issues, please let us know and we will assist you.

Brian S. Meurer, Lt. Colonel
Asst. Chief/ Fire Marshal
Louisville Division of Fire

The Subsidy Phase of LIHEAP, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, begins Nov. 6. Applicants must be Jefferson County residents within 130% of the federal poverty guidelines.

Appointments are required in advance and can start being made beginning Oct. 30th.  Call 502-991-8391 or visit louisvilleky.cascheduler.com..

Note: The early registration for elderly and disabled residents continues through Oct. 31st.  Eligible residents who missed this pre-registration time period may also apply during the regular Subsidy Phase.

LIHEAP applications will be completed at the time of the appointment at one of the locations listed below. 

• South Central Neighborhood Place, 4255 Hazelwood Ave., 40215
• Southwest Government Center/Dixie Highway location. 7219 Dixie Highway, 40258

Individuals who are unable to apply for this program in person may send a representative on their behalf with a note including the applicant’s signature and phone number. Residents who are homebound and who are unable to send a representative may call 502/780-7937.

SWDT Executive Director Position Opening

The Southwest Dream Team is looking to hire a part time Executive Director to work with the community on making the South End and Southwest Louisville the best place to live, work and play.

Position Overview:

This is an opportunity to join a mission-driven, energetic team committed to making a positive impact on individuals, families, and the overall Southwest Louisville community. As the South End’s leading nonprofit organization committed to raising expectations and energizing the community, the SWDT offers more than just a job. We offer you a career with a mission and the chance to make a lasting difference in your community. The primary responsibility of the Executive Director will be to design, implement and coordinate the community engagement plan. A secondary, but equally important responsibility will be supporting the ongoing efforts of the Dream Team board.

If interested, contact Vince Jarboe at 502-380-3800.

Overview

Accomplish the goals of the Southwest Community Ministries. This includes, but is not limited to, informing and advising the Southwest Community Ministries’ board and committees, as well as outside committees, supervising executive staff, providing community leadership, developing programs and seeking funds.

This is a Full-Time position. This job reports to the Board of Directors

Monday, November 20, 2017
   11:00 AM - 12:00 PM  Computer Basics 
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
   10:15 AM - 11:10 AM  Preschool Storytime 
   11:15 AM - 12:10 AM  Toddler Storytime  
   03:30 PM - 04:30 PM  Sustainable Living: Less Is More  
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
   11:00 AM - 12:00 PM  Resume Help 

Saturday, November 18, 2017
   2:00 PM - 03:00 PM  Work of Art: Storytime  
   3:30 PM  Shakespeare in the Libraries  
Monday, November 20, 2017
   12:00 PM - 03:00 PM  Computers by Appointment  
   6:00 PM - 07:30 PM  Teen STEAM  
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
   9:15 AM - 10:00 AM  Baby Storytime  
   10:00 AM - 10:45 AM  Toddler Storytime  
   11:00 AM - 12:00 PM  Preschool Storytime 
Saturday, November 25, 2017
   2:00 PM - 03:00 PM  DIY Ornaments & Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Friday, November 17, 2017
   10:30 AM  Baby Storytime 
Saturday, November 18, 2017
   10:00 AM - 04:00 PM  Family S.T.E.A.M. Day 
   10:30 AM  Preschool Palooza 
Monday, November 20, 2017
   4:00 PM - 05:00 PM  Sew Fetch 
   4:00 PM - 06:00 PM  Teen Time
   7:00 PM - 08:00 PM  English Conversation Club 
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
   3:00 PM - 04:00 PM  Homeschool Explorations 
   4:30 PM - 05:30 PM  Storytelling Through Creative Mediums 
   6:30 PM - 08:00 PM  Our Neighbors’ Faith: Essence of the Major Religions Short Course 
   7:00 PM  Genre Fiction Book Club 
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
   10:15 AM - 11:00 AM  Toddler Storytime 
   11:15 AM - 12:00 PM  Preschool Storytime 
Friday, November 24, 2017
   10:30 AM  Baby Storytime 

Family S.T.E.A.M. Day, which will take place on Saturday, November 18, from 10:00-4:00 pm. Here is a list of all of the things that we will be doing that day:

