Need to report a pothole? It's fast using a Twitter hashtag option or a form on the city’s website. 

Reporting a pothole via Twitter is as simple as including the hashtag, #502pothole along with the exact location of the pothole, in a tweet. To report a pothole in front of City Hall, for example, we would tweet #502pothole 601 W Jefferson St.

Users may also click here and fill in the location information and click “Submit.” The city receives information from both the #502pothole hashtag and the website form, and issues requests to Public Works to fill the potholes.

Citizens may still call MetroCall 311 to report potholes, but may have to wait. 

Renovation to the 48-inch transmission main under Eastern Parkway continues. From Louisville Water: 

The next phase of work is underway between East Burnett and Poplar Level. In this phase, the westbound lanes of Eastern Parkway are closed and the road will operate as two lanes. Lydia Street will be closed at Eastern Parkway. We expect to work in this area until mid-February.

For details, go to LouisvilleWater.com/EasternPkwyProject. 

Exhibit Opening - The Evolution of Camp Zachary Taylor - Friday, January 26 from 4 to 6 p.m. at The Filson Historical Society, 1310 S. 3rd Street. The opening event is free and open to the public. 

In 1917, nearly three thousand acres of farmland and open fields were transformed into an active military camp with around two thousand buildings; four short years later the land, buildings, and equipment were auctioned off, and the Camp Taylor neighborhood was born. In this exhibit, images and documents from the Filson's collection will illustrate the history of Camp Zachary Taylor, Louisville's World War I cantonment.

The opening will feature light refreshments and short remarks from Heather French Henry, Deputy Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Veteran's Affairs, and curator Jennie Cole. Curators and Filson staff will be available to answer questions about the items on display and the history behind them.

The Evolution of Camp Zachary Taylor exhibit will be up through July. For more information about these and other upcoming exhibits, please visit filsonhistorical.org/exhibits.

The Jefferson County Board of Education (JCBE) has named two finalists for the position of superintendent of the Jefferson County Public School (JCPS) District.

The two finalists are JCPS Acting Superintendent Marty Pollio and JCPS Chief Operations Officer Mike Raisor.

The Board is interested in hearing your priorities for the next superintendent and your thoughts to help inform the Board’s interviews and selection. Families in the district have two different ways to participate in the process - by survey and by attending a forum.

Please participate in an online survey by visiting www.JCPSYourVoice.com. The survey will remain open until February 2. 

You can also attend a public forum that will provide in-person opportunities to meet and hear from the finalists.  All of the events will take place at 6:00 p.m.

• Monday, Jan. 29, Gheens Auditorium, 4425 Preston Hwy. (adjacent to Louisville Male High School) 
• Tuesday, Jan. 30, Ballard High School, 6000 Brownsboro Road
• Thursday, Feb. 1, Pleasure Ridge Park High School, 5901 Greenwood Road 

VITA, AARP volunteers at sites across Louisville also will help residents determine eligibility for Earned Income Tax Credit. 

Louisville Asset Building Coalition's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA, and AARP Tax Aide programs provide trained, IRS-certified volunteers to offer free tax services at more than 20 sites across the city. The service is available to individuals and families who earned less than $64,000 in 2017.

VITA and AARP volunteers will also help determine if residents are eligible for the EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit), a refundable federal tax credit for low- and middle-income working individuals and families. Eligibility for the EITC is based on income, the number of family members and other criteria, such as the amount of a families’ credit. Working families who earn about $53,000 or less may be eligible, with average credits last year more than $2,400.

Last year, the VITA campaign and Louisville AARP sites processed more than 14,000 returns, adding more than $19.7 million to the local economy, including nearly $6 million in Earned Income Credits to residents.

Appointments are recommended for VITA free tax assistance service and can be made now by calling (502) 305-0005 or scheduling online at https://louisvillekyvita.cascheduler.com.

The VITA free tax preparation sites are located at:

• Americana Community Center, 4801 Southside Dr.
• Bates Community Development, 1228 Jackson St.
• Bridges of Hope Neighborhood Place, 1411 Algonquin Pkwy. (Self-file only beginning Jan. 29)
• Edison Center , 701 W. Ormsby Ave., Suite 201
• First Neighborhood Place, 1503 Rangeland Road
• LouisvilleUrban League, 1535 W. Broadway
• Nia Center, 2900 W. Broadway
• Portland Promise Center, 1831 Baird St.
• Salt and Light Community Development, 3025 Gerald Dr.
• Sun Valley Community Center, 6505 Bethany Lane
• United Crescent Hill Ministries, 150 State St.
• Wesley House Community Services - 5114 Preston Hwy. 

