Everything is unusual this year – and voting is going to be no exception. The Primary Election has already been moved from May 19 to June 23. The latest change is that everyone is being encouraged to vote by absentee ballot. For the first time, you will not need an excuse to vote absentee.
Voters will have to request mail-in ballots in a portal on the State Board of Elections website by June 16. We’ll post information about that in future editions of the eNews and on our social media pages (more information about ways to stay informed is in the “Stay Connected in D9” article).
After voting, ballots will be sent to the county clerk. Mail-in ballots will have to be postmarked by June 23 and be received within three days of Election Day. In-person voting, with the possibility of drive-through voting, will be allowed, in new ways, for those who need to vote in person. Post cards will be sent out to Kentucky voters explaining the changes.
The first step in voting is always registering to vote and that has not changed. Register, change your registration or just check to make sure you are still correctly registered at this site. The deadline to register for the June 23 primary is May 26. Get registered and vote!
To read Governor Andy Beshear’s entire executive order, please click here.
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By far the best way to keep up with the latest news about the novel coronavirus in Kentucky is at the state website: kycovid19.ky.gov. Guidance is being added to the website as it becomes available.
There is also a hotline you can call: (800) 722-5725.
The COVID-19 hotline is a service operated by the healthcare professionals at the Kentucky Poison Control Center, who can provide advice and answer questions. Please be patient as those professionals are handling a high volume of calls and want to give everyone the time they deserve. For general information, please review the website prior to calling the hotline.
Governor Andy Beshear gives updates every day at 5:00 pm. This week, one update featured green lights at St. Matthews City Hall, remembering those we have lost to COVID-19.
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Louisville Metro has a website with updated information about COVID-19, including information from Mayor Greg Fischer’s briefings about City services. You can access it here.
Also check out Lift Up Lou, with activities to keep our spirits up, including a new song featured in national news coverage this week. Watch and listen here.
The Centers for Disease Control has a wealth of information about COVID-19, including the latest guidance, like the recommendation to wear a cloth face covering in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies). The website is here.
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This week some Kentucky health care facilities began reopening. More businesses will open in the next days and weeks. The state website noted above, kycovid19.ky.gov, is the best place to keep up to date on the latest guidance. While we prepare, and get cloth face masks ready, staying at home and social distancing when we are out for necessities is the best way to slow the spread of COVID-19, a critical step in reopening plans.
In-person gatherings, even of family members that you do not currently live with, threaten efforts to “flatten the curve” and save lives, and therefore should not happen. How well people adhere to those guidelines can significantly affect how many people have COVID-19 and how long closures last.
Before you go out anywhere, remind yourself what six feet of space looks like and commit to stay six feet away from everyone you are not currently living with. Go to the grocery store as infrequently as possible, wear your cloth face mask when you go, and don’t treat your visits there as social occasions. Stay back in any line and exercise some responsibility yourself. If you see a crowded aisle, avoid it or wait for people to leave, for example.
When you are out for a walk, run or bike ride, keep that six feet distance from other people and avoid areas with large crowds. If you head for a walk on Frankfort Avenue or the Crescent Hill Reservoir, for example, and see a crowd, walk somewhere else.
Walking, running and biking in our parks are still allowed but many other activities are prohibited. Louisville Metro has temporarily closed the Cherokee Park Loop road to vehicles, to allow better social distancing for walkers, runners and bikers.
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More and more people are needing emergency assistance to help them through this period. You can help by volunteering and contributing to the community ministries in our city. They provide food and emergency assistance to people needing help and are doing it in new ways to maintain social distancing. United Crescent Hill Ministries can be reached at (502) 893-0346 or https://www.uchmlouky.org/. St. Matthews Area Ministries is at (502)-893-0205 or http://stmam.com/. Its volunteers are hard at work, as these photos show. Both sites have information about ways to volunteer, donate or seek help.
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Legal Aid Society continues to accept new applications for service. To apply for its services, call (502) 584-1254 or (800) 292-1862 or apply online. Information for renters, survivors of domestic violence, and applicants for unemployment or stimulus payments is here.
A special website has been developed about community and agency actions taken to assist our most vulnerable residents. Among other things, it includes information about emergency feeding sites for children 18 years old or younger established by JCPS, including sites at Breckinridge-Franklin Elementary and St. Matthews Elementary.
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Support local businesses if you can. Many restaurants are providing takeout or delivery options. Call ahead or see their Facebook pages. The Louisville Independent Business Alliance (LIBA) has developed an online resource and is sharing recommendations to help the community keep our local businesses in mind as we stay safe. Visit www.KeepLouisvilleWeird.com.
Also, make plans to participate in an Online Buy Local Fair starting at Noon on Sunday, May 17 through Noon on Monday, May 18 (24-hour sale). This event will take the form of a virtual gift card sale. During the 'event', visitors will be able to purchase gift cards from MANY of their favorite locals, all at once, with one transaction. (And hopefully be reminded about a few they had forgotten.) For every $25 a visitor spends, participants will be entered into a drawing for special prizes. If you are a business interested in participating, please contact leslie@keeplouisvilleweird.com.
