A new grocery development is eyed for a long-vacant spot at a Douglass Hills shopping center Developers are proposing a new construction 50,000-square-foot grocery at Blankenbaker Plaza shopping center No specific grocer is named in development plans 27 with the Louisville Metro Office of Planning Under the plan, the former Walmart Neighborhood Market that closed in 2018 would be demolished and replaced with a new grocery store A 3,200-square-foot liquor store adjacent to the grocery is also part of the project bought the retail center in 2022 for $10.4 million The company focuses on "the repositioning of underperforming" retail shopping centers which notes ownership of five other retail centers in Ohio a commercial real estate firm headquartered in Fort Lauderdale built and managed a slew of projects across multiple states A Stiles vice president declined to comment to The Courier Journal about the project The shuttered Walmart location was the main anchor of the 88,000-square-foot shopping center in eastern Jefferson County the shopping center was originally home to a Winn-Dixie supermarket whose space was taken over by a Walmart Neighborhood Market in 2007 Walmart closed the location along with two other Louisville stores The new supermarket would join a handful of grocery developments that have recently opened across Louisville The nearest supermarket is a Kroger about 1.5 miles down Shelbyville Road More: New western wear, cowboy boot shop to open at Oxmoor Center. Here's when Reach growth and development reporter Matthew Glowicki at mglowicki@courier-journal.com or 502-582-4000 Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight Wamego junior golfer Addison Douglass is The Mercury’s Fall All-Flint Hills Female Athlete of the Year she’s a winner at heart,” said Red Raiders head coach Kyrstie Miller the reigning three-time 4A individual state champion hopes to add a fourth medal during her senior year in 2025 She will continue playing golf in college at Appalachian State in Boone WAMEGO — As a setting sun falls over Wamego Country Club and yellow tuck behind the jointly-colored water tower until the light is no more But there is light — a glimmer shining on one of the par-70 course’s practice green holes Wamego golfer Addison Douglass has a flashlight hooked onto one of the practice pins perfecting her craft into the depths of the evening The junior’s commitment to perfection has paid off to the note of three consecutive Class 4A championships day in and day out,” Wamego head girls golf coach Kyrstie Miller said And it doesn’t matter if it’s her teammates or the youth out here Douglass is The Mercury’s Fall All-Flint Hills Female Athlete of the Year “It just feels great to like see all my hard work paying off,” Douglass said “I get to share this game with my community my teammates and the little kids that grew up out here give the kids something to look up to and be a good example.” The Appalachian State commit put together an even-par 142 performance across the two rounds at state this year walking off the final green at Hesston Golf Course as a three-time individual leaderboard topper I looked over and saw my coaches and my family and I knew that I had won,” Douglass said looking back on the memory of state “Having a couple of my teammates there was a little different this year but I’m glad we got a couple of us to go and just inspire me more.” Completing the four-peat of state championships is locked in near the top of Douglass’ wish list for her senior season but right there with it is a state title as a team Despite placing state second as a team in 2023 the Red Raiders fell shy of qualifying as a team this year “That and continuing to prepare myself to go play golf at the next level.” The next level is a 1,000-plus-mile journey from Manhattan to App State in Boone “It’s definitely going to be an adjustment to be away from my family because we’re all super close,” Douglass said and I’ll be back just about as often as if I were to stay close to home.” The other schools Douglass looked at were Kansas State I could talk for an hour and a half about everything I loved,” she said I think he’s going to help me get even better when I get there Douglass kept Miller in the loop with her college visits calling on multiple occasions to bounce ideas of the former Emporia State hooper there was something different about the call after App State “When she got the official offer from App State I could tell that she really liked App State and it didn’t take her too much longer to commit,” Miller said and I could just tell in her voice how happy and proud of herself she was — and she should be.” Venturing out East will be the latest chapter in Douglass’ storied golf career — a story whose first page starts as far back as she can remember “I picked up the game when I was about two and a half (or) three when I came out with my grandpa and my dad when my sister was little,” she said She tallied a lower score than her dad in second grade and never looked back starting with Manhattan Junior Golf Association tournaments at a young age before escalating toward national competition Douglass’ low score on 18 holes is 64 and 31 on nine holes and she’s comes mere inches away from multiple hole-in-ones One of her favorite golf memories is still the first time hearing the crisp clap of the ball off the clubface “It was that first time just hitting the ball and realizing that I can be outside and be with my family,” she said One of the rare times you’ll find Douglass inside is when she takes her competitive nature to the hard floor during the winter suiting up for the Wamego girls’ basketball team she participates in the National Honors Society Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Future Farmers of America “She puts her heart and soul for her teammates and for her team and her community and her school.” Douglass looks up to a couple of figures in golf 1 and PGA TOUR Player of the Year Scottie Scheffler Right up there with the two-time Masters winner is Dustin Johnson Johnson wrote another chapter in Douglass’ golf journey during the 2018 PGA Championship Louis to watch the major which saw Brooks Koepka and Tiger Woods at the top “I followed (Johnson) the whole day,” Douglass said he came over and found me and gave my sister and I autographs and made sure we got back to our parents.” Johnson’s kindness is something that sticks with Douglass to this day “You have to be a role model for the kids too.” Douglass has become a role model in her own right between her commitment to her game and helping others With the chance to join the short list of three four-time Kansas girls’ golf state champions How we made our selections: We chose the teams from athletes who we felt represented the top level of the sport this past season Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Project: Burnett Ridge Lofts Description: Meridien Real Estate's owner Irene Cochran said the Burnett Ridge Lofts in Douglass Hills are expected to be complete by Summer 2025 The development will bring 30 loft-style townhouses to the area Cochran said the property opened for sales in July Six units are currently under contract and an additional three coming in Louisville Family Fun Local events and things to do for families and kids around Louisville Here’s a great list from Kentucky Family Fun if you want to take a day trip to a pool/waterpark! *It’s always a good idea to call ahead to the pools in Louisville and make sure they are open and not closed due to maintenance or for a private event Prices and hours may change any time.  