In this Issue
Hello Neighbors & Friends,
Thank you to the residents who attended last week's Muffins with McCraney district-wide meeting. I enjoyed your company and appreciate your questions and concerns. Here is a recap of the things we discussed:
1. Asking the city of Northfield and Lyndon to beef up patrolling on Brownsboro Rd., between Rudy Lane and Lime Kiln Lane. Ignoring the speed limit and driving as fast as one can on Brownsboro Road seems to be the norm these days.
2. Contacting Operation Brightside (or the contract company) to ask about sprucing up the flower bed area under the 264/Westport Rd. intersection.
3. Continuing the conversations with the Louisville Metro Code Enforcement regarding the unsightly downed trees and undeveloped land adjacent to the City of Crossgate.
4. Applying to serve on boards and commissions.
5. Speaking with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet about the possibility of painting the large electrical poles being installed near the VA Hospital construction. Also, reaching out to them to get an update on the plans for expansion of Old Brownsboro Road and the 264/Brownsboro Rd. exchange.
6. Hosting a meeting with mayors of the 19 home rule cities within District 7 to discuss a district-wide outdoor concert named SuburbanFest. (Stay tuned!!! This is an idea I had in 2019 but 2020 occurred and derailed brainstorming and planning possibilities. It is time to revisit this idea. It could become a fun and well-attended yearly event for District 7 families and friends.)
7. Plan the next Muffins with McCraney at a larger facility and invite members of the Louisville Public Works Department, VA Hospital Corps of Engineers representatives, and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. The meeting date and time will be in September and announced in this eNewsletter.
Engaged residents listen as Councilwoman McCraney shares information and answers questions about some interesting D7 issues.
Councilwoman McCraney is pictured with a high school student and his mother. He came prepared with a lot of great questions for the Councilwoman. Way to go!
I would also like to give a shoutout to Mayor Becky Peak of Plantation, who, out of pure kindness, made a generous donation of socks and mouth guards to The Louisville Patriots, a local non-profit organization dedicated to helping young football players excel on the field.
Mayor Peak's big heart and work in the community goes a long way in helping children throughout the city excel at things like sports. Her heartfelt act is exactly the reason why I think District 7 is home to some of the best home rule cities in Kentucky. It is wonderful to see such kindness displayed in Louisville, and I applaud Mayor Peak for her unwavering generosity. She is truly one of our Crown Jewels!
Mayor Becky Peak stands ready to assist from the City of Plantation.
The Louisville Patriots team proudly displays the donated socks. Go Patriots!
The Louisville Metro Council held its regularly scheduled Council meeting this past Thursday, July 25th. Click the link below for the highlights from the meeting:
https://youtu.be/7JU_sS5PpIA
The next Metro Council meeting is Thursday, August 8th, at 6:00 p.m.
Louisville Metro Council livestreams all of its regular meetings and committee meetings on Metro TV, Facebook Live, and YouTube.
To see all meetings on Facebook Live, go to the Metro Council Facebook page by clicking here. To watch Metro Council Meetings live on YouTube, you can visit the LouisvilleMetroTV channel by clicking here,
The public can also view all council and committee meetings on Metro TV, Spectrum Cable Channel 184 or on UVERSE at Channel 99. Proceedings are live streamed from the Metro Council Clerk’s Archived Media page here.
For additional information or questions, you can reach the Metro Council Clerk’s Office at (502) 574-3902.
FYI: Here are SOME of the new state laws that went into effect on July 15th, 2024...
Budget and Financial Measures:
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House Bill 6: Establishes a $128 billion budget plan for the state executive branch, focusing on education, public safety, and economic development.
Public Safety and Crime:
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House Bill 5 (Safer Kentucky Act): Addresses repeat violent offenders, includes provisions for manslaughter charges related to fentanyl overdoses, and criminalizes homelessness.
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House Bill 278: Increases penalties for child sexual abuse and prevents convicted sex offenders from working in public schools.
