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For the first time since mid-June, case counts in the city have decreased. There were approximately 3,900 new cases in Louisville for the week of Aug. 28. That decreased to 3,500 new cases for the week ending on Sept. 4. In an update Tuesday, Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness Chief Health Officer Dr. Sarah Moyer said she is hopeful the city is "at the peak of this Delta surge." Hospitalizations are still on the rise, however. On Aug. 28, there were 317 COVID-19 positive patients in Louisville hospitals. As of Wednesday, there were 380.
State officials are less confident about the potential of reaching a peak. For the second week in a row, Kentucky has broken the record for the highest number of new COVID-19 cases in a week. On Monday, Gov. Andy Beshear announced 30,680 Kentuckians tested positive for COVID-19 between August 30 and September 5. Over the holiday weekend, another 13,005 positive cases were reported, along with 60 new deaths.
An overwhelming percentage of the most serious COVID-19 cases and deaths are in people who are not vaccinated.The best way to access vaccines is at the website https://www.vaccines.gov/. Enter your zip code and vaccine sites near you will appear. You’ll find links to click and numbers to call.
For residents who don’t have access to technology or have difficulty using an online process, the staff at Louisville Metro’s COVID-19 Helpline, (502) 912-8598, can assist with scheduling an appointment.
Maps with vaccination rates by zip code are here. Higher rates are in darker green colors.
To stay informed on vaccine efforts in Louisville, including pop-up clinics all over town, click here.
Fearing for the health and safety of the community, Louisville Public Media announced last week that it will cancel the remaining two free concerts in its popular Waterfront Wednesday series due to the increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases across the state.
The final two concerts of the 2021 season were scheduled for September 8 with headliner Dawn Richard and September 22 with Low Cut Connie headlining.
BBB September 2021 Hot Topics
- BBB continues to receive reports from consumers regarding a Publishers Clearing House scam. Victims receive a phone call stating they have won $1 million and a new car from PCH; to claim their prize, they must make a down payment, preferably with gift cards. Publishers Clearing House will not ask for any type of down payment or gift card payment.
- A local consumer contacted BBB to report a scam text message regarding a $1,400 monthly emergency stimulus check. This is a phishing scam attempting to gain personal information. Do not click on any links!
- Multiple local consumers have called BBB to report messages supposedly from Amazon Customer Service, regarding fraudulent charges on their Amazon account. This is a scam and an attempt to gain your personal information. Do NOT give any personal information! Report the call to Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/.
- A local consumer contacted BBB to report a text message informing them they’d won a home theater system. All he needed to do was input debit card information for a refundable $1.00 fee. The victim was then charged $19.99 multiple times. Do NOT respond to any text message or phone call asking for payment information in order to claim a prize.
- BBB has received more reports from local consumers regarding cryptocurrency investment scams. Beware of anyone contacting you via social media with a too-good-to-be-true cryptocurrency investment opportunity, even if the person is a friend or family member. Any “investment opportunity” promising immediate huge returns is likely a scam!
- A local consumer called BBB to report a government grant scam. This consumer had received a message stating that in exchange for $1,000, she would receive a $100,000 government grant. Any “grant,” “scholarship,” or “giveaway” offering a large amount of money in exchange for a down payment is a scam!
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Puppy scams continue to plague the community. A local consumer attempted to purchase a goldendoodle from a breeder. After paying, the consumer was asked on two separate occasions for more money and never received the dog. Always ask to see a dog in person (or via videoconference) before purchasing, ask for references, and if possible, pay by credit card so that you can dispute the charges.
- Multiple consumers have reported online purchase scams to BBB for sites selling everything from polo shirts to home décor to personal defense items. Always research a website before making an online purchase (you can search for reviews at bbb.org) and pay with a credit card in case you need to dispute the charges.
- A local consumer was scammed by a website claiming to sell CBD products endorsed by the Reverend Dr. Charles Stanley. Scammers are using St. Stanley’s image to sell products; Dr. Stanley has not endorsed any CBD product and is not affiliated with these websites.
- BBB warns of scammers impersonating people on digital wallet apps like Venmo in order to request money from friends and family members. If you receive a random request for money from a friend or loved one (perhaps claiming they lost their wallet or have run into financial troubles), contact the person directly to confirm the request came from them (and not a scammer). Keep your transactions on digital wallet apps private to reduce your risk of being targeted by this scam
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Following the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, New Yorkers did something rather unexpected, they took photographs – lots of them. What began as a single photo hung in the window of a SoHo storefront became perhaps the most important crowdsourcing photo exhibition of our time. The resulting collection, Here is New York: the September 11 Photographs, returns to the Main branch of the Louisville Free Public Library to mark the 20th anniversary of the tragedy.
