Cane Run Elementary Community Playground to be completed in April

Back in October the groundbreaking was a special event. Today, the new playground for Cane Run Elementary is well on its way to being completed in time for Community use this Spring.

“I am pleased with the progress of this venture,” says Councilwoman Mary C. Woolridge (D-3). “As we all knew, this will be a wonderful addition to the school but also for the neighborhood.

Woolridge joined the Community Business Partners for the groundbreaking that brought new playground equipment to Cane Run Elementary last October. She was able to secure $25,000 in funding in the current budget. The remaining money was raised by the Community Business Partners.

The playground equipment has been installed. Workers hope to have foam tile installed by April. The playground could also so have additional landscaping put in place. The project is part of Cane Run’s “Teamwork Makes a Dream Work” plan designed to incorporate the new playground into other innovative programs at the school focusing on the environment.

“This new playground shows that when we all work together to improve the quality of life for our children, we ultimately improve our neighborhoods as well,” said Woolridge.

Woolridge is joined by other partners in the playground venture; DREAM Foundation, Kosair Charities, Zoeller Company, Louisville Chemistry Partnership, Hexion, Carbide Industries, Lubrizol, Dow Chemical, Zeon Chemical, Dupont, American Synthetic Rubber, City of Shively – Mayor Sherry Conner, Southwest Rotary Club, R & S Welding, JFT Precision Fabrication, Inc., Hartlage Machine Co., Inc., Independent Piping, Inc, KCI Supply Company LLC, Pavco Trucking Co., Inc, Abel Construction Company, Inc, Cement Board Fabricators, Inc., Niemco Fabricators, Inc., Marine Electric, Pendleton Trailer, Cane Run Improvement Club, Loudon Sheet Metal Co., Inc, Welders Supply and NALCO Company/James Gerrish.

Good times, bad times: Midweek Update

- Many people have become angry about the newest dildo store on Dixie Highway in Shively, saying Shively officials "gave in" to a high-priced attorney's "scare tactics" in granting the store a general business license. Here's the thing: If no one shops there, it will close. That's how you get rid of things like that, so stop going in there. [CJ]

- Ford CEO Alan Mulally was in town last night for GLI's annual meeting. A WHAS11 report says he is "optimistic" about the future of the Louisville Assembly Plant and gives the United Auto Workers union high praise for cooperating with the company. [WHAS11]

Insiders attending the meeting say Mulally then went on to shamelessly promote the awful idea of passing the Korea/US Free Trade Agreement, saying Ford was still unable to compete without the deal. More on the proposed agreement and its effect on U.S. jobs - [Insider Louisville]

- The Local Weekly has a nice story about Mary Lou Rippy of Dixie Florist. Mary Lou was a finalist for the 2010 Epic Award given by the National Association of Women Business Owners’ Louisville Chapter.[The Local Weekly]

- REMINDER: Saturday, March 19,  Councilwoman Vicki Welch hosts her next "Coffee with Your Councilwoman" at First String Family Sports Grill at 5921 New Cut Road. This month's coffee features District 5 school board representative Linda Duncan and gets underway at 9am.

- Valley High School Alumni Association has their regular monthly meeting this Thursday, March 17th, at 6:30 PM in the old TV Science Room. All alumni are welcome to join. Membership dues are $10 per year. Come on out.

Southwest Greenways planning meetings set for March

Southwest Greenways Plan….be a part of it

Metro Parks is planning a proposed new recreational trail system in southwest Louisville called the Southwest Greenways. The Southwest Greenways Plan will connect neighborhoods in the southwest to the Louisville Loop, recreational trails, historic and cultural sites, parks, natural areas, schools, community facilities and business districts, increasing the potential for a healthier, more active lifestyle.

The planning process will consist of Metro Parks’ working together with the public and community leaders to develop a master plan to identify existing conditions and uses and collect information about what types of recreational and commuting opportunities people in the community want and combine them in a vision for the greenway system.

Your help is needed as we begin the process. We want your ideas and input. Please join us at an upcoming public meeting to hear about the project and most importantly, share your ideas, opinions, and concerns regarding area trails, open space, historic and cultural sites.

Metro Parks will host three public meetings within southwest Louisville. You are encouraged to attend a meeting near you but, feel free to attend any or all of them. Times and locations of these meetings are as follows:

Monday , March 21st, Farnsley-Moremen Visitors’ Center, 7410 Moorman Rd., @ 6:30-8:00 p.m.

Wednesday, March 23rd, Iroquois Branch Library, 601 W. Woodlawn Ave., @ 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Monday March 28th, Fairdale Playtorium, 10616 W. Manslick Rd. @ 6:00-7:30 p.m.