E.P. Tom Sawyer: 3000 Freys Hill Rd Calypso Cove – Located at the Northeast YMCA (must have a membership that includes Calypso Cove to go to this pool) Clarksville Cove Family Aquatic Center:  Daily admission and seasonal rates available Open daily until July 28 from 12:00-6:00pm After July 28 they are only open on weekends Reminder: *It’s always a good idea to call the pools ahead and make sure they are open and not closed due to maintenance or for a private event Douglass Hills Pool:  Closed on swim meet days so be sure to check before you go.  Home of the Innocents:1100 E Market St The Trager Family JCC – Jeffersonville Aquatic Center John W. Black Aquatic Center: Summer Recreational swim hours: Mon & Wed Noon-5 p.m (deep end & diving board closed 4:30-8 p.m) Metro Parks Outdoor Pools and Spraygrounds: Multiple locations Plainview Swim Club River Run: New Albany Family Waterpark Sellersburg Pool:  Fort Knox Water Park: 5539 West Chaffee Avenue Juniper Hill Aquatic Center Lakes more your thing? Check out this article.  Looking for more summer fun? Click here.  *It’s always a good idea to call the pools ahead and make sure they are open and not closed due to maintenance or for a private event feel free to publish a quote of 100 words or less from our posts and link from your site to our article that you are referencing Do not republish a partial post or full post of ours Email info@louisvillefamilyfun.net with questions Thank you so much for your wonderful article on our beautiful and historic city of Douglass Hills Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" We are a family-owned franchise system based out of Fishers we've been publishing monthly community magazines in Indiana and Kentucky © 2025 Towne Post Network - franchises available in Indiana © 2025 Towne Post Network - franchises available in Indiana Please enter your username or email address to reset your password Please wait while you are redirected to the right page.. National Red Wine Day is Aug and with the autumn chill just a few weeks away this a great time to reacquaint yourself with a few nice Louisville has a fine collection of wine bars to explore 1247 S. Shelby St., canaryclub.us This Shelby Park gem is Louisville's first and only natural wine bar. The Canary Club boasts a wine club, jazz music on Tuesdays, and has a rotation of pup-up dining options. The wine collection focuses on natural selections from small farmers producers, that are environmentally sustainable, naturally fermented, and additive-free. The Canary Club is also connected to The Breeze Coffee Bar and Wine Shop which acts as an elevated neighborhood bodega and gift shop 3598 Springhurst Blvd., cuveewinetable.com Cuvee Wine Table prides itself on being a welcoming space to wine lovers of all skill levels The staff is just as ready to help you hone your wine skills as they are prepared to have an in-depth conversation with a true connoisseur but they also serve small plates and bites Cuvee also offers an array of wine and food experiences including wine tastings The wine bar also hosts appearances by wine experts LouVino11400 Main St., Douglass Hills, and 1606 Bardstown Road, louvino.com This Louisville wine bar concept has grown dramatically since it launched a decade ago and now the company boasts two locations in Louisville in the Highlands and Douglass Hills as well as storefronts in Cincinnati and Indianapolis and the Douglass Hills location offers lunch Tuesday-Friday The restaurant and wine bar is also well known for its cocktail menu 214 S. Clay St., nouvellewine.com This cozy wine bar and bottle shop is nestled in Louisville's NuLu neighborhood and is owned by John Grisanti son of celebrated Louisville restaurateur Michael Grisanti The bar embraces the French principle of "la vie est trop courte pour boire du mauvais vin,” which loosely translates to "life is too short to drink bad wine." The menu features a carefully curated list of wine Nouvelle was recently awarded a star for its outstanding wine program by the prestigious Star Wine List organization 10317 Watterson Trail, winedownbtb.com This Jeffersontown wine bar opened its doors in March 2023 and offers a curated selection of unique wines from around the globe The bar hosts scheduled wine tastings and has offered wine yoga in the past The name nods to the bar's neighboring sister establishment J-Town Beach Reach reporter Maggie Menderski at mmenderski@courier-journal.com CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the price of the cheese add-on to the wine flight including an expansion to Douglass Hills almost one year ago that added a sister location to its flagship spot in the Highlands.  The menu and wine offerings are widely the same at both venues the style and structure are independent of one another each befitting of the neighborhood they occupy nature of LouVino’s Highlands outpost is traded in for roomy wing back chairs and wide booths of the Middletown location A relaxed atmosphere allows for easy conversation over along with a rotating trio of "magnum" offerings for large tables or those with big appetites I find this menu structure fitting especially when it comes to sampling wine and several of the dishes — some standard offerings Recipes: Brunch at LouVino a nod to chef's childhood More: Replacement for Lynn's Paradise Cafe eagerly awaited by neighbors I am someone who takes my wine as seriously as I do my food and I am confident the people behind LouVino feel the same they have clearly developed a formula for success Wine is at the forefront of the LouVino experience and it delivers in terms of volume and relative variety and where I find myself becoming uninspired I understand that the celebrity-named flights will perhaps make wine feel more approachable for some (Jennifer Lawrence: well rounded and beautiful; Billy Ray Sauvignon Blancs: Sauvignon Blanc is French for white savage) this theme is simply too cheesy for my taste I do appreciate the combination of old and new world wines provided with the customized tastings a trend that continues throughout the full wine list I would love to see what they would do with lesser known as well as oft misunderstood varietals I was dismayed to learn that the cheese pairing "add on" ($2 for three pieces) offered with each wine flight was merely a selection of three kinds of