 Councilman Ken Herndon issued a statement expressing his support for the reappointment of Edward Harness as Louisville’s Inspector General.
“Prior to my election to the Metro Council, I served the Louisville Downtown Partnership for 25 years in various capacities. During that time, working hand-in-hand with LMPD as well as in a couple of neighborhood association presidencies, I learned the critical importance of accountability when serving the public. As elected officials, our constituents hold each of us accountable in elections; I believe it is essential that all public servants, including police officers, be accountable as well.
The creation of the Office of Inspector General, as well as, more recently, the Independent Monitor, provides a multi-faceted oversight system that can make our police department a model for the nation and the kind of department all of us, including the men and women of LMPD, can be proud of. The Inspector General position was created before I got here but, as a council member, I was honored to be part of the team that scored the Independent Monitor applicants and was excited to see that the public comments tipped the scale to choose what is, in my opinion, the best monitor team that I believe will serve Louisville well.
The Inspector General, along with the Independent Monitor, working together, serve a great need for the community, including LMPD. I am glad to see Mayor Greenberg reappoint Ed Harness as Inspector General, continuing this vital role for Louisville Metro, and voted Yes to affirm his reappointment. I believe that Mr. Harness has earned it.”
At last week’s Metro Council meeting on Thursday, November 13, Councilman Herndon presented a special proclamation to Dr. Anne Kenworthy, the eleventh president of Spalding University.
 Hey neighbors!
Whether you’ve lived here for decades, just moved in, or a visitor District 4 is your home—and it thrives when we all pitch in. We’re looking for volunteers of all ages and backgrounds to help power our community programs, events, and local efforts.
No fancy titles needed. Just bring your time, your talents, and your heart. From helping at block parties to registration at community events, or lending a hand at town cleanups—there’s a role for everyone.
This is your chance to:
- Meet new people and make connections
- Share your skills or learn something new
- Help shape the future of our community
- Be part of something bigger than yourself
Whether you're 5 or 85, your voice matters. Your energy matters. You matter.
Ready to make a difference? Sign up here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/Mfr94WFfng
 Join Councilman Ken Herndon and Councilwoman Tammy Hawkins for the next Community Violence Prevention Meeting.
Monday, November 17, 2025
6:00 p.m.
Goodwill West Louisville Opportunity Center
(2820 West Broadway St.)
Agenda
6-6:30 p.m. Welcome & Introductions
6:30-6:45 p.m. Review of September meeting
6:45-7:45 p.m. Breakout Committee Sessions
7:45-8:00 p.m. Reassemble/Wrap-up
 The Louisville Metro Council held their regularly scheduled Council meeting tonight. Here are some of the highlights.
Old Business
- O-136-25: resolution approving the reappointment of Edward Harness as the Inspector General.
- O-267-25: an ordinance repealing and replacing the Louisville Metro Code of Ordinances 115.170 regarding massage facilities.
- Approved Neighborhood Development Funds to:
- Young Adult Development in Action, Inc. for a culinary instructor.
Special Recognitions and Proclamations
- Councilor Betsy Ruhe honored Officers Kenneth Allen and Jeffrey Emerich for their heroic actions.
- Councilman Herndon introduced the new President of Spalding University, Dr. Anne Kenworthy.
Consent Calendar – all items passed unanimously
- O-271-25: an ordinance regarding the Louisville Policeman’s Retirement Fund changing Metro’s contribution to the system and benefits of the retired officer.
- O-273-25: an ordinance regarding the Louisville Firefighter’s Pension Fund changing Metro’s contribution to the system and benefits of the retired firefighter.
- R-132-25: resolution honoring Mary Lee and George Fischer by re-dedicating the corner of East Witherspoon Street and North Floyd Street.
- O-264:25: an ordinance amending LMCO to prohibit overnight parking in Metro Parks.
- O-262-25: an ordinance amending the Metro LDC regarding free standing birthing facilities.
- R-134-25: resolution requesting the Planning Commission review to Metro LDC relating to package liquor stores.
- O-263-25: an ordinance approving the South Central Neighborhood Plan
- Approved Neighborhood Development Funds to:
- TreesLouisville, Inc. for tree canopy project on Frankfort Avenue
Tonight’s Council meeting and attachments may be viewed online, and on the Louisville Metro Council Facebook Page.
The next scheduled Council meeting is on Thursday, December 4, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.
 The Louisville Metro Council and District 4 have teamed up with the Association of Community Ministries to host a Holiday Food Drive collecting essential foods for those most in need this season.
