The Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women planned and executed a “Women’s History Week” celebration in 1978. The organizers selected the week of March 8 to correspond with International Women’s Day. The movement spread across the country as other communities initiated their own Women’s History Week celebrations the following year.
International Women's Day, celebrated each year on March 8th, is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women's equality. Women's History Month can't be discussed without mentioning International Women's Day.
In 1980, President Jimmy Carter proclaimed the week of March 8th, 1980 as the first National Women’s History Week. Women’s History Week was expanded to Women’s History Month by the U.S. Congress in 1987. Every year, March is designated Women’s History Month by Presidential proclamation. The month is set aside to honor the contributions of women in American history.
Notable women from yesteryear include some of my favorite (s)heroes such as Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony, Ida B. Wells, Mary McLeod Bethune, Eleanor Roosevelt, Helen Keller, Rosa Parks, Dr. Dorothy I. Height, Shirley Chisholm and Wilma Mankiller. (I also have admiration for biblical women such as Eve, Deborah, Vashti, Esther, Ruth, Martha, the Mother Mary and some of the nameless women who made significant contributions of their own.)
In 2020, we lost a giant; a highly regarded role model: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. As a child, I often dreamed of becoming an attorney and I revered Justice Ginsburg for her grit and style. She argued cases that continue to protect women from discrimination today. She also helped in the fight for equal pay and voted in favor of marriage equality. I will always remember her for a 2015 interview she did with PBS. She said, "When I'm sometimes asked 'When will there be enough women on the Supreme Court?' and my answer is: 'When there are nine.' People are shocked. But there'd been nine men, and nobody's ever raised a question about that."
One of the most admired women in my life(time) was Barbara Jordan, an American lawyer, educator and politician who was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement. She was the first African American elected to the Texas Senate and the second African American woman elected to the United States House of Representatives. I remember her eloquent opening statement at the House Judiciary Committee hearings during the impeachment process against Richard Nixon. She was fierce, forceful and focused. She rekindled my desire to pursue a career in law, and I took a law class during my senior year in high school and my freshman year in college.
I did not earn a law degree. Instead, I earned a business administration degree. My uncle from California, who was visiting our home during my winter break in college, encouraged me to change my major from sociology to something - anything else, he said. (It's a long story, and as you might imagine, I once wrote about the ordeal in an issue of this very e-Newsletter. Lol.) I returned to school for my second semester and changed my major. But I digress. Still, Barbara Jordan had a profound influence on me, and I will always give her credit for my tenacity and determination to get things done.
Many women have helped to shape my life, especially my beloved mother, from whom I enjoyed learning. I would study her as she went to work, come home and cook, clean, discipline and see to it that we completed our homework; read the Bible, tuck my sisters and me in bed, and get up the next day and start the routine over. All the while, she managed to encourage me to put my best foot forward, and she taught me the proper way to make a bed, make clothes on our Singer sewing machine, and set a table and use the right utensils. Women throughout history have demonstrated resilience, perseverance and empowerment. Most have shown great leadership skills by coaching, mentoring and nurturing other women. Madeleine Albright once said, "There is a special place in hell for women who don't help other women."
Here are some other inspirational quotes from women in history:
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” ---Eleanor Roosevelt
"What the people want is very simple - they want an America as good as its promise." ---Barbara Jordan
“It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.” ---Madeleine Albright
“If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” ---Dolly Parton
“I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light.” ---Helen Keller.
"I am sick and tired of being sick and tired." ---Fannie Lou Hamer
"Keep your heels, head and standards high." ---Coco Chanel
Councilwoman Paula McCraney (D-7) is partnering with Councilman Markus Winkler (D-17) to host a virtual budget town hall to discuss the budget process and hear from the public about their concerns and priorities for programs and projects in the upcoming fiscal year 2021-2022 Capital and Operating Budgets.
