Self-Guided Public Art Walk at Waterfront Park

Even as our museums and cultural institutions are temporarily closed, there are many opportunities to enjoy beautiful works of art throughout Waterfront Park.  Take a walk to see them all in one day or enjoy multiple visits to the park to view them.  

• “Tetra” by Charles O. Perry (1929-2011)
• “Gracehoper” by Tony Smith (1912-1980)
• “Flock of Finns” – a tribute to beloved Louisville folk artist Marvin Finn (1913-2007)
• “Lincoln Memorial” by Ed Hamilton
• “Bike Sense” by Todd Smith.

Click HERE to visit our blog and download your own printable Self-Guided Public Art Walk Map!

Juneteenth is the oldest known holiday commemorating the end of American Slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation took effect January 1st, 1863; however, the last slaves were not freed until June 19, 1865, a full two and a half years later. Juneteenth is a holiday solely dedicated to celebrating the emancipation of slaves.

In commemoration of this historic day, the Juneteenth Jubilee 2020 docuseries consists of seven (7) episodes which will be availlable each Friday through August. View all episodes at: https://ourwaterfront.org/annual-events/juneteenth-jubiliee/ and  https://www.actorstheatre.org/direct/juneteenth/

COVID-19 in Jefferson County KY

We need your input about the I-64 Corridor Study from Story Avenue to I-264. An interactive presentation and survey have been developed and is available online, seeking input on the study.

Please fill out the survey and share it with others. I have provided the link to the survey below along with a link to the interactive StoryMap to review the information. Both of these can also be found on the KYTC District 5 website.

• Interactive StoryMap (https://arcg.is/04CaCb0) - provides the study background, schedule, existing conditions, and a variety of improvement strategies that will be developed and evaluated as part of the next steps. 
• Survey Deadline - Wednesday, September 2, 2020. P click here to link directly to the survey to provide your input.

If you have any questions or need additional information please contact Brad Johnson, Consultant Project Manager or the KYTC District 5 project manager, Carl Jenkins at carl.jenkins@ky.gov.

The future of our Urban Government Center, known to many as the old Kentucky Baptist Hospital, will soon be determined through the process in place.

The Urban Government Center Solicitation of Interest (SOI) laid out the selection process in a clear, transparent manner with a schedule and explanation of how it'll work. Click this link for photos, complete description and timeline.

The Mayor’s administration - not Metro Council – will decide which proposal is selected.  Metro Council approval may be needed for any subsequent development or financing terms. 

Please be advised that the COVID-19 pandemic could affect aspects of this solicitation and any resulting dispo­sition or project, including but not limited to delays concerning the selection process and timelines, method of gathering public input, and related matters. Accordingly, the following dates are subject to change, but reflect LMG’s current anticipated timeline:

• January 28, 2020 – Community Meeting
• June 4, 2020 – Release Solicitation of Interest
• July 8, 2020 – Solicitation of Interest applications due
• July 13, 2020 – Online public comment period begins
• July 13 - August 10, 2020 – Public comment and question period and developer presentations. Metro will sched­ule and publicly notify the community regarding a developer ‘virtual open house’, where all SOI respondents will be present, give short presentations, and respond to questions. This meeting will be an open forum, and LMG will provide a location for viewing, provided appropriate social distancing, if applicable, can be observed.
• July 31 – Deadline for question submissions
• August 14 – Post answers to public questions online
• August 17 - 28 – Review of applications by Louisville Metro Selection Committee – send follow up / clarification questions to proposal respondents
• August 31 – September 11 Interviews with developers by Louisville Metro Selection Committee
• September 21 – Public announcement of selected developer
• September 21 – Public announcement of Project Advisory Group

JBS USA today announced plans to donate $1.2 million to help Louisville respond to needs resulting from the coronavirus pandemic and invest in our community’s future.

JBS USA is working with local leaders to identify where the funds can best help meet immediate and longer-term community needs in three key areas:

1. Food insecurity
2. Community infrastructure
3. Well-being (social justice and COVID-19 emergency response/relief efforts

All projects will be determined by the end of the year. Community members may send suggested proposals for investment to hometownstrong@jbssa.com

The JBS USA Louisville pork production facility employs nearly 1,200 people with an annual payroll of more than $60 million.The facility supports more than 275 local producers, paying them more than $360 million per year for their livestock. Consistent with its long-term commitment to the local economy, JBS USA Louisville has invested more than $64 million in capital improvements over the last six years.