The exhibition features 500 photographs taken the day of and in the aftermath of the September 11 attack, by professional photographers and amateurs alike. The images are presented without titles or commentary. The result is both a vivid reminder of the horror of that day, and a celebration of the human spirit and strong determination of New Yorkers and Americans in general.
Here is New York will be on display at the Main Library (301 York Street) beginning today through November 14 as part of the Louisville Photo Biennial. An opening reception and panel discussion, United We Stood: Memories of 9/11, will be held at the Main Library today at 6:30 p.m. Moderator Melissa Swan and panelists Elizabeth Kramer (former employee in the Peace Corps’ New York office at the World Trade Center), Pete Longton (photojournalist who covered Ground Zero for WHAS-11), and Charles Traub (photographer/educator, co-founder of here is new york) will recall their first-hand experiences during and following the attacks.
The panel discussion and exhibition are free and open to the public. For more information, please visit LFPL.org/Exhibits.
The city has added $2.5 million to its COVID-19 Utility Relief program to help residents who have fallen behind on Louisville Water and Louisville MSD bills as a result of COVID-19.
The funds will go toward the Louisville Water Company/MSD’s Drops of Kindness program to assist residents with a past-due amount on an active Louisville Water/MSD account. The outstanding balance must have occurred between March 16, 2020 and June 30, 2021, and customers will need to attest they have had a financial hardship during the pandemic.
Qualifying customers can receive a one-time credit of up to $1,000 on their Louisville Water/MSD bill.
Funding for this assistance comes from the Louisville’s first round of spending of its federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) dollars, which were targeted at urgent needs.
“Many of the people being helped by our COVID-19 Utility Relief program have never fallen behind on their bills before the pandemic impacted their jobs and their hours,” Mayor Fischer said. “We are grateful that the ARP funding allows us to help them get back on track.”
The application process Metro COVID-19 Relief Louisville Water Company/MSD Assistance is as follows:
Eligibility
- Have a residential account in Jefferson County
- Have a past-due balance sometime between March 16, 2020 – June 30, 2021
- Identify a COVID-19 based financial hardship
- There is no income requirement to receive the credit; customers will respond to a series of prompts to verify their eligibility.
How to apply:
Louisville Water is reminding customers who may still have an outstanding balance, to take advantage of the Drops of Kindness Program, which offers flexible, no-interest payment plans and additional help from community agencies through the Louisville Water Foundation.
The Louisville Water/MSD assistance is in addition to $2.5 million announced in July to help customers who have fallen behind on LG&E bills due to a COVID-19 financial impact. For eligibility and to schedule an appointment for help with an LG&E bill, call 502-977-6636 or visit online at LGEHelp.itfrontdesk.com. The toll-free service is currently open and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
For more information on both programs, residents can visit http://www.louisvilleky.gov/government/resilience-and-community-services, call Metro United Way’s help referral service at 211, or Metro311 by simply dialing 311 or (502) 574-5000 or email metro.311@louisvilleky.gov.
Real 93.1 and 98.9 KISS FM are excited to return for the Annual Sista Strut Breast Cancer 3k presented by Baptist Health Cancer Care on October 16 at Slugger Field! Sista Strut's mission is to increase awareness about breast cancer and provide information on community resources in the area. A portion of the proceeds from the Sista Strut 3k presented by Baptist Health Cancer Care will benefit Kentucky African Americans Against Cancer.
Due to COVID-19 safety pre-cautions, refunds will be issued on a case by case basis up until 7 days prior to the event. Should the event cancel, purchasers will receive base ticket price refunds less services & processing fees.
Contact HannahCherryholmes@iheartmedia.com or 502-671-3443 with questions or concerns.
The Bittersweet Villa neighborhood will be holding its annual neighborhood community yard sale tomorrow, September the 10th, and Saturday, September 11th, starting at 9:00 a.m. Join us for food and great deals!
The Bittersweet Villa neighborhood is located on Saint Rita Drive behind the Bittersweet shopping center and the fire house, right off of Preston Highway.
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The Louisville Parks and Recreation Department is hiring for a wide variety of positions from entry level to management, including part-time, throughout the department.
