Archive for the ‘Breaking News’ Category

The Department of Highways District 5 Office advises motorists to be aware of lane closures on KY 841/KY 1934 (Gene Snyder Freeway) due to pavement joint replacement.  The eastbound lanes will be reduced to one lane between Lower River Road and the Greyling Drive overpass (mile points 0 to 4.3)

Lane closures are possible weeknights Monday – Friday from 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. the following morning.  Work is scheduled to begin Tuesday evening, May 4^th and will continue through the end of June.

The actual starting date and duration of this work may be adjusted if inclement weather or other unforeseen delays occur.  Dial 511 or log on to 511.ky.gov for the latest in traffic and travel information in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Flash Flood Watch

Issued for Jefferson County

Contact MSD at 587-0603 to Report Flooding

The National Weather Center has issued a Flash Flood Watch for Jefferson County for Saturday morning through Sunday evening.

If you need to report a flooding issue or blocked drainage over the weekend, please call MSD’s Customer Service at 587-0603.  Click here to submit a service request to MSD on line.

If you would like our office to follow up on your request, please email Doug.Hawkins@louisvilleky.gov or leave a message at 574-1125.

Louisville is expecting heavy rain falls this weekend.  Councilman Hawkins encourages residents to report any blocked drains so they can be cleared before it starts raining.

Below is the latest email Bud Schardein sent to the Metro Council:

Read the rest of this entry »

The Kentucky Department of Highways announces the following lane and ramp closures in conjunction with the Kentucky Oaks and Derby as well as other Derby Festival Events:

Friday, April 30, 2010 and Saturday, May 1, 2010

· Right lane of northbound I-65 between Bradley Avenue and Warnock Avenue (mile point 132 – 133) from 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.
· Exit ramp from southbound I-65 to Arthur Street (Exit 134) will be closed due to the closure of the Eastern Parkway bridge over the railroad. All northbound traffic on 3rd and 4th Streets will be detoured to Cardinal Boulevard and then connected with Arthur Street.
· Right lane of eastbound and westbound I-264 between Taylor Boulevard and Southern Parkway (mile point 9.1 to 10.0) from 5:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
· Exit ramp from eastbound and westbound I-264 to Southern Parkway (mile point 10.0) from 5:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
· Exit ramp from eastbound and westbound I-264 to Taylor Boulevard (mile point 9.1) from 5:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.

Dial 511 or log on to 511.ky.gov for the latest in traffic and travel information in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Otter Creek Park remains closed, fate still uncertain.

Abramson unable to find $180,00 to operate Otter Creek Park

(This is not an April Fool’s Joke!)

Mayor’s press release below:

NEWS CONFERENCE

WHO:

Mayor Jerry Abramson

WHAT:

Will announce the results of a $5 million capital campaign to improve Louisville’s Olmsted Parks.

WHEN:

1:30 p.m.

Thursday April 1, 2010

WHERE:

Cherokee Park – Chauffer’s Rest area (on Barrett Hill Road)

Map here: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=117476665409061994714.000482f5393fd0c1e120d&t=h&z=19&iwloc=000482f544044179854f7

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Chris Poynter, 574-1908/ 380-7054

Liz DeHart, Olmsted Parks Conservancy, 456-3260

Louisville, KY (March 25, 2010) – The Department of Highways District 5 Office announces the temporary closure off Interstate 264 in both directions on Sunday morning, March 28th. Interstate 264 will be closed at 1:00 a.m. for approximately 30 minutes in each direction near mile point 7.7, which is between US 31W (Dixie Highway) and Taylor Boulevard. The roadway will be closed to allow for utility repairs of some wires damaged earlier this month.

During the closure, motorists on westbound I-264 will be able to exit at Taylor Boulevard (Exit 9).  The entrance ramp from Taylor Boulevard to westbound I-264 will be closed.

Motorists on eastbound I-264 will be able to exit at US 31W (Exit 8).  The entrance ramp from US 31W to eastbound I-264 will be closed.

The actual starting date and duration of this work may be adjusted if inclement weather or other unforeseen delays occur.  Dial 511 or log on to 511.ky.gov for the latest in traffic and travel information in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Louisville, KY (March 23, 2010) – The Department of Highways District 5 Office announces the temporary closure of KY 1020 (National Turnpike) at the CSX railroad crossing (mile point 0.637) near South Park Road.  The roadway will be closed from 8:00 a.m. on March 23^rd until 6:00 a.m. on March 25^th to allow for repairs to the tracks and crossing.

