The "Reading of the Names" event at St. Louis Cemetery (1167 Barret Avenue) will be on Saturday, Feb. 24, at 2:00pm. 

Ned Berghausen (a St. Agnes Catholic Church deacon and Assumption High teacher) has done extensive research on the history of Black Catholics and slavery in the archdiocese, which is how he discovered more than 1,600 free and enslaved Black people are buried at St. Louis Cemetery in unmarked graves. 

The (Un)Known Project and Center for Interfaith Relations are helping Ned and the St. Agnes Thea Bowman Society for Racial Solidarity planned this event. 

On February 29, 2024; The Greater Louisville Alliance of Black School Educators will share a screening of The Right to Read at Seneca High School (3510 Goldsmith Ln, Louisville, KY 40220).

The Right to Read 2023 Trailer

The Right to Read shares the stories of a courageous activist, a teacher, and two American families who fight to provide our youngest generation with the most foundational indicator of life-long success: the ability to read. Learn more at: therighttoreadfilm.org.  

Paul Hornung Award Ceremony The Louisville Sports Commission's 14th annual Paul Hornung Award ceremony will be held on March 8 at the Galt House Hotel. Colorado sophomore cornerback / wide receiver Travis Hunter will attend. The featured speaker will be Laura Rutledge, host of ESPN’s year-round weekday NFL news and information show NFL Live and SEC Network’s SEC Nation. For more information, go to www.louisvillesports.org/paul-hornung/. To purchase tickets, contact Julie Howell at 502-587-6742 or JHowell@Louisvillesports.org.

Harbor House of Louisville asks for your support of their new Intergenerational Life Center. This Center benefits the entire community by providing meaningful employment for many in our community, offering a safe place for loved ones; whether in the Child Enrichment Center, Before & After school programs, aging parent or guardian with disabilities engaging in stimulating activities during the day. Join them for their Beacon Ball on March 9. Click here for more information and tickets. 

Join us for the Mill Creek Sweep!

Wild Lights Returns to the Louisville Zoo Tickets on Sale Now The Louisville Zoo is excited to announce the return of its popular lantern festival. Back for the fifth year with a lineup of new lanterns, Wild Lights runs select nights March 23 through May 19. Tickets are on sale now at louisvillezoo.org/wildlights. Wild Lights guests will venture through the Zoo’s 1.4-mile path and experience hand-crafted, illuminated art displays. The event will feature more than 60 individual displays in themed areas depicting nature, coral reefs and Chinese mythology. Select area highlights include a blooming morning glory corridor, a 23-foot-tall octopus and a walk-through phoenix tunnel. Interactive lanterns invite guests to enhance the experience by powering lantern movements, competing in games and more. This 38-night immersive event features live cultural performances including Chinese folk dances, acrobatics and more. There will also be unique handcrafted goods available for purchase along with snacks and cocktails by Service Systems Associates — the Zoo’s food and amenity vendor. The event is wheelchair and stroller-friendly on a paved path. The festival is a rain or shine event and will be held 7 – 10 p.m. Thursday through Sunday nights from March 23 – May 19, 2024. In addition, Wild Lights will run every night during JCPS Spring Break, April 1 – 5, 2024. The Zoo will host a special preview night exclusively for Louisville Zoo members on March 22. Wild Lights is in partnership with Stewart Promotions and Tianyu Arts & Culture Inc., an international event design company. PRICING (children under 3 do not require a ticket) Tickets are available for purchase in advance online only. Thursday and Sundays    General Admission:  $22 adults ages 12 – 59; $18 Children ages 3 – 11/Seniors ages 60+ Louisville Zoo Members:  $20 adults ages 12 – 59; $16 Children ages 3 – 11/Seniors ages 60+ Fridays and Saturdays General Admission:  $23 adults ages 12 – 59; $19 Children ages 3 – 11/Seniors ages 60+ Louisville Zoo Members:  $21 adults ages 12 – 59; $17 Children ages 3 – 11/Seniors ages 60+ All Wild Lights days: Family 4 Pack General Admission:  $70  Family 4 Pack Members:  $60 Active-duty military discount (with valid ID): $18 single ticket (up to three family members) Active military family pack: $65 New for 2024, there are a limited number of “Anytime Tickets” redeemable for any night of the event available for purchase. Tickets to the March 22 exclusive member preview night will be $16 per person (not age variable) and $55 for a Family 4 Pack. Regular daytime Zoo admission tickets and Wild Lights tickets must be purchased separately. Parking for this event is $7 and can be purchased in advance online or at the Zoo admission windows. For more information, visit louisvillezoo.org/wildlights.

Headlines

The Louisville Free Public Library celebrates Black History Month with programs throughout February  This February, the Louisville Free Public Library (LFPL) is offering more than fifty free programs in celebration of Black History Month. Programs include book discussions, film screenings, history talks, storytimes, art activities, and more, designed to inform, inspire, and engage audiences of all ages. Get moving in the Library with a special concert with The Ron Jones Quartet who will bring the music of Julian “Cannonball” Adderley to the Shawnee Library (Saturday, February 24, 1 p.m.). February also marks the return of the Black History Month Film Series. Presented in partnership with UofL Health Sciences Center Office of Diversity and Inclusion, with support from Louisville Public Media and Lean Into Louisville, the series is held every Sunday in February at the Main Library and features thought-provoking and award-winning films, followed by discussions with university professors and local experts. The 2024 lineup features the film Maya Angelou – And Still I Rise, a double-bill of documentaries looking at Black health, The Power to Heal: Medicare and the Civil Rights Revolution and The Deadliest Disease in America, the new biographical drama Rustin, and the blockbuster hit Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. To register for this free series, visit www.LFPL.org/BHFilms. Teen Librarians have also programed a series of Black History films curated just for teens ages 13-19, screening every Wednesday night in the Teen Underground at the Main Library. Black History Month at the Library has something for all ages, with special storytimes, craft sessions, and showcases for children and teens as well.  For the complete list of LFPL’s Black History Month programs, please visit www.LFPL.org/BlackHistory.