cheese — the exact same small slices paired with every flight an order of the duck fat fries with white truffle aioli ($7) is a must are expertly cooked and salted to perfection It is easy to see why this item has been designated as "classic." The fried chicken tacos ($10) have also been a menu standard since day one and are an indulgent combination of mashed potatoes The steak and hoe cakes ($14) pack a tasty punch of spice The poblano tomato sauce and roasted tomato jalapeno salsa is both bold and complementary to the medium-rare The neutral hoe cakes do little to quell the burn from this sauce duo A crema drizzle of some sort would offer a cooling effect More: Recipes to try from Louisville's newest wine bar, Cuvee More: It may be fast-casual food, but Red Herring's menu 'isn't a joke' The maple mustard and poblano tomato aioli sauces offered with the seasonal lobster corndogs ($14) are a nice complement to the tender lobster tucked within the crisp Also found amongst the current seasonal offerings are pork and vegetable skewers ($15) The char from the grill does wonders for the sweet cherry tomatoes the small slices of pork were allowed to cook amongst the flames too long The carrot cake ($7) left much to be desired in the icing department fried bourbon chocolate beignets ($6) I was pleasantly surprised to find they bore a warm the notes of bourbon subtle and well balanced For all that there is to like about LouVino I find it to be a restaurant that has more to offer Be it a missing element of flavor holding a dish back or a cheese pairing experience that leaves much to be desired Reach freelance restaurant critic Lindsey McClave at lindsey@foodie-girl.com Not just a tour: Louisville restaurateur leads guests on life-changing trips through Italy Want to pamper your pet? New spa, buffet opening soon in Louisville Web: louvino.com/douglass-hills Vegetarian: Limited number of vegetarian offerings Reservations: For all party sizes for brunch and lunch and for parties of 5 or more for dinner Jo Cornell’s home décor is the epitome of horse country From paintings and tissue holders to pillows and napkin rings “It’s horsey everywhere,” she said with a laugh “I was raised on a horse farm in Bardstown and my dad was a professional horse trainer — I’ve taught riding for 50 years A saddle seat equitation instructor and double-saddle inventor Cornell has traveled around the country and the world doing what she loves Western team in South Africa,” she said. “I was Instructor of the Year in Kentucky in 2001.” A move-in ready ranch homeEvery item in Cornell’s home is a conglomeration of her five decades in the business When she moved into her Douglass Hills ranch house two years ago there wasn’t any additional shopping to do because she had all the horse décor she’d ever need “I didn’t buy anything when I moved here motioning to an interior that resembles something like a museum with a carefully curated collection of horse-themed pieces Home of the Week: A touch of color, splash of Africa and a flock of roosters make this historic bungalow pop “I went antiquing at horse shows when we went out of the state," she said The awards Cornell won during her travels are among the pieces displayed throughout her home A wall in the hallway is full of these plaques and other artifacts — including buttons from an unexpected win many years ago “I took [a rider] of mine to New York to show for the first time just to get his feet wet — and we won,” Cornell exclaimed He was the youngest rider to ever win that award and he won everything in the United States in every division until he was 18 years old.” Though Cornell had all her current furniture and accessories when she moved in it took roughly six months to get it set up exactly how she wanted That’s because all of the refurbishing refinishing and other detailing was done on her own “I like to refinish furniture,” she said discussing the various home improvements she completed by herself: refinishing the mahogany front door installing fabric “wallpaper” in the dining room and reupholstering multiple chairs She even replaced glass mirrors with shutters in the bathroom she decided to tear them all out and put up shutters instead “I’d never drilled in tile before and I asked Siri how to do it,” she said with a laugh Home of the Week: Fully Hygge: Couple embraces Danish concept of coziness, comfort in St. Matthews home Another of Cornell’s special pieces is the rug in the dining room — which she was adamant about having because the fences on it match the room’s fabric wallpaper the intricately designed needlepoint rug seemed like a steal — even though it was covered with lipstick and other stains who claimed it couldn’t be cleaned without running the needlepoint including the horse bust affixed to a wall in the den It was created in memory of her late horse who was named after the Kentucky turnpike “I had that bust made ‘cause he was my main man,” she laughed Both of Cornell’s children showed Pennyrile and she estimates that at least 5,000 other Louisville children also rode him over the years “He gave so many lessons,” she recalled “He loved it — he loved the kids At 10 every morning he would come over and get a carrot at my back door Then at 4 in the afternoon he would walk in the barn and walk around the arena and pretend like he was giving a lesson And then at 6 p.m., he’d walk out of the arena and just go to his stall.” Home of the Week: From NYC to Crescent Hill: Couple amps up the charm, design in this Victorian-style home Another remembrance of the beloved Pennyrile Framed artwork hanging above three candles depicts the brown Pennyrile “Those three horses in there,” Cornell said “that picture — that was my life.” Know a house that would make a great Home of the Week? Email writer Lennie Omalza at aloha@lennieomalza.com or Lifestyle Editor Kathryn Gregory at kgregory@gannett.com.  who is a saddle seat equitation instructor 2,976-square-foot ranch home that was built in 1971 in the Douglass Hills neighborhood Distinctive elements: Open floor plan; horse décor throughout including numerous equestrian awards and commissioned artwork; gourmet kitchen with large center island and granite countertops; first-floor laundry; Italian tile in the guest bath; crown molding and wainscoting in various rooms; custom wood shutters throughout; fireplace beamed ceiling and cherry wood flooring in den; oversized garage; secluded brick patio Tom and Shannon Steltenpohl each owned their own homes they decided that rather than having one of them move into the other’s space “We looked for houses for probably nine months,” Shannon recalled “We just didn’t agree — I wanted a two-story Though her desire for a two-story abode was somewhat negotiable she did have other hard-and-fast requirements “I didn’t grow up in a house that had a formal dining room,” she explained And I wanted the laundry to be on the first floor.” The couple went through all the traditional methods of