Kentucky has an important election on June 23, and everyone is being encouraged to vote by absentee ballot.  For the first time, you will not need an excuse to vote absentee.   

To vote absentee, voters must request mail-in ballots at GoVoteKY.Com before June 16 (11:59 pm on June 15 is the deadline). After you complete the simple form, a ballot will be mailed to you along with a postage paid envelope to return to the County Clerk after you vote. Mail-in ballots will have to be postmarked by June 23 and be received within three days of Election Day.

There will also be in-person advance voting and one polling place in Jefferson County on Election Day, at the Kentucky Exposition Center, but the easiest way for most people to vote, by far, is by mail. Postcards are being sent to Kentucky voters explaining the changes.

The Jefferson County Clerk’s Office website will have in place procedures for the upcoming primary.

Only correctly registered voters can apply for a mail-in absentee ballot for the June 23 Primary.

https://vrsws.sos.ky.gov/ovrweb/govoteky

The Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) Secretary Eric Friedlander announced that on June 8, in-home child care programs can open. On June 15, center-based licensed child care programs can reopen to all families.

The maximum group size will be 10 children per group. Children will remain in the same groups all day and staff will be assigned to the same children each day to reduce exposure. All adults must wear a face mask while in any child care program (in-home or center-based). Children 5 or younger should not wear masks, but older children may wear masks as they are able.

Programs should stagger playground time, eliminate center-wide family events, eliminate field trips and use centralized drop-off/pick-up locations to eliminate unnecessary traffic to classrooms and reduce exposure.

Sec. Friedlander also highlighted support for providers. All programs – in-home and center-based – will receive additional funding for cleaning and PPE supplies. Continued assistance will be available from state personnel and resources.

Reminder the best place to get the full list of testing sites is here: https://louisvilleky.gov/government/louisville-covid-19-resource-center/louisville-metro-covid-19-response-facts-symptoms-and. Once there, just scroll down and click on testing. This site will be updated weekly.

To signup for an appointment for the Kroger test site visit: https://www.thelittleclinic.com/drivethru-testing

Bashford Manor's Walmart is scheduling appointments  here: https://doineedacovid19test.com/Louisville.htm

Kentucky state website: kycovid19.ky.gov is the best way to keep up with the latest news about the novel coronavirus

Hotline you can call: (800) 722-5725. is a service operated by the healthcare professionals at the Kentucky Poison Control Center, who can provide advice and answer questions.

Louisville Metro website with updated information about COVID-19 -CLICK HERE-

including information from Mayor Greg Fischer’s briefings about City services. 

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 of your neighbors have completed the census at this site.

Now that school is out for summer break, JCPS is offering multiple summer learning opportunities to continue engaging and supporting students.  The programs are being held as virtual experiences, although the district will make every effort to host face-to-face learning late in the summer if circumstances change:

• Summer League, June 22-July 31, is open to students in grades 1-12 and is designed with the appeal of video game-based learning in mind.

• Lit & Camps, beginning mid-June, are designed for third-, fourth- and fifth-graders, offering campers the opportunity to learn about chess, yoga, karate, hip hop and fencing.

• AMPED, beginning mid-June, is designed for students in grade 6 and up and will teach students how to download and install audio production and editing software and how to make, edit and publish beats.

To learn more about the programs, go to our website. We’ll be posting updates and ways to access the experiences on this site.

In order to support these learning opportunities, students who received Chromebooks and/or hotspots from the district will keep those throughout the summer.

Meal sites will continue to be open throughout the summer on the same Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule, with additional mobile sites starting Monday, June 1. 

For a list of sites and times, click here.

Governor Andy Beshear issued a scam alert today warning Kentuckians of utility-related scams popping up in the midst of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“Do not send payment to scammers threatening to cut off your electricity or other utilities.” This warning from Gov. Beshear comes after members of Kentucky electric co-ops reported receiving calls from someone claiming to work for the local utility and threatening to disconnect their service without immediate payment.

“The Kentucky Public Service Commission issued an order that halts disconnections for non-payment and fees for late payments. Anyone threatening to cut off your electricity during the COVID-19 emergency is likely a scammer,” said Governor Beshear.