• The Kentucky Science Center will conduct two science expos, The Body and Engineering.
• Gheens Science Hall and Rauch Planetarium will be on hand with the Owsley Brown II Portable Planetarium.
• The Southland Dairy Farmers will be on hand with r mobile dairy classroom and a real cow!
• KET
• Art Detectives with the Speed Museum
• Second Chances Wildlife
• Louisville Mandolin Orchestra
• Jefferson Memorial Forest will have interactive learning sessions
• Louisville Rocks rock painting
• Irving Materials, Inc. will teach how concrete is made.
• Preschool Tinker Lab
• Dance, Dance, Party, Party for Preschoolers
• Virtual Reality
• Minecraft
• Lego Drop In
• Adult Coloring Sheets
• String Art in the Yard
• Parents vs. Teens Madden 18 Tournament on PlayStation
• Shrinky Dinks
• Escape Room
• Celtic Pig Food truck
• Heine Bros' Coffee

Mayor Fischer, Councilwoman Vicki Welch D 13, Dr. Sarah Moyer, Director and Dr. Brandy Kelly Pryor, director of the Center for Health Equity, will release the 2017 Health Equity Report. 

• Thursday, Nov. 30
• 11:00 a.m.
• Fairdale Library
• 10620 W. Manslick Rd, Louisville, KY 40118.

The 2017 Health Equity Report is the most comprehensive and best-researched Health Equity Report.  The report documents the links between factors like housing, food, and education, and the health outcomes our communities experience, all of which influence both the quality and length of our residents’ lives. It also highlights how we can work together from the individual level to the organizational and policy levels to implement evidence-based practices to improve health outcomes and create a city where everyone can thrive, regardless of factors like race and ZIP code.

Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear announced today that Kentuckians who have been victims of fraud induced wire transfers involving Western Union need to begin filing claims as part of a global settlement reached January with the company. 

An estimated 7,000 Kentuckians are eligible for roughly $6.7 million in claims.

Kentuckians who reported to Western Union, the Federal Trade Commission or Beshear’s office that they had been the victim of a scam using Western Union between Jan. 1, 2004, and Jan. 19, 2017, should receive a claim form in the mail.

Beshear said if Kentuckians believe they may have an eligible claim and do not receive a claim form in the mail they should visit http://www.westernunionremission.com or call 844-319-2124 for more information on how to file a claim.

All completed claims forms must be mailed back to the settlement administrator by Feb. 12, 2018.

Neighborhood Place partners offer numerous workshops in October including two job recruitment events with Sodexo and Kroger, several health-related events including a Community Health Fair, and a workshop geared to individuals who have experienced abuse in their intimate relationships.  To learn more about these offerings and several others please refer to the list below.

Two Opportunities for Freedom from Smoking Classes in Fairdale
Call 772-8588 to register or for more information. Join this weekly group on Wednesdays or Saturdays to get the support you need to be free from smoking.

• Oct. 7 – Nov. 18, Fairdale Branch Library, 10620 West Manslick Road, 11:30  a.m. – 1 p.m.

Mondays and Thursdays, YMCA’s “Caring and Learning with Me” program at Thomas Jefferson Middle School
Located at 1501 Rangeland Rd. (W.D. Bruce – Physical Education Building).  Call Keyonna Humphrey at 974-8457 for more information and to register.  This FREE program provides a wonderful learning environment for children ages 3-5 years old and their caregivers focusing on play and exploration.        

Oct. 17 – Nov. 21, Living Well Workshop at South Jefferson Neighborhood Place, 1- 3 p.m.
Located at 1000 Neighborhood Place.  Call 772-8588 to register. This program offers free support and can help you learn to  manage your health.  Earn an 8-week YMCA membership just for attending.

In conjunction with the Brightside Community-Wide Planting Day, we have partnered with several of the Louisville Free Public Library branches for The Great Thanksgiving Tree Giveaway!

Stop by the following LFPL locations to register to win a FREE Zelkova tree to plant in your yard, compliments of our generous sponsors from the Community-Wide Planting Day.  The trees being given away are 3 gallon  trees meaning they are about two years old already with about a 1/2 to 1" caliper, making them hardier and giving them a strong root system to start off in your yard!

The Zelkova is a good street and shade tree that has an appealing vase-shaped form with a rounded crown. Green leaves turn yellow, copper, orange or deep red to purplish-red in fall, putting on a showy display. The peeling bark on older trees exposes orange patches, which can be quite impressive

As it is tolerant to drought and air pollution, this tree is a nice option for a variety of urban locations. This is also a faster growing tree, at about 3 ft. per year, and will reach a maximum of 25 to 50 feet.