house hunting it came down to a bit of information from Tom’s brother who lives three houses down from their current home He’d heard the owner of the house on the corner passed away and his family was looking to sell the property Tom and Shannon weren’t sure how to proceed or who to connect with so they simply sent a note to the home’s address stating that they were interested in moving to the neighborhood and would like to look at the house Home of the Week: From antler chandeliers to elephant teapots, decor brings originality to Louisville condo “We mailed it on a Monday,” Shannon said of the letter “I think it was Wednesday or Thursday that same week when we got home and our phone was ringing — it was the son of the guy who lived here.” The couple quickly set up a time to meet and view the home “Neither one of us said a word to each other,” Shannon remembered of the walkthrough “We really just wanted something that could be ours together,” she said “Everything has been redone,” Tom said of their now-remodeled home “Everything upstairs — except for the kitchen — we did ourselves.” was a creamy beige color; the couple repainted everything to various shades of gray From painting and trim work to the installation of new doorknobs and light switches — Tom and Shannon did it all it was 10 months of spending eight-hour days at their full-time jobs then coming home to a different kind of work “We’d come home from work on Friday and fall into bed on Sunday night,” Shannon recalled “We were just weary from all the work.” Home of the Week: Renovated ranch home brings coastal vibes to Louisville's Bellemeade neighborhood In addition to spending their days and nights building a home together the couple also had to go without certain amenities for a while They moved into their new house in January 2012 “We had a microwave and a crockpot and a sink until Derby week They’d sold their appliances along with Shannon’s last house and all the renovations put a hold on the installation of new ones — but the experience proved that patience is a virtue the Steltenpohls enjoy the renovated kitchen with granite countertops and tile flooring — and all new appliances The space is also a reflection of their coming together “It’s split personality,” Shannon said of their unique “It’s the combination of both of us he liked the stone — so we put them together.” Also in the kitchen is a rustic table that Tom built using barn wood from the farm that Shannon’s mother grew up on they’ve found a place for Tom’s mother’s former furniture Home of the Week: This custom-built Jeffersontown home is your modern + vintage dream vibe The couple started making other updates to the home a little more than a year ago — they changed some wall colors and knocked down a wall to open the space between the living and family rooms Though they might make a few other tweaks here and there the house now reflects them both and is exactly what they need for their little family — which includes their Jack Russel terrier mix “We fell in love,” Shannon recalled of their initial visit to the house “We decided this was home and we’re gonna stay.” Know a house that would make a great Home of the Week Email writer Lennie Omalza at aloha@lennieomalza.com or Lifestyle Editor Kathryn Gregory at kgregory@gannett.com.  nuts & boltsOwners: Tom and Shannon Steltenpohl Tom is an account manager and Shannon works in human resources 2,190-square foot ranch home that was built in 1976 in the Douglass Hills neighborhood.  Distinctive elements: Rustic kitchen table built by Tom with barn wood from the farm that Shannon’s mom grew up on; granite countertops in the kitchen; hardwood floors throughout; original stone fireplace in family room; custom-made fireplace screen created for home’s original owner; built-in cabinets in the dining room and family room; living room and family room have been opened up; sliding bard door in master bath built by Tom; finished basement with large gathering space and powder room; large wedding photos framed in old windows; sunroom Shannon’s parents Richard and Beverly Sauer for their labor and help to bring the house to the state it is in today; Lee Baker for his assistance with the custom bar barn wood door and various other decorating projects; Calhoun Construction Services Inc and Rob Kissel Remodeling for the kitchen remodel; Wayne’s Painting & Remodeling for the exterior painting; White Fitzgerald Contractors for the basement remodel; and Deep Roots Landscaping Home of the Week: Al fresco backyard makes this Hikes Point home an entertainment mecca Project: Tee It Up Golf USA is expected to open in October within a shopping center in Douglass Hills Tee It Up will have nine golf simulator bays, where players can golf on courses around the world. The simulators use Golfzon technology to create an immersive experience allowing players to hit uphill and downhill Tee It Up will also have a full bar and offer food Individuals and groups can reserve simulator bays by the hour special events and lessons with PGA teaching professionals Reach reporter Kate Marijolovic at kmarijolovic@gannett.com or on Twitter @kmarijolovic A popular Florida-based grocer is confirming its latest Louisville addition Publix has signed a lease for a new store at Blankenbaker Plaza No opening date is set for the 50,325-square-foot store Publix will replace the former Walmart Neighborhood Market that closed in 2018 The Courier Journal previously reported developers had filed development plans to build a new grocery store at the Douglass Hills shopping center at 201 Blankenbaker Parkway No specific grocer was named in those plans was listed as the developer of the project built and managed projects across multiple states Publix entered the Kentucky market with the opening of a 56,000-square-foot store and adjacent 3,200-square-foot Publix Liquors in January 2024 at 2500 Terra Crossing Blvd The company is also readying to open its second Louisville location If Courier Journal writer Joe Gerth intended for his March 19 column to bring out the ire of more than 145,000 Jefferson County residents of the 80 incorporated Home Rule Cities in Jefferson County As the president of the Jefferson County League of Cities I received dozens of emails and phone calls for days from fellow mayors councilpersons and residents who were infuriated and offended by the column Apparently Gerth’s column was intended to challenge the wisdom of a piece of legislation under consideration during the recent Kentucky General Assembly session House Bill 309 did not come to a vote before the session concluded but the leadership of JCLC stills sees merit in addressing the columnist’s tirade that made fun of names of Jefferson County cities misspelled some of their names and belittled their public servants with little to no facts to back up his obvious dislike for their existence Gerth lost an opportunity to illuminate with a cogent journalistic piece Instead his words dissolved