Happy Independence Day
Dear Neighbor,
As we all look forward to a long weekend with family and friends, I'm reminded of the vision our founders brought to bear on the American values we share today. When gathered in 1776, our founders took a revolutionary stance that promised we all might enjoy life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness one day. They claimed all men are created equal.
Our founders believed they could create a place to empower individual Americans, not tyrants, or majorities. America should allow anyone to achieve their highest potential through hard work and excellence. It should not matter who you are or where you came from, in America you can be great.
The founders we revere on July 4th had as complex and disparate perspectives on what it means to live out those self-evident truths as we do today. It is simply not true to pretend they all had the same definition of what it mean to live their American dream. What Adams, Madison, Hamilton, Jefferson and the others could agree on is that their varying definitions of individual freedom were all worth protecting by limiting the power of government interference.
Over the next 246 years, with their help (and the help of many others, including so many who were not considered citizens in 1776) we adopted a Constitution, added a Bill of Rights, and successfully amended that document 17 more times after that - the last time in 1992. Those changes generally reflected a more enlightened view of the freedoms we, the Americans, enjoy.
Adding to our inclusive definitions of freedom has been the path our nation has followed over those 246 years. That has enfranchised human beings, attracted the best and brightest from around the world, and helped make America the greatest nation on earth. We do not have a tradition of taking away rights over time, only giving additional freedoms to Americans. Until very recently. That is certainly something to consider as we celebrate our Independence Day.
Have a safe weekend,
 Brent T. Ackerson
26th District Councilman
 Where: Great Lawn/Harbor Lawn
Time: 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
FREE to attend
The Waterfront Park Fourth of July presented by the Marshall Family Foundation will take place on Monday, July 4, 2022 on the Waterfront Park Great Lawn and Harbor Lawn. The celebration will feature free musical entertainment, family activities, local food trucks, festival food and a professional fireworks display over the Ohio River.
Mainstage Schedule:
5 p.m. – UAW Color Guard
5:10 p.m. – Ripple Effects Awards Presentation
5:30 p.m. – DJ Always
6 p.m. – Casey Powell
7 p.m. – DJ Always
7:30 p.m. – Zaniah
8:30 p.m. – DJ Always
9 p.m. – Freekbass
9:45 p.m. – Fireworks!
Louisville Labor Unions are joining together to provide a Heat Relief Tent for the public featuring free ice cold water, Gatorade and a salute to our first responders.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Items which are prohibited:
Glass, coolers, fireworks, pets, outside food & alcohol, amplification devices, signage larger than 24” x 24”, bicycling inside the event, and skateboarding inside the event are prohibited. There will be bicycle racks to lock up bicycles on site. Unopened bottles of water are permitted.
 St. Matthews Independence Day 5K, open to all runners, walkers, teams, and virtual participants, is at St. Matthews Baptist Church, 3515 Grandview Avenue. The 5K will begin at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, July 4. Registration is $30 through June 30 and $35 on packet pickup or race day. You can register online here. A portion of the proceeds will benefit St. Matthews Area Ministries (St. MAM).
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There will be no residential garbage, recycling or yard waste collection within the Louisville Metro Urban Services District on Independence Day, Monday July 4. The usual Monday collections will be made on Tuesday and all other days will be on a similar one-day delay. The regular Friday collections will occur on Saturday.
The Waste Reduction Center, at 600 Meriwether Avenue, all staffed recycling centers and the Haz Bin hazardous materials facility at 7501 Grade Lane will also be closed on July 4th. They will resume normal operations on Tuesday, July 5th.
Residents who rely on private haulers for garbage, recycling and yard waste collection should consult those haulers about holiday collection schedules.
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Planting for the future
Apply for tree grants with MSD’s Urban Reforestation Program
Louisville MSD Urban Reforestation Grants will pay for trees planted within MSD’s Drainage Service area including most of Jefferson County. The cities of Anchorage, Jeffersontown, St. Matthews, and Shively provide residents and businesses in those municipalities with stormwater/drainage services. Therefore, those four areas are not part of this grant program.
MSD’s Urban Reforestation Grant Program is open to residents, organizations, companies and agencies. Download the Urban Reforestation Grant Application or visit LouisvilleMSD.org/trees for more information. The application deadline is Monday, August 1, 2022, at 5 PM. Please contact Sarah Duker at Sarah.Duker@LouisvilleMSD.org or 502.540.6248 with any questions.