If further information is needed, please call Carolyn Cromer, project manager, 456-8139

Next "District 12 Dialogue" to feature Code Enforcement chief

The agency responsible for enforcing building codes and proper licenses in Metro Louisville will be featured during March’s District 12 Dialogue. Jim Mims , Director of Code Enforcement, will be the guest of Councilman Rick Blackwell on Tuesday, March 15.

“The Metro Council in the last year has made a forced effort on property owners who do not take care of the properties they own or rent,” says Blackwell. “Mr. Mims will be able to provide updates on that effort as well.”

The councilman is one of many who help place an ad last September in the Courier Journal that highlighted properties owners and the fines they owe Metro Government for code violations. He is also in support of legislation in Frankfort which would help the city get back more of its money involved in foreclosed properties.

“This situation has gotten out of hand financially for some cities and its time to get it under control,” says Blackwell. “Mr. Mims is one of the key people in helping us make these needed changes.”

Joining Mims will be representatives of other Metro Government agencies including MSD, Licensing and Permits, Neighborhoods and Public Works and Louisville Metro Police. A representative of Congressman John Yarmuth’s office will also be on hand.

Greenwood Elementary is located at 5801 Greenwood Road.

For more information about the March District 12 Dialogue, contact Councilman Blackwell’s office at 574-1112.

Big Ern, The Weasel and "Honest" Dick: An inside view of Kentucky's worst

Note: Terry Boyd of Insider Louisville contributed to this report.

Ah, it’s spring, and the scent of corruption and generally poor governance is wafting gently on the breeze here in Louisville. (Certainly more entertaining than the tree pollen to follow.)

LEO’s Philip Bailey got the jump on the Courier-Journal last week with “It’s not easy being Green,” his story about Dr. Judy Green, 1st District metro councilwoman.

Green has, uhm, issues related to very poor judgment – everything from tax evasion to creating a bogus “jobs programs” with her “Green Clean Team.”

Last summer, the Green Clean Team program ground to a halt after the city auditor tried to figure out what happened to the $55,000 grant to fund the program. (Oddly, Dr. Judy and husband James Green owe $55,000 to the Internal Revenue Services, a bill going back to 1998. How does that work?)

The finding – shockingly, a lot of the money went to 12 Green family members “working” in the program. The rest apparently evaporated into the ether, and nothing was accomplished except getting other Metro Council members out of their overall stupor long enough to start ethics proceedings.

The CJ followed up with a story about how the president and treasurer for 100 Black Men confirmed that the group had a side deal with Judy Green to request more city funding than needed, then redirect a portion of the cash at Green’s direction.

Oh, and then there’s the matter of the $25,000 Dr. Judy and her husband ran up on the credit card of Judy Green’s legislative aide, Andrea Jackson, a credit card the councilwoman took out with out Jackson’s consent!

To their credit, CJ reporters did a great job in 2005 of covering Green’s habitual failure to pay taxes - just the trait you want in an elected government official - and much of Bailey’s reporting in “It’s Not Easy Being Green” is built on their work

You can bet there’s more.

Sun Valley VITA Center passes the $1 million mark in refunds for residents in 2010

The Sun Valley Community Center has reached a very important milestone with its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. The Center has provided free income tax preparation services to local residents and has secured $1.2 million in tax refunds.

“We are having an amazing year this year,” says Councilman Bob Henderson (D-14). “We are helping so many needy people, individuals and families this year. I cannot begin to thank all of the volunteers who are helping us bring money back to folks who need it.”

The VITA program at Sun Valley has served as many as 700 clients. It is manned by volunteers and provides free tax preparation for federal and state returns for 2010.

The program has a special focus of tax preparation and tax counseling for the elderly. The key program requirement is that a household makes less than $49,000.00 per year.

Councilman Henderson is a strong supporter of VITA and has been involved with the program since 2008. He is joined this year in helping fund the VITA service at Sun Valley with assistance from Council members Rick Blackwell (D-12) Vicki Aubrey Welch (D-13) and David Yates (D-25). Other Council members who provided funding include Barbara Shanklin (D-2), Mary C. Woolridge (D-3), David Tandy (D-4), Cheri Bryant Hamilton (D-5), David James (D-6), Tom Owen (D-8), Tina Ward-Pugh (D-9), Marianne Butler (D-15), Kelly Downard (R-16), Glen Stuckel (R-17), Jon Ackerson (R-18), Dan Johnson (D-21), Madonna Flood (D-24) and Brent T. Ackerson (D-26).

Joining Henderson and Council members as sponsors are the Internal Revenue Service, Louisville Asset Builders Association (LABC), Metro Government, Metro United Way and many other businesses and organizations in the city.

The Sun Valley Center offers VITA through April 15th.

It is open 5 days a week. Times and dates are:

Tues & Thur 9:30 AM - 7PM
Wed 9:30 AM - 4PM
Fri 9:30 - 3PM
Sat 10 AM - 1PM