into meandering discourse would have made it easier for home rule cities to be incorporated in Jefferson County and for unincorporated areas to be annexed by existing cities Those opportunities were halted years ago by legislation that allowed the eventual merger of the old city of Louisville and Jefferson County governments Related story: New suburban cities, easier annexation: Is GOP pushing 'unwinding' of Louisville merger? While it is true that annexations by existing Jefferson County cities and creation of new cities were put on pause back then to enable merger to move forward it does not mean that should remain the case so many years later And if some people thought that pause was the first step that would lead to dissolving the existing cities We’ve had almost two decades to see how merger came out in the wash the number of incorporated areas in Jefferson County has dropped to 80 active home rule cities today from what was 90-plus at one time The residents of a few communities chose to dissolve their incorporated cities Others decided to merge with neighboring cities in part to increase their contractual buying power with vendors such as waste haulers neighboring cities to benefit from enhanced services Though the 2003 merger was beneficial in many ways the result has been unfortunately disappointing for many residents of unincorporated Jefferson County They realize they are largely ignored outcasts because the government they pay property taxes to pretty much concentrates its efforts and expenditures on the Urban Services District — the area created along the boundaries of the old city of Louisville It is understandable why the Urban Services District needed to be created due to the likes of union contracts and other complications that stood to be hurdles to merger But residents of unincorporated Jefferson County could practically claim taxation without representation they pay a lower property tax rate than property owners in the Urban Services District But what DO they get for the property taxes they pay to Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government It pretty much drops off beyond police coverage Here we go again: Waging war on Kentucky's largest city won't move us forward Consider this fact: Most people in our community probably are unaware that last summer when the Louisville Metro Police Department deployed all of its police resources to respond to events in downtown Louisville it was the members of other Jefferson County cities’ police forces former Louisville Metro and Kentucky State Police officers who patrolled and responded to the entire area outside the Watterson Expressway in Jefferson County Louisville Metro police districts in Jefferson County’s suburbs have been consolidated and downsized in recent years after closure of the police district office in Middletown the adjacent city of Douglass Hills where I serve recently created a break room for Louisville Metro Police officers in our City Hall to help increase their presence in our area (Please notice there are two s’s in Douglass Hills — just like in Douglass Boulevard.) The effort to welcome and support police officers is just one example of what Douglass Hills has done to better serve its residents the examples of their service to taxpayers are myriad Most of the people who serve these cities are volunteers or recipients of small stipends for their work and what they receive does not come close to compensating them for the hours they give and the people they serve benefit from their shared belief that government closer to the people is better the amount of money residents of unincorporated Jefferson County pay for waste collection and in many cases homeowners’ association fees would pretty much cover their taxes to live within an incorporated city — and yet they would reap the benefit of more services and get to elect their city leaders who serve them should any unincorporated areas of Jefferson County eventually form cities those taxpayers will still pay their existing property taxes to Louisville-Jefferson County government just as they do now such as insurance premium taxes and gas taxes that now go to Louisville Metro’s budget would shift to a newly created municipality but those dollars would be a small part of Louisville Metro’s annual budget that exceeds $600 million Who's in, who's out, who's on the fence: Our way-too-early look at Louisville's mayor race the creation of cities in Jefferson County in some ways would alleviate expenditures by Louisville Metro that would become the responsibility of the new municipalities and annexed areas weekly garbage and recycling collection and snow removal to name a few in Douglass Hills our garbage collection charge is $12.20 per household while the cost in the Urban Services District is twice as much The wording in HB 309 that referenced annexation and merger in Jefferson County was not an effort to “unwind” merger as some have claimed It’s simply an effort to restore the right of residents of unincorporated Jefferson County to create or join a city that can provide them with better services and give them a voice closer to home It’s a right that these residents have not had for almost two decades And if there are residents of Fern Creek or Highview or Pleasure Ridge Park or Fairdale or Lake Forest — to name just a few established unincorporated areas — who want to form cities or be annexed why should they be denied that opportunity The work would be on them to take action and collect the signatures needed to pursue either annexation or the founding of a city Passage of HB 309 would have restored to these residents the same basic right to form an entity of self-government and economic structure that began when cities were first created as part of the Neolithic Revolution in 10,000 B.C the leadership of the Jefferson County League of Cities encourages anyone who wants to learn more about the value and purpose of our organization and our cities We welcome a reasonable exchange of ideas and shared understandings that kind of collaboration and discussion of what’s best for our overall community is at the very heart of what JCLC is all about as our members are united in purpose.  