The
Old Louisville Journal
A Monthly Summary of
News and Events in Old Louisville
Published by OLIC, Inc., a 501(c)(3) Corporation |
Volume 28, Issue 3 |
March 2006
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Wheel Fun Rentals
What
better way to mark the advent of warmer weather and enjoy our
beautiful riverfront area than by peddling your way along the paths!
What? You don’t have anything to peddle? Not to worry, Wheel Fun
Rentals will remedy that situation. In operation for six years at
the riverfront, Wheel Fun Rentals is located on the corner of Brook
and Witherspoon and a second rental location is due to open this
spring near the new Tumbleweed on the riverfront. Rob Reynolds says
this year they are adding monthly bike tours that will include rides
through our very neighborhood, Old Louisville, as well as other
nearby destinations.
Open Friday through Sunday in the spring and fall and every day
during the summer, there is a specialty cycle to fit every whimsy.
Slingshots, Deuce Coupes, Quad Sports, Choppers, and Surreys are all
standard fare at Wheel Fun Rentals. Do those names bring back a
feeling of nostalgia, or perhaps they have you scratching your head
wondering, “Isn’t a bike just a bike?” No way…allow me to explain!
Surreys are made in Italy and is a family four wheeled cycle seating
from three to six adults (with up to four pumping away at any given
time) plus two children! Features include rack and pinion steering,
drum brakes, and multiple independent chain drive peddling systems.
Great for ages 10-99!
Slingshots are three wheeled bikes sitting low to the ground on a
central pivot and “slingshots” the rider from side to side while
bobbing, weaving, and turning corners. It’s a hoot to ride! For
maximum enjoyment we recommend it for ages 6-60.
Deuce Coupe is a two-seater where both can peddle side-by-side.
Adults or children can pedal and there’s a jump seat to carry those
six and under. It’s great for ages 2-80!
Quad Sports are four-wheeled wonders straight from the past of the
go-cart tradition. Formula One steering lets the single rider turn
on a dime. Ages 6-60 love this one!
Choppers are designed for lone, laid back cruising and sightseeing.
Handlebars and seats are designed for comfort and remind you of
motorcycle choppers! Ideal for ages 6-60!
Of course, you can also peddle away on cruiser bikes, kid bikes,
scooters and tandems at Wheel Fun Rentals!
Wheel Fun is great for visitors and residents alike. Bring your
guests to the riverfront and go for a ride.
For information, check out the website at
www.wheelfunrentals.com
or email
rentabike@insightbb.com .
Save the Date
Annual Spring Cleanup at Central Park
Scheduled for April 15th
Details to follow!
Neighbors in the News
Old Louisville resident David Dominé, a professor of foreign
languages at Bellarmine University, has been nominated for the 2005
Kentucky Literary Award for Nonfiction. His book, GHOSTS OF OLD
LOUISVILLE: True Stories of Hauntings in America’s Largest Victorian
Neighborhood, is among the short list of some twenty books competing
for the award, which will be announced on April 7 at the 2006
Southern Kentucky Book Fest in Bowling Green.
His next book about Old Louisville hauntings, PHANTOMS OF THE PAST:
Ghostly Tales from America’s Most Haunted Neighborhood, will hit the
shelves in early spring. Congratulations, David!
http://www.ghostsofoldlouisville.com |
Editor Notes
March is that odd month when it could be warm with beautiful
jonquils popping up all over the streets of Old Louisville,
or it could be dreary and cold and we could get the biggest
snowfall of the winter months. It’s always a month of
anticipation for me. I’m a “March baby” and as such received
a kite every year for my birthday. That gift always conjured
up images of sunny weekend afternoons spent trying to get
that kite airborne and keep it flying longer than my little
brother’s kite. He was also a “March baby” and we had the
keenest competition.
I’m past my kite flying days, well receiving one for my
birthday, anyway. My attention turns, instead, to warm
weather plans. As a l ife-long
lover of plants, I look through the endless garden and seed
catalogues I receive in the mail. I plan a new color scheme
or two for the back garden. I think of the Second Street
Garden Tour in July. I watch anxiously from the kitchen
window for the first green shoots to sprout from the ground.
This is the time when Old Louisville begins to wake from the
winter slumber. People and their dogs return to Central
Park. Kids may be found playing on the swing sets in the
park. Fitness enthusiasts aren’t quite as bundled up on
their morning walks as in the recent few months. It’s truly
a time to take back the neighborhood from the gray of
winter. It’s also a time to think about “sprucing things up
a bit.”