Agenda
Opening Remarks: Councilman Markus Winkler (D17)
Introductions: Councilwoman Paula McCraney (D7)
Overview of Budget: Daniel Frockt, Chief Financial Officer, Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
Aaron Jackson, Director of Budget, OMB
Overview of Metro Council Budget Process: Councilman Bill Hollander, Metro Council Budget Chairman
Questions / Answers: (Constituents may ask questions through Chat)
Join the Virtual Budget Town Hall by Clicking on this Link:
The following items were discussed in Committee meetings this week:
GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT AND AUDIT
1. A resolution requiring the Mayor to approve the release of any requested documents to the counsel for the plaintiffs and the general public in the LMPD Explorer Case. In addition the resolution urges Dickinson Wright PLLC to provide copies of requested documents to counsel for plaintiffs immediately.
2. Special Discussion with Chief Ericka Shields regarding removal of homeless encampment on February 19, 2021.
3. Special discussion with Chief Ericka Shields regarding a police officer's presence at EMW Women's surgical Center on February 20, 2021.
COMMITTEE ON EQUITY AND INCLUSION
Topic: Broadband: Accessibility vs. Affordability, a presentation by Jason Keller and Ellen Cal l with Charter/Spectrum; and Hood Harris and Hank Mangeot with AT&T Kentucky. 99% of Louisville is fitted for internet access. Problems still exists with certain families being able to afford internet connection or purchase computer equipment.
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMITTEE
Review by Planning and Zoning of the decision by the Landmarks Commission to designate the the Odd Fellows building, located at 211-215 West Muhammad Ali Blvd, as a local landmark.
NOTICE: All Metro Council meetings are carried live on Metro TV, Spectrum Cable Channel 184 and U-verse Channel 99.
The meetings are also available online at the Metro Council home page at http://louisvilleky.gov/government/metro-council/metro-council-clerk.(Click here and click on the “Watch Meetings Online” button.)
On March 3, 2021, Leroy “Lee” Richard Leet, Jr. traded in his first set of wings for his eternal ones. Lee earned his first set of wings on June 11, 1993 when he became a Second Lieutenant with the United States Air Force. Serving in the Air Force and becoming a pilot set the path of Lee’s life and his passions.
Mr. Leet is the husband of former District 7 Councilwoman and Mayoral candidate Angela Leet. They met while studying engineering at the University of Louisville and were both members of the Air Force ROTC. They married in October of 2000 and have two sons, Zak (19) and Brennan (16).
Visitation will be held Monday, March 8 at Hanger 34, Bowman Field, 3325 Roger E. Schupp Street, Louisville, KY 40205, from 2:00 - 5:00pm with a Celebration of Life ceremony at 5:00pm that closes with a Missing Man Formation aerial salute. A private funeral will be held at a later time.
Please keep Angela and her family in your thoughts and prayers.
On Thursday, Gov. Andy Beshear announced 157 new vaccination sites, including one new regional site at Baptist Health LaGrange, bringing the state’s total number of vaccination locations to 567.
“This means that vaccine locations are getting closer and closer to you. This is the infrastructure we have to build,” said Gov. Beshear. “The President told us earlier this week that every American adult who wants a shot can get their shot of hope by the end of May. That means that if we can get everybody interested, we’re going to vaccinate another 2.5 million people in the next three months.”
New locations also include 10 Kroger sites, 10 Walmart sites and 136 independent pharmacies. To see lists of all sites, organized by program and provider brand, visit vaccine.ky.gov or kycovid19.ky.gov/ky-covid-vaccine.
Case Information As of 4 p.m. Thursday, March 4, Gov. Beshear reported the following COVID-19 numbers:
New cases today: 1,068 New deaths today: 28 Positivity rate: 4.45% Total deaths: 4,732 Currently hospitalized: 645 Currently in ICU: 172 Currently on ventilator: 91
Top counties with the most positive cases today are: Jefferson, Lyon, Fayette, Boone and Caldwell. Each county reported at least 45 new cases.
To see a list of those reported lost to the virus today, click here.
Today’s positivity rate is the lowest since Oct. 12.
Mayor Fischer announced that Louisville's annual "Give A Day" will be a monthlong event in April. The annual event, which attracts thousands of volunteers every year, was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19. This year will include hundreds of organized events that will allow much more flexibility and follow CDC guidelines --- mask wearing and social distancing.
