Boondoggle Is Now!

- Monday morning, September 13th, at 10:30am, Democratic candidate for Kentucky State Senate Marty Meyer will hold a Press Conference downtown in front of City Hall on Jefferson Street to announce his pledge to never take a single dime of tax payer money if he is called back to Frankfort in the event the legislature fails to create a budget. That's something that matters to me, and I think it matters to you. Meyer's opponent, career politician Dan Seum, has a race on his hands.

- The Louisville-Jefferson County Democratic Party is circulating an email claiming Republican mayoral candidate Hal Heiner "changes his opinion on the Bridges project depending on who he is talking to." The message goes on to say, "Is Hal incapable of making a stand..taking a position? Or is he just trying to tell people what they want to hear?"

I've been critical of Heiner in the past, even referring to him as Shallow Hal. But to this charge I would say, "At least Hal is capable of forming a real position based on the wants and needs of the community, and may be actually willing to engage people and learn enough about the issues to change his opinion to reflect the will of the voters." What do you think? As Democrat Greg Fischer flips and flops all over the place on card check legislation, privatizing metro government jobs and THE BRIDGES PROJECT, is this a credible attack?  Sound off in the comments section.

Southwest Louisville Weekend Events

Prairie Village Cornhole Tournament

Saturday, September 11, 2010

10009 Stonestreet Road 

$40.00 per team

Free drink tickets per person prepay

Contact Kenny Wilkins 502-664-1208

Service For Peace Flag Ceremony

ALL 21 Fire Stations across Metro Louisville will be participating; please feel welcome to support our Fire Fighters by attending one of your neighborhood ceremonies. A special Flag has been donated by Service For Peace/Home Depot to the Fire Fighters to be flown every year on 9/11.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Arrival time: 9:30a.m.

Ceremony time: 9:58a.m.

Beechmont Open Air Market

Saturday, Sept 11, 2010

Corner of Southern Parkway & Wellington Ave.

8a.m.-12noon

Live Music!!

Southwest Farmers Market

Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010
 

South parking lot - Valley High School

9am - 1pm

Dedication of the Iroquois Amphitheater & Kentucky State Historical Highway Marker

Sunday, September 12

4:30 p.m. 

Brightside’s 25th Anniversary Kick-Off

featuring a Free 'Monarchs' Concert

Iroquois Amphitheater

1080 Amphitheater Road, 40214.

5:00 p.m.

"GrassGate" Envelops District 25

The Kosair Shrine Circus isn't until February, but you can catch the dazzling act of Louisville's Main Clown just by checking your inbox.  Metro Councilman Doug Hawkins (R-25) sent out an email a few days ago in an attempt to churn up some manufactured outrage over unmowed grass along 3rd Street Road near his home.  Here is a picture that accompanied the email:

Hawkins claims this grass is a "visual obstruction". While unsightly, the grass does little more than hide railroad tracks that lie to the right, and in no way impede a motorists view of anything other than the trash that is being thrown from car windows.

Today, Hawkins croaks about an "update" to this very serious situation, and claims that because of "public outcry", the grass is now scheduled to be mowed on September 20th. It's a mayoral conspiracy!!  Expect more shenanigans from District 25's low-rent version of Bozo as election day draws near.

Thanks, Doug, for your vigilance in pursuing this injustice to mankind.  On second thought, you could have cut it yourself and not relied on "the government" to solve your problems.

Metro News on The Valley Report

- Mayor Abramson, in what could be seen as his final "finger in the eye" to Louisville's police officers, has filed notice appealing a ruling that states officers cannot be charged for take-home cars. I have, quite frankly, lost count of the appeals.  Abramson took a similar stance concerning back payment of overtime for Louisville's professional firefighters. It is worthy to note the mayor's administration has lost each and every appeal, leading FOP President Dave Mutchler to label Jerry's action “a ploy to dump his violation of our contract into the hands of the next mayor so he doesn’t have to handle his business and he doesn’t have to do the right thing before he leaves.”  I think Mutchler's accusation has merit. Shameful.  [CJ]

-  Dr. Adewale Troutman is packing his stuff and leaving his job as Louisville's public health director  for the Sunshine State.  Dr. Troutman says the coming regime change in Metro Hall contributed to his decision to high-tail.  Troutman will be best remembered for Louisville's smoking ban, although that may be unfair to his legacy.  He is a extraordinarily smart man who is off to decidedly greener pastures. Accompanying him is his wife Denise, who is stepping down as president and CEO of the Center for Women and Families. Good luck, Doc. [CJ] [Metro News Release]

- My friends at The Local Weekly will be interviewing Mayoral Candidate Hal Heiner on September 15th and they want your questions. Click the link to participate. [The Local Weekly]

And Now, A Word From Congressman Alan Grayson (FL-8)

Here is what Robert Kennedy had to say on Labor Day, 42 years ago:

"Too much and too long, we seem to have surrendered community excellence and community values in the mere accumulation of material things. Our gross national product ... if we should judge America by that - counts air pollution and cigarette advertising, and ambulances to clear our highways of carnage.


"It counts special locks for our doors and the jails for those who break them. It counts the destruction of our redwoods and the loss of our natural wonder in chaotic sprawl. It counts napalm and the cost of a nuclear warhead, and armored cars for police who fight riots in our streets. It counts Whitman's rifle and Speck's knife, and the television programs which glorify violence in order to sell toys to our children.


"Yet the gross national product does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education, or the joy of their play. It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages; the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials. It measures neither our wit nor our courage; neither our wisdom nor our learning; neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country; it measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile. And it tells us everything about America except why we are proud that we are Americans."

When Robert Kennedy said these words, the unemployment rate in America was 3.7%. Today, it is almost three times as high. Too many of our working brothers and sisters are out of work, thanks to over a decade of economic mismanagement. 10% of us are unemployed, and the other 90% work like dogs to try to avoid joining them. Which is just what the bosses want.

But it doesn't have to be that way. I look forward to a Labor Day where every worker has a job, every worker has a pension, every worker has paid vacations, and every worker has the health care to enjoy life. Our Republican opponents call that France. I call it America, an America that is Number One.

Not #1 in wasted military expenditures.

Not #1 in number of foreign countries occupied.

Number One in jobs. Number One in health. Number One in education. Number One in happiness.

As Robert Kennedy famously said, "I dream of things that never were, and ask 'why not?'" Why not? Let's make it happen.

And then all of us who are Americans, including the ones today who are jobless, homeless, sick and suffering, we all can then say, "I am proud to be an American."

Rep. Alan Grayson (FL-8)

Tuesday Update

- Mayoral candidates Greg & Hal will debate Wednesday at 12 noon in front of a meeting of the Louisville Forum. The debate will be broadcast at 8pm on 89.3 WFPL.  [WFPL]

- The calendar has been set for the 2011 Kentucky General Assembly's 30 day session. [lrc.ky.gov]

- The city has won its appeal on a FEMA disaster claim related to The Great Ice Storm Clean-Up Debacle of 2009. [Metro News]

- 8,000 people celebrated Labor Day at the Louisville Zoo. [WHAS11]