Become a non-smoker. You’ll feel better and you’ll live longer. Do it for your health. Do it for your family. Do it for yourself!

You don’t have to do it alone, register today.

The Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness and its community partners are offering free stop smoking classes using the American Lung Association's Freedom From Smoking® (FFS) program. The eight-session program includes weekly support group meetings combined with the use of nicotine replacement products such as patches and gum. Participants receive free supplies of nicotine replacement products.

Advance registration for Freedom From Smoking® classes is required. There are several ways to register:

• call 574-STOP (574-7867),
• email StopSmoking@louisvilleky.gov
• or online.

 January Stop Smoking classes include: 

January 9 - February 27

Tuesdays from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Baptist Health Floyd Paris Education Center, 1850 State Street, New Albany, Indiana

Call 1-800-4Source (800-476-8723) to register.

January 10 - February 21 SPANISH 

Esta clase es en español y es gratis, si quiere registrarse, llama 502-629-1234.

Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Norton Women's and Children's Hospital, 3999 Dutchmans Lane, Plaza 1, Suite 3C, Louisville

Call 502-629-1234 or click here to register

January 10 - February 21 SPANISH

Esta clase es en español y es gratis, si quiere registrarse, llama 502-629-1234.

Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Okolona Library, 7300 Jefferson Boulevard

​Call 502-629-1234 or click here to register

January 15 - February 26

Mondays from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

UAW Local 862 Union Hall - KTP, 2702 Chamberlain Lane

​Call 502-629-1234 or click here to register

January 16 - February 27

Tuesdays from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Louisville Assembly Plant Hall, 3000 Fern Valley Road

Call 502-629-1234 or click here to register

January 16 - February 27

Tuesdays from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Bullitt County Health Department, Annex Building, 181 Lees Valley Road, Shepherdsville, Ky.

Call 502-955-5355 to register 

January 18 - March 8

Thursdays from 12:15 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Louisville Metro Public Health & Wellness, 400 East Gray Street, Forum

Call 502-574-7867 or click here to register

January 22 - March 5

Mondays from noon to 1:30 p.m.

Family Health Center - East Broadway, 834 East Broadway, 2nd Floor

Call 502-574-7867 or click here to register

January 24 - March 7

Wednesdays from noon to 1:30 p.m.

Family Health Center - Portland, 2215 Portland Ave. 4th floor

Call 502-574-7867 or click here to register

January 30 -  March 13

Tuesdays from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Marshall Women's Center, 4121 Dutchmans Lane, Plaza III, Suite 108, Room 1B

Call 502-629-1234 or click here to register

Center For Neighborhoods is now accepting applications for Neighborhood Institute Spring 2018. Classes will be held at the Center for Neighborhoods (507 South Third Street) every Thursday from January 25 to April 12 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Dinner will be provided for all attendees. 

About Neighborhood Institute

The Neighborhood Institute is open to all neighborhoods, Metro Council Districts and the whole community. There is no charge to attend.

The Neighborhood Institute is a neighborhood leadership-education program established in 1987 by the Center For Neighborhoods, a non-profit civic organization. The Neighborhood Institute equips neighborhood leaders with the resources necessary to effect positive change by acting through and with their neighborhood groups.

Part of the Neighborhood Institute curriculum includes a self-directed project in the community. Through the class projects, people become engaged in the community as they branch out and apply the information and knowledge from the class to real life situations.

For more information, contact John Hawkins, 502-589-0343 or johnh@centerforneighborhoods.org.

The application deadline for Neighborhood Institute Spring 2018 is noon on Friday, January 12. 

“Am I Eligible” invites individuals to complete a brief online survey to determine which RCS programs and services are available to them. This tool is featured on the RCS homepage at https://louisvilleky.gov/government/resilience-and-community-services or can be accessed at https://amieligible.louisvilleky.gov/. 

Survey participants are asked to answer questions related to household size and monthly income; whether or not there are children present in the household; is there a disability; as well as what programs are of interest. Based on the answers to the questions, participants receive a customized list of programs and services for which they may be eligible including educational scholarships, housing and financial assistance, help starting a microbusiness, assistance with budgeting or opening a bank account, and more. 

“Am I Eligible” can be completed anonymously or participants have the option of submitting their name, contact information as well as selecting a Neighborhood Place most convenient for them.  An RCS staff member assigned to the designated Neighborhood Place will then contact the participant by phone or email for further follow-up.

Louisville Parks and Recreation is currently accepting applications for AmeriCorps and VISTA positions. 