Bonnie Jung is president of the Jefferson County League of Cities and mayor of the city of Douglass Hills She can be reached at douglasshillsmayor@gmail.com Two bills introduced by Kentucky legislators could have major implications for Jefferson County Public Schools with one establishing a process to split up the district and another greatly increasing the size of its school board House Bill 162 would establish a process to create new independent school districts in incorporated cities with at least 5,000 citizens six cities fall into this category: Jeffersontown Senate Bill 131 would establish an easier process for removing a superintendent and would increase the size of the Jefferson County Board of Education from seven members to 15 Tipton's bill would start the process for allowing a split to occur by giving residents in smaller cities the right to form their own districts explaining that when he asked last year what the process is to split up the district he found there is nothing in Kentucky statute about the scenario "All of the discussion about potentially splitting up JCPS my thought process was that rather than the General Assembly making that decision I'd rather the citizens themselves decide if that’s what they want," Tipton said His reasoning for setting the criteria to cities with 5,000 citizens was based on a report that indicates effective districts should have at least 1,000 students and the assumption that 20% of a community is made up of school-aged children a petition must signed by residents totaling at least 25% of the votes cast in a city at the last preceding regular election it could mean 560 — based on the number of votes cast in each city's last mayoral election a ballot measure would have to be voted on In addition to casting a "yes" or "no" vote residents would also vote on interim board members who would carry out the various steps needed to establish a new system "The new board would work with the outgoing district to negotiate terms The complicated part is a school district may have bonds on certain buildings the appraisal values in a particular area would have an impact on how much state support and local support they would get." JCPS leaders — who serve about 96,000 students — are opposed to the measure "Research shows that creating independent school districts doesn't improve student outcomes and could lead to higher tax rates," JCPS spokeswoman Carolyn Callahan stated in an email we're glad the bill allows citizens to vote on this issue instead of letting politicians in Frankfort decide to split JCPS." There are an estimated 50 incorporated cities across the commonwealth that could take the step to form a new school district A multi-faceted bill introduced in the senate would change the size of school boards across the state For the Jefferson County Board of Education the bill would more than double its membership the bill would change the process for ousting a superintendent four-fifths of the JCPS board must support the removal and the board must receive approval from the the Commissioner of Education the commissioner's approval would not be needed and the removal would require only a majority of votes The bill would also limit the board chair and vice chair terms to one year and require the superintendent to provide board members with reports on closed investigations involving district employees "for the purposes of policy oversight and evaluation of the superintendent's performance." Tichenor said she filed the same bill last session and it's intended to expand representation on school boards The bill is a response to a concern from a Fayette County resident you really aren't getting a good representation on that board when you have such a limited number" of members "So it's going to give us more opportunity to have different voices on school boards It would be easier for people to campaign for those areas The Kentucky School Board Association has not yet taken a position on the bill spokesman Josh Shoulta told The Courier Journal on Thursday "as we analyze potential impacts of the legislation we welcome the opportunity to speak with the bill sponsor and offer pertinent insights from the perspective of local school boards." When asked what JCPS leaders thought of the bill spokeswoman Callahan said "it's unclear how a larger board would help as it might actually make things less efficient." also questioned the impact of increasing the board size "I invite Senator Tichenor to join one of our board meetings (she's never been) to investigate whether adding eight members will increase efficiency or improve student outcomes," Craig said in a text to The Courier Journal Hannah Pinski contributed to this report. Krista Johnson covers education and children. Have story ideas or questions? Contact her atkjohnson3@gannett.com and subscribe to her newsletter here This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page By: 7:00 am on December 9 The proposed 225-foot-tall development will yield 241,789 square feet with 225,767 square feet designated for residential space and 16,022 square feet for commercial space most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 836 square feet The concrete-based structure will also have 54 enclosed parking spaces Ismael Leyva Architects is listed as the architect of record Demolition permits have not been filed yet for the warehouse on the site An estimated completion date has not been announced Subscribe to YIMBY’s daily e-mail Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates Like YIMBY on Facebook Follow YIMBY’s Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews Hopefully we’ll get many more such developments in that whole area ga('send', 'event', 'beautyofblock', 'Impression', 'https://newyorkyimby.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Standard_336x280-100-2.jpg', { nonInteraction: true }); ADVERTISEMENT ga('send', 'event', 'PCRichards Builders Division', 'Impression', 'https://newyorkyimby.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/PCR_Beko_Compact_YIMB_336x280.jpg', { nonInteraction: true }); ga('send', 'event', 'yimby+', 'Impression', 'https://newyorkyimby.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/image.png', { nonInteraction: true }); Follow on Instagram var sb_instagram_js_options = {"font_method":"svg","placeholder":"https:\/\/newyorkyimby.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/instagram-feed\/img\/placeholder.png","resized_url":"https:\/\/newyorkyimby.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sb-instagram-feed-images\/","ajax_url":"https:\/\/newyorkyimby.com\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php"}; © COPYRIGHT New York YIMBY® LLC YIMBY IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF NIKOLAI FEDAK / NEW YORK YIMBY LLC CINCINNATI (WKRC) - A community is pushing Cincinnati Public Schools leaders to keep a historic school building open in their neighborhood Frederick Douglass Elementary is located in the heart of Walnut Hills On the front steps of the school Monday morning community leaders gathered to speak out against the district's plan There is a school board meeting Monday night to consider whether or not to merge it with Evanston Academy to save money Walnut Hills Council president Mona Jenkins and others are asking board members to delay the vote requesting they provide details and data on why this is happening “We were blindsided by this information," said Jenkins Jenkins says no one at CPS has reached out with details on the new plan to cut costs “Let’s go through the budget line-by-line and explain to us what the justification is for this "Let us make well-informed decisions when it comes to our babies.” The plan on the table would take the