For a complete list of VITA locations, including mobile sites, as well as hours of operation, visit http://labcservices.org or call Metro United Way’s 211 help referral service.  

Also visit the website at https://www.labcservices.org/index.php/free-tax-filing-at-labc-services for information about a free service for those interested in filing their own taxes online. Starting Jan. 29, two software packages — MyFreeTaxes and Turbo Tax Freedom Edition — will be available for those who meet eligibility. 

In addition to the VITA sites, AARP Tax Aide's mission is to serve any person comes through the door, with special attention to those 60 and older. 

AARP sites will open Feb. 1 at the following locations:

• Buechel Park Baptist Church, 2403 Hikes Lane
• Central Government Center, 7201 Outer Loop
• Clifton Christian Church, 131 Vernon Ave.
• East Government Center, 200 Juneau Dr.
• Iroquois Branch Library, 601 W Woodlawn Ave.
• Jeffersontown Senior Center, 10631 Watterson Trail 
• Lyndon Baptist Church, 8025 New LaGrange Rd.
• Portland Branch Library, 3305 Northwestern Parkway
• Southwest Government Center, 7219 Dixie Highway

For a full AARP schedule and listing, including mobile sites, visit http://www.aarp-tax-aide-lou.org or call (502) 394-3443.

To help preparers accurately determine EITC eligibility and prepare returns, individuals should bring: 

• Picture ID and Social Security cards for everyone listed on the return
• Copy of 2016 tax return with all attachments and schedules
• W-2s and 1099s from your employers
• Other 1099s for interest, dividends, state tax refund or other income
• 1095 for health insurance
• 1098 for education credit, plus detailed financial statement from the school
• Bank account number and routing number for direct deposit as well as savings account number (if applicable)
• Child care information, including Provider ID and actual amounts paid
• Summarized list of other income/expenses for those who itemize or are self-employed
• Additional tax information that may be required

Visit http://labcservices.org/ or http://www.aarp-tax-aide-lou.org for more information about the required documentation.

The work of the Louisville Asset Building Coalition and the AARP Tax Assistance Program is made possible by Metro United Way, Louisville Metro Government, the IRS, the AARP Tax-Aide Foundation and dozens of other partners.

TARC has made minor schedule adjustments on three routes to accommodate road construction and run time needs that affect bus arrival times at stops. Routing changes on one route will affect bus stop locations.

Most changes are slight, but passengers are advised to check schedules in advance of the changes and plan trips accordingly. Detailed schedules and maps reflecting changes are available at www.ridetarc.org.

The following routes will have minor adjustments to routing:

Route #1 – 4th Street Circulator ZeroBus - Due to the construction on 4th Street, the route will operate on 5th and 3rd Streets between Muhammad Ali Blvd. and Broadway. Northbound will operate on 5th Street to Market Street and southbound will operate on 2nd and 3rd Streets. The Zero Bus will stop at all ZeroBus stops with the green Zero Bus sign. No changes in the schedule.

Route #18 – Preston-Dixie Hwy. The route will return to service on Ulrich Ave. between Preston Hwy and Industrial Blvd. on eastbound trips to UPS Worldport. A bus stop will be re-established at Preston Highway and Ulrich Ave. No changes in the schedule.

The following route will be adjusted with changes in arrival times at stops including other changes as noted:

Route #2 – Second Street - Two morning southbound trips have been added to the schedule to improve early morning access to the airport. The new trips will leave Market Street at 5th Street at 5:10 a.m. and 5:45 a.m. with arrivals at the airport at 5:37 a.m. and 6:12 a.m.

Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear warns that scammers are targeting Kentucky families looking for access to affordable health insurance. 

A Lexington resident recorded a portion of a scam call from the “National Health Enrollment Center.”

The automated caller asks if you are looking for affordable insurance coverage and quickly says you qualify for great plans as low as $199 a month for individuals and $399 a month for a family plan. The call is then transferred to a “qualified insurance specialist,” who pretends they are helping you get access to affordable coverage. The “specialist” then attempts to steal your personal and financial information by asking for your credit card information to pay a fee for service or to make your first monthly insurance payment.

“Health insurance is a vital lifeline for every Kentucky family and it is shameful that scammers are luring in victims with the false hope of receiving access to affordable health care coverage,” said Beshear. “Kentuckians should know that they do not have to pay for help accessing health insurance.”

Beshear’s Office of Senior Protection and Mediation said there are a variety of health insurance scams and offered tips to help Kentuckians avoid health care scams:

Never pay to access health insurance. Employees of legitimate health care companies and the government do not charge you for help in accessing health insurance.