Positions include service terms of 9 to 12 months starting as early as January 2.  

We currently have openings in natural areas, forestry and landscaping, environmental education, community centers, and volunteer programming. 

Individuals selected will be eligible to receive a living allowance and educational award and may also be eligible for health insurance and child care.  

For additional information/application, send email of interest to Laura.Ryan@louisvilleky.gov and attach a copy of your resume.

Between 2004 and 2012, research found that Louisville lost the equivalent of 54,000 trees every year, and this alarming trend is set to continue unless actions are taken to replenish many of the trees we are losing. Trees provide cooling shade for our city, improve air quality, reduce heating and cooling costs and improve property values. Approximately 70 percent of available space for tree planting is privately owned, which means that homeowners can play a big part in helping to rebuild Louisville’s tree canopy.

TreesLouisville, in partnership with the Louisville Metro Division of Community Forestry, is currently running a Tree Rebate Program as an incentive for homeowners to plant more trees.

The Tree Rebate Program is open to all residents of Jefferson County. Through the program, participants can earn a rebate of 40 percent (up to $80) on the purchase of a shade tree. Rebates will be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis until funds run out.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

• Tree must be considered a shade tree (i.e. larger canopy trees - oaks, elms, maples etc., though we will accept smaller species like redbuds or serviceberries to accommodate for smaller yards)
• Tree must be planted in a residential yard
• Maximum of three tree applications per household
• Rebate does not include sales tax or any other costs - delivery, planting, other materials
• Tree must measure at least one inch in diameter at a point six inches above the soil line
• Rebates are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis while funds are available

For full details, visit treeslouisville.org/rebate.

Don’t throw away that old television, computer or other electronic device that you just replaced - let Metro Public Works recycle those newly obsolete devices instead.

Free post-holiday electronics drop-off service is available at our Waste Reduction Center at 636 Meriwether Avenue. Drop-off will be available from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on these three Saturdays: January 6, January 13 and January 20.

The special holiday promotion is in addition to our regular year round electronics recycling program. Details on the regular program are available on our website at https://louisvilleky.gov/recycling

From MSD: Property Owners may file damage claims by calling MSD Customer Relations at 587-0603. They will need to reference the Camp Taylor Sewer Project, provide their name, address, phone number, and a brief description of their damage claim. 

MSD will then forward the information to our contractor for them to investigate and render a decision on the claim in writing to the property owner. Additional information may be required such as receipts or photos as applicable. If the contractor denies responsibility for the claim, the property owner may appeal the decision by contacting MSD Customer Relations again and request that the claim be evaluated by MSD.

MSD and our field representatives will monitor and track the claim progression to make sure the contractor is responsive.

If you have questions, contact William Marshall of MSD at william.marshall@louisvillemsd.org or 540-6608 or Clay Bostic of Jacobs Engineering at clay.bostic@jacobs.com or 423-5552. Residents may also visit the MSD Field Office at 1618 Lincoln Avenue, near Poplar Level Road. 

Louisville Metro Community Services' LIHEAP Program is a federally funded program that provides financial assistance to help low-income residents pay utility bills. The Crisis component of LIHEAP operates Jan. 8 through March 30, 2018 (or until funding is expended, whichever comes first.  (CLICK HERE to download a flyer).

This year’s Crisis Program features expanded eligibility allowing residents who received a utility bill with a past due amount to apply, in addition to continuing to serve those who received a disconnect notice.

Residents wishing to apply must make an appointment in advance utilizing the automated appointment system. The toll free service is currently open and is available twenty four hours a day, seven days a week.

Appointments can be scheduled by phone by calling 502-991-8391 or online at louisvilleky.cascheduler.com.

Louisville Metro Syringe Exchange Program:
https://louisvilleky.gov/government/health-wellness/syringe-exchange-program

Permanent drug drop-off location: Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, 531 Court Place. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. For additional information dial 311.

Nar-Anon: Hope for Families (program for people who love someone with an addiction) meets at Mosaic UMC, 8008 St. Andrews Church Road, Mondays at 8 p.m. 

YMCA Safe Place provides referrals to kids, including those affected by a family overdose. They are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 502-635-5233. 

Volunteers of America offers expanded addiction recovery services to help battle the opioid crisis. VOA offers residential, outpatient services and transitional housing to men, women, and pregnant or parenting women. Call 502-635-4530 or go to www.voamid.org/addiction. 

A Recovery Resources brochure with more information is at this link.