Real Sustainability

I was struck by the contrast of two articles in the Courier Journal this evening and I felt as though I had to write something about what I read. One article covers the opening of a store on Frankfort Avenue called Sustain. Billed as an "eco-store", Sustain stocks items "for people and pets" and also exists to "dispense information about sustainable living". Here's an excerpt:

Among the products will be low-flow shower heads, rain barrels, handmade recycled glass dinnerware, pine needle baskets, bamboo flatware, chemical-free detergent, organic cotton towels and sheets, organic cotton baby wear, recycled soda bottle dog toys and organic cat nip.

The second article discusses the opening of a new Goodwill store in Clarksville. Goodwill provides "education, training and other support services for children and adults with disabilities". The store stocks used clothing and household items that have been donated, with the proceeds going to fund the aforementioned charitable activities. Here is an excerpt of that article:

With one hand, Pamela Elizondo pushed a heavily-laden shopping cart down the crowded aisle of the new Goodwill store in Clarksville, and with the other she pulled a large wheeled cooler.

“It’s really nice,” Elizondo, 38, said of the $3 million store that opened today on Applegate Lane. “It’s bigger, cleaner” than the old store.

But it has the same good prices, she added.

When the new 45,000-square-foot store and warehouse opened at 8 a.m., a line of shoppers extended down the sidewalk for nearly the length of the building, waiting without complaint in the cold.

When we speak about things like "sustainability" what do we really mean? Is it the purchase of a fashionable new product or is it the purchase of a necessary used product? Which one of these examples illustrates true sustainability? Is it brand-new rain barrels and foreign-made bamboo flatware or is it gently used clothing and blenders, the profits of which fund education and job training programs? To me, it looks like Sustainability = Goodwill, and in more ways than one.

Your thoughts?

Italian Eatery Expands to Southwest Louisville

Tuscany, an Italian restaurant that maintains a successful location on the Outer Loop, will soon be opening another in the space left vacant by Bearno's Pizza at 7895 Dixie Highway. The building is undergoing renovations and should be opening within the next few weeks. My good friend Trevor Hemingway at The Local Weekly had this to say about Tuscany:

Tuscany Italian Restaurant offers a taste of Italy for the South End. Chef Manuel has packed the menu full of well-prepared Italian dishes offering a wide variety at very reasonable prices. Tuscany has delicious appetizers, salads, house specialties, seafood, baked pasta, calzones, Tuscany Pizza, hot subs, traditional pasta dishes, and delectable deserts. The free cheese bread and sauce you get before your meal is the best. The kids’ menu offers a choice of spaghetti dishes, ravioli, and of course chicken nuggets and fries for the picky eaters. Tuscany’s house specialties range in price from $9.95 to $11.95. Tuscany has already become an area favorite among south end residents. Maricela, restaurant manager, says business has been very good since opening and the restaurant has received an excellent response because of the lack of Italian eateries in the area. Tuscany opens every day at 11:00 AM. They close Monday through Thursday at 10:00 PM, Friday and Saturday at 10:30 PM, and Sunday at 9:30 PM. Lunch is served, daily, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Meal specials are offered daily. If you’re in the mood for great Italian cuisine, friendly service, and exceptional prices try Tuscany. The Local Weekly gives it five stars.

HERE is the menu. Enjoy!

Find A Felon Friday: 03-13-09

Jason G. Feerrar

This shocked-looking individual is wanted for: Sexual Abuse-1st Degree- Victim Under 12 Years of Age, Unlawful Transaction with Minor-2nd Degree. Imagine how shocked he will be when they get their hands on him in jail. He should be easy to catch...he's fat, short and probably can't run very fast.

LAST KNOWN ADDRESS:
7005 Dunkirk Lane
Louisville, KY 40272

***Bond To Be Set Upon Arrest***

RACE/SEX: W/M
DOB: 11-07-77
HEIGHT: 5-4
WEIGHT: 260
HAIR: BROWN
EYES: BROWN

Let's Get 'Em Boys!

Debris Drop Off and Community Cleanup

Drop-off sites for storm debris will be open again this weekend from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Here are the locations:

• Hubbards Lane Public Works Facility, 595 Hubbards Lane
• Meriwether Public Works Facility, 600 Meriwether Ave.
• Behind the Southwest Government Center, 7219 Dixie Highway

And as long as we are on the subject of cleaning up, Saturday, March 28, 2009 is the date for the Southwest Pride Community Cleanup. Individuals or groups, everyone is invited. Registration begins at the Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market on Dixie Highway at 8:15am and clean up begins at 9am. Work wraps up at noon, when you will be served a free lunch courtesy of Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market. Call Kathy Graham at 504-410-0335 or email for more information.

Home on Dixie Creating "Mystery" Buzz

It has stood for years, and most recently, it has stood empty. The large home located at 8601 Dixie Highway across from Target and Value City Furniture has become an interesting mystery to me and a few others. There is a discussion of the property going on over at Louisville History & Issues and the blog a pretty pickle has a few photos of the place, one of which is featured to the left.

I am interested in any facts you may have concerning the home. I know it had been divided into apartments some time ago and that it is currently boarded up, which may possibly indicate foreclosure. It is an intriguing structure, and it's location may indicate some type of historical significance. We must not allow the home to suffer the same terrible fate as that of the Nine Mile House, which was unceremoniously (and probably illegally) torn down several years ago.

If you have any information on the home, please let me know by sending an email or by contributing to one of the discussion threads on the above mentioned websites. Thanks.

8664 And You: The Future of Transportation

Tyler Allen is electric, and if you ever get the chance to listen to him speak, listen closely. Allen fronts the group known as 8664. He went toe-to-toe with Tim Hagerty tonight at the monthly meeting of the Metro Democratic Club. Hagerty is an attorney with Frost Brown Todd, LLC (Jerry Abramson's former employer), and represents the Bridges Coalition. Hagerty is a nice guy. But Allen is clearly more enthusiastic and, in my opinion, has a better idea.

The plan to expand Spaghetti Junction will produce a highway that is 23 lanes wide at a cost of nearly $2 billion dollars. The thick slab of super-road will also encroach into a wide swath of the Butchertown neighborhood. 8664 believes the East End bridge, which was proposed decades ago, should be built along with a visionary, surface level parkway that would replace the elevated I-64 that currently cuts downtown off from the waterfront . The Bridges Coalition believes both a downtown and an East End bridge should be built along with the gigantic, expensive expansion of the junction. The Bridges Coalition also sees no problem with I-64 as is.

Tyler Allen represents what could be. Hagerty represents the status quo.

The following is a clip by 8664 that was shown at the meeting:




There has not been much discussion on this issue in Southwest Louisville, but there is a definitive need for one because, sooner or later, you will be affected by the bridges project in a way you may not like. The discussion touched lightly on the side-issue of a "tolling authority". This authority, which appears to be on a fast track in the General Assembly, would initiate tolls on roads and bridges as a way to help pay for them. The tolling authority would be appointed by the mayor, and would not only have the power to initiate tolls on any new bridges, but would have the power to initiate tolls on bridges that are currently in use that have already been paid for . How much are you willing to spend to get to Bass Pro Shops, Horseshoe Casino or Sportsdrome Speedway? We may be close to finding out. Look out for 8664 and Tyler Allen, and take a moment to consider this revolutionary, lower cost proposal.