Maternal and Infant Health:
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Senate Bill 74: Requires health plans to cover pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care, including substance use disorder treatment and breastfeeding- related services.
Education:
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House Bill 535: Establishes academic standards for civic literacy in high schools.
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House Bill 2: Proposes a constitutional amendment to allow financial support for education outside the public school system.
Health and Welfare:
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House Bill 115: Eliminates co-pays for follow-up breast cancer diagnostic
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House Bill 52: Requires health plans to cover preventive cancer screenings without deductibles.
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Senate Bill 111: Removes insurance coverage limits on speech therapy for
Social Issues and Civil Rights:
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Senate Bill 249: Requires sex offenders convicted of abusing minors to use their legal names on social media platforms.
Additional Noteworthy Bills:
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Animal Abuse (House Bill 258): Strengthens penalties against dog and cat
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Medicinal Cannabis (House Bill 829): Updates Kentucky's medicinal cannabis program.
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Vaping in Schools (House Bill 142): Bans tobacco and vaping products in public schools.
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Juvenile Offenders (Senate Bill 20): Allows juveniles to be tried as adults for certain felonies involving firearms.
Health and Welfare:
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House Bill 159: Protects health care providers from criminal liability for medical errors resulting from gross negligence or willful misconduct.
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Senate Bill 145: Allows health care providers enrolled in Medicaid to conduct employee background checks using state abuse registries.
Crime and Public Safety:
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House Bill 207: Creates felony penalties for possessing, trafficking, or promoting the use of child sex dolls, and expands laws against child pornography to include computer-generated images.
Education:
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House Bill 447: Updates regulations to allow school districts to use smaller passenger vehicles for student transportation.
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Senate Bill 167: Mandates elementary schools to teach cursive handwriting and ensure proficiency by the end of fifth grade.
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House Bill 611: Requires school officials to file a complaint with the county attorney when a student misses 15 days of school without an excuse.
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House Concurrent Resolution 81: Establishes the Efficient and Effective School District Governance Task Force for Jefferson County Public Schools.
Consumer Protection:
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House Bill 179: Allows employers to offer paid family leave insurance to
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House Bill 695: Establishes an adaptive kindergarten readiness pilot project within the Kentucky Department of Education.
Civil Rights and Social Issues:
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Senate Bill 2: Allows veterans and former police officers to serve as school guardians due to the lack of qualified School Resource Officers.
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House Bill 142: Bans all tobacco, alternative nicotine, and vapor products in public schools.
Government and Regulation:
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House Bill 622: Requires vacant U.S. Senate seats to be filled through special elections instead of gubernatorial appointments.
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House Bill 388: Includes multiple provisions to revamp Louisville Metro Government, including changes to election procedures for the metro council and Establishes Metro Council and the Mayors Office as nonpartisan races.
Miscellaneous:
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House Bill 357: Prevents the government from creating lists of privately owned firearms or their owners.
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House Bill 386: Eases purchase limits on pseudoephedrine for people with chronic allergies.
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Senate Bill 45: Establishes an alert system for finding missing people over the age of 17.
For a comprehensive review of all new laws passed and now in effect, please visit the Kentucky General Assembly website or click here: https://legislature.ky.gov/Legislation/Pages/default.aspx
Tuscan Sun L.L.C., 2619 Hedgepath Trail, Louisville, Ky 40245, Hereby declares intention(s) to apply for a NQ4 Retail Malt Beverage Drink License, Quota Retail Drink License, Sampling License, and Special Sunday Retail Drink License license(s) no later than July 18, 2024.
The business to be licensed will be located at 1301 Herr Lane Ste. 135, Louisville, Kentucky 40222 doing business as Sea Love Louisville. The owner(s) are as follows: Suzanne Henderson-Ciotti, 2619 Hedgepath Trail, Louisville, KY 40245.
