Local TV stations chip in to buy snow machine
First a windstorm ravaged Louisville, and then a sheet of ice blanketed the city, events that proved to be ratings gold for local news channels. Hoping to relive those glory days, Louisville TV stations recently pooled their resources and purchased a state-of-the-art snow machine. “We know our viewers love to get all worked up about…
Iroquois Park attempts to curb gay drain to Highlands
On a hot, muggy day, Michael Heitz stands atop a hill in the lush, undulating landscape of Iroquois Park and points to something off in the distance, near a clearing of trees. “BJ. One o’clock,” Heitz says. “Now that’s what I wanted to see.” As director of Metro Parks, Heitz has every reason to be…
St. James Fest to drop ‘art’ from name
In an effort to be more inclusive, the St. James Court Art Show announced Monday that it intends to drop “art” from the title of the annual juried fine arts and crafts show. “There’s way more to this thing than art,” says James Edward Darby, director of the festival since 1957. “We intend on adding…
Local horses unionize, demand healthcare, 401(k)
Claiming they are frustrated with their “small, flamboyant oppressors,” local horses announced the formation of a labor union during a stirring rally in the paddock area at Churchill Downs on Sunday. Invoking the passionate labor demonstrations of the early 20th century, the union’s organizers announced the creation of Working Horses of America (WHOA). Through collective…
State changes motto
As part of an extra-special addition to the General Assembly, Gov. Steve Beshear is expected to announce a state motto more in tune with the commonwealth’s increasingly dismal financial, social and moral outlooks. “I’ve always told the people of this great state the truth, no matter the cost or how ugly that truth might be,”…
Sojourn to use pop culture as recruiting tool, deacon says
Sojourn Community Church, the fledgling, youth-oriented Southern Baptist congregation that inhabits a large former school in Germantown, will begin using pop culture to draw new members, a deacon there says. “You’ve got to get to their level, and that means forgoing some of what our tradition is rooted in, like abstinence and other certain elements…
Bridge to everywhere
The federal government has given its approval to the latest downtown bridge design, according to an official with the Kentucky Department of Transportation. The decision paves the way for construction of the Ohio River Bridges Project, a $29 billion mega-project that includes six new downtown bridges, two in the East End and a full reconstruction…
LEO Weekly grows up, changes name to Leonard
It’s taken nearly two decades, but LEO Weekly has finally matured into a sophisticated publication. As a result, the once-alternative newsweekly has announced a new name: Leonard Weekly. “I think the change is a crucial step toward making advertisers, politicians and other media outlets take us seriously,” says Pam Brooks, publisher of Leonard Weekly. Whereas…
Cats sue over segregation at Dog Hill
Citing a “history of institutional discrimination against feline Americans,” local cats are suing Metro Parks over segregation at Cherokee Park’s Dog Hill. The class-action lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Louisville, demands that cats be granted full access to all areas of Metro Parks and proposed a new name for the site: Hill. The…
Further essential reading
JCC to offer homeless studies courses Chucking empty beer cans at homeless children wasn’t Abigail Maupin’s proudest moment. But when Wayside Christian Mission tried to buy the former Mercy Academy complex on East Broadway last year, she was furious. The upbeat Highlands resident felt she was defending the upscale turf from the invasion of Louisville’s…
Rare flower found in Louisville Gardens
Resident green-thumb Jeanine Wiche, co-host of weekend delight “Homegrown” on the local NPR affiliate station, busted up with vegetative victory Saturday after discovering a rare plant inside Louisville Gardens. This is no mean feat. How could anyone have foreseen that a lowly hippeastrum would not only sprout but thrive in the dark former armory. “Damn…