All donations will go to the Association of Community Ministries to be divided among the 13 Area Community Ministries.
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WHEN: November 14 – December 9
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WHERE: You may drop off your food donations at:
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WHAT IS NEEDED:
- Canned chicken/tuna
- Boxed or dry milk
- Canned items (stew, chili, soup, tomatoes)
- Ramen
- Pasta and pasta sauce
- Cereal
- Oatmeal packets
- Rice
- Beans
- Cooking oil
- Spices and condiments
Can't drop off food but want to donate monetarily?
Visit: https://www.louisvilleministries.org/ and click "Donate to ACM" to give. Please call 574-1117 with any questions or for more information.
  Louisville health officials have detected norovirus in the city’s wastewater—an early warning sign of increased community spread. Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes sudden stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It spreads quickly in close-contact settings like schools, workplaces, and households.
What You Need to Know
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Symptoms: Stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and sometimes fever or headache.
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Transmission: Through contaminated food, surfaces, or direct contact with an infected person.
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Duration: Symptoms typically last 1–3 days, but the virus can remain contagious for longer.
How to Protect Yourself and Others
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Wash hands frequently with soap and water—especially after using the bathroom and before eating.
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Disinfect surfaces with bleach-based cleaners, especially in kitchens and bathrooms.
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Avoid preparing food for others while experiencing symptoms and for at least 48 hours after they stop.
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Stay home if you're sick to prevent spreading the virus.
Norovirus is tough—it can survive on surfaces for days and resists many common disinfectants. Practicing good hygiene is your best defense.
For more updates and tips, visit Louisville Metro Public Health & Wellness.
Baby formula maker ByHeart is recalling all of its powdered infant formula products following an outbreak of infant botulism potentially linked to its formula.
Since August, 15 cases have been reported across 12 states, primarily affecting babies between 16 days and 5 months old, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The FDA has requested that all recalled ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula products be immediately removed from store shelves. These products were distributed nationwide through online retailers, distribution centers, and retail stores. Due to possible contamination with Clostridium botulinum, they pose a serious health risk to infants. Products should no longer be available for purchase.
Action Steps for Food Distributors (Stores, Food Banks, etc.):
- Do not sell or use recalled infant formula.
- Wash and sanitize any items or surfaces that may have come into contact with recalled formula.
What is Clostridium botulinum?
Infant botulism is a rare but potentially fatal illness caused when Clostridium botulinum spores are ingested and colonize an infant’s intestinal tract, producing botulinum neurotoxins in the immature gut.
Symptoms may include:
- Constipation
- Poor feeding
- Drooping eyelids (ptosis)
- Sluggish pupils
- Low muscle tone
- Difficulty sucking and swallowing
- Weak or altered cry
- Generalized weakness
- Breathing difficulties, which can lead to respiratory arrest
ByHeart is taking proactive steps to remove any potential risk and ensure the highest level of safety for infants.
Questions? Call 502-574-6650.
 As colder months set in, vacant properties face increased risks of crime, fires, break‑ins, and other safety hazards. Unsecured buildings don’t just endanger themselves—they threaten the safety of our entire community.
The Department of Codes and Regulations urges residents and property owners to take action now:
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Secure and maintain vacant properties to prevent emergencies.
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Stay compliant with city codes by keeping buildings clean and safe.
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Act early to avoid costly incidents and protect neighbors as temperatures drop.
If you have concerns about a vacant or abandoned property—or need guidance on securing your own—please contact our office at (502) 574‑2508.
Together, we can freeze out fire risk and keep our neighborhoods safe and healthy this winter. Your action matters!
Yard waste plays an important role in creating nutrient-rich compost for our community — but only if it’s clean! Contamination in the yard waste stream makes composting harder and reduces the quality of the final product. Here’s how you can help:
Best practice reminders
- No plastic bags — ever! Use paper yard waste bags or reusable containers.
- Keep yard work materials out of the bin. Plant pots, plant tags, mulch and soil bags are the most common contaminants.
- Know your service schedule. Don’t mix trash with yard waste on collection days.
- Seasonal items welcome. Pumpkins and Christmas trees can go in yard waste during the holidays — just remove all decorations first!
- Don’t blow leaves into the street. It clogs storm drains, causes water treatment issues, and keeps leaves from becoming compost at Smith Creek.
Where does yard waste go?
Ever wonder what happens after your yard waste is picked up? It doesn’t just disappear — it goes on a journey to become something valuable! Yard waste is taken to Smith Creek Industrial Composting, where it’s ground, piled, and carefully managed to break down into rich compost. Smith Creek produces soil amendments, mulch, animal bedding, and even fuel pellets — used throughout Louisville Metro and available for purchase locally.