The actual starting date and duration of this work may be adjusted if inclement weather or other unforeseen delays occur.  Dial 511 or log on to 511.ky.gov for the latest in traffic and travel information in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Vickie Welch Withdraws her Resolution Requiring a Prescription for Over-The-Counter Drugs
 
Overwhelming opposition on the state and local level has made Councilwoman Vickie Welch withdrawal her resolution that would force law abiding citizens to get a prescription for over-the-counter cold and allergy medications.
 
Citizens, doctors, and experts in the field spoke against this resolution and questioned its real effectiveness.  A vast number of constituents made hundreds of phone calls to council offices and voiced their opposition to the Welch resolution.
 
But even in the face of this overwhelming opposition, Councilwoman Vickie Welch vows to bring this resolution back when she can find the votes.
 
As your council representative, I will continue to fight for common sense legislation that helps to eradicate illegal meth use in this community, while respecting the rights of you, the law abiding citizen. 

Councilman Hawkins just received the following announcement from Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s HealthCare:

Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s Health Care Announce Staff Reductions

500 positions will be eliminated

I wanted to make you aware that Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s HealthCare (JHSMH) announced today that due to the continuing economic recession and its impact on healthcare delivery, the organization is implementing a comprehensive expense management plan that will include workforce reduction as well as a variety of other measures.

This decision comes as a result of the general downturn in the economy and its effect on hospitals across the nation, including JHSMH, which has experienced reductions in patient volumes, rising levels of uninsured, bad debt and charity care.

In a prepared statement Janice James, JHSMH’s Transition CEO, said, “Staff reductions are always a last resort, and these were difficult and painful decisions. The people we are losing are trusted colleagues, and we appreciate their contribution and support over the years. But these decisions were necessary to ensure that through the economic downturn and the changes in healthcare, JHSMH remains financially strong and operationally healthy to continue to deliver quality healthcare to the Louisville community, as it has for more than a century.”

Approximately 500 positions will be eliminated throughout the system.  This will be achieved through attrition, layoffs and productivity improvements.  Affected team members will receive separation packages based on years of service and employment status. Transition assistance will also be provided to affected team members where possible.

In an effort to limit the number of team members leaving the organization, JHSMH has implemented over $55 million in cost saving measures through change in supplier assignments, process improvements, etc.  Going forward, the organization also is implementing standardized practices in terms of pay and paid time off (PTO), and is evaluating services that do not have enough customers to adequately cover their costs, and others that duplicate services offered elsewhere in our community. Most of these changes will not be visible to patients or the community.

“Hospitals across the country are experiencing declines in volumes as people are deferring elective medical procedures because of change in employment status and health insurance coverage.  Hospitals are also seeing increases in uncompensated care. With 900,000 Kentuckians now without health insurance, we are not immune from this turn of events,” said James.  “In 2008, we provided $52 million in uncompensated care.  In 2009, that number increased to $68 million.  As a result of this, the reality is that we are experiencing a perfect storm of declining volumes and increasing levels of uncompensated care.”

“Operating in such a challenging environment, we remain committed to providing quality healthcare to this community. The measures we are announcing today will not only enable our dedicated team to continue to deliver quality services, but will also strengthen the organization for the future,” James stated.

National Weather Service Center Predicts Potential Winter Storm Friday and Friday Night For Louisville

A storm system is expected to develop across Texas Thursday and move across the Deep South Friday and Friday night.  Moisture riding over the top of this system will generate light to moderate snowfall starting early Friday morning and continuing into Saturday across our region.  The heaviest snows likely will fall in the period from 9 AM Friday morning to 10 PM Friday evening, with snow beginning as early as 5 AM Friday across south-central Kentucky.  The latest forecast calls for snow totals of up a half a foot possible across parts of far South-Central Kentucky and the Lake Cumberland areas.  Further north across the Louisville/Lexington corridor, totals around 1-3 inches are possible.

There is still large uncertainty in the exact track of the storm system moving by to our south.  A more southern track would mean less snowfall from the amounts given above.  Residents of and visitors to the region should stay tuned to the latest forecast updates on this developing winter storm.