The MSD Urban Reforestation Program plants 1,000 trees annually by working with residents, businesses, municipal organizations and neighborhood associations. These trees redirect an average of 1.35 million gallons of storm-water away from the sewer system every year, decreasing sewer overflows into our waterways. By planting more trees, MSD not only absorbs storm-water but also reduces erosion and flooding, provides shade, reduces noise pollution and carbon dioxide in the air, and provides a habitat for nearby wildlife.
 The FDA has approved the use of Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines for preventing COVID-19 in children under five down to six months. This means COVID vaccines are now available to prevent COVID-19 in children ages 6 months through 17. Parents interested in vaccinating their children should check with their pediatrician or family doctor.
This fact sheet about the vaccines including the trial data for each may be helpful. Locally, Vaccines will be available through doctors' offices, clinics, and other locations. You can also find a vaccine provider at vaccines.gov where you can search by zip code and the vaccine you prefer.
With the extreme heat this week here are some hydration tips from LWC!
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Drink before you’re thirsty. By the time you feel thirsty, your body has lost up to five cups of water.
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Grab a reusable water bottle. Keep a reusable bottle with you and fill, drink, and repeat throughout the day. Our drinking water, Louisville Pure Tap™, is the best value to stay hydrated, costing less than a penny a gallon. You also may want to fill and freeze a plastic water bottle so you can drink refreshing Pure Tap as the ice melts.
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Drink water when sweating. Anytime you sweat, your body is losing water. Drink plenty of Pure Tap before, during, and after exercise.
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Don't mistake thirst for hunger. It's easy to confuse the two because sometimes you may feel hungry, but your body is actually thirsty.
How do you know if you're hydrated? Check the color of your urine. The more transparent it is, the more hydrated you are. When in doubt, consult a doctor about the recommended water intake specifically for your body.
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Bardstown Road Farmers' Market - 1733 Bardstown Rd. Saturdays, 9am to 12 pm
Beechmont Open Air Market - 4574 S. 3rd St. Saturdays, 8am to 12pm
Beulah Farmers' Market - 6704 Bardstown Rd. Mondays, 3 to 7 pm
Brownsboro Road Farmers' Market - 4000 Brownsboro Rd. Thursdays, 3 to 6 pm
Douglass Loop Farmers' Market - 2005 Douglass Blvd. Saturdays, 10 am to 2 pm
East End Farmers' Market - 13060 Factory Ln. Tuesdays, 5 to 7 pm
J-Town Farmers' Market - 10434 Watterson Trl. Saturdays, 8 am to 12:30 pm
Middletown Farmers' Market - 11721 Main St. Wednesdays, 3 to 6 pm
Norton Commons Farmers' Market - 6301 Moonseed St. Sundays, 12 to 4 pm
Phoenix Hill NuLu Farmers' Market - 1007 E. Jefferson St. Tuesdays, 3 to 6 pm
Prospect Area Farmers' Market - 12900 W. Hwy. 42, Saturdays 9 am to 12:30 pm
Rainbow Blossom Farmers' Market - 3738 Lexington Rd. Sundays 12 to 4 pm
Riverside Farmers' Market - 7410 Moorman Rd. Sundays, 10am to 2pm
St. Matthews Farmers' Market - 4100 Shelbyville Rd. Saturdays, 8 am to 12 pm
West End Farmers' Market - 1821 W. Jefferson St. Select Saturdays
Westport Rd. Baptist Farmers' Market - 9705 Westport Rd. Saturdays 9 am to 1 pm
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) advises motorists that repairs to the bridge carrying Baxter Avenue (U.S. 31E) over South Fork, a branch of Beargrass Creek, are scheduled to begin Monday, May 16, in Jefferson County.
The repairs will require a full closure of the bridge and a traffic detour of up to 60 days. Weather or other unforeseen factors may delay the project timeline.
The bridge is located next to the former L&N Railroad elevated train platform. Signs in the area will direct drivers to utilize East Liberty Street and Lexington Road during the bridge closure. Drivers should use caution while traveling through the work zone.
The date and duration of this work may be adjusted if inclement weather or other unforeseen delays occur. Visit goky.ky.gov for the latest in traffic and travel information in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. You can also get traffic information for the District 5 counties at facebook.com/KYTCDistrict5 and twitter.com/KYTCDistrict5.
We are having in-person meetings of Louisville Metro Council and with individuals and groups in our office. We are still exercising caution and following all CDC and Louisville Metro Health Department guidelines. Please call the office or email any requests. Thank you for your cooperation. |
