Donations accepted through June 3 - Fan giveaway on June 8

With the arrival of warmer temperatures, KIPDA Area Agency on Aging and Independent Living is once again teaming up with Louisville Metro Office for Aging & Disabled Citizens (OADC) to collect electric fans for seniors and persons with physical disabilities. Donations of new box fans will be collected through June 3 at:

• KIPDA, 11520 Commonwealth Drive 
• WLKY Studio, 1918 Mellwood Avenue

Drop off hours are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Monetary donations will also be accepted to purchase fans. Make checks made payable to KIPDA, Attn: Fan Fair Program and mail to the address on Commonwealth Drive listed above postmarked by June 3. If you would like to make special arrangements for a donation or need further information, please contact Sarah Teeters 574-5092 at the OADC or Jennifer Craig 266-5571 at KIPDA. For more information on the program, click here. 

On Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1, enjoy the Germantown Schnitzelburg Blues Festival at the corner of Hickory Street and Burnett Avenue.

The street festival with an outdoor stage will have three blues bands on Friday and five on Saturday. Admission is free and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Kids Cancer Alliance. The schedule includes Friday, Rusty Ends and Hillbilly HooDoo, The Travlin Mojos and The VillEffect. Saturday kicks off with Tailfin Cadillacs at 4 p.m, followed by D.J. Rice and the Payin’ Dues Blues Band, King Bee and The Stingers, Tee Dee Young with special guest Sheryl Rouse, and 100 Proof with Special Guests from 10:30 p.m. to midnight. 

June 1 - Nature's Works and Quirks: Trees

It's back! A program the whole family can enjoy. Nature's Works and Quirks is a program that is focused on all things nature. All sessions are from 10 a.m. to noon. 

Investigate your natural surroundings and learn to understand the relationships of wildlife and the ecosystem! Each themed month lets your child explore science in fun ways to better understand the natural world! Environmental games, animal encounters, nature crafts, stories, and other nature activities help to illustrate and reinforce the ecological concepts covered in daily adventures. Upcoming themes include:

• June 1 - Trees - register by May 25
• July 6 - Birds - register by June 29

On June 6, Honor Flight Bluegrass is hosting "Operation Bravo Zulu" to honor all veterans of World War II in a commemoration of the 75th anniversary of D-Day. The event will be at the Louisville Memorial Auditorium, 970 S. Fourth Street, with the program beginning at 6:30 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. For more details, click here.

Honor Flight Bluegrass is continuing to seek out World War II veterans to be honored at this ceremony. If you are, or know, a World War II veteran who would like to participate in this recognition, please see more information here.

With the help of local partners, a major donation from Papa John’s and a contribution from former University of Louisville and current Atlanta Falcons player Jamon Brown’s foundation, Mayor Greg Fischer announced a plan for summer swimming alternatives for youth and families in the Louisville area. 

The plan includes ten community swim events at two YMCA of Greater Louisville locations, structured swims at Central High School’s pool, and daily community swim sessions at The Mary T. Meagher Aquatic Center – along with transportation options for those who otherwise would have trouble getting to the pools.

The four outdoor pools typically operated by Louisville Parks and Recreation – Norton (Camp Taylor), Algonquin, Sun Valley and Nelson Hornbeck (Fairdale) – will not be open this year due to budget cuts caused by the pension crisis and the Metro Council vote in March against new revenue sources.

After hearing that, Papa John’s CEO Steve Ritchie reached out to ask how his team could help. Representatives for Brown, a Louisville native and Fern Creek High School alum, soon joined the cause. And after gathering feedback from past and future users of the four pools, Louisville Parks and Recreation worked with partners -- the YMCA, Jefferson County Public Schools and TARC -- to develop the alternative plan for the summer.

Papa John’s donation of $90,000 through The Papa John’s Foundation for Building Community, along with the $5,000 donation from the Jamon Brown Foundation and a matching $5,000 donation from the Atlanta Falcons, will be used for pool operations, including lifeguards.

