Ben's Pen

A Note from CM Reno-Weber

Dear District 8,

One of my favorite parts of being on Metro Council is that I get to celebrate with people as they launch and grow their ideas into reality. Sometimes that is new businesses like La Patisserie, Moka & Co, or Edge Kids Gym. Sometimes that is civic investments like Beechmont Park and the Morton Avenue Dog Park. And sometimes it's things that bring communities together like the Cherokee Triangle Art Fair and Bardstown Road Aglow.

With all of them, we get to help support the efforts and energy of our community members, reduce barriers, and navigate the mechanics of government for the people doing the work.

In this issue, we highlight some of those initiatives in "Around D8" and recognize some of the folks doing the hard work in "D8 Works."

As always, we are grateful to the people of this community who serve as our eyes and ears. Keep letting us know what needs to be done, and we'll keep trying to make it happen. Big things come from a collection of small things - so let's get the small things right.

Don't forget to read to the end for the punchline to this month's dad joke: Where do sheep go on summer vacation?

- Ben

Around D8

This month, we welcomed several new businesses and organizations into our community! First, we attended the grand opening of Breakthrough Louisville at Louisville Collegiate. This new partnership with Breakthrough Collaborative is another step towards educational equity and success for our under-resourced students. Breakthrough Louisville (formerly Summerbridge Louisville) is a free summer school for rising middle schoolers in Jefferson County dedicated to preparing under-resourced students. By training college kids to help meet these needs, Breakthrough Louisville provides opportunities to young people in our community.

Next, we stopped by the grand opening of the newly re-branded Moka & Co. on Highland and Baxter. The Maleki (coffee infused with spices and blended with evaporated milk and honey) is amazing, and the atmosphere is perfect for a cozy hangout with friends and neighbors.

Finally, we had a fun-filled evening at the EDGE Kids Gym grand opening. It's wonderful to have a new space for our kids to play, learn, and grow right here in the Highlands. We're proud to support these and so many other local initiatives that make our community thrive. Come check them out and show your support!

D8 Works

Welcome to D8 works! The segment in which we highlight some of the constituent requests our office handled this month! On May 28th, we received a message from a constituent asking for help in cleaning up an alley. He stated that "there are areas where more than 1 ft of soil was built up on top of the original brick alley" and shared that this was causing problems with weeds, mosquitoes and water drainage. Less than a week later, our Public Works team cut back the overgrowth and scraped the brick/pavement to remove the dirt but not disturb the historic brick. We are thankful to our neighbors for sharing areas where services are needed and Public Works team for their quick action.

We received a message from a constituent about the safety of  alley on the north side of Mid-City Mall. Many Bloom students cross the alley on their way to and from school. Unfortunately, there was not adequate marking to ensure vehicles stopped for pedestrians. Less than a month later, we received confirmation that Public Works put up a new, more visible stop sign, making the intersection safer for all D8 residents.

Thank you to Olmsted Parks for their work on beautifying a public space at one of the busiest cross-roads in our district, the corner of Bardstown Road and Eastern Parkway.

What's Bubbling Up?

Upcoming Events & Opportunities to Engage

Check out the new Spring Drive Gravel Trail

We are excited to highlight the opening of the Spring Drive Gravel Trail. On June 29th, 30 volunteers worked for 5 hours to put down 90 tons of gravel across the 900 foot trail. Thanks to the Highlands Douglass Neighborhood Association, Belknap Neighborhood Association, and the Olmestead Parks Conservancy’s Park Stewards for their dedication on this project.

Contribute to Seneca Park Olmsted Parks Conservancy is working to restore the tree canopy in Seneca Park while adding amenities like benches and bike racks to improve the park experience. Generous donors have offered $10,000 as a matching gift to inspire neighbors to help fund tree plantings! When you make a gift of any amount before the end of August, you help make Seneca Park greener! You can also purchase a bench or bike rack to further improve the park. Donate now!

Attend America's Night Out Against Crime

The LMPD 5th Division is hosting "America's Night Out Against Crime" on August 6th from 5-8PM at 301 S. Peterson Avenue. Join them for an evening promoting Crime, Drug, & Violence Prevention and conversation surrounding the importance of Police-Community Partnerships. With live music, food and drink, this free event is a great way to learn more about crime prevention in our communities.

Attend the D8 August Community Meeting

We hope to see you all at our August Community Meeting, on August 17th at 2pm at Tyler Park Playground! RSVP here.

Committee Highlight: GOA

The Government Oversight/Audit Committee (GOA) provides an oversight of Metro Government's risk management, effectiveness, and internal control practices. This oversight mechanism serves to create public confidence in the integrity of the Louisville Metro government.

I'm excited about serving on this committee for two main reasons:

1) I LOVE data, and I think transparently sharing data is one of the most important building blocks for public trust. Louisville was once nationally recognized for our transparency and accountability, and I would like to help us regain that status.

B) GOA oversees the boards and commissions process. Boards and commissions are one of the most important ways citizens can get engaged with the mechanics of the city, their neighborhoods, and the issues they care about. Having high quality members who represent the full range of our community is essential to the functioning of our city. AND they are a great introduction to government for those who might be interested in public service.

Dad Joke of the Month

Where do sheep go on summer vacation?

The Baa-hamas! 

Councilmember Ben Reno-Weber  |   Louisville Metro Council   |   District 8

601 West Jefferson Street, Third Floor

Louisville, Kentucky 40202

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