Kentuckians who suspect they have been contacted by a scammer should call the Consumer Protection Hotline at: 1-888-432-9257

The deadline to FILE and PAY federal income taxes are extended to July 15, 2020.

IRS is offering coronavirus relief to taxpayers.

Biscuit Belly is a chef-driven, fast-casual breakfast spot inspired by the biscuit sandwiches our owner, Chad grew up eating at mom-and-pop shacks in his home state of Georgia.  

Resources available to both workers and small businesses, including unemployment benefits, are collected at a Louisville Metro website here. These programs are crucial in trying times such as these.   

Increased business is leading to new jobs in some industries, with immediate hiring. KentuckianaWorks and GLI have partnered to create a new online jobs board listing current job opportunities in the area. You can see job listings at www.kentuckianaworks.org/jobs and it’s being updated daily. Companies that are hiring can also add their listings to the website.  

Legal Aid has a new website that features new content specific to COVID-19.  You can download fliers regarding some of the types of assistance we can provide.  We have been distributing this information and have it online during this time.

• Domestic Violence
• Tenants Rights
• Stimulus Payments
• Unemployment Benefits

https://www.yourlegalaid.org/covid19responseandresources

Kentucky Kingdom has begun hiring for 1,400 seasonal positions, including lifeguards, ride operators and water park technicians with some ability in plumbing. Pay rates begin “above the minimum wage”. Some jobs are available for workers as young as 14. The park needs seasonal help in more than 20 departments, including kitchen staff, ride technicians, landscaping and warehousing.  Job applicants can get more information on the parks’ official website

How to Sign Up

Register for camp at home here or call our welcome center at 502-368-5404.

Camp at Home with JMF

This is a fully engaged experience with staff and camper interaction with little input/supervision from parents.

• DAILY STAFF LED ACTIVITIES
• PEER TO PEER INTERACTIONS
• THEMED BOX OF CRAFTS & SOUVENIRS
• MOMENTS FOR OUTDOOR EXPLORATION

New Camp Dates:

• June 15-19 Wilderness Survival
• June 22-26 Fairies, Gnomes, and Trolls
• June 29-July 3 No camp- 4th of July week
• July 6-10 Locust Grove
• July 13-17 Fairies, Gnomes, and Trolls
• July 20-24 Locust Grove
• July 27-31 Wilderness Survival

Where can I use my pass?

• There are more than 60 participating venues this year. Click here to see the list.

How do I register?

• To register for your FREE 2020 Virtual Cultural Pass, visit your local library’s website (or see above).

What type of activities are offered?

• The activities are all different.  They consist of performance videos, arts and cultural projects to do at home like scavenger hunts and painting, demonstrations and more.

Visit your local library’s website (links below) and follow their link to sign up for the 2020 Virtual Cultural Pass and the Summer Reading Program. Families will not receive paper passes as in previous years. 

Participating Libraries:

This year all the activities will be accessed by the library’s software once you’ve signed up.  You’ll see badge icons for each participating venue and each of those venues will have a special website link with their virtual Cultural Pass activities just for pass holders.  When you’ve completed the fun activities they’ve provided, you’ll click your badge on the library’s website and it will “light up” to congratulate you.

• Louisville Free Public Library https://www.lfpl.org/
• Bullitt County Public Library https://bcplib.org/
• Jeffersonville Township Public Library https://jefflibrary.org/
• Charlestown-Clark County Public Library http://clarkco.lib.in.us/
• Floyd County Library http://floydlibrary.org/
• Harrison County Public Library https://hcpl.lib.in.us/

Americana's Annual World Festival is Cancelled

Americana has postponed their World Festival event until 2021. They made this decision out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of the staff, vendors, sponsors and patrons. They are forever grateful for our entire community that has made all past Americana World Festivals possible!

Mark your calendars for Saturday, June 5th, 2021! Be safe, wash your hands, and practice good social distancing so they can see your smiling faces for the 31st Annual Americana World Festival!

Please send any questions or concerns to edgardo@americanacc.org

This summer's KSC School's Out Summer Camp will provide the transition our campers need. From stay at home, 2D, online interactions to in-person, friends laughing together.

