From Major Mike Bogan, LMPD 6th Division Commander: 

For the last two weeks, we’ve had a high number of thefts from auto. It seems to be concentrated near Hikes Lane, Breckenridge Lane and Six Mile Lane. 

As I sift through the reports, I am seeing vehicles that are left unlocked, items left in plain view and in some cases, keys left in the vehicle. Residents should  lock their doors, remove anything of value from their vehicle and have good lighting. 

This type of crime is largely a crime of opportunity. These criminals walk in neighborhoods and pull on door handles. They also peek into the vehicle in search of something to steal. Taking proper vigilant security measures won’t completely stop theft but will go a long way to reduce it.

So far this week, we’ve had a noticeable reduction in thefts from auto. We have made several arrests and continue to actively patrol in your neighborhoods. There are some other covert details that we are running to also curb this trend. LMPD is aware of this trend and is working to reduce it.

We have received complaints about people letting their dogs go off-leash in George Rogers Clark Park. 

From Ranger Pete McCartney at the Parklands at Floyds Fork, here are reasons to keep your dog on a leash:

• It’s the law. The Louisville/ Jefferson County Metro Government, Code of Ordinances Chapter 91, under RESTRAINT, states specifically that, “If off the premises of the owner where permission has not been granted, the animal must be restrained by a lead or leash and under the control of a reasonable person physically able to control the dog…”
• Not everyone likes dogs. A dog on a leash shows that you are in control of your dog and that you respect those who wish to keep their distance from your dog.
• People can be injured by loose dogs. Whether intentional or not your dog could bite, knock over, or injure someone (and you could be liable).
• Leashes promote your pet’s safety, keeping them out of the way of cyclists and cars, or wildlife that might see them as a threat.
• Dogs that run off designated trails may destroy plants, leave feces, cause stress to small mammals, and otherwise disrupt the natural balance of the ecosystem we work so hard to protect.

To find the nearest dog run or dog park, go to louisvilledogs.org.

By Twitter: include 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.” 

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: 

Work on Eastern Parkway stretches from Ash Avenue to Beargrass Creek. The westbound lanes will be closed, leaving the remaining eastbound lanes to operate as a two-lane roadway. Southbound Goss Avenue's right turn/through lane to westbound Eastern Parkway will be closed. You can expect construction in this area through the end of March.

South East Associated Ministries and their presenting sponsor, Kosair Charities, will kick off the new "Stable Families, Healthy Kids" program, helping 500 people reach self-sufficiency by the end of 2020. 

You're invited to take a sip of SEAM and see why it works, at the Wine and Cheese Soiree, May 17 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Kosair Shrine Center, 4120 Bardstown Road. To register and for more information, go to seamlouisville.org/wp/events/

The Evolution of Camp Zachary Taylor exhibit is now open at The Filson Historical Society, 1310 S. 3rd Street. 

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 illustrate the history of Camp Zachary Taylor, Louisville's World War I cantonment.

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.

From Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services: the Fifth Third Bank Financial Empowerment Mobile, the eBus, will be visiting Louisville through Feb. 26 and will be open to the public.

The eBus is a 40-foot retrofitted city bus equipped with onboard computer workstations and internet connectivity. It is staffed by professionals who provide free one-on-one personalized counseling, credit scores, financial coaching, budgeting, job search and other services.

The final stop for the eBus is Monday, Feb. 26, at Ujima Neighborhood Place, 3610 Bohne Avenue, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information about the eBus, contact Adam Hall, Community and Economic Development Manager with Fifth Third Bank, at 502-562-5584 or adam.hall@53.com.

Meet Mudflap! This three-year-old American Bulldog mix has an outgoing, laid back personality and is an oversized sweetheart! Mudflap enjoys experiencing new surroundings. During a recent foster field trip, this handsome enjoyed a visit to the store, playing in the backyard and sunbathing. He loves being active, chill time and cuddle sessions. All he needs is a forever home!  You can adopt Mudflap for free with our Pay It Forward Program.  Apply online at louisvilleky.gov/animalservices. You can meet Mudflap at Animal House Adoption center,  at 3516 Newburg Road, Tuesday through Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.  For more information, call 473-PETS!

Because there is growing evidence that medical cannabis can help people suffering from chronic pain, post-tramatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other conditions, Councilman Mulvihill and eight other council members have joined sponsor Councilman Bill Hollander in supporting a resolution urging the Kentucky General Assembly to join 29 states and the District of Columbia to allow its use on recommendation of a medical practitioner. 