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The Louisville Asset Building Coalition (LABC) that normally prepares taxes in-person has switched to a virtual tax preparation model. The service is free if you earned $66,000 Adjusted Gross Income or less in 2019, or if you qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit. Clients can make appointments by visiting https://labcservices.org/. You may also click here to view a flyer that fully describes the process. LABC understands that not everyone will be comfortable with this new method, LABC plans to operate in-person tax sites once it’s safe to do so. More information will be provided in the D9 eNews when it’s available. The tax filing deadline has been extended to July 15, 2020.
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Kyle and I are working remotely but we are answering the phone and responding to many emails.
If you see a need or just have a question, let us know. The best way to reach us is at this contact page.
We normally publish the eNews every other week but, since March 18, we’ve been on a weekly schedule. With budget work taking more and more time, we’ll go back to the normal schedule, The next regular eNews will be May 14. For more immediate news, remember to follow the D9 blog, "Councilman Bill Hollander" Facebook page and the @BillHollander Twitter feed for more frequent updates.
PLEASE go online and complete the census. It’s a very simple procedure. You can also call 1-844-330-2020 to complete the survey over the phone as soon as you receive the invitation. The best way to avoid a visit from a census taker is to fill out the 2020 Census questionnaire online, by phone, or by mail as soon as you receive your invitation to participate. We urge you to do so now, to limit person-to-person contact as the coronavirus continues to spread. The census website is here.
You can see how many people in your county, state and neighborhood have completed the census at this site. On March 28, 32.2 % of the neighbors in my census tract had responded. On Tuesday, it was 62.6%. That’s just a little better than Jefferson County’s overall 60.4% and better than Kentucky’s 56.7%.
We’re getting there but still have a long way to go! Complete the census today!
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April 23 fell one day after the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day and one day before Arbor Day. My celebration was on the day in between, when Metro Council approved an amended Land Development Code. The amendment resulted from a planning process we started in 2018, when we directed the Planning Commission to review the code and make recommendations to reduce tree losses and increase our tree canopy.
The code governs trees in development projects. For the first time, the revised code requires the preservation of some trees in many new developments. It also increases the required post-development tree canopy across the board. I was the sponsor of the resolution asking the Planning Commission to study and amend the code and one of the co-sponsors of the ordinance we passed Thursday, by a 25-1 vote.
The Land Development Code revisions follow the enactment of a Public Tree Ordinance, which I also sponsored, in 2017. They are a substantial improvement for our community, helping us to address an alarming tree loss and mitigate a rapidly growing urban heat island, which has many bad effects on the community's health.
Thank you to everyone who wrote, showed up and advocated for these changes. The Courier-Journal's article on the Land Development Code revision is here.
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Mayor Fischer chose the Earth Day anniversary to release the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction and Prepare Louisville Climate Adaptation plans, which will reduce Louisville’s contribution to climate change and increase its resilience to extreme weather events and other climate change impacts.
If Louisville takes no action, we could have 42 more days each year above 100 degrees in 2040. Already, Louisville’s snowfall has declined 25 percent and the average number of days above 90 degrees has doubled since 1960, and we have recorded the three wettest days on record in the last decade.
As a result, our city could see more respiratory and heart disease cases, an overburdening of healthcare and emergency response systems, mental health issues, vulnerabilities to infrastructure, and rising insurance and energy costs. As with COVID-19, disenfranchised populations are disproportionately affected by climate change.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan
Louisville’s finalized Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan includes the broader actions including increasing energy efficiency, investing in renewable energy, switching to high-efficiency streetlights and other public lighting, improving public transportation to reduce miles driven, creating a food and organic waste recycling program, and advocating for changes to the Kentucky Building Code.
Residents can do their part to meet the goals of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan by:
- Taking public transit, walking or biking
- Planting trees and other greenery
- Turning off lights when they aren’t needed
- Not letting the faucet run while washing hands, brushing teeth or taking a shower
- Buying locally made food and goods
- Unplugging devices that aren’t in use
- Recycling items like food carryout containers and composting leftovers
- Investing in energy-efficient appliances and building materials
To help meet the goals of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan, Mayor Fischer and Metro Council support switching to 100% renewable electricity by 2030, 100% clean energy for Metro operations by 2035 and 100% clean energy community-wide by 2040.
Review the plan and learn more here.
Prepare Louisville Climate Adaptation Plan
Prepare Louisville is the city’s plan to reduce climate-related risk to both people and nature. Strategies and actions presented in the plan are designed to protect community members most at risk while building resilience across all people, businesses, and natural resources throughout the community.
You can read it and submit feedback on Prepare Louisville now through May 31 here.