Plastic and other contaminants interfere with this process. Please do your part to keep yard waste clean so it can return to the Earth in a useful way. It’s a full-circle story — and you’re a key part of it!
Why contamination matters
When trash like plastic bags, plant pots, rocks, or even outdoor toys end up in yard waste bins, it causes big problems:
- More sorting and higher costs
- Lower-quality compost
- Risk of plastic bits in soil products
Only yard waste belongs in your bin: grass, leaves, sticks, small branches, pinecones, and other plant material. If it comes from the Earth, it should go back to the Earth — not the landfill.
Metro Public Works offers FREE leaf drop-off from Tuesday to Saturday, Nov. 4 – Dec. 6. Closed: Nov. 27 – 29 for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Accepted:
Loose leaves, leaves in paper/compostable bags or reusable containers
Not accepted:
Trash, plastic bags, or other yard waste
Reminder:
If you bring leaves in a reusable container, please take it back with you.
Drop-off locations (open Tuesday – Saturday, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.):
- Public Works Yard – 10500 Lower River Rd. (enter from Bethany Lane)
- East District Operations Center – 595 N. Hubbards Ln.
- Shawnee Park Athletic Complex – 230 Southwestern Pkwy.
- 535 Meriwether Ave – across from Solid Waste office
Watch our new videos about where yard waste goes, contamination issues, and why you should "love 'em and leave 'em"! You can also learn more about watching this story on WDRB.
 A Christmas Carol Returns to Actors Theatre of Louisville
Scrooge is back—humbug and all! This December, the Pamela Brown Auditorium transforms into a winter wonderland as Charles Dickens’ beloved classic takes the stage in a brand-new production. With enchanting ghosts, a spirited ensemble, and the music of the season, this Christmas Carol captures the joy, magic, and heart of the holidays.
Adapted by Lavina Jadhwani, this acclaimed version embraces generosity, community, and the power of second chances. It’s the perfect way to share the season with family and friends—and to rediscover a tradition that never gets old.
December 5–21, 2025
Pamela Brown Auditorium | Actors Theatre of Louisville
🎄 Reserve your tickets today!
 Crews completed paving and temporary striping last Friday along the East Market Street corridor in NuLu, marking another major milestone in the East Market Streetscape Project.
The full corridor remained open to traffic throughout construction, with only a brief 36-hour full closure required for paving work. With temporary striping now in place, traffic is moving smoothly again from Brook Street to Baxter Avenue. Permanent striping is scheduled for this week, weather permitting.
Most of the project is now complete, with only finishing touches remaining — including landscaping.
About the Project
The East Market Streetscape Project is a $12 million investment transforming nearly a mile of East Market Street into a safer, more accessible, and more welcoming corridor for everyone who drives, walks, or bikes. Key features include:
- Landscaped medians
- Improved crosswalks
- Upgraded pedestrian amenities
- A dedicated, separated bike facility
“Projects like this take time, and we recognize there have been growing pains for nearby businesses and residents,” said Rosa Halcomb, project manager with the Louisville Department of Transportation. “But keeping businesses accessible and minimizing disruption was always a priority, and seeing traffic moving smoothly again is a big step forward.”
 During Faith & Science, we will celebrate community heroes & learn from an expert panel discussing the key intersections of faith & science.
Date:
- Thursday, December 11 at St. Stephen Baptist Church (1018 South 15th Street, Louisville, KY 40210)
- Reception: 5:15 pm ET
- Panel: 6:00 pm ET
RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/faith-science-tickets-1830829021889
"& Science" Trailblazer Awardee:
- Ms. Elmer Lucille Allen (Artist and first African-American chemist at Brown-Forman)
Speakers:
- Dr. Kevin W. Cosby (Senior Pastor of St. Stephen Baptist Church and President of Simmons College of Kentucky)
- Dr. Angelique Johnson (CEO/Founder, MEMStim LLC)
- Dr. Justin Mog (Assistant to the Provost for Sustainability Initiatives, University of Louisville)
- Waylon Riley (Youth Program Manager & Assistant Camp Director, Trager Family JCC)
- Rev. Dr. Leah Schade (Associate Professor of Preaching and Worship, Lexington Theological Seminary)
Also Featuring:
- Dr. Natasha DeJarnett (Assistant Professor, Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville)
- Rev. Dr. Lauren Jones Mayfield (Executive Director, Center for Interfaith Relations)
- Dr. Michael Brandon McCormack (Professor and Chair of Pan-African Studies, Professor of Interdisciplinary and Public Humanities (Religious Studies), University of Louisville)
Faith & Science Panel Objectives:
- Explore key intersections of faith & science
- Discuss challenges & opportunities for voices of faith in a time of climate crisis
- Share examples of faith community responses to matters of health & environmental concerns
- Envision a brighter future for faith & science
About the forum series:
The Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute is hosting a new quarterly health forum called “& Science". The second installment of the series will focus on Faith & Science, featuring leaders from different faith traditions. The “& Science” series provides a community forum for conversations at the intersection of health, the environment & science. Future events will focus on history, art & science.