"The virus has really pushed us apart from each other and forced us to isolate from one another," Fischer said. "But at the same time, it's really accentuated how much we mean to each other and how interconnected we are, and how good it feels to not only receive compassion but to give it to others as well."
Find out how you can get involved by clicking here.
You may register directly to the event by visiting the website at mygiveaday.com
All Kentuckians age 60 or older are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as of March 1. This is a part of the Phase 1C rollout for the vaccine.
Below are links to websites where you may register for the vaccine. Please note that there may not be appointments available when you register, but your name will be placed on a waitlist. The vendor will follow-up with you to get you scheduled as soon as vaccine and appointments are available. You may also follow-up daily for appointments on the websites.
Here are the links for local sources of the vaccine:
To keep up with the latest news about COVID-19 vaccines in Louisville and Jefferson County click here.
Kentucky's COVID-19 Website, vaccine.ky.gov, shows Kentuckians which phase they are in specifically. Individuals can sign up for notifications so state officials can communicate with them when doses become available at new and existing sites. Vaccine.ky.gov also lists regional vaccination partners statewide, so Kentuckians can search their county or region and see how to schedule an appointment.
Kentucky’s COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline,855-598-2246, has the same features as the website. Kentuckians can get assistance completing the vaccine eligibility questionnaire and scheduling an appointment when doses are available.
Free or reduced-cost transportation to and from vaccine appointments is offered by public transit agencies across the commonwealth. These services are already operating in over 90 counties, covering 75% of all counties across Kentucky. Kentuckians can find transportation services near them by going to kycovid19.ky.gov for a full list of participating public transit agencies and their phone numbers, or by calling the Kentucky COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline AT 1-855-598-2246.
During the last Metro COVID-19 update, Dr. Sarah Moyer, Director of the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness, said that COVID cases in the city declined for the sixth consecutive week. Wearing your mask works!
The Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services is seeking a creative, dynamic, and compassionate individual to lead its new Homeless Services division. If you know of someone who might be interested, the application can be found here. The job posting will be available until March 9.
Metro COVID-19 Relief funds are available now for Jefferson County residents with a past due Louisville Water/MSD account. Customers can apply for the credit at the Metro Relief Portal on our website or call 1-502-583-6610.
The one-time credit is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Apply now! For more information click here.
The League of Women Voters of Louisville (LWVL) invites individual volunteers and organizations to submit nominees for its 2021 The Presidents’ Citizen Award to be presented at the League’s annual meeting in June to a volunteer individual or organization for an exceptional contribution in terms of community service, significant impact, and/or demonstrated leadership within the Greater Louisville Geographic Area. See attached nomination packet here.
The deadline to submit an application is April 1. If you have questions, please contact the LWVL office by calling 502-895-5218 or email: lwvlouisville@gmail.com.
You don’t want to add more waste to the landfill, so you toss your tricky items in your recycling container, hoping they’ll be recycled. This is called “wish-cycling.” Wish-cycling might start with the best of intentions, but it can cause big issues at the recycling facility. Let’s take a closer look at why we need to collectively kick this bad habit.
Wish-cycling wastes time and money. Our local recycling facility relies on complex machinery to sort and process our recyclables. These machines are designed to appropriately sort a specific set of items — namely, the items accepted in our recycling program. When things like plastic shopping bags or garden hoses get tossed in, they can jam up the machinery. Time is wasted when the whole operation must shut down to fix the issue. And if “time is money,” as the saying goes, then the time wasted on fixing clogged machinery ends up costing money — and potentially jeopardizing recycling plant operators’ relationship with the commodities market. The baled materials can’t have a high rate of contamination or they won’t be purchased. By recycling right, we’re doing our part to protect the facility and keep recycling affordable.