current students at Frederick Douglass Elementary Jenkins says she's disappointed in the district's approach saying leaders are choosing "to phrase it as 'It’s only nine-tenths of a mile away,' versus 'How does this affect you?'" The main concerns are about the transportation students and families will have to arrange and the important history of the current school which was founded in 1858 -- before the Civil War Charles Dillard says he's upset about the idea "It’s the concept of what’s going on." Neighbors say the school was touted as being part of the fabric of the community “Having Fredrick Douglass in Walnut Hills is just as important as putting in business and restaurants on the corner It’s a critical part of the neighborhood ecosystem," said Samantha Reeves of the Walnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation as well as places like the Bush Recreation Center and the newly-renovated public library are important to families looking to move there “We just can’t understand how the school board decided a way to save money is to close Douglass School when the kids have to end up somewhere," said Jack Sutton chair of the Local School Decision Making Committee And there is another possible school merger on the table That involves the consolidation of South Avondale Elementary and Rockdale Academy CPS estimates the money saved by completing both mergers would be about $2,360,000 Leaders say this is part of an effort to divide the district into three geographical locations The 2021 Kentucky Derby Festival Zoeller Pump Company Touring Pegasus Parade is finally here.  themed “A Tribute to the Community,” will feature nearly 20 units mascots and Festival VIPS and will travel over 60 miles through more than 35 neighborhoods around Louisville Saturday and Sunday Here are the Sunday neighborhood locations: Saint Joseph The timing of when the parade will arrive in each neighborhood depends on traffic. It will be traveling at about 15 mph to give residents a chance to see it Here is the full turn by turn route for the event: 2021 Kentucky Derby Festival Pegasus Parade Sunday RouteAt 1 p.m., depart Kentucky Exposition CenterExit Gate 3Turn right onto Crittenden DriveProceed on Crittenden Drive to Maylawn AvenueTurn right onto Maylawn AvenueProceed on Maylawn Avenue to Bradley AvenueTurn left onto Bradley AvenueProceed on Bradley Avenue Norris Place turns left into Douglas BoulevardProceed on Douglas Boulevard to Boulevard NapoleonTurn right onto Boulevard NapoleonProceed on Boulevard Napoleon to Yale DriveTurn left onto Yale DriveProceed on Yale Drive to Dundee RoadTurn right onto Dundee RoadProceed on Dundee Road to Atherton High SchoolAt Atherton High School turn right to stay on Dundee RoadProceed on Dundee Road and veer left at the fork with Dundee WayProceed on Dundee Way to Newburg RoadTurn left onto Newburg RoadProceed on Newburg Road to Goldsmith LaneTurn left onto Goldsmith LaneProceed on Goldsmith Lane to Watterson TowerTurn into the second driveway for Watterson TowerStop for a restroom break at Watterson Tower Parade will disperse in UPS Campus parking lot A convoy will proceed back to Kentucky Exposition Center.  More license plate cameras that police and officials say will help track down stolen vehicles could soon come to Louisville's East End Louisville Metro Councilman Anthony Piagentini, R-19th District, put forward $48,150 from his district's Capital Infrastructure Fund to allow Louisville Metro Police to purchase nine Flock Safety cameras in his district that includes East End cities and neighborhoods such as Middletown The solar-powered, motion-activated cameras from Flock Safety take pictures of license plates and other identifying features of every vehicle those time-stamped images can be pulled up of each vehicle's make The Metro Council Budget and Appropriations Committee approved the two-year contract for the camera-related spending during a Thursday hearing Crime stopper or 'nosy neighbor'?Suburban license plate cameras are watching you told committee members four of the cameras will go in Middletown and the other five will get spread through the district Smith said a homeowner association in the Middletown area requested the cameras and that Piagentini's office saw a benefit after talking with LMPD Piagentini told The Courier Journal his district has seen "upticks in property crime," and "a lot of that is perpetrated by people using stolen vehicles." "This is just an additional tool in the toolbox to give law enforcement both broad-based intelligence on where people are going and using the stolen vehicles and being able to react to that information and then the other part of it is for immediate response," Piagentini said How does LMPD use license plate reader cameras?Major Emily McKinley, with LMPD's Administrative Services Division, said the cameras are not for "traffic enforcement" and not the same as "red light cameras," which are currently not allowed in Kentucky McKinley said the images of license plates are run through the National Crime Information Center to determine if vehicles have been reported stolen LMPD can also use camera footage to try to track down vehicles that may have been involved in other crimes McKinley said 123 Flock cameras are located throughout Louisville not including additional cameras in suburban Jefferson County cities or in private neighborhoods the Flock cameras identified over 200 stolen vehicles in the city Louisville license plate cameras:What you should know about those readers popping up in neighborhoods McKinley said the cameras started getting deployed in Louisville the past six months or so with "full implementation" still in progress but McKinley said some are also attached to LG&E or Spectrum poles A 2013 American Civil Liberties Union study found that three-quarters of Kentucky’s law enforcement agencies — including in most larger cities — are using license plate readers Louisville crime:How an Irish Hill burglary led to an LMPD officer killing a man Some members of the Budget and Appropriations Committee said they did not know more cameras were spread throughout the city and a few expressed interest Thursday in adding more to their districts The focus on identifying stolen cars and trucks was highlighted by Metro Councilwoman Marilyn Parker "The word on the street is that Louisville is the carjacking (and) car theft capital of the world," Parker quipped A growing number of cities and neighborhoods in the U.S As The Courier Journal reported last year neighborhoods in Louisville that already pay for the camera service can view the images in a searchable database which has led to concerns from some civil liberties and privacy advocates Piagentini acknowledged he has concerns with civil liberties and "Big Brother watching" when it comes to the cameras "I have not received any significant pushback on the use of this technology from my constituents other than to clarify what the technology can and