Guard your personal and financial information. The government will never ask you to verify your Social Security number or bank information over the phone. Government agencies will never ask you to wire money or pay using a gift card or other hard to trace methods of payment. If you did not initiate contact with a government agency and you suddenly receive a call, email or text from someone saying they are a government employee, it is most likely a scam.

Be wary of all medical discount offers. Offers that boast a “low monthly rate” or “medical discount card” should be researched. Medical discount plans do not pay your health care costs and participants will not have the same protections afforded to them by a licensed health insurance plan.

Verify the company or agency. Many scammers are successful because they trick their victims into believing they represent the government or a legitimate organization. Before providing information research and verify the company or agency. The best way to obtain legitimate information about government health insurance is to visit the federal government website HealthCare.gov. The Kentucky Department of Insurance also has information on health insurance companies in Kentucky.

Anyone with possible information regarding scam activity should report it to the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection hotline at 888-432-9257 and file a complaint online.

Louisville Metro Government has officially started the search for a new Louisville Metro Police vehicle impound lot.

Located for decades at 1478 Frankfort Avenue in Butchertown, the impound lot is the main temporary storage area for motor vehicles that have been impounded by LMPD and other agencies, and is a longer-term storage area for motor vehicles being held as evidence in a legal proceeding. Although technical capacity is 1,800 vehicles, the lot frequently stores in excess of 2,000 vehicles.

Space issues, as well as the impound lot’s negative impact on nearby Beargrass Creek and the Beargrass Creek Greenway Trail, are among the reasons Louisville Metro Government is seeking a new location. The site, a former landfill, is also located in a flood plain and is partially impacted by a high-tension power line crossing it.

As a temporary measure to free up space at the Vehicle Impoundment Unit, LMPD will be changing the location of its auctions to the Newburg Fleet facility.  This action will free up approximately 100-150 spaces that can be used to remove wrecked or abandoned vehicles, as well as parking violators, from Louisville’s roadways.

The first step in the process to move the lot is a Request for Information, seeking properties that fit the city’s search criteria for size, location, and other physical and operational requirements. The Request for Information can be found at: https://louisvilleky.gov/government/louisville-forward/impound-lot-relocation-rfi

Louisville Metro Government will also host three public meetings and conduct two tours of the current impound lot. A list of dates, times, and locations of meetings and tours can be found below.

The public is encouraged to provide suggestions on potential locations for the impound lot, as well as offer innovative solutions for the management of the facility. Public input can be made in-person at a public meeting or through an on-line comment portal at: https://louisvilleky.gov/government/louisville-forward/impound-lot-relocation-rfi

Louisville Metro Government will close the Request for Information on March 15. Proposed locations will be evaluated based on their ability to meet operational and locational needs for the impound lot, as well as on their potential cost. If a suitable location is identified, funding for the relocation of the impound lot will be sought in upcoming fiscal years. 

Meeting and tour schedule: 

• February 15 - First tour opportunity, at the Louisville Metro Impound Lot at 1478 Frankfort Avenue, at 10 a.m. RSVP to Robert.Schroeder@louisvilleky.gov no later than February 12. 
• February 10 - Second tour opportunity, at the Louisville Metro Impound Lot at 1478 Frankfort Avenue, at noon. RSVP to Robert.Schroeder@louisvilleky.gov no later than February 16. 
• February 17 - First public meeting, at the Main Branch of the Louisville Free Public Library, 311 York street, 10 to 11:30 a.m. 
• February 20 - Second public meeting, at Oak and Acorn, 631 South 28th Street, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. 
• February 22 - Third public meeting, at Butchertown Pizza Hall, 1301 Story Avenue, second floor, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. 

The Louisville Parks Foundation invites you to participate in a quick survey about our parks. Your feedback is important and will be used to determine priorities for developing services for the community.

The Louisville Parks Foundation’s Vision is a City of Parks where everyone has the opportunity to Give. Plant. Play. Click here to take the survey.

The Louisville Parks Foundation is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization which inspires donors to invest in our 120+ public parks and recreational facilities - for present and future generations. If you need more information about Louisville Parks Foundation, please visit lpfky.org or contact info@louisvilleparksfoundation.org.