Any person, association, corporation, or body politic, may protest the granting of the license(s) by writing the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, 500 Mero St 2NE33, Frankfort, Kentucky, 40601, or via email: abc.info@ky.gov, within thirty (30) days of the date of legal publication. Publication Dates L00000000
The YES! Direct is a new resource from The Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods that is a collective, one-stop community database that will enable families and youth to find services and programs to meet their needs and interests.
It is a gateway for organizations and individuals focused on Louisville's youth to be included in the vital movement that promotes and ensures that our youth are prepared for their futures.
To check out the Yes! Direct, you can visit the Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods website by clicking here.
If you are a youth service provider that would like to apply to the YES! Direct, you can APPLY HERE. Applicants must be a registered 501c3 organization that administers background checks to all staff and volunteers.
Is your child a JCPS rider? Make sure to visit the Bus Teller to see bus stop information
Make sure to log in to the Transportation Portal to find your bus stop information using the new Bus Teller platform. Please check Bus Teller frequently to ensure you have the most up-to-date stop information.
Students must complete the Transportation Verification form to be assigned a bus stop. If your child is eligible for JCPS transportation and you've recently moved, please also report your address change by using the Proof of Address Form OR call your child’s school.
These conversations are part of the ongoing Land Development Code (LDC) Reform. The LDC Reform is an equity focused approach to revise the LDC consistently with Plan 2040 to allow for increased housing choices and opportunities in new and existing neighborhoods, to create procedures and regulations that are easier to use and increase the quality of life by reducing the concentration of environmental hazards near housing.
You can learn more by visiting the Land Development Code Reform website.
If you have questions, contact ldcreform@louisvilleky.gov or 574-5860.
Next week is the last chance to apply for the Louisville MSD Urban Reforestation Grants Program.
Grants will pay for tree planting project within the MSD Drainage Service area, which includes all of Jefferson County except for the cities of Shively, Jeffersontown, St. Matthews and Anchorage.
To download the application, click here. The application deadline is Thursday, August 1 at 5 p.m. ET. If you have questions about the application, please contact MSD by emailing trees@louisvillemsd.org or by calling (502) 540-6022. For further information and FAQs, you can visit the Urban Reforestation Grants Program website.
Did you know that the Jefferson County Public Law Library has a Legal Help Center? Whether it's meeting with volunteer attorneys or navigating the court system, you can visit the Jefferson County Help Center downtown from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Tuesday.
For more information, you can call (502) 574-5943
Calling all Louisville resident youth ages 16 to 24: Apply to be a member of the 2025 Metro Youth Cabinet! Work directly with elected officials and community leaders on education, health, and safety, and offer solutions to policy challenges. The deadline to apply is September 30 - scan the code above or access the application here.
It's the last week of the Louisville Free Public Library's Summer Reading Program! While the start of the school year is just around the corner, there's still time to finish this year's program of A Universe of Stories!
To complete the program, school-aged children need to read ten books, teens read six books, and preschool-aged children and younger need to read, or have read to them, 20 books. Everyone who completes the program will receive an alien pencil pouch (kids) or tech bag (teens), as well as coupons for free treats from Ehrler’s Ice Cream and Fazoli’s, and free passes to area attractions like Kentucky Science Center, Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, Squire Boone Caverns, Louisville Bats Baseball, Racing Louisville FC, select UofL sports, and more.
LFPL’s Summer Reading Program is presented by the Library Foundation and is absolutely FREE. Participants can register online at LFPL.org/SummerReading, or stop by any Louisville Free Public Library location between now and August 3.
The Louisville Metro Police Foundation is partnering with the Victim Services Unit and 911 Cell Phone Bank (911cellphonebank.org) to conduct a cell phone drive.
Donating your old cell phone is a way to support the work of 911 Cell Phone Bank and give back to our community by ensuring victims of crime have meaningful access to emergency services. Cell phone drop boxes will be located at all National Night Out (August 6th, 2024 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.)
Feel free to drop-off your phone at the locations in the poster above.