cannot do." Flock Safety's website says after deploying plate readers year-over-year crime fell 70% in San Marino Two nonprofit organizations studied law enforcement's use of license plate readers in Piedmont and found that less than 0.3% of license plate reader “hits” led to an investigative lead related to an associated crime Investigative reporter Jonathan Bullington and former Courier Journal reporter Kala Kachmar contributed to this story Reach Billy Kobin at bkobin@courierjournal.com Forest Hills Connection | News and Life in Our DC Neighborhood August 4, 2022 by (This post is sponsored by Forest Hills of DC.) have been challenged to maintain their quality of care during the Covid-19 pandemic Forest Hills of DC is being recognized for demonstrating that the quality of care at its facility has improved The senior community at 4901 Connecticut Avenue has been selected as a “2022 Silver – Achievement in Quality Award” recipient by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL). The award is the second of three distinctions possible through the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program which recognizes providers across the nation that have demonstrated improved quality outcomes for staff and individuals with disabilities in long term and post-acute care “I applaud Forest Hills of DC for reaching this important milestone in their quality journey,” said Tammy Kelly the chair of the board that oversees the quality award program “This achievement celebrates the commitment and fortitude of Forest Hills of DC to find ways to enhance the lives of its residents and staff.” The Silver quality award is based on Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award principles which apply to many industries including healthcare Forest Hills was one of 40 out of the 14,000+ nursing homes across America to earn the distinction This meant pursuing quality growth while simultaneously navigating the Covid-19 pandemic Forest Hills of DC can now advance in developing comprehensive approaches that meet the criteria required for the “Gold – Excellence in Quality Award.” The award will be presented to Forest Hills of DC during AHCA/NCAL’s 73rd Convention & Expo in Nashville Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email Filed Under: Forest Hills, News, Sponsored Very glad that Sidwell Friends has given at least a partial reprieve to the Washington Home after precipitously buying its land for the schools expansion says Sounds like a possible movement of the Home in the future At least that is what your comment sounds like… Congratulations for the Forest Hills and its staff in receiving this important award We are fortunate to have this facility in our community so committed to its residents all the time and during the more challenging time of COVID There are so many great playgrounds nearby but what are the best playgrounds in Louisville You can spend all year visiting different ones Here are some ideas for the best playground near you!  Tyler Park is newly updated and so quaint. The play areas are nice because they have different sizes for kids of varying ages. We love the bridge to walk under and just the way it’s tucked down in a neighborhood. Read more here.  Caryn: We like Waterfront Park with the Ohio River fishing/walking and restaurants across the river for lunch/dinner to make a day of it The playground on the Jeffersonville side is also really nice and never crowded Lauren: Hounz Lane Park It’s smaller so it isn’t so crowded There’s also a creek to explore and great picnic places or room to play games on the fields Stephanie: Iroquois is great because the playground is big but also has a smaller contained kids area and it’s near the spray ground and hiking trails Sometimes the bathrooms are not very clean so plan ahead Also, like so many people, we love the Parklands Playgrounds – there are several to choose from so you can try something new each time you are looking for the best playgrounds in Louisville We never have a dull moment at the Parklands and we enjoy it all year round.  Douglass Hills: There’s a newly updated playground near the pool area (Warren Walker) Plenty of seating for caregivers and nearby there’s a volleyball court and paved trails for walking Maples Park in Crestwood is very new and really nice The play structure is unique and there are slides that are built into the hill that kids enjoy They have a grassy area if you want to spread out and bring a picnic or walk around.  Shawnee Park has a splash pad and a NEW (2023) natural play space Kids love when they are climbing on longs and building in a more natural environment Hillview Inclusive Playground (Prairie Drive 40229) – With a sprayground and a new playground (2023) The playground has special features that make it a a place for everyone to play like being very wheelchair accessible.  There is a new playground in Central Park in Old Louisville and it’s an inclusive playground. See a video here of some of the fun items they have as features of the playground.  Maggie: Robsion Park in Lyndon is one of the best playgrounds in Louisville it has a really great walking trail (for little ones learning to ride bikes too.) Their playgrounds are great but be sure to wear sunscreen since there’s not a lot of shade there is a sprayground that’s relatively new Maggie take 2 – she can’t make up her mind: I might want to change my answer. We like Wendell Moore Park because there’s a great Lake for fishing Erin: For playground only purposes, our fave right now is the Don Fightmaster Playground that’s by UofL lots of great ramps to explore (making it very accessible for disabled/handicap children) and enclosed with a fence so my active toddler can’t escape but if you eat at McD’s right next door you can park in their parking lot Forest Friends Playground at Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve – their new large playground is wonderful They even have giant rocks that are like fossils and the kids can climb on them They have a pond with frogs and turtles too.  Riverview Park in south Louisville lots of neat playground equipment for various ages Crescent Hill by Mary T Meagher Aquatic Center – it is TINY but has both a play structure and a splash area The aquatic center is right there so you have access to bathroom It’s also great because you can walk to the Crescent Hill Reservoir and take a lap around It’s interesting there are great views.  Kevin Hammersmith Memorial Playground in New Albany – This is a new inclusive playground in Floyd County we checked out in 2022 It’s a wonderful new addition and worth the drive You can play and then cool down at the sprayground in the summer months.  Possibility Playground in Corydon opened in 2024. Amazing inclusive playground just 30 minutes from Louisville. More details on our post.  Looking for more outdoor fun, click here There’s so much to do in Louisville for family fun.  Please wait while you are redirected to the right page...