Clean Collaborative Crew

The Clean Collaborative Crew removed 917 bags of litter, 96 tires, and 260 other items from 330.52 curb miles and completed 49 service requests from January 22 - February 9. This included the following areas in District 12:

• 3^rd St Rd from New Cut Rd to Valley Station Rd- 18 Bags and 2 Other Items
• Wisertown Rd from Manslick Rd to 3^rd St Rd- 2 Bags
• Palatka Rd from Manslick Rd to Sanders Gate Rd- 6 Bags
• St Anthony Church Rd from St Andrews Church Rd to Manslick Rd- 36 Bags, 2 Tires and 6 Other Items
• Gagel Ave from Dixie Hwy to Manslick Rd- 8 Bags and 3 Other Items
• N Madison Ave from Shelbyville Rd to Main St- 1 Bags
• Manslick Rd from Palatka Rd to Wisertown Rd- 8 bags and 4 Other Items
• Arnoldtown Rd from St Andrews Church Rd to 3^rd St Rd- 13 Bags and 6 Other Items

Also, Louisville Metro Government funded a litter collection cycle along the interstates within Louisville Metro in January. During this time, the contractor collected 34 tons of debris (approximately 3,400 bags). They are also currently working on another litter cycle along the interstate.

Since January 2024, the Clean Collaborative Crew has completed 105 service requests and removed 1,548 bags of litter, 147 tires, and 453 other items from 542.10 curb miles.

Please do your part to help keep our city clean!

Free Tax Preparation

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program Offers Free Tax Help 

The Louisville Asset Building Coalition’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program provides trained, IRS-certified volunteers who offer free tax services at 15 sites across the city. VITA is available to individuals and families who earned less than $66,000 in 2023.

Eligible Louisville residents can make an appointment to visit these VITA sites for in-person free tax filing. Most sites use convenient drop-off services.

• Americana Community Center, 4801 Southside Dr.
• Bates, 728 East Lampton St.
• Edison Center, 701 W. Ormsby Ave., Ste 201
• Family Scholar House U of L, 403 Reg Smith Circle
• Family Scholar House Riverport, 3311 Cathe Dykstra Way
• Goodwill Resource Center, 909 E. Broadway
• Louisville Urban League, 1535 W. Broadway
• Oldham County LaGrange Library, 308 Yager Avenue (LaGrange)
• Portland Promise Center, 1831 Baird St.
• Shively City Hall, 3920 Dixie Hwy.
• St. Vincent de Paul Family Success Center, 1029 S Preston Hwy.
• Sun Valley Community Center, 6505 Bethany Lane
• United Crescent Hill Ministries, 150 State St.
• Wesley House Community Services, 5114 Preston Hwy.
• Various mobile locations around the city (check www.labcservices.org for sites) 

To schedule an appointment for in-person tax assistance, call 502-305-0005 or visit https://louisvillekyvita.cascheduler.com. For more details, including days and hours of drop off services, visit https://labcservices.org/.

Free tax preparation kicks off in 2024 with the annual “Taxathon” event which offers 24-hours of free tax preparation at the Louisville Urban League. The Taxathon event runs Friday, February 2nd, from 9am to 9pm, and Saturday, February 3rd, from 9am to 9pm. Filers can walk in during these times for free tax preparation services.

Residents can also choose to have their taxes prepared at MyFreeTaxes.com, which provides a free self-file program offered in partnership by United Way Worldwide and TaxSlayer.

AARP Tax-Aide also provides free tax prep services, with special attention to people age 60 and older. AARP Tax-Aide sites will begin operating at eight sites in early February. For more information, visit http://www.aarp-tax-aide-lou.org.

Potholes! What to do?

Potholes are showing up everywhere! Why is that and how do they get fixed?

Potholes are caused by water seeping into the cracks of asphalt. This is caused by water getting into surface cracks caused by a weakened asphalt. Winter in the Metro Louisville area can be brutal with the constant amount of rain and snow that we have in the area. If the asphalt is already weakened, then the pothole is inevitable. Potholes are hard on our cars!

The good news? This is one of the easiest things to get fixed! How do you do that?

Report it! Be sure to give the exact location.

• Report it by calling Metro311 or 574-5000 or complete a form online here.
• You can also report by using the Metro Call App! The link to download the app can be found here. 
• You may also give our office a call at 502-574-1112 or email Heather.Blazis@louisvilleky.gov and we will submit it for you. 

Don’t forget to write down and keep the 311 case number when you call. That gives us a way to track the process.

We have requested several pothole repairs in the last year and Public Works has done an amazing job of getting them fixed. Let’s make sure we continue to do that! Report it as soon as you see it! Let’s get them scheduled! Working together we will make sure that we take care of these as quickly as possible!

To report a pothole on an interstate in Jefferson County, go to the “contact us” dropdown menu and select “report a hazard” on KYTC’s website http://transportation.ky.gov or click here.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

LMPD IS LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES   WHO WANTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE   LMPDJobs.com

Below please find MSD's recently posted positions. For position descriptions, pay information, and to apply please visit their website: http://www.louisvillemsd.org/Careers Buyer II  GIS Analyst I/II/III/Sr.  Collections System Supervisor (Maintenance Supervisor) Network Engineer II/III  Facilities Maintenance Technician  Health & Safety Program Manager Maintenance Mechanic I/II/III

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