Staying Tuned

It may be time to start shopping for a new television.

Think yours works just fine? Well, maybe it does for now, but that may not be the case come Feb. 17, 2009.

That’s the date mandated by the Federal Communications Commission for broadcast TV to cease operating on the analog signals they’ve used since TV began.

All stations will broadcast on digital stations after that date, giving back their analog signals to the government, which plans to use some for public safety communications and to auction off others to wireless and broadband companies.

The digital switch will go unnoticed by those with cable or satellite TV, but more than 203,000 households in Kentucky still rely on over-the-air broadcast signals, according to Nielson Media Research.

Read the entire story.

Fine Dining in Your Home

With soaring childhood obesity rates and ever-demanding children's activities, many families struggle to squeeze healthy meals into their schedules — it becomes a decision between Burger King and baseball, Taco Bell and tae-kwon-do, pizza or piano.

Personal chefs have become a growing solution to the dilemma, allowing families to eat heathily and be active without compromising parental sanity.

There's an important distinction between a private chef and a personal chef: while a private chef may be available to make a souffle at a moment's notice, a personal chef comes by only once a week. Or conce every two weeks, once a month — whatever is convenient for the family.

Read the entire story (PDF only).

Urban Update

Real estate developer Todd Blue is giving downtown a cool new look

If Louisville Metro Mayor Jerry Abramson’s vision for the city could be embodied in just one person, it would likely be Todd Blue. Blue, 38, is young, hip, urban – and completely devoted to bringing that vibe to downtown. He also happens to be the co-founder, CEO and president of Cobalt Ventures, LLC, a development company based in Louisville.

Cobalt Ventures has been behind some of Louisville’s most unique properties since its founding in 1998. The Mercantile Gallery Lofts, Preston Pointe, Cobalt Marketplace, Cobalt 301 East Main, Cobalt Riverfront Properties and the new Iron Quarter project all have that Blue tinge.

Development officials in Abramson’s administration say the Cobalt projects not only are creating a buzz of excitement in Louisville, they’re catching the eye of their peers outside the state who see them as signs of growth in Kentucky’s biggest city.

Read the whole story.

Making it Happen

A nightmare of an injury woke Stacey Hardin from her dream job. Fortunately, an innovative procedure had her dreaming again before she even started counting sheep.

Hardin had started seeing trainer Dale Benedict in 1998 at The Training Studio in St. Matthews.

“I was like a completely different person after six months,” Hardin said. “Not just physically — mentally and emotionally, it just changed my whole life.”

One day, she told Benedict she envied his career.

“You’ve got the greatest job in the world,” she told him. “To see the changes that you make in somebody has got to be the most rewarding thing in the world.”

Read the entire story (PDF only).

Airport proposal takes flight

There may be some turbulence along the way, but an airport in Oldham County is in the process of being cleared for take-off.

An airport board was created this year to meet state and federal regulations and to analyze the feasibility of such a venture. The board will oversee the project to the end, said Judge-Executive Duane Murner, regardless of whether the end comes when the project is abandoned or when an airport is built.

The airport would reside on 250 to 350 acres, located in the eastern part of Oldham County. Federal Aviation Administration restrictions dictate the airport must be a 30-minute drive from the nearest other airport, Bowman Field in Louisville. The single runway would be between 2,500 and 7,000 feet long.

Read the whole story.

‘Celebrated citizen’ was adventurous, independent

Georgia Tilden was a doctor’s daughter, growing up when house calls were standard and you took a horse and buggy to get there. When she was old enough, Tilden learned to drive and would take her father to make his visits in the car.

Her daughter, Beth Parrish, describes her as “pretty adventurous.”

Tilden, 94, of La Grange, died Tuesday, May 8, 2007.

“She was very independent,” Parrish said. “She had a vision about how she wanted things to be.”

Read the whole story.

A long life of compassion

Mary Agnes Haunz learned to be frugal after growing up during the Depression.

“I think she invented recycling,” Sister Ruth Ann Haunz, an Ursuline nun, said of her mother. “She grew up very poor and learned values were much more important than things.

“But, she was extravagant with her love,” Haunz said.

Haunz, 97, of Pewee Valley, died Wednesday, April 25, 2007, in the presence of her eight children.

Read the whole story.

Coming Attractions

Kentucky moves to find new ways to expand and enhance the state park system

Parks are usually places to relax, to unwind, to enjoy the calming effects of nature -- but those peaceful feelings don't extend to the Kentucky State Park system itself.

In fact, the parks system is so busy Parks Commissioner J.T. Miller wasn't even sure where to begin in a recent interview.

There are numerous building projects kicking off in 2007, including various cottage and lodge developments, marinas and restaurants at some of the system's 53 parks and historic sites.

But one aspect of these projects Miller emphasized is that the park system is delving into more public/private partnerships to create those lodges, cottages, marinas, restaurants and even some golf courses.

Read the whole story (PDF only).

Retail Renaissance

Sometimes, Louisville just stumbles into the spotlight. Even for all its strategic planning to bolster the city’s reputation – the merger, a new arena, a new branding plan – that wasn’t the goal when Mayor Jerry Abramson created the Corridors of Opportunity in Louisville program, or COOL. But the program has now become a model of sorts for the rest of the nation, including Las Vegas.

Part of the Metro Development Authority, COOL was created shortly after Abramson became the first metro mayor in 2003. While campaigning, residents frequently told him they’d like to see certain restaurants or stores in their area; COOL was created to bring in those businesses.