The community is invited to attend one of three town hall meetings on the topic of legalizing the use of cannabis for medical purposes. Each town hall will start with presentations by panelists both in support and opposition to the resolution.

Persons attending the town hall meeting will have the opportunity to ask questions of panelists following opening remarks. Each town hall is expected to last 60-90 minutes and comments received during each event will be given to all members of the Louisville Metro Council.

Town Hall Meeting Dates: 

• Monday, February 26, 6 p.m. at Louisville Fire Fighters Hall, 400 Bakers Lane
• Tuesday, February 27, 6 p.m. at Southwick Community Center, 3621 Southern Avenue

A copy of the proposed resolution is available by clicking HERE. 

Neighborhood Place partners offer services and workshops in February that will benefit the entire family:

Through March 16, The Butterfly Effect Prom Dress Drive at NorthWest Neighborhood Place. Donations of prom dresses, shoes, accessories, as well as tuxedo rental vouchers are all requested to assist with the “Butterfly Effect Prom Event” on March 27. Drop off donations at 4018 W. Market Street weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. by March 16. Sponsored in collaboration with Destinee Germany, Miss Black Kentucky, in addition to Academy at Shawnee Youth Services and Jefferson County Public Schools. Call 485-7230 for more information. 

Mondays and Thursdays, YMCA’s “Caring and Learning with Me” program at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, 1503 Rangeland Road, side of Thomas Jefferson Middle School, 10 a.m. to noon. This free program provides a wonderful learning environment for children ages 3 to 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.

February 26, Diabetes Education Classes at South Jefferson Neighborhood Place, 1000 Neighborhood Place, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. This information session is provided monthly to assist in learning the latest information on managing diabetes including healthy eating, developing an active lifestyle, taking medications and reducing health risks. Sponsored by Family Health Center. Call 502-772-8588 to sign up.

February 28, A Healthy Journey for Two Educational Baby Shower, Ujima Neighborhood Place, 3610 Bohne Ave., 1 to 3 p.m. This is an educational baby shower open to any expectant mothers. The class will include a range of information and resources, as well as free baby items, gift cards, prizes, and snacks. Hosted by Seven Counties and KIDSNow. Fathers are welcome but must be registered. Contact Mendy Mason at 341-5400 to RSVP or for more information.

Beginning February 28, Freedom from Smoking Classes at South Jefferson Neighborhood Place, 1000 Neighborhood Place. Join this weekly group on Wednesdays for seven weeks to get the support you need to be free from smoking, Support will be provided on stress management, creating a personal plan and avoiding weight gain. All classes are free. Sponsored by the Family Health Centers. Call 772-8588 to register or for more information. 

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.

Louisville MSD sponsors Ohio River Sweep with the Ohio River Valley Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO), LG&E and Louisville Water. It is one of the largest annual environmental cleanups in the United States.

On June 16, thousands of volunteers will remove tons of trash and debris, from the Ohio River's origin in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to its end in Cairo, Illinios, including nearly 3,000 miles of shoreline and many tributaries.

An MSD employee will coordinate each site, supplying volunteers with gloves, trash bags and a commemorative T-shirt. Register now for Ohio River Sweep, and learn more at http://www.orsanco.org/river-sweep/

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.

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. 

The Louisville Resilience team is asking citizens to complete a short web-based survey to help craft the city’s strategy for withstanding “shocks and stresses,” such as economic downturns and natural disasters. 

The survey, which takes about 10 minutes to complete, can be taken here: http://surveys.iqsresearch.com/s3/Resilience-2017 

Complete a brief online survey to determine which RCS programs and services are available to you. Go to https://amieligible.louisvilleky.gov/. 

Based on 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 and contact information.

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.

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.

The LIHEAP utility assistance program continues through March 30 or until funds are depleted. Call 991-8391 to make an appointment or schedule here online.

Download and share this flyer for more details.

VITA, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, and AARP Tax Aide will continue to provide free tax preparation services through April 17th.  Read here for more details.

Schedule a VITA appointment by calling 305-0005 or schedule here online.

Louisville street sweeping season resumes in March. Don't get caught by surprise and ticketed or towed when the sweepers come to your street. Sign up instead to get text or email alerts when the sweepers are coming.

Just click on MyLouisville on the Louisvilleky.gov webpage, type in your address, and you're on your way. While you're there you can also find the date of your next junk collection and sign up to be reminded. More about street sweeping.