Councilwoman
Paula McCraney
601 W. Jefferson Street
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 574-1107
Click Here to Email Councilwoman McCraney:
Visit the District 7 Website
Logan Fogle
Legislative Assistant
(502) 574-3454
Follow Councilwoman McCraney on Facebook and Twitter:
@PaulaMcCraneyD7
Phone Numbers
of Interest
Air Pollution: 574-6000
Animal Services: 363-6609
or 361-1318
Anonymous Tipline:
574-LMPD (5673)
Brightside: 574-2613
Jefferson County Clerk's Office: 574-5700
Legal Aid: 584-1254
Metro Call: 311 or 574-5000
Metro Parks: 574-7275
Metro Police: (Non Emergency) 574-7111 or 574-2111
Metro Safe: 572-3460
or 574-7111
MSD: 587-0603
PARC: 569-6222
Poison Control: 589-8222
Property Valuation Administration: 502-574-6380
Public Works: 574-5810
Solid Waste Management SWMS): 574-3571
TARC: 585-1234
Veteran's Affairs: 595-4447
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Hello Neighbors and Friends,
Here are some random trivia facts that you can use this Thanksgiving at the dinner table or as an after-dinner game with the family:
- There are four towns in the United States named “Turkey.” They can be found in Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, and North Carolina.
- The average number of calories consumed on Thanksgiving is 4,500.
- The tradition of football on Thanksgiving began in 1876 with a game between Yale and Princeton. The first NFL games were played on Thanksgiving in 1920.
- The people at the first Thanksgiving ate venison, duck, goose, oysters, lobster, eel, and fish, alongside pumpkins and cranberries.
- The day after Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year for plumbers.
- Americans eat 704 million pounds of turkey every Thanksgiving.
- “Jingle Bells” was originally a Thanksgiving song.
- The woman who got Thanksgiving reinstated as a national holiday also wrote “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” (Sarah Hale)
- The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons used to be let go after the show.
- About 50 million people watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade annually.
- More people travel to Orlando, FL than anywhere else on Thanksgiving.
- The original TV dinner was the result of a Thanksgiving miscalculation.
- More than four-fifths of Americans prefer the Thanksgiving leftovers to the meal.
- One Connecticut town delayed Thanksgiving because of a pumpkin pie shortage.
- Two towns in Texas claim to be the site of the first Thanksgiving.
- Only male turkeys actually gobble.
May your stuffing be tasty. May your turkey be plump. May your potatoes and gravy have nary a lump. May your yams be delicious and your pies take the prize, and may your Thanksgiving dinner stay off your thighs! ---Anonymous
Happy Thanksgiving!
Light Up St. Matthews has been a tradition for decades for thousands of residents and visitors to the City of St. Matthews. The annual holiday event features musical entertainment, letters to Santa, pictures with Santa, train rides, ice skating, activities for the kids, and fun for the entire family.
Free cookies and hot chocolate are available for everyone to enjoy. No matter the weather, most activities are held under a big tent. The event begins at 3:00 p.m. and concludes at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 4th. This will be when the switch is thrown and Brown Park “Lights Up” with thousands and thousands of colorful holiday lights.
The event is held at Brown Park in St. Matthews, located at the corner of Kresge Way and Browns Lane, next to Baptist Health Hospital. Free parking for the event is at the Baptist Health Louisville doctors building, 4007 Kresge Way, directly across from the hospital with easy access to the park via a signaled crosswalk.
The seasonal lights will stay lit nightly until after the New Year. Residents and visitors to the community are welcome to visit the park daily throughout the holiday season to enjoy the lights.
In the case of a dangerous weather event OR due to COVID-19 restrictions some changes may occur to keep the event safe.
Event is rain or shine.
Click here for more information.
Friday, Nov. 26th!
Click here for more details: Learn more.
Make holiday entertaining a little easier by mixing up a flavorful Thanksgiving punch. This non-alcoholic recipe offers a delicious combination of apple cider and blood orange with a delicate sparkle that's very refreshing. The seasonal taste is sure to please everyone, and you get the pleasure of mixing it up ahead of time.
- In a large pitcher, combine the apple cider and spiced syrup. Stir well.
- Add about half of the frozen cranberries and all of the apple and orange slices to the pitcher. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or at least 3 to 4 hours) to allow the flavors to marry. Keep the remaining cranberries frozen.
- When it's time to serve, add the sweetened apple cider and all of the fruit to a punch bowl. Finish it off with the sparkling blood orange and grape juices. Stir to combine. For smaller punch bowls, mix only half of the three liquids in the bowl. Combine the remainder in the apple cider pitcher and store it in the fridge. When the punchbowl needs to be refilled, it will be chilled and ready for you to pour.
- Ladle the punch into individual glasses, adding a few frozen cranberries to each to keep the drinks cold. Garnish each glass with a cinnamon stick as well.
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On October 3, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Thanksgiving Proclamation. He made this holiday official with a proclamation written by Secretary of State William Seward. This proclamation stated that from now on, Americans should regard the last Thursday of November as a day of thanksgiving and prayer to Almighty God. He also used the opportunity as a way to express gratitude for the Union army’s significant victory in the midst of the Civil War.
Early Roots
However, the beginning of Thanksgiving didn’t begin with Lincoln. It was President George Washington who started the idea of Thanksgiving.