John Fischer, assistant director of the Metro Development Authority’s Retail Development Division, has led the program since its inception. The program serves as an “umbrella program,” coordinating retail development in a number of ways.

Read the whole story.

The Path to Success - What's in Your Future?

A house? Money? A great career? It all starts with an education.

High school is a pretty tumultuous time - your classes are harder, the workload is greater, you're learning to drive and may be getting your first job. Add to that your extracurriculars, clubs and any sports, and it probably seems like there's time to do little else.

But there is one thing you should be making time for: getting ready for college. What you do after high school has a greater impact on your future than anything else.

Read the whole story.

Take Charge of Your Finances

Get smart when it comes to managing your money

College expenses pile up fast - books, fees, laundry, a night out with friends - so managing your money will be more important than ever. If you're not using a bank to keep track of your cash, now is the time to sign up.

Read the whole story.

The Art of the Essay

Tips on how to make your application essay shine

You've narrowed down your list of colleges and have all the admissions packets. They all seem fairly ordinary until somewhere toward the back you find it: the dreaded essay question.

But don't think of it as a torture tactic - the essay is the college's opportunity to get a feel for your individual talents and personality. This is the one place in the packet where you can show off who you really are and what makes you special. It's your chance to set yourself apart from all those other applicants.

And, believe it or not, you already have a head start on writing a college admissions essay. Many English teachers emphasize this type of essay writing during your last years of high school, and Kentucky public school students have had all those years of portfolio writing.

Read the whole story.

Testing Tips

How to make college entrance exams pay off for you

The SAT and ACT tests are a required rite of passage in terms of getting into college. But what's the difference between the two? And which one do you need to take - or do you need both?

If you're like most people, the word "test" doesn't exactly conjure up warm fuzzy feelings, but a little planning and preparation can make it all worthwhile when you get your scores back.

Like most other things in school, if you give it enough effort, the pay-off can be great. In fact, pay-off is the operative word here: Score well enough and it's possible to earn some big-time money to put toward your college education.

Read the whole story.

Technology Underground

One Louisville company looks to a cave for data security

If Louisville becomes the next Silicon Valley, it will be due to some very humble beginnings. “We wrote out a business concept on a napkin over lunch at a local Frisch’s Big Boy in about 30 minutes,” said Mark Roy, president, founder and chairman of e-Cavern, an underground technology park in Louisville. “And four months later I incorporated e-Cavern.”

Roy believes he can make Louisville a destination for secure data storage by tapping one of its natural distinctives: caves. Actually, one cave in particular – a huge one, nearly three million square feet.

The cave is intended to provide security for critical computer infrastructure and data, particularly servers where sensitive information must kept safe from terrorist attacks and natural disasters. The cave can be built-out to suit a variety of needs, including traditional office space, computer storage and vehicle warehousing.

Read the whole story.

Good for Downtown, and Who Else?

Will a new arena in Louisville help or hurt existing venues?

Last September, the Louisville Arena Task Force submitted its final report recommending an arena be built – after much debate – in downtown Louisville.

But there are many people who don’t really care where the new arena goes – just as long as it’s built. All arguments aside, plenty of folks stand to profit from the increased tourism the arena will bring, particularly Louisville’s downtown convention-centered businesses.

Louisville boasts two main convention centers, the Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC) located downtown, and the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center (KFEC) located near the Louisville International Airport. Both facilities are managed by the Kentucky State Fair Board, an agency of the Kentucky Commerce Cabinet. The arena task force recommends the fair board also manage the new arena.

Read the whole story.

Event celebrates two new Yew Dell buildings

Yew Dell Gardens will celebrate another step in its development Friday with a gala opening of two new components of the Oldham County property.

The third annual Twilight in the Garden Gala features a cocktail reception, dinner on the lawn and the grand opening of the Gheens Barn and Peyton Samuel Head Trust Pavilion. The refurbished Gheens Barn is one of the nation’s few remaining bank barns and, along with the glass-and-timber pavilion, forms a new meeting facility for Oldham and eastern Jefferson counties.

Yew Dell is the 33-acre former home, gardens and arboretum of plantsman Theodore Klein. When he died in 1998, development threatened his estate, but a group of volunteers formed the non-profit organization committed to preserving the gardens. Work began to restore Klein’s treasure to its former glory, and countless hours and dollars have been poured into the task.

Read the whole release, published by The Oldham Era.

The Cyber Customer Across Town

Tapping the local market on the World Wide Web

If you’ve ever searched on Yahoo for the nearest bookstore or pizza place, then it’s not news to you that the World Wide Web has become as much a tool for exploring your own neighborhood as it is for planning a vacation to some far-off land.

And as consumers turn to the Internet to find local services, the advertisers are following close behind. Both Google and Yahoo offer the “local search” feature to advertisers, giving them even greater control over who sees their ads.

If your company is not tapping into local googlers, it might be time to give it a thought.

Read the whole story.

Taming the Savage Email

What to do when you're drowning in your inbox

Even after mastering the art of spam filtering, most people wade through a deluge of e-mail every day – not to mention what happens when you’re on vacation. Sure, cleaning out your inbox is a great way to put off all those other things clamoring for your attention, but just looking at an endless string of bold-faced messages can be enough to cause stress. Here are some fast and easy tips for getting a grip on your e-mail. None require you to be a computer whiz.

Read the whole story - and all the tips.

Two Cents -- Logistics

What is a unique or memorable shipment your company handled?

Interviews with five industry professionals.

Click the image for the full story (JPG format).

Two Cents -- Web Design

What's your favorite or most memorable recent Web design project?

Interviews with five professionals.

Click the image for the full story (JPG format).