Archive for the ‘Breaking News’ Category

Forest Hills Neighborhood Meeting has been Rescheduled

The Forest Hills Neighborhood Meeting scheduled for Thursday, January 7, 2010 at the Southwest Government Center has been canceled due to expected inclement weather.

A new meeting date has been rescheduled for  A new meeting date has been rescheduled for Wednesday, January 13 at 6:30 PM at the Southwest Government Center.

All residents wishing to form a Block Watch Program in Forest Hills Neighborhood are invited to attend this informational meeting.  The group is seeking residents who can volunteer their time as a Block Watch Captain for their street.  In addition, residents will discuss the possibility of reinstating their neighborhood as an association.

For more information, please call James Givens at 645-2213

The Department of Highways District 5 Office announces the temporary closure of exit ramps on Interstates 64 and 265 for guardrail repairs.  The following ramps will be closed simultaneously on Wednesday, December 16^th from 7:00 p.m. until 11:30 p.m.:

• Exit ramp from eastbound I-64 to northbound I-265
• Exit ramp from northbound I-265 to westbound I-64

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.

• US 31W: Lane closures and delays possible at Dixie Manor (mile point 12.1) due to traffic signal upgrades.

• US 31W (Dixie Highway): Watch for construction vehicles entering and exiting the roadway at the bridge over the Salt River (mile point 0.03) due to bridge repairs.  Construction activity is taking place underneath the bridge.

Motorists may want to take alternate route during parade

Medora Elementary, located at 11801 Deering Road, will hold their annual parade along Deering road on Tuesday, November 24. The parade will start around 1:00 PM and last about an hour. Motorists may want to consider taking alternate routes to avoid congestion.

Metro Animal Services Director Gilles Meloche has resigned and will be leaving his position effective Dec. 31.

Assistant Director Wayne Zelinsky will lead Metro Animal Services as interim director.

Friends of the Library Book Sale

A big thanks goes out to all of you that patronized the Spring Book Sale in early June.
The event was a big success and we appreciate all the support. Unfortunately due to the Flood of ‘09 and the damage sustained at the Main Library, Friends of the Library have been forced to cancel their 2009 Fall Book Sale which was scheduled for October 2009.

The Friends of the Library book sales help fund many programs at the library including:

• The Reading Power project… in support of the Jefferson County School System’s Everyone Reads Program
• The Read, Baby Read program encouraging new mothers to read early & often to their children

· The Preschool Reading Program

• Continuing education scholarships for deserving library staff members
• Library staff appreciation awards

PLEASE NOTE: At this time the Library is
NOT accepting book donations but we will be in the near future – so hold on to them.

More details will be provided soon about the
2010 Spring Book Sale, tentatively scheduled for the first weekend in June at the

Salvation Army – Male Campus (Old Male High School)

For volunteer opportunities or more information, please contact Sandra Murphy at 502-574-1760,
or email murphy@lfpl.org

Metro Council Announces new online government checkbook

District 25 has the lowest office expenditures in 2008!

The public can now see some of how this administration spends their tax dollars.  Residents can use this new online tool to better understand Metro Government.   The site offers visitors the opportunity to search through checks written for the previous three fiscal years.  This information includes: travel expenses, contractual payments and supplies for both operating expenses and capital projects.

The checkbook, however, does not show the city’s entire budget.  For instance, employee payroll is not reflected in the online checkbook.  That is a significant dollar amount (employee payroll accounts for approximately 65% of the total budget).

“The online checkbook is a step in the right direction.  However, it does not show how Cordish spent $950,000 that the mayor gave to them unconditionally,” said Councilman Doug Hawkins.   Hawkins added, “There are still serious and unanswered questions about how our tax dollars are being spent.”

Hawkins is concerned that people will mistake this e-transparency reporting tool as accountability.  “It is only a tool, but it is a step in the right direction”, says Hawkins.  Currently the website only shows spending for 2006, 2007, and 2008.

Hawkins hopes that the checkbook will develop into a quarterly reporting tool to provide more recent figures and more thorough and detailed information.

A link to Louisville’s Online Checkbook has been posted at DougHawkins.com.

Click on the picture of the checkbook on the right side of the webpage.

Eastern Parkway to be closed for bridge repairs

(Detour Map in Attachment)

Eastern Parkway (US 60A) will be closed between Hahn Street and the entrance to the J. B. Speed School of Engineering beginning Tuesday, September 8, 2009.   This closure will allow for extensive repairs to the bridge over the CSX Railroad.  The bridge will be closed for approximately four months. Motorists should follow the signed detour via Crittenden Drive, Central Avenue and Third Street (KY 1020).

In addition, Eastern Parkway will be reduced to one lane in each direction between the J. B. Speed School entrance and Third Street beginning September 8^th.  Crews will be working on pedestrian safety improvements on Eastern Parkway at the Speed School which are funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Motorists should also expect lane closures on Floyd and Brook streets during the project.  To reduce traffic impact, there will be no lane closures on Eastern Parkway, Floyd Street or Brook Street during morning and afternoon rush hours, 6-9 a.m. and 3-6 p.m., Monday-Friday.  Also, no lane closures are scheduled along Floyd or Brook streets during U of L home football games, the St. Xavier vs. Trinity football game or the Big East volleyball tournament.

This construction is a part of a $7.13 million contract recently awarded by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) which also includes realigning the ramps on Interstate 65 at Warnock Avenue.   The work on the ramps and Warnock Avenue are expected to be complete by Saturday, September 5^th.

MAC Construction and Excavating, of New Albany, Ind., was awarded the low-bid contract. Construction is scheduled for completion by Dec. 31, 2009. Updated project information will be available at http://louisvilleworkzones.ky.gov/

Click here for map!

The Louisville Water Company has responded to a water main break on Third Street Road at Arnoldtown Road next to the fuel station.  The exact address of the water main break is 8316 Third Street Road.  Third Street Road is closed between Arnoldtown Road and Manslick Road.  Again, LWC crews are on the scene.

Motorists are encouraged to take alternate routes during peak rush hours to avoid traffic. A LWC spokesman says that they plan to have one lane open by late this evening.

The Louisville Water Company will NOT be issuing a boil water advisory due to the main water break at 8316 Third Street Road.

Third Street Road is closed between Arnoldtown Road and Manslick Road.  Again, LWC crews are on the scene.

The day after Councilman Doug Hawkins and Brenda Silveria hand delivered petitions with over 2000 signatures to the postmaster, the spokesman for the post office issued a press release announcing that the Valley Station Post Office will continue serving the Valley Station area by keeping the post office open.  Hawkins and Silveria appreciate Postmaster Curtsinger accepting the petitions and listening to the community’s request on keeping the post office open at its currently location on Dixie Highway..

“The Valley Station Post Office is no longer on the chopping block,” says Hawkins.  On July 31, the post office listed four branches that were going to be considered for “consolidation or closure.”  Brenda Silveria led a grassroots effort collecting signatures to let the decision makers know how much the community needs a post office.

Councilman Hawkins wishes to thank everyone who visited the “Call for Action” page at www.DougHawkins.com and signed the on-line petition.  Councilman Hawkins also thanks Postmaster Curtsinger for working with him and Ms. Silveria.

Please continue supporting the Valley Station Post Office by using the facility and the many services they offer.

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