Specifics of the plan:

Beginning June 8, the Southwest and Downtown YMCAs will host 10 community swim events -  five at the Southwest YMCA, 2801 Fordhaven Road, and five at the Downtown YMCA, 555 S. Second Street. 

Southwest YMCA  Saturdays, June 15 and 29 and July 13, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.
                                Fridays, July 26 and August 9, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Downtown YMCA  Saturday, June 8 from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.
                                Sundays, June 23, July 7 and 21 and August 4 from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Fees are $3/person 14 years and over & $2/youth 13 and under. Vouchers for the summer swim events can be purchased at Metro Parks Administrative Offices, 1297 Trevilian Way; at the Mary T. Meagher Aquatic Center, 201 Reservoir Avenue starting Monday, June 3; or at the YMCA, beginning 30 minutes before the start of the event. Capacity for these events is 100 people/event.

• A partnership with JCPS will allow for structured program swims at Central High School’s pool, 1130 Chestnut St., beginning June 14. These four-hour sessions on Fridays and Saturdays will host summer camps, community organizations and individuals interested in swim lessons. Group rates are $2 per child. The swims are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, and from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays in June and July.

“As a school district, we are always looking to support our students throughout the year.  I am happy to open our facilities and create opportunities for great summer experiences for children.  This is another example of what is possible when we can come together as a community,” said Dr. Marty Pollio, Superintendent of JCPS.

Interested organizations should call the Parks and Recreation main office at 574- 7275 for additional information.

• The Mary T. Meagher Aquatic Center will host daily open community swims beginning June 10. The hours are Monday through Thursday from noon to 4 p.m.; Friday from noon to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Normal pricing applies.

Realizing that transportation may be a barrier for children and families seeking the opportunity for one of these three options, Louisville Parks and Recreation is also working with TARC to provide rides to swim sites for those without access to a vehicle. For more information, please call Parks at 574-7275.

From the Metro311 Team:

In mid-June, Metro311 is launching a whole new online reporting system and mobile app that makes it much easier to report issues online or on your phone, lets you see issues that have already been reported on a map, and improves how you track progress of your issue along the way.

We know you're going to love the improvements!  In the meantime...

The current Metro311 Service Request Portal and the 311 mobile app will be offline from Wednesday, June 12 at 7 p.m. until Tuesday, June 18 at 8 p.m. as we prepare to launch our new and improved business & 311 portals.

After June 18, there will be a new mobile app for reporting issues to 311. The link to download the app will be available on the Metro311 website. We appreciate your patience during our transition. During our outage period you can reach us in by calling 311, Emailing us, or by chat: look for the chat link in the lower right corner on every page of the city’s website Louisvilleky.gov.

Speed For All Memberships is a free income based membership program for individuals and families that the Speed Art Museum is offering to make the museum and its programs more accessible to all! Your benefits as a Speed for All Member are for two adults and all children under 18.

Benefits include free admission to the museum, including major exhibitions, four free Speed Cinema vouchers, free parking in the Speed Art Museum garage, invitations to Members-only Preview Parties and special events, free admission to Global Speed Lecture Series, and more. 

To sign up for a free membership call 634-2719

Nala and her kitten friends at Animal House Adoption Center are ready for their next big adventure! Nala recently entered the LMAS shelter with her sisters, now the adorable three-month-old hopes her next trip will be to a forever home. The friendly, curious kitten wouldn’t mind a friend to keep her company when the humans are busy, but she doesn’t mind being queen of her Cat-stle. Nahla’s already spayed, microchipped and up-to-date on vaccinations. Adopt Nala by making a donation to the Pay It Forward Free Adoptions program at Animal House Adoption Center, 3516 Newburg Road, Tuesday through Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Send questions to animalservicesadoption@louisvilleky.gov, or call 502-473-PETS.

Bessy has looked far and wide for her forever family. The five-year-old Bluetick Hound would love a home with plenty of land to explore, or a family that likes to hunt or long hikes through Jefferson Memorial Forest. Bessy is a mature adult that’s friendly but not overly eager when meeting new people. Bessy is a sweet, affectionate dog that will be a devoted companion to the family that adopts her. Bessy is already spayed, up-to-date on vaccinations and microchipped. Her adoption fee is waived an for approved adopter thanks to the Pay It Forward Program. To adopt Bessie, visit Animal House Adoption Center, 3516 Newburg Road, Tuesday through Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Send questions to animalservicesadoption@louisvilleky.gov, or call 502-473-PETS.