Of the thirteen community centers, eleven have vacancies. Supervisor positions will be posted soon for California and Beechmont Community Centers. Apply here.
Link to a list of community centers is here.
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Greater Louisville, Inc. (GLI) has created an innovative partnership with employers, workforce partners, and training institutions to help place people into a career path that will provide a livable wage and mobility. If you are interested in a job and growing your career, this program is for you.
GLI has brought together entry-level and secondary employers (from $11/hour to $31+/hour) to create pathways for you to access jobs while also pursuing upskilling or reskilling to get you ready for the next phase. Intentional connections have been made between 15 employers in five different career tracts:
- Business services
- Health care
- Hospitality
- Manufacturing
- Technology
Participants in the CAN who enter the network are connected with training programs and support services to overcome workforce barriers and help move from low wage, low skilled positions to higher wage, higher skilled positions.
If you are interested in participating in CAN and growing your skills and wages, get connected here.
EMPLOYERS: GLI is also currently evaluating adding new employers into the CAN. If you are an employer who is interested in participating, please click here.
Louisville Zoo's Dino Quest will be ending on September 19th. At Dino Quest, guests will have the opportunity to view the world’s tallest life-sized, robotic dinosaurs, ranging from 5-foot-long baby triceratops to a 40-foot-long Tyrannosaurus rex.
A Louisville Zoo membership or general admission ticket will allow guests to encounter the prehistoric period prior to extinction in “Dino Quest,” presented by Great Clips. Purchase tickets today at louisvillezoo.org/tickets.
For information about “Dino Quest” visit LouisvilleZoo.org/dino
This year, the Louisville Zoo celebrates 40 years of merry – not scary – fun at its annual Halloween event, Boo at the Zoo presented by Meijer. Tickets went on sale September 1 at 10 a.m. for the Halloween event that takes place October 1-3, 7-10, 14-17, 21-24 and 28-30 (Thursday – Sunday nights, October 1-30).
Children can dress up in their wildest costumes for the event that turns the Zoo into a living storybook, complete with favorite characters brought to life, music, socially-distanced photo opportunities around every corner and, of course, a safe place to trick-or-treat for kids 11 and under.
Boo at the Zoo presented by Meijer will have reduced nightly capacity to allow for ease of traffic flow and social distancing.
Tickets
Tickets for Boo at the Zoo presented by Meijer are $12.50 for non-members (both adults and children 3 and older) and $6 for members (both adults and children 3 and older). Children 2 and under are free and do not require a ticket. To minimize contact points, tickets are all-inclusive, covering the cost of Boo at the Zoo admission, parking, Spooktacular Carousel, “not-so-itsy-bitsy” Spider House and the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow attraction.
Members and guests can purchase tickets online at LouisvilleZoo.org, with their chosen date and arrival time. Tickets are limited each night and some nights may sell out quickly.
Boo at the Zoo presented by Meijer is a rain or shine event.
A limited amount of Meijer anytime tickets can be purchased at participating Meijer stores for $10.50 beginning September 26. Visit LouisvilleZoo.org/meijer for a list of stores.
Event Hours/Special Dates
On Boo at the Zoo event days:
- The Zoo will close early for regular daytime visitors. Gates will close at 3 p.m. with guests being allowed to visit until 4 p.m.
- Halloween guests can begin entering the Zoo at their selected times, starting at 5 p.m. The trick-or-treat route closes, and all guests must exit by 10 p.m.
- Allergy Friendly night is Thursday, October 21 and will feature peanut-free treat booths and added non-food treats like stickers, pencils and more. Children with allergies can request an allergy-friendly option at each of the booths.
Costumes
The Zoo encourages all visitors to wear costumes and ask that they be family friendly. Adults may not wear full costume masks that cover the entire face.
To learn more about the event and Boo at the Zoo presented by Meijer activities, visit louisvillezoo.org/boo.
Boo at the Zoo is presented by Meijer and sponsored by Ford Motor Company, Great Clips and PNC Grow Up Great with additional support from Councilman Pat Mulvihill & District 10 residents, Kid’s Dentistree, Ky Saves 529, Norton Children’s, Philpot Hay Company, T-Mobile, UPS and USA Image. Special thanks to Kosair Charities and Nu-Yale.
For updates to health policies and possible mask requirements before your chosen Boo night, please visit louisvillezoo.org/together.
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