It's your chance to share your ideas and concerns face-to-face with Mayor Fischer at “Talk to Greg” on Monday, November 11 at Eastern High School, 12400 Old Shelbyville Road from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

“As we work to build the best city government in America, I want to hear directly from citizens on what’s working, what’s not working and how we can do things better,” Fischer said. “Whether it’s a big idea for moving our entire city forward, or something that impacts your neighborhood, I’m all ears.”

At "Talk to Greg” -- the mayor is joined by city department directors, mayor’s office staff and Metro Councilmembers. All citizen suggestions and requests will be placed in the city tracking system for follow-up.

The Eastwood Village Council will hold their annual meeting on Wednesday, November 13 at 7:00 p.m. at in the Recreation Center, 16300 Eastwood Cut Off Road.

The Eastwood Village Council includes the following neighborhoods: Arlington Meadows, Ashmoor Woods, Bella Vista Woods, Bridgemoor Estates, Brookfield, Chestnut Glen, Coventry Place, Gardiner Park, Glen Lakes, Locust Creek, Meremount Ridge, Polo Fields, Shakes Run, The Meadows and Waterstone.

Area residents are invited to attend the annual meeting.

St. Mary’s Center 2nd Annual Soup/Chili Cook-off & Fall Festival is Saturday, November 23rd, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at their new building located at 14207 Aiken Road.

Chili chefs are board members and the soup chefs are staff.  Come eat and vote for your favorite!  Admission is $10 per adult and $5 per child which includes soup, chili and free drinks.  Hot dogs are $1 and desserts 50 cents.

St. Mary’s Center, a non-denominational agency, serves over 150 adults and teens with intellectual disabilities from the Louisville Metro area.  They are in their 20th year of providing vocational, functional, and academic and socialization training.  In addition, they teach lifetime leisure skills and a vast array of sports activities.  These person-centered programs and services enable participants to become more independent and fully functioning members of our community.

If you can’t attend this event but would like to make a donation, please visit www.saintmaryscenter.org.

Someone has a coat they do not need- someone needs a coat they do not have.

We welcome anyone who would like to volunteer during the event. At the end of the day we donate any extra coats to non-profits to give away. Please join us at the following locations

www.freecoatexchange.org- check our web site for location updates

 Louisville sites:

• The Green Building, 732 East Market Street  Contact Ted Loebenberg, 401 952 6566  info@freecoatexchange.org
• Westport Road Baptist Church 9705 Westport Road. Contact Kellie Johnston 502425-2350 ext 117 kellie@mywrbc.org
• St. Paul Ame Church  1518 South 28th St. Contact Rev. Nachia Woods 502 436-7301 n0wood03@cardmail.louisville.com
• Schmitt's Florist parking lot 5050 Poplar Level Road Contact Russ Schmitt 502 969 8579 russ@schmittsflorist.org
• Save-A-Lot Food Store 4148 Taylor Blvd. Contact Craig Oeswein (502) 367-8433   taylorsavelot@hotmail.com
• Mary Queen Of Peace St. Helen Campus 4005 Dixie Highway Contact Fr Tom 502 448-4008 tgentile29@insightbb.com
• Grace Immanuel U.C.C. 1612 Story Avenue Contact Wade McCallum 502 290-8327 gracechurch1612@bellsouth.net
• St. Lukes Episcopal Church, 1206 Maple Lane, Anchorage, KY. Contact Bob LaMontagne Home- 502-253-0601 boblam@insightbb.com  Drop coats off until 11-27-2013 at Church
• New Albany , In
• YMCA of Southern Indiana  33 State Street New Albany, In Contact jafaitelson@gmail.com 917 847-3600

 Drop off sites: St. Lukes Episcopal Church, 1206 Maple Lane, Anchorage, Ky..Contact Bob LaMontagne  boblam@insightbb.com  Drop coats off until 11-27

The Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District is offering free soil testing for homeowners - and fall is the perfect season to test your soil.

Why should I test my soil? - Although fertilizer, lime, and other amendments can be very helpful in establishing happy, healthy plants, they pose a risk if not used properly. Excess fertilizer and chemicals wash away with rainwater and pollute our local streams and waterways. The first guideline of responsible fertilizer application is to take a soil sample and have it analyzed to determine fertilizer needs. Soil samples are analyzed for specific soil nutrients to determine proper application rates of fertilizer and lime for optimum plant growth. A routine analysis includes soil pH, P, and K. Completed soil test results, along with a recommendation on fertilization and liming, are mailed to the client. The Jefferson County Conservation District is hopeful this program will not only assist landowners with applying proper nutrients for healthy soils but also address non-point source pollution and its effect on the community's water quality.