Free Class through Simmons College’s Freedom Summer 2024
There is still time enroll in a Tuesday night session of free political education taught by Professor/Metro Councilman Jecorey Arthur at Simmons College of Kentucky’s 2024 Freedom School!
About Freedom Schools
The Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson Sr. Center for Racial Justice at Simmons College of Kentucky is offering Freedom Schools—free political education classes—in honor of the 60th anniversary of the Mississippi Freedom Summer. In each class, students will learn about political systems, who is trying to improve them, and how to get involved. All classes will be taught by Jecorey Arthur, a professor of music, sociology, and activism at Simmons College of Kentucky. He will be joined by special guests with experience in organizing, government, and more. Each class will be hosted in-person at different community centers and online via Zoom on Tuesday evenings June 18 - August 20. Dinner will be provided.
Class Format
Opening Activity 6-6:15 PM (15 Minutes)
Lesson 6:15-6:45 PM (30 Minutes)
Q&A 6:45-7 PM (15 Minutes)
Networking Dinner by Mattie's Kitchen 7-7:30 PM (30 Minutes)
Please save your seat -- Register Here
More Info
For more information visit simmonscollegeky.edu/freedomsummer or contact Professor Jecorey Arthur at jarthur@simmonscollegeky.edu or by phone at (502)230-1616.
Join fiber artist Briana Frederick to learn about weaving on Tuesday July 30th, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at St. Matthews Eline Library! The loom is the primary partner for a weaver, but there are many other important tools.
Come learn about being an artist and production weaver, see the loom in action and even weave some yourself! Listen to The Weaver’s Surprise by Tom Knisely. Ages 3-8.
Join Locust Grove in an evening of rich cultural history by welcoming Fred Keams (Navajo [Dine]). Mr. Keams will demonstrate the sounds and melodies of traditional Navajo flute music under the breathtaking Locust Grove Pavilion. Through Mr. Keams's expert playing, you will learn about the tradition, skill, and power of Indigenous music.
For tickets and more information, you can visit the Locust Grove Website.
The next WFPK Waterfront Wednesday is almost here! Come to the Big Four Lawn in Waterfront Park this Wednesday, July 31st, and enjoy live music from Modern English, Snacktime and Digby!
The Big Four Lawn is located next to the Big Four Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge. The lawn opens at 5 p.m., with music beginning promptly at 6 p.m.
don't forget to enter to win free reserved parking and backstage access for the concert, tickets to Sky Soul Festival at Waterfront Park on August 10 and two premium tickets to Jason Isbell at Rupp Arena on September 6.
How many differences can you find while comparing the two pictures? Our answers are at the bottom of this eNewsletter. Have fun!
Having issues with high grass, illegal parking, street repairs, or other Code Enforcement concerns in the community? Contact 311!
Metro311 Service Request Information
- Submit a Service Request in the online system.
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Only service requests for the past 30 days will be accessible in the system. If you need information on an older request, please call Metro 311 for status.
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To receive email notifications of the status of your service request you must have an account and you must have included your email address when you created your account. You can create a new account and report a new issue.
- Not all issues you put a service request in for require you to login. Some issues may be submitted anonymously, such as reporting a pothole and property maintenance cases, for instance. But having an account will allow you to track the progress and status of the request.
- The outlined or highlighted area on the map indicates the area which is serviced by Louisville Metro Government.
If you do not see a category which corresponds to your issue, please call Metro311 at 311.
For all the details you need regarding the new drivers license please click the link below:
To read about the most recent VA Medical Center construction events, go to: https://www.va.gov/louisville-health-care/programs/new-robley-rex-va-medical-center
To request weekly updates about the construction events, send an email requesting updates to: LOUVAMCCONSTRUCTION@USACE.ARMY.MIL
For ALL construction-related inquiries, please email: LOUVAMCCONSTRUCTION@USACE.ARMY.MIL
Check us out on social media:
Metro Louisville now has an interactive map that will allow you to see what is happening in your neighborhood as well as others across the city. The map updates daily and if you choose you can receive alerts for your area by subscribing using the red receive alerts button on the page. Click here to try it out: Interactive Map to Track Crime.