The season features seven different productions – a comedy, history, and tragedy in our main stage series plus productions from guest companies and our Globe Players high school student troupe.

Food trucks open at 6:30 p.m., bar opens at 7 p.m., pre-show at 7:15 p.m., and show starts at 8 p.m. Perfect for the whole family – including adults, children, and pets. As always, performances are free and no tickets are required for entry.

AS YOU LIKE IT

• May 29 - 31
• June 1, 2, 4 - 9
• July 9, 11, 13, 17, 20

HENRY IV, PART TWO

• June 13 - 16, 18 - 23
• July 14, 16, 19

THE TRAGEDY OF KING LEAR

• June 27 - 30
• July 2 - 7, 10, 12, 18, 21

The Kentucky Shakespeare Globe Players High School Theatre Training Program
presents TWELFTH NIGHT

• July 24 - 27

Cincinnati Shakespeare presents ROMEO AND JULIET

• July 28, 30

Louisville Ballet presents CLEOPATRA: QUEEN OF KINGS

• July 31 - August 4

LATE NIGHT SHAKES with the Louisville Improvisors

• June 8, 22
• July 6, 20

The Butchertown Art Fair will transform the 800 and 900 blocks of East Washington Street Saturday, June 1 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, June 2 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This free event will include more than 80 booth spaces including artists, craft vendors, food trucks, Mile Wide Beer, Copper & Kings Brandy cocktails, as well as wine. And don’t miss the live music and street performers!

Artists are invited from across the region and prizes are awarded to the best as judged by a panel of local experts. They represent a diverse mix of mediums from painting, photography, jewelry, woodcraft, and many more. 

The Louisville Independent Business Alliance (LIBA) is hosting the 11th Annual Buy Local Fair! Presented by the Louisville Water Company with support from Amish Hills Furniture and Louisville Metro Council, there will be more than 200 booths from a variety of local businesses, artists and craftspeople, food & drink vendors, community organizations, farmers and “Kidpreneurs.”

Join us for live music, Rainbow Blossom Cooking Competition, craft cocktail competition, Cox's Smokers Outlet Backporch area for the grown ups, ValuMarket Craft Beer Tent and the Face It Movement Kids' Fun Zone. Admission to the Buy Local Fair is free and parking is $7 per vehicle (or free for bicycle parking).

Rain can't ruin this party! Part Two of the Buy Local Fair will be indoors at Louisville Slugger Field on June 8, from 4 to 7 p.m. Vendors, auction and discount tickets to the soccer game! Visit https://www.keeplouisvilleweird.com/buylocalfair for more information. 

From Louisville Forward: The Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), the nation’s most prestigious organization working to build great places and walkable, vibrant neighborhoods, will host its 27^th annual Congress in Louisville June 11 to 15.

The annual Congress for the New Urbanism is the premiere national placemaking event, convening 1500+ diverse, interdisciplinary urbanists and placemakers to exchange ideas, explore urban places, work alongside residents, and learn in the field. Attendees come from all fifty states and dozens of countries, and the Congress reaches hundreds of thousands more through our member base and digital reach. Congress programming is varied and accessible to urbanists and members of the public at any level of knowledge and understanding of New Urbanism.

The Congress is a transformative experience for its attendees and host region. With a special focus on Louisville in 2019, Congress participants will debate and discuss emerging trends in city and town building, as well as technical solutions to the new and persistent challenges to building places people love. Themes of special interest include the relationship between urban and suburban places, best practices for greenways and open space, and the relationship of urbanism to the compassionate city. Our sessions and workshops empower participants to practice cutting-edge placemaking strategies, while the relationships built at the Congress can strengthen participants’ work and grow into major initiatives.