We aim to provide the safest camp possible for our campers and staff. This summer's camp may look different, but we will be there for our campers, their families, our staff and the community!

For more information about this summer's camp experience, please visit kysciencecenter.org.

Filling your pool or working on a big landscaping project?

Apply for a temporary meter

Louisville Water provides temporary service water meters for customers who need short-term access to water through a fire hydrant. Temporary meters can be used for many purposes including construction projects, landscaping, filling swimming pools, outdoor events, and more. 

Just fill out the application and pick one up!

Your Dog and Utility Workers – Safety Is the Top Priority With more customers working from and spending time at home, it’s likely your dog may be spending more time outdoors during the day. Unfortunately, dog bites are a leading cause of injury to LG&E meter readers and field technicians. We all love our pets and want to keep them safe, but even the friendliest dogs can become startled or upset – maybe even aggressive - when a stranger comes onto its owner's property. LG&E trains employees on how to prevent dog attacks, but you can help LG&E keep their employees – and your pet – safe. Contain your dog away from the meter on reading days, or when work is scheduled on your property. You can find your scheduled meter reading dates in the top section of your monthly LG&E bill or when you sign in to your online LG&E account.

After some much-needed maintenance, the Waste Reduction Center at 636 Meriwether Avenue reopened on Tuesday, June 2.

This is a popular disposal site for large loads of unbagged yard waste, tree limbs and stumps up to three feet in diameter, construction debris, and large household items. (Fees may apply.)

Residents can dispose of up to four tires, up to three electronic items, and up to three large household items for FREE!

• Details can be found on the website. 
• Open Tuesday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Saturday, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Metro Solid Waste is pleased to announce a one-day only compost bin and rain barrel truckload sale on Saturday, June 13! The online store offers several types of compost bins, kits, accessories, and rain barrels.

Shop online and pick up your items at 1030 Phillips Lane, across from the Kentucky Exposition Center on Saturday, June 13, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. (Staff will wear personal protective equipment and will stay at least 6 feet away from citizens. Staff may be able to safely place your order inside your vehicle or, if not, they can leave it for you to put in.)

Watch a 10-minute presentation by Public Education Supervisor, Karen Maynard, about backyard composting given during the Louisville Sustainability Council's Green Convene. 

To shop the online store, visit louisvillecompostersale.com.

Did you know in Louisville we trash over 85,000 tons of food every year? By weight, that’s the most prevalent type of waste going to our landfill. Out of everything that goes to our local landfill every year, 26% could have been composted instead, industrially or even in our own backyards.

 The statistics may be daunting but starting a backyard compost system is not! There are a wide variety of design options, homemade or purchased. Read more about composting and find out how to purchase a compost bin from our Solid Waste office (limited supply) on our website. 

Report:

• where it happened
• describe the vehicle(s) involved
• include license plate number(s) if available
• upload pictures if available

For more information about illegal dumping, including a link to the reporting form visit our illegal dumping webpage.

LMAS is taking additional precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Animal Control will only respond to the most serious incidents involving a human and domestic animal in-progress, or to assist first responders.

LMAS will remain open for adoptions, lost and found services, and stray pet surrenders from 12-6pm, Monday-Saturday. Violations and civil penalty fees can be paid online at www.louisvilleky.gov/animal-services. Pet licensing can also be purchased or renewed online or by mail. Visit the LMAS homepage for more information. Please, send questions to animals@louisvilleky.gov

Want to help? Donations Welcome

KHS welcomes pet food donations – especially cat food – for the COVID-19 Pet Food Bank through Amazon or from local pet supply stores. View our overall Wish List and our Amazon wish list at http://tinyurl.com/wishlistkhs (items are not in order on Amazon, so please scroll to find dry cat and dog food options). Deliveries are accepted at 241 Steedly Drive, Louisville KY 40214.

People who are interested in fostering will need to fill out the Foster Application(PDF) and either email, fax to 502-473-2634, or bring the completed application to the LMAS Animal Care Center, located at 3705 Manslick Rd.

For more information on our foster care program, please contact Stephanie Jackson at stephanie.jackson@louisvilleky.gov or (502) 574-6978