Participating branches include: Main, Bon Air, Iroquois, Middletown, Newburg, Shawnee, South Central Regional, Southwest Regional, St. Matthews, and Western Libraries. Drawings will occur the week of Thanksgiving, so get over to a participating branch soon! 

Louisville Metro residents not mulching autumn leaves into their lawns or putting them out in reusable or compostable containers for curbside collection will have the option to dispose of them at one of three drop-off sites beginning November 7.

Metro Public Works is offering a free leaf drop-off service November 7 through December 2. Drop-off will not be available on November 23 and 24 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Only loose leaves will be accepted. Containers used to bring leaves to the drop-off sites must be disposed of off-site by residents.

Leaf drop off sites:

•  Public Works Yard 10500 Lower River Road (enter from Bethany Lane) Tuesday – Saturday 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Public Works East District Operations Center 595 Hubbards Lane Tuesday – Saturday 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Public Works Waste Reduction Center 636 Meriwether Avenue Tuesday – Friday:  9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday:  9 a.m. – 3 p.m

LG&E and KU is excited to announce our Tree Planting grant programs are now entirely digital!

Plant for the Planet Grant applications will be accepted through our new online grant portal from Nov. 1 through Dec. 1. All applications and corresponding documentation must be submitted electronically through the portal. Paper applications will no longer be accepted.

Submit Application

Our Plant for the Planet program is modeled after the United Nations Environment Program's (UNEP) Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign. The purpose of UNEP's tree-planting effort is to bring individuals, communities and businesses together to collectively plant over one billion trees worldwide each year. Similarly, LG&E and KU's program is designed to encourage nonprofit organizations and local government agencies with a record of successful tree planting to continue their efforts. The company has designated up to $75,000 each year toward this initiative.

LG&E and KU offer one-year grants of $500 to $5000 for urban, suburban or rural projects in forests and parks, along parkways or roadways that meet program objectives. Applicants must demonstrate that mature trees resulting from their efforts will not interfere with utility lines

Feeding Stray Cats?  Alley Cat Advocates can help get outdoor cats fixed and vaccinated at NO COST TO YOU!  

 Cat Caretakers living in the following Jefferson County zip codes 40208, 40209, 40213, 40214, 40215, 40216, 40217, 40219, 40258 and 40272 are eligible  for spay/neuter services for unowned community cats,  They will be vaccinated, spayed/neutered, treated for flea and ear-mite medicine, given a great vet visit, ear-tipped (the universal symbol of a neutered cat) and returned.

When there are no more kittens; the number of cats gradually goes down  and annoying behaviors such as yowling, fighting, spraying stop.

Metro Website List of Boards & Commissions 

Consider serving on a board or commission. It is important that these positions are filled by individuals representing all the diverse communities of Louisville and we would love to see our Southwest leaders become involved!

Below is a list of current vacancies. When you find something that strikes your interest, CLICK HERE  to access the application and please inform our office when you do so. Feel free to pass on the link to any friends or family that might be interested!

• Metropolitan Business Development Corporation
• Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board
• Bardstown Road Overlay District
• Building Code Board of Appeals
• Cemetery Board
• Civil Service Board
• Code Enforcement Board
• Community Action Partnership
• Jefferson County Public Law Library
• Deputy Sheriff Merit Board
• Downtown Development Review Overlay Board
• Downtown Management District
• Ethics Commission
• Fire Protection Districts (Fairdale, Harrods Creek, Highview, Lake Dreamland, Lyndon, Middletown, Okolona, St. Matthews, Worthington)
• Hazard Materials Ordinance Appeals & Overseers Board
• Housing Authority Board
• Human Relations Commission Advocacy Board
• Human Relations Commission Enforcement Board
• Kentuckiana Works
• Landmarks
• Library Advisory Commission
• Louisville Arena Authority, Inc.
• Louisville Public Media
• Merit Board
• Medical Center Commission of Jefferson County
• PARC Board of Commissioners
• Police Merit Board
• Redevelopment Authority
• Science Center
• Urban Renewal Commission
• Vacant Property Review Commission
• Waterworks
• Zoo Foundation Board 

Click Here to Apply for one of the Boards or Commission vacancies.