As part of its partnership with Louisville, a number of CNU events will be free and open to the public. This is a wonderful opportunity for our community, and we urge citizens to attend as many of these events as possible:

Tuesday, June 11: Designing the Healthy City of the Future

Wednesday, June 12: Compassion at the Core: Toward a More Human City

Thursday, June 13, Building Together: Urbanism as an Engine for Resilient, Fair Communities

Saturday, June 15 - Louisville Legacy Projects: Woodlawn Avenue and 18th Street Corridor
                                Louisville Legacy Projects: Beargrass Creek and East Portland

For details, click here. 

Adults

Nonfiction Book Club, Tuesday, June 4, 10:30 a.m.

Friends of the Library Meetings, Monday, June 10, 6:30 p.m.

Knitting Bee, Saturday, June 15, 10:30 a.m.

Fiction Book Group, Wednesday, June 5, 6:30 p.m.

How to Make Your Own Lotion, Saturday, June 15, 11 a.m.

Adult Coloring & Crafts, Saturday, June 29, 11:30 a.m.

Children

Stamp Design Workshop with The Little Loomhouse, Thursday, June 6, 4 p.m.

Monster Moves with Maria Whitley, Wednesday, June 12, 2:30 p.m. Ages 6 to12

Evan & Vanessa Bilingual Concert, Wednesday, June 19, 2 p.m.

Kentucky Animals with Second Chances Wildlife, Wednesday, June 26, 2:30 p.m.

Teens:

Homeschool Social Club, Thursdays at 3 p.m., ages 12 to 17

Knitting Bee, Fridays at 3 p.m., Middle and high school ages.

 ACT Basics (Register at 574-1672), Saturday, June 1, 1 p.m. Grades 7 to 12

Minecraft Horse Racing, Saturday, June 29, 11 a.m. Limit ten, to register, call 574-1672. Ages 11+

The Library – at the crossroads of knowledge and know-how. Visit www.LFPL.org to learn more.

Mondays, through July 1, Women’s Empowerment Group at Bridges of Hope Neighborhood Place, 1411 Algonquin Parkway, 5 to 7 p.m. This free, eight-week series focuses on educating and empowering women by building knowledge and skills in multiple areas. (Excludes Monday, May 27). Presented by Bridges of Hope Neighborhood Place and Urban Strategies, Inc. the Women’s Empowerment Group was created by women to serve women to provide a safe, welcoming space that encourages participants to speak openly and candidly. Children are welcome to accompany their parent or guardian with special kids programming provided by Play Cousins Collective while the women’s group is in session. Includes a graduation ceremony on Monday, July 1, for those who complete all sessions. RSVP to 634-6050 to help with planning because dinner will be served at the end of each segment.

If you are interested in volunteering for one of Louisville Metro Government's Boards and Commissions, now is the time to start. By being a part of a board or commission, you will offer your time and your talents to improve the quality of life in our community.

There are approximately 100 boards and commissions with many areas of interest, including business and economic development, land planning, parks and recreation, public health and public safety.

The following boards have vacancies: 

• 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

To learn more about board applications, please visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/mayor-greg-fischer/interested-serving-board-or-commission

JustServe.org is a free volunteer website dedicated to bringing communities together through volunteerism.

From JustServe.org: Non-profits can post the need for volunteers and those in our community can go to the website and see all the opportunities to volunteer. Because the website is self-funded, we never ask for donations to maintain the website, we never sell advertising and we never sell any information. All of us connected with JustServe.org are volunteers and there is no paid staff.

If you're renovating or remodeling, have a plan for disposing of the resulting debris. Construction and demolition debris in Louisville garbage and junk pickup collection is prohibited by ordinance, so hiring a hauling company or renting a dumpster may be in order. 

Options for disposal of construction and demolition debris include taking it to the Waste Reduction Center on Meriwether Avenue. Fees are variable depending on volume. More information and a fee schedule are available here. 

From the Solid Waste Management division of Louisville Metro Public Works: To handle the high volume and get collection on schedule, we shifted the daily start time of yard waste collection. Crews are now starting out on their yard waste collection routes at noon instead of the previous 6 a.m. start time. That creates a better match between the availability of yard waste collection workers and equipment.

