Nestled in the heart of  Derby City, Homewood Suites by Hilton Louisville, downtown's central location, spacious suites and convenient amenities offer the value-added experience that both business and leisure guests seek when visiting this robust city. 

Designed for guests who want to travel on their own terms, Homewood Suites by Hilton Louisville Downtown offers a combination of studio and one-bedroom accommodations, featuring fully equipped kitchens and separate living and sleeping areas. Guests are also provided all the essentials needed for a smart, reliable and convenient stay including complimentary daily full-hot breakfast, evening social Monday-Thursday, Wi-Fi and a grocery shopping service.

Simmons College of Kentucky received a significant donation and a big boost towards its mission.The College received $200,000 to help with its expansion and tuition assistance. Donors Dr. Mark and Cindy Lynn say they weren’t familiar with Simmons College in the beginning.

“Simmons College to us is a symbol of hope for a lot of things. And it’s not just people and kids. It’s a symbol of hope for our whole community. It’s a symbol of hope for our growth. It’s a symbol of hope for where we want to go in life.” said D. Mark Lynn.
The college focuses on educating students in an urban setting and helping with financial assistance. Students, faculty and Mayor Greg Fisher were all on hand for the donation.

Councilwoman Sexton Smith out and about visiting with folks in District 4.

During a visit at Friendship House she met Miss Lucille McDonald, who at 90 years young can give Kendrick Lamar, Pulizter prize wining rapper, a run for his money.

Hopping of the elevator here comes James Linton co host of Community Connections Radio on WLOU.

Moving on through District 4 she sees  Quuncy, a young man on his way to KMAC Couture.

Many thanks to Jennifer Adrio and Jeanne Curtis from the American Red Cross- Louisville Chapter for presenting during our Metro Council meeting at the Academy at Shawnee.  We will sound the alarm together on May 12th promoting Fire prevention and safety throughout our community.

Thanks to Councilwoman Cheri Bryant Hamilton, the Red Cross Hospital, which once stood along Shelby Street, was recognized with a historical marker dedication. 
The hospital offered African American doctors and nurses a chance to treat patients, while other Louisville hospitals did not.
The hospital was opened in 1899 and closed its doors in 1976, after serving an entire community and generations of families.
The dedication of the hospital is the first step in a long process. In addition to the historical marker, the Kentucky Historical Society plans to create a documentary and release photos of the then hospital, and Tuesdays dedication. 
Red Cross Hospital was also home to the very first African American nurse licensed in Kentucky, Mary Merritt.
One side of the marker describes some of Merritt's life. The other side takes the visitors through the hospitals history through segregation. 
The campus where the hospital once operated in now home to Volunteers of America.

Lemonade Day is a free, fun, experiential learning program that teaches youth how to start, own and operate their own business – a lemonade stand.
The foremost objective of Lemonade Day is to empower youth to take ownership of their lives and become productive members of society – the business leaders, social advocates, volunteers, and forward thinking citizens of tomorrow.
Each child that registers receives a backpack with an Entrepreneur Workbook that teaches them the Lemonade Day lessons like creating budgets, setting profit-making goals, serving customers, repaying investors, and giving back to the community. Along the way, they acquire skills in goal-setting, problem solving, and gain self-esteem critical for future success. They keep all the money they make and are encouraged to spend some, save some and share some.

To A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin, APRl's co-founders, the fight for workers' rights and civil rights were inseparable.
Randolph (1889-1979) was the greatest black labor leader in American history and the father of the modern American civil rights movement. 
Rustin (1912-1987), a leading civil rights and labor activist and strategist, was the chief organizer of the historic 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and Randolph's greatest protege.

Randolph and Rustin forged an alliance between the civil rights movement and the labor movement. They recognized that blacks and working people of all colors share the same goals: political and social freedom and economic justice. 
This Black-Labor Alliance helped the civil rights movement achieve one of its greatest victories - passage of the Voting Rights Act, which removed the last remaining legal harriers to broad black political participation. 

​Inspired by this success, Randolph and Rustin founded A. Philip Randolph Institute in 1965 to continue the struggle for social, political and economic justice for all working Americans. 

Hilliard Lyons announced March 27 that over the next few weeks it would be rolling out new brand positioning. While the website, logo, and titles will be changing Hilliard Lyons says it will remain steadfast in its commitment to being the comprehensive wealth management firm clients have come to count on for the last 160 years.

The Louisville Downtown Partnership (LDP) unveiled the first phase of Downtown Louisville’s CityPost digital kiosks today at the 400 West Market Plaza, located at the corner of Fourth and Jefferson Streets. The digital kiosks are part of a communication network that broadcasts real-time, location-based information and alerts to provide safer, better connected pubic digital solutions. Compelling, smart media is delivered through a public-facing network powered by interactive 55” smart signs (cityposts), and a companion mobile application.