In 1789, the First Federal Congress passed a resolution and proposed that the President of the United States give the entire country a day of thanksgiving. A few days later, specifically on November 26, 1789, President George Washington announced the designation of Thursday, as “Day of Public Thanksgiving”. It was also the first time Thanksgiving was celebrated under the new Constitution.
Controversial holiday
Even so, under the Washington presidency, Thanksgiving did not become official. Then came the time when Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, was hesitant to make thanksgiving a national holiday. He felt that public demonstrations of piety to a higher power, as celebrated on Thanksgiving, were inappropriate in a country because it went against their edict on separation of church and state. Subsequent presidents have also agreed with him.
It wasn’t until the Lincoln Proclamation of 1863 that Thanksgiving Day was celebrated every year on the last Thursday of November.
Moving the Day
However, in 1939, the last Thursday of November fell on the last day of the month. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was concerned that a shortened Christmas shopping season could dampen the economic recovery, so he moved Thanksgiving to the second to last Thursday of November. Unfortunately, this change is not a popular one and is not accepted by everyone. Of which, 32 states agreed and issued similar statements while 16 states rejected the change and still consider Thanksgiving as the last Thursday in November. So the result is that in two years there are two days celebrated as Thanksgiving – one is the last Thursday in November, and the other is the following week.
To end the confusion, Congress decided to set a fixed date for Thanksgiving. On October 6, 1941, the House of Representatives of the United States passed a joint resolution declaring Thanksgiving to be celebrated on the last Thursday of November. However, the Senate amended this resolution and established Make the fourth Thursday of November a legal Thanksgiving Day. Because they count the years when November has five Thursdays.
The House also agreed to the amendment, and finally, after much debate, President Roosevelt signed the resolution on December 26, 1941, establishing the fourth Thursday in November as a Federal Thanksgiving holiday. Since that day, Thanksgiving has not been touched.
For some, the holidays are stressful affairs if there certain family members don't get along, or if there are certain topics that cause tension around the dinner table. Try some of these methods to help cope with holiday stress.
Adjust Your Attitude
If you are already anticipating that a gathering will be stressful, your anxiety may get worse by the time the actual gathering begins. Instead of worrying about what will happen, choose behaviors that can help decrease your anxiety. Before the event, do something relaxing such as practicing yoga or listening to music. Your stress level won’t already be high before you see everyone, which will help you be more tolerant and able to tactfully respond to the actions that irritate you.
Determine What You Need & Set Boundaries
If you have certain things you know you need to keep you centered and in a positive headspace, communicate these to family ahead of time, and have a game plan for doing them. This can be things like sleep accommodations, travel, and meal times. Set these boundaries early so others know what you need. You can also adjust these boundaries in real time. Be communicative!
Stay Open to Others' Needs
Be open to having a dialogue with your family members about their needs, too. Depending on how aligned their needs are to yours, you might need to adjust your plans to accommodate theirs, if you’re willing. Once they communicate their needs, let them know that you’ve heard them and share how you’re willing to to be flexible.
Keep Certain Topics Off-Limits
Politics and religion are obvious, but people also bring up sensitive subjects without thinking about how they might affect others. “Are you ever going to get married?” may seem harmless, but more likely than not, it will strike a nerve. Plan to keep conversation conflict-free by avoiding potentially sensitive topics, or simply ask what’s new and take it from there.
Take a Breather
Breaks can be a great way to reset and let off some steam. Go for a walk. Get some fresh air. Take a jog to get your blood pumping. Meditate or do some yoga. If you start to feel yourself getting stressed, it's okay to hit pause and reboot with some self care and relaxation. Just be sure to let others know that you’re coming back so they don’t misinterpret your absence!
Be Mindful of Substances
The holidays are an indulgent time of year. But don’t let sugar, carbs, and alcohol impose on your family dynamic. In large amounts, these substances can impair your mood and judgement, so it’s super important to be mindful of your intake and not go overboard. If you’re currently in a 12-step program, look into local meetings before your trip and build space in your schedule so you can attend them in person or have time to make calls.
You're Allowed to Feel This
Holidays can be a time of stress, grief, or any mix of emotions. Give yourself permission to feel your feelings, and know there is no right or wrong way to feel. It's okay to feel whatever you feel. Just acknowledging this fact is sometimes a huge stress-reliever.
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- Stay aware of your surroundings.
- Do NOT leave articles of value in your vehicles and make sure the doors are locked.
- Always try to park in well-lit areas at a familiar location to help remember where you are parked.
- Shop with a partner.
- Do not carry large amounts of cash on your person and secure you purses and wallets.
- Avoid overloading yourself with packages and try to finish your shopping during the day.
- Use well-lit, well-populated ATM's. Do NOT use an ATM that has been tampered with.
- Notify the credit card issuer immediately if your credit card is lost, stolen, or misused.
- Beware of strangers approaching you for any reason. At this time of year, con-artists may try various methods of distracting you with the intention of taking your money or belongings.
- If you go shopping with children, make sure all children with you know your cell phone number. Make a plan with children in case you get separated. Have a central meeting place, and review with your children who they can turn to for help if they find themselves alone. Go over the dangers of strangers with them so they know who not to talk to or follow.
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