Tips for Staying Warm & Dry from the Louisville Metro Health & Wellness

•             Wear layers of cotton and wool clothing to help insulate the body

•             Slacks are warmer than dresses or skirts.  Long socks and leotards will protect the legs.

•             Mittens will keep your hands warmer than gloves.

•             Don’t drink alcohol when outside during extreme cold temperatures.

•             Be careful shoveling snow.  Overexertion may lead to a heart attack.  The signs of a heart attack include chest or arm pain, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, pain, sweating, and dizziness.

•             Stock your vehicle with blankets, a flashlight, a tin of food that requires no cooking, jumper cables, and a sack of sand and make sure you have adequate fuel in your tank before the trip.

Tips from the Louisville Water Co to prevent water lines from freezing

•        Wrap exposed pipes with insulating material. Pipes under kitchen sinks and in crawl spaces, near windows or in unheated basements are prime areas for pipes to freeze.

•        Locate your inside water shut-off valve. If pipes burst during freezing conditions, you can save valuable time and prevent water damage if you can turn the water off inside the house. The shut-off valve may be located in the basement, under the kitchen sink, in a utility closet, near the hot water heater, or even under the house in the crawl space. If you cannot locate or do not have a shut-off valve, call a plumber.

•        If you think you’ve found the shut-off valve, and to be sure it’s the right one, try turning it off.  If all your faucets are without water, you’ve found the right one. If not, try again.

•        Once you locate the shut-off valve, place a waterproof tag over it, so it’s easy for you and your family members to find if there’s ever a problem. If you need a tag, call our Customer Service department at 583-6610.

•        If your house has a crawl space, cover outside vents to prevent winter winds from entering and freezing pipes.

•        If your house has a slab foundation, keep the garage door closed. Water pipes are often located under the concrete floors of the garage.

•        If you’ve had problems with frozen pipes in the past, try running a small steady stream of water from a cold water faucet in extremely cold weather. The cost of the water is small compared to dealing with the cost and inconvenience of frozen or burst pipes.  Make sure you run the water from a faucet children don’t use — they may inadvertently shut off the faucet after using it.

Concerns about black ice

City managers are concerned about the formation of black ice on roads.  Black ice is a thin glaze of ice that forms on streets and is nearly undetectable to drivers.  The ice often forms after snow melts and re-freezes, or after a period of freezing rain.  Motorist should increase the distance between them and the vehicle in front.

Last month I tried to warn our community about the Mayor taking over the county fire districts by stacking the boards of trustees.  Today, I learned Councilman Dan Johnson has taken the first steps to merge the city and suburban fire departments.  Johnson filed a resolution asking the state legislature to look at merging the city and county fire departments.  I strongly disagree and oppose this legislation.

Please call Councilman Johnson at 574-1121
and ask him to withdraw this resolution.

Recently, the Mayor ignored the outcome of a fire board election in Pleasure Ridge Park.  Instead of seating the winner of the election, the Mayor handpicked someone to serve on PRP’s Fire Board.  I warned that the Mayor was positioning his people so he would have more control over the suburban fire departments.

The county fire departments have millions of dollars that are collected from suburban property owners and that money should stay in their fire district. This is the first step in trying to grab the budgets of every suburban fire department.  This income stream can be bonded producing hundreds of millions of dollars, like a mortgage, which can be immediately spent.  The money, however, does not necessarily go toward fire equipment, as it should, but could go to Cordish Company or other less seemly projects; like was the mayor’s intention with the Library Tax.

Abramson decided years ago not to honor the contract of city fire fighters.  As a result, he lost a lawsuit, multiple times, and now has dumped the responsibility of paying the city fire fighters back pay on the next administration.

A merger of city and county fire districts means that taxes collected in the former county could be spent anywhere in the city.

A merger would also abolish volunteer fire departments and put the city in control of all operations of every fire department in Louisville.

You need look no further than the city fire departments’ condition of their stations and their equipment to know they are underfunded, unappreciated, and ill-equipped.

As always, I will continue the fight to keep our suburban fire departments running independently of the Mayor.

Our county fire departments do a fine job in protecting our community and efficiently utilize our tax dollars to best benefit the citizens.