The new schedule means the regular yard waste collection schedule will extend into the evening. However, residents should continue to set yard waste out by the morning of collection day. If yard waste has not been collected by 8 p.m. on the assigned day, residents should contact Metro311 the following morning at 311 or 574-5000.

The new RecycleCoach app features notifications about garbage, recycling, bulk waste, and yard waste collection services. 

RecycleCoach will help Solid Waste Management Services communicate better by sending special messages such as bulk waste rule reminders or suspension of services for yard waste, etc.

The app also has a “what goes where” feature to allow a person to input a certain item to get information on disposal or recycling.  Download from the App Store or Google Play.

The Center for Neighborhoods' NeighborMap is now available online! This new, layered map comes loaded with data on neighborhood resources, grocery access, flood-plain locations, tree cover and more. NeighborMap can help individuals and community organizations visualize and understand the assets available in their neighborhoods, and identify improvements they would like to see.

Students from UofL's Kent School of Social Work contributed to the project by gathering data in urban neighborhoods, and will continue the partnership with CFN to help develop strong neighborhoods. NeighborMap was created in part with funding from Louisville Metro Government.

Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) will investigate and impose fines on anyone who comes into contact with an underground natural gas line while digging without having contacted 811 to have the lines located before digging.

Contact 811 (call 8-1-1 or submit an online locate request at 811.com) before you dig and make sure that anyone doing excavation on your behalf contacts 811 two working days before they start.

For more information, please visit lge-ku.com/safety/digging.

Some offices and VA hospitals offer a "Health Promotion Disease Prevention Program" that includes treatment methods including acupuncture, tai chi, and meditation instead of opioids, and they work with the Veterans Crisis Line (1-800-273-8255, Press 1) to provide support and treatment for PTSD and depression, the leading cause of suicide for veterans.

Additional references for VA material and assistance: www.vetcenter.va.gov or 1-877-WAR-VETS or (lifestyle changes for better health) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX9fLXrF4fA 

There is also a link for sexual trauma: https://www.vetcenter.va.gov/Military_Sexual_Trauma.asp

Eligibility criteria:

•    Must be owner occupied for at least one year.
•    Not available on rental property.
•    Must meet income guidelines (See intake staff) 
•    May receive assistance once in a five year period.
•    Louisville-Jefferson County only

Types of repairs:

• Furnace repair or replacement (October-April only)
  
• A/C unit- repair or replacement (Requires medical statement, available May-Sept. only)
• Electrical repairs/upgrades
• Water line repairs/replacement
• Sewer line repairs/replacement
• Water heater repair/replacement, gas or electric.
     gas line leaks

For further information contact Jackie Wilson-Rudy at 574-5850 or Jacqueline.Wilson-rudy@louisvilleky.gov.

If you wish to make a MetroCall 311 request, please use the following contacts. You'll receive a service request number that will help the District 10 office assist you.

 You can email metrocall@louisvilleky.gov, or go to www.louisvilleky.gov/metrocall where you can chat live with Metrocall, fill out an online form for a 311 service request, or download the free mobile 311 application. Or tweet @LouMetro311 or call 574-5000. 

We receive complaints about signs that are illegally posted on poles and at intersections in the right-of-way, including "We Buy Houses," "Express Cash" and others. 

If you walk by these signs or live somewhere where these signs are posted and may be removed safely, help clean up our community by taking them down and throwing them away. Or better yet, consider recycling the signs - search for "recycled yard sign projects" online for ideas. 

Click here to sign up for the LENSAlert (Louisville Emergency Notification System). 

In addition to receiving notifications, individuals can create a Safety Profile for themselves and their household that can include any information they want 9-1-1 and first responders to have in the event of an emergency. When individuals make an emergency call, their Safety Profile is automatically displayed to the 9-1-1 call taker, allowing them to send the right responders to the right location with the right information.

Information about medical history, allergies to medication, number of residents in a home and even a picture of the family dog can all be added to a Safety Profile.