A draft version of the plan outlines priority strategies to build climate resilience:
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Equitable Neighborhoods – Cool and flood-proof Louisville with a focus on low-income neighborhoods through steps including expanding the tree canopy and green space, and opening cool centers where people can find refuge from the heat.
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Healthy Residents – Address health hazards exacerbated by climate change by reducing air and water pollution, increasing availability of healthy food options, and monitoring and reducing pests and disease risks.
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Natural Capital – Reduce the risks of climate impacts and promote health by adopting green infrastructure strategies for flood and stormwater management, restoring wildlife habitats and biodiversity, and curbing the use of chemical herbicides and pesticides.
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Sustainable Businesses – Promote business sustainability and preparedness, green jobs, and living wages.
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Resilient Infrastructure – Prepare transit, stormwater management and other critical systems, as well as homes and businesses, for extreme weather.
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Louisville Leads – Lead by example through climate-smart city operations and policies and provide climate change education and outreach.
Residents can take action to prepare themselves and their families by creating an emergency plan and kit. They can also sign up to receive air quality alerts here and receive alerts about severe weather from the Louisville Emergency Notification System (LENSAlert) here.
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One of the things we missed this Spring was the annual Pothole Blitz. But Louisville Metro fills potholes in streets and alleys every day and we need your help to report them.
There are three ways to report potholes:
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Click here to use an easy online form.
- Use Twitter by including the hashtag #502pothole and the location of the hole in any tweet.
- Call Metro311 or 574-5000 to report potholes or any other issues. You may also email Metro311
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Free recycling drop-off locations are a benefit to residents of Louisville, but the contamination can be a major problem. Recently we've seen an increase in yard waste, construction debris, large items, and tires dumped at our self-service recycling sites.
The dumpsters at the self-service locations are for recycling the following items ONLY:
- Flattened cardboard
- Paper containers and cups
- Milk and juice cartons
- Newspapers/inserts, magazines, junk mail, office paper
- Plastic bottles, cups, and containers
- Glass bottles and jars
- Metal cans and bottles
Self-Service Recycling Do's and Don'ts
- Items should be loose in the dumpster, not in bags.
- Flatten cardboard to save space in the dumpster.
- Never place items on the ground outside the dumpster.
- If the dumpster is full, contact Metro311. The crews empty them on a schedule based on how long it typically takes to fill, but sometimes they get full sooner than expected.
- ONLY recycle the items listed above
D9 locations include:
- Mary T. Meagher Parking Lot, 201 Reservoir Avenue
- Bowman Field Driver's License Branch, 3501 Roger E. Schupp Street
Use this map to find all Metro Solid Waste drop-off locations and see what's accepted at each.
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For basic details for all of below case/s, please visit https://aca-louisville.accela.com/LJCMG/Welcome.aspx?. Click on the “Planning” tab. Then enter either the case number in the “record number” box or the address.
You can also click on the notice below to go to the application page.
For specific case information, please call or email the listed case manager. If you have any questions, please contact Planning & Design directly at 574-6230.
If you want to submit comments on the above case, please submit comments (in writing) to the case manager by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 1, 2020.
Whitehall House & Gardens is unable to host its annual Peony and Hydrangea Sale this year, but you can still order plants online and pick them up curbside! Please visit their web site here to see the varieties available. Once you have made your purchase, a Whitehall staff member will contact you with details about no-contact pickup. The pickup dates are May 6 and 7. If you just want to see Whitehall's peonies and other flowers, the gardens are still open to visitors sunup to sundown.
For more information, please contact Whitehall at (502) 897-2944 or whitehall@historichomes.org.
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New Roots will kick off its 2020 Fresh Stop Market season with a delicious offering of Fresh Local Strawberry Pickups in Portland on Thursday, May 21st from 4:30-7:00 p.m. at the New Roots World Headquarters, 1800 Portland Avenue. (The May 7th date is sold out already, but strawberries are still available to order for May 21).
The annual Strawberry Fresh Stop Markets demonstrate how communities that pull together, plan together and buy together can break down barriers to accessing local, farm-fresh food. Through New Roots, more than 250 families will pool SNAP Benefits and cash to qualify as volume strawberry purchasers from VanMeter Farms in Clarkson, Ky. While New Roots serves all, it primarily works with families with limited resources who would otherwise be unable to purchase local berries and other produce.
Berries can be picked up at New Roots via curbside delivery. Please pre-order your strawberries by calling New Roots at 509-6770, emailing info@newroots.org or ordering online with a debit/credit card here for May 21st. All strawberries must be ordered before 9:00 p.m. on Monday, May 18th for May 21st pick up. SNAP users and those who would rather not use online ordering are welcome to please call the office to order. There will be a small selection of strawberries available for walk up buyers. However, strawberry supplies will be very limited so buyers are encouraged to pre-order. Free deliveries for older adults and others who are homebound.
All of the strawberries are locally grown without chemical pesticides or herbicides by VanMeter Farms.
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