I want to paint an inspiring picture of our lovely
neighborhood and then hit you with a nasty reality. My
intention is to draw notice to the unsightly alley garbage
I’ve encountered on my walks lately. Things are, quite
frankly, getting out of hand. Boxes are piled with garbage
and set out in the alleys. Trash cans are in various states
of disrepair, tumbled over, and left in the alleys all week
long. Am I mistaken in thinking we have a system whereby you
could be fined for leaving your trash cans in the alley all
week? It’s a true mess and an embarrassment in some cases,
to walk down an alley with my dogs. I’ve had to change my
route so as to avoid unsightly and, in some cases, danger
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Editorial Policy:
Letters and articles submitted to The Old Louisville Journal may
be edited with regard to space and/or content. Letters to the
Editor must be signed with a verifiable signature and address.
|
Are you up to the 3rd Street
Challenge?
The 1300 Block of South 3rd Street
Association is committed to supporting the efforts and
heritage initiatives of the Old Louisville Chamber of
Commerce. After an initial $2,500 contribution to the
Visitors Center to help in the funding and operation of the
center, a matching challenge goes out to other neighborhood
residents and associations with an additional .50 to $1.00
match up to $7,500 from the 1300 Block of South 3rd Street
Association!
Come on…get up for the challenge!
Make checks payable to:
The Old Louisville Community Development Corporation
218 West Oak Street,
Louisville, KY 40203
For additional information call: 637-2922.
TourLouisville Needs
You!
TourLouisville is looking for
enthusiastic, well-spoken volunteers to help show off Old
Louisville to visitors and tourists. If you would like to lead
tours through America’s Largest Victorian Neighborhood, please
contact Jane Harris at (502) 637-2227.
Some historic knowledge of the area is a plus, but not required
since scripts will be provided. If you would like to volunteer
in some other capacity (actor/interpreter), we would love to
hear from you as well!
574-LMPD Tip Line Information
The 574-LMPD number receives a
variety of calls ranging from requests for service to crime
tips on murders, area drug dealers to general law
enforcement questions. The 574-LMPD crime tip hotline
received over 900 telephone calls in the month of December
2005. Of these 900 calls over 90 were criminal tips that led
to the arrest of 20 individuals at large in our community.
For the year of 2005 the 574-LMPD tip line averaged over
1000 calls a month and over 20 arrests a month. Since the
beginning of the 574-LMPD crime tip hotline the line has
contributed to the arrest of 379 individuals.
The other telephone calls to the tip line were from citizens
and visitors to our community with questions about quality
of life issues, crime prevention, and other police related
issues. The tip line takes a wide variety of calls that
aren’t about criminal activity and we are happy to report
the staff of the tip line is also able to help these callers
with their questions. We feel this is also an important
service of the tip line and another way for us to build
partnerships with the community. The person who calls today
for a phone number may call tomorrow with information about
a killer at large in our community.
Quick Tip Cards
Another feature of the 574-LMPD program is quick tip cards.
Quick tip cards are post cards placed in various locations
throughout the Louisville Metro Area. Concerned citizen’s
with crime tip information that don’t fill comfortable with
calling the 574-LMPD crime tip hotline can use these cards
to get information to the police department for
investigation. Concerned citizens simply fill in pertinent
information about criminal activity, fold the card up, seal
it and drop it into a mail box. The cards are postage paid
and come directly to the 574-LMPD office for processing. The
cards are completely anonymous and come in English and
Spanish. If you would like to have some cards for a certain
location please contact Sergeant Brian Bernardi at 367-4396.
Neighborhood Watch Fire Action Plan
To help promote communication and participation between
neighbors Neighborhood Watch groups are known to promote
safety programs for fire prevention and provide tips on how
to escape from the home during an emergency. Discussing the
basics on home safety is a priority. Develop a fire action
plan and take these 8 simple steps to safeguard your family
and home.
1) Purchase A Smoke Detector. Install
smoke detectors on every level of your home to increase
your chances of survival. A smoke detector is a fire
alarm that buzzes when it detects smoke, warning you in
time to escape. Place smoke detectors on the ceiling or
high on a wall near the bedrooms. This enables the
detector to sense the smoke as it approaches the
sleeping area. Locate the smoke detector away from air
outlet vents and dust the grill regularly. Test them
monthly, change batteries twice a year, and replace
alarms every 10 years. A working smoke alarm cuts
chances of dying in a fire by nearly half.