Message from the LMPD 8th Division
Please make note of the below tips to help make sure theft doesn't happen to you.
- Never leave anything of value in your vehicle; this includes laptops, purses, GPS devices and even loose change.
- Do not leave your vehicle running while unattended.
- Always lock your vehicle doors.
- Remove garage door openers from vehicles when parked outside.
- Do not leave your keys in your vehicle, this includes key-fobs.
- Do not leave the windows of your vehicle open, or partially open.
- Try to park your vehicle in a well-lit area.
- Never leave a firearm unprotected in your vehicle.
- Immediately report any suspicious person, or vehicle to (502) 574-7111.
Click here to Subscribe to the 5th Division E-Newsletter
District Resource Officers (DRO's)
After more than 3 years the 5th Division is happy to announce we have 2 DRO's! DRO's are the "Jack of all Trades" for the community. They are our problem solvers, ambassadors, community representatives and anything else you can think of. Congratulations to Officers John Keeling and Brad Steller, your 5th Division DRO's.
They can be contacted at the links below.
Officer John Keeling
Officer Brad Steller
Need support now?
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available.
Are you thinking of hurting yourself or ending your life? Text LOU to 741741
Community mental health resources:
Metro United Way's Community Resource Directory can connect you mental health and crisis intervention resources. Or call 211.
Need to dispose of unwanted bulk items? Click the link below for details regarding Pop-Up Drop-Off event dates around Louisville. Click HERE
Accepted Items:
- Up to 3 electronic items (recycled)
- Metal & appliances - no refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers or any items containing Freon (recycled)
- Up to 4 passenger tires (recycled)
- Household recyclables, follow curbside rules (recycled)
- Yard waste, follow curbside rules, wooden pallets (composted)
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Large household items (landfilled)
- Documents for shredding (recycled)
Prescription medication (disposed properly)
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Stay aware of new development in your area! Sign up for Gov Delivery notifications at:
https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/KYLOUISVILLE/subscriber/new
On January 1, 2019, a new Comprehensive Plan, called Plan 2040, went into effect. As a resident of District 7 (or any district in Louisville), it is important to review the Comprehensive Plan if you are interested in development that is proposed for the neighborhood. The Comprehensive Plan is the guidepost for all development, and the Planning Commission must use it as one of the guiding principles and tools for making decisions regarding the approval or denial of a neighborhood development project.
Read The Comprehensive Plan (Plan 2040)
The Comprehensive Plan is representative of over 6,000 voices, including Metro staff, an advisory committee, and resident volunteers. The Advisory Committee, made up of diverse representatives from neighborhood and community organizations as well as development and business interests, finalized its recommended goals, objectives, and policies on February 21, 2018.
On April 16, 2018, the Planning Commission recommended the Comprehensive Plan for approval. The document was then reviewed by the Metro Council as well as 12 local municipalities with zoning authority for formal adoption. Those 12 local municipalities are: Anchorage, Douglass Hills, Graymoor-Devondale, Hurstbourne, Indian Hills, Jeffersontown, Lyndon, Middletown, Prospect, Shively, St. Matthews, and St. Regis Park.
Plan 2040 Survey Findings
Plan 2040 Demographic and Economic Projections
Plan 2040 Core Graphics
Louisville Metro Council livestreams all of its regular meetings and committee meetings on Facebook Live.
To see all meetings on Facebook Live, go to the Metro Council Facebook page by clicking here.
The public can also view all council and committee meetings on Metro TV, Spectrum Cable Channel 184 or on UVERSE at Channel 99. Proceedings are live streamed from the Metro Council Clerk’s Archived Media page here.
To watch the Council meeting and access the agenda and related attachments, click HERE.
Click Here to: View All Agencies
Click Here to Visit Website for Laws, State Legislators, Watch Bills, etc.
Click here for more info.
Click here to read the social media policy of the Louisville Metro Council. |