Louisville Parks and Recreation has some upcoming volunteer opportunities for you! We need help planting trees in our city. If you are interested in giving service, here are the dates, locations, and links to sign up:

February 2nd – South Central Park – 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0E4FACAE2EA4FE3-coxpark

February 9th – Flaget Field Park – 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0E4FACAE2EA4FE3-thurmanhutchins

February 16th – Lannan Park – 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0E4FACAE2EA4FE3-cherokee

February 23rd – Hays Kennedy Park – 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0E4FACAE2EA4FE3-tyler

March 2nd – Story Avenue Park – 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0E4FACAE2EA4FE3-story

From the Office of Resilience and Community Services:

We're gathering feedback for Resilience and Community Services’ 2018 Community Needs Assessment, a tool which helps our agency make the best use of available federal, state, and local resources by targeting funds and strategies based on the areas identified as having the greatest needs in our community. This survey will help RCS prioritize funding and create innovative strategies to meet the needs of low and moderate income individuals in our city. 

Please take a moment to complete this brief but important survey.

RCS encompasses Neighborhood Place, Self-Sufficiency Services, housing programs for formerly homeless individuals, volunteer programs like Foster Grandparent Program and RSVP (Retired & Senior Volunteer Program), Outreach and Advocacy Offices including the Office of Youth Development, Senior Services including Meals on Wheels, and several other programs.

This project is funded, in part, under a contract with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services with funds from the Community Services Block Grant Act of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

January is National Radon Action month. The Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness is offering free radon test kits while supplies last. You can request a kit online at https://louisvilleky.wufoo.com/forms/qoixf410qzn3z/ or by calling 574-6650.

Radon is a gas that you cannot smell, taste or see. It forms naturally when uranium, radium and thorium break down in rocks, soil and groundwater. People can be exposed to radon primarily from breathing radon in air that comes in through cracks and gaps in homes and other buildings. Radon can cause lung cancer through prolonged exposure. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, behind smoking, and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, causing between 15,000 and 22,000 lung cancer deaths each year.

The entire state of Kentucky is at high risk for radon exposure with about 40 percent of homes estimated to have unsafe levels. The only way to know if radon exists at dangerous levels in your home is to test for it.

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 at  louisvilleky.cascheduler.com. Appointments may also be scheduled by phone at 502-991-8391.

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 22 - March 5  Mondays from noon to 1:30 p.m. at 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. at the 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.at Marshall Women's Center, 4121 Dutchmans Lane, Plaza III, Suite 108, Room 1B. Call 502-629-1234 or click here to register

“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.

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. For full details, visit treeslouisville.org/rebate.

TARC and Brightside are partnering for the 19th annual Design-a-Bus contest. The winning artwork by schoolchildren will be featured on a bus that will travel in the Republic Bank Pegasus Parade on Thursday May 3, and on TARC routes throughout the metropolitan region following Derby festivities.

This year, students are being asked to submit artwork focusing on key Brightside initiatives including daffodil and other plantings in public spaces, volunteer community clean-ups, litter abatement, and making Louisville overall a more clean, green city.

Students are encouraged to visit Brightside’s website, https://louisvilleky.gov/government/brightside/about-brightside to learn more and to get ideas for their artwork. Contest details are also at https://www.ridetarc.org/design-a-bus-contest

Deadline is March 2. 

Neighborhood Place partners offer workshops and services in January to benefit all family members including two dates to meet with Legal Aid representatives, an energy management workshop and more.

Mondays and Thursdays, YMCA’s “Caring and Learning with Me” program at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, 1503 Rangeland Rd., side of Thomas Jefferson Middle School, 10 a.m. to noon. This free program provides a wonderful learning environment for children ages 3-5 years old and their caregivers focusing on play and exploration. The adult caregiver is required to attend with the child/ren and you may also bring other children ages (0-2). Sponsored by the YMCA with support from First Neighborhood Place. Call Keyonna Humphrey at 974-8457 for more information and to register. 

Jan. 30, Energy Management Workshop at the First Neighborhood Place, side of Thomas Jefferson Middle School, 1503 Rangeland Road, 1 p.m. Project Warm's free workshops help families take control of their energy usage and learn "do-it-yourself" energy-saving tips. Free supplies will be distributed at the end of the workshop such as clear plastic/tape for windows, caulk to seal openings around windows and sealing foam. Call 313-4728 or 313-4700 for registration. 

About Neighborhood Place
Louisville’s Neighborhood Place -- a partnership of Louisville Metro Government (including the Office of Resilience and Community Services, and Public Health and Wellness), Jefferson County Public Schools, Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services and Centerstone (formerly Seven Counties Services) -- provides community-based centers which bring together health care, education, employment and social services at eight locations across the community. To find a Neighborhood Place in your neighborhood, please call Metro Call at 311.

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.