2). Identify Escape Routes. Develop and practice a home
escape plan. Your smoke detector may awaken you, but you
may not be thinking clearly. Practice allows you to test
your plan before a real emergency. Once a fire has
started, it spreads rapidly and may give you seconds to
get out. Normal exits from bedrooms may be blocked by
smoke or fire. It is important that your family know
exactly what to do. Make sure every family member knows
two exits from each room. Second story windows may need
a chain ladder or rope to enable occupants to escape
safely.
3). Don’t Burn Up the Dinner. Never leave food cooking
on a stove top unattended. Cooking fires are the number
one cause of home fires and home fire injuries.
4). Have Fire Extinguishers Handy. Keep fire
extinguishers in your kitchen, by the furnace and in the
garage. Make sure you know how to use them.
5). Sweep the Chimney. Have your chimney and fireplace
professionally inspected each year. Creosote coats the
inside of chimneys and can start a fire.
6). Warm Up with Space Heaters. Keep space heaters at
least three feet from rugs, curtains and other
combustibles. Always turn them off when you leave the
house or go to sleep.
7). Avoid an Electrical Fire. Don’t overload electrical
sockets. Throw away frayed or worn extension cords.
8). Handle Candles with Caution. Never leave a burning
candle unattended or near flammable material. Home fires
caused by candles have doubled in the last decade.
The Firefighters are
coming....
The Firefighters are coming....
To the Old Louisville Neighborhood
Council meetings, that is. The five companies serving the Old
Louisville area plan to work out a rotation so that one of the
companies will be present for a few minutes at the beginning of
each monthly OLNC meeting. Firefighters cannot discuss politics
while on duty without risking disciplinary actions or possibly
termination but can, however, be available to give updates on
recent operations, new hazards and answer
questions. It’s a great way for the companies to reconnect with
the neighborhood and begin, again, to put names and faces
together.
We hope the residents put forth the extra effort to attend the
monthly meetings and interact with our friends at the fire
department. Thanks to the five companies for making this hope
for neighborhood connections a reality.
Arts Scene Happenings
The Louisville Ballet will perform “Life
Journeys” on Friday, March 10th and Saturday, March 11th.
Three emotional filled ballets will be performed including
Gloria, In the Glow of the Night, and the company premier of
Four Last Songs.
For ticket information call 584-7777 or check their website
for more information at
www.louisvilleballet.org
Looking for more to do across the river? Derby Dinner
Playhouse has wonderful shows to offer right now. Playing
through April 2nd is the delightful comedy, Do Black Patent
Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? For the younger audiences,
Pinocchio is playing on select dates in March. Contact Derby
Dinner Playhouse at 812-288-8281 for ticket information.
It’s also time for the 30th Humana Festival of New American
Plays. Our little festival is probably the best known in the
country for showcasing new works. You can find capsules of
the six full-length plays at
www.courier-journal.com/humanafest. The show dates
this year are March 7- April 8 and ticket information may be
obtained by called Actors Theater of Louisville at
502-584-1265 or
www.actorstheater.org.
The Squeaky Wheel Club
to Start Monthly Meetings in March
Various residents have decided to get
together and form a new neighborhood organization strictly
dedicated to solving problems in the Old Louisville area.
Going on the premise that the ‘squeaky wheel gets the oil,’
residents - homeowners and renters alike - will band
together at afternoon meetings on the second Sunday of every
month and identify a specific problem to be “tackled” in the
neighborhood for that month. The way of “tackling” the
problem will involve (after identifying that month’s
specific problem) a month-long letter-writing,
email-sending, telephone-calling campaign designed to get
the attention of the local powers that be. Although it may
not seem like much to some people, if twenty, fifty, a
hundred people from Old Louisville start writing, calling
and emailing the same city officials at the same time about
the same issue, it will at least focus more attention on our
neighborhood.
If you are interested in effectuating some real change in
your neighborhood, plan on being at the first meeting on
Sunday, March 12th at 2:00 p.m. in the Old Louisville
Information Center in Central Park.
Community Talk
Did you hear
about the new online forum The Courier-Journal Neighborhoods
section is creating that could help keep you informed about
our neighborhood and the public events that we offer?
Community Talk is designed to give people in the Louisville
area a place online where they can share ideas and
information and chat with people about various issues. You
can find Community Talk at
www.courier-journal.com/neighborhoods along the right
side of the page. You will have to register. Click on the
“Community Talk” link, then click on “register” at the top
of the page and follow the instructions. The one-time
registration process includes an e-mail confirmation that
gives you complete access to the forum.
Check for a folder for Old Louisville for up to the minute
news and information of neighborhood happenings!