Up-to-date email addresses and phone numbers will be important for families who need to request a Chromebook and/or hotspot for the upcoming school year. Communication from a student’s school and teachers also requires a valid email or phone number.

To make sure you receive text messages, You MUST opt in to School Messenger by texting Y to 67587. Even if JCPS has your correct phone number on file, you won’t receive text messages if you haven’t opted in to School Messenger.

To receive emails from the district and your child’s school, you must have your current email address in our JCPS system. Information can be updated in the Parent Portal. If you do not have a Parent Portal login, you can set up an account here.

JCPS’ first day is scheduled for August 25th.

Residents and businesses continue to suffer from the economic shutdowns required by the pandemic. Two programs are helping tenants and businesses in Louisville.

The budget Metro Council passed in June designated up to $21.2 million in federal CARES funding for the Eviction Prevention COVID-19 Relief Fund. The fund is designed to prevent the anticipated wave of new eviction cases and aid low-to-moderate income households that are delinquent on rent payments as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The fund will pay for up to three months of rent for households facing COVID-related delinquencies. Individual households earning at or below 60 percent of the area median income ($45,840 annually for a family of four) are eligible to receive rental assistance. Individual households should CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO APPLY.

Our FY21 operating budget also includes up to $21.2 million in federal CARES funding for Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grants. The program will provide eligible businesses with grants up to $50,000 based on demonstrated impact from COVID-19. The Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grants program is designed to help prevent business closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and to preserve the hundreds of fun and funky businesses that make Louisville unique. Download a flier with information about the grant program

Qualifications and guidelines are as follows:

• Person 60 years of age or older
• Or documentation verified by a physician of a disability
• Resident of Jefferson, Oldham, Henry, Shelby, Spencer, Trimble or Bullitt Counties
• Proof of address and age
• ​One fan per household
• Household must not have functional central air conditioning

Qualified individuals may call one of the sites listed at the Resilience and Community Services Website for more information and instruction on how to apply to receive a fan and make an appointment.  

Monetary donations are still accepted and appreciated to purchase fans.  Checks can be made payable to KIPDA, Attn:  Fan Fair, mailed to 11520 Commonwealth Drive, Louisville, KY 40299 and postmarked by July 30.

Fan supplies are limited and will be distributed on a first come, first served basis.

If you see a streetlight out in your neighborhood (or anywhere in Louisville), please note the address and report it to LG&E for repair. Click here to fill out the online form to report broken or malfunctioning streetlights. We always recommend adding your contact information to the request, so a technician who has questions can contact you. LG&E makes repairs during the day. Make sure you follow up if the streetlight hasn’t been repaired within seven (7) days.

Now there's an even easier option for applying for the One Louisville: COVID-19 Response Fund.

Eligible households seeking assistance can apply online and submit required documentation via a secure portal.

See more details at louisvilleky.gov/oneloufund

Income eligible households, with a verifiable loss of income - directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic - and a demonstrated need, may be eligible to receive payment assistance up to $1,000 per household.  Funds will be distributed on a first come, first served basis until available funding is expended.

Share a downloadable flyer by clicking here:

COVID-19 Testing Expansion
Gov. Beshear reminded Kentuckians to take advantage of the state’s partnership with Kroger, which has brought free drive-through testing across the commonwealth. Information on how to register at more than 200 sites throughout the commonwealth can be found here.

More Information
Read about other key updates, actions and information from Gov. Beshear and his administration at governor.ky.gov, kycovid19.ky.gov and the Governor’s official social media accounts Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Kentuckians can also access translated COVID-19 information and daily summaries of the Governor’s news conference at tinyurl.com/kygovespanol (Spanish) and tinyurl.com/kygovtranslations (more than 20 additional languages).

Safety Reporting Hotline

Gov. Beshear reminded Kentuckians that the COVID-19 reporting hotline is available to help keep everyone safe.

People who witness dangerous non-compliance with coronavirus mandates, including requirements for mask wearing, social distancing and sanitation, at Kentucky businesses are encouraged to call the COVID-19 reporting hotline at 833-KY SAFER (833-597-2337). 

Labor Cabinet personnel will monitor the hotline from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. EDT. To file a complaint online, click here