So, what can we recycle? Glass bottles and jars, aluminum and steel cans and containers, paper products (including cartons, newspapers, junk mail, flattened cardboard), and empty plastic bottles and containers. Images and details can be found at Louisvilleky.gov/recycling. You can also go to Louisvilleky.gov/RecycleCoach and use or download our free app. The What goes where? search tool allows you to learn how to properly dispose any item.
The crew is the latest addition to our department – and our commitment to combat litter. Led by Robert Lush as Clean Collaborative Coordinator, the crew of 13 staff members and their equipment, fall under our Bulk Waste Department within the Solid Waste Management Services Division. They are primarily tasked with collecting litter and debris along Metro roadways and hit the streets on Feb 24th. Since then, they have collected 445 bags of litter from 44.02 miles of roadway. That is an approximate weight of 11,125 pounds!
The Clean Crew covers select areas in District 7, which include:
Goose Creek Road (from Brownsboro Road to Westport Road)
Westport Road (from Chenoweth Lane to La Grange Road)
Collins Lane (from Westport Road to Old La Grange Road)
It's time to power-up for a weekend of virtual video game excitement!
The fun starts with Family Fun Night - Video Game Edition this Friday, March 12. Pick up a Family Fun Pack at any LFPL location or download the activities at LFPL.org/FamilyFunNight, then test your video game knowledge at 7 p.m. with live trivia on the Library's Facebook page.
Then on Saturday, March 13, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., video game fans of all ages are invited to join us for Cards & Consoles - a day of virtual gaming activities. Activities will include a virtual escape room, a Magic the Gathering video tutorial, Mario Speedrun competition, a virtual Rocket League Tournament (ages 13-18 only), links to retro video games, and more. Go to LFPL.org/CardsandConsoles to learn more.
What makes a good leader, and what do women bring to the table in those “leadhership” roles? From politics to business, women are shattering glass ceilings and making strides. But what comes next, and where? Our panelists talk about their own experiences — in some cases, having broken barriers — and offer insight on how to recognize your gifts.
PANELISTS: Gretchen Hunt, Executive Director, Emerge Kentucky Cynthia Knapek, President, Leadership Louisville Carolyn Tandy, Director of Diversity & Inclusion, Texas Roadhouse Rep. Col. Pamela Stevenson (D), KY House District 43 Rep. Samara Heavrin (R), KY House District 18
MODERATORS: Rachel Platt, Director of Community Engagement, Frazier History Museum Renee Shaw, KET
In August 2016 Louisville Metro Emergency Services teamed up with Bullitt County, Oldham County, and Washington County to create a regional emergency notification system – Louisville Emergency Notification System (LENSAlert). Its enhanced capabilities include using all communications modes to send alerts – mobile phones, landlines, email, text, social media, IPAWS-OPEN. Take another step in being prepared for disasters and sign up for LENSAlert today.
SMART 911.com
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.
Are you looking for a public place to exchange items you've sold online? Do you share custody of a child and are looking for somewhere to exchange custody?
The Louisville Metro Police Department is providing MetroSWAP Zones outside of some Division offices.
There is 24 hour video surveillance. LMPD recommends:
Agree to meet the person ONLY at a MetroSWAP station.
Meet only during daylight hours.
Tell someone you trust where you are meeting and at what time.
Meet in the parking lot at two designate areas of each location.
Visit http://www.louisvilleky.gov/MetroPolice/Patrol+Divisions/ to sign up to receive the LMPD’s new crime alert update for your neighborhood. Simply select your LMPD division number and click "Subscribe to Crime Alerts by Beat" to begin receiving the update.
Division 5, please call dispatch at 502-574-7111
Division 8, please call dispatch at 502-574-2111
Fifth Division - This division covers the area including the Highlands, Clifton and Cherokee and Seneca Parks.
Eighth Division - This division covers the area including Middletown, Lyndon, Oxmoor and the Ford Truck Plant.
NOTICE: All Metro Council meetings are carried live on Metro TV, Spectrum Cable Channel 184 and U-verse Channel 99.
The meetings are also available online at the Metro Council home page at http://louisvilleky.gov/government/metro-council/metro-council-clerk.(Click here and click on the “Watch Meetings Online” button.)