Cook’s
Corner
March is a favorite month for me. It’s that
bridge from the cold of winter to the warmth of spring. I
have so many favorite “March foods” as it’s a big birthday
month in my family with five, count ‘em, five family members
having a birthday in the first fourteen days of the month!
That doesn’t even begin to address St. Patrick’s Day fun or
the occasionally Easter activities sometimes found in this
month.
A favorite cake is something to savor and share. This
particular one graced the birthday table in our
grandmother’s home more than once. I do hope you enjoy it!
Banana Layer Cake with Grandma’s Caramel Frosting
For the cake, grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans
and set aside.
1/2 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 large, ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup chopped pecans
Cream butter and gradually add sugar,
beating well. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well
after each addition.
Dissolve soda in buttermilk and add to creamed mixture
alternately with flour, beginning and ending with the flour.
Stir in mashed bananas and pecans.
Beat egg whites (at room temperature) until stiff and
carefully fold into batter.
Pour batter into prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees for
30 minutes. Cool briefly in pans and remove. Allow to cool
completely on racks.
Caramel Frosting
1 1/4 cups white sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter
Combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan
and cook over medium heat stirring frequently. When mixture
reaches soft ball stage (240 degrees) remove from heat and
beat until it is thick enough for spreading. Add additional
milk, if necessary. Spread immediately on cooled layers.
Special note: You may want to hide the frosting bowl from
the family. It’s the best you’ll ever taste!
By the Numbers Save this page for future reference!
Old Louisville Information Center 635-5244
Louisville Metro Government Numbers Website address: www.louisvilleky.gov MetroCall - 574- 5000 or 311
MetroCall is the “clearinghouse” for community questions · Air Pollution Control Board - 574-6000
· Animal Services - 361-1813 · Bike Louisville - 574-0104 · Community Action Partnership - 574-1157
· Code Enforcement Board- 574-8161 · Community Relations and Events - 574-5010
· Convention and Visitors Bureau - 584-2121 · Department of Housing - 574-3107
· Downtown Development Corporation - 584-6000 · Emergency Medical Service (EMS) - 574-4260
· Louisville Fire - 574-3701 · Health Department - 574-6859 · Human Relations Commission - 574-3631
· Inspections, Permits & Licensing - 574-3321 · Metro Council - 574-5000
· Metro Development Authority - 574-4140 · Metro Housing Authority - 569-3400
· Metro Parks - 456-8100 · Metro Police - 574-7660 · Metropolitian Sewer District (MSD) - 587-0603
· MetroSafe - 574-3900 · Neighborhoods - 574-4227 · Parking Authority of River City - (PARC) 574-3817
· Planning & Design - 574-6230 · Property Valuation Administration (PVA) - 574-6380
· Public Works - 574-5810 · Revenue Commission - 574-4860 · Solid Waste - 574-3571
· Transit Authority of River City (TARC) - 585-1234 · Waterfront Development Corporation - 574-3768
LG&E Power Outages/Downed Power Lines? (502) 589-3500 24 hours/day, 7 days/week Gas Leaks (known or suspected)/ Gas Emergencies? (502) 589-5511 24 hours/day, 7 days/week Billing or rate questions? (502) 589-1444 Monday - Friday 7am - 7pm Before U Dig (BUD)? (800) 752-6007
Louisville Water Company Customer Service (502) 583-6610
Customer service representatives are available to answer
your questions Monday-Friday 8am-8pm and Saturday from
8:30am to 12:30pm. The lobby at the corporate office at 550
S. Third Street is open from 8am-5pm Monday-Friday.
2006 Project PickUp Dates February 27th May 29th August 28th November 27th
2006 Metro Government Holidays Garbage and recycling pick up delayed by one day January 2nd January 16th February 20th May 29th July 4th September 4th November 10th November 23rd December 25th
Click here for this month's
Meeting's Calendar
Please
visit our Sponsor's Page!
The Old Louisville Journal is
published monthly by the Old Louisville Information Center, Inc.
(OLIC), a 501(c)(3) corporation, incorporated in 1984, for the
purpose of receiving tax deductible contributions. OLIC is
affiliated with the Old Louisville Neighborhood Council (OLNC), a
501 (c) (4) non-profit association incorporated in 1976 to serve as
the recognized voice of the Old Louisville Neighborhood.
Submit Journal
contributions to the Editor:
Old Louisville Information Center
1340 S. Fourth St., Louisville, KY 40208.
Phone: (502) 635-5244
E-mail: olnc@bellsouth.net
Advertising rates available upon request.
Please submit “Letters to the Editor” to the above address.
The 15th of each month is deadline for submission of all ads and articles.

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