“Among other terrific benefits, we are particularly thrilled to bring free Wi-Fi hotspots to Downtown, as well as improved wayfinding, and enhanced safety and security,” said Rebecca Matheny, LDP’s Executive Director. Louisville CityPost digital kiosks will offer a wide array of useful information, including an entire Downtown business directory, restaurant and hotel information, visitor attraction and museum listings, and Louisville Metro Government service contact information. Louisville CityPost will also include an updated calendar of upcoming special events through a partnership with Louisville Public Media and their “Do502” event platform.

The first phase of the Louisville CityPost rollout will include nine kiosks primarily located on Fourth and Jefferson Streets. Additional kiosks will be added throughout 2018 as construction and streetscape projects are completed. Ultimately, Louisville CityPost digital kiosks will be located throughout the urban core.

Come downtown find the Kiosk, look for restaurants and exciting things to do! They are easy to use with something for everyone.

Shirley Mae’s Café is housed in a 3-story clay-brick building that dates back to 1880… when it was the home of Andrew Willinger, manager of the W.M. & C.D. Campbell Tobacco Company in Louisville, KY.  Nestled in the heart of Smoketown, Shirley Mae’s Café is located in the oldest African American community in Louisville… originally a post-Civil War encampment for freed slaves in 1868.   Shirley Beard became the first black owner of the building… and changed the name to Shirley Mae’s Cafe. Shirley Mae’s Café opened on New Year’s Eve 1988. If the walls in Shirley Mae’s Café could talk, they’d have a rich history and a wonderful story to tell.  Now, countless photos of celebrities line the walls behind a time-worn bar.  But when you step through the door and hear the sounds of blues in the air or smell chicken frying and fresh-cut onions summoning your appetite or see Shirley Mae kneading a fistful of her famous hot water cornbread to lay in her cast-iron skillet to fry… then you know you’re in the right place!  
As if running a restaurant and a jukejoint weren’t enough to keep her busy, she founded the Salute to the Black Jockeys Who Pioneered the Kentucky Derby event in May 1989.  (The name was later shortened to Salute to Black Jockeys, Inc.)  
With both of her businesses situated on the outer fringe of the Sheppard Square and Clarksdale Housing Projects in Smoketown — Louisville’s first African-American community — Shirley Mae sought to cut through the apathy that lassoed the community and inspire the youth in the nearby housing projects to aspire to finish their education and to avoid early teenage pregnancy/parenthood and criminal pursuits.  The event was always free to the public to ensure that these kids would always be afforded the opportunity to participate and be included.  In fact, Shirley Mae depleted her retirement funds to fund this event annually to ensure that the event remained free to the public… and that it remained in the projects… easily accessible to the children there.
While Shirley Mae and her sons and daughters had learned about the black jockeys who had pioneered the Kentucky Derby from a set of World Book Encyclopedias she purchased back in the 1960s, she was shocked to find that no one in Smoketown had ever heard of these black pioneers.  The Salute to Black Jockeys then took on a second misson… to educate African-Americans about their rich roots in the Kentucky Derby and to give them their own Kentucky Derby event to celebrate those roots during the Kentucky Derby Festival. 
She is featured in a episode of the ESPN program, Undefeated entitled The Reign of the Black Jockey.

April Training!

 Every Monday in April 2018 we are hosting opportunities for local chess athletes to sharpen their chess skills.

Athletes are paired or they can challenge another athlete. The winner earns a point and receives a Chess Dollar. Every athlete who submits a properly and fully recorded game earns a Chess Dollar.

At the April 30 session, the two athletes with the most points are each rewarded with a medal.
 Dates: April 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30
Registration time: 6 to 6:15 p.m., first rounds at 6:20 p.m. No new rounds can start after 7:30 p.m.
Fee: $5.00 dollars (free bottled water and popcorn)
Location: 1228 East Breckinridge Street
 
This open to adults too!

We are seeking community engagement in the development of the concepts for four new murals-- two in Russell and two in Portland-- in partnership with New Directions Housing Corporation and funded through Imagine Greater Louisville 2020.

LVA NDHC IGL Mural Projects

Russell Community Mural Survey

Portland Community Mural Survey

LVA NDHC IGL Mural Projects- survey

The newly-created “ECHO Mobile,” which brings outdoor nature play activity to neighborhoods throughout Louisville, has been hitting the road and the full schedule of stops for this spring and summer has been released.
Children and families will play with everything from musical instruments to materials for creating imaginative natural Louisville ECHO will be visiting local parks and community centers.