How much does it cost? - The standard $7 soil test is all one normally needs for a fertility evaluation. In order to promote the practice of soil testing, the Jefferson County SWCD has developed a soil test incentive program to offset the cost of soil analysis for Louisville Metro residents. The SWCD will provide up to 2 vouchers per household to cover the $7 processing fee for a standard soil test. People wishing to participate in this incentive program must request a soil test voucher from our office. Vouchers are available by email, mail or you may drop by the office to pick up a voucher(s). Email your voucher request to:  joy.edwards@ky.nacdnet.net. Email must include your name, physical address, phone number, and number of vouchers requested (maximum of 2 per household). Questions-call 502.499.1900.

Better Business Bureau is warning homeowners and business owners of a bill payment scam that is targeting utility customers. 

The caller claims to be a utility company employee (LG&E, KU, or Duke Energy), telling the customer their bill is overdue, and asks for immediate bill payment by Green Dot MoneyPak Card. If the customer does not cooperate, the caller threatens to disconnect the person’s electric or natural gas service. 

This is an old scam that has resurfaced in the local area. A Louisville BBB Accredited Business owner contacted the BBB today, upset that he had fallen for the scam. The owner received a call from a person who claimed to be an LG&E employee, saying they had a crew ready to shut off electric to his business if his “past due bill” was not paid in the next hour with a MoneyPak Card. The business owner purchased several MoneyPak cards and gave the scammers the numbers off the back of several of the cards. 

In some instances, scam artists are even using caller ID spoofing to make it look like they are calling from the legitimate source.

BBB advises utility customers:

·        Be suspicious of callers who demand immediate payment for any reason.

·        Never give out personal or financial information to anyone who calls or emails you.

·        Never wire money or provide debit or credit card numbers to someone you do not know.

·        Utility companies will not contact customers demanding immediate payment by MoneyPak to avoid an immediate service disconnection.

·        Call your utility company directly to find out if there is a problem with your account.

For more consumer tips, go to www.bbb.org.

1.       Beware of the IRS Phone Scam! Scammers threaten arrest, or deportation, if you do not immediately pay money that you supposedly owe the IRS. Payment is demanded through a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. The caller ID is spoofed to look like the IRS is calling. Hang up the phone. The IRS will not call and ask you for personal information. Information from the IRS will come through direct mail.

2.      Beware of Utility Scams. The caller impersonates a representative of your local utility company, claiming “your heat is going to be shut off,” unless you pay NOW via Green Dot Money Pak.  Don’t pay anything. This is a scam!

3.      Scammers are using the Affordable Care Act to confuse consumers. Beware of fake insurance exchanges and phone calls or emails saying you need a new Medicare card or a new National Insurance card. Victims are asked for personal information. Another twist is fake navigators offering “free help,” just to get your personal information.

4.      You receive a recording about a claim against you and your Social Security Number, and that a company is suing you. The person is trying to scare you into calling them and then plans to intimidate you into paying money to drop false claims. This is a scam!

5.      Beware of Voice Mail Attachments in your inbox. Think twice about clicking on them. Scammers use these zip files to unleash malware onto your computer. Delete the email!

6.      Scammers are sending Fake Google Wallet Invoices over the internet. Ads are placed for “too good to be true” prices on merchandise, then the seller asks the buyer to complete the transaction using Google Wallet, but it really isn’t Google Wallet. The fake email requests the buyer to pay using a wire transfer service. This form of payment is not accepted by Google Wallet, and in order to use their services, you must first log in to a Google Plus account.

7.      You receive a text message saying your Credit Card has been deactivated and to call a number to have it reactivated. The text appears to come from a bank. When you call, a voice recording says, “to reactive your card, you must press 1.” Then, you are asked to provide your credit card number and PIN. This is a scam!

8.      If you are planning a Holiday Party, BBB recommends interviewing two or more caterers, ask for references, request a tasting, find out if the caterer provides dishes, glasses, flatware, and linens, request a detailed breakdown on food, beverages, fees, tips, and other expenses, and insist on a written contract with the date of the event. Check the company out at bbb.org.

9.      Start your search for a Holiday Job NOW! Retail, shipping, restaurants, and catering companies are common places for seasonal employment. Work where you shop - discounts are often available to employees. For the interview, dress professional, be familiar with the company’s brand and products, and be flexible. Expect to work long, inconvenient hours.

10.    Be a smart Black Friday Shopper! Set a budget and stick to it. Research where the sales will be – and compare prices. Beware of false advertising, with “too-good-to-be-true” prices. Check out the store’s return/exchange policy before you buy. Keep all receipts. And, beware of theft. Keep your personal belongings close when shopping.

11.      When shopping online on Cyber Monday, be sure your computer is protected, use strong and unique passwords, only connect to secure Wi-Fi networks (since you will be sharing personal information), shop trustworthy sites, beware of deals that sound too-good-to-be true, confirm your purchase is on a secure site, and pay with a credit card - it is easier to dispute the charges.

12.    Give Wisely this holiday season. When you are approached for a contribution, ask for the charity’s full name and address, ask if the contribution is tax deductible and if the charity registered in the state, and find out how much of the donation will actually go to the charity. Also, don’t fall for high-pressure tactics. The charity that needs your money today will welcome it tomorrow. Get charity reports at www.bbb.org.