 UofL is offering FREE digital literacy training classes with the exciting addition of Microsoft Outlook to help participants gain a better understanding of how to manage and optimize their email use.
Training topics include:
- Microsoft Forms
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Teams
- Power BI
- Conversational AI: Using AI to Create Documents
 What: Urban Forestry, TreesLouisville, and Louisville Grows are teaming up for a Community-Wide Planting Day on Saturday, November 15, to plant over 100 new trees throughout the St. Joseph neighborhood! This effort is made possible thanks to 100+ volunteers who will help plant trees along rights-of-way, in residential yards, and on large privately owned properties.
The St. Joseph neighborhood currently has only 21% tree canopy cover. Its proximity to Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport and I-65 makes it an ideal location for additional trees. Over time, these trees will:
- Filter air pollution
- Reduce stormwater runoff
- Improve neighborhood aesthetics
- Provide shade and cooling benefits
This marks the 4th year these organizations have collaborated to create a greener, healthier neighborhood in just one day! Volunteers will also enjoy lunch, courtesy of The Klausing Group.
WHEN: Saturday, November 15, 2025
TIME: 10:45 AM – 3:00 PM
WHERE: 760 Eastern Parkway – Our Mother of Sorrows
WHO: Urban Forestry, TreesLouisville, and Louisville Grows
About the Partners
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Louisville Grows: A nonprofit dedicated to growing greener, healthier neighborhoods through community engagement and green space development. Learn more.
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TreesLouisville: A nonprofit focused on preserving and expanding Louisville’s tree canopy through education and civic engagement. Learn more.
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Urban Forestry: A division of Louisville Parks and Recreation committed to improving and maintaining the city’s tree infrastructure. Learn more.
Why It Matters
Planting trees improves air quality, reduces heat, and enhances quality of life. Louisville’s declining tree canopy disproportionately affects vulnerable neighborhoods. Every tree planted today helps build a cooler, greener, and healthier Louisville for tomorrow.
 Metro United Way’s Hardship to Hope Food Relief Fund is offering prepaid grocery gift cards for SNAP-eligible households with children and seniors in Metro United Way’s service area, including Jefferson County.
To apply for grocery gift cards through the Hardship to Hope Food Relief Fund, you must apply online.
CLICK HERE TO APPLY
Details:
- Applicants must show proof of SNAP eligibility and a government-issued photo ID. Details on eligibility requirements are available in the H2H FAQ.
- We are initially prioritizing households that expected to receive their SNAP benefits between November 1 – 7.
- Applications will open daily (M-F) at 8:00 a.m. and again at 5:00 p.m. and remain open until the limit for applications has been reached.
- Eligible recipients will receive gift card amounts varying from $200 - $350 depending on the size of the household.
If you do not qualify for the Hardship to Hope Food Relief Fund, you can call or visit 211 for other food resources. For more information on this program, visit the Metro United Way website.
Please note: Metro United Way is processing a limited number of applications per day and working to increase the limit to provide resources to as many households as possible.
 Looking for winter fun?
Our Winter Break Camps are the perfect way to keep kids ages 5–12 active and creative during the holiday season!
From games and crafts to outdoor play and new friendships, it’s all happening Dec. 29–Jan. 2 at community centers across Louisville.
Registration is just $60.
Sign up today by clicking here.
 You're invited to the KFC Yum! Center's FREE 15th Birthday Bash: Movie & More! presented by Norton Children's on November 23! 🎉
November 23
Door open + games, giveaways, & more begin at 5 PM
Movie begins at 6 PM
For more information please visit: bit.ly/BirthdayBashInfoYum25
Get your tickets at: bit.ly/BirthdayBashYum25
It's going to be bigger, brighter, and merrier than ever! We'll be featuring The Grinch on the arena’s massive center-hung above the court, plus have lots of fun activities and giveaways for your whole family to enjoy before the movie!
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