For the full ECHO schedule, please click here.

Reporting potholes is easier than ever! Keeping our roads and community pristine is an important issue to everyone in the area. Follow any of the three simple methods listed below when you see a pothole and Public Works will respond as soon as they can in order to fill them.

·  Click here to use our easy online form.

·  Use Twitter by including the hashtag #502pothole and the location of the hole in any tweet.

·  Call MetroCall 311 or 574-5000 to report potholes or any other issues. You may also email them at metro.call@louisvilleky.gov         

Councilwoman Sexton Smith is participating in the discounted recycle cart program with Solid Waste. District 4 residents benefit! The 95-gallon and 65-gallon recycling carts are available for District 4 residents for only $25 -- this is a 50% discount off the cost. To order your recycle cart call Solid Waste Management (SWMS) at 574-3571 or download the form here:
 https://louisvilleky.gov/sites/default/files/public_works/pdf_files/3-8-17_garbageandrecyclingcart_recyclingbin_95-65.pdf  

Then mail in the completed form and $25 to SWMS at: 

Louisville Metro Solid Waste Management

Attn: Collection Division

600 Meriwether Avenue

Louisville, KY 40217-1146

The Russell Homeownership Incentive  Program is an excellent way to move into a neighborhood rich with history and a wonderful housing stock. Louisville Metro Government (LMG) is placing a priority on  incentivizing homeownership in an effort to further  stabilize the Russell neighborhood. 

 Criteria: 

• Committed to keeping the home as your primary residence for five years. 
• Excited about making up to $24,999 in qualified improvements to your home. 
• Willing to complete homeownership counseling, if a first-time homebuyer.  
• Willing to conduct a lead inspection on the property if it was built prior to 1978.  

For more information, please contact Donnie Adkins at (502) 574-8020.

The Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District wants to hear from you!

 The APCD is creating a series of workshops along with new educational resources to better serve our community. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and let us know your thoughts. We will use your feedback as we plan our workshops and future community engagement efforts. The deadline to complete the survey is  April 30, 2018.

Click this link to take the survey: https://louisvilleky.wufoo.com/forms/the-apcd-wants-to-hear-from-you/

Notice of Application for Demolition Permit of Historic Structure      

The Office of Planning Permitting and Design--Construction Review has received a demolition permit application for the property listed below:

Subject Property:  300 S. Roy Wilkins Ave. Building #51

Case Number:    WR1052927

Subject Property:  300 S. Roy Wilkins Ave. Building #53

Case Number:    WR1052938

Subject Property:  300 S. Roy Wilkins Ave. Building #54

Case Number:    WR1052934

Subject Property:  300 S. Roy Wilkins Ave. Building #55

Case Number:    WR1052933

Subject Property:  300 S. Roy Wilkins Ave. Building #56

Case Number:    WR1052936

Subject Property:  300 S. Roy Wilkins Ave. Building #57

Case Number:    WR1052930

Subject Property:  300 S. Roy Wilkins Ave. Building #58

Case Number:    WR1052928

Subject Property:  300 S. Roy Wilkins Ave. Building #59

Case Number:    WR1052929

For more information on the Beecher Terrace Redevelopment Project visit this website: http://visionrussell.org/historic-preservation/section106/

The above referenced property is listed or potentially eligible for listing in The National Register of Historic Places.

Per LMCO (150.110), the requested demolition permit can be issued on the following date:

4/22/18

For additional information regarding this application visit the website: https://louisvilleky.gov/government/construction-review 

or contact Mike Beard, Plan Review Supervisor at 574-3321 or

Cynthia Johnson, Metro Historic Preservation Officer at 574-2868.

Louisville Metro Develop Louisville, Office of Planning Permitting and Design--Construction Review

444 S. Fifth Street, Suite 100, Louisville, Kentucky 40202-4313

Notice of Application for Demolition Permit of Historic Structure      
 

The Office of Planning Permitting and Design--Construction Review has received a demolition permit application for the property listed below:
 

Subject Property:  2229 Cedar St.
Case Number:    WR1055845
 

The above reference property is listed or potentially eligible for listing in The National Register of Historic Places.

Per LMCO (150.110), the requested demolition permit can be issued on the following date:

5/11/18

 More information on the Beecher Terrace Redevelopment Project visit this website: http://visionrussell.org/historic-preservation/section106/

Cynthia Johnson, Metro Historic Preservation Officer at 574-2868

or contact Mike Beard, Plan Review Supervisor at 574-3321.

Louisville Metro Develop Louisville, Office of Planning Permitting and Design--Construction Review

444 S. Fifth Street, Suite 